Feminism isfor everyone.

a celebration of feminism at UVA.
become a fan on facebook!
Sep 19, 2008,11:17 AM
some scary news for women

"LAST month, the Bush administration launched the latest salvo in its eight-year campaign to undermine women’s rights and women’s health by placing ideology ahead of science: a proposed rule from the Department of Health and Human Services that would govern family planning...

...The definition of abortion in the proposed rule is left open to interpretation. An earlier draft included a medically inaccurate definition that included commonly prescribed forms of contraception like birth control pills, IUD’s and emergency contraception. That language has been removed, but because the current version includes no definition at all, individual health care providers could decide on their own that birth control is the same as abortion."
11:17 AM
good article

A Woman's Worth
We've come a long way baby
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
By Goldie Taylor

I have been a mother all of my adult life. A single working mother. I put off dating, took menial jobs far beneath my qualifications and baked my share of ginger bread cookies for PTA Night, all so that three incredible children could have better. I chose their lives over mine. I don't have to tell you that it wasn't easy. Unfortunately, my story, our story, is not
unique.

We slept in cars, bought groceries with food stamps and prayed for a better day. When that wasn't enough, I put myself through school at Emory University and took a part-time job as a staff writer at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. That was over a decade ago.

Along the way, things got better. I've been an executive at two Fortune 500 companies and a practice director at two multinational public relations firms. Today, I own an advertising agency and I've authored two novels. A third and fourth are on the way, God willing. All of this was possible because somebody laid a brick or two on the road for me.

A few weeks ago, I woke in tears. It was my 40th birthday and certainly not a time for sadness. Rather, I cried in joy because for the first time I realized and could embrace the value of the struggle. The bright little girl, who once cried in my arms because we didn't know where we were going to live, was headed off to Brown University. The small boy who had been the "man of the house" far too soon was now truly a man. And the tiny, angelic baby who had come to this world precious and innocent just 15 months after him was now a 16 year old girl headed out to her first job interview.

For all of this, maybe I should be proud of a woman like Sarah Palin. Maybe, just maybe, I should be rejoicing in John McCain's selected running mate.

But I'm not.

I'm not "bed wetting liberal" nor am I a "right-wing zealot." What I am is a working mother. And I cry foul.

I won't, for a moment, denigrate her experience or lob spit balls at her family. I will, though, take issue with what she knows. Or more succinctly, what she does not know. Living in Alaska, I'm not sure how much she knows about the people living in inner city Baltimore. I don't know how much she cares about the 125 murders this summer in Chicago. I have no idea what she believes about HIV/ AIDS and the havoc it wrecks on Black women or the cancer rates in East St. Louis. She hasn't said nary a word about Hurricane Katrina or the infant mortality rates in Appalachia.

I do know that she's a life-time member of the NRA, a proponent of individuals who wielded the very weapons that killed my father and brother. I do know that she “lives really close to Russia,” but I'm not so certain she is ready for Putin. I know she wanted to ban books for public libraries and sex education in schools, but that her 17 year old is pregnant and preparing for a shotgun wedding. I know that she loves her husband enough to allow him (and probably did herself) use her office to settle a personal score--one that the McCain campaign would now like to cover in under a blanket of Juneau snow. I know that the Alaska Independent Party, and its secessionist platform, was enticing enough for her to attend its conference (and for her husband to become a card carrying member). Does she love her country? I'm sure. Enough to support those who want to leave it.

But I have no earthly idea what she knows (or could possibly know) about national domestic policy or foreign diplomacy. For all of her working class values, she never once mentioned the Middle Class in her diatribe that mocked her opponent's experience. Having been the mayor of Wasilla (pop. 6,000 at the time) and governor of Alaska (a state a smaller than the county I live in) for a little over a year, she felt she was qualified to do that. And obviously, so did John McCain.

If she's qualified, then so am I.

But in this country I love, she has been afforded the ability to run. The very constitution she says doesn't apply to the men at Guantanamo says she can. But this is about more than that.

As Gloria Steinem said in a recent Los Angeles Times editorial, "Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie."

The good news is thanks to Shirley Chisholm, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Angela Davis, Condoleeza Rice, Anita Hill, Madeline Albright, Maxine Waters, Kathleen Sebelius, Hilary Rodham Clinton and a slew of others, there are 18 million proverbial cracks in the ceiling. Our collective political and economic power is due to the strides (and leaps) they, and others, took on my behalf.

I am grateful. I am deeply humbled to stand on the bricks they'd laid before me.

But, whatever our struggle was (and is) that last thing I want is to be patronized. Just as I cannot support just any African American who decides to offer themselves up for public service, I will not toss my vote to someone just because we share the same chromosome mix. To do so would dishonor the vow I made to my children, to myself. I did not vote for Al Sharpton, wasn't old enough (nor would I have) voted for Jesse Jackson and I certainly will not support Sarah Palin. Identity politics, especially in this case, are a sham of the worst order.

When I cast my vote, it will be for people who will lay more bricks for people like me. It will be for people who will put diplomacy before war, challenge us all to provide healthcare for the sick, help another child go to college, and check the special interests in Washington. This fall, I'm not looking for a woman.

I'm looking for a brick layer.

I could care less if that person hasn't spent "enough" time in Washington or can "properly field dress a moose". I could care less if that person likes hockey, soccer, football or table tennis. I could care less if they graduated from Harvard or the University of Iowa. I'm a Christian, but I could care less if they are down with Deuteronomy, Leviticus or Numbers. I want them to uphold the Constitution.

So no, I will not sit idly by as they attempt to suspend habeas corpus at Guantanamo Bay, engage wiretaps on American citizens without a warrant, and hide behind executive privilege when they are caught firing attorney generals based on how well they tow the Republican line. I won't let them cost us $12 billion a month fighting a war that should have never been authorized and never been waged. Not while working people lose their homes to predatory lenders and watch as we bail out the financial institutions that created the housing crisis.

I will not, in the name of history, vote for a woman like Sarah Palin who does not share my values.

But here’s what I will do.

I will continue raising money for Barack Obama. I will get on the phone again and call people in distant states I've never met. I will e-mail, call, and knock on doors until the final vote is cast. I do this, not because he shares my skin, but because I admire his principals and he shares my values. I do this because Barack Obama is more than a community organizer, he is a bricklayer. And he sees -- just as he sees the light in Michelle's eyes -- my struggle, my worth as a woman.
9:28 AM
Question:

How many days does it take the worldwide feminist community to raise $40K (actually, $46K)in order to save one of its most beloved independent magazines??

THREE!!!

YAY! Bitch Magazine is saved!

(...for now! Keep up those donations, peeps!)
Sep 17, 2008,3:02 PM
Michelle Obama, Equal Pay, and the Election

Yesterday, Michelle Obama blogged about her upcoming campaign stops, including the one going down today in cville in about an hour. Mrs. Obama's post gives a brief explanation of who Lilly Ledbetter is--a woman who is joining her at her appearance tonight, along with Dr. Jill Biden:

For nearly 20 years, [Lilly] worked for a Goodyear tire plant. She was the only female supervisor—so you know this is a tough, hard-working woman. One day, someone sent her an anonymous letter with a list of salaries of her co-workers. That’s how she found out that she was making less than the men she worked with—even men who were less senior than she was. And we’re not talking about a few dollars. Some of her male counterparts were making 40 percent more than she was—for doing the same work.

So Lilly did the brave and difficult thing. She confronted this injustice. Her case went all the way to the Supreme Court. And in a 5-to-4 decision (screw you ALITO), the Supreme Court ruled that, according to the law, Lilly only had 180 days to complain about the pay discrimination. So because it had taken her 20 years to find out the truth, she had missed her chance at justice.


This in turn sparked the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which Republicans in Congress--including John McCain--strongly oppose. To sum it up (from wikipedia), the bill's purpose is to close a loophole in an American law intended to protect women and racial minorities from pay discrimination. The republicans claim that enacting this bill would result in too many "frivolous" lawsuits. Which is funny because, I'm pretty sure people who are paid less than others for doing the same work in the same place probably wouldn't call their lawsuits frivolous. But here's the best part: The conservative right are the ones that are saying that pay inequality is all a lie anyway!

As an aside, The president of everyone's favorite Feminist Haters Club, Kathleen Bracken, even called the study put out last summer by the American Association of University Women "clearly bogus" when discussing it on a blog, citing her credentials as an E-schooler. Warning: She also assumes that the AAUW was biased towards liberals because they support Community Action Projects: "Community action projects? I am sure it is more than reasonable to assume they would not fund a right to life rally or march." I'm sure in your poor, nobody-understands-me-I'm-young-and-conservative mind, it seems reasonable. But really, you say we're the ones who play victim? Haha.

So what I'm trying to say is that if Republicans don't think a pay gap exists, why not pass the Fair Pay Act and then let those "frivolous" lawsuits come up and be shot down? Oh yeah...because what they mean when they say the pay gap doesn't exist is that the pay gap doesn't affect them. Oops!


Anyway.


Here's the breakdown: Obama = FOR the Fair Pay Act. McCain = Against the Fair Pay Act.

Say hi to Michelle for me!!

12:30 AM
Was feminism necessary?

Danny Simpson just sent us this Forbes article. Check it out.

"Apparently feminism wasn't necessary, suffrage was achieved with ease, and everything after that was unnecessary."
Sep 16, 2008,3:27 PM
save bitch magazine! here's how

this was forwarded to me:

The North American feminist magazine Bitch is in deep financial trouble. It seems that they need to raise $40,000 by Oct 15, 2008 or this will be the end of this courageous, refreshing magazine. I still remember when I first saw the magazine and I was so displeased with the title: Bitch. I was wrong.

All I can say is that I at least, and I am sure many others of you on this list, find the magazine inspiring. Bitch? It works. It's loud (see recent issue) and proud.

Thus, if you have some money or know of some cool, effective fundraising techniques now is the time to help out.



For more info please click here:


http://bitchmagazine.org/post/bitchs-fate-is-in-your-hands
12:14 PM
Bitch Magazine needs your help!!

12:08 PM
Men Working

I'm sure everyone has noticed the construction around grounds, including the stuff by the chapel. There is a sign that says "Men Working"- I think it would be really cool if some we took a picture of it with some of us putting our hands up in the air and looking confused (or something like that). That would def. be a WTF?! (what the feminism?!) moment and perfect for the zine.
11:58 AM
New Citizenship Requirements: Gardasil

Ok, so to be able to become a citizen you have pass a test, meet certain requirements, and have certain vaccinations, like Hepatitis A. Now, you also have to be vaccinated for HPV (if appropriate- i.e. women/girls of a certain age). While this is a step in the right direction for cancer prevention, it poses yet another barrier for citizenship. The Gardasil vaccine for HPV can cost up to $300! It is interesting that this was passed during the Bush administration considering that some conservatives oppose vaccinating their own daughters!

(some people, mainly conservatives, do not want to vaccinate their daughters b/c they raise their children to not have sex until marriage, hence there would be no need to be vaccinated since the HPV that causes ovarian cancer is transmitted sexually. However, even if people wait until marriage to have sexual intercourse, they may not be safe- you can get HPV through skin-to-skin contact, so if you are "fooling around" w/ some else you could still get HPV, even if you or your partner are using a condom.)
Sep 14, 2008,9:36 PM
FIFE EMAIL

Upcoming FIFE events!

THIS TUESDAY (September 16) 8:30PM Newcomb Boardroom
FIFE, QSU and QuAA Joint Meeting: Come learn about the intrinsic connection between Feminism is for Everyone, Queer Student Union, and Queer and Allied Activism! Take advantage of this great opportunity to hear viewpoints from all three groups!

Next Tuesday (September 23) 7:00-8:30 PM McLeod Hall Auditorium (Nursing School)
FIFE and Charlottesville's Chapter of NOW are sponsoring "Human Papillomavirus and You:" This panel will discuss prevention and detection of HPV, teen and women's health issues, symptoms and diagnosis of cervical cancer, and the vaccine Gardasil. Panel members will be Mark Stoler, MD, Department of Pathology, UVA and Jennifer Young, MD, Fellow in Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UVA.

Tuesday, September 30 (still kinda far away but start getting excited!)
Alternative Menstrual Month!: ever thought about trying a more eco-friendly product during your period? During the month of October, FIFErs will get this chance! This Tuesday we will have sign up sheets for you to try either the: diva cup, sea sponges, or luna pads. At the meeting on September 30, we will have these products for you to buy (15% off!), with instructions on how to green up your period! At the end of October we will come together and discuss the troubles and successes of these new products! Get Excited! P.S: Jessica Little, "I Have NEVER been so excited about a meeting as this one. Diva Cup, Here I come!"
*****************************************************************************
Want to get more involved in FIFE? Here's a few opportunities!:
1) If you still haven't done so, sign up for Fem Fams at our next meeting on Tuesday. The week after this meeting, you'll find out who your little/big sib is! Here's more info:
Feminist Families (aka Fem Fams) are meant to promote discussion and understanding of all feminist issues and specifically topics presented on the Tuesday weekly meeting. New and Experienced Fifers will be matched together. You will determine whether you want to be a feminist mentor or if you want to be paired with a feminist mentor. Each week after the tuesday meeting fem fams should find time in their schedule to hang out and talk about anything and everything they want. Most of the fem family event will be self motivated, but get excited for my coordinated fem family outtings like trips to women's soccer and lacrosse games, hiking, and dinners out on the town. (a few ideas for fem fam: coffee dates, lunch dates, ice cream dates YUM, study together and take breaks to find interesting feminist articles/books in the library, go running together)

2) Be an usher for our HPV info meeting on Tuesday, September 23rd. Hang out and get to know some of the fife exec! Tell people where to sit! It'll be fun!

3) Service Fest! Friday, September 26 from 5:00-9:00 PM. Come support TAKE BACK THE NIGHT by helping FIFE give out information, bring awareness to the event, organize activities, etc.

4) If anyone is interested in helping with publicity (chalking and flyering), let us know! This is also a great opportunity to get to know your fellow FIFErs.

5) Don't forget to check out our blog at http://uvafife.blogspot.com. If you are interested in writing, let us know!

E-mail uvafife@virginia.edu if you are interested in any of the above.

********************************************************************
And here are a few related blurbs:

UVa's LGBT Speakers Bureau aims at educating the UVA community on LGBTQ issues. Panelists share their coming out experience and answer questions on various panels at UVA throughout the year. Speakers range from students to professors to grad students. Anyone can opt to be a speaker, whether you identify as LGBT, as an ally, or have any knowledge of queer issues. A training session for new speakers is being held on Friday, September 19th, from 3-5pm.
If you are interested, contact Chris Trizna at ctt3n@virginia.edu. If you want to be a panelist, an email will be sent to let you know the training location soon.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THETA WEEK

Come celebrate the tenets of Theta Nu Xi. Open to everyone!

Scholarship, Monday, Sept. 15: 7-9pm in NHL 168
"Get the Scoop:" Having trouble choosing a major? Picked a major...now what? Come discuss with the women of Theta Nu Xi how to best prepare for the upcoming years.

Leadership, Tuesday, Sept. 16: 7-9pm in CAB 337
"What's Your View:" Are there stereotypes in the media? In the business world? Come tell the sisters of Theta Nu Xi what your view is!

Service, Wednesday, Sept. 17: 7-9pm in NHL 168
"Say Thanks:" Help Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc say "thanks" to the employees at the University of Virginia for all of their hard work and dedication to the students.

Multiculturalism, Thursday, Sept. 18: 7-9pm in NHL 168
"Show and Tell:" Ever wished you could be a part of another culture? Come travel across the world with the sisters of Theta Nu Xi to learn about different areas of their world and their cultures and how we view those cultures.

Sisterhood, Friday, Sept. 19: 2-5pm in Garden I (rain site/time: 7-9pm in NHL 168)
"Theta Extravaganza:" Like to eat? Like to talk? Come hang out with the women of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc in the beautiful Gardens of UVA. Enjoy tasty snacks and intriguing conversation.

Have questions? Want to learn more? Come to one of our meetings and feel free to email any questions/concerns to Meaghan at msa3h@virginia.edu

Presented by THETA NU XI MULTICULTURAL SORORITY, INC.
**************************************************************************
Activism opportunities!:

[NOW Actions]

Support Our Valiant Sisters In Their Final Battle

Call For Them To Be Recognized With Official Veteran Status

The Cadet Nurses need our support to end their discriminatory treatment. Ask your Representative to support the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity (Act H.R. 3423), introduced by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), to classify service in the Cadet Nurse Corps as active military service and recognize the members as veterans. These women are mostly in their 80s and 90s and have waited long enough; we need to help them achieve equal veteran status NOW!

ACT NOW

Action Needed:

During and just after World War II, more than 100,000 women served in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps, yet their contributions remain virtually unknown. Other women who were in WWII military services, like the Women's Army Corps (WACs), the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), have rightfully been granted veteran status and benefits -- and remain legendary to this day. Because the Cadet Nurses were under the Public Health Service rather than a military command, and performed their duties in this country as well as abroad, their services during and shortly after the war have gone unrecognized. It's time to include and salute them as veterans.

In a show of support for the integral role that the women of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps played during World War II, Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.) has introduced H.R. 3423, the United States Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Act, to classify service in the Cadet Nurse Corps as active military service and to recognize the members as veterans. The act requires the Secretary of Defense to issue an honorable discharge to each person whose service qualifies for one. This change in status would give Cadet Nurse Corps members access to services administered by both Federal and State Veterans' Affairs departments.

Over the past decade, numerous Cadet Nurse Corps Equity Acts have been introduced and sent to committees where they were left to languish. There has never been a hearing, no bill has ever reached the floor of the House for a vote and there is no Senate counterpart. Cadet Nurses and their families have waited too long, too quietly, and too patiently for Congress to do the right thing. 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the graduation of the last class of Cadet Nurses, and the small, hearty band of surviving nurses deserves our support!

TAKE ACTION NOW - ask your Representative to sponsor this bill!
-------------



Help Pass Paid Leave for New Parents

Right now 1.8 million federal workers need your support as they balance their work and family obligations. Ask your senator to sponsor the bill that will provide a modest amount of paid parental leave for these government workers and their families.

Virginia Senators Jim Webb (D) and John Warner (R) have introduced the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (S.3140), which will guarantee four weeks of paid leave for federal workers for the birth or adoption of a child.

Ask your senators to sponsor this bill. ACT NOW!

Action Needed:

The federal government -- the nation's largest employer, with more than 1.8 million civilian employees -- should set the example of workplace policies that truly meet the needs of today's working families. When enacted, a paid parental leave bill for federal workers will serve as a critical benchmark for achieving paid family and medical leave for all workers. This legislation is a first step toward providing economic support for new families, because no worker should have to choose between their paycheck and their new child, especially in these tough economic times.

TAKE ACTION NOW! Please tell your senators to support working women and their families by cosponsoring S.3140. There is a place for you to customize the text of the email. We suggest that you personalize it by telling your family's story about why paid leave is important and family friendly. And please share this email with your friends and family members and everyone you know who works for the federal government.-
----------

Whose Conscience Is It, Anyway?

The Bush Administration has now published the rewritten rules on "conscience" and those of us in good conscience must register our outrage.

Action Needed:

Send your comments to Secretary Mike Leavitt at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Tell him: "This Administration has lost its moral compass when the personal and private beliefs of a pharmacist or bookkeeper are more important than a woman's bodily integrity, her health, her future, and her right to family planning options. Birth Control is NOT Abortion."

There are less than 30 days before this restrictive and destructive regulation goes into effect. Act NOW!

Send an email!

Or post a comment on Secretary Leavitt's blog!
Sep 10, 2008,11:40 AM
Feminism Today

Many people today think that feminism is radical and extreme, when in fact feminism applies to all aspects of society and includes the lives of women and men. Instead of being a minority, feminists should be the majority (maybe that's why a major feminist organization is called the "Feminist Majority"?). Here's a quote that sums up this contradiction:

"Feminism has fought no wars. It has killed no opponents. It has set up no concentration camps, starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties. Its battles have been for education, for the vote, for better working conditions....for safety in the streets....for child care, for social welfare...for rape crisis centers, women's refuges, reforms in the law. (If someone says) 'Oh, I'm not a feminist,' (I ask) 'Why? What's your problem?'"

-Dale Spender, author of For the Record: The Making and Meaning of Feminist Knowledge, 1985
Sep 8, 2008,10:19 PM
OMG PLZ WATCH THIS

thanks to my bff for showing me this as well...

LOL
Sep 6, 2008,11:42 PM
the twilight craze

So I'm sitting here and surfing the internet (because I have nothing better to do) reading reviews on Amazon.com for Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. Now, I've only read the first two and as such will only include details from Twilight and New Moon, so no spoilers please. (Even though I find these books less than stimulating I loathe spoilers because I feel compelled to finish the series.)

Anyway, moving on. I found the one-star reviews particularly interesting because they point out the painfully obvious flaws in the series that Edward-biased fan girls probably don't recognize in their sparkly haze of adoration. I'm not knocking their adoration for fictional characters by any means--mine comes in the form of Harry Potter. For those of you who have read at least the first two books, you know that Bella absolutely cannot function without Edward. In fact, she is so dependent on him for her happiness that college is Plan B if Edward won't turn her into a vampire so that she can spend the rest of her existence with him. Sure, it's great to be in love, but what kind of message does this subconsciously plant in the malleable minds of young girls?

It perpetuates the idea that it's okay to throw your life away for a boy. But it's not. Especially when you're barely 18 years old. You can't count on that relationship lasting forever when you have so much more to experience. It perpetuates the idea that you can't be independently happy without your man and if you can't be happy with your single self then you still have some growing to do.

While it's all fine and dandy to daydream about charming boyfriends like Edward Cullen who are perfect in every way, it should stay as a daydream if that means giving up your independence as a person. At least Edward realized that it was best for him to leave for Bella's best interests; he actually wants her to go to college and not make some rash decision to become a vampire.

Labels:

Sep 5, 2008,3:05 PM
MTV's "Exiled"

At last week's meeting, we were talking about third world vs. first world feminism and how the first wave of feminism (women's lib) often involved middle-upper class white women and not lower class or minority women. Well, there's new show on MTV called "Exiled," which is a spin off of "My Super Sweet Sixteen." They send the same spoiled girls from "My Super Sweet Sixteen" to third-world countries to "teach them a lesson." On feministing.com there is a post about the show:

"In the first episode of 'Exiled,' which aired last week, our girl Amanda, who is now 19 and seems to spend her days sleeping and sunbathing, is surprised by her family and friends (and, presumably, MTV's film crews), with the news that they are sending her to Africa. Amanda is whisked away to Kenya, where she spends a week with the Masai. She sleeps in a dung hut, is asked to touch cow dung (which she refuses to do), carries water for hours and watches the slaughter of a goat.

(posted on Feministing.com September 4, 2008)

Several posters noted that the host families on the show seem like props. 'The show falls into the theme of using other countries and cultures as teaching tools for people in the U.S.' says feministing.com blogger Miriam Perez. 'These people are being used as a teaching tool for mostly white, privileged girls. Why was this girl honored? Because she stopped crying after a few days? She was offensive. She wasn't appreciative.'

Latoya Peterson, blogger for Racialicious.com, has a similar objection. 'They're taking these extremely spoiled kids and going, OK, what's the worst thing we can do to them? Send them to Africa!' she says. 'That's a terrible mind-set to have. It's the First World balking at the Third World.' "

9:56 AM
Being Naked.

Since we were little babies, us girls have had a heightened self-consciousness of our bodies. Bathing suits always covered our chests and nudity was discouraged.

I was always the type of girl that would change discreetly in the changing room instead of in the openness of the locker room, even when I was 7 years old. When I was 10 or 11, I went to Jamaica on a family vacation and there was a European girl at the resort who was my age. She only wore a bikini bottom and the group of American kids I hung out with and I were startled at how comfortably she exposed her bare (still not yet developed) chest. I forget what her response was exactly when we asked her about it, but it was something along the lines of it's no different than boys and I don't have boobs yet so why bother.

This boggled my mind for a long time since I was so self-conscious being naked or partly naked and had been taught that girls have to cover up. It's sad to think that in the locker room, I'm afraid of being seen naked BY EVEN OTHER WOMEN. It shouldn't be that way because everyone looks pretty much the same with just some size variation. As I got older, I became jealous of the elderly women who would roam the locker rooms stark naked like it was no big deal. It isn't a big deal! Even being naked around the opposite gender (or of the same gender depending on sexualities) shouldn't be a big deal because there isn't anything inherently sexual about the naked human body.

THEN LAST YEAR I came across an article in Newsweek's magazine for college students, "Current," called "Shower with Your Roomie and 33 more ways you can save the planet." Basically, the article was discussing how at one college, a few roommates took a group shower to conserve water. A student photographer took some pictures of three girls sticking their heads out of the curtain. Those pictures ended up on the official college website. The picture wasn't objectionable or inappropriate. It was just a shocking way to encourage students to be conscious of the environment.

So I decided to put some feminist ideas to work- loving your body or at least being comfortable with it and eco-feminism. Yes, I showered with my roomie. It was actually incredibly liberating. And we helped the environment. I recommend it.

Labels: ,

Sep 3, 2008,1:39 PM
Keeping Global Feminism in Mind: Women's Rights Activisim in Iran

An article ran today in the LA Times entitled "In Iran, women's rights activists score victory on marriage legislation."

Basically, activists have been fighting in Iran to keep Parliament from passing the The Family Protection Bill, which is feared to continue to decrease the rights of Iranian women. Discussion of the bill in Parliament has been postponed temporarily, but is likely to reappear in the near future. Here's a snippet from the article:


The legislation set aside Monday, titled The Family Protection Bill, was proposed by conservative lawmakers in July. It included changes to the family law that critics said were anything but protective of families.

The bill would have allowed husbands to get religiously sanctioned "temporary" marriages or take additional wives without the consent of their first spouses. In addition, divorced women would have to pay taxes on alimony.


Another topic in the article is the arrest of five women who have been active members of an international campaign to fight for women's rights in Iran, four of which where also charged for their contribution to banned women's websites. I am so glad we have the right to discuss women's rights issues in a public forum without legal repercussions, and everyone should have the right to that.
1:04 PM
Alternative Menstrual Products in the CD!

Okay okay, everyone knows it: I hate the CD. I hated it when I was a student, and I still hate it now. The only thing I don't hate about the CD is Sarah Puckett. She is amazing. Here's the proof: her latest article is about alternative menstrual products! So I might be biased towards this article because I'm quoted in it, but still. Read it!
12:54 PM
Which Candidates Support Women's Issues?

Sarah Palin may be a woman, but she, and John McCain, have a history of not supporting women's issues. Barack Obama and Joe Biden, on the other hand, together have a history of support women's rights.

Sarah Palin:
-opposes abortion and family planning rights
-supports teaching creationism in schools
-skeptic of global warming
-wants to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

John McCain:
-opposes affirmative action for women in the workplace
-opposed legislation to help end wage discrimination for women (Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act)
-opposed the Violence Against Women Act

Barack Obama and Joe Biden:
-support better enforcement of the Equal Pay Act
-pro-choice and want better access to contraception and health services
-Obama introduced legislation to provide $25 million every year for domestic violence prevention and fatherhood/marriage programs
-Biden authored the Violence Against Women Act, which Obama cosponsored and helped reauthorize
-support national health care plan
10 previous posts
We've moved!N.O.M.Dropoutwell said.feminism + internet memes = awesome.the "F" word and the "L" word.Levy vs. Colbertthis is what I want our dessert parties to be like...the top ten fictional feminist icons of all time
Past posts by month
August 2006September 2006October 2006November 2006December 2006January 2007February 2007April 2007August 2007September 2007October 2007January 2008February 2008March 2008April 2008May 2008June 2008July 2008August 2008September 2008October 2008November 2008December 2008January 2009February 2009March 2009April 2009May 2009June 2009July 2009September 2009October 2009November 2009December 2009January 2010February 2010March 2010April 2010June 2010August 2010September 2010October 2010November 2010December 2010January 2011
Credits
Coded by wickedicy banner from Reviviscent.