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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...

Economy

Australia Unveils $627M Incentive to Boost Construction Apprenticeships Ahead of Election

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a A$10,000 ($6,281) cash incentive for construction apprentices to address labor shortages in the overstretched industry. The program, costing A$627 million over...

Venture Global LNG Raises $1.75 Billion in IPO Amid Adjusted Valuation

Venture Global LNG has successfully raised $1.75 billion through its U.S. IPO after pricing 70 million shares at $25 each. The offering was adjusted from an initial plan of 50 million shares priced at $40 to $46 to a...

Japanese Manufacturing PMI Drops Sharply in January, Services Sector Gains Momentum

Japans manufacturing activity contracted for the seventh consecutive month in January, according to preliminary au Jibun Bank data, as the purchasing managers index (PMI) fell to 48.8 from Decembers 49.6. The reading,...

Trump Demands Global Rate Cuts, Pressures OPEC on Oil Prices

U.S. President Donald Trump called for OPEC to lower oil prices and demanded global interest rate cuts during his address to the World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump warned that countries manufacturing products outside the...

China's Central Bank Keeps MLF Loan Rate Steady at 2.00%

Chinas central bank, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC), conducted a medium-term lending facility (MLF) operation on Friday, offering 200 billion yuan ($27.46 billion) in one-year loans to financial institutions. The...

Politics

Trump Optimistic About Trade Deal After Talk with China's Xi

Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching a trade agreement with China after a recent phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In an interview with Fox News, Trump described the conversation...

Trump Launches Crypto Overhaul with National Stockpile Plan

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order establishing a cryptocurrency working group to propose new regulations and explore a national cryptocurrency stockpile. This move underscores his promise to...

Trump Seeks Immediate Meeting with Putin to End Ukraine War

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed a strong desire to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war, prioritizing saving lives over economic considerations. Speaking via video at the World...

Trump Administration Ends Diversity Programs, Reshapes Federal Workforce

The Trump administration, under its broader agenda to overhaul federal bureaucracy, has dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across government agencies. In a speech to the World Economic Forum,...

Trump Issues Order to Solidify U.S. Dominance in AI Innovation

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to reinforce the United States as a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI). The directive aims to advance innovation by removing regulatory barriers while...

Science

Most of us trust scientists, shows a survey of nearly 72,000 people worldwide

Public trust in scientists is vital. It can help us with personal decisions on matters like health and provide evidence-based policymaking to assist governments with crises such as the COVID pandemic or climate change. In...

Astronauts on NASA’s Artemis mission to the Moon will need better boots − here’s why

The U.S.s return to the Moon with NASAs Artemis program will not be a mere stroll in the park. Instead it will be a perilous journey to a lunar location representing one of the most extreme environments in the solar...

Why Africa’s young scientists should help check the quality of climate change research

Scientific research is essential for addressing the climate crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a United Nations body, assesses the science on climate change through its regular assessment...

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy provides in-house science advice for the president

Presidents need science advice. From climate change and pandemics to the governance of AI and the countrys nuclear arsenal, science sits at the center of a range of foreign and domestic policy challenges that reach the...

Double Moonshot: Japan’s ispace and Firefly Launch Lunar Missions

In a significant stride for lunar exploration, Japanese company ispace and U.S.-based Firefly Aerospace launched moon landers aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida. This rare double mission highlights the growing competition...

Technology

Rivian to Revolutionize Driving with 2025 Hands-Free Tech

Electric vehicle maker Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) plans to roll out advanced hands-free driver assistance systems in 2025 and eyes-off technology in 2026, CEO RJ Scaringe announced. These innovations aim to provide significant...

OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle Unite for Exclusive AI Data Centers in the U.S.

Stargate, a groundbreaking joint venture by OpenAI, SoftBank (TYO:9984), and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), is set to transform the artificial intelligence landscape with exclusive data centers in the U.S. These centers will solely...

Tesla Unveils Revamped Model Y with March Deliveries

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has introduced an updated version of its popular Model Y, starting at $59,990. The revamped Model Y long-range variant promises enhanced features and performance, with deliveries scheduled to begin in...

Elon Musk Criticizes President Trump’s $500B Stargate AI Project

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has voiced doubts over the financial feasibility of President Donald Trumps $500 billion Stargate project, unveiled Tuesday. The initiative aims to establish an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)...

Tesla to Raise Car Prices in Canada Starting February 1

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is set to increase prices for all its vehicles in Canada beginning February 1, as per updates on its Canadian website. The price adjustments will affect the popular Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model...