In a special issue of the European Journal of Developmental Psychology, two articles have appeared evaluating the influential “Dutch protocol” developed over 20 years ago at the Center for Expertise on Gender Dysphoria of the Amsterdam University Medical Center. This program calls for puberty blockers at the outset of pubescence, hormonal therapy at around age […]
New Documentary Celebrates Sex-Positive Cable TV Pioneer
Bang My Box, a new HBO documentary produced by Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex & the City), chronicles the life of iconic New York City public access TV show creator and host Robin Byrd. The Robin Byrd Show first aired on public access in 1977 and ran for over 20 years. The late night call-in show […]
Penile Plethysmography Ruled Inadmissible
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of South Carolina has ruled that penile plethysmography lacks sufficient scientific support to be used as a reliable indicator of likely future recidivism in sex offenders. Among its many flaws, the court cited a lack of standardized metrics among different labs, poor test-retest consistency, inconsistent test materials, and […]
“Cumdump” as a Sexual Identity
“Cumdump” is a slang term in the gay community for a man whose primary sexual goal is to receive ejaculates from multiple partners within a limited period, either serially or at a group sex party; the concept is most often framed by scholars through risk-based and pathologizing discourses, but the development of PrEP and effective […]
Sexual Newspeak: The Consequences of Semantics on Gender and Sexual Minorities
The Malaysian government has officially replaced the term “LGBT” with “deviant culture” (Malay: “budaya songsang”) in its public communications and educational materials, framing LGBTQ+ identities as out of sync with the country’s religious and cultural values. Human rights advocates argue that this new terminology further stigmatizes LGBTQ+ people and reinforces discrimination. And, as related to […]
Nepal’s Supreme Court Mandates Marriage Equality
In some good news for LGBTQ+ rights, the Supreme Court of Nepal has ruled in favor of marriage equality. They have issued a binding directive order ensuring equal marriage rights for gender and sexual minorities. The Supreme Court issued an interim ruling in 2023 recognizing same-sex marriage. However, the Nepali government has had a mixed […]
Climate Activism Can be a Drag
The drag queen, Pattie Gonia, has been an environmental and political activist for several years and has amassed an impressive following of over 2 million people across their social channels. They have raised millions of dollars for environmental and social justice non-profits, co-founded the environmental equity organization Outdoorist Oath, and was featured as one of TIME’s most […]
Weaponizing Accusations of Child Abuse: The Pete Buttigieg Case
Pete Buttigieg, former United States Secretary of Transportation and a very vocal member of the Democratic Party, is speaking out about what he considers to be “the ugliest thing that has happened to [him] since [his] career in service began.” He was recently temporarily separated from his four-year-old twins after an anonymous false report to […]
Neuroanatomy of the Clitoris
The clitoris is the least studied organ of the human body and didn’t appear in standard anatomy textbooks until 1995 when it was described as a “small version of the penis”. A new study is using a non-invasive imaging method with micrometer-scale resolution capability to create 3D trajectory of the nerves in the clitoris. This […]
Facial Scan Technology in Gay Bars: Pros and Cons
Several bars in San Francisco’s Castro district have begun using technology that scans ID’s and photographs patrons’ faces. Allegedly, the technology is employed to blacklist bad patrons who engage in fighting, theft, or other disruptive activities, but some customers are uncomfortable with the threat to their privacy that such record-keeping poses. Supporters argue that the […]