Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Ph.D.,

@jeffersonlenskyj.bsky.social

400 followers 190 following 110 posts

Toronto Canada/Sydney Australia. Activist, author, researcher, Professor Emerita, University of Toronto helenlenskyj.ca
My next book: *THE QUEST FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN SPORT*
Emerald Publishing, 2025

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Helen Jefferson Lenskyj is a Canadian sociologist and historian. Born and raised in Australia, she did graduate studies at the University of Toronto, where she then became a professor. A scholar of Olympic studies, she wrote several sport history books such as Out of Bounds: Women, Sport and Sexuality (1986), Olympic Industry Resistance (2008), Sexual Diversity and the Sochi 2014 Olympics (2014), and Gender, Athletes' Rights, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (2018), as well as an autobiography called A Lot to Learn (2005). .. more

Political science 38%

Sociology 36%

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Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Ph.D., @jeffersonlenskyj.bsky.social · Aug 26

PUBLISHED TODAY!!!
bookstore.emerald.com/the-quest-fo...

The Quest for Social Justice in Sport - Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Applying an intersectional analysis, the book examines issues of sex/gender/sexualities, disability, Global North/Global South disparities, doping, and violence in all its forms.

bookstore.emerald.com

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Common Dreams @commondreams.org · 8d

Julian Assange Files Suit Against Nobel Peace Prize Committee Over Award to War-Promoting Machado

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange files complaint against Nobel Foundation for awarding Peace Prize to María Corina Machado, who in recent days has backed Trump's aggression.

www.commondreams.org

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · 8d

👇👇

Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Ph.D., @jeffersonlenskyj.bsky.social · 9d

www.propublica.org/article/usai...

Trump Officials Celebrated With Cake After Slashing Aid. Then People Died of Cholera.

Behind closed doors in Washington, top advisers made a series of decisions that had devastating repercussions for the poorest country on earth. We went to South Sudan and found people who died as a re...

www.propublica.org

Reposted by Charles W. Smith, Lindsay M. Tedds, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj , and 2 more Charles W. Smith, Lindsay M. Tedds, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Annalee Newitz, Búi K. Petersen

Kevin Nimmock @kevinnimmock.bsky.social · 9d

BREAKING: Skate Canada is boycotting Alberta over the province's ban on Trans women competing in women's sports.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Skate Canada to stop holding national, international events in Alberta | CBC News

Skate Canada says it will no longer host major events in Alberta following a review of the province's legislation on the participation of transgender athletes in women's sport.

www.cbc.ca

Reposted by Richard E. Lenski, Kimberly A. Prather, Shadd Maruna , and 8 more Richard E. Lenski, Kimberly A. Prather, Shadd Maruna, Kelly R. Zamudio, Evelyne de Leeuw, Sanford F. Schram, W. Andy Knight, Gerald Friedman, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Daryl Adair, José Antonio Noguera

Mark Hamill @markhamillofficial.bsky.social · 10d

Still in a state of shock trying to process the tragic loss of one of the most gifted men in the entertainment industry & his wife when the Embarrassment-in-Chief disgraces common human decency with this repulsive, deranged statement.

#NoWords 🤮

Justin Wolfers @justinwolfers.bsky.social · 11d

Just want to share with my American friends how the Australians respond to a shooting tragedy. Action, rather than thoughts and prayers.

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Seth Frey

Global Abortion Rights News @globalabortionnews.bsky.social · 11d

Amazing!! Women Help Women (womenhelp.org) is manufacturing their own abortion pills in order to make abortion safer, simpler and more accessible across borders. They designed an eco-friendly combi-pack that's easier to mail discreetly and centred around women’s experiences and needs.

A Global Telehealth First: Women Help Women Begins Producing Abortion Pill Combipack

The feminist telehealth provider Women Help Women cuts out pharma middlemen to make its new mifepristone-misprostol abortion pill combo pack.

msmagazine.com

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Mark Alfano, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj , and 1 more Rosemary A. Joyce, Mark Alfano, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Fiona Armstrong

Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 11d

Australian here 👋

Stop saying the tragedy in Sydney demonstrates that strict gun laws don’t work.

There were ZERO mass shootings in Australia in the two decades after strict gun laws were passed in 1996.

We have so much we need to do, but strict gun laws remain a critical part of the solution.

Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Ph.D., @jeffersonlenskyj.bsky.social · 14d

www.sealchongwah.com/victoria_park

Protect Victoria Park / Barrambin

www.sealchongwah.com

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Forbes @forbes.com · 16d

Iran and Egypt have complained to FIFA over Seattle’s plans to promote LGTBQ+ support during a World Cup match this June.

Seattle Has Designated A World Cup ‘Pride Match’—Between Two Countries That Punish Homosexuality

Iran and Egypt have complained to FIFA over Seattle’s plans to promote LGTBQ+ support during a World Cup match this June.

www.forbes.com

Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Ph.D., @jeffersonlenskyj.bsky.social · 22d

www.sealchongwah.com/victoria_park Olympic industry trampling on Aboriginal cultural heritage and the environment, again - can you help?
@edgeofsports.bsky.social @julesboykoff.bsky.social

Protect Victoria Park / Barrambin

www.sealchongwah.com

Reposted by Gerald Friedman, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Sharon Erickson Nepstad

CajunBlue 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 @cajunblue.bsky.social · 23d

🚨🚨🚨Senator Mark Kelly with a special announcement. 1/2

Reposted by American Library Association, Daniel S. Goldberg, Melanie C. Green , and 5 more American Library Association, Daniel S. Goldberg, Melanie C. Green, Alan Richardson, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Julie Novkov, David Lay Williams, Joshua L. Conver

Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 23d

This year, universities are giving $228 million to football coaches who failed at coaching football so that they won't coach football anymore.

Total buyouts for 15 fired coaches in 2025: $228 million. That's a record by nearly $100M.

Kelly $54M
Stoops $38M
Smith $33.5M
Napier $21M
Freeze $15.8M
Gundy $15M
Wilcox $10.9M
Pittman $9.8M
Franklin $9M
Pry $6M
Foster $5M
Bray $4M
Dilfer $2.4M
Beck $1.7M
Norvell $1.5M

Reposted by Gerald Friedman, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Forbes @forbes.com · 23d

“Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” Carpenter said in a post on X.

Sabrina Carpenter Slams White House For Using Her Song In ‘Evil’ Video About Deportations

“Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” Carpenter said in a post on X.

www.forbes.com

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Mike (They/Them) 🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸 @mxmike.co.uk · 25d

Remember those lost.
Fight the stigma.
Educate.

Reposted by Steve Peers, Steven French, Jesse Rothstein , and 3 more Steve Peers, Steven French, Jesse Rothstein, Juan Cole, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Henry Jones

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 27d

Since Stephen Miller is in the midst of another of his Aryans-only trantrums, we should note that his family are 20th century immigrants from the shtetl of Antopol (Антопаль) then in the Hrodna gubernia of Russia. Applying his immigration rules, they would all have perished in the Holocaust.

Stephen Miller Is an Immigration Hypocrite. I Know Because I’m His Uncle.

If my nephew’s ideas on immigration had been in force a century ago, our family would have been wiped out.

www.politico.com

Reposted by Alan Richardson, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · Nov 23

Riley Gaines climbed the MAGA ladder by vilifying trans women in sports. Now, teammates are speaking out about the real problems on her team: abusive coaching, sexual harassment, eating disorders. ow.ly/o3wq50XuCzp

How right-wing superstar Riley Gaines built an anti-trans empire

The swimmer tied a trans woman for fifth. The MAGA industrial complex took care of the rest.

ow.ly

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Kirsti Miller @kirstimiller30.bsky.social · Nov 22

The race that made Riley Gaines infamous

youtube.com/clip/UgkxPvI...

YouTube

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

youtube.com

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Helen 🏳️‍⚧️✊🏻💕 @mimmymum.bsky.social · Nov 22

I remember my son having to answer questions about how he felt about his ovaries and cervix!!?? 😖

I mean WTAF!!!

As a cis woman I have NEVER had to answer questions like that! It’s just TOTALLY irrelevant! 😣

These kids are just lab rats that the transphobes don’t care about!

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Helen 🏳️‍⚧️✊🏻💕 @mimmymum.bsky.social · Nov 22

Under new NHS puberty blocker trial protocols, trans youth are being subjected to more than 50 assessments, intrusive exams, and over 13 hours of intrusive testing - just to access lifesaving healthcare

It demands young people re-live distress & undergo intimate examinations

#ConversionPractices

Trans Young People Face 50+ Tests and Hours of Intrusive Assessments in the PATHWAYS Puberty…

The publication of the PATHWAYS puberty blocker trial protocols reveals how trans young people are required to complete more than fifty…

medium.com

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · Nov 21

So proud of the fact that Fredericton will be raising the Palestinian flag on December 1.

Palestinian flag to be raised at Fredericton City Hall on December 1 from 12pm to 1pm

Reposted by Steven French, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Athena Kugblenu @athenakugblenu.bsky.social · Nov 21

You're not asking trans people. You're asking all people. This affects us all. Anyone could be barred from services based on appearance. Since, surprisingly we all have a fecking appearance

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Trans people could be barred from services based on appearance

The new code of practice on access to single-sex services cannot gain legal force until it gets sign-off from ministers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by David R. Miller, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Brooke Harrington , and 2 more David R. Miller, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Brooke Harrington, Christina Pagel, David Darmofal

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Nov 20

Q: What did the president mean when he called a reporter "piggy"?

LEAVITT: Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room. You'll all seen it yourself. You've all experienced it yourselves. And I think it's one of the many reasons the American people reelected this president

Reposted by David W. Kerstetter, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Timothy D. McBride

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · Nov 18

THIS IS BIG

For non-academics who might not understand why:
1. Sen. Warren is still a Harvard professor so this is a call coming from inside the house
2. As a tenured law prof, Warren knows it is a VERY big deal from a labor standpoint to call on Harvard to ignore tenure. The bar for this is HIGH.

Jen Bendery @jbendery.bsky.social · Nov 17

Per CNN, Elizabeth Warren is calling on Harvard to cut ties with Larry Summers after Jeffrey Epstein's emails released last week by House Dems featured Summers making sexist comments + asking for Epstein’s romantic advice.

Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Ph.D., @jeffersonlenskyj.bsky.social · Nov 15

A search for Liz

Reposted by Helen Jefferson Lenskyj

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · Nov 15

This picture says everything about the state of our nation right now, peaceful clergy being arrested and forced face-down on the pavement.

Reposted by Jesse H. Kroll, Silvia Secchi, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj , and 1 more Jesse H. Kroll, Silvia Secchi, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Kate Jackson

Angus Johnston @angus.bsky.social · Nov 12

Today is a good day to remember, and to say, that the #MeToo movement was right, and was righteous, and has been vindicated over and over again. There was no overreach. There was no excess. There was no they-went-too-far.

So much work remains to be done.