NOMAS | Pro-feminist, gay affirmative, anti-racist, enhancing men's lives. The Happy Feminist Shocked to hear me say that? Don't be. Feminism doesn't guarantee a woman a date, or safety from harm, lifelong happiness, or greater health (although it has always been my opinion that being a feminist improves one's chances at all those things). The purpose of feminism is equality of opportunity, freedom, and dignity for all women. What a woman chooses to do with that equality is up to her. That's why I am not unduly disturbed by a Swedish study (touted by anti-feminist commenters) purporting to show that women who take on stressful jobs traditionally held by men suffer health consequences for doing so. Be all that as it may, I don't have much of a beef with the theory that a stressful job takes a toll on one's health and that therefore women taking on these jobs often experience resulting health problems. And that's thing. *Of course, anti-feminist policies and practices also often pose certain risks to the health of women and girls.
newpolitics.mayfirst.org Words are not fists: some thoughts on how men work to defuse feminist anger at Hugo Schwyzer This is, I think, an important post. I’ve been thinking about men in women’s studies classes, and jokes about "male-bashing." This semester’s women’s studies class is like most: overwhelmingly female. Most of the guys hadn’t spoken in class all semester; today, all did. When men find themselves in feminist settings (like a women’s studies class) they are almost always in the minority. But one thing I remember from my own college days that I see played out over and over again is this male habit of making nervous jokes about being attacked by feminists . All of this behavior reflects two things: men’s genuine fear of being challenged and confronted, and the persistence of the stereotype of feminists as being aggressive "man-bashers." There’s a conscious purpose to this sort of behavior. Here’s where I need to issue a big ol’ mea culpa. Part of being a pro-feminist man, I’ve come to realize in recent years, is being willing to face the real anger of real women.
New Left Review Ubuntucat » Blog Archive » Stupid husbands and smart wives on TV If you’ve seen any American sitcoms featuring het couples in the past ten years or so, you’ll probably have noticed that it’s common for the show to portray the husbands as a stupid but endearing oaf who likes beer, barbecues, watching TV, hanging with the guys, and ogling women; and the wife as a smart, attractive, career woman who is also a housewife… and who generally just puts up with the man. Some people have tried to use this as evidence that feminism has gone too far, but I have seen no indication from feminist writers or bloggers that they approve of this dynamic. Granted, I don’t hear a lot of feminist outcry over it either, but it is worth nothing that feminists do not celebrate the gender dynamic in popular husband-wife sitcoms like King of Queens, The Simpsons, George Lopez, or Rules of Engagement. I do think the dynamic comes from a combination of sociological factors and political light-stepping, though. When is it “okay” to make fun of someone?
SourceWatch Koch Spy Agency Led by Voter Fraud Huckster The Kochs have been complaining about a "lack of civility in politics" as they seek to boost their public image--but one of their top operatives helped propel perhaps the most egregious case of race-baiting voter fraud hucksterism in recent years. At the same time that the Kochs have been on a PR blitz, publicly spinning an image of themselves as well-intentioned patriots trying to make the world a better place and decrying "character assassination," they've been quietly ramping up a clandestine surveillance and intelligence gathering operation focused on their perceived political enemies, Ken Vogel reports at Politico. At the helm of this "competitive intelligence" operation is a man named Mike Roman, Vice President of Research for Kochs' Freedom Partners and who was paid $265,000 last year, according to Freedom Partners' recent tax filing. Kochs' Freedom Partners Spent $129M in 2014, Invested Massively in Voter Data Lists Rep. Ben Carson
Personal Responsibility | Hello Ladies I went for a run after dinner tonight. It was a beautiful night. The moon was full and I wanted to unwind after a long week of work. I was responsible. About one mile into the run, a car full of young men in their teens or early 20s drove by me. I decided to shorten my route to avoid a dark patch of road. I walked in the door far less relaxed than I had been when I set out. If something had happened to me during my run – if I had been attacked – and the incident made the paper, do you think most people reading the story would have first thought, “Why do those men behave that way?”
The terrorism that dare not speak its name Why is it that the media and the government never calls the “pro-life” groups who plant bombs at women’s clinics what they are: terrorists? From the AP article, entitled “Explosive found at Austin women’s clinic”: AUSTIN — A package left at a women’s clinic that performs abortions contained an explosive device capable of inflicting serious injury or death, investigators said today.“It was in fact an explosive device,” said David Carter, assistant chief of the Austin Police Department. “It was configured in such a way to cause serious bodily injury or death.”The package was found Wednesday in a parking lot outside the Austin Women’s Health Center, south of downtown Austin.Nearby Interstate 35 was briefly closed, and a nearby apartment complex was evacuated while a bomb squad detonated the device. Actually, I shouldn’t say “from” the AP article. But it’s an abortion clinic, so. For some reason, terrorism doesn’t count if it’s directed against women and their health care providers.
Orion Magazine - nature / culture / place Third-Wave Feminism 1. There must be a widespread understanding that feminism does apply to men. Therefore, men who stand up for feminist issues may, and should, be identified as feminist. It is counterproductive and hypocritical to discuss gender equality while simultaneously creating a double standard towards males who share feminist values. (I think that the phrase "feminist male" should be dropped, as well. 2. 3. 4. (This logic applies only to minor, mainstream cosmetics. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Theunjustmedia News & Perspectives How many gay people are there? It’s natural to enjoy and explore your sexual feelings whatever your sexuality.You may want to tell people about your sexuality (‘come out’ to them) or to keep your feelings private.If you decide to explore your sexuality through sex, make sure you understand how to prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unplanned pregnancy.Some people use words like ‘gay’, ‘bi’ or ‘queer’ to help define their sexuality; others prefer to avoid labels altogether. Either is fine, it’s up to you.You’re not alone. There is a lot of support out there to help you understand your sexuality and how to deal with other people’s reactions to it. Sexual feelings are an important part of many people’s lives and can bring a lot of pleasure. If you're trying to work out how you feel, what you’re into, and who you are attracted to, remember that you're not the only one. Everyone is different and your feelings and desires are personal to you. What is sexuality? Don’t worry. - Shalini - Toby