This American Lies: An NPR Fan’s Reaction to the Mike Daisey Controversy – I’m a Chicagoan, a huge This American Life fan. and a solo performer. So the Mike Daisey news hit me particularly hard. Chicago Zine Fest video – On behalf of all trans and gender non-normative individuals, I apologize.
I did a post earlier about some troll. The Ninja Troll I posted about a video I made practicing my hula hoop dancing.
Everything Happens Elsewhere: Northern Ireland in the Nineties A memoir I wrote for Autostraddle’s Here/Queer series, about my formative years.
I read Coney Island Baby, a French graphic novel that juxtaposes the lives of Bettie Page and Linda Lovelace in some pretty interesting and thought-provoking ways.
Many people have written more eloquently about it; yet, I have also thought about the many white supremacist reactions to “The Hunger Games”, and the horrible redundancy of racism: Black People Ruin Movies. Or Something.
It’s National Grilled Cheese Month, and I’m celebrating by posting a different grilled cheese sandwich recipe every day for the month of April. I’m kicking the series off with a sweet and spicy turkey grilled cheese sandwich, with roast turkey, pepper jack cheese, and strawberry jam.
I went on holiday to New York and came back overflowing with thoughts on the Natural History Museum, Ellis Island, sport in the US, Springsteen, and iced coffee. And returned to a meeting where people laughed hysterically about the VERY IDEA of disabled people in positions of power. Odd week.
I wrote a quick little post about how the marketing for the Hunger Games seems to be pandering to their racist fans. Almost all of the materials feature only the white characters.
This week I posted about the Elate Eight round of Lent Madness, and some spiffy saintly swag I discovered along the way. I wrote about a different kind of Stations of the Cross, based on news photographs from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. And I reflected on the Palm Sunday liturgy with its reading of the Passion through Girardian eyes. Rene Girard is a humanities scholar who has done some groundbreaking work on the nature of violence and scapegoating that brings an entirely different interpretive framework to the atonement (ie, it’s not God that’s violent and bloodthirsty, it’s us). Wishing a blessed Holy Week to those who observe it, Victoria
Ten years ago, I made the website Justice4Kirstin to bring awareness to the case of a woman who was a victim of sexual violence who was wrongfully charged with the murder of a man she’d never met because she defended herself against her attacker. The Innocence Project has asked the DA and the judge to allow them to perform DNA testing. Today, there is an important new petition that may help her appeal: Justice for Kirstin Lobato
Last week I mentioned a post I wrote about the student protests happening here in Montréal against the tuition hikes proposed by the Charest government. I finished a drawing of Jean Charest this week that reflects how I’m feeling about him. Reflection on Jean Charest
If we look at IQ tests, 7-year old girls are 1.5 points ahead of 7-year old boys. What happens that draws this “smarter half” of the population away from careers requiring more brain power? This is the topic of my blog entry called “Girls actually are smarter than boys.”
We’re not in a post-racial or ‘post-orientation’ society quite yet: Revamping the Southern Strategy: How to Use Anti-Gay Bigotry to Win Elections
Men (here) why not look for resources for Men (reaching other Men)? A Men’s Project = http://www.AMensProject.com and its Blog: http://www.AMensProject.blogspot.com is a good place to start. It’s non-commercial – volunteer – good resources for women also. Thanks!
I respond to the racism surrounding Trayvon Martin’s case: http://www.nerdyfeminist.com/2012/03/tattoos-and-gold-teeth-dont-justify.html?m=1 And some more: http://www.nerdyfeminist.com/2012/03/post-racial-americaha.html?m=1
http://guerrillamom.blogspot.com/2012/03/its-not-pro-life-its-anti-choice-get-it.html?m=0 http://guerrillamom.blogspot.com/2012/02/your-child-is-acting-like-a-hole-and.html?m=0 Former free-wheeling, joke-telling, drink-slinging, artist. Current obsessive-compulsive Mommy. Eternal feminist. I used to be cool. I don’t think my baby cares.
It was a little too long for a comment here, so I wrote my own post about Adrienne Rich’s death, addressing the transphobia.
During Women’s Week I was concerned when a University Gender Equality Society invited me to a free self-defence class. Here’s the post I wrote about the issue: The Self-Defence Myth: http://leighanoisgocuramach.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/the-self-defence-myth/
Posts on Femmedia this week: Guest Post: Male Emotions in the Media: Why are stereotypes perpetrated in the mass media? Why do the Hollywood-type movies tend to portray the same type of “male” characters? Is it really what people think, or is it because it is what they are made to think or believe? Guest post on Femmedia by Jess C Scott. Single Story Beauty: This reflects the single story we have of physical attractiveness and doesn’t fulfill our desire for variety. But I feel the solution to this isn’t to insult those who present this story, but rather encourage them to be more creative and open to differences in body types and personality tropes. To support companies when they make decisions that give a variety of options for males and females to alter their body shape or type, and to explore a broader range of complexion and facial features to be more racially inclusive. Don Draper’s Alcoholism: Don Draper is an alcoholic. No, not just in season 4 when it’s portrayed as a negative thing – he’s always been an alcoholic. He has – conservative estimate that he told his doctor – 5 drinks a day on average, but he’s almost always drinking hard liquor. Blog Roundup I also guest posted on Ms Behaved about Relationships and the Success and Beauty myths in heterosexual relationships: And our friends don’t make it easy on us to make these decisions. While we all logically know that people can love without success and beauty, we have a tendency to disbelieve people who tell us otherwise. A man might expect a wink and a nudge when he says he loves his beautiful girlfriend for her personality, or a woman a knowing smile when she says her unattractive lover’s money doesn’t matter to her.
I posted a list of standard modifications I use, as someone with a larger body, in yoga. On Blog for EC Day, I posted Irresponsible [notes for slut shaming] about judgmental attitudes toward emergency contraceptive use. Rounding out Endometriosis Awareness Month, I posted about having endo, being a teacher, and why I have that ginormous stash of pads in my desk drawer. Finally, in somewhat more lighthearted geekery, I posted my fantasy and YA heavy reading list.
I always want to apologize for my shameless self-promotion, and then I look at the title of the page, and think “Well, that is kind of the point.” I discuss the problems of the Lexile Test in a cursory manner (or: my twelve year old brother complains about the lexile test, and I plagiarize his ideas complain with him). My tribute to Haley Reinhart, the one singer who convinced me to watch American Idol (very temporarily). And my (February) monthly reading roundup, with recommendations for some good Sci-Fi/ Fantasy mashups. Because February was all about the mashups.
The brand of fake feminism that shares the ideology of the most anti-women regime of the XXth-century: “http://clarissasblog.com/2012/03/30/daily-dose-of-annoyance” In this thread we were discussing whether it’s OK for a father to call his teenage daughter “a whore” and I was shocked by how many people defend this as a good and useful parenting strategy of a caring father: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/03/29/oh-i-love-posts-on-sexual-objectification/ Are sad developments in public education a reason to homeschool? http://clarissasblog.com/2012/03/28/are-sad-developments-in-public-education-a-reason-to-homeschool/ Here I reviewed a book that offers a perfect explanation of why feminism is crucial to society: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/03/27/classics-club-1-nancy-milfords-zelda/
Hold the straw… & other tips for a humane and sustainable life: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/hold-strawand-other-tips-for-humane.html U.S. tomato pickers live on about $20/day. Could you? http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/humane-educators-toolbox-tomato-pickers.html
I got really ragey over the whole war on birth control thing and happened to be watching The 300 around the same time. So I made a tee shirt on Cafe Press with a birth control pack and the Greek phrase for “come and get them” under it. (Because I consider it a good day when I can stand up for my rights and appreciate Gerard Butler in leather undies at the same time.)
Haven’t participated in one of these for a while! There’s No Crying At Disneyland – I went to Disneyland this week, and had many thoughts [content note: racism]. The Religious ‘Community’ – a couple weeks ago, my favorite TV show came back on the air, and I had a lot of feelings about it.
Teens with eating disorders look at images of women differently Describes a new study that just came out tracking the eye movements of girls with and without eating disorders as they look at photos of women.
The Gender Inequality Index. I wrote a three-post series on the three components of the gender inequality index (GII): reproductive rights, empowerment, and labor. Doughnuts & The Hunger Games. I devoured the trilogy in a few days at the same time my husband and I began craving doughnuts. Coincidence? Delicious. What I Read. A compilation of stories that caught my eye this week. My blog friend S over at The Feminist Mystique and I are looking for women and/or couples to participate in a new series we’ll be launching in April about how individuals think and decide on their last names upon marriage. Email me at danielle [at] fromtwotoone [dot] com if you are interested!
I’ve been writing my New Orleans travelogue this week (you’re welcome to read it, of course), so the only thing I have to promote here is my review of David Fincher’s version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I’ve read the book and seen both films, and I couldn’t help but make comparisons.
Excellent feminist magazine So to Speak published the memorial I wrote for Adrienne Rich. Lambda Literary featured my work in their Poetry Spotlight.
This week I posted Part 2 of my series on rape and abuse in BDSM communities, There’s a War On. Part 2 is titled The Creepy Dom And The People On The Fringe.
When you dread word problems as much as parking enforcement: http://onefemalegaze.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/mathochism-the-meter-maids-of-math/ When taking calculus starts feeling like you’re in the Hunger Games, there’s a problem: http://onefemalegaze.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/mathochism-calculus-in-panem/ Validation from the universe — it’s not you, it’s him: http://onefemalegaze.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/mathochism-your-problem-isnt-math-anxiety/
Gender Across Borders is still looking for writers to contribute to a series on “Women and Migration”. More info here, and don’t hesitate to ask questions: http://www.genderacrossborders.com/2012/03/27/call-for-writers-global-citizens-how-women-are-affected-by-migration/
Stayed up all night reading The Hunger Games! Here’s my take on the feminism angle, and why I don’t think calling it a feminist book is that straightforward.
I finished up my feminist Mass Effect 3 Blogthru yesterday. The first part is here for anyone who wants to start from the beginning.
I’m feeling to sick to debunk the essay right now, but Cathy Brennan has, apparently approvingly, reposted one of Jan Raymond’s 32-year-old anti-trans tracts, “Technology on the Social and Ethical Aspects of Transsexual Surgery.” It doesn’t have the gratuitous insults and rape imagery of “The Transsexual Empire” and may come across as relatively sober. But it has been used to deny medical care to trans people. Since it keeps going around, it probably still needs debunking. I’m not sure how the gender clinics viewed transsexualism in 1980, but it has nothing to do with how trans activists view this in 2012. Even when we support a medical model, it’s not the same medical model. So the tract’s continued use amounts to a straw man argument.
On consensus versus diversity, some preliminary thoughts: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/guaranteed-to-disagree.html Homeland – Sleeping with the Enemy: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/homeland-sleeping-with-enemy.html
Consensus versus diversity, some preliminary thoughts: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/guaranteed-to-disagree.html Homeland – Sleeping with the Enemy: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/homeland-sleeping-with-enemy.html
The male equivalent of the virgin/whore complex? http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/the-knightbeast-dichotomy/ Men of color more likely to be imprisoned. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/imprisonment-and-men-of-color/ On intersectionality and feminism. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/intersectionality-and-men-of-color/
Amid all the Arizona bashing, you might enjoy reading this account from one of the many pro-choice Arizonans who are taking a stand for abortion rights. She testified before the House of Representatives against a bill that would have banned abortion after 20 weeks, even in the case of fetal anomalies. This post set some major traffic records for the blog, and I hope it will inspire people to speak out against horrible legislation here in Arizona and across the country.
It’s been a busy week, so not much posting, but I do have some thoughts on the racist Hunger Games tweets.
Strip for This is my personal blog about stripping, anarchism, feminism, sex, etc. Stripping on the night-shift last night, a few lessons learned and re-learned.
I did a (slightly dodgy) experiment this week! You know how people always say that women making themsleves attractive and sexy is biological, so that they can attract a partner? Well, I did a survey of 52 asexual people to see if people who weren’t looking for partners still felt pressure to bee “attractive.” Some did. Some didn’t. But surprise surprise patriarchy, the biology argument does not hold! You can read more about it here: Sex or Society? The Pressure to be Attractive (an experiment)
I wrote about a book I’m reading called Growing Up Global: Economic Restructuring and Children’s Everyday Lives… then I talked about kids I work with in New York. http://scribblesandsonnets.blogspot.com/2012/03/growing-up-global-relevance-of.html
I read Siri Hustvedt’s Summer without Men, which is awesome, Rutu Modan’s Exit Wounds, a graphic novel about Israel which is fascinating, Paul Auster’s In The Country of last things, which I found both bad and sexist, China Miéville’s The City & The City which is too many kinds of awesome to enumerate, and finally, Sarah Hall’s novel The Carhullan Army, which is an interesting take on feminism. I think. I’m now getting drunk. Thank you.
Once again, a book character who is not explicitly black is cast with a black person, and idiots lose their shit. Can We Stop Having This Conversation Already?
Hey everyone, This week I wrote a response to David Wong’s “5 Ways That Modern Men Are Trained to Hate Women” at Cracked.com. Check it out here
a friend and i have just started a new blog, Home on the Margins, and are looking for submissions from other womyn of color. copied from our “about” section: “Our blog has a vision to be a space of creative writing/artwork/expression for womyn of color around the country. It is in particular for womyn who may not be in the academic world now, or surrounded by folks that can put a name to the marginalization one feels but nevertheless want to express themselves. You don’t have to be an artist, a writer, or a professional. You can just have something to say and submit it. We will review the posts every week and get back to you with our ideas on your piece and either post it or hold it for another week. No one’s post will be rejected.” for anyone interested to submit, please follow this link
In my search to find a natural cleanser, I have found the secret to good skin! I am never going back to washing my face the old way. I am tired of racism. Also, as Danielle said, we want to do a series exploring how women make decisions about what to do with their last name upon marriage (or in life more generally). Email me at hill [dot] shannonp [at] gmail [dot] come or Danielle at danielle [at] fromtwotoone [dot] com if you’d like to participate!
On the women’s abortion action campaign in Sydney, with a classic bell hooks thrown in: http://fcollective.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/get-waaced-womens-abortion-action-campaign/
This week at re:Cycling, David Linton reviewed the new musical version of Carrie; Heather Dillaway criticizes the presumption that perimenopause brings brain fog; and weekly link round-up has menstrual art, moldy tampons, side effects of quitting Depo Provera, and more.
My thoughts about the emotional scenes abortion clinic escorts often encounter. @nucleargrrl: It’s not always the protesters http://t.co/5Frq0wYg
On one of my Tumblr blogs, Feminist Pikachu (a Pokemon fan version of Feminist Ryan Gosling, except nerdy instead of sexy), I made a list of resources for people in crisis. I did it over domestic violence, sexual assault, suicide, abortion hotlines, and just good feminist blogs. I tried to make it for everyone (women, men, trans* people, nonbinary people, LGB folk, people of color, etc.), but need feedback and possible links to add. Help would be appreciated, and the links can always be copied to other sites to help others. I especially need more information on LGB, trans*, and nonbinary people, along with people of color, and domestic violence shelter info that isn’t just for cisgender women (be it men’s shelters, LGBT shelters, etc.). All help and feedback are appreciated!
Oh, I’m sorry I forgot to post the link. Here it is: http://www.feministpikachu.tumblr.com/seriousresources
This week at Muslimah Media Watch: Lara was wholly unimpressed by a new art exhibit combining burqas and Barbie. Eren looked at all of the things people are reading into the 2011 World Press Photo of the Year, which shows a Yemeni woman holding her injured son. I wrote about a recent Huffington Post article on 10 Muslim women people should know, and asked who our readers would add to that list. And Safiyyah reviewed the anonymously-written novel Desperate in Dubai.
This is my first time self-promoting … a piece I wrote about how my community is reacting to a recent sexual assault in town.
Which is here: http://www.bozeman-magpie.com/perspective.php#.T3hw7r6Wi5s.facebook I’m having trouble figuring out the linking/
this week I take my fun-sucking straw to Sex and the City (Part 1 of 2). http://canbebitter.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/bitterness-by-request-does-sex-and-the-city-actually-empower-women/
I started a blog to try to get a job! It addresses media generally from a (smart) feminist perspective–but it’s toned down so that I won’t scare off potential employers! Posts on the recent NYT book review on women in publishing, Mad Men and privilege, and the Mike Daisey thing.
I wrote an article replying to a fellow student about why I think pro-choicers do understand the pro-life position, but we just don’t buy it.
I’m working on a couple of blog postings. I just learned that my site and another critical of the city have apparently been banned from the city’s networks including those at the public library…but porn is still accessible there. I’m still trying to find out if a blog set up specifically to support the city’s agenda and to castigate its critics calling us “tramps” and posting some truly disturbing cartoons demeaning women was blocked or is still accessible. This blogger who assaulted a photographer in front of two police officers at a public meeting is documented to have equipped himself using campaign contributions by at least three elected officials. Also on the fact that one of our elected officials was asked at a public meeting if he thought discrimination was funny and he said, “yes”. At the same time the city started blocking blogs, the city manager started his own blog purportedly to counter allegations of misuse of public funds that a couple of blogs here had raised. He invited comments so I sent the following subject to approval of course. We’ll see if he approves it and how he’ll respond. I enjoyed reading your first posting as I find blogging itself to be fascinating and a very educational experience. I did have one issue that I think might be important for you to address and of interest as well. Comments should not contain sexual content or links to sexual content, or content that promotes discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation. I agree with this position but I would like to ask you what you thought of a comment made by Councilman Steve Adams at last night’s meeting. When he was asked by a former city employee if he believed discrimination to be funny, he actually answered, “yes”. How is that reconciled with the city’s policy against all forms of discrimination which can’t be practiced if it’s to receive federal funding including grants? How is that reconciled with the fact that discrimination lawsuits have been filed by city employees including those currently being litigated? An elected official publicly stated in front of witnesses with memories that he believed discrimination to be “funny”. An employee who is one of your direct bosses pursuant to the city’s charter. Yet under state and federal law not to mention the city charter, there are prohibitions against discrimination by race, gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and such in the workplace. It seems like there might be an inherent conflict there on this issue that could have legal and fiscal implications for the city. Including the loss of federal funding and payouts on litigation filed both internally and externally alleging discrimination. Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response on your blog. I’m not sure he’ll approve the comment or what he’ll say in response. Hopefully will find out soon.
Thick skin is a bride’s best friend – the case for ignoring well-meaning advice on your road to the altar: http://www.bluecollarbride.com/perfection-is-overrated/
I can no longer keep quiet about blatant hatred of women, misogyny that is being promoted, condoned, encouraged and hosted by OKCupid dating website. The horrendous abuse that is routinely happening on this website and not addressed by the website owner must be STOPPED. Sadly, I noticed that many young women started to take dating site abuse and misogyny for granted, as something that is to be expected and normal, which shows how much damage is being done to their self esteem. These 2 blogs are just first steps in the massive action that I plan to take against this site and their facilitation of blatant, ruthless and ugly misogyny. http://okcupidhateswomen.blogspot.com/ http://okcupidhateswomen.blog.com/
Who doesn’t like a good RED FOX painting? It took me more than a month to finish so at least give it a good once over and say how much you love it. Peek around a bit and see what I have to offer if you would. Enjoy! Also have a look here at #7 and vote for me.