It was heartwarming to see Chaz in this interview. So often our media portrays the trans community as negative stereotypes. Rarely do we get to see a transition shown in such a positive light void of judgmental hype. I applaud Good Morning America for a professional and fair interview. My applause is even louder for Chaz and his courage.
The trans community faces more than it's fair share of societal challenges. It takes enormous courage to come out as trans. Violence against the trans community is staggering. People transitioning are particularly vulnerable because it is more difficult to pass. According to the Human Rights Council a trans person has a 1 in 12 chance of being murdered while heterosexual people have a 1 in 18,000 chance of being murdered.
[more at link}It was heartwarming to see Chaz in this interview. So often our media portrays the... more
(Nov. 18) -- An Ohio mom was sentenced to four years of probation for "sexting" naked photos of her daughter's cheerleading rival to teachers and students at the girls' high school.
-----More at Link-----
Phillip Alpert found out the hard way. He had just turned 18 when he sent a naked photo of his 16-year-old girlfriend, a photo she had taken and sent him, to dozens of her friends and family after an argument. The high school sweethearts had been dating for almost 2½ years. "It was a stupid thing I did because I was upset and tired and it was the middle of the night and I was an immature kid," says Alpert.
Orlando, Florida, police didn't see it that way. Alpert was arrested and charged with sending child pornography, a felony to which he pleaded no contest but was later convicted. He was sentenced to five years probation and required by Florida law to register as a sex offender.
"You will find me on the registered sex offender list next to people who have raped children, molested kids, things like that, because I sent child pornography," says Alpert in disbelief, explaining, "You think child pornography, you think 6-year-old, 3-year-old little kids who can't think for themselves, who are taken advantage of. That really wasn't the case."
-----More at Link-----http://news.aol.com/article/linda-tate-pleads-guilty-to-sending-nude/776396?icid=main|m... more
39% of victims of domestic violence are men, but you'd never know it from these public service announcements.39% of victims of domestic violence are men, but you'd never know it from these public... more
An 18-year-old Loyola University student has recanted the report she made earlier this morning about being sexually attacked in her dormitory room, police said.
The woman said the assault occurred at about 1 a.m. in a dorm room on the 1100 block of West Loyola Avenue, said Chicago police News Affairs Officer Ronald Gaines.
The woman told police she was in her room drinking with three males who she claimed sexually assaulted her, Gaines said. She was being evaluated at Weiss Memorial Hospital, Gaines said.
Police said she is not likely to be charged with filing a false report.An 18-year-old Loyola University student has recanted the report she made earlier this... more
PCI-Media Impact, a New York-based non-profit with 25 years experience using communications for development, is initiating its sixth year of the My Community program on November 2 with an international training on Entertainment Education and Social Marketing in Lima, Peru.
The 32 selected participants – including radio hosts, journalists, community activists, and professors– representing Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, will participate in a five-day hands-on training and learn how to design, produce and broadcast entertaining radio soap operas that address urgent community needs.
“This year’s training promises to be one of the best,” said Media Impact Programs Director, Sean Southey. “Between staff, community activists and media leaders, and representatives of current My Community coalitions, we will have representatives from leading NGOs and grassroots social movements in Latin America coming together to discuss how to create global changes beginning at the local level.”
The International Olympic Committee will convene a special conference of medical experts to draw up guidelines for dealing with "ambiguous" gender cases in the wake of South African runner Caster Semenya's sex-test controversy.
IOC medical commission chairman Arne Ljungqvist told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his panel will organize a symposium in Florida in January to look at gender issues and advise sports bodies how to respond.
"Sometimes you come across cases that are uncertain and ambiguous, and it changes from being a sports matter to a medical matter," Ljungqvist said. "That's where we need to have a review."
The move comes amid intense international scrutiny on Semenya, the 18-year-old athlete who won the women's 800 meters at the world championships in Berlin in August.
The International Association of Athletics Federations is reviewing gender test results to determine whether Semenya is eligible to compete as a woman. The IAAF has refused to confirm or deny Australian media reports that the tests indicate Semenya has both male and female sex organs.
Ljungqvist said the IOC would have reviewed gender issues in any case, as 10 years have passed since the committee did away with mandatory gender testing at the Olympics. But he said the Semenya case has pushed the IOC to move now.
"When the Semenya case came up with all the publicity around her, and her integrity was violated, we felt perhaps it is time to review and make clearer guidelines of what to do in those ambiguous cases," the Swedish official said in a telephone interview. "The timing is appropriate."
The IOC will seek common scientific ground on "intersex" cases, where a person has ambiguous sexual characteristics. This can mean getting the athlete to receive medical treatment, including possible hormone therapy.The International Olympic Committee will convene a special conference of medical... more
The overwhelming theme of sex and violence in every aisle of the party store points towards something more than just festive fun. Every purchase supports the wounds of gender stereotypes. The only way for stereotypes to change is if we challenge them. When suiting up for Halloween, I challenge you to find a costume that speaks to you, not a gender. Be creative and don’t let commercialized stereotypes limit your possibilities. You’re Halloween is only as limited as your imagination.The overwhelming theme of sex and violence in every aisle of the party store points... more
Anne Rice is considered one of the best author for all things on the supernatural, particularly vampires. In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal, Rice discusses her current projects, what it has been like to go from writing books on the supernatural to Christianity; how the new books are going through the same prejudice that the vampire stories went through, and last but not least, 'The Twilight Saga' and its appeal to younger women and how the different level of maturity in girls vs. boys plays a role in the appeal of a protective vampire.
Rice on the problem with prejudice: "Only some of my readers are reluctant to read my Christian-themed books, and the reason they give in emails to me is that they don’t want to read anything Christian. They are resisting the Christian books pretty much the way people resisted my earlier supernatural books, on the basis of the theme. Of course I want to say, look, these are novels, and you might be surprised how they work. Give them a try. My “vampire” novels had to overcome this kind of prejudice and gradually they did. I trust my newer Christian-oriented books will win the battle too."
Rice's thoughts on 'The Twilight Saga': "No, I haven’t read any of the Twilight series, but I did see the film. I felt that it reflected the deep desire of young women to have the mystery and protection and wisdom of older men. I think many girls mature much earlier than boys, and they are frustrated when they approach young boys for love or protection. Hence the fantasy of a wise and protective vampire coming into the life of a young girl who, of course, appreciates him in a special way."Anne Rice is considered one of the best author for all things on the supernatural,... more
Eric Williamson was making coffee in his kitchen Monday morning and didn’t thing anything of the fact that he was nude since he was alone in the house, according to WTTG-TV.Eric Williamson was making coffee in his kitchen Monday morning and didn’t thing... more
No matter what side of the health care debate you sit on there is no denying that there are huge problems with the health care industry in the United States. In this PARODY/SATIRE Tomboys in Fishnets skewers many of the issues including gender bias, ambulance chasers, false diagnosis, breast augmentation, bankruptcy from medical costs, health insurance.... you name it!No matter what side of the health care debate you sit on there is no denying that... more
During our everyday bustle to get to work, to the gym, to school, to the office, we mismanage how fortunate we are, in this world as a nation, between what is valuable and what is blessed. This video reminds me, if not those who have watched it, to take a measure of comfort that what we have in warehouse isn't always available for others.During our everyday bustle to get to work, to the gym, to school, to the office, we... more
Writer and Director: Fern Berresford
Mentor: Kinga Burza
Music: The Young Knives
This two-minute short, based around gender + power, tackles the treatment of women as property and the lack of self worth and identity women feel due to the gender inequalities prevalent in many societies.Writer and Director: Fern Berresford
Mentor: Kinga Burza
Music: The Young Knives... more
So I haven't seen a Current Group for transgender users (if there is one I haven't found it yet!) so I decided to start my own. Here's a place for us, whether you've already transitioned, are thinking about starting, or still have a lot of questions! Please feel free to post webcam vids, news posts and anything else! - BCSo I haven't seen a Current Group for transgender users (if there is one I haven't... more
The Vanessa George case raises important questions about female sexual abuse of children.
Angela Allen and Vanessa George have pleaded guilty to the abuse of children
Both George and Angela Allen were acting alone - and detectives are satisfied neither woman was acting under duress, or being coerced by a man.
These were predatory female paedophiles - women abusing children for their own sexual gratification.
One victim of sexual abuse by a woman is Darren, whose earliest memory is of his mother standing over him naked.
Behavioural Psychologist Michele Elliott
Behavioural psychologist Michele Elliott has 40 years clinical experience working with female sex offenders and their victims.
She told Sky News: "I have spoken with and written to over 800 survivors of female sexual abuse and offenders, and in only 25% of those cases was a man present, involved, anywhere near the home.
"In 75% of cases the woman was acting alone.
"The reality is women abuse, women abuse without men telling them to abuse, and I think we have to acknowledge it for the sake of the children who are being abused.
"Otherwise they will continue to be abused because we as a society don't want to know."
In contrast to sexual abuse by males, female sex abuse tends to take place within the family.
Unseen threat from female paedophiles
Women also tend to abuse children from a younger age.
Female sex abuse often remains hidden behind the veil of happy family life and the apparently normal relationship between mother and child so victims are less likely to come forward.
The statistics in this field are dangerously inadequate, but Michele Elliott estimates that at least 25% of victims of sexual abuse are abused by women.
Two years ago the Behavioural Analysis Unit at CEOP (The Child Expoloitation and Online Protection taskforce) began a study into female sex offenders.
The results are still several years away, but Graham Hill, leading the team, expects the findings to show a high incidence of female sex offending.
Mondays were the worst day - he would cry and sob. So now you just torture yourself - wondering did this woman work on Mondays? Were Mondays the day she did the abuse?
Darren explains: "Women do abuse. I know first hand that women abuse.
"It is going on and we need to acknowledge it otherwise the only people who suffer are the victims because it just puts up another barrier to them coming forward and getting help."
Acknowledging women can and do sexually abuse children challenges everything we assume about the female nurturing instinct - it is the ultimate taboo.
But if there is a legacy of Vanessa George and her crimes, perhaps it is this - that we can no longer deny the existence of the predatory female paedophile.The Vanessa George case raises important questions about female sexual abuse of... more
Visualisation of the gender split on social networking sites. I was surprised to see with the exception of Digg that women make up the majority of these sites.Visualisation of the gender split on social networking sites. I was surprised to see... more
On October 3rd, 2009, the award-winning documentary, U PEOPLE (Logo Reel Movement Series) will stand as the first LGBT-themed film to be shown where civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., lost his life. At this event, conversations concerning LGBT issues in the southern United States will be brought into the spotlight.
After the film screening, there will be a live online broadcast of the scheduled panel discussion. Viewers like you, will be able to send their questions and comments to the panelists in real-time.
What do YOU want to say about LGBT rights in the South? Click on the link to learn how you can be a part of this pivotal moment.
"There's not much that's more irksome than clichés -- the flesh-eating fungus of Hollywood, the virus that makes Tinseltown's already rampant repetition all the more tiresome. They're completely trite and overused, but the cinematic machine clings to them like they're energy-giving oil.
1. The Prostitute/Stripper: Our most beloved actresses flock to the roles because these are the gritty, extreme gigs that bring them critical attention and Oscar love. As the Wall Street Journal has noted, the first woman to win an Oscar -- Janet Gaynor in 1928's Street Angel -- played a prostitute, and thus opened the door to a long history of lascivious leading roles: Greta Garbo, Charlize Theron, Donna Reed, Kim Basinger, Elizabeth Taylor, Jodie Foster...
But at some point, this can't be considered as much of a stretch for an actress when there's almost one hundred years of prostitution productions ... or so I would hope.
2. The Bitchy and Imbalanced Successful Shrews
Always fear the woman in power. She's not like the men. She's a different beast altogether -- the bitch -- the cold, calculating, focused, and detached woman of power who seems to have little to no humanity. In movies, that often means caricatured CEOs who have little social skills or rational thought, but somehow manage to run large companies.
I've never quite understood this trend. It suggests that women have some sort of professional autism, skilled enough to get ahead but not able to function in any other part of their lives. We've grown accustomed to this notion that successful women on the big screen probably won't be successful in their personal lives.
3. The Hysterical Woman
Hollywood loves its female hysteria. Now, I've known a lot of women over the years -- everyone from the most butch tomboy to the most girly girl fashionista -- and none have ever been hysterical. Angry and ranty? Yes. Fly-off-the-handle, screechingly insane? No. Even my friends' most tumultuous of moments have been handled with some sort of dignity, but on the big screen, all bets are off. Do something out of line, and the gals will wail, rant, and throw messy scenes that shouldn't be fit for consumption.
Hollywood needs to learn that the charm of a cold shoulder, a well-written rant, and carefully released burst of anger can be just as cinematic.
4. The Pretty Ugly Girl
This is the one we all joke about -- the "ugly" girl who rips off her glasses, pulls her hair out of its ponytail, and suddenly becomes the most irresistible goddess. Thankfully, there seems to be less pr-ug regularity today as films try to grasp at unique personalities getting loner status, rather than superficial and oft-irrelevant fashion cues likes glasses.
While the ridiculousness can be amusing, this one grates -- as if a girl is toeing the line of uglydom by needing glasses to see. As if any refusal of fashion thrusts her into the realms of the ugly -- not the awkward, not the disheveled -- but the all-out unpleasant to look at. It just breeds a society of snarky, overly critical people eager to pick out the slightest "flaw."
5...
As we all know, there are so much more -- the shopping obsessed, the money idiots, the femme fatale... -- Hollywood never fails to make sure all clichéd bases are covered.
Which do you loathe?""There's not much that's more irksome than clichés -- the flesh-eating fungus of... more
