Perspectives

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Don’t be fooled: The patriarchy is alive & fully functioning

“If my kids don’t get bullied for having daddy’s money & a hot mom then I failed at life,” Parker Lamosa wrote on Facebook on July 21. According to Parker Lamosa, “daddy” is the breadwinner, the one who earns the money – and lots of it — for the family. Standing by his side is the “hot mom” who does, well, supports the rich “daddy” by raising the “kids,” of course. My comment to Lamosa on July 22: “Superficial priorities. You have surrendered your integrity to the patriarchy.” Patriarchy: The privelege of over-valued cis-het male bodies “What is patriarchy? A […]

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After 15 years in women’s prison, I realized I was a lesbian

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When I arrived at Virginia’s Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in 2003, carrying a 603-year prison bid for murdering my husband and the trauma of a nightmarish marriage and its apocalyptic conclusion, romance was the last thing on my mind. Growing up in Fredericksburg, Virginia, I had no memory of ever meeting a gay person. The only public acknowledgment of homosexuality I remember was the occasional sneered “faggot!” hurled by the guys in my high school who passed footballs, not classes. My relationships with men were as uncomfortable as ill-fitting shoes. Still, I ended up checking all the boxes: marriage, […]

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Trans Sports Dominate Culture Wars. But What Do Scientists Think?

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The debate over trans athletes has reached a fever pitch. Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who tied for fifth place with a trans swimmer in 2022, has become a star in the world of conservative politics. Former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White recently announced their intentions to enter the WNBA draft and “expose” the league’s lack of policy for transgender players. And less than two months out from the November midterms, trans athletes are shaping up to be an issue on voters’ minds as they head to the polls. All of this noise has created little room for thoughtful conversation. We […]

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Dems with anti-trans views are on the ballot. What should pro-trans voters do with them?

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Numerous Democratic midterm candidates have previously made anti-trans statements or voted for anti-trans legislation. Trans journalist Erin Reed published a list yesterday of these candidates and advised her followers not to vote for them, lest their victories convince the Democratic Party “that throwing transgender people under the bus is a winning strategy,” Reed wrote. Reed’s list only included Democrats running in federal and statewide races, and noted that the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) endorsed some candidates who had made anti-trans votes or statements. She warned that if these candidates win and transphobia becomes a permanent Democratic Party value — as it has with the UK’s ostensibly left-of-center Labour […]

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As Kids Head Back to School, Anti-LGBTQ Lawmakers Are Forcing Many to Remain Closeted

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My Mom and I agree that no matter how old you are, the week of Labor Day always feels like a new year. That’s because for Canadians and many Americans, it marks the beginning of the new school year. It’s a time of change and disruption that brings with it both a melancholy about the end of summer and the days getting shorter as well as an excitement about seeing all the friends you missed over the last two months. But for many kids, September comes with fear. You’re no longer safe from the classrooms and hallways that can be […]

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When a pastor preaches cruelty, why does the congregation listen?

Halfway through Netflix’s jarring docuseries Death of the Pastor’s Wife, I found myself rewinding a clip to make sure I had heard it correctly. It was that unhinged. There was John-Paul “JP” Miller, pastor of Solid Rock Church, telling his congregation that a wife who refuses her husband sex is inviting the devil into her marriage. He claimed that withholding intimacy was comparable to rape, sex trafficking, or homosexuality. He said it as doctrine, as some sort of Bible-based fact, and as justification for his own abhorrent behavior. What stunned me was that members of his congregation sat in the pews and […]

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Why affirming faith communities belong in the fight to end HIV

Strategy work usually gets described in terms of what an organization needs to build: new systems, new partnerships, new infrastructure. But HIV strategy should begin with another question: What networks of relationships and influence already exist, and why have we not adequately invested in them as pathways to prevention and care? August 30 is National Faith HIV & AIDS Awareness Day. The observance points to an important strategic opportunity. Faith and spiritual communities are among the few institutions in this country that hold relationships that span generations. Their leaders are often present for some of the most intimate moments in people’s […]

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White House Moves To Defund Colorado School District Over “61 Boys On Girls’ Teams” (There Are Actually Zero)

The New York Times reports: Rob Stein had been interim school superintendent in Jefferson County, Colo., for 22 days when he sued the Trump administration this summer over demands to change their transgender-inclusive policies. Dr. Stein and other district officials say they had no choice. The cash-strapped district, Jeffco Public Schools, risked losing all $50 million of its federal funding for school meals and special education if they refused. But if they acquiesced, they concluded, they would violate state laws that protect transgender students from discrimination. In March, the administration announced that Jeffco had violated federal nondiscrimination laws by allowing students access […]

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It’s not too late to walk away from Harry Potter

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I grew up with the Harry Potter books. There were Christmases when the Harry Potter box set was the background audio for the holidays.  Now, I avoid them at all costs. For years I’ve heard excuses about separating art from the artist and the importance of the franchise to people. But there are at least some actors and directors distancing themselves from opportunities tied to this golden goose of a property, and old die-hard fans are turning their backs on Harry Potter, recognizing the harm it brings. It’s not too late for everyone to walk away. Of course, part of […]

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Republicans are using anti-trans issues in a desperate attempt to motivate their base

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By every account, Republicans are facing a disaster in this fall’s elections. Donald Trump is incredibly unpopular and seems intent on doing everything possible to increase his party’s unpopularity. The odds are very high that Republicans will lose the House, and Democrats are increasingly optimistic about capturing the Senate as well, with competitive races even in deep-red strongholds like Texas and Iowa.  Faced with looming electoral disaster, Republicans are turning to their old standby, anti-LGBTQ+ attacks. This year, the focus is on anti-trans attacks, including anti-trans ballot initiatives in four states. Ballot measures in Washington and Arizona would prohibit trans athletes from participating in sports, while a ballot […]

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