On that Sexual Assault Case
I listened to a CBC call-in show about the London sexual assault trial of five former Hockey Canada players. All the callers were either on one side or another. I…
sexual assault
On that Sexual Assault Case
I listened to a CBC call-in show about the London sexual assault trial of five former Hockey Canada players. All the callers were either on one side or another. I…
real heroes for real reasons: female athletes moving the world forward
These days I can’t blog about events or issues that are meaningful to me until they’re old news — which of course in today’s world can mean only days or…
Anti-Trans Protests, Gender Criticals, and Groomers
It’s a little difficult to miss the torrent of anti-transgender hatred spreading about these days. Whether it is street preachers organizing “protests” over transgender people existing, or failed political candidates…
Srinivasan’s "The Right to Sex"
“It is absurd to contend that vice, ecstasy, and passion would become impossible if man and woman were concretely peers” (xiii). ~ Simone de Beauvoir Amia Srinivasan’s book rivals Kate…
what i’m reading: true story by kate reed petty
Kate Reed Petty’s True Story is one of the most impressive debut novels you’ll ever read. It is both a riveting page-turner and a narrative puzzle, twisting and turning in…
the deadliest organized-crime and terrorist enterprise in the history of humanity: the catholic church
In the entire history of human beings on this planet, has there ever been a criminal enterprise more devastating — to as many people, over as long a period of…
is my body keeping score? personal insights (plus brain dump) after reading the book by bessel van der kolk
When I wrote my beyond-rave review of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk, I purposely omitted some…
rotd: frederick douglass, prophet of freedom
Revolutionary thought of the day: Douglass’s great gift, and the reason we know him of today, is that he found ways to convert the scars Covey left on his body…
what i’m reading: hunger by roxane gay
During the Ontario provincial election, after a hack from the Toronto Sun drew attention to an unpopular view that I had expressed some years earlier, I was the object of…
i need a canada for my subconscious: the kavanaugh hearings and we go on
I avoided the Kavanaugh hearings as long as I could. I used to take a special interest whenever survivors go public. I’d read everything I could, write letters to newspapers,…
Donald Trump and the Hypocrisy of Brett Kavanaugh
He's a sexual predator himself, a dirty old man who once boasted of grabbing women by their private parts.He's a grubby lowlife who celebrated the arrival of his youngest son…
On Anita Hill
My time at university was split down the middle by the news of the Montréal Massacre, and the subsequent years were plagued with fears of the Scarborough rapist. We proactively…
On Manne’s "Down Girl"
With thorough argumentation and heavily footnoted facts brought to the table, Down Girl, by Kate Manne delineates misogyny from sexism and hopes “to offer a useful toolkit for asking, answering,…
rip barry crimmins: call me lucky to have known him
In late 2015, I blogged about a remarkable documentary: “Call Me Lucky,” about the life and times of Barry Crimmins. Barry died last week at the age of 64. Describing…
Tiger Williams’ Disgrace
Let me be clear. I have not been a fan of hockey since I was a boy, when only six teams constituted the NHL. However, I am struck by the…
Some Implications of Boycotting Art
And another thing… Here are two more issues I have with implication surrounding how we’re treating the sexual harassment and assault cases further to my concerns previously discussed and further…
So NOW What? On Power and Sexual Abuse and the Culture of Celebrity
A little over year ago, when I first heard about Louis CK’s abuse of power, I was going to write a post suggesting he might actually be the guy able…