Review of a now-infamous series of episodes from the series The Island with Bear Grylls from 2015 here. Quite fascinating.

Article here. Excerpt:

'Military planners in Berlin are in the final stages of discussing three options, two of which involve a form of conscription, according to leaked plans reported in the German media.
...
In one of the options being discussed, Germany would bring back a compulsory military year for young men once they turn 18, which was suspended in 2011, and apply it to women as well. This would require a change to the German constitution, but is seen inside the ministry as most likely to receive societal approval.

Another option would only apply to 18-year-old men, but would not see everyone selected. They would be required to fill in an online form and could then be chosen for service, according to details leaked to Die Welt newspaper. This is seen by the defence ministry as “a strong signal” to both allies and rivals.

The third option would avoid compulsory service, focusing instead on “optimising” the current system by engaging in more proactive recruitment campaigns.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Economists who make the claim that gender employment gaps are due to women’s free choices assume that workplace environments are equally appealing to men and women. But this assumption neglects the concept of masculine defaults, to me, one of the most useful ideas in the recent literature on the psychology of gender. Masculine defaults in the workplace are systems, policies, and approaches to work that are based on traditional masculine norms. In such contexts, masculine qualities such as competitiveness, independence, assertiveness, and risk-taking are rewarded more than feminine qualities such as cooperation, teamwork, modesty, and patience. For example, employees who self-promote and negotiate for raises or positions are more likely to advance and achieve better outcomes in the workplace. Such masculine defaults characterize workplaces everywhere.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'A former sales chief is suing IBM's Red Hat for being sacked alongside 20 other white men during the software subsidiary's aggressive diversity push to hire more women and African Americans.

Allan Kingsley Wood, a white man, says he faced race and gender discrimination because of the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) scheme, which set hiring targets for women and minorities.

The case was filed by America First Legal (AFL), which is headed by former Trump administration official Stephen Miller, as part of a broader assault against DEI in businesses, colleges, and the military.

Miller's conservative action group highlights a leaked video recording from 2021 in which IBM CEO Arvind Krishna vowed to punish executives who failed to meet diversity-hiring quotas.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Governor Kathy Hochul announced a historic milestone in the ongoing transformation of JFK International Airport, where a record $2.3 billion in contracts have been awarded to minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE). This is the largest participation of MWBE firms on any public-private partnership project in New York state history. With construction of new airport facilities fully underway, MWBE participation at JFK will continue to break records until the redevelopment is substantially complete expected in 2028. JFK redevelopment also demonstrates a significant focus on working with local contractors, awarding more than $950 million in contracts to Queens-based businesses to date.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Tony George, the principal of The King’s School in North Parramatta, penned a piece in the school’s journal Leader, published on Tuesday. His article, titled A call to empathy: Educational Leadership at The King’s School, accused the media of creating “clickbait” stories to “deride” boys’ private schools in Australia.

“Instead of acknowledging and celebrating the significant achievement and contribution of independent schools to society, sections of government and the press seem intent on deriding independent boys’ schools with any story they can concoct,” George wrote.

The headmaster suggested terms like “toxic masculinity” have become a “memetic cliche”; that is, a cliche used to generate internet memes and jokes.

“To be clear, any kind of toxic behaviour is bad, whether by males or females in single-sex schools or co-ed schools,” George wrote.

Video here. In brief, he discusses the recent push to stop "femicide", contrasting the number of murders of men to that of women, and starts asking questions.

Article here. Excerpt:

'A UK teacher had a baby with an underage student she had sex with dozens of times — while out on bail for sex with another 15-year-old boy, jurors were told.

Manchester math teacher Rebecca Joynes, 30, groomed the first boy by taking him shopping for a Gucci belt worth the equivalent of around $430, the accuser told cops in an interview played in court, according to the Manchester Evening News.

She then drove him back to her apartment for unprotected sex, “laughing” when he told her he was too young even to drive, jurors were told.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Today, in South Korea, the "4B movement" − based on four Korean words that start with the letter B − is led by women protesting rampant misogyny, gender-based violence and discrimination.

These women are reclaiming their autonomy by refusing heterosexual marriage (“bihon”), childbirth (“bichulsan”), dating (“biyeonae”) and sex (“bisekseu”). Though some might want marriage or children, the risks of having to conform to traditional gender roles outweigh any benefits. Abstaining is the only way women can maintain a sense of self.
...
There are always exceptions to the rule, of course, but as women increasingly de-center men from their lives, having to no longer rely on a man for survival, men are threatened and mistaking women’s liberation for misandry, or hatred.

Article here. Excerpt:

'A museum in Australia is fighting to keep its exhibit women-only after a court ordered that men should be allowed entry under anti-discrimination laws.

Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art appealed on Tuesday to reverse the ruling, arguing it took "too narrow a view on women's historical and ongoing societal disadvantage" and how the Ladies Lounge can "promote equal opportunity".

The court issued its order in April following a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by New South Wales resident Jason Lau, who was denied entry into the lounge.

Kirsha Kaechele, the artist behind the lounge, has said she will challenge the ruling by making the space "compliant" with regulations.

The lounge, which contains some of the museum's most-acclaimed works - from Picasso to Sidney Nolan - has been closed to the public since the court's order.

Ms Kaechele's plans involve transforming the velvet-clad lounge into a women's toilet and a church - which she claims will allow it to continue operating as a women-only space under legal exemptions.'

Article here. Remember, selecting for boys is sexist and patriarchal, while selecting for girls is pregressive and an all-around positive! Excerpt:

'These patients are seeking not just choice. Many, like Amy, want daughters. The ability to act on that desire—an option mostly unheard of in the rest of the world—has sparked a small but growing trend in American family planning. It has expanded the concept of reproductive choice and bodily autonomy to for-profit procedures that will alter future generations. It speaks to a crisis in boys and lopsided expectations for daughters. And even among the people who are opting in, it’s creating concerns about the degree of control some parents are attempting to wield over a baby’s destiny—and whether they can ever really exert that control at all.
...
Grace, a 31-year-old who works in human resources (I’m referring to her by her middle name), told me, “When I think about having a child that’s a boy, it’s almost a repulsion, like, Oh my God, no.”

Article here. Don't hold your breath waiting for the GSA to go co-ed. They'll go out of business before letting those icky boys anywhere near them. Excerpt:

'Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history in a bid to 'boost inclusion'.

The Texas-based organization is set to become Scouting America as it hopes to improve participation amid flagging membership.

The historic change is the latest in a series designed to take the troop into the 21st century, including allowing gay youth and welcoming girls throughout its ranks.

It comes as the organization is emerging from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims.

'In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,' Roger Krone, who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer, said in an interview before the announcement.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'American men are opting out of the workforce at unforeseen rates.

For many, it's not an issue of not being able to find a job. They have simply opted out altogether. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found only 89 percent of working age men have a job or are actively looking for work. In 1950, that number was at 97 percent.

While the early 1950s saw around 96 percent of working age American men between the ages of 25 and 54 working full or part-time jobs, that proportion has now moved to just 86 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

And as fewer men financially support themselves, there are long-reaching economic and societal implications, experts say.'

Article here. Excerpt:

'The evolving definition of sex discrimination was a product of feminist advocacy. But that evolution always threatened—and continues to threaten—fundamental rights such as free speech and due process. By the subjective standards imposed under the DCL, "You look pretty today!" could qualify as Title IX sexual harassment if the statement is deemed hostile and affects someone's studies. So what happens, then, to free speech? And if students engage in sexual "hook ups" but later one student feels consent was lacking, are colleges equipped to investigate and adjudicate claims of criminal acts like assault and rape? What about protecting due process—such as the presumption of innocence and the right to see evidence—for those accused?'

Article here. Excerpt:

'I love being a guy.

My masculinity is something that I grew up being ashamed of expressing, growing up in a more conservative household. As a transgender man, I was in denial of it for a long time, and the day I decided not to be anymore felt like coming home from a decade-and-a-half shift of work where I could finally take off my shoes and rest. Nowadays, I take a lot of pride in the guy that I get to be and am growing into as well as the fact that being masc is no longer an evil, life-destroying specter looming over me.

All of the above are among the many reasons I refuse to get TikTok. A lot of more liberal spaces on the app — even (and especially) Queer spaces — tend to have very negative rhetoric around men and masculinity. Phrases like “kill all men” or “all men are trash” are common to hear while online. This has extended to in-person talking habits; if I had a dollar for every time I’ve had to grit my teeth and bear a friend saying something to this effect to my face, I might finally be rich enough to pay for law school.