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Grey's Anatomy features a diverse cast, allowing everyone to relate to at least one character. The television show does a great job at portraying how life can be different for all types of people, and how although two people may be similar, the differences can mean the world.

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Harry Styles recently received immense backlash for being featured on the cover of Vogue, modeling a designer dress. 

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A simple piece of clothing, traditionally seen on women, caused internet battles and offended many people.  In the article Styles completed with Vogue, he explains that he views clothing as a fun way to express himself, not anything serious. Styles was called "weak" for standing proudly in a gown.

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While conducting an internet search "CEO" and selecting images, my page was flooded with males, or females with typically manly features, like short hair. This reinforces the gender construct of men being in higher positions.

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Since 2016, the movement "Free the Nipple" has been a very popular feminist group across social media. This group has been pushing to deconstruct the gender norm of censorship of nipples for females, a body part every person has.

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In this article, Professor Blakemore discussed her research on children's toys. She concluded that most educational toys were found to be "gender neutral," toys that encouraged nurturing, change in physical appearance, and cooking were found in the "feminine" category, and toys that encouraged aggression, competition, and building were placed in the "masculine" category.

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What the Research Says: Gender-Typed Toys

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What makes a good toy for a young child? NAEYC asked two researchers about what their work tells us about toys, children, and play.

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Not only do gender reveals help reinforce the idea that colors can be gendered, (pink being for girls, blue for boys), they also reinforce the idea that gender is the first most important aspect of new human life. In this article, Dr. Barker answers some questions about what gender reveals really entail.

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At once a viral sensation and condemned for causing wildfires and being plain outdated, events for expecting parents to reveal their baby's gender have divided opinions more than ever this year

In 1975, a well-known experiment was conducted, known as ' Baby X ', where a baby was dressed alternately in blue and pink and given a boy's or girl's name before being handed to an adult to look after. The study found that, for babies dressed in pink, adults gave them a doll to play with, treated the baby more gently, and assumed the baby was 'upset' if it cried. Babies dressed in blue were treated more roughly, given trucks to play with, and assumed to be 'angry' if they cried.

The study showed that, from the moment a child is born-perhaps even before-the perceived gender of that child affects how they're treated. In the years since, research has proven that this discrepancy can impact a child's physiology. Why then, in 2020, do we continuously place so much importance on a baby's gender?

Enter gender-reveal parties: events thrown during pregnancy to reveal the sex of the baby to the expecting parents, family and friends. Los Angeles-based blogger Jenna Karvunidis claims to be the pioneer of this global trend. In 2008, she threw a party revealing her child to be a girl by cutting open a cake with pink icing and wrote about it on her blog High Gloss And Sauce. Throughout the 2010s, the popularity of reveal parties steadily grew with the help of celebrities such as Jessica Simpson and Jessica Alba, before the trend peaked in our collective consciousness in 2020.

Why have gender-reveal parties divided opinion?

In September, a Saudi-Arabian influencer couple known as the Anasala family posted a video titled ' Biggest Gender Reveal Ever' on YouTube, which has had more than 30m views. In it we see the couple travel to Dubai with their family where a dramatic light display on the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, reveals their baby's gender in blue. There have been pop culture representations in recent years too, such as Maya Vander's gender-reveal cake in Netflix's Selling Sunset, or the blue confetti at Bow and Dre's gender reveal in the third series of Black-ish. These examples, along with hundreds of others on YouTube, demonstrate how-partly thanks to social media-gender-reveal parties have turned into increasingly all-out spectacles.

There's also been negative attention, though. In June, Karvunidis wrote in The Guardian that she regretted starting the trend because the events perpetuate gender norms. Things only got worse when, in September, authorities announced that The El Dorado fire in California was started by a pyrotechnic device at a gender-reveal party, its coloured smoke intended to indicate the baby's gender. The New York Times reported that this wasn't the first reveal to cause such an accident; the events have been linked to other fires and explosions, and even a plane crash. Criticism flowed on social media, asking whether these parties are relevant and what they say about the undue importance we continue to place on gender.

"Wildfires aside, the main problem is that gender-reveal parties reinforce several ideas about gender, which are pretty bad for kids and for society in general," explains Dr Meg-John Barker, a psychologist and author who specialises in the subject of gender. "Here are three main points: that gender is the most important thing we can know about a person; that we can know what gender somebody is going to be by knowing what their genitals are like; and that gender is binary, so they're either a boy or a girl."

Dr Barker explains that these ideas are damaging to kids who don't end up conforming to sex and gender norms, including intersex, trans, and non-binary kids because it makes their battle to be recognised in their genders even greater. "The idea is also bad for all kids because it sets them up to believe that the division between girls and boys, women and men, is a really important one," Dr Barker continues, "and that they need to conform to rigid ideas of what it means to be a feminine woman or a masculine man." Just like Baby X.

Do gender reveals reflect the world we live in now?

When you look at the statistics for how people identify today, the rigid ideas perpetuated by gender reveals feels outdated. According to the Pew Research Centre, one in five American adults say they know someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns, while another study found that 41 per cent of gen-Z respondents identified as gender neutral. Meanwhile, Dr Barker points to research that has found more than a third of people have experienced their gender as 'the other' gender or neither gender, and the fact that between one and two per cent of babies are born with some variation of sex characteristics.

All this research indicates that we should be wary of anything that puts people in a box that it can be hard to move out of later because the reality is that we live in a world where many people do not identify with the gender they're assigned at birth.

Lex, a 28-year-old lead product designer living in Los Angeles, threw a gender-reveal party as part of her baby shower in 2016, but later realised her child didn't conform to the gender that was announced at the party. Now that her child is four, Lex finds herself actively trying to be more neutral towards gender so that her son can express himself freely. "Lately, that's been a lot of rainbows and unicorns, and his favourite colour is pink," she says. "A big part of me regrets any decisions I've made that uphold the gender norms or constructs, especially on children, and especially on one who seems to not be interested in that type of generalisation."

With hindsight, Lex wouldn't have had a gender-reveal party, but her opinion on other people's is "each to their own". Meg, however, takes a stronger stance: "I don't believe they ever had a place. Looking back in time, and around the world today, we find that this idea that people can be divided into two 'opposite' genders is actually a pretty new, western thing. Many places and times have celebrated gender diversity as something sacred, have had more than two gender categories, and have regarded gender as only one feature of a person among many, not something to determine their whole life course."

Is the gender-reveal party over?

For people who are just throwing gender-reveal parties because they want to celebrate their child, there are alternatives: an 'I'm pregnant' reveal, a name reveal, zodiac sign reveal, or as one parenting site suggests, a 'chosen family' party. Or you could just have a regular baby shower.

"Some parents are going as far as raising all kids gender-free until they're old enough to make a decision about what gender they experience themselves as being-if any," says Dr Barker. There are increasing numbers of couples in the public eye who have chosen to take this route, from Grimes and Elon Musk to Emily Ratajkowski, who wrote about her decision for Vogue. But even if we don't take this route, we can clue ourselves up about the impact of rigid gender stereotypes on all kids. As Dr Barker says: "It's important that schools and families move towards raising human beings who have all the choices available to them, rather than restricting their future possibilities, and mental health, with rigid gender stereotypes."

Also read:
Artist Priyanka Paul on how gender fluidity allows her to express her truest self 3 gender-neutral fashion labels that will give your wardrobe a 2020 upgrade

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Gender-reveal parties need to end with 2020-here's why

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At once a viral sensation and condemned for causing wildfires and being plain outdated, events for expecting parents to reveal their baby's gender have divided opinions more than ever this year In 1975, a well-known experiment was conducted, known as ' Baby X ', where a baby was dressed alternately in blue and pink and given a boy's or girl's name before being handed to an adult to look after.

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In a recent text for Florida schools, Rosa Parks was simply stated as someone refusing to give up her seat, erasing how courageous she really was, due to the color of her skin.

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Studies Weekly, a publisher that provides educational periodicals for Florida's K-6 grades, revised one of their lesson plans for the 2022-2023 school year to take out race as the reason Rosa Parks was told to change her bus seat and why she was subsequently arrested.

The initial text, which reportedly said Parks "was told to move to a different seat because of the color of her skin," was edited because "individuals in our curriculum team severely overreacted in their interpretation of HB 7 and made unapproved revisions," Studies Weekly tells CNN in a statement.

Florida's House Bill 7 restricts what can be taught to students about certain topics, including race. It went into effect as law last July and requires schools to submit instructional material to the state's Department of Education for textbook review.

Studies Weekly says the revisions were missed due to errors in the quality assurance process, and they have taken corrective action and implemented safeguards to ensure nothing like this happens again.

"We find the omission or altering of historical facts to be abhorrent and do not defend it," the publisher says in its statement. "Those unapproved changes have already been removed from our curriculum."

Studies Weekly says the "unapproved changes were never finalized nor delivered to schools for classroom use."

However, Stephana Ferrell, a parent and activist with the Florida Freedom to Read Project, tells CNN she was able to easily access the Rosa Parks lesson plan with the omissions online along with several other Black history lessons as late as the end of January while serving as a guest reviewer for Florida's Department of Education.

According to Ferrell, any parent could sign up to be a guest reviewer and see any lesson plan that had been submitted to the state for inclusion in the 2022-2023 curriculum.

The omission highlights some of the difficulties book publishers now face while trying to comply with HB 7.

Studies Weekly said in a statement to CNN that Florida's Department of Education had not provided guidance on how the law applies to the publisher's existing texts. "Studies Weekly, like every publisher, has had to decipher how to comply with their legislation," the statement read.

"It is our duty to follow the directives provided by each state Department of Education," and that its texts are aligned with state standards, it continued.

Florida places blame on publisher for error

The Florida Department of Education places the blame for the omission squarely on Studies Weekly.

"No one from the Florida Department of Education has requested or would request the mention of race to be removed from social studies textbooks, as that would clearly be contrary to the ... requirements of Florida law."

The Department of Education says it informed Studies Weekly that their text was not considered for use during the 2022-2023 school year but they could reapply for inclusion in future years.

The Florida Department of Education tells CNN the state has "robust requirements for the teaching of African American History." The new law, it says, "specifically requires discussion of topics such as slavery, racial oppression, racial segregation, and racial discrimination."

Playing politics with kids' education

Ferrell said Florida is using taxpayer funds to make "public education so dysfunctional," and adds that because of the penalties associated with violating state law, "publishers are now scared."

Ferrell, who has two elementary-age children, says she became involved in opposing the state's book bans and teaching restrictions on race after attending a school board hearing and witnessing firsthand the "censorship" of historical facts.

"We noticed that it was an attack on Black and brown, Hispanic, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ voices in particular; those were the folks that they were going after," Ferrell said, adding that "we wanted to make sure that we were putting more and more of these voices into our schools."

It's time for the state to stop playing politics with kids' education, Ferrell said. She and her husband decided to put her kids in public school to expose them to different cultures and viewpoints and to learn from the experiences of others, she said.

"We wanted our kids to have the viewpoints that they have challenged, we want them to ask questions," Ferrell said.

Florida's fight over teaching race

The omission of race in the story of Rosa Parks is just one of the latest controversies regarding teaching race in the state and comes after the DeSantis administration rejected certain math textbooks last year because it said it found evidence of CRT and other banned concepts in the materials, CNN previously reported.

Florida has been at the center of the debate on how to teach issues involving race in public schools. In June 2021, the state became one of several to ban the teaching of critical race theory (CRT), CNN previously reported. Scholars who have studied critical race theory say it explores the ways in which a history of inequality and racism in the United States has continued to impact American society.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has expressed his disagreement, saying CRT "teaches kids to hate our country and to hate each other." He continued by saying that "it is state-sanctioned racism and has no place in Florida schools."

Florida rejected a new Advanced Placement (AP) course on African American Studies earlier this year, CNN previously reported. DeSantis said the course, included the study of "queer theory" and political movements that for advocated "abolishing prisons." DeSantis called it a "political agenda." The state's education department said the course framework lacked "educational value" and violated state law.

In response, the College Board, the testing organization responsible for developing the course curriculum for schools nationwide, defended its framework and accused Florida's Department of Education of "slander" and of using the course as a tool for political gain.

The debate on how to teach race has expanded beyond K-12 education. The newly appointed Board of Trustees at New College of Florida voted to abolish diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at the school in late February. The move follows DeSantis' proposal to defund DEI programs at state colleges and universities.

In February, DeSantis said the state does "require teaching of Black History." However, a state board created to help school districts to do that, say many schools only cover the topic during Black History Month in February. Critics of the state also say courses teaching African American history in the state were historically underfunded.

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Race left out of Rosa Parks story in revised weekly lesson text for Florida schools highlights confusion with Florida law | CNN

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Studies Weekly, a publisher that provides educational periodicals for Florida's K-6 grades, revised one of their lesson plans for the 2022-2023 school year to take out race as the reason Rosa Parks was told to change her bus seat and why she was subsequently arrested.

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In a 2022 study, African American patients were asked to share their experiences in healthcare, as well as share their response to the discrimination they faced.

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In September 2022, Disney released the trailer for the live-action "The Little Mermaid" movie, which stars Halle Bailey. TikTok POC recorded their children's reaction to the trailer, leaving viewers with warm hearts and teary eyes. This is in an effort to be more inclusive and give everyone the privilege of having a princess that looks like you.

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Black Kids' Heartwarming Reactions to 'The Little Mermaid'

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The Murdaugh trial has been flooding social media. Murdaugh, a wealthy man responsible for death and destruction, has finally been brought to court after the discoveries of his past. However, this could have been stopped long ago, if it hadn't been for his ability to pay off his crimes and arrange for everything to be hidden. Yet, he still will not face the death penalty, an outcome mostly given to poor, black men.

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Although this video is taking place in Australia, American videos like this have been roaming the internet for years. The idea behind this exercise is to display how privilege plays a role in day to day life, in order to put an end to it in the future.

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Explaining privilege to children through a race | The School That Tried To End Racism

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In this article, the discrimination both Caster Semenya and Lia Thomas is discussed. The article was published to explain that, although Lia Thomas does face discrimination, she still is privileged due to the color of her skin.

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Labeling Lia Thomas as a lightning rod is an understatement.

In a social media era where everyone can voice their opinions, it's clear that there are some very strong feelings - on both sides - about Thomas, the trans woman who completed her collegiate swimming career over the weekend by finishing eighth in the 100-yard freestyle, competing as a woman - who was born a male - against women that were born female.

Some think it's unfair and an attack on female-born athletes. Others view it as progress and believe she should be celebrated like Jackie Robinson - leave Jackie out of this, please.

But, whatever your feelings may be concerning Thomas, I'm here to inform you that the way she's being discussed has a lot to do with the privilege that comes along with her skin color. Because in case you forgot, just a few years ago sports was in a similar situation with Caster Semenya, and what she endured was inhumane.

In 2019, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) claimed that the South African Olympic champion distance runner was "biologically male." Semenya was born female and is a woman. She isn't a trans woman and she isn't transitioning. She was just a wonderfully built muscular Black woman who dominated the frail and thin white women that consistently lost to her. But yet, a group of people told her that she wasn't a woman. Something Semenya said was so insulting she was unable to correctly express it.

"It is out of our control and we rely on people at the top sorting it out," said British runner Lynsey Sharp after she got roasted by Semenya in the 2016 Olympics, finishing sixth. "The public can see how difficult it is with the change of rule, but all we can do is give it our best." After the race, Sharp hugged Melissa Bishop (Canada) and Joanna Jozwik (Poland) on the track as they shed their white girl tears enraged with jealousy and anger after losing to Semenya.

"We see each other week in and week out, so we know how each other feel," Sharp explained.

The change of rule that Sharp mentioned was after Semenya was forced to take drugs that suppressed her hormones.

Yes, you read that last line correctly.

In a time in which cheaters are trying to take illegal drugs to make them bigger, faster, and stronger, the IAAF told Semenya that she was so naturally superior that she needed drugs to make her smaller, slower, and weaker. Back in 2009, Time Magazine did a story on Semenya titled "Could This Women's World Champ Be a Man?" after she won the 800 meters at the World Championships in Berlin. She also wasn't allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games.

"This fight is not just about me, it's about taking a stand and fighting for dignity, equality and the human rights of women in sport," she tweeted in February 2021. "All we ask is to be able to run free as the strong and fearless women we are!!"

The disregard for the Black woman and the Black female athlete isn't a new thing. Don't tell me Brittney Griner's race and sexuality haven't played a big role in her situation or why she might have even been targeted in the first place. Race is also why Naomi Osaka was recently booed, and why "white feminists" like Jane Campion chose to belittle the accomplishments of icons like Venus and Serena Williams to make her feel better about herself for working in a male-dominated industry.

And for those that think I'm making this about race, I'm not. I'm just pointing out how apparent it is. Because if you think what Thomas has endured is cruel and unfair, just imagine how much worse it would be if she were Black.

Whenever situations of inequality happen, people from minority groups often fall victim to the "Oppression Olympics," which turns into them screaming about which group gets subjugated to more discrimination. That's not my goal here, as I'm trying to show you that if society actually wants things to get better for women, then progress must include "all women," not just the kind that have historically been put on pedestals and been given countless privileges and protections based on their skin color.

In this "era of equality" that society is claiming that it's in, comes the responsibility of fulfilling the promises that have been made. I'm not convinced that many of those wishes will ever be granted, as we're living in a post-2020 world where diversity, equity, and inclusions (DEI) became the hottest trend, only for there still to be a great lack in the DEI space. And when it comes to dealing with society's view on the trans community, how trans athletes are handled will play a major part in that. This is why it's no wonder why Lia Thomas' situation has gotten so messy, given that Caster Semenya was treated as if she wasn't a human - let alone a woman.

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Don't discuss Lia Thomas without mentioning how Caster Semenya was treated

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Labeling Lia Thomas as a lightning rod is an understatement. In a social media era where everyone can voice their opinions, it's clear that there are some very strong feelings - on both sides - about Thomas, the trans woman who completed her collegiate swimming career over the weekend by finishing eighth in the 100-yard freestyle, competing as a woman - who was born a male - against women that were born female.

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In this report about violence within the LGBTQ+ community, a memorial was published at the bottom of the page. After viewing and reading about the individuals who were discriminated against, all of them were a part of more than one minority group.

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FROM JAY BROWN

"Fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people is the tragic result of a society that devalues our lives, with Black and Brown trans people facing significantly higher rates of harassment, bias and physical violence. This year, we also saw anti-transgender lawmakers passing a record number of discriminatory bills, including bans of lifesaving, medically necessary gender-affirming healthcare. These attacks fuel more stigma against transgender and non-binary people, especially aimed at the youngest among us. It is a stigma that too often ends our lives.

When lawmakers discuss bills banning transgender and non-binary youth from accessing medical care, playing school sports or using restrooms, it sends a message that even from an early age transgender and non-binary people are different and unwelcome. When media companies give a platform to transphobic content rather than telling the full and rich stories of our lives, it sends a message that trans lives aren't valuable. When social media companies fail to enforce their own policies and allow transphobic speech and disinformation to flourish on their platforms, it puts our community and our allies at serious risk. Racism, sexism and pervasive stigma against transgender and non-binary people are all deeply ingrained in our culture, creating a toxic reality for our community. But as we've seen from the past, society can change. It must.

As we once more honor our dead, we must continue fighting for the full equality and liberation of transgender and non-binary people."

Jay Brown (he/him) , Senior Vice President, Programs, Research & Training , Human Rights Campaign Foundation

FROM TORI COOPER

"In 2022, we've seen at least 34 transgender and gender non-conforming people killed in an epidemic of violence threatening our community. These victims had families and friends, hopes and dreams. None of them deserved to have their lives stolen by horrific violence. Most of the victims were Black trans women, a tragedy that reflects an appalling trend of violence fueled by racism, toxic masculinity, misogyny and transphobia and the politicization of our lives. We need everyone to join us in empowering transgender leaders, building safer, stronger communities and reducing stigma. We cannot rest until all transgender and gender non-conforming people can live our lives safely as our full selves."

Tori Cooper (she/her) , Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative , Human Rights Campaign Foundation

Introduction

At least 34 transgender and gender
non-conforming people have been killed in
the U.S. since the beginning of 2022.¹

We say "at least" because the stories detailed in this report very likely undercount the number of transgender and gender non-conforming people who were killed in the United States this year. Although advocates, bloggers and media groups have elevated the epidemic of violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people in the past several years, data collection is often incomplete or unreliable when it comes to violent and fatal crimes against transgender and gender non-conforming people. Some victims' deaths may go unreported, while others may not be identified as transgender or gender non-conforming.

In this report, we shed light on the epidemic of violence taking the lives of transgender and gender non-conforming people. We remember the individuals who were taken from us in 2022 and provide analysis of data we have collected on fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people since 2013 - the year the Federal Bureau of Investigation began reporting on hate crimes motivated by anti-transgender bias. As you will see, that data reveals disturbing trends. Finally, based on these statistics, we provide action items that can help end the violence.

This report comes amidst a shocking wave of anti-transgender legislation. Nationwide in 2022, 25 anti-LGBTQ+ bills having been enacted, including 17 anti-transgender laws across 13 states. Overall, more than 145 anti-transgender bills were introduced across 34 states. The result is a new record for anti-transgender legislation being introduced and enacted in a single state legislative session since the Human Rights Campaign began tracking legislation. These bills include bans on transgender youth from playing sports or using bathrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity. The include bans on doctors providing safe, legal, and medically necessary gender affirming medical care. They include school book bans and "Don't Say Gay or Trans" style laws restricting LGBTQ+ school curriculum. Each of these bills aims to restrict the areas of public life where transgender people can freely and openly participate as their true selves.

These bills, however, are just one component of the stigma, bias and systemic discrimination transgender and gender non-conforming people face from an early age, heightening their vulnerability to violence. As detailed further in HRC's report, ""Dismantling a Culture of Violence Understanding Violence Against Transgender and Non-Binary People and Ending the Crisis", transgender and gender non-conforming people face multiple forms of sigma, which results in lower access to status, power, and resources, and higher risk of discrimination, including in employment, healthcare, and housing. Together, this contributes to higher risk of poverty and homelessness /housing insecurity, social isolation, and worse physical and mental health outcomes, which in turn results in increased risk for violence.

Such stigma, bias and discrimination compounds for transgender and gender non-conforming people who hold multiple marginalized identities. Transgender women and transgender people of color are at elevated risk of fatal violence. Such risk is especially true for Black transgender women, who comprise the vast majority of victims of fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people as they face the daily injustices of racism, sexism and transphobia.

Until we as a country address and dismantle the barriers faced by transgender and gender non-conforming people, they will continue to face higher rates of discrimination, poverty, homelessness and violence.

Yet, at the same time, even in the face of physical danger, hatred and discrimination - sometimes ruthlessly endorsed and enforced by those at the highest level of our government - many transgender and gender non-conforming people live courageously and overcome unjust barriers in all corners of our country. In recent years, barriers have been broken by transgender and non-binary candidates like Danica Roem, Andrea Jenkins, Admiral Rachel L. Levine, and Sarah McBride, and their victories have inspired even more transgender and non-binary candidates to run.

In life, each of the individuals memorialized in this report went to extraordinary lengths to live authentically. In death, we must honor their truth and bravery with action.

¹This report was last updated Nov. 29, 2022. It was originally published a week prior (on November 17th, 2022) in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance, reflecting data collected from January through mid-November of 2022. On the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance 2022, Daniel Aston and Kelly Loving were two of five people tragically killed at the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. We have amended the tabulations in this report to include Daniel and Kelly. In addition, we cover the stories of the three other victims of the Club Q shooting in a special section below. For an ongoing, updated list of 2022 victims whose stories are uncovered past this publish date, please visit this page: hrc.im/2022FatalViolence

Who is transgender or gender non-conforming?

REMEMBERING AND HONORING CLUB Q

On November 20th--Transgender Day of Remembrance--LGBTQ+ people around the world awoke to the devasting news of a mass shooting the night before at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs. A total of 5 people were killed, including two transgender individuals, Daniel Aston and Kelly Loving, whose stories are listed above. Below, we also memorialize the three other individuals who were killed at Club Q.

While they were not transgender, we include Ashley, Derrick, and Raymond's names and stories here in acknowledgement of the devasting reach of the epidemic of anti-LGBTQ+ violence and hate, which touches LGBTQ+ people and allies alike.

After HRC's 2021 report was published, 12 more transgender or gender non-conforming people were killed, bringing the total number of recorded deaths up to 59 -the highest number HRC has recorded since tracking began in 2013. The total number of recorded incidents of fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people between 2013-2021 increased from 256 to 268 . Below are memorials and updates on the additional individuals who lost their lives in 2021 after our 2021 report was released.

Victim Identification

We identify victims through daily monitoring of local news and social media. To obtain information about each case, we identify the victim's online presence, identify those memorializing the victim and reach out to activists in their local community. Each year, there are deaths of transgender and non-binary people which we do not track as cases of fatal violence, including suicides or deaths due to lack of adequate healthcare. All of these cases are also impacted by the structural factors oppressing transgender and non-binary people.

We have taken every effort to ensure our memorials reflect the most accurate depiction of each individual's identity, based on their own words, the accounts of loved ones and the ways in which they presented themselves and interacted with the world. Sadly, for some individuals, complete information is unavailable.

In most of the stories in this report, law enforcement, media and even loved ones have denied, ignored or intentionally erased or rejected the victims' gender identities - often using the wrong names or pronouns to describe the victims. Using correct identifiers and pronouns isn't just about accuracy - it's about affording all individuals the respect and dignity that everyone deserves, in life and in death. Moreover, in order to end fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people, we must acknowledge the true identities of these victims and address the ways in which societal attitudes regarding their identities may have played a role in their deaths.

A final note should be made about the cases included in this report. Like HRC, the FBI has tracked gender identity motivated hate crime data since 2013, with 2020 being the most recent year of data available. For most of the FBI's history of collecting gender identity data, transgender and gender non-conforming people have been vastly undercounted. Between 2013 and 2020, the FBI has recorded only 11 anti-transgender murders/negligent homicides-far fewer than the 302 deaths recorded by HRC. While not every incident of fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people tracked by HRC is ruled a bias-motivated homicide, the difference between the FBI statistics and HRC's data is alarming and likely results in part from non-reporting, underreporting, or inaccurate reporting by state and municipal law enforcement agencies to the FBI. It is unclear why we are unable to reconcile these numbers, though it is likely due to either misgendering/deadnaming, or lack of media coverage, making it difficult to identify these victims using our current methods of identification.

THE EPIDEMIC BY THE NUMBERS

As those living at the intersection of multiple marginalized racial/ethnic and gender identities, transgender women of color-and Black transgender women in particular-are disproportionately affected by the epidemic of violence against transgender people.

Since 2013, at least 231 victims of fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people were transgender women of color-more than three quarters (76%) of all identified victims. Black transgender women represent two-thirds (63%) of all known victims, with 191 Black transgender women killed since 2013. These trends continued in 2022 specifically, where over half (18 of the 32 known victims), were Black transgender women.

Important Existing and Needed Legal Protections

Although there are a few existing legal protections for transgender and gender nonconforming people, this violence cannot be stemmed until the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming people are fully realized and our systems are reformed to address the epidemic and its root causes.

The Violence Against Women Act is also pivotal to protecting transgender and gender non-conforming people. This legislation, signed into law 26 years ago, has helped reduce domestic violence and sexual assault and has provided victims and survivors critical lifeline services. Since 2013, the law expressly prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, making it easier for LGBTQ+ people to receive services. In 2022, VAWA was reauthorized with additional funding for "services and support for survivors from underserved and marginalized communities-including for LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking."

Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

The historic Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into law in 2009. This landmark legislation added actual or perceived gender identity to federal hate crime protections for the first time, along with gender, sexual orientation and disability. It also required the FBI to track statistics based on gender identity and gender and enabled the U.S. Department of Justice to assist state and local jurisdictions with investigating and prosecuting violent bias-motivated crimes.
Bostock Decision & State Laws
In June of 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Bostock v. Clayton County that makes clear that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - the federal law that bars employment discrimination. This landmark decision has implications that will reach other federal civil rights laws forbidding discrimination in education, health care, housing and several other areas. Importantly, Bostock does not reach some vital areas like public spaces and services, nor does it apply to any federally-funded programs since sex-based federal protections do not currently exist in these areas. It is imperative that officials continue to advance pro-equality legislation at the state level, including in employment, to end the patchwork of non-discrimination laws and to explicitly protect LGBTQ+ people in every area of life.
Name and Gender Marker Updates on Identification Documents
Transgender and non-binary people who are unable to obtain identity documents that correctly reflect their name and gender identity frequently experience violence and discrimination. Inaccurate identity documents can also out transgender individuals at their places of work, while searching for places to live or in public spaces, potentially leading to harassment and discrimination. Fortunately, 22 states and the District of Columbia have laws or policies that facilitate name and gender marker updates on driver's licenses, including allowing a non-binary "X" gender marker, and 16 states plus the District of Columbia have policies that facilitate name and gender markers, including non-binary gender markers, on birth certificates. In addition, at the federal level, as of April of this year, US citizens are able to update the gender marker on their U.S. passport to include a non-binary "X" marker.

NEEDED LEGAL PROTECTIONS Pass the Equality Act & State Nondiscrimination Laws
Despite significant steps forward, LGBTQ+ Americans lack basic explicit non-discrimination protections in states across the country. The patchwork nature of current laws leaves millions of people subject to uncertainty and potential discrimination that impacts their safety, their families and their day-to-day lives. The Equality Act would provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs and jury service. The Equality Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in February 2021 and received a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. In order to become law, it must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed into law by the president.
Repeal the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense
In the vast majority of states, there are no laws expressly banning perpetrators of violent crimes from asserting the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity as a so-called "panic defense." This "panic defense" allows a criminal defendant to argue in court that their discovery of the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity caused the defendant's violent reaction, potentially leading to a reduced charge or sentence. When used in a case of violence against a transgender or gender non-conforming person, this is often colloquially called a "trans panic defense." Thankfully, in recent years a number of states have enacted bans, including California, Illinois, Rhode Island, Nevada, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York and Washington. The passage of such legislation will help to end the legitimization of violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people and ensure that victims obtain equal justice.
Pass the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act
Although we know that hate crimes continue to be a pervasive problem-particularly bias-motivated crimes based on gender identity-we are far from understanding its full extent. Because reporting hate crimes to the FBI is purely voluntary under federal law, the actual number of hate crimes across the country is much larger than FBI statistics indicate. Additionally, a number of other barriers often contribute to the underreporting of hate crimes, including distrust between targeted communities and law enforcement and uncertainty about law enforcement responses. In 2021, Congress passed the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act to promote higher quality federal hate crimes data collection, incentivize state hotlines that assist victims who might otherwise be reluctant to report hate crimes, and encourage local policies on identifying, investigating and reporting hate crimes.
Addressing the Policing Crisis
Congress should adopt legislative reforms that address over-policing and police brutality, misconduct and harassment affecting Black people throughout the nation. These reforms should minimally include implementing a strong federal use of force standard; banning chokeholds and similar excessive force maneuvers; prohibiting racial profiling and requiring robust data collection on police-community encounters; banning federal programs that militarize law enforcement; eliminating no-knock warrants; amending existing federal laws to permit prosecutors to successfully hold law enforcement accountable for the deprivation of civil rights and civil liberties; developing a national public database of officers who engage in misconduct; and ending qualified immunity which prevents police from being held legally accountable when they break the law.
Decriminalization of Sex Work
The criminalization of consensual sex work poses a serious threat to public health and increases violence in LGBTQ+ communities. Laws criminalizing sex work disproportionately punish the poor, Black and Brown women, transgender women, and those living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities. States and the federal government should repeal laws that make consensual sex work illegal and should instead focus on providing critical services and protections for those who engage in transactional sex work as a means of survival.
Increase LGBTQ+ Data Collection
Because gender identity is not included in most government data collection efforts, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals remain largely invisible to the local, state and federal officials charged with ensuring their health, safety and wellbeing. Currently, no state or the federal government has a comprehensive law that requires all government data collection efforts to include gender identity data alongside other demographic data. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, which would help ensure that transgender and gender non-conforming people are counted when vital funding, policy and programmatic decisions are made. In order to become law, it must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed into law by the president
Name and Gender Marker Updates on Identification Documents
Though at the federal level, gender markers can be updated on passports (including to allow for a third "X" gender marker), a patchwork of laws govern changes to birth certificates and driver's licenses across states. Currently, the majority of states have not passed such laws-and in some states, laws have been passed which actively seek to prohibit transgender and non-binary people from obtaining identity documents that accurately reflect who they are. Looking forward, all states should ensure that the process for updating names and gender markers on both driver's licenses and birth certificates is free of unnecessary and restrictive requirements. Moreover, state-issued identification documents should include a nonbinary gender marker designation.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

There are multiple factors which contribute to the high risk for violence experienced by trans and GNC folks.

Ending this epidemic requires addressing and eliminating anti-transgender stigma and discrimination across all facets of society and embracing people of all genders for who they are.

Read the following sections to learn how you can take action to help end the violence.

HRC'S TRANSGENDER JUSTICE INITIATIVE

HRC Foundation's Transgender Justice Initiative was launched in 2019 to dismantle unjust systemic barriers to transgender empowerment and help end the epidemic of violence faced by transgender people by addressing the root causes of the physical danger, hatred and discrimination faced by transgender people in the United States.

A 2020 study conducted by the Center for American Progress shows that transgender people continue to face discrimination and marginalization in society.

The Transgender Justice Initiative addresses the socioeconomic barriers faced by transgender people by focusing on four pillars:

ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT
HRC's Corporate Equality Index has reshaped the workforce for transgender people and created an environment where more and more transgender people have policies designed to protect them from workplace bias - but far too many still can't access pathways to employment. Through a multi-state initiative, HRC is collaborating with corporate America, community-based organizations and TransCanWork to address the employment gap through virtual training and career fairs in major cities.

INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF TRANS-FOCUSED AND TRANS-LED ORGANIZATIONS
While the number of trans-focused and trans-led organizations is increasing, they are often limited in scope, capacity and technical operational expertise. Large majorities report needing organizational development training - including finding and responding to funding opportunities, budgeting and financial management, staff management and media training. Through two professional development programs created with and by community - ELEVATE and ACTIVATE - the Transgender Justice Initiative increases the leadership skills of transgender non-profit leaders.

INCREASING COMMUNITY PUBLIC SAFETY
There is an urgent crisis of public safety in the transgender community and local community leaders - including government officials and private industry stakeholders - must respond as such. From housing to healthcare to law enforcement, municipal leaders can exert significant influence to direct resources and attention where they are most needed. We work with municipal leaders in over 50 cities nationwide and engage directly with community activists to advance solutions tailored to each community.

Most recently the Transgender Justice Initiative hosted a national summit for LGBTQ+ municipal liaisons and allied city officials to gather and learn about the most critical issues facing the community as well as the first Transgender Justice & Advocacy Summit, an effort to bring community stakeholders together to solve safety challenges in the Atlanta area. The Transgender Justice Initiative also partnered with Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins, the first openly Black transgender woman elected to public office in the United States, to launch a "Pledge to End Violence Against Black and Brown Transgender Women." The Pledge asks state and local elected leaders to recognize and take action to end the epidemic of fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people, especially Black and Brown transgender women.

HUMANIZING THE LIVES OF BLACK AND BROWN TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
To end stigma and increase acceptance, the public needs to be educated much more robustly than they are today. This work must be rooted in the real stories of transgender and gender non-conforming people, especially transgender people of color. The Transgender Justice Initiative creates strategic communications campaigns to advance the national conversation about this epidemic of violence. This includes a public service announcement campaign in collaboration with WarnerMedia to lift up the voices and stories of transgender and gender non-conforming people in homes across the country.

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"Fatal violence against transgender and gender non-conforming people is the tragic result of a society that devalues our lives, with Black and Brown trans people facing significantly higher rates of harassment, bias and physical violence. This year, we also saw anti-transgender lawmakers passing a record number of discriminatory bills, including bans of lifesaving, medically necessary gender-affirming healthcare.

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During this discussion about feminism, a diverse group of women talk about their feelings on popular ideas and how discrimination takes a toll on society. Intersectionality is evident throughout their discussion.

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Anti & Pro Feminists Debate Abortion, Trans Rights, and #Metoo

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What's the state of feminism in America? From abortion to trans rights to beauty, liberals and conservatives clash over the most polarizing issues facing women today.

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In an interview with Rebel Wilson, she discusses how shocked others were that she wanted to lose weight and become healthy, rather can continuing to play the "fat, funny girl." After losing weight, Wilson slammed others for being obsessed with overweight women, stating that she was not seen as "traditionally beautiful."

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Despite wanting to lose weight, Rebel Wilson was required to maintain her size for five years while filming Pitch Perfect.

The 42-year-old actress - known for her starring role as Fat Amy in the beloved films - appeared on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast and revealed that she had to wait until Pitch Perfect was over before focusing on her health. The movie and its two sequels spanned from 2012 to 2017.

"I couldn't lose a massive amount of weight, because I was in the contracts for that movie," Wilson explained. "You can't lose I think it's not more than 10 lbs. or gain more than 10 lbs. You have to kind of stay at the weight that's in your contract."

"I had been thinking for awhile that I want to get healthier and I was stereotyped in playing that fat, funny friend," she added, referring to similar roles she played in Bridesmaids and How to Be Single. "I love doing those roles, I love those characters, but then I did want to do more things. But then I felt like being the bigger girl, you're just more pigeonholed."

Wilson, who noted that she gained 100 lbs. in college due to her polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), told Cooper that she didn't make any strides toward losing weight until she was approaching 40 and wanted to become a mom.

"I went to see a fertility doctor and he was like, 'Well, you'd have a much better chance with fertility if you were healthier.' And I was like, 'Oh my God what's he talking about?' Because my life is like a Lizzo song, where I'm like bad b- o'clock. But then I have this stranger saying, 'Look at you, you're not healthy,'" the actress recalled, adding that she's a huge body positive person.

"It really hit me hard because I was living this fantastic bigger life and didn't have any serious diseases or anything," she said. "And that kind of made me reexamine, yeah when I think about it I'm doing things that aren't healthy."

From that point, Wilson said she became healthier "slowly" as she was turning 40.

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When it comes to weight loss, the Australian star's Pitch Perfect contract wasn't the only thing preventing her from getting healthier. Wilson shared in December 2021 that she also didn't have the full support of those around her when she began her health journey.

During an interview with BBC News, the actress opened up about some of the negative responses she received when beginning her "year of health," mainly due to her career as the "funny fat girl" on screen.

"I got a lot of pushback from my own team actually, here in Hollywood, when I said 'Okay, I'm going to do this year of health, I feel like I'm really gonna physically transform and change my life,' " Wilson recounted.

"And they were like, 'Why? Why would you wanna do that?' Because I was earning millions of dollars being the funny fat girl and being that person," she said at the time.

The previous year, Wilson lost nearly 80 lbs. after addressing her "emotional eating" habits. She questioned why people are "so obsessed" with women and their looks, slamming the idea that she wasn't "​​seen as traditionally beautiful."

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Rebel Wilson Says Pitch Perfect Contract Didn't Allow Her to Lose Weight: 'I Wanted to Get Healthier'

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Despite wanting to lose weight, Rebel Wilson was required to maintain her size for five years while filming Pitch Perfect . The 42-year-old actress - known for her starring role as Fat Amy in the beloved films - appeared on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast and revealed that she had to wait until Pitch Perfect was over before focusing on her health.

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Miley Cyrus's new hit song "Flowers" is an empowering song for many women. She discusses her past marriage and all of the ways her ex husband failed to be a supportive partner. Throughout the song, Cyrus explains how she can fulfill her own needs and does not need a man to make her happy.

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Netflix's Sex Education, first released in 2019, is a television series focused around many inclusive topics. This show normalizes tons of feminist ideas and is able to inspire others to carry these same ideas with them in the real world.

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Let's talk about Netflix's new UK teen dramedy series, Sex Education. Still in the post-binge glow, I've been describing it to all my friends as the child of The End of the Fucking World and Please Like Me. Could I give a show higher praise? No, I could not.

The show is centered on Otis (Asa Butterfield), a 16-year-old living with his divorced mother Jean (Gillian Anderson), who runs her sex therapy practice out of their home. Growing up in such an environment has made Otis oddly knowledgeable about sex and relationships, despite the fact that he is single, a virgin, and extremely uncomfortable with his own sexuality (he cannot stand to masturbate and hates getting erections).

In the first few days of a new schoolyear at Moordale Secondary School, Otis' talent for giving sex advice is discovered by Maeve (Emma Mackey), the troubled cool girl who is secretly a genius. Maeve quickly finds a way to monetize this, and so she and Otis team up to run a sex therapy practice for their fellow students. Each of the eight episodes in the first season involves at least one client with varying degrees of serial plot relevance. Otherwise, the plot explores the relationship dynamics between friends, families, and love interests.

Of course, there are some classic teen shenanigans and familiar plotlines along the way, but Sex Education manages to feel entirely fresh, due in large part to its intersectional characters and mature handling of often belittled teenage problems.

This show has some of the best drawn LGBTQIA+ characters I've seen since Please Like Me, which ended in 2016 after four glorious seasons. ( Please Like Me is an Australian dramedy created by comedian Josh Thomas, and it can be streamed on Hulu. It's not the intention of this piece for me to gush about it, but really, you should add it to your must-watch list.) There are several gay and lesbian characters and couples on the show, all of whom are developed outside of their sexuality and accurately reflect different stages of life. Not only does this feel much more representative of the real world, it ensures no LGBTQIA+ character is tokenized.

Most notably, Otis' best friend, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), is black, flamboyantly gay, comes from a religious family, and has one of the best, most heart-wrenching character arcs of the season (if you thought Barb deserved better in Stranger Things, prepare yourself to be outraged). Though he fits the "gay best friend" archetype, the stereotypical nature of Eric's character begins and ends there. Eric gets to explore religion, internalized fear and anger, and the effects of trauma, all while being one of the most pure and funny central characters on the show. As an added bonus, his friendship with a young man (Otis) is never questioned; Otis is never made to wonder if Eric might be interested in him, and we get to see Otis not only willingly, but willfully, participate in queer culture at Eric's request. Everything about them screams Friendship Goals.

I can't talk about Sex Education and Goals without bringing up Ola (Patricia Allison), a supporting character in five of the eight episodes. Ola is everything we should strive to be: hilarious, forward, unapologetic, and self-aware. She makes it clear to Otis that she's interested in him, then easily counters his opinion on school dances (not a fan) with her own (big fan). She doesn't fall into the trap of trying to mask her thoughts to appease others, especially the boy she likes, which feels revolutionary in a female teenage character who isn't made out to be a rebel or "man-hater."

Ola goes to said dance in a badass tux, which no one finds odd (no side comments nor side-eye are given), again normalizing something that most teen shows turn into a plot point or an overbearing declaration of inclusivity. In the midst of the dance, she confronts Otis about an issue that poses a threat to their burgeoning relationship, and when he unwittingly insults her by trying to downplay the situation, she recognizes it as bad behavior and doesn't stand for it. Ola is an instant role model and icon.

The issues Sex Education's characters face are equally well-crafted and diverse. We're talking abortion, consent, stalking, sexual blackmail, mental health, classism, homophobia... the list goes on. Each issue is handled with sensitivity and tact, pulling on heartstrings without the feeling of being manipulated into caring. Like The End of the Fucking World (another Netflix Original I highly recommend), the series carries weight because it hits on some of the most contentious social issues of today through the perspective of one of the most vulnerable and impressionable populations: teenagers.

Sex Education is the kind of aspirational television that shows the best of intersectional feminism. I could go on and on about the other characters and specific meaningful moments, of which there are several poignant things to write about (I haven't even had a chance to mention that the show is helmed by Laurie Nunn and its writing team is made up almost entirely of women!), but this piece has to end somewhere. Suffice it to say, to not get a second season of Sex Education would be the crime of the century, and so I humbly implore you to go binge-watch it now.
Top image: Sex Education More from BUST
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Casey is an editorial intern at BUST. She lives in New York City by way of Nebraska and enjoys petting dogs on the street, going to movies alone, and quoting comedy specials from Netflix.

Twitter/Instagram: @casey_seline

caseyseline.com

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"Sex Education" Is The Inclusive, Feminist Show You Need To Watch

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Let's talk about Netflix's new UK teen dramedy series, Sex Education. Still in the post-binge glow, I've been describing it to all my friends as the child of The End of the Fucking World and Please Like Me. Could I give a show higher praise? No, I could not.

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In this 2022 International Women's Day ad, Gymshark displays the elegance, strength, coordination, and determination women share. The ad recognizes women's struggles and is very empowering.

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We, The Changemakers | International Women’s Day 2022

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Since January 1st 2022, it has been illegal for similar items to be more expensive when targeted for women in California. This article discusses the issue, as well as the possible loads of money saved by eliminating this unnecessary price increase.

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Starting January 1, companies in California can no longer charge different prices for products aimed ... [+]
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Charging more for pink razors or other items marketed to women will become illegal in California on January 1. Often called the "pink tax," the practice of charging different prices for men and women for similar goods and services will no longer be tolerated in the state. It's estimated that, on average, women pay about $2,381 more per year for the same goods and services as men-that's $47 billion extra women spend in California.

A study of gender pricing in New York City examined 742 products and found that from toys to clothes to personal care, products for women and girls cost about 7% more than those for men and boys. The state of California estimates that women spend about $188,000 more than men throughout their lifetime on the pink tax.

But the new California bill may be hard to enforce. The law prohibits "charging a different price for any two goods that are substantially similar, if those goods are priced differently based on the gender of the individuals for whom the goods are marketed and intended." To qualify, two goods must have the same intended use, have no substantial differences in production materials, have similar designs and features, and have the same brand or be owned by the same entity.

Liz Grauerholz, a sociology professor at the University of Central Florida who researches the pink tax, says it may be hard to enforce the law because it's often tough to compare women's and men's products directly. "It is almost impossible to make a side-by-side comparison. And I honestly believe that manufacturers have gotten pretty wise to the pink tax, so they make them [men's and women's items] look like completely different products to make those side-by-side comparisons really difficult."

She adds that women's products often have more ingredients and some different ingredients than men's products making comparisons even more difficult. Thus, it's unlikely that California women will reap big savings as a result of the new law.

Although the pink tax weighs heavily on women's products, there are products for which men are willing to pay more. In one study, Grauerholz and colleagues found that while women pay more than men for deodorants ($0.47 per ounce more) and lotions ($1.11 per ounce more), men pay $0.77 per ounce more than women for shaving creams and gels. Grauerholz says men are willing to invest more in shaving materials because they're expected to be clean-shaven. "Marketers know men will invest and spend more money on shaving creams, so there are more designer and name-brand shaving creams for men than women. The opposite is true for lotions," she says.

In addition, Grauerholz says that aside from some shaving products, designer and luxury brand items are almost exclusively marketed to women, adding to the prices charged to female consumers. Women's products also often focus on maintaining a youthful appearance, which is valued more by women than men. She and fellow researchers write, "It is not uncommon for women's lotion products to emphasize anti-aging, firming, rejuvenation, or anti-cellulite properties, but such products are almost nonexistent for men." This emphasis again makes it difficult to enforce the pink tax law for these products.

Typically, there's no functional or biological reason to have products differentiated by gender. Instead, these products reflect how society thinks men and women should look and smell. The gendered marketing of deodorants with and without antiperspirant illustrates this difference. Antiperspirants reduce sweat, while deodorants control odor. Interestingly, the majority of antiperspirants are aimed at women.

Over 70% of deodorants without antiperspirant are aimed at men, while the vast majority of women's deodorants include antiperspirant. "Sweating or perspiring for women is seen as more inappropriate, generally speaking, than it is for men. For men, it shows they're working hard, but, for women, it could be seen as very unfeminine," Grauerholz says. Again the different ingredients in the men's and women's products make side-by-side comparisons more difficult.

The new law doesn't just apply to personal care products but also covers toys. In 2015, Radio Flyer sold a red scooter for boys and a pink scooter for girls. Both featured plastic handlebars, three wheels, a foot brake and weighed about five pounds. Yet, Target listed the red one for $24.99 and the identical pink one for a whopping $49.99.

Recent outcries encouraged stores like Target to stop differentiating toys by gender. The retailer no longer labels which toys are for girls and boys, allowing the children to decide for themselves. Nonetheless, we don't seem to mind allowing marketers to tell adult men and women how they should smell and appear. Like the old toy aisles, deodorants and lotions are still often directly labeled "for men" or "for women."

Although the California law may be difficult to enforce and may not make a huge difference in women's savings, it's an essential step in the right direction. "I think it's great that the law has gone into effect because it does raise awareness, and, in some cases, there may be remedies," Grauerholz says.

Not everyone is in favor of the law. Retailers and manufacturers of women's products argue that it would be difficult to enforce and result in unnecessary lawsuits. They also point to the difficulty of pinpointing the causes of the price differences between men's and women's products. In a report on the pink tax, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) disclosed that federal agencies monitor consumer complaints and identified very few concerns regarding price differences based on the consumer's sex or gender.

Other pink tax laws have already taken effect, and New York was the first state to eliminate the pink tax on both goods and services in 2020. A federal bill called the Pink Tax Repeal Act was introduced in the U.S. House in 2021 but remains without a vote. An earlier version of the bill introduced in 2016 failed to make it out of committee.

In California, a 1995 law already ensures services like hair salons, tailors and dry cleaners charge the same prices for men and women. The new law extends this to include physical goods with gender-based price differences.

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Will California's New Pink Tax Law Save Women $47 Billion Annually?

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Charging more for pink razors or other items marketed to women will become illegal in California on January 1. Often called the "pink tax," the practice of charging different prices for men and women for similar goods and services will no longer be tolerated in the state.

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In Iran, women are protesting wearing their mandatory hijabs. This video on TikTok received over 9 million views and thousands of comments showing support to the movement.

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@mahyabli
Eachday in Iran, is fighting day for our freedom! You should look at my Nowrooz dress guys😂 My dad literally had a heart attack #iraniantiktok#iranianwomen#iranianwomenlivesmatter#iranianwomenfreedom#womenempowerment#mandatoryhijab#mandatoryhijablaws#iraniangirl#iranrevolution#tehran#iranprotests2022
♬ original sound - bpmfjx