tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74054385691838543172024-03-13T00:56:40.135-04:00Ms.Marx: On Pop CultureCritiques of pop culture and commentary on life experiencesMs.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.comBlogger219125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-3374545083224747522016-06-17T10:55:00.000-04:002016-06-17T13:09:47.209-04:00Gendered dress codes - T-Shirts and bathing suits<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Letter I am considering sending about my daughter's year end class trip. Input is appreciated!</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Dear [school officials, principal, and teachers]</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
First I wanted to say that my daughter had a great time and I really appreciate the work that goes into these activities. However, there is something that she talked about that I want to bring to your attention. She told me that girls were required to wear T-shirts while participating in water activities. Boys, on the other hand, were able to participate wearing just their swimming trunks. If this is the case, it is clearly not sun protection, but because girls bodies are seen as inherently sexual and needing to be covered whereas boys bodies are allowed to exist publicly.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
She was told that, as justification for this policy, they needed to "keep Victoria's secrets a secret"</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
As a women's studies professor, a woman, and the mother of a girl who is learning how to exist in her changing body, this really upsets me.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her that there is something wrong with her body.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her that her body is something to be ashamed of.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her that her body is innately sexual.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her that it is more important to hide her body from boys than to wear practical clothing for the activity and weather.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her that covering up is more important than her safety (my lifeguard training included the lesson that T-shirts can be hazardous in the water)</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her that the rules are different for girls' bodies than for boys' bodies.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This teaches her to accept being treated differently because of her gender.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
It contributes to the increased rate of eating disorders at earlier and earlier ages. It contributes to a culture where it is not only possible, but normal to sexualize and objectify the bodies of young girls. It contributes to a culture where girls are blamed for dressing provocatively or not being cautious enough if they are assaulted. </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
As a 13 year old girl, she is already learning a lot of these lessons from television, books, the news, her friends, and even from older men that whistle at her while she is walking down the street (regardless of who she is with or how she is dressed). Can't school be a place where she is safe from this messaging?</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
The field trip was a great experience, overall, and I really hope it continues for students in future years, but I ask that you examine this policy and stop telling girls that their bodies are something to be ashamed of.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-19805510661251557542016-03-30T12:02:00.000-04:002016-03-30T12:02:06.922-04:00What does a school dress code that is not designed to shame girls for having bodies look like?I was looking at local high school dress codes and came across what might be one of the most obvious examples of what dress codes designed to shame girls for having bodies and those designed to foster respectful and inclusive environments look like.<br />
<br />
School 1<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ANCoJZEwpk8/Vvv1SexJSLI/AAAAAAAAAO8/y8IfQjX5QdEzyYwls1ovRkGrHkf35oThg/s1600/Dresscode1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ANCoJZEwpk8/Vvv1SexJSLI/AAAAAAAAAO8/y8IfQjX5QdEzyYwls1ovRkGrHkf35oThg/s400/Dresscode1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Notice that the second consideration in determining the dress code is to keep the learning environment free from distraction, and that it is based on the premise of "modesty and civility."<br />
<br />
School 2<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d8FwxKuNvtw/Vvv1V6dYNtI/AAAAAAAAAPA/ip7QAToQn-YVfzaDEAHEjyVzGStp6MQaQ/s1600/Dresscode2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d8FwxKuNvtw/Vvv1V6dYNtI/AAAAAAAAAPA/ip7QAToQn-YVfzaDEAHEjyVzGStp6MQaQ/s640/Dresscode2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This dress code emphasizes respect and cultural diversity. Very few specific items are banned for not covering up enough skin, with the caveat that underwear should not be visible. At this school, girls wear spaghetti straps, crop tops, and shorts and skirts of any length they wish, and the universe has not yet exploded!<br />
<br />
This dress code has been in place for quite some time, and graduation rates for boys has not fallen, nor have their grades dropped from witnessing girls' shoulders on a regular basis.<br />
<br />
As many other bloggers have pointed out, when girls receive the message that their body is a distraction, and that boys' education is more important than girls' comfort in the classroom, girls are learning that their own education is just not that important.<br />
<br />
<br />Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-23386978256617633192014-11-20T15:40:00.000-05:002014-11-20T15:40:27.893-05:00Is roller derby feminist?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aMDwL9LF3OI/VG5RkBD_odI/AAAAAAAAAN0/zq6CGQjKtW0/s1600/McStung.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aMDwL9LF3OI/VG5RkBD_odI/AAAAAAAAAN0/zq6CGQjKtW0/s1600/McStung.jpg" height="320" width="161" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I have been playing roller derby for 2 years now. Before joining, I had a lot of concerns about feminism within the sport that I talked about <a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.ca/2011/05/roller-derby-to-play-or-not-to-play.html">here</a>. Roller derby presents itself as a feminist and queer-friendly sport. At the same time, comparisons have been made to women's WWE wrestling regarding women playing a contact sport in revealing clothing while men watch and cheer them on. So, when I think about whether roller derby is queer and feminist, my answer is it depends, and I'm going to explain why.<br />
<br />
<br />
By Women, For Women<br />
<br />
My favorite thing about roller derby is that it is organized by women for women. Men participate, they can play (Merby - men's roller derby - has become a thing), but the people who make the decisions about how the sport is played, where it is played, when it is played and by whom are almost all women. Leagues are started and run by women. Sometimes they are coached by men, but more often than not, the teams I have played for and against were coached by women. The refs are typically men and take a supportive role within the leagues. I think the most important piece to this is that there are no men making money off of women's physicality within roller derby - ok, teams may pay rent to landlords, so there is monetary exchanges happening, but men do not own teams and profit off of the work that women are doing (unlike roller derby in the 70s).<br />
<br />
<br />
Feminist fishnets?<br />
<br />
If you see only a few pictures of the sport, you might think that roller derby involves putting on fishnet tights, wearing weird makeup, picking out a cheeky name, and then hitting each other while wearing roller skates. All of that can be true, but sometimes it is not. Skater's can typically wear whatever they want while skating - some wear basketball shorts, some wear padded shorts, some wear underwear and fishnets. I think I wear more padding than anyone else on the track!<br />
<br />
For me, feminism does not involve fishnet tights, but it also does not involve policing the clothing of others - take any argument made by a feminist regarding the slutwalk and place it here! I also think the fact that women are wearing protective equipment including helmets and mouthguards and are playing a sport that is aggressive (and derby stance is not particularly sexy in the conventional, playboy-posing sense of the word) also creates space to argue that fishnets can be feminist. Feminism is all about contradictions, and there are plenty of those within the sport of roller derby.<br />
<br />
<br />
Intersectionality<br />
<br />
Most of the roller derby players that I have met have been white, able-bodied women aged 20-40 who can afford monthly dues and the cost of skates and equipment. While I have played with and against Indigenous women and racialized women, and I know there are women on my team who struggle to come up with the funds to continue to play, I can't talk about roller derby without mentioning who is included and who is not. I won't pretend to entirely understand the reasons for this, but I am sure they are complex (lower income for certain groups makes it harder to afford a several hundred dollar start up costs, not seeing people who look like you playing the sport makes it seem less desirable for you, cultural implications of dressing in specific ways and engaging in behaviors that are sometimes labelled "violent", etc etc). There have also been a few recent criticisms of team logos for having racist symbols or culturally appropriation, which will definitely have an impact on who wants to play the sport. These are issues that still need to be acknowledged and unpacked.<br />
<br />
Gender policies vary by league and are quite complex. I have met more trans and genderqueer folks through roller derby than through LGBTQ activist work unrelated to derby, so there is definitely something important going on here. Many leagues have pride-themed bouts (that is the roller derby word for a game), and skaters often join pride parades and events. <br />
<br />
Still, there is a policy upheld by WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) requiring trans women to be on hormones, which can exclude those who do not have access to hormones. A team can challenge the gender of a player, and that player will have to bring evidence of their gender to their team captain, which is invasive and problematic. Several leagues have implemented policies where any female-identified player may join the women's teams, which I thought was a great policy until being part of a discussion about the role of a young trans boy in roller derby and now I am rethinking how gender is taken up in the sport. I am by no means the expert here, but my opinion at the moment is that roller derby is among the most queer and trans-friendly sports that I have ever heard of, but that we still have work to do in order to make sure everyone is included in ways that they are comfortable with.<br />
<br />
<br />
Empowerment<br />
<br />
The part of roller derby that I have experienced as most feminist is the concept of sisterhood and empowerment. Roller derby teams seem to operate more like a family than other sports teams I have participated in. There is so much support from other skaters through local and international roller derby networks - it can be amazing to see the ways that the community pulls together. For instance, last year one of my teammates was killed - there are still no answers about what happened or who killed her. When this happened, the team really pulled together to help each other and other teams offered support in many different ways.<br />
<br />
As for empowerment, there are several organizations set up helping victims of sexual assault or domestic violence get equipment and join a roller derby team. Anecdotally, I have skated with women who have talked about how transformational roller derby has been to how they see themselves, their feelings of self-worth and leaving abusive partners. I was worried that playing a contact sport would trigger me at times with regards to violent situations and partners that I have had in the past, but I think it has largely done the opposite. It has made me feel stronger and less anxious and afraid. It has pushed me mentally, physically, and socially, and given me a support network to help get through it. We also skate together at the local Take Back the Night. Other teams take an active role in local sexual assault and harassment awareness and prevention in their communities.<br />
<br />
I would be lying if I said that it was always positive and empowering - there were times when interpersonal conflict made it tough to continue - I have seen people leave the sport for this reason. I have heard people refer back to the commonsense assumption that if you get 30 women together, of course there will be conflict. But I have also seen many women move past this and support each other in really fantastic ways that must be part of what feminists were talking about when they bring up the notion of sisterhood. <br />
<br />
Roller derby is also one of the most body-positive sports that I have ever been part of. In my experience with the game, I have never seen anyone be put down because of their weight. I will admit that at first I had ideas about what fat bodies were capable of when it came to athletics, but my experience playing the game has completely changed the way that I look at bodies - my own and others. In roller derby, there seems to be a role for all body types, and it isn't as simple as smaller bodies are good at jamming and larger bodies are good at blocking. I now realize that size is not necessarily indicative of health, stamina, strength or ability to play the game. It has also made me much more concerned about what my body can do instead of what my body looks like. Since joining roller derby, the numbers on the scale and my pant size have both increased and I don't care - I don't care because the distance I can run and the number of squats and push ups I can do and weight I can lift has also increased. I feel stronger. And even though I know that strong bodies can also be objectified, I feel like this shift from caring about my weight (but trying not to) is a very feminist thing. I also need to point out that I am very lucky to be able-bodied in this respect - I don't think there is a version of roller derby yet for people who cannot skate.<br />
<br />
<br />
Language<br />
<br />
One issue that I am having trouble getting past is with respect to language. Roller derby players are often referred to as "girls" in team names and in conversation. We are derby girls - not derby players or women. New skaters are referred to as Fresh Meat. I believe this refers more to some kind of tenderizing process than anything else, but it is hard for me to use the word "meat" for women and not think of blatant objectification. Many derby names are also blatantly sexual - sometimes team names, sometimes player names. This part can be more difficult for me to try and move past in my own head, and can be easier to accept a team name that is at least actively sexual (get'n lucky charms) than passive or naming body parts or names that sound violent or use words that I find offensive. I totally get that it is meant to be tongue and cheek and even empowering in many cases, but I am not able to entirely see it that way. Sometimes the names are feminist and inspiring, and it really helps me to focus on these parts of the sport. Again, feminism is full of contradictions, and I think that roller derby has a lot of those, with moments of clear feminism, moments that are almost impossible to frame as feminist, and moments where it is both and neither at the same time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Roller derby is made up of a variety of women, and is only as queer or feminist as the people who are playing the sport. Some teams have amazing social justice committees and engage the community and each other in amazing ways. Other teams play into the sexuality of their players, sometimes in cheeky ways, sometimes in overtly objectifying ways. So, my answer is that there is nothing inherently feminist or queer about the sport itself, but that being organized by women for women and outside of the focus on profit that is seen in so many other sports, it opens a space where feminism and queerness can fit quite nicely. Thus, the sport has more potential to be feminist and queer than so many others, and that is often how it is taken up by teams and skaters. <br />
<br />
Also, it is incredibly fun to play, and I highly recommend seeing if your local league (if you are lucky enough to have one) will let you borrow some gear so you can come see what it is all about - you may find yourself coming back every week for more!<br />
<br />Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-55931687559493063312014-09-27T19:38:00.001-04:002014-09-28T12:08:19.758-04:00Taking back take back the night<p dir="ltr">Sudbury's Take Back the Night took place on Thursday evening and it was one of the least empowering feminist events I have ever attended.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">A few months ago, I was asked to speak at the event.  I started receiving committee emails at this time and noted that there were police officers on the organizing committee.  Every person on this committee was there as part of their job representing various organizations. </p>
<p dir="ltr">One email included a draft of the new "parade purpose" which was changed in order to fit with the police's new community mobilization model.   Yes, you read that correctly.  They changed the written purpose of TBTN to get a parade permit. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When I suggested that we could march without the police which could be more empowering because so many victims of violence are revictimized by police services, I was removed from the speakers list because we are not allowed to subject "guilt on another because of their profession." </p>
<p dir="ltr">A group of wonderful (and angry! ) feminists pulled together to get me back on the speakers list.  Then we attended the event. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I think I was the only speaker who even said the words "queer" "trans" or implied that things like skin colour or disabilities can impact experiences of violence (there was an indigenous speaker who had a lot to say about intergenerational violence so they at least had that covered). Half the speakers used the phrase "not all men" because they wanted to make sure the men present were comfortable.  But you know where men are already comfortable? everywhere.  That is kind of the point of the event. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When my speech was over, the next speaker was a (white male) police officer.  This officer has arrested several of the women in the room at various times including sex workers and local activists engaged in a peaceful protest.  He also has been known to displace homeless women.  And he had been invited to speak by the committee! </p>
<p dir="ltr">He actually said that since the beginning of time, humans have been violent (not true, but if it were, why would we bother trying to end violence at all). Then he differentiated between wars and hurtful violence, making it sound like violence used to be productive when it was to steal indigenous land or stop Hitler but now we are just using it to be mean.  There is good violence and bad violence.  And the nice protective police officer seems happy to decide which is which.  That was just the first of five minutes but the whole thing was pretty terrible.  And not all men are violent, in case us ladies forgot. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When a few radical feminists expressed outrage at him being on stage, they were chastised.  A group of women turned their backs on the officer when he got on stage and another group ran up to block the police officer from having to see them.  Two women went on stage at the open mic to publicly shame the women who expressed discomfort with the police officer's presence because they met him and he's a nice guy. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Other themes included that feminism isn't women> men but women=men, that men can help protect women (from other men, if they feel like it, because that is totally empowering), that not all men are violent, and one queer woman was even asked by a fellow activist not to talk about same sex violence because it takes away from the fact that men are the most common perpetrators.  It was seriously fucked up. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I've read a dozen facebook posts from women who were outraged or left feeling less safe and empowered than when they got there.  This is a huge problem. </p>
<p dir="ltr">So, now to figure out what to do about it... how do we take back take back the night?</p>
Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-56555174948991210212014-03-17T20:10:00.000-04:002014-03-17T20:10:46.957-04:00Abuse Narratives in young adult dystopian fictionSince graduating, I have taken to reading a lot of fiction. I have a bit of an obsession for young adult dystopian fiction and sometimes read a bit of zombie/magic/fantasy and, on occasion, even vampire fiction. I started to notice some disturbing trends in the literature and made a spreadsheet to confirm these tropes. <br />
<br />
In case you aren't familiar with this language, a trope is a common pattern in a story or recognizable attribute in a character that conveys information to the audience. Tropes often perpetuate stereotypes. For more information on tropes, see <a href="http://www.feministfrequency.com/">tropes vs. w</a>omen<br />
<br />
Currently, there are 71 books on my spreadsheet. The stats person in me feels the need to say that these are in no way selected randomly; they represent what is available in mostly ebook and audiobook from the two public libraries I can access. However, I did try to borrow from the top selling books tagged as "young adult" and "dystopian" on Goodreads as a rough guide to indicate that these are largely what youth are reading at the moment.<br />
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
The most disturbing trend, and the one I am going to discuss in this post, is what seems to happen when a female author writes about a female protagonist (46 of the books in my spreadsheet). Here is the story that played out more often than not...</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
1. Girl in mid to late teens gets rescued by a cute but mysterious boy early in the story (even in Hunger Games, although we don't know it until a bit later in the story)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwv0P3EBPcs/Uyd9d3kxoJI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/2QTg909EFBc/s1600/abusive+narrative.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwv0P3EBPcs/Uyd9d3kxoJI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/2QTg909EFBc/s1600/abusive+narrative.png" height="237" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
2. Girl is conflicted between two potential dating partners.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_KMjJqZRQM4/UyeOkB0mO1I/AAAAAAAAANM/MVKpDbNcXew/s1600/Female+prot-+triangle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_KMjJqZRQM4/UyeOkB0mO1I/AAAAAAAAANM/MVKpDbNcXew/s1600/Female+prot-+triangle.png" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
3. One of the dating partners is abusive in some way - emotionally or physically, often both (one of the book jackets actually said "he loves her, he wants to kill her")</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cuN2nYVICzY/Uyd_IIahhjI/AAAAAAAAAMc/g_Q9HsC19ZQ/s1600/Female+prot-+abuse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cuN2nYVICzY/Uyd_IIahhjI/AAAAAAAAAMc/g_Q9HsC19ZQ/s1600/Female+prot-+abuse.png" height="240" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
4. It is deemed to be "not his fault" because ... (he was brainwashed by the capital, he is fighting a transformation into a supernatural being of some sort, he is a supernatural being of some sort and it is in his nature to bite/kill, he was raised in another area where this was how things work and doesn't know any better).</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
5. Love interest #2 treats her like a human being (88.2% of love triangles or 68% total books)</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
6. Girl somehow survives everything (often because of a girl-power awesome piece, but sometimes because one of the two love interests fixes everything for her) </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zY8St_Ufsn0/UyeBOQ6krAI/AAAAAAAAAMw/XuyiAj2gpx4/s1600/Female+prot-+survival.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zY8St_Ufsn0/UyeBOQ6krAI/AAAAAAAAAMw/XuyiAj2gpx4/s1600/Female+prot-+survival.png" height="235" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
7. Girl lives happily ever after with abusive asshole, who is now a nice guy</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kXWqqDTurhY/UyeCCqy0XfI/AAAAAAAAAM8/diiEM3alGSQ/s1600/Female+prot-+happily.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kXWqqDTurhY/UyeCCqy0XfI/AAAAAAAAAM8/diiEM3alGSQ/s1600/Female+prot-+happily.png" height="238" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
The most disturbing part for me is with respect to #4. In many real abusive relationships, the abuse is explained away as not the fault of the abusive partner - he is just under a lot of stress right now, he is not acting like himself, etc.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Some of the behavior in these books is scary. In Twilight, Edward watches Bella sleep by sneaking into her room and everyone is ok with this?!? If someone snuck into my room to watch me sleep, I would call the police, not date them. In so many of these books, the love interest tries to kill the protagonist (even in The Hunger Games) and we are all ok with this because it is not his fault. Sometimes, instead of being physically abusive, love interest #1 is merely hostile, rude, secretive, mean, spiteful, or otherwise an ass not worthy of her time.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
I think it is also important that most of these girls kick ass. It can seem empowering to watch Katniss survive the games twice and take down the capital, often saving Peetah in the process, or watching any other female character use her intelligence and physical strength to take down whatever demon / faerie / vampire / soldier / government / etc is in her way (reminiscent of Buffy), BUT, even though she is a strong and independent character, she is still in an abusive relationship with love interest #1. Also, thank you Divergent for not doing any of this (not my favorite series, but notable in that the whole love triangle / abuse thing is barely there).</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
I get that this is fiction and it isn't telling young girls to go date vampires who are going to beat the crap out of them the night they lose their virginity, but when such a high percentage of the relationships that girls are reading about and watching on television excuses abuse, it can definitely lead to a situation where abusive behaviors seem relatively normalized much in the same way that study after study has shown that watching programming that incorporates rape myths make teens and college-aged adults more likely to believe in rape myths. </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Other issues with these books;</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Number of books/series with at least one non-white character; 31% </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Number of books/series with at least one LGBT character; 23% (this is artificially high - there were a total of 3 series with LGBT characters; Revived had a trans character, Adaptation had 3 queer characters including </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
main characters, and the Sweep series had at least 5 LGBT characters, so I read 9 of the 14 books, HOWEVER none of these are actually dystopian despite being tagged as such).</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Number of books where female protagonist stays single; 0</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Number of books where male protagonist stays single;12%</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Average number of female characters (non-protagonist) that have any real character development; 1.68 per book</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Don't get me wrong - these books are not all bad. There is also a lot of positive commentary coming from them, which is why I like them and continue to read them. Most of them provide some kind of insight into the world; ideas of good and evil as shades of grey and not just black and white, issues with censorship, obedience, government/social control, war, better ways to organize socially and politically, what constitutes freedom and choice, is there such a thing as "human nature" and what does it look like, ethical issues with science and genetics, environmental sustainability, beauty ideals, racism, social class, poverty, Indigenous issues, religion, the importance of art, linking militarism to sexual violence against women... I could write several posts on these aspects alone!</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
In the next few weeks, I would like to write about tropes with other gender groupings for author/protagonist. </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Also, please continue to recommend books and series that you particularly liked!</div>
Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-76339680139538887742014-03-13T12:17:00.000-04:002014-03-13T12:19:30.620-04:00Why the "friend zone" isn't funny<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<div class="mimepart text html" style="min-height: 1em;">
I love to read memes and visit a lot of sites that have a variety of memes. However, I am getting sick and tired of all of these comments about the "friend zone."<br />
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
I'm sure you have heard of this concept - it is when women overlook a perfectly acceptable dating partner and think of them only as a friend, even though this guy wants to be more than friends and has been extra nice to this particular woman to try and win her over.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
It is also women's way of exerting power over the male species and to continue having them do our bidding (insert evil laughter)....</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Here are a couple of supposedly hilarious examples;</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<img alt="Friend zoned." src="http://global3.memecdn.com/Friend-zoned_o_112269.webp" /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
http://www.memecenter.com/fun/112269/Friend-zoned</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<img alt="Ha-Friendzone!" height="400" src="https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7112959744/hD42C40F0/" width="331" /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
http://cheezburger.com/7112959744</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
It even suggests that women use this power intentionally to abuse and manipulate men or just treat them like shit;</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<img alt="Friend Zone Level 99" src="http://global3.memecdn.com/Friend-Zone-Level-99_o_116685.webp" height="320" width="200" /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
http://www.memecenter.com/fun/116685/Friend-Zone-Level-99</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
But this is incredibly sexist. It suggests that women owe sex to men who are nice to us. It is also insulting to men, suggesting that the only reason a straight cisgendered male would be friends with a woman is to get her to sleep with him.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<img /><img src="http://ahumanstory.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/3z9fn.jpg?w=300&h=251" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
http://ahumanstory.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/the-friend-zone/</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<img alt="friendzone. The friend zone myth is dangerous and insulting because it perpetuates the idea of women as a prize or a reward for being 'nice'. It dehumanises wom" src="http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/friendzone.+The+friend+zone+myth+is+dangerous+and+insulting+because_f9d4b5_5013990.jpg" /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
http://www.funnyjunk.com/friendzone/funny-pictures/5014434/</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This "friend zone" ignores what women actually want in a relationship. It makes women seem like spoiled brats who drag men around to do their bidding. It makes men seem like victims because a woman they were nice to does not want to sleep with them, which implies that men are entitled to sex from any woman they would like to have sex with. It makes it harder for women to say no without being thought of as selfish or manipulative, especially if the guy has been nice to her. It implies that it is a bad thing to be friends with a woman (if you are a hetero cis man), which I can only assume is because men are so much more interesting than women and the only thing women are good for is sleeping with.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
This friend zone can be dangerous. It reinforces many of the same ways of thinking that supports date rape as an excusable behavior. In the next comic (from a page that explicitly refers to the rape zone), you can see the myth that women will intentionally seek to gain financially from male friends, and that men should be paid back in sexual favors for spending money on a woman.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<img src="http://static.fjcdn.com/large/pictures/7e/3c/7e3c44_2308667.jpg" height="640" width="476" /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/2309111/im/</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
I have seen several images linking this friend zone to sexual assault - I debated whether or not to include these images, but I really don't want to give them any more hits than they already have, but there are a group of memes about putting women in the rape zone if you have been friendzoned and a series of posts entitled the fuck a friendzone movement. These might be meant as jokes, not actually encouraging men to assault women, but with the prevalence of rape myths and sexual assault, there is nothing funny about them.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
So please stop sharing "friend zone" images unless it is to explicitly point out how sexist they really are.</div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7405438569183854317" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7405438569183854317" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7405438569183854317" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-64335924933075321462014-02-18T17:11:00.000-05:002014-02-18T17:11:15.828-05:00What passes for journalism these days....So, on the bright side, this article made me want to post again for the first time in over a year (or maybe that has something to do with being back in academia). On the down side, nobody is going to read this because I haven't blogged in a year...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thesudburystar.com/2014/02/17/readers-say-no-to-rainbow-flag">This </a>article in a local newspaper is one of the worst pieces of journalism I have ever read. It is about the city's decision to fly the rainbow flag in support of LGBTQ athletes in Russia.<br />
<br />
Not only does the article completely fail to contextualize the reason for the rainbow flag flying at city hall, but it presents some incredibly hateful views without refuting them or even suggesting that they might be discriminatory.<br />
<br />
A few quotes...<br />
<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">Raising the rainbow flag at Tom Davies Square will confuse children, one Star poll respondent believes."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;"><br /></span>
<img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" /><br />
<br />
I have children. Neither of whom have ever been confused by a rainbow flag despite multiple exposures to them. <br />
<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">“It's discrimination against married couples, having something like that,” another said, while a third person agreed."</span><br />
<br />
Ignorance is discrimination against everyone... I win. Also, note the completely heterosexist assumption that all married couples are straight.<br />
<br />
Finally, the stats presented are absolutely absurd -<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.600000381469727px;">Of thirty-seven people called in to the poll hotline, 35 were opposed to the flag being flown. On the website 67% said no, 30% said yes and 3% were unsure.</span><br />
<br />
Note that the other 165,000 people who live in this city decided that the rainbow flag is such a non-issue that they don't feel the need to pick up the phone to complain about it!<br />
<br />
Seriously though, here is the problem - the average person reads this, shakes their head and moves on. But people who hold homophobic opinions read this, feel that their opinions are validated and that most people think like they do, and they continue to spread hateful opinions on the internet, in schools, in the workplace, etc etc.<br />
<br />
<br />Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-51035494763358045192012-10-05T07:26:00.000-04:002012-10-05T07:26:13.306-04:00Not loving the anti-choice protest that I see Every Single MorningI pass pro"life" protesters with pictures like this one every day on my commute to work. It's a great way to start your day off with a grrr.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Photo: At 26 weeks we are talking about a fetus not an infant. If you have to play with language to make your point, maybe you should reconsider the stance. I am totally bringing my pro choice sign for tomorrow's commute." src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/c0.0.403.403/p403x403/528671_10151274542352835_348174362_n.jpg" /><br />
<br />
It is my least favorite thing about working so close to the hospital (which is the only place that has abortion services in my city, which means it is the only place to put these signs to shame the women who need to access abortion services).<br />
<br />
I just want to say, at 26 weeks, it is not an infant, but a fetus (or, if born at this age, a neo-natal preemie that may or may not be old enough to survive). The language and photo are problematic for many many reasons. Less than 1% of abortions in Canada take place after 20 weeks, and when they do, it is usually because the baby has no chance of surviving and the mother doesn't want to put her body through carrying a baby that is going to die to term. <br />
<br />
Also, a fetus in the womb is probably not smiling. But it looks cuter in the photo if there is a small smile on the baby, I guess.<br />
<br />
Also, I keep planning on bringing a sign that I can fold up into my backpack that just says PRO-CHOICE in big letters and then I can hold it up while I walk past them, so I can at least feel like I am doing something. I started trying to organize a protest, but they are usually gone by 10am and most of us have to work.Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-64559482659567300912012-09-26T21:38:00.003-04:002012-09-26T21:38:39.721-04:00no words...Seriously, how the fuck does this even happen?<br />
<br />
<img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/487526_10151237190330180_881151790_n.jpg" width="213" /><br />
<br />
The minister for the status of women actually votes for a bill that will lead to the criminalization of abortion! This is clearly who Harper chose in charge of my rights...<br />
<br />
Also on the attack against women, I just found out that the university is no longer going to fund a coordinator for the women's centre. Because we don't have issues like sexual assault, sexual harassment, or any other form of sexism on campus anymore.<br />
<br />Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-7015815014565783982012-09-21T19:09:00.000-04:002012-09-21T19:09:15.230-04:00First attempt at blogging againI have been trying to blog all week and have found it impossible to write about topics that I would normally be all over... like <a href="http://scottneigh.blogspot.ca/2012/09/sudbury-based-campaign-against-poor.html">this </a>one by a friend of mine. <div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last weekend, I received some news that set of my blogging spider-sense (that's a thing, right?) to the point where nothing else really mattered, and I can't write about it due to confidentiality issues and my lack of anonymity. So I am stuck in this space of finally having my blog back and being thrilled to be online and committed to writing at least one post a week, but being entirely unable to think around this one block in my head when I think about social justice.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Does this happen to other people?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have been talking a lot about the census release, so maybe I will start with trying to write about that after a reporter decided to strip everything critical that I had said about the topic... Wednesday, StatCan released data on families in Canada from the 2011 census and there are headlines about changing families or <i>new</i> types of families. The problem is that single parents and common-law relationships are not new... if you really think about it, it is the nuclear family that is new. But, as a news source, it is much more responsible to assume that the idea of family that exists within eurocentric capitalist patriarchal countries is the original family. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
Families take on different forms in various cultures at different times. Same-sex couples are not new, but they are more often openly defining themselves as same-sex couples as opposed to pretending to be just roommates, and laws allowing them to adopt children and get married have allowed them to take part in what we consider to be more traditional family forms. And they are now being measured on the census. Single parent families are also not new, in the early 1900s there were a lot of women with children widowed in the war who raised families as single parents. If we take the census data seriously, homeless people do not count, and there isn't a single person in Canada who deviates from the gender binary. </div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="min-height: 1em;">
We have to stop thinking about the census as a reliable source of data or of the results as representing new forms of families as though the nuclear family is the ideal that other families are supposed to strive to achieve as it sets up one type of family as inherently better than other forms. And we have to get more critical reporters. </div>
</div>
</div>
Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-22604602548157604612012-09-10T07:41:00.005-04:002012-09-10T07:41:41.089-04:00Back Online!I have not been posting lately due to technical difficulties, but I am back and expect posts to resume shortly!<br />
<br />
You have no idea how incredibly happy I am to have figured this out! Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-92028389914970532242012-08-01T10:44:00.001-04:002012-08-01T10:44:50.524-04:00why do I bother watching the olympics anyway...Why is it that women cannot be as good as men at sports? If women even come close to performing as well as men in any given sport, they must be <a href="http://www.thestar.com/sports/london2012/swimming/article/1235129--doping-accusation-against-ye-shiwen-petty-says-china">on drugs</a> or they are really<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/6056575/South-African-800-metre-runner-Caster-Semenya-faces-IAAF-sex-test.html"> a man</a>.<br />
<br />
The idea that men's bodies might not ALWAYS be innately superior to women's bodies at EVERY task deemed important by athletics organizers appears to be a threat to every man.<br />
<br />
In both of the situations from the previous links, there is also a huge element of racism involved in the accusations... if a "pretty" North American or Western European woman had a score on par with that of men in her field, there is a better chance that it might be seen as being due to athleticism and hard work, as opposed to "doping" and "tricking" us about their "real" gender.<br />
<br />
My new olympic cheer... "Go Patriarchy! Yay!" Now where did I put my pompoms?Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-10509282043785332902012-06-24T20:31:00.001-04:002012-06-24T20:31:31.362-04:00Cat calls and comics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weeks ago, I went to the social sciences and humanities congress at Wilfred Laurier. As I was walking from the dorm room to campus, someone honked at me for the first time in a very long time and this particular comic came to mind.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But thank you, whoever you were, for reminding me that as a woman, my body is on display and my worth is somehow tied to how many honks I get while walking down the street. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://chzautocowrecks.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/mobile-phone-texting-autocorrect-call-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://chzautocowrecks.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/mobile-phone-texting-autocorrect-call-me.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-66268885969311100642012-06-23T21:15:00.000-04:002012-06-23T21:19:51.360-04:00Robots with AspergersThis will be my first real post in several months. I tell myself I haven't posted because I am too busy... work, finishing my thesis, parenting. The truth is I am very busy, but that hasn't stopped me from reading books, watching television, browsing other peoples blogs, and it isn't the only reason I haven't posted in my own blog.<br />
<br />
The main reason I haven't posted is because blogspot changed the settings on me a few months ago. I logged on and all of the buttons were different. It wasn't so different as to be impossible to navigate my way through the new look, but I really don't like when things change without notice. It is disorienting and by the time I have sorted out where the "New Post" button is, I have forgotten what it is I want to say. ;At least facebook makes big announcements so I have time to prepare for these changes.<br />
<br />
I use my Aspergers diagnosis to explain why I don't like certain changes and it is also why I am writing this particular post. I have been looking at aspie characters in pop culture and am very annoyed by the limited portrayal of these characters. Aspie characters are usually male (but then, statistically speaking, males are more likely to be diagnosed with Aspergers than women, so this kind of makes sense). They are also almost always brilliant in some ways, usually in math and physics. Think Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and you will have the general idea. Now, don't get me wrong, I am quite fond of Sheldon (despite my annoyance at some of the ways his particular aspie traits are made to be funny when they actually create serious difficulties in people's lives) but we really need a more diverse portrayal of what Aspergers actually looks like.<br />
<br />
I have looked at lists of people in pop culture who have Aspergers or aspie-like traits, which I am using to look at how these characters are depicted and there is one thing in particular that really annoys me about many of these lists. Robots do not have aspie traits; they are robots. There is a huge difference, and to write that Data from Star Trek or the robot played by Robin Williams in Bicentennial man has Aspergers is very insulting to those of us with that diagnosis (especially considering that I have been described as somewhat robotic at times).<br />
<br />
I think I know more people with Aspergers who are NOT particularly interested in math and science than people with Aspergers who are. My "special interest" (if we are going to call it that - I have a lot of interests and am not nearly as one dimensional as most of the depictions I have looked at would have one believe) has to do with tracing out networks of social relations between people to see how their actions and decisions are influenced by broader social structures (I don't usually use the term structure, but I'm not going to get into that here, and structure is a rather easy way to describe it that can be easily understood, so I will keep it for now). I don't expect the average sitcom to reflect these subtleties, and I haven't exhausted the list of aspie characters in books and film as of yet, but what I have seen and read thus far is quite limited.Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-14470775201478740532012-06-06T07:38:00.000-04:002012-06-06T07:38:09.835-04:00Thesis defended!With my thesis work done, I am hoping to find time to start posting again soon... holding a full-time job along with the thesis work and everything else just really didn't leave enough time for blogging.Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-26319998929291169572012-03-02T18:42:00.006-05:002012-03-02T18:49:50.496-05:00My blog photo and white privilege<span><span style="font-size: 100%;">When we were sitting at the dinner table today, my 9 year old critiqued the image that I use for my blog... the one that reads "my Marxist feminist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard." I have this image on a Tshirt that I was wearing today. She read the shirt and examined it for a few minutes, then asked</span></span><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Bybg3COWEvc/S595dj1KYFI/AAAAAAAAADU/ZZMpwdmyo8A/S220/MarxistFeministDialectic.gif" /><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Why do they all have the same skin tone?"</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">I am </span>embarrassed<span style="font-size: 100%;"> to say that this had never occurred to me. Not that I thought the image did have a racial analysis, but I didn't realize it was missing. The privilege of having white skin... as much as I try, I don't always notice how invisible whiteness is.</span></span></div></div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-2183326570841507752012-02-15T10:57:00.002-05:002012-02-15T11:19:47.717-05:00Harper's new anti-terrorism strategyHarper's <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawas-new-anti-terrorism-strategy-lists-eco-extremists-as-threats/article2334975/?utm_medium=Feeds%3A%20RSS%2FAtom&utm_source=Home&utm_content=2334975">new anti-terrorism strategy</a> (ie. his plan to protect corporation's profits based on Canadian oil) is very worrisome. I'm not sure if it is any different from the old strategy, insofar as all of this stuff was in place around the G20 and whatnot, but the boldness with which he is announcing these "anti-terrorist" tactics and the scope of who is considered to be a terrorist is disconcerting. <div><br /></div><div>For example, the Public "Safety" Minister announced that they will not target "not only known terrorist groups, but "vulnerable individuals" who could be drawn into politically inspired violence."</div><div><br /></div><div>My first question is with regards to this guy's title... which public and whose safety is he concerned about? </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, they are vigilant against extremism based on causes like "animal rights, white supremacy, environmentalism and anti-capitalism"</div><div><br /></div><div>As an anti-oppression activist, I love seeing my work thrown in with white supremacists... it seems to be a very common strategy to discredit a movement. For example, I was having a facebook argument the other day, and was told that "to carry a label like feminist, [I] may as well wear the great dragon's cloak from the KKK because its no different.... feminism is associated with anger and hate" It seems as though people think that they can immediately discredit an entire movement comparing it to hateful movements (without knowing what you are talking about, or doing it purposefully to influence people who don't know what feminism or anti-capitalism is about).</div><div><br /></div><div>In the article, it was said that </div><div><blockquote>Terrorist action occurs when an extremist ideological group plans to carry out a violent attack that reasonably can be expected to kill people or destroy property,” Michael Patton, Mr. Toews’s director of communication, said in an e-mail Friday.</blockquote></div><div>I guess Gandhi was a terrorist. </div><div><br /></div><div>And why isn't Harper under arrest for terrorism?</div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-74939102563182428132012-02-12T18:19:00.003-05:002012-02-15T10:55:30.204-05:00We don't need feminism anymore!I was listening to CBC radio the other day and they were doing a special show on the 40th anniversary of Ms magazine. They interviewed one of the founders of the magazine, Letty Cottin Pogrebin and her daughter, a journalist named Abigail Pogrebin.<div><br /></div><div>At first, I was kind of excited to be listening to a feminist story on the radio while I drove, but I ended up getting more and more irritated with it. It gave the impression that everything is fine right now, thanks to people like the founders of Ms magazine. While I appreciate how much things have improved in a variety of ways, I really get annoyed when people try to make it seem as though we no longer need feminism because men and women are equal now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Abigail said that she doesn't feel that her life or her daughter's life are constrained by being a woman because we now have choices that weren't available when her mother co-founded the magazine. Then she went on to say that she used to work for 60 minutes, but found a new, less prestigious, job closer to home when she had children because she wasn't able to travel all the time anymore... and that she couldn't travel for work regularly because her husband had a job that required him to travel for work. She also said that he would not consider compromising his job to stay home with the kids. Now, this sounds like one of the reasons we still need feminism... women's choices are constrained in ways that men's choices often are not.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, she quits a good job to take something closer to home in order to stay home with her children while her husband travels for work, but we don't need feminism anymore. Hurray for choices!</div><div><br /></div><div>I hate this "I choose my choice" feminism. We do not have choices, in a lot of cases. The decision to participate in the nuclear family, to work in the waged labour force, to make sacrifices in one's career for the sake of raising children, even the decision about what kinds of clothing to wear are constrained by material circumstances, they are not made in a vacuum. </div><div><br /></div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-45427748159310786422012-02-02T18:53:00.003-05:002012-02-02T19:01:03.863-05:00Not to be racist but....I've said this before and I will say it again... if you have to say something along the lines of "I'm not racist but..." THEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING RACIST. I cannot stress this enough. <div><br /></div><div>If you need to preface what you say with telling people that you are not a bigot, then you should not say it and think about why it is that you had the thought in the first place. <div><div><br /></div><div>Also, I hope <a href="http://wheniswhitehistorymonth.tumblr.com/">these </a>are meant to be ironic or something, and I'm just not getting the joke</div><div><img src="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lys7tc9IU11rodz2ro1_500.png" /> </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyshuzd17H1rodz2ro1_500.png" /> </div><div><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lys9puE6Zt1rodz2ro1_500.png" /> </div><div>Also, I did get one laugh out of this at my friend's response on facebook, which was "not to sound racist but I'm wearing a green shirt"</div></div></div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-19152299678482883472012-01-28T19:57:00.003-05:002012-01-28T20:28:39.306-05:00Framing protests in the mediaThis post is from a presentation I gave at the University of Toronto a few days ago, where I spoke about the media's role in social movements. In discussing how issues were framed, I compared two newspaper articles covering some arrests at a budget cuts rally in Toronto. One article was in the National Post (found <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/17/four-arrested-after-budget-cuts-protest-turns-violent/">here</a>) the other was from the Toronto Media Co-op (<a href="http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/story/police-crack-heads-major-budget-cuts-reversed/9633">here</a>).<div><br /></div><div>Here are the headlines of the articles... National Post is on left and Media co-op on the right</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="368" style="border-collapse: collapse;width:276pt;mso-yfti-tbllook:1056"> <colgroup><col width="192" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:144pt"> <col width="176" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:132pt"> </colgroup><tbody><tr height="81" style="mso-height-source:userset;height:60.82pt"> <td height="81" class="oa1" width="192" style="height:60.82pt;width:144pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“Four arrested</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; "> after Toronto budget-cuts protest turns violent”</span></p> </td> <td class="oa1" width="176" style="width:132pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“Police crack heads as major budget cuts reversed”</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Just reading the headlines, you have an idea of who is to blame. Did the protest turn violent, suggesting protesters started it, or did the police crack heads?</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">As for how many people were there</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="368" style="border-collapse: collapse;width:276pt;mso-yfti-tbllook:1056"> <colgroup><col width="192" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:144pt"> <col width="176" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:132pt"> </colgroup><tbody><tr height="158" style="mso-height-source:userset;height:118.79pt"> <td height="158" class="oa1" width="192" style="height:118.79pt;width:144pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">More than 100 demonstrators</span></p> </td> <td class="oa2" width="176" style="width:132pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">Approximately two hundred people were in chambers for the vote; almost ten times that number remained outside, prevented from entering by a line of police officers mixed with City Hall security.”</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>So, for those who read the National Post, this could seem like a really fringe thing... only 100 people... but if you read the media co-op, you would be told that there were move than 2000 in attendance, which gives the protest a lot more legitimacy.</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">What about the police officers... how threatening did they look?</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="368" style="border-collapse: collapse;width:276pt;mso-yfti-tbllook:1056"> <colgroup><col width="192" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:144pt"> <col width="176" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:132pt"> </colgroup><tbody><tr height="67" style="mso-height-source:userset;height:49.89pt"> <td height="67" class="oa1" width="192" style="height:49.89pt;width:144pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">officers clad in yellow rain jackets and black bicycle helmets”</span></p> </td> <td class="oa1" width="176" style="width:132pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“horse</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; "> mounted riot squad”</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>I don't know about you, but I would be much more afraid of a riot squad than a few guys in raincoats and bicycle helmets... the power relations would be much more obvious.</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Who started the violent acts?</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="368" style="border-collapse: collapse;width:276pt;mso-yfti-tbllook:1056"> <colgroup><col width="192" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:144pt"> <col width="176" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:132pt"> </colgroup><tbody><tr height="67" style="mso-height-source:userset;height:49.89pt"> <td height="67" class="oa1" width="192" style="height:49.89pt;width:144pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">demonstrators surged against the line of police”</span></p> </td> <td class="oa1" width="176" style="width:132pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; "> ”Attempts to enter the building for the vote were met with violence”</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>In both scenarios, protesters approach the officers, but it makes a huge difference if they were "surging against the line of police" or merely trying to enter a public building!</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Lastly, were the police violent?</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="368" style="border-collapse: collapse;width:276pt;mso-yfti-tbllook:1056"> <colgroup><col width="192" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:144pt"> <col width="176" style="mso-width-source:userset;width:132pt"> </colgroup><tbody><tr height="118" style="mso-height-source:userset;height:88.68pt"> <td height="118" class="oa1" width="192" style="height:88.68pt;width:144pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">three male protesters had been handcuffed and lined up against the wall of the building — one bleeding from his head.”</span></p> </td> <td class="oa1" width="176" style="width:132pt"> <p style="language:en-US;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-left:0in; text-align:left;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed;mso-line-break-override: none;word-break:normal;punctuation-wrap:hanging"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Tw Cen MT'; font-weight: bold; ">“Several arrests were made, people were beaten and choked, and an elderly man was thrown to the ground. At least one person was taken to St. Michael's hospital.”</span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>In one article, some guy is randomly bleeding and nobody knows how. In the other article, there are specific and precise accounts of violent acts done by the police. We can use the pictures included in the article to take that further...</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><img src="http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/sites/mediacoop.ca/files2/mc/imagecache/bigimg/cops_handle_protester.jpg" alt="Police punch Emily Noether in the face" /> </div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">This photo, from the media co-op, shows a clearly violent act by a police officer...</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">The image from the National Post shows some angry protesters yelling while police officers watch calmly</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><img src="http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/city_hall_protests02.jpg?w=310" alt="Matthew Sherwood for National Post" /> </div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">The National Post also mentioned disturbances arising among the "ranks of occupy Toronto protesters"... you know, just in case anyone had stopped being afraid of them.</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Which of these stories are read influences what readers think about the issues, the specific event in question, and their conception of protests and protesters more generally. Unfortunately, the National Post has a wider readership than Toronto Media Co-op (which usually only goes to already leftist people). </div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">In my presentation, one of the things I mentioned was that we need to demand leftist journalists within mainstream papers (actually, I think I said that for every Margaret Wente, we need a column by Karl Marx). We need to demand that right wing propaganda is corrected and the media is held accountable for misinformation. I think think that letter writing campaigns are helpful, but at this point we might need to go further than that. I am wondering how an occupy media campaign might look and where it could take us.</div><div></div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-72710586592885363122012-01-21T10:45:00.005-05:002012-01-21T11:14:42.117-05:00Blog for Choice 2012For the past few years, I have been involved in blog for choice (see posts <a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.com/2010/01/trust-women.html">here </a>and <a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-for-choice-2011.html">here</a>).<div><br /></div><div>This years' question disappoints me however. I received an email from the organizers of Blog for Choice day, and was asked to reflect on this question in my post</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "> </span><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; font-family: Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">What will you do to help elect pro-choice candidates in 2012?</strong> </div><div><strong style="line-height: 17px; font-weight: bold; font-family: Verdana, 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></strong></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;">First of all, Blog for Choice day is the anniversary of the American Roe vs. Wade court decision, so it makes sense that it is a very US-centric day, but, in light of the American election in 2012, this question becomes especially important to many American pro-choice activists and much less relevant to those of us who do not live in a country that has a major election of any kind coming up (yes, I know we can continue to lobby and whatnot after an election, but that isn't helping <i>candidates</i>).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;">Anyway, the question becomes even more frustrating and problematic for people who do not support the supposedly democratic political system. I, personally, think that the electoral system is a joke... I believe that by giving us two (or three or even five) candidates, and calling a select group of people citizens and allowing them to vote, it presents the illusion that we actually have a choice. But if you look at the candidates, we are basically selecting from A, A or A.... maybe NDP or Green party candidates can sometimes make up something that almost represents choice B in Canada, but in very limited ways. The way politics is currently organized upholds heterosexist, racist, patriarchal capitalist social relations. Anyway, this critique is not new, so I won't go into any more detail on it right now.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;">But to answer the question, what will I do to help pro-choice candidates (or members of parliament) in 2012? Absolutely nothing. I will, however, continue to write letters to newspapers and giving presentations as well as helping to organize and attend rallies when I believe it is useful to do so (such as on <a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.com/2011/07/so-much-for-neutrality-within-media.html">this </a>and <a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.com/2010/06/torontos-g8g20-and-womens-health.html">this</a> occasion). I will continue to blog about the importance of choice. I will also continue to call out Harper (<a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.com/2011/05/post-election-thoughts.html">here</a> and <a href="http://ms-marx.blogspot.com/2010/04/canada-not-funding-abortions-in.html">here</a>) when he makes asshole decisions that affect women's ability to access abortion all the while saying that he will not bring up the abortion debate in parliament. But I will not help political candidates because I refuse to participate and further legitimize what I think is an illegitimate system.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;">Also, here is a cute <a href="http://failbook.failblog.org/2012/01/16/funny-facebook-fails-un-pregnant/">failbook </a>picture because it makes me happy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span><span style="line-height: 17px;"><img src="http://cheezfailbooking.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/funny-facebook-fails-un-pregnant1.png" alt="funny facebook fails - Un-Pregnant" /> </span></span></div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-87636834087877131432012-01-16T20:40:00.004-05:002012-01-16T21:19:55.527-05:00Yet another offensive facebook comment conversationI have been debating whether to post this or not because of thoughts I have been having about the ethics of posting about people in a blog that is no longer all that anonymous. This conversation was from facebook several months ago, and I have decided to go ahead and post it now because it still kind of bothers me and I find posting to be incredibly freeing in that once it is posted, it is no longer something that I think about. <div><br /></div><div>Anyway, a friend on facebook updated their status asking if there were any men with a drivers license who needed a job, to which I asked if the work could be done by a woman (because I always seem to feel the need to comment on things that seem like they might be sexist). When I found out that it was for an actual company, I asked which one, so I could send some female friends down to apply, considering that sounds like a human rights violation.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of her friends wrote </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>you must be gay!!! thats a gay woman's answer!!!</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Because I guess only gay women care if men can apply for a job that they cannot. A mutual friend told them that their comment was totally uncalled for, to which this person responded</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Am I wrong?????? If so I apologize. But I bet I'm right.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Why is it that he only has to apologize if I am not gay... if I am, then it is perfectly acceptable for him to talk about my sexuality on someone else's facebook wall based on a one sentence comment about why women couldn't apply for the job as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I informed him that you don't have to be a lesbian to be a feminist (because I don't know when to walk away from an argument online) he responded with </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>it's ok really, i like pussy too.</blockquote></div><div>and</div><div><blockquote>Are you??? and i'm surprised you never spelled it " WOMYN"</blockquote><div><br /></div>So, I guess my point is if you think someone sounds queer in a facebook comment, great. But don't feel the need to post about it repeatedly. I was tempted for a while to comment on every post he wrote saying something like "you must be straight, with a comment like that" but figured it he wasn't worth the time and effort.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, am I the only person that seems to have repeated offensive conversations on facebook? </div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-59959885643784235222012-01-09T10:04:00.006-05:002012-01-09T10:24:25.893-05:00Trans woman turned away from YWCAThe Sudbury YWCA is facing a human rights complaint after turning away a transgender woman who needed a place to sleep after having problems with her partner (CBC's coverage of the story <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2012/01/06/sby-ywca-human-rights-complaint.html">here</a> - I can't seem to find any coverage in the local papers).<div><br /></div><div>The executive director of the YWCA said that trans women are not allowed to stay at the women's shelter but they are directed to another safe space. Apparently, they do not do a very good job of it though, because the woman in question ended up spending the night at a downtown park.</div><div><br /></div><div>Before turning her away, they subjected her to a series of questions about her genitals... whether she was pre or post-op, whether she urinated sitting down or standing up... questions that would never be tolerated if they were asked of a cis-woman. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am not a trans person, and therefore am not really able to understand what she was going through, but I also cannot understand the position of turning away someone who needs these services just because the presence of a penis tells society that her own personal experiences of gender are not real (or something to that effect). I don't get it. And I don't think I want to understand that line of thinking, either. </div><div><br /></div><div>It seems to me that people who don't conform to the gender binary should be allowed to decide whether a man's shelter or a women's shelter is a safer space for them (especially in the absence of non-gender specific spaces) and I am guessing for a trans woman, the safest place is probably a shelter for women.. please correct me if I'm wrong. And as someone who has spent time in a shelter for battered women, I don't think I would have felt in the least bit threatened by her presence.<br /><div><br /></div></div><div>Yet another example of how transphobia is still considered to be acceptable...</div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-61940150561334011792011-12-29T14:39:00.003-05:002011-12-29T15:44:07.121-05:00Beauty ads in feminist articlesDon't you love how posts that are supposed to help with self-esteem contain ads or links that do just the opposite?<div><br /></div><div>In the following picture, an article on helping children value thier inner beauty is accompanied by a link to another article called "How to get Victoria Beckham's Legs" at the top and centre of the page.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7zKRKroodE0/TvzCEnibwFI/AAAAAAAAALU/7duEqN5Ebn4/s1600/huffington%2Bpost.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 233px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7zKRKroodE0/TvzCEnibwFI/AAAAAAAAALU/7duEqN5Ebn4/s320/huffington%2Bpost.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691637413678137426" /></a><br /></div><div>Girls' self-esteem will not be helped by tips on how to get the best-looking legs possible. Also, I think that we should move away from the term "inner beauty" and use an entirely different word. The concept of inner beauty as being something that we should strive to achieve suggests that the word "beauty" is important, and I don't think that we can ever move beyond dominant conceptions of beauty while using this word. </div><br />Similarly, this is one of my favourite feminist blogs, called feministing, but it has ads on the top of it; this particular ad being for eliminating belly fat.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmMyBEMBbuQ/TvzDZ2kDSJI/AAAAAAAAALg/KrczK5Y4A18/s1600/feministing.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 70px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmMyBEMBbuQ/TvzDZ2kDSJI/AAAAAAAAALg/KrczK5Y4A18/s320/feministing.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691638878000334994" /></a><div><br /></div><div>I am guessing that they don't get to choose who advertises on this space. I am also quite sure that the writer of the article about girls' self-esteem did not pick the articles that are linked on that page. But it annoys me that this content can be so difficult to avoid, even when reading articles or blogs that are considered to be feminist and are actually trying to fight against these problems.</div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7405438569183854317.post-48481630266540842242011-12-29T08:04:00.003-05:002011-12-29T08:20:30.646-05:00murderers, occupiers and mobsters, oh my!<div>I couldn't sleep last night, so I turned the tv on and the news was playing. I almost never watch the news, but last night I decided to keep it on while I tried to sleep. A news story about hackers came on that I found particularly annoying. The video is <a href="http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/new-cyber-threat/#clip592571">here</a>, but I'm not sure how long the link will work for.</div><div><br /></div><div>First, they showed a person using a smartphone, then went on to talk about the dangers of web connected cars; apparently hackers can unlock them or even apply the brakes when you are driving. Seriously, I'm not sure which hackers with the sophistication to break into car computer systems are going to want to apply the brakes to your vehicle. But, be afraid, relatively wealthy people with computerized cars, very afraid.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is where it really pissed me off. Check out this quote...</div><div></div><blockquote><div>far more dangerous are the threats to embedded medical devices. A hacker could stop an insulin pump, turn it on, and drain all of it's contents. Banks are also being warned about the occupy movement, that they might team up with so-called hack-tivist groups</div><div></div></blockquote><div>So, they bring up the occupy movement right after talking about a way that this hacking could be life threatening. They don't actually link the two together, but they definitely do not break up these to sections. So you go straight from thinking about how hackers can kill people to learning that the occupy movement might team up with hackers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then, just in case we aren't afraid of the occupy movement yet, the next sentence goes on to talk about crime syndicates getting your banking passwords, and how we can protect ourselves against these cyber threats.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, murderers, occupiers, mobsters. Great links to make. </div><div><br /></div><div>Those in power are afraid of occupiers, so they have to make sure that everyone else is too because if they weren't afraid of us, the system as we know it would have to change.</div><div><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">Thanks CTV news. </div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div>Ms.Marxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05319090803199238459noreply@blogger.com0