Okay, okay. You guys know how much I love Feministing. What's not to love about a group of cool young feminists telling it like it is with some of the most articulate and intelligent analysis on the web*? But I specifically want to give props to their resilience. As most bloggers know, people's comments are not always encouraging. And when you're a blog like Feministing, forget it--they get the most awful, ludicrous, threatening, poorly spelled emails you can imagine. This is particularly true because of their regular "Friday Feminist Fuck You" feature...on YouTube. It is awesome, check out their YouTube channel.
These women get a ton of nasty comments--and, every now and then, nasty, unfunny video responses**. They get attacked for their appearances (both on the "you're ugly" and "I want to fuck you" ends of the spectrum), for being "sluts" and baby killers (even when the posts have nothing to do with abortion), and in general how feminists are ruining America and these ladies need to get laid/back in the kitchen. And the Feministing ladies don't bat an eye.
They probably do in private. And there's a particularly great video saying Fuck You to internet misogynists. But they don't let it get them down. They post on and make no apologies for pissing anyone off. Because they shouldn't. Because they have this tendency to be right. And I admire that***.
I could go on and on about Feministing and how they embody the Third Wave (globalist, multicultural, pro-sex, responsible and intellectual, etc) but that is silly because they're a well-known established blog and it's not like I'm sharing some unique discovery of mine. But they still deserve crazy amounts of respect.
And just to leave you on a positive note, Here's a "Feminist Non-Fuck You" that includes a wonderful, inspiring letter from a 13-year-old girl. Just to show that feminism is not now, nor is it like to be, dead.
*I know, not exactly a heavyweight competition, but even if it were these women would win the belt.
**One of which actually started out seeming like it was in support, and I was tricked into rating it highly before it turned into a lame screed on how feminists and abuse victims need to shut their mouths. So, watch videos in their entirety before you rate them, is my advice.
***Especially as someone who blogs under a pseudonym. The reason for that, of course, is that I don't want perspective employers to google me and read about semen in my nose. Which is a paltry excuse, but there you have it.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
A Salute To Bravery
Monday, June 23, 2008
The Magic Of The Internet...
Right after finishing that last post, I went over to PostSecret and saw this:
...I'm glad to know I'm not the only one thinking about these things.
Hillary And Michelle: Presidential Paper Dolls
I've noticed on Facebook that some of my friends have become "supporters" of Michelle Obama. Though I truly admire Ms. Obama, in all her 5'11", fiercely-intelligent, jacked-badass-lawyer glory, fervor for her gives me a bit of a facial tic, and I'll tell you why:
Go back 16 years and all you have to do is change the names--we're talking about Hillary Clinton.
People say the same things about her that they did about Clinton back in the day--you even heard it a bit about Elizabeth Edwards before her husband dropped out. My favorite quote is always, "I wish I could vote for HER." Y'know, instead of her husband. MICHAEL MOORE said this about Ms. Clinton once. So while it's only hyperbole, sure, we endorse the first ladies. But if two administrations from now, Lady Michelle tries to run on her own? I guarantee you the coats will turn. While in the 90's even the damn Animaniacs joked about Hillary being smarter than Bill*, now it's all about how people ACTUALLY wish they could re-elect the first Clinton--or how they're afraid that if Hillary won, Bill would be running things, even though the opposite joke used to be canon.
Friday, June 20, 2008
More Love/Hate With SATC
So, I'm still funemployed* and the roommate has purchased the complete series of Sex and the City**. I just watched "What Goes Around Comes Around" and had that old familiar feeling--part of the episode made me go, "that is so my life," and another part made me go "ugh."
The first part, of course, concerned Miranda. An extremely handsome detective is totally into her, and she's so intimidated by the fact that he's "out of her league" that she ends up getting sloppy-drunk on a date and convincing him she's an alcoholic. Har. This is a problem she has more than once--suspiciously hot guy genuinely likes her and she somehow messes it up***. Which sometimes makes me roll my eyes, because guys who are hotter than me are sort of my favorites. I don't always know what's wrong with their eyes, but I shrug my shoulders and capitalize. But then Miranda drunkenly roars this:
"I'm no Mena Suvari, but I'm great in bed!"
First of all: Mena Suvari? So random, thus adorable. Also, I TOTALLY relate to that. The whole "compensation" thing. When I say it to myself, I tend to say it with genuine confidence--it DOES make up the difference, I think--but there's still the need to say it.
And then Samantha fucks a virgin and he falls ridiculously in love. Blah. Some of us virgins were totally capable of having an awesome first time without getting artificially attached.****
Look! A whole post and I never once needed "I had to wonder..." Suck it, Bradshaw.
*Though I'm moving to London in September to go to grad school so woot!
**And has given me carte blanche to blame its presence in our apartment on her should any gentleman callers balk.
***Though another time the guy seems to like her BECAUSE she doesn't know she's hot, and when her self-esteem gets boosted he bails. Yes, I'm a Miranda buff.
****Though, to be fair, the one time I know that I slept with a virgin, he did seem to get at least sort of attached.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Auto(erotic?)backpatting
I'd just like to point out to everyone the new Surfing the Third Wave avatar. Why? Well, because it was an embarrassingly long time in the making. Please enjoy it thoroughly.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Chicks I Like: Grey Hoodie Edition
If you read the blogs I do, you'll have heard the name Sarah Haskins before--she is a web-wide girl crush for the eFeminist set. I, too, have fallen hard. She is the creator and star of a new feature on Current TV called Target: Women. Humorously taking on the ridiculous ways in which the media try to interact with women, her most recent topics have been bridal shows and the McCain/Obama showdown for HRC's supporters. But most of us first came to know her and love her for one reason: yogurt. Enjoy.
"Sweet Lady New York, you're the fifth whore at this table."
So, someone from Feministing didn't like the Sex and the City movie, which is not so interesting unto itself, but it did remind me of the only SATC spoof I've seen that I actually liked: an old SNL skit featuring Christina Aguilera as Samantha. Xtina is the best part of the skit, but the whole thing is pretty good--Amy Poehler's expressions of shock are very SJP. I hope you all enjoy. Yay puns!
Friday, June 13, 2008
A Fond Farewell (For The Moment, Anyway)
Well, what kind of a feminist blogger would I be if I had nothing to say at this point on Hillary Clinton?
(I have a better photo on my computer at home, I'll switch it up later. If you image-google her, you'll find that most of what comes up are intentionally unflattering.)Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Conquistadoras
I am writing to you from London this week, and in my downtime at the hostel I occasionally get to reminiscing about the time I lived here for a bit. Specifically, my sexual exploits. Oh sure, there were other fun things involving theatre and grizzled blues musicians and friendly squatter junkies taking me in, but mostly, dear readers, I expect you want to hear about the sex. We're kindred spirits that way.
I always remember this show I saw freshman or sophomore year at college. It was a student-written documentary performance piece--yknow, like The Vagina Monologues, based on actual personal stories people had told the writer--and it was called Conquistadoras. The subject matter? Young American women traveling abroad and having lots of sex.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Depth Vs. Breadth
["Quantity vs. Quality" doesn't work for several reasons, including its being depressing.]
I must sometimes, reluctantly, face the fact that having had a lot of partners doesn't necessarily mean having had a lot of sex. Once, I told a friend my number* and she did in fact say, "That's a lot of sex!" But it's simple math--if you're in a long-term relationship, you're probably having sex a few times a week for years; if you're like me, you're having sex once every month or so, plus those little two-month islands in which you're actually dating someone. I'll wait while you run those numbers.
Yeah. Exactly.
A Traitor To My People
My people, of course, being third-wave pro-sex feminist women. I say specifically women because, well, this post is about my vagina. Namely: the fact that I don't know it that well. My vulva and I are good friends, but the inside stuff is more of a mystery.
This came to my attention recently because my roommate uses Instead cups rather than tampons*. She offered me some to try, and, at least six months later, the box is still sitting on my dresser, untouched. Frankly, I'm afraid that if I use one I won't be able to get it out. I mean, Carrie Bradshaw's diaphragm got stuck once, and she's used to using one!
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