Category Archives: gender

Recommended Reading: Masculinity stereotypes, politicians and partner choice

June 3, 2007 · by · in gender, masculinity, recommendations

From Terrance at The Republic of T, crossposted at Pam’s House Blend (there’s more discussion at The Blend). Terrance revisits an old post of his about the reign of the Alpha Males in light of recent politics and recent books on masculinity, and analyses the demonisation of the Beta Males in recent political campaigns and […]

FAQ: But men and women are born different! Isn’t that obvious?

May 10, 2007 · by · in clarifying-concepts, FAQ, FWW, gender, identity, oppression, privilege, sexism, spot the strawfeminist

That idea is known as “essentialism”: the belief that there are uniquely feminine and uniquely masculine essences which exist independently of cultural conditioning. Both actual (minor) and alleged (major) differences between the sexes have been used to justify inequities and constraints which harm women emotionally, financially and physically. Even where (and if) such differences do […]

FAQ: Why "feminism" and not just "humanism"? Or "equalism"? Isn’t saying you’re a feminist exclusionary?

April 12, 2007 · by · in FAQ, FWW, introductory, privilege, sexism, spot the strawfeminist

This question implies that one must be either one or the other. People and philosophies are far more complicated than that. A feminist may also be both a humanist and an equalist. There’s no law that says only one box can be ticked here, and it’s hugely important not to get sucked into thinking that […]

FAQ: I’ve got nothing against equal rights for women, but we’ve got that, so isn’t feminism nowadays just going too far ?

April 3, 2007 · by · in allies, clarifying-concepts, FAQ, feminism, sexism

Simple, basic legal equality regarding the right to own property, sign contracts or vote does not always translate into social equality in work, the community or the home. Feminists who point out residual cultural traditions and reactionary business practises that disproportionately disadvantage women are not making it up…

Women online: coping with abuse, threats and cyberstalking

April 2, 2007 · by · in gender, objectification, op-ed, sexism, sleazebags, violence

There’s been a lot of discussion of the threats made against Kathy Sierra online over the last week. Many other women online know how it feels to be objectified and have your arguments trivialised or mocked because of your gender, and a substantial number also know about graphic threats of sexualised violence and brutal death. […]

FAQ: What is sexual objectification?

March 23, 2007 · by · in clarifying-concepts, FAQ, gender, introductory, objectification, privilege, sexism

Sexual objectification is the viewing of people solely as de-personalised objects of desire instead of as individuals with complex personalities and desires/plans of their own. This is done by speaking/thinking of women especially as only their bodies, either the whole body, or as fetishised body parts. Sexual attraction is not the same as sexual objectification: […]

Sexual Harassment

March 20, 2007 · by · in clarifying-concepts, introductory, op-ed, sexism, Sexuality & Health

Haven’t put together an FAQ for SH yet, but I just found an excellent resource for anyone looking for clearly laid out material. From the Memorial University of Newfoundland: Sexual Harassment Information Site. Obviously, their definitions and referenced laws are specific to their own region, but the site offers more information about the conceptual and […]

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