There's an interesting article in Newsweek, entitled "See Baby Discriminate." It explores how and why babies and toddlers see differences between white people and people of color. The article cites several different studies that tested how children see race, similar to the infamous black doll vs. white doll study:



Most studies seem to go somewhat like this:

Vittrup's first test of the kids revealed they weren't colorblind at all. Asked how many white people are mean, these children commonly answered, "Almost none." Asked how many blacks are mean, many answered, "Some," or "A lot." Even kids who attended diverse schools answered the questions this way.

Not surprising. Racism is a cycle, perpetuated by parents passing on either their racist views or their let's-never-talk-about-race philosophy:

Combing through the parents' study diaries, Vittrup realized why. Diary after diary revealed that the parents barely mentioned the checklist items. Many just couldn't talk about race, and they quickly reverted to the vague "Everybody's equal" phrasing.

Of all those Vittrup told to talk openly about interracial friendship, only six families managed to actually do so. And, for all six, their children dramatically improved their racial attitudes in a single week. Talking about race was clearly key.

But...

Others think it's better to say nothing at all about the president's race or ethnicity—because saying something about it unavoidably teaches a child a racial construct. They worry that even a positive statement ("It's wonderful that a black person can be president") still encourages a child to see divisions within society.

The fact of the matter is... there are divisions within society. I think more than anything it's important to educate our children about prejudice and stereotypes and injustice so they can understand what they will encounter out in the world.

If I ever have a daughter, I plan to sit her down and explain, "Some people might try to make you feel like you can't do certain things because you're a girl, but know that you can do anything you put your mind to. Don't let them get you down." To me, ignoring the state of our society is a surefire way to end up with confused children who think "black people are mean." Talking is key.

Because Caster Semenya has defined muscles and can run faster than most people we've seen, she couldn't possibly be 100% female. Undoubtedly, the right thing to do is to subject her to grueling, intricate, and humiliating "gender testing" to confirm our gender stereotypes - that Caster is only so fast because she is part male or all male.

In the mean time, just to "prove" that Caster can fit the narrow role of a "real" woman, certain people thought it necessary to give her a feminine makeover. Take that, gender testers, Caster can rock high heels and lipstick, so she must be a woman.

It doesn't matter that Caster has gotten this crap all her life, we simply must know Caster's sex... we must categorize her... it's like a challenge that our society has become obsessed with, similar to every Saturday Night Live character who encounters the famously androgynous Pat.

And now we've discovered that Caster - our "Pat" - is a hermaphrodite, but some argue that no, she isn't a hermaphrodite, and her poor mother just wants people to back off, and now Caster has withdrawn from a race because she "isn't feeling well."

I just want to shout at everyone to STOP.

Don't you all see? This is why it is just impossible to classify people using those two simple symbols you see on bathroom doors - the people who wear skirts, and the people who don't. Caster's case is not unique. About 1.7% of the U.S. population has been born intersexed, and in South Africa the number is 1 in 500. It may seem insignificant because it seems like we only really care about the majority of the population, not the minorities, but cases like Caster's show that real people have to suffer from this every day... and I'm not talking about intersexuality; I'm talking about gender roles.

People may pity Caster for the horrific "confusion" she must suffer from, not knowing what she "really" is, but what is the greater injustice here? The fact that she was born this way, or the fact that society feels it necessary to penalize her for it?

No need to blame her testosterone levels. I blame us.

Just read a heart-breaking article about a surge in the killing of gay men in Iraq. Homosexuality is not illegal in Iraq, but LGBT Iraqis are still the target of abuse, discrimination, and hatred.

As the world hails Iraq's supposed return to normality, the country's militias -- the same ones that spent years waging a sectarian civil war -- have found a new, less apparent target: men suspected of being gay. The systematic killings, which began earlier this year, reveal the cracks behind Iraq's fragile calm. Iraq's leaders may talk of security and democracy from behind barbed wire in the Green Zone, but the surge of murders against gay men is a stark sign of how far Iraqi society still has to go.

During a 10-day Human Rights Watch research trip to Iraq in April, we heard harrowing stories of torture, abductions, kidnappings, extortion, and murder. We listened to dozens of men who had faced violence at the hands of armed militias, attacked by youths with guns for violating the unwritten codes of Iraqi masculinity.

In August, Human Rights Watch released a full report detailing the "wide-reaching campaign of extrajudicial executions, kidnappings, and torture of gay men that began in early 2009." Read it for more information.

Not ashamed at all to admit that I cried at this State Farm commercial. Major props to State Farm for having a commercial filled with diversity - and notice how they show a woman soldier returning to her family! Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

My favorite part:

It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions.

Inevitably, there's controversy surrounding this speech. Some are claiming that Obama is putting too much pressure on students to "fix" the country, but I saw this speech as a message of encouragement. Students are the future, and it's important to encourage them to see school as an opportunity to discover their passions and talents.

Also, conservatives are claiming that in addressing children, Obama was trying to "sell" his political agenda. Parents protested the speech, carrying signs with such phrases as: "Mr. President, stay away from our kids."

As far as I know, it is extremely common for presidents to address children and schools, and as far as I know, Obama didn't say the words, "SOCIALISM GOOD DEMOCRACY BAD" to the children, so where is the problem again? E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post says it well:

Upon Barack Obama's election, even my most conservative friends who supported John McCain said Obama could do a world of good for poor children in the country by stressing the importance of education, hard work, staying in school and taking responsibility. Yes, those are often thought of as conservative values.

But when Obama proposed to do just that on the first day of school, the far right -- without asking any questions or seeking any information -- decided to pounce, on the theory that everything Obama did should be attacked relentlessly as part of some secret and dangerous ideological agenda.

The Republicans must be terrified of Obama turning our children into zombies:

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is the first official contender for the late Senator Ted Kennedy's empty seat. If elected, she will be the first woman to represent Mass. in the Senate. Currently, there are a measly 17 women in the Senate, which is far from acceptable.

I'm not 100% sure on Coakley's stance on various political issues, but she did support Hillary Clinton in last year's election. Hopefully more information about her will emerge, and hopefully more women will enter the race for Kennedy's empty seat.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile now, you probably know that I don't usually go three days without an update. Truth be told, my laptop is out of commission right now due to a nasty virus, and won't be up and working until the techies on my campus reformat the entire thing. Boo. I'm taking it in first thing Tuesday morning, so hopefully I'll be back and updating by Wednesday.

Aaaaand... something I'm totally super excited for: I got a half-hour talk show covering women's issues on my campus radio station. I'm thinking of calling it Viva La Woman! and my first broadcast should be later this week. I'll be sure to post a link where you can listen to a live stream before the date. My plan is to discuss any current happenings and issues, much like I do in here.

Suggestions on anything you think I should do/talk about on the show? I've been on the radio before, but I'm a little nervous because this is going to be an ongoing show, and I'm all by my lonesome. So, tips would be fabulous.

Thanks for being patient with the lack of updates, and I'll do the best I can until the laptop's fixed!

I love when gay guys come in and fix my life!



Back off, Bryan Safi is mine.

This is a trailer for a new horror movie called "Sorority Row."



Try to count how many times you see a sorority girl in her underwear or a bikini.

It's no coincidence that this film centers around sorority girls. This is what horror movies love to do. They often picture sexy women in skimpy outfits drinking, having sex, showering... all to turn young male viewers on. While they are turned on, a killer shows up and slashes her to bits. Male horror movie directors (not surprisingly, "Sorority Row" has been written and directed by only men) are experts at mixing sex with violence.

The original "Scary Movie" parodied this in an opening scene featuring Carmen Electra, where she is running away from a killer and yet still has time to remove her clothes and frolic in the sprinklers (ignore the terrible part in which he stabs her breast implant):



I love horror movies, but it is a struggle to find ones that don't feature women as sex objects or airheads who deserve to die. Perhaps the original "Psycho" is to blame, as its most famous scene features the attractive female lead being stabbed to death while in the shower. Or maybe our society just loves abusing women.

How do more people not realize how dangerous this is? With instances of violence against women happening at appalling rates, why are male filmmakers continuing to put out movies that show killing in a sexy way? Intentionally killing women - killing anyone really - is a heinous act, yet these movies are portraying murder as something one can shrug off, because they always kill the female characters who seem to lack brains and ensure that the victim has already been naked at least once during the movie, so who cares if she dies because I already got to see her tits.

I'm stoked to see Diablo Cody's new movie, "Jennifer's Body." It centers around a possessed high school student, played by Megan Fox, who kills off her male classmates. While I don't condone killing men... isn't it in a way refreshing to finally see a movie that doesn't feature men killing women? And I guarantee the men in this movie won't be running around in skimpy clothing and table-dancing at parties before their deaths.

With Vermont's legislation allowing same-sex marriage going into effect yesterday, several couples got married today just after midnight. Ain't it grand? :)

The photo above is of Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan, who have been together for 17 years. They were one of the first couples to tie the knot. Love is so beautiful... I seriously think that all those who are against same-sex marriage lack either a heart or a brain.

Thank goodness we have "Prop 8: The Musical" to set 'em... straight: