Senator Jeff Sessions faces a Senate confirmation hearing today - so far he's been questioned about abortion, same-sex marriage and more - we bring you the latest; a neuroscientist's take on gender neutral parenting - is it futile?; California Governor Jerry Brown unveils his 2017 budget proposal; and more.
First Trump nominee confirmation hearing underway
It's Day One of Senate confirmation hearings for Donald Trump's cabinet nominees.
The Attorney General position is up first, with Senator Jeff Sessions facing the Judiciary Committee. So far this morning the Alabama Republican Senator has been questioned about abortion rights, same-sex marriage, and prosecuting pornographers.
Guest:
Timothy Alberta, national political reporter, POLITICO; he tweets
Gender neutral parenting debate fueled by conflicting analysis of scientific data
With growing awareness of gender fluidity in children (see this month's National Geographic for instance), neuroscientists such as Debra Soh are pushing back against the corresponding trend of gender-neutral parenting.
Writing in the Los Angeles Times last week, the York University researcher argues: "Offering kids the opportunity to pursue what they’d like, freed from societal expectations, is an undeniably positive thing — whether it has to do with toys, clothing, or their future aspirations. But the scientific reality is that it’s futile to treat children as blank slates with no predetermined characteristics. Biology matters."
However, not all academics make the same conclusions about the scientific data. Professor Melissa Luke of Syracuse University said while neuroscience can map gender differences in the brain, she says gender-normative socialization begins as soon as a baby is born. Luke, who teaches school counselors how to work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, argues children’s brains are constantly shaped by the outside world, so it is almost impossible to argue that biology alone determines a child’s gender identity.
What has been your experience as either a parent or son or daughter when it comes to gender normative or gender neutral parenting?
Guests:
Debra Soh, Ph.D., candidate in Sexual Neuroscience, York University; columnist for “Playboy” magazine; she tweets
Melissa Luke, professor and coordinator of the School Counseling program Syracuse University, specializing in counseling for LGBT youth
Lawmakers, budget watchers’ first look at Governor Brown’s 2017-2018 state budget proposal
California Governor Jerry Brown unveiled his budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year today and for the first time in four years, it projects a deficit of about $1.6 billion.
In a letter he wrote to the legislature, Governor Brown calls the budget “the most difficult that we have faced since 2012” but says that rollbacks of planned spending increases and reallocation of money earmarked for things like affordable housing and state office building renovations will ensure the budget stays balanced while still putting state funds into things like counteracting poverty and increasing funding for K-12 and higher education in the state.
You can see the full budget summary here and read more about some of its highlights from KQED California politics and government reporter Marisa Lagos here.
Guests:
Marisa Lagos, reporter for KQED’s California Government and Politics desk; she tweets
H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the California Department of Finance
Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget & Policy Center
Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia), State Assemblyman representing the 33rd Assembly District and Assembly Republican Caucus Budget Committee Vice Chair
How sex workers might advertise now that Backpage adult section has shut down
The shutdown of the adult section on Backpage.com, one of the biggest classified ads sites in the world, took sex workers across the country by surprise on Monday.
The site’s founders say it has become the target of a government “witch hunt” after a Senate report alleging that Backpage was facilitating criminal activity by editing out terms in adult ads that could indicate prostitution or trafficking. They appeared before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations this morning regarding the report. Former California Attorney General Kamala Harris has accused Backpage of being designed to be “the world’s top online brothel” and other critics say the site facilitates the pimping of and women and children. Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer was arrested in October on charges of conspiracy and pimping, which set off protests from sex workers who worried that shutting down sites like Backpage would drive sex workers back underground and leave them on the streets.
The abrupt end to posting adult ads on Backpage leaves many sex workers in limbo as those who don’t have a regular clientele wondering where they will advertise their services. Sites like Backpage and Craigslist don’t allow adult ads anymore and other sites like Rentboy and Redbook no longer exist.
Where will sex industry workers advertise now that Backpage doesn’t allow adult ads? What will the overall impact on sex workers and the industry as a whole be?
Guests:
Carrie Nation, a Los Angeles-based escort and an active member of the Sex Workers Outreach Project, Los Angeles Chapter
Scott Cunningham, Associate Professor of Economics at Baylor University who specializes in the economics of criminal activity, and the intersection of technology and the law
Why saying sorry is so hard sometimes
I’m sorry: these simple words can also be the most powerful ones in the English language.
But there’s an art to saying sorry, says noted psychologist Harriet Lerner, author of the new book, “Why Won’t You Apologize?” When done right, an apology can heal wounds and restore trust. But an errant apology can cause more harm than good.
Larry Mantle speaks with Lerner about the power of saying sorry.
Guest:
Harriet Lerner, psychologist and author of many books, including her latest, “Why Won’t You Apologize?” (Touchstone Hardcover, 2017)