Monday, October 17, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Great article on homophobia in skateboarding.
It's about time! Thank you Patrick Welch for a well written piece. Start reading on page 50.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Finally, pro-choice fights back.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Female sperm?
Sperm cells have been created from a female human embryo in a remarkable breakthrough that suggests it may be possible for lesbian couples to have their own biological children...
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Australia adds 3rd gender option to passports!
A tribunal in Australia has created the country’s first legally recognized same-sex married couple and overturned a government decision about a transwoman’s new passport.
Grace Abrams was refused a female passport by the Foreign Affairs department despite having undergone transition between 2001 and 2005.
She married her partner Fiona Power while still transitioning, and the authorities said that in order to get a new birth certificate and therefore a passport identifying her as female, she would have to divorce.
Ms Abrams went to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) arguing that a birth certificate was required to prove that an applicant for a passport is an Australian citizen, and that other documents verify her gender.
The tribunal agreed, and ordered that she be issued with an Australian passport identifying her as female, thus also recognizing her same-sex marriage.
Grace Abrams was refused a female passport by the Foreign Affairs department despite having undergone transition between 2001 and 2005.
She married her partner Fiona Power while still transitioning, and the authorities said that in order to get a new birth certificate and therefore a passport identifying her as female, she would have to divorce.
Ms Abrams went to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) arguing that a birth certificate was required to prove that an applicant for a passport is an Australian citizen, and that other documents verify her gender.
The tribunal agreed, and ordered that she be issued with an Australian passport identifying her as female, thus also recognizing her same-sex marriage.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
I am Lil Wayne's newest fan.
I don't even really know his music, but how can you not love this guy after seeing him so stoked on skating?!?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Nickled and Dimed, ten years later.
If you haven't read Barbara Ehrenreich's insightful book Nickled and Dimed, reading her afterword from the latest edition gets to the point in just a few pages. If it was tough to get by in America on minimum wage in the year 2000, imagine what it's like now.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Women in action sports and the gender bias they face.
Cara-Beth Burnside is a legend in women's skateboarding, no doubt. She's paved the way for younger female skaters to receive more respect and exposure because she's been ripping for more than 20 years.
However, action sports as an industry still fails to see even her as more than an opportunity to sell their pink bikinis and their flower printed equipment. Female skaters face an especially tough challenge given that their sport doesn't highlight their curves in swimsuits at tropical locations, nor has it been sanctioned by "respectable" organizations such as the Olympic Games. Add to that the fact that women only make up about 12% of skateboarders, compared to 31% of surfers and 24% of snowboarders, then it's no wonder that glass ceiling remains without a crack.
This quote pretty much sums it up for me... "At Vans, skate icons such as Tony Alva, Steve Caballero, Jeff Grosso and Hosoi are part of a "Legends" program. But Doug Palladini, who is both the president of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association and vice president of marketing at Vans, points out that although Vans respects everything Burnside has achieved, with so few women's skaters, it makes little business sense to include her."
To me, this sounds like our politicians thesedays - so concerned about winning their next reelection that they lack the moral fortitude to do what's right for the long term. What they don't realize is that they may win this battle, but they're losing the war. That is what skateboarding is doing by not taking Cara-Beth and others as seriously as they should.
Sponsor a female legend now, before it makes "business sense", and become the industry legend long term.
However, action sports as an industry still fails to see even her as more than an opportunity to sell their pink bikinis and their flower printed equipment. Female skaters face an especially tough challenge given that their sport doesn't highlight their curves in swimsuits at tropical locations, nor has it been sanctioned by "respectable" organizations such as the Olympic Games. Add to that the fact that women only make up about 12% of skateboarders, compared to 31% of surfers and 24% of snowboarders, then it's no wonder that glass ceiling remains without a crack.
This quote pretty much sums it up for me... "At Vans, skate icons such as Tony Alva, Steve Caballero, Jeff Grosso and Hosoi are part of a "Legends" program. But Doug Palladini, who is both the president of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association and vice president of marketing at Vans, points out that although Vans respects everything Burnside has achieved, with so few women's skaters, it makes little business sense to include her."
To me, this sounds like our politicians thesedays - so concerned about winning their next reelection that they lack the moral fortitude to do what's right for the long term. What they don't realize is that they may win this battle, but they're losing the war. That is what skateboarding is doing by not taking Cara-Beth and others as seriously as they should.
Sponsor a female legend now, before it makes "business sense", and become the industry legend long term.
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