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WTF Wednesday: Globe and Mail’s Margaret Wente steps up to defend David Gilmour

Vincent Colistro

By the time Friday rolled around last week there was a veritable anthology of jokes to which “David Gilmour” was the punch line. The paper-bag jowls and complacent half-smile of his face pasted on News Feeds and blogs like an advert for a public flogging. Everywhere that CanLit went, so too went the name David […] More »

Gender Block: there’s no such thing as “one of the guys”

Hillary Di Menna

It is not uncommon for a woman to proudly declare she has no female friends and insists she is just, “one of the guys.” It is considered pretty cool to say this, just ask my high school self. It is also a big slap in the face to our gender, while buying into the mindset […] More »

Gender Block: news flash – women care about the world’s happenings too!

Hillary Di Menna

When I tell people I’m a journalist I get a lot of, “Ooh, you can be Carrie Bradshaw!” Not Christina McCall or Gloria Steinem . I am sometimes told I’ll be the next Rosie DiManno, not due to sharing a similar writing style—because we don’t—but because our last names are similar. Only the people who know me know […] More »

Friday FTW: France bans youth beauty pageants

Joe Thomson

In an unprecedented move France has actually banned something that wasn’t strictly for the purposes of race-baiting. (Sorry Tom Tucker.) Earlier this week, the country’s senate announced children’s beauty contests will be banned, pending adoption by France’s National Assembly—a move that’s sure to send the glitter and baby-thong markets reeling in France. Thong market aside, […] More »

Gender Block: media misgendering and Chelsea Manning

Hillary Di Menna

On August 22 Chelsea Manning came out to the world, saying that she is trans gendered. She has been open since 2010 within the transgender community, using the name Breanna online. In her open letter to NBC’s Today Show Manning writes, “I also request that, starting today [Aug. 22] you refer to me by my […] More »

Friday FTW: Blurred lines? Ask first!

Espe Currie

You’ve probably heard the tune, though you may not even know it—it’s definitely a candidate for 2013’s song of the summer, alongside Miley Cyrus’ also contentious We Can’t Stop. It’s floating in the air on every patio, blasting from cruising cars, oozing along the sidewalks in the club districts. “#BLURREDLINES” billboards loom over this city. […] More »

Friday FTW: Feminist Taylor Swift and other great feminist tweets

Espe Currie

The “Hey girl…” feminist Ryan Gosling meme was huge—and the author, Danielle Henderson, even landed a book deal. We’ve been following some other feminist Tumblrs and Twitters. Here are some posts from our favourites: *Warning: working knowledge of Taylor Swift lyrics required* We are never ever ever ever / Asking for it — FeministTaylorSwift (@feministtswift) […] More »

Wednesday WTF: Trans rights bill stalled, performance artists arrested

Espe Currie

Transgender performance artists Lexi Sanfino and Nina Arsenault were arrested after a WestJet flight June 20. Sanfino caused a disturbance, strutting down the airplane aisle topless after a flight attendant rudely asked the friends for makeup tips: “You know, because you used to be guys, right?” according to the Toronto Star, though the Huffington Post […] More »

Friday FTW: Girls hacking into the tech world

Catherine McIntyre

You know that friend who live-tweets about the Breaking Bad episode you still haven’t seen? The friend you’re considering purging from your life? Well now, thanks to Twivo, you don’t have to. The new software lets you dodge spoilers by temporarily blocking out names of shows and characters your “friends” Tweet about. Brilliant, right? No […] More »

Friday FTW: Pakistan celebrates transgender candidates in election

Catherine McIntyre

Transgender candidates are running for office for the first time in the country’s history. In this country? God no (com’on—Canada just passed legislation allowing trans people to use the public washroom of their choice)—they’re running for office in Pakistan. Turns out the developing country has Canada beat when it comes to certain gender rights. Here—and […] More »

Friday FTW: International Women’s Day

Kate Hefford

Yesterday was Pi day (3.14), April 12th is National Grilled Cheese Day, and May 4th is Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you). But joke holidays were put on hold last week for International Women’s Day. Every spring since 1911, women worldwide have campaigned for solidarity. This definitely isn’t a redundant “holiday,” and […] More »