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Meta Stuff
New Sister Site, Queereka!
Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you in on a bit of awesome news. Today marks the launch of a brand new sister-site within the Skepchick network. It’s called Queereka, and is dedicated to the intersection of skepticism and LGBTQ topics. We will promote the inclusion of LGBTQ issues and individuals within the skeptic community and movement, the skeptical discussion…
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Skepticism
13 Myths and Misconceptions About Trans Women: Part One
Debunking myths is one of those things that us skeptics are supposed to do, right? Okay then… (my triskaidekaphilia isn’t showing, is it?) 1. Trans women are just really, really, REALLY gay. This one is impressively persistent, and unbelievably common. It was even pulled out recently while Lance Bass, an openly gay man, was guest-hosting Access Hollywood. The truth is…
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Feminism
Guyliner, Murses, Bromance and Femmephobia
(Thanks to Gwenn and BeardOfPants for some of the links!) There’s been a lovely and adorable video circulating on the tubes-osphere the last few days that I’m sure has helped bolster a comforting sense of optimism about the next generation’s understanding of gender. A little girl named Riley gets irate about the toy store’s division into a pink section…
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Quickies
Christmas Quickies For You
A very special extra set of Quickies, direct from Miniature Red Polar God. Happy Monkey! No, Virginia, There is No Santa Claus. From my blogging hero, Greta Christina. On Santa. Elyse’s letter to her son about Santa Claus. White Wine In The Sun… the OTHER Tim Minchin Christmas song. The one that, for me, supplanted Fairytale of New York by…
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Science
Bilaterally Gynandromorphic Chickens, and Why I’m Not “Scientifically” Male
You know what this world needs more of? Misconceptions about transsexuality. Wait… I think I got that backwards. Right… there is absolutely no dearth whatsoever of misconceptions people have about transsexuality. Sometimes I feel like a sort of trans-advocate Sisyphus, perpetually pushing a boulder of education up a hill of myths, stereotypes, fear, hatred, ignorance, disinterest and general laziness. And…
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Feminism
Sacrificing Privilege
By far one of the most challenging obstacles to building a meaningful dialogue about privilege is the extreme ease with which we’re able to take it for granted. Quick: when was the last time you thought about proprioception? Unless you’re a neurologist, or read a lot of Oliver Sacks, the answer could very well be “never, I guess”. We don’t…
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Religion
You May Want to Save Your Pocket Change Next Time You See a Jingle Dude
It’d be my guess that given the overlap between the skepticism and atheism camps, a lot of our readers are already going to have a few reservations about the Salvation Army, and whether or not they should throw them a little change, or if perhaps their money could be better used elsewhere. But contrary to certain stereotypes, we are not,…
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Science
Born This Way? a Skeptical Look at the Neurological Theory of Gender Identity
For some reason, political debates concerning LGBT rights and issues like same-sex marriage often end up getting caught up in the question of whether or not being gay, lesbian, bi or trans is a choice. I’ve always considered this to be something of a red herring. Why, exactly, does it matter? If it were a choice, is there anything to…
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