Substantial progress has been made this week in protecting transgender rights. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled Tuesday to extend sex-discrimination protection to transgender women. Meanwhile, in Nepal, a ground breaking ruling established a national third gender. It also pledged to abolish all laws that discriminate based on gender, to protect people who identify with ...
On Friday, Vancouver-based Miss Universe Canada candidate, Jenna Talackova, was disqualified from the pageant. After being chosen for the Top 65, Talackova was informed that she wouldn’t be allowed to compete in the event. Organizers claim that she didn’t meet the contest requirements although she had already signed the contestant form. Talackova says that she was discriminated ...
What happens when a child strongly identifies with a sex that doesn’t match their own body? Zach Avery may have been born with boy parts but he knew he wanted to be a girl by the age of three. Although initially Zach can dress up as a girl without being betrayed by his “boyness,” puberty ...
My first encounter with Kitchen, Banana Yoshimoto’s 1988 novel (translated into English in 1993 by Megan Backus) was in the late 90s when I discovered a copy wedged into the corner of a library shelf. It’s a small novel; only 150 pages. Yoshimoto’s language is simple, with short sentences describing action in unromantic language. Despite ...
It’s Spirit Day today, a day to show support for LGBT young people by wearing purple and speaking out against bullying. We may think that the fight has been won, with so many stories about legalizing gay marriage and gay rights in the news, but as recently as this past weekend yet another gay teenager ...
My niece, who is nearly three, has begun to notice the physical difference between the sexes, principally through observing the physique of her little brother at bath time. This has become a matter of some interest to her, and with a young child’s typical candour, she is prone to declaring what she, her parents, friends ...
Could it be that the supposedly concrete relationship between sex and gender is finally being officially challenged? A new rule has been passed in Australia allowing people to nominate their own gender identity on their passports. Before today, a person whose gender was different from that of their birth was required to provide evidence of ...
When students are filling out their admissions applications for college, I imagine one of their first thoughts is, “Will I get in?” But while some students dread the letter that tells them whether they will be accepted or not, others may feel anxious over whether or not they’ll be accepted by their peers based on ...
Some people are transgender and that’s not going to change, so perhaps the times will have to change with them. Starting this week transgender students at the University of South Florida (USF) will be given the choice of living alone, with a friend (of any gender) or with a roommate randomly assigned by the university. ...
School is often idealized as the great equalizer because the education it provides is meant to allow kids from all socio-economic backgrounds to reach the same goals. Sadly, it often makes the news for being a big machine of conformation. Sam Saurs, a 15-year-old boy from Port Orchard, WA, was just suspended from ...
So, we’re having this baby. It’s due in a few weeks and we’re trying to get organized with all...
I recently heard about what is claimed to be the rising phenomenon of Japanese men remaining virgins for longer...
Ladders. Patriarchal conspiracy. I’ll explain… This week I climbed a ladder. I was trying to reach a loft space,...
Dear Madame X, My boyfriend needs to look at porn while we have sex. It bothers me because I...
Mrs. Dalloway is yet another feminist classic that I had to grow into. Wrapped up in Woolf’s instantly recognizable...
Last week saw a Big Thing come to our soggy little island. Well, it was a Big Thing for...
Last weekend I was entertaining a guest, you know, the sort I was planning to have lots and lots...
All little girls want to be princesses… right?! It’s bad enough that toy aisles are separated out by what...
