In response to the shootings in Arizona, I wrote about how the Witches’ Pyramid helps me shape my emotional response into concrete action; I gave an example of an action I took and invited others to participate; and I analyzed why another proposed response was a very bad idea and contained hidden ableism and assumptions about mental illness.
If, in the depraved world Andy Breitbart occupies, uncomfortable questions = rape, what does he think of being gunned down by a madman? http://errport77.blogspot.com/2011/01/andrew-breitbart-in-lead-at-summers-eve.html And, in a stunning development, the wealthy are revealed to be “happy.” I advise you to wait for at least an hour after eating to find out why. http://errport77.blogspot.com/2011/01/shocking-poll-wealthy-happy-despite.html
A philosophical examination of whether or not we have free will. http://scribblesandsonnets.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-we-probably-dont-have-free-will.html
My piece on temporal lobe epilepsy and strange phenomena has hit the Fortean Times website. http://bit.ly/eSJOyU
I just published my first post on my blog, which focuses on updating etiquette with a feminist/queer bent. Save the Swear Word, in which I argue for the reclamation of the sanctity of swear words. Not about being stuffy, more about choosing the right word for the occasion and releasing less negative/angry energy into the cultural atmosphere.
Here’s a sampling of what’s new at Gender Across Borders: Kyle interviews the writer/director/producer of When We Leave, a highly acclaimed German film about honor killings. Maria reviews the Gallery of California Art exhibition and highlights three female Realist artists of note. The latest installment in our column “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Situation Report” addresses the European Court on abortion. Jessica covers sexism in the New York Time‘s Science section. Carrie explores the marginalization of women with disabilities by the Kenyan political system.
AM writes about participation in the Wonder Woman Residency at the _gaia studio and visual art as advertising, as social change? http://areyoumyother.com/2011/01/12/black-and-blue-and-read-all-over/ ME writes about collaborating via skype, blogosphere derivative mural painting, and upcoming presentation at the 2011 Popular Culture Association Conference in San Antonio TX http://areyoumyother.com/2011/01/15/with-me-always/
McCain Defends Palin…Again “I can imagine how it must have felt for Palin. She should have felt like total shit. She should have felt some responsibility. She should have felt absolutely terrible for ever even tangentially suggesting that Giffords should be the target of a loaded gun.” Rising Food Prices are a Problem Why? Why can’t the MSNBC title instead read: “Soaring food prices spark fear of starvation among the world’s poor”? Why? Because then we would have to seriously think about why people around the world are starving. Discrimination Against and Humiliation of a Student – who happens to be a female and a new mom “What I Wanted to Know Was the Killer’s Surname” On NPR, Daisy Hernandez told her reaction and the larger reaction of the Latino community to the attempted assassination of Rep. Giffords on Saturday. About that Other Map “There is terrible rhetoric on both sides. The other map is bad. But no one was shot after it was posted. But now someone has been shot in the wake of Palin’s map. Let’s take this moment to reflect on that.”
UC Davis prof shames pregnant student: Dr. Isis: Shameful Gender Discrimination at UC Davis Veterinary School My (Mike the Mad Biologist) thoughts on this subject: Women: If You Attend Vet School, Plan on Either Not Having Sex or… Follow-up by Dr. Isis: An Answer From the Chancellor…
Fuck No Jezebel: Post-Feminist Bullshit at its Finest I chose to write about why I hate Jezebel so fucking much, and the ways the online magazine hurts the notion of what it means to be a feminist in the 21st century. I wrote a few other posts this week but this one is my favorite 🙂
In the wake of the Tuscon shootings, I explained why colleges can’t magically identify potential killers, and I asked how we can explain a slain 9-year-old to our own children. I also discussed some good news: the university where I teach just announced it will begin to offer gender-neutral housing options.
A Yale Professor Is Proud of Being a Child Abuser and a Racist http://clarissasbox.blogspot.com/2011/01/yale-professor-is-proud-of-being-child.html Housewives and Recession http://clarissasbox.blogspot.com/2011/01/housewives-and-recession.html The Rich vs the Dying in British Columbia http://clarissasbox.blogspot.com/2011/01/rich-vs-dying-in-british-columbia.html
What is virginity? Here’s my attempt at defining it, along with a fun list of what I consider to be the different forms of virginity: http://bradmillershero.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-is-virginity.html
Posts on the idiocy of Julian Assange and his lawyers, why the rape accusations have been handled so badly, and why Sarah Palin was in the wrong when she used the free speech argument as a defence for having used violent rhetoric.
This week I wrote about why it matters whether high school teachers ncorporate gender, feminist, and queer issues into their classes (Tell My Stories, Too), How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love To-Do Lists, and my ever-evolving but recently more secure sense of purpose in life/work (A Lifetime of Meaningful Engagement).
Conceptualizing the FSD hierarchy – I’ve noticed that certain types of female sexual dysfunction are considered more “Real” or socially acceptable within professional & feminist circles. I’ve even made a graphic to illustrate what I mean.
Schrodingers Rapist – Is it possible to create gender neutral rape prevention language while still acknowledging that the majority of rapists are men? What we’re taught – I begin to explore some ‘lessons’ we learn about puberty More trans fiction – it’s like reading a book – Reading some new trans fiction led me to two great analogies for being trans
Humiliation and Vengeance The word ‘bitch’ is harmless until it isn’t. Jared Loughner had trouble with women, he frightened women, and he nursed a grudge against Gabrielle Giffords because she embarrassed him in public. Disturbed yes– insane no. One woman’s voice in Congress is stilled. Innocent An eight year old boy is handed an Uzi and blows his own head off. The sheriff who organized the gun party blames the boy’s bereaved father. The jury finds the sheriff innocent. Can guns kill if people did nothing wrong? Thorns in Her Crown Pogroms were like– when the European Christians said really, really hurtful things to the Jews, and made fun of their tweets, and rattled them on interviews so that they got their Koreas mixed up. It was a dark time in history.
When I started my blog I encountered a number of people in the transsexual and transgender communities who simply wanted to engage in name calling. I instituted a rule no ad hominem attacks. This past week I had to step between two friends, Autumn Sandeen and Ashley Love. I thought Autumn’s actions crossed the line into cyber-bullying. http://womenborntranssexual.com/2011/01/11/autunm-sandeens-shark-jumping-act-2/ I wound up being attacked as an “essentialist” which is an accusation often hurled at women of a transsexual history who say, “But it really is different after sex reassignment surgery” so I added a second piece called Essentialist! http://womenborntranssexual.com/2011/01/14/essentialist/
Over a year ago, I wrote a piece about how I am sort of a feminist because I believe in equality and I didn’t feel like the word “feminism” captured that. This week, I wrote this post in response. In it, I come out of the proverbial feminist closet, talk about what feminism has done for me, and encourage others who might be in the same place to do the same.
This week I’ve got a post up about strategies to help succeed in using correct pronouns for trans folks.
This week I wrote a post on how consent can be misplaced in long term relationships, and what to do about it. I’m really proud of this post, and hope others read it: http://millicentandcarlafran.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/what-i-didnt-know-about-consent/ And Millicent wrote a fascinating post about a 1652 fertility test that involved peeing in the garden: http://millicentandcarlafran.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/how-to-tell-if-you-or-your-husband-is-infertile-pee-on-plants/
I wrote about the changes in women’s rights in three decades and a compared Second-Wave and Third-Wave perspectives by reviewing a popular 1978 Feminist Film. An Unmarried Woman: A Review
Hi all. Long time reader, first time caller. This week I ended up writing two pieces on the theory and politics of rape. The first responded to some arguments about how the Assange controversy illustrated Foucault’s arguments about morality and disciplinary power. I disagreed. The second responded to a piece at Slate by Jesse Bering which constructed an interesting, but I think pretty flawed, argument about women’s evolutionary responses to rape. I disagreed on that too.
http://fortyshadesofgrey.blogspot.com/2011/01/so-called-conscience-clauses.html Pharmacists and ‘conscience clauses’.
A post remembering the Jewish folk/rock/spiritual singer and songwriter Debbie Friedman on her passing. She wrote great music that was groundbreaking for being gender-sensitive.
This week was mostly about virginity, sparked off by the Kink[Inc]/Nicki Blue “live deflowering” story, On which I also made a follow-up post reacting to Kink[Inc]’s apology. I had a go at making a start on the wider questions for sex-positive activism that come out of this story as posed by Clarisse Thorn, and also thought about some of the different versions of my own virginity, and whether or not I’ve lost them.
How Minimalism and A Return To Simplicity May Help You Focus On What Really Matters http://bit.ly/g5mW0J Let’s Remember To Use A Little Common Sense Where Men Are Concerned, Okay? http://bit.ly/i4wLBd Elphaba Was A Freedom Fighter Before She Succombed To The Dark Side http://bit.ly/gxdWw9
In honor of the MLK Jr. acknowledgement I’m reposting my treatise that it is AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN who especially deserve our gratitude for their self-sacrifice in ushering in Civil Rights. Like Coretta Scott King. http://actsoffaithblog.com/?p=1056
Crazy: Current events and some conversations in my own life lead me to ponder the ways we use the word “crazy”.
ethecofem has been slow this week, but upon hearing that my hometown, Minneapolis, was named America’s gayest city by The Advocate, I was inspired to write a brief ode to Minneapolis, complete with lots of fun-making at the expense of the more-publicized coastal cities.
Recently at femonomics: A guest blogger tackles Amy Chua’s “Chinese Mother” piece with insights from her own Chinese-American upbringing. Dear Decorum tackles that eternal tough question: what to do when feminism and decorum come into conflict? Is there a polite way to handle racist, sexist, homophobic, etc behavior at social gatherings?
I’ve been writing on why we should ditch terms like gay and straight and accept the complexity of being. I don’t care for censorship regardless the offensiveness of a word particularly when the context makes up for it. If Angelina Jolie’s girl can wear trunks, my son can wear a skirt.
I explained why we don’t want more “successful” adults who are the product of hair-tearing-explosion parenting techniques in Amy Chua, the deadhead, and the dutiful daughter.
I discuss my disordered eating and why, because of it, I refuse to play the “omg I’m soooo fat!” game: It’s Like This, Self-Image…. [Trigger Warning: eating-disorder-related and body-policing talk.]
This week we had some coverage for the Gabrielle Giffords Shooting, a media roundup of the coverage, an endocrinologist who weighs in on whether we really need calcium or vitamin D supplements , and a nutritionists advice on what to look out for if you’re buying frozen entrees.
Writing about feminist witchery for GAB. http://wisegrrrl.com/2011/01/16/what-have-so-far-or-what-the-heck-is-feminist-witchcraft/
This week I wrote about my weak-in-the-knees love for Vladimir Nabokov. http://2zelda.blogspot.com/2011/01/nabokovvvvvvvvvvvv.html
A post from last week that I wrote… How Censoring Huckleberry Finn Encourages the Myth of a “Post-racism” Society
This week I wrote about Kanye West’s Monster video, and talked a little about finding a niche in the blogosphere.
This week, I argue that America’s abysmal mental health care system, rather than its gun ownership laws or hateful political rhetoric, is primarily responsible for the Tucson shooting: http://anthonybsusan.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/jared-loughner-refocusing-the-debate/ And another piece on American Christianity’s “fundasexuality” problem: http://anthonybsusan.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/christianitys-fundasexuality/ Plus a few men’s rights trolls.
This past week on Man Boobz, my anti-misogyny blog: Several posts on Jared Loughner and the Tucson shootings. (Trigger warnings for these and pretty much everything on my blog.) Misogyny has consequences A failure of empathy: Misogynists respond to the Arizona shootings Misogynists attack Daniel Hernandez for saving Gabrielle Giffords’ life And some lighter stuff: Ten years, ladies. Then the sexy lady robots will make you obsolete (according to some crazy troll). (Actually, this crazy troll was one of Feministe’s Top Trolls; I just couldn’t resist writing about him.) Plus a followup with some videos of actual sexbots in action. And this post, which is about a very strange, very obscene, very confusing anti-American-woman screed.
Inspired by the Arizona shootings and various dialogues here and elsewhere, I dissect the different varieties of problematic discussions which use the shootings as an entry point to mental health issues: http://autisticcats.blogspot.com/2011/01/conversations-we-should-and-shouldnt-be.html
Gearing up for a full week of events celebrating Roe v Wade in Louisville KY, check out a revisited post, Reproductive Justice is the Antidote to Rape Culture. http://everysaturdaymorning.wordpress.com/ Something for everybody in KY if you love Reproductive Justice.
Recently I explored the portrayal and treatment of mental illness in the game Batman: Arkham Asylum. Out Of Arkham — Mental Illness in Batman: Arkham Asylum.
This week I blogged on the silence of Adult Adoptees in the adoptee community and how society values it in comparison to society’s post-racial appreciation to “colorblindness” http://www.declassifiedadoptee.com/2011/01/silence-success.html I also have been recapping readers on my journey through the book “Wake Up Little Susie: Single Pregnancy and Race in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade” by leading indepedant women’s historian, Rickie Solinger. http://www.declassifiedadoptee.com/2011/01/quote-from-what-im-reading-solinger-2.html My retort for hearing for the umpteenth time, in defense of adoption advertising of questionable ethics, that adoption/adoption advertising is “just another way for people to spend money however they want.” Adoption described as a shopping experience or adoptees as charity cases are topics covered: http://www.declassifiedadoptee.com/2011/01/why-i-dislike-adoption-advertising.html
So I finished up week four and started on week 5 of my spiritual writing adventure and this is what I reflected on this week: Week 4, day 6 – finding balance — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/10/week-5-day-6-finding-balance.html Week 4, day 7 – rewarding yourself, the spirit gives — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/11/week-4-day-7-rewarding-yourself-the-spirit-grows.html Week 5, day 1 – beyond image — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/12/week-5-day-1-beyond-image.html Week 5, day 2 – changing identification — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/13/week-5-day-2-changing-identification.html Week 5, day 3 – self esteem — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/14/week-5-day-3-self-esteem.html Week 5, Day 4 – boundaries — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/16/week-5-day-4-boundaries.html Week 5, day 5 – honesty — http://www.inspiritual.biz/stirring-my-spiritual-waters/2011/1/16/week-5-day-5-honesty.html In the zenful kitchen this week, I was inspired by quote from Chuang Tsu who talks about the importance of being in the moment and going with the flow. I reflected on how I have incorporated this into my approach to cooking and to life in general. As my grandmother used to say, if life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. http://www.inspiritual.biz/the-zenful-kitchen/2011/1/12/going-with-the-flow.html I started this week by reflecting on Pema Chodron’s teaching about becoming our best friend and learning to see the blessings in a situation and see the teachable moments in life, rather then beat ourselves up for what we could have done better or different. I reflected in this as I talked about leaping into love. http://www.inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-reflections/2011/1/10/leaping-into-love.html
This week at The Jaded Hippy: A piece I have been stewing over for some time: “Sex” is not an “adult” activity And a book review: Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was
In the category of shameless self-promotion: we’re looking for contributors for POTENTIA magazine, a brand new publication that goes beyond feminism, philosophy, art and critical theory in a non-pretentious manner. Even feminist academia has become too much of an ivory tower, and we’re bringing it back to everyday life and practice — offering a glossy, intelligent magazine that is inclusive and accessible for everybody. First issue will be launched in March during the Feminist Cultural Activism event at the University of York (UK). What we are looking for: essays, articles, columns, design or any contribution that you think fits the subject of potentia(l), gender and power. Read more at the Facebook event! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119444631459749&ref=mf Keywords: queer culture, identity, power, masculinity, gender, politics, sociology, anthropology, film & cult, hysteria, photography More at: http://www.PotentiaMagazine.com
I’m proud to announce the first episode of Queers with Beers is available! Queers with Beers is a new podcast by two Queer geeks who share their passions for geekdom, booze, and trans/queer/feminist politics. Each episode is divided between a trans/femi/queer segment, and a geeky one. Episode 1 sees me and my co-host, Avery Dame, introducing ourselves and the podcast in the first half. The second is devoted to a common passion: japanese silly-dudes-in-costumes-fighting-demons live-action show, Kamen Rider Hibiki. Check us out at http://queerswithbeers.wordpress.com/ Elsewhere, BoLT magazine issue 5 is out! BoLT is Ireland’s one and only magazine which places LGBTQ women and trans FTM-spectrum individuals at the forefront. Issue 5 is the Sexy Issue, with articles about different approaches to sexuality than gaystream alternatives, a new BDSM column entitled ‘The Kinky Life’, and an overview of women’s sexuality in the ancient world! We also profile University College Cork’s LGBT society, discuss the intersection of ‘traditional’ politics with gay politics and more! While you can subscribe to make sure you get your dead-tree copy (international subscribers welcome!) you can always read us online for free at http://www.boltmagazine.ie . You can also subscribe there!
Slut: Why I call myself a slut. Short and sweet. The Path of Least Resistance: why I identify as female, even though it doesn’t accurately describe my gender. Today in ‘Holy Fuck Are You Stupid’: An exchange I had in a chatroom with someone who evidently forgot women exist.
I have taken over as editor at Global Comment. I promise smart, interesting progressive and feminist features. The first piece in my editing tenure/reign of terror is Sarah Jaffe’s “Holding Out for a Hero: Julian Assange, Glenn Beck, anxious masculinity and moving beyond heroes,” which is a wonderful piece about white masculinity and how we condense our hopes and fears into heroic figures instead of thinking and acting collectively. More great content will be appearing over the week, including pieces by myself and s.e smith, so if you don’t read us already please stop on by 🙂
My post on Martin Luther King Jr. And why I feel his dream hasn’t been realized. Martin Luther King Jr: A Dream Not Realized
a commentary on July 2010 study of wireless internet use: http://cyclechicster.wordpress.com/2011/01/15/hang-on-let-me-just-update-my-twitter/
Marinagraphy is a cultural feminist site that aims at empowering women through education, the celebration of strong women, and female agency. I just wrote a post on Lessons Women can Learn from Gregory House, MD about Empowerment at http://marinagraphy.com/valuable-lessons-women-learn-gregory-house-md/
Background on a new multi-gender campaign that our Marxist-feminist group is participating in, to support one of our members who was fired by her boss because she refused his sexual advances. And looking to synthesize theories of work, from Marxist-feminist, Buddhist, and radical economic perspectives.
Sorry this is a day late. Not mine, but a very important article to read about how to prevent the next Tuscon shooting: http://www.mindfreedom.org/mfi-blog/mental-health-tucson And on the shamefully bigoted media response: http://www.mindfreedom.org/campaign/media/giffords-mental-health
Hello, Feminists! So much awesome writing here. I recently started an advice blog, and today I answered a reader question “How do I talk my friend out of marrying Darth Vader?” The reader question was interesting to me because it was about a relationship between two men but all the red flags were the same ones we see in male/female relationships where one partner is controlling the other. Plus I got to write about the insidious attractions of The Darth Vader Boyfriend. “Your friend is dating Darth Vader. Let me explain: “Luke, your dad is totally evil.” “There’s good in him. I’ve felt it.” “Luke, he blew up a planet just to make a point.” “There’s good in him! I’ve felt it!” “Luke, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but he severed your hand. From your arm. He cut it off.” “Dueling to the death is just how we relate. You wouldn’t understand it. Now that we both have prosthetic robot limbs, it’s only brought us closer together.” “Luke, he lured your friends into a trap so that he could murder them in front of you. We had to be rescued by Ewoks. It was embarrassing.” “Yeah, that was pretty bad, I admit! But there’s good in him! I’ve felt it!”
I just reviewed kuragehime and genshiken 2 (the manga), two really, pro-female geek/fujoshi articles. Girl geek pride for the win! Also I review Recettear, an indie game where you play a girl merchant who is not horrible, half-naked and actually likable.
I wrote this week about why I hate gentrification not because I am a Good White Ally but because no one makes greeting cards for saying goodbye to your deli guy. http://interestinginteresting.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/eff-gentrification/
Jeezus, what a bunch of smarty-girls. : ) I wrote about the fun factor on my bicycles as I live in and explore my world of the Central Coast of California. I also write about sustainable food and drink. Yum! http://centralcoastfoodie.com/2011/01/the-fun-factor/