A bunch of extremely mainstream education groups issued a report last week that recommends a radical idea: We need national sex ed standards in schools. Just like we have standard recommended curriculums for math and science, we need guidelines for sex ed because, it turns out, the average American student only gets 17 hours of […]
Sexual Politics
Posted inSexual Politics
Say Hello to the New Feminist Group in Town
Looking for a revolutionary supper club? How about a feminist DJ or a financial management class for domestic violence survivors? Feminist Agenda PDX, a new Portland has you covered. Founders Katie Carter and Amber Rowland are former co-directors of In Other Words, the feminist bookstore, who found themselves out of a job after the bookstore […]
Posted inSexual Politics
Anti-Abortion Group Files Measure to Stop Abortion Coverage in Oregon Health Plan
Greenpeace canvassers are going to get some company on the sidewalk soon: Pro-life supporters will start gathering signatures for a new constitutional amendment that would outlaw spending public money on abortion services, except to save the life of the mother. Never forget: Pro-life silly bandz! The Secretary of State signed off on the measure (pdf) […]
Posted inSexual Politics
Reading the Mayor’s Homophobic Voicemails, So You Don’t Have To
I’ve been regularly chronicling the mayor’s voicemails from citizens, because Sam Adams’ inbox is a hilarity goldmine. But every once in a while, amid the angry rants about compost and bicycles, a voicemail makes my stomach churn. These are the ones where a constituent’s tirade against sewer devolves into a tirade against “that queer.” Mayor […]
Posted inSexual Politics
Feel Good Stories
This week, it was all about bad news turning into good news. For example, in Egypt it was revealed that members of the military will routinely assault female protesters. Many women have reported military officers tearing off their clothes, calling them slurs, and sexually assaulting them during arrest. BUT! That revelation led to the largest […]
Posted inNews
Sexual Politics
Transgender Tweens
Portland nonprofit says the time to work with transgender kids is long before puberty.
Posted inSexual Politics
Nonprofit Works With Transgender Kids—Long Before Puberty
Welcome to my column about LGBT, reproductive rights, and gender issues. Previous columns are here. If there’s a topic you think I should cover, let me know! In all the political and social battles over sex and gender, one thing is clear: Transgender kids have it rough. Over 80 percent of teens who think their […]
Posted inSexual Politics
Sexual Politics News of the Week Roundup
Geez! A lot of small news bits this week about sexual politics issues. These can easily be lumped into three categories:Bad NewsPlan B is still a political issue? Are you serious? When the emergency contraception pill first came the United States, it took years to get approval and then was only allowed as a prescription […]
Posted inSexual Politics
Siri Won’t Help Steve Find an Abortion Clinic, But it Will Help Him Find a Church!
iPhone users across the country were dismayed to discover this week that Siri, the iPhone 4’s smart humanoid robot, won’t bring up abortion clinics in search results. Siri can instantly find you all sorts of other things—like sex and Viagra, but ask for an abortion clinic and it comes up with nada. Steve tried to […]
Posted inSexual Politics
With Babymaking, Regret Goes Both Ways
Welcome to my column about LGBT, reproductive rights, and gender issues. Previous columns are here. If there’s a topic you think I should cover, let me know! Last week’s cover story about young people who never want children got a lot more response than I thought it would. I know people feel strongly about their […]
Posted inSexual Politics
Babymaking By the Numbers
The cover story in the paper this week is about people under 30 who just don’t want kids, damn it, and decide get sterilized. Everyone I’ve talked to who has chosen not to have children says they’ve faced stigma—people thinking they’re selfish or broken or strange in some way. But childless families are actually on […]