What The Proposed Legal Definition Of Gender Would Mean, ‘Sextortion’ Cyberbullying Becomes More Prominent Among Teens

Air Date:
Heard On The Morning Show
The National Center for Transgender Equality, NCTE, and the Human Rights Campaign gather on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 22, 2018, for a #WontBeErased rally. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The Trump administration’s plan to narrowly define gender could dramatically reduce federal protections for and recognition of transgender people. We discuss what effect creating a legal definition of gender would have, particularly for people who identify as transgender. We also learn what “sextortion” is in the realm of cyberbullying.

Featured in this Show

  • 'Sextortion' Is Becoming A Growing Issue Among Teens

    Five percent of teens say they’ve been a victim of ‘sextortion’ – an act that involves threatening to share embarrassing, vulnerable or sexual images with others unless certain demands are met. That’s according to a new study of American adolescents. We talk with a cyberbullying expert about the issue of sextortion, which has been identified by the U.S. Justice Department as the fastest-growing cyberthreat to children, as well as what can be done to try and prevent it.

  • Defining Away Protections For Transgender People

    Donald Trump’s administration is proposing a legal definition of gender that would strip transgender people of civil rights protections, according to a new report from The New York Times. We talk with a sociology professor about what it means to be a trans person, and what this new definition could mean for them at school, in the workplace, in healthcare, and beyond.

Episode Credits

  • John Munson Host
  • Chris Malina Producer
  • Laura Pavin Producer
  • Justin Patchin Guest
  • Brian Powell Guest