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"No woman can call herself free who does not own and control her own body." --Margaret Sanger
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"In my heart, I think a woman has two choices: either she's a feminist or a masochist." --Gloria Steinem
Sep
7
Beatles Sleeves
Filed Under Gratuitous Beatles Blogging, fun, pop culture, random | Posted by Cara | 2 Comments
The other week, thanks to the wonderful Pop Feminist, I came across this totally awesome post by Child of Nature, filled with rare picture sleeves from Beatles singles across the globe. It kind of made my week. Some favorites are below . . .
Paul is and always has been a giant dork, and that is why I love this sleeve. Also, George seems to have an invisible golf club — and is he sporting an early day ’stach???
Popularity: 2% [?]
Sep
6
Woman’s Murder a “Sordid Soap Opera”
Filed Under International, class and economics, media, misogyny, objectification, patriarchy, pop culture, sexism, slut-shaming, violence against women and girls | Posted by Cara | 2 Comments
A Lebanese singer named Suzanne Tamim was murdered through decapitation. Senseless. Vile. Not quite what this story over at CNN calls it:
It’s the Mideast version of a sordid soap opera. A Lebanese pop star is brutally slain in her luxury Dubai apartment, her throat slashed. Arrested in her death: One of Egypt’s most politically connected businessmen, accused of paying $2 million to have her killed.
Oh, I see. Because she was famous and attractive, he was rich, and they were rumored to be having an affair, it’s not so much like the murder of a real, actual human being as it is like Days of Our Lives, where fictional characters die all the time and then are brought back to life.
The next paragraph is even better, though:
The killing of Suzanne Tamim has gone beyond a lurid crime story to something more serious — a glimpse into the close links between Egypt’s government and powerful business tycoons long viewed as above the law.
Yes, more serious! Screw the dead woman — her murder has allowed us the more important opportunity to wag our finger at Egyptian corruption!
For fuck’s sake, I’m sure that the corruption is a big problem. It seems that way. But how about just the tiniest amount of respect by, you know, not mentioning the murder of a woman in a sentence that simultaneously dismisses it as a vehicle through which we can discuss something “more serious”?
But wait, one last insult before they’re through:
The killing was an embarrassment to Dubai, a boomtown trying to shed its reputation as an anything-goes corner of the conservative Muslim Gulf. The emirate has recently cracked down on tourists going topless on beaches, and has launched a public anti-corruption effort.
Hey assholes: this woman’s murder is not a soap opera, it is not less serious, and it is not an embarrassment akin to publicly bare breasts. It’s tragic, senseless, and an outrage. I can’t claim to know Tamim from Eve, but the fact is that she was a person, and she doesn’t deserve to have you shit all over her because she was pretty and famous and because she was most likely murdered by a wealthy man who she may or may not have been sleeping with. Her murder is not less horrible because of her fame, beauty or sex life. It shouldn’t be considered anyone’s entertainment. And this “women’s lives aren’t really so important” bullshit needs to stop.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Sep
5
Target Women: Sarah Palin
Filed Under 2008 election, fun, gender, politics, videos | Posted by Cara | 5 Comments
Stephen Colbert also had his own take on McCain’s pandering to women:
Popularity: 5% [?]
Sep
4
Republican Congressman Calls Barack and Michelle Obama “Uppity”
Filed Under 2008 election, Democrats, Republicans, bigotry, politics, race and racism, sexism | Posted by Cara | 8 Comments
Republican Congressman Lynn Westmoreland was asked (in an already sexist question) to compare Michelle Obama to Sarah Palin. In doing so, he decided to call Michelle “uppity” — and made sure to let everyone know that he feels the same way about Barack.
Westmoreland was discussing vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s speech with reporters outside the House chamber and was asked to compare her with Michelle Obama.
“Just from what little I’ve seen of her and Mr. Obama, Sen. Obama, they’re a member of an elitist-class individual that thinks that they’re uppity,” Westmoreland said.
Asked to clarify that he used the word “uppity,” Westmoreland said, “Uppity, yeah.”
I don’t really think there’s any comment needed on that. But just in case you missed it: that’s racist. And with Michelle being both black and a woman, one would imagine that she’d be doubly uppity in this fuck’s mind.
The article at The Hill discusses the racially-charged nature of other attacks against Barack Obama — though unfortunately ignores those used against Michelle — including the framing of him as an “elitist.” But this guy . . . well he just comes right out and says what they mean, doesn’t he?
Popularity: 5% [?]
Sep
4
Thoughts on Palin Speech
Filed Under 2008 election, Republicans, class and economics, politics | Posted by Cara | 18 Comments
Apparently the Obama campaign was just as pissed off about the repeated RNC attacks on community organizing as I was. From the email I got this morning, which I thought was actually pretty good:
[T]hey insulted the very idea that ordinary people have a role to play in our political process.
[. . .]
Both Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin specifically mocked Barack’s experience as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago more than two decades ago, where he worked with people who had lost jobs and been left behind when the local steel plants closed.
Let’s clarify something for them right now.
Community organizing is how ordinary people respond to out-of-touch politicians and their failed policies.
And it’s no surprise that, after eight years of George Bush, millions of people have found that by coming together in their local communities they can change the course of history. That promise is what our campaign has been about from the beginning.
Throughout our history, ordinary people have made good on America’s promise by organizing for change from the bottom up. Community organizing is the foundation of the civil rights movement, the women’s suffrage movement, labor rights, and the 40-hour workweek. And it’s happening today in church basements and community centers and living rooms across America.
Meanwhile, we still haven’t gotten a single idea during the entire Republican convention about the economy and how to lift a middle class so harmed by the Bush-McCain policies.
Yes, I’m aware that this is a political response, but I thought that it was well-written and pretty accurately captured the disgust I felt at the the loudly repeated implication that community organizers don’t have any responsibility or do anything meaningful, worthwhile, or that requires leadership. It was condescending and it was classist.
What did you think of Palin’s speech?
Popularity: 7% [?]
Sep
3
Target Women: Chick Flicks
Filed Under fun, pop culture, sexism, videos | Posted by Cara | 5 Comments
Ack, missed the new Target Women! As someone who really can’t stand the “women can’t be happy without a man, or at very least a baby” genre, I’m a big fan of this latest installment. Sarah Haskins is made of win, as always, this time with a cute new haircut!
Popularity: 7% [?]
Sep
2
Amy Goodman Arrested
Filed Under action alert, activism, media, politics | Posted by Cara | 11 Comments
UPDATE: Video of Democracy Now! producer Nicole Salazar’s arrest is now available. She filmed it herself. Trigger warning, because it’s very disturbing. And thanks to Ashley for the link.
Amy Goodman is a journalist with Democracy Now!, feminist, activist and all around one of the most bad ass women I can think of. I’ve have the privilege of watching her speak at two separate Planned Parenthood functions, and she is both riveting and inspiring. Both times she had me nearly in tears. But beyond all of that, the simple fact is that she didn’t do anything to deserve arrest. And yet, at the RNC, arrested she was. For doing her job as a journalist.
The video is below. It’s upsetting.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Sep
2
Turning Attention to Pregnancy Prevention
Filed Under 2008 election, Republicans, anti-choice extremism, education and schools, media, politics, pregnancy, reproductive justice, sex and sexuality, social conservatives, women’s health | Posted by Cara | 10 Comments
After so much bullshit regarding Sarah Palin’s child and her daughter’s pregnancy, including smear tactics that I think would only serve to undermine the left in the end, I have to say that I’m absolutely thrilled that a major media organization is writing about McCain and Palin’s record on sexual and reproductive health.
Republican John McCain, whose running mate disclosed that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter is pregnant, has opposed proposals to spend federal money on teen-pregnancy prevention programs and voted to require poor teen mothers to stay in school or lose their benefits.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Sep
1
When Men Who Rape Aren’t Rapists
Filed Under assholes, misogyny, patriarchy, rape and sexual assault, violence against women and girls | Posted by Cara | 19 Comments
So this morning I woke up to a comment from “Laura” on this old post about a judge who called a victim “stupid” while sentencing the man who said he would give her a ride home late at night and then raped her.
I feel sorry for what my husband Stefano did to the young girl. He is also sorry for what he has done to her. Me and Stefano both wish the young women a good and peacefull life and he wishes that he nevered offered her a ride and most of all wished he nevered hurted her. I know you guys think Stefano is a rapist and sick for what he has done. But Stefano is nothing like that. At the time he ment the young women Stefano was high and some time people do crazy shit to there selfs or in this case to someone eles with out knowing what they are really doing. Stefano is actually a really loving, carring, friendly, easy going and most of a big family guy. We been together 1yr and two months before he went into prison. He never showed any violence towards me or to anyone. He always helped out his sick dad when his dad needy something done around the house or the car, help his mom pay off the nice big dream home that his mom always wanted. He nevered miss one of his nefu’s soccer games and was always teaching him things to. Stefano is a wonderful husband to me and a great dad to his soon to be 3yr daughter. also helped out his friends and even the homeless people sometimes to. Now Stefano and his family are paying the price for what Stefano has done to the young women. For now where all hurting in some kinda of way because we all need him and we all miss him alot. A little girl needs her dad to be around and now sometimes my and Stefano’s daughter gets very depressed because her daddy isn’t home. So Im glade Stefano didn’t 5yrs in prison. Hopefully he’ll be out soon. So me and the rest of the family can be truly happy agian. I also do think what the judge said about the girl being stupid and the other shit he said about her. Was not nice and it even put me in shock what he said but I also think she should been a little more wiser and should of waited untill the morning to take the bus to the place she was going to instead of going at night time when crazy people are out and about or when people are sometimes in a bad condition like being high or even drunk. I would never go down town at night time. Anyone can think what the like about Stefano but only me and his family know who Stefano really is. Stefano is my husband and I love him very much and we have a very good relationship. I always feel safe when he is around me and our daughter. His not a rapist but only a man that made a very terrible hurtfull misttake to a young women and he is truly sorry for what he as done.
I can’t say for sure whether or not the comment is legitimate, though it does strike me that way. I’m going to assume for the purposes of this post that the rapist’s wife actually wrote this comment (especially since the IP matches the right city) — but even if she didn’t, I think it’s an interesting case study in the rationalization of rape. So please read the rest of the post as hypothetical when indicating that Laura who wrote this comment actually is the wife of Stefano Priolo.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Aug
30
“It’s Not a Choice, It’s a Child” — Except When It’s Beneficial To Say It’s a Choice
Filed Under 2008 election, Republicans, abortion, anti-choice extremism, disability, media, misogyny, paternalism, patriarchy, politics, pregnancy, religious fanaticism, reproductive justice, social conservatives, women’s health | Posted by Cara | 32 Comments
Here’s something — one of many things — that bothers me about the Sarah Palin coverage. (Maybe I’ll get to the others in the near future; not sure.)
Right here, the NY Times says it — and they’re right, and far from the only ones who are noting it:
Ms. Palin is known to conservatives for opting not to have an abortion after learning that the child she was carrying, her youngest, had Down syndrome. “It is almost impossible to exaggerate how important that is to the conservative faith community,” Mr. Reed said.
You know, it’s the anti-choicers who use “it’s not a choice, it’s a child” as a rallying cry to force women to give birth. And yet here I am, as pro-choice as can be, really fucking annoyed that conservative assholes are portraying this very real, actual child as a political choice rather than the human being that he is.
You know what we often say about how conservatives care a whole lot about fetuses but very little about actual children? Well here’s your example. It’s almost as though they think that Palin became pregnant and gave birth to a child with Down Syndrome simply to please them. And the thing is that if they really believe their rhetoric, the answer was obvious, so obvious in fact that Palin didn’t really have a “choice” to make. Only now, because it’s convenient, they want to acknowledge that the decision of whether or not to abort after getting news that your child will be born with a disability is a difficult one, simply so that they can point and say “but look at her, she searched her soul and then did the right thing — so should all women!” They don’t want women to have a choice, but then want to praise this particular woman for the choice that she did make.
And it’s wrong.
People who call themselves “pro-life” make difficult decisions every day to abort fetuses that have fatal abnormalities or are likely to be born with disabilities. And people who are pro-choice every day make the decision to continue pregnancies that many other people would deem too difficult. Pro-choice people, in addition to forced-birth proponents like Palin, give birth to babies with Down Syndrome and other disabilities. And there is no contradiction here. They, too, made a choice. There is nothing wrong with having a child with a disability. And I don’t care what reproductive choices a woman makes so long as she makes them freely; I am simply thrilled that she has the opportunity and freedom to do what is right for her own life. That also goes for Palin.
This child should not be a political pawn. And while I hope and will assume until proven otherwise that Palin herself will not go this route, the media and her supporters almost certainly will. To portray Palin as this wonderful pro-life martyr is both misogynistic and ableist. Having a child is only a humble sacrifice for a woman in a sexist world where women are expected to have no lives outside of their children, and are considered wrong if they do. And painting her child as a sacrifice specifically because of his disability treats him as a less worthy and valuable human being.
Palin’s son was a choice but now that he is born he is also a child. To conservatives, he seems to only be the former, because without the choice there is no symbol. The ironic thing is that in a world where Palin did not have a choice (one that I find hard to truly imagine for a woman of such means), there would be nothing here to celebrate. In that world, Palin’s child could still (wrongly) be used as a symbol of righteousness for the anti-choice cause, but Palin could not. The only reason they can use Palin to represent why women should not have rights, is because women currently have rights.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Aug
29
“Back It Up, Bitch”
Filed Under 2008 election, Democrats, activism, assholes, patriarchy, politics, violence against women and girls | Posted by Cara | 7 Comments
Trigger Warning: outside the DNC, a police officer shoved a CodePink protester to the ground while yelling in her face “Back it up, bitch.” When she then tried to talk about the treatment to reporters, the officer grabbed her by the arm and violently pulled her away. Then he arrested her.
Why? Because police arrested another protester, and the woman, Alicia Forrest, was one of numerous people trying to figure out where he was being taken. Who knew that was against the law?
The video is below. A warning: the comments at the YouTube page are misogynistic and vile. I don’t recommend them.
I am so fucking sick of this macho power-trip, police brutality bullshit.
Popularity: 13% [?]
Aug
29
Oh my god I hate John McCain so much I think my head just might explode.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Fuck.
And where the fuck does Captain Misogyny, opposes access to birth control, thinks Roe should be overturned, opposes equal pay for equal work, calls his wife a cunt in public and laughs when supporters call Hillary Clinton a bitch, get off on nominating a woman like he’s all super tolerant and actually believes what women are his equals? Even if this woman seems to not like women all that much herself?
Please let this backfire. Please let this backfire.
Better start making those donations, folks. I’m so outrageously, ridiculously broke right now, but I’ll be sending one ASAP, regardless.
Popularity: 13% [?]
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." —Margaret Mead
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"Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less." -- Susan B. Anthony
