tag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397Dreamer EasyKate Ormandreamer_easy2023-03-04T00:27:23Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1617402(Just a few) Writing Links2023-03-03T10:24:26Z2023-03-04T00:27:23Zpublic1<a href="https://locusmag.com/2020/05/cory-doctorow-rules-for-writers/">Cory Doctorow: Rules for Writers</a> (May 2020). On the Turkey City Lexicon and why those items are on that list.<br /><br /><a href="https://electricliterature.com/please-just-let-women-be-villains/">Please Just Let Women Be Villains</a> (Electric Lit, 2021). "From 'Wicked' to 'Cruella,' rehabilitated villainesses rely on outdated ideas of women's virtue." <br /><br /><a href="https://reprobatepress.com/2021/07/18/kill-the-cat-the-awful-influence-of-the-worlds-worst-writing-guide/">Kill The Cat – The Awful Influence Of The World’s Worst Writing Guide</a> (The Reprobate, 2021). The roller coaster analogy probably explains why I'm so bloody jaded.<br /><br /><a href="https://poetryarchive.org/poem/prayer-before-birth/">Prayer Before Birth</a> by Louis MacNeice. Found it!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ursulakleguinarchive.com/Index-Poems-GrownWomenCry.html">Hurt Hawks</a> by Robinson Jeffers<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1617402" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1612079Links, January 20222022-01-25T01:02:35Z2022-01-25T01:52:36Zpublic0<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/07/judith-butler-interview-gender">Judith Butler: ‘We need to rethink the category of woman’</a> (The Guardian, September 2021). Here's the part the Guardian removed (click to enlarge): <br /><br /><a href="https://dreamer-easy.dreamwidth.org/file/349.png"><img src="https://dreamer-easy.dreamwidth.org/file/100x100/349.png" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-23/is-dumbness-our-destiny/100679506">Are some of us destined to be dumb and is there anything we can do about it?</a> (ABC, December 2021) How being highly intelligent can make you stupid -- because you're so good at rationalising.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1612079" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1611379Links December 20212021-12-22T10:20:35Z2021-12-24T08:35:31Zpublic1Geng Song, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1097184X211014939">“Little Fresh Meat”: The Politics of Sissiness and Sissyphobia in Contemporary China</a>. <em>Men and Masculinities</em>, May 2021 (Abstract available online)<br /><br /><a href="https://longreads.com/2020/06/18/the-long-con-of-britishness/">Tea, Biscuits and Empire: the Long Con of Britishness</a> (The Long Read, June 2020). "If you love your country and don’t own its difficulties and its violence, you don’t actually love your country. You’re just catcalling it as it goes by."<br /><br /> <a href="https://www.livescience.com/why-pet-dogs-cats-race-around.html">Why do dogs and cats run around in random bursts of speed?</a> (LiveScience, March 2021)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1611379" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1610972dreamer_easy @ 2021-10-07T18:12:002021-10-07T07:20:56Z2021-10-07T07:20:56Zpublic0I was just thinking about how, in the not too distant future, we may have to have a brief exchange before every conversation to make sure we have everyone's pronouns etc right, and I remembered the Korean celebrity reality show "We Got Married" where the bandmates of the "married couple" turned up, and there was this quick negotiation over what their relationship was in that fictional context so they knew how to address each other. I have a hazy recollection that this sort of negotiation over age and status is a normal part of any encounter in Korean culture. (I think the girl band ended up as "sisters-in-law".)<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1610972" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1609180Long live the enemy2021-05-18T07:43:59Z2021-05-18T07:43:59Zpublic0"Gender is not the issue. Gender is the battlefield. Or the playground. The issue is us versus them. Any us versus any them."<br /><br />-- from Kate Bornstein's play Hidden: A Gender, reproduced in <em>Gender Outlaw</em> (1994). This book has blown my mind.<br /><br />I have a bee in my bonnet at the moment: that human conflict can generally be boiled down to "our side good, your side bad". Our culture is divided again and again into opposing factions. In many if not most cases, one faction is more highly valued than the other. Crucially, we must stay in our assigned factions -- or be punished for being uppity or sissy or just unreadable. (This last is critical for gender, but also for other kinds of categories: find an online argument on a controversy like Creationism or genetically engineered foods, and ask questions, declining to identify which side you're on. You'll be assigned the opposite side -- by both sides. You cannot be neutral.)<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1609180" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1608532Brought to you by FedEx2021-02-06T10:55:12Z2021-02-07T03:47:36Zpublic4Watched Cast Away (2000). I enjoyed its cleverness very much -- I even picked the director, although I couldn't think of Robert Zemeckis's name for quids -- until the interminable series of endings. Anyway, what struck me was that Chuck is obliged to recreate civilisation piece by piece to fulfil his basic needs: blades, fire, art, religion. What made me think of this is an article which I can't find, which compares Shamhat's seduction of Enkidu in The Epic of Gilgamesh, which is intended to civilise him, with a mother bringing up a child -- got it! It's Rivkah Harris's chapter "<a href="https://brill.com/view/book/edcoll/9789004369559/BP000014.xml">Images of Women in the Gilgamesh Epic</a>". What does Chuck drink first? Milk, of course.<br /><br />Someone could probably get a thesis -- probably <em>has </em>got a thesis -- out of this tale of a lone, heroic white man creating the civilised world anew. (He looks like a caveman, then a "native".) This brings me to another thing: the reality show Alone (2015-), of which I have watched a few episodes on demand from SBS. Ten white men are plonked down in the chilly Canadian wilderness to do or die. At some point I thought to myself, "This is how people used to live." But of course, that's nonsense! People live in <em>groups</em>, sharing and passing on skills and equipment. (Would Chuck have survived without the packages?) This is not to say that hermits never happen, but this man-on-his-own narrative doesn't reflect any human social arrangement. Another thesis there, perhaps on the horribly destructive idea of "independence".<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1608532" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1607506wrt SPN2020-11-25T00:19:03Z2020-11-25T22:29:28Zpublic3Portraying a same-sex male relationship for the consumption of straight women is not "queerbaiting". <strike>That is all</strike><br /><br />ETA: To clarify, straight women complaining about "queerbaiting" because a slashy relationship wasn't made canon come across as taking gay men's real, serious problem with representation and stapling it onto their frustrated fantasies. (Same thing happened with Sherlock -- a show which was very clear it wasn't going there.)<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1607506" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1606009Links from my bookmarks - October 20202020-10-06T20:54:05Z2020-10-30T01:11:38Zpublic2<a href="https://www.psypost.org/2020/10/trump-voters-were-significantly-less-likely-to-evacuate-before-hurricane-irma-devastated-florida-58144">https://www.psypost.org/2020/10/trump-voters-were-significantly-less-likely-to-evacuate-before-hurricane-irma-devastated-florida-58144</a> (PsyPost, 3 October 2020) The psychology and sociology around this stuff is endlessly fascinating; it's like all the weirdnesses of the human mind writ large. Safety is belonging to a group, and <em>showing </em>that you belong, even when that puts you in danger -- <em>especially </em>when that puts you in danger, because how better to prove you belong?<br /><br /><a href="https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/if-youre-happy-president-trump-tested-positive-for-covi-1845252412">If You're Happy President Trump Tested Positive for COVID-19, You're Just as Bad as He Is</a> (The Root, 2 October 2020) Presented without comment.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/28/australian-ministers-increasingly-bypassing-parliament-to-create-laws-study-finds">Australian ministers increasingly bypassing parliament to create laws, study finds</a> (Guardian, 28 September 2020).<br /><br /><a href="https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/coronavirus-sweden-200-doctors-scientists-challenge-swedens-official-version-of-events/news-story/ba031ff738ded42bc5e5d8de77bca11d">Coronavirus Sweden: 200 doctors, scientists challenge Sweden’s official version of events</a> (news.com.au, 17 September 2020)<br /><br /><a href="https://news.stanford.edu/2015/10/12/framing-persuasive-messages-101215/">New research shows how to make effective political arguments, Stanford sociologist says</a> (2015 press release)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/21/worlds-richest-1-cause-double-co2-emissions-of-poorest-50-says-oxfam">Carbon emissions of richest 1 percent more than double the emissions of the poorest half of humanity</a> (Oxfam press release, 21 September 2020)<br /><br /><a href="http://nautil.us/blog/no-animals-do-not-have-genders">No, Animals Do Not Have Genders</a> (Nautilus, 26 August 2020) A short but very clear piece on what and why gender is.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/not-sure-what-can-and-can-t-be-recycled-here-s-how-it-works-20191204-p53grj.html">Not sure what can and can't be recycled? Here's how it works</a> (SMH, 19 December 2019). At least as of that date, Sydney was actively recycling plastics rather than storing or burying them.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/10/09/study-warns-radicalized-right-wingers-uniting-online-many-inspired-trump-threaten">Study Warns Radicalized Right-Wingers Uniting Online—Many Inspired by Trump—Threaten Australian Democracy </a>(Common Dreams, 9 October 2020)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.psypost.org/2020/10/trump-support-is-less-important-than-ethnic-antagonism-in-explaining-anti-democratic-views-among-republicans-58225">Trump support is less important than ethnic antagonism in explaining anti-democratic views among Republicans</a> (PsyPost, 10 October 2020) White supremacy is also at the root of Australia's crop of fascists.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-humanity-naturally/202010/are-americans-just-stupid">Are Americans Just Stupid?</a> (Psychology Today, 4 October 2020). Points out the difference between intelligence and critical thinking, and the importance of factors such as poor quality news media and intense financial stress. Interestingly also talks about "strong religious beliefs" which "reject well-established scientific facts that conflict with theological doctrine", which makes the unintentional point that religion and science need not be at loggerheads -- in fact, IMHO, that narrative was created by fundamentalists for political ends.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/24/we-want-our-money-we-deserve-our-money-aboriginal-elders-sue-for-compensation-for-stolen-wages">'We want our money. We deserve our money': Aboriginal elders sue for compensation for stolen wages</a> (Guardian, 24 October 2020)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-hatred-and-othering-of-political-foes-has-spiked-to-extreme-levels/">Why Hatred and 'Othering' of Political Foes Has Spiked to Extreme Levels</a> (Scientific American, 29 October 2020). "The three key components: The first one is what we call “othering”—[labeling] these people as so different from us that they’re almost incomprehensible. The second part we call “aversion”—this idea that they’re not just different, but they’re dislikable. The third part is this “moralization,” where they’re morally bankrupt."<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1606009" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1605240Pocket Genders2020-06-15T09:38:50Z2020-06-15T09:38:50Zpublic0Somehow I found myself over at the Gender Wiki, on a page about "<a href="https://gender.wikia.org/wiki/Pocket_Gender">Pocket Genders</a>" -- "identit[ies] used by either one person or a small group of people [...] not recognized officially by the LGBT+ community". I'm not sure how a gender would be "officially recognised" -- I guess the author means "widely known and accepted". There are comments, of course, complaining that, with all these obviously made-up genders, the imaginary efforts of cishet teenagers who want to feel special, etc etc etc, no-one will take real LGBT+ people seriously.<br /><br />Imagine, for a moment, if the wider world <em>didn't</em> take LGBT+ people seriously -- if they were not treated as an existential threat to a strictly policed social hierarchy. If people changed sexes and got married just as they pleased and no-one particularly worried about it.<br /><br />Back in the real world, people who know they don't fit into that order struggle to articulate how they feel, who they are. Every "officially recognised" identity must have started with a few people who recognised themselves in someone else's self-description. It's possible some of the authors of the "pocket genders" collected on that page have gone on to find more widely used terms for their identities, and experienced that powerful, healing moment of understanding <em>it's not just me -- it's us</em>. It's also possible that this page will be where someone will read a description and think, <em>but that's me, that's me</em>. It's also possible that each newly labelled gender only represents one individual's efforts to puzzle themselves out.<br /><br />Bigots will laugh about there being "47 genders" anyway, in an effort to cast trans and non-binary people as mentally ill. They'll do that <em>anyway</em>. Better than complaining, <em>hush, the straights will laugh at us</em>, might be to offer some guidance to young people trying to understand themselves -- which is what this Wiki seems to be trying to do.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1605240" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1593736Links: Miscellaneous Gender Stuff2018-05-16T02:50:39Z2018-05-16T02:50:39Zpublic3<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2015/11/30/brain-male-female-study/">There's no such thing as a male or female brain, study finds</a> (Stat 30 November 2015). The study is: <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/112/50/15468">Sex beyond the genitalia: The human brain mosaic</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2015/03/06/4191763.htm">Menopausal killer whales hold key to family's survival</a> (ABC, 6 March 2015). Most animals continue reproducing until they die, so why do some animals undergo menopause - what's the evolutionary advantage? Research suggests it's because they support their descendants with their accumulated knowledge. (I've just imagined a whale having a hot flush and steam coming out of her blowhole.)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2017/07/12/for-hundreds-of-years-women-ruled-this-chinese-ethnic-minority-but-today-the-matriarchy-is-at-risk/">Inside a fading Chinese culture ruled by women</a> (Washington Post, 12 July 2017). The matriarchal Mosuo.<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-01/popular-feminism-the-personal-is-commercial-roxane-gay-mamamia/8863728"><br />Popular feminism in the digital age: How the personal has been made commercial</a> (ABC, 1 September 2017). The vexed connection between feminism and women's magazines - between feminism and feminine culture, or femininity culture. The editor of Teen Vogue: "I can't tell you how many times I've been in the bathroom with another woman ... we feel we have nothing in common but we talk about a great lipstick shade or great hair ... and it's just this doorway for connection and for understanding and for dialogue." This is another experience I will never have.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1593736" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1593355Links: LGBT+2018-05-16T01:29:27Z2018-05-16T01:29:27Zpublic0<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/16/the-gay-transgender-and-bisexual-men-on-manus-are-forced-into-silence">The gay, transgender and bisexual men on Manus are forced into silence</a> (GA, 16 May 2018). "No one knows how many gay, transgender or bisexual refugees live on Manus, but what is clear is that the suffering they experienced in their countries has been repeated on Manus in a disastrous way."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-16/children-wanting-surgical-gender-change-no-longer-need-court/9557444">Children with gender dysphoria no longer have to seek court approval to undergo surgery</a> (ABC, March 16 2018). "The Family Court has decided it will no longer intervene in cases where children with gender dysphoria have the permission of their parents and treating doctors to undergo surgery."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-02/the-hidden-$100,000-price-tag-on-being-transgender/9498918">The hidden $100,000 price tag on being transgender</a> (ABC, 2 March 2018). Transitioning ain't cheap.<br /><br /><a href="https://nplusonemag.com/issue-30/essays/on-liking-women/">On Liking Women</a> (N+1 Magazine 30, winter 2018). Long, entertaining and insightful look at transphobia and feminism, often very funny. Includes a quote from Robin Morgan I've long puzzled over: "... thirty-two years of suffering in this androcentric society, and of surviving, have earned me the title 'woman'". I myself didn't have to do anything to earn the title; it was assigned to me by "this androcentric society". OTOH, there's this quote from transphobe Sheila Jeffreys - "Transgenderism on the part of men can be seen as a ruthless appropriation of women's experience and existence." Not this little black gender non-conforming duck.<br /><a href="http://www.eruditorumpress.com/blog/the-politics-of-your-piffling-little-planet-the-caretaker/"><br />The Politics of Your Piffling Little Planet (The Caretaker)</a><br />Ms Elizabeth Sandifer destroys Gareth Roberts.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1593355" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1593268Links: Reproductive Freedom2018-05-16T00:02:21Z2018-05-16T00:02:21Zpublic0<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/03/16/593447727/landmark-report-concludes-abortion-is-safe">Landmark Report Concludes Abortion In U.S. Is Safe</a> (NPR, 16 March 2018)<br />The report is: The <a href="https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24950/the-safety-and-quality-of-abortion-care-in-the-united-states">Safety and Quality of Abortion Care in the United States</a> (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018).<br /><br /><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/tabbot-foundation-telephone-abortion-service-is-safe-and-effective-review-finds-20170404-gvdolc.html">Tabbot Foundation telephone abortion service is safe and effective, review finds</a> (SMH, 4 April 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-13/the-rate-of-abortion-in-australia-is-lower-than-you-think/9250122">The rate of abortion in Australia is lower than you think</a> (ABC, 13 December 2017)<br />According to this article, medical organisations continue to greatly overstate Australia's abortion rate when promoting long-acting reversible contraceptives, or LARCs. (One of these, the Implanon implant, left me with permanent <span data-dobid="hdw">menorrhagia</span>.)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.dailyworth.com/posts/3704-why-birth-control-is-an-economic-issue">Why Birth Control Is an Economic Issue</a> (DailyWorth, 8 July 2015)<br />The economic benefits of contraception access.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-abortion-nurse-20170922-gyn9f5.html">A day in the life of an abortion nurse</a> (SMH, 6 October 2017)<br />Provides a general overview of abortion in Australia.<br /><br />From the US: the <a href="https://abortionfunds.org/need-abortion/">National Network of Abortion Funds</a> assists pregnant people with the cost of abortion.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.msf.org.au/article/stories-patients-staff/complications-unsafe-abortions-are-daily-emergency">Complications from Unsafe Abortions Are a Daily Emergency </a>(Medicins Sans Frontieres, 2 March 2017). Pregnant people in developing countries face the same kinds of barriers as those in developed countries: legal, accessibility, and financial.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1593268" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1592847Links: Gender and Violence2018-05-15T09:36:52Z2018-05-15T09:36:52Zpublic0<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-28/landmark-report-reveals-extent-of-domestic-violence-crisis/9492026">Landmark report reveals a woman dies every week due to Australia's domestic violence crisis</a> (ABC, 28 February 2018). That report is: <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-violence-in-australia-2018/contents/table-of-contents">Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia, 2018</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/what-if-we-knew-domestic-violence-was-a-cause-of-suicide-20171106-gzfeus.html">What if we knew domestic violence was a cause of suicide?</a> (SMH, 6 November 2017). "A new report by the NSW Domestic Violence Deaths Review team shows a connection between those who take their own lives and who have also experienced family violence as a victim, a perpetrator, even a witness. Just under 40 per cent of all the suicides in the study were known to police because of domestic violence. Nearly half – and that proportion held true for men, who are mostly the perpetrators, and for women, who are mostly the victims."<br /><br /><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/19/could-domestic-violence-get-its-own-metoo-moment/338024002/">The #MeToo survivors we forgot</a> (USA Today, 19 April 2018). "A Me Too-style movement could help debunk common myths about domestic abuse, as well as pressure the criminal and legal systems to make things easier for the victims, not the abusers, advocates say."<br /><br /><a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/publications/change-course-national-report-sexual-assault-and-sexual">Change The Course: National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian Universities </a>(Australian Human Rights Commission, 2017)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sexual-victimization-by-women-is-more-common-than-previously-known/">Sexual Victimization by Women Is More Common Than Previously Known</a> (Scientific American, October 2017). (Importantly, this isn't an attempt to discredit feminism, nor to shift the spotlight away from female victims of sexual assault.)<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1592847" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1587304Refugee Update2018-01-22T01:31:25Z2018-01-22T01:31:25Zpublic3Here's Human Rights Watch's <a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/australia">report on Australia</a> for 2017.<br /><br />Struggling with my mental health a bit at the moment, but not as much as the poor bastard on Manus who recently made <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CombinedRefugeeActionGroup/posts/1527893883992237">three suicide attempts</a> in twenty-four hours. In a mental health crisis, I could literally walk to a hospital. There are no such facilities on the island.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/20/refugees-needing-medical-care-told-to-leave-children-alone-in-offshore-detention">Refugees needing medical care told to leave children alone in offshore detention</a> (GA, 20 January 2018). "Several department sources, and sources on Nauru, have confirmed to the Guardian that it is “unofficial policy” to use family separation to encourage refugees to return to Nauru after medical treatment overseas. The department has said in public statements that families are separated during medical transfers to keep the number of people being brought to Australia as low as possible."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-17/manus-island-security-contract-dispute-refugees-feeling-unsafe/9334316">Manus Island security contract dispute leaves asylum seekers feeling 'unsafe'</a> (GA, 17 January 2018) | <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/an-absolute-shambles-contract-dispute-over-manus-island-security/9335026">"An absolute shambles": contract dispute over Manus Island security</a> (AM, 17 January 2018) | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/13/manusians-living-near-detention-centres-say-sewage-running-on-to-their-land">Manusians living near detention centres say sewage running on to their land</a> (GA, 13 January 2018) | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/18/dutton-refuses-senate-order-to-release-details-of-refugee-services-contracts-on-manus">Dutton refuses Senate order to release details of refugee service contracts on Manus</a> (GA 18 January 2018) Can't think why.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/concerns-raised-over-medical-care-on-nauru/9326594">Concerns raised over medical care on Nauru</a> (AM, 13 January 2018). "Concern has again been raised about the medical care of a Rohingya refugee man on Nauru, who received head injuries in a motorbike accident in November. Abu Bakar recovered sufficiently to be discharged from hospital a month ago. But four weeks on, the 28-year-old's friends say he has trouble walking without feeling dizzy, he can't fully use his right arm, and has been prescribed Panadol for pain relief."<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/11/refugee-in-medical-emergency-stranded-on-nauru-for-more-than-a-year">Refugee in 'medical emergency’ stranded on Nauru for more than a year</a> (GA, 11 January 2018). "Doctors believe man’s transfer stalled because he may never be well enough to return to Nauru and Australian has a policy of returning refugees once medical treatment complete." My generally well-managed mental health problems can't be compared to our deliberately causing mental illness in refugees and then refusing to treat it. But you know, the government would do this to me, too, if they thought there were votes in it.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2018/jan/16/beyond-the-wire-the-manus-island-refugees-and-the-local-people-share-their-stories">Beyond the Wire: The refugees brought to Manus Island and the local people share their stories</a> (GA, 16 January 2018)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/18/illogicality-shown-by-tribunal-in-rejecting-protection-appeal-over-homosexuality">Administrative Appeals Tribunal criticised after rejecting asylum seeker’s appeal over homosexuality</a> (GA, 18 January 2018). Bizarre homophobia overturned by the Federal Court. The problem appears to be the refugee equivalent of a hanging judge.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jan/15/every-day-i-am-crushed-the-stateless-man-held-without-trial-by-australia-for-eight-years">'Every day I am crushed': the stateless man held without trial by Australia for eight years</a> (GA, 15 January 2018)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/14/i-need-my-family-how-a-refugee-held-on-nauru-is-struggling-to-make-a-new-life-in-cambodia">'I need my family': how a refugee held on Nauru is struggling to make a new life in Cambodia</a> (GA, 14 January 2018)<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1587304" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1586788New Year, New Books2018-01-04T07:24:34Z2018-01-04T07:24:34Zpublic0I'd put off reading Jan Morris' <em>Conundrum </em>because I'd jumped to the conclusion it would be another "as told to" trans autobiography - like health food, good for you, but sometimes less than delicious. More fool me. Morris is a novelist and travel writer and her prose is delightful; and I have a weakness for the British countryside and college life (of which I also got a tasty dose in Christopher Isherwood's <em>Lions and Shadows</em>). Actually, that reminds me - it must be time to reread <em>Watership Down</em>.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1586788" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1577854Links: Gender2017-11-08T08:43:10Z2017-11-08T22:46:51Zpublic2<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/samesex-survey-leaves-an-enduring-pain-for-lgbti-people-20171102-gzdeq4.html">Same-sex survey leaves an enduring pain for LGBTI people</a> (SMH, 4 November 2017). Being publicly judged by others, having other people get to vote on your personal life, discovering that loved ones have voted "No"... I can only begin to imagine it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2017-10-23/marriage-debate-puts-kids-at-risk/9075384">Same-sex marriage debate putting kids at risk, not same-sex parents, experts warn</a> (ABC, 23 October 2017). "The negative and discriminatory rhetoric of the current same-sex marriage debate is damaging the most vulnerable members of our community — children and adolescents." <br /><br /><a href="https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/anti-same-sex-mps-give-pm-a-headache-ng-b88641957z">Same-sex marriage bill: conservative MPs warn Malcolm Turnbull there could be up to 100 amendments</a> (The West Australian, 30 October 2017). Here we bloody go. The Yes vote looks very likely to succeed, but the fight's not going to be over even then. (ETA: Now they're throwing together their own <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-09/conservatives-to-sponsor-alternative-same-sex-marriage-bill/9131826">alternative bill</a> at the last minute.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/anti-gay-religious-prejudice-study-mental-health/9061606">Study on mental health impacts of anti-gay religious prejudice should be a 'wake-up call' for faith leaders</a> (ABC, 19 October 2017)<br /><br />Meanwhile, around the world: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/oct/31/one-in-four-people-say-those-in-same-sex-relationships-should-be-charged-as-criminals-survey-77-countries?CMP=soc_567">One in four people say those in same-sex relationships 'should be charged as criminals'</a> (GA, 31 October 2017). That includes 16% of Australians. An interesting finding: people who actually knew an LGBTI+ person were more likely to support their rights. This has implications for content providers, especially I think when it comes to TV, because of the weird way that our brains interpret TV characters as being our friends.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-18/contradiction-in-the-hannah-mouncey-aflw-decision/9060968">AFLW's decision on transgender footballer Hannah Mouncey for 2018 draft full of contradictions</a> (ABC, 18 October 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-31/us-court-blocks-trump-transgender-military-ban/9101984">Donald Trump: US court blocks President's transgender military ban</a> (ABC, 31 October 2017)<br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/back-to-school-dilemma-braids-for-boys-1.2753879"><br />Back to school dilemma: braids for boys</a> (CBC News, 2014). "First Nation mother struggles with decision to cut or keep 7-year-old's braids." <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1577854" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1572825Gender links ft. Marriage Equality2017-10-13T09:12:07Z2017-10-13T09:15:10Zpublic1I know you'll be as shocked as I was to learn that one of the claims of the Coalition for Marriage - that a Jewish school in the UK was threatened with closure for its stance on gay marriage - was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/05/claim-uk-school-failed-inspection-over-marriage-teaching-factually-inaccurate">false witness</a>. Gosh! Also <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/lanesainty/canadian-dad-from-the-no-campaign">bullshit</a>: the story about the Canadian dad who wanted his kids taught that LGBT people are unnatural and unhealthy. Who'd've thunk it.<br /><br /><a href="https://qlife.org.au/">QLife</a> - Australian national LGBTI counselling and referral service. Phone 1800 184 527 or use their Web chat.<br /><br /><a href="http://seahorsevic.com.au/main/">Seahorse Victoria</a> - trans support and social group.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.defglis.com.au/">DEFGLIS</a> - Australian Defence LGBTI Information Service<br /><br />Perth's <a href="http://www.freedom.org.au/">Freedom Centre</a> for young LGBTIQQ people<br /><br />The <a href="https://gendercentre.org.au/">Gender Centre</a> in NSW provides "services for the transgender and gender diverse community"<br /><br />Tasmania's <a href="http://www.workingitout.org.au/">Working It Out</a> supports the LGBTI community.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/marie-stopes-australia-searches-for-brave-philanthropists-to-pay-for-abortions-20170927-gyplm7.html">Marie Stopes Australia searches for 'brave' philanthropists to pay for abortions</a> (SMH, 28 September 2017) "Publicly funded abortion services are not available in NSW, Queensland, the ACT and Tasmania. Limited services are available in other states and territories including a handful of public hospitals in Victoria." "The average cost of a medical or surgical termination in Australia is $500."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-11/ban-gendered-school-uniforms,-address-gender-inequality/9037508">Remove gendered school uniforms, address inequality, urges child rights group</a> (ABC, 11 October 2017). Inevitably the headline is the most trivial of Plan International Australia's recommendations, and not "ban sexist ads", "teach boys to respect girls", or "fix unequal pay". (Having said which, I fucking hated having to wear a skirt and stopped as soon as I could get away with it.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/submarines-or-rape-counselling-priorities-are-the-measure-of-any-government-20171006-gyvthb.html">Submarines or rape counselling? Priorities are the measure of any government</a> (SMH, 7 October 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-06/domestic-violence-survivors-often-suffer-economic-abuse/9021998">Domestic violence survivors often go on to suffer from economic abuse: Women's Legal Service</a> (ABC, 6 October 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-03/transgender-women-on-daily-struggles-in-sex-industry/6664204">Transgender escorts share stories of daily struggles and discrimination</a> (ABC, 3 October 2015) Alas, the video segments are not longer available, and nor is the original Four Corners program, but there is a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/escorts-inside-the-hidden-world-of-transgender-sex/6662714">transcript</a>. "Transgender people here typically endure the highest levels of abuse, prejudice, social stigma and violence of any group in our community. Many of them end up in the sex industry because they can't get any other work." "That's the life of ladyboys. You need to keep on fighting. We will never surrender. We will never surrender. Never."<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/08/pink-wasnt-always-girly/278535/">Pink Wasn't Always Girly: A short history of a complex color</a> (The Atlantic, 12 August 2013)<br /><br /><a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-masculine-face-genetic-evidence-reveals-drawbacks-of-hyper-masculine-features-22388">Why the masculine face? Genetic evidence reveals drawbacks of hyper-masculine features</a> (The Conversation, 24 January 2014)<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1572825" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1572394Refugee Update: Manus2017-10-13T02:50:48Z2017-10-13T03:55:57Zpublic0<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-11/manus-island-refugees-offered-transfers-to-nauru/9036994">Manus Island refugees offered transfers to Nauru while US resettlement applications processed</a> (ABC, 10 October 2017). Who the hell came up with this one?! Seriously. You might be able to go to the US and safety; say, would you like to go to Nauru instead? The Greens are probably right: this is utter desperation, because Papua New Guinea seems to be saying it refuses to resettle the refugees: <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-25/png-says-australia-cant-shut-down-manus-island-detention-centre/8844082">PNG tells Australia it can't shut Manus Island detention centre and leave asylum seekers behind</a> (ABC, 25 August 2017)<br /><br />ETA: from the Combined Refugee Action Group on Facebook, 13 October 2017: "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/CombinedRefugeeActionGroup/posts/1431590760289217">Letter by the men held on Manus Island</a>, to the PNG authorities. The letter contains an attachment of 324 signatures."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/pacific/338468/gay-detainees-on-manus-fear-for-their-future">Gay detainees on Manus fear for their future</a> (RNZ, 1 September 2017) "Every time a local attacks us, I see death in front of my eyes."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/behrouz-boochani/the-tortuous-demise-of-hamed-shamshiripour-who-didnt-deserve-t_a_23076393/">The Tortuous Demise Of Hamed Shamshiripour, Who Didn't Deserve To Die On Manus Island</a> (Huffington Post, 14 August 2017) | <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-19/manus-island-asylum-seekers-death-begs-questions/8810652">What happened to make Hamed go from 'a good guy' to a man to be avoided?</a> (ABC, 19 August 2017)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/aug/14/manus-island-detention-centre-demolition-must-stop-detainees-lawyers">Manus Island detention centre demolition must stop – detainees' lawyers</a> (GA, 14 August 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-30/manus-island-asylum-seekers-transferred-to-port-moresby/8854254">Manus Island: Asylum seekers moved to Port Moresby 'for treatment' suspicious of timing</a> (ABC, 30 September 2017) | <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/manus-refugees-given-final-ultimatum-as-turnbull-government-comes-under-pressure-20170830-gy715b.html">Manus refugees given ultimatum as Turnbull government comes under pressure</a> (SMH, 30 August 2017) "We are scared ... that they [will] leave us homeless in the street in PNG. That's what they are planning to do, it's just obvious."<br /><br /><a href="https://www.hrlc.org.au/news/2017/7/19/four-years-too-many">Four years on, still a “major or critical” incident nearly every day on Manus - new report finds</a> (Human Rights Law Centre, 19 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/comment/imrans-story-arriving-on-manus-was-one-of-the-most-excruciating-days-in-my-life-20170718-gxdfcz.html">Imran's story: arriving on Manus was 'one of the most excruciating days in my life'</a> (SMH, 18 July 2017)<br /><br />A couple of older links:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/20/opinion/australias-brave-whistleblower-nurse.html">Australia's Brave Whistleblower Nurse</a> (The New York Times, 20 December 2016). Lynne Elworthy lost her job and risked prison by telling the truth about Manus. "Lynne Elworthy should receive one of Australia’s highest civilian honors. She has stood up for the values of her country against a policy that has dragged those values into a tropical swamp. She has raised her voice when so many have been silent." This op-ed went on to quote Hannah Arendt and break my heart: "Under conditions of terror, most people will comply but some people will not. Humanly speaking, no more is required, and no more can reasonably be asked, for this planet to remain a place fit for human habitation."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-monstrous-failure-of-our-bipartisan-asylum-seeker-policy-20160427-gogrhn.html">The monstrous failure of our bipartisan asylum seeker policy</a> (The Age, 28 April 2016). "But here's the problem: [the Manus Island detention centre] was always illegal. It didn't suddenly become illegal when Abbott took power. Marles is right it was botched from day one, but that was Labor's day. It takes some special level of gall to establish an illegal detention centre, then insist it's the Coalition's mess"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1572394" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1571526Marriage Equality vote again2017-10-02T23:29:47Z2017-10-04T00:14:27Zpublic1<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/testing-the-many-claims-of-the-samesex-marriage-campaign-20170929-gyrd1s.html">Testing the many claims of the same-sex marriage campaign</a> (SMH, 30 September 2017). Debunks some of the porkies that annoyed me in the Australian Christian Lobby's pamphlet.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/factcheck/2017-10-03/fact-check-same-sex-marriage-equality-lgbt-tony-abbott/8992846">Fact check: Do same-sex couples in a settled domestic relationship have the same rights as married couples?</a> (ABC, 3 October 2017) Their verdict: exaggerated. A marriage certificate means you don't have to keep proving that your relationship counts using different rules to different bureaucrats. (The thought of not being recognised as Jon's next of kin gives me chills.) | <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-21/same-sex-marriage-legal-rights-married-defacto-couples-explained/8964368">What legal benefits do married couples have that de facto couples do not?</a> (ABC, 21 September 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-02/ssm-churches-cant-forced-to-marry-same-sex-couples-if-yes-wins/8997154">Churches can't be forced to marry same-sex couples if Australia votes yes</a> (ABC, 2 October 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/three-quarters-of-voters-have-participated-in-marriage-survey-poll-20171002-gysrmp.html">Three quarters of voters have participated in marriage survey: poll</a> (SMH, 2 October 2017) Blimey! ETA: According to the ABS, it's only about <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-03/more-than-half-same-sex-marriage-surveys-returned-abs-says/9011168">sixty percent</a>, which is still more than I would have expected. The government says this <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/almost-60-per-cent-of-australians-have-already-voted-in-samesex-marriage-survey-abs-20171003-gytd5p.html">justifies</a> the survey, which makes me wonder who else's human rights we'll be generously granting next.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/gay-teens-twice-as-likely-to-be-at-high-risk-of-suicide-than-heterosexual-peers-study-20170928-gyqif3.html">Gay teens twice as likely to be at high risk of suicide than heterosexual peers: study</a> (SMH, 29 September 2017). Can't think why, I say, as I engage in a discussion of whether they're as good as the rest of us. <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-22/ssm-attacks-on-the-lgbti-community/8974524">Are attacks on the LGBTI community actually 'long gone'?</a> (SMH, 22 September 2017). Hell, we're living through one. But there's hope: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/samesex-marriage-would-prevent-3000-teen-suicide-attempts-a-year-say-health-groups-20170920-gyl2hf.html">Same-sex marriage could 'prevent 3000 teen suicide attempts a year', say health groups</a> (SMH, 21 September 2017)<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1571526" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1569236Marriage Equality vote2017-09-20T08:50:40Z2017-10-02T23:16:01Zpublic3Everyone should have their forms for Australia's vote on Marriage Equality by Monday 25 September. <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-20/when-will-i-get-my-postal-survey/8959336">If yours doesn't arrive</a>, then you can ring the ABS on 1800 572 113 or by visiting their <a href="https://marriagesurvey.abs.gov.au/">Website </a>to get a replacement. (If someone has pinched yours, then your replacement vote will cancel theirs.)<br /><br />If you <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abs-warns-australians-not-to-post-samesex-marriage-survey-forms-online-20170913-gygtuz.html">post a photo</a> of your survey form online, make sure its unique barcode is not visible!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/agenda/article/2017/09/14/do-same-sex-couples-really-have-same-rights-married-couples">Do same-sex couples really have the same rights as married couples?</a> (SBS, 14 September 2017). SPOILER: No, they don't, in some very important ways.<br /><br />If most people who mail back their vote, vote "yes", then the government <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-19/ive-sent-back-my-marriage-survey-forms-now-what/8943048">says it will vote</a> on marriage equality; if "no", it won't. Frankly, I hope that LGBQTI+ voters and their friends vote these spineless bastards out at the next Federal election. (Labour says it will make marriage equal within 100 days of its being elected).<br /><br />Speaking of spinelessness, the "debate" over the poll is having exactly the effect the government knew very well that it would: <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/mental-health-groups-sound-alarm-over-dramatic-samesex-marriage-survey-spike-20170916-gyizra.html">severe stress on LGBTQI+ Australians</a>, especially on young people, who were <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-12/teenagers-suicide-self-harm-rates-growing-up-in-australia-survey/8893106">already at risk</a>. Expert in youth mental health <a href="https://www.orygen.org.au/About/Our-People/Leaders/Patrick-McGorry">Patrick McGorry</a> responded to Senator Matt Canavan's victim-blaming by suggesting that LGBTQI+ young people have <a href="http://junkee.com/patrick-mcgorry-marriage-debate/123925">more of a spine</a> than he does. (The rage I feel about all this renders me inarticulate, it really does. I keep typing things and having to delete them.) The <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/doctors-group-ramps-up-samesex-marriage-campaign-despite-conservative-backlash-20170914-gyhtz9.html">Australian Medical Association</a>, citing the harm caused by inequality to LGBTQI+ people's health, is campaigning for the YES vote.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.wel.org.au/feminists_for_marriage_equality">Women's Electoral Lobby</a> page on the survey has a list of helplines, which I'm sure they won't mind if I reproduce here:<br /><strong>Switchboard</strong> (Qlife) 1800 184 527<br /><strong>queerspace, drummond street services</strong> 03 9663 6733<br /><strong>Victorian AIDS Council</strong> (03) 9865 6700<br /><strong>Mind Equality Centre</strong> 1300 054 284<br /><strong>headspace</strong> (03) 9027 0100<br /><strong>Rainbow Network</strong> (03) 9479 8870<br /><strong>Kids Helpline</strong> 1800 55 1800<br /><strong>Black Rainbow</strong> (08) 9228 0354<br /><strong>Lifeline</strong> 13 11 14<br /><strong>Black Dog Institute</strong> (02) 9382 2991<br /><strong>Suicide Call Back Service</strong> 1300 659 467<br /><br />(There are also a few links in my <a href="http://dreamer-easy.dreamwidth.org/1567975.html">last posting</a>.)<br /><br />Finally, just because I found it interesting, here's a report on the complexities of the debate in <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/asian-australian-communities-targeted-by-both-sides-of-samesex-marriage-debate-20170915-gyi87n.html">Asian Australian communities</a> (chiefly Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino). ETA: similarly, a look at the no campaign in Australia's <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-01/under-the-radar-no-voters-could-sway-postal-survey/9003086">Korean, Maronite Christian, and Muslim</a> communities.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1569236" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1567975Links: Gender again2017-09-11T02:55:57Z2017-09-11T02:55:57Zpublic0<a href="http://www.canberratimes.com.au/good-weekend/why-do-transgender-children-raise-the-hackles-of-tolerant-australians-20170906-gybvyv.html">Why do transgender children raise the hackles of 'tolerant' Australians?</a> (Good Weekend, 9-10 September 2017). Benjamin Law does a great job of addressing concerns about children and adolescents transitioning, such as the possibility of misdiagnosis, and whether treatments are reversible. (An <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-treatment-do-young-children-receive-for-gender-dysphoria-and-is-it-irreversible-64759">Explainer</a> from The Conversation outlines treatments.)<br /><br /><a href="https://theconversation.com/almost-half-of-trans-young-people-try-to-end-their-lives-how-can-we-reduce-this-alarming-statistic-83221">Almost half of trans young people try to end their lives. How can we reduce this alarming statistic?</a> (The Conversation, 1 September 2017) "Almost 90% have been rejected by their peers, 74% have been bullied, 79% have experienced issues with school, university or TAFE, 69% have experienced discrimination, and 66% have felt a lack of family support. Issues with accommodation or homelessness have affected 22% of the study respondents. These experiences reflect societal attitudes towards trans people and demonstrate that they continue to be marginalised. Such attitudes can be changed through raising awareness of gender diversity to create a more accepting society." I suspect that prying the ACL loose from its barnacle grip on the government might also help.<br /><a href="https://headspace.org.au/news/marriage-discrimination-is-harmful-to-lgbti-australians-health/"><br />Marriage Discrimination is Harmful to LGBTI Australians' Health</a> (headspace.org.au, n.d.)<br /><strong><br /></strong><a href="http://www.genderhelpforparents.com.au/"><strong>Gender Help for Parents Australia</strong></a><strong><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://gendercentre.org.au/"><strong>The Gender Centre</strong></a><strong><br /><br /></strong><a href="http://www.transcendsupport.com.au/"><strong>Transcend</strong></a><br /><br />As Up Over, so Down Under?<a href="http://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/agenda/article/2017/01/16/politics-transgender-bathroom-access-australia"> The politics of transgender bathroom access in Australia</a> (SBS 16 January 2017). "The Australian right takes its cues from the American right (witness Cory Bernardi’s enthusiasm for Trump), and right now, the American right is gunning hard for transgender people." | <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/whats-aust-policy-on-transgender-military-service/8798664">Where does Australia stand on transgender people serving in the ADF?</a> (ABC, ). "... the cost of assisting transgender personnel over a 4.5 year period is roughly equal to 0.2 per cent of the [Australian Defence Force's] yearly health spend. The US military spends at most 0.13 per cent of its yearly spend on treating serving trans members."<br /><br /><a href="https://theconversation.com/can-transgender-tv-characters-help-bridge-an-ideological-divide-81914">Can transgender TV characters help bridge an ideological divide?</a> (The Conversation, 9 August 2017) A study suggests that entertainment might be more effective than news coverage when it comes to changing peoples' attitudes towards trans people. This is good news plus a call to action for fiction writers like me.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1567975" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1567654Yes, and what's more --2017-09-08T12:25:24Z2017-09-08T12:25:24Zpublic5As Allison Gallagher <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/06/is-it-really-a-win-for-queer-rights-if-we-exclude-our-most-vulnerable-to-achieve-it">argues</a> in the Guardian, the "No" campaign against marriage equality has <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/marriage-equality-safe-schools-attacks-part-of-the-plan-to-kill-samesex-marriage-20160519-goyptn.html">long</a> made trans and non-binary children and adolescents into "scapegoats". They can't win an argument about consenting adults, so instead they're <a href="http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/from-a-safe-schools-coalition-australia-ssca-spokesperson-7">attacking</a> the <a href="http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org.au/">Safe Schools</a> anti-bullying initiative and the acceptance of LGBTI+ youngsters. As well as campaigning for the "Yes" side, we need to support those vulnerable, valuable kids. With that in mind, some links (some are from past posts but are still relevant).<br /><br />Australia:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-01/young-trans-people-at-higher-risk-of-suicide-report-finds/8861156">Trans young people at alarmingly high risk of suicide and depression, report reveals</a> (ABC, 1 September 2017)<br /><a href="http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/support-services-lgbti-australia/154141">Support services for at-risk queer Aussie youth</a> (Star Observer, 25 November 2016)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-16/safe-schools-program-ditched-in-nsw/8446680">Safe Schools program ditched in NSW, to be replaced by wider anti-bullying plan</a> (ABC, 16 April 2017). It had better include material specifically aadd sex and gender; bullying, and homophobia and transphobia, are closely linked.<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-20/sexual-fluidity-label-free-life/7162884">Sexual fluidity: Living a label-free life</a> (ABC, 4 October 2016)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-09/secret-history-sexual-fluidity/7253856">Australia's secret history of sexual fluidity</a> (ABC, 3 October 2016)<br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/dec/14/safe-schools-roz-ward-life-saving-support-queer-theory-classroom">The reality of Safe Schools</a> (GA, 14 December 2016)<br /><a href="https://theconversation.com/crossroads-program-should-we-teach-children-that-gender-identity-is-fluid-heres-what-the-research-says-65223">Crossroads program: should we teach children that gender identity is fluid? Here's what the research says</a> (The Conversation, 16 September 2016)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-23/gender-fluidity-boy-girl-non-binary/7270260">Gender fluid: Girl, boy, non-binary</a> (Lateline 23 March, 2016)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-10/majority-of-lgbti-australians-bullied,-harassed/6534518">Majority of LGBTI Australians experience bullying, harassment: Human Rights Commission report </a>(AM, 10 June 2015)<br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/transgender-people-face-the-highest-level-of-harassment-20150331-1mc4xf.html">Transgender people face the highest level of harassment</a> of LGBT+ Australians (SMH, 31 March 2015)<br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/beyondblue-research-reveals-alarming-levels-of-homophobia-in-teenagers-20150329-1maq2i.html">Beyondblue research reveals alarming levels of homophobia in teenagers</a> (SMH, 31 March 2015)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-04/what-does-bathroom-anxiety-feel-like/8409886">What does bathroom anxiety feel like?</a> (ABC, 4 April 2017)<br /> <a href="https://oii.org.au" rel="nofollow" title="OII Australia – Intersex Australia - home" alt="OII Australia – Intersex Australia - home">Organisation Intersex International Australia</a> | <a href="http://aissga.org.au/">Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) Support Group Australia</a> <br /><br />And from the US:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.advocate.com/2015/06/03/report-trans-students-use-gender-affirming-bathrooms-causes-zero-incidents-nationwide">Trans Students Have Caused Zero Incidents in Bathrooms Nationwide</a> (3 June 2015)<br /><a href="http://www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-joins-with-nations-pediatric-organizations-on-new-guide">Supporting and Caring for Transgender Children</a> (Human Rights Campaign / American Academy of Pediatrics / American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians guide, 29 September 2016)<br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1567654" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1564548Eliminating natural variation2017-08-06T03:50:05Z2017-08-07T13:11:16Zpublic0"This is, in fact, one of the very interesting things about biological investigators. They use the infrequent to illustrate the common. The former they call abnormal, the latter normal. Often, as is the case for [psychologist John] Money and others in the medical world, the abnormal requires management. In the examples I will discuss, management means conversion to the normal. Thus, we have a profound irony. Biologists and physicians use natural biological variation to define normality. Armed with this description, they set out to eliminate the natural variation that gave them their definitions in the first place."<br />— Fausto-Sterling, Anne. "<a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=VWd7B_KuD5YC&pg=PA244&lpg=PA244#v=onepage&q&f=false">How to Build a Man</a>". in Roger N. Lancaster and Micaela di Leonardo (eds). <em>The Gender/Sexuality Reader</em>. New York, Routledge, 1997. (This essay blew my freakin' mind.)<br /><br />This quote is topical given the call by the US Surgeons General to <a href="https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/us-surgeon-generals-call-end-intersex-surgery/">end "corrective" surgery</a> on Intersex infants. The tragic results of John Money's theories about gender are <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/dr_money_prog_summary.shtml">notorious</a>. <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="/* suspect CSS: start HTML tag? */"><span style="/* suspect CSS: start HTML tag? */"><br /></span></span></p> <br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1564548" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:1564065Gender links2017-07-29T10:08:26Z2017-11-30T11:02:23Zpublic6<a href="http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-11/were-human-beings-aboriginal-women-speak-out-on-violence/8696594">Domestic Violence: Aboriginal women ask Australians to pay attention to assaults and murders</a> (ABC, 11 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/a-third-of-assault-patients-in-australia-female-study-20170418-gvncs4.html">A third of assault patients in Australia female: study</a> (SMH, 19 April 2017). "More than half of all women and girls who end up in hospital being treated after an assault have been attacked by their partners."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/bid-for-paid-domestic-violence-leave-rejected-20170703-gx3ogh.html">Bid for paid domestic violence leave rejected</a> (SMH, 3 July 2017) "A full bench of the Fair Work Commission said it has taken the "preliminary view" that while it is necessary to make provisions for family and domestic violence leave, it had rejected an application for 10 days of leave to be covered under all modern awards for all employees."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-29/dowry-abuse-domestic-violence-kasish-story/8745118">'Once a girl is married, there is no going back'</a> (ABC, 29 July 2017). "It's a type of domestic violence you probably haven't heard of: dowry abuse. Some Indian-Australian men are using their desirable status as residents to extort thousands of dollars from the women they're marrying, with threats and violence if their escalating demands aren't met."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-18/domestic-violence-church-submit-to-husbands/8652028">'Submit to your husbands': Women told to endure domestic violence in the name of God</a> (ABC, 18 July 2017) | <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-24/how-to-navigate-the-research-on-domestic-violence/8738738">How to navigate the research on domestic violence and Christian churches: A few frequently asked questions</a> (ABC, 24 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-24/confronting-domestic-violence-in-islam/8458116">Exposing the darkness within: Domestic violence and Islam</a> (ABC, 24 April 2017) |<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-26/muslim-women-encourage-daughters-to-have-healthy-relationships/8468192"> Muslim women unite to encourage daughters to have healthy relationships</a> (ABC, 26 April 2017) NB: "There's no evidence that suggests domestic violence rates are higher among Muslim women than the broader Australian community."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-17/domestic-violence-perpetrators-could-face-cross-examination-ban/8716274">Domestic Violence: Family Law Act plan could see end to alleged perpetrators cross-examining accusers</a> (ABC, 17 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-21/abortion-laws-force-abused-women-to-stay-with-perpetrators/8451772">Abortion laws making it harder for women to escape domestic violence, expert warns</a> (ABC, 21 June 2017)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/more-training-needed-for-domestic-violence-journalists-report/8669004"><br />Domestic violence: Report finds 'clear link' between media reporting and understanding of issue</a> (ABC, 30 June 2017). "Our Watch CEO Mary Barry said the way journalists frame individual stories can have a major impact on public understanding. 'Blaming victims for the violence inflicted upon them, for instance, still happens in one in six articles about violence against women,' she said."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-22/is-data-showing-rise-of-dv-by-women-giving-the-full-picture/8643766">BOSCAR data showing rise of domestic violence by women 'not giving the full picture'</a> (ABC, 22 June 2017)<br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-20/domestic-violence-victims-should-have-access-to-super-fund-says/8635570"><br />Domestic violence survivors should get early access to super, HESTA says</a> (ABC, 20 June 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/universities-spend-millions-preparing-for-wave-of-sexual-assault-reports-20170720-gxeu8p.html">Universities spend millions preparing for wave of sexual assault reports</a> (SMH, 22 July 2017). "Australian universities will spend millions of dollars on counselling services as 'a wave of victims' are expected to come forward following the release of the world's largest report into sexual assault on campus." The AHRC survey of tertiary students will be released on 1 August.<br /><br /><a href="https://thinkprogress.org/texas-family-planning-cuts-3ed9f259c98e">Texas slashed funding for Planned Parenthood and ended up with more teen abortions</a> (ThinkProgress, 17 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-16/caesareans-maternity-services-outback-queensland/8708748">Rural women 'bullied' into caesareans amid doctor shortage</a> (ABC, 16 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-20/paternity-leave-would-make-life-fairer-for-mothers/8724770">Introducing use-it-or-lose-it leave for fathers would make life fairer for mothers</a> (ABC, 20 July 2017). "Under [Australia's paid parental leave system], the primary carer is eligible for up to 18 weeks' pay at minimum wage, nine times more than Dad and Partner Pay, which is two weeks at minimum wage."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-13/cwa-makes-reusable-sanitary-pads-indigenous-communities/8704850">CWA members hope washable sanitary pads will give isolated women freedom to learn</a> (ABC, 13 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-10/hijab-wearing-women-most-at-risk-of-islamophobic-attacks/8688856">Islamophobia: Women wearing head coverings most at risk of attacks, study finds</a> (ABC, 10 July 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-23/why-do-muslim-women-wear-a-burka-niqab-or-hijab/5761510">Explainer: Why do Muslim women wear a burka, niqab or hijab?</a> (ABC, 23 September 2014). Explains the difference between different kinds of coverings.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-01/how-muslim-feminists-can-reclaim-religion-men/8484994">How can Muslim feminists reclaim their religion from men?</a> (ABC, 1 May 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-22/young-women-face-street-harassment-every-other-day-research/8642094">Catcalling and street harassment is happening more often than you might think</a> (ABC, 22 June 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/09/05/3583418.htm">The <strike>woman</strike> transman who was charged with murdering <strike>her</strike> his wife</a> (ABC, 5 September 2012). The historical story of Harry Crawford.<br /><br />This is topical, given the Tweeter-in-Chief's latest <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/07/27/pentagon-has-made-no-change-yet-to-its-transgender-policy-says-highest-ranking-officer-in-u-s-military/">announcement</a>: <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-25/anzac-day-hidden-lives-of-lgbti-people-in-the-military/8467806">Witch-hunts and surveillance: The hidden lives of LGBTI people in the Australian military</a> (ABC, 24 May 2017)<br /><br /><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/apr/23/intersex-and-proud-hanne-gaby-odiele-the-model-finally-celebrating-her-body">Intersex and proud: model Hanne Gaby Odiele on finally celebrating her body</a> (GA, 23 April 2017)<br /><br /><a href="http://wearewalkinginbeauty.org/Walking_in_Beauty/A_Queer_Gods_Ritual.html"><span class="style">A Queer Gods Ritual:</span></a><span class="style"><a href="http://wearewalkinginbeauty.org/Walking_in_Beauty/A_Queer_Gods_Ritual.html"> An Introduction to the Queer Ones.</a> I was pleased to find this again, so I'm leaving it here.<br /><br />Good grief, there's so much more. It'll have to wait for another posting.<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=1564065" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:2997397:440888"Chicks dig the time machine."2017-05-01T11:06:12Z2017-05-01T11:14:26Zpublic0Disturbed by Kelly Robson's column in the April issue of <em>Clarkesworld</em>, "<a href="http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/another_word_04_17/">Another World: Being James Tiptree Jr</a>". She discusses the letter which Dr. Alice B. Sheldon left to be released in case of her death, in which she outed the science fiction writer Tiptree as being a woman writing under a male pseudonym. Robson quotes a key passage from the letter: "Everything sounded so much more interesting coming from a man. (Didn't it. Didn't it, just a little? Be honest.)" She remarks, "Writing as Tiptree, Alice Sheldon didn’t just avoid gender discrimination; she supercharged everything she wrote with gravitas and authority... Writing as a man gave her freedom that was missing when she wrote as herself... Being Tiptree certainly allowed her to avoid gender discrimination, but more importantly, it allowed her to overcome the barriers in her own mind."<br /><br />My contribution to <a href="http://www.madnorwegian.com/107/books/chicks-dig-time-lords-a-celebration-of-doctor-who-by-the-women-who-love-it/">Chicks Dig Time Lords</a>, "If I can't Squee I Don't Want to Be Part of your Revolution"*, contains a puzzled self-examination: what makes women's writing different from men's, and thus made my Doctor Who novels different from the others, which were overwhelmingly written by men? I consulted a couple of books on the subject of women's writing: one pointed out that women generally have different experiences to men; the other seemed to warn against lumping all women together. My problem was, and is, my slightly loose connection to the category "woman". Though I am a ciswoman, and share many experiences with other ciswomen, I am also sufficiently gender non-conforming to be occasionally mistaken for a man.<br /><br />In the Chicks chapter, I pointed out that the style of all of the Doctor Who novel writers was somewhat constrained by the fact that we were writing science fiction adventure stories, with the main characters already provided. Although we drew on our own lives, like any writer in any genre, the books are still fairly homogenous, and that may have overwhelmed any gender differences.<br /><br />Robson recounts meeting a male SF fan who proudly proclaims that he never reads books by women. I seem to recall that, as a teen, I eschewed female SF authors because they didn't seem to be writing the kind of SF I enjoyed (Asimov, Niven, a Heinlein phase). Perhaps they were drawing on interests or experiences I didn't share; perhaps there were fewer female authors available, so I was less likely to hit on one that I liked**; or perhaps it was simple prejudice. I am frustrated by not yet having found women who write the sort of SF I've recently enjoyed, by Charles Stross, Neal Stephenson, and Liu Cixin.<br /><br />As well as being disturbed by my freakish gender, it troubles me that I insist on reading and writing SF, even though fantasy seems like it would be my more natural home. Perhaps the reason I write science fiction is to grab some of the "gravitas and authority" that Tiptree's assumed gender provided. Some part of me insists that SF = srs bizness, fantasy = mucking around (the same part that insists that YA is also mucking around). I worry that this prejudice is also somehow grounded in gender. I guess that's why Robson's column troubles me. (OTOH, maybe I don't want to write fantasy because I'm far less interested in reading it?)<br /><br /><br />* Neither my best title nor my greatest piece of prose ever, but I am still desperately proud of having been part of this landmark book, particularly its role in triggering the Sad Puppies. I'm also chuffed to see it being quoted in academic books, which must mean I got something right. :)<br /><br />** The two most significant anthologies in my youth were <em>Tomorrow's Children</em>, edited by Isaac Asimov, and <em>The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus</em>. The former contains 18 stories, three by women, but they seem to have made no impression on me, compared to Damon Knight's "Cabin Boy", Fritz Leiber's "A Pail of Air", Mark Clifton's "Star Bright", Asimov's own "The Ugly Little Boy", and, gods help us all, Jerome Bixby's "It's a <em>Good</em> Life". The Omnibus contains just one story by a woman - "The Snowball Effect" by Katherine MacLean, which I do remember, but it's a bit of fluff, damnit, surrounded by more memorable stuff.<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=dreamer_easy&ditemid=440888" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments