In the last few years I've had between one and six transgender students on my class roster. This is great! But where were these students in the first two and a half decades of my career? Well, they were there.
I have to admit to a certain squeamishness when asked about my political affiliations.
The term "Identity Politics" is meaningless. It's a red herring term that distracts us from very real underlying issues of equity and social justice.
...women all over the country, quite possibly outraged by the ascension of the Groper in Chief to the highest office in the country, are coming forward with their stories. Taking down Harvey Weinstein seems to be the catalyst for a national, cultural lesson in patriarchy and male privilege.
It is now undeniable that what was once vaunted as a marketplace of ideas is now nothing more than a boarded up strip-mall.
All over the country, we see monuments to those who, under any other conceivable context would be defined as traitors, criminals or, in our modern parlance, terrorists.
HOW TO EMBRACE PERSONAL BEAUTY AND REJECT COMMODIFICATION When I teach my class on body image and the media I break up the lecture by asking, "what is beauty?" At first, this question seems to be a common sense notion. After all, everyone knows what beauty is. It's... Well, it's...you know... Sociologists are forever at... Continue Reading →
This post is about women's bodies.
WHAT IS BEING REVEALED BY THE DEBATE ON TRANSGENDER RIGHTS It's easy to get distracted by the Great Transgender Bathroom debate. However, it's important to understand that the legislation in question goes far beyond public restroom and locker room policy. The North Carolina state law, HB2 not only nullifies Charlotte's ordinance protecting transgender people using... Continue Reading →
AND I'M TAKING A STAND! One of the most sociologically interesting characters created by the Saturday Night Live team is the androgynous Pat. This character is totally bereft fo gendered characteristics, either physically or socially. It is, therefore, impossible to categorize Pat as being a man, or a woman. This causes a great deal of tension for... Continue Reading →
The Mad Sociologist Blog 