Blog Archives
Donald Trump’s Sexist, Racist Appeal
Donald Trump
More than 40% of Republicans have favored Donald Trump for President at some point.
Some despite his sexism and racism. They’re just fed up with establishment politicians who are so busy serving wealthy interests (thanks $ in politics!) that they often ignore their middle-class and working-class voters. I get it!
But others appear to be drawn to his bigotry.
Why is that? Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Mad Max, Hunger Games, Dragons: From Domination to Partnership
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max, Hunger Games, and How to Train Your Dragon are all movies I watched this year.
They all celebrate a move from domination to partnership.
Most of human history has been one of domination: Rich over poor, men over women, white over black and brown…
Yet prehistory held partnership cultures. To which we may return.
Much suggests that we are in transition toward partnership, including protest of the lily-white, male-heavy film industry and Oscars. And the trend toward partnership is meeting backlash from the likes of ISIL, right wing extremists, MRAs (Men’s Rights Activists), and more… Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Back When Abortion Was Illegal
The Ms. Blog asked readers to share stories of what it was like to get illegal abortions before the 1973 Supreme Court decision on Roe v Wade that gave women the right to terminate a pregnancy.
With permission, I have reposted a few of their stories. You can go to their blog to see more stories. Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Men React to “Nude” Sly Stallone
Sly Stallone on Vanity Fair Cover
I recently asked my students to write down their thoughts when looking at nude-ish pictures of Cindy Crawford and Sly Stallone.
Had attitudes changed since sociologist, Beth Eck, studied reactions a decade ago?
We’ve spent a lot of time with thoughts on Cindy. Now let’s turn to Sly. Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
You Can Help Stop Super Bowl Sex Trafficking
Super Bowl sex trafficking
By Courtney Cooper and Wesley Russell
This originally appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on January 20, 2016.
Sara Kruzan grew up with an abusive, drug addicted single mom. By age nine she was depressed and attempting suicide.
At age eleven she met an affectionate 30-year-old man who seemed to be the loving father figure she had yearned for. He said she was special. So special that people should pay for the privilege of having sex with her. Eventually, he had her walking the streets every night from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. In between displays of affection he terrorized and raped her to keep her in line. Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Cindy Crawford Makes Me Feel Inadequate
I recently asked my students to write down their thoughts on a nude-ish picture of Cindy Crawford to see if attitudes had changed since sociologist, Beth Eck, studied reactions more than a decade ago.
Dr. Eck found that these images made women feel bad about their own bodies.
Do they still? Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Women React to Sexy Cindy Crawford
Cindy Crawford on Rolling Stone cover
Want to know how women and men experience skin-revealing images of men and women?
I recently asked my students to write down what thoughts came to mind when looking at nearly-nude pictures of Cindy Crawford and Sly Stallone.
My participants included 35 straight women and 19 straight men, from three different women’s studies classes that met during the 2014-15 school year. I surveyed them on the second or third day of class.
First, let’s look at how women experienced Cindy. Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Casual Sex Distresses Women?
The double standard
Women who do casual sex are, on average, more distressed than other women.
Men who do casual sex are, on average, more confident than other men.
That’s what sociologists, Mark Regnerus and Jeremy Uecker, found as they researched their book, Premarital Sex in America.
That means the double standard is neither good nor bad. It just is. They say. Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Notorious RBG, aka Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg
Notorious RBG
Notorious RBG — aka Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg — has been a radical just by being herself.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg had dreamed of being a first-rate lawyer, but that just wasn’t possible in 1959 — even though she had graduated from Columbia Law, tying for first in her class. Law firms just couldn’t wrap their minds around a woman being anything but a secretary or a mom, it seems.
That left her no choice but to burst bombshells. Read the rest of this entry
Share this:
Loose Women Don’t Wear Corsets
The corset
Plenty of women’s fashions restrict them — intended or not — whether we’re talking girdles, spiked heels, bound feet, or wearing curlers to bed (who can sleep?!)
And how about that corset?
This ubiquitous pre-20th-century garment was so tightly laced that organs could be pushed around. And they promoted lung disease. Those things were not comfy!
Despite the health risks, some 19th century doctors believed that women’s bodies were too weak to hold themselves up, so they needed the contraption. (Scientists of the time also thought that education shrunk a woman’s womb!) Read the rest of this entry
BroadBlogs 