What We Missed
The National Network of Abortion Funds' George Tiller Memorial Abortion Fund raised $15,000 in its first 24 hours!
An advocate reflects on helping teenagers get abortions.
A New York Times writer reflects on his experience of hormone therapy.
A new study affirms that men gain an average of 14 pounds in sympathy weight when their partner's are pregnant.
Sotomayor starts to make rounds on Capitol Hill.
Wendi Muse writes on interracial relationships over at Racialicious.
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Courtney (or anybody!)-- Thanks for the opensalon article. I should have done this before Tiller, but I'm interested in some feminist or abortion related pro bono. I imagine judicial bypass representation is probably a poor choice-- the last thing a scared pregnant underage young woman needs is another man with power over her life-- but any thoughts on what organizations in NYC could use a helping hand from a new lawyer? I'm based out of NYC.
The Open Salon article was really interesting. I knew parental consent laws where controversial, but had never read specific examples of girls who were hurt by them.
This line-- "eating out more frequently before the baby comes (42 percent)"-- from the male weight gain article made me roll my eyes. Apparently when your wife gets pregnant, you have to eat out because god forbid you cook for her. Cooking is woman's work.
I'm a bit torn on the hormone therapy article. It's good to see menopausal and similar symptoms taken seriously, but I don't really like the larger implications of the article. This man suddenly understands my life experience-- since he understands "women"-- because he has prostate cancer? Does not compute. Even if "being a woman" is defined somewhat by hormones, there's a whole load of societal bullshit that changes the way that "being hormonal" is expressed and interpreted. A man having a crying jag is different than a woman having a crying jag and neither one is a definitive characteristic of a woman.
One comment on the article that I really liked was: "The scientist in me says that it’s always better to tell the truth, so that if a problem exists, we can work on how to prevent or reduce it. The girlfriend in me wants to welcome Dana into our fold as a gal pal, and invite him out to coffee with a group of us. The feminist in me bridles at the implication that we can’t fully control ourselves at all times."
"This line-- 'eating out more frequently before the baby comes (42 percent)'-- from the male weight gain article made me roll my eyes. Apparently when your wife gets pregnant, you have to eat out because god forbid you cook for her. Cooking is woman's work."
The BBC covered this issue too at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8063004.stm , and here's the context:
"...Forty two per cent of couples spent more time visiting pubs and restaurants for dinner in a bid to make the most of their precious time together before the baby was born..." (emphasis added)
That's not like 'god forbid I cook for her,' it's like 'god forbid we two take our newborn and her or his immature immune system out to a restaurant, and we don't want to leave her or him with a babysitter so young, so we'll take that dinner date we planned for a week after the due date and reschedule it for a week before the due date...'
I agree. What I also didnt understand is his referencing periods. Men have more of a sharp hormonal spike in the month than women do, but yet theyre never called out for being on their (literally) "menstruals." Nor are they ever accused of being hormonal.
what monthly hormonal cycle do men have?
No periods, but where they have a sharp hormonal spike during there third week.
Source?
Hormonal peaks of what? and what cycle?
Yeah, the hormone therapy article rubbed me the wrong way. It read like "Finally, an objective person can tell you what it's like to be a woman!"
Men are not objective about women, this just reinforces the idea that women are broken men. Furthermore, it just seemed to be full of tired stereotypes. Oh ladies cry at music. Ladies have craaaaaazy food cravings. Ladies drink diet coke.
Not to me mention, being in treatment for cancer sucks, it really does. There are a ton of emotional things that happen regardless of hormones, and fears and anxieties. I don't really like the implication that being a woman is a totally miserable experience of aggravated emotional states.
And why didnt he have to watch his weight? I know most men do as well as women, especially in American society.
"This line-- "eating out more frequently before the baby comes (42 percent)"-- from the male weight gain article made me roll my eyes. Apparently when your wife gets pregnant, you have to eat out because god forbid you cook for her. Cooking is woman's work."
A lot of pregnancy books encourage expecting parents to go out before the baby comes, because it becomes much harder after.
I'm getting a whole lot of "Meet Baltic women!" ads lately. I mean, I like Baltic women, I know quite many, but I'm a bit doubtful as to the legitimacy of such sites (and how appropriate it is to let them advertise). I'll try to remember to get an ad code next time.
I hated the 'my life as a woman' article as well. It just confirms the old stereotypes about women being 'hormonal' and 'irrational'. Testosterone makes people more aggressive, and, I would think, more irrational if we're going to play that game. Men are statistically more likely than women to do things like commit murder, or drive dangerously, and yet women are called 'hysterical' and 'shrill'? Hmmm...