I am enraged over the way Kraft’s MilkBites commercials promote stereotypes about multiracial people. I wrote about it here and then started a Change.org petition asking them to stop the campaign. I’d really appreciate you signing and sharing it. In other news, I’ve been running my Identity in Balance series and would love more submissions about how people balance different parts of their identities. This week, I had guests posts on balancing being a hunter and a conservationist, a feminist mother who wears lipstick, and a feminist and a Catholic. I also wrote a post on why we should stop calling motherhood the “hardest job in the world.” Finally, I looked at audience, authorship, and social commentary in David Simon’s response to fans of The Wire and Dave Chappelle’s response to his fans when he walked of Chappelle’s Show.
A quick one from me this week, regarding being a ‘female-bodied’ trans boy and my problems with that term. Happy Sunday!
This week at Yes Means Yes, I posted Part 4 of the There’s A War On series, “Just Us.” Too often, the response from community leaders is “rape and abuse should be reported to the police”, which usually means, “unless the police get involved I’m not going to deal with it.” I explain why the criminal justice system cannot be counted on to deal with rape and abuse that happens among BDSMers.
This week, I thought a lot about professional writing, and how it’s very similar to playing a sport professionally. I also spent some time writing about emotional space. I just started blogging at Care2! In my first post, I wrote about how standardized testing doesn’t test the important stuff, and how literature is a vehicle to teach about life. My second post was about introducing my students to white privilege.
I wrote about a bit of transgender re-appropriation in pop-culture… Take Note: This is What Re-appropriation of Transgender Identities Looks Like
A couple of posts this week on the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona blog. The first is about National Minority Health Month, and focuses on health disparities affecting communities here in Arizona. Arizonans reading this are encouraged to click here and read about HB2800, which passed the state Senate and is now in Gov. Brewer’s hands. The post includes links to a page where you can fill in your information and ask Brewer to veto the bill; it only takes a minute or two.
This week, a new book on motherhood by the French philosopher Elisabeth Badinter has been discussed passionately in the blogosphere. Here is my 3 part review of the book: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/04/26/elisabeth-badinters-the-conflict-how-modern-motherhood-undermines-the-status-of-women-a-review-part-i/ http://clarissasblog.com/2012/04/26/elisabeth-badinters-the-conflict-how-modern-motherhood-undermines-the-status-of-women-a-review-part-ii/ http://clarissasblog.com/2012/04/26/elisabeth-badinters-the-conflict-how-modern-motherhood-undermines-the-status-of-women-a-review-part-iii/ A new line of attack on Elisabeth Badinter’s new book is deeply ageist in nature: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/04/29/the-new-line-of-attack-on-elisabeth-badinter/ Inside Higher Ed attacks Badinter and all women who dare to have careers: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/04/26/inside-higher-ed-attacks-badinter-and-women-who-dare-to-work/ Crosses and condoms at WKU: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/04/27/crosses-and-condoms-at-wku/
Not strictly about feminism, but certainly about some of the logic underlying recent GOP attitudes toward women: Mitt Romney’s Minstrel Logic. (This is my first comment by the way, and I’d like to mention that I’m a longtime reader, and love this site.)
This week over at Mama Nervosa, we have been thinking a lot about balance, identity, and where we call home. Jen wrote a short post about being a feminist mom, wearing lipstick, and raising daughters as part of the Balancing Jane Identity in Balance series. Lauren is rereading the Feminine Mystique, and sorting through the push/pull of her own identity as a woman, with kids, who is restless and eager for change. Maybe she should have another baby? We chatted about trying to find a balance between the competing needs of kids, work and writing; Jen wrote about feeling off balance despite having her time roughly equally divided between work and home.
Apparently my first two links in my comment didn’t work. My bad! Here they are again: This week, I thought a lot about professional writing, and how it’s very similar to playing a sport professionally. I also spent some time writing about emotional space.
I wrote about the GOP’s “War on women” and why I don’t feel too safe over here in Europe either… http://disciplineandanarchy.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/why-we-fight-the-war-on-women-and-the-continuing-attacks-on-our-reproductive-rights/
I wrote about the problematic turn taken by Lush’s campaign against testing cosmetics on animals, and why the intent behind it doesn’t make it better.
At Keep Your Bridges Burning I’m reevaluating the Sandman comics I loved so much when I was little. I also posted a couple paragraphs on Butler’s concept of gender performativity that I copied out of The Transgender Studies Reader, because you and I both know that writing about Judy B in 2012 is the way to get blog hits.
“The Pocket Lint Generation: Sold Out, Indebted and Forgotten If the future is an avenue into the world that will be, America’s youth have become the burning garbage cans periodically set ablaze to light the way. Indebted and impoverished, America’s youngest workers have been sold out by the 1 Percent and their speculation-service economy.” http://www.politicususa.com/the-pocket-lint-generation-sold-out-indebted-and-forgotten.html
This week at Douche, Bag and Shoes we’ve written about: The ‘well-meaning advice’ counterpart to cat-calling’s ‘compliment’. Why ‘Cheer up, Darlin’ will only make me scowl harder: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/cheer-up-darlin.html An examination of the relationship between mainstream femininity, women’s bodies and high heels. ‘Life at a Snail’s Pace’: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/life-at-snails-pace.html On the expectation that women in the public eye are representative of their entire sex and how this pressure is a form of gender policing. ‘Role Models’: http://douchebagandshoes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/role-model.html
YEA Camp empowers youth activists: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/yea-camp-empowers-youth-activists.html Zoe Weil interview in Forbes Magazine: “The Heart of Education”: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/zoe-weil-interview-in-forbes-magazine.html Plan a gadget-free day for your family: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/one-small-step-for-better-world-plan.html
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve written a lectionary reflection on the second sunday of Easter, and some thoughts on structural sin and moral complexity in light of some current events. On a lighter note, a bit about my favorite fictional saint, St. Vidicon of Cathode. And on a celebratory note, I visited a UCC church to attend the ordination of a good friend last weekend – worth mentioning here because the friend is a woman. 🙂
New: A veteran DIY-er discusses why you should hire a pro for your wedding… http://www.bluecollarbride.com/creating-a-candy-buffet/ And our latest giveaway: an awesome fascinator… http://www.bluecollarbride.com/rose-fascinator-giveaway/
I made a powerpoint presentation for my history class applying the Bechdel test to ancient history. It was inspired by this quote from Melissa McEwan: “I do not long to be the Exceptional Woman. When I find myself in a space in which I am the only woman, I do not feel satisfied, nor do I feel insecure: I feel contemptuous that there aren’t more women there. I do not want to compete with other women in a way that suggests there is only room for one of us. I want to lift up other women, and be lifted up by them, and blaze trails in the hopes that many more will follow behind.”
I wrote a review of the movie Shame, and manage to be semi-mature about it. And I wrote the giant post that’s been festering up inside me about the links I see between The Hunger Games and Trayvon Martin. Warning: there is one giant, important spoiler for both the book and the movie version of The Hunger Games, although if you’ve been following the “racist tweets” story, you already know what it is.
Hi Feministers! I’m a Canadian journalist, and I recently wrote an article for The Globe and Mail about the student protests that are going on in Quebec. I spoke to awesome feminist and social activist Laurie Penny (I highly recommend you follow her on Twitter and read her column!) and she had some very interesting insights into how the debate over tuition fees is a broader, international debate. A lot of the protesting students are arguing that tuition hikes affect marginalised people and women moreso than others. I’d love to get your thoughts on it! Also, I have a blog where I occasionally ramble feminist and plainly just humorous thoughts. 🙂 http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/world-takes-notice-as-quebecs-student-protesters-march-on/article2416860/?service=mobile Twitter: @stefanif
Sorry, that last link was the mobile link. Here’s the proper one: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/how-quebecs-student-protests-piqued-international-interest/article2416860/email/
I wrote something about the pornification of popular culture here http://www.gappytales.com/2012/04/pornification-2.html
I read Frank Smith’s Guantanamo, which I loved, Paul Harding’s Tinkers, which is bad bad bad, but which inexplicably won the Pulitzer, A. L. Kennedy’s What Becomes, which is fantastic, and Damon Galgut’s In a Strange Room, which is strange but really really good. Cheers!
I wrote about strength, self-trust, and my tendency to over analyze in Head Standing. 5 Challenges & 5 Small Victories in living with endometriosis. Have you met my uterus? This is what happens when someone prompts me to make a blog mascot. Also, this Tuesday is Blogging Against Disablism Day!
Best Bro Team: Urban Fantasy seems to have a thing for Bromances and so this week we looked at a few of them. The International Day Againt Homophobia and Transphobia isn’t a Marketing Tool : Apparently M/M authors decided that they could use a day dedicated to fighting homophobia and transphobia to sell books. Yeah for appropriation Cover Snark: Dinners Up! Come and get Your Belly Meat! : We look at the uniform given female urban fantasy protagonists to wear. Charmed Season Three : That’s right, we are continuing are examination of the 90’s rhyming witches.
sorry I forgot a few A recap and review of the latest episode of Game of Thrones as well as a review of the book Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin Not to be forgotten our reboot movie of the week was Sleepy Hollow starring Johnny Depp. Finally: The Vampire Diaries Season Three, Episode Twenty: Do Not Go Gentle : Yes there were agnst and problems, check out our take.
Women Do Not Have the Right to Be Offended In which I acknowledge the truth in this common phrase that women often hear when calling out examples of sexism and misogyny, and explain why it still matters if women are offended, within the context of the skeptical movement.
Scratch that. It’s: Women Do Not Have the Right to Not Be Offended Double negatives always trip me up.
“Gender equality has been achieved.” That’s what the president of the Norwegian School of Business wrote in an editorial this week. He claimed in particular that there is no discrimination in promotion, and that men and women have equal odds for advancement. I set him straight, both in a letter to the paper and on my blog. Read the story, “Norwegian Business School President claims gender equality has been achieved.”
[Julia] The Last Name Project. Julia explains why she will take her husband’s name when she gets married, even though she (think she) identifies as a feminist. See here for more of The Last Name Project. If you’re interested in participating, email me at danielle [at] fromtwotoone [dot] com. One of my 30 Things to Do Before I’m 30 is go on a mission trip, but I have a few reservations about whether these trips are for service over tourism, sacrifice over cultural colonialism. After searching for a year, I’ve found some others who identify as both a Christian and a feminist. See my blogroll for a list of some of these Christian feminists — yes, they’re out there! I wrote a personal reflection on how some in evangelical culture challenge one’s faith and even salvation and their modesty — sometime at the same time.
Bad link above, it seems. Trying again: Norwegian Business School President claims gender equality has been achieved. http://curt-rice.com/2012/04/23/norwegian-business-school-president-claims-gender-equality-has-been-achieved/
The University of Venus – a blog at Inside Higher Ed – published a piece Friday called “Why women leave academia.” It begins: Young women scientists leave academia in far greater numbers than men for three reasons. During their time as Ph.D. candidates, large numbers of women conclude that (i) the characteristics of academic careers are unappealing, (ii) the impediments they will encounter are disproportionate, and (iii) the sacrifices they will have to make are great. This is the conclusion of The chemistry Ph.D.: the impact on women’s retention, a report for the UK Resource Centre for Women in SET and the Royal Society of Chemistry. In this report, the results of a longitudinal study with Ph.D. students in chemistry in the UK are presented. Read more: http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/university-venus/why-women-leave-academia#ixzz1tSP16iKg Inside Higher Ed
In the wake of the media pile-on of complaints about how HBO’s new show Girls has no women of color amongst its four lead characters, I offer a series of thoughts about why this is not the right argument to have: “Girls”: first HBO show that’s really about women since 2004, and the media terms it “racist” And on a lighthearted note, I explain — using scientific graphs — why it’s so difficult for people like Rupert Murdoch and Ann Romney to feel ashamed when they reveal publicly how hypocritical they are: Rupert Murdoch: “Reporters are mean to me”; or, Feminéma diagnoses our shame differential
It seems that no matter how many times we see actual women- it just doesn’t sink in that the images we idolize- that all make us feel shitty about ourselves- are not real This post is called, “You’re not in Kansas anymore. And your ass is too fat.” http://guerrillamom.blogspot.com/2012/04/youre-not-in-kansas-anymore-and-your.html
This week I wrote about… Songs that glorify low self-esteem: http://www.nerdyfeminist.com/2012/04/stop-telling-me-low-confidence-is.html The sexification of breast cancer: http://www.nerdyfeminist.com/2012/04/sexification-of-breast-cancer.html And my feminist RAGE: http://www.nerdyfeminist.com/2012/04/rage-it-fills-me.html
I wrote about how un-sexy Gaga and Janelle Monae are in contrast to other major ladies in pop: Android Girls: Non Sexy Sexiness in Pop Also, I discuss the need for an equivalent term to “Rape Survivor” for us ex-but-sometimes-still-suicidal people to identify ourselves with: (TW: minor for suicide) Safe but not Well
This week I wrote about Missouri’s (like Tennessee’s) “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Gloria Steinem’s comments in Queerty that “gay rights and feminism are the same thing,” and the recent Gawker piece on hipster racism.
Stuff I’ve written lately: Bullshit — What LGBT advocate Dan Savage really told a group of high school students about the relationship of religion to bullying, and why “pansy-ass” is the perfect word for their reaction Weekend web readin’, special edition: sex work — self-explanatory How to be an atheist who doesn’t hate religion — a comparison between an atheist who gets it and one who doesn’t Who whines more than a feminist? — On whiners whining about feminism in World of Warcraft
Ted Nugent may be the Jerry Sandusky of aging rockers, this won’t help Mitt Romney’s female trouble… Lie Down With Dogs– Wake up With Fleas 16 patients sickened by contaminated ultrasound gel. This is not ‘first do no harm.’ Un-necessary Risk
White people don’t have a monopoly on genetic variation And continuing my series on representations of Sara Baartman (aka the “Hottentot Venus”), this time in academia.
I wrote about an oldie but a goodie: body hair http://fcollective.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/on-body-hair-that-trivial-beast/
I wrote about suddenly, as a young adult, asking myself what I want to be when I “grow up” after growing up being taught that my only acceptable role was homemaker (I was raised Quiverfull).
I wrote about a Lush campaign which instrumentalises violence against women, and the comments thread is very interesting… http://stavvers.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/lush-and-the-instrumentalisation-of-violence-against-women/ I also wrote about the anatomy of rape apologism and arguments rape apologists always like to use. http://stavvers.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/the-anatomy-of-rape-apologism/ Then it got a bit meta and I wrote about rape apologism apologism. http://stavvers.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/on-rape-apologism-apologism/
This week I posted a two part interview with feminist and YA (and adult) fiction author Joanne Horniman about women, feminism and writing. Part One is here and the link at the bottom will take you to the next part. I also wrote about why I’m uncomfortable with the word “woman” as a twenty-year-old asexual feminist, and the ways in which “becoming a woman” rhetoric, especially in reference to first sexual experiences, wierds me out. I look forward to reading what everyone else has been up to when I get my next assignment done!
Christopher Peterman, was expelled days before his graduation from Bob Jones University, for watching GLEE: http://daisysdeadair.blogspot.com/2012/04/bju-student-expelled-days-before.html Next, I defended him on Facebook and the BJU posse put up a whole page about me, claiming “we gonna find you.” Daisy publishes colorful Second Amendment warning on my way to radio station to do my show, visions of Alan Berg dancing in my head. This IS the South, you know: http://daisysdeadair.blogspot.com/2012/04/in-event-of-something-happening-to-me.html This whole bullying episode made me mad enough to do a whole radio show about them, which included a very good interview with Chris and my enthusiastic embrace of the “suppressive persons” label (stolen from the Scient0logists) –which I am thrilled to report is catching on with the BJU-renegades: http://daisydeadhead.blogspot.com/2012/04/bob-jones-university-expels-student.html Warning: Lots of melodrama, yelling, at least one almost-sob, and in general, very entertaining. It has proven to be a big hit. Today: Chris asks that they leave me alone. Since they will not even leave his own elderly mama alone, I don’t know how effective his plea will be, but he is just so gallant and sweet and wonderful. http://daisysdeadair.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-bully-daisy.html That should be enough drama for anybody! Certainly, its been enough for ME in one weekend!
Not a feminist post, but I’ve been talking about London this week as I just returned from speaking at my first academic conference there! My travel blog is http://www.theepicadventurer.com/ (And I was speaking on democratizing dance archives, just in case anyone else is interested in talking to me about it!)
This week at MMW: Merium responded to a Youtube video about love and marriage within Islam, and looked at the ways that women’s clothing plays way too big a role in those discussions. Eren reviewed “A Jihad for Justice,” a free (and super awesome) e-book in honour of Amina Wadud and her amazing work related to gender and Islam. Samya wrote about Maryam Durani, Manal al-Sharif, and Samira Ibrahim, three activists who were included in this year’s Time magazine list of 100 Most Influential People in the World. Lara looked at another Muslim woman included on that list, Fatou Bensouda, who will take over as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in June.
I’m a little behind in posting this, as the Hilary Rosen/Ann Romney fake news story has mostly blown over by now, but I posted last week about how a lot of the so-called “Mommy Wars” (which I would like to rename the Matriarch Kerfuffle) have to do with our own sense of mother guilt about not doing and being everything we can. So I posted five things I did in a day to encourage all of us to lower our dukes and remember that we can all only do so much.
I wrote about a motion that was brought forward in Parliament to have a special committee to discuss the question of when life begins, in spite of Harper’s promise to not reopen the abortion debate. Put Your Hand Up If You Totally saw THIS Coming
The beginning of May is the time for planting. The general strike starts tomorrow. Don’t go to work, don’t buy whatever products they’ve been trying to sell you. Turn off your TV, come outside and join us. This is the American Spring.
Did everyone hear about this? http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Media/Ohio_DJ_Says_Mans_Gay_Daughter_Should_Be_Raped/ This is disgusting and absolutely unacceptable. Please sign the petition here: http://signon.org/s/VaQ8yq And share the Facebook event with your friends so we can get as many signatures as possible! https://www.facebook.com/events/179915835463727/
The feminist root of fairytales! http://thefatalfeminist.com/2012/04/29/the-feminist-root-of-fairytales/
Going to your (Catholic) Funeral I went to my uncle’s funeral this week. As the family’s token atheist, this was as strange an experience as it was sad. I write a bit about how that feels.
After touching (or is it probing or both) in http://womensreality.wordpress.com/ whether or not The Hunger Games is feminist, I posed points to ponder — from the politics of still pictures, active pornography and language changes — in context of Williams College inviting and paying genderqueer porn star Jiz Lee to visit campus and teach the students.
this week I wrote a review of Caitlin Moran’s ‘How to be a Woman’. http://canbebitter.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/book-review-how-to-be-a-woman-by-caitlin-moran/
New this week at the Provider Project: Raising Awareness of Fertility Awareness Kelly writes about how FAM can be used for birth control and for getting to know your body — and why it is NOT the same as the rhythm method. and Why the Election Doesn’t NOT Matter…and Other Small Questions That Define Our Lives
This week I finally finished a post I’ve been researching: “Artemisia Gentileschi: Sexual Politics In Painting” http://www.feministfrenzy.com/2012/04/29/artemisia-gentileschi-sexual-politics-in-painting/ Gentileschi is an amazing painter from the 1600s who broke with tradition by painting mainly women protagonists with agency in a time when no one thought women could paint!
I run an Alternative Comedy night called HOWL in Leeds (UK). We promote free-thinking comedy and advocate feminism, equality, and better portrayals of women through stand-up comedy. http://www.facebook.com/howlcomedynight
Noah Brand talks about the Internet and weird porn. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/why-i-love-weird-porn/ I locate a brilliant slam-poetry piece about manning up. http://noseriouslywhatabouttehmenz.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/ten-responses-to-man-up/