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Degrassi focuses on Adam, a transgender character

Jos wrote a while ago about how the newest season of Degrassi was planning on featuring a transgender character.  Adam appeared a few episodes into the season, and now the most recent two-part episodes focuses on him as being a transgendered teen.  I wanted to let the readers of Feministing know that these episodes have occurred, in case they are interested in watching!

Those in the US should be able to watch the episodes on the TeenNick website.  (From the Degrassi page, under the pictures of characters click on Video, and then full episodes on the right hand side.)  In Canada, I’m pretty sure Degrassi is no longer shown on CTV but is instead on MuchMusic, so perhaps you can access it from their website.  Not sure if these videos are available in other countries due to copyright, but if you know of how to see them please leave a link in the comments for others!

As I mentioned, Adam was introduced a while ago, and what I loved was that attention was not drawn the to fact that he was transgendered.  I wondered, if I hadn’t already read the buzz online before the season started, would I have been able to tell that he had a woman’s body?  (He is played by a female actress, Jordan Todosey, but with a first name that could be either male or female, I’m not sure the uninformed viewer would know!)  All of ...

How to explain Queer?

Feministing Community… I definitely need help!  Let me explain the full story.

I was walking on campus today with Friend Who Says Offensive Things (but has been really good lately).  We pass by some chalk on the ground and he says “Ugh I hate this stuff.”  We take a look, and it says “Calling All Queers!” and then the info for some kind of get-together or meeting.  My boyfriend and I were like, “What do you hate?” and he says “I know it’s probably for a pro-gay thing, but I hate when they use a derogatory term to try to reclaim it.”

Now, I don’t expect all people to be familiar with how the word queer can be used.  I probably mostly ...

Feministing Community… I definitely need help!  Let me explain the full story.

I was walking on campus today with Friend Who Says Offensive Things (but has been really good lately).  We pass by some chalk on the ground ...

Control A Man, ’cause you’re annoying! Control a woman, ’cause that’s what dudes do!

The other day my friend and I were in a favorite toy store – the kind that has lots of kid toys, kites, puzzles, and also funny adult gifts.  We were not particularly impressed by one pair of gifts: a “Control A Man” remote control and a “Control a Woman” remote control.  

Now, not only is it very creepy and also downright scary/offensive to think that relationships are about “controlling” the other person, but something we noticed about the buttons on the two gifts were that BOTH were offensive to WOMEN.  It definitely wasn’t “Ah we make these two products to equally poke fun at both sexes, so it’s all fair.”  No, men are completely off the hook here.  (Oh, ...

The other day my friend and I were in a favorite toy store – the kind that has lots of kid toys, kites, puzzles, and also funny adult gifts.  We were not particularly impressed by one pair ...

Scroogenomics

This morning when I turned on the TV to figure out what’s going on in the world today, I caught the last end of an interview with Joel Waldfogel, author of Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents for the Holidays.  His argument has to do with gifts being “economically unsound” because of the “value” of the gift as calculated both financially in and in terms of the buyer’s (or gift receiver’s) perception.  Basically his point is “nobody wants this crap.”

And on that front, I agree!  A few years ago I decided that instead of buying people gifts, I would donate money to charity in their honor to help out others less fortunate.  But because I still wanted people to have ...

This morning when I turned on the TV to figure out what’s going on in the world today, I caught the last end of an interview with Joel Waldfogel, author of Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents ...

When Party Talk Turns to Race

I was at a pretty low-key party last night with some friends, mostly all just sitting around a large dining room table eating and drinking.  I don’t exactly remember how, but somehow the conversation turned to race, which is of course normally quite charged; we’re not a bunch of social activists or race experts, but a group of scientists who have a lot of different opinions and, my guess is, different exposure to the study of race and class on either an academic or personal level.

I was most happy to find one of the new guys in our department was not afraid to adamantly point out his white male privilege and “white liberal guilt” and to question “Why don’t we ...

I was at a pretty low-key party last night with some friends, mostly all just sitting around a large dining room table eating and drinking.  I don’t exactly remember how, but somehow the conversation turned to race, ...

A new blog about women in science

Just a quick note that some of my fellow women astrophysicist friends/colleagues and I have a new blog up:

A Scientist and A Woman

We’ll be talking about all the aspects of being women in a male-dominated science field.  Check it out!

Just a quick note that some of my fellow women astrophysicist friends/colleagues and I have a new blog up:

A Scientist and A Woman

We’ll be talking about all the aspects of being women in a male-dominated science ...

New Dell website just for Women

Via Engadget:

Dell unveils Della website to help women choose which totally cute laptop they prefer

Wow.  Apparently the best way to sell laptops to women is to make them cute and little and market them as something that will help you meditate and lose weight.  And it’s true… one of the “Tech Tips” is how to use your computer to track calories (although, most of their links are to websites that do all these things, and therefore has nothing to do with actually buying a Dell).

Via Engadget:

Dell unveils Della website to help women choose which totally cute laptop they prefer

Wow.  Apparently the best way to sell laptops to women is to make them cute and little and market them as something ...