GenderIT.org feminist talk

In Eastern Europe there is a spread of anti-gender discourse and in this context the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex (LGBTI) people is precarious. This article explores the protection for free speech, religion and for LGBTI rights in Poland. 

For some of us pleasure in our work is possible, even if it is to find the breaking and bending points in the institutions of policy and law. But even though political and particularly feminist frameworks make space for pleasure, where is the space for that in legal or policy language at the international or national level?

The internet is made up of many kinds of spaces knitted together - from the public to somewhat private to the many grey zones in between. Here is how queer black people find public corners for celebrating and self-care through Finstas.

In this podcast by Tiff and Manda, they explore what is happening when the internet enters the worlds(s) of lesbian, bisexual, queer women and others. Does it open up possibilities of those sliding into our DMs or can it be risky and even dangerous to be openly LGBTQI online. 

Between right-wing governments and corporate capture of online spaces, there are interesting shifts in how sexuality is censored and governed online and offline. This article looks at the reach and over-reach of laws related to obscenity and censorship in South Asia and the impact that has had on free speech around sex, sex work and sexuality.

In this last week there has been an uproar in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer people in Ethiopia, and also a backlash of online threats, harassment and violence.

In this last week there has been an uproar in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer people in Ethiopia, and also a backlash of online threats, harassment and violence. Tigist Hussen examines what is hopeful in all the noise and furore. 

Across Brazil, Bulgaria, Poland and at the international level there is a vicious and concerted attempt to dilute the language around gender in policy and UN mechanisms which targets any gains in gender equality, advocates exclusion of LGBTIQ people and restrictions on sexual and reproductive rights. The attack on gender is real and here, what are we going to do about it?

The rollout of the Huduma namba is taking place over Kenya. This article traces the experience of one young woman Nyangi as she tries to get a card, and more broadly the problems and hurdles posed by the system of digital identity.

Food and in particular nutrition for children is a widely debated topic on social media, media and onground in India, and the reason for this is how caste plays a role. This article breaks down why the imposition of veganism or a savarna diet would harm children who are poor and do not have access to the same privileges as others.

This article explores mental health facilities in Kenya and if artificial intelligence can provide solutions for the dire need for infrastructure. Even if the use of artificial intelligence poses a solution to this, there are risks for data and privacy, algorithmic bias and large scale misdiagnosis. AI can only work when alongside human and humane treatment.

In this exploration of the questions of access and economy for women in Ghana, the author takes a closer look at the digital gender-gap. When women don't have equal access to the internet then what are the economic implications?

The Tumblr porn ban reveals how laws in one country against sex trafficking can be used to police content online, and especially has an impact on queer, trans and other sexuality related content. Here Tiffany Mugo talks about what that does to the discourse around sex positivity online.

In Ghana sexual assault is vastly under-reported and there is a huge barrier in the police procedures for reporting of crimes. In this article based on multiple interviews, the author explores what role technology can play in addressing this, and can public discourse and visibility around sexual assault lead to change?

The second in a series on queerness and privacy, this article explores the relevance of what is legally understood as privacy in the lives of queer people and communities living in the "global South". In this article, the contradictions between online dating for queer and gay people and the precarity of their daily lives is explored.

Do you want to organise an edit-a-thon around gender, women in STEM, movements and feminist histories of organising or anything else? Here are a list of (5 and more) things to watch out for - including the safety of your participants and how to navigate the tricky but sometimes essential rules of editing content on Wikipedia. 

What is the social and cultural understanding of privacy? In the wake of the judgments on decriminalising homosexuality and assuring people of their right to privacy, one writer ponders on the value of privacy in relation to the lived realities of queer and gay people.

An illustrated journal and love letter to the feminists, hackers, women, gender-diverse, astrology-believers, radical nay-sayers, hikers, sleepers, vegans, beef-eaters, and everyone else who gathered in Nepal for the Take back the Tech and Feminist Tech Exchange camps in August 2018.

Beyond saying that we as activists and feminists need self-care, how do we reach this space within ourselves? Here is one person's journey.

What does content moderation on social media actually entail - how much artificial intelligence and human labour is being used, who is responsible for decisions around the removal of content or about what complaints to ignore? An insider from social media companies shares 5 concise insights on how social media giants actually work.