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Gender Block: Our federal government is rewriting prostitution laws

Hillary Di Menna

The federal government has opened an online public consultation regarding adult prostitution laws in Canada. It will remain open for the next month, closing March 17. The six-question survey asks Canadians if it should be legal for people to purchase sex, legal for people to solicit sex and what, if any, limitations should be put […] More »

WTF Wednesday: Casual rape references on campus

Simon Treanor

So this might surprise you, but in today’s crazy mixed up world, subjects such as “rape” and “suicide” can be considered a little controversial, especially if you, oh I don’t know, combine those two subjects and make a homework assignment out of it. Surprised? Memorial University teacher John Shieh certainly was when the assignment he […] More »

Gender Block: why internet trolls love to target feminist bloggers

Hillary Di Menna

This January, anti-feminist social media trolls have made headlines. Thought Catalog’s Chrissy Stockton wrote an anti-women’s life choices piece under the pen-name Amy Glass. In the U.K., two anti-feminists were jailed for their attacks via Twitter against high-profile feminist Caroline Criado-Perez. Social media anti-woman trolling isn’t new, but it seems to be getting more attention. The […] More »

Gender Block: why hating on the “girly voice” is totally bogus

Hillary Di Menna

Since high school I have been told to stop faking my “girly” voice. I have become so self-conscious of it that I actually have to try and not speak so quickly and comfortably. Apparently, my natural voice is girly, a.k.a feminine, a.k.a unprofessional, a.k.a obviously not that of a man’s. I’m not the only female […] More »
January-February 2014

Everybody, let’s get naked!

Rhiannon Russell@rhrussell

For decades, advocates have touted nudism’s ability to combat sexism, objectification, and bad body image. Can it now be an antidote to our over-twerked culture? Rhiannon Russell goes bare to find out It’s no secret what lies behind the shroud of trees at the end of the long driveway in a rural area of East […] More »
January-February 2014

Cover story: No choice

Rebecca Melnyk

The anti-abortion movement has newly latched onto Post-Abortion Syndrome, a controversial diagnosis that it claims mimics PTSD. The pro-choice response: the syndrome doesn’t exist. How women’s grief became the latest abortion battleground Outside the walls of Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, a light snow falls quietly on the streets. Inside, the waiting room is not much […] More »

Gender Block: I have tits; give me real stuff

Hillary Di Menna

Another just-plain-hilarious-meme is circulating! A picture of a woman, serene expression on her face, arms extended sits above a picture of a man, arms extended, looking to the sky in anguish. On hers it says, “I have tits, give me free stuff” on his, “I have a penis blame me for everything” So funny! Women […] More »

Gender Block: black feminism

Hillary Di Menna

At the end of December, social media addressed singer Ani DiFranco’s choice of venue for a feminist song writing retreat: a former slave plantation. DiFranco writes on her website, after cancelling the June event to be held in Louisianna at Nottoway Plantation, “I did not imagine or understand that the setting of a plantation would […] More »
November-December 2013

Anarchy in the nunnery

Hillary Di MennaWebsite@HillaryDiMenna

Across Canada, dozens of nuns, women priests, worshippers, and one female bishop are part of a growing movement to pry the Catholic Church from its patriarchal roots. In its place, they’ll build the world’s most massive vehicle for social justice. Welcome to the fight for a pro-women, pro-gay, pro-liberal Church Near twenty pairs of feet […] More »

Gender Block: Christmas gift giving and stereotypes

Hillary Di Menna

So evidently, Christmas is coming. Lots of shopping, lots of kids getting excited and lots of opportunities for us adults to hammer home stereotypical gender roles to the tiny, influential minds in our lives. This can especially happen when a gift-giver doesn’t really know the kid that well and relies on traditional go-tos. One year […] More »

Gender Block: Microsoft’s bossy bra tells ladies when they are allowed to eat

Hillary Di Menna

Some Microsoft folk decided that ladies need to be told when they are emotionally fit to eat—and the only thing they would listen to would be their bra, a smart bra to be exact. This “ambitious endeavour,” still in the prototype stage, of a product will detect what a woman is feeling, and then decide […] More »