It seems as though in my rush to make a point, I isolated and offended many individuals. For this I suck, because it was hypocritical of me.
It's hypocritical because I think generally as feminists we create too many divisions amongst ourselves when if we look at successful feminist struggles like the March for Women's Lives it was not our divisions that made this event successful, it was our ability to look beyond the differences and look at our common goal.
Likewise as we have seen with trans issues, there are many different radical feminist voices.
My Original unedited 'PS' remark. I am leaving this here for anyone to see, I am removing it from my original post because it is meaningless and a detraction from the main point.
PS. If you're from the pro-pornstitution feminist tag team (you know who you are) that somehow miraculously appears to suddenly 'befriend' every dissenting feminist voice on the net, to support them with their 'radical feminist bashing', there's no nice way for me to say this 'don't bother'. Seriously, on any other post I'd love to hear your comments - just not this one. Pornstitution is racist, it harms WOC and I have no desire to get support from any of you - just because you think 'I'm bashing your enemy'. No thanks. I do however, encourage you to comment on my other posts if you ever feel like it because like "white radical feminists", I do know that we have things in common - just not as many as I'd like.
I should have stated that this was not to be a 'radical feminist bashing' period. It should have ended there, to specify that it was 'pro-pornstitution' feminists was ignorant of me and for that I apologize. I furthered a binary without thinking and I am sorry. Also, as BFP noted, this made it seem like I assumed that 'WOC' are incapable of knowing who their allies are (she didn't say it in so many words, but I am).
I will unfortunately NOT apologize for my usage of examples, for that I am not sorry.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Saturday, December 30, 2006
How to Stop Being an Ignorant/Indifferent White Feminist...
Post dedication Yolanda, cause I don't want to see another WOC blogger leave.
Why'd I start this blog?
Actually, I had no intention of starting one because I'm not the best writer, and I read far too many blogs/articles per day to even try to summarize what I want to say. But at a certain point, I realized when I wrote comments on other people's blogs I was either a)muted b)'attacked'/'insulted' by librul white bois c)generally ignored. So, basically I started this blog for some space to call my own as a WOC.
Anyways, despite being 'political' there are indeed some topics I tend to shy away from (again because I don't think I am the best writer and we all tend to believe - 'someone else is already doing it, do I really need to?'). One of these topics I shy away from is the inability of white feminists to understand their own ignorance and perpetuation of 'racism'. Oh shite, shoot me cause I know y'all are thinking "bloody hell, there goes another one of those coloured gals playing the race card". Whine, whine, whine - is this all these coloured gals do?
It's really quite funny because if it wasn't for the internet I would not have any 'white' (white as 'dominant' not ethnic/religious minority) feminist friends. I do indeed surround myself with people of colour (both progressive and non-progressive). Having said that, I'm not a stranger to internet feminist communities and like many of you, I started out by participating at the Ms. Boards eons ago. At that time however, I was not 'officially' a feminist. I was a learner/lurker.
Over the years, one thing has been made clearer to me than ever - it's that the internet is a white space. Yeah, we can harp about how it's egalitarian - promises to be so etc... But anyone who has a site-meter should/can easily figure out which countries their traffic is coming from. Whatever happened to the golden promises of bridging the 'digital divide'... like everything else that's about inequitable distribution it's been thrown on the back-burner.
I digress, if the majority of bloggers are white and male, and the majority of feminist bloggers are white and middle-class it is no wonder that 'we' (WOC) are often discontent with the content of blogistan. Because I am not a separatist by any account and don't want to start a 'fight' (though there shouldn't be any for anything that I'm saying) I am trying to approach this matter as calmly and rationally as I can.
The following are just my suggestions about how you can stop being an ignorant/indifferent white feminist:
1) Stop quoting mainstream white conservative/liberal media for your 'token' race relations post. BUT if you do - try to look at that article from a 'third world perspective'/'Global South' perspective.
No, I'm fucking serious. You're all very quick to dissect mainstream news when they report/misreport some event that happens to any white woman. You instantly call bias when you see it. You're the first to point out "they're insulting said woman because they said this or that" (and I fully support you when you do this). But, don't you think that the same 'biased' lens is used to report on things that happen to the 'poor, oppressed, 'retarded', incapable, hopeless, voiceless' women of colour masses that comprise the majority of the world? You know it was this same 'save the women of Afghanistan' bullshit that was used by the US govt to invade Afghanistan, right? Women's rights didn't matter until GW wanted to invade a country, despite Afghan women who repeatedly called out for help under the Taliban often risking their lives to call out to the outside world.
So this should make you wonder how WOC are used in the mainstream media. Here's a clue, they're primarily used to perpetuate the idea that all MOC are evil-coloured-patriarchs and they're cultures are backwards and stupid. This is called "R-A-C-I-S-M".
I am not saying that you point out the WOC oppression globally in order to perpetuate myths about them, but rather NONE of this 'documentation work' that you do is supported by adequate WOC analysis or references. I.e you post about it - without any contextualization. You rarely do that for ANY articles written about white women. You scoff and laugh at how they are written in favour of patriarchy.
It's easy to point out patriarchy exists everywhere, it's harder to get a clue on how mainstream media rarely points out stories of the strong women of colour that do amazing work ALL OVER THE WORLD. With all these pathetic coloured women that exist globally - you'd wonder how a diasporic south asian woman ever got 'radicalized'... huh?
Indeed, a very nice prof of mine did ask me this very patronizing question once "How'd you ever become a south Asian [emphasis hers] radical feminist?", to which I responded "the same way you became a white one".
So when you post up an article about how the oppressed, miserable coloured women of the world who are dying under evil-coloured-people's patriarchy - try in some form or shape to account for media bias.
2) Read more WOC books. As a WOC I've been indoctrinated into the same white patriarchal BS that all of you have too, and like you it was not by 'choice'. Like you, I too have to do my homework. I've read all the cornerstone feminist books that you have (more or less) - but how many WOC perspectives do you seriously read? Do you own more than 5 WOC books? Do you own at least 2-3 post-colonial feminist readers/compilations? Do you own any third world books written by WOC?
Even if you do, do you feel you thoroughly understand everything that is being said in those books?
Any feminist theory 101 class has that nice little 'minorities' section tacked on at the end, but seriously - do you think your education on WOC extends only thus far? Because if it does, well then - I too should stop reading all the new material that keeps on being added to this body of work daily. "Hey, we read bell hooks' "Ain't I a Woman" back in 1981, that's all the education we need to know. We're down with the you need your own space bit. We also clap when you make some noise too, we're not the R-word."
Like my own process of ridding myself of my own prejudices will NEVER come to a halt, neither does yours. You too must continually 'get with the program' and 'upgrade' your views. As we know feminism is not isolated from the other political/economic/social pogroms that happen in our world.
3) Stop reacting to our requests with knee-jerkedness. We're not attacking you, we're saying this cause we consider you our allies and if you really support women or claim to be a 'feminist' i.e. one who fights for 'women's rights' then you better realize "I am a woman too" or maybe you need to read "Ain't I a Woman" a few hundred times again.
Such knee-jerkedness is similar to the way privileged white men respond to your accusations of sexism. Accusations that we as women also support.
The funny thing is, y'all probably feel you need to walk on eggshells before you address anything cultural/racial... funny thing is as you will see further in this post how much I have had to hold in over the past few months when I visit your blogs.
4) Don't use us as tokens. This rarely happens in blogistan, but it does happen more often than not in the 'real world'. Many of you feminist bloggers are quick to point out that 'your blogs are not educational resources for men', instead men should take it upon themselves to educate themselves about their own privilege. Likewise, you as white women need to do the same. We are not your token pieces. We are not 'obligated' to 'educate' you about race relations or anything else for that matter.
Like you, on some days I want to just 'shoot the shit'. I do not want to post about feminism/racism/whatever else. I too just want to put up a youtube video and bop my head up and down...
5) This should be fucking self-explanatory: Stop tolerating racist shit on your blogs. And by racist, I'm not only talking about 'overt' racism (which should be obvious) - but the kind of ignorant remarks that I do not have the time or energy to respond to but have read on more than one occasion.
As a radical leftist I am usually quite unforgiving and though my little blog does not matter much - there is a reason why your ass will never be on my 'blogroll' regardless of how big/important/analytical/famous it is. Largely it's because you just don't get it. I may link to a wonderful post you've written, I may link to ten of them because the quality of your writing is amazing and I completely recognize that - but I will never put you on my blogroll. ('yeah, yawn whoop dee doo AD, who cares!').
Some examples:
a) Reclusive Leftist: I really don't know why I am bothering when you continue to tolerate such a vile 'troll' just because you two are 'friends'. Disgusting that's all I can say. Poltergeist - don't even f'ing bother posting here - I will indeed delete every single comment you make.
b) I Blame the Patriarchy:
In which there are at least half a dozen really fucked up comments:
Quote: What really annoyed me about all this was the way some Indian men would come to the West, enjoy the sexual freedom offered here and then go back to India to marry the virgin their families had found for them.
Oh yeah, you know cause those really crazy fucked upeth horny brown men can't keep their hands off pure white pussy, those beastly, junglee savages! Of course this comparison can only be made because 'civilized and educated white men never, ever expect women to be virgins for them'.
Um, sorry lady - it's because women in the west are repeatedly and openly hyper-sexualized (of course not because it's their fault) globally.
In which ANOTHER commenter in the same thread makes this totally unnecessary comparison about a 'middle eastern' person she knew to this 'poor, helpless Indian woman' that was being discussed. I.e. essentially equating 'one brown evil religion with the next'.... Cause you know there are only 2 billion Muslim and Hindu's globally, right? And they're all kinda middle eastern and brownish.
Quote: Within the past five years, a 17-yr-old middle-eastern girl in the vicinity was murdered by her cousins for dating someone other than her intended.
c) Pandagon, Punkass Blog. ahhh, I'm tired - I don't want to say anything past 'burqa-gate' and your totally bitching on WOC in your comments section cause you 'just didn't get it'. (I recognize these have already been discussed to death, but I will use them as examples).
and I'm sure there are a shit load more....
Again, if you are going to come back and attack me about using you as examples - reread #3 again. If you are true to your word about being a feminist, not just a 'white feminist in particular', my criticisms of such behaviour are not unwarranted and you will do what you can to either 're-educate yourself' or to call yourself a 'white feminist' or 'white womanist'.
6) Making culturally irrelevant comparisons (or allow such comments to take place in your threads without drawing attention to them - see above). Wut? I.e. if you are not fully familiar with the context or reasoning of the cultural/racial comparison you are trying to make it is best to refrain from making it and sticking to something in which you are making a more effective, informed and intelligent point.
For example
a) I Blame the Patriarchy:
QUOTE: "Writing in the Australian, Pamela Bone complains that when a bunch of Muslim feminists (Muslim feminists! What’s next, “gay Republicans”?) met in New York last week to fix an agenda for dispelling a couple of anti-Muslim rumors going around (that they’re terrorists, and that Islam oppresses women), the media gave it a big fat pass. Bone thinks it should have been front page news on accounta Muslim feminists have the solution for the war on terror."
What is going on here? Twisty did you KNOW that it was MUSLIM - YES, MUSLIM Feminists who managed to organized to get rid of the bill to pass Sharia in Ontario? And guess who took the media gave the credit too at the end of the day???? White feminist lawyers who assisted the Muslim women's case. Go figure.
Also, many religious minorities (like myself) call ourselves "hindu-atheists" or whatever-atheists in recognition of the fact that we are religious minorities and that religious intolerance at the hands of WHITE CHRISTIANS is something that has happened to us, and continually happens whenever we encounter ignoramuses of whatever religion.
Whatever.... I hate religion as much as the next radical leftist person, but oddly enough if you talk to women who've experienced DV they'll tell you "God helped them to survive". It's a fact. Women can't just 'sod-off god' you know... for whatever reasons.
Twisty, again I repeat I totally LOVE your witty, intelligent and smart writing - but if I don't point this shit out - I will suffocate.
b) Women's space:
Quote: Like O.J., my ex was a tall, athletic, charismatic, charming, handsome black man. Like Nicole Brown Simpson, I am blonde and Nordic looking. Simpson and I are both mothers of biracial children, both abuse survivors. Just as nobody believed O.J. was an abuser, nobody believed my ex was an abuser either. He was just so charming and charismatic and fun to be around. Except when he wasn’t.
Heart can you tell me what this was about? I really never understood what relevance it was to point out that Nicole Brown and you were both white and blonde and that both your oppressors were black and male. um, so?
What was the point? Unless, you think racial connections have any bearing on male violence.
Look, again I repeat none of this is about 'breaking connections' or 'bitching at people' it is because I am tired of reading bogus on the net. I am tired of being an 'invisible minority feminist'.
We all need each other. In my heart of hearts I truly believe that it is our politics that unite us, because I only know how much it hurts when other minorities ignore racism/sexism/classism in favour of their limited 'privilege'.
Note this has been Edited. PS. Please do not comment because you think 'I'm bashing your enemy'. This is not a radical feminist or white feminist bashing post. Thank you.
Why'd I start this blog?
Actually, I had no intention of starting one because I'm not the best writer, and I read far too many blogs/articles per day to even try to summarize what I want to say. But at a certain point, I realized when I wrote comments on other people's blogs I was either a)muted b)'attacked'/'insulted' by librul white bois c)generally ignored. So, basically I started this blog for some space to call my own as a WOC.
Anyways, despite being 'political' there are indeed some topics I tend to shy away from (again because I don't think I am the best writer and we all tend to believe - 'someone else is already doing it, do I really need to?'). One of these topics I shy away from is the inability of white feminists to understand their own ignorance and perpetuation of 'racism'. Oh shite, shoot me cause I know y'all are thinking "bloody hell, there goes another one of those coloured gals playing the race card". Whine, whine, whine - is this all these coloured gals do?
It's really quite funny because if it wasn't for the internet I would not have any 'white' (white as 'dominant' not ethnic/religious minority) feminist friends. I do indeed surround myself with people of colour (both progressive and non-progressive). Having said that, I'm not a stranger to internet feminist communities and like many of you, I started out by participating at the Ms. Boards eons ago. At that time however, I was not 'officially' a feminist. I was a learner/lurker.
Over the years, one thing has been made clearer to me than ever - it's that the internet is a white space. Yeah, we can harp about how it's egalitarian - promises to be so etc... But anyone who has a site-meter should/can easily figure out which countries their traffic is coming from. Whatever happened to the golden promises of bridging the 'digital divide'... like everything else that's about inequitable distribution it's been thrown on the back-burner.
I digress, if the majority of bloggers are white and male, and the majority of feminist bloggers are white and middle-class it is no wonder that 'we' (WOC) are often discontent with the content of blogistan. Because I am not a separatist by any account and don't want to start a 'fight' (though there shouldn't be any for anything that I'm saying) I am trying to approach this matter as calmly and rationally as I can.
The following are just my suggestions about how you can stop being an ignorant/indifferent white feminist:
1) Stop quoting mainstream white conservative/liberal media for your 'token' race relations post. BUT if you do - try to look at that article from a 'third world perspective'/'Global South' perspective.
No, I'm fucking serious. You're all very quick to dissect mainstream news when they report/misreport some event that happens to any white woman. You instantly call bias when you see it. You're the first to point out "they're insulting said woman because they said this or that" (and I fully support you when you do this). But, don't you think that the same 'biased' lens is used to report on things that happen to the 'poor, oppressed, 'retarded', incapable, hopeless, voiceless' women of colour masses that comprise the majority of the world? You know it was this same 'save the women of Afghanistan' bullshit that was used by the US govt to invade Afghanistan, right? Women's rights didn't matter until GW wanted to invade a country, despite Afghan women who repeatedly called out for help under the Taliban often risking their lives to call out to the outside world.
So this should make you wonder how WOC are used in the mainstream media. Here's a clue, they're primarily used to perpetuate the idea that all MOC are evil-coloured-patriarchs and they're cultures are backwards and stupid. This is called "R-A-C-I-S-M".
I am not saying that you point out the WOC oppression globally in order to perpetuate myths about them, but rather NONE of this 'documentation work' that you do is supported by adequate WOC analysis or references. I.e you post about it - without any contextualization. You rarely do that for ANY articles written about white women. You scoff and laugh at how they are written in favour of patriarchy.
It's easy to point out patriarchy exists everywhere, it's harder to get a clue on how mainstream media rarely points out stories of the strong women of colour that do amazing work ALL OVER THE WORLD. With all these pathetic coloured women that exist globally - you'd wonder how a diasporic south asian woman ever got 'radicalized'... huh?
Indeed, a very nice prof of mine did ask me this very patronizing question once "How'd you ever become a south Asian [emphasis hers] radical feminist?", to which I responded "the same way you became a white one".
So when you post up an article about how the oppressed, miserable coloured women of the world who are dying under evil-coloured-people's patriarchy - try in some form or shape to account for media bias.
2) Read more WOC books. As a WOC I've been indoctrinated into the same white patriarchal BS that all of you have too, and like you it was not by 'choice'. Like you, I too have to do my homework. I've read all the cornerstone feminist books that you have (more or less) - but how many WOC perspectives do you seriously read? Do you own more than 5 WOC books? Do you own at least 2-3 post-colonial feminist readers/compilations? Do you own any third world books written by WOC?
Even if you do, do you feel you thoroughly understand everything that is being said in those books?
Any feminist theory 101 class has that nice little 'minorities' section tacked on at the end, but seriously - do you think your education on WOC extends only thus far? Because if it does, well then - I too should stop reading all the new material that keeps on being added to this body of work daily. "Hey, we read bell hooks' "Ain't I a Woman" back in 1981, that's all the education we need to know. We're down with the you need your own space bit. We also clap when you make some noise too, we're not the R-word."
Like my own process of ridding myself of my own prejudices will NEVER come to a halt, neither does yours. You too must continually 'get with the program' and 'upgrade' your views. As we know feminism is not isolated from the other political/economic/social pogroms that happen in our world.
3) Stop reacting to our requests with knee-jerkedness. We're not attacking you, we're saying this cause we consider you our allies and if you really support women or claim to be a 'feminist' i.e. one who fights for 'women's rights' then you better realize "I am a woman too" or maybe you need to read "Ain't I a Woman" a few hundred times again.
Such knee-jerkedness is similar to the way privileged white men respond to your accusations of sexism. Accusations that we as women also support.
The funny thing is, y'all probably feel you need to walk on eggshells before you address anything cultural/racial... funny thing is as you will see further in this post how much I have had to hold in over the past few months when I visit your blogs.
4) Don't use us as tokens. This rarely happens in blogistan, but it does happen more often than not in the 'real world'. Many of you feminist bloggers are quick to point out that 'your blogs are not educational resources for men', instead men should take it upon themselves to educate themselves about their own privilege. Likewise, you as white women need to do the same. We are not your token pieces. We are not 'obligated' to 'educate' you about race relations or anything else for that matter.
Like you, on some days I want to just 'shoot the shit'. I do not want to post about feminism/racism/whatever else. I too just want to put up a youtube video and bop my head up and down...
5) This should be fucking self-explanatory: Stop tolerating racist shit on your blogs. And by racist, I'm not only talking about 'overt' racism (which should be obvious) - but the kind of ignorant remarks that I do not have the time or energy to respond to but have read on more than one occasion.
As a radical leftist I am usually quite unforgiving and though my little blog does not matter much - there is a reason why your ass will never be on my 'blogroll' regardless of how big/important/analytical/famous it is. Largely it's because you just don't get it. I may link to a wonderful post you've written, I may link to ten of them because the quality of your writing is amazing and I completely recognize that - but I will never put you on my blogroll. ('yeah, yawn whoop dee doo AD, who cares!').
Some examples:
a) Reclusive Leftist: I really don't know why I am bothering when you continue to tolerate such a vile 'troll' just because you two are 'friends'. Disgusting that's all I can say. Poltergeist - don't even f'ing bother posting here - I will indeed delete every single comment you make.
b) I Blame the Patriarchy:
In which there are at least half a dozen really fucked up comments:
Quote: What really annoyed me about all this was the way some Indian men would come to the West, enjoy the sexual freedom offered here and then go back to India to marry the virgin their families had found for them.
Oh yeah, you know cause those really crazy fucked upeth horny brown men can't keep their hands off pure white pussy, those beastly, junglee savages! Of course this comparison can only be made because 'civilized and educated white men never, ever expect women to be virgins for them'.
Um, sorry lady - it's because women in the west are repeatedly and openly hyper-sexualized (of course not because it's their fault) globally.
In which ANOTHER commenter in the same thread makes this totally unnecessary comparison about a 'middle eastern' person she knew to this 'poor, helpless Indian woman' that was being discussed. I.e. essentially equating 'one brown evil religion with the next'.... Cause you know there are only 2 billion Muslim and Hindu's globally, right? And they're all kinda middle eastern and brownish.
Quote: Within the past five years, a 17-yr-old middle-eastern girl in the vicinity was murdered by her cousins for dating someone other than her intended.
c) Pandagon, Punkass Blog. ahhh, I'm tired - I don't want to say anything past 'burqa-gate' and your totally bitching on WOC in your comments section cause you 'just didn't get it'. (I recognize these have already been discussed to death, but I will use them as examples).
and I'm sure there are a shit load more....
Again, if you are going to come back and attack me about using you as examples - reread #3 again. If you are true to your word about being a feminist, not just a 'white feminist in particular', my criticisms of such behaviour are not unwarranted and you will do what you can to either 're-educate yourself' or to call yourself a 'white feminist' or 'white womanist'.
6) Making culturally irrelevant comparisons (or allow such comments to take place in your threads without drawing attention to them - see above). Wut? I.e. if you are not fully familiar with the context or reasoning of the cultural/racial comparison you are trying to make it is best to refrain from making it and sticking to something in which you are making a more effective, informed and intelligent point.
For example
a) I Blame the Patriarchy:
QUOTE: "Writing in the Australian, Pamela Bone complains that when a bunch of Muslim feminists (Muslim feminists! What’s next, “gay Republicans”?) met in New York last week to fix an agenda for dispelling a couple of anti-Muslim rumors going around (that they’re terrorists, and that Islam oppresses women), the media gave it a big fat pass. Bone thinks it should have been front page news on accounta Muslim feminists have the solution for the war on terror."
What is going on here? Twisty did you KNOW that it was MUSLIM - YES, MUSLIM Feminists who managed to organized to get rid of the bill to pass Sharia in Ontario? And guess who took the media gave the credit too at the end of the day???? White feminist lawyers who assisted the Muslim women's case. Go figure.
Also, many religious minorities (like myself) call ourselves "hindu-atheists" or whatever-atheists in recognition of the fact that we are religious minorities and that religious intolerance at the hands of WHITE CHRISTIANS is something that has happened to us, and continually happens whenever we encounter ignoramuses of whatever religion.
Whatever.... I hate religion as much as the next radical leftist person, but oddly enough if you talk to women who've experienced DV they'll tell you "God helped them to survive". It's a fact. Women can't just 'sod-off god' you know... for whatever reasons.
Twisty, again I repeat I totally LOVE your witty, intelligent and smart writing - but if I don't point this shit out - I will suffocate.
b) Women's space:
Quote: Like O.J., my ex was a tall, athletic, charismatic, charming, handsome black man. Like Nicole Brown Simpson, I am blonde and Nordic looking. Simpson and I are both mothers of biracial children, both abuse survivors. Just as nobody believed O.J. was an abuser, nobody believed my ex was an abuser either. He was just so charming and charismatic and fun to be around. Except when he wasn’t.
Heart can you tell me what this was about? I really never understood what relevance it was to point out that Nicole Brown and you were both white and blonde and that both your oppressors were black and male. um, so?
What was the point? Unless, you think racial connections have any bearing on male violence.
Look, again I repeat none of this is about 'breaking connections' or 'bitching at people' it is because I am tired of reading bogus on the net. I am tired of being an 'invisible minority feminist'.
We all need each other. In my heart of hearts I truly believe that it is our politics that unite us, because I only know how much it hurts when other minorities ignore racism/sexism/classism in favour of their limited 'privilege'.
Note this has been Edited. PS. Please do not comment because you think 'I'm bashing your enemy'. This is not a radical feminist or white feminist bashing post. Thank you.
Friday, December 29, 2006
My only 'preachy' vegetarian post...(summary of links)
I don't know what it was about today, but everywhere I went/didn't go seemed to address 'vegetarianism' it started with an email on a listserve, to a taxi cab conversation, because I also recently saw Fast Food Nation [excellent review at Feral Scholar] and then this song kept playing in my head because I feel exactly the way this song describes about everything that sucks about this world in general.
The unedited and extremely disturbing version of this song, can be found here - you must login to view it. It made me want to upchuck my veg lunch. Lyrics.
Okay, this post won't be as preachy as I thought it would be - because I don't think it's preachy to point out why consuming large amounts of meat is bad for this planet and indeed your health, there are of course 101 reasons for you to go veg if you haven't done so already. A recent UN report even highlights the major devastation that methane (in this case cow farts!) are having on the greenhouse effect [info via pandagon].
It's interesting because I think vegetarianism is definitely one of the most pressing 'leftist' issues today. It's an issue important for feminists, socialists, environmentalists and third worldists alike.
Of course you could just want to go veg cause it makes you 'smarter' (j/k). Or because you could take a justified piss at PeTA (Poopheads entitled to TnA), [link to no-status quo - not PeTA] because I just don't think it's right for me to talk about vegetarianism if I don't get to bash on the most widely recognized 'animal right's' organizations...
You would think PeTA was done with TnA?
Nopes...
Indeed - now they want to ensure if most of the world's women don't already feel shitty about themselves they can always 'go veg' to ensure that they do. PeTA I hate you! Don't ya know - you can be fat and fit? Or that you can be an overweight and unhealthy vegetarian??? Stop with your bullshit rhetoric already - and FUCK YOU!
Anyways, with the recent carrot juice (my favorite flavor too damnit) and spinach scares earlier this year, I think going organic AND buying local are by far the best options for a healthy and sustainable planet, period. Many mid-large cities offer delivery services for reasonably priced local produce.
Note: I like links, have you noticed? Links in this post are all actual links and not just some new spam that's highlighted some words and not others on your monitor...
Also: I was born a vegetarian (Hindu), so sometimes I feel slightly hypocritical discussing vegetarianism with people - because really I didn't have much of a choice (except that my parents were very open to me trying meat if I wanted to). I also recognize the Hindu-right's disgusting anti-Muslim discriminatory vegetarian views/policies in India. This is unfortunate but like extremists everywhere they've maligned an important issue for their own evil agendas. I am also a lacto-veg who has failed at many attempts at going vegan. I do consume very few milk products and that too it's limited to cheese and yogurt (flavors difficult to replicate via soy/rice based products). I will definitely try again.
PS. Sorry about the 'videopimp' logo on that video, I couldn't find one without it on Youtube.
The unedited and extremely disturbing version of this song, can be found here - you must login to view it. It made me want to upchuck my veg lunch. Lyrics.
Okay, this post won't be as preachy as I thought it would be - because I don't think it's preachy to point out why consuming large amounts of meat is bad for this planet and indeed your health, there are of course 101 reasons for you to go veg if you haven't done so already. A recent UN report even highlights the major devastation that methane (in this case cow farts!) are having on the greenhouse effect [info via pandagon].
It's interesting because I think vegetarianism is definitely one of the most pressing 'leftist' issues today. It's an issue important for feminists, socialists, environmentalists and third worldists alike.
Of course you could just want to go veg cause it makes you 'smarter' (j/k). Or because you could take a justified piss at PeTA (Poopheads entitled to TnA), [link to no-status quo - not PeTA] because I just don't think it's right for me to talk about vegetarianism if I don't get to bash on the most widely recognized 'animal right's' organizations...
You would think PeTA was done with TnA?
Nopes...
Indeed - now they want to ensure if most of the world's women don't already feel shitty about themselves they can always 'go veg' to ensure that they do. PeTA I hate you! Don't ya know - you can be fat and fit? Or that you can be an overweight and unhealthy vegetarian??? Stop with your bullshit rhetoric already - and FUCK YOU!
Anyways, with the recent carrot juice (my favorite flavor too damnit) and spinach scares earlier this year, I think going organic AND buying local are by far the best options for a healthy and sustainable planet, period. Many mid-large cities offer delivery services for reasonably priced local produce.
Note: I like links, have you noticed? Links in this post are all actual links and not just some new spam that's highlighted some words and not others on your monitor...
Also: I was born a vegetarian (Hindu), so sometimes I feel slightly hypocritical discussing vegetarianism with people - because really I didn't have much of a choice (except that my parents were very open to me trying meat if I wanted to). I also recognize the Hindu-right's disgusting anti-Muslim discriminatory vegetarian views/policies in India. This is unfortunate but like extremists everywhere they've maligned an important issue for their own evil agendas. I am also a lacto-veg who has failed at many attempts at going vegan. I do consume very few milk products and that too it's limited to cheese and yogurt (flavors difficult to replicate via soy/rice based products). I will definitely try again.
PS. Sorry about the 'videopimp' logo on that video, I couldn't find one without it on Youtube.
Presenting: Bharatiyawadi!
Words of Joy (rarely happens on a blog run by a miserable cynic like myself, but hurrah!): Leftist Looney Lunchbox will feature a co-blogger starting...well he's already posted. He's a fellow south asian and an academic. He's very new to blogging and blogistan, but I'm sure he'll contribute wonderfully to LLL.
We don't always agree on everything and he occassionally requires a gentle feminist kick to get him to 'gender' his analysis, overall a good socialist brother, who's very knowledgeable. Bharatiyawadi will hopefully fill in areas that I wish I could articulate but am not as knowledgeable in and don't often get opportunity/time to research as much as I'd like to.
So, if anyone is reading this blog - yeahhhh welcome to my friend Bharatiyawadi!
We don't always agree on everything and he occassionally requires a gentle feminist kick to get him to 'gender' his analysis, overall a good socialist brother, who's very knowledgeable. Bharatiyawadi will hopefully fill in areas that I wish I could articulate but am not as knowledgeable in and don't often get opportunity/time to research as much as I'd like to.
So, if anyone is reading this blog - yeahhhh welcome to my friend Bharatiyawadi!
farmer suicides in India
Here is a weblink to one of the pressing topics in rural India- farmer suicides. This is just one very lucidly written report.
Monday, December 25, 2006
6 hrs left, and the airwaves are carol free....
I can't wait. If I have to hear 'feed the world' or 'deck the halls' one more time, I am going to throw my radio(s) out of the window, considering I live in a 50 storey building - my actions will result in an incredibly painful/fatal experience for some unsuspecting passerby. I am an avid radio listener, that means my radio is on 24/7 from the minute I wake up to the minute I go to sleep, which also means I have one in every room.
Am I one of those crabby people waging the so-called 'war' on Christmas? No... In fact I've just been itching to share my anti-Christmas mood with anyone who'd listen. So here it is. And I'm not alone (yippers!).
I hate Christmas! There I said it! aaaahhhh relief. I really, really do. And sure, I could be one of those Indo-American (more specifically those who are religious minorities) folks who partake in a depoliticized version of this commercial garishness, I just can't get myself to do it.
I don't want to be an 'absolutist' about this event either, I mean hey it's fun to spend time with ppl you love and celebrations and pretty decorations are lovely and all. But I do wish Diwali was a two day holiday so I wouldn't have to rush and make a ginormous feast for everyone in a mere 2 hours. To be fair, I give presents to close friends who I know celebrate Christmas, I also give out presents to business associates and generously give an annual tip to maintenance people etc...
I guess, your vision of Christmas would have to largely depend on your parents. My parents who are far from Hindu fundamentalists (my dad 'was' an atheist and my mom's 'spiritual') were indeed adamant that 'no Santa did not distribute gifts to good Hindu kids'. I put up a stocking, didn't get anything - and voila, no whining about Christmas after that.
See, for diasporic religious minorities Christmas is either about Christian hegemony (though it's a former 'pagan' holiday) or it's about capitalism & the 'spirit' of the season.
Well, to me I think the former is a more efficient explanation of why so many religious minorities celebrate this festival. Only because we live in a white hegemony and well, I would buy the latter explanation if everyone didn't try to so hard to convince me that I'm too cynical and it's all 'harmless' fun.
Come on now, you hated having to explain why you didn't celebrate Christmas in the first place for the first x many years. You also hated having to explain why you never got presents. And it sucks to be left out. It really does... It's easier to enjoy an event when everyone else does (instead of demanding that there are more holidays!) and it feels good to fit in.
This way, we can all celebrate the season together - and since Santa's make-believe anyways, we can also pretend that an old, white patriarch who has un-supervised access to your home and who operates a sweatshop*, will always give to you if you play nice! :) You know the Janus-faced benevolent patriarch who 'gives' you something if he gets his way....
Anyways, we weren't the first group to celebrate Christmas and I'm sure we won't be the last.
venting done...
* Link via Spotted Elephant
Am I one of those crabby people waging the so-called 'war' on Christmas? No... In fact I've just been itching to share my anti-Christmas mood with anyone who'd listen. So here it is. And I'm not alone (yippers!).
I hate Christmas! There I said it! aaaahhhh relief. I really, really do. And sure, I could be one of those Indo-American (more specifically those who are religious minorities) folks who partake in a depoliticized version of this commercial garishness, I just can't get myself to do it.
I don't want to be an 'absolutist' about this event either, I mean hey it's fun to spend time with ppl you love and celebrations and pretty decorations are lovely and all. But I do wish Diwali was a two day holiday so I wouldn't have to rush and make a ginormous feast for everyone in a mere 2 hours. To be fair, I give presents to close friends who I know celebrate Christmas, I also give out presents to business associates and generously give an annual tip to maintenance people etc...
I guess, your vision of Christmas would have to largely depend on your parents. My parents who are far from Hindu fundamentalists (my dad 'was' an atheist and my mom's 'spiritual') were indeed adamant that 'no Santa did not distribute gifts to good Hindu kids'. I put up a stocking, didn't get anything - and voila, no whining about Christmas after that.
See, for diasporic religious minorities Christmas is either about Christian hegemony (though it's a former 'pagan' holiday) or it's about capitalism & the 'spirit' of the season.
Well, to me I think the former is a more efficient explanation of why so many religious minorities celebrate this festival. Only because we live in a white hegemony and well, I would buy the latter explanation if everyone didn't try to so hard to convince me that I'm too cynical and it's all 'harmless' fun.
Come on now, you hated having to explain why you didn't celebrate Christmas in the first place for the first x many years. You also hated having to explain why you never got presents. And it sucks to be left out. It really does... It's easier to enjoy an event when everyone else does (instead of demanding that there are more holidays!) and it feels good to fit in.
This way, we can all celebrate the season together - and since Santa's make-believe anyways, we can also pretend that an old, white patriarch who has un-supervised access to your home and who operates a sweatshop*, will always give to you if you play nice! :) You know the Janus-faced benevolent patriarch who 'gives' you something if he gets his way....
Anyways, we weren't the first group to celebrate Christmas and I'm sure we won't be the last.
venting done...
* Link via Spotted Elephant
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Be Ugly Campaign?
I'm just not upto participating in anything internet related lately, but this caught my attention - so I'm sharing with anyone who's reading.
Anyways, this sounds kinda lame... Along with internet hiatus, my brain is taking a break too - someone else can theorize this for me. "BE UGLY?" just doesn't sound right you know... "Be you" campaigns didn't either (mostly because they always became hyper-marketing campaigns in and of themselves like "You're worth it" etc... or "So, you're fat - buy some cellulite cream"). I personally like oag's take on this "Fuck your fascist beauty standards!" way better.
I generally distrust 'reclaimation' tactics, like "slut, bitch, jackass, n-word, etc..." Right now, ugly means 'average'.
Anyways, whatever.
Ugly Betty fights for self-esteem
Being "ugly" is the new beautiful.
That's the message ABC is sending out through a new campaign, "Be Ugly 07." The movement is promote a "positive message" for young women. And we're assuming new viewers being attracted to Ugly Betty wouldn't hurt either.
The sitcom's star character, Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) isn't drop-dead gorgeous (she's not hideous either), but is smart and has a wonderful, caring heart.
"Be Ugly 07" is the latest campaign against the fashion world's vision of beauty - rail-thin models - shown to young people in the media every day.
"Be Ugly 07" launches December 30 with several events planned across the U.S..
Betty lookalikes will hand out Betty masks in New York's Times Square and Walt Disney World in Orlando on New Year's Eve. Ferrera will unveil a t-shirt in New York on January 8 to raise money for Girls Inc., a non-profit group that promotes programs to help young women be strong and smart.
Anyways, this sounds kinda lame... Along with internet hiatus, my brain is taking a break too - someone else can theorize this for me. "BE UGLY?" just doesn't sound right you know... "Be you" campaigns didn't either (mostly because they always became hyper-marketing campaigns in and of themselves like "You're worth it" etc... or "So, you're fat - buy some cellulite cream"). I personally like oag's take on this "Fuck your fascist beauty standards!" way better.
I generally distrust 'reclaimation' tactics, like "slut, bitch, jackass, n-word, etc..." Right now, ugly means 'average'.
Anyways, whatever.
Ugly Betty fights for self-esteem
Being "ugly" is the new beautiful.
That's the message ABC is sending out through a new campaign, "Be Ugly 07." The movement is promote a "positive message" for young women. And we're assuming new viewers being attracted to Ugly Betty wouldn't hurt either.
The sitcom's star character, Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) isn't drop-dead gorgeous (she's not hideous either), but is smart and has a wonderful, caring heart.
"Be Ugly 07" is the latest campaign against the fashion world's vision of beauty - rail-thin models - shown to young people in the media every day.
"Be Ugly 07" launches December 30 with several events planned across the U.S..
Betty lookalikes will hand out Betty masks in New York's Times Square and Walt Disney World in Orlando on New Year's Eve. Ferrera will unveil a t-shirt in New York on January 8 to raise money for Girls Inc., a non-profit group that promotes programs to help young women be strong and smart.
Friday, December 15, 2006
About this blog/Commenting Policy
donna darko:
I'm an Asian American feminist.
AradhanaD:
I'm a dork who likes to read and write, no one special, just another internet persona amongst zillions of others. I'm also someone who 'became' a leftist off the netz... no seriously. I spent three hours a day reading voraciously about things that I was too embarrassed to ask people of "superior intellect" about. So when you think about the audience you are trying to 'reach' with your writing, hey - knowing my own 'progression' I know it's possible to change someones mind.
I am not that well-read. I try my best to keep things simple. I talk the way I write, I hope that makes my blog accessible.
I consider myself a socialist anti-racist feminist. The framework that I try to view things in is from bell hooks idea of a 'white patriarchal capitalist supremacy'. However, as my interests often steer to third world issues, I realize that even this framework can be limiting as the people of non-euro-white countries face oppression not just from 'white supremacy' but global imperialism AND class oppression/religious oppression in their homelands. I am both fictitious and factual... I.e. Sometimes I am an e-character, sometimes I am myself... I may or may not exist just like most internet personas...
If you plan to use any of the content from this blog for your own work (paper publications or net) please cite me accordingly. Thanks!
I reserve the right to delete/not publish comments at will, hey - truth be told maybe i just don't like you - I don't really care. I blog here for me, not for anyone else and I'm not really blogging for an online virtual community either, so if your comment isn't published - sorry, too bad. [I am not speaking about posts written by my co-bloggers].
In addition, I'm 'borrowing' these fabulous examples of comment policies (yes, I'm not clever enough to come up with them and I'm lazy) - check them out:
The Primary Contradiction
Crimitism
I'm an Asian American feminist.
AradhanaD:
I'm a dork who likes to read and write, no one special, just another internet persona amongst zillions of others. I'm also someone who 'became' a leftist off the netz... no seriously. I spent three hours a day reading voraciously about things that I was too embarrassed to ask people of "superior intellect" about. So when you think about the audience you are trying to 'reach' with your writing, hey - knowing my own 'progression' I know it's possible to change someones mind.
I am not that well-read. I try my best to keep things simple. I talk the way I write, I hope that makes my blog accessible.
I consider myself a socialist anti-racist feminist. The framework that I try to view things in is from bell hooks idea of a 'white patriarchal capitalist supremacy'. However, as my interests often steer to third world issues, I realize that even this framework can be limiting as the people of non-euro-white countries face oppression not just from 'white supremacy' but global imperialism AND class oppression/religious oppression in their homelands. I am both fictitious and factual... I.e. Sometimes I am an e-character, sometimes I am myself... I may or may not exist just like most internet personas...
If you plan to use any of the content from this blog for your own work (paper publications or net) please cite me accordingly. Thanks!
I reserve the right to delete/not publish comments at will, hey - truth be told maybe i just don't like you - I don't really care. I blog here for me, not for anyone else and I'm not really blogging for an online virtual community either, so if your comment isn't published - sorry, too bad. [I am not speaking about posts written by my co-bloggers].
In addition, I'm 'borrowing' these fabulous examples of comment policies (yes, I'm not clever enough to come up with them and I'm lazy) - check them out:
The Primary Contradiction
Crimitism
Rapist Joe Francis gets a slap on the wrist!
Dumbfounded, remember this article here?
Well seems like Mr. Francis (like all pornographers) gets off easy! I am williing to place a bet this 'community service shit' of his will only bolster his career further. Oh, I don't know a tiny little fraction of the millions made off of drunken underaged girls bodies... & a few hours a week cleaning parks sounds like a fair deal, no?...
Yeah...
The "Girls Gone Wild" video empire agreed to pay $1.6 million and its founder was sentenced to community service Wednesday for filming drunken, underage girls in the raunchy videos.
.........
U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak ordered Mantra's multimillionaire founder, Joe Francis, to read aloud in court a victim impact statement from one of the women, who said she was emotionally tormented by her appearance on a "Girls Gone Wild" video and that the video damaged her relationship with her family.
[ooooh do I hear "PUNISHMENT?", I'm sure little Joe was moved to TEARS when he read this aloud. Mr. Judge you are one tough cookie!]
..........
Smoak told Francis he added the community service because it did not appear a fine would be a meaningful punishment.
The fine represents less than 3 percent of Mantra's profits since 2002 and only 12 percent of Mantra's 2005 profits, Smoak said.
[well, if ya thunk this is a small sum - why didn't he get fined for more? Maybe pay for every girl that ever starred in GGW vid's college tuition? Or maybe throw him in jail? Or maybe hand him to a few feminists and see what they'll do to him. I mean Joe francis is a pretty strappin' fella - I wouldn't mind poking him with a hot iron poker a few times here there and everywhere and then taping it & selling that to some of my friends!]
.........
But Smoak said the corporate officers could avoid the obligation, giving Francis the option of "stepping up" and serving 16 hours a month of community service by himself in their place.
[oh yeah, repent you mighty Christian soldier. Most people volunteer more hours a month than that, and that too because they LOVE it.]
aaahhhh - you can read the rest of this crap here.
Well seems like Mr. Francis (like all pornographers) gets off easy! I am williing to place a bet this 'community service shit' of his will only bolster his career further. Oh, I don't know a tiny little fraction of the millions made off of drunken underaged girls bodies... & a few hours a week cleaning parks sounds like a fair deal, no?...
Yeah...
The "Girls Gone Wild" video empire agreed to pay $1.6 million and its founder was sentenced to community service Wednesday for filming drunken, underage girls in the raunchy videos.
.........
U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak ordered Mantra's multimillionaire founder, Joe Francis, to read aloud in court a victim impact statement from one of the women, who said she was emotionally tormented by her appearance on a "Girls Gone Wild" video and that the video damaged her relationship with her family.
[ooooh do I hear "PUNISHMENT?", I'm sure little Joe was moved to TEARS when he read this aloud. Mr. Judge you are one tough cookie!]
..........
Smoak told Francis he added the community service because it did not appear a fine would be a meaningful punishment.
The fine represents less than 3 percent of Mantra's profits since 2002 and only 12 percent of Mantra's 2005 profits, Smoak said.
[well, if ya thunk this is a small sum - why didn't he get fined for more? Maybe pay for every girl that ever starred in GGW vid's college tuition? Or maybe throw him in jail? Or maybe hand him to a few feminists and see what they'll do to him. I mean Joe francis is a pretty strappin' fella - I wouldn't mind poking him with a hot iron poker a few times here there and everywhere and then taping it & selling that to some of my friends!]
.........
But Smoak said the corporate officers could avoid the obligation, giving Francis the option of "stepping up" and serving 16 hours a month of community service by himself in their place.
[oh yeah, repent you mighty Christian soldier. Most people volunteer more hours a month than that, and that too because they LOVE it.]
aaahhhh - you can read the rest of this crap here.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Pretty freakin' scary: Get out your bermudas...
Global warming could melt almost all of the ice in the Arctic during the summer months by the year 2040, according to a study to be published Tuesday.
..........
The only way to prevent the rapid loss of polar ice is to implement aggressive measures to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, Tremblay said. Source
I'm at a loss for words, but guess who the biggest CO2 polluter is? No surprises here...
Carbon dioxide emissions have doubled since 1990. That's less than two decades ago!!!
What's causing this?
..........
The only way to prevent the rapid loss of polar ice is to implement aggressive measures to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, Tremblay said. Source
I'm at a loss for words, but guess who the biggest CO2 polluter is? No surprises here...
Carbon dioxide emissions have doubled since 1990. That's less than two decades ago!!!
What's causing this?
Monday, December 11, 2006
Book Tagging - or a history of linkages over the past 4 days.
Yolanda just tagged me! I've never been tagged before but this is truly fascinating because I've been trying to follow the trail of tags and it's interesting that over the course of just four days, there's probably been at least 20 different tags, and so many good books I would love to get my hands on!
It's like a 'leftist looney circle' really.... ;)
The instructions:
Find the nearest book.
Turn to page 123.
Go to the fifth sentence on the page.
Copy out the next three sentences and post to your blog.
Name the book and the author, and tag three more folks.
So, I'm cheating a little Yolanda, because the first two books on my desk were "Animal Farm" and the "Communist Manifesto" neither of which are even 90 pages long! Turning to page 123 would be a little difficult.
I'm going with a third book, the one I'm currently reading:
"The cook went back to the post office. 'You are getting the letters wet. Taking no care.'"
- The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai
And these are the people I am tagging:
Mandos, Sparkle, Ministry of Love and Simply Wondered, I chose four in case someone doesn't want to be tagged!
It's like a 'leftist looney circle' really.... ;)
The instructions:
Find the nearest book.
Turn to page 123.
Go to the fifth sentence on the page.
Copy out the next three sentences and post to your blog.
Name the book and the author, and tag three more folks.
So, I'm cheating a little Yolanda, because the first two books on my desk were "Animal Farm" and the "Communist Manifesto" neither of which are even 90 pages long! Turning to page 123 would be a little difficult.
I'm going with a third book, the one I'm currently reading:
"The cook went back to the post office. 'You are getting the letters wet. Taking no care.'"
- The Inheritance of Loss, by Kiran Desai
And these are the people I am tagging:
Mandos, Sparkle, Ministry of Love and Simply Wondered, I chose four in case someone doesn't want to be tagged!
“Little Mosque on the Prairie”
Update: this show has a website for previews here.
Sitcom’s Precarious Premise: Being Muslim Over Here
“Little Mosque on the Prairie” ventures into new and perhaps treacherous terrain: trying to explore the funny side of being a Muslim and adapting to life in post 9/11 North America. Its creators admit to uneasiness as to whether Canadians and Americans can laugh about the daily travails of those who many consider a looming menace."
Source
There is the other side of that coin too — what will Muslims think? — which the show’s creators usually summarize in one long sentence that mentions the uproar prompted by Salman Rushdie as well as the Danish cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad.
This concern stems from the almost automatic presumption that “to look at Muslims in an entertaining way is going to be controversial because they will riot in the streets,” said Al Rae, one of the show’s writers, who noted that he does research by bouncing potential scenarios off cab drivers here. Or as Amaar, the young man detained in the opening airport scene, puts it sardonically, “Muslims all over the world are known for their sense of humor.”
This sounds like a good attempt from the article! I'm definitely going to check it out - the rest of you will have to youtube!
Sitcom’s Precarious Premise: Being Muslim Over Here
“Little Mosque on the Prairie” ventures into new and perhaps treacherous terrain: trying to explore the funny side of being a Muslim and adapting to life in post 9/11 North America. Its creators admit to uneasiness as to whether Canadians and Americans can laugh about the daily travails of those who many consider a looming menace."
Source
There is the other side of that coin too — what will Muslims think? — which the show’s creators usually summarize in one long sentence that mentions the uproar prompted by Salman Rushdie as well as the Danish cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad.
This concern stems from the almost automatic presumption that “to look at Muslims in an entertaining way is going to be controversial because they will riot in the streets,” said Al Rae, one of the show’s writers, who noted that he does research by bouncing potential scenarios off cab drivers here. Or as Amaar, the young man detained in the opening airport scene, puts it sardonically, “Muslims all over the world are known for their sense of humor.”
This sounds like a good attempt from the article! I'm definitely going to check it out - the rest of you will have to youtube!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Tribe blesses lesbian 'marriage'
Some happy news on an otherwise bad day! New meaning to "everyday is like Sunday".
An Indian tribe has given its consent to a lesbian 'marriage' in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. Source.
An Indian tribe has given its consent to a lesbian 'marriage' in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. Source.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
HUHO: Help Us Help Ourselves - a Feminist Community Internet Project
Well, the first round of HUHO is closed and has been compiled, I think this was an ingenious idea put together by Lauren of Faux Real. *applause*
The idea is to get everyone to share what they can about areas of their interest/knowledge, in order to fit a shoestring budget. A skills database essentially, brought to you by feminists of ALL stripes and their allies. I think this idea is especially brilliant because of it's potential to share both personal and emotional knowledge so seldom reproduced in society. You might get a 'distanced' kind of learning from self-help books, magazines, etc...but it's depersonalized, removed and authoritarian (usually facilitates to reproduce the status quo not to counter it). It's really quite ironic that despite so much "self-help" and so many make-over shows and shit available, we're all a bit more miserable and always need more self-help and make-overs and shit.
IMO - it's precisely this distancing from personal experiences that allows for this. The personal has transformed from being a source of "knowledge" into being a "spectacle". We take the personal to be distrustful and so we laugh at it, but then we trust some dickwad who's great at dispensing cracker-jack philosophy and trust him (usually someone who's trying to sell us a something) - while we distance ourselves from each other...Coming from an Indian background - I can attest that what my grandmother says isn't assumed to be 'quackery', but rather needs to be 'respected', cherished and believed. When I say this, I'm not talking about 'traditions', I'm talking pragmatically about 'experiential knowledge'.
Okay, I've rambled too much.
Anyways - check out the great tips from everything to child-rearing, tasty recipes to how to take advantage of public transport.
From now on, I'm adding a HUHO category to my blog - anything that is 'accessible, affordable or useful' will be put into this category.
Read more here. (My contributions so far: Cheap Cough Syrup and Depression Advice)
The idea is to get everyone to share what they can about areas of their interest/knowledge, in order to fit a shoestring budget. A skills database essentially, brought to you by feminists of ALL stripes and their allies. I think this idea is especially brilliant because of it's potential to share both personal and emotional knowledge so seldom reproduced in society. You might get a 'distanced' kind of learning from self-help books, magazines, etc...but it's depersonalized, removed and authoritarian (usually facilitates to reproduce the status quo not to counter it). It's really quite ironic that despite so much "self-help" and so many make-over shows and shit available, we're all a bit more miserable and always need more self-help and make-overs and shit.
IMO - it's precisely this distancing from personal experiences that allows for this. The personal has transformed from being a source of "knowledge" into being a "spectacle". We take the personal to be distrustful and so we laugh at it, but then we trust some dickwad who's great at dispensing cracker-jack philosophy and trust him (usually someone who's trying to sell us a something) - while we distance ourselves from each other...Coming from an Indian background - I can attest that what my grandmother says isn't assumed to be 'quackery', but rather needs to be 'respected', cherished and believed. When I say this, I'm not talking about 'traditions', I'm talking pragmatically about 'experiential knowledge'.
Okay, I've rambled too much.
Anyways - check out the great tips from everything to child-rearing, tasty recipes to how to take advantage of public transport.
From now on, I'm adding a HUHO category to my blog - anything that is 'accessible, affordable or useful' will be put into this category.
Read more here. (My contributions so far: Cheap Cough Syrup and Depression Advice)
National Day of Rememberance and Action on Violence Against Women
Reading so much American news lately has totally made me forget how much goes on in Canada (and how much we still need to do in our own backyard).
Read more about this here, here and here.
Most Universities and Colleges do have vigils today in case you are planning to attend one, check in with your campus paper/women's centre or student union.
Read more about this here, here and here.
Most Universities and Colleges do have vigils today in case you are planning to attend one, check in with your campus paper/women's centre or student union.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Santa: "The hot, slim, late-20 sumthin, hipster..."
Yes Folks, it's true, fat phobia is at all time highs now.... Santa is now a HAWT, skinny, hipsterish fellow with a vitoria's secret model wife!
I do not want to directly link to this source (it's an ad). So cut and paste this into your browser, and click on "TV Ads" then the "christmas story" commercial (remove space).
http://www.fido. ca/incomingcalls/?source=couplesPackage&buttonClick=ENIncomingCalls
Since there is an absence of presents in the commercial, does this mean Santa is no longer giving (you know maybe he compensated for his fatness by giving gifts?)? It's back to coal and oranges for you all!
BTW I hate Santa (for many reasons), but mainly 'cause us Hindu-born kids never got any presents because we're EVIL heathens! ;)
[Contrasted to the 'super-aryan-ish' Santa, check out the 'middle-easternish' scrooge...]
I do not want to directly link to this source (it's an ad). So cut and paste this into your browser, and click on "TV Ads" then the "christmas story" commercial (remove space).
http://www.fido. ca/incomingcalls/?source=couplesPackage&buttonClick=ENIncomingCalls
Since there is an absence of presents in the commercial, does this mean Santa is no longer giving (you know maybe he compensated for his fatness by giving gifts?)? It's back to coal and oranges for you all!
BTW I hate Santa (for many reasons), but mainly 'cause us Hindu-born kids never got any presents because we're EVIL heathens! ;)
[Contrasted to the 'super-aryan-ish' Santa, check out the 'middle-easternish' scrooge...]
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Belated recipe - Cold Remedy. Sure-fire guarantee.
So, I know I don't have much of a readership for my blog to 'warrant a regular feature', but it's fun, I must admit.
Cold and flu season is on it's way and might I offer you an infamous 'eastern'* antidote?
This is what my grandma made for me and damn it, it works on 'most' colds and coughs.
Kadha - Cough syrup: The BEST & CHEAPEST ever cough syrup (under $2.00 for a 2 week supply).
Equal amounts of fresh ginger juice (grate and strain ginger) and honey. Dash of black pepper.
Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil in the microwave (usually not more than 20 seconds usually). Store in the fridge for upto three weeks. Reheat before drinking each time. Be careful cause it get's hot fast!
Drink 1 tbsp, twice a day. Do not drink water/eat immediately before/after this syrup.
This is REALLY strong. Just like cough syrup this won't "Cure" you, but just soothe your throat.
Kadha Tea:
1 teabag (orange pekoe preferably)
1 inch long piece of grated ginger with juice
1 tbsp honey
dash blackpepper
2 cloves
dash of turmeric
1.5 cups of water
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
In a small pot, boil all ingredients together. Strain before drinking. Drink 3-4 times a day. For a stronger brew add more ginger and turmeric, boil off excess water.
This is excellent and really makes me feel much better.
*I jest.
Cold and flu season is on it's way and might I offer you an infamous 'eastern'* antidote?
This is what my grandma made for me and damn it, it works on 'most' colds and coughs.
Kadha - Cough syrup: The BEST & CHEAPEST ever cough syrup (under $2.00 for a 2 week supply).
Equal amounts of fresh ginger juice (grate and strain ginger) and honey. Dash of black pepper.
Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil in the microwave (usually not more than 20 seconds usually). Store in the fridge for upto three weeks. Reheat before drinking each time. Be careful cause it get's hot fast!
Drink 1 tbsp, twice a day. Do not drink water/eat immediately before/after this syrup.
This is REALLY strong. Just like cough syrup this won't "Cure" you, but just soothe your throat.
Kadha Tea:
1 teabag (orange pekoe preferably)
1 inch long piece of grated ginger with juice
1 tbsp honey
dash blackpepper
2 cloves
dash of turmeric
1.5 cups of water
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
In a small pot, boil all ingredients together. Strain before drinking. Drink 3-4 times a day. For a stronger brew add more ginger and turmeric, boil off excess water.
This is excellent and really makes me feel much better.
*I jest.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Why strippercise and pole dancing are only for thin, white chicks with hawt bods!
Oh damn it all to hell... so here's a video of some 'fat' women 'getting down', basically the perfect market for strippercising and pole dancing! Right? I mean, seriously now, IDEAL TARGET MARKET, fat women who should want to look hawt.
I mean, seriously for the last 5-6 years or so 1) strippercising and sexy-fun exercising have been all the rage, read here and here 2) these things are marketed as harmless non-sexualized fun, fun 3) obesity is a super health crisis
So considering all of the above, then why is the ideal target market for strippercise and pole dancing recieving so much criticism?[make sure to read this link]
Everyone should be commending them in their desire to want to look hot and actually be proactive about losing their excess weight, right?
I mean, seriously for the last 5-6 years or so 1) strippercising and sexy-fun exercising have been all the rage, read here and here 2) these things are marketed as harmless non-sexualized fun, fun 3) obesity is a super health crisis
So considering all of the above, then why is the ideal target market for strippercise and pole dancing recieving so much criticism?[make sure to read this link]
Everyone should be commending them in their desire to want to look hot and actually be proactive about losing their excess weight, right?
Something wrong in the world today? Blame a woman!
Thanks to oag. Post dedication: All the people who say there is no need for feminism anymore.
From the article:
Is it just my imagination or are women wreaking more evil than usual these days? We all know the reason boys don't read is that female teachers assign books about girls, and girls have cooties; and the reason half of all marriages end in divorce is that women have outrageous expectations, like that their husbands should talk to them; and the reason the Democrats lose elections is that they pander to female voters instead of being manly and tough. Oh, wait a minute, the Democrats won the last election. Women aren't just evil, they're powerful
From the article:
Is it just my imagination or are women wreaking more evil than usual these days? We all know the reason boys don't read is that female teachers assign books about girls, and girls have cooties; and the reason half of all marriages end in divorce is that women have outrageous expectations, like that their husbands should talk to them; and the reason the Democrats lose elections is that they pander to female voters instead of being manly and tough. Oh, wait a minute, the Democrats won the last election. Women aren't just evil, they're powerful
Friday, December 01, 2006
How many dead prostitutes will it take for us to notice that this is a problem?
Because individual men are allowed access to women's bodies safeguarded in the cloak of anonymity women pay the price. It's an odd dynamic really. You commit the crime, you get to be anonymous - meanwhile women have to be the ones to expose everything about themselves; naked inside and out. It is men's individual anonymity that preys on women's collective vulnerability. You can masturbate in the privacy of your own home to a naked woman, you can go to the strip clubs and see women grinding for you and you can patrol the streets searching for a prostitute without ever having to fear being caught. You get away with accessing women's bodies because there is no responsibility, there is no accountability and no one will ever know.
This individual anonymity is granted to you and when you need to justify your behaviour you depend on 'collective' entitlement. So basically, you can get away with all the shit you want to do to a woman behind closed doors at your convenience, but if you get caught some other guy's always got your back - cause "hey, he did it, and he did it too - so it's okay. Boys will be boys". It's a nice tool really, deflect individual responsibility and then use your collective entitlement to justify your behaviour. So if everyone's doing it, at the end of the day no one's accountable really.
Anyways...it took the BC police more than a decade to remove Robert Picton's cloak, I wonder when this asshole will get what's his. There is no justice. Right now there's only four women, how many others might there be?
Body of fourth woman found in ditch near Atlantic City is identified
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Now that authorities know the identities of all four women whose bodies were found face-down in a drainage ditch behind a string of seedy motels last week, the really hard part starts: Trying to determine if their deaths were the work of a serial killer.
The body of a woman whose identity had stymied investigators for more than a week since it was found near three other corpses was identified Tuesday as a 20-year-old from western Pennsylvania.
Molly Jean Dilts was believed to have been in the ditch the longest -- up to a month. Read more here.
The names of the four murdered women:
Molly Jean Dilts, 20
Kim Raffo, 35
Tracy Ann Roberts, 23
Barbara V. Breidor, 42
This individual anonymity is granted to you and when you need to justify your behaviour you depend on 'collective' entitlement. So basically, you can get away with all the shit you want to do to a woman behind closed doors at your convenience, but if you get caught some other guy's always got your back - cause "hey, he did it, and he did it too - so it's okay. Boys will be boys". It's a nice tool really, deflect individual responsibility and then use your collective entitlement to justify your behaviour. So if everyone's doing it, at the end of the day no one's accountable really.
Anyways...it took the BC police more than a decade to remove Robert Picton's cloak, I wonder when this asshole will get what's his. There is no justice. Right now there's only four women, how many others might there be?
Body of fourth woman found in ditch near Atlantic City is identified
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Now that authorities know the identities of all four women whose bodies were found face-down in a drainage ditch behind a string of seedy motels last week, the really hard part starts: Trying to determine if their deaths were the work of a serial killer.
The body of a woman whose identity had stymied investigators for more than a week since it was found near three other corpses was identified Tuesday as a 20-year-old from western Pennsylvania.
Molly Jean Dilts was believed to have been in the ditch the longest -- up to a month. Read more here.
The names of the four murdered women:
Molly Jean Dilts, 20
Kim Raffo, 35
Tracy Ann Roberts, 23
Barbara V. Breidor, 42
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