You can’t do away with sexism by doing away with sexist labeling. But it’s a start. So thanks, Boots. After an embarrassing kerfuffle over what it backwardly deems gender appropriate toys, the UK drugstore chain is moving toward a more equitable display system.Boots’ enlightenment began after Twitter user Sean E. Gray posted a photo from the store, with the caption “not impressed.” It revealed the store’s “Girl Toy” section, featuring princess gear and mini tea sets, and the “Boy” section — chock full of Science Museum brand kits.As the Guardian reports, Boots initially defended the placement, saying its real estate choices were based on “customer feedback” and making the stores “easier to navigate.” But in the face of mounting criticism, it has since retreated, promising on its Facebook page that “It was never our intention to stereotype certain toys. It’s clear we have got this signage wrong, and we’re taking immediate steps to remove it from store.”Continue Reading… … Read More
The art of labor
The video is brought to you by the AFL-CIO. To read the other stories in this series, click here.Despite the common stereotype that unions only serve workers in manufacturing, construction and service industries, organized labor has a long history protecting the livelihoods of artists and performers. Jennifer Mondie, a veteran violist with the National Symphony Orchestra, puts it succintly: “There’s no way I could be half the artist I am without the support of the union.”In the video above, Mondie explains how being a member of the American Federation of Musicians allows her to excel at her craft — and she shares some beautiful music, as well.Continue Reading… … Read More
Are Swedes really all blondes and Vikings?
What is the quintessential Swedish stereotype? Blonde, blue-eyed, beautiful and bearded? More importantly, how do Swedes react to these claims? The Local took to the streets of Stockholm to find out. … Read More
Can naked breasts make important political points?
Nudity is provocative. It draws people’s attention, and sometimes it draws their attention to a cause. When a former SlutWalk-er at City University criticized the university cheerleading team’s “Naked Calendar” for breast cancer awareness, it started a heated debate about what it means to use your body to make a statement. Breast cancer fundraising and rape culture awareness are both important causes—is it right to condemn one form of nakedness as buying into a toxic culture of sexism and objectification while lauding the other as brave and bold?The conversation began with a scathing article in which a female student harshly criticized the “Naked Calendar” being produced and sold by the campus cheerleading team to benefit the “Coppa Feel!” campaign. Using their hands, different objects, and creative poses to cover their nips, the cheerleaders had recently posed naked to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The author of the article accused the girls of distastefully sexualising the breast cancer cause while pushing forward a much more harmful “women as sex toys” stereotype, using their nakedness to reduce themselves to sexually pleasing objects just to make a few bucks for charity.Continue Reading… … Read More
Law Enforcement Targets Inc. Discontinues Line of Targets Featuring Mom, Child, Grandparents, Pregnant Woman
In response to criticism from civil
liberties advocates and law enforcement groups alike, Law
Enforcement Targets Inc.–a supplier of targets to the local,
state, and federal law enforcement groups–has
discontinued a line of targets that feature grandparents, a
mother, a child, and a pregnant woman; all of them holding
guns. ;
“We apologize for the offensive nature of our ‘No More
Hesitation’ products,” reads a letter that LET Inc.
posted Feb. 21 on its company Facebook page. “These products
have been taken offline due to the opinions expressed by so many,
including members of the law enforcement community.”
According to a statement the company sent Reason last week,
members of the law enforcement community inspired Law Enforcement
Targets Inc. to design the “No More Hesitation” series in the first
place: ;
The subjects in NMH targets were chosen in order to give
officers the experience of dealing with deadly force shooting
scenarios with subjects that are not the norm during training. I
found while speaking with officers and trainers in the law
enforcement community that there is a hesitation on the part of
cops when deadly force is required on subjects with atypical age,
frailty or condition (one officer explaining that he enlarged
photos of his own kids to use as targets so that he would not be
caught off guard with such a drastically new experience while on
duty). This hesitation time may be only seconds but that is not
acceptable when officers are losing their lives in these same
situations. The goal of NMH is to break that stereotype on the
range, regardless of how slim the chances are of encountering a
real life scenario that involves a child, pregnant woman, etc. If
that initial hesitation time can be cut down due to range
experience, the officer and community are better served.
The company’s full letter is below:
We apologize for the offensive nature of our “No More
Hesitation” products. These products have been taken offline due to
the opinions expressed by so many, including members of the law
enforcement community.
This product line was originally requested and designed by the
law enforcement community to train police officers for unusually
complex situations where split-second decisions could lead to
unnecessary loss of life.
Consistent with our company mission as a training supplier (not
a training methods company), we will continue to seek input from
law enforcement professionals to better serve their training
objectives and qualification needs. We sincerely appreciate law
enforcement professionals for the risks they take in providing
safety and defending freedom.
… Read More
Domestic Standing Armies: The Target is YOU!
http://www.youtube.com/v/zuD59hoU4Sc?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata Continued: Domestic Standing Armies: The Target is YOU!
Swedes nicer neighbours than Brits: study
Swedes are more chummy and tolerant toward their neighbours than Britons according to a new study that pokes holes in the stereotype that aloof Swedes go to great lengths to avoid small talk. … Read More
