At least once a semester I go on a rant to my students about virginity. To me, there are few more destructive concepts in the world. In making my point today, I could focus on cultures in which virginity is so overtly prized that girls are routinely subject to “virginity tests,” which means that an examination is performed on them to see if their hymen is intact—under the mistaken beliefs that a) ...
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The following exchange between Annie Lennox (previously of the Eurythmics) and an interviewer can be found on Pridesource.com: So what do you make of someone like Beyoncé? She recently performed on the MTV Video Music Awards and proclaimed herself a “feminist” during her set. I would call that “feminist lite.” L-I-T-E. I’m sorry. It’s tokenistic to me. I mean, I...
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OK, I’ve been listening to Meghan Trainor’s very catchy tune, “All that Bass,” on the radio for the last several weeks, and today I finally watched the video. I’ve also read some of the criticism about its being another of a string of recent pop tunes that the writers/producers cynically create for the purpose of jumping on the female body self-acceptance bandwagon—and further, that though it purp...
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I’m not overweight. I never have been. How do I do it? It’s naturally who I am. It’s not willpower or moral fiber. Just “good” genes. And those millions who struggle with their weight—who eat less than I and exercise more? They didn’t get those so-called good genes. In a society that treats the overweight as we do, they drew the short straw. Yes, many people eat when they’re bored, when they’re up...
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My daughter is 12. Another mother brought up the idea of introducing the concept of masturbation to our daughters. I am contemplating this but don’t know how I’d bring it up, advise her, etc. For boys, it seems so natural and obvious. Girls have no road map to follow. Any suggestions on how to handle this delicate situation? This is a question near and dear to my heart. I believe very ...
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As the NFL draft drew to a close last week, we received news of this heartwarming tale out of Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach, CA, of “prom-date drafting.” Yes, it turns out that some boys in Newport Beach are not content simply to participate in one of the many fantasy leagues to fulfill their apparently deep desire to experience the excitement, tension, and feeling of something akin ...
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Although in some ways I have probably become less radical in my thinking as I have gotten older, there are other ways in which I am apparently more so–or maybe just less likely to ignore comments that I consider offensive. If you pay attention at all, some form of “slut-shaming” is pervasive, even among those who very likely would not see themselves as doing so. Two recent examples involved ...
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The April 15th abduction of over 200 Nigerian girls who were trying to take their school exams is terrifying and horrifying. While all of those who follow the news on any level are confronted with a myriad of horrific stories on any given day, this one has taken hold in my psyche. I can’t let go of the image of the Nigerian schoolchildren who were abducted from their school by Boko Haram. These Is...
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