Recently by Jessica

Click to enlarge

The woman who gave birth to octuplets has provided plenty of fodder for feminist conversation, but that's not what I'd like to write about. I want to know why someone from the Los Angeles Times sent out an email (above) calling selective reduction "killing off" babies.

Andrew Malcolm, a writer and blogger for the paper, sent out a mass email last week with the subject line: "fyi octuplet mom alrdy had 6 kids so docs offered to kill off some of the 8 for her."

So much for objective journalism.

Who knew there could actually be more than one set of boob-related speakers?!

Melissa has more.

Via Shiny Shiny.

Arizona State University has settled with a rape survivor for $850,000.

The young woman was raped in her dorm room by a student who had been previously kicked out of school after accusations of rape, inappropriate sexual comments and touching, and exposing himself to female students and staff. The Arizona Republic reports that he "was allowed to return to campus in August 2003 and to rejoin the football team, but he received no counseling."

"Historically, universities have downplayed rapes," said Joanne Belknap, a sociology professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder and researcher in violence against women. "In general, they don't want people to know about it because people won't want to send their daughters there and women won't want to come."

This is the first settlement to require a statewide system of universities to change the way it responds to complaints of sexual harassment and violence, and it sends a warning to all universities and colleges, Belknap said.

For more information on sexual assault on college campuses and ways to get involved, check out SAFER.

Check out this poster from a university campus in Ontario, Canada. If you notice the small tear in the poster, it's because someone thought that the whole "don't rape women" message was super offensive. In fact, several other posters put up decrying violence against women were vandalized. Sigh.

Thanks to Toban for the link and the pics.

Kelly: an anti-feminist riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

In a recent interview, singer Kelly Clarkson went off on why she's not a feminist.

Would you call yourself a feminist?

No, not at all. I mean, that was the first time in my life -- which maybe I'm naïve and I've not been put in any situations like that -- but that's the first time in my life I've ever even heard someone use that mentality. I'm like, "Hey, knock-knock, 2008." Most of the men in my life have been very highly supportive. I've never had to even think like a feminist because no one around me even thinks one [sex] is higher than the other.

Really? Well it must be nice to work in an industry that's completely sexism-free! But wait...another question from the same interview.

Do you consider the record industry to be a boys' club?

I just know for a fact ... why I said that was because I was actually on a phone call with two people who did not know I was on the phone, and I literally heard somebody I used to work with say, "Well, you know what, he can get away with it because it's a guy. She's a girl, so let's just face it, it's different." And I was like, "Is this the 1950s?" I hung up and didn't listen to the rest.

Does. Not. Compute.

This might be the best news I've heard all day.

Related: Girls Gone Wild founder off to jail
Joe Francis with yet another sex charge
Girls Gone Wild founder gets community service
Rapists Gone Wild
Stay classy, Joe Francis
Rape culture gone wild

You know...sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. (Not to mention an infinite number of jokes.)

Apparently the Passion for Christ Movement has a bunch of these "ex" shirts, and this is just the latest. Here's the thing - you don't want to masturbate because you feel it goes against your beliefs? All good. But there's no need to shame others, and telling folks that doing something completely natural, safe and personal is sinful...well it's just wrong.

Not to mention, the shame that some people may feel after what one article calls "an illegal orgasm," (something the Passion for Christ members talk about a lot) isn't a sign that masturbation is wrong. It's an indicator that you haven't been told the truth about sexuality:

Two things I've come to know about masturbation is this:

1. It brings shame, and...
2. It is addictive

Most people who have engaged in masturbation know that the culmination of this sexual act ends in shame. I don't have to share with you the thousands of emails of the admittance of this shame because you know all too well since you have experienced it yourself. Curled up in a fetal position, crying, because your bed is even more empty and you're lonelier than you did before you violated yourself.

See, this shit just isn't right. We need to stop teaching young people that their bodies are shameful and that any pleasure they get from it is immoral. Seriously, I wish I could gift wrap Betty Dodson and send her to the person who wrote this.

Thanks to Natalie for the link.

Monty waits patiently for Andrew to get our morning coffee.

About two months ago, we moved into a house. Like, a grown up one. With frigging multiple bathrooms - unheard of in New York. We seriously lucked out.

Monty loves the new neighborhood - Sunnyside, represent! - more than anyone, and especially loves having a backyard. Also, there are dogs everywhere here; it's ass-sniffing heaven every time we take a walk. For Monty, I mean. Yeah, that's the ticket.

(If anyone out there also lives in Sunnyside, make sure to stop by my parents' health food store - it's the shit.)

Related: I almost forgot to add in what I originally wanted to post about! Feminist pet wars!

Check out the rest of the line-up for Yes Means Yes' blog tour after the jump!

Looking for some fun feminist activities? Make sure to check out the Feministing Calendar. Some upcoming events....

Tomorrow
Yes Means Yes reading in Cambridge, MA
6pm, Cambridge YMCA Theater, hosted by Center for New Words
You'll get to hear from me, Jaclyn Friedman plus fantastic contributors Kate Harding and Toni Amato.

Feb 2
You're Invited to Talk About Choice in Alexandria, VA
7pm, Durant Center, 1605 Cameron Street
Join NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia for an activist training where you'll learn strategies for effectively talking about your pro-choice values - to your friends, neighbors, and even legislators.
RSVP to Gwen at gemmons@naralva.org.

Athens Boys Choir at MU in Columbia, MO
8:00pm, University of Missouri, Neff Auditorium on the Quad
Athens Boys Choir, aka solo hip hop, spoken-word artist Harvey Katz, will bring his witty, gender bending wordplay to Mizzou. Athens Boys Choir has been touring nationally since 2003, releasing four albums along the way. This show is free and open to the public .