Blog Archives
Women against feminism? The epitome of patriarchy
WTF? Women against feminism?
“Blacks against civil rights”
Imagine African-Americans holding up placards declaring that statement.
And then listing reasons why civil rights are such a bad thing.
Wouldn’t make much sense would it?
And yet women declaring themselves “against feminism” has become a thing on Tumblr.
Which sparks a couple of thoughts: 1) these women don’t understand feminism, and 2) why are women more likely than others to fight against their interests? Read the rest of this entry
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Vibrators Were Invented to Cure Hysteria
“Hysteria” with Hugh Dancy and Maggie Gyllenhall
Strangely, vibrators were created as a medical device having nothing to do with a woman’s pleasure.
In the Victorian age in which they were invented, sex was thought to have little to do with a woman’s satisfaction.
In fact, Dr. Joseph Mortimer Granville fabricated the device around 1880 to cure “hysterical paroxysm,” a condition that had been concerning the medical community since Hippocrates.
Symptoms included anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability, nervousness, fluid retention, insomnia and erotic fantasy, and was thought to result from a blocked reproductive system. The cure involved clitoral stimulation to orgasm.
But women should not necessarily administer the cure themselves. As The Guardian explained: Read the rest of this entry
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“You run like a girl!” That’s a bad thing?
You’re a girl, Hermione
“You’re a girl.”
Is that a good thing or bad thing?
More than half the population are girls, or were girls. And girls can kick butt.
But some people don’t seem to think it’s such a good thing.
I was watching the movie, “Sweet November,” with Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, where a little boy is taunted, “Your girl!” for making a small-ish boat.
Really, girls can make badass boats!
Or, Arnold Schwarzenegger called George H.W. Bush’s presidential opponents “a bunch of girlie men” back in ’88. Read the rest of this entry
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Empowered v Scripted Sex
Want pleasure? Intimacy? Fun? Empower yourself.
You can’t be autonomous and empowered if you are being run by sexual scripts.
Whether the script says everyone should be pure or the script says everyone should hookup.
Plenty of women worry that they will be punished for being sexual, “You slut, ho, skank…”
Even after marriage, the negativity won’t magically disappear. No wonder nearly half of American women have experienced sexual dysfunction.
The only message our moms or grandmas got, premaritally, was “sex is bad.” Today, messages are mixed. But can still be disempowering. Read the rest of this entry
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Dad Is King But I’m No Princess
By Yenge Nzuzi Mahungu
When I was a young girl living in Congo my parents fought constantly. But my mother lost every fight. One day I asked why and she said, “Because he is king.”
I understood, without her telling me, that in his kingdom she was not a queen, nor was I a princess.
But I never questioned the status quo. In my world men had authority and women served them. That life had seemed natural and normal to me. I guess, because it was all I knew, and all anyone seemed to know. Read the rest of this entry
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“Sexy” Can Be Empowering or Disempowering
Miley Cyrus, twerking
“Women dress sexy to gain power over men!” Or so I’ve heard guys complain.
Yet, some men sexualize women to disempower them.
Not so long ago the conservative Breitbart News placed Democratic House Leader, Nancy Pelosi’s face atop twerking Miley Cyrus’ body. Around the same time, a conservative super PAC registered themselves as “Boats ‘N Hoes.” Hoes being sexualized women who are demeaned. It’s all in the tradition of painting a nude mural of feminist leader, Gloria Steinem, on the front of a building in an attempt to discredit and disempower her.
So which is it? Does “sexy” empower or disempower women? Read the rest of this entry
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Cat Calls: Harmless Flattery?
Eyes straight ahead. Hands at your sides. Walk straight ahead. Don’t look up. Don’t smile. Just walk.
If you’re a girl or a woman, and have ever walked by yourself somewhere in a densely populated area through a group of boys or men, chances are, you’ve subconsciously repeated these steps to yourself in your head. Chances are, you’ve felt the blood rush to your cheeks and your vision become foggy as you count the seconds, maybe even minutes, until the whistles, names, and so-called “compliments” cease.
Excerpt from “We need to take street harassment seriously.” Read the rest here, (and vote on how you experience it):
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I Didn’t Want To Be Pretty
The goth look
By Victoria King
Man clothes, dark, heavy makeup, scarcely a trace of femininity: that was me in high school. I hated the notion that girls had to be pretty and were valued only for their looks. I wanted people to appreciate me for being fun, funny and a good debater.
I felt like women made themselves out to be pretty idiots because they were naturally shallow and stupid.
And envious. I hated the competition between females, so I looked as weird as possible hoping no one would see me as a threat. Read the rest of this entry
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If Gender’s Learned, Why Do You Feel You’re Born in the Wrong Body?
Wodaabe men of Niger
Tami Hamilton recently wrote about the intersexed babies that her niece gave birth to. Since their sex was indeterminate the doctors chose to make them into girls. One child has thrived, the other has not. The whole experience leaves Tami wondering whether gender identity is grounded in biology or sociology.
Some parents have hidden the sex of their children, hoping to offer them a wide range of experience and keep them outside limiting boxes. Like the Canadian couple who are raising their child “Storm,” sex unknown. Or the British couple who only announced the sex of their son, Sasha when he entered kindergarten. These kids were allowed to play with or wear whatever they like. Read the rest of this entry
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Who’s Ugly Rush Limbaugh?
Hunky Rush
Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society.
Bunch of cows!
That’s what Rush Limbaugh wants everyone to think, anyway.
I watched him voice those words as I joined my class in watching Jackson Katz’s classic film, Tough Guise.
I could only wonder, “Who’s ugly? Who’s a cow?”
If I were Rush, I wouldn’t be inviting unflattering comparisons to yours truly. Read the rest of this entry
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