Smoke Up Kids!

Yay, Halloween is this weekend! Speaking of candy...last weekend, I had some time to go home and spend some time with my family and friends. One of my close friends was visiting home from Virginia, so we decided to go apple picking and then walk around a small, neighboring country town. Before leaving, we stopped in a candy shop (you know, the one that has all the old-time candy in giant barrels?). I figured I would grab some candy to bring back to school with me. Well, guess what I see right at a child’s eye-level immediately upon entering the store:









I pointed them out to my friend, horrified who tried to comfort me by saying children probably didn’t even notice. Funny, because almost immediately after she said this, three young boys walked up to the barrel and began to pretend like they were smoking......nice.

Dove

While I appreciate the real beauty campaign of Dove, I think they need to be called out on their hypocrisy. The following video is an example of how great Dove can be:



However Axe and Dove are owned by the same company...



Or how about...



Dove easily filled the missing niche of a positive body image company, but that doesn't mean they stay true to their own message...Unilever is also the company that markets skin bleaching cream, "fair and lovely," to women of color. We are very easily impressed when a company speaks out against the practices of mainstream media, but if they're only doing it to garner more customers, they are no better than the messages they fight against.

cross-posted at nyaf.blogspot.com

We need a fucking revolution

The Lion King- Setting Women Back Years?

My first year at Ramapo College I had a Professor for College English who claimed that the Disney film “The Lion King” set women back years. His evidence for this was the fact that after the king Mufasa died and his son Simba disappeared, the women of the Prideland simply laid back and waited for another king to appear. In this case, the evil Scar was able to waltz into power and the women of the Prideland are shown doing whatever Scar ordered.

With the plot detailed, my Professor’s opinion was that this gave young women the message that they needed a man to survive, and that without one they are powerless. However, interpretation of the situation was that it was a statement on our society as a whole. Individuals in modern American Society often complain about issues going on in their world, but fail
to do anything about it. I felt as if the plotline around the need for a King illustrated the conformist aspect of society and showed how individuals need to be the difference they wish to see in the world.

So go for it people! Go out there and make a difference in the world! Otherwise Scar is gonna become King and the hyenas are going to eat all the food and life is totally going to suck.

Think about it.
Corey

The Pressures of Being a College Student

In coming to terms with my own eating disorder, I've realized that it is when the weather gets colder that I become more critical of my body and the fear of putting on weight over the winter months becomes agonizing. I started to think about how I certainly can't be alone in this thought process and it occurred to me that, given what I know about body image and eating issues, there are probably so many students on this campus that are going through the same struggle. With Eating Disorder Awareness Week still a few months away, I wanted to focus this blog on the issue of eating disorders among college students, especially because of how I have been feeling lately.
I just read a press release entitled: "College Triggers" Can Increase Eating Disorder Risk" by the Eating Recovery Center in Denver. This release brings up some good points about eating disorders that are often looked over or misunderstood. For example, many people think that eating disorders are a chosen behavior. Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, CEDS, co-founder and medical director of Eating Recovery Center, explains, "Eating disorders are not a disorder of choice, but rather a genetic predisposition that can be triggered by any number of life-changing events. The increased risk of developing an eating disorder in college is largely due to the lack of predictability in a new environment and different social codes of conduct." This is a really important statement in terms of understanding where eating disorder sufferers are coming from and how their struggle is not something that they are to be blamed for.
I feel as though it is extremely important for other college students to understand and be able to identify certain things that can trigger eating disorders to either begin or intensify:

-Academic stresses can be overwhelming when beginning college and many new students are not prepared or have not experienced the level of stress that can come from college courses.

-College athletes, specifically females, are among the most likely to develop eating disorders in college due to the extreme pressure of competition. Perfectionism in athletics can often lead to body image issues, especially when the sport being played requires athletes to have a lean body mass.

-The concept of the dreaded 'Freshmen 15' can create a lot of anxiety for college students. Fighting to keep off those 'inevitable' excess pounds can lead to disordered eating patterns and bouts of binging or over-exercising.

-Perhaps the most dangerous of the college triggers is binge drinking. Excessive drinking, while dangerous in and of itself, is especially dangerous when students are worried about the calories being consumed. "Drunkorexia" is a term that has recently been adopted to describe when caloric intake is reduced (people eating significantly less than normal) so that those calories can be "saved" for alcohol. This is a dangerous practice that can lead to alcohol poisoning and other detrimental effects.

The pressures of being a college student are immense and coming from someone who knows what it is like to struggle from an eating disorder, it is important to know the triggers. Everyone is stressed in one way or another but, as hard as it may be, it is crucial to find ways to cope with this stress so it does not lead to these kinds of behavior. If you think that you or someone you know may be struggling from an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with food, don't hesitate to find someone you trust to talk to about it. The more we help each other understand our struggles, the stronger we will be.

We are all beautiful. <3

Manic Music Monday

Music posts are hard for me because, for whatever reason, I tend to listen to a very limited scope of music. In honor of that, today I just figured I’d give you all a list of awesome feminist-friendly songs that I probably listen to about twenty times a day, since there isn’t much else in my ipod. (Just a note, the only requirements I have for feminist-friendly music is that it is not degrading to women in any way.)

1. Vintage Clothes – Paul McCartney
We jump up for joy
Who cares if we look like a girl or boy
What we are, is what we are and what we wear
Is vintage clothes, vintage clothes

2. I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Well open up your mind and see like me,
open up your plans and damn you’re free,
look into your heart and you’ll find love love love love.
Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing,
we’re just one big family
and It’s our God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved.

3. Shiny Happy People – REM
{The muppet version of this is adorable as well!}
Throw your love around
Love me love me
Take it into town
Happy happy
Put it in the ground
Where the flowers grow
Gold and silver shine

4. Fell Down the Stairs – Tilly and the Wall
And if I could reverse it,
I don’t think that it’d be worth it
’cause I know in my heart I would never let you tumble to the ground.

5. Ghost of Corporate Future – Regina Spektor
People are just people;
they shouldn’t make you nervous.
The world is everlasting, it’s coming and it’s going.
If you don’t toss your plastic,
the street won’t be so plastic
and if you kiss somebody then both of you’ll get practice.
The world is everlasting,
put dirtballs in your pocket,
put dirtballs in your pocket and take off both your shoes.
‘Cause people are just people,
people are just people,
people are just people like you.

6. How Lucky we Are – Meiko
One day we’ll get out of this shitty apartment,
One day is all it takes for things to turn around.
[...]
One day, we’ll turn on the T.V. and wont see nothing bout war,
and when that morning comes I’ll make coffee and you’ll read the paper
we’ll talk about our plans and I’ll keep saying how lucky we are.

7. Upside Down – Jack Johnson
Who’s to say
I can’t do everything?
Well I can try,
and as I roll along I begin to find
things aren’t always just what they seem.
I wanna turn the whole thing upside down,
I’ll find the things they say just can’t be found.
I’ll share this love I find with everyone
we’ll sing and dance to Mother Nature’s song
I don’t want this feeling to go away.

8. She Moves in Her Own Way – The Kooks
So won’t you go far
Tell me you’re a keeper
You’re all about to lie down for your cause
But you don’t pull my strings because
Cause I’m a better man
Moving on to better things
But uh oh, I love her because
She moves in her own way
But uh oh, she came to my show
Just to hear about my day

9. End of the Line – The Traveling Wilburys
Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, doing the best you can
Well it’s all right, as long as you lend a hand

10. Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it’s all right.

President to Sign Hate Crime Legislation

Finally!

The legislation makes it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill has passed the Senate and now moves on to President Obama’s desk to be signed.

You can read the full story at:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/22/hate.crimes/index.html


I am obviously SO very happy this bill has passed through the Senate, but it makes me wonder why our previous president threatened to veto similar measures to protect people. I feel as though this one is common sense folks. We could even leave sexual orientation completely out of the scenario and you would still have people being beaten and murdered. Of course there should be federal laws against this.

Anyway, YAY!

So, I've been looking for a Halloween costume for about a month now. I don't specifically go out shopping for one, but when my friends and I go to the mall, we like to stop in the Halloween store to see if we like anything.
I feel like most of the costumes are the same: really tight fitting, short dresses/skirts/shorts that accentuate the boobs and butt. What about people that can't fit into that? What about the people that don't want to be half-naked? I don't know if you've noticed, but it's been really friggen cold lately.
I personally wouldn't want to wear any of those outfits because, number one, I don't want to freeze my ass off (almost literally), and two because I'm not ok with people being able to see under my dress/skirt when I walk or sit.
Another costume that disturbed me was "The Trophy Wife"...excuse me?
I know, it's Halloween, the holiday that has been misconstrued to now mean "let's dress up like someone/something else for fun, get candy, have lots of parties, etc." Can we do it in a way that does not involve objectifying women? And this isn't pointing the finger at men, saying that they are the only perpetrators.
If you choose to wear a sexy costume, you have every right to...that's the best part about feminism is that it's your choice. I just wish there were more choices available for people who are not partial to that type of dressing up.
Enjoy yourselves, be safe, eat lots of candy...Happy Halloween!

Women's Stories

As I was doing my daily reading of CNN.com, which usually pisses me off more than it causes me to reflect, I stumbled upon an opinion piece that really made me think a lot.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/21/rollins.american.women/index.html

Full disclosure: I lost my mom in April of this year, so that may be why it was more touching to me. But whoa, is that a story! The author of the piece reflects on his mother's life in a way that makes the history that we have often heard about of women at the time come to life. What struck me as most interesting, though, is that this is frequently the type of dialogue about women after they die, instead of engaging them in it while they are alive.

I know this from personal experience. My mom was the type of person who knew everyone, and everyone knew her. You either loved her or you hated her, but either way if you were interacting with Mary Jane Costello she was going to have an impact on your life. Though she had been battling breast cancer for 8 years, her death was still sudden and shocking to many of us. Since we didn't get the chance to say goodbye and to honor her in life, tributes poured in after death. We received letters and cards from friends who probably hadn't spoken to my mother in years, detailing stories from their past and ways that she had changed their lives. At her wake, it was standing room only, full of people eager to talk about my mother and celebrate her life while mourning her death. There were people who my mother had taught when they were 3 years old in pre-school who came with their own children, now preschool aged themselves. All of these people came to honor my mother, and I couldn't help but wish that she could have been there to hear it, and join in to enhance the stories. 

I love hearing stories about the lives of women. But when we tell the stories of other women, even if we were involved in them, we change them a little. We bring a little bit of our own biases, our own perspectives. We have to start encouraging women of the older generations to tell their own stories, in their own voices, before those stories are lost forever. I never really got to know my maternal grandmother, because she died when I was very young. I know that my theoretical children that I hope to have someday will never know their maternal grandmother. So I will do my best to keep my mother's spirit alive by telling her stories, as best as I can without her here, just as she did about her mother. But for those of you who have the opportunity, don't forget to take the time to ask your elders about their stories, in their voices, and encourage them to share it with the world. 

No Homo...a deeper look

So this video has been circulating on the blogosphere and its overall message is very positive. Please take the time to watch the video before continuing to read the rest of this post.



I love most of this video..."No Homo" is an awful statement originating in a specific genre of music but that has spread way beyond the world of hip-hop. This post isn't at all trying to justify the use of this deplorable phrase.

That being said...go back to the beginning of the video and re-watch it. Notice anything peculiar? Why does he deem it appropriate to change his "style" of speech and dress? I posed this question to my coworkers, and they guessed it was to make a dig at hip-hop culture. Well I agree with them...but isn't the rest of the video a big enough dig? When he changes his language and dress, he is taking a MUCH deeper dig at the entire culture. Using "No Homo" is ridiculous...but he also used the same implications for the way people talk/dress who are apart of hip-hop culture.

It brings me to the point of language. How often do we hear jokes about "blackccents" or "white people talk," and having to change the way you speak based on the ethnicity of the people around you. We saw it in "Flavor of Love" with Buckwild...or in "Crash" where Tony Danza's character asks a black actor to stop "sounding white" because it would come off as "untrue" to his character. Using terms like "hommies" or wearing popped collars with baggie pants isn't ridiculous, it's part of a culture. "No Homo" is offensive across lines of diversity, and therefore shouldn't be apart of any culture. I can't make the same argument for "hommies." People who use slang and ebonics (side note ebony-phonics as in 'black' words) have been demoralized and written off as unintelligent. They are NOT unintelligent, they have just been raised in a community that uses this style of speech. We should be thinking of it as a dialect rather than as a measure of intelligence. One of my coworkers said "well words like hommies or beasting are ridiculous." Well, it's the way A LOT of people talk in this country.

This video really goes to show why there are so many divides in the LGBT community, all activists communities for that matter. He immediately defended the queer community by putting down a community composed of mostly people of color. Imagine the queer person of color who listens to hip-hop and uses slang and then watches that video. I always get really angry when LGBT people divide based on color...but I'm slowly starting to realize why they feel left out...

We still don't get it...

We need a fucking revolution

cross-posted at nyaf.blogspot.com

Beauty Ideals Have to Go!

For a long time I used to fantasize about how great the world would be if our beauty ideals were different, for instance, if I lived in one of those countries where being curvy and even fat was valued, instead of being thin. In my mind those countries were so much freer: women were not afraid to eat, to wear clothing that shows off all of their curves, to just be who they were… then I read this article in Marie Claire on a country called Mauritania, where the beauty ideal is, “like America's cult of superthinness in reverse. Mauritanian tradition holds that among women, rolling layers of fat are the height of sexiness.”

As I continued into the article, I began to realize just how skewed my idea of these countries were. Rather than being freeing, the larger beauty ideal present in Mauritania causes women emotional pain and pushes them into unhealthy behaviors – like our opposite ideals do. If their parents are wealthy enough, teenage girls in Mauritania are often sent off for months at a time to “force-feeding camps” where they are forced to eat “eats about 40 [egg sized balls of crushed dates and peanuts with couscous and] per day, along with 12 pints of goat's milk and gruel, making their daily intake 14,000 to 16,000 calories” even though, “the recommended consumption for a healthy 12-year-old girl averages 1500 calories; an adult male bodybuilder eats up to 4000.” If the girls try to fight this feeding they are beaten or tortured by having to squeeze a stick between their toes, all while being told how little value skinny people have in society.

Reading this I was aghast but, upon further reflection, I guess I shouldn’t have been. In American culture we are bombarded every day with images of thin women in magazines, on TV, in the movies, and so on… rarely do we see larger women portrayed as successful or happy with their lives or their bodies. Coupled with all of the diet programs that are advertised constantly, especially to women, the message is sent loud and clear: you’re not good enough unless you’re thin. Is this that much different from the devaluing of thin women in Maritania? Not really.

In America we don’t have force-feeding camps but we do have fat-camps, many of which follow questionable guidelines in terms of health and generally, cause weight-loss than is no maintained because they don’t teach campers how to live healthy lives, rather, they teach them how to drop pounds. Furthermore, we have diet programs that many women buy into – programs that often leave their practitioners malnourished and dissatisfied as the weight rarely stays off. Does this make more sense than the force-feeding camps? I think not.

Really, the message in both cultures is the same – your body is never good enough - the only thing that changes is the ideal body each woman is working towards.


People have tried to claim that our ideal is healthier but, honestly, I call bullshit on that. When you have companies like Ralph Lauren photoshopping model’s waists to actually be smaller than their heads (real life Bratz dolls… really?) and firing tiny models for being ‘too fat' to fit the clothes; when even Barbie’s ankles are criticized as being too fucking fat… you have a culture where many women feel compelled to starve themselves and resort to disordered eating and exercise routines because as a society we promote being thin over being healthy. Maritania may promote being fat over being healthy & fit but, really, we’re no better.

It’ not up for debate at this point: there’s a beauty ideal everywhere, and women everywhere are caught in a constant unhealthy struggle to meet that ideal… but what I really want to know is why? Fat women in Mauritania are valued because, historically, “a fat wife (much like fat livestock) was a symbol of a man's wealth, proof that he had enough riches to feed her generously while others perished in the drought-prone terrain.” Basically, they value fat women because having a fat wife makes the man look more powerful. Similarly, in America, thinness can be an indicator of having enough wealth to afford diet books, diet plans, diet consultants, a gym membership, and so on. Women who don’t uphold the thin ideal often worry that they won’t find love as a result… basically, in both situations; it all comes down to two things: money and men.

You know what is conveniently lacking from both our culture, and in Mauritania? A male beauty ideal. In general, men are given much more leeway in terms of appearance because they are valued and judged first on the basis of appearance, and second on the basis of talent. (Evidence of this: Male “beer bellys” are sexy. At the same time so are men without beer bellies. Basically men can get away with" a lot more appearance-wise.) Rich and powerful men tend to be partnered with conventionally “beautiful” women (the only thing that changes is what is considered beautiful) regardless of their own appearance, because appearance does not matter as much when judging men. Male politicians and other men of influence are rarely, if ever, criticized or lauded based on their appearance, yet women with influence (like Clinton and Palin) are.

This is wrong. Something needs to be done.

I’m not saying we need to start judging men on their appearance first, and accomplishments second; what I am saying is we need to get rid of the double standard and stop judging women, especially those who are powerful/influential on their appearance at the expense of their ideals. Having a beauty standard, regardless of what it is, is wrong and exploitative of women; all it does is cost women undue funds and attention, and hold them back from achieving all that they can achieve while leaving men, more or less, free to prove themselves with their minds and their merits. All bodies are beautiful and capable of great things – its time we start living that belief as a culture!

The Business of Being Born

I’m a nursing major and currently in my junior year, which means I’ve just started clinical. I’ve learned two things about myself thus far: I absolutely love helping people. I am dreading working in maternity because it infuriates me. The hospital I go to for clinical, only has seven labor/delivery rooms….SEVEN. Somehow, I feel these aren’t enough rooms to accommodate for an entire northern New Jersey area. It’s almost as if women are EXPECTED to push a baby out in one hour or if that doesn’t happen get a cesarean, before they even come into the hospital…wait, really?

I guess my point is, when doctors are needed, in emergency situations, they are the best at what they do and they do it very well. But, for healthy women, why not give them an option to deliver on their own time, in their own way? Believe it or not, women can do it all by themselves…biologically our bodies know how to give birth.

I encourage you to check out the following documentary out if you have yet to see it,

http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/

Because it rocks!

TFuck you Tuesdays : Karl Lagerfeld

For lack of a better title given my current state of mind, I decided to start something new for our blog. I'm not quite sure how long it will stick for but it's worth a shot. Especially given the issue at hand. Browsing recent news articles, searching for what to blog about, I came across an article that angered me greatly. The fashion industry itself is something that I consider to be my biggest non-feminist guilty pleasure. I am a self-proclaimed fashion junkie / amateur fashionista; I love shopping (window shoppping, mostly) and I am constantly reading up on the latest fashion trends and experimenting with my own style. For a while, I thought I actually wanted to go to FIT to study design/merchandising. Well, plans changed and I'm actually really glad that I am not immersed in the fashion world because as I'm sure you all know (and this article will further reinforce the fact) that the fashion world is an unhealthy place, especially for young models struggling to make it big.
The fashion industry is notorious for having stick-thin, borderline emaciated models parading the runways and representing the most elite designers. It is a commonly known fact that even if you are a beautiful woman, if you do not have the ideal supermodel body (think toothpick-like arms and legs, exposed ribs, and highly emphasized cheekbones) you will not make it on the runway or, a lot of times, even in print ads. In fact, the average model in the United States is 5'11 and weighs only 117 pounds, whereas the average woman in the U.S is 5'4 and weighs 140 pounds. Given the statistics, I'd say the modeling/fashion industry's ideal standard of beauty is a big skewed.
The article that triggered this blog post talks about German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and his recent statement about "curvy" women in the fashion industry. After Brigitte Magazine's editor AndreasProxy-Connection: keep-alive Cache-Control: max-age=0 ebert got tired of always having to photoshop some weight onto sickly-thin models so Brigitte decided to release the next issue without using professional models. Lebert explains, "We will show women who have their own identity, the 18-year-old A-level student, the company chairwoman, the musician, the footballer." This is quite the impressive step in terms of the fashion industry. Well, at least in my opinion. Lagerfeld on the other hand...doesn't agree with me in the least. In a recent interview with Guardian magazine, the German designer was quoted as saying, "Curvy women have no place on the catwalk," "Nobody wants to see curvy women," and, "These are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly,” and he continue to add that the world of fashion was all to do “with dreams and illusions, and no one wants to see round women." As if these statements weren't shocking enough, this is not the first time he was spoken of this issue. He has defended the fashion industry in the face of criticisms that it has serious effects on body image and eating disorders; Lagerfeld claims that the pressure of the fashion industry had no effect on the size of its models, rather it is their own psychological issues that affect their emaciation, saying "They aren't deliberately skinny because they want to be models, they've probably had family problems or suffered from other traumas," he said, and also claims that none of the models has worked with are anorexic, "only extremely slim."
So these are my biggest issues of concern: Why is a 72 year-old designer whose life is in no way being affected by the decision of Brigitte magazine to eliminate professional, thin models, so anti-curvy? What is his vendetta against women who are not of supermodel stature? Why does he feel the need to defend models, claiming that they have no issues surrounding their body image, when it is clear that the way they look directly affects the way they live? My proposed answer to these questions: he's out of his fucking mind. King Karl, as he is known in the fashion industry, is not losing any money if everyday women are portrayed instead of models. He can still use the thinnest models he desires in all of his runway shows and print ads. Just a word of advice for Mr. Lagerfeld: Attacking "curvy" women is not a good plan of action if you are really upset and want to do something about models of your preference being eliminated from an issue of a magazine. Typically, lashing out and being immature is not the best way to voice your concerns. In terms of the the well-being of the fashion industry if curvier women are prevalent in publications and runway shows, I strongly believe that the more inclusive the fashion industry is in terms of the size of the women modeling different styles, the better off it will be in the end.

<3 we are all beautiful.

Funky Feminist

Sorry this one's a little late for our Monday Music blog, but I'd love to tell everyone about a really awesome group!
Stephanie White and the Philth Harmonics performed at a couple of our "Female Friendly Funk" coffeehouses. Their music is a combination of R&B / Soul / Rock / Funk. They have original songs as well as covers that everyone knows. I absolutely loved hearing their acoustic performance, so I bought their CD "Knee Deep InSanity". It's on repeat in my car. And they just came out with a new CD, which I can't wait to get!
Check them out! http://www.myspace.com/philthharmonic

Quick Note on October

Hi There!

As most people know, October is breast cancer awareness month. Early detection plays a huge part in helping save lives, so I encourage each of you to reach out to your loved ones (mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends, etc.) and talk to them about mammograms and breast self exams. In the Women's Center, we have information in our resource binder on where to receive low or no cost mammograms for the underinsured. Feel free to stop in and pick up some info. 

The Sexist Health Care Debate

The debate on health care in our country is a debate that is of much importance to everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, social class, or any other demographic you can think of. Think about it, people...it's our health we're talking about. More recently, the issue of our health care system has become a rather heated debate. Especially in terms of gender inequalities and health care, the topic has become even more heated in the last couple weeks. After reading an article on UsaToday entitled "Health care bills tackle gender gap in coverage," I felt it was my feminist duty to devote my blog to this article and what it addresses. 
Women's health groups, female senators, and other legal organizations have been fighting to change the way women are treated in the U.S. health care system, by trying to put a ban on insurance companies both charging women more for the same procedures given to men and requiring insurance companies to provide maternity care for women. There are some alarming statistics that have really contributed to the efforts of these organizations:

• "Gender ratings" which consist of insurance companies being able to charge women more and even give companies with a higher female worker population higher group rates exist in 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
• Victims of sexual assault can be denied insurance coverage in eight states and the District of Columbia.
• Women can be denied maternity care if they get coverage while pregnant or can be denied coverage for preexisting conditions.

As Senator Barbara Mikluski (D-Md) said, "We pay more and we get less, and often we are denied care." Mikulski is also pushing for a legislative bill to be passed requiring insurance companies to include mammogram and Pap tests as routine health care for women. 
Things really became heated when Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona said in a legislative debate last week "I don't need maternity care and so requiring that to be in my insurance policy is something that I don't need and will make the policy more expensive." Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan fired back and interrupting Kyl saying, "I think your mom probably did." The Republicans fought back, defending Senator Kyl's words. His spokesman Ryan Patmintra stated that Senator Kyl and a majority of Republicans do not agree with "mandating certain types of coverage," as it drives up the cost of health care for everyone. He also said, "We just believe you should be able to choose the coverage you want."  What a nice way to make light of the fact that Senator Kyl doesn't believe women should have the same health care coverage as men. Here you can see the footage of Senator Kyl's comments...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jj6pqajvB8

There are many individuals in the health care industry who are against sexist health case policies".Robert Zirkelbach of America's Health Insurance Plans said that "The industry supports eliminating pricing based on gender" and "we strongly believe that nobody should be denied coverage because they're a victim of domestic abuse." 
The issue of health care, especially in terms of gender, is something that us as feminists and concerned citizens should pay special attention to. We already know that women are far under-represented in our country's government and it would be a shame for women, especially mothers-to-be and survivors of sexual assault, to be denied of health care coverage because of the patriarchal nature of our society.

<3

Men are happier than Women

The argument this guy attempts to make is just all over the place.

CNN Video

First, he starts off by saying the "happy" women are those that have no structure in their lives...the ones that don't attempt to juggle the five millions things they have to do that day. They live for the moment. I'm all about living for the moment...but let's be practical here, if all American women decided to just live for the moment, I'm pretty sure families across the nation would implode.

Toward the end of the interview, Buckingham then starts to say that women have too many choices, and these choices lead to stress. Really though, women don't have THAT many choices. And the choices we do have, all come with strings attached. We "decide" to be homemakers--and we can't pay the rent. We "decide" to go to work--and our children go where...into daycare--and then we can't afford to pay the daycare and our rent.

Side note: I put "decide" it quotes because who really knows if it's an actual choice.

However, I think what angered me the most was that the whole time, Buckingham was making it seem like it's the fault of women that we are so unhappy! We try to do too much and stress ourselves out. We should just relax. We try to work AND raise a family. Too many choices!!!!!! I like what Sharon Lerner was touching on though...yes, women have choices (if you call "go to work or lose your home" a choice), but we have NO SUPPORT from society. Maybe this is why we are unhappy?! Thank you, Sharon.

So, yeah,...I can see why women would be unhappy.

Rape is Not a Punchline

Last Thursday the Women's Center Ramapo held our annual Take Back the Night Speak-out & March. For those of you who aren’t familiar yet, Take Back the Night is “an internationally held march and rally intended as a protest and direct action against rape and other forms of violence against women, originated by the feminist movement.” People gather together in a room on campus and one by one survivors walk to the front and share their stories – once everyone has shared (we go until two minutes passes after the last speaker) we take to the streets (or in this case, the campus) to let out all of the anger and sadness and hope that the speakout causes us to feel in the form of chants.

I left that speak out feeling empowered; that is, until I logged onto facebook and saw that someone on my friends list had made a tasteless joke (”Take Back the Night? Sounds more like Rape Me Tonight!”) and, even worse, other people on my friends list were actually pressing the like button (the new online equivalent of laughing along with the joke.) Needless to say, I was pissed. How could this person make a joke about an event that means so much to so many people? What if one of the survivors who spoke that night saw this too? Would they feel as deflated as I felt right now? How could people be so callous as to laugh at a rape joke about rape survivors?!

And then I realized: this outrage that I’m feeling right now is outrage that I should be feeling more often – I should be feeling it every time hear someone make rape into a punchline. I don’t know why or when this started but recently I feel like I’ve been hearing a lot more jokes about rape as well as hearing the word rape thrown around in a causal manner (ie. One friend, jokingly, saying to the other “I’m totally gonna rape you later tonight” or “I raped that exam today”) and I haven’t known what to do about it.

Manic Music Mondays!

Very rarely do I feel emotionally connected to a piece of popular music. Having an intense musical theatre background, I find that most main-stream music lacks the emotional connection that musical theatre soundtracks do. However, when my partner originally introduced me to Jay Brannan I finally felt the connection that is so often lacking in music. The song which touched me is called “Housewife” by Jay Brannan.

In this song, Jay describes how he would love to have a life with a certain guy, and how, if he had his choice, he would like to be a homemaker. The song describes his hopeful partnership and how, while it may not be perfect, it is exactly what both parties need.

Some of my favorite lyrics include:
“I'm making guacamole
He's working on the car
When he grills turkey burgers
He knows I like them charred

I like to wash the dishes
I like to scrub the floors
Don't mind doing his laundry
What are boyfriends for?”

and

“I wanna have his baby
I want to wear his ring
He drives me fuckin' crazy
I am his everything

I wanna be a housewife
What's so wrong with that?
I wanna be a housewife, yeah
And that's just where I'm at”

This song is not only sweet and moving, but it is important because it illustrates the fact that Queer couples have the same ups and downs that heterosexual couples have. Often times marriage equality is seen as a separate issue from traditional marriage, but in reality all married people want the same thing.

Think about it.
Corey

This is just terrible

John Derbyshire thinks that women shouldn't be allowed to vote...

Yup...you didn't misunderstand...Derbyshire of the National Review recently argued against women's suffrage in his new tome We are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism.

Here's what he said about his "scholarly work" on the radio

"[Women] want someone to nurture, they want someone to help raise their kids, and if men aren't inclined to do it -- and in the present days, they're not -- then they'd like the state to do it for them."

He then continued to spew his vile with...

"Among the hopes that I do not realistically nurse is the hope that female suffrage will be repealed. But I'll say this - if it were to be, I wouldn't lose a minute's sleep."

GROSS. And people say there isn't a need for feminism..tsk tsk.

We Need a Fucking Revolution