Category: Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Puerto Rican activist discusses life, poems

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date May 22, 2013

Luzma Umpierre-Herrera, a leading and out lesbian Puerto Rican poet and critic, was in Chicago this past week to present on her work.

Chicago Chronicles Prison industrial complex Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality Reporting

Beth Richie on race, gender and the ‘prison nation’

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date May 22, 2013

“Excerpt: I realized that in some ways the closing of the buildings doesn’t change all that much, because as we close more buildings, we put more people in ankle bracelets, under house arrest, or make their probation longer.”

Immigration Politics Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Undocumented vs. Illegal: A Distinction without a Difference

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date December 11, 2012

Academia Chicago Chronicles Feminism Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

On Jim Hubbard’s “United in Anger” and Jeff Edwards

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date November 29, 2012

Edwards would have been metaphorically and literally run out of Chicago if he had been anything but a white, gay man.

Feminism Politics Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Mourdock, Donnelly, Abortion, and the Wrath of Gods

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date October 24, 2012

To put it bluntly: both men would rather see women die than have abortions because they wanted to.

Feminism Prison industrial complex Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Is Slutwalk the End of Feminism?

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date October 9, 2012

If feminism is to remain relevant, it needs to become more intractable, not less, and it needs to see itself working beyond the landscape of the personal.

Capitalism, Class, Inequality Feminism Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Her Royal Hymen: Kate Middleton Drops Top, Finds Modesty, Helps Brand Britain

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date September 27, 2012

Excerpt: In the case of Kate Middleton, what we see is a reinventing of her as not exactly virginal but at least as modest and easily shocked, a reinvention that allows her to take her rightful place in the hymenal economy of Brand Britain.

Hate Crime Legislation Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

“Beyond Gay Marriage”: A roundtable discussion in In These Times

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date July 24, 2012

“The people who are going to benefit the most from gay marriage will be the ones who already have the resources.”

I was part of a roundtable discussion on what it means to get “Beyond Gay Marriage” in In These Times. Many thanks to Rebecca Burns for initiating this.

An excerpt:

It is probably true that hate crimes legislation and anti-bullying laws in Washington are connected to gay marriage—but that is exactly the problem. Marriage solidifies the idea that the “inclusion” of LGBT people is the solution, and it has been accompanied by a push for inclusion in the military and in hate crimes and anti-bullying legislation. But this ignores the fundamental inequality perpetuated by these institutions—marriage, the military, the criminal justice system. Hate crimes and anti-bullying legislation are punitive measures that will drive the prison-industrial complex and the school-to-prison pipeline.

You can read the rest here. Contact me if you need a pdf.

Chicago Chronicles Feminism Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

The Politics of Storytelling

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date June 18, 2012

Extract: We are not connected by the truth or universality of our experiences because our experiences are not universal. Instead, we are connected by the systemic links between the oppressions that grind us down.

Capitalism, Class, Inequality Gay Marriage Queer Politics, Culture, and History Race, Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Gay Marriage Hurts My Breasts

Post author By Yasmin Nair
Post date May 2, 2012

Excerpt: You want health care but not marriage or commitment? Tough titties. Get married or die.