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Everyone knows pink, dolls, and dress-up means girls, and trucks, cars, and blue means boys. Toddlers don't know the difference, all they know is they enjoy playing with a certain toy or concept.

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What your toddler knows is that he or she enjoys doing certain activities. These activities, whether sorting, role-playing, or building - can be done equally well with toys that are pink or blue, and few children, unless prompted by siblings or adults, see toys as gender specific.

Walk into any home with toddlers, and you will no doubt be able to tell whether the child is a boy or a girl by a quick peek into the playroom. Trucks, trains, planes, and baseballs will scream boy; while a room full of pink and frilly dolls and stuffed animals have little girl written all over it. Interestingly, toys have become as gender specific as clothes, and many parents are uncomfortable when their little boy chooses a doll over a truck or their little girl opts for cowboys over princesses. The truth is that it doesn't matter, and the reality of gender specific programming is not something a toddler knows; it is something that is learned from the parents.

What your toddler knows is that he or she enjoys doing certain activities. These activities, whether sorting, role-playing, or building - can be done equally well with toys that are pink or blue, and few children, unless prompted by siblings or adults, see toys as gender specific. In today's world where gender specific roles of men and women are becoming less of a factor in families, it is only natural that a little boy may choose to play with a doll. Likewise, there is nothing wrong with a girl pushing a toy lawnmower through the yard emulating her own mother who does the same.

Imaginative play is an integral part of childhood development. In a medical thesis by Dr. Carter Bruce, Cognitive Aspects of Sex-Role Development, clinical research proved that gender specific toys played a significant role in socialization that led to recognized principles of sex role development later in life. In other words, the mother or father who gasps or becomes uncomfortable upon seeing their little boy cook or play with dolls is simply passing on outdated schools of thought about what is acceptable for males and females. This same method of thinking would serve to stymie a male child as an artist or musician and, likewise, thwart a female from becoming a professional athlete. Although most parents do not gasp or gawk to intentionally divert their child's attention, many parents harbor secret anxieties about their child being perceived as 'normal', as well as fears of their child becoming or being seen as a 'homosexual.'

{ MORE: 8 Common Gender Prediction Methods }

Let's face it, toddlers are just toddlers; they love to play with other children and often can spend lengthy amounts of time playing with simple toys using their imagination as a guide. While a parent may feel that pointing a child in a certain direction at a young age will heighten their interest, potential, or talent, chances are, if it isn't something they are passionate about as they get older, it will fall by the wayside regardless.

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What your toddler knows is that he or she enjoys doing certain activities. These activities, whether sorting, role-playing, or building - can be done equally well with toys that are pink or blue, and few children, unless prompted by siblings or adults, see toys as gender specific.

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For many years, dance has been an all female sport at NDSU, but not this year. Fargo South grad Blaze Shiek joins NDSU dance team this fall as first male on the team ever at NDSU.

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In this cartoon, the pig is correcting the man on transgender people and their use of public bathroom facilities.

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Dress Codes Target Girls More so Than Boys

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Dress Codes Target Girls More so Than Boys

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Girls have grown up with dress codes for years on what they can and can't wear because their bodies are "distracting" and "too tempting" for boys.

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Revealing the gender for your baby is typical in our world today. However, having ultimatums about the child being a girl "beauty" or a boy "a beast" is a little sexist or even "tutus or touchdowns."

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The African American female who narrates this clip discusses the immediate privilege a white person has when they are born. They don't have to worry about many things that other races do because of how society works.

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Female Cops: Fighting for Respect in a 'Boys Club' Culture

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Female Cops: Fighting for Respect in a 'Boys Club' Culture

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Being female brings its own challenges and discriminations in the field of policing. Women are discriminated against for their physical nature, fact that they can and do bear children and the leaves and "issues" associated with that, and the fact this career is and was intended "for men."

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A barbed comment by a soon-to-retire Illinois State Police lieutenant gave Cara Rabe-Hemp both the title and the theme of her new book.

Observing that the lieutenant, who had joined the force in the 1980s, was just completing a 25-year career in the policing, Rabe-Hemp asked her, "Do you think anything has slowed you down?"

"Policing is a boys' club," came the quick reply, "And if you haven't noticed, I'm not a boy."

Rabe-Hemp, a professor in the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University, set about exploring the complex and frustrating reality behind those words. Her book, " Thriving in an All-Boys Club: Female Police and Their Fight for Equality," focuses not only on the careers of women who have been trailblazers in what is traditionally considered a "male" occupation─but on why, like the Illinois police lieutenant, they still feel like outsiders in police culture.

In a conversation with TCR's Megan Hadley, Rabe-Hemp described how law enforcement agencies in the 1990s and 2000s began to open their doors to greater numbers of women, how in the process female officers have changed the practice of law enforcement across the U.S., and why-despite the changed climate─recruitment of women appears to be declining.

CARA RABE-HEMP: Women in the 1980s faced a lot of sexual harassment and discrimination, but what was interesting about that was they expected it. So most of the women I interviewed from the 1980s knew when they went into policing that it was going to be a male domain. They knew they would have an uphill battle in being accepted.

One of my favorite stories is about a male officer who insisted on opening the car door for a female because that was a part of the culture at the time. In the 1990s, there were so many more female police officers, and there was a change in the culture. Women were taking on many more responsibilities in policing and in the work culture and things got better.

What I was really surprised about was the women who entered policing in the 2000s. I assumed that we would find harassment had fallen off the radar, but that has not been the case. Women in the 2000s describe fairly heinous experiences with sexual harassment and discrimination. Covert, yes, but still experiences we would associate with the 1980s. I think (that's) one of the reasons that the number of women in policing is actually starting to drop now. We're not re-hiring female police the same way we once did. Women are again finding themselves in a token status and really struggling through that.

RABE-HEMP: We know there is a potential for women (and people of color) to bring about change in police culture. Women have different socialization experiences than men do, and at the end of the day, we raise women differently than we raise men. Those experiences can influence how they do the work that they do.

We know when women enter organizations, they challenge the way things have been done. This results new policy and new, creative ways of problem-solving. In policing, we see this illustrated by organizations with female leadership and greater female representation. Women are more likely to have family medical leave or light duty, maternity leave, and more likely to have inclusive leadership in their organizations. Women entering police organizations have the potential to change how police do their jobs on the street.

TCR: So why have the numbers of women police officers decreased?

RABE-HEMP: There are a couple of things that we know are holding women back. There is a problem with recruitment. There is also a problem with retention. Those are two different problems. Recruitment in policing emphasizes upper body strength, and typically men win that battle. Biologically, we know that upper body strength is a way in which women are disadvantaged, specifically in recruitment practices. But here is the frustrating part about that: there is no research that connects upper body strength with the ability to police. We know this because most police agencies don't require the repetition of that test. It's not necessary to do the job, but because of that rule, we see a lot of women disqualified right off the bat because of recruitment policies for policing.

We also see continued resistance to women in police culture. Today we still have police agencies who have never had a female officer, ever. In those agencies the resistance to women can be pretty strong. Finally, police agencies have to start looking at family-friendly policies, they have to follow the business world that have women returning to work in mass. Police families would be much more accommodated if we looked at family-friendly policies in policing.

RABE-HEMP: The number-one predictor for having a diverse pool is spending money on recruitment. Agencies that put their money where their mouth is and lay out a recruitment strategy for hiring diverse applicants actually end up with a much more diverse pool. There are manuals out there for police agencies who are looking to diversify. One thing that is helpful is having diverse recruitment tools─(for instance) flyers that show people of color and women doing different jobs.

RABE-HEMP: In the book, the point I am trying to make is that we know we are in the middle of a legitimacy crisis in policing. Making police agencies more representative of the communities they serve could be a solution to this crisis. As police departments look for a new breed of police officers more likely to use communication skills and problem-solving skills, people who define policing through service to community members, the evidence that women bring many of these positive benefits to policing make it an argument to take a better look.

We know that women are great communicators, and they are less likely to use force. So their increased representation in policing means more peaceful citizen interactions. They are less likely to be named in citizen complaints and lawsuits, which saves agencies and taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Female officers are more likely to take (seriously) reports of domestic violence and sexual assault cases. Women bring positive benefits to policing, and they have the potential to alter the way police officers police.

RABE-HEMP: Yes, definitely. More than just a balance. My book celebrates the positive attributes of female police officers but it in no way takes away from celebrating the success of male officers. The argument I'm making in the book is that women make a unique contribution to policing as well.

RABE-HEMP: I think the big point is communication. There are a lot of stories in the book about how female police officers talk suspects into cop cars instead of going hands on. The suspect will literally put themselves in the back of the car. So increasing communication skills and problem-solving skills is one option.

RABE-HEMP: In our analysis of police-citizen interactions, we found that women were at no greater risk than male officers at being assaulted except in a very small subset of cases, and in those cases, the perpetrator was involved in domestic violence and alcohol. In those situations, women were more likely to be assaulted or attacked by a community member, but other than that, there was no greater risk between male and female officers.
TCR: You discuss at length the important role women play in addressing crime victims, specifically, victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse. You quote one patrol officer stating "I don't want the guys to tell the girl she deserved to be raped" and further re victimize the individual? Should women be the ones to respond to these calls of sexual abuse?
RABE-HEMP: This is a great debate within the research world, and the truth is I don't have the answer to that. Recent research [from the University of Illinois in Chicago showed] that agencies with more female officers were (more) likely to take cases of sexual assault, and they were also more likely to clear those cases. One [possible] reason: when agencies look like the communities they police, citizens are more likely to report those crimes to the police. So it might just be having that image for the community changes the likelihood of them reporting crimes.

We need more research before we can answer that question. But right now, what it looks like is having agencies that are more representativem and having more female officers, may encourage community members to come forward, especially with crimes of sexual assault or domestic violence.

RABE-HEMP: In the book. I tried to not shy away from the challenges faced by women police, but those obstacles are no match for the women who wear the uniform today. I met the bravest women who are absolutely dedicated to their occupations, families and communities. In 2015 women were heading the DEA, the Secret Service, the D.C Metropolitan Police Department, the Washington field office of the FBI, and the Amtrak police. Within large agencies today, woman are breaking those top command spots and these are all indicators that women are making great strides and promotions. It seems that simply by doing police work the way they do every day, women are inspiring the next generation of female police officers to step up and follow in their paths.

RABE-HEMP: Domestic violence is a pervasive problem in our society and it is not unique to policing or to any type of occupation. We see domestic violence in all types of families. One thing that can be done, is for us to be aware of the signs and make help available, and encourage those who need assistance to get the help they need.

RABE-HEMP: Policing is an old institution and the more things change the more they stay the same, but I do see that right now police are attempting to be more community- friendly and more community-focused. I think our consumer model in our society is driving policing as an institution to have that focus. Women are making great strides within policing, and they are going to influence not only how we do police work, but will act as catalysts for change within [police] organization. That is inspiring other women to step forward.
Megan Hadley is a staff reporter with The Crime Report. She welcomes readers' comments.

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Female Cops: Fighting for Respect in a 'Boys Club' Culture | The Crime Report

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Increasing numbers of females now serve in the senior ranks of US policing, and they are slowly changing law enforcement practices across the country. But there's still a long way to go before women cops can achieve full equality with their male peers, a University of Illinois professor argues in a new book.

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Harper Avery a world-class surgeon, wealthy business owner, and older white male pay off tons of women he sexually harassed and the truth comes out. These women lost jobs and signed right offs for what he did all because he had power and money.

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Meredith and Jackson Argue – Grey’s Anatomy Season 14 Episode 21

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This meme shows the messed up view society has on black people and their motives. White cops are seen as always shooting first and asking questions later when it comes to black people at a scene.

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Healthcare and Class Determine Accessibility

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Healthcare and Class Determine Accessibility

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This tweet shows not only the issue our country has with treating/caring for people with mental health but also how it is determined by class and money.

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Disabilities and Homelessness Go Hand in Hand 

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Disabilities and Homelessness Go Hand in Hand 

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This man is an accurate representation of a typical homeless person. Homelessness and disabilities are related and are correlated with one another in terms of cause and effect or potential to.

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They Call This Ghostbusters Reboot Feminist, Not for Black Women

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They Call This Ghostbusters Reboot Feminist, Not for Black Women

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This movie shows the typical depictions in society of three white women who are scientists and experts in their field. They interact with the last member of the team, an African American transit worker they include for her knowledge of the city and  her "humor."

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They call this Ghostbusters reboot feminist. Not for black women | Janessa E Robinson

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Three white women play 'brilliant' scientists; the black actor is a sassy transport worker. Go figure

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This blog talks about the many differences black women have to the typical white woman in terms of hair and society's view on what hair should look like. Black women have to spend loads of money to make their hair look like the typical white girl-long, straight, shiny.

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The Real Deal on Black Hair

Since the dawn of time the topic of hair weaves, and dye especially when it comes down to black women are very controversial. When it comes down to the way, we present ourselves in the workplace, social media, or around our loved ones there is a change now then perhaps 20 years ago. Today we want to provide information and knowledge to such a sensitive topic, and it's about time we get down to the real nitty-gritty on black hair. Now the real question we tend to hear a lot is why do African American women seem to wear so much weaves, wigs, or get hair perms and dyes? Unfortunately, the answer to this question can't be explained in a couple of thousand-word blog post, but we can sure do our best to try. As a fellow woman of color, if you want to know the root of why we are particularly compulsive over our curly manes, we will have to go back to where it all begins.

Brief History of Black Hair

During the mid-1700s in slave societies, white women would cut off the female servant's black hair because supposedly it would confuse them. As the decades roll on black women would braid their hair as an extra precaution from damage and from people making fun of how their hair looks. Fast forward several more years you would see women perming their hair to be more accepted into society, or in some cases look identical to non-women of color.

Thankfully in 2009, Chris Rock produced the movie "Good Hair" which highlights the many reasons why African American women go to extreme precautions to add extensions, perm, or dye their locks. We can give you a summary of what the documentary is all about, but it would be very beneficial to give it a watch yourself. But basically, the idea of having nappy, curly, untamable curls can be very displeasing to other people. In the world we live in conformity can take over, and by choosing to let your hair be different or unlike everyone else's you are risking the chance of being an outcast. Take notice on how I'm generalizing on "who" tend to disagree with natural hair. The feeling of being uncomfortable is general to all ethnicities including black women. Surprisingly as time is showing black women are just as likely to discriminate their own race for the hair styles they may choose, as would any other ethnicity.

We are happy to say now in 2019 that black women love to wear their natural curls and it is an increasing beauty trend that I don't think will ever die out again. We have actresses like Lupita Nyong'o and Issa Rae who wear their natural curls proudly and give other women of color the right to do so. What's so satisfying to realize is that black hair no matter how controversial is always fascinating. Throughout history from artists, to designers, even photographers get most of their influence from African American culture and political movements such as Black Panthers. Although the history of black hair goes back to centuries, we can come to the consensus that some reasons women of color wear weaves or get hair perms are to uphold beauty standards society places upon us in the media and by other people.

Perms and Hair Dyes

Like we will mention throughout this blog post before the end of slavery black hair was unattractive. The beauty standard for a while was undeniably clear; silky straight hair is in, everything else is out. After slavery, the same standards remain intact. If you were someone with coarse, kinky hair, it was considered unprofessional, especially within the workforce. As humans' one of our basic needs are wanting to be accepted. We find out in th past decade African American women began to do the traditional hairstyles of White American women to gain acceptance.

Growing up I remember having my mother hot comb my hair to maintain a sleeker refined look. Unfortunately, as time went on the hot comb didn't work as well and was led to use more drastic measures which were perms with harmful chemicals. I took the initiative to ask some mothers why they would perm their daughter's hair. I ended up hearing so many reasons; some said because they were tired of dealing with the tangled mess. Others thought the style was pretty and made their child fit in with other classmates. I can't 100 percent say that societies beauty standards force most black women to want to change their hair, but these reasons did play a significant part in the increasing sales of hair perm several years ago. I am happy to say now as of 2019 perm sales have drastically decreased as the black hair care market continues to increase. Thankfully the beauty industry is prevailing, and as a unit, we all are coming together to prove how beautiful black hair will always be.

Weaves and Wigs

When it comes down to perms and weave the reasons African American women wear it are for two different reasons. Let's clear the air on all the misconceptions when it comes down to black women and their weave. First, the most common statement We hear daily is "why do you wear weave? Or why wear a wig your hair is beautiful already?" To answer all those questions, we wear these styles for a myriad of reasons.

Most importantly African American women wear weaves as a protective hairstyle. Having natural hair can be strenuous, time-consuming, and flat out stressful. Our hair texture is very different than that of native Americans and other ethnicities. There is extra maintenance that is necessary for black hair to grow long and healthy. The most common assumption that many people tend to think is that women who wear weave either have short hair or none. Let's finally break that stigma; we wear weave to give our natural hair a chance to grow and be healthy. At the same time, we can try many different cuts, colors, and lengths without dealing with a long term commitment. There is no trick answer to why this style is common among African American women. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the glitz and glam of extensions that we start to ignore our real tresses. But that doesn't mean we hate the hair on our heads and it's time that we make that clear for everyone to know. Since the market for hair weave and wigs is continually growing, we don't see a decline in sales in the African American community declining any time soon. If we feel beautiful and look great, you can guarantee we will be rocking a 32-inch lace frontal flawlessly and with no remorse. So, the next time someone asks why black women wear so much weave, the response should be "the same reason why whites, Latinos, and other ethnicities wear extensions, to achieve a beautiful look without the extra work.

Have You Heard Any Common Black Hair Misconceptions?

We hope that we were able to break any stereotypes you may think of when black hair is in the conversation. Our curls are different than that of any other ethnicity. Black hair can come in tight coils, spirals, zigzags and many other patterns that come to mind. If you ever wonder why our hair grows up and not down it's because of our unique texture, our tresses can defy gravity and create shapes like Afros and puffballs. Yes, throughout the year's many people have encouraged us not to love the hair that we have, and that did play a huge part in why we get perms and weaves so much. But we can't neglect the fact that black women also love to switch up their style while keeping their original curls intact. The moral of the story is we are all learning to love ourselves, especially the skin and hair that were born with from the start. Just remember we all have the freedom to try new things when it comes down to our looks, and we should not discriminate or treat others differently for trying something new.

Did you enjoy this blog post? We want your feedback. And if you know any wild or common black hair misconceptions, let us know in the comment section down below.

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The Truth About Black Hair: Do African American Women Wear More Weaves & Perms?

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The Real Deal on Black Hair Since the dawn of time the topic of hair weaves, and dye especially when it comes down to black women are very controversial. When it comes down to the way, we present ourselves in the workplace, social media, or around our loved ones there is a change now then perhaps 20 years ago.

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When a person makes their first dollar at a job, sometimes they frame it for memories and to symbol the start. This cartoon attacks the gender pay gap between men and women where men get a $1 and women get 77c for the first amount made.

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Many pride workers have been hard at work for years fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance. "It is reverse-engineered for the sole purpose of carrying out President Trump's reckless and unconstitutional ban, undermining the ability of transgender service members to serve openly and military readiness as a whole."

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Following a long review of a policy following a tweet by President Donald Trump last year, the White House said the policy will say "transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria -- individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery -- are disqualified from military service except under certain limited circumstances."

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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white house announces policy to ban most transgender persons from serving in military - cnnpolitics

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White House announces policy to ban most transgender persons from serving in military

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Following a long review of a policy following a tweet by President Donald Trump last year, the White House said the policy will say "transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria -- individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery -- are disqualified from military service except under certain limited circumstances."

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Diversity in Healthcare Increases Rates of Breastfeeding

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Diversity in Healthcare Increases Rates of Breastfeeding

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Only 58% of black mothers breast feed compared to 75% of white women, and 80% latinos. Black women are far behind other women of color and this new program of implementing diversity into hospitals will hopefully help.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The number of black women who breastfeed lags behind every other ethnic group, including other women of color.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, only 58 percent of black mothers breastfeed, compared to 75 percent of white women and 80 percent of latinos. But, a new groundbreaking partnership between Novant Health and Johnson C. Smith University is hoping to change that.

The new program, in its inaugural year at JCSU, plans to diversify the field by recruiting women of color to become lactation consultants.

"Most of the time, I'm one, if not the only one in the room," she said. "And I think it's really helpful when other women of color see another woman of color coming into their room helping them breast feed and they don't have to feel so ashamed or you know, we can talk in a certain kind of way to each other."

Novant Health recognized it too and is now the first hospital in the country to help develop a program at a historically black college or university that will train women of color to become lactation consultants.

"I was like, head over heels excited about this program" McClain said and added, "because when I was trying to get in this path or this line of work, didn't know where to go, didn't know where to turn to. I ended up having to do an online program."

Natisha Simms, one of four students in the program this year, remembered hearing about the program two years ago while listening to NPR.

"I actually contacted the dean and I was like, hey - I'm interested in this, can you send me more information?" Simms said.

"It's exciting, but at the same time you think back on it like - 'wow, it's taken this long'," Simms said. "There are no other programs at HBCUs that do what [Johnson C.] Smith is doing. And just to think we're in 2019 -- like, wow!"

"She supported me even though my grandmother - her mother - wasn't that supportive of her breastfeeding," Simms recalled.

"And so my mom with her support in me - I felt like I wanted to give that so many young black women in my community that may not have that support for various reasons," Simms said.

Reasons that can really isolate a black mother who chooses to breastfeed.

"You're up against your own family who may not be supportive - so that's one hurdle," Simms pointed out. "You're up against society who I feel like for black women, for a long time, it hasn't been OK for us to do things that other women have been granted privileges to do. And I think that stems back to the history of our country."

Natisha is excited to begin sharing this knowledge.

"We're taking it back to our community in hope that other women will want to join us in this [and] start a movement," she said.

Copyright 2019 WBTV. All rights reserved.

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New program at Johnson C Smith to help more mothers of color breastfeed is first in the country

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The number of black women who breastfeed lags behind every other ethnic group, including other women of color. According to the Centers for Disease Control, only 58 percent of black mothers breastfeed, compared to 75 percent of white women and 80 percent of latinos.

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Calling Out Men Because They are to Blame

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Calling Out Men Because They are to Blame

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This tweet calls out men and not women for abuse. Men need to realize there wouldn't be a majority of rape cases if they didn't view women as objects and themselves as dominant and they need to be held responsible in addition to speaking up.

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Implementing WGS classes in many schools and universities is one way to educate young men and women on a variety of issues in our society. WGS focuses on societal change and yet is aimed towards educating women when it should be targeted towards all people, including men.

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Twenty-two freshman looked up at the screen as South Park 's Eric Cartman declared to his principal that he's "transginger." As Cartman pretended to be "transginger" so he could use the girls' bathroom, I heard laughter from the male athletes in class and felt a wave of relief. After the one-minute clip was over, I asked anybody if they'd seen the full episode.

A young man who could appropriately be described as looking like a "bro," with his backwards baseball cap, Adidas shoes and short-cropped blond hair, raised his hand. "Would you like to summarize the episode for the class?" I asked.

He happily did. I repressed a sigh. I've got the bros on my side, I thought. They're the ones I worried about it; the ones who I feared would be snickering when I showed pictures of Caitlyn Jenner, when I explained that trans portrayals in the media are not only a good thing but they also may actually save lives.

How I got a group of straight male college freshmen to take a course on gender, sex and sexuality is simple: I didn't tell them the topic before they signed up.

And this wasn't some nefarious plot on my part. I was teaching the required English composition class, but since the course catalog didn't permit me to list a topic, none of the students knew the focus of the course until they attended the first day of class. I was worried that all the straight guys would flee the minute they read the syllabus and learned what the topic was. Yet only one male student dropped the course, sending me an angry email about the inappropriateness of my showing a video of Miley Cyrus's twerking on Robin Thicke to illustrate contemporary notions of sexuality and gender roles.

By the time I taught about transgender representation in the media, the semester was more than halfway done. I was worried that even though trans issues are having a moment, many of my straight male students would be made uncomfortable by discussions of transgender. So I left this topic for later in the course and instead front-loaded the course with stereotypical guy-related topics: James Bond, action movies and superheroes. (Yes, I myself can succumb to gender stereotyping.) I was hoping that by the time we got to the transgender week, my male students would be comfortable.

Nonetheless, after we discussed South Park and moved on to the history of the transgender movement, as I was discussing Christine Jorgensen, the "ex-GI" who became a "beauty queen" in the 1950s, I saw that the young men in the class who were happy to talk about Cartman were visibly uncomfortable. They were whispering to each other; there was muffled laughter. I ignored them. I didn't call them out on it. Giggling and being visibly uncomfortable is a legitimate response for kids who've never met a trans person, whose parents are die-hard Republicans who oppose gay marriage, as many of my students' parents were. Imagine defending your opposition to gay marriage in a class full of college students raised by staunch liberals. There would be an even stronger reaction.

I needed to get my male students on my side again. I'd planned on discussing the first transgender mixed-martial-arts fighter, Fallon Fox, later in the class, but I switched to it now. Fox is a tough transgender athlete who is at the top of her game. The laughter stopped. The boys were rapt. They even participated. They loved MMA, both the female and male fighters. They knew all the rules, the stars, the fights. That unifying love of the sport overcame their weirdness with trans. If I had chastised them before for whispering and laughing, I doubt they would have participated later. I didn't want to shut them up. I wanted them to speak louder.

As the week went on, I realized that there was subversive potential in teaching teenagers about transgender issues with no apologies: no trigger warnings, no worries about getting the pronouns wrong, just another story to tell about a group of people who have been poorly represented in popular culture.
Preaching to the Converted
Teaching that course led me to realize that young men and women were willing to talk about sex and gender in front of each other if the focus was pop culture. Sure, some looked down at their desks, and others never participated. But the fact that straight frat guys were willing to talk openly about transgender issues, masculinity and body image was amazing to me. Why don't gender studies programs recruit more straight guys to their courses? I wondered.

As a graduate student, I'd taken multiple courses on gender and sexuality, but I never saw a straight man in my course. Courses either were female only or featured one gay male student. That struck me as odd. Weren't men supposed to be the gender more stereotypically interested in sex? Why weren't they flocking to courses about the topic?

The truth is that most gender and women's studies programs lack courses that would appeal to men -- or, for that matter, women who don't have particular political leanings. Gender studies courses usually preach to the converted: those students whose conversations are already peppered with discussions of rape culture, consent, heteronormativity and patriarchal privilege. And while there is value in teaching about gender to those who already have progressive views on it, that should not be the end goal of gender and women's studies. Teaching three sections of gender-themed freshman comp taught me that, to truly improve the relations between the sexes, we need to bring them together -- not divide them.

Even though diversity is a stated goal by most gender and women's studies programs, they rarely reach out to the wider campus populations. And that is a problem if gender studies is supposed to be an agent of social change. Granted, this is not entirely the fault of the programs themselves. The stereotype of women's studies as being the bastion of angry, man-hating lesbians has been spread throughout popular culture ever since Legally Blonde 's Elle Woods encountered just such a character at her Harvard Law School orientation. But the programs are also to blame. They have not done much to counter this reputation.

To be sure, some gender and women's studies programs do aim to reach out to men through their websites. One example is the department at the University of California, Berkeley, which writes that "understanding and changing hierarchies in which gender and sexuality play a part requires the participation of everyone, including straight white men!"

While that appeal is laudable, the courses can appear to send the opposite message: straight white men need not attend because, in fact, none of those courses have a focus on heterosexuality -- a sexuality that over 90 percent of the population ascribes to. Although courses on transgender and queer issues are essential in gender studies programs, courses on heterosexuality are, too. Yet classes on heterosexuality are few and far between, as are courses on masculinity or white male sexuality. How are we supposed to change the relations with the sexes if we can't even bring them in the same room together?

Gender and women's studies programs originated in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the second-wave feminist movement to compensate for the lack of focus on women in the academy. They spread a particular political agenda that was necessary at the time. And although the rights that the second wavers fought for have not completely been won, it's time for gender and women's studies programs to evolve and become more inclusive of men, including fraternity members and athletes. I'm not saying that all courses should be made to appeal specifically to heterosexual males. Most college courses already appeal to them. I'm just saying that at least one out of the dozens of gender and women's studies courses should be created for and/or about heterosexual guys.

Faculty members in gender and women's studies can take some other simple steps to take to make men more welcome. Besides offering at least one course on heterosexuality, they should design the websites of their programs to telegraph gender inclusiveness by letting male students know that their viewpoints will be valued and that they won't be viewed as a physical embodiment of the patriarchy. Most sites primarily contain images of women and including more images of men on their programs could broadcast their inclusiveness. In addition, they should promote courses to men through a variety of channels, including to sports teams and frats. That could be as simple as sending out an email with a course description that both appeals to straight guys and communicates that their opinions are valued in a gender course.

Gender and women's studies courses serve an essential role on campuses by educating students about sexuality, gender norms, sexism and consent. These programs were developed in part to bring about social change. But if gender programs want to transform outdated gender norms and reduce sexism, they need to welcome straight men into their classrooms.

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How to teach gender studies classes that encourage more straight males to enroll (essay)

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Twenty-two freshman looked up at the screen as South Park 's Eric Cartman declared to his principal that he's "transginger." As Cartman pretended to be "transginger" so he could use the girls' bathroom, I heard laughter from the male athletes in class and felt a wave of relief.

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Women of Color Will Lose the Most if Roe v. Wade Is Overturned

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Women of Color Will Lose the Most if Roe v. Wade Is Overturned

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Roe v. Wade was a significant case the made abortion a constitutional right in the United States for women. Women of color could see more of a backlash than white women if Roe v. Wade is overturned and access to reproductive health and products become scarce.

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Posted on

The crucial question swirling around President Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court is just how far right the court will shift. Could Kavanaugh's appointment gut and even overturn Roe v. Wade? Will the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with pre-existing conditions be in jeopardy? Will the rich and powerful be emboldened and empowered at the expense of the less fortunate?

While it is understandably important to reflect on the stakes this nomination will have on the future of the court, it is equally important to consider who will be harmed most if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed.

Conservatives have long had -the 1973 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that established the constitutional right to access abortion-in the crosshairs, and Kavanaugh's nomination has raised their hopes. If Roe is overturned, U.S. women will certainly suffer. And women of color stand to lose the most.

The promise of Roe v. Wade has not been fully realized for women of color

Before Roe, middle-class white women led the charge to help fellow white women access abortion. For years before abortion was legal, groups such as the Jane Collective formed as secret societies, organizing around abortion rights and helping women attain abortions from trained providers. Black women had abortions- largely unsafe-before Roe too. Unlike white women, however, black women were largely invisible to mainstream groups organizing around abortion access and rights. Reasons for this include black women's lack of financial resources and social connections to abortion providers, as well as the stigma around abortion in the black community at the time. A recent story about the Jane Collective noted how a young black woman named Lois came to the group for an abortion. After calling out the organization for not reaching out to black women, Lois started working with the Jane Collective to counsel other black women. Building on Lois' efforts many years ago, women of color-led organizations such as In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda, the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health have given voice to the struggle for reproductive freedom.

Despite the gains made since the legalization of abortion, the promise of Roe v. Wade has not been fully realized for many women of color. A rising wave of restrictive abortion laws is affecting women across the country, and women of color are more likely to live in states with the most restrictive abortion laws.

Women of color are also more likely to experience barriers to abortion and other reproductive and maternal health services, including contraception, maternity care, and screenings for reproductive cancers. In almost every aspect of reproductive health, women of color have poorer health outcomes than white women. Black women are dying at three to four times the rate of white women due to pregnancy-related issues. Both black women and Latinas experience higher rates of unintended pregnancy than their white counterparts. And cultural issues, stereotypes, and fear can cause Asian American and Pacific Islander women to forgo reproductive health care. These communities of women of color are also more likely to have limited access to safe and legal abortion.

Abortion can be cost-prohibitive for any woman who lacks insurance coverage for the procedure or the financial wherewithal to pay out of pocket. Unfortunately, women of color are most likely to lack both these things. Women of color are also most likely to experience racism and discrimination within the U.S. health care system. With 67 million women experiencing pre-existing health conditions, striking down the Affordable Care Act's consumer protections, along with overturning Roe v. Wade, will compound the harmful impacts on women of color at risk for poor reproductive health outcomes.

Moreover, it's important to consider how women of color would suffer if antagonistic legal rulings were combined with the Trump administration's and Congress' changes to policies that affect reproductive health and rights. The list of policies under attack is long and includes eviscerating Medicaid; chipping away at comprehensive, evidence-based family planning supported by the Title X program; stripping funding for key entitlement programs that have historically supported women and families in need; and appointing anti-choice executive branch officials, as well as ongoing efforts to repeal and undermine the Affordable Care Act, among so many others.

Conclusion

President Trump has made it abundantly clear that he will only appoint justices to the Supreme Court who are hostile to abortion-even going so far as to say that women should be punished for choosing to terminate a pregnancy. He has certainly delivered on this promise with the nomination of Kavanaugh, an extreme conservative whose record on the federal bench, in previous administrations, and in legal writings makes clear that he would put his own ideology ahead of women's constitutional right to access abortion.
Jamila Taylor is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.
If Kavanaugh is confirmed, the stakes are highest for women of color due to the distinct barriers in access to reproductive health care, the vast health disparities, the fact that many live in states with the strictest abortion laws, and the racial and gender discrimination present in the U.S. health care system. Historically, the voices of women of color have been excluded from the dialogue and activism around reproductive rights. This time around, those voices must be integral to the dialogue around Kavanaugh's nomination and the threat to health care access. Diverse voices and perspectives that uplift an intersectional, reproductive justice approach are needed now more than ever.

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Women of Color Will Lose the Most if Roe v. Wade Is Overturned - Center for American Progress

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Posted on The crucial question swirling around President Donald Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court is just how far right the court will shift. Could Kavanaugh's appointment gut and even overturn Roe v. Wade? Will the Affordable Care Act's protections for people with pre-existing conditions be in jeopardy?

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Audre Lorde is a well known feminist and we have used her articles and examples in class many times. I came across this quote and really liked it and thought it ties intersectionality together very well. Intersectionality is the intersection/coming together of many oppressions that make up a person and group to understand their struggles.