Shameless Self-Promotion Sunday June 23, 2013 Jill Promote yourself. Netiquette reminders: we expect Content Notes as a courtesy to our readers for problematic content in linked posts and/or their comment threads (a habit of posting only triggering/disparaging links may annoy the Giraffe (you really don’t want to annoy the Giraffe)) extended discussion of self-promotion links on this thread is counter-productive for the intended signal-boosting – the idea is for the promoted sites to get more traffic. If it’s a side-discussion that would be off-topic/unwelcome/distressing on the other site, take it to #spillover after leaving a note on this thread redirecting others there.
As part of my Blogging to my PhD series, I take a look at what criticism of Mary Wollstonecraft tells us about how feminism and complicated real lives have to be compatible to be useful. My city (St. Louis) is trying to ban sagging pants. I am not pleased. During the Kickstarter debacle, I kept seeing people defend the author of a pro-sexual assault book’s “free speech.” Clearly, people don’t understand what free speech means. (Warning: the quotes from the book are included in this post and could be triggering.)
Today’s topic is food. If Congressmen hating on people who need food assistance hurts you or someone you love (like your grandmother), here’s the hypocrites exposed and the real facts… Sneering at Walmart Shoppers I’d love to invite Paula Deen to a beer summit with Byron Hurt, whose documentary features Southern cooking that won’t kill you… Soul Food Junkies Could Rehab Paula Deen
How to Be a Better Ally: 5 rules for being a good LGBTIA ally ‘It Could Have Been Bad‘: When Women Can’t Stand Up Against Street Harassment Miss Utah = Embarrassing. Her Critics = Even More Embarrassing: The three types of misogynists who tend to criticize “dumb pageant girls,” analyzed
I responded to the AMA’s decision to call “obesity” a disease, and rounded up a few of my favorite responses to the decision, including a petition opposing it. I also wrote about: –hree Big Fat voices, an amazing reading I attended last month featuring Lesley Kinzel, Susan Stinson, and Hanne Blank. –A weight/height discrimination bill in Massachusetts. –Recent plus size finds: bras, sports bras, and workout clothes. –An idea for how we could better spend the $6.6 billion per year that goes to the weight cycling industry. -How much I hate the association of femininity with childishness and incompetence. And as usual, a Friday links roundup where people are welcome to self-promote as well!
I’ve been writing about recovery in mental illness. Content note for various mental health topics that could be triggering: disordered eating, self harm, etc. http://borderlinebookworm.blogspot.com
I reviewed the French film Tomboy: http://film-nut.tumblr.com/post/53675777303/tomboy-2011 and chose 5 links of the week: http://film-nut.tumblr.com/post/53677590454/the-weekend-5
Over at delagar, I write a post about conversations with my daughter, who’s coming up feminist: “Looks Like You Got Yourself a Feminist There.” Also, another post about the SF book I edited with Shay Darrach, Menial: Skilled Labor in Science Fiction, which recently got a wonderful review on Strange Horizons. This is a book of short stories both by and about under-represented voices in SF — working class voices, obviously, but also LGBT voices, people of color, gender fluid, disabled, and Othered voices. The review says, and I’m quoting (I’m also thinking of putting it on a teeshirt) that “Menial is the future of science fiction.”
Chocolate Dry Shampoo – Make this for in between washes, camping, or travel. It saves so much time and you can buy all 2 ingredients with your food stamps as well. Beauty and budget married in a sweet smelling DIY project! Highlights from Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Arts – I show off some crappy photos of awesome early queer zine punk artist G.B Jones (NSFW) Menstruation Cycle Recipes – I share some awesome patriarchy-fighting recipes for soothing any period pains. Making Time – My entry for Pagan Blog Project talks about the personal accountability of being polytheist and the commitment of being your own preist amid the life of modernity.
Right-Wing Hearts Bleed for Kids http://broadblogs.com/2013/06/21/right-wing-hearts-bleed-for-kids/ Right-wingers want to jail pregnant women who drink, smoke, or use drugs. But they don’t care when kids are harmed by corporate pollution or government cuts to health care and food supplements for poor kids. Enslaving Sex Objects http://broadblogs.com/2013/06/14/enslaving-sex-objects/ Instead of living fulfilling, growing lives, developing their potential and creating bonds with family and friends, these women are kept in small, dark rooms, beaten and raped.
I wrote a blog post recounting my first 11 days of playing the Nintendo 3DS game, Animal Crossing: New Leaf: http://acidforblood.net/2013/06/animal-crossing-new-leaf-11-days/
I wrote a brief response to an article I’d read this week on gender-neutral bylines, and talked a little about my own experiences online using a gender-neutral user name.
Two pieces about emergency contraception in the blog. The first is about the protracted debate over how accessible emergency contraception should be: Should it be accessible over the counter? Should it be made available to minors? With all the judgments and appeals that have been in the news lately, find out where things currently stand. The second is a factual piece on emergency contraception from a pharmacist’s perspective. Learn about all the different options — it’s more than Plan B. Leave a comment on the blog to thank a pro-choice pharmacist!
[CN: Military, hair stuff. Pictures at own risk] We had a difficult week here at Chez Mudd. My oldest son joined the Army. And he cut his hair. (this is a photo-dump post, picture heavy, not all work safe, he’s the first 2)
Trauma interrupts life’s narrative and bends its trajectory, challenging the illusion that our choices control every outcome. Instead of compassion, survivors receive subtle or overt messages about not measuring up, not getting better fast enough, and not fitting the narrative of a competent adult. Imagine that an older, wiser self from five years in the future sends approval back to you now. Achieve Approval
This week I reviewed Rosemary and Rue. It’s a more mature take on urban fantasy featuring a changeling who’s been trapped in a non-human form for years and can’t be part of her mortal family again. Seanan McGuire does an excellent job of blending Fae-centric worldbuilding and emotional struggle.
This week I wrote a piece about sexism in the electronic music industry where there are producer/DJs and then there are women producer/DJs.
In light of a recent NPR story on why women don’t pursue careers in philosophy when the rest of the humanities are more balanced, I wrote about why I decided not to pursue a PhD in philosophy, directly relating to misogyny and ableism problems I’ve noticed in philosophy.
This week on DDP: A guest poster wrote a beautiful tribute to her father, editor Bridie Marie proudly proclaimed that her memoir (working title: Chocolate frosting AND FEELINGS AMIRITE LADIES) will be chick lit, and she ain’t ashamed. We reviewed Loud Love, a relationship-maximizing conference, and ruminated on chivalry. We closed out the week with a post on the kickstarter fiasco and had further thoughts on shaving.
Please join me in a moment of respect and compassion for the snuffed-out life of 8-year-old Charish Perriwinkle, dead in Jacksonville, FL this weekend, at the hand and horror of an experienced male registered sex offender with a long criminal history of predatory behavior against girls. Please join me also in caring and support for her mother, who is being trashed online and blamed. Earlier I commented in support of the mother on a news coverage blog, only to be trashed in turn by haters there. Because it tears at my heart to have girls targeted this way, and then their mothers blamed for murderous conduct (much as rape victims get blamed), I’ve blogged about it today: Also I commented again on the the news source: “SALLYA 6 minutes ago Seriously, are there really women commenters who instead of feeling compassion for this mother who just lost her daughter to a male murderer (who likely also raped and tortured the little girl) would think she was pimping the child out at Wal-Mart where America shops?!? Or are the commenters misogynists misusing female names to discourage women even more from seeing the truth in a rapist world? It is appalling how cruel and heartless some of these commenters have persisted in being today.” If we blame instead of empower women and girls, we will just get more of the same violence heaped on our heads. Instead by telling the truth, and acting from what we know, we can start to be smarter, safer, more engaged with our agency as creative beings in the world.
Based in Australia, I’ve captured the most thought provoking, significant, and compelling feminist articles I’ve found in the past year here feminismnowadays.wordpress.com Please add your own! (Bonus post of my own about the need for evolved men.)
I wrote two reviews about death, cancer and suicide. The reviews are of Helen Garner’s The Spare Room as well as of Linn Ullmann’s Grace.