Weekly Feminist Reader

A new study looked at workplace-transition experiences of transgender people “to provide new insights into the long-standing question of what role gender plays in shaping workplace outcomes.”

Congress is considering the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, and has a chance to really improve this legislation. And on a related note, a new report shows major gaps in sex-trafficking enforcement.

Australia’s new governor-general — who happens to be a woman — has been denied access to some of the country’s most exclusive clubs, because of her gender.

Equal pay? Not yet. But at least we’re gaining ground in other important areas. (Sarcasm, people, sarcasm.)

An Alburquerque high-school yearbook staff has pissed off some Christian conservatives by daring to acknowledge that gay students attend their school. For real, the headline reads, “Clovis High School Yearbook Features Gays.” Who do these gay students think they are, wanted to be included in their school yearbook?

A great op-ed from the Baltimore Sun: “What do families of children with disabilities need from the next president? Not just a ‘friend’ in the White House but a willingness to pay for services they need”

Low-income women continue to lose ground, while Wall Street gets a bailout.

The 65th Carnival of Feminists!

Monica Roberts points to this short documentary on transkids.

Crypto-Muslim (formerly known as the Muslim Hedonist) has a really interesting post on what happened when she, a white Muslim woman, stopped wearing hijab. Go read it.

Rebecca Traister nails it: “Is it me, or does [Bill] Clinton make the act of being the partner of a powerful woman sound about as easy as parking on the edge of the Grand Canyon?”

Common cosmetic chemicals can disrupt teen girls’ development.

Talk about the material writing itself — Tina Fey is now doing SNL sketches that simply quote Sarah Palin word-for-word. I lost it at, “Katie, I’d like to use one of my lifelines.”

OMG! OMG! Lindsay Lohan is dating a woman!

PBS’s NOW has a series on women, power and politics.

Jacob Zuma, the likely president of South Africa next year, is a rapist.

A Southern Baptist bookstore yanked a magazine for daring to feature women pastors on the cover.

Deepa Mehta’s new film on domestic violence premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

A woman is barred from playing in a volleyball game because of her hair beads.

A great point-by-point takedown of arguments “debunking” the Palin rape kit controversy.

Use of wet nurses is on the rise in China.

Sandra Bernhard says some really stupid shit. (More from Shakesville.)

An Orthodox Jewish sect in Jerusalem is waging a campaign against women with “secular lifestyles.”

The Montreal Gazette is featuring a column/diary from a FtM transsexual.

Kai Wright on the Republican plan to steal the election.

Actions and Events

St. Louis: A Girl Like Me: A Conversation About Race, Beauty and Self-Image, Weds, Oct. 1.

Washington, DC: AIDS Walk Washington, Sat, Oct. 4

New York: Election volunteering opportunities!

Toronto: FORUM: Supporting Non-Status Women Fleeing Violence, Thurs, Oct. 2.

Montreal: Rebelles 2008: A Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering “Waves of Resistance”, Oct. 11 to 13