Key Issues

Male Genital Mutilation: The Hypocratic* Oath and Circumcision the Euphemism (Part 3)

WARNING: Some URLs in this article contain graphic material (educational purposes)  Previously, we spoke about circumcision rhetoric, examining evidence in its favor. Here, we touch on more aspects of this topic, and give final comments. Genital cutting has grievous effects on doctor-patient relationships, creating conflicts of interest. Enter Circumcision Inc. -- doctors as cold businessmen (not ethical practitioners), circumstraints, and cosmetics companies using foreskins. Do the interests of the child matter? Do religious freedoms, parental rights, and profit take precedence over bodily integrity -- children's freedoms? No harm comes from children growing ...

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in Global Sexual Freedom Watch / Key Issues / Public Information  by Kwani 0 comments

Male Genital Mutilation: Bad Science (Part 2)

In Part 1, I spoke of faults in pro-circumcision rhetoric and attitudes that condone genital cutting. Now we will examine some evidence in favor of circumcision. The trials in Africa, conducted from 2005-2007 and often referenced, have been shown to use poor methodology. Brian D. Earp, who has written rigorously on this topic, familiarizes us with others who have done extensive research: While the “gold standard” for medical trials is the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the African trials suffered [a number of serious problems] including problematic randomization and selection bias, ...

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in Global Sexual Freedom Watch / Key Issues / Public Information  by Kwani 0 comments

Male Genital Mutilation: Doublethink, Self-Deception, and Insecurity (Part 1)

A child bleeds from the genitals during an unnecessary surgery with adults in attendance, none batting an eye. This is genital mutilation; however, we in the western world are immersed in a form of doublethink, considering our vehement disapproval of female genital mutilation (FGM). Is there such a difference between FGM and male circumcision that one is ok and the other abhorrent? The justifications given for either tend to be interchangeable. Male circumcision is awful in the best of circumstances, performed by professionals in sterile environments, with clean tools. It’s not always like this -- in tribes, it’s ...

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in Global Sexual Freedom Watch / Key Issues / Public Information  by Kwani 0 comments

A hypocrite the Boy Scouts can love

Robert Gates (WikiCommons)

New Boy Scouts President Robert Gates: 'I Would Have Supported Having Gay Scoutmasters' Despite media to the contrary, Robert Gates, the Bush and Obama Administration, Defense Secretary, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans) insiders didn't view him as a true friend helping to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell". He had no problem accepting any and all kudos that may have come his way, however. By now mention of active duty troops and veterans who had to endure nearly 3 extra years of discrimination under Gates, until he finally relented and put a freeze on dismissals. has been ...

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in Grassroots / Key Issues / News of Note / Op-Ed / Public Information  by Alison Gardner 0 comments

Science is teaching us all about Lipophilia

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Always Hungry? Here's why [T]he increasing amount and processing of carbohydrates in the American diet has increased insulin levels, put fat cells into storage overdrive and elicited obesity-promoting biological responses in a large number of people . . . . obesity rates . . . for adults, are almost three times what they were in the 1960s. Addressing the underlying biological drive to overeat may make for a far more practical and effective solution to obesity than counting calories. The latest frontier in nutritional research is revolutionary and important to every person, especially activists who wants to be more effective ...

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in Campaigns / Grassroots / Key Issues / News of Note / Op-Ed / Public Information / Uncategorized  by Alison Gardner 0 comments

Eric Holder explains it all, now it’s your turn

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Holder confronts racial issues in address as White House puts discrimination at the fore Attorney General Eric Holder has withstood savage attacks from his detractors but he has hung on and has emerged as our explainer-in-chief when it comes to racism in this country, really racism everywhere. His recent commencement address at Morgan State University was his most bold and erudite attempt to educate the world, particularly America, on the insidious and subtle nature of racism. Holder rightly points out that the recent high-profile episodes of racism often mask systematic prejudice and discrimination. “These [recent] outbursts ...

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in Campaigns / Grassroots / Key Issues / News of Note / Op-Ed / Public Information / Uncategorized  by Alison Gardner 1 comments

Winning (so far). Net Neutrality Protest Tomorrow

WikiCommons

Grassroots efforts to save Net neutrality may be working . . . more needs to be done to ensure the Internet is protected. There's no time to waste in feeling gratified even though advocacy organizations such as Free Press, CREDO, and MoveOn.org, along with tech companies such as Google and Facebook, and rank-and-file grassroots activists are so far holding back attempts to commercialize the Internet in ways that would impede the otherwise free flow of media and data.  Corporate special interests will not relent and neither must we. They want to secure fast lanes, the cost of ...

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in Campaigns / Grassroots / Key Issues / News of Note / Public Information / Uncategorized  by Alison Gardner 0 comments

Woefully bad news for Mothers and Children

US Coast Guard/Wikimedia Commons

Save the Children Report Ranks Best and Worst Places to Be a Mother: U.S. Drops to 31st . . .   If you read this report, can you not be radicalized by its findings? Countries faring the worst were those affected by humanitarian crises . . Worldwide, more than half of all maternal and child deaths occur in areas made more fragile by conflict and disasters.  If you are an American, can you not be saddened and embarrassed that in just 15 years the U.S. has fallen from the top five in women's health to 31st? Since 2000, the risk that a ...

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in Global Sexual Freedom Watch / Key Issues / News of Note / Op-Ed / Public Information / Sex Education  by Alison Gardner 0 comments

Net Neutrality on the front burner, at last

WikiCommons

Basically Every Big Internet Firm Signs Letter Against FCC's Net Neutrality Plan There has been a rush of public pressure on the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to put off the May 15 vote that would drastically change the Internet. The commission has proposed allowing big providers (Verizon and Comcast to name two) to create higher priced "fast lanes" for big media companies such as Netflix to move their content, costs that will be passed onto consumers. Instead of maintaining the free and democratic access to the utility of the Internet, there would be winners and losers, different ...

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in Key Issues / News of Note / Op-Ed / Public Information / Uncategorized  by Alison Gardner 0 comments

Re-envisioning the future: A personal call to action

No sexism racism homophobia

VenusPlusX re-envisions the future as A New Age of Sexual Freedom because that is a state of being the heralds the end of racism (at its root sexual oppression) and the end of nationalism for the purposes of war (at its root racism)and other forms of inhumane exploitation. In connection with our recent relaunch, a manifesto for this new age was offered up for comment and critique. It included a working formula to bring about peace, and some of the obstacles in our way. Using this tried and true, non-violent formula (systematically replacing coercive systems with humane voluntary ...

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in Campaigns / Grassroots / Key Issues / Op-Ed / Public Information  by Alison Gardner 0 comments