Suggested Sunday reading (9/26/10)

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First up: You may have noticed that Spare Candy looks a little different now. You can read more about the changes here.

Second, there have been a couple really interesting stories out of Afghanistan this week. The New York Times has the article "Afghan Boys Are Prized, So Girls Live the Part," about a practice in the country of parents cutting their girls' hair and dressing them as boys until they hit puberty. Change.org has a follow up to that, with the article "Do Afghan Children Prove Gender is Fluid?" Then, the Los Angeles Times has the article "Afghan women break barriers in a male bastion: the army," about a group of 29 women who became the first to graduate from an officer-candidate program mentored by U.S. troops."

In other news:

• The Crunk Feminist Collective: "Females: You Just Can’t Trust ‘Em and Other Lies Women Believe."
• Politico: "Reid calls Gillibrand the 'hottest' [Senate] member at fundraiser." Really, this is beyond unacceptable.
• Huffington Post: "The U.S. Soldier Who Killed Herself After Refusing to Take Part in Torture." Also check out Change.org's article "Military Women and Suicide Awareness: Is Something Missing?"
• The Guardian: "Let's end the great gender lie."
• The Guardian: "Why exercise won't make you thin." This is a good article to keep on hand when talking to someone about health. The point of it is exercise can help you be healthy, but not really help you lose weight.
• Salon: "Facebookers defend alleged rape victim." This is in response to people on FB and other websites spreading photos around of a girl who was gang raped.
• Think Progress: "Scalia Says Constitution Does Not Prevent Gender Discrimination." That would be United States Supreme Court Justice Scalia. Lovely, isn't it?
• Nick's Crusade: "Why It’s Time For Survival Politics For People with Disabilities."
• Newsweek: "Why Women Need the Paycheck Fairness Act." See also: Common Dreams' article "Why the Women's Wage Gap Persists."
• AOL News: "Men Wear Heels So Women Can Heal From Domestic Violence." I love this story. I hate that it is labeled as "weird news."
• BBC: "Florida court overturns state ban on gay adoptions."
• Change.org: "A Lesson in Racism 101: GOP Strategist Jack Burkman Gets Schooled on Fox."
• TBD (Amanda Hess): "Men Can Stop Rape turns sexual assault prevention to tweens."
• New York Times: "Woman, 41, Is Executed in Virginia." Also check out the Los Angeles Times' article "Virginia's execution of a woman may signal shift in national thinking."
• WAPT.com: "Student Banned From Homecoming Event Over Dreadlocks." Really??
• Name It Change It: "Huffington Post on Hillary Clinton: Just Plain Sexist."
• Salon: "Break bra in case of emergency." No really, it turns into two gas masks!
• France24: "Swiss women claim first ever majority in cabinet."
• Wall Street Journal: "Interlopers Run Amok: Guys Crash Road Races for Women."
• Terra: "KFC Double Down Butt Ads Labeled 'Sexist.'"
• IPS: "Haitian Women at Increased Risk of Trafficking."
• The Guardian: "No wonder rapists walk; The DPP apologised for a botched sexual assault case. From the jury box, I saw even more failings."

LGBTQ:

• The Bilerico Project: "Recognizing National Gay Men's HIV Awareness Day - Six Things for Gays to Know About HIV/AIDS."
• Change.org: "3M Joins Target In Supporting Anti-Gay Politics." Sigh. Speaking of Minnesota politics, check out Joe My God's article "NOM Launches Ad Campaign Supporting Anti-Gay Tom Emmer."
• GLTNN: "Senator admits 'All Faggots Must Die' comment came from his Atlanta Headquarters." The senator in question is Saxby Chambliss.
• The Curvature: "San Antonio Woman Assaulted; Police and Media Respond With Transphobic Excuses."
• The Wonk Room: "Judge Reinstates Lesbian Soldier: Discharge 'Did Not Significantly Further Government Interest.'"

Abortion:

• Jezebel: "Fun Facts About How Poor Women Are Denied Their Reproductive Rights."
• NOW: "Anti-Abortion Rights Model Guidelines Released: NOW Intensifies Call for Obama to Live Up to Campaign Promises."
• New York Times: "Many States in Mexico Crack Down on Abortion."
• Dayton Daily News: "Right to Life opposes human services levy." Why? Because 0.1 percent of the levy money is given annually to Planned Parenthood. Of course.
• RH Reality Check: "Why Did She Wait So Long? Later Abortions and the Implications of the New Nebraska Ban."
• Guttmacher Institute: "New Study Finds Abortion Does Not Cause Mental Health Problems Among Adolescents."
• KRDO.com: "Amendment 62 Debate: Term 'Fertilized Egg' Compared To The N-Word." This is about the personhood amendment on the ballot in Colorado.

Pop Culture:

• The Frisky: "Could Mattel’s Japanese Barbie And Ken Be Any More Stereotypical?"
• TBD (Amanda Hess): "TV reporter Barbie is dressed for sexual harassment controversy."
• Time magazine: "Mad Men Watch: Women's Movements."
• AlterNet: "Of White Feminism, Civil Rights, and Giant Negroes: Mad Men’s Episode, 'The Beautiful Girls' Reviewed." Have I ever mentioned how much I love this show? :)
• Slate: "Our Hillary Hangover: A review of Rebecca Traister's 'Big Girls Don't Cry.'" This book sounds pretty good.
• Musings of an Inappropriate Woman: "Whitewashing women’s magazines: racism or just bad Photoshop?"
• AfterElton: The site has put up a list of its Top 50 Favorite Gay Films.
• The Women's Media Center: "Feminist and TV Lover? The Two Can Peacefully Co-Exist!"
• New York Times: "Once More Into the Groove: 'Desperately Seeking Susan' Turns 25."
• Sady Doyle: "30 Rock Rape Joke: Overanalysis + Feelings-Share Module Activated."
• Slate: "Pixar Invites a Girl Into the Boys’ Club."

Photo source.