Author: Rebecca Nagel (Rebecca Nagel)

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Binary is for computers sticker at a bar in Lugano, Switzerland.
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Unpacking Gender: Judith Butler’s Challenge to the Binary

Photo by Delia Giandeini on Unsplash Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble presents one of the most profound philosophical challenges to the traditional understanding of gender. Building upon Simone de Beauvoir’s foundational work, Butler delves into gender as a performative act, pushing the boundaries of the gender binary and asking us to reconsider how identity is constructed...

a transgender rights protest. people hold signs depicting the trans flag with sayings like "protect trans youth" and "end trans torture"
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The Trump Administration’s “Therapy First” Approach Is a Revival of State-Controlled Identity Disguised as Concern

Photo by Karollyne Videira Hubert on Unsplash The May 1, 2025 HHS report marks yet another chilling chapter in the Trump administration’s crusade against transgender people—this time under the guise of “protecting children.” With 409 pages of cherry-picked data and moral panic, the federal government is not just shifting health policy; it’s attempting to reassert...

What is Feminism?
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What is Feminism?

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash What is feminism? Feminism is a belief system, a movement, a piece of history, and so much more. Throughout the course of this semester, we have studied feminism, discussing feminist scholars, visual media, and our own experiences as women. Feminism is a commonly misunderstood movement, as some people don’t...

Free speech tastes better than cupcakes
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Free speech tastes better than cupcakes

In light of the “Canisius Cupcake Wars” published a few months ago, Brianna Nosal and I want to give the opinion of Canisius’ pro-choice students who attended the Plan B event. We would like to mention that while I have been awarded for my abortion activism on campus, the Canisius University Griffin Newspaper is still...

a photo of donald trump stating "fight tyranny'
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Trump’s 12-Hour Blitzkrieg on Women and LGBTQIA+ Rights

Photo by Samantha Sophia on Unsplash Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the President of the United States of America on January 20, 2025, at noon. After months of dread since election day, the nightmare has officially begun. It hasn’t even been 12 hours, and I am already terrified for the next four years. While...

Cyberfeminism and the Digitized Zine Movement
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Cyberfeminism and the Digitized Zine Movement

Photo by Sinitta Leunen on Unsplash Third and Fourth Wave Feminism are academically argued waves of feminism, as their qualities aren’t as apparent as First and Second Wave Feminism. In this post, I will dive into the concepts of zines and how digital zines and social media have impacted Fourth Wave Feminism in the 2010s...

What Brendan Carr as Chairman of the FCC Means for Queer Youth
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What Brendan Carr as Chairman of the FCC Means for Queer Youth

In recent news, President-Elect Donald Trump announced the chairman of the FCC during his presidency will be Republican Brendan Carr. Personally, I had no idea who Brendan Carr was when this was announced, but after some research, I am arguing that Brendan Carr will be a harmful chairman during his 4-year term as chairman of...