Girls' clothes vs Boys' clothes

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/05/18/bc-williams-lake-high-school-homophobia.html#socialcomments

Okay, so here's the story. A bunch of kids got a Gay Straight Alliance to come to the school to talk about acceptance of differences, and they decided to have a gender bender in which they'd dress up as members of the opposite sex.

Here's what I find interesting. In the comments section, people keep saying that girls wear male clothes to school all the time. All these years later, pants are still considered to be men's clothing! I don't wear men's clothing. All of my clothes come from the women's section of the store, but because they're not dresses or skirts, even those supporting the event would say I wear men's clothing. Except of course for my pink clothing. Pink = girly.

The pink in this blog, btw, is a deliberate choice. I know how much many feminists hate pink because of the attitudes that come with it. I won't even engage in that. I like pink. Not that soft baby pink, but bright, in your face pink pleases me.

So, to the kids in Williams Lake, dress up! Or don't. But don't let them push you around for wearing what you want to. The school board was saying that anyone who dressed up would be suspended, but that's ridiculous. And it's a good reminder of why I don't support the burqa ban. When we start telling people what they can't wear, it's a slippery slope into intolerance and hatred. And that is not okay.

Rape your sister? No booze for you! Now go on your merry way...

Ya know, I really REALLY hate the way sexual assault is treated in this country.

A 25-year veteran of the Vancouver Police Department who pleaded guilty to incest has been given a one year conditional sentence.
The officer, who cannot be named under a publication ban, was sentenced on Wednesday morning at Vancouver Provincial Court. He was also given two years probation and a 9 p.m. curfew.
He was arrested in August 2009 after his sister complained he had non-consensual sex with her. A charge of sexual assault against the officer was stayed after he pleaded guilty to incest.
The officer was suspended with pay from the VPD until he resigned on October 30.
Judge Anthony J. Palmer said he must abstain from drugs and alcohol, but it not a threat to the public.

Oh, where to start? Let's see, the judge for giving him a conditional sentence! WTF? This guy rapes his sister, and is out on the street? At least he's not a cop anymore.

Then the ubiquitous "non-consensual sex" bit. Every time I see that fucking phrase, I just cringe and get mad. No, she didn't walk into the station and say, "My brother had non-consensual sex with me". I simply do not believe it. And I love that she "complained". I know it's a technical term, but if you use it in a sentence like this one, it takes away from the technical aspect of it and it sounds like something one would do if the mosquitoes were extra bad.

Does anyone reading this know what the incest laws are in Canada? I don't. But isn't incest usually considered a consensual thing, even though it's illegal? Did he just plead guilty to consensual sex with his sister? And did that get him a curfew, a ban on drugs (?! Isn't that already illegal?) and drinking, and nothing more?

There is something seriously wrong with this country's treatment of sex offenders.