January 17 to 23: Common sense returns to US policy
The pendulum never stops.
Calls to Action
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Erasing Women, LGB, and Their Spaces
Looks like Australia is still deep in the struggle of trans mania. Let’s hope that it doesn’t require a pivot to conservative politics, as it has in the US, for common sense policy to return.
Jan 20 - Trump signs executive order defining sex
Place this one in the category of Things That Should Not Have to be Stated. The 47th president of the US has declared through executive order that biological sex is real and the concept of “gender identity” has no place in policy. My only gripe is continued use of the term “gender,” as the President says there are only two “genders.” Can we just throw that word out altogether since gender ideologues have so thoroughly muddied its meaning? Thankfully, the language in the order itself is much more precise.
Silencing Women, Girls, and Our Allies
Jan 23 - Trans activists smash window, shut down pro-woman TPUSA event at U. Washington
Expect continued incidents like this as Trans Rights Activists rage about the pendulum swinging away from them.
Jan 17 - Pamela Paul Is Out at the Times Opinion Section
They say it’s not because of her politics, but the impact is nonetheless that there will be an absence of gender critical thought at the Times. Although the trend of American businesses and media quietly shifting to a less confrontational stance under the new presidential administration, could mean that we’ll see the the Times naturally be more neutral on the trans topic.
Males in Female Sports
Even though it only affects operations at the county level, this is a pretty significant ruling coming from the Supreme Court of New York of all places.
Let’s use Trans Rights Activists’ own argument against them: why are we making such a big deal about such a tiny population of people? Yeah, you guys are right. We should have never changed basic policies and how we define sex for the benefit of a handful of people. That tiny population of dudes can find other hobbies that don’t include infiltrating our sports.
Reproductive Rights
I mean, this is one way to equalize the playing field between men and women when it comes to reproductive rights. The proposed (tongue-in-cheek?) law would see men fined for “spilling their seed” unless intending to impregnate a woman.
Jan 20 - Government's reproductive rights resource goes dark hours into new Trump administration
The resource was a website with educational information about access to and policy about contraception and preventive health services. This is an incredibly uncomfortable wait-and-see as we wait to see what other moves a Republican majority will make against reproductive rights. It’s a significant portion of Republican voters who support some, albeit limited, access to abortion, so it’s not clear how President Trump or other elected officials will move forward.
Jan 17 - Lawsuit alleges Vermont tracks pregnant women deemed unsuitable for parenthood
This is worse than I thought. Ignoring op sec, I’ll share that I once worked in the realm of child protection. It was standard for women and men who had previously had their rights terminated to a child or children to then be flagged for a new termination petition at the time a new child of theirs was born. But it doesn’t sound like this woman had any history of CPS intervention prior to being tracked while pregnant.
Sexual Assault and Exploitation
Jan 21 - France needs ‘clearer’ rape laws that include consent, report finds
Sometimes it takes a truly horrendous event for needed change to take place. In France, the horrifc sexual assaults of Gisèle Pelicot have led to a revelation that rape laws must emphasize consent. Separately, in a different French court case, it has been decided that refusing to have sex with her husband is not a reason to penalize a woman in divorce rulings.
Jan 17 - The dangers of extreme anal sex, as Lily Phillips announces ‘backdoor’ challenge
I’ll be honest: I didn’t read this article. There are women’s issues that are painfully annoying, like our battle against gender ideology, but then there are others, like everything with the sex industry, that are just plain painful to me. I’m also torn about giving this young woman more publicity.
News Impacting Society and Children
Jan 23 - Transgender inmates panic as Donald Trump's executive order sends them packing to men's prisons
I imagine there will be many lawsuits to prevent men from having to move back to the prisons where they belong. With the trans issue before the Supreme Court, however, it could soon be that there are fewer and fewer paths for Trans Rights Activists to argue, depending what rulings come down.
Jan 18 - Alabama supreme court grants breastfeeding women exemption from jury duty after public outcry
It only took a jury member being threatened with losing custody of her child to Child Protecive Services for the great offense of bringing a nursing infant to jury duty.
Jan 18 - In State Capitals, Republicans Propose New Limits on Transgender Identity
With at least two cases regarding LGB/TQ under consideration by the US Supreme Court, the odds are growing that we could see a rollback of gender identity in policy across the US. Let’s hope LGB aren’t pulled down with the TQ.
Beyond the West
Jan 23 - ICC chief prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over persecution of women
This is more symbolic than anything, but it’s nice that the world is making it clear that we see what is happening to women in Afghanistan and we do not approve.
This headline is misleading. While elderly women are highlighted—for good reason, as around 20% of Japan’s seniors live in poverty—the main idea in the article is not too different from what we hear of impoverished, homeless populations in western nations (at least in the good ol’ US of A): the reality of poverty is so bad that having the supportive services (and food and shelter) of a prison is a better deal.
Op-Eds, Commentaries, and Book Reviews
Women’s Liberation
Jan 20 - How a Monument to Women Finally Won a Place on the National Mall
Sexual Exploitation
Jan 17 - Neil Gaiman and the perils of BDSM
Gender Ideology
Jan 18 - Benjamin Ryan: Most Americans Don't Support Top Trans-Activist Goals, NYT Poll Finds
Jan 18 - Katrina Briggs: My written submission on the use of puberty blockers in NZ to the Ministry of Health
Jan 19 - Lucy Leader: Does Testosterone Maketh the Man? (A Riff on Shakespeare)
Jan 19 - Ben Appel: It’s Time for This Madness to End
Jan 20 - Lauren Smith: Trump is right to take on ‘transgender lunacy’
Jan 21 - Eliza Mondegreen: Is Trump really ‘declaring war’ on trans people?
Jan 22 - Report From the Frontlines: Men in Women's Prisons
Jan 22 - Victoria Smith: The genital inspection unit
Jan 22 - Neuro Poppins: Gender Critical Autistic Voices - Meowzerz Interview
Is it much more than erasing women? I wonder why no one is discussing this movement? Read and weep:
https://www.independentsciencenews.org/commentaries/children-from-gamete-like-cells-dishing-up-a-eugenic-future
The New York ruling might not be as significant as it appears. New York’s “Supreme Court” is actually just the trial court. The highest court in New York is the Court of Appeals.