tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-267889822024-03-07T19:49:38.096-05:00The Peeled AppleEve didn't peel it. I willAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-37793045697174501982015-06-02T16:42:00.000-04:002015-12-21T11:36:23.707-05:00Caitlyn Jenner's Feminist Conundrum<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Caitlyn Jenner <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/06/caitlyn-jenner-bruce-cover-annie-leibovitz" target="_blank">looks</a> amazing. That was the headline on Monday, and it was well-deserved. Even if we hadn’t seen her before, we probably would have said that, especially if we had known she’s 65 years old.</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSsISakllwYm4nNwOwu21ceZPxSZQ9Mca2do6y9gkdZyJ8b6SMIMFzVomR6KXUR1ofqgB1WHPnOSSp_3cYrPzcz4n_j4xXvJr9baibmGYNqk8_E27vvKIb1Jld_8Fd8fTrNvr3Q/s320/556cd6644ae56e586e4588d8_caitlyn-jenner-bruce-jenner-july-2015-vf.jpg" width="228" /></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a secular humanist/liberal/commie/whatever you want to call me, I’m happy that we’re becoming what seems to be a society that’s more accepting of people’s choices (as long as there’s not a fetus involved). The male-female continuum has always been murky, and I’m glad that we’re starting to realize that. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also think it would be horrible to have to live in a body that I felt I didn’t belong in, and I’m glad there’s surgery that lets people project what they feel on the inside to the world at large. But my feminist heart is troubled.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It makes sense - no one is going to have surgery to become an average looking person. If you’re getting fake boobs, you’re not going to get small weirdo boobs, you’re going to get really great ones. Same for your stomach and your hips. Everything down under is going to line up as nicely as it possibly can. You don’t just want to be a woman, you want to be a WOMAN.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the perfect nipples, the raised cheekbones, the nips, the tucks, I have the same problem with those that I do for anyone getting plastic surgery. They continue publicizing this impossible ideal that (I thought) we were slowly starting to shift away from. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahkOh8ttElFwXjtFvZc8oVtBisjfWepqYOWN5fA5AHQmiNBWCbY9Apv6g0PrIxeuQbr-CufSmI2PhAQXYLvyUyIBvRmfoVbMoqhlwIHVY5zN5RPKcmfmhvE1Kt6fvDw6gBFE1ag/s1600/screen-shot-2015-04-06-at-3-32-46-pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahkOh8ttElFwXjtFvZc8oVtBisjfWepqYOWN5fA5AHQmiNBWCbY9Apv6g0PrIxeuQbr-CufSmI2PhAQXYLvyUyIBvRmfoVbMoqhlwIHVY5zN5RPKcmfmhvE1Kt6fvDw6gBFE1ag/s200/screen-shot-2015-04-06-at-3-32-46-pm.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#ImNoAngel</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lena Dunhams and Amy Schumers of the world, the chronic loud and proud use of the word ‘feminist’ (Thanks, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/24/taylor-swift-feminist-_n_5704691.html" target="_blank">Taylor Swift</a>! Thanks, Beyonce!), the celebs standing up (or down) to Cannes about their <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/05/19/how-high-heels-became-a-feminist-issue-at-cannes.html" target="_blank">high heels rule</a>, the Lane Bryant #ImNoAngel <a href="http://time.com/3772891/lane-bryant-plus-size-victorias-secret/" target="_blank">campaign</a>, <a href="http://www.rookiemag.com/" target="_blank">Rookie Magazine</a> - I was starting to believe that mainstream feminism was the future.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the same time, society is becoming more accepting of the transgender community. So where does feminism fit into that? I’ve never been a transgender person, so I don’t know. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7000007629395px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The way I understand it, transgender people are straddling the gender continuum - they're wired on one side, but look like they’re on the other side. With surgery, you're closing your legs, so to speak, you're meeting yourself on one side of the continuum. You are one thing and not the other. T</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">hat immediately conflicts with second wave ideas that gender is a social construct, but this isn't my issue - as a third-waver, I believe men and women are different, and that's okay. That's good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a society that judges people on how they look, I get wanting to remove the extraneous parts - the penises, the boobs. I get growing your hair out or cutting it short, dressing in jeans or a skirt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Caitlyn Jenner didn’t stop there. She turned herself into an impossibly beautiful woman. I know that she’s got to live how she feels, but does a 65 year old woman really feel like THAT on the inside? I don’t feel like that and I’m 32. In fact, if I had surgery to reflect how I really feel on the inside, I would probably look more like Bruce Jenner than Caitlyn. I understand that Caitlyn is a woman, and that the Vanity Fair shoot was "about who [she] is as a person," but it makes my feminism sad that she became</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> such a society-driven ideal of a woman. How honest is that?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-88032495972643036722010-01-22T10:16:00.003-05:002010-01-22T23:26:04.597-05:00Happy Anniversary, Roe v. Wade!On the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I want to remind everyone that there's a reason we pro-choicers use the word "choice." And that reason is what (I hope) we're fighting for.<br /><br />It's not about abortion. It was never about abortion. Find me someone who actually LIKES abortion. We're not for more abortions, we're for freedom. For trust. For choice. For autonomy.<div><br /><img src="http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/assets/graphics/bfc10-icon.png" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" /><div>The moment abortion becomes illegal, that freedom, that choice has been taken away. The nation is effectively saying, "Women shouldn't be trusted to make this decision for themselves."</div><div><br />When pro-lifers frame the argument around the potential for life, they de-rail the focus. We're not automatically on opposite sides of the argument, because they're arguing apples and I'm arguing squares. It's not an either-or argument. It's this-and-that. And this is why we all end up nowhere. Pretty soon, the argument becomes about pinpointing where life begins, and we're in a hamster wheel of cyclical arguments where no one trusts anyone with any decision and both abortion and masturbation end up illegal.<br /><br />I'm firmly pro-masturbation, for the record.<br /><br />But back to my point. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. If you're pro-choice, you're most likely for any method that WORKS (I'm looking at you, abstinence-only education) to decrease the number of abortions. Like almost everything else in this world, it starts with education, continues with availability of resources to enable women and men to make smart decisions, and ends (in my dream world, anyway) with a world full of WANTED children and happy people, both pregnant and non-pregnant.<br /><br />For this world to become a reality, abortion needs to exist. It needs to be accessible and safe, because accidents happen. Stupid decisions happen. And that's what makes abortion a necessity.<br /><br />I've met people who can't quite bring themselves to accept the "pro-choice" label. I get it. Labels suck. But sometimes, like abortion, they're necessary. We're in a fight, and we need you. You may be morally opposed to abortion for yourself, but if you believe people should maintain control over their bodies, you're on this side of the line, I'm afraid. Come join the picket line.</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-54445717969430091622009-04-13T11:09:00.005-04:002009-04-13T11:49:32.429-04:00OBSERVE and Report...a confessionI was shocked...outraged...pissed. I hate shock comedy and hate movies in general, but a film that mines date rape and serial flashers for comedy is NOT a film I want to see. <a href="http://observe-and-report.warnerbros.com/" target="_blank">Observe and Report</a> is all of these things. Here's the R-rated trailer:<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v4i_XEXcypQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v4i_XEXcypQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />And here's Seth Rogen's explanation of why his rape scene "isn't" rape:<br /><br /><blockquote> SETH ROGEN: when we’re having sex and she’s unconscious like you can literally feel the audience thinking, like, how the fuck are they going to make this okay? Like, what can possibly be said or done that I’m not going to walk out of the movie theater in the next thirty seconds? . . . And then she says, like, the one thing that makes it all okay:<br /><br /> BRANDI: “Why are you stopping, motherfucker?”</blockquote><br />Never mind that she passes out after saying it. And forget about how messed up she is. We won't even mention her vomit-covered pillow.<br /><br />This is obviously rape. Funny rape. Cue feminist outrage. <br /><br />Then I remembered: I haven't seen the movie. I've read a bunch of reviews and feminist analysis of the <a href="http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/04/09/rogen_date_rape/index.html?source=rss&aim=/mwt/broadsheet/feature" target="_blank">TRAILER</a>, but I haven't actually watched it. I forgot to observe before I reported (ha ha ha). <br /><br />In short, I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about.<br /><br />This isn't a movie for everyone. Obviously. Reviews range from <a href="http://www.pajiba.com/film_reviews/observe-and-report-review.php" target="_blank">rave</a> to <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/chi-tc-mov-observe-report-0408-0apr10,0,95514.story" target="_blank">pan</a>. I THINK I'll be on the pan side, but I don't know. I forgot to think for myself. I used other people's words, other people's outrage. And that makes me sad.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-47756283566138793332009-02-13T14:30:00.004-05:002009-02-13T15:12:16.365-05:00Barbie ConfusionAccording to <a href="http://deadspin.com/5152643/dallas-cowboys-somehow-make-barbie-dolls-even-more-sexist" target="_blank">Deadspin</a>, "The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has awarded its first TOADY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children) Award to Mattel's 'Barbie Dallas <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlx9knJ9H7XcgvzDEo9vSocZKrmmDe2DijLZ9wJuljRBWfHzNzctMkcJpVrmm4qzEA24-7XFSoVg5jFdd_a0TkUQtaUgoQizTPoNnPuE5iRTUCoP7OTb0Qgqte67LbS84ygF_TQ/s1600-h/barbie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtlx9knJ9H7XcgvzDEo9vSocZKrmmDe2DijLZ9wJuljRBWfHzNzctMkcJpVrmm4qzEA24-7XFSoVg5jFdd_a0TkUQtaUgoQizTPoNnPuE5iRTUCoP7OTb0Qgqte67LbS84ygF_TQ/s200/barbie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302370199801143042" border="0" /></a>Cowboy Cheerleader Doll.'"<br /><br />I always hated "playing Barbie." It would be cool if I could say that I was conscious of the way Barbie made me feel about myself and my body, but I just hated her. She was too perky. And my friends sounded stupid when they tried to make her speak.<br /><br />I voted for video games over the large-breasted plastic dolls. <br /><br />But once I found my feminism, I realized that there was a lot to hate about these dolls. The unrealistic proportions, the pink theme of it all, the outfits... Despite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie%27s_careers" target="_blank">some efforts</a> to the contrary, Barbie is not a cool, normal chick.<br /><br />And she's not supposed to be. She's supposed to be glamorous, skinny, hot, pink...whatever. That's what our society aspires to. Don't believe me? Take a <a href="http://www.sugarslam.com/the-40-hottest-25-and-under-female-celebrities/" target="_blank">look</a> at some of the "hottest" movie stars around today.<br /><br />Blaming Barbie for instilling an unhealthy body image or unrealistic expectations in young girls is like blaming GI Joe for aggression in boys. Barbie is just a symptom. Yes, there's a problem, but complaining about Barbie or even discontinuing the doll (never gonna happen) isn't going to fix it.<br /><br />So that's why this random award for a particular Barbie in a "skimpy" outfit puzzles me. What is so different about this Barbie? And how, exactly, does it oppress anyone? That's a lot of power for one plastic doll.<br /><br />Look, I get where these people are coming from. I hate that there's a doll out there who wouldn't be able to stand if she was a real woman. But there's a reason these things sell so well. I think it's misguided to blame a toy for our problems.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-9589452617462036862009-01-29T17:08:00.002-05:002009-01-29T17:10:45.983-05:00Sexist Ad of the Day: Ikea"Every woman needs her space."<br /><br /><embed src="http://static.ning.com/adgabber/widgets/video/flvplayer/flvplayer.swf?v=3.12.2%3A14258" flashvars="config_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.adgabber.com%2Fvideo%2Fvideo%2FshowPlayerConfig%3Fid%3D546804%253AVideo%253A151360%26x%3DNnXFXTKSz1vBc0FJ5JfEaO3dY5EAiHIz&video_smoothing=on&autoplay=off" width="448" height="364" scale="noscale" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed> <br /><small><a href="http://www.adgabber.com/video/video">Find more videos like this on <em>AdGabber</em></a></small><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-66605119209204597132009-01-28T14:03:00.004-05:002009-01-28T14:37:54.316-05:00Medicaid Family Planning State Option FAILYesterday, Obama caved to Republicans and facilitated the removal of family planning from the stimulus package. I find myself thinking about many scenes from The West Wing (again):<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QETrQg5IJN4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QETrQg5IJN4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />"This is about getting votes from white men."<br /><br />I wish Amy Gardner was a real person. (I know we have women like her out there...I'm just feeling mopey right now.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/issues-action/birth-control/medicaid-21017.htm" target="_blank">Planned Parenthood</a> lays it out better than I ever could:<blockquote>The Medicaid Family Planning State Option is a simple way to make health care affordable for millions of Americans. It would do two important things:<br /><br /> 1. It would allow millions of women to obtain basic health care. It would extend safety-net health care coverage for millions of people, including many who are losing their jobs and health insurance in the economic downturn. Studies estimate that 2.3 million low-income women would receive coverage under this provision by 2014, and 500,000 women would be able to avoid unintended pregnancies.<br /><br /> 2. In these difficult times, this provision would save states money. State budgets are being squeezed by the economic downturn, just as millions are losing their jobs and health insurance. The Medicaid Family Planning State Option not only would help states extend their coverage, it would generate savings for states and the federal government by expanding access to preventive care.<br /><br />Please, take two minutes now to help us raise a public outcry.<br /><br />Call the White House (202-456-1111). Let them know that during this tough economic time, expanding access to basic health care is more important than ever for women and families.</blockquote><br />For more details, click <a href="http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/abcjan09_pp?source=abcjan09_pporg" target="_blank">here</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-17320994834812544982009-01-28T12:40:00.003-05:002009-01-28T12:50:12.044-05:00Conundrum of the day: Shin Saim-dang's picture on a South Korean bank noteAccording to the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-korea-currency28-2009jan28,0,7048181.story" target="_blank">LA Times</a>, the decision to put Shin Saim-dang's picture on the 50,000-won bill is controversial, both because she's a woman and because she is known as the "wise mother."<br /><br />So...basically...no one is happy. A convenience store worker doesn't want "a woman's face on [his] money." A university student hopes "people don't think she represents women in this culture. She doesn't."<br /><br />From the LA Times article:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphLvoG21BRYm4eebG5ONFFCJNJQu9iFTbXJP4ryW3grlBBnZYftq4v1CpIJU-EJcF-zUvvL_KRvsJns9QWz0x7OwWjPcbJSEAT4wwadmHBHeH1ab6jz4doT5V-riNaCpcz62M2w/s1600-h/shinsaim-dang.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphLvoG21BRYm4eebG5ONFFCJNJQu9iFTbXJP4ryW3grlBBnZYftq4v1CpIJU-EJcF-zUvvL_KRvsJns9QWz0x7OwWjPcbJSEAT4wwadmHBHeH1ab6jz4doT5V-riNaCpcz62M2w/s200/shinsaim-dang.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296403077423824498" border="0" /></a><blockquote>While some applauded the move as an equal rights gesture in a country where men control nearly every facet of society, others say choosing Shin reinforces sexist stereotypes about women's roles.<br /><br />Known as Eojin Eomeoni, or "wise mother," Shin for 500 years has been a model of both excellent mothering skills and filial piety, according to Bank of Korea officials.<br /><br />Shin was the mother of seven children, including Yi I, a famous Confucian scholar whose image adorns the nation's 5,000-won note.<br /><br />The officials point out that Shin was a respected female figure in Korea's Joseon Dynasty, which ruled from 1392 to 1910.<br /><br />Shin's success in fulfilling her duties as a mother, wife and daughter while succeeding as an artist has brought her great respect in modern-day South Korea, the proponents add.</blockquote>I don't know enough to have an opinion on this one (hence the heavy quotage), but I thought it was an interesting story. Any thoughts from people with more knowledge on the subject?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-84098673805931909542009-01-28T12:12:00.003-05:002009-01-28T12:20:45.677-05:00The Bright Side: Iceland appoints openly gay, lefty woman as PMYay, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hZ1wxzD54Wq_zFF4tPsAaRRgLm6QD960643O3" target="_blank">Iceland</a>! It's only a matter of a bajillion years before a former flight attendant-turned socialist <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYoqchERqcJZVer3xotXUv6zQeTlloDzMDVWLY5KPymjizO34Q5zVuCOGM2vsFKs-Pm9bysz67-xyofA0dK-DEm15fcTQUy2PghBTwCKYYp7z5BYaiN99a0HlBEvTEM8nkRX2sw/s1600-h/johanna_sigurdardottir_vef_2003488892.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYoqchERqcJZVer3xotXUv6zQeTlloDzMDVWLY5KPymjizO34Q5zVuCOGM2vsFKs-Pm9bysz67-xyofA0dK-DEm15fcTQUy2PghBTwCKYYp7z5BYaiN99a0HlBEvTEM8nkRX2sw/s200/johanna_sigurdardottir_vef_2003488892.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296395656022533810" border="0" /></a>lesbian becomes president in the US. That's right...I think Iceland's a bajillion years ahead of us on that front.<br /><br />Of course, Johanna Sigurdardottir will only be PM until the general elections in May (the former PM stepped down because he so royally screwed up the economy...or because he was sick...right...that's it). And she's got an economic disaster on her hands...<br /><br />But still...this is awesome.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-53749025097429816222009-01-28T10:43:00.006-05:002009-01-28T12:57:55.906-05:00You MUST be joking: Dating a Banker Anonymous<a href="http://dabagirls.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Dating a Banker Anonymous</a> is a support group for women who are "stuck" dating a banker. Here's the full text from the intro:<br /><blockquote>Are you or someone you love dating a banker? If so, we are here to support you through these difficult times. Dating A Banker Anonymous (DABA) is a safe place where women can come together – free from the scrutiny of feminists– and share their tearful tales of how the mortgage meltdown has affected their relationships. DABA Girls was started by two best friends whose relationships tanked with the economy. Not knowing what else to do, we did what frustrated but articulate girls have done since the beginning of time - we started a blog. So if your monthly Bergdorf’s allowance has been halved and bottle service has all but disappeared from your life, lighten your heart with laughter and email your stories to dabagirls@gmail.com. Warning all stories sent will be infused with our own special brand of DABA Girl humor.</blockquote>The<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKU92n7zfJ_sVyCkLlemzOes7fDQB4fhclvOZqgZrke2EbuL_8QTSAR8nqDYNm4zeO94YZtnfDoL_w2R5va4h4mSRhcQnG2x3_bevVP1ztdwdPsYGr8zNfQ6RhSEiCgIW7ilg9A/s1600-h/sadbanker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKU92n7zfJ_sVyCkLlemzOes7fDQB4fhclvOZqgZrke2EbuL_8QTSAR8nqDYNm4zeO94YZtnfDoL_w2R5va4h4mSRhcQnG2x3_bevVP1ztdwdPsYGr8zNfQ6RhSEiCgIW7ilg9A/s200/sadbanker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296381694460302354" border="0" /></a> "humor" they mention is the Gossip Girl/Sex and the City "look at me, I'm really spoiled and unhappy" brand of wit. To be fair, they've found a niche and they're running with it. Fine. And if they have emotionally and/or physically abusive boyfriends (or 'FBFs' - financial boyfriends), then they <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> have a support group.<br /><br />But most of these women are talking about everyday depression. Their boyfriends are watching their lives disintegrate and it's "not what they signed up for." Their rich boyfriends aren't making money anymore and they're all mopey and "clingy." What's a girl to do?<br /><br />How about...be a good partner? Everyone goes through bad times. The nice thing about being in a relationship? Your other half wants to make you feel better. They...you know...CARE about you. That's comforting when everything else in your life is turning to shit.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1hcnPOMqrqY/SYCGNL6_eLI/AAAAAAAAA-E/ERCnuEVfmpY/s1600-h/little+girl+with+pout.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1hcnPOMqrqY/SYCGNL6_eLI/AAAAAAAAA-E/ERCnuEVfmpY/s200/little+girl+with+pout.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296380722884343986" border="0" /></a><br />I could continue with the appalling quotes, but you get the idea. This is a group of selfish, whiny women. They act like they're victims of the recession. If they're so unhappy, just BREAK UP with the guy. It'll probably be better for him in the long run. Of course, then you'd be forced to change your "facebook status from 'in a relationship' to 'I ain’t saying I’m a gold digger, but I ain’t messin’ with no broke banker.'" THE HORROR!!!<br /><br />Talk about false victimization. I wish these women would either grow a pair and help these guys out, or get out before they do any damage to their "FBFs."<br /><br />UPDATE: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/nyregion/28daba.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink">Here</a>'s the NYT story about these ladies.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-43956938461033072442009-01-24T10:55:00.005-05:002009-01-24T12:39:56.869-05:00RIP "Feminist"?I'm tired of writing about Palin. Really, I am. But she did pose an interesting quandary for those of us who call ourselves feminists. Because...you know...SHE called herself a feminist.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8qoLBhRlxSsC5Qvq8Gs9IZLoMB1YYFAxDHxCNN85eUpTEb4ShZu5jE05ZCqtfJwoYwruxH2m7Fsis8wu8Ig_ESOsPLaYyBXLnn5VAtYmM-dOzW40iz6efCnIsogm_EcfR4UDVg/s1600-h/Sarah-Palin-Vogue.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8qoLBhRlxSsC5Qvq8Gs9IZLoMB1YYFAxDHxCNN85eUpTEb4ShZu5jE05ZCqtfJwoYwruxH2m7Fsis8wu8Ig_ESOsPLaYyBXLnn5VAtYmM-dOzW40iz6efCnIsogm_EcfR4UDVg/s200/Sarah-Palin-Vogue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294899248513051730" border="0" /></a><br />A <a href="http://www.feministsforlife.org/" target="_blank">Feminist for Life</a>.<br /><br />That's a feminist who doesn't believe women should have a choice about what they do with their own bodies. A feminist who believes equal rights is being "one of the boys."<br /><br />For a long time, I've believed that anyone who identifies as a feminist IS a feminist. Who am I to say they're not a "real" feminist? And then Palin came on the scene.<br /><br />I don't think she would've kept the feminist thing going if it hadn't come out that she was a member of Feminists for Life. But it did, and she took it and ran with it. Smart.<br /><br />Still, I don't think, as <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/sexist/2009/01/22/the-feminist-mystique-how-election-2008-killed-a-notorious-word/" target="_blank">this</a> article suggests, that she killed the word itself by "eliminating the taboo."<br /><br />I don't want people to be scared of the word. I want everyone who truly believes in equal rights to be able to proudly say that they're a feminist. We don't need a taboo to keep us going. We need people on our side.<br /><br />And that's what bugs me about Palin. I don't think she's on our side. Obviously, feminism means something entirely different to her. She can call herself a feminist, but a politician who believes "that women certainly today have every opportunity that a man has to succeed, and to try to do it all, anyway" is not someone who is fighting for women's rights. It seems like she just wants to maintain the status quo. And that's not enough.<br /><br />But the KKK didn't kill the word "Christian" and Palin didn't kill the word "feminist." She can call herself whatever she wants, but she doesn't represent feminism. She doesn't speak for us. And terrorists who call themselves Muslims don't speak for Muslims everywhere.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKpsjJbsl7Rzn_S93oBOwzqVq47my3yQTdH5WA-0yAuhatvajyYGORW8FjJ0VSDvoaEMmIuMbFqHusDy_s5r0ee26Pj2WGO18sj5vxQpNL4zm4V-PqBphjYOvlmdcUqYXlKo5HQ/s1600-h/palin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKpsjJbsl7Rzn_S93oBOwzqVq47my3yQTdH5WA-0yAuhatvajyYGORW8FjJ0VSDvoaEMmIuMbFqHusDy_s5r0ee26Pj2WGO18sj5vxQpNL4zm4V-PqBphjYOvlmdcUqYXlKo5HQ/s200/palin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294899471107527410" border="0" /></a><br />I'm not, in any way saying Palin is comparable to a terrorist or a member of the KKK, I just think people can use words to describe themselves without changing the definition for everyone.<br /><br />I don't think Conservative Christians are anywhere near co-opting the word. I think it's still scary, just not AS scary. And that's a pretty good place to be.<br /><br />Michelle Obama is not ready to call herself a feminist (she "doesn't like labels"). And I think that proves the point. People are still afraid of the word. I would love for that fear to end, but it hasn't.<br /><br />It isn't time to read the "feminist" obituary, but when that time comes, it will be because it's second nature to believe that men and women should be on equal footing. (That's why we don't call people man-ists.) The death of "feminist" won't come from some female good ole boy, it will come from hard work and revolution. When everyone's a feminist...THEN it will be time to retire the word.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-50261191131416487162009-01-23T12:29:00.003-05:002009-01-23T12:38:38.597-05:00Ding, dong the global gag rule is DEAD!Some were pissed that Obama didn't lift the global gag rule (which denies funding to any NGO that gives abortions or abortion counseling) yesterday, on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.<br /><br />Instead, he did it today. Yesterday, he said the issue was too emotional to make the decision on such a symbolic day. So...one day makes such a difference? I think he just wanted to stand out from the crowd (both Clinton and Bush addressed the rule on January 22nd).<br /><br />Plus, there's <a href="http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/01/23/gag_rule/index.html?source=rss&aim=/mwt/broadsheet">this</a>:<br /><blockquote>His choice to lift the gag today rather than yesterday, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade decision and the date that both Clinton and Bush made their announcements, is <a target="_blank" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123267481436808735.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">being read</a> as a sign of respect toward antiabortion activists, who staged a large march in D.C. yesterday. That may be true, but it's also true that by making more pro-choice news today, after issuing a <a href="http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/01/22/obama_women/index.html">very strong statement in support of Roe</a> yesterday, Obama is ensuring that his lift of the gag rule -- which really does change the landscape for international health and family services -- can stand as its own news story, rather than just getting mashed in with the rest of the January 22 "abortion day" news.</blockquote>You know what? I don't care why he did it today. I'm just ecstatic that he did it. More access and funding for contraceptives, counseling, and education means fewer unintended pregnancies and fewer abortions. And that's what we all want...right? RIGHT?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-44819757993227957492009-01-23T11:27:00.004-05:002009-01-23T11:43:54.643-05:00Soft, Squishy White House GirlzTy, Inc., of Beanie Babies fame, released a set of dolls before the inauguration. COINCIDENTALLY, the dolls are two girls with dark skin and dark hair. Also COINCIDENTALLY, their names are "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia." Not coincidentally, Michelle Obama is pissed.<br /><br />The toymaker says they were "inspired by" the Obama girls, but that they chose the names because they are "beautiful." These dolls are not supposed to be exact replicas of the girls.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yLLMu1C52EqXpdVCuoqpQgrmFKSmWOtA3Q5WJASv1MTZxs8RoA-6hqRLCp-gYmoYAKPaBZt5T24F7Iq_n4ML4Hbn_myiwmmzS993nJYuSWIn3HTn8RqyAEAJHsGnT_uiiA1W7w/s1600-h/SashaMaliadolls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yLLMu1C52EqXpdVCuoqpQgrmFKSmWOtA3Q5WJASv1MTZxs8RoA-6hqRLCp-gYmoYAKPaBZt5T24F7Iq_n4ML4Hbn_myiwmmzS993nJYuSWIn3HTn8RqyAEAJHsGnT_uiiA1W7w/s200/SashaMaliadolls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294528414041650562" border="0" /></a>It's true. I don't think Sasha and Malia have hearts attached to their wrists. And the girls aren't as busty as these dolls since, you know, they're 7 and 10 years old. But this is far from a <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-tygirlzjan22,0,5205363.story">coincidence</a>. Hey, at least they're not china dolls. Cause...well...plush dolls are pretty tough. Even if they DO have boobs.<br /><br />Let the exploitation of two little girls begin!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-45422093483854302302009-01-19T12:39:00.005-05:002009-01-19T13:02:53.919-05:00Feminist Freak Out: Ms. Magazine's Obama Super-feminist coverThe stage is set. Tomorrow, Obama will be our President. It's historical and wonderful, and I'm still feeling the chills from that performance of "This Land is Your Land." For the first time in my life, I feel like that song might be true very soon.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nMYtNlIlGKM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nMYtNlIlGKM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />So Ms. Magazine decided to get in on the action with a "special Inaugural issue." The cover of the issue has caused a lot of femi-freak. Here it is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_M1kbzqfjDH67LNkyC7FRJG93boKTtYDYyyCxEP12-LBasvHiTh1SRSrD_bLFEFnM2hy7J4c9OxK3gLqWigKVlL2RkDaf7dlAT3oEYdfduIObIGqC7VjxNP-PICsXvxcsc10AGg/s1600-h/Superobama_main.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_M1kbzqfjDH67LNkyC7FRJG93boKTtYDYyyCxEP12-LBasvHiTh1SRSrD_bLFEFnM2hy7J4c9OxK3gLqWigKVlL2RkDaf7dlAT3oEYdfduIObIGqC7VjxNP-PICsXvxcsc10AGg/s200/Superobama_main.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293062321685420466" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some feminists are upset at what they feel is a misguided image of feminism. Right. Who wants the President on our side? We want people fighting for our rights, just not the man who beat what <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-11/how-feminism-became-the-f-word/1/" target="_blank">this</a> article calls the "real live" Wonder Woman candidate (Hillary Clinton). We're bitter, we're hurt, and we'd rather just sit in our meetings and complain. <br /><br />And I'm saying, no. That's not what we're about. Feminists are PEOPLE who believe in women's rights. And while I don't think he's a God or a superhero, we want him fighting for us. While The Super-Feminist would make for a boring comic book, it's great in real life. Sure, we haven't broken the presidential glass ceiling, but all women are not feminists (Palin, anyone?). Yeah, yeah...so we don't need men to rescue us. But if that man is President, we need him on our side.<br /><br />To the Second Wave Feminists who are still bitter about Clinton, who still think of feminism as an exclusive club, I say: Get over it. Wait till he screws something up, then complain. But maybe this time, he'll actually listen to us.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-48438700579177086782008-10-03T16:53:00.003-04:002008-10-03T17:09:51.703-04:00Gawker thinks Palin had a little helpUgh. Just came across <a href="http://gawker.com/5058793/where-is-sarah-palin-in-her-cycle-right-now" target="_blank">this</a> article over on Gawker.<br /><br />It asks the deep question: "Where is Sarah Palin in her cycle right now?"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoy4d8kxdgBVqk7RBqdvhycN9GpWxRVNo60_t2cv9UimUb1riZ7PAxCwWGgb-nZ0U7qqFM3BFbeEa8Zlj5OkCokWdnhs8FLRPaTkLkKLnTH5dXDHnIIk1WBuN4nsy8fyqYks1cfw/s1600-h/gawker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoy4d8kxdgBVqk7RBqdvhycN9GpWxRVNo60_t2cv9UimUb1riZ7PAxCwWGgb-nZ0U7qqFM3BFbeEa8Zlj5OkCokWdnhs8FLRPaTkLkKLnTH5dXDHnIIk1WBuN4nsy8fyqYks1cfw/s200/gawker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253037723473582690" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'll wait for that to sink in.<br /><br />I know Gawker doesn't pretend to be the highest-brow website, but holy shit. They're actually suggesting that men were more charmed by a woman ON TV because she's ovulating.<br /><br />Yes, there have been studies (Gawker uses a stripper study, natch) that show fertile women attract men more than those at a different stage in their cycle. But through a television?<br /><br />Bringing up Palin's period is just a cute way of undermining her as a potential leader. And yes, those last two words make me gag, but not because she's a woman...it's because I'm smarter than she is.<br /><br />And I'm not that smart.<br /><br />But tying her charm to her fertility? That's just low...even if it's a joke. A woman's cycle is simply no one else's business. This ridiculous speculation is just a nice reminder of the many stupid reasons people have given in the past for denying a woman a position of power. Namely, PMS.<br /><br />Palin did exactly what she needed to do last night. I didn't buy any of her bullshit, but a lot of people did. She can spin, volley, dodge like a pro. She's got great memorization skills. And yes...she's fucking charming. She defied everyone's expectations last night and it had absolutely nothing to do with her eggs.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-9393690874385128972008-09-25T10:41:00.001-04:002008-09-25T10:42:42.708-04:00Free Sarah PalinCampbell Brown goes off on the McCain campaign. I'm assuming the sexism talk is tongue in cheek.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sSNkloIFTQ0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sSNkloIFTQ0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-161425043028991202008-09-23T19:48:00.003-04:002008-09-23T19:56:07.960-04:00QuoteFrom <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_is_Illuminated" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">Everything is Illuminated</span></a>, by Jonathan Safran-Foer:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n28/n142352.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n28/n142352.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />(a character writes in her diary about the "Sadnesses of the body")<br /><blockquote>Mirror sadness; Sadness of [looking] like or unlike one's parent; Sadness of not knowing if your body is normal; Sadness of knowing your [body is] not normal; Sadness of knowing your body is normal; Beauty sadness; Sadness of m[ak]eup; Sadness of physical pain; Pins-and-[needles sadness]; Sadness of clothes [<span style="font-style: italic;">sic</span>]; Sadness of the quavering eyelid; Sadness of a missing rib; Noticeable sad[ness]; Sadness of going unnoticed...</blockquote>I read this and thought it was beautiful. I hope it translates to people who haven't read the book.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-5013798572401174532008-09-23T18:25:00.004-04:002008-09-23T18:46:29.850-04:00Sexist men make more moneyA new study has revealed that men with "traditional" values make way <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEght1UCl4Uzcmr4LIc-aa9igLrY28mQlM7Qon2OkY-lw9o4NcLIRm24pei4G3go1wSG6KY97bBS5ozerjV1WI2G8k-tftmzMRsGDDEot56lOCpp6da6qucR3DWUhoZHaErkzIN87Q/s1600-h/EqualPay-final.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEght1UCl4Uzcmr4LIc-aa9igLrY28mQlM7Qon2OkY-lw9o4NcLIRm24pei4G3go1wSG6KY97bBS5ozerjV1WI2G8k-tftmzMRsGDDEot56lOCpp6da6qucR3DWUhoZHaErkzIN87Q/s400/EqualPay-final.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249351607669573906" border="0" /></a>more money than men who view women as equals. They also make more money than women who view men as equals...and women with "traditional" values (they are at the bottom of the barrel).<br /><br />The study compared working men and working women in similar jobs, with similar attitudes, working similar hours.<br /><br />SO...all those people who think there's a good explanation for the wage gap...um...what do you think?<br /><br />Here's my theory. Traditio-...eh...we'll just call them...SEXIST men held the power originally, right? So they passed that on to other sexist men...who then passed it on...you get where I'm going here.<br /><br />So sexist men are in power. When they decide how to spread out the money, they go with someone familiar...someone who makes them feel comfortable...someone sexist, like them. The others might be good at their jobs, so he keeps them around. But he makes sure the sexist men are happy and rich.<br /><br />Yes, yes...that's way too simplistic. But it's fun to simplify.<br /><br />The WaPo breaks it down:<br /><p> </p><blockquote><p>Men with egalitarian attitudes about the role of women in society earn significantly less on average than men who hold more traditional views about women's place in the world, according to a study being reported today. </p> <p>It is the first time social scientists have produced evidence that large numbers of men might be victims of gender-related income disparities. The study raises the provocative possibility that a substantial part of the widely discussed gap in income between men and women who do the same work is really a gap between men with a traditional outlook and everyone else. </p> <p>The differences found in the study were substantial. Men with traditional attitudes about gender roles earned $11,930 more a year than men with egalitarian views and $14,404 more than women with traditional attitudes. The comparisons were based on men and women working in the same kinds of jobs with the same levels of education and putting in the same number of hours per week. </p> <p>Although men with a traditional outlook earned the most, women with a traditional outlook earned the least. The wage gap between working men and women with a traditional attitude was more than 10 times as large as the gap between men and women with egalitarian views. </p> <p>If you divide workers into four groups -- men with traditional attitudes, men with egalitarian attitudes, women with traditional attitudes and women with egalitarian attitudes -- men with traditional attitudes earn far more for the same work than those in any of the other groups. There are small disparities among the three disadvantaged groups, but the bulk of the income inequality is between the first group and the rest. </p></blockquote><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102529.html?hpid=topnews" target="_blank">Here's</a> the full article.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-64837426550157307062008-09-08T20:24:00.002-04:002008-09-08T20:27:04.696-04:00A gay rights advocate hits back at Havens ChurchVia <a href="http://feministavengers.blogspot.com/2008/09/gay-sign-outside-havens-corners.html" target="_blank">Feminist Avengers</a>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpILIgxQ_qwT75FpV9QCx16wHKoh-0hwVkEdHNfqdTqZthvXtgmFMfnDyUGjU-QMeQzy-BMh9wQ85_IxAo7n5uwTcll52iEOl3_JIfE9pKxNooTDj6RnohaiBmp1_5lnquZgu9QQ/s1600-h/gaysign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 516px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpILIgxQ_qwT75FpV9QCx16wHKoh-0hwVkEdHNfqdTqZthvXtgmFMfnDyUGjU-QMeQzy-BMh9wQ85_IxAo7n5uwTcll52iEOl3_JIfE9pKxNooTDj6RnohaiBmp1_5lnquZgu9QQ/s400/gaysign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243811327988500562" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-73919269068684614462008-09-07T11:17:00.004-04:002008-09-07T11:46:35.991-04:00Moving the abortion conversationLately, I've noticed a lot of Democrats slipping out of the abortion question. They steer the conversation to "unwanted pregnancy."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehbu765zhooLVCpEbq1apW2hBDY5GPGV3sSwr_GJaQ_Fj9ljZ46rl45sdcHUluCDeqBBp0HW-oFz4YVd3Q71q2_CXFzd-4dAco5ymj3cEgKKWtMiIYV6wfgvdC97ZYwniofqb0Q/s1600-h/unwanted+pregnancy.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehbu765zhooLVCpEbq1apW2hBDY5GPGV3sSwr_GJaQ_Fj9ljZ46rl45sdcHUluCDeqBBp0HW-oFz4YVd3Q71q2_CXFzd-4dAco5ymj3cEgKKWtMiIYV6wfgvdC97ZYwniofqb0Q/s400/unwanted+pregnancy.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243305510256798418" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I believe that's because the pro-life camp is really good at what they do. They successfully labeled us pro-choicers as pro-abortion. Lots of abortions for everyone! We love abortions!<br /><br />No one likes abortions. But pro-choice people think women should have the option NOT to deal with the product of a rape...NOT to raise a child they don't want...NOT to carry a child they aren't ready for.<br /><br />I'm glad Bristol Palin had that choice. I'm assuming Sarah Palin isn't lying about Bristol's "decision." Big assumption...I know.<br /><br />But I wish she had that choice. I DON'T wish she had an abortion. I just wish she <span style="font-style: italic;">could</span> have had one...if she wanted it.<br /><br />But back to the "unwanted pregnancy" point. Democrats are trying to bring the conversation back to its essence. Here's Barack Obama on This Week, trying to reframe his abortion <a href="http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2008/08/mccain-obama-at-saddleback-church.html" target="_blank">answer</a> at Saddleback:<br /><blockquote>“What I do know is that abortion is a moral issue, that it's one that families struggle with all the time. And that in wrestling with those issues, I don't think that the government criminalizing the choices that families make is the best answer for reducing abortions.<br /><br />“I think the better answer — and this was reflected in the Democratic platform — is to figure out, how do we make sure the young mothers, or women who have a pregnancy that's unexpected or difficult, have the kind of support they need to make a whole range of choices, including adoption and keeping the child.</blockquote>We're talking about the best way to reduce abortions now. And I don't think that's a bad thing. Would <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1hcnPOMqrqY/SMP3Jc1p3sI/AAAAAAAAAqE/R5E12HpeIoc/s1600-h/junoPoster2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1hcnPOMqrqY/SMP3Jc1p3sI/AAAAAAAAAqE/R5E12HpeIoc/s200/junoPoster2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243306132921507522" border="0" /></a>Bristol Palin have gotten pregnant if she had better sex education? The <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/07/teen-pregnancy-a-preventable-public-heal-82746201/" target="_blank">plague</a> of teen pregnancy isn't the "Juno effect," and it isn't a fad, it's a startling example of what happens when kids don't know how to have safe sex. So are the troubling new AIDS <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.hiv31aug31,0,2675631.story" target="_blank">stats</a>. I hope this is all the proof we need that abstinence-only education is a crock.<br /><br />I'm okay with the new conversation. It's about safe sex, and keeping options open when condoms break, birth control fails, or women can't get emergency contraception when they need it. It's not about your religion, it's about my freedom. It's not about killing "babies," it's about making sure every child in this world is wanted and cared for. Sounds good to me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-15890716820602062822008-09-07T11:04:00.003-04:002008-09-07T11:13:58.519-04:00Campbell Brown is a forceMy husband saw this interview while I was on the phone. I was wondering why he was cheering so much...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4jRhN5Et9QQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4jRhN5Et9QQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />I watch CNN here and there, and lately, Campbell Brown has been catching my eye. She's really good at her job.<br /><br />On the Media (NPR) had a great segment this week about the media reaction to Palin. The meat starts about 1 minute in:<br /><br /><object width="350" height="36"><param name="movie" value="http://onthemedia.org/flashplayer/mp3player.swf?config=http://onthemedia.org/flashplayer/config_share.xml&file=http://onthemedia.org/stream/xspf/108261"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://onthemedia.org/flashplayer/mp3player.swf?config=http://onthemedia.org/flashplayer/config_share.xml&file=http://onthemedia.org/stream/xspf/108261" id="OTM_Mp3_Player_108261" name="OTM_Mp3_Player_108261" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" wmode="transparent" height="36" width="350"></embed></object><br /><br />I'm not sure what the RNC had on their schedule each night as far as issues go, but the only thing I heard was "the media sucks...and so does Barack Obama." Oh, and "we rock" was another strong theme.<br /><br />Yes, I know that's what conventions are all about - yay us, boo them. But this garbage about the media is tired. Whenever I hear "East Coast liberal media," I want to scream.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-86462323478812004692008-09-06T11:45:00.003-04:002008-09-06T12:05:48.755-04:00"I kissed a girl and I liked it, then I went to Hell."I love reading church message boards. There's one by the house I grew up in that was always good for a laugh. They put stuff up <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74fnoA6kgF4B3uNEyoUQoU_PRB3wMN4fc0EJjHqqIaJMndYsH_sOIJ5gviBGW1M39w7KC9c1mgXHIKOb4Q7ko7XLNEzAbYhNZAEb9ykz7KZ6qpt_6rNebemesY3JJxmYfeWqHPQ/s1600-h/church+sign.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh74fnoA6kgF4B3uNEyoUQoU_PRB3wMN4fc0EJjHqqIaJMndYsH_sOIJ5gviBGW1M39w7KC9c1mgXHIKOb4Q7ko7XLNEzAbYhNZAEb9ykz7KZ6qpt_6rNebemesY3JJxmYfeWqHPQ/s320/church+sign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242939779220538194" border="0" /></a>like: "The light of the world knows no power failures." But this one is the best I've heard in awhile.<br /><br />For 24 hours, outside Havens Corners Church in Columbus, OH, the sign read: "I kissed a girl and I liked it, then I went to Hell."<br /><br />The quote is taken from the pop hit "I Kissed a Girl," by Katy Perry (<a href="http://audio.isg.si/audiox/?q=node/24016" target="_blank">listen</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAp9BKosZXs" target="_blank">watch</a>). <a href="http://www.firstcoastnews.com/life/entertainment/news-article.aspx?storyid=118226" target="_blank">Apparently</a>, Pastor David Allison said he was worried about the influence the song has on teen girls. He also mentioned the pornographic-y video.<br /><br />He says he took the sign down not because it was a gay-bashing horror show, but because parishioners has no idea what the sign was referring to.<br /><br />When I think of all the misogynistic trash out there, it's hard to believe that THIS song is the one Allison is concerned about. Okay...no...it's really not that hard to believe.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-81419277781957491402008-09-06T09:44:00.005-04:002008-09-06T11:51:49.746-04:00Sarah Palin and the mediaGreat suggestion, Andy. As you can imagine, I have a lot to say about the media.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnTmQzVFF2v0n6l8APqkb7ujvY2rhgdpgE0JWy04uO5ttDXeyUA6_qdkYfypbQEqIt7V3C0y8to8Sw-QaPpx3YfeOOLz4XfI7rFhIx_xYNDaSz1ft_qLHupGwPIapyJDmjEeO4w/s1600-h/Palin+McCain.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnTmQzVFF2v0n6l8APqkb7ujvY2rhgdpgE0JWy04uO5ttDXeyUA6_qdkYfypbQEqIt7V3C0y8to8Sw-QaPpx3YfeOOLz4XfI7rFhIx_xYNDaSz1ft_qLHupGwPIapyJDmjEeO4w/s320/Palin+McCain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242911618714882114" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While Jon Stewart did a great segment on the pundit turn-around for Palin, he didn't address the sexist coverage of Palin.<br /><br />I just read an article in <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.bitchmagazine.org" target="_blank">Bitch Magazine</a> about the sexist analysis of women's voices. This one was centered on Hillary's coverage. And yes, some of the media definitely hit sexist territory during that race. And some of it revolved around her "naggy" voice. But I don't see the vocal mentions as sexist in and of themselves. Obviously I don't, because I mentioned Palin's shaky, accented voice myself.<br /><br />We evaluate all of our politicians, celebrities, friends on many levels. It doesn't matter if they're a man or a woman, an especially high-pitched voice, a comical laugh, a snort - we notice these things and we comment on them. John McCain's voice is whiny as well. He sounds a bit like Kermit. Am I being sexist?<br /><br />People have said that Obama is hot. When they say that about Palin, that's not sexist, it's just another method we have of evaluating people. It's unfortunate, but it comes down on both sides.<br /><br />I can't disagree more with the people who think Palin isn't fit to serve because of her 5 kids. While there are sexist undertones to that point, John Edwards went through the same thing when his wife was ill with cancer and there were 2 little kids in the picture. Of course, it's definitely troubling that his wife had to have a terminal illness before the man was questioned. The sad thing is that I've heard mostly women make the priority argument. My mother even said she seemed like "an opportunist" and that she was "too ambitious." What politician isn't ambitious? What politician doesn't have an ego? If they think they can hold the highest (or second-highest) office in the country, they BETTER have an ego.<br /><br />As far<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1hcnPOMqrqY/SMKQlItXyhI/AAAAAAAAApU/bAOsX18BANo/s1600-h/Bristol+Palin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1hcnPOMqrqY/SMKQlItXyhI/AAAAAAAAApU/bAOsX18BANo/s320/Bristol+Palin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242911883880024594" border="0" /></a> as the Bristol Palin coverage goes, I feel terribly sorry for the young, pregnant woman. I wonder if she was consulted at all before Palin accepted. They had to know it would get out. It's unfortunate that politicians' families get dragged into the public eye when their mother/husband/wife/father campaign. But the politicians open the floor when they make speeches and talk about their families accomplishments. Democrats and Republicans are free to use their families however they see fit, but the media is not allowed to respond? I don't think either side should bring the families in to it.<br /><br />Palin's inexperience is getting the same amount of discussion as Obama's. It's just coming from the other side of the aisle.<br /><br />She did exactly what she had to do at the RNC, but I don't think it changed anyone's mind (for or against). She's playing the folksy card, and she's playing it well. We'll just have to see how many Christian Conservatives are left in the world. If they still outnumber other voters, McCain/Palin will win.<br /><br />Okay, that just makes me want to cry.<br /><br />As <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-steinem4-2008sep04,0,1290251.story" target="_blank">Gloria Steinem</a> said, "Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-30094349734465157812008-09-05T20:14:00.002-04:002008-09-05T20:15:08.065-04:00Samantha Bee for VP?Sorry to do another Daily Show embed, but I couldn't resist...<br /><br /><embed FlashVars='videoId=184097' src='http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml' quality='high' bgcolor='#cccccc' width='332' height='316' name='comedy_central_player' align='middle' allowScriptAccess='always' allownetworking='external' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'></embed>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-63716303710430848422008-09-04T20:34:00.000-04:002008-09-04T20:35:59.483-04:00The Daily Show Rocks My World<embed FlashVars='videoId=184086' src='http://www.comedycentral.com/sitewide/video_player/view/default/swf.jhtml' quality='high' bgcolor='#cccccc' width='332' height='316' name='comedy_central_player' align='middle' allowScriptAccess='always' allownetworking='external' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer'></embed>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26788982.post-27774021202234817992008-08-30T11:09:00.008-04:002008-09-06T10:19:09.998-04:00What's wrong with McCain's Palin choice1. It undercuts his "no experience" argument against Obama.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35siQEeRsKmuZ40_Z9pnbm_2XkXDFknMg92RuiuKOveLJmoSCNRLqkL5ggt9qnvAgcL4O8yjTLsSQ0YCLBm8uqEn42-vmqmvT3LTb1zV8NXtXzTOAVP5_K17nQtBwX9QFdPPZnA/s1600-h/Sarah-Palin-Vogue.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi35siQEeRsKmuZ40_Z9pnbm_2XkXDFknMg92RuiuKOveLJmoSCNRLqkL5ggt9qnvAgcL4O8yjTLsSQ0YCLBm8uqEn42-vmqmvT3LTb1zV8NXtXzTOAVP5_K17nQtBwX9QFdPPZnA/s320/Sarah-Palin-Vogue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240333010230206466" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2. Liberal and conservative mothers (ex. my mother) will have a problem with a woman with 5 kids (including a 5 month old baby with Down Syndrome who she's still nursing) heading into 2nd-in-line situation with a 72-year-old man. In other words, soccer moms aren't quite sure about this "hockey mom."<br /><br />3. Sure, he gets evangelicals on board, but people who (for some <a href="http://www.naral.org/elections/statements/mccain.html" target="_blank">reason</a>) thought McCain was winking when he <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080830/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_evangelicals" target="_blank">said</a> he'd be "a pro-life president" are not so sure it's a joke anymore. He's losing the center.<br /><br />4. As Kim Gandy <a href="http://www.now.org/press/08-08/08-29.html" target="_blank">said</a>, "Not every woman supports women's rights." Palin belongs to <a href="http://www.feministsforlife.org/" target="_blank">Feminists for Life</a>, an organization that believes "women deserve better than abortion." She believes abortions should be illegal, even for rape and incest victims. She also tried to hire a guy who had been reprimanded for sexual harassment. McCain's choice is offensive to many feminists and Hillary supporters who were actually thinking of giving their vote to McCain (as NUTS as that is).<br /><br />5. Completely surface and cosmetic: her voice is grating. If she keeps speaking like that, she's going to lose her voice fast. I know it's silly, but that stuff gets to me, whether it's a man OR a woman speaking.<br /><br />Yes, it's great that there's a woman on one of the tickets, it's just the completely WRONG woman. She just rounds out the McCain ticket and makes the choice easier for centrists everywhere.<br /><br />Sure, McCain stole Obama's news cycle yesterday, but that's because the media was picking Palin apart. Biden has plenty to pick at, but it's already been done. This woman hasn't been vetted on a national scale yet...and the media only has 2 months to do it. In my opinion? This thing is going to crash and burn.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07837369866676732077noreply@blogger.com8