the f word

New world 800m champion Caster Semenya has been asked to take a gender test, according to athletics' governing body

2009-08-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

Got To WorkHow the Obama jobs program will really affect women workers.

2009-01-14T10:37:00.000-08:00

Slate.com

By Linda Hirshman

Looks like the Obama administration is finally remembering who most of its voters were: women. During the early rollout of the Obama jobs program, all the talk was of roads, bridges, and alternative fuel. And as many people quickly noticed, that plan might as well have had the old boys' club sign posted to it: NO GIRLS ALLOWED. Who builds roads and bridges and invents alternative fuels? Construction workers and engineers. And according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction trades are approximately 3 percent female and 97 percent male, while engineers are 12 percent female and 88 percent male.

Since the start of the recession, the unemployment rate for women is up by 1.6 percentage points. That is not as dramatic an increase as men's unemployment (up 2.8 percentage points), but it's clear that women's unemployment went up by a factor far greater than 10 percent of the men's rate, while they would have captured only 10 percent of the jobs, as they were originally described. So in the recession-suffering Olympics, it would have seemed that women were entitled to a little more than 10 percent of the job ointment.

Without ever letting on, of course, the no-drama Obama mantra suddenly began to shift on the stimulus package to include talk of new jobs also going to places where women can sometimes be found, such as "education" and "health care." Then last Saturday, the president- and vice-president-elect's chief economic advisers, Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein, released a report on the program, titled "The Job Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan," which includes an analysis of the effect of the jobs program on women. The report said almost nothing about any other group.

According to Romer and Bernstein, the jobs program as now conceived will be a veritable estrogen-fest:

The total number of created jobs likely to go to women is roughly 42% of the jobs created by the package. Given that so far in the recession women have accounted for roughly 20% of the decline in payroll employment, this calculation could reflect that the stimulus package skews job creation somewhat toward women, possibly as a result of the investments in healthcare, education, and state fiscal relief.
The rest at: http://www.slate.com/id/2208521/

Sarah Palin, The new face of feminism?

2008-09-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94369835

All Things Considered, September 7, 2008 · First came Hillary Clinton, then came Sarah Palin. Both women have brought feminism into the foreground of the 2008 election. But because they represent different parties and ideologies, Clinton and Palin call into question the very definition of the word feminist.

Stanford University historian Estelle Freedman, author of No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women, and host Jacki Lyden discuss whether a conservative such as Palin can be called a feminist in 2008.

South Dakota Abortion Law: Even More Nonsensical Than You Thought

2008-07-22T07:18:00.000-07:00

I just read this article in slate and had to share it - it's about South Dakota's new policy of requiring doctors to read patients a discouraging and medically incorrect statement (drafted by the legislature) before they get an abortion

- Amanda

Fetal Separation

Starting this week, under orders from the state attorney general and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8^thCircuit, medical providers in South Dakota must present a scripted statement to women who seek abortions. The script, dictated by the legislature three years ago, declares that any abortion "will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being."

Until now, I wasn't aware that the fetus—a term that, according to the South Dakota law, includes "the implanted embryo"—was a whole, separate, living human being. I thought it was ... you know ... implanted. I mean, I'm just a guy, not really an expert or anything. But, um, placenta? Umbilical cord? Do those terms ring a bell? And that's not even getting to the tricky stuff, like the role of maternal RNA in directing embryonic growth or all the work done by the womb to facilitate the embryo's attachment and nourishment.

I have to say, it's a relief to learn that the embryo is so complete and independent. I mean, it solves the whole problem. Here's this woman who just wants to be separated from her embryo. And lo and behold, it's already separate! No need to agonize. Just detach it and let it grow. It's separate, it's whole, it's living. Cancel the abortion. Perform a separation instead.

Sure, some cranky district attorney might take you to court, claiming your separation was really an abortion. Make sure you countersue for legal costs, because you've got a slam-dunk case. The law under which you're being prosecuted doesn't just declare that embryos and fetuses are separate. It also defines abortion as "the use of any means to intentionally terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant with knowledge that the termination with those means will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the fetus."

How can South Dakota claim that you should know separation will kill the fetus, when South Dakota has insisted on informing you, prior to the procedure, that the fetus is already whole and separate?

Don't give me some medical-school mumbo jumbo about obstetrics. The legislature mooted all that blather when it superimposed its judgment. Fetuses are whole and separate. Therefore, being a law-abiding citizen, you have no reason to believe that separation will cause fetal death. Therefore, under the law's terms, separation is not abortion. No need to bother with the onerous paperwork and liability threats the legislature has assigned exclusively to abortion. You're not in the abortion business anymore.

Look, I don't like abortions. Fortunately, neither do the women who ask for them. Most abortions happen because women get pregnant when they're not ready. Prevent the pregnancy, and you prevent the abortion. So, here's a word of advice to legislators like those in South Dakota: Stop withholding birth control and stop lying to women about their bodies. You can't even keep your lies straight. That's how you ended up telling doctors to tell women that separation will kill a separate human being. See you in court.

Published Monday, July 21, 2008 7:32 AM by William Saletan Filed under: abortion, embryos, birth control, fetus

The Sisterhood Split

2008-03-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,

I just read an awesome article about the presidential campaign and some tendencies to split race vs. gender, and some older feminists not taking into account intersectionality as much... It's good! Read it!

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080324/valenti

Hillary Sexism Watch

2008-02-15T12:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a running tally of the anti-Hillary, sexist episodes in the primary campaign:
It's been compiled by Melissa McEwan of Shakespeare's Sister.

UNIFEM

2008-01-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hey, I just got an e-mail that says: UNIFEM is starting to end violence against women. Today,
the UN Foundation announced that it will donate $1 dollar for each of the first 100,000 signatures to the online petition. If you would like, check out the article at feministing.org or you can go to the
campaign's website at saynotoviolence.org. 18,000 people from all over the world have already added their names to the "Say NO to violence against women" campaign since November.

Feminist Resources

2008-01-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd get the feminist resources post going - if anyone has any amazing inspiring feminist resources (blog, website, stores, videos, books anything!) comment to this post with a link

(this way they'll all be in one post for us to reference in the future)

Michigan Against Sexual Violence

2007-03-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

damn the daily!

2007-03-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

The thing slightly more disturbing than James Dickson's article, "Viewpoint: Don't be afraid to challenge feminism," were the comments that followed. They completely disregarded rape as an issue and insulted the feminist movement that they obviously knew nothing about. God, how many articles in the daily can disregard feminism as some hidden conspiracy that hates all men?

I wrote this to James and all of the other asshole commenters that agreed with him:

Department of Justice estimates that between 1/4 and 1/5 women experience a rape or attempted rape during a 5 year college stay. Can you say this is not a real issue? The denial of rape culture in our society is an easy mistake to make, but it is certainly a large mistake. I agree, it's completely invisible and normalized in our society, so people think it doesn't exist. That's the problem, and one of the purposes of the "scary green fliers."

The Department of Justice also estimates that 3/4 of rapes are completed by somebody the survivor has had a previous relationship with. 60% of rapes occur in the victims OWN HOME. These are all legitimate Department of Justice statistics, nothing you can easily dismiss. Department of Justice statistics of course aren't perfect because of issues with underreporting, but it is still nothing you should disregard. Therefore, this is NOT an issue of a big scary man jumping out from behind a bush when somebody is walking home late at night. Rape is not an issue of having unsafe streets to walk in. It is an issue with our culture, with people not knowing the definition of consent, with people ignoring the sexual wishes of others because many societal norms excuse it.

It's fine to critique the way the F-Word is doing their campaign. If you think other tactics would work better, that is valuable insight. But do NOT say that rape is not an issue in our society. Do NOT say feminists are not interested in equality. Do NOT disregard feminist theory or feminists as being illegitimate or just wanting to "scare" you, because believe it or not, feminists WANT AN END TO SEXIST OPPRESSION. That's the bottom line. If you misinterpret that and think that feminists want superiority, to kill their husbands and take over the world by guilting and scaring everybody, you obviously don't know what feminism is.

You're also making huge broad generalizations about feminists. To make these stereotypes about feminists and what "all feminists" think, why don't you go ahead and tell me what all black people think too? White people? Those against racism? It is an insanely diverse movement with different viewpoints, and don't make uneducated statements that could really offend people.

Speaking so lightly of rape is a really harmful thing to do. Yes, rape of men in prison is a big issue. That's not what the campaign is about - I'm sorry a single campaign can't address every single issue. But 85% of rape is perpetrated by men toward women. 10% of men are rape victims (not including prison), and most of those rapes are even perpetrated by heterosexual men. I'm not saying that women don't rape, they certainly do. But you can't deny the department of justice statistics and our society's attitude about rape, as well as the negative stereotype feminism has, so nicely reflected in your article. Please do some research before making such a biased statement- you don't know how many readers you are hurting.

Bag Lady

2007-03-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

by Trisha Owusu
Bag lady you gone hurt your back
Dragging all them bags like that
I guess nobody ever told you
All you must hold on to
Is you, is you, is you

One day all them bags gone get in your way
One day all them bags gone get in your way
I said one day all them bags gone get in your way
One Day all them bags gone get in your way

So pack light
Pack light
Pack light
Ooh ooh

Bag lady you gone miss your bus
You can't hurry up
Cause you got too much stuff
When they see you comin
Niggas take off runnin
From you it's true oh yes they do

One day he gone say you crowdin my space
One day he gone say you crowdin my space
I said one day he gone say you crowdin my space
One day he gone say you crowdin my space

So pack light
Pack light
Pack light
Ooh ooh

Girl I know sometimes it's hard
And we can't let go
Oh when someone hurts you oh so bad inside
You can't deny it you can't stop crying
So oh, oh, oh
If you start breathin
Then you won't believe it
You'll feel so much better
(So much better baby)

Bag lady
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Ooh, ooh
Girl you don't need it
I betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
(Need someone to love you right)
Betcha love can make it better
(I betcha love, betcha love)
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
(I betcha love, betcha love)
Betcha love can make it better
(I betcha love, I betcha love, oh)
Betcha love can make it better
Betcha love can make it better
(Oh...)
Betcha love can make it better...

Bag lady, hmm
Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go
Girl you don't need that, hmm

Patricia es una mochilla mujer when her stelletos applaud da streets of Madrid. However, this is not necessairly a good thing because you loose equilibrium and gain scoliosis. When the 10th child (aka) Badu says "I guess nobody ever told you, all you must hold on to is you...she did not mistakenly repeat the last phrase. How free and relieved do you feel when you take off your 1000 dolllar gucci bag, your insulin clutch, and your book bag!! Now I will pack light, eat light, but read heavy, and dress heavy. So I wont need to accesorize and cover up my inefficies because lets not be obscure or una mentirosa- we all lack where someone has. A woman with baggage, metaphorically speaking, may drive away a love. But I eat the word "love" because you can never leave your love forever...its like the chronic..youll be back. Forgive lost souls even if they call you a coward and tell you to loose their number, becaause you never know when the Most High is testing you, and that is one test I do not want to fail. So pack your bag with nothing but love, not to be cliche. Because it leaves you with a flower in you hair and a spring dress on!...pack light..pack light..pack light...
but think heavy,
signin off,
no mochilla mujer

Give me better reasons to hate feminists

2007-02-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

by Kim

Please give me better reasons to hate feminists. I’m a bit tired of hearing the same old unintelligible rant against feminism. Daily writer Gabe Nelson satiated his bottled-up resentment against feminism in “The Wrong Woman for the Job” (2/21/2007). Nelson interprets Ms. Faust’s background in history and Women’s Studies as intrinsic proof of her lack of qualifications to serve as Harvard’s President. The article is, therefore, less of an analysis of Faust’s credibility, and more of a tirade against feminism and Women’s Studies.

What’s dissatisfying about the article is the lack of meat against feminism. Nelson fails to provide any reasons as to why feminists should inherently be hated, or at least branded ‘unqualified for positions of authority’. In an attempt at good journalism, Nelson at least backs up his views with quotes from the authorities. The following are reasons feminists shouldn’t be trusted according to the quoted authorities:

Some higher education experts have publicly questioned whether there could be such a thing as too much feminism.
City Journal columnist Heather Mac Donald says that Radcliffe Institute is “one of the most powerful incubators of feminist complaint and nonsensical academic theory in the country.”

Yet, this leaves me unsatisfied, yearning for more. The above reasons beg the question—telling me nothing substantial, only that feminism doesn’t make sense because…well gosh darn it, it just doesn’t! But Nelson is missing two major W’s of journalism—Why and What. Why is feminism nonsensical? But before you answer that one, what is feminism? I encourage Nelson and others to dig up some more dirt on the feminists, but before doing that perhaps it would be more helpful to figure out what feminism is in the first place. Perhaps, taking a Women’s Studies course would be a helpful place to start. That way, one can infiltrate on these nonsensical feminists, and expose them for their nonsensical academic theories.

Now, there is a kind of feminist—“a different kind of feminist”—that is permissible under Nelson’s view. That is, Mary Sue Coleman. I agree, I think she’s great too. But Nelson—if Coleman is a different kind of feminist, what’s the other kind anyway?

The difference in Coleman’s feminism, according to Nelson, is that: “Rather than writing about discrimination against women, Coleman overcame that discrimination to become a prominent…chemist- a field traditionally dominated by men.” So ladies, lets take this as a lesson from journalist Nelson—writing about discrimination will not make you overcome it, suck it up and work harder. Sojourner Truth shouldn’t have written “Ain’t I a Woman”. Martin Luther King Jr. shouldn’t have written “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” he shouldn’t have bitched, he should’ve worked harder to get into fields dominated by white men. Yeah, writing about discrimination is pretty dumb…

Regardless of Nelson’s personal views on feminism, he argues that society largely does not accept feminism. Therefore, Faust’s views and future actions as Harvard President can more easily be discredited as “feminist ramblings” and feminist-doings. Perhaps this is true—Faust may be under more scrutiny because she has a background in Women’s Studies. But such scrutiny, similar to this article, is unwarranted and unintelligent. Is the irrational unpopularity of feminism reason enough to pull Faust out? If anything, the lack of awareness surrounding feminism, makes Foust’s views more needed especially in one of the nation’s leading universities.

Gender Art

2007-02-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

I really like this image, I mentioned it at one of our first meetings last semester.
It's the CD Cover "Where sun and moon unite"-EP by In Strict Confidence, let me know what you think ;]