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.
And right now you can even see Obama's lame attempts to soften her own image for those on the other side of the spectrum. While she guest-hosts The View and talks about how she has NO interest in policy decisions**, HRC once did the morning show route with her COOKIE RECIPE. Which is standard fare for first lady hopefuls--even Teresa Heinz had to make some reporter a batch of scones***.
I don't know which end holds the problems--are people fooling themselves when they say they'd vote for the wife, to convince themselves they're feminists, or are they right to espouse the theory and merely cowardly when it comes to the reality? Honestly, I think we just feel uncomfortable--we see brilliant, powerful, accomplished women like Clinton and Obama and Edwards, and feel guilty about the fashion-tipping, pastry-baking, literacy-promoting ghetto to which they must consign themselves.
It brings to mind the various vocational Barbies. We feel good about seeing that unavoidable blonde as an astronaut or surgeon or what the hell ever, because we like the idea of setting that example. But if you ask people to draw a picture of a NASA hero or a doctor, I can tell you what those drawings ain't gonna look like. In our nation's hearts, we still think the likes of Clinton and Obama will seem more at home behind the wheel of a pink plastic convertible, the word "Malibu" in front of their names. So spare me the bullshit. You're a FAN of Michelle Obama, not a supporter. What're you supporting, the legality of her marriage? Anything else rings hollow, and it's salt in the wound, hearing these lies now that we all know that's what they are. There's nothing wrong with wanting Michelle Obama to be president, it just has to be TRUE. So color me disillusioned.
It beats bright pink.
*From the "Presidents" song: "Now in Washington D.C./There's the Democrats and the G.O.P./But the one in charge is plain to see/It's Clinton, first name Hillary." Also there was a bit in a "Pinky and the Brain" sketch.
**YEAH. RIGHT.
***Oh, and pretend her last name is Kerry. But I digress.
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.
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