Thursday, August 12, 2004

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

One For the Guys

I may have mentioned my intense hatred of Maggie Gallagher before. Actually, I'd be really surprised if I haven't. The contempt I feel for her and her ilk (Ann Coulter, Dr. Laura, et al) is unmatched. Typically my anger is inspired by their homophobic comments, but today I stand before you in defense of men. They're not all idiots, Maggie. Really.

Todays rant comes to you in response to the latest in the Maggie Gallagher "Girls Should be Girls" series. You can read it here. Basic jist of the article is that women should be nicer to men. Especially if said men do anything that isn't exclusively MANLY. Or maybe its that women should just, you know, suck it up and be all super mom, like they've been expected to ever since women entered the work force. Its hard to tell, she kinda meanders around a bit. In any event, she pissed me off.

From the article:
As androgyny becomes the theoretical ideal, and sex differences are treated as nonexistent or suspect, women tend to make "parenting" synonymous with "mothering." And most men really just aren't as good as their wives at being mothers.
As one father tried to explain about his "parenting" experience: "Oh, look, the littler person is crying -- which of the five major reasons could it be? Let me go down the list, after I find the list. Where is the list? Meanwhile my wife will have solved the problem. She doesn't have to consult the list; she is the list."

This is what Maggie thinks of the typical American male? Really? Dude, if you need a fucking list of things to check when your child cries, you should have kept it in your pants. Seriously. We don't need the stupidity genes passed along to the next generation. See, I for one don't buy this "men can't take care of kids" bullshit. I don't think the guy mentioned above is stupid. He's just a lazy, sexist prick that knows if he sits there with his thumb up his ass long enough, his wife will take care of things. Not all men are like that. Don't believe me? Go read Flea. She'll tell ya.

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

No Pity. No Shame. No Silence.

Go read this post. Ya gotta scroll down below the ETA stuff.

I have never been the victim of sexual violence or abuse. I am one of the lucky ones. I know far too many women that haven't been so lucky. Spread the word. Talk about it. Teach your children to speak up and speak out. Refuse to be silenced.

Monday, August 09, 2004

The F Word

Yep, feminist. I am amazed by the reaction that word gets from women. Especially women in my generation.


I, personally, have always identified with the term feminist. As a teenager, I couldn't imagine anyone with ovaries not being a feminist. I mean hullo! Masochist much? I didn't study feminist theory or discuss politics with my friends, I wasn't an activist and I did little to challenge the status quo. But I was aware.

At the tender age of 11 I decided that if I should happen to get married (which was a thought I wasn't keen on, for what are now obvious reasons), I would wait until I was at least 25. That way I would already have a college education and the beginnings of a career. I'd never get stuck in a situation I couldn't get out of. More specifically, if my future husband decided beating on me was an acceptable form of discourse, I could leave him. Kinda sad that I was thinkin that at 11, but there ya go.

When I went to college, my feminist leanings became more solid. I took a class on Womens History, which sparked new discussion in my cirle of friends. Most didn't seem to care one way or the other. Womens lib? *shrug* That SO 70s. It was around this time that I met my very first closet feminist.

Closet feminist you say? What the hell? Thought closets were for homos! Yeah, well me too. See, I didn't realize just how offensive some women find the term "feminist". I asked a college friend if she was a feminist and her response was "I'm a humanist." In other words, "I'm a feminist but won't use the title because I'm chickenshit."

The patriarchy has slandered feminism. The media portrays the feminist movement as a bunch of hairy-legged, man hating, bitter, bitchy women that can't get men. Oh, and ugly. Can't forget ugly. And women have swallowed the BS hook, line and sinker.

Hey ladies, wake up. Feminism is OUR movement. Believe it or not, you can be a feminist AND be cute. Trust me, I do it every day. Man hating, while occasionally encouraged, is not at all required. Nor is vulva worship (fun, but not required). You can shave your legs and be a feminist. You can stay at home with your kids and be a feminist. Hell, you can even be a republican and be a feminist. Or you can let your leg hair grow, shave your head and wear combat boots and be a feminist. Feminism is not about what you shave, who you date, or what you do for a living. Feminism is about beliefs. Feminism is about equality. Feminism is about us, and its high time we reclaimed it.

Hi. My name's Kim, and I'm a feminist.

You are a Gender Nazi. Your boundary-crossing
lifestyle inspires awe in your friends and
colleagues. Or maybe they're just scared you
will kick their asses for using gender-specific
language. Either way, the wife-beater helps.

What kind of postmodernist are you!?
brought to you by Quizilla

TGIM
Whoa. Holy weekend batman. Ya know you've had a good weekend when ya look forward to Monday cuz ya need to rest.

Yes, yes, went out again on Saturday night. Of course I did. Me and Beth met Kev and Josh at Donnys, then we all hit the Eagle and again ended up at afterhours. Again I danced all freakin night and again I didn't get home till after 4. Could barely move yesterday I was so damn sore, but was well worth it. I figure someday the time will come when I can't dance all night, so I may as well live it up while I can, right? Damn skippy.

In other news, I am way slacking in pretty much every area of my life besides the above mentioned nocturnal ass shakin. Still haven't called a realtor. And I need to make a dentist appointment, which I dread in huge and terrible ways. Seriously, HATE the dentist. Hate going, hate someone prodding around in there, hate the little metal hook of death they weild, hate everydamn thing about it. And they will be using the drill. A lot. And no doubt lecturing and lambasting me all the while for having not gone for, um, like years. I know, I know, for shame, but really, if you'd had the dental experiences I've had, you'd opt for the "avoid em as long as possible" policy too. But, alas, I can't avoid it any longer. At least not if I want to continue on my solid food diet. Harumpf.