Straight talk about sex, sexuality and sexiness in America.
(6/27/14) (From the U.S. Department of Labor) The United States Department of Labor has published a public Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise the definition of “spouse” under the Family and Medical Leave Act. The proposed new rule would recognize same-sex spouses and negate the effect of inequalities based on residency in states where same-sex marriages are not recognized.
Read the full story here.
(6/2/14) When it comes to the broad subject of sex in America, fewer sub-topics generate more bone-between-the-teeth-clenching, heel-digging-in fervor than feminism. The divisiveness is somewhat understandable. After all, the issue is at its core all about power; so when it comes to who has it, who lacks it, who is trying to keep it and who is trying to gain it, it’s perfectly reasonable to expect a certain amount of passionate posturing. The differences of opinion within the associated arguments are even fine (and in fact, we probably need more rational discourse), but it seems that when “radical factors” intrude that the whole thing careens wildly off the rails. Is it really necessary for such detours to occur in order to make progress? Or is it a case where what we see as mad diversions in the present are just a matter of ideas that are ahead of their time?
You might think that “truth” should be true regardless of when it’s uncovered, but that’s hardly ever the case when it comes to social, economic and political dynamics. It’s an interesting quandary that an unlikely character took on–head on–at the height of the sexual revolution in the 1960s and 70s. Except to perhaps the most-invested participants (or maybe a few nerdy historians), the name Shulamith Firestone probably doesn’t stand out as one of the vanguards of feminism during that era, yet she’s responsible for producing what’s considered to be a classic and influential feminist manifesto in the form of 1970’s, The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution. The problem with “classics” of course is that they don’t usually appear to be that way at the time they arrive and this work was no different. Though well embraced by the more fringe elements of the women’s movement then, Firestone’s book was heavily criticized on multiple levels (some rational and some not) across the board, including by many prominent feminists who professed a more moderate, mainstream-friendly approach.
Oversimplifying Firestone’s premise, the basic “truth” that she attempted to outline was that a combination of biological factors and socio-economic reliance on a patriarchal nuclear family structure was directly responsible for perpetuating a sexual class system that subjugated women. Making her case by interpreting the writings of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud likely caused the work to be unfairly perceived as well outside a reasonable approach, but attacks at the time also included a range of elements from lacking credentials (her education had no sociological or political foundation and, in fact, terminated with a degree in fine arts) to simply advancing a rebellious nature, having come from an Orthodox-Jewish background. Ultimately, the book was an easy target that, while making a huge noise in feminist arenas and provoking a lot of thought and discussion for years to come, ultimately led the diminutive and feisty activist to withdraw from the scene altogether. From the early 1970s, “Shulie” quietly lived as an artist in New York, eventually relying on public subsistence, battling mental health problems and becoming increasingly reclusive until her death in 2012.
The irony is that, even if not precisely in the manner or for the reasons she laid out, much of what she called for as initial steps to balance the playing field have actually come to pass during the last 40 years. Scientific leaps have enabled significant expansion in reproductive options while political, economic and social shifts have broadened the concept of “family” well beyond the “Leave it to Beaver” borders of earlier times. Compared to an era where every major profession was male-dominated and the matter of abortion had yet to be addressed by the Supreme Court, today’s field is much more inviting, equitable and continuing to move in a better direction all the time. While a lot of that may have been due to rational evolution instead of radical revolution, it bears out a “truth” that was always true, but just apparently a little ahead of its time.
What do you think?
(5/19/14) Following a U.S. Government report detailing the growing problem of sexual assaults nationwide, Vice President Joe Biden recently announced new policy recommendations on behalf of the Obama Administration specifically focused on curbing sex crimes on American campuses.
The report, prepared by a task force that included the White House Council on Women and Girls, recommended strategies to improve identifying sexual assault issues on campuses, stepping up prevention programs, developing better response processes once sex crimes are reported and raising the profile of federal enforcement efforts. Additionally, as part of a detailed summary of the growing problem, the report points out that college students are particularly at risk, claiming that 20% of women have been sexually assaulted while in college.
The government’s new stance is coming at a time where several high-profile universities–all of which receive federal subsidies–are facing various public controversies regarding mishandling of sexual assault, harassment or gender discrimination claims. For example, just last month, Brown University was forced to backpedal on a decision to temporarily suspend a student involved in a sexual assault on another Brown student. The decision, which would have allowed the attacker to seek readmission this fall, caused the victim in the incident to publicly criticize the university’s response and incited a campus-wide outcry and social media frenzy. During the escalation of the matter, the assailant voluntarily decided not to seek readmission, but the episode planted a huge spotlight on university policies and decisions that have failed to adequately address such incidents for many years.
As serious as incidents such as the Brown controversy are, the fact that they’re now receiving widespread publicity is actually major plus in the effort to get a handle on the problem. Where academic institutions were once very quick to play down or hide such incidents in order to preserve their reputations, elevating visibility across the board and adding the White House’s voice to the mix enables positive peer pressure and a strength in numbers public relations strategy where all organizations can be more openly proactive.
Ultimately, the government’s current efforts, though long in the making, are helping to initiate a climate where academia can openly acknowledge the crisis and get on the right side of the rising tide against it. Let’s hope they put their backs into it rapidly.
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For additional information regarding efforts to curb violence against women, we strongly recommend:
This TEDx speech by anti-sexist activist, Dr. Jackson Katz, co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention —
And this amateur video of Star Trek and X-Men star, Patrick Stewart, replying to a fan’s question about his personal role in preventing violence against women —
(5/12/14) There’s been a lot in the news lately about bullying and the potentially catastrophic consequences associated to it. While the concept itself is hardly new, the combination of recent high profile calamities related to bullying along with an explosion of new media coverage serving to raise awareness have modernized both the problem and the response–and some responses have been brilliantly innovative.
One such positive effort, The UnSlut Project, is the brainchild of Harvard alum and Ph.D. candidate, Emily Lindin. Employing a wide variety of social and electronic media resources, Lindin has managed to harness it all towards a singular focus: Combating sexual bullying. The project, begun Spring of 2013 in response to her own experiences as a victim while in grade school, started as a means for her to share excerpts from her own diaries to benefit others, but quickly evolved into a collaboration with many others committed to stemming the tide against bullying. Today, Lindin’s project has expanded to promote gender equality, sex positivity and comprehensive sex education for all ages and is receiving solid attention from traditional media and academic/therapeutic communities.
With the sharp uptick in using cyberspace as a vicious bullying tool, it’s an irony of sorts that Lindin has managed to turn the tables and craft an effective opposing strategy utilizing many of the same platforms. In addition to its own primary website, the project has occupied online spaces such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr and Wattpad; and has received a lot of support through several YouTube channels, including an exceptional TEDx presentation recently held in Toronto. Additionally, she successfully used virtual crowdfunding through Kickstarter in order to finance an upcoming movie entitled, “Slut: A Documentary Film.” Directed by Jessica Caimi, it will chronicle the extent of sexual bullying and slut shaming in schools, media and culture along with presenting steps for working toward significant change. Currently under production, it will feature the stories of girls who were driven to suicide by sexual bullying, interviews with women who have experienced the effects of slut shaming in their own lives and the opinions of media figures, sexologists, psychologists and other experts.
The real beauty of Lindin’s efforts lies in the evolution from a simple idea (to courageously share her own experiences) into a growing community of active participants committed to doing the same–all with the eventual goal of demonstrating positive strategies to and support for sexual bullying victims. It’s leadership-by-example of the finest kind and a true success story in a battle of good over bad. If you would like to join that effort, you can get more information and offer your support through their primary web site, on their Facebook page or through their Twitter feed. Also, please consider sharing this article throughout your circles and help make a positive difference.