tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86824865593484143162024-03-13T02:35:58.412-07:00Feminist Armchair RegimeFeminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-49589498753064212032015-06-18T11:04:00.000-07:002015-06-18T11:44:45.481-07:00Some Feminists Hate Men. Deal With It.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwajYYQsRYBQ6NlTSJgKahFNd593iatk8C-vgFM6c0wD2ZEz-aiisEWD0mrYV5fU1ub0zgl3G6_DqRvjv51VC1XOUXabjIzKO5qHNDalzjNJfthDwezBCCXsaHP-TT6SxBY_iEqxlzpSSY/s1600/scream-cartoon-painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwajYYQsRYBQ6NlTSJgKahFNd593iatk8C-vgFM6c0wD2ZEz-aiisEWD0mrYV5fU1ub0zgl3G6_DqRvjv51VC1XOUXabjIzKO5qHNDalzjNJfthDwezBCCXsaHP-TT6SxBY_iEqxlzpSSY/s400/scream-cartoon-painting.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
By<a href="http://feminist-armchair-regime.blogspot.com.au/p/meet-hivemind.html#Violet%20Paradox"> Violet Paradox</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Recently I read yet another article published by a very well known Feminist group about how and why feminists don't hate men. Articles and blog posts are frequently published by feminist writers explaining how feminism isn't man hating and how it also applies to men, but this particular article had a different vibe about it which I feel is reflective of what is being seen a lot in supposedly feminist spaces lately. <br />
<br />
I didn't much like the article, as it seemed to be overly pandering to the male ego, but it was the comment section that really got me angry. (Yes I know, never read the comments!! I am not going to link to the article or face book thread as I believe firstly, it's a common enough theme among comment threads around the inter-webs so that it will be familiar to most, and also to protect the women who were commenting there.) It wasn't really the comments from men that got me angry, (although the waa, waa, waa, feminists are so mean element was definitely there.) Instead there was one woman who was investing a lot of time commenting all through thread, insisting with great conviction that feminism, does indeed, have a man hating problem. She was speaking over other women, disregarding their lived experiences, advocating tone policing women who were justifiably angry, siding with the men in the thread, and posted this <a href="http://slatestarcodex.com/2015/01/01/untitled/" target="_blank">blog </a>post by a Scott Alexander. to back up her claims. Alexander quotes self professed male nerd Scot Aaronson,<br />
<br />
" Alas, as much as I try to understand other people’s perspectives, the first reference to my “male privilege”—my privilege!—is approximately where I get off the train, because it’s so alien to my actual lived experience."<br />
<br />
When a white cis man who claims to be trying to understand feminism does not understand male privilege to the extent that they reference someone who puts the term in scare quotes like it is an imaginary concept, I find it hard to give anything that comes after much serious thought myself.<br />
<br />
Feminism does have problems, no doubt. It has a problem with some white cis women practising <a href="https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=white%20feminism" target="_blank">White feminism</a> which often ignores and erases the issues of WOC. It has a problem with<a href="https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=TERF" target="_blank"> TERF's</a> (Trans-exclusionary radical feminism), a subgroup of radical feminism characterised by their transphobia, transmisogony, and hostility towards third wave feminism. But the small group of women who are pissed off, angry, and sometimes mean to men who do not understand or accept the privileges they have in comparison to those who they insist on raising their voices over, are not something we should be focusing on. I'm sick of feminist discourse always being fucking sidetracked with first having to make sure it's OK with these men before we even open our mouths. <br />
<br />
It's a given that not all men hate women. We all know and accept that but heaven forbid we don't put a disclaimer up every single time we write or talk about sexism, misogyny, rape culture, and VAW. But with or without that disclaimer, there will still be those that will shoot up their hand at the mention of misogyny and wildly wave it around while screaming as loud as they can #NOTALLMEN!!! You can absolutely count on it.<br />
<br />
But to many, feminists who continuously question and challenge the privileges of men under the patriarchy, who go out of their way to counteract those privileges in the spaces they create by elevating the voices of women and other marginalised groups over those of white cis men, are deemed man-eating misandrists. (Funny though, when a man does the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/25/famous-male-feminists-men-support-women_n_5564005.html" target="_blank">same thing</a>, he is usually applauded with loud accolades.) The majority of women have grown up with our voices being silenced using this tactic and so once again, but this time more insidiously from within the movement itself, it's being put on us to be nice and sweet, and sugar coat every word we say. I'm over it.<br />
<br />
<br />
So I googled 'Feminists don't hate men' and got <a href="https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Feminists+don't+hate+men" target="_blank">this</a>.<br />
<br />
As you can see, there is a list that just goes on and on with articles about how feminists don't hate men. Precious time that feminists have taken out of their lives, time out from their activism and discussions of issues that affect women, to reassure men that we are not out for their blood. (But I guess in asking them to acknowledge their privilege and suggesting that they need to perhaps relinquish them somewhat, we may as well be baring our feminist, man hating teeth and sucking the life blood out of them.) We are constantly soothing the ego's of men with non-offending tones and gentle words, over, and over, and over again and it is never enough to satiate that great pit of entitlement.<br />
<br />
And then I googled <a href="https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Meninists+don%27t+hate+women&nfpr=1" target="_blank">Meninists </a>, then '<a href="https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=MRA%27s+don%27t+hate+women" target="_blank">MRA's </a>don't hate women', and even <a href="https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Male+feminist+allies+on+why+men+don't+hate+women" target="_blank">male feminist allies</a> on why men don't hate women,<br />
<br />
There is not one article that I can find from male allies on how men don't hate women. Simply because, as true allies, they know that it would be complete bullshit. And yes we are aware that #notallmen hate women, but all men do benefit under patriarchy which without doubt does marginalise and oppress women, fosters rape culture and misogyny and is dangerous and even life threatening to women. Not surprisingly there is not one single article from 'Meninists' or 'MRA's' who claim that they don't hate women. They openly state they hate feminists (a group that consist largely of women) and pretty much only tolerate those women who have internalised misogyny to the extent that they subscribe to the same hateful beliefs. But largely the result under the search for men's assurance of not hating women were simply more articles on how feminists don't hate men, or articles that confirm with no apologies that men in fact, do hate women.<br />
<br />
So despite all of this, the real problem to many it would seem, is still that a small percentage of feminists are often times mean to men. That some even claim outright that they have an incalculable disdain for them, and dare I say it, at times even hate them. However, in almost every single instance that this happens, it is not actual, individual men that are hated. It is those who perpetuate the systems of a society that fosters and encourages a culture of hyper-masculinity. A society that ridicules and labels femininity as weak and inferior, and defend it with threats of violence and social recriminations toward those who stand up to it that is really the true object of their ire. Even the most ardent feminist has men in their lives that they love. Men who are also products of this society and who are problematic and imperfect. <br />
<br />
I have sons. Three of them. I am determined to bring them up to be aware of their privilege and the plight of those who are not so lucky. It is understandably hard, because I have the world to compete with and sometimes I feel like I am never going to win. But I keep going, because I love them. And although I desperately want them to have full and happy lives, I want them to be able to obtain that without it being at the expense of someone else having the same. And I do not want them to ever feel like they have to buy into the toxic culture of hyper-masculinity that our society seems determined to thrust upon them. I've seen the damage that has done to so many men, and it is horrible. If that makes me a man-hater, then so be it. I do hate that version of masculinity. A lot.<br />
<br />
Although there are some feminists who despise or even hate men (or rather the systems that uphold their privileged stance in society) the real problem as I see it, is that if we continue to place our focus on this to the point where some women who identify as feminists are actually calling other women 'misandrists' for their refusal to pander to the male ego, then the problem with feminism won't be simply the small element that are deemed man-haters but that it will become just another space that is more concerned with the feelings and voices of privileged men over that of the women whose issues of oppression and marginalisation the movement is supposed to espouse.<br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""> <iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe> </b:if><br />
<html><br />
<head><br />
<title>Feminist Armchair Regime</title><br />
</head><br />
<body><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=[ADDRESS OF POST]" style="border: none; height: 80px; width: 450px;"></iframe><br />
</body><br />
</html>Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-70998625780608983092014-11-26T07:42:00.005-08:002014-11-26T07:42:53.710-08:00How to maintain white supremacy on social media in 3 simple steps<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The following is cross-posted from the </i><a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;"><i>Damsel in de Tech</i></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> blog. Click </i><a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.ca/2014/11/how-to-maintain-white-supremacy-on.html" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;"><i>here</i></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> to see the original.</i><div>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></i></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Step 1:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Do you know anything about privilege, power structures, or institutional oppression? Yes? Good, now pretend that you don't and act hurt and aggrieved any time a group tries to organize to address specific issues. Take for example, oh say... "Black Lives Matter - TORONTO PEACEFUL PROTEST ACTION". Take everything you know about oppression and anti-black racism, and use that as a reason white people are being oppressed by this group. How dare they ask white allies to respectfully concede the space to black protestors? How dare they specifically discuss police violence and murder against black folks? This is segregation, and reverse-racism, and every other "social-justicy"-kinda sounding words you can string together. Folks who are legitimately concerned about addressing oppression may just wind up getting sucked into conversing with you for a day and a half, and those who don't know enough about trolls or white supremacy might just be fooled into taking your side.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Step 2:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Take up space. If it's an online group or comments section of a newspaper, keep posting. It doesn't matter if it's one word or a copy pasta of "How to Make Friends and Influence People". Make sure that no conversations are allowed to go on without your interference. It's much harder for folks to maintain momentum and enthusiasm when they have to spend all their time on you. Suck the air out of the room and if you have to leave, ensure you've brought in more folks to replace you. Pretend you don't know them and are just impressed by how thoughtful and right about the world they are when they, funny enough, parrot your exact talking points.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Step 3:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">People are seeing through you and calling you a racist? That's racist! Report their comments that are rightfully telling you off, because there's a far greater chance Facebook will give them a suspension for defending themselves and their rights to focus on black issues than of you receiving any repercussions.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">I'm posting this not to encourage trolls, but to point out that this is what they are already doing. These are a few of their tactics. You can see this happening on pages that are supposed to be dedicated to supporting the family of Mike Brown and other victims of police-sanctioned murder. It's transparent as fuck if you know what you're looking for and acknowledge that, for the most part, these people aren't ignorant or misguided. This is a concerted, organized effort of anti-black, white supremecists to take over what should be safer spaces and interfere with planning and solidarity efforts.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They will concern troll:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">
"But if you exclude white people, then how will we change things? We all need to work together, and I am just honestly concerned that your divisive tactics will hamper that progress."</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They will gas light:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">
"Police brutality is not a black issue. It's a human rights issue. <i>I've</i> been the victim of police brutality, and <i>I'm</i> white, therefore you're assigning race to an issue that it doesn't belong to."</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They will call you racist:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">
"You're lumping all white people together by saying that we take up too much space. That's racist! Anybody else catch how racist that is?!"</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">They will not "see the light" if you keep talking to them. You can be calm, collected, and articulate as possible. They are not there in good faith. They are literally trying to wear people down to get them to abandon the page/ group/ organizing committee. These are their tools. Don't let them get away with it. If you are moderating a page/ site and you see this happening, I strongly recommend just to ban/ delete them. Yes, they'll like start in with "freedom of speech" arguments, but what they're doing is interfering with your freedoms to assemble.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Let's get things back on track and reclaim the spaces eked out to create change.</span></div>
damsel.in.de.techhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08921309674292153182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-8676842506206205502014-08-14T14:06:00.000-07:002014-08-14T14:09:24.617-07:00From One White Ally to Others<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
by: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
Let me take a moment to explain that I'm on my tablet as my computer's mouse is haunted and so there might well be more spelling mistakes than normal and I won't be able to include links to sources as I would like. Now on to actual content.<br />
<br />
I'm sure everyone reading this is in some way aware of the police violence and protests in Ferguson, perhaps you're even aware of certain feminist and LGBT groups speaking up in defense of the protesters and stating the concerns of police violence and racism in America need to be concerns of mainstream feminism and LGBT groups. These are connections I've seen white people speaking out against, sometimes even while claiming to support and stand in solidarity for the people in Ferguson.<br />
<br />
So this is my message to white people, specifically those who want to support Ferguson protesters and what they stand for.<br />
<br />
Firstly, shut up for a while and listen. I know this is hard, I like sharing my opinions too. But honestly, unless we're addressing other white people, and unless we're basing on our opinions on the testimonies of people of color it isn't out place to speak. So again, spend a long time listening silently, and trust the black people who do speak out and share their experiences.<br />
<br />
Next, remember our privilege. As white people we are given the benefit of innocence by the police and media in a way black people aren't and this has shaped every single one of our lives and opinions. By growing up to see police as protectors and only having that view point challenged (and at a remove at that) as adults means we might not understand the impact police violence and racism has on reproductive justice. This is not something that effects out lives. But if we can remember the first point and listen and trust we will learn from black women how fears of police violence against their children impacts their reproductive choices and parenting. Things do not need to be self evident to us for them to be obviously and automatically true to the people who are actually affected.<br />
<br />
Third, we need to remember that people of color are necessary parts of our feminist/LGBT/differently abled/etc communities. Their concerns (that our white privilege removed us from) are not ancillary but need to be reconized as fundamental parts of our movements. To do otherwise is to say people of color are ancillary and not fundamental parts of our communities. And I hope that I don't need to explain that this makes us at least passively racist.<br />
<br />
Lastly, we need to take direct action in support of the people of color in our communities. However, while doing so we need to remember our privilege and our proper place. We, and our families, are not Trayvon Martin, Renisha McBride, Michael Brown, or Cece Mcdonald. We cannot fully know their experiences, and the experiences, fears, and concerns of their families and neighbors, and so we cannot speak for them. Our jobs are to be microphones, to amplify their voices so more people can hear them, not to speak over them or steal their words. When we do speak with our own voices and words on these issues we need to do so at the right time and place and towards the right people. At candle light vigils we stand in silent support. We raise our voices to the predominantly white police, politicians, and media to call on them to act with justice and hold them accountable and culpable for their actions and words. We challenge white people who tone police, and play respectability politics, or what want to turn the Ferguson protests and the extrajudicial slaying of Michael Brown away from the endemic racism of police violence.<br />
<br />
And again we listen, we respect, we trust, and we support. The concerns and oppressions of people of color need to be fundamental parts of feminist/LGBT/other movements, but in doing so we white people need to remember our support cannot include speaking for people of color. </div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-25423796780971992262014-07-12T18:43:00.001-07:002014-07-12T19:21:00.227-07:00Rape, Rape Culture, and Recovery - 3 Years Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By Liberate Zealot<br />
*Content Warning - Discussions of rape, rape culture, and PTSD*<br />
<br />
Let me begin by saying these are my own personal experiences and in no way meant to reflect the experiences of all victims/survivors. Even victims/survivors with similar experiences of sexual violence might experience very different effects and have very different roads of recovery.<br />
<br />
The one thing I think the vast majority of us share is that recovery is not an absolute, it is a constant journey of progress and triggers and backsliding and unlikely to fully ever end.<br />
<br />
I know sometimes I have thought I've reached, or nearly reached, the end of my recovery. Months have passed since I've thought of him, or that night. Since I've felt that knot of anxiety in my stomach, or that strange mental disconnect where my brain seems to float partially separated from my body. Since that dizzy, rushing feeling overtakes my ears, eyes, brain, and body.<br />
Sometimes months pass, but then something happens. His name shows up on my Facebook feed, I see someone who looks like him when I'm out and about, I hear about another woman's rape which is similar enough to mine that I cannot disconnect my own experiences from hers. Perhaps I hear a rape joke, am watching some movie or TV show that features a rape (these are worst when I cannot prepare for them). Perhaps I just surprisingly dream in some way of that night and awaken, shaking.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
In many ways I have been both lucky and privileged, about the rape itself, and my experiences and recovery after the rape.<br />
<br />
It was both luck and privilege that gave me a grounding in feminism and rape culture well before I was sexually assaulted. I had already internalized the idea that rape is never the victims fault and so when I was raped, while I had other emotional struggles, at no point did I think I had done anything to "lead him on" or "make" him rape me.<br />
<br />
I was lucky in that the rape itself was non-violent. I was terrified and betrayed, but I wasn't physically injured. In fact I was able to halt the penetrative part of the rape, but I felt obligated to offer some other type of sexual satisfaction as I had a nearly black out intense fear that some violent penetrative rape was imminent if I angered him in any way. After all, I had made it exceedingly clear I wouldn't agree to penetrative sex, and he ignored that enough to begin the very type of sex I had unequivocally stated I wouldn't consent to. Why should I trust he wouldn't continue if I angered him?<br />
But I was lucky in that it wasn't violent. I was also lucky in there was no resulting pregnancy or STIs.<br />
<br />
But despite my previous luck and privilege I have not been so lucky as to avoid being among the 1/3 of sexual violence victims/survivors who have PTSD. And I was not so privileged in my feminist and rape culture knowledge to fully avoid the internalization of rape culture.<br />
<br />
The internalization of rape culture was immediate. During the rape I felt intense fear and violation, however in my mind I was terrified it would turn into a rape, and that he would hurt me. Because of our cultural ideas of what rape is, because even though I *know* better, I have still internalized those ideas, and I was not able to acknowledge what was happening was a rape. It took me two weeks to be able to name it as sexual assault, and a year before I felt any comfort with calling it a rape. To this day I struggle to name what was done to me as rape, as opposed to a sexual assault or some form a sexual violence.<br />
<br />
This is because according to rape culture what happened was a miscommunication. He wasn't violent, and I was able to stop the penetrative aspect of the rape. Therefore many people wouldn't see it as one, and I have often struggled to see it as a rape myself. Until the last several years, legally it was unlikely to be seen as a rape either.<br />
It was a rape, but even earlier today I struggled to call it that. What I name it as still changes on a day to day basis. And again, I have the privilege to know the laws and studies about rape. Logically I know I was raped. But emotionally I can't help but feel like I don't deserve to call it rape. It wasn't the type of rape I was warned about when younger. It could have been so much worse. Am I taking away from other victims/survivors experiences to call what happened to me rape?<br />
<br />
And also I do not want the treatment that rape victim/survivors meet. To people who know me in the "real world" I have never been able to name it as rape. To one person (my ex-boyfriend) I was able to fully explain what happened. To other's I merely state that he was creepy and kind-of "rapey." I don't want to see the look on their faces if they learn that I was raped, even though I trust them to be supportive and believe me, I don't want to risk the chance of them seeing me differently.<br />
<br />
Another way I have internalized rape culture, and another reason I do not want to tell people that I was raped, is that while I do not blame myself for the actual rape I cannot help but feel I should have been able to avoid it. Part of being a feminist who is well educated in rape culture means I knew the warning signs of someone who does not care about active consent. Over the course of our month of dating he tried to pressure me several times into having the type of sex I had clearly said I didn't want to have. In hindsight this was a serious red-flag. And I can't help but blame myself for not noticing that sooner, for not cutting off the relationship before he had time to rape me.<br />
<br />
Likewise I blame myself for not naming him as a rapist. I know legally nothing would come of it except me likely being more traumatized. And the 2-3% chance he would be convicted is just not worth it, especially as I know the facts of the case mean the police probably wouldn't bother with it in the first place. I know all this, but I still feel like if I was the ardent feminist I see myself as that I could have tried. I still feel guilt that he's walking around the city and no one knows he's a rapist. I never blame other women for not naming their rapists, but I cannot extend the same compassion to myself. And this again is a sign of internalized rape culture.<br />
<br />
And the feelings of guilt and blame ebb and flow, just as the PTSD does as well. In the first year I could sometimes go days without being able to get the rape out of my mind. I'd be in a constant state of anxiety, with a knot of it in my stomach so intense I couldn't eat, sometimes feeling I was going to shake right out of my skin. I was scared to go out into the neighborhood incase I ran into him, I avoided certain shops and restaurants that I knew he liked. For days I'd want to curl into myself, hide under the covers, and any touch (especially of a sexual nature) was unbearable. Luckily I stayed functional, but that sometimes required intense compartmentalization and disassociation that in the long term isn't healthy.<br />
<br />
Since then it has gotten better. Even the worst episodes last less than a day, and I've very unlikely to be spontaneously triggered. As said before, sometimes I can go months without thinking about him or that night. The fact that I am a victim/survivor of rape doesn't constantly hang in the back of my mind waiting to awaken my PTSD. And should my PTSD be triggered from a rape joke or movie, some internet encounter with him, or hearing about a rape too similar to my own, at worst I experience an hour or two of anxiety and a fogginess in my mind. I don't have to disassociate to get through my day.<br />
<br />
I still feel a sense of defeat when these attacks happen. Sometimes I blame myself for not being a better/stronger survivor. I can't help but tell myself that it wasn't that bad and that there's no reason to feel this anxiety, this shaking dread, this foggy disconnect. That other people have experienced worse and don't have this lingering PTSD.<br />
<br />
The recovery and internalized rape culture is a cycle. For a while everything's clear sailing. I'm teaching my students, hanging with my friends, dating, discussing feminism and rape culture on line and everything is fine. I'm recovering. And suddenly, out of the blue, I'm not. It's like slamming into a glass door. You know they exist, but you didn't expect one to be in the way right then. You weren't paying attention an now your hurt and also embarrassed for not being better prepared.<br />
I know I sometimes get triggered by hearing about other people's rape, what made me think I could participate in that trigger hashtag and not feel anxiety? I know a lot of comedians make rape jokes, why did I watch the stand up of a comedian I know does not? I know women who are actively feminists and speak about rape culture on line will get rape threats, I've gotten them plenty of times, I wasn't I better prepared for this one?<br />
And so right right on the heels of the anxiety and disconnect comes the blame and guilt. And then guilt for feeling the guilt, because I'm a feminist and know better than to blame myself. Eventually my logic wins out, and the guilt and shame fades away for another few months.<br />
<br />
Now that the PTSD isn't so bad I wish I could stop blaming myself for having it. I wish I didn't feel guilt for not being more recovered. I really wish I could stop feeling like I'm not a proper survivor, or rape victim. But I don't think that's ever going to happen. I grew up in a rape culture and even though I've unlearned a lot, I don't think I (or any other victim/survivor) will ever fully recover until our culture recovers from its damaging ideas about rape and attitudes to victims/survivors. </div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-69047861258243388142014-07-11T10:13:00.000-07:002014-07-12T13:12:48.980-07:00Statistics vs Lived Experiences for Women at College<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By Liberate Zealot<br />
*Content Warning for discussion of sexual assault, rape, stalking, domestic violence, and rape culture*<br />
<br />
Recently in the feminist/social justice sphere of social media that I inhabit a variety of people have been naming Cards Against Humanity and one of its originators, Max Tempkin, as good examples of those with privilege listening/learning/and properly apologizing for when they harm others. And this regard for the game, and its creators, especially of Max, is something I take great issue with.<br />
<br />
Not only because it is a game created by a bunch of (to my knowledge) heterocis white dudes who are upper middle class and therefore its hard to take any of its racist/sexism/homophobic/transphobic/ableist jokes as "ironic". After all Max Tempkin wrote a lovely apology about that using all the appropriate language of "privilege" and how irony doesn't "punch down."<br />
<br />
The issue with this apology and Cards Against Humanity is that I know Max. We attended the same small liberal arts college, we have many mutual acquaintances, and Max Tempkin is a rapist.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
While attending Goucher College Max Tempkin raped a freshman during her first few weeks on campus. Besides a couple of people disliking him, calling him a "Tentacle Monster" and refusing to play Cards Against Humanity he never faced any repercussions. In fact Max eventually became a member of Goucher College's J-board, a group of students, staff, and professors who sit in judgement of student "misconduct" which does include allegations of rape, sexual assault, harassment, and stalking. He has gone on to be lauded as a success story for Goucher.<br />
<br />
Max Tempkin and his victim are but one of a dozen stories I know of sexual assault, harassment, and domestic violence happening in relation to Goucher. What makes this all particularly rage inducing is that during my junior year in a Women Studies class we discussed how according to statistics there had never been a rape or sexual assault at Goucher. We then discussed how each of us could name multiple cases of rape and sexual assault and harassment.<br />
<br />
I have been sexually assaulted, but luckily not while attending Goucher. Luckily I didn't have to encounter my rapist the way this woman had to continue to encounter Max (it is too small a school to fully avoid anyone). I haven't had to see him lauded by people as a success or, even worse, a good person. <br />
<br />
I didn't have to hear details of my assault being bandied about the way other cases were shared around Goucher's campus or hear people sit in judgement about whether it was a real rape or not. I didn't have my stories of sexual harassment and intimidation (or pictures/videos of these) spread about like a joke. I didn't try to report only to be silenced and threatened by fellow students. I didn't have campus security ignore the increasingly loud, disruptive, and abusive behaviors of my boyfriend. I didn't have to endure my alma mater employing the man who would go on to stalk me, threaten my life, and drive me in fear from the state while he continued his career of teaching at various colleges. <br />
<br />
I didn't experience those things, but other Goucher women did, and any justice they did eventually see was hard won and miniscule. And to the best of my knowledge none of the men involved in these stories ever faced any serious consequences.<br />
<br />
But none of this shows up in Goucher's statistics. Statistically it is a perfectly safe, small, liberal arts school, with a lovely secluded campus, and a large female student population. And again, none of its 70% female student population has any need to fear sexual assault, harassment, abuse, or stalking. The statistics show that <i>never </i>happens at Goucher.<br />
<br />
Except for how multiple members of the lacrosse team burst in on one of their team mates having sex and so intimidated the girl that she jumped out the first floor window in nothing but a sheet. Or how later that year members of the same team harassed and threatened a girl to withdraw her rape allegation against another player. Or how if you're raped at a party you might be shamed by other students because "we all know him, he's never done anything like this before, what did you do?" Or how your boyfriend can break into your room, push you around, trap you so you can't escape, shouting at you while you scream for help, and security (which is great at finding a "party" of 8 people drinking peacefully) never shows up, even then the RA lives down the hall. Or how women don't feel confident approaching the school about their rapes and so someone like Max Tempkin makes it onto the "Justice" Board. Or how your stalker ex will continue to be employed at the school you just graduated from while you work to get a restraining order on him for threatening to kill you.<br />
<br />
Goucher isn't one of the 55 colleges named as Title IX offenders because they do not properly handle allegations of sexual assault. Their "sexual misconduct" policy is not too difficult to find on line. They do a "training" at the beginning of freshmen year to cover sexual assault information. They have free services for victims. Statistically they're safe and would handle any issues of sexual violence appropriately. Of course according to appearances Max Tempkin is a model alumni of Goucher. And according to appearances he understands privilege and power dynamics.<br />
<br />
Why is it that the things at colleges and universities say, find, and report about sexual violence and harassment in no way matches the lives of their female students? Why do the appearances of things so often clash with the experiences of women? Why the fuck do we have to keep fighting these same battles against rape culture and sexism, again, and again, with so little progress?<br />
<br />
<br />
*Details of various instances I've named have been withheld to protect the victims, in some cases this includes the names of the perpertrators as naming them could result in their victims being identified. Max Tempkin is named because yesterday his victim and close friends of hers spoke up on Facebook and Twitter. At the time there was no police involvement, so for clarity's sake Max is an alleged rapist, not a convicted one.* </div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-27331080454399984562014-06-30T14:54:00.000-07:002014-06-30T14:54:00.198-07:00To Those Being Dismissive of the Seriousness of the SCOTUS Ruling About Hobby Lobby<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">For everyone claiming that women just have to pick better employers or it is no big deal to pay out of pocket for hormonal birth control, I urge you to deeply consider the realities of employment and health care in this state and country. More than 10% of women are unemployed, countless more are employed in minimum wage jobs from corporations that already seek to avoid covering health insurance. For many people they need to take whatever job they can. Spending extra time to seek carefully for the one (increasingly rare) job that has the best health insurance for them isn’t an option for the majority of Americans. And considering that 90% of corporations now have the right to refuse to include hormonal contraceptives makes this a bigger issue than one employer (even if they are a large corporation). </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Likewise, let us remember that employees pay into their health insurance policy, these women have already paid for their contraceptives, and now, because of the “strongly held” but factually inaccurate religious beliefs of their employers they must pay again, out of pocket. And some of the contraceptives that have been ruled against (like the IUD) can cost up to a month’s wages when not covered with insurance.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">This is not a small issue. This ruling negatively impacts the lives of millions of women and their families. This is a ruling that dehumanizes women, while granting even more powers to the already legally bloated corporate “person hoods”. </span></div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-78397638187466574522014-06-19T12:14:00.002-07:002014-06-19T12:14:24.267-07:00Babe, Is This Sexist? Goldstar Beer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Babe, Is This Sexist? is back with a very important message about Ladies and Drinking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdLoaYX2eC-bTbh-Eu-GOuAveuZE5LQgBA_a0dD5swkMkFPLVeat7sWc4xi07ucODr5HEqDtrqBwkmrucogaH2aqmAK4IT0rue3YTULMwPaVZMLISIW8LK-bEfzJZ4x_VrGRIa4PbeEi5/s1600/sexistbeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdLoaYX2eC-bTbh-Eu-GOuAveuZE5LQgBA_a0dD5swkMkFPLVeat7sWc4xi07ucODr5HEqDtrqBwkmrucogaH2aqmAK4IT0rue3YTULMwPaVZMLISIW8LK-bEfzJZ4x_VrGRIa4PbeEi5/s1600/sexistbeer.jpg" height="451" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Hey Ladies, <br />
Isn't it hard being a woman with a delicate pink girly brain that can't even handle a night out drinking. I mean even that runs the risk of heartbreak needing to be assuaged with ice cream. And every drunk hook up only has a 1 in 3 change of ending in heterosexual bliss with our knight in shining armor. It just doesn't seem worth the appletinis.<br />
After all it's not like you're lucky enough to be a man. Only men can drink without unfortunate consequences, or any consequences at all. It's because their macho blue boy brains aren't caught up in the over-emotional vulnerability that us little ladies suffer from. <br />
So really, think before you drink.<br />
<br />
Or else tell the champions at <a href="http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/goldstar_beer_flow_chart_2" target="_blank">Goldstar Beer, or their advertising agency McCann Erikson</a> that you're #NotBuying this sexist product.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://feminist-armchair-regime.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">View other installments of Babe, Is This Sexist? At the Master List. </a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Please leave suggestions for the next installment of </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Babe, is this Sexist?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in the comments of <a href="http://feminist-armchair-regime.blogspot.com/2012/11/babe-is-this-sexist-masterpost.html" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">this post</a>, or the most recent </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Babe, is this Sexist? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Alternatively, you can message us on </span><a href="http://feministarmchairregime.tumblr.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Tumblr</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> or leave a comment on our </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/FeministArmchairRegime" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Facebook page</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">. Also check out the F.A.R. Facebook page for polls about future installments.</span></div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-66822084185492085152014-06-09T16:46:00.003-07:002014-06-09T16:46:54.546-07:00Yes, I Hate Men<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
I’m sick and tired of having to moderate myself.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Yes, I hate men as a class, and I hate the majority of individual men I meet, Including my one brother. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
No, this isn’t just intellectual. It’s a visceral hate, knowing they see me as less than, and that the majority don’t even care enough to hide their disdain. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
So really. I Hate the majority of men. And if you’re one of the few I don’t hate (like my father) you know enough about feminism to get why you don’t deserve an exception. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Men’s hatred diminishes my economic worth, it attacks my freedom, my sexual health, my ability to live free of PTSD. Random men murder and assault women (in every imaginable way) but I’m supposed to forgive. Never mind I’m more likely to be attacked by a man than a shark or dog, and that’s not even getting into the moral, emotional, and mental attacks waged by my brother and his ilk. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
But, love one’s neighbor they say. Never mind that one’s neighbor, and his brother, and his club, are holding the knife.</div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-19729365533009555342014-05-25T12:31:00.004-07:002014-05-25T12:31:54.518-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
By Liberate Zealot</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Because watching my drink</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
And white knuckling keys between my fingers</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
And wearing jeans and sensible shoes</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Was supposed to be my contract with the world</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Providing safe passage</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Protection against rape from the shadowy stranger</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Haunting the corners of the club or streets. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Because in the years of safety advice</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
From teachers, friends, chain letters, and police</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Never once did they admit I would know him</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
That he would look me in the eyes and smile</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
He would wait days or weeks or months</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
And say all the right words before ignoring my own. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Because even after that night</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
They still won’t admit its not the stranger in the street</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
I should fear</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Or that the predator in the clubs is the ex-boyfriend</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Or that it wasn’t caused by the length of a skirt</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Or having long hair and a glass of wine.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Because they won’t admit</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
That following the rules isn’t protection</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
I know other women will have</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
The same realization that the one that will hurt you</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Isn’t the shadowy figure in the night</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
(Though we’ll still fear him too).</div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-6550749124878143902014-05-25T11:59:00.003-07:002014-05-25T12:00:01.248-07:00They're Not "Bad Apples" They're the Whole Barrel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
Women are expected to see the actions of Elliot Rodger as a “lone gunman” someone suffering from mental illness. Just as we’re supposed to view the other men who commit violence against women through domestic abuse, rape, or sexual harassment as “bad apples.” Not all men are like that. Maybe they too are crazy. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
However, if there is any illness its one shared by society. These actions are not those of insane individuals. Rather they are the natural results of a <a href="http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/this-film-is-not-yet-rated/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; outline: none 0px;" target="_blank">society that finds sexualized violence against women as more acceptable than female sexual agency.</a> </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
And this is acceptable to these men and much of society. Because they do not see women as fully human, (Rodger’s screed, praised in the MRA/PAU movement, proves he saw women as objects or animals, but not people) it is easy for them to prioritize their ideal sex lives over are actual lives. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; outline: none 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
So many men see women as nothing more than some type of toy or sex doll, to be used, destroyed, and disposed of based on their whims. And it isn’t that surprising considering this is how so much media portrays us. We’re trophies, tragic backstories, and catalysts of revenge, not independent characters with out own motivations. Not people. </div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-31150309192905852362014-04-18T09:27:00.000-07:002014-04-18T09:27:03.496-07:00About Body Acceptance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">By: Malanka Sveta</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Last year my (then) three year old looked up at me one night and, appropos of nothing, said, "I love my boobs...I think they're pretty". I want her to say the same thing when she's thirteen. When she's thirty. When she has thirty great great grandchildren. And at all points in between. (I also want the same for all of you, men included.) I think this is why I find her fart humour so engaging and powerful. Fart humour, like loving her boobs, is a form of body acceptance. And I know a lot of my friends have really been enjoying that part of her childhood. (In case anyone was curious, she is fascinated by bums this month.)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">I read </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Beauty</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"> by Sherri S. Tepper in 1995, and became acquainted with this new body acceptance that seemed revolutionary to me then, but now seems common sense. (It may be worth mentioning that Beauty is half fairy, half mortal.)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">" 'In many imaginary lands, as here, they shit and piss,' she advised me. 'As on earth, though rather less copiously. But not in Ylles nor, I believe, in Baskarone. Never mind, dearest. When you eat fairy fruits, you will not be bothered by such grossness any longer.'</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">I had not precisely been bothered up until this time, though afterward I seemed to give a great deal of unaccustomed attention to the matter. No doubt this was one of the differences Roland sensed in Mama. The implications were shattering. How refreshing to have all the joys of love (I write in a literary or conventional sense, rather than from experience) sand consequent familiarity with those anatomical proximities which humans find both so unfortunate and so teasingly attractive. I came to the conclusion that there would be no perversions in Ylles."</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">(Ylles being the name of a portion of Faery.)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">" 'Mother doesn't like me,' I said, needing her to say it wasn't true.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">'That's not entirely true,' she said. 'Humans make myths about mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. I have counted on them myself, butsometimes the two generations are simply not sympathetic. Especially when they resemble, let us say, the other side of the family.'</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">It was true. Except around the eyes, I most resembled father. I resembled him in other ways. Fleshiness. Corporeality. The thousand stinks and farts that flesh is heir to."</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">(The fairies are extremely attracted to Beauty, and it is her mortality that both fascinates and repells them at different times of her life.)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">"I had been wrong about there being no perversions in Faery</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">. Their perversion was to lust after human bodies, with all their stinks and scattish contiguities."<br /><br />How is this body acceptance? Well, bodies are disgusting. Really. We've all seen what comes out of them. It's not pleasant. But it doesn't matter, because all bodies do this. Fulfilling the needs of our bodies is a natural and normal thing, and we should embrace it, all of it, because without the ability to accept these thousand stinks and farts we lack the ability to embrace all of the truly wonderful things our bodies are, all of the glorious needs they have, and every fabulous desire of our flesh. The freedom to love our bodies begins with accepting our bodies as they are. Our bodies are beauty, our needs are beauty, even some (possibly most) of our perversions are beauty, and to deny this beauty is to harm ourselves and others. To starve this beauty, to overexcercise this beauty, to fetishize a body ideal, male or female, that doesn't exist is to reject beauty in the name of beauty. (I'm almost certain that was a sentence.) What's the worst that could happen if we all decided, today, right now, that we accept and embrace our beauty, that we love our bodies? I'm actually asking. What's the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen if we lived for ourselves instead of a painful ideal that almost no one can ever achieve?<br /><br />I love my boobs. I think they're pretty. And I think yours are pretty, too.<br /></span><b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/387339.Beauty</a></span><iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe>
</b:if></div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-46108877074088349872014-04-15T14:18:00.002-07:002014-04-15T14:18:32.265-07:00MRAs don't care about men. <i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The following is cross-posted from the </i><a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;"><i>Damsel in de Tech</i></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> blog. Click </i><a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.com/2014/04/mras-dont-care-about-men.html" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;"><i>here</i></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> to see the original.</i><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">I was going to just press "Publish" and let that title stand alone.
After all, there's really not much else to be said about it. If the
Men's Rights Activists were really, sincerely invested in caring for men
and improving their lives, they would do something proactive like, say,
holding fundraising drives to establish intimate partner violence
shelters for men, and/or promoting and advocating expansion of services
for male survivors of sexual violence, and/or working with organizations
like OCAP to address male homelessness.<br />
<br />
You don't have to operate under a feminist banner to effect positive
change in your community and to make things happen. But, golly, you do
have to actually put in a lot of hours, and your own blood, sweat,
tears, and money to really move mountains. <br />
<br />
Arguing on the internet can be productive and useful, considering that
you are most likely interacting with other humans on the other end, but
that's not the end of it. Not by a long shot.<br />
<br />
You want people to take you seriously, MRAs? How about you show us that
you actually give a crap about helping your fellow dudes by actually
doing something to help them. <br />
<br />
Are there any MRA campaigns you're aware of that are doing tangible,
productive things for your community? Please let me know so I can put my
support behind them.<br />
</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br />
<i>(Spoiler alert: if your evidence of their activity is one of their
poster campaigns, I will laugh you off of the internet. Trolling IRL is
not activism)</i> </i>damsel.in.de.techhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08921309674292153182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-85107180600076255362014-03-14T11:49:00.001-07:002014-03-14T11:49:03.436-07:00Genital mutilation isn't funny<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">The following is cross-posted from the </i><a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;"><i>Damsel in de Tech</i></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> blog. Click </i><a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.ca/2014/03/genital-mutilation-isnt-funny.html" style="background-color: white; color: #7d181e; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-decoration: none;"><i>here</i></a><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"> to see the original.</i><br />
<br />
Every once in a while there's a news story about someone (in all the cases I recall seeing to this point, a cis man) <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/13/hunt-missing-penis-close-dual-carriageway">having their penis severed</a>. It doesn't seem to matter what the context is or who did it or why. Universally it seems that as soon as the story hits the air, there are jokes and puns made about it. Many of us remember <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/make-cbs-apologize-for-sexist-remarks">Sharon Osbourne's</a> callous remarks on The View in 2011.<br />
<br />
I don't find these situations humorous. At all. They are cases of amputation, mutilation and grievous bodily harm. This is physical abuse, and a heinous form of torture that I do not abide.<br />
<br />
To some degree I get <i>why</i> people find it funny. On family shows, like America's Funniest Home Videos, half the clips seem to be of guy after guy somehow injuring his groin - whether it be from an errant football, a miscalculated skateboarding trick, or an overly enthusiastic dog. When you see these scenes played ad nauseum against a laugh-track, it's hard <i>not</i> to find yourself conditioned to accept that as harmless entertainment.<br />
<br />
I also see a lot of people making the assumption that the victim had perpetrated rape and this is likely their just-desserts. In this most recent story, there is no real information on who the attacker is or their relation to the victim. All assumptions are based on "Man's penis attacked, therefore man must have done something to deserve it." I don't think I need to state all the ways that's fucked up. Having a penis does not make one a rapist, and having one's penis mutilated does not make one a rapist.<br />
<br />
Let's say that there is a statistically large portion of these men who are guilty of having committed rape. I still do not support genital mutilation, in the same way I do not approve of rape or torture as a punishment. Not only from a pacifist point of view, but also because I feel encouraging this kind of revengeful violence does more harm to those "righteous" folks who carry it out and open the door to these kinds of acts being committed under an increasingly broad set of conditions, just as corrective rape is presently used.<br />
<br />
Yes, yes, I know. I'm a real buzzkill. Gosh, if you can't <a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.com/2014/02/challenging-rape-jokes-is-safety-measure.html">joke about rape</a> in front of me, and now I'm harshing on puns about genital mutilation, what is there left to joke about?<br />
<br />
How about knock, knock jokes?<br />
<br />
Knock, knock.<br />
Who's there?<br />
Orange.<br />
Orange who?<br />
I honestly don't give a crap what you have left to joke about, <a href="http://damsel-in-de-tech.blogspot.com/2012/07/daniel-tosh-and-reason-rape-jokes-arent.html">rape </a>and genital mutilation aren't funny.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/078/764/Not_Amused.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/078/764/Not_Amused.png" height="305" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
</div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe>
</b:if>damsel.in.de.techhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08921309674292153182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-46079208976321698862014-03-09T11:31:00.000-07:002014-03-09T12:16:14.738-07:00Another International Misogyny Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">By: Malanka Sveta</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
So yesterday was International Women's Day. Or, as I am now calling, International Be A Misogynist Asshat Day. Literally every man I was in contact with yesterday pulled some misogynist asshattery. Every single one.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Actual quotes include: "Happy IWD! I support you!", from my roommate to his male friends. And, later, "It's just a joke, get over it!". When you are using "woman" as an insult in and of itself, that is misogyny. Your joke was that being a woman is an insult. I don't need to just get over it, you need to not be an asshole. You have 364 days, I have one. Is it so much more than I deserve that you must ruin it every year?</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
And from the dude who asked my opinion of the <i>Dove Campaign for Real Beauty</i>, "Perhaps watch it again, through to that salient point.". Perhaps if you ask for my opinion you should not tell me I'm feminist wrong and dismiss what I have said in its entirety. The Dove campaign, and Unilever, are terrible. They are cashing in, or trying to cash in, on the insecurities that media has thrust upon women in the first place, and their other products and advertising are deeply racist and misogynist. I'm not going to fall over myself to congratulate them for wrapping up misogyny in a prettier package. As for any actual issue they address, they've been addressed. Jean Kilbourne. You should probably Google her if you in fact want to be an ally and understand the impact of media on self esteem.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
These are not the only examples, they are simply the ones that were the worst and most insulting because they were unexpected.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">So I'm going to, as I do every March 9, start rebuilding my faith in men. I'll keep you posted.</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe>
</b:if></div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-1554032519787976882014-03-08T11:51:00.003-08:002014-03-08T11:52:14.020-08:0010 Reasons I need International Women's Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">By: Malanka Sveta</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
This is by no means a complete list. It isn't meant to be. Please add your reasons to it.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
10) Because too many people think that feminism is redundant, despite the wage gap, the attacks on women's legal rights even in Canada, the abysmally low prosecution rate for rape, and the fact that 1 in 3 women still experience gendered violence from a romantic partner.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
9) Because too many people don't even know what the word "feminism" actually means.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
8) Because of "#solidarityisforwhitewomen". My feminism will be intersectional or it will be bullshit.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
7) Because of transmisogyny. See above.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
6) Because men lose self esteem when a door is held open for them.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
5) Because women are half the world, but only 17% of crowd scenes in movies.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
4) Because only 20% of paid work shown in G-rated movies is performed by women.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
3) Because media keeps telling me that I am not thin or pretty enough.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
2) Because media keeps telling me that I am too smart to get a man, and that my only aspiration should be to get a man.</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><span style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">1) Because it amuses me when people whine about the lack of an International Men's Day, even though it's on November 19. Every year.</span><iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe>
</b:if></div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-9820618463013002552014-02-28T08:30:00.000-08:002014-02-28T08:30:55.175-08:00On "Why do Men Catcall?" Spoiler alert, it's bullshit!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">By: Malanka Sveta</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe><a href="http://all4women.co.za/more/general/why-do-men-cat-call.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150890870979264_27076293_10151732085444264" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://all4women.co.za/more/general/why-do-men-cat-call.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150890870979264_27076293_10151732085444264</a>
</b:if><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
No. Just...no to the whole article.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"Have you ever walked down the street, minding your own business, and suddenly heard a loud wolf whistle or cheers directed at you - or worse?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Yes. It's called being in public while in possession of a vagina without a present owner.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"Some women are flattered by it while others are annoyed. The main question, though, is why men even do it at all?"<br />Because a subspecies of "men" can not live with the knowledge that women are in public while in possession of a vagina without a present owner. Can you fact check? Not all men do this. <b>Most men do not do this. </b>Why are you so down on men?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"While there’s no simple answer to this habit, one of the prevailing theories is that when men are with other men their bravado shoots up higher than it does when they are alone. Have you ever noticed that when you’re with your girlfriends you sometimes get a spurt of self-confidence?"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Self-confidence is not what causes the disrespect and dehumanisation/objectification of one half of the population of the fucking planet. Try again.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"Maybe you talk to a guy to whom you wouldn’t normally talk, or you feel like you can make choices that you might not when on your own. It’s kind of the same thing."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Have you ever met a woman? I'm not being sarcastic, I'm actually asking.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"There’s a saying about being ‘ten feet tall and bulletproof’ and for some men, when they are with ‘the guys’ their confidence is escalated and they don’t feel as timid about approaching women because they have more back-up. The cat calls, in this instance, are less about the women and more about the men."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Catcalls are always about men, and male dominance.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"You might be surprised that a lot of men who make the cat calls actually have healthy relationships at home and aren’t necessarily looking for a date or to get laid. What they might be looking for, however, is simple validation. The attention, however brief, that the woman gives them is enough to continue to boost their confidence."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
I would be very surprised to find out that any man who routinely disrespects women has ever had a "healthy relationship" with one.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"So what if you give them a steely glare instead of a smile in return? Well, sometimes negative attention is better than no attention at all. The reaction, whether it’s good or bad, is enough to satisfy the men."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
Is there a point here? Is the point that this sub species of men don't care how women feel? Like, at all? Because that's all I see. You, and any man who thinks like this, has no concern for how any woman ever feels at all.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"While they might feel demeaning and you have every right to complain if they go beyond that or you feel like you’re being harassed, you can usually guarantee that they’re going to stop at that. Sometimes, the men just like to show off to one another. If you do feel as though the comments are uncalled for, however, or you feel threatened in any way then it definitely might be time to put in a complaint."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
How about this sub species of men start treating women as people? Can we try that for a while? I'd also like to point out that nearly every woman has been actually physically threatened by a man who catcalls. All catcalls are uncalled for.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
"The next time you’re with your girlfriends, though, you might want to try to return the favour. You might just see how embarrassed the men can get in return!"</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">
How do I put this delicately? <b><i><u>CATCALLS ARE NOT A FUCKING FAVOUR!</u></i></b></div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-45222781950369131272014-01-18T11:30:00.000-08:002014-01-18T11:46:19.465-08:00Not *All* Feminists Are Like *That*<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
I've recently seen some posts on tumblr by feminists going on about how not all feminists are lesbians, or butch, or man haters. And I get they're trying to dismantle the stereotypes around being a feminist, because I used to do this too. However, intentions are not magic, and the results are straight feminists trying to validate themselves and feminism in the eyes of the kyriarchy (primarily straight men) by throwing lesbians and gender non-conformists under the bus.<br />
<br />
And that's what the people who make the lesbian, hairy, man-hating feminist comments want.<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>They want feminists to be on the defensive. </li>
<li>They want to divide us, and have the ones with more privilege (straight, gender-conforming) refusing to support our lesbian sisters. </li>
<li>They want us to suggest there's such a thing as a good or bad feminist.</li>
<li>They want us to say, "no I'm not like *those* types of feminists, you should like *me* and side with *me*" because that means we're also saying "you have feminists permission to hate and mock and oppress *those women*."</li>
</ul>
<div>
Feminism is about liberating women, it is about ending oppression for women, it is about creating equality. But the majority of feminists have various privileges which make us ignorant about, or down right prejudice against, other women who do not share our privileges. This is the reality of the kyriarchal world we live in. Which means being a feminist entails constantly policing your actions, thoughts, and mind to do our best to ensure our attempts at feminism don't involve harming our less privileged sisters. It means admitting we can be wrong, and admitting and apologizing for those wrongs when they actually happen, and educating and changing ourselves so we do not commit those wrongs again. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I used to respond to anti-feminist jokes and comments by expressing something about the idea that *I* wasn't *that type* of feminist, that most feminists weren't like *that*. </div>
<div>
I was wrong to do so. </div>
<div>
I hurt other women, the people I supposedly fought for and with. </div>
<div>
The feminists who make those kind of comments now are wrong and harmful. </div>
<div>
If you're one of them then do what a feminist is supposed to do. Change yourself. Stand with *all* women against oppression. </div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-56048436780342578702013-11-15T13:23:00.001-08:002013-11-15T13:23:29.170-08:00Baltimore City Potentially Screws Over Some Of Its Most Most Desperate Students<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
<a href="http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-11-12/news/bs-md-ci-school-closure-recommendations-20131112_1_7-city-schools-vivien-t-several-charter-schools" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Baltimore City Public Schools decides to close the vast majority of it’s accelerated programs that help over age students gain high school diplomas.</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I and all the teachers at the schools (that I’ve talked to) are outraged and concerned for the students. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRED5A8Pk2VHQvJkZvw0KTVFu2_fpNbnsq0t9PV5vhqCd5AA29xwzBO9j7R2lKA6oWjFQwWbHVa8M2fARGdvLBVGw0VoADFq7pvrfTV7lPJ-aJLOYKQP0PzMXFY2kivJKdLozGmZsJiC2/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-11-15+at+4.15.09+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRED5A8Pk2VHQvJkZvw0KTVFu2_fpNbnsq0t9PV5vhqCd5AA29xwzBO9j7R2lKA6oWjFQwWbHVa8M2fARGdvLBVGw0VoADFq7pvrfTV7lPJ-aJLOYKQP0PzMXFY2kivJKdLozGmZsJiC2/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-11-15+at+4.15.09+PM.png" width="321" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-71207374446865203452013-11-03T09:47:00.000-08:002014-01-18T10:58:37.020-08:00When 15-Year-Old Girls Highlight Issues with Traditional Canon and Academia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
In class my students had to perform a summary and theme analysis of <i>Chang'e and the Archer</i>, a Chinese myth that is also known as the <i>Moon Lady</i>. It's the story of an immortal couple punished and sent to earth through the husband's attempts to save the people of earth. His wife is upset and he goes in search of a way to become immortal again. Versions of the myth disagree on wether it was a pill, potion, or magical apricot, but he gains one of these from the Queen Mother of the West. and it should be strong enough for both of them to return to heaven as immortals. However, the archer doesn't tell his wife of this, instead he hides the pill/potion/apricot away because it must wait to mature, or be taken on a cloudless night. He leaves and Chang'e finds the pill/potion/apricot and eats it. However, she overdoses, or the night is cloudy, and instead of going to heaven she flies up to the moon instead.<br />
<br />
Traditionally this story is meant to warm about the dangers of curiosity, taking things that don't belong to you, or warn women to be obedient. However tradition is often most influenced by men. My students, who generally don't have much experience in traditional critiques or theme analysis, and a girls raised in an increasingly feminist society, interpreted the myth quite differently. <br />
<br />
Instead of being a lesson for Chang'e the morals were directed at her husband or men in general:<br />
"Women will always find what you try to hide."<br />
"Be honest with your partners."<br />
"Don't hide things from you wife."<br />
<br />
When it was a moral directed towards Chang'e it was about "don't allow yourself to be punished for someone else's actions."<br />
<br />
And I know in so many classes or places my students would have been called wrong. The morals they found were so far off from the "traditional" that many wouldn't pause to consider their validity. Despite their answers being text based and ones they could argue and support such interpretations go against centuries of (male) thought that they must be wrong.<br />
<br />
This ties into issues with academia, tradition, and interpretation in general. For so long the literary canon has been decided by the people with power in academia. The proper interpretations of this canon were decided by these same people. Centuries of traditional and academic correctness have been built by the values and ideas of these people. And the vast majority of the time these people are men, mainly white men, who come from the upper and middle classes.<br />
I'm a feminist, and I like to think I challenge such hegemonic and kyriarchal structures, but the truth is I was brought up in accordance to this structure. I was brought up to accept the literary ideas of this culture, and I was brought up to articulate ideas in line with the culture. And I was good at this.<br />
<br />
But these black teenaged girls, from a poor city, who most would consider under-served by the educational system came up with interpretations that were more complex than the moral messages of tradition. And in hindsight, I think their interpretations are also more correct. Because why should a wife be punished for something her husband did that she had absolutely nothing to do with? And what decent parter gains access to a powerful and potentially dangerous substance and doesn't warn their spouse?<br />
<br />
Sure, "don't eat things when you don't know what they are" is an important lesson to teach. But do we have to use grown women to teach lessons that most children learn by the time they're three? </div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-68059268562742586252013-10-12T11:08:00.001-07:002013-10-12T11:08:32.251-07:00Where are the Young People?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By: Liberate Zealot<br />
<br />
It's been several months since I've been able to write for Feminist Armchair Regime. During this time I've been taking classes and teaching, first at a summer school, and now at an all girls public high school. I've been so busy that actually seeing my live in partner is a struggle never mind writing for this blog.<br />
<br />
But during this time I've seen and heard such amazing things from these teenagers. Thoughts and beliefs and concerns that society seems so bent on refusing to acknowledge teenagers can have, especially the teenagers I work with. The vast majority of my students are black and living in or near poverty. Some of them are teen moms, or homeless, or practicing Muslims who wear hijab.<br />
<br />
Society has so many ideas about what teenagers like my students are like. Stereotypes about black people, and teen girls, and Muslim women, and poor children, and teen moms. That they're unengaged and don't care about politics or <a href="https://www.google.com/#q=young+women+reject+feminism&safe=off" target="_blank">feminism</a> or <a href="http://ideas.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/why-are-blacks-against-gay-marriage/?_r=0" target="_blank">LGBTQ rights</a>. I've heard so many people in power decrying the youth and their values. And I constantly wonder what world these people are living in.<br />
<br />
Because I live in a world where every feminist org or protest or rally I've been involved in has had at least half of the people participating be under the age of 30, and depending on the time there are a significant number of teenagers involved.<br />
<br />
Some of my students regularly discuss if characters in the stories we read are feminist, none of my 150 students have ever questioned the importance of feminism. Most find Malala Yousafzai inspirational and want to learn more about her. Many are doing extra work to research women in literature. They love Rosa Parks and are disappointed that more black women aren't commemorated in the Civil Rights movement.<br />
<br />
And it isn't only the girls who are interested in these discussions. Several black young men in my summer school class discussed the relationships between power and masculinity, wealth, and mental illness. One knew the term and concept of Patriarchy as it's used in academia and social justice and was enthused to learn of Kyriarchy and the articulation of power structures that he was struggling to name.<br />
<br />
And this high school I work at, full of African American teenagers, is one of the most LGBTQ friendly places I've been outside of official LGBTQ spaces. Students who present in gender queer or butch ways are accepted. The girls speak as positively about the lesbian relationships as they do about straight ones. There is an active GSA.<br />
<br />
And numerous students are interested in local and national politics, specially the government shutdown. The day that happened several students came in to homeroom early to ask about the repercussions of the shutdown, and were horrified at museums being closed. Some of my 13 and 14 year old students discussed the possibility of defaulting on our loans triggering another Great Depression. And every single student is concerned about what this means of WIC and Head Start.<br />
<br />
And one reason so many of these students are engaged, and so knowledgeable is because these concerns touch their lives so intimately. The pay gap is a much more pressing concern for black teenage girls than 20 and 30 something college educated white women. It's the same for limitations to sex education, birth control, and abortion. WIC and Head Start are what provided for many of my students when they were younger, some need it now for their children, otherwise they'd have to drop out of school and work full-time.<br />
<br />
Police abuse and institutionalize racism in the legal system is something these children grow up knowing, elementary students can discuss Trayvon Martin, and not one of my freshman was unaware of lynchings or segregation or have hope for Tom Robinson in <i>To Kill a Mocking Bird</i>. My sophomores understand the struggle of Malala for an education much more so than the white kids in the suburbs that I've worked with, they understand it more personally than I do myself.<br />
<br />
They also understand the concerns of health care and mental illness more personally than I do. They know what lack of health care feels like, they know the value of having it. They know the importance of getting diagnosed and treated for mental health issues. They know because they see their family members, or themselves, lacking that care, being under diagnosed. They see that mental illness in poor black people is as likely to lead to prison as a psychiatrist.<br />
<br />
They're much more knowledgeable and engaged than I was at their age. They care so much. But their knowledge and experience and concerns are ignored by the very people in power who claim to lament their absence.<br />
"Where are the young people?" they ask, "why don't young people care?" while they broadcast another interview with Taylor Swift or Justin Beiber or other wealthy, white, young people for whom feminism or politics can be concepts where engagement is unnecessary. <br />
<br />
These people in power, very often white and middle class themselves rarely engage with the teen activists of TAP who are taking a stand in New York against Stop and Frisk. Or De'Jaun Correia a teenager who speaks internationally against the death penalty, and whose uncle is on death row, and remains unacknowledged outside of <i>The ROOT</i>. A quick google for "black teen activists" contains more first page hits about the Trayvon Martin activists not speaking out against the beating of a white student than about current teenage African American activists.<br />
<br />
So we have to look at the reality. The young people are there, already as activists, or with all the passion ready to be engaged. The issue isn't with them. It's with us, the people in power who don't want to reach out. Who don't want to work with poor black or immigrant teenagers. Whose feminism or political activism doesn't actually care about the concerns of the passionate and informed youths in the US. We'd rather maintain our privilege and decry the lack of youth engagement than admit it's not young people who are the problem, it's us. </div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-43293584075100417452013-08-25T21:00:00.001-07:002013-08-25T21:04:47.371-07:00Babe, Is This Sexist? - Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: none; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Survey says... HELL YES IT IS.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">The fucking title of the song is "<span id="goog_986919252"></span><a href="http://www.consented.ca/myths/grey-rape/" target="_blank">grey rape is fun!</a><span id="goog_986919253"></span>" for fuck's sake.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Nevermind the song itself, Thicke's 'defence' of the song and the video speak for themselves.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">I mean, ladies, seriously - it's okay. R<a href="http://noisey.vice.com/en_au/blog/relax-robin-thicke-was-just-pretending-to-degrade-women" target="_blank">obin and Pharrell are married, so it's fine</a>.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.accesshollywood.com/image/193175/height=360/width=640/i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://www.accesshollywood.com/image/193175/height=360/width=640/i.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Furthermore, <a href="http://music.cbc.ca/blogs/blogpost.aspx?modPageName=&year=2013&month=6&title=Misogyny-makes-a-comeback-Kanye-Robin-Thicke-and-degrading-women&permalink=/blogs/2013/6/Misogyny-makes-a-comeback-Kanye-Robin-Thicke-and-degrading-women" target="_blank">degrading women is a pleasure</a>. Also, <a href="http://jezebel.com/robin-thicke-calls-blurred-lines-a-feminist-movement-963743474" target="_blank">a feminist movement, dontcha know!</a></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">And, if that doesn't convince you... well, his <a href="http://www.accesshollywood.com/gloria-loring-defends-son-robin-thickes-blurred-lines-you-dont-keep-paula-patton-if-you-dont-respect-women_article_83384" target="_blank">Mom thinks it's totes okay</a>.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Just, seriously. This is one of those "if I have to explain how it's sexist, you've already failed at life" sort of things. Unfortunately, it looks like we have a TONNE more explaining to do.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">These teenagers NAIL the issue - here are your blurred lines right here. Time to stop teaching the next generation that this kind of shit isn't confusing anyone.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5fo1kvlRjTs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">We agree, Teens React - "Ah ha. Feminist movement, THAT? OKAY. OKAY.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">God dammit people."</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><br /></b:if>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">
<a href="http://feminist-armchair-regime.blogspot.com/2012/11/babe-is-this-sexist-masterpost.html" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Go to the Babe, is this Sexist? Masterpost to see all our installments</span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And please leave suggestions for topics for future posts in the Babe, is this Sexist? Series. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can do so by leaving messages here or in the masterpost.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By tweeting us <a href="https://twitter.com/FemArmRegime" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@FemArmRegime</a> #babeisthissexist?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">By messaging us on <a href="http://www.tumblr.com/blog/feministarmchairregime" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tumblr</a> or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/FeministArmchairRegime" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. </span></div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-49259623877601223232013-08-22T08:22:00.002-07:002013-08-22T08:22:39.529-07:00Babe, is this Sexist? - Blurred Lines<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">
Hello, dear readers!</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Babe is this Sexist? returns! And we want to hear from you!</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Robin Thicke's single "Blurred Lines" is currently in its 14th straight week at number 1 on the Billboard charts. So, we ask: Babe, is it Sexist?</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://oxfordstudent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/blurred-lines-explicit-unrated-video-robin-thicke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://oxfordstudent.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/blurred-lines-explicit-unrated-video-robin-thicke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Let us know what you think with <a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9KBG37H" target="_blank">this handy dandy survey</a>, or leave your comments.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">The video can be viewed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU" target="_blank">here</a>, or you can get the lyrics from this<a href="http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/robinthicke/blurredlines.html" target="_blank"> 3rd party site</a> (though the video is definitely part of the story, we'll understand if you don't want to watch it).</b:if><b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">We'll post the results on Sunday.<iframe allowtransparency="true" expr:src=""http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="border: currentColor; height: 60px; overflow: hidden; width: 530px;"></iframe>
</b:if></div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-74389942397467568942013-08-20T13:30:00.000-07:002013-08-20T13:32:38.195-07:00Speaking Feminism: The Whom Rule <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">
<br />
by <a href="http://feminist-armchair-regime.blogspot.ca/p/meet-hivemind.html" target="_blank">Eudaimonatrix</a>)</b:if><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(and an accidental linguistic </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg_(media)"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">easter egg</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[trigger warning: domestic violence, sexual
harassment]</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[trigger warning: stark and explicit references
to domestic violence] Awhile ago I saw a great TED Talk by <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue.html"><span style="color: blue;">Jackson
Katz called: <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Violence against women—it's a men's issue</span></span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Go watch it now. I’ll
wait.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[waits for 18
minutes, or, if you want to see where I’m going here, for a couple minutes
while you watch starting at about the 2:28 mark]</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the video, the
speaker uses grammar to elegantly illustrate how <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-objectification/"><span style="color: blue;">objectification</span></a>
and <a href="http://psychologydictionary.org/blaming-the-victim/"><span style="color: blue;">victim
blaming</span></a> work, and are desperately inter-related. His illustration centers
on simple sentence construction: how the way we use the subject and the object
in a sentence send radical signals about how we’re thinking about
accountability, agency, and domestic and sexual violence.</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today’s comic from
The Oatmeal is also grammatical: <a href="http://theoatmeal.com/comics/who_vs_whom"><span style="color: blue;">How and why to use “who” and “whom”
in a sentence</span></a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I usually get a kick
out of The Oatmeal’s grammar humour, and this comic is no exception (I don’t
know why unwashed koalas are funny, but man, the lols…). The grammar tip
basically boils down to </span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Whom = enquiries
about the object (hi</span><u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">m</span></u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in a properly constructed sentence)<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: blue;">
</span></strong></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Who = enquiries
about the subject (he</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">_</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> in a properly constructed sentence)<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Handy tip. Now I know how to keep who and whom straight. AND….[drum roll] how
to tell if you’re objectifying or victim-blaming someone using grammar!</span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The ‘subject’ in a
sentence is the ‘doer.’ They have the agency (and are ostensibly accountable
for the action taking place). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>For example:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">DudeBro shouted “nice
tits!” at the Stranger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 5.25pt; text-align: left;">
<u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Who</strong></span></u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> shouted? DudeBro, the subject. </span><u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong>Whom</strong></span></u><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> was sexually harassed? The
Stranger, the object of the sexual harassment, whom you<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(depending on who you are) feel sympathetic
towards, angry on behalf of, or entitled to bother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: blue;">Passerby intervenes, by telling Dudebro “yo, Dudebro, not
cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a consent-based interaction,
man.”</span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Who</u> </b>intervened?
Passerby, the subject doing the talking. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Whom</u></b>
got told? Dudebro, the object.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice
how in this case the Passerby is brave, and the one in control?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">“Whatever, [insert homophobic expletive]. She’s got great
tits, and she should cover up if they’re not for me to compliment,” sayeth DudeBro.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, here’s an interesting one. The DudeBro is a subject in
that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>he</u></b> said the thing.
However, let’s look at what he said. It’s not easy to pick out from the
sentence construction (simple sentences are usually subject-verb-object, as in
the first 2 here). So let’s use the who=he (and I) and whom=him (and me) rule.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">She</b> is the
subject. She is the one who has something and should do something.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me (in this case, Dudebro me) is the object.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her doing something (or not doing something)
has an effect on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>him. <o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Who</u></b> is in
the wrong? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>She</u></b> is (yep, the
Stranger is a she – go figure).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">According to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>whom</u></b>?
Dudebro, who implies through his sentence structure that her appearance in a
public space affects <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>him.</u></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Presto.</b> See what
happened there? The Stranger is objectified. Then Dudebro (who objectified her
in the first instance) is challenged to be accountable for his behavior, and
turns the Stranger into the subject so that he can blame her for the action
being challenged. Hopefully the scene continues with Dudebro getting an eloquent can of rhetorical whoop-ass getting poured all over him, but we'll leave that up to your imagination, dear readers.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>Easter egg time!</u></strong> The thing that got me thinking about this originally was that the whom-him mnemonic doesn't work for 'her.' As a matter of fact, that shortcut would be whor-her. Telling, no?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Note: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oatmeal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Mat Inman & The Oatmeal </span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have been the source of some </span><a href="http://www.themarysue.com/the-oatmeal-gamer-girl-comic/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">really sexist</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
“humour” and </span><a href="http://www.blogher.com/rape-jokes-and-oatmeal"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">rape “jokes”</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
in the past, and the comic I link to above actually has a tangential joke about
sexual harassment in it that relies on the old “dudes who harass women are just
socially awkward, you guyz” standby). I’m still a fan – albeit a critical one.
My complicated relationship with sexist media will be something to get into another
day). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
</div>
Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-78507718973731523642013-08-02T10:25:00.001-07:002013-08-02T10:25:26.202-07:00The UK Porn Filter: The Plaster Over the Wound?<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "item"'> <iframe expr:src='"http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=" + data:post.url + "&layout=standard&show-faces=true&width=530&height=60&action=like&colorscheme=light"' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' style='border:none; overflow:hidden; width:530px; height:60px' allowTransparency='true'></iframe> </b:if><br />
<br />
<br />
By: Suk Maklitt<br />
<br />
<br />
The UK porn filter is a topic causing a lot of debate. It’s one I’m hesitant to comment on not because I have nothing to say on it but because I probably have too much. Where do I start? Well, maybe I’ll start with what I won’t discuss and that’s the censorship/ free speech/ technical issue. I think that’s been covered by enough people. <br />
<br />
So, I want to ask is, will this UK porn filter achieve anything beneficial? Abusive porn will be blocked? Sounds good to many (me included) but what will doing so achieve? Will people stop creating abusive porn and images? Will rape culture dissolve overnight? Will paedophilia? Will sexual objectification? Will sexism? Will our relationships magically improve? Will everyone suddenly become respectful of one another’s bodily autonomy and sexuality? No, that would be ridiculous. So what I’ve been thinking about is how a UK porn filter is like sticking a plaster over a gaping, infected, oozing, maggot-riddled wound.<br />
<br />
Abusive porn and images do not exist in a vacuum but, rather, sit on the extreme end of a spectrum. A spectrum we are all familiar with although we may not recognise all its elements’ true toxic nature, like certain romantic comedies or Page 3 or MTV or, even, Disney. Abusive porn exists because people move up and up and up that spectrum, from the seemingly innocuous to the mild to the obviously harmful, until they reach those pornographic extremes. It’s an insidious spectrum we’re exposed to daily and it saturates our entire culture. Simply hiding the abusive porn will never remove that spectrum just like hiding symptoms of radiation poisoning won’t remove the risk of others becoming exposed to the same radioactive source. <br />
<br />
Additionally, there are the claims that such filters will block out feminist porn, LGBTQ-friendly porn, sex advice, relationship advice, educational materials, forums for sexual assault survivors, etc. It will, inadvertently, censor education and social progression. This fact becomes more terrifying when you realise the internet - despite its many dark, shadowy corners - is currently the greatest source of sex and relationship advice for children and teenagers (and, actually, even adults) we have. To describe school sex education as ‘lacking’ would be exceedingly generous. Sex education in the UK barely covers the basics. I don’t know about you but I distinctly remember a teacher telling us during sex ed class that only “silly girls” got themselves pregnant whilst still attending school. That’s practically state-sanctioned slut-shaming.<br />
<br />
Despite these failings, when given the chance to improve the situation in June this year by implementing mandatory and comprehensive sex and relationship education in state schools, the majority of the ConDems voted against. Why? Presumably under another misguided attempt to protect children. There is contradiction in our society where unhealthy sexual imagery such as objectification is constantly thrust in people’s faces but healthy, body-positive sex and discussions of can be taboo; the former is so prolific we’re accustomed to viewing it whilst the latter’s liberal inclusivity and often anti-oppressive nature threatens the status quo and thus appears dangerously revolutionary. One of the biggest issues here, as I see it, is this erroneous conflation of healthy sex and unhealthy sex as one big, bad, dangerous package which should be kept out of the reach of children, at all costs, lest it corrupt their sparkling innocence. Well, too late. Look around. Unhealthy sexual images are everywhere and they are not just relegated to those dark, shadowy corners of the internet that the government think they can block off. Adults and children alike are absorbing these unhealthy messages every day through television, cinema, newspapers, peers, parents, fashion, music, advertisements… like I said, everywhere! This is the reason why abuse is prolific. This is the reason why abusive porn exists. This is what’s enabling abusers. An internet filter will benefit no one because refusing to address problems will never make them go away. <br />
<br />
Isn't it about time the government realised there is no greater filter than education?Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8682486559348414316.post-92166750886501824412013-07-11T08:36:00.003-07:002013-08-09T11:36:45.642-07:00Don't be that Guy gets a Makeover, and it's bad news<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""> By: Eudamontatrix</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">TRIGGER WARNING: lots of talking about sexual assault, images related to sexual assault on lots of the links, victim-blaming, MRAs.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/706030/dont-be-that-girl-posters-in-edmonton-spark-outrage/" target="_blank">Edmonton has a problem.</a> Thankfully, it's garnered national media attention, so some of you fair readers may have heard about what I'm talking about.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Here's the short version: in 2010, an Edmonton-based coalition called <a href="http://www.savedmonton.com/" target="_blank">SAVE</a> launched the <a href="http://www.savedmonton.com/about-our-campaigns.html" target="_blank">'Don't Be that Guy'</a> poster campaign to international acclaim, and is <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/dont-be-that-guy-ad-campaign-cuts-vancouver-sex-assaults-by-10-per-cent-in-2011/article1359241/" target="_blank">credited with reducing instances of sexual assault in Vancouver, Canada, by 10%</a>. The aim of the campaign was simple and unsurprisingly (though seriously frustratingly) controversial: to ask male perpetrators of sexual assault to, you know, stop doing that.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">A couple of days ago, Men's Rights Edmonton (not going to link that - I'll link to the news shortly, but I don't want these guys to get even more web hits than they already are) <a href="http://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=963017" target="_blank">put up rip-off "Don't Be That Girl" posters</a> whose messages are, unsurprisingly (and seriously frustratingly) that drunk girls who are victims probably aren't and also, probably lying.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Ugh.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><b>ACTION</b>: If you're in Edmonton and want to be part of the action, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/yegslutwalk" target="_blank">YEGSlutwalk</a> is happening on July 27, and would be a good place to get your solidarity on (they're currently <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/edmonton-slutwalk-2013" target="_blank">fundraising</a> to host the march). There are also a few counter-poster campaigns and community watch reporting initiatives on the go. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AVRPYeg" target="_blank">A Voice for Reasonable People Edmonton</a> is a good place to go to get information on what's happening. So is twitter (#yeg).</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""><b>INTERNET RESPONSE</b>: There's been a lot of thoughtful (and a lot of not so thoughtful) commentary on the issue so far. I recommend checking out University of Alberta Womens & Gender Studies Chair/SAVE Coalition member <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radioactive/#" target="_blank">Lise Gotell on CBC Radioactive</a>, for starters if you want to hear some good thoughts on it. If you're up for joining the never-ending comment wars that get waged over these kinds of things, two problematic columns are up for your viewing pleasure. <a href="http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Simons+True+sexual+equality+best+fight+rape+culture/8642769/story.html" target="_blank">Paula Simons from the Edmonton Journal</a> raises some good points (yay for more feminism!), but also some really bad ones, and this column from the <a href="http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/07/10/robyn-urback-sometimes-assault-accusations-are-false-a-little-awareness-is-ok/" target="_blank">National Post's Robyn Urback</a> is just a disaster. And while not directly on the current controversy, I think this piece<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/01/08/the_enliven_project_s_false_rape_accusations_infographic_great_intentions.html" target="_blank"> from Slate on an infographic about sexual assaults</a> in the US is pretty on point. On a related note, anyone who has the opportunity to do so and can do it safely should take in <a href="http://www.jaclynfriedman.com/workshops-services" target="_blank">Jacyln's Freidman's Beyond Consent workshop</a>: also a very thorough reflective piece on why we need to talk about blaming perpetrators and re-framing consent and sexuality.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">I've been doing a lot of writing on this issue for the past couple of days, so I'm also going to share what I've been writing - this is going to be a bit disjointed, but I wanted to share in case it helps other people who care about this share.</b:if><br />
<br />
On the idea that "Don't Be That Guy" victimizes men by being sexist:<br />
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; box-sizing: border-box; color: #42474a; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 15px/21px "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
1) Most sexual assault perpetrators are men. (Note: this is not the same thing as saying that most men are perpetrators).<br />
2) Men are more likely to be sexually assaulted by other men than they are by women (Note: this is not the same thing as saying that women do not sexually assault men)<br />
3) Feeling "insulted" by some posters is not the same thing as feeling oppressed or threatened by the world you live in, and is certainly not the same thing as being sexually assaulted. (Note: Women are often the victims of those last 3 things, and are more often the victims of those three things than men. This is not the same thing as saying men are never the victims of those things).</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; box-sizing: border-box; color: #42474a; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 15px/21px "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Therefore, those posters were trying to reach a target audience informed by statistics - that audience being male perpetrators of sexual violence, or their male friends who might be able to intervene before they commit sexual assault. Not a perpetrator? Ignore the poster - just like you can ignore posters directed at women telling them to buy tampons. Not friends with perpetrators? That's great - ignore the posters.</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">On the idea that 'raising awareness' of false accusations is a constructive thing to be doing in response to campaigns asking perpetrators to not rape people:</b:if><br />
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; box-sizing: border-box; color: #42474a; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 15px/21px "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Of reported sexual assaults, between 2 and 4 percent are found to be false accusations. Sure. HOWEVER, sexual assaults are dramatically under-reported compared to other crimes, so the number of false accusations compared to the number of sexual assaults that actually happen is WAY less than, say the number of murders committed versus the number of false accusations of murder.</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; box-sizing: border-box; color: #42474a; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 15px/21px "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Man or woman, you are far, FAR more likely to be the victim of a sexual assault than you are to be falsely accused of one - cracking down on the problem that people actually commit sexual assaults is a touch more likely to positively affect large numbers of people than cracking down on the number of people who make false accusations (a problem the system is already relatively good at catching).</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: 0px currentColor; box-sizing: border-box; color: #42474a; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 15px/21px "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
Maybe we should try 'raising awareness' of that.</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div>
On Paula Simons' column (via a facebook discussion)</div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: rgb(237, 239, 244); color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 5.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background: rgb(237, 239, 244);"><span data-reactid=".r[320bv].[1][4][1]{comment10153010573890176_42084187}.[0].[right].[0].[left].[0].[0].[0][2].[0]"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[320bv].[1][4][1]{comment10153010573890176_42084187}.[0].[right].[0].[left].[0].[0].[0][2]" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;"><span data-reactid=".r[320bv].[1][4][1]{comment10153010573890176_42084187}.[0].[right].[0].[left].[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[0]">I agree with quite a bit of what she has to say, but disagree with her narrative swap - the narrative in the 'Don't be that Guy' posters is about focusing on the perpetrator as the person responsible for stopping sexual assault, and she plays into why that's (tragically) novel and important by jumping on the 'yeah, but...' train that almost inevitably shows up when anyone tries to assert that "rapists cause rapes. Period." Rapists cause rapes. "Yeah, but, what about the behaviour of the victim?" is not a constructive question to ask, and will not help end sexual violence.</span><br data-reactid=".r[320bv].[1][4][1]{comment10153010573890176_42084187}.[0].[right].[0].[left].[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[1]" /> <br data-reactid=".r[320bv].[1][4][1]{comment10153010573890176_42084187}.[0].[right].[0].[left].[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[2]" /> <span data-reactid=".r[320bv].[1][4][1]{comment10153010573890176_42084187}.[0].[right].[0].[left].[0].[0].[0][2].[0].[3]">I also resent her generalization that young women who drink too much do it so that the feel comfortable having sex they don't want to have. I get that she's critiquing that as a social structure problem we're all responsible for and would benefit from fixing, but it's a disingenuous red herring to raise here. Don't Be that Guy's aim (while imperfectly executed) is to clearly state that perpetrators cause sexual violence, not victims. Don't Be that Girl seeks to put the blame right back on the victims - "you're responsible for your own sexual assault and furthermore, you're probably a liar." They're not equally flawed messages - Don't be that Girl is worse.</span></span></span></span> </span></div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
On the broader issue of how victim-blaming hurts us all (private facebook chat)<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/17px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">One of the really big problems with blaming victims is that no one has anyway of telling who the rapists are. They look just like anyone else. So advice to "protect yourself" (typically directed at women) is basically saying "protect yourself from all the men, and especially the men you know the best" (your likeliest rapist) . Flip side of same coin: men who get abused and raped are assumed to have failed to defend themselves from something they should have "easily" been able to stop. Which is just as horrible a thing to say. Talking up false accusations makes all that worse - it brings up an INCREDIBLY rare issue that serves to reinforce the idea that all kinds of sexual assault are less common and more likely to be falsely reported than they actually are.</span><br />
<div class="_3hi clearfix" style="-ms-zoom: 1; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 11px/14px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="_38 direction_ltr" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-right: 50px; text-align: left;">
<div style="margin: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/17px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The result: when a woman gets up the courage to honestly (as opposed to falsely) accuse someone of rape, it isn't usually "send that bastard to jail!" It's usually "what were you wearing/you were drunk/why were you out alone/you deserved it you slut."</span></div>
</div>
<div class="_1yr" style="float: right; margin-left: 4px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/17px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="_2oy" style="float: right;"></span></span><br /></div>
</div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/17px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
<div class="_3hi clearfix" style="-ms-zoom: 1; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 11px/14px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div class="_38 direction_ltr" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-right: 50px; text-align: left;">
<div style="margin: 10px 0px 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 13px/17px "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And for male victims it's just as bad, if not worse.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""></b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">Here's hoping the voices of reason manage to turn this into an opportunity to really move the conversation on ending sexual violence forward. It's high time we got used to the idea that the solution to this is for perpetrators to stop committing sexual violence, and for us to work together to end the patriarchal systems that allow them to get away with it. No buts.</b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item"">UPDATE:<a href="http://edmontonslutwalk.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/open-letter-to-ms-simons-and-editors-of-the-edmonton-journal/" target="_blank"> YEGSlutwalk responds</a> to Paula Simons, and <a href="http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/734619/controversial-poster-group-now-taking-aim-at-edmonton-slutwalk/" target="_blank">Metronews engages in some shoddy journalism</a> by publishing <a href="http://justice.alberta.ca/programs_services/criminal_pros/Documents/SexualAssaultHandbook-PoliceCrown.pdf" target="_blank">completely made-up "statistics" about false accusations</a> (page 16, for those of you who click that last link). </b:if><br />
<b:if cond="data:blog.pageType == "item""> </b:if>Feminist Armchair Regimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16081212675571863897noreply@blogger.com1