Lip Gloss & Pepper Spray

Hello

2008-07-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hey there. I don't know how many people are still using this blog but I thought that I could try contacting some of you through this. I was just wondering how everyone is doing and what you are doing with your lives. I am living in Mexico again wondering how I am going to be able to move back to CA with the costs of living and then what I will do with my life there. I have been thinking about going to nursing school instead of grad school because I have done some more work with midwives here in Mexico and I think that is where I want to go with my life. I have also been trying to figure out how I can do that but at the same time learn how to treat people but without all of the medicines that we use these days. Well that is a little bit about what I have been thinking lately. I hope that you are all doing well.

abrazos,
Meg

2008-06-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

I am posting this poem by my sister, the lovely Abigail Smithson, at her request.

I am an ice cube alone in the ocean
I was awoken from sleep
Startled, I felt drowsy but excited
In your body
I was delicate as lace
But you were careful
Like water fills a lake
You gently washed against me
Drumming your mouth against my legs
Your arms were like clouds, gently sliding on the surface
Wanting and then gone, so early before the blue hit the sky
And now my delicate lace and I want to visit the lake

International Women's Day Goodbye Post!

2008-03-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

Happy International Women's Day, ya'll! I hope you all are going out to celebrate. I, myself, am staying in to mark the occasion. It may appear that I'm inside and sober due to illness but actually it's for the holiday.

I also wanted to let you all know that this is going to be my last post for a LONG while, if not forever. Between school, work, research, and socializing, it has (obviously) become difficult for me to post lately. So I'm going to keep the website up for a while and see what happens but I'm not going to try to update it regularly. If you're interested in feminist writing/news check out Feministing.com.

Well I guess I will leave you with some personal news. I have accepted a clinical internship position at the Simmons College counseling center for next school year. Simmons is an all-women's college with an ultra-feminist counseling center where I will be doing individual and group therapy. It seems like it'll be a really great fit and I'm really excited and nervous about it! Wish me luck!

New Soul

2008-02-26T18:10:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being a virtual mute in my posts lately. I'm just stressed to the max at the moment and haven't found the energy lately to blog. Next week I plan to be more on the ball so expect big things, ha. Anyway, to make up for it I've got yet another video. This one is beautiful and joyful and inspiring. I was thrilled to watch it tonight because it definitely lifted my taxed spirits. Enjoy.

Yael Naim - New Soul

Elections.

2008-02-21T06:26:00.000-08:00

Thank you again xkcd.

Democracy is Happening

2008-02-10T16:01:00.000-08:00

Undifferentiated Again?!?!?

2008-02-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Your Score: Undifferentiated

You scored 0% masculinity and 0% femininity!

You scored low on both masculinity and femininity. Your personality includes characteristics of both traditional sex roles, but your gender is not strongly defined.

Alright well I don't really get what Richard Simmons has to do with it but this is not the first time the Bem Sex Role Inventory has labeled me "undifferentiated". And probably not the last time either. The description may make it sound alright, but the meaning here is very different from androgynous (another possible outcome) which would refer to a person who scored high on masculinity and femininity. 0% masculinity, 0% femininity - do I have a personality?!?! Anyway if you want to see if you're a Richard Simmons or Arnold Schwarzenegger or Marilyn Monroe click here.

Shout out to Meg for immediately coming up with the name "Richard Simmons" from the clues: fitness guy in the 80's, seems gay, white with a fro.

Tribute to a Feminist Icon

2008-01-30T13:35:00.000-08:00

Brilliant.

Gyno Stories - There's Still Time!

2008-01-30T13:27:00.000-08:00

If you're in the Northeast, here is your chance to be a feminist star! You've got to send in your stories soon though because time is running out.

We are currently in production on a film called At Your Cervix. (Check out our website at www.atyourcervixmovie.com). We are seeking stories of women or female-bodied trans folks about gynecologists. The film takes a critical look at gynecology and the provision of breast and pelvic exams. Some gynecologists are absolutely amazing and have a way of making us feel comfortable, open and respected. Some gynecologists do the opposite and we are always amazed at the stories we hear of humiliation, disrespect and pain inflicted by many gynecologists. Our film aims to create a vision of what it can be like when the experience is a positive one and to end practices that leave patients feeling like they don't want to go back to a gynecologist because they have been so mortified or traumatized.

We are looking for people who are willing to tell their stories on camera, both positive and negative. We will be shooting these stories on Jan 26 or Feb 2 in New York City. If you or someone you know has a story to share, please contact us asap so we can discuss it with you and possibly set up an interview time.

Please respond to me, Amy Jo Goddard at amyjogoddard@yahoo.com and to our production manager Stephanie Dawson at SD@eclectionmedia.com.

Voting Pro-Choice

2008-01-22T23:45:00.000-08:00

I had a dream last night that I was pregnant. Seriously. I was two and a half months pregnant and had just found out. Oddly enough I was sublimely happy about it but also very worried. For two and half months I had been drinking for two without knowing it! My kid was clearly going to suffer for it. In the dream I wasn't thinking about whether or not to have an abortion, but in reality I would definitely consider it. Not just due to the fetal alcohol syndrome but also the place I'm at in my life. My ability to support a child and raise him or her in a stable, responsible way is more than limited at the moment.

My reasons for voting pro-choice, however, are not just about my current circumstances. I vote pro-choice for all the women in this country who are protected by our right to choose. Choosing an abortion is not just about birth defects or money or age or time. The reasons for choosing an abortion are vast, too numerous to list here. To deny a woman her right to an abortion limits her power over her body and her life. It's a human rights issue. It continues the cycle of poverty, it denies violence and abuse, and it can lead to the death of adult women. Adult women have a beating heart. They have fingernails, they have hair, a fully developed brain, and they should also have choices.

For tons more Blog for Choice Day posts see today's Feministing.

Body Image is a Bitch

2008-01-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Another poignant truth (for many of us) artfully expressed by ASofterWorld.com.

Click on the pic for a larger image. Thanks Rebecca!

On My Own Two Feet

2008-01-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

Manisha Thakor and Sharon Kedar wrote their personal finance smash hit, On My Own Two Feet: A Modern Girl's Guide to Personal Finance, for women like us. Women making some money but continuing to struggle with credit card debt, student loans, rent payments. This book is for us who studied humanities, literature, social sciences, linguistics not finance, business, or accounting. Written in compelling non-jargony language, this quick read can teach us all about how to get the most out of what we're making.

I saw an interview with Ms. Thakor on the news the other morning and I realized how ignorant I am about personal finance. My dad helps me with all of my finances and without him I'd be completely lost. I am definitely picking up a copy soon and I hope you all start thinking about it so that we can go on fun vacations together in the future!!

And finally, some words from the authors:

This book is dedicated to all women.

We wrote this book because the unfortunate reality is that the majority of women are not living from a position of financial strength. As a result, all too many women are experiencing financial stress in the present and financial hardship down the road. It doesn’t have to be this way! Learning a few simple yet powerful financial lessons while you still have time on your side will both increase your confidence today and your financial security tomorrow.

Check out this interview done by Feministing back in June for even more info.

untitled

2008-01-17T08:08:00.001-08:00

riding through the bronx
the sign on the burger king is burned out
it just says Burge
a cross between Binge and Purge
Bad and Urge
how appropriate
how annoying

like you
on the bed
hands behind your head
legs spread
so beautiful and twisted
Void
and yet i seek you to fill me
beg you to till me

my skin is electric
and your hands
are
wet.

after
i flicker like the burger king sign
a jumble of contradictions
slowly burning out

No Shame

2008-01-14T11:56:00.001-08:00

My dear friend and artist Nidhi Chanani brings us another great design that can be picked up at her store Small Hands Designs. She has over 350 designs with such categories as Queer, Desi, Politics, Veggie, and Music. Check it out!

What are you doing this weekend?

2008-01-10T12:04:00.000-08:00

The Fetish Fair Fleamarket (TM) has a new home, and it's not just a hotel, not just a venue, but a whole city. From January 11th through 13th, 2008, the New England Leather Alliance will bring the biggest leather/fetish/BDSM event in New England to Providence, Rhode Island, where the event will take place in the Rhode Island Convention Center and three (or more) neighboring hotels.

Meg and I will let you know how it goes.

Oil & Water Meet Religion & Feminism

2008-01-07T14:45:00.000-08:00

Sure you can be a feminist and be religious, as long as you don't read your holy text. In her article God Hates Women: Feminism and religion do not mix, Allison Kilkenny presents examples of misogyny from major religious texts.

...There is no room in religion for feminism, the doctrine advocating the equality of rights, social and political, with those of men. For feminism to work, it must exist outside of the constraining margins of religion. It must operate outside of the assumption that women are inferior to men, which is a foundational belief of the major theologies.

Pharyngula points out that Kilkenny does not mention female-centered religions like Wicca. I would like to argue that Wicca is not a major player when it comes to religion, however some folks estimate it to be the U.S.'s third largest religion by 2012. Huh.

Thanks Pharyngula!

Civil Unions, Domestic Partnerships, & Same-Sex Marriage, Oh My!

2008-01-03T07:16:00.001-08:00

With the new civil union bill taking effect in New Hampshire as of January 1st, now seems like a good time to review same-sex marriage-ish laws like civil unions, domestic partnerships, and straight up same-sex marriage in the United States.

New Hampshire (2008) is the fourth state to approve civil unions along with Vermont (2000), Connecticut (2005), and New Jersey (2007). So what is a civil union? Essentially a civil union is a more conservative-friendly term for state-approved gay marriage. Civil unions provide same-sex couples with most of the same rights as other-sex couples. Of course these include the approximately 400 rights that the state provides but not the more than 1,000 provided by the federal government. Because of the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government legally denies these rights to same-sex couples even if their civil union, domestic partnership, or same-sex marriage is recognized in their state. These 1,138 federal rights include hospital or prison visitation, the right to make medical decisions on behalf of partner, bereavement leave, access to health insurance and pension, social security survivor benefits, tax breaks, and veterans benefits. A complete description of all of the federal rights of marriage can be found here.

So what is a domestic partnership? A domestic partnership is a form of state recognized same-sex coupling that generally offers less rights than civil unions. However, in California and Oregon domestic partnerships offer the same rights as civil unions. This does not mean that there isn’t a catch. In California (2000/2005) for example, domestic partnerships are only recognized if one member of the couple is at least 62-years-old. Arbitrary much? And of course Oregon passed a domestic partnership bill last year that should have taken effect on January 1st, but court challenges are delaying the process. The states that offer domestic partnerships with less rights than civil unions are Maine (2004), Washington (2007), the District of Columbia (1992/2002), and in New Jersey (2004) for those, again, 62 and up.

My current state of residence, Massachusetts, is the only one that allows same-sex marriage as of 2004. Fun Fact: Iowa legalized same-sex marriage on August 31, 2007 but is awaiting further court review before allowing the law to take effect. Same-sex marriage is different than civil unions or domestic partnerships because it offers exactly the same state rights to same-sex couples. New Mexico and Rhode Island residents who are married in Massachusetts are recognized as married in their home state.

In summary, civil unions and domestic partnerships provide a different set of rights in each state. They tend to offer less rights to same-sex couples, especially in the case of domestic partnerships. Same-sex marriage is the only 100% equal marriage in the eyes of the state but, like civil union and domestic partnership, is not recognized by the federal government. Please feel free to provide any further information, corrections, or opinions about civil unions, domestic partnerships, or same-sex marriage in the comments.

Sraey Wen Yppah!

2007-12-30T08:14:00.000-08:00

Watch it all the way through.

New Year's

2007-12-29T20:36:00.001-08:00

Does anyone have plans for New Year's?

my voodoo heart

2007-12-21T12:26:00.000-08:00

even when you're not walking away
when you're lying in bed
when you promise to stay

you have my heart
all pricked with pins
you stick and i twist
when a new one goes in

you've got me lovesick
and falling apart
you're eyes are on mine
but your knife's in my heart

this voodoo love is killing me
even standing up, i'm still on my knees
this voodoo heart will do me in
everytime you say you love me
i feel the prick of a pin

*this is not meant to connote anything negative about the voodoo religion. i'm just using a recognizable (and unfortunately misrepresented) concept to convey my idea...hope no one's offended and if you are please let me know...

Final Exam Time!

2007-12-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

Answer each of the following questions based on your current opinions of the 2008 presidential nominees. Please type out your answers, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman and post to the Comments section.

Question 1: Do you know who you are going to vote for in the primaries? (5 points)

Question 2: Who? (10 points)

Extra Credit: Why? (5 points)

Duh.

2007-12-07T15:15:00.000-08:00

I saw this on another blog and just couldn't resist. Funny thing is that I checked out a few other blogs (Ilya's...) and they didn't quite live up. Damn we're some smart-ass broads.

Looking Down In and Around (my blog poetry debut)

2007-12-05T22:15:00.000-08:00

In class we’re making esoteric conclusions about
Sensing and perception or
Some other deep connection

I look out the window three stories down
To the concrete ground and
see some guy look around
check the line of sight

drop his pants to the cold night
and take a shit
Behind a car
Poetic right?

I am paying all this money to reach inside
Into the wilderness of my own terrain
Encounter my own pain

While people are outside
No warmth, No place to hide
Forced to make private public
Forgo pride

behind cars
Praying for toilet paper saviors

Can I justify this- maybe bury myself in my own body bliss?
Or maybe convince myself that
it matters as we tiptoe over shatters
of broken glass and broken lives and
broken people, scattered

maybe though this knowledge now of how to hold
All of the broken parts- what’s traded bought and sold
The mind and the body and the soul

and this broken heart and this beaten down ground

Its somehow gonna matter in this upsidedown world
Where a shit is public property
And we cant be who our souls can see
And the street sweeps suck it up
In the morning for minimum wage fee

I love me some honest celebrities.

2007-12-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

"Grey's Anatomy" doc Katherine Heigl had a huge hit with the movie "Knocked Up," but the Emmy-winning actress now knocks the movie as "a little sexist," Vanity Fair reports.

"It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys," she says. "It was hard for me to love the movie.

Somehow I still haven't seen the damn movie, but I just thought this was interesting.

Check out Feministing for an active commentary on this - everything from yes the movie was all misogyny to hell no I identified with that woman!

Go read some other blog.

2007-12-04T05:53:00.000-08:00

Who me?

Linguistics freak and dear friend Korin, has a new blog quickly filling with her latest short stories. Check out Nice Netty and give Korin the constructive criticism she deserves.

Untitled

2007-11-28T13:44:00.000-08:00

Cigarrettes and candlelight,
Chapped lips in falling snow,
Jim Croce on the radio,
I'll be for you here and forever
your Best in Show.

Rhythm's on and timing's wrong,
Sweetest wild oats are slow,
I've chains of silver for you to sew,
We move like his words are for us,
my Romeo.

Curry leaves and olive oil,
Hot bellies in careless sleep,
A nick of promise burns to keep,
Your breath is heavy and lovely
and dark and deep.

Coffee drips and eyes are wiped,
The sky yawns as dreams weep
of two fish in a sea of sheep.
I see you with my curtains drawn,
reveled in me.

Cigarrettes and candlelight,
Nights we couldn't say goodbye,
Thick skin and bodies cry,
Is that why we loved those songs?
To identify?

*The newest by our always lovely, Jennifer Lee*

There are a few references- one to a Jim Croce song called "Photographs and Memories", one to the Dire Straights' song "Romeo and Juliet", and one to Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".

WTF? rant.

2007-11-24T12:43:00.000-08:00

Between the holidays and several gigantic papers, I've been completely ignoring the blog. I still don't really have time to post but have had an issue on my mind recently that I'd like to hear some thoughts on, if you have some time of course.

How do you deal with the negative effects of voicing your opinion? I know that it's right to speak up and say what's on my mind and so I do it regularly. I gave up keeping quiet a long time ago and have dealt with the consequences for years. Lately however it's been weighing on me. Men think I'm a bitch for not laughing at a misogynistic comment or even worse for calling them out on it. It's strange too because I am rarely anything but polite and never go straight on the attack; I might just ask a question about it or begin a discussion in a rational tone. Yet I am stereotyped quickly and misunderstood by whole groups of men just for being opinionated and assertive. I mean shit, without even saying a word I have been harassed for what I am assumed to be thinking (of course this only happens with men who don't know me at all).

Any thoughts about this? Does this happen to anyone else? If so, how do you deal with it?

I have to speak my mind and be myself but I also want to be understood and even liked. Maybe that's the problem.

BC for All!

2007-11-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

If you're in NYC this Monday, November 12th, be sure to make it over to Washington Square Park for the Rally for Affordable Birth Control from 4:45-6pm! I know some of you are down there so screw work, head on over, and let us know how it goes. More info:

Birth control costs have risen dramatically (up to 10 times!) since the Deficit Reduction Act took effect this year, leaving students and low-income women out in the cold. The act effectively ended the discounted rates that college health centers and safety-net providers like Planned Parenthood had available to them to provide wide access to birth control. As a result, affordable birth control has become out of reach for many college women. For example, the cost of a pack of birth control on some campuses has risen from $5 to nearly $50 a month!

Featuring Special Guest Speakers, U.S. Representative Joseph Crowley, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Meena Shah from NYU Voices for Choice, and others! Join NYU: Voices for Choice, NOW-NYU,
and NYU Law Students for Reproductive Justice in sending Congress a message to restore affordable access! Meet at Washington Square Park.

The only piece that I'm confused about is whether it is only college women who are affected or if it is all women who get their birth control from Planned Parenthood? I would love to research this right now but am still sick (the news of the month really) and must get to sleep. Feel free to post a comment if you get any info on this.

Sick Day Self-Indulgence

2007-11-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

So I know should just get a freakin' MySpace, but instead I thought I'd share these wonderful photos right here. And if you want to share some too, I'd love to see how life is going for ya'll. Miss you!

Holdin' down the coasts: NYC, Boston, SF

My last Santa Cruz weekend.

Elizabeth, Meg (I swear), & Carmela

Carmen & Teg's adorable couple shot(?)

Boston foliage!

And today's embarrassing sick day hair and outfit.

Violet Love.

2007-11-07T12:06:00.001-08:00

During some very serious procrastination this afternoon I stumbled upon Violet Blue, who may very well be my new favorite person. How to explain her? She is so many things really, but in two-ish words: Sex-positive superwoman! She is a best-selling author of lotsa awesome books!, blogger, vlogger, burlesque babe, and of course the sex columnist for the SF Chronicle (why not?).

So if you wanna know about anything sex, she's your gal.

Raid on American Apparel

2007-10-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

The models are dazed but safe.

Thanks to Feministing commenter "nerdalert" for the link!

Hollywood-Style Feminism

2007-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Alright so it's clearly some serious pseudo-feminism considering where it's coming from, but ignore the fact that the project is backed by Glamour and Clinique and we're good to go. Reel Moments is a program where women who are usually in front of the cameras get behind them to direct. Not quite DIY feminist warfare but at least it's a chance to view some by women, for women film! The stories are chosen from submissions from women and you can submit yours on the site. I haven't watched any of the films yet but please check one (or more) out if you can and let us know how they are in the comments!

JK Rowling Outs Dumbledore

2007-10-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

It's just rude. On Friday night in front of a full house in Carnegie Hall, JK Rowling made a classic straight author fopah and outed her closeted homosexual character. Clearly if Dumbledore wanted the world to know, he would have done it himself.

But seriously, I am so impressed with and inspired by Rowling for using her talent and subsequent fame to promote social justice and equality. Hopefully this won't hurt book or video sales. These crazies are already writing up their nutty, hate-filled responses.

DIY Uterus Style

2007-10-20T04:19:00.000-07:00

Inspirational uterine couture. This sweatshirt wasn't made by H&E, but is part of their awesome slideshow of uterus-wear, check it out.

I feel like I've posted about this before...maybe not...

Modest Proposal?

2007-10-16T21:32:00.000-07:00

On my way home from work I was listening to All Things Considered and John McWhorter shared a "racism in America" version of a modest proposal.

The summary from NPR is this: " In light of the resurgence of nooses appearing in places like Jena, La., and Columbia University's Teacher's College, here's a modest proposal: The next time somebody plants a noose, let's just ignore it. Perhaps paying less attention to these acts will take away their racist power. "

As I listened to it, I felt myself agree with the power shift that ignoring racist acts would have, but I also became very fearful of it as well. The problem with ignoring such things is that they won't go away because you ignore them, which Mr. McWhorter said, there will always be someone doing something racist. However, if we don't show our outrage to something as "harmless" as a noose on a tree, don't you think that these perpetrators will go to the next level? I agree that large media organizations do have a responsibility to the public in how they sensationalize and report these minor infractions, however the grass roots response should not disappear. I fear the lack of response would fuel those hate-filled individuals to take further action. I whole-heartedly believe that if a small town in Kentucky or Louisiana has an incidence of hate, there should be a community response. When that story is picked up by CNN and the Post, I agree that we should take a step back.

I also don't feel that asking the viewers of hate to restrain ourselves in these instances is a fair proposal. I do believe that there is an infallible nature that we all have to compare and judge, but I don't believe we should tolerate it when that nature seeks to hurt/harm others.

I do respect Mr. McWhorter for his proposal as it was very interesting. A few hours later I'm still thinking about it, so that says something...

I am curious about what others think as well. Let me know!

Online Film Festival

2007-10-11T19:02:00.000-07:00

Hey- i just got an email about this online film festival of "remarkable but little-known foreign films by talented young women from countries you might not even be able to locate on the map" and it sounds really interesting. i haven't had the chance to check any of the films out yet- but i am looking forward to- and hopefully you all can too and we can talk about them...
here is the link: Imagining Ourselves

For every girl who takes a step toward her liberation...

2007-10-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

A poster reminding us all to keep in mind how our struggles as women are so connected to men's struggles.

Click here to add to a discussion about this.

Whoopi on Abortion

2007-10-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

I don't follow The View so I had no idea that this type of dialogue was going on. Whoopi really tells it like it is. Very impressed.

Thanks to Feministing.com for the video.

Check Yourself

2007-10-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

I know you are all experts on privilege but it's always a good idea to brush up. Last week I re-read some privilege checklists for one of my classes - Peggy McIntosh's classic White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Linda Ketner's Heterosexual Privilege, and Barry Deutsch's The Male Privilege Checklist. Whether you are included in any of these privileged groups or not you should still check the lists out, they're fantastic.

Oh and I was shocked to hear some ultra ignorant comments in class regarding these readings: "If men are a privileged group then women are a privileged group too." Seriously.

angry poem

2007-09-28T10:39:00.000-07:00

broke and unwed
the two worst things we can think of
might as well kill yourself, unworthy bitch
love and money make us turn
for the love of money we'll do anything
love money
love love
love sex
sex=currency?
sex money
money sex
thanks for doing the dishes, baby
now come here and let me suck you til your eyes roll back

single
but i have a job
not broke, just in debt
and nobody owes me shit
if you cum
i cum
but now he's too tired and my cunt feels raw
fuck it, let's just smoke a cigarette
war currency
prison currency
death currency
will you pay me if i promise to help kill you slowly over the next few decades?
all you have to do is suck smoke through this little stick as often as you want to
believe me, you'll want to

getting fucked on the regular
i smell like marlboro ultra-light super-deadly cancer smoke
but he doesn't care cuz he does too
and the sheets stink of sweat and precum and whatever women excrete when they want it
if you don't feel empty afterwards
he's a keeper
and you won't have to walk down the street alone anymore
so bold
slut in your cutoffs and red heels
musta dressed like that so men would change direction
call you baby and follow you to the store to buy more death in a box
7 bux a pack and can i get your number?
has anyone ever told you you're gorgeous?
yeah my mother and i didn't believe her either

men fuck women
men listen to men
so it'll take another man to tell you to lay off his shit i.e. me
leave her alone she's taken
stop sniffing around trying to piss on her leg
i already did

guess i'm claimed
at work i smell like him
and people will like me better cuz i have his picture on my cell phone
the old ones say don't make our mistakes
but we don't know which ones are the mistakes yet
showing up late and hungover
buying shoes instead of food
waiting
and the old ones send us to war
narrow their eyes at people who look different than they do
laugh at us when we try to hope
but then
so
do
i

iraq is the mistake
nafta is the mistake
10 years for half as many rocks is the mistake
we are all the mistakes
just follow the plan
follow the man
stay strong go long be wrong
if he'll give you the right things
so i sit at work
count my change and wonder if he'll be there to complete me when i get home
might as well kill yourself, unworthy bitch

MySpace's Queer Younger Sibling

2007-09-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

outSMACK.com is a great online resource and social network for LGBT youth that encourages creativity, education, and connection. I recommend checking it out and passing it on to that lonely out teen you know.

Quick Hit: Gender Bending Celebs

2007-09-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

Worth1000.com ran a contest for Photoshop nerds to put a gender bending twist on photos of female celebs. Due to copyrights I can't post any of the pictures, but you should check 'em out.

Thanks Jamie for the link!

San Diego Hearts the Gays

2007-09-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

The demands of starting grad school have made it very difficult to justify spending time on posts, but this one is a must-see. Jerry Sanders, the Republican mayor of my home-city of San Diego, is passing a resolution in support of same sex marriage. He was expected to veto the resolution, but announced in this emotional speech that he had to do what he knows is right, "The concept of a 'separate but equal' institution is not something that I can support."

In case you are not familiar with San Diego politics, being gay in San Diego is no fun. Like I have already had to explain to so many here in Boston, San Diego is not just like San Francisco. They are far apart in both location and culture. Co-starting the first GSA at my high school was shitty. The group was publicly ridiculed by both students and faculty. I hope that the people of San Diego have watched this speech and that some can internalize its meaning. I also hope that Sanders will be re-elected next year but as a gay rights supporting Republican, I doubt it.

Taking Feministing's lead, I hope you all will send Sanders a message showing your gratitude and support. That took some kind of bravery.

2007-09-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

seriously, women, I've been bleeding out of cycle for 14 days...
that's 20 days this month, of blood flowing from my vagina, and I have NO CLUE what is going on
can anyone relate? is this a national crisis? anyone else having freakish menstruation?
I took the morning after pill two months ago. Could my body be super unbalanced from that life saving little package? I've taken that pill many times before and this has never happened. FUCK.
can I get some sympathy?
love, crazy and bloated in queens ny

2007-09-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

i've been bleeding for two weeks
the doctor says "it's probably hormonal"
no fucking shit it's hormonal
there's a problem here
and i'm not pregnant

i wait in the "waiting room" for two hours
maybe i'm dying
they tell me nothing
except "you're twenty pounds overweight"
thanks a fucking lot

i love to booze it up
but i think it's making me fatter
now i need a sonagram and AA
and a can't fuck as much
because i bleed through my sheets

where will i find a release...
no booze
no sex
only hairs on my chin
and love handles

r u coming?

2007-09-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

If IKEA had their Swedish designers make vibrators, they'd make this one. The Cone is a new vibrator for a new time. Alright so I haven't tried it but I stumbled upon it at Smitten Kitten and was intrigued.

I checked out The Cone website and it was actually kinda fun. They have a crazy virtual 3-D Cone that you can unpack, turn on, and play with the settings (check out orgasm mode!). You can also watch their advertisement and browse pictures, which reveal that The Cone is the biggest freakin' vibrator you've ever seen. Plus, the critics are pleased. It even won Best Adult Product at the 2007 Adult Industry Awards. Nice. It's a little pricey ($129 at Smitten Kitten), but sounds worth it for anyone with the cash.

Which Western Feminist Icon Are YOU?

2007-09-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

More proof of my amazing skills of procrastination. Feel free to post your results in the comments. I'm gonna get some work done now, I swear. It's only my first week of school and already I'm sick of reading.

You are Kathleen Hanna! Poster child of the riot grrls, you've grown up a little in the last few years. You've brought rape, feminism, sexuality, and wymyn surviving hard shit into the mainstream through art, music, and spokenword. You're PUNKROCK! But, like, for real.
Take this quiz!

Santa Cruz Dykes: Taking Over YouTube?

2007-09-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

Just a moment ago I was browsing YouTube for an interesting video for LG&PS (read: procrastinating) and I stumbled upon this. I had searched "gender queer" and a few videos came up, I scrolled down, and oddly freakin enough this was the first video I played. I watched it for a bit and then all of a sudden it hit me. I know these people. These are Santa Cruz people!

So for all of you Santa Cruz folks, check this shit out. You know these women!

Full Frontal Feminism Book Review

2007-09-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

Written September 1st - I have now been in Boston for four days!

After a full 23 years as a pure Californian beach town gal, I am currently on my way to being an East Coaster. Well, physically anyway. Just over the wing and with Cactus at my feet, my window view boasts the fertile tapestry that is the middle of this country. Yeah I know, shut up. To accompany me on this journey I brought along my must-read-before-school-starts non-fiction, Jessica Valenti’s Full Frontal Feminism. Subtitled “A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters,” FFF is clearly targeted toward 13 to 17-year-old should-be feminists. As an avid reader of Feministing.com, however, it was a mandatory read for me as well.

First, I have to address the infamous cover. If you do not frequent the feminist corner of the blogosphere (outside of LG&PS, of course), you may have missed the Great FFF Cover Debate of 2006. When Jessica posted the cover of her new book on Feministing, all kinds of hell broke loose. A skinny, white woman’s flawless torso serves as the cover’s background image, with a perfect hand on her perfect hip and “Full Frontal Feminism” splayed across her in thick lettering. This was, of course, very controversial and everyone within reach of a keyboard had something to say about it. I didn’t participate much in the discussion because my feelings about it were continuously fluctuating. From the moment I saw it posted online to when I finally began reading the damn thing my feelings changed tremendously. My initial reaction was surprise and confusion; why would Jessica choose such a picture? Finally though, once I opened it up, it made perfect sense. This book is about feminism today and if feminism is not completely tied up with images of skinny-ass white women’s torsos, I don’t know what is. Of course I never believed, as many said or implied at the time, that Jessica was participating in the objectification of women’s bodies in a racist, fatphobic way. I have more faith in Jessica than that. Now I realize that the photo makes sense in the context of the content so before the cover turns you off, open it up and check out the text.

If it hasn’t become glaringly obvious, I love Jessica. She has a Master’s in Gender Studies but, being a 20-something herself, she is very connected to her audience. This is unlike pseudo-feminist writers like Laura Sessions Stepp, author of Unhooked (this year’s other non-fiction for young women), who discusses young women’s sexuality from a judgmental outsider’s perspective. The only real bone I have to pick with FFF is Jessica’s choice to use slang and expletives in every other sentence. I mean, yeah I talk like that, and no I don’t think it should read like a textbook, but I wonder if it was wise to go so far in the slang direction. I think it’s great that Jessica felt confident to use her voice, but I hope that young women perceive it as genuine. I worry that young women, especially those unfamiliar with Feministing.com, might read the slang as condescension or a fake, superficial tactic to create a sense of sameness and equality. I am confident that Jessica was simply speaking in her language about her ideas on her terms and I totally respect that. I just hope others recognize it as such.

Besides the possible misunderstanding of her loose use of language, I have very little other criticism of Jessica’s work. She covers all of the biggest topics, from birth control to pop culture to intersectional oppressions, and she doesn’t shy away from the personal or the political. Even for a seasoned feminist, the book is a great review. I recommend picking it up and passing it on to that favorite (or least favorite) young woman in your life. Bravo Jessica!

FYI: I refer to Ms. Valenti by her first name throughout the post as she has created such a warm, down-to-Earth identity through her website and her book that I feel like I know her. It’s one of those weird Internet celebrity things I guess.

tribute to summer

2007-09-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

goodbye sweet summer
is it time to leave so soon?
lying here
putting caps on empty bottles
i can't find my sweater
and i'm not ready to go home

the shortest season
of the most delicious freedom
rolled past hot and slow.
on the stairs blowing smoke into the night
i feel inflated with the emptiness
of saying goodbye

so long sad summer
i know you're gonna miss me
your naked heat invites my vices
and i wish we could stay here
forever together
making promises to the dark

no more melting alone
in my breathless cage
together or apart
we sweat
summer you have flung me
and i don't know where i'll land

so here's to you
queen of all seasons
to short hot months
and long hot nights
popsicles, martinis, sunburns and heels
and the green seed of yearning we'll carry through the cold

Feminisms in Motion

2007-08-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

Make/shift magazine is a brand new publication that,

Creates and documents contemporary feminist culture and action by publishing journalism, critical analysis, and visual and text art. Made by an editorial collective committed to antiracist, transnational, and queer perspectives, make/shift embraces the multiple and shifting identities of feminist communities.

Hot. I couldn't help subscribing.

The first issue came out Spring/Summer 2007, the second issue is due out on September 18, and they are accepting submissions for the third issue. Any investigative journalism; photojournalism; critical essays; personal essays; profiles of feminists activists, artists, projects, and thinkers; fiction and poetry; art and photography; book, maga/zine, film, art, and event reviews; and hybrid pieces. And make/shift pays. Hurry up though because submissions received before September 1 receive priority.

A Series of Poems About Last Night

2007-08-28T12:29:00.001-07:00

The Shakes
It’s hard to write
As my hands still shake
With unusual rage.
Like yours did last night,
Longing for booze.

Her Fault
Maybe it was graphic,
I mean, she was raped.
And you, you had to hear about it.
That must have been difficult,
Men shouldn’t be put through that.

She’s making herself a victim you say,
Of a violent rape.
Not working through it your way,
Her problem, her fault,
She deserved it anyway.

Hillary
One presidential candidate
Does not prove our equality
When I can’t get Plan B
At my local pharmacy.

You Hate Feminists
You told me you hate feminists.
My beer in your hand,
Make yourself at home.

You told me you hate feminists.
Angry complainers,
Getting raped and murdered.

You told me you hate feminists.
How dare they teach classes,
Tell stories, be activists.

You told me you hate feminists.
Drink up, get out,
Go fuck yourself.

Voting While Female: 87 Years and Counting

2007-08-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Women's Equality Day!

superbad=superhomophobic

2007-08-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

okay, i'll just admit it. last night i saw superbad. i'm not even going to make any excuses; i love george michael (michael cera of arrested development) and i couldn't wait to see him in his very own movie. so i bought my ticket, put on my bathroom humor hat, and sat back to enjoy the show.

unfortunately, what could have been a sweet and raunchy movie about endearingly self-deprecating losers trying to get laid was completely overshadowed by the gratuitous use of the word faggot. am i only one who finds this disturbing and not in the least funny? apparentally i was the only one in the theatre, because the audience was ROARING everytime the main character called his dorky friend fogell "faggle" in a fit of hetero rage.

seth rogen (co-writer) and judd apatow (producer) are the current golden boys of geek humor. we have given them the green light to go ahead and give us the underdog hero. We're tired of the hot guy who cheats, or doesn't call--bring on the dork who listens and puts the pussy on a pedestal. but instead of the thinking person's american pie, superbad is a testimony to the hegemony of homophobia-it's like air. imagine if a movie came out today in which the main characters used the n word at least once in every scene. right, that wouldn't happen. even though we still tie gay people to the backs of trucks and drag them until they die, it's okay to have a movie for kids that shows the heroes using the word faggot.

in light of the country's (and the world's) attitude towards gay people, i found the insidiousness of the homophobia in this het-fest chilling. it's just too small a leap from hate language to hate violence-what if at the end of the movie fogell had told his best friends that he was a fag? it might've turned into a high school version of boys don't cry.

when isaiah washington said the word faggot to his gay co-worker, he had to go to rehab. when chunky disheveled teenager seth says it to his well-groomed effeminate friend, we laugh. what kind of a fucked up message are we sending?

Mr. Rogen and Mr. Apatow, you seem like intelligent men. Your humor can be edgy, vicious, and hysterically funny. You do not need to rely on faggot jokes, fat jokes, retard jokes and ethnic jokes, like some of the less talented in the industry. these only detract from the quality of your work and perpetuate hate.

to sum it all up, this movie is only worth seeing if you rent it and can fast forward through any part where michael cera isn't speaking, or if you really hate gay people.

Blogging on B

2007-08-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

In case you were looking to do some extracurricular birth control reading while slacking off at work, Naral Pro-Choice America is featuring guest bloggers writing about Plan B on their blog every day this week. Contributors include:

Priscilla Huang: Policy & Programs Director with the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF), which connects and empowers Asian American women by providing them a venue to bond and share their experiences with one another

Susan Berke Fogel with the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), which seeks to improve health care for America's working and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities

Miriam Perez: Advocacy Associate with the National Latina Institute, which ensures the fundamental human right to reproductive health for Latinas, their families, and their communities through public education, policy advocacy, and community mobilization.

These amazing women are sure to offer some interesting perspectives so be sure to check them out!

Full Moon

2007-08-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

And Alvin Lau goes straight to the top of the Decent Guys List.

Shout out to (f)Emily of MadFemmePride for the link.

avenue q

2007-08-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

we went to see avenue q this weekend and it was fabulous. as nick put it: it was like sesame street for adults.

it had music, puppets and "real" people and conveyed a few messages amidst comedy and catchy songs.

i assumed, like many others, that it was going to be mostly about being queer. that avenue q stands for queer. actually, i think its just a fictional place (like sesame street) based off of alphabet city in new york.

it's not mostly about being queer. the lead puppets are straight and it has a very minor sub plot about coming out. it's mostly about life and finding your purpose.

i asked numerous friends (not for lack of company, we went with a huge group) to come and see the show with us that declined and i felt that it stemmed from their homophobia or just their general disinterest in something that doesn't encompass their perspective.

it's so frustrating! most of them were straight white men, but also straight women and straight men of color. their automatic assumption was that it would have nothing to do with them and therefore why engage/support/attend a performance that does not encompass their perspective.

why not? why is it so hard to do something every once in awhile that is outside of yourself.

god, why do i even care!? i feel like i'm always looking for a new and challenging experience and it shocks me that so many people around me don't share that...

or maybe its just that i really loved avenue q and i feel so sad that its perception as a gay theater piece causes people who would love it not to go at all.

i guess it's just their loss, but it still makes me sad.

Ani Anyone?

2007-08-18T13:52:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's because I'm in such a major transition time (Boston in two weeks), but I'm in Ani obsession mode right now and I was hoping you might join me. You can watch some videos featuring Ani on the right hand side of this blog, check out her website, or repeatedly google the names of her partner and child until you finally find their photos. I'm assuming that I will snap out of it once my new life gets rolling, but all I can do now is cut my hair, get tatted up, and listen to Ani in anticipation.

I haven't quite gotten to this point myself, but here is a video that reflects how I'm feeling. I imagine that most of you can relate.

to the birthday bitch

2007-08-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

hey women,

just wanted to document this momentous occasion...23 years ago today, kristin jane conover entered the world. a shining star even from infancy, she glows ever brighter with each passing year. as she created this space for us to share ourselves with ourselves, i thought it was only appropriate that i pay tribute here.

kristin, happy birthday! you are a wonderful woman and i'm so glad we have you.
i wish you an absolutely fabulous day, and many many many happy returns.
much love from the other half of the show

*WE DO WHAT WE WANT*

Back in my day, girls played ball too!

2007-08-09T08:41:00.000-07:00

In a feeble attempt to make time move faster, while sweating away on the gym treadmill, I tend to subject myself to television programs I wouldn’t wish on a Nazi or a pedophile. Yesterday, with my eyes glued to ESPN, I had the great fortune to catch a piece on “chatter” in little league baseball. The segment focused on how nowadays baseball chatter, such as “Hey batter batter batter, swiiiing, batter batter batter”, and dugout chants had gotten out of hand. Coaches and fans were interviewed to attest to their horror at the terrible sportsmanship these chants brought to the game. They stumbled over popular grandfather-ish sentiments, “It wasn’t like this back in my day,” and Christian pseudo-morality, “It just isn’t right.”

Now maybe this doesn’t raise your blood pressure, but even recalling these righteous sports fans, mine goes through the roof. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, however, I considered that maybe the chants had become more offensive since I was on the diamond. Of course this thought quickly faded as the cameras turned on the young chanting boys and I was hit with my own recognition of their cheers. Not only were they no more offensive than my mid-nineties softball chants, they were the exact same ones!

My anger was short-lived however when I was struck by my own familiarity with the game. I played softball for ten years, where were the girls’ teams on this program? Our games were overrun with chatter and chanting, how could they have completely forgotten about young female players? As I continued to watch, I became increasingly frustrated. If the footage had been only girls instead of boys, there is no way it would have gone by without comment. On the other hand, this segment became just another example of how males are not only the prototypical ball players, but also the prototypical human beings. Baseball aside, females make up the majority of the world’s population, but still we are deemed a deviation from the male norm. Maybe most folks assume that ESPN isn’t the most equality-minded station on the planet, but it’s still sad that their audience is being subjected to this kind of implicit sexism.

how things end

2007-08-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

ten people got shot
while we shared a blunt on the roof
burned in a hot sleep
woke on opposite sides of the bed

...and my heart lays like a crushed soda can

2 in the morning
we sat solemn like mourners
smoking cigarettes in the dark and
pillaging what the dead had left

...new plates to replace the ones he broke; no stand-ins for broken people

rats run the kitchen
the walls stink and sweat and
i cross my fingers for just a piece of him
at the top of the stairs

...yet i have no concept of your loss

a fossil of what was
what will never be again
we evolved too fast between these sheets
between these streets

...and even garbage looks fresh in the morning

pull/pull away
today we can't pretend anymore
i said goodbye and i meant it
walked away wondering who those bullets were meant for

Homogeneous Republican Candidates on Your Rights

2007-08-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

I can't imagine that any of you pro-choicers were planning on going GOP next year, but just in case here's a friendly reminder of what these men think of your rights.

This video was sent out this morning in the NARAL Pro-Choice e-newsletter. Thanks Meg for the heads up!

And suddenly I'm not so sure...

2007-07-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

Although being exposed to many people who felt otherwise, I have always been of the opinion that prostitution is inherently harmful to the worker and, therefore, immoral for the john (see my previous post). I have tried to have an open mind about it, starting discussions with friends and unsuspecting acquaintances, but I could never before see past my pre-established assumptions. Yesterday I finished the book, Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women by Alexa Albert (highly recommended). It is a first-hand account of a Harvard med student who gains access into a legalized brothel in Nevada to study condom use, but realizes she has access to something even more valuable and interesting: the prostitutes themselves. The book discusses the lives and thoughts of the actual women working in what is considered by some “the world’s oldest profession” and by others the world’s saddest.

I came into this read with both my previous feelings and my desire to learn more, but came out even more conflicted. With countless personal stories and quotations from the women, they become people who you grow to know, understand, and respect. Now, don’t get me wrong, my problem with legalizing prostitution was never that I thought the women who chose it were immoral people. It was more along the lines of: is prostitution ever really a choice in the first place? Isn’t it just a dehumanizing result of patriarchy, where men assert power and control over women’s bodies? Isn’t it psychologically damaging to the coerced women who suffer from being used by these men? I never considered how the women themselves think of their work or what it is really like to work in a legalized brothel in this country. I see now that the women were not subjects even in my mind and I did not give them agency.

Although I have laid out the questions, I still don’t have the answers. I don’t know if sex work is really a choice, if it would exist without patriarchy, or if it causes mental harm to the prostitute. I do know, however, that it is more complicated than I thought. Many women in legalized prostitution in Nevada love their job, their friends, and their life in and outside of the brothel. From the accounts in Brothel, the women take great pride in their work, discussing more required skills and techniques than I had imagined. Many see themselves as performing necessary social work like any other helping profession, some even considering themselves therapists of sort. They give their customers more than an orgasm; they give them the physical contact and closeness that many lack in their lives. And they make bank for it. They also make close friends in the business and, although there can be cliques and competition, they ultimately form a tight-nit family. I do have gripes about the reasons some women enter the business, such as pressure from men in their lives who then reap the financial benefits; the way the brothels are run, of course women-owned and operated, unionized, co-ops would be preferable; and the restrictions on the women who work and live there, having limited contact with the outside. Yet despite these current problems, I have begun to see the possibility of a legitimate profession. I have gained insight into the other side, not only the other side of the argument, but also the other side of the closed brothel gates.

So now I have the pros as well as the cons down. However, I am still left mostly unsatisfied without concrete answers. Always the social scientist, and tired of the opinion pieces littering the net, I jumped on PsychInfo to research scientific studies regarding pros and cons of legalized prostitution (you can search Google Scholar if you do not have access to a university library database search engine). I had read Melissa Farley’s work in the past, but wondered if that is all that is out there about the effects of legalized prostitution on the women involved. From my browsing I concluded that the researchers are as divided as the feminists. Some studies showed that legalization helped to decrease violence and the spread of STIs without lowering the women’s self-esteem or increasing their drug use. Other studies, such as those by Melissa Farley, disagreed. (You can find lots of general stats here.) So now with apologies, I leave you in the same place I started and the place most psychological research papers end, with a recommendation for further research.

Thinly Veiled Self-Promotion

2007-07-27T16:26:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner.

All of this talk about personal art on the blog, especially feminist art, and I forgot about my own. For the last six months I have run a store on CafePress, a website where you can upload your own designs onto their products, people buy them, Cafe Press makes and ships them, and you get commission (at a price you set). It's a great way for artists with little start-up capital to get their stuff out there. Now, I'm no artist, I'm just a computer nerd that has spent too much time downloading free fonts and messing with Photoshop.

Our friend Nidhi, who turned me onto the site and trained me in its operation, has been making some serious cash with her awesome designs.

My Lovely Lady Lumps

2007-07-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

Thanks Korin for the link.

Just in case you were going to pay money to watch it....

2007-07-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

Transformers: Army of One

So, I admit it. I watched transformers when I was a young girl, sitting beside my brother on a Saturday morning, watching one gloriously 80's cartoon after another. I had heard good things about this live action tribute to the cartoon that started as an advertising campaign for shape-shifting toys. Turns out, it took the team that worked on the giant robots 38 hours to complete ONE frame. Who's got high hopes now?

Excited, buttocks pressed against the edge of the seat, I watched a killer first few scenes where something big is being built up and eerie space invasions whisper promises of an action-filled, self-aware film about relationships between man and technology, good and evil, a boy and....his camaro?

I was almost won over when the two heroines of the film surfaced with sharp wit and amazing abilities (cracking computer signals, hot-wiring cars, explaining an advanced fuel-injection system) that almost hinged on some sort of female empowerment. They had so much potential, they could have done so much....but alas, they are only female.

At the core you have two “hot” women, whose make-up never gets smudged, in tight clothes and existing solely for wet dreams. Their character development and awesome talents begin and end with their usefulness, while the men – useful or not – gain the protection of giant robots and, by default, save the day. The heroine ends up on the hood of the car in her hero's arms (whose only dream throughout the movie, as far as I can tell, is to get the car to get the girl) and the other female hero, the brilliant computer hacker, has to go a man's house in order to get the code cracked.

Which leads me to another human rights flub the movie is guilty of – racism! You have a bunch of white guys parading around, saving the day, and in the midst you have the comic relief in the form of big black men yelling at their mothers, break-dancing, and eating too much. On the outskirts, there is a Spanish speaker who can't seem to forget his Spanish heritage no matter how often the other soldiers remind him to speak English. (Oh that silly Latino!)

At the end of the day, it is one long parade of awesome looking vehicles, bad scripting and bad editing. Nothing pays off, nothing satisfies, and all the issues that could have been dealt with in this movie are over-ran by a whimsical Optimus Prime saying “I see good in humans.” And, if you watch closely enough, you might see some advertisements for the military. Just a few. Just a few that look like hot guys knowing exactly what to do (lead the monsters toward the city! That way we can avoid civilian deaths!(WTF?)) and a level headed secretary of defense. Just a few that look like entrusting the bad-guy's evil weapon to the military is a better idea than giving it to the giant fucking robots that came from outer space to destroy it!

In short, it's really bad.

- Korin Lykam

Let's talk about vaccines.

2007-07-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm 26. Almost 27, at which point I will no longer be able to get the HPV vaccine. For some reason, I'm not convinced I need to get it.

"Females who are sexually active may also benefit from the vaccine. But they may get less benefit from the vaccine since they may have already acquired one or more HPV type(s) covered by the vaccine." Source: CDC

What do people think? What have people done?

Ouch, That's My Identity

2007-07-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

So I came out as bisexual in high school and since then I have met many a person with much to say about my sexual identity. From the straight, male jock to the radical, third-wave, lesbian feminist many a stinging remark has been made about bisexuals. Here is a quick and handy definition of bisexual I've compiled from these experts over the last decade:

Bi-sex-u-al [bahy-sek-shoo-uhl]: A person who has the capacity to engage in sexual and/or romantic relationships with other people regardless of gender as long as they are never monogamous or date less than two people (of different genders) at once.

The bisexual male does not exist as he is actually just about to call you and tell you that he's gay.

The bisexual female does exist, but can be difficult to find in a sea of heterosexual female liars. I mean, I love women, just not the fake bisexual ones. You know those girls, you sleep with her for a while, maybe even have a relationship, but then after that's done, she dates a guy. Liars.

At least lesbians are honest, when they leave you, they go and date another girl. Unless they're a lesbian who dates guys sometimes, but I digress.

The bisexual female can be defined by her previous and current sexual and romantic partners. In order to be a real bisexual a woman must have reached orgasm with or been a girlfriend to 60-100% female and 0-40% male partners. Any fewer female and any greater male means she is a heterosexual liar and cannot be trusted. Any bisexual female who is currently in a committed relationship with a male is a heterosexual liar.

Of course all gender is an illusion and no one should have to pick or be defined by their gender.

a queen in kings county

2007-07-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

brooklyn brooklyn
it was good before you
could it be good after you,
too?

wish i could say
i recognized you better from the back
so you walking away wouldn't be so strange
but i still remember the first time i saw your eyes
the first time they saw me

brooklyn brooklyn
two months in and you've got me twisted around your little finger
loving red brick
wrought-iron garbage cages
24s of malt liquor
and the born and bred motherfuckers that decorate
every one of your stoops

i come from a land of cool and wide
slow and sexy
clean and green
to brooklyn brooklyn
hot fast dirty
where you gotta search for the soft spots:
on the roof at midnight finding shapes in the clouds
smooth brown liquor in dixie cups
a "good morning neighbor"

brooklyn brooklyn
you know you already got me
but i labor you like the last cigarette
suck your sweet smoke
to the butt
let you fill me before i breathe out

Support NPOs with your searches

2007-07-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this and had to share. Goodsearch is a very easy add-on to your search box that will donate 1c for each search you do to the charity of your choice (of the ones who have signed up)... so please, check it out!

"If you have a conscience, act."

2007-07-11T14:39:00.000-07:00

Raising awareness of HIV & AIDS prevention has never looked so hot. These dresses, by Brazilian artist and activist Adriana Bertini, are made entirely out of expired or defective condoms. Her dresses sell for big bucks and all proceeds go to organizations working to fight against AIDS. Pretty inspiring.

Thanks Rebecca for the tip.

Gays: Too Sexy for School

2007-07-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

I really do apologize for posting such an inappropriate image on a Sunday. I understand if you need to block it out with your thumb or a post-it note or something less "illicit" and "suggestive". I mean "I don't have a problem at all", it's just that the picture is so provocative, especially for homophobes.

This June the Newark Public Schools superintendent, Marion A. Bolden, distributed yearbooks with a conspicuous black blob over this photo on Andre Jackson's personal senior page. Jackson took this photo of him and his boyfriend which is very similar to many photos of hetero couples deemed appropriate to publish. I mean shit, there is even a picture "of a young man and a young woman kiss[ing] on a couch, his hand on her leg as she sits on his lap" on the page across from Jackson's. But you've got it all wrong, this is not about them being gay. Clearly.

And I was hoping we were getting somewhere in American schools.

Thanks Feministing for the link.

MacWarhol

2007-07-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

So if you have a Mac you won't be impressed but I just got one today(!), and this is my lame excuse for art.

Speaking of amazing female artists, yesterday I made an appointment with Idexa at Black & Blue Tattoo. Black & Blue Tattoo is a woman owned and operated tattoo parlor in the Haight that I totally can't wait to support. If you're in the SF area and looking to get inked, I recommend checking them out. If you want to work with Idexa though, be prepared to wait. I took her next available appointment which isn't for over a month and also happens to be my birthday. I'm stoked.

Happy July!

2007-07-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

I just want to remind everyone that if you would like to post your own poetry, photography, artwork, etc. that would be awesome. Some folks have expressed an interest in this but I'll break the ice with a poem or two once I find/write them (it'll be soon I promise!). So bust out those pens, cameras, or brushes because we'd love to see what you can do!

On a personal note, I just decided that I will in fact be going to grad school at Boston College in the fall! Ilya and I will be moving there on September 1st. I hope I can catch some time with all you West Coasters before then and I'll see all you East Coasters soon! Oh and check out this awesome group I already joined!

One Morning on Paris

2007-07-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

I'm having kind of a video day, so please excuse me. First I'm just going to explain, because it is confusing, that this video is actually two segments spliced together. After Brzezinski says, "To the news now," the second segment begins.

On June 26th Mika Brzezinki of MSNBC's Morning Joe made a stand against the news' obsession with Paris Hilton. Brzezinki has received lots of praise via the Internet for her one-woman, on-air protest. I agree that Brzezinki is awesome and what she did was fabulous. Her co-anchors, however, are fucking assholes. Brzezinki is trying to make a rational point about how sick it is that this trivial story is the lead instead of more important news. What is so fucked up is that her co-anchors do not take her seriously whatsoever. When she initially says she has to do the Paris story one anchor teases her (rather harshly) with, "She's not a journalist anymore". Then when she says she doesn't want to do the story and that she didn't choose it he says, "You make your own lead, that's a cop out...Take control of your life alright." The disdain and disrespect in those comments alone is clear. Then they purposely disrespect and frustrate her further by playing Paris video clips in the middle of her protest. I totally understand when she says, "I'm about to snap," I wouldn't have been able to keep it together being tormented by those guys on the air, it's humiliating. Despite her childish co-anchors, her actions are commendable and inspiring. I hope more anchors take her lead and stand up for their dignity and ours.

Thanks Rebecca for the link.

I am Beautiful.

2007-07-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

"Big girls, you are beautiful" is a great sentiment, but something seems off about this. Maybe it's that it still poses women's bodies as objects to be judged (and either approved or rejected) by men. Maybe it's that the women don't have the agency or voice in the video to say, "I know I am beautiful". Or maybe it's just the odd lyrical references to diet coke and pizza. Either way, I am not convinced that this is a step forward, even for pop music.

Hey! Ho!

2007-06-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Some great advice for all of us from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence website. Click on the picture for a larger image.

Australian Fear Factor

2007-06-26T07:15:00.001-07:00

Australian drivers hit below belt

Images of road deaths have not curbed speeding, says the RTA

Anti-speeding ad

A new Australian ad campaign is seeking to reduce road deaths by questioning the manhood of speeding drivers.

The series of TV ads shows women shaking their little finger - a gesture used to symbolise a small penis - as speeding male motorists race past.

The $A1.9m (£805,400, US$1.6m) campaign aims to make speeding socially unacceptable among young drivers.

The "Speeding. No-one Thinks Big of You" campaign will run on TV, in cinemas, at bus shelters and online.

The shock tactics of previous adverts that showed disturbing images of death and injury in road crashes have not worked, says the New South Wales state government authority behind the ads, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA).

We will do what we feel we have to, to get the message through

John Whelan
RTA

Exposure to "computer games, modern media ... and horror films" had desensitised many young males to the violent images of those campaigns, RTA spokesman John Whelan told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

The new ads include one young driver revving his engine and rushing through traffic lights in front of two young women and another racing past a female pedestrian.

After both incidents the women wave their little fingers in slow motion with knowing glances.

"We will do what we feel we have to, to get the message through," Mr Whelan said.

Speeding is a factor in about 40% of road deaths in NSW each year, according to RTA figures.

The ad campaign coincides with the introduction of new restrictions on learner drivers, including a ban on all mobile phone use, limits on the number of young passengers allowed and tougher speeding penalties.

Women are Dirty

2007-06-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

I could use this to launch a larger discussion about pornography or sexual harassment in the workplace, but I think the moral of this video is clear: women are dirty.

Why Did God Make Sunburns?

2007-06-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Maybe to punish sinful light-skinned dykes? Yesterday’s San Francisco Dyke March became quite the display of God’s wrath on those with light dyke skin. Well, of course he’s angry, those bitches were rallying for healthcare for all and we all know God only provides healthcare to the deserving.

But seriously, the scene in Dolores Park was pretty amazing. I don’t know the exact numbers, but there had to have been a couple thousand drunk, exuberant, tattooed queer women gathered for the festivities. These festivities included ignoring the stage show, seeing & being seen, avoiding ex-girlfriends, consuming delicious food & drink, peeing in the bushes, and obtaining free breast exams. (Most of which were provided by licensed professionals!)

And here is where I admit that I did not stick around for the actual marching. All of the excitement in combination with two previous late nights out, six hours of sun, and of course the booze just did me in. But it really was a fantastic time. Wonderful folks I hadn’t seen in forever, lots of new friends I can’t wait to see again, and then the array of interesting strangers that I won’t soon forget. Back in my quiet Santa Cruz apartment, they are all missed. All I have now is a couple photos, a free breast exam t-shirt, and of course my sunburn.

a softer world, comic. can I post copyrighted stuff? is this even copyrighted?

2007-06-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

Click on the picture for larger image.
Check out asofterworld.com.

Sisterly Love

2007-06-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

Nuns are not usually hardcore. They don't tend to frequent Bare Chest Calendar kick-off parties, they definitely don't make inappropriate puns regarding current events (i.e. Weapons of Ass Destruction), and they never combine fund-raising with fetishes.

Obviously The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc. are not your average clergy.

Now I've noticed this habit-sportin' group at a myriad of San Francisco events since moving up to the almost-Bay Area in 2002 (they're hard to miss). Today, however, I stumbled upon their website and found out that they are awesome. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc. is actually a non-profit organization with "orders" all over the world. Ever since the San Francisco Order was founded in 1979, these queer nuns have been working hard, "to promulgate universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt, and serve the community". And serve the community they do. They provide grants to small non-profit organizations that serve the queer and sex positive community, do tons of safe sex education, and even throw in some entertainment work to boot. I thought they were just a group of religious make-up artists roaming aimlessly through protests and Castro street events, boy was I wrong.

Well I'm definitely going to throw down a couple bucks when I see them at SF Pride this weekend. Into their donation buckets, that is.

College Bound Women, Beware!

2007-06-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

I listened to this story on NPR. The gist of it is that women are applying in larger numbers to small liberal colleges (where the research came from) and the administrators are working to keep a gender balance by not admitting as many women.

What does that mean, my female friends? It means we are being turned away from college due to our pussies. Yep. My feelings on affirmative action are mixed in, of course, because I do feel that it is historically necessary to admit qualified "minorities" into college ahead of qualified white students.

The study reports that women take more interest in their school work, do more extracurricular activities and excel more in general from an early age onwards. Shouldn't we be rewarded because of that?

Affirmative action legislation has been split for some time. I don't feel that this new development would stand well in court, especially when it's not a race issue. We're talking about more than half the population here, doesn't it make sense that we would be a larger presence in colleges?

Paul Hill Days

2007-06-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

On July 29, 1994 Paul Hill (the hero of the story) loaded his gun and set out for the local abortion clinic in Pensacola, Florida. He waited outside until clinic physician, John Britton, and his unfortunate escort, James Barrett, arrived. Hill quickly ended the lives of these two people in the name of God. On September 3, 2003 Hill died by lethal injection at Florida State Prison shortly after announcing he felt no remorse and would receive "a great reward in heaven".

Here is where it gets freaky. Hill sounds like a fringe lunatic and a terrorist, but he is not alone. He was part of the Army of God. This is a pro-life organization which promotes the use of violence to end the lives of those that provide women with safe, legal abortions. But what is even freakier is that they are not alone in these acts. To further the disgust factor these acts are not only being defended, but people are actually celebrating them.

Hence Paul Hill Days. Come on out and partake in the spring festivities celebrating the life and murders of Paul Hill. That's right, this is a four-day event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which includes reenactments of the murders. Classy. Three organizations are sponsoring this event: Children Need Heroes, StreetPreach, and Paul Hill Memorial.

If you would like to tell them what you think, please feel very welcome to e-mail: george@childrenneedheroes.com or call (920) 918-4550.

Santa Cruz Girls: Officially Rad

2007-06-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

“The kind of woman you would see on television is usually very eager to please and well-groomed, and may or may not have very much personality. I really think there’s something radical about showing women who are not approval-seeking, but on the contrary, disapproval-seeking. It turns [things] on their head that women should be perfectly sexy or seen and not heard, or trying to be models. Some people would argue that it’s a strained feminist argument, but I feel that there’s something quite feminist about doing what you want.” -Ramona

Especially when what you want to do is fart in someone's mouth. Ramona, Munchie, Clementine meet the world. World meet the Rad Girls. Three Santa Cruz locals take television's gross-boy humor scene by storm, showing television watchers a different kind of "girl". Filmed in LA (although they wanted to shoot it in the SC), Rad Girls is Fuse TV's latest new show. So if you thought women couldn't pull off those disgusting Johnny Knoxville stunts, you were wrong. These girls are farting, puking, and being otherwise obnoxious with the best of them. This may not be my usual style of humor, but I will admit that the smell-elevator definitely got me laughing.

“I’m making a point that I don’t have to be pretty or act like Miss Manners wants me to act in order to be successful, to be happy, to find love.” - Clementine

Etiquette is definitely the furthest thing on the minds of these three and being pretty is not what they are about. The fact that they are stereotypically attractive will not, however, escape the viewers. To me, though, it is quite clear that their fashion and make-up is just part of who they are and is not something that they are doing (or would give up) to win an audience. The show was an idea Ramona and some friends had on a surfing trip and it was her baby from the start. This was not something handed down from above with auditions for the cutest and wildest male-fantasy types. These were some girls with an idea and they made it happen.

“We’re not promoting any kind of behaviors, but we’re promoting women to be themselves and don’t feel you need to be inhibited in any way because of how society says you need to be…We’re so pro-women.” - Munchie

Now you might say, isn't feminism is about being empowered females, not pseudo-males? But I really don't think that is what's going on here (whatever it even means really). What makes them awesome is that they are proud to be female, all about being themselves, and are making noise and taking up space! I for one, am glad to announce this particular glass ceiling officially broken.

El Macho Mexicano

2007-06-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

I learned the other night what my boyfriend´s father, Audel, thinks of machismo.

I met Audel in Durham, North Carolina, and we got along fine. He was fairly quiet, and when the three of us went out he gave Ale and I our space. He never told me what to do, and always offered me food or drink at his apartment. But since we´ve arrived in Mexico, I´ve seen another side of him. A side I believe is more macho.

Maybe it´s because we´ve arrived here, or maybe it´s a side I never say with him in Durham because there plain weren´t any woman around.

The meaning of machismo finally came up over a delicious meal that Ale´s mother, Alicia, cooked for us. I would have brought it up earlier, but seeing as I am living in their house, and they are feeding me everyday, it didn´t seem appropriate.

Machismo in Mexico, in Audel´s words more or less, has improved. The macho man in his words is a man who doesn´t care about his wife. He doesn´t care that she becomes pregnant, doesn´t provide for her, keeps his money for himself, and he leaves his children for whoever ends up caring for them. And he beats his wife and cheats on her. Pretty horribly macho.

According to Audel, this is the macho Mexican. Most men aren´t like this anymore, but there are still some Mexicans who are this extreme macho. Traditionally in Mexico the man of the family works, and the woman stays home and cleans, cooks, and takes care of the children. To Audel, men and women have their roles in life, and this is not machismo. Now many more woman than before enter schools and finish their education, and he thinks this is good. Now many young men like Alejandro consider themselves bisexual. Many men wear pink and purple, one of Ale´s friends offered me hand cream and chapstick. I asked Audel if it would it be acceptable if the woman worked and the man stayed at home, and he said yes. He also said it would be acceptable if both parents worked that both parents would share the cleaning and cooking and caring.

Later I asked Alicia if Audel has ever done the laundry out of his own will. He never has.
I believe an unmacho man would. He would also cook a meal when he could, or wash the dishes. Audel´s mannerisms are macho. He talks to me as if I don´t know anything, as if I´m a little girl. I feel like I have to prove that I am a knowledgeable person because he thinks I know nothing. But he also asks me questions and is interested in what I say.

El Hombre Mexicano is macho by default, unconsciously. In my opinion, on the day that Audel does the laundry without anyone asking him he will overrull the macho identification that he expels from his very self. But I´m not going to ask him to do the laundry, and I doubt Alicia will
either.

Carmela

my plan a: don't get pregnant

2007-06-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

i just wanted to acknowledge and appreciate the fact that i live in a city where i can get the morning after pill at the fucking drug store. in this world that george w and other wack-jobs are fast destroying, rarely do i take a minute to think about the shit we've gained in the last few decades. granted, they're trying to take that shit away from us every day, but today no one can take away the joy it gives me to walk into the duane reade and say, i'd like the morning after pill, please. what a privelege! what a delight!

it took three long years for nonprescription sales to be allowed*, but today is a new day. today it's okay that the condom broke, as long as i have photo id and 45 dollars.

thanks to a long and arduous struggle by activists, the makers of plan b, and politicians, i won't spend a tense three weeks waiting for my period, wondering if i'm about to be faced with a life-altering decision because i had sex the other night. mmmm freedom and little white pills taste sweet.

we've got a long way to go, but right now i'm staying positive. ladies, let's go forth and exercise our right to fuck up a little.

*to those 18 and over

the anti-feminist cartoon

2007-06-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

i'm baking in my 90 degree apartment. i received yet another announcement from the u.s. post office about something with a cathy cartoon.

for all the progress women have made, none of that is apparent in the comic section of the newspaper. i know that cathy was one of the first comic strips to appeal to single women and what they were going through, but god was it ever funny?

i feel like every strip i accidentally read (i never intentionally read cathy) has to deal with weight or some other insecurity. the series is stuck in a time and place that doesn't make sense for women anymore. it's boring.

as a cartoonist (why does that sound arrogant? fuck it if it does, because that's what i am, i'm not going to apologize for it!) it pisses me off to see such a small number of female cartoonist in national syndication. i try to get my comic about being an indian girl in america syndicated, and it's really difficult. people want something unique, something made jut for them, and they want it for fucking free.

it takes time, and skill to create a cartoon. not to mention creating an entire series of them that are all entertaining or funny. cathy is not funny. cathy is not entertaining. its just one of those things that has been happening for ever and no one has bothered to re-evaluate. it's like white walls or a lamp shade. no one notices.

i refuse to believe that there aren't better, funnier, female-penned comics out there. why aren't they in the newspaper? it may not be as important as equal pay or hillary running for president, but it's important to me.

i'm so tired of the doors being opened for us as an after thought. it's not just women, but women of color, queer women, or god forbid, queer women of color.

i don't want to read it on a blog. i don't want to buy a book. i want it in the fucking paper.

it's not too much to ask.

another rant from your favorite outraged indian art critic, ha.

Good Old-Fashioned Sex Work

2007-06-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

A recent post on Unapologetically Female, one of my new favorite blogs, has inspired me to bring up one of my all-time favorite discussions. Sex work. Feminists are divided about whether sex work can be empowering or is a harmful, misogynistic tool of the patriarchy. Okay, so maybe it's not that dramatic, but folks do get quite passionate about it.

One example of where lines get blurry is the Lusty Lady. For all of you non-Bay Area readers, the Lusty Lady is a peep show in San Francisco whose workers fought hard to unionize, making it "the world's only unionized, worker-owned peep show co-op". Pretty sweet, I must say. Although my general view (however unpopular) is that sex work is not empowering, this place definitely changes my "is not" to "usually is not". The documentary Live Nude Girls Unite, about this very club, shows brave, empowered, role-model type strippers taking control of their workplace. The film's behind-the-scenes look into how the women feel about their job and about themselves definitely opened my eyes to some sex-positive stripping possibilities. But does this really transfer to the majority of strip clubs that treat their workers poorly (the whole reason they unionized in the first place)? I've heard first-hand horror stories of mental and physical abuse by club managers, not to mention patrons.

And then the empowering argument seems to fall right apart when it comes to prostitution. To be fair, I have not specifically sought out pro-prostitution literature or research (and welcome any comments or links of this opinion), but the scientific research I have read paints a pretty nasty picture for the women in this work. Melissa Farley at the San Francisco non-profit Prostitution Research & Education is one of the foremost researchers on the effects of prostitution on these workers. Her research shows that even when legalized, workers in prostitution face all forms of abuse. She believes that prostitution is (or has the potential to be) sexual harassment, rape, battering, verbal abuse, domestic violence, a racist practice, a violation of human rights, childhood sexual abuse, a consequence of male domination of women, and a means of maintaining male domination of women.

I want to believe that legalized prostitution can be okay for women, but it seems that the negatives outweigh the positives. I think that one good answer is to legalize prostitution for the workers, but make it illegal for the johns. Although I do not think prostitution is positive for workers, they should be provided support instead of punished for their work. Any level of support however will not eradicate the stigma that women in prostitution face.

I'm still not sure exactly where the line is but I think it lies somewhere between the Lusty Lady and the Tenderloin. There is so much left to say, but I'll leave that up to you.

An Insightful Piece about Women's Rights

2007-06-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

Not that I expect anything more from Fox, but this is some bullshit. I mean I understand why feminazis are so scary. They are clearly angry man-hating, baby-hating, irrational cunts whose only goal in life is to work (how dare they?!?!) and help other women (ACLU-lovin' bitches). It's frightening, I know. Unapologetically Female says it well...

Because according to them, pregnancy discrimination is non-issue. Because their message is apparently that pregnant women should know better than to think they're capable of doing their jobs or that they should be entitled to their state-mandated worker's rights before, during, and after their pregnancies. That pregnant women don't need to make a living. They should just shut up and smile and bask in the glow of the little miracle growing inside their bodies whether or not they are able to financially support it. And that those who actually speak up and demand their rights are loud, strident, baby-hating bitches. This garbage is on national television.

It really is amazing how so many people participated in getting this on the air. And by amazing, I mean disturbing.

#1 Reason to Live in Santa Cruz

2007-06-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

The Santa Cruz Rollergirls

These ladies are totally hardcore. I want to be a rollergirl.

The D Word

2007-06-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

Better stock up on dildos now, I might be moving to Texas in the fall. Well, not Texas exactly, Austin.

One thing that Texas did have was the wonderful Molly Ivins, but of course she was from Austin.

(Purity) Balls

2007-06-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Although they are nothing new, Purity Balls are definitely worth posting about. For those of you who were blissfully unaware, a Purity Ball is a father/daughter dance with a disturbing twist. Not only do you have to spend the night acting like your dad is your prom date, he then pledges to protect your virginity "in mind, body, and soul". Ew. And you pledge to stay a virgin until you marry [a man] and the property switches ownership.

As to be expected with things related to men controlling womens' bodies, the religious are behind this one too. Shocking.

global feminisms.

2007-06-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

on my recent trip to new york, tania pointed me towards an exhibit at the brooklyn museum entitled "global feminisms" and i was excited and eager to go. i love museums and i miss engaging discussions about topics that are relevant to me and my experience.

except.

the majority of the pieces were violent or about violence inflicted upon women. there were many dark corners where videos and other technological displays were set up. i found it disturbing and overwhelming. some of the videos were clearly over 20 minutes. i believe there was one that was an hour long. i felt that much of the art and media was disconnected and unappealing.

i don't assume that feminists topics, including global feminism, will be without violence. neither do i assume that they will be lovely displays of flowers and women of all races and geographic locations holding hands. all i ask is for something in the middle.

by viewing the pieces where pig skin and barbed wire wrapped around a woman's face, i felt re-victimized. i understand that at times the purpose of art is to work through your own experiences and can be very therapeutic. kristin and i worked on an art show (mostly kristin though!) where that was the purpose. there was a certain sensitivity the artist had to the audience, as the viewers may have been through similar trauma. i feel that sensitivity was completely lacking in this exhibit.

my conclusion about the experience was that global/third world feminism cannot become a platform to educate others. my problem with many -isms is that too often the focus shifts from educating and empowering ourselves to simply educating others. to re-iterate time and time again that violence happens, that rights are needed, and that anger is present is exhausting.

i want another perspective. i want a middle ground between understanding and beauty that doesn't exclude violence or discussion, but doesn't center around it.

we are constantly absorbing images and messages around us. we are here. we are listening. i believe it is time to create what hasn't been created. to question what hasn't been answered.

i want art and beauty. i want it for us. i want it by us. let's talk to each other. let's work on becoming stronger, better, smarter. together.

i want to stop pandering to them.

and start living and learning for us.

Gay Pride: Santa Cruz Style

2007-06-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

It seems I am finally recovering from mono (no pregnancy guys, just a nasty virus). Sunday was my first big day out after too much bed rest. Luckily for me, it was also Santa Cruz Pride. I walked down to the parade on Pacific Avenue and took some snapshots:

As usual, a heartening mix of music and chanting filled the street and I clapped along. I am so thankful to live in a place where this is not only tolerated or accepted, but appreciated. I overheard a woman next to me, clearly a Santa Cruz native, explaining Pride to a traveler. The man was saying that nothing like this exists where he is from. I was stoked to see him place a gay rights sticker on his shirt.

Unfortunately I missed the Dyke March and subsequent celebrations, but I did manage to get my dance on at the Dakota midday on Sunday. Did you know that there's a skylight above that dance floor? It was like an afternoon at Babylon, let me tell ya.

Yup, the gays were definitely out in full force this weekend, and I'm excited to do it all over again in San Francisco on the 23rd & 24th! Who's with me?

Welcome to Lip Gloss & Pepper Spray!

2007-06-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

This blog is a feminist space for me and my friends to post news, events, videos, photos, personal stories, poetry, art, and whatever else we can imagine. If you have something to add, please leave a comment or ten, we would love to hear from you!