Feminism | Posted by Ashley P on 03/10/2010

Owning Up to My “Number”

the issue of the metaphorical little black book

A few days ago, I took a huge step in the self-confidence department. I was reading Jessica Valenti’s Full-Frontal Feminism (a particular favorite of mine) for the fifth time, and her chapter about women’s sexuality made me put down the damn book and go to my desk. Feeling extremely inspired, I sat down with a pen and paper and compiled my list, my “little black book”, so to speak. To some young women, this may not appear to be such a big deal. However, for me personally, writing each person’s name down and totaling the number was my defiant act of courage.

Since my senior year of high school, I have been considerably sexually active. The summer between my high school graduation and my first semester…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 03/9/2010

A Generation of Prosti-tots

the good old days

Last year, I worked at an after-school day care center for kids in preschool-6th grade. Basically, after a long day at school, I hauled my ass to work where for 3 hours I was surrounded by a bunch of kids who were primarily in their single digits and not only acted as though they hadn’t just been at school for 8 hours but had also shot up some 5 hour energy. Seriously, these kids were nuts.

A family friend recently sent me this article about “prosti-tots,” a catchy yet disturbing phrase, that got me thinking about my experience at work. Basically, if you think our generation is messed up, the next one has it coming.

For some reason the little tykes at work seemed to trust me. More likely they…

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Feminism | Posted by Morgan SW on 03/8/2010

Oh *sigh* Canada

Recently there has been talk in Canada about changing the national anthem to be gender-neutral. A week or so ago, Governor General Michaelle Jean asked the Conservative government to review the national anthem and to consider changing it to be gender neutral. Changing, for example, a phrase saying ““True patriot love in all thy sons command” to “True patriot love thou dost in us command.”

Following this there was a huge outcry from Canadians saying this issue doesn’t really matter, and that sexism doesn’t exist anymore and we shouldn’t be wasting our time with such an inconsequential issue.

Here’s the thing, I do agree with some of these things. Considering the uproar that happened when Stephen Harper prorogued parliament at the end of 2009, the Conservative government seems to just be trying to attempt to touch…

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Feminism, Pop-Culture | Posted by Satah C on 03/8/2010

Language Matters: Canadian National Anthem Edition

In Canada recently, there was a movement to officially change one of the lines in the anthem from “in all thy sons command” to something more gender-neutral. When I heard the news, I quietly applauded it as a symbol of an immensely positive thing: it was tiny, but showed that thought was being put into the language we use and support. I then moved on with my life and kind of forgot about it.

I got concerned when I saw hordes of my facebook friends joining groups like SAVE OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM!! and NO TO CHANGING THE CANADIAN ANTHEM!!

I’ve just read multiple reports that the government has backed down, deciding not to change the line.

I repeat: they wanted to change a single line, in the name of gender-inclusiveness. They did not…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 03/7/2010

Support Women Artists Sunday: Rilo Kiley / Jenny Lewis

Rilo Kiley

Rilo Kiley

Rilo Kiley’s audiences have a strong tendency to fall in love on the spot. Perhaps it’s their beaming faces or laid-back, admirable West Coast attitudes. Or maybe it’s just their uncanny knack for designing nuanced pop songs and performing them with flair. Maybe it’s lead singers Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennet‘s adorable onstage banter and scissors-sharp wit. Whatever that little something extra is, Los Angeles, CA’s Rilo Kiley has it times ten. (Sing 365)

Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis

Born in Las Vegas in early 1977, singer/songwriter Jenny Lewis is one of indie rock’s treasured songbirds, known for her work as the primary vocalist of Rilo Kiley as well as her burgeoning solo career. A former child actress, she helped launch Rilo Kiley in 1998 with fellow musicians Blake Sennett, Pierre de…

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Feminism | Posted by Julie Z on 03/5/2010

But You Don’t Act Like A Feminist?

high school, must accurately portrayed in Disney's HSM movies

High school is a magical place. Throw a bunch of horny teenagers who are trying to figure out who the hell they are into a building that looks more like an insane asylum circa 1960 than a place of eduction. Add an average of 4 hours of sleep to trigonometry and there you have it: a group of completely accepting, totally open minded individuals.

Except not at all.

To some extent, I can understand why there are so many teenagers who are pretty close-minded. For one, we’re young. We haven’t had a lot of life experiences or been exposed to that much (relatively). Of course that’s not always true, but there are indeed some teens who are content to consume all their information…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Jamie N on 03/4/2010

The Healthy Aesthetic?

dieting = healthy?

I’ve had a theory brewing in my head recently: if all the women in the United States were a size 2 yet as a society we still struggled with heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers then the “health” argument would be very different. After watching the recent Nightline segment “Is it Okay to be fat” my theory was confirmed. The title should’ve read, “Is it okay for women to be fat?”; and then at least it would have been more honest.

It’s hard to debate health when what you’re really debating aesthetics. A serious debate on health would’ve seen men on the panel, since this issue is a societal problem and not something women should have to shoulder alone (though we often do).

I struggle with body image. I’m in my…

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Awareness, Feminism | Posted by Jaded16 on 03/3/2010

Someone Needs To Take The Negative PR Off Of Abortion’s back

abortion in India: not everybody feels this way

As I was reading this post on “Abortion Doulas” I got to thinking about being pro-choice, abortion in general and about abortion in India in particular (as this is where I live). Out here, we tend to look at abortion as something shameful, disgusting, a thing to keep under wraps. No “good Indian” girl ever gets an abortion. If she does, people whisper about her in hushed tones for what she did was indeed disgusting. Interestingly, this is the attitude for abortion only for single women, unwed mothers etc. Within the sanctity of marriage, many women are forced to abort their unborn female fetuses. That isn’t entirely looked down upon. In fact, aborting the girl child is seen as the only solution.

Most T.V…

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