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Meredith Ralston

Meredith Ralston

Professor of Women's Studies and Political Studies, Mount Saint Vincent University
My research work has been mainly in the areas of women and politics, slut-shaming and sex work in Canada and the Philippines.

In my new book, Slut-Shaming, Whorephobia, and the Unfinished Sexual Revolution published by McGill-Queen's University Press in June, I examine the common denominators between the #MeToo movement, the myths of rape culture, and the pleasure gap between men and women to reveal the ways that sexually liberated women threaten the traditional patriarchy. Weaving in history, pop culture, philosophy, interviews with sex workers, and anecdotes, I show how women will achieve sexual equality only when the sexual double standard and good girl/bad girl binary are eliminated and women viewed by society as “whores” are destigmatized. Illustrating how women’s sexuality is policed by both men and women, I argue that women must be allowed the same personal autonomy as men: the freedom to make sexual decisions for themselves, to obtain orgasm equality, and to insist on their own sexual pleasure. Dispelling the myth that all sex workers are victims and all clients are violent, the book calls out Western society’s hypocrisy about sex and shows how stigma and the marginalization of sex workers harms all women.

Kamala Harris’s run for president is getting ugly, but Republican misogyny may backfire this time

Jul 27, 2024 12:51 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

United States Vice President Kamala Harris is making a bid for the Oval Office, replacing President Joe Biden to square off against Republican Donald Trump. She may become the first woman and second racialized person to...

Sex workers' rights: Governments should not decide what constitutes good or bad sex

Sep 28, 2023 02:59 am UTC| Health

An Ontario Superior Court justice has dismissed a constitutional challenge to Canadas sex work laws, saying that the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) does not violate sex workers Charter...

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Economy

Oil Prices Surge Past $100 as U.S.-Israel War on Iran Threatens Global Energy Supply

Global oil prices spiked sharply on Thursday, with West Texas Intermediate crude futures briefly breaching the $100-per-barrel threshold amid escalating military tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Brent...

Iran-Israel War Escalates: Energy Infrastructure Attacks Shake Global Oil Markets

The ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran reached a dangerous new threshold this week as Iran accused Israel of striking facilities within the massive South Pars gas field one of the worlds largest...

S&P Affirms Kuwait's AA- Credit Rating Amid Strait of Hormuz Disruption

SP Global Ratings has reaffirmed Kuwaits strong AA-/A-1+ sovereign credit ratings with a stable outlook, even as ongoing Middle East conflict continues to disrupt the countrys oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. The...

Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Eyes Helium Supply Risks Amid Middle East Conflict

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Bank of Japan Holds Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns and Yen Weakness

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to keep its short-term benchmark interest rate at 0.75% following its March 19 policy meeting, marking a pause after its 25 basis point hike last December. While no immediate rate...

Politics

Trump Eyes Troop Deployment to Middle East Amid Escalating Iran Conflict

The Trump administration is weighing a significant military escalation in the Middle East, with reports indicating that thousands of U.S. troops could be deployed to the region as part of its ongoing campaign against Iran....

Russian Drone Strikes Hit Odesa Apartments and Lviv Security HQ

Russian drone attacks targeted multiple Ukrainian cities in the early hours of Thursday, causing widespread damage and injuries across the country. In the southern port city of Odesa, drones struck several residential...

Venezuela Appoints New Defense Minister as Rodriguez Reshapes Military Leadership

Venezuelas acting President Delcy Rodriguez has appointed Major General Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez as the countrys new Defense Minister, replacing long-serving General Vladimir Padrino Lopez in what analysts are calling the...

Costa Rica Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Cuba Amid Growing U.S. Pressure

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves made a bold geopolitical statement on Wednesday, announcing that his country no longer recognizes the legitimacy of Cubas communist government and is shutting down the Cuban embassy in...

Israel Doubles Troops at Lebanon Border, Searches Evacuated Villages

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Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

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SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

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NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

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Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Micron Technology Beats Q2 Earnings Estimates, Issues Strong AI-Driven Outlook

Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) delivered a standout second-quarter performance, surpassing Wall Street expectations on both earnings and revenue as surging demand for AI-optimized memory chips continues to reshape the...

Microsoft Eyes Legal Action as Amazon-OpenAI Deal Threatens Azure Exclusivity

Microsoft is reportedly considering legal action against both Amazon and OpenAI following the announcement of a massive $50 billion cloud computing partnership between the two companies. According to the Financial Times,...

Alibaba Bets on AI Agents to Unify Its Vast Digital Ecosystem

Alibaba is doubling down on artificial intelligence by deploying AI agents designed to connect its wide-ranging portfolio of consumer and enterprise services. The strategy marks a significant pivot one that positions the...

AMD CEO Lisa Su Heads to Samsung's South Korea Chip Facility Amid AI Expansion Talks

Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su is scheduled to visit Samsung Electronics semiconductor manufacturing complex in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, marking a significant step in deepening the two companies strategic partnership....

NVIDIA Resumes China AI Chip Production Amid $1 Trillion Revenue Forecast

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang confirmed Tuesday that the company is restarting manufacturing of its H20 chip for the Chinese market, after receiving export licenses from the U.S. government. The announcement came during the GTC...
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