I do think we needed more information here, but changing someone's genitals without their permission isn't right. We need to understand the cultural significance of this practice (and I see a lot of discussion going on here about just that) but we also need to question it. Just because it comes from a culture that has…

Of course we need to be aware of cultural power structures in place. I see complicated discussion going on here about just that. No one's talking about barging into Egypt, guns blazing, screaming that Egyptian women should be treated just like American women (with all the flaws and complications therein). People are…

Oh, you're worried about white people being a minority? Why? Are minorities treated like second-class citizens or something?

No, I wouldn't endorse it either, but I can understand her desperation at trying to find help and receiving none.

I corrected myself. I acknowledged that that sounded like a huge generalization, apologized, and said I wish I could edit my post to reflect that. Did you just not read that part?

Ah! Sorry, I meant to reply to someone else...

This. I've dealt with these assumptions a lot, too. I've also had lesbian women refuse to date me because I'm bisexual. Everyone assumes we're cheaters.

Just because my feelings vary doesn't mean I'm prone to cheating. If that's your assumption, then you have some biases to work out.

I guess that's where we'll have to agree to disagree, because ignoring these people has never made them go away for me or anyone else I know. They don't generally stop unless someone stands up to them, like any other bully.

The article doesn't say she was in the right, it says she felt like there was nothing else she could do.

Of course she acted wrongly, but if someone threatened to rape you and no one did anything about it, what would you do? You'd try to stand up for yourself. Did she go about it the right way? No. But I can understand her desperation. This kid's parents don't even hold him responsible for his actions. It doesn't matter…

This perspective is really interesting and refreshing to me. I don't think it'd be exploitative as long as you are aware of these issues (which you obviously are) and are respectful of your partner. I don't even think there's anything wrong with experimenting as long as you and your potential partner are both aware of…

This, 100% this. I'm bisexual, too, and while I do love it and don't shy away from talking about it, I still get annoyed when others expect it to be performative. I get even more annoyed when other bisexual women buy into that. Yes, we're underrepresented. Yes, the best way to combat that is to be out and proud. But…

I wonder if I could shave that into my pubic hair...

No, I agree with you there, too. This wasn't a scientific study in the slightest. It does, however, allow us to have a discussion about the ways men and women are socialized.

I'm wondering, too, if this is because there's a somewhat "passive" role in being penetrated. (Caution: heteronormativity ahead, just for the sake of argument, I promise. Stick with me here, though, I think about stuff like this a lot...) If a partner during sexting would say something like, "I can't wait to be inside…

No one here is hailing this as a major scientific discovery, or even as a credible argument. It does seem to serve as a catalyst for good discussion about the different ways men and women are socialized, though.

I agree, although I'm pretty sure that our resilience isn't inherent, it's learned from years and years of discrimination, haha. This kind of stuff is what I point to when people ask me how feminism can be good for men.

I'm with you on the computer science stuff. I'm an English Lit. major, but I'm going to get my Master's in Library/Information Sciences in the next few years, so I'm taking some Computer Science courses to be better prepared for what I'll be doing in my Master's program. Guys there tolerate me, probably because most…

Except when you have sexism thrown at you from the moment you're aware of your gender, you're constantly fighting an uphill battle on top of whatever else society expects you to do. Getting dressed? Better watch what you wear, wouldn't want to be either too suggestive OR too prudish. Walking to class? Gotta get there…