Our Facebook feeds were full of triumphant notes about how after the election we women are still living in 2012, not 1954 — but I still think we need to pause and consider where we’ve come. Re-reading Margaret Atwood helps.
Oh alright, if you insist 🙂 A look at my problem with the phrase “girlcrush” as used in this instance by Hugo Schwyzer. And a look at the women of Skyfall.
Review of Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2 : Yes the Twilight franchise has finally come to an end but of course we couldn’t let it drift thankfully into the sunset without comment about the ever present problematic elements. Fringe and Astrid as a Disposable Mammy: Fringe may be in its final season but as part of the wrap up, they have clearly not decided to deal with the horrible racist and sexist treatment that Astrid has undergone in the last five years. Review and recap of The Walking Dead Season Three, Episode Five: Say the Word Review and Recap of American Horror Story, Season 2, Episode 5: I Am Anne Frank Part 2
Since someone else brought up Twilight…I did a response to some feminist arguments against the Twilight franchise. (I call myself a Twilight apologist.) (Please feel free to tear it to shreds.)
In honor of NaNoWriMo, I reposted a piece I wrote last year on giving yourself permission to hate your own writing.
Stuff I’ve written this week: How Skepticon is and isn’t like going to church: Self-explanatory Politics for creative types: On the market for creativity and why I think it makes creative people lean left Internet antipathy, part 2….thousand: On how some Reddit douchebags found it appropriate to shame and insult someone for wanting to help out a friend who’d been robbed.
I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a series of posts exploring female monsters from Greek myth. My first: The Sirens
“Boobs! (Not a Big Deal)“- My response to The Feminist Breeder being banned from Facebook for posting breastfeeding pictures. A picture that showed far less skin than any number of sites dedicated to showing off women in bikinis has everyone up in arms. What’s really going on? “‘I Didn’t Know You Had a Mixed Baby!’: My Students React to my Biracial Daughter“- I live in a very segregated city. Is that why my students are always surprised by my daughter’s race?
Are you funding war & promoting rape? Photographer uses art to confront tech industry, citizens about conflict minerals: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/are-you-funding-war-promoting-rape.html The art of believing: http://humaneconnectionblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-art-of-believing.html
One last try – I tried to promote this here last week but my comments never appeared. I’m assuming they slipped through the net somehow rather than there being an actual issue, right? Rhoda Grant and the Sacrificial Sex Worker: on the proposal in Scotland to criminalise sex workers’ clients, and its lack of regard for harm reduction measures.
This week I wrote about …Taylor Swift’s dangerous messages for girls, …and the counterproductive liberal reaction to secessionists in Texas.
And here’s mine! Historical fiction based loosely on the life of Victor Hugo – sex, poetry and revolution in 19th-century France! Now half-price (99c, approximately 67p) – just enter coupon code FW74R at checkout.
I am a bad blogger! I thought I would post at least one more entry in Fromage last week, but clearly I am not on board with NoMoBloMo. Which is part of what Grow more, write more, suck more, succeed more is about.
I actually managed to write two posts this week! Hurrah! First, my birthday post, wherein I reflect on what 11-year-old-me would think of 22-year-old-me. And then, did anyone notice the domestic violence on Grey’s Anatomy? And how it was NOT CALLED OUT AT ALL? And how the show has been TERRIBLE about its treatment of newly-disabled characters? I have a nice long rant on “You Need to be the Bad Guy”: Disability and Abuse on Grey’s Anatomy.
This was a week when progressive bloggers came out with deeply sexist statements. here is one: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/11/15/and-one-after-another-they-fall/ And here is another: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/11/14/a-liberal-hissy-fit/ News from Israel: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/11/17/news-from-israel/ Wanting to be liked: http://clarissasblog.com/2012/11/16/wanting-to-be-liked/
An Election Dad Memory — On 1988, Michael Dukakis, and my dad’s thoughts on voting Republican. Everyday Yoga Photo Post of downward facing dog. (Includes links for anyone who’s interested in submitting to the next round.) Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Salvage — The episode is about a woman who fears being the victim of violence (from a specific perpetrator). When she seeks help, however, there are an awful lot of cultural obstacles in her way. It’s hard to turn down food. — Even when I don’t want something — when I’m in a group, a lot of people expect me to want that thing.
Fucke the motherfucken NY Times: http://freethoughtblogs.com/physioprof/2012/11/18/fucke-the-motherfucken-new-york-times/
I wrote about: The complex ethics of fatshion blogging Are fatshionistas pioneering a new deep economy of fashion? An awesome new women’s media initiative started by Kath of Fat Heffalump and, on the lighter side: Scans from late ’90s/early ’00s Delia*s catalogs! a My Little Pony-based outfit of the day
I have returned from my concussion-induced blog-fast! And to celebrate, I wrote about Denmark and the Holocaust, and the power of refusal.
Lately at Doctor Her: Don’t Believe Everything the Doctor Tells You: On Fear, Gender, and the Weeping Angels The First Face This Face Saw. An interesting theory about how the Doctor is defined by the first face he sees after a regeneration. River Song: Marriage and Body Image Cosplayers are not “fake geek girls.”
this week I wrote about why it’s important to talk about the “minor” stuff when it comes to feminism, also known as my comeback to the argument that “you shouldn’t complain about X when women in Saudi Arabia aren’t allowed to drive.” http://canbebitter.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/the-canbebitter-anniversary-post-or-are-we-there-yet/
Trans Day of Remembrance? I want a Trans Day of ACTION – Thinking about TDOR as a white trans woman Reconsidering airport scanners – I went through one of the new TSA scanners and the world didn’t end Too queer for Kinky Boots – Caught the Kinky Boots musical and was entirely unimpressed
Keeping things light, I gave my take on the state of the modern romantic comedy: http://jesusandvenus.com/home/2012/11/15/-romantic-comedy-reboot
I reviewed Rian Johnson’s ‘Looper:’ http://film-nut.tumblr.com/post/35915957125/looper-2012 chose 5 interesting links: http://film-nut.tumblr.com/post/36008738137/the-weekend-5 and tried to get people to pledge to my kickstarter! the film is about the phenomenon of more and more Israelis coming to live in Berlin. Why Berlin? We will attempt to find out! Here is the link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bde-films/aliyah-le-berlin
Some good articles on Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona’s blog this week. Friday was the 40th anniversary of the termination of the Tuskegee syphilis study, which examined untreated syphilis in poor, rural black men without their informed consent. Check out our blog to learn about this terrible chapter in the history of medical research, and the consequences that still resonate today. We’re also wrapping up Get Smart About Antibiotics Week, for which our pharmacist-blogger wrote an informative piece addressing some of the many misconceptions about antibiotics. Did you know that the misuse of antibiotics can: fail to cure your illness, encourage the evolution of “superbugs,” and cause needless side effects? Sneak preview: Next Tuesday we’ll be combining these two themes with a post on antibiotic-resistant syphilis.
I put up my review of Burning Man 2012. Also, and more importantly, I’m working on a piece about sexual assault at Burning Man. Please do contact me if you have anything to share on the topic. Specifically, does anyone have any links or articles I should definitely look at? Does anyone have strong opinions or experiences that they want to tell me about? I’m happy to keep everything totally anonymous, if desired. I am also a trained rape crisis counselor, if that helps. You can find me at the obvious gmail address or through the contact form on my blog.
Mad Men, Joan, And The Rape I actually wrote this back when the episode first aired, but due to a carpal tunnel flair up, it was super postponed! All better now.
I started a blog because I recently had a problem with feminists not caring about minority women issues outside of gender. Because I didn’t want to be selfish, I also included trans women, financially challenged women, “unattractive” women, etc. Please make sure to read ALL posts. I do not want anyone to think it is a blog intended for hate, it’s quite the opposite.
Here’s “Why I Love Feminism“. This week’s quotes are on a sadder subject:”Wise Words on Depression” My link roundup for the week:”Good Reading This Week“
I started off this week fairly light-hearted, with The Club The Dare Not Speak Its Name. Where I talk about women, public bathrooms, and poo. But then the news broke that my country had killed a woman, and the rest of the week was devoted to Savita Halappanavar and abortion in Ireland. In My Country Kills Women, I respond to this news, and trace my life over the week of her death with what was happening a couple of hours’ drive away. Abortion and Journeys follows my early-morning flight home to Ireland in the aftermath of Savita’s death, retracing the journey to the UK taken by thousands of Irish women every single year. In Love and Shame in the Wake of Savita, I speak of my love of my city, and how it feels to love a place and a culture that harbours such profound injustice and coldness. And then there is Anti-Abortion is not Pro-Life. Where I refuse to acknowledge anti-abortionists use of the term. They have no right to it. Not when they and their policies kill. It’s been one hell of a long week.
A lot of us are cutting back because of job loss. So I posted my frugal recipe links: http://valarltd.livejournal.com/1675816.html The Wish List meme is going around Livejournal again: http://valarltd.livejournal.com/1676132.html I made USA Today. http://valarltd.livejournal.com/1677847.html And for my birthday, I am giving away free books, Offer good through Monday: http://valarltd.livejournal.com/1678328.html
Reading your wish list post, I’d like to say, please, please, please, do not get your or your daughter’s cartilage done with a piercing gun. It causes immense trauma and can lead to severe complications. Get it done with a needle at a reputable piercer. Helix piercings are fickle and heal slowly, so you really should get them done by someone with the right tools and extensive training. And make sure they sterilize the equipment well. It’s more expensive, yes, but it’s worth it. Plus there’s the added benefit of being able to talk to a knowledgeable person should there be any trouble (like I said, helixes are fickle).
I wrote about the anti-Chris Brown pestering effort in Sweden and my problem with it As well, some gender essentialist Christmas shopping tips, courtesy of Pinterest
Anybody who says “I’m not a feminist but…” really isn’t: http://radfemway.blogspot.com/2012/11/im-not-feminist-but.html
A friend of mine has started a Facebook page called “Calling out Cat Calling“, in her words, “a page to share stories, thoughts, ideas and issues related to verbal and non-verbal sexual harassment.” Please join!
I wrote about inclusive language standards in the APA and at a seminary, and a description of what I think geek means, along with why I call myself a theology geek.
I’ve been musing what the “death of Traditional America” really means. I’m hoping it means I won’t have to listen to racist comments on the radio anymore.
One from Hoyden about Town (Australia): When a local comedy club advertised a “debate”, complete with exploitation-y poster, on Can Rape Jokes be Funny, featuring *an all-male line-up* of not very mature comics, you just knew things weren’t going to go well. Enter some Melbourne feminists including some from the organisation Destroy the Joint. Here is what went down. Here’s the Destroy the Joint facebook page. If you want to know why it’s called DtJ a bit of clicking should uncover that story. https://www.facebook.com/DestroyTheJoint
I wrote about the bear-faced campaign by Children in Need which suggested that women could raise money by not wearing any make-up.
Some arsehat family friend decided to write me a long message on facebook about how my sexual orientation is invalid and I’m really just a messed up person because I have divorced parents! In his tirade he also managed to assert that all GLBT people really just have Freudian complexes. Sigh. So I took him down publicly: A Open Letter (or I am not sick and sexuality is not a choice).