We at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona FINALLY moved our blog from WordPress to our official website. The improved URL is rivaled only by the improved layout. Check it out: http://blog.advocatesaz.org Additionally, in honor of National Condom Week, we posted about the condom, that all-purpose contraceptive method that reduces risk for both pregnancy and STIs. You will either learn new ways to maximize condoms’ efficacy, OR you will learn nothing in which case you get a gold star for your safer-sex knowledge. A win-win, either way. This post is the second installment of our “Over 90 Percent of What Planned Parenthood Does” series, inspired by our Senator Jon Kyl. We also wrote about Arizona’s high teen pregnancy rate, and then the article takes a completely unrelated turn toward a discussion of Arizona’s abstinence-only education policies.
Turning the lens back on white people this week, with a fictional bent: Reimagining narratives that centre whiteness Two kinds of whiteness: reimagining white people in fantasy and science fiction
When desire and will compete: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/when-desire-and-will-compete.html A definition is not just a definition: language in children’s dictionaries: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/definition-is-not-just-definition.html EVERY child needs nature: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/richard-louv-every-child-needs-nature.html
Hi there! I’d like to plug two related posts at Captain Awkward this week about Jerkbrains, Turdhearts, and getting by with a little help from your friends. The Lie of Strength The sandwich means “I love you”: A Valentine
I started a lot of posts this week, but none of them are quite ready for posting yet, so instead I bring you my blog title origin story. In case y’all were wondering what was up with the zombies.
A couple of lighter pieces this time, about Harry Potter, life at university, and how we use books to make sense of our lives: Potter Off, or, “We Could Be Wizards” and Reading Things Into It, or, “Quads and Quidditch”
My partner and I are writers of high fantasy and erotica, and we’re taking a unique approach to trying to find people who enjoy our work since it’s a niche market. We’re posting our Forgotten Thrones series online on our website, as well as selling it through Amazon, Goodreads and Smashwords. Forgotten Thrones will be (at least) a 3 book series set on a foreign planet with elves, demons, orcs, vampires, etc. focussed on the individual relationships that spring up between characters as they struggle to navigate an unforgiving world. I would be thrilled in fantasy/erotica fans would check out the site and, if you enjoy it, subscribe to email updates. I’ve also put out a short erotica that focusses on blackmail and coercion, “After Office Hours”. Available through Amazon, Smashwords and Goodreads. In other news, I’ve been blogging as usual! This week I’ve posted about: Women, Erotica and Rape Fantasies Racism in Fantasy and Science Fiction Infantilizing Women in the Name of Feminism And a Weekly Blog Roundup that focusses mostly on sex work, writing, erotica, books and media. I’m also currently looking for a guest blogger or two who has something interesting to say. Specifically I’d love to get more opinions on erotica and sex work, especially how it relates to media and public perceptions. You can email me at thejmkeep [at] gmail [dot] com for more information or connect with me on Twitter.
This week at re:Cycling, we’ve got a fantastic guest post from Holly Grigg-Spall about feminist health activists criticizing the pill — that is, how raising concerns about health and safety risks of hormonal contraceptives seems to get one pegged as Republican, or Christian, or anti-choice, or just some kind of anti-woman wingnut when that isn’t the case. (What would Barbara Seaman say?) We’re also turning the tables on a menstrual shaming mariachi band, and posting more about menstruation on our Facebook pages, and of course, we’ve got our regular Saturday round-up of women’s health links.
When a veteran of the Christian network’s 700 Club and chirpy blonde priestess of positive thinking gets caught stealing her husband’s porn collection– thank the Goddess I’m a curmudgeon– http://kmareka.com/2012/02/15/staying-unmotivated/
Just started blogging, with a post entitled: ‘Bearing Witness: Ethical alternatives to ‘being’ an ally’
Last week, me and my awesomest-ever-ladybro Ariel had a chat about Cynthia Nixon, choice and queerness, over a couple of cups of rooibos. Nyom. On Valentine’s Day, I talked about civil partnership in Ireland, and how it completely fails to protect the children of partnered couples. Romantic! And finally, today, a post on how I became an atheist. Enjoy!
What motivates women who still vote Republican? http://clarissasblog.com/2012/02/17/mystified/ What makes a marriage? http://clarissasblog.com/2012/02/17/what-makes-a-marriage/ “Rape by Government” legislation. http://clarissasblog.com/2012/02/16/republicans-propose-rape-by-the-government-legislation/ The differences between truly constructive criticism and manifestations of aggression that mask as such: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/02/15/constructive-criticism-versus-aggressive-criticism/ Should I take care of myself or of others? http://clarissasblog.com/2012/02/14/should-i-take-care-of-myself-or-others/
I got sick of hearing all Whitney Houston’s back catalogue all over again — until I watched her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Watch it and read my take of this performance, and how it re-writes the song as gospel and as a tale of redemption — the best kind of eulogy I can offer to this woman.
Then and Now: My New Approach to Health– After years of frustrating relationships between weight, food, and health, I finally feel like I’m in a good place. Burlesque, Lady Gaga, and Sexuality: What’s Feminist?– After reading some very different opinions on whether feminine displays of sexuality can be feminists, I try to figure out what I think. Another Day, Another Problematic Facebook Meme– A look at how oversimplified Facebook memes send messages beneath the surface. PETA: An Equal Opportunity Offender– I already knew PETA had no problem with exploiting women for publicity, and now I know they have no problem exploiting racial issues, either.
The final chapter of the math experiment, calculus, begins: http://onefemalegaze.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/mathochism-in-college-at-last/ Or maybe not; back to trig, and why the book costs more than twice the tuition: http://onefemalegaze.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/mathochism-brain-nudge/
I blogged about a couple of books this week. Sacred Shock: Framing Visual experience in Byzantium, by art historian Glenn Peers, is one of those books that delve into the surprisingly fascinating minutiae of an obscure topic. In this case, the topic is not Byzantine icons, because that wouldn’t be obscure enough, but the framing of those icons — not just the physical frames, but the artistic framing elements. And there’s a new translation of the Bible coming out soon that intrigues me. For Western Christians, the liturgical season of Lent starts this week on Ash Wednesday, and I blogged about something called Lent Madness! After I figured out what it was, anyway. It apparently has something to do with a basketball thing that happens every March? Except with saints. Wonderfully irreverent, right up my alley.
Escorting this week, I was confronted with my true identity and how to keep it secret. In this age of domestic terrorism, how does a clinic escort keep his or her identity safe? Also, on a different note. The first new nuclear construction permit in more than a generation was issued last week by the U.S. NRC. I took a few minutes to reminisce about what was happening in the world the last time a permit was issued. Fun stuff!
This week Oklahomans for Reproductive Justice wrote about: The contraceptive debate and our dysfunctional healthcare system: http://ok4rj.org/2012/02/the-contraceptive-debate-and-our-dysfunctional-healthcare-system/ The Jezebel controversy in “fake feminists and exploitation”: http://ok4rj.org/2012/02/fake-feminists-and-exploitation/ A review of the personhood debate on the OK Senate floor: http://ok4rj.org/2012/02/chickens-4-colonel-sanders-personhood-passes-ok-senate/ And a round up of this week’s god awful news, including the Oklahoma Personhood Act, the confessions of a serial rapist at the University of Oklahoma, and a hipster fetus: http://ok4rj.org/2012/02/rodeo-roundup-reporting-from-the-republic-of-gilead/
A stream-of-consciousness rant about vegetables and manliness and health. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/why-are-vegetables-unmanly-again/ The rape of men, from an intersectional/human-rights/international perspective. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/human-rights-abuses-and-prison-rape/ Marc’s call for a Valentine’s Day he can be proud of. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/i-hate-hating-valentines-day/
I wrote a response to Kate Harding’s post that asks, “How thick is your bubble?” (as in how ensconced are you in middle-class America). I also have a couple things inspired by a few posts here that I thought were a little too long for individual comments: one on what we’re supposed to do with all the information gleaned from the “shit list,” and another on how women’s addictions are played out in the media.
I had the chance to attend a debate between Gail Dines and Carol Queen on pornography last week. Here are my initial reactions and a review of the film (The Price of Pleasure) that was shown at the related screening. I also had a few things to say about Dana Goldstein’s claim that home-based education can never be progressive.
Misogyny and global warming denialism go hand-in-hand: Heartland Institute Employs Staffer Who Believes “Woman” Is a Pejorative Opposing to birth control by the GOP is nothing new: The Republican Party Has Been Opposed to Condom Use for Years: Remember McCain in 2008? Another reason why birth control matters: Condoms and Antibiotic Resistance
What is this war on women of which you speak, and why should I care? – a comprehensive post about the war on women and how it ties into the social construction model of sexual dysfunction.
Hi everybody! I wrote a short piece on PeTA’s terrible new ad that promotes domestic violence; a post about a Toronto Sun editorial on our mayor and how he gives random voters money when he’s out and about; a rant about while it’s grew that now so many (more) progressive men are taking notice of the war on women’s reproductive choices, it’s brutal that it took State-sanctioned rape; and for something a bit lighter, I always thought I was pretty laid-back but this week my best friend set me straight. Have a wonderful week!
I had two rants this week: One had to do with that BYU video I saw through this space. Message to White Folks: You are a Douche if you Perform Blackface And the other one had to with the photo going around of EU parliament member Licia Ronzulli bringing her child to meetings. Super Women and their Harmful Narratives
Anytime Yoga is having a birthday, complete with my favorite posts from the past year. In This Is Not News, I wrote about an article finding that women’s pain is often dismissed and undertreated. (In equally revealing news, bears have been known to shit in the woods.) And got pissed (again) at the Arizona legislature for introducing a bill that would hold public teachers to Federal Communications Commission regulations. Finally, to wrap up what’s been kind of an angry — or at least exasperated — news week for me, I wrote to the people against funding contraception in health plans.
I’ve got a beautiful, new appetizer recipe posted for seared scallops with pineapple and cucumber salsa served on crispy wontons.
It seems like a lot of the problems with asexuality discourse among non-asexuals, and a lot of the reason why said discourse devolves into 101, is that “does not experience sexual attraction” isn’t a very accessible definition for people who are not asexual, so I wrote about what it means for me not to experience sexual attraction. After finding bananas listed on an affordable raw food blog, I wrote about why bananas are so cheap and why it bothers me to find them on a list like that.
My latest on State of Formation discusses the appropriate religious response to queer youth suicide: The Times We Shouldn’t Defend Our Traditions.
My homage to James Poulson. No, really. I couldn’t resist. What are men for? More assvertising, this time from a poster in a nutrition store. *Sigh* I respond to a comment: honestly. Do I like ANYONE? The answer: Hearts, flowers, and bad, bad love. **Triggers for domestic violence** Redux: I answer CatieCat’s call to honour Black Herstory Month with a look at Mary Ann Shadd, early Canadian publisher, abolitionist and suffragette.
As I said last week, after being appalled by the amount of misinformation and paternalism out there about high-risk HPV, I’ve started a special-purpose blog to summarize and analyze high-risk HPV information from a feminist perspective. This week and last were all about the summarization, with posts on: Whether older women are less likely to clear HPV. (Answer: No, we clear it pretty much as fast as anyone else.) Whether you can get type-specific HPV testing (Answer: Yes, in most places.) And a really much too long post summarizing recent research on why not all “high-risk” HPV is created equal. Next up I hope to cover evidence-based recommendations for reducing HPV risk, and then move on to a couple of rants about how physicians talk (or don’t talk) about HPV risk.
I wrote about why I identify as a feminist despite the negative stereotypes associated with feminism: http://miriammogilevsky.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/on-identifying-as-a-feminist/ I also wrote about the difference between criticizing and complaining when it comes to blogging about social justice: http://miriammogilevsky.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/criticizing-is-not-complaining/ Also, I forget if I already linked to this, but in case I haven’t–this is why I think traditional dating scripts are still so pervasive, and why we should let them go: http://miriammogilevsky.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/dating-dangerously/
Hey there, In the new blog project I’m editing/ contributing to in Sydney, Eva Cox did ‘What is a feminist’ on the Melinda Tankard Reist controversy (Australia’s answer to anti-choice ‘feminism’). Check it here: http://fcollective.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/what-is-a-feminist/
I posted Senator Boxer’s clip of her refute of the all-male panel on women’s health, trying to get it more circulation. And I posted about Chris Brown, like many feminist bloggers.
Ohhhh OKCupid – Online dating, sexuality, and self-esteem – I changed my OKCupid profile from ‘lesbian’ to ‘bisexual,’ even though I’m not sure I identify as bi. But it apparently made the men come a’runnin….
Lost Girl: not as Gay Friendly as it Seems.: Despite have two lesbians and one bisexual character Lost Girl’s inclusion is not at great as it seems as first blush. Cover Snark: Who is this sex object and what did you do with my heroine?: Looking at how strong women are reduced to sex objects on urban fantasy book covers. Face off: Grimm vs Once Upon a Time: The two fairytale shows came out at the same time so we thought it would be great to do a compare and contrast. Alcatraz: Episode 1-6 Recap & Catch Up : A critical look that is touted at the new replacement for Lost.
While the rest of the world talked about whitney houston, I posted about death of one of my own personal cultural icons Also, one of my least depressing valentines day posts ever
Took some time off on my art blog to complain about my latest set of armor in World of Warcraft: My first set of titty armor
Haven’t I Been Saying This where I lose my temper about the ongoing war on women. And I lose it, complete with harsh language. (take that for a warning if you need it) I also questioned the “I need guns to defend myself from my government” mindset, asking how much good a household weaopn is really going to do against some of the military ahrdware out there.
Naamah blogs about descriptive gender disparities in fiction: http://www.adventurotica.com/index.php/read/articles/404-descriptive-disparities-and-faceless-fucking
Egads I didn’t realize many of my links up in post 7 were broken for some unknown reason… I don’t see a way to edit it. Anyway this could be modified and/or the above post be deleted? Thanks so much! My partner and I are writers of high fantasy and erotica, and we’re taking a unique approach to trying to find people who enjoy our work since it’s a niche market. We’re posting our Forgotten Thrones series online on our website, as well as selling it through Amazon, Goodreads and Smashwords. Forgotten Thrones will be (at least) a 3 book series set on a foreign planet with elves, demons, orcs, vampires, etc. focused on the individual relationships that spring up between characters as they struggle to navigate an unforgiving world. I would be thrilled in fantasy/erotica fans would check out the site and, if you enjoy it, subscribe to email updates. I’ve also put out a short erotica that focuses on blackmail and coercion, “After Office Hours”. Available through Amazon, Smashwords and Goodreads. In other news, I’ve been blogging as usual! This week I’ve posted about: Women, Erotica and Rape Fantasies Racism in Fantasy and Science Fiction Infantilizing Women in the Name of Feminism And a Weekly Blog Roundup that focuses mostly on sex work, writing, erotica, books and media. I’m also currently looking for a guest blogger or two who has something interesting to say. Specifically I’d love to get more opinions on erotica and sex work, especially how it relates to media and public perceptions. You can email me at thejmkeep [at] gmail [dot] com for more information or connect with me on Twitter.
This week, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I shared one of my favorite poems. I also wrote about the infuriating all-male panel Republicans organized to discuss the birth control mandate, and how Republicans have decided women shouldn’t have a say in reproductive health and don’t have religious consciences. This post is fun because people comment with things like, “$70 a month sounds like a manageable expense for a woman whose lifestyle requires birth control” and “If women are struggling to put even food on the table, as you suggest, sinking $70 a month into birth control is pretty irresponsible.” I also posted a video of a Catholic nun speaking out against the birth control mandate. It is a great little video because it shows the Church’s rhetoric around the birth control mandate and the gendered theology that surrounds contraception. She says that if you’re using contraception you don’t understand what it means to be a woman. Thanks Sister!
Just how bad can lawmaking in Mississippi get? Misspellings and criminalizing all teenage sex are just the beginning… Why good government reforms like fair redistricting and publicly financed elections are crucial for getting more women into office. We need a clear strategy – how else can we even judge if we are making the right compromises?
liberatory words that may recall the four elements: fire: a remark on sass of folk of size: http://blkcowrie.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/cheeky-haiku/ earth: a warning on the wages of imperialism: http://blkcowrie.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/hegemonic-code-red-white-or-blue/ air: a meditation on becoming free: http://blkcowrie.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/why-swans-soar/ water: exploring affection while accepting boundaries set by violations and introversion: http://blkcowrie.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/the-movement-of-mollusks/ please visit and enjoy.
My Open Letter to the Atheist Community: Stop Sucking In respect to the birth control debacle, Misguided Idiots Pretend to Be Experts, Offend Everyone, Ruin America Happy Galetines Day!
I wrote about retro sexism in the commercial world of het-oriented Valentine’s Day cards and the dangers of straight marriage 🙂 http://www.csandage.com
I’ve recently started blogging. Today I wrote about coming out as trans via facebook: http://ollieroberts.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-facebook-shapes-my-trans-identity.html
bettina arndt wrote that women should cover up or learn to love sleeping with ‘beta males’ (or something). I think she’s offensive. http://canbebitter.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/my-reaction-to-bettina-arndts-latest-misogynistic-rant/
I hope I’m not too late! Curses!!! More Witch Hunters! A Rant! is where I explodingly explore yet another movie being made which glorifies witch hunters and portrays witches as evil creatures who need to captured or killed. That is so medieval. Then, Be Still My Heart, shows Pagan Culture’s Sexy, Dark, Bloody 3rd Blogoversary saving the day! Lupercalia and the Roman Problem shows my misgivings about celebrating the ancient Roman holiday while being feminist and Italian-american Thursday night, I led a Collaring Ritual for two of my friends. It was a a great example of BDSM relationships and a sensual and powerful ritual. Read the whole thing here! And lastly, here is my weekly contribution for the Pagan Blog Project, D is for Dance
AGAIN openly Embracing misogyny, PETA promotes sexual violence: http://www.thespectrumcafe.com/?p=2842 http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-peta-violence-against-women-is-never-okay
I know I’m late to the party, but for New Yorkers, I wanted to promote an all-lady freestyle dance session (this Thursday, Feb 23rd, 8:30 PM). It’s called DANCE DANCE PARTY PARTY and the only rules are: 1. No boys 2. No booze 3. No judgment It’s super fun and empowering and only five bucks. More info here: http://dancedancepartyparty.wordpress.com/ And an old NYT article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/nyregion/20urbathlete.html
Part one of what is probably going to turn into a series on how Canada is not postcolonial, despite what the propaganda tells you, and that pretending that everything is awesome and harmonious up here engages in the erasure of extremely important history that requires acknowledgement if we wish to address the legacies colonialism has left us.
Here’s my new post at the hub about Hugh Hefner being awarded “Humanitarian of the Year” by a charity called Angelwish. http://radicalhub.com/2012/02/22/are-women-human-hefner-angelwish-and-the-patriarchy-say-no/ Thanks!