#RadFem2012: Exposure doesn’t make the media your friends

Its possible that far too much has already been said on the issue of the RadFem conference to possibly contribute anything more. Too many things have been taken and twisted beyond recognition and too few have said anything that really adds to what is becoming a very entrenched shouting match (though here lies a brilliant exception). But I think the analysis of this situation has lacked one critical perspective: the role of the media.

Transsexual Jesus Sparks Glasgow Church Protests

I saw the headline for this article on my RSS feeder and knew I’d be writing about it as soon as I had the chance. The entire subject, from Christian pressure groups, to a personal engagement with Jesus by a trans author, was bound to turn my head. So here goes…

Caster Semenya

The story of Caster Semenya seems to continue to grip the sports sections of news channels and papers alike. Her treatment has at times appeared more like a drug scandal, has been made out as a case of racism, and has become a major source of bewilderment and headaches for many, including the governing body of the sport in which she competes.

Sophia: Explaining Genderqueer

It’s a term being used quite a bit these days, especially on campuses, but what the heck does it actually mean? For those who live on planet YUSU, Trans issues have taken on added importance in recent weeks, with a Gender Neutral Toilets (GNT) motion being passed by the union a week ago. Originally written for Cambridge University SU by the person Wikipedia cites as the first to get a students union to pass a GNT motion, here’s a readable take on the concept of Genderqueer.

Russia, Eurovision and LGBT rights

I was planning a post on Trans Visibility and Eurovision. But this has sadly been pre-empted by the response of Moscow police to a protest by Queer/LGBT activists in Moscow, with almost immediate arrests being made and a deliberate show of force against human rights, whilst another, nationalist march, was allowed to continue on the other side of the city.

Pick n Mix Week 2

And so for another, shorter, instalment of news stories that caught my eye a while ago and which I wish to post. Its Somali Pirates, Penitent Police and Transgender Genetics today!