Episode 63: Sexism and Gender Roles
In this episode of Life, the Universe & Everything Else, Donna Harris discusses sexism and gender roles with Richelle McCullough, Leslie Saunders, Robert Shindler, and Greg Christensen.
Life, the Universe & Everything Else is a program promoting secular humanism and scientific skepticism presented by the Winnipeg Skeptics and the Humanists, Atheists & Agnostics of Manitoba.
Links: Kim O’Grady Lands Job After Adding ‘Mr.’ to His Resume | Riley on Marketing | Two-year-old Boy Called ‘Faggot’ for Wearing Pink Headband | When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink? | Centre for Social Justice: Gender Inequality | House of Commons Has a ‘Locker Room’ Mentality of Casual Sexism | Chubby-chasing Sex Trolls Ran Me Offline, Says Fashion Blogger | Missing Winnipeg Woman’s Body Pulled from River, Days After Her Two Children Found Dead | Chris Benoit Double-murder and Suicide
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The Winnipeg Skeptics 
I just happened to catch this episode while working through my podcast backlog, and I wanted to drop by to say I loved it! You did a pretty good job of covering the basic issues, and hit many of the main arguments and counters.
If I have a complaint, it’s that you didn’t incorporate much scientific research and data. There’s been over a hundred years of studies into sex and gender (eg. Woolley, H.T. (1914) “The Psychology of Sex”), and dipping into the literature might have strengthened what you’d said.
It might also have changed it, too; for instance, you mentioned Canada does well on issues of gender and pay, citing a gendered wage gap of 80%-ish. That’s actually low for a developed nation, and worse it shows signs of stagnation or even degradation (The Conference Board of Canada).
I note you also skipped the sexual assault issue, which is understandable. It’s a tough issue to discuss, and the numbers are extremely depressing (the Toronto Police Service has a good thumbnail). It might be worth revisiting, however, if only to puncture several myths around sexual assault.
This episode has me looking forward to the one with Greta Christina, though!
HJ Hornbeck,
Legion of Reason podcast