Dr. Canton Winer
@cantonwiner.bsky.social
Asst. Prof of Sociology and Gender/Sexuality Studies
Follow me for thoughts about (a)sexuality, gender, and society
Subscribe to my free asexuality research newsletter: https://substack.com/home/post/p-151034229?source=queue
Follow me for thoughts about (a)sexuality, gender, and society
Subscribe to my free asexuality research newsletter: https://substack.com/home/post/p-151034229?source=queue
Pinned
Dr. Canton Winer
@cantonwiner.bsky.social
· Nov 15
I’m not on the asexuality spectrum. But as a queer, feminist researcher, I think we should all care about asexuality.
Why? Because asexual perspectives can help us better understand sexuality—and gender, race, disability, family, love, etc.
Here’s why:
Why? Because asexual perspectives can help us better understand sexuality—and gender, race, disability, family, love, etc.
Here’s why:
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
“[B]ecause sex positivity is about expanding our freedom to participate in sex—but it is also about enabling us to decline intimacy that we don’t want. Consent is core to sex positivity.”
Wait also this wristband system sounds so genuinely helpful.
Wait also this wristband system sounds so genuinely helpful.
I’ve written before about how slut politics and asexuality also share more resonance than is apparent at first glance.
You can read about that here: open.substack.com/pub/cantonwi...
But I’m eager to think more about aromanticism and the queer resources it offers us.
You can read about that here: open.substack.com/pub/cantonwi...
But I’m eager to think more about aromanticism and the queer resources it offers us.
Sluts and Asexuals, Unite!
Reflecting on a slut-affirming night out
open.substack.com
October 8, 2025 at 9:59 PM
“[B]ecause sex positivity is about expanding our freedom to participate in sex—but it is also about enabling us to decline intimacy that we don’t want. Consent is core to sex positivity.”
Wait also this wristband system sounds so genuinely helpful.
Wait also this wristband system sounds so genuinely helpful.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
I knew I was poly before I knew I was aro (before aro as a term even existed). Relationship anarchy best describes my flavor of polyam. I used to think I was odd for considering myself poly, aro, AND acespec, but I’ve learned lots of people are; they’re fully compatible! Challenge amatonormativity!
Aromanticism and relationship anarchy share so much resonance with each other.
October 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM
I knew I was poly before I knew I was aro (before aro as a term even existed). Relationship anarchy best describes my flavor of polyam. I used to think I was odd for considering myself poly, aro, AND acespec, but I’ve learned lots of people are; they’re fully compatible! Challenge amatonormativity!
Aromanticism and relationship anarchy share so much resonance with each other.
October 8, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Aromanticism and relationship anarchy share so much resonance with each other.
We can’t take you seriously if you think “wokeness” is a bigger threat than authoritarianism.
[cough cough Bari Weiss]
[cough cough Bari Weiss]
October 7, 2025 at 1:41 PM
We can’t take you seriously if you think “wokeness” is a bigger threat than authoritarianism.
[cough cough Bari Weiss]
[cough cough Bari Weiss]
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
In today's @latimes.com, @georgianndavis.bsky.social writes about teaching statistics as an intersex scholar, and having to choose between lying to her students about the biological realities of sex and gender or teaching what the administration insists is true.
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Contributor: I'm an intersex professor. Am I supposed to lie by teaching 'only male and female'?
A campaign against teachers who acknowledge realities of human biology forces a choice: Teach truth and risk your job, or lie and maybe keep it.
www.latimes.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:33 PM
In today's @latimes.com, @georgianndavis.bsky.social writes about teaching statistics as an intersex scholar, and having to choose between lying to her students about the biological realities of sex and gender or teaching what the administration insists is true.
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
www.latimes.com/opinion/stor...
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
My special issue of The Sociological Quarterly on queer nightlife is out! A real passion project, attempting to articulate what unique contributions sociologists can make to a vibrant interdisciplinary conversation. It’s all open access for 6 months. www.tandfonline.com/toc/utsq20/6... #sociology
The Sociological Quarterly
Queer Nightlife. Volume 66, Issue 4 of The Sociological Quarterly
www.tandfonline.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:41 PM
My special issue of The Sociological Quarterly on queer nightlife is out! A real passion project, attempting to articulate what unique contributions sociologists can make to a vibrant interdisciplinary conversation. It’s all open access for 6 months. www.tandfonline.com/toc/utsq20/6... #sociology
What if gender isn’t something everyone has, but something we’re compelled to have?
My new Substack explores compulsory gender and how some people "detach" from gender.
Dive in: cantonwiner.substack.com/p/compulsory-gender-detachment
My new Substack explores compulsory gender and how some people "detach" from gender.
Dive in: cantonwiner.substack.com/p/compulsory-gender-detachment
Compulsory Gender
Do We All Need a Gender? Challenging Compulsory Gender
cantonwiner.substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:34 PM
What if gender isn’t something everyone has, but something we’re compelled to have?
My new Substack explores compulsory gender and how some people "detach" from gender.
Dive in: cantonwiner.substack.com/p/compulsory-gender-detachment
My new Substack explores compulsory gender and how some people "detach" from gender.
Dive in: cantonwiner.substack.com/p/compulsory-gender-detachment
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
New research from Canton Winer! Gender identity detachment: New term allows people to skip gender entirely. share.google/uoS3hFDjV2UR...
There’s a Shiny New Entry Into the Gender Lexicon. This One Changes the Ballgame.
Turns out there’s more to the gender spectrum than we’d imagined.
share.google
September 12, 2025 at 7:58 PM
New research from Canton Winer! Gender identity detachment: New term allows people to skip gender entirely. share.google/uoS3hFDjV2UR...
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
Now that Kirk's killer seems to be caught, maybe the news could spare a moment's attention for the right wing, from the commentariat up to the GOP and president, whose immediate reaction was not mourning, but to seize the opportunity to try to incite violence against groups they hate
September 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Now that Kirk's killer seems to be caught, maybe the news could spare a moment's attention for the right wing, from the commentariat up to the GOP and president, whose immediate reaction was not mourning, but to seize the opportunity to try to incite violence against groups they hate
If you know much about authoritarians, you know that they pounce at the chance to exploit a crisis.
That’s one reason many people are fearful in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shooting.
It's easy to feel hopeless right now.
But as a sociologist, I see some real reasons for hope.
That’s one reason many people are fearful in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shooting.
It's easy to feel hopeless right now.
But as a sociologist, I see some real reasons for hope.
Surviving the Kirk/MAGA Crisis
On Finding Hope Under Authoritarianism
cantonwiner.substack.com
September 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
If you know much about authoritarians, you know that they pounce at the chance to exploit a crisis.
That’s one reason many people are fearful in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shooting.
It's easy to feel hopeless right now.
But as a sociologist, I see some real reasons for hope.
That’s one reason many people are fearful in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shooting.
It's easy to feel hopeless right now.
But as a sociologist, I see some real reasons for hope.
I don’t relish seeing anyone shot. It’s horrible.
But spare me the calls for empathy for a man who built a career railing against empathy.
But spare me the calls for empathy for a man who built a career railing against empathy.
September 11, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I don’t relish seeing anyone shot. It’s horrible.
But spare me the calls for empathy for a man who built a career railing against empathy.
But spare me the calls for empathy for a man who built a career railing against empathy.
Dehumanization is a form of political violence, one that Charlie Kirk knew well.
September 10, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Dehumanization is a form of political violence, one that Charlie Kirk knew well.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
UC-Davis is hiring for a tenure-track assistant professor in the sociology of gender. See more details here: careercenter.asanet.org/job/1311028/...
Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Sociology of Gender - Davis, California job with UC Davis | 1311028
Tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level for scholars conducting theoretically-driven, empirical research in the sociology of gender.
careercenter.asanet.org
September 8, 2025 at 9:37 PM
UC-Davis is hiring for a tenure-track assistant professor in the sociology of gender. See more details here: careercenter.asanet.org/job/1311028/...
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
As I learned in critical theory: "Law is the institution by which Power declares itself Virtue."
September 8, 2025 at 10:40 PM
As I learned in critical theory: "Law is the institution by which Power declares itself Virtue."
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
The New Yorker asked me “how bad” today’s Supreme Court ruling was. I boiled it down to one paragraph:
link.newyorker.com/view/5bda429...
link.newyorker.com/view/5bda429...
September 8, 2025 at 9:52 PM
The New Yorker asked me “how bad” today’s Supreme Court ruling was. I boiled it down to one paragraph:
link.newyorker.com/view/5bda429...
link.newyorker.com/view/5bda429...
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
The lack of arms is so dehumanizing. And I think you could reasonably argue that the placement of the crescents suggests a chest that hasn't finished puberty yet.
They published it, and it's even worse than I thought www.wsj.com/us-news/law/...
September 8, 2025 at 7:20 PM
The lack of arms is so dehumanizing. And I think you could reasonably argue that the placement of the crescents suggests a chest that hasn't finished puberty yet.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
Yessss let's get more recognition for this research!!!
Slate recently covered my research on “gender detachment,” or the idea that some people feel disconnected from identifying with any gender identity!
I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on what this attention signifies—not just for my work but for how we collectively understand gender.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on what this attention signifies—not just for my work but for how we collectively understand gender.
When Gender Feels Irrelevant: Reflections on the Slate Feature
Maybe you saw the recent headline in Slate: “My Gender Is No Thank You.”
cantonwiner.substack.com
September 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Yessss let's get more recognition for this research!!!
Slate recently covered my research on “gender detachment,” or the idea that some people feel disconnected from identifying with any gender identity!
I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on what this attention signifies—not just for my work but for how we collectively understand gender.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on what this attention signifies—not just for my work but for how we collectively understand gender.
When Gender Feels Irrelevant: Reflections on the Slate Feature
Maybe you saw the recent headline in Slate: “My Gender Is No Thank You.”
cantonwiner.substack.com
September 8, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Slate recently covered my research on “gender detachment,” or the idea that some people feel disconnected from identifying with any gender identity!
I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on what this attention signifies—not just for my work but for how we collectively understand gender.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to reflect on what this attention signifies—not just for my work but for how we collectively understand gender.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
I would love to know how many of the people mentioned are autistic or otherwise neurodivergent. This really sounds like autigender.
Especially since this story came out of a study on asexuality, and the ace community also has a high percentage of autistic people.
Especially since this story came out of a study on asexuality, and the ace community also has a high percentage of autistic people.
Howdy! I’ve got a new @slate.com story, about some really fascinating work researcher @cantonwiner.bsky.social is doing around asexuality and a concept he coined called “gender detachment”
A Researcher Was Studying How to Classify Gender—and Found a Startling New Answer
Turns out there’s more to the gender spectrum than we’d imagined.
slate.com
September 6, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I would love to know how many of the people mentioned are autistic or otherwise neurodivergent. This really sounds like autigender.
Especially since this story came out of a study on asexuality, and the ace community also has a high percentage of autistic people.
Especially since this story came out of a study on asexuality, and the ace community also has a high percentage of autistic people.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
For those of us for whom gender is a junk drawer of rules that defy sense 🎶
Howdy! I’ve got a new @slate.com story, about some really fascinating work researcher @cantonwiner.bsky.social is doing around asexuality and a concept he coined called “gender detachment”
A Researcher Was Studying How to Classify Gender—and Found a Startling New Answer
Turns out there’s more to the gender spectrum than we’d imagined.
slate.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:50 PM
For those of us for whom gender is a junk drawer of rules that defy sense 🎶
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
Howdy! I’ve got a new @slate.com story, about some really fascinating work researcher @cantonwiner.bsky.social is doing around asexuality and a concept he coined called “gender detachment”
A Researcher Was Studying How to Classify Gender—and Found a Startling New Answer
Turns out there’s more to the gender spectrum than we’d imagined.
slate.com
September 5, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Howdy! I’ve got a new @slate.com story, about some really fascinating work researcher @cantonwiner.bsky.social is doing around asexuality and a concept he coined called “gender detachment”
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
I'm not right wing but some of this "woke" stuff is a little over the top [6 months later] Slavery was fine. Your city is under martial law
August 20, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I'm not right wing but some of this "woke" stuff is a little over the top [6 months later] Slavery was fine. Your city is under martial law
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
This article is an excellent guide to what you can and should be doing right now. Many people seem to think that fascism is a switch that gets flipped, but it's really a machine that the government needs to keep feeding quarters into. Your job is to exhaust the state until they quit.
America is no longer descending into fascism. We are seconds away from impact
Military occupation has come to DC. If and when military occupation comes to where you are, there are things that you can do. This article outlines some of them
Military occupation has come to DC. If and when military occupation comes to where you are, there are things that you can do. This article outlines some of them
How To Fight A Military Occupation
Friction. Obstruction. Demoralization.
www.bannedinyourstate.com
August 17, 2025 at 6:35 AM
This article is an excellent guide to what you can and should be doing right now. Many people seem to think that fascism is a switch that gets flipped, but it's really a machine that the government needs to keep feeding quarters into. Your job is to exhaust the state until they quit.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
The purveyors of AI want us to believe that AI is the perfect educator. Because they want us to believe that it's more effective to invest tax dollars in private companies than in public services.
It fucking blows my mind that AI has such a hold on the mind as the perfect educator when it sucks at every pedagogical principle I’ve ever been taught
Arrgh. This ad (which came across my FB feed today) encapsulates so much of what's wrong with our culture. It implies that boys are struggling with math because they aren't "man" enough and that the best solution isn't to invest more in public education but rather to have parents pay for AI.
August 17, 2025 at 5:53 PM
The purveyors of AI want us to believe that AI is the perfect educator. Because they want us to believe that it's more effective to invest tax dollars in private companies than in public services.
Reposted by Dr. Canton Winer
"but crime is a real issue, people are worried about crime and you have to take that seriously"
No you don't! If people are getting more scared about crime while crime is happening less frequently, it's a made up issue and you should make a point of yelling that all the time
No you don't! If people are getting more scared about crime while crime is happening less frequently, it's a made up issue and you should make a point of yelling that all the time
August 16, 2025 at 9:40 PM
"but crime is a real issue, people are worried about crime and you have to take that seriously"
No you don't! If people are getting more scared about crime while crime is happening less frequently, it's a made up issue and you should make a point of yelling that all the time
No you don't! If people are getting more scared about crime while crime is happening less frequently, it's a made up issue and you should make a point of yelling that all the time