Gender

Mexico is one of the most progressive countries in Latin America in terms of LGBTQ+ rights today. A recent study found that it has, in fact, had more openly LGBTQ+ politicians and has passed more anti-discrimination legislation than the USA. The same study also found that in Mexico, identifying...

A man walks out a men-only bar in downtown Tunis. Suddenly he looks extremely small. Next to him is an unusual sight in town, a mural encouraging women to be bold, fearless and self-loving. This feminist mural, the first of its kind in Tunis, features two women: one them...

The current world population of 7.3 billion is expected to reach 11.2 billion by 2100. And the world can barely support the number of people it contains now. During 2015 to 2050, half of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in nine countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan,...

On the 19th of March 2018, retired judge Paula-Mae Weekes was sworn in as President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Weeks prior, on the 6th of February, Trinidad Guardian journalist Joel Julien published an article confirming that Weekes was “not a lesbian.” On the 25th of May...

The current Iranian government is again trying to pass a law that would finally criminalize domestic violence, reviving an unsuccessful draft from five years ago. However, the efforts to finally provide victims, and potential victims, with the protections they deserve are at risk of being undermined due to resistance...

A group of politicians from the bancada evangelica (the evangelical lobby) have declared war on female reproductive rights in Brazil. Among them is Jorge Tadeu Mudalen of the House of Representatives, who recently modified a proposed constitutional amendment (PEC 181) to include a clause that would make abortion illegal...

On Monday April 23rd 2018, the driver of a white van ran over a pedestrian in the streets of Toronto, Canada. Then, the van climbed onto the sidewalk and proceeded to plough over people indiscriminately. The incident ended with 10 victim fatalities and 14 people injured, according to the Toronto Police....

Before taking up their materials, the audience was asked to really look at the models' bodies - to draw what they saw and not to create an idealised version for fear of offending them. This was a space to celebrate the diversity of human bodies....

On 31 March 2018, the world will observe the annual International Transgender Day of Visibility, dedicated to celebrating trans people and raising awareness about discrimination they face worldwide. In binary (male-female) gender systems, trans people include those who have a different gender identity from what they were assigned at birth,...

Despite the conflict present in Libya since 2011, a rapid spread of entrepreneurship and startups among Libyan women has contributed to the effort to rebuild the state in the regions where peace has been established. Among these strong women is a young Libyan lawyer named Hala Bugaighis. Bugaighis co-founded the first...

People fight for social justice in many different ways. Some get involved in communities that are victims of injustice, others go into the street to join a demonstration. What may seem more unusual is fighting for social justice through performing arts, like Justice in Motion Company does. We interviewed...

On a late and cold Sunday evening in Tunis, it was too late to find a café that stays open long enough for two women to settle in for a long talk. When we met Tunisian street artist Sangoura, we went from one café to the next the streets...

Since 28 December 2017, there have been several protests and demonstrations in Iran. They began as opposition protests to the government’s economic policies which favor the richest parts of the population, while the low-middle class, although educated, struggles to make ends meet. Soon thereafter, the protests developed into politically...

Boy, my body is not your home. You are a guest.   These powerful words fill the room of Bowery Poetry Slam on a cold New York Monday evening in February, words of toxic masculinity, female empowerment and the pain of abortion fill the air. How dare you tell...

The field of international development is rife with buzzwords—consider terms like good governance or rights-based—these are terms that are invoked often but offer only a shallow description of the issue at hand. When the United Nations Development Program, for example, states that it promotes good governance, it is not...