Brute Reason

LATEST ARTICLES ( 570 )

• [Guest Post] The Evolution of ‘El Tigre’: A Feminist Discovers the ‘Beauty’ Aisl...

  Here’s a guest post from my friend Emily. I have stretchmarks, acne scars, oddly shaped eyebrows, a decades-long nail biting habit, rough spots on my feet, and... Read more

  Posted on 31 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [In Brief] Romney’s Abortion Flip-flop

  In 1994, one of our current presidential candidates said the following:I have my own beliefs, and those beliefs are very dear to me. One of them is that I do no... Read more

  Posted on 31 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• The Case Against Celebrity Gossip

  

  Credit: jezebel.comCelebrity gossip bothers me.I think it’s both interesting and sad how we assume that accomplished, well-known people exist for our... Read more

  Posted on 30 August 2012 CELEB, ENTERTAINMENT, SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [In Brief] Most Beautiful Teenager

  

  I stumbled upon (don’t ask me how) this Facebook page today. It’s called “Most Beautiful Teenager.”Teens post photos of themselves on the page and see how many... Read more

  Posted on 27 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [Guest Post] Thank You, Todd Akin

  One of my blog’s readers, who wishes to use the pseudonym Dubs, asked me to publish this guest post. Trigger warning for sexual assault.I can’t keep quiet any... Read more

  Posted on 24 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [storytime] These Streets Are Mine: On Street Harassment

  

  I got sexually harassed today.Actually, it happens all the time. Like, almost every time I venture out on the city streets for longer than ten minutes. Read more

  Posted on 24 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Why Do We Keep Talking About Akin and Not About Other Stuff?

  I’ve noticed that every time a high-profile conservative says or does something stupid and it blows up in the media, some rank-and-file conservatives–in my... Read more

  Posted on 23 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Rape and Activism Are Not Mutually Exclusive: The Case Against Assange

  It’s disturbing that the debate about Julian Assange and the rape charges against him has taken on such a black-and-white quality. Read more

  Posted on 22 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• “Legitimate” Rape Does Cause Pregnancy

  

  …and so do all those other kinds of rape. It amazes me what lengths pro-lifers will go to when trying to justify imposing their version of morality upon the res... Read more

  Posted on 20 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Depression Personified

  This is a work of fiction. Trigger warning for depression and abuse.And again.Everything starts to swirl in my mind again, tears pool in my eyes. Read more

  Posted on 18 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Occasional Link Roundup

  This is my occasional link roundup, in which I occasionally post links to things I like. Feel free to link to something you’ve written recently in the... Read more

  Posted on 16 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Being Pro-Gay is More Than Just a Smart Business Move

  

  Last Tuesday, Equally Wed magazine held a National Starbucks Appreciation Day and encouraged people to go to Starbucks to show support for their pro-gay rights... Read more

  Posted on 13 August 2012 BUSINESS, LGBTQ, LOVE & SEX, SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• A Reflection on Three Years of Blogging

  

  The way all good things begin.Three years ago today, I inaugurated this blog with its first post. At one point in it, I explained that I’d moved to WordPress. Read more

  Posted on 13 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Is Casual Sex Intrinsically Demeaning?

  

  Many well-intentioned people decry casual sex (or hooking up, or what have you) and argue that there’s something inherently demeaning about it–that you’re just... Read more

  Posted on 12 August 2012 WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Choosing Our Battles: A Chick-Fil-A Rant

  

  This is an expanded version of a rant that I spontaneously posted on this blog’s Facebook page yesterday.[Also, snark warning. Haven't used one of those in a... Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• [Guest Post] The Importance of Skepticism and Critical Thinking in American...

  

  This post was written by a fellow skeptic and student of psychology, Matthew Facciani.At best, a lack of skepticism and critical thinking in our society will... Read more

  Posted on 08 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Occasional Link Roundup

  

  So, I think that at this point I can officially stop pretending that I do my link roundups on Sundays, or that I do them weekly. Read more

  Posted on 08 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• A Texas Republican (Who Else?) Thinks Schools Need Mandatory Bible Reading

  

  Hey, you know what will help teens avoid pregnancy? Comprehensive sex education, right?Nah.Here’s Rep. Debbie Riddle, a Republican in the Texas state... Read more

  Posted on 07 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• “Don’t Feed the Trolls”: Reexamining a Tired Maxim

  

  Allow me to get meta here for a moment.I’ve noticed that a very common response to nasty internet comments is to repeat the mantra, “Don’t feel the trolls. Read more

  Posted on 03 August 2012 SOCIETY, WOMEN'S ISSUES

• Abortion and Suicide: A Spurious Link

  

  In South Dakota, it is now legal to require doctors to tell women seeking abortions that they are putting themselves at risk for suicide.This move is brilliant... Read more

  Posted on 02 August 2012 WOMEN'S ISSUES