Shameless Self-Promotion Sunday August 30, 2009 Cara You all know how this works. Knock yourselves out!
I analyzed the beer packaging that I use for decoration and discover that it normalizes whiteness and maleness in a serious way. On a really offensive beer ad made by a renegade ad man with rape overtones that dehumanizes and constructs women as furniture. Reflecting on Women’s Equality Day and how women are inequally devalued A guest post for Television Tuesday on a romantic female pairing in soaps: Otalia: Yes It’s Patriarchal. So What? Kicked off Success Sunday last week with the story of Dr. Roxanne Shante, the first female rap star, who was dumped by her label but used a clause in her contract to get Warner Brothers to pay for her college education, culminating in a PhD from Cornell. You can also hear some music from this talented women in this week’s edition of Music Monday. A recipe for Sweet Potato Fries On a “GLBT” newspaper’s transmisogynistic framing of assault and how it erases Janey Kay’s gender.
In 50 Books for Problematic Times: Wild, by Jay Griffiths In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens, by Alice Walker The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness and the Politics of Empowerment, by Patricia Hill Collins This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, edited by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa: a review by frau sally benz Too Late to Die Young, by Harriet McBryde Johnson: a review by Daisy Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide, by Andrea Smith: a review by Allison McCarthy
It occurred to me that I don’t really know very much. I wonder what it means to be a China doll. A musing on women’s history and the need to continually speak out. A bad analogy comparing today’s race relations to an open house party. Review of Secret Identities: The Asian-American Superhero Anthology.
Slow week due to overseas travel, but I wrote a piece I’m proud of, that I’ve been thinking about for awhile about rape on tv.
It was sports week on The Guy’s Guide to Feminism. In both the editor’s and writer’s favorite post, we tackle (no pun intended) the stereotype that men are not emotional in “The Emotional Roller Coaster That is a Guy Watching the Game.”
This week, I wrote about: rebranding the virginity movement, encouraging routine circumcision, and why that should be a feminist issue, and, as a favor for a friend, a story about how his mother is taking some important steps in Karachi.
First of all, Adventures of a Young Feminist has MOVED! Please update links, subscriptions, blogrolls, bookmarks, etc. The new site is http://adventuresofayoungfeminist.com. The Racism Behind District 9: some hailed District 9 for its representation of apartheid while others called it racist. What did I think? I bet you can guess. Owning My Thin Privilege: I have thin privilege but why is it so hard to accept that identity? This post has some great comments as well, so make sure to check it out! Breast Implications: Political Breasts: a look at how different cultures use and represent the breasts of women in politics. Men Can Not Be Feminists: definitely my most popular post of the week. My personal belief is that men can be pro-feminist, feminist-minded, feminist allies, etc. Here I explain why. Some GREAT comments on this post as well. Not a “Good” Boyfriend? There’s an app for that: a look at the iPhone app Girlfriend Keeper and how it is offensive to both men and women. American Girl Dolls [Feminist Flashback Friday]: why I love American Girl dolls and why they are important for giving children, especially girls, a history that they can relate to. What If Gardasil Was for Boys?: soon the FDA is going to consider approving Gardasil for boys, but how would it have been perceived if it was originally approved for boys? Watch Out: Stalker Vamps Now Think It’s Ok to Rape You: a look at that Stephen Moyer quote that has been so popular lately and why mainstream popular vampire shows/movies feature stalkers.
The mother in law from hell strikes. http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/when-your-mother-in-law-sues-you-shes.html Why did things fall apart after Civil Rights? http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/civil-rights-was-not-supposed-to-be.html Relieving my love of Duran Duran http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/old-school-friday-youd-never-guess-it.html
I wrote about my vasectomy, but what I really wrote about was my interaction with my doctor, bodily autonomy, and the intersection of healthcare and sexuality. I crossposted to Feministing Community, where it got front-paged and produced a fair amount of discussion.
Drowning in rape culture: victim-blaming and women’s bodies as sexual objects I examine the attitudes which support actions like Sodini’s. Fuzz Therapy (Guest Fuzz): because sometimes we all need to look at a cute animal. On blogging: discussing why I write, despite the discouragement of some people. Dear Anonymous Troll(s): basically me responding to all those comments that I receive, yet never publish on my site.
All I’ve got this week is a post about a video that’s been making the rounds on the Internet, and how it’s probably fake/exaggerated to make a misogynistic point.
Having an African American First Lady is bringing the constant harping of dysfunction of black women in the press is meant to undermine the collective http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/white-media-sure-loves-to-promote-black.htm The legacy prominent families leave behind by comparison to individual achievement http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/black-elites-kennedy-family-you-me.html Taking steps in planning social elevation to improve your life http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/for-those-women-wondering-how-theyll.html
GT 2009-08-24: Rapists on patrol (#6) / Men in Uniform (#4). Trigger warning. 42 Isolated Incidents, committed by male cops against women, men, and children, all of which were in my newsreader in the last six weeks. GT 2009-08-29: On being part of the problem, in which I discuss a particularly ill-conceived “Wherez the womenz?” post from a (male, natch) Young American for Liberty. (I’d say a fellow libertarian, but, well, I don’t consider anti-choicers fellow libertarians, as a matter of definition.) GT 2009-08-20: Tonight, in News of the Obvious, in which I discuss the potentially disastrous effects of increased political control over basic women’s healthcare on abortion access.
Why do people laud the dysfunctional behavior amongst some celebrities? http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/do-you-sometimes-wonder-how.html Evaluating how patriarchy is deployed to keep women mentally enslaved http://actsoffaithinloveandlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-black-women-went-from-being.html
On my personal blog: Un-Hammering a Nail, a look at the power dynamics of a recent interaction with one of Yoko Ono’s works at the Seattle Art Museum and for the writers in the audience, a Weekend Prompt Also, not mine but an interesting piece of women’s history: The story of Violette Szabó, Special Operations agent during WWII
I would like to add my essay on Heteronormativity to the mix. It was written for a sociology course on the family. I think it turned out reasonably well. 🙂 The link to the essay is : http://deadwildroses.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/an-essay-on-heteronormativity/ Thanks for the opportunity.
This week in Evil Slutopia: ~Cosmo broke a huge story about this brand new amazing invention that can improve your sex life. It’s called lube. Crazy, right? ~Our take on the Caster Semenya situation: What Does It Mean To Be Female? ~Corbin Bleu from High School Musical recently posed nude for a promo shot for his new show. It’s interesting how that makes him hot and sexy, while Vanessa Hudgens’ leaked private naked pictures make her stupid and slutty. ~We also did a little 80s movie remake fantasy casting, and talked about the misguided attempts to turn shows like St. Elmo’s Fire and Heathers into TV shows.
This week at Happy Bodies: Jill wrote about how being tall has affected her body image. I am studying abroad in Oslo, Norway and have written about the body positive public art that I’ve seen here.
I wrote about the UNESCO guidelines for sexuality education world-wide and how they got some commentor’s panties all in a bunch: Give Me One Good Reason
In which I propose a record swapping/shopping kind of deal, http://piecesofstring.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/affordable-music/ Goodreads made for the second edition of Spot the Subtle Sexism, http://piecesofstring.wordpress.com/2009/08/29/sss-goodreads-edition/ Feminist uprising in Italy! http://piecesofstring.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/feminist-uprising-in-italy/
While thinking about solidarity, I examined the latest NYT Magazine issue, “Saving the Word’s Women” — problematizing the contributors’ paternalistic depiction of third world women. Written for Hyphen blog column, “Idealize This!” http://www.hyphenmagazine.com/blog/2009/08/idealize-this-the-ethics-of-so.html#more
The flyers from an atheist student organization and gay student organization at my school are being used to insult the flyers of a fraternity – basically they make it so it reads “Big Gay (frat name)” Or “Atheist? So are we (frat name)”
In the comments to my recent rant on honour killing and double standards in Jordan, an old friend posted a horrific account of a brother’s public abuse of his sister. I responded with another rant. It’s been a depressing farking week.
Wrote about some creepy lyrics in two New Found Glory songs that I have been listening to a lot lately. Reviewed the book Pornology by Ayn Carrillo-Gailey. That’s it from my end of the blogosphere.
Born in rural Oregon, Brandi Shearer’s singing career began by entertaining her grandmother with versions of “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue” and “Isn’t It Romantic” played by numbers on a Sears Roebuck electric piano. Later, she moved to Europe where she learned about Billie Holiday and singing effectively in front of drunken audiences. French girls taught her to artfully apply makeup and wear her hair just so. She sang in bars, clubs, festivals & living rooms across the continent until landing in Hungary. After some time spent living the expatriate life, she returned to the States to pursue a career in music on her native soil. http://www.suchcoolstuff.net/2009/08/brandi-shearer.html Artist cori dantini offers original mixed media paintings, limited edition archival prints, handmade one of a kind ornaments, and whatever else cori’s busy brain thinks of! http://www.suchcoolstuff.net/2009/08/cori-d.html And don’t forget to enter the drawing for 200 custom full-color postcards!! http://www.suchcoolstuff.net/2009/08/postcards-printing-giveaway-from.html
I debunked an ev psych article the portrayed women and their bodies as soooo mysterious. Don’t men have their mysteries, too? Also in the realm of body politics, I argued that infant male circumcision (about to be universally recommended by the CDC) is a feminist issue of bodily autonomy and integrity. In what I think was my best post of the week, I compared Katie Roiphe’s criticism of feminism for neglecting maternal pleasures to her mother, Anne’s, memoir of early motherhood and called Katie out for not giving second-wavers enough credit. My adopted home state of Ohio seemed to backslide into the stone age this week in gender politics, with a school that chose to separat boys and girls for recess, and a Supreme Court decision that denied lactating mothers have a legal right to pump milk while at work.
Had a rough work week, including locking myself out of my truck and dropping a catalytic converter on my arm. Did not make any political posts. Looking for published writers who like horror and GLBT erotica and are willing to blurb a book by Halloween. Curse of the Pharaoh’s Manicurists is available as an ebook. Print in about 2 weeks. Temporarily using my LJ as my website because some dining tables inserted virii into every page of my website. So we’re converting to wordpress.
Most of my posts of the past week concern current events, and I normally don’t write posts about current events. But, these particular issues really burned my grits: The bigotry of Rep. Lynn Jenkins: Representative Jenkins, Why Are You Lying? Guns in national parks: Say It Isn’t So What the gun-toting nut jobs are *really* saying: It’s Not About Healthcare Reform. Really. It Isn’t I also wrote a post reflecting on “All I Ever Really Needed To Know I Learned In Kindergarten”: Lessons Of Early Childhood Thrown Under The Bus? Last, a commemoration of Hurricane Katrina, in numbers: Katrina Pain Index 2009
I discuss the joys of having crushes. My personal, ridiculous beauty standards, and how they differ from both societal norms and what I’m actually attracted to.
Girls rock ‘n’ roll – no boys allowed: about all-girl rock music camps Debate Over Ordaining Women in the Catholic Church Heats Up What Is Male-Identifying People’s Place in Feminisms?—do you think men can be self-labeled as “feminists”? HIV laws that don’t protect women about HIV criminalization and anti-discrimination laws
Continuing the “Taking the Epistle” series: Philippians, in which St Paul seems to like the recipients more than most, and also implicitly acknowledges the importance of two women in the early church. Some fun with dirty words in a new variant of the “fortune cookies in bed” game for those who like playing with fonts. And I am officially excited about the Green Bay Packers for 2009 – with a side note that rookie free agent running back Tyrell Sutton (who has been playing very well in the preseason so far) has a BMI over 30, which makes him (according to official definitions) obese!
Reactions to CNN.com’s coverage of the protests at Dr. Carhart’s clinic- sympathy for terrorist organizations. Feminist science– a quick hit on how researchers debunked the existence of “post-abortion syndrome” and how idealists can threaten us, even in an seemingly objective field.
For Women’s Equality Day, I posted an essay I had written in April, shortly after I attended the National Young Women’s Leadership Conference, entitled This is What a Feminist Looks Like.
I have a goofy math question that I am soliciting help from the internets on because the labeling fails: How many calories are in a bag of microwave popcorn anyway? (Yes, it seems like a weird query, but the information on the box is driving me nuts. I don’t even *care* how many calories there are, but I can’t figure it out.) Writing of substance to return at some point when my baby is older than eight weeks. =)
Lately at The Jaded Hippy: Stay Classy, PETA Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? The post in which I talk about CLOTHES The Irony of Anti-Sex-Positive Feminist’s Arguments Fat-phobic Progressivism
At M’erda D’Artista: Do you live in Michigan? Belive in LGBTQI equality? Then write a letter to Mr. Brian Calley: http://cannedartistshit.blogspot.com/2009/08/hey-blogosphere-lets-write-some-letters.html Shameless Blog Promotion: http://cannedartistshit.blogspot.com/2009/08/more-shameless-friend-promotion-badass.html What happens when Women’s Equality Day, Ted Kennedy’s death, and getting a driver’s liscence all converge: http://cannedartistshit.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-day.html Stupidity, sizeism, and overall hatred of people from flyover states in Cintra Wilson’s JC Penney article: http://cannedartistshit.blogspot.com/2009/08/cintra-wilsons-jc-penney-article-short.html My frustration with people (ejaculation-on-face edition). http://cannedartistshit.blogspot.com/2009/08/come-on-people.html Also, I am crossposting at sexgenderbody when my computer cooperates.
The name’s the thing On women’s names, titles and identities being denied. Oh, my word You should try this Wordle thing, it’s a visual means of sorting through a piece of writing. I use it on my blog every so often.
On Tuesday, I wrote a post inspired by my re-read of the Harry Potter series called Dudley Dursley and the Over-Indulged Fat Child Straw Man. On Friday, I wrote a post about one tenet of Health At Every Size: From Exercise to Pleasurable Movement. And yesterday just a short post in my Beauty for Ashes series about Melissa McEwan’s comic strip Conniving and Sinister
This week Combatqueer explored the controversy about Caster Semenya and what it says about society’s take on gender in “The Failure of Gender Definitions.” http://combatqueer.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/08/the-failure-of-gender-definitions.html On a lighter note, she wrote a post on the blessing that is good running shoes. http://combatqueer.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/08/i-run-so-far-away.html
As a new father to a daughter, I’m struck by the way in which the expectations of male weakness intersect with myths about little girls have their daddies wrapped around their fingers. My post on that subject here. Excerpt: It encourages the noxious idea that men are loveable but easily led, and that “pretending to be weak” or “dressing real cute” are better strategies for young women to use to get what they want than simple forthright candor. In a very real way, it teaches little girls that manipulation is preferable to directness, and that good looks and feminine wiles are the most valuable tools a woman can possess. Above all, there’s a sinister reality that undergirds this whole discourse: if men are easily manipulated, than they can never fully be trusted. If a Dad can’t say no to his daughter, he sends her a message (however subliminal) that men are fundamentally unreliable. Whether in families or in boardrooms or in bed, one basic rule of life is that you can never, ever trust anyone who doesn’t have the strength and the agency with which to tell you “No”.
La Americana: Maria does not come to New York in pursuit of some variation on “The American Dream;” she is only there in the hopes of making enough money to cover medical expenses for her daughter Carla, who was left paralyzed by a bus accident as a young girl. Ironically, Maria’s need to take care of her daughter ends up being somewhat of a detriment to their relationship, as it keeps them apart for several years. You’d Be So Pretty If…: While writing her column and undergoing her own transformation, her awareness of her daughter comes through. Realizing the importance of her daughter’s keen image of her mother, she looks at her life and interviews others who deal with their own weight issues. The underlying premise remains her own relationship with her daughter, now in the teen years. Taxidermia: I was given a bootleg copy of Taxidermia about a year ago, before its North American release. True to bootleg copies, the disc went kaput about fifteen minutes into it, leaving me with the opening scene burned into my brain: the image of a flaming orgasm. Fire literally shoots out of a man’s penis. When I had the opportunity to review this critically recognized and awarded Hungarian film, I was excited to get past the opening scene. All the reviews praised the cinematography and aesthetics of this film, with one caveat – if you can stomach it.
Some clarifications re: Mad Men & feminism, in which I further explain my People, Mad Men in NOT feminist post.
I just wrote about the chauvinistic view of female sexuality promoted by some self-help gurus: http://clarissasbox.blogspot.com/2009/08/nina-atwood-and-chauvinistic-view-of.html I also wrote about an offensive understanding of feminism provided by Melanie McDonagh of UK’s Times Online: http://clarissasbox.blogspot.com/2009/08/paternity-and-weird-understanding-of.html
1. A Few Thoughts On Siddur Sha’av Zahar, AKA “the gay siddur” (Jewish prayerbook). 2. Definitions: Cis, Trans, Etc. 3. Female Masculinity & Self-Preservation: on being read as a boy.
Understanding “No to Yes” Rapists responds to the “proof” for a man’s claim that: “Rape is physically forced Intercourse, nothing more.” and looks at why certain rapists will push their victims to say yes before continuing. Texas judge Kevin Fine must go examines more details about the case where during the sentencing portion of a rape trial that a judge questioned a rape victim to make her prove she didn’t consent as the defense alleged because he found it “odd” that her rapist had her on top of him.
Inaccurate contraceptive info from National Prescribing Service: an egregious error relating to minipill effectiveness is being replicated in doctors’ and consumers’ medical education internationally. Tom Calma: Indigenous Advisory Body to have Full Gender Equality at All Levels: A proposed new advisory body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs will have mandated gender equality from the co-chairs to every chamber of the congress. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner suggests that this, along with the proposed Ethics Council, is something other government and NGO bodies could do with emulating. Credit where credit is due, says judge to child rapist: More cookies from judges to blokes who rape 12-year-olds.
I made three video posts in which I read and comment on the latest Brain Science about Sex, Gender and Sexual Orientation Feminism and Brain Sex 1: A Boy is Castrated and Raised as a Girl On Being Behaviorally Female: Feminism and Brain Sex 2 Castrating Deer and Transitioning Monkeys: Feminism and Brain Science 3
Kalamazoo, Michigan is fighting for LGBT rights locally. Find out about what’s going on in Kalamazoo and how you can help. If you didn’t already see the Katrina Pain Index – 2009, see it now. A lot of really great Bible quotes you can throw out if you find yourself in a “conversation” with a poor-bashing asshole who justifies hir asshattery with [christian] religion. An example: James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
I posted a copy of the talk I gave at a tech event about a solution to the problems in Africa and disillusionment in the American black community.
Late again, sorry. How may I help you? Outsourcing customer service. Musings on a Wildflower show poster Mary Jo Kopechne 1940-1969 –upset everybody to death, pardon expression. More on Ted Kennedy ditto One of the Living assorted w/Tina Turner video In Every Dream Home a Heartache— what do we do about men like Ted Kennedy, who do the right thing politically but treat women like their personal blow up dolls?
I wrote about my experience at SF Zine Fest, which included meeting Joey Alison Sayers and my experience of reading her comic Just So You Know, that included me echoing her question of people’s perceptions of gender, “That’s weird, right?” Also, Old Navy’s fat-shaming “The Dreamer” jeans, among other creepy names. And finally, my thoughts on how the VA’s craptasticly designed ads reflect where our money is going and what that means about who we value.