Category Archives: Feminism, sexism, etc

Rereading the Book Proposal for “Evolving Manhood”

So I am gearing up to write a book proposal for work that is connected to my Persian translations (about which more in subsequent posts). I’m using as my reference the same book that I used when I wrote the … Continue reading

Posted in Men and masculinity, Writing | 3 Comments

Lines That Didn’t Make The Cut – Ruth’s Story

Trigger warning: These lines describe the sexual exploitation of a young woman. Ruth’s Story It wasn’t like I showed him anything he hadn’t seen before. Besides, he took the ones with clothes, the good ones, only if I did a … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Sex work, porn, etc | Comments Off on Lines That Didn’t Make The Cut – Ruth’s Story

Trying To Be an Ally: Thinking About Hejab, Muslim Invisibility, and the Casual Hatred that is Cultural Appropriation (2)

I was inspired to write this series of posts–part 1 is here–after reading The Hijabinist’s post, “Here’s what’s wrong with hijab tourism and your cutesy ‘modesty experiments.’” The post takes note of and criticizes a pattern that the author traces … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Gender and the Body, Islamaphobia | 83 Comments

Two excellent but long comic strips about sexual harassment and assault

I thought this cartoon by sci-fi novelist Jim Hines was terrific, despite his lack of technical skill: Then click over and read Street Harassment In An Ideal World, which is very possibly the most delightful cartoon about harassment ever. And … Continue reading

Posted in Cartooning & comics, Comics I Like, Feminism, sexism, etc, Rape, intimate violence, & related issues | 40 Comments

Reading the News While Trans

So, this happened: [Islan] Nettles was out with several other transgender women at 11 p.m. Friday when she ran across a group of men near West 148th Street and Eighth Avenue — directly across from the housing bureau’s Police Service … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Men and masculinity, Transsexual and Transgender related issues, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Trying To Be an Ally: Thinking About Hejab, Muslim Invisibility, and the Casual Hatred that is Cultural Appropriation (1)

In 2008, when my family and I traveled to Iran for my brother-in-law’s wedding, the day after we left Tehran to visit my sister-in-law and her family in Isfahan, the Iranian morality police drove a paddy wagon into Tajrish, a … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Gender and the Body, Iran | 28 Comments

Male Feminism in 1914

I subscribe to Voice Male magazine, the tag line for which is “Changing Men in Changing Times.” It’s kind of like Ms. for the profeminist men’s movement. (Many of their issues are archived online; they are definitely worth a look.) In … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Men and masculinity | 55 Comments

“Being a Woman is Not a Tool to Punish or Humiliate Anyone”

Dilar Dirik has written a wonderful piece, Kurdish Men for Gender Equality, about a story involving Iran that is worth knowing about. In April of this year, a local court in Iran started sentencing male convicts to being dressed as … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Iran, Men and masculinity, Race, racism and related issues | 12 Comments

Texas Jury Acquits Man For Killing Escort Who Wouldn’t Have Sex With Him

(UPDATE: Make sure to read the update at the end of the post, which puts a very different spin on the jury’s decision.) From Vanity Fair: Frago went outside where her driver, Christopher Perkins, was waiting. Gilbert came out and … Continue reading

Posted in In the news, Prisons and Justice and Police, Sex work, porn, etc | 36 Comments

Stand-Up Comedy, Rape Jokes, and the Word “Faggot”

The New York Times quotes Sarah Silverman: “I need more rape jokes,” she shouted nasally before letting her fans in on what she called a comedy secret, that such jokes are actually not so “edgy” after all. “Who’s going to … Continue reading

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Homophobic zaniness/more LGBTQ issues, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues, Popular (and unpopular) culture, Rape, intimate violence, & related issues | 7 Comments