Link Roundup: Beit Shemesh Riots and Gender-Neutral Toys
Following the riots, about ten thousand Israelis gathered in Beit Shemesh to protest gender segregation. The protest featured several speakers, including Hadassa Margolese, mother of Na’ama Margolese, Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni, and Labor Party chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the gender discrimination and vowed to “exercise the fullest extent of the law against those who harass women in public places.” [Haaretz]
Author Elana Sztokman explained the significance of a 15th century siddur that substitutes the blessing “shelo asani isha,” which thanks G-d for “not making me a woman,” with “Baruch she’asani isha v’lo ish,” meaning “Thank G-d for making me a woman and not a man.” [The Sisterhood]
http://www.flickr.com/bossone
During the holiday season, a YouTube video appeared featuring a bright 4-year-old girl named Riley, who expressed her frustration with the toy industry for marketing toys based on gender stereotypes. [TIME] And Peggy Orenstein, in a New York Times op-ed piece on December 31, suggested ways to untangle the nature-vs-nurture debates over boys’ and girls’ styles of play. [NY Times]
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One comment on “Link Roundup: Beit Shemesh Riots and Gender-Neutral Toys”
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This is ridiculous. I dont understand why some people cant keep their traditions and beliefs to themselves. Nobody is really going out of their way to bother the ultra-orthodox, except maybe Tanya Rosenblit. Just as other people accept and respect what the ultra-orthodox believe, the ultra-orthodox should accept and respect what everybody else believes.