Senator Edward Kennedy

An HRC article on Senator Kennedy: A Record of Leadership on LGBT and HIV Issues

A late addition - my Mom reminded me this morning of this. 'When you get together with your rowing girls you should all have a moment of silence for Sen. Kennedy' she says. Why? 'He was a big supporter of Title IX.'

my podcasts won't download

Because my podcasts are too large to download without WiFi, I am now exploring different options for information and entertainment at this hour. Including more blog posting.

Here's something that makes me mad. Among other issues with the 'health care debate' -
Pregnancy is a "pre-existing condition"

A good (I thought) opinion article on Caster Semenya and 'gender testing'

And now, a story.

I work with foster kids at a treatment center in Austin. Specifically, I work the 3rd shift (that's overnight - 10pm till 7am) with the younger boys group. This morning was the first day of AISD school (perhaps the first day of public school all through the state actually) and my boys all very excitedly agreed to wear the nice shorts and polo shirts that I chose for their first day of school outfits. It made my heart happy to see them all so handsome. While combing hair and applying deodorant (we start young with the healthy habits) two boys started comparing their 'cool guy' pose. The morning staff and I looked on and laughed as the two boys took turns popping their collars, leaning back and spouting phrases like 'Duuude' and 'Down with the diggity dig.'

Semenya

My initial feeling on this issue is sadness. I feel sad that she has to deal with this, instead of celebrating her amazing win.

My initial thought is of Bolt. No one is questioning his 'maleness' when he breaks his own world records. Or Lance Armstrong. No one says, 'Test his gender. Test his hormone levels, or chemical make-up, or genetics.' What does this mean exactly? What level are women held to? Or, not held to?

I feel proud to identify with her as a woman.

A quote from Feministing.com

Alice Dreger, a professor of medical humanities and bioethics at Northwestern University, appropriately, has the last word in the NYT article, and I'll give it to her here as well: "At the end of the day, they are going to have to make a social decision on what counts as male and female, and they will wrap it up as if it is simply a scientific decision. And the science actually tells us sex is messy. Or as I like to say, 'Humans like categories neat, but nature is a slob.' "

On another note about my pride for my gender -

Thanks for taking us seriously! (see also 'dripping with satire')