Women, work, and the conversations we’re having: The gaps appearing in managerial-level conversations about women in paid work. Plus advice from a couple of really amazing women. Not enough is in a name: What mainstream feminism and Google Plus have in common: a really simplistic attitude towards naming.
She was a thrifty full-time housewife who kept her family fed on $20 a week. She clipped coupons, chased bargains, measured portions. She was demented. Crazy Logic Anders Brievik and David Duke both said to have had plastic surgery for that ‘Aryan’ look not found in nature. Surreal that human isn’t white enough… Vicious and Vain
On the new season of Breaking Bad, comparisons to other shows, and what a non-feminist reading of Mad Men gets wrong: http://goldennotebooks.blogspot.com/2011/07/stakes.html
Racism and sexism look a hell of a lot alike. http://saltwatersociety.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-can-you-not-see-its-damn-duck.html Oprah Is a Forerunner Of The Antichrist, really? http://saltwatersociety.blogspot.com/2011/07/oprah-is-forerunner-of-antichrist.html
Some ramblings about the Saints Row games and the gaming community’s response to feminist criticism/progress in the medium: http://zaewen.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/some-rambling-about-saints-row-and-the-gaming-community/
Oprah Is a Forerunner Of The Antichrist, really? http://saltwatersociety.blogspot.com/2011/07/oprah-is-forerunner-of-antichrist.html All bigotry is the same regardless of the flavor. http://saltwatersociety.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-can-you-not-see-its-damn-duck.html
This week I wrote: A conversation I had with an anti-choicer on third trimester abortions” Why I am a Feminist Today: On rape culture, body policing, and scapegoating” On victim blaming in the media and the DSK case” On how to become a feminist activist” “Access to Abortion is a Huan Right” A response to a Naomi Wolf quote on the graphic posters often used by anti-choice protestors”
If all heterosexual, PIC sex is rape, then how much time should sexually active heterosexual men have to do in prison? Molsen-Coors comes out with a pink beer, I get annoyed. http://www.ethecofem.com/2011/07/women-and-beer.html On how banning pornography, and the so-called feminist push to do so, is unrealistic and harmful and ultimately anti-feminist. Please join us on a discussion about what we want from our political leaders/representatives, in general. A guest post from David Kames.
I am not a super prolific blogger, but I started a series on my own personal gender a week or so ago and should have part 2 up soon. but anyway, here’s part one: my anxious masculinity
Alternative Versions of Foursquare that You Don’t Know About: http://www.castleinthepie.com/2011/07/alternative-versions-of-foursquare-you-dont-know-about/
A new video blog for women by women: http://www.vainchic.com Our latest article explores Breakfast at Tiffany’s new marketing campaign and the meaning of “true love”: http://vainchic.com/2011/07/30/what-is-true-love/
Being a White Female Rapper Does Not Give You Permission to use the N Word: Kreayshawn and her crew, White Girl Mobs seem to feel that because they grew up poor and White that they are entitled to use the N word at will. True Blood – and why I can’t get behind all this pro-GBL praise: Despite being lauded as on of the most GBL friendly shows on television, True Blood does have its issues. Why is Ramadan important to me? : An empowering story on one Muslimah’s path agency and power. A Series of Questions: A touching array of trans people holding placards with questions they are commonly asked by cis people. On my urban fantasy blog we are holding our first give away. Enter to win a free signed copy of Kevin Hearne’s Hammered Review: Summer Knight by Jim Butcher, Book 4 of the Harry Dresden Files Thoughts on Season Seven of Buffy The Vampire Slayer Black People Are Disposable or Have No Humanity on “Falling Skies”: Somehow Aliens manage to kill 90% of the earths population and POC are even more disposable than before the invasion.
This week I wrote about being an imperfect activist, which kind of fits in with Brigid’s post about bearing witness, the death of traditional blogging, and I included a bunch of links to some reasonable discussions regarding the debt ceiling debates and the looming financial crisis if this thing doesn’t get resolved in the next couple days.
Kathy: This week I wrote about being an imperfect activist, which kind of fits in with Brigid’s post about bearing witness, the death of traditional blogging, and I included a bunch of links to some reasonable discussions regarding the debt ceiling debates and the looming financial crisis if this thing doesn’t get resolved in the next couple days. Ack. Forgot to close the link. Sorry about that.
Michelle: This week I wrote: A conversation I had with an anti-choicer on third trimester abortions” Why I am a Feminist Today: On rape culture, body policing, and scapegoating” On victim blaming in the media and the DSK case” On how to become a feminist activist” “Access to Abortion is a Huan Right” A response to a Naomi Wolf quote on the graphic posters often used by anti-choice protestors” ** Sorry! I forgot to note that some of these are back&forth conversations ***
On Not Writing (philosophy, as a woman. my first blogpost proper.) http://hymenopterans.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/on-not-writing/
This week, on NSWATM: Noah Brand asks if the idea of a sexual marketplace is all made up. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/what-if-its-all-just-made-up/ I post on what sexual objectification is. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/on-sexual-objectification/ Noah Brand discusses men having to repress their emotions. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/emotions-threat-or-menace/
God of Speculative Fiction: how are faith and fandom alike? (Featuring excellent comment discussions with my smartypants readers, and “doctrinal shipwars”…) Not Like Those *Other* Christians…: the crucial difference between “not like those other women” and “not like those other Christians” And, just for fun, 7 Reasons Why I Love “The Day The Earth Stood Still”
How feminism helped a student in Ukraine: http://clarissasblog.com/2011/07/30/how-feminism-helped-a-bad-student/ On how discussions of changes in the workplace often erase women: http://clarissasblog.com/2011/07/30/changes-in-the-ways-of-making-a-living/ And a series of posts on enacting femininity: http://clarissasblog.com/2011/07/29/femininity-part-i/ http://clarissasblog.com/2011/07/29/femininity-part-ii/ http://clarissasblog.com/2011/07/30/femininity-part-iii/
Questions answered on FYeah, Borderline People: stigma surrounding borderline personality disorder and mis-diagnosis. On my personal blog: “ Words that were invented as psychiatric terms for marginalized populations belong to those populations.” “We let ourselves off the hook for meaningful dialogue and difficult changes by buying into the myth of “easy” resistance.” “Daily reminder that other people’s inappropriate responses to what you post online are not any kind of “obvious consequence” that you “should accept responsibility for.”
Obesity Isn’t (contains fat-shaming) — Responding to some troll comments left on a previous size acceptance post. Give Generously — On being asked to give more when I’m continually being given less. AKA, This is not the way to run an educational system. I also reviewed a core yoga download, looking for friendliness toward bigger bodies. In that vein, I also continued my chair yoga series, this time focusing on restorative movements for the ankles. Finally, Thoughts on a Word: Focus, combining yoga plus physics.
This seems pertinent right about now – The Political is Personal. Trying to write from that perspective at all time. Kind of like an every person blogger but with a true progressive ideology. That’s the hope at least.
I Don’t Know What I Want To Say About The Death Of Amy Winehouse http://bit.ly/njVjmh TRUST IN GOD & (WO)MAN http://bit.ly/ohVNCp Kitchens A Chef Would Salivate Over http://bit.ly/no0BOZ
One seriously-serious post this week, I finally posted my retort/parody lyrics to Coldplay’s Fix You, and explained why I came up with them, in Don’t you dare to fix me. Still serious, but in a much more fun way, I finally returned to my series thinking about what interstellar war might look like, if we ever establish humanity outside of our solar system, thinking about strategy, and tactics based either on wormholes or natural space flight technologies. I’m trying to look at it more from the logistics and military requirements rather than what science currently says is possible, though also positing as little “fictional science” as possible (beyond the need for some kind of faster-than-light drive or the use of stable wormholes!)
I was laid off from my job two weeks ago. If you know of any marketing or publicity jobs in the Twin Cities, please email me at singout@comcast.net. Thanks!
I’ve been doing a lot of reading while waiting for this baby to finally be born…here I reviewed Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones and We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. http://spaceshipnola.blogspot.com/2011/07/books-silver-sparrow-by-tayari-jones.html
Not all towns embrace their LGTBQ community like Santa Cruz does. Plus the state of LGBT youth and Minnesota’s suicide problem. http://santacruz.patch.com/blog_posts/featured-blog-post-santa-cruz-loves-our-lgbt-community-but-it-is-not-so-in-other-cities
This week I interviewed Australian blogger Scarlett Harris about popular culture and feminism read it here. I also shared my ultimate girl crush with the world. And this week’s usual Sunday Hustle had a special body image theme. Enjoy!
A Superduper Moderated Thread: Feminism and Kink, in response to a request for a kink discussion space that followed the commenting guidelines of Shakesville. A 5 Month Charity Yarning Challenge And finally, a piece on excommunicating feminists from the movement and why it’s a bad idea
http://cheshbitten.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/places-and-spaces/ I talk about experiences of safer spaces failing
First post on my brand new blog: Contraceptives Aren’t the Only Important Preventive Service: http://redheadedshrew.wordpress.com/2011/07/31/contraceptives-arent-the-only-preventive-service/
I have a blog now! Go visit, even though there’s not much up yet. It’s an introduction and a quick blurb while I played around learning how to embed videos. By the way, does anyone know how to embed discovery channel videos on wordpress? It refused to embed the full length video I wanted to post.
Two posts this week, one talking about professional physical contact: Intimate Workplace Touching and one about bodies remembering painful past events: Physical Manifestations of Bad Memories
This week I wrote about how evangelicals are a little too interested in adopting internationally, and view it as part of their mandate to spread the word and convert non-christians. Children being an easy, more impressionable target, apparently. I tear apart the idea of “secondary virginity” for being anti-sex and anti-woman. I review the lesbian history book Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers.
Just some things I have been writing. Trigger Warnings & Comment Policies Taking Requests New Volunteering Job (For domestic violence)
Scientists researching Chronic Fatigue Syndrome have been receiving death threats from people with the condition who aren’t keen on focusing on the possibility of a psychological cause. I had thoughts! And my racist colleague strikes again… “Yes but where are you from?”
My newest blog post, touching on how “dating” works, or if it does, in the 20-something grad student set: The Death of Dating?
I’m arguing how dangerous it is to fall into the trap of calling the Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik insane, as he clearly represents quite widespread opinions in our society: http://disciplineandanarchy.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/norwegian-psycho-anders-behring-breivik-as-everyman/
I wrote a blog piece this week which a) burns Julie Bindel and b) might tie in with a certain looooong comment thread here on Feministe… http://inthenameoflovex.blogspot.com/2011/07/julie-bindels-why-i-hate-vegetarians-or.html
I put together a quick guide to spotting subtle prejudice in the media http://stavvers.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/a-toolkit-for-spotting-prejudice/ I also bemoaned the distinct lack of feminist heroes on TV, etc http://stavvers.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/pecking-over-scraps-and-calling-it-feminism/
This week at Gender Across Borders… I started the week off with a review of Eve Ensler’s ode to teenage girls, I am an Emotional Creature Next, Jessica posted a piece on polygamy in the United States, focusing on the Brown family from TLC’s Sister Wives. Guest contributor Elena Rossini discusses her film The Illusionists which explores unattainable beauty standards from around the world. Frequent contributor Sara Messelaar discusses Women’s World Cup popularity, and the attention that it may draw from sex appeal rather than skill. Carrie wrote for us about the major success of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, which was granted consultative status to the UN Economoic and Social Council. Atifa reviews Basanta Kumar Kar’s work The Unfold Pinnacle, which is a collection of poetry based on the lives of marginalized women in India. Lastly, Tanya gave us a quick hit yesterday to celebrate African Women’s Day. As usual, you can find all this and more at Gender Across Borders.
When I read the Feministe entry: “If You Can’t Beat Them And You Won’t Join Them, You Can At Least Take Their Names” http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2011/07/30/if-you-cant-beat-them-and-you-wont-join-them-you-can-at-least-take-their-names/ . . . I was elated. The commandeering of the term “feminist” by right wing nutburgers has been making me seethe with anger. It reminded me of a post I wrote a while back regarding the issue that Sarah Palin was being (still is) lauded as the poster child for the “New Feminist”; particularly I wrote about how South Carolina was in frenzied ecstasy over the idea of having it’s first female governor, which was supposed to be some kind of proof that the South had become pro-feminist. Here is that blog post: http://beinglumina.blogspot.com/2010/09/trojan-horse-in-house-of-crescent-moon.html
Being a feminist, I’d like to be closer to the city rather than live in the suburbs and feel pressured to have a huge house and children to fill it. Homes and Houses, Cities and Suburbs And then, we decided not to move. On Not Moving to the City
Guest Post: What Movies Tell Girls: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/guest-post-what-movies-tell-girls.html Why We Need Humane Education: Study Shows Empathy Can Reduce Racism: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-we-need-humane-education-study.html Filmmakers Capture Visions for a Possible Future: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/humane-educators-toolbox-filmmakers.html
Nancy Green: She was a thrifty full-time housewife who kept her family fed on $20 a week. She clipped coupons, chased bargains, measured portions. She was demented. Crazy Logic About this: I’d like to point out it’s possible to write about irrational or mistaken actions without further stigmatizing the mentally ill. We have enough to deal with without being compared to people who do irrational things while perfectly lucid.
Book Review of Colonize This!: Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism , Eds. Daisy Hernandez & Bushra Rehman “The essays in this book reject the colonizing forces of white, non-poor, highly educated feminism that ask women of color to abandon “their culture, language, land, family structure, who they are as a person and as a people” (xxii) and work to develop a feminism that includes a “theory in the flesh.”
heyjudi: . . . The commandeering of the term “feminist” by right wing nutburgers has been making me seethe with anger. … See my comment above regarding the use of the words “crazy” and “demented”. Please don’t equate views you think are wrong or bad with being a “nutburger”, which is an extremely derogatory term for the mentally ill. In fact, using this word is exactly like using the N-word.
I started my first blog this week over at afeministfarm.wordpress.com I wrote a short intro piece about why I started the blog: http://afeministfarm.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/dive-in/ I also discussed the idea that emotional well-being is a sustainability skill: http://afeministfarm.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/emotional-well-being-as-a-sustainability-skill/ Finally, I wrote about how my urban camping plans were thwarted by security measures: http://afeministfarm.wordpress.com/2011/07/31/camping-plans-thwarted/
Back in the ’50s, being a lesbian was considered perverse by mainstream society, so naturally, soft-core porn paperbacks featuring lesbian sex were wildly popular. They were often written by men, sometimes famous sci-fi authors going under pen names. When Being a Lesbian Was Profitable, For Men http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/when-being-a-lesbian-was-profitable-for-men/ These books were clearly voyeuristic and usually ended with the heroine being “cured” by sex with a man. But given the times, they were surprisingly sensitive to women’s struggles. However, the authors also published pseudo-sexology studies that proved the experiences of real lesbians weren’t a concern at all.