Weekly Feminist Reader

“Homophobes in Marseille can p*** off!”

Melissa Harris-Perry’s open letter to Richard Mourdock is very powerful.

Meanwhile Garance Franke-Ruta puts Mourdock’s comments in historical context: “The idea that coerced reproduction is God’s will is of a piece with the belief that the subjection of women is God’s will.”

And RH Reality Check is running a series of stories from rape survivors.

“Physics is more difficult for girls,” says a male grad student, and other insights from interviews with scientists of both genders about women in the sciences.

Melissa Gira Grant argues that defining trafficking as forced sex work hinders help for victims of coerced labor of all kinds.

A sweet piece from Jim Behrle responding to a recent study that found men tend to be more attracted to their platonic female friends than vice versa.

“All too often, we treat discussions of gender in isolation, as if gender exists in a cultural vacuum.”

A single mother is challenging the Air Force’s policy of forbidding single parents from enlisting.

Why the “war on fat” is a scam to peddle drugs.

Jamilah Lemieux argues that the response to Sharmeka Moffitt’s case shows that too often the reaction to allegations of crimes against black people is one of distrust.

So turns out Roseanne Barr is super transphobic.: “You cannot call yourself a supporter of trans women and pimp the demonstrably false bathroom predator meme at the same time.”

Technology for the win! A simple stove means women in Darfur don’t have to spend as much time at risk of being raped when they’re collecting firewood.

Conservatives flip out over Lena Dunham’s Obama ad.

Surely you want to know what Rush Limbaugh believes is “insulting to women”? No? Are you sure?

The Feminist Texan explains all that is wrong with Caitlin Moran’s How to Be a Woman.

Mitt’s lady plan in flowchart form.

A Pennsylvania bill would reduce welfare benefits for women who cannot prove they were raped.

So you wanna be an Indian for Halloween? (Hint: Don’t)

What have you been reading/writing/watching/learning this week?