Recently in Feminism Category
1. What is the accurate, once-and-for-all differences between men's and women's brains?
2. How can a woman who's super invested in mothering also protect her own creative/intellectual/professional life?
3. What truly works when it comes to rape and violence prevention?
4. When do I focus on being right and when do I focus on being effective?
5. When do I address sexism directly and when it is best to handle it indirectly?
6. How can society still be so invested in the categories hetero, homo, and bi when sexuality so obviously exists on a spectrum?
7. Why do so many feminists resist being critical about the institution of marriage?
8. How can we have no holds bar honest conversations about race and class disparities within feminist circles?
9. How important is it that women embrace the feminist label?
10. How ethical is it that feminist writers like Judith Butler and even bell hooks are hard for my women's studies 101 students to understand?
What are you still sorting out?
Last month, Jessica gave us the lowdown on how the mainstream media has been feeding the whole Palin-as-Feminist rhetoric that's been going around, and Ann reminded us earlier this week about why Palin's attempt at feminist talk is completely empty of meaning. But apparently, the Washington Post disagrees. Lois Romano writes:
Palin's candidacy has sent a jolt through traditional liberal women's organizations as she tries to redefine feminism, suggesting that the old movement has become detached from the hockey moms Palin champions. The mother of five and former beauty queen is the antithesis of the bra-burning militant libbers of the '60s, and she is adamantly antiabortion. Yet Palin has grabbed the feminist label vigorously and has been hailed as one by the thousands of supportive women who wave their lipstick tubes at her rallies.
The author also contends that the "unexpected recognition of a conservative as a role model for women has forced some traditional feminists to reconsider the movement's mission," specifically referencing to her stance on abortion multiple times, as if Palin being anti-choice is the only issue that distinguishes her from feminists. Forget about charging residents in Wasilla for rape kits and her general apathy for rape victims, her lack of support for the Lilly Ledbetter Act, the fact that she's against emergency contraception , her history of cutting funding for young, low-income mothers - you get the gist.
What's the most infuriating is that Romano pretty much labels her as this subversive revolutionary working against a puritanical movement:
Palin proclaimed that feminism is no longer synonymous with liberalism but something that could be shared and celebrated by all women.
You mean no longer synonymous with the "bra-burning militant libbers of the '60s"? And speaking of, she quotes a Clinton-supporter-turned-McCain-supporter who says that, "Sarah Palin rocks all the stereotypes of feminism and can only enhance progress for women."
Somehow this writer managed to reinforce feminist stereotypes while deeming Palin as proof that feminists can be so much more than just stereotypes. You know, they can be airbrushed sexymoms with hot legs.
Sigh.
For those who want to check out Courtney on SIRIUS radio tonight at 7 pm ET on SIRIUS Stars channel 102, go here to sign up for a free trial and tune in.
There is no doubt that I am a gender studies geek. I live and breath it like several of my Feministing co-editors. So here you go, my ten favorite feminist books.
2. Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics by bell hooks
3. to be real edited by Rebecca Walker
4. Palestinian Women of Gaza and the West Bank edited by Suha Sabbagh
5. Making Face, Making Soul edited by Gloria Anzaldua
6. The Decolonial Imaginary by Emma Perez
7. Dangerous Liasons edited by Anne McClintock, Aamir Mufti and Ella Shohat
8. The Eloquence of Silence by Marnia Lazreg
9. Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
10. Between Woman and Nation edited by Caren Kaplan, Norma Alarcon and Minoo Moallem
These are books I go back to over and over. They have had tremendous impact on what I write, how I write and who I am writing for. And I can't claim these books without also giving thanks to the amazing professors I have had at San Francisco State and SUNY Albany that helped me understand what was captured by each of these authors.
What are your favorite feminist books?
Shelley Mandell, the president of LA chapter of the National Organization for Women caused shock waves in the California feminist community when she endorsed Sarah Palin this weekend at a GOP rally.
"I know Sarah Palin cares about women's rights...As vice president, she will fight for you. She cares about our children and she cares about women's lives."
Excuse me? Whoa.
Though Mandell started her speech with the disclaimer that she was speaking as an individual and not for NOW, it's not a shock that the media picked up on the story as a NOW president endorsing Palin. (And I would imagine she knew that.)
CA NOW released the following statement after Mandell's speech:
This is too neat. Blogs can now embed books available on Google Books for readers to peruse. I hope Feministing can use this to highlight awesome feminists texts... So in honor of Samhita's recent post, check out Barbara Smith's great book, Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology, after the jump. (And don't forget to support feminists by buying their books!)
So for those of us Feministing gals (Jessica, Vanessa and myself) that went to school in that sleepy upstate town known as Albany we all have a special place in our hearts for Barbara Smith. One of my most formative feminist "click" moments was seeing Barbara Smith lecture at SUNY Albany when I was a young women's studies undergrad (11 years ago, eeeek, LOL).
If you have never heard of her, well she is an anti-racist, feminist, socialist activist and one of the framers of early identity politics. Frankly, her humility extends so far that she rarely gets the recognition she deserves. I am sure her constant calling out of white feminism for their inability to truly incorporate an analysis of race and class certainly has kept her on the sidelines as well.
I was pretty excited to see that Colorlines magazine (always on top of it) has a Q&A with her and what she has been up to, including running for public office. Check it out.
So to really get our minds off the election I thought I would switch it up and do a Feminist Fuck Yeah to Henry Rollins. Why Henry Rollins? Well because he is awesome (this is more awesome), but we also got several emails from readers who have seen his spoken word performances (which are amazing) and apparently he is a fan of Feministing. If that is not FUCK YEAH worthy, I am not really sure what is.
And I have been known to bite his style from time to time. (And full transcript after the jump.)
The lists yesterday were awesome, but it did make me think that we should practice some gratitude to balance everything out. So here's my list of ten things I can thank feminism for:
1. playing basketball and lacrosse in high school
2. the Planned Parenthood clinic in my hometown, Colorado Springs
3. an authentic language to discuss sex, work, and just about everything in between
4. my feministing crew
5. Hillary Clinton
6. sexual harassment policies
7. my ambition and sense of entitlement (the good kind)
8. the way my brother sees and treats women
9. feminist culture: Bust, Bitch, all the amazing feminist blogs, comedians, writers, actors etc.
10. so many of my intergenerational relationships
Bitch magazine, the wonderful feminist publication, is in dire need of help. The past issue it put out may be its last if the mag doesn't raise $40,000 by October 15.
That's a lot of money - but with all the kick-ass feminists out there who know and love bitch, I'm betting it's possible.
So please take a moment to watch this video of Debbie Rasmussen and Andi Zeisler explaining what's going on, and consider donating here. I know I will be.
Rebecca Traister at Salon has a great piece up about the "bastardization of everything feminism has stood for" - the scariness that has been the Sarah Palin/feminism talk.
In this "Handmaid's Tale"-inflected universe, in which femininity is worshipped but females will be denied rights, CNBC pundit Donny Deutsch tells us that we're witnessing "a new creation ... of the feminist ideal," the feminism being so ideal because instead of being voiced by hairy old bats with unattractive ideas about intellect and economy and politics and power, it's now embodied by a woman who, according to Deutsch, does what Hillary Clinton did not: "put a skirt on." "I want her watching my kids," says Deutsch. "I want her laying next to me in bed."...What Palin so seductively represents, not only to Donny Deutsch but to the general populace, is a form of feminine power that is utterly digestible to those who have no intellectual or political use for actual women. It's like some dystopian future ... feminism without any feminists.
Seriously, the more this goes on the more afraid I get.
The mainstream media seems confused these days. It appears that because Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin is a woman, she is also a feminist. And not just a feminist, but THE feminist - a sign that all is right in the world when it comes to gender equity. But how could that be, you ask? How could anyone paint Palin - whose policies make it all too clear that she's about as anti-feminist as they come - as feminism's second coming? Well, by pithy misleading headlines - that's how!
The Wall Street Journal: Sarah Palin Feminism
Townhall: Sarah Palin: A Liberated Woman
LA Times: Sarah Palin's 'new feminism' is hailed
NPR: Sarah Palin: New Face Of Feminism?
The New York Post: A Feminist Dream at the GOP
Even more interesting is that the reporters touting this Palin-as-feminist nonsense are people who pretty much know jack shit about feminism.
Take Wall Street Journal reporter Naomi Schaefer Riley, who writes that progressives should rest easy about Palin's candidacy because "most American evangelicals have wholeheartedly embraced the idea of women in the workplace." A radical feminist sentiment if there ever was one! But perhaps one should take Riley with a grain of salt, considering she's the same reporter who wrote that murdered NY college student Imette St. Guillen should have known better than to be out drinking at 3am. Victim-blamers aren't exactly bastions of feminist thought.
Karin Agness, who wrote the piece for Townhall, calls Palin a "success of feminism" and "truly a liberated woman." Agness is also the President of the Network of Enlightened Women, an anti-feminist college organization that lurves Elizabeth Hasselbeck and even (sigh) mocked a NOW conference attendee in a wheelchair on their blog.
Really, most of the "feminism" talk is coming from conservatives appropriating the language of the movement to push a ridiculously anti-feminist candidate. This, of course, is nothing new (cough, IWF, cough) and fairly transparent.
But what I find even more upsetting is the Palin/feminist talk coming from mainstream outlets who are demonstrating absolutely no knowledge of feminism. Take the Adweek article, for example, which says "Palin is a classic third-wave feminist, benefiting from all that came before her in terms of the women's movement..." So by this definition, any woman who has benefited from feminism is a feminist. So, all women are feminists? Uh, yeah.
So, please, esteemed members of the mainstream media - if you want to write about Palin and feminism, how about you get a feminist to do it? Or at least interview one of us for goodness sake - there's plenty of us around and we'll be happy to talk to you about what the movement is about. (Hint: It's a lot more than thinking any woman is a good choice for all women.)
A reader sent in this story of a woman who intervened when she saw a girl getting physically abused, and I thought it brought up a lot of interesting questions about when to get involved.
I was waiting for my bus up to Ye Olde Transit Centre early this morning, and I noticed a young couple scuffling outside the Youth Employment Centre near my bus stop. They were older teenagers - the boy was 17 or 18, and the girl looked to be about 16. She was crying and yelling something at the boy, and suddenly they started pushing and shoving.She took a swing and he grabbed her hand (he was easily 6' and she must have been 5'2 and about 100lbs) and he threw her up against the building and grabbed her throat. I was alone at the stop and reacted instinctively: I pushed my way between them and told the boy to back off. Predictably he started screaming at me to "stay out of his business" but I ignored him and worked on leading the girl away. She kept sobbing in apology, and flinched when the boy tried to grab her hand. The boy kept yelling at me to "stay out of it" and I told him that he if was going to assault his girlfriend on a public street than it damn well was my business, and that if he didn't back off and move away I was going to call the police.
...He muttered, "Fucking feminist bitch!" and moved away up the street.
Telling that he called her a feminist as a pejorative, but I digress. I've often seen things in public spaces that I found upsetting and/or well, criminal, and I've spoken up when I've felt safe. But how can we gauge safety, or if other women want us to get involved?
I'm reminded of two stories...
A women's studies professor I had as an undergrad told my class about how her sister was in an abusive relationship - his battering her was so loud that the neighbors called often the police. However, the police generally made things worse: Not just because they didn't arrest her boyfriend and treated her as if she was the criminal - not believing her, asking if she had attacked him - but also because once they left, she was beaten even worse. My prof went on to say that from then on whenever she saw or heard a woman being abused, she asked if the woman would like her to call the police - assuming that she knew what was best for her own situation.
Today is the 88th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
In honor of the anniversary, I thought folks could share their first-time-voting story... The first time I voted (and I was so excited to) was in the 1996 presidential election. I had turned 18 years old a mere four days before election day, and I was living in New Orleans at the time - which meant that I had to vote by absentee ballot. Not quite the lever-pulling fun I was looking for, but I remember being so psyched that it didn't much matter to me. I was also the high and mighty gal who was appalled by my classmates who weren't voting, and wasn't afraid to let them know. Yeah, I wasn't very popular at Tulane. (Thank goodness for transferring!)
What's your story?
From her recent piece at Alternet:
Over the last five years, trans feminine feminists have begun to articulate a new perspective on feminism and trans activism that better captures our own experiences dealing with sexism. This approach is not so much rooted in queer theory as it is in intersectionality -- a theory that grew out of the work of feminists of color, most thoroughly chronicled by Patricia Hill Collins, and perhaps first discussed in relation to the MWMF trans woman-exclusion issue by Emi Koyama. Intersectionality states that different forms of oppression do not act independently of one another, but rather they interact synergistically. Unlike queer theory and lesbian-feminism, intersectionality focuses primarily on the ways in which people are institutionally marginalized, rather than fixating on whether any given individual's identity or behaviors "reinforce" or "subvert" the gender system.
It's long and delves deep, but as with most of her writing it's pretty fantastic. Check it out.
I have had the pleasure of being on an intergenerational adventure with Kristal Brent Zook--journalist and professor--over the past year or so. I'm continually amazed by her work; she's written three books: Color By Fox, Black Women's Lives, and most recently, I See Black People: The Rise and Fall of African American Owned Television and Radio. She was the journalist who spent the most time with the woman's family at the center of the Duke rape case and broke many stories surrounding it for Essence. And as if that weren't enough, she's a professor at Hofstra.
She's also kind, thoughtful, humble, obsessed with an intersectional analysis of justice, and an amazing model of dignity and wellness. She sent this essay along, thinking it would interest our feministing community. What do you think?
Power lost and found
Kristal Brent Zook
I was at Los Angeles International Airport recently enjoying a veggie burger and a beer at TGIF while waiting for a flight. The man next to me at the bar was hoping to entice two young women (barely legals) via his expense account.
"Can I buy you girls a drink?" he asked.
I overheard them say they were from a small town in Oklahoma, traveling to Dallas. One of the women had attended college for a semester, I heard her say, before dropping out. "School is just not for me," explained the other flatly. The man reported that he worked in the biotech industry. "What's that?" said the one with false eyelashes.
On the subject of cheap flight tickets, the man suggested going online to look for great deals.
"Oh, I don't know how to do any of that stuff," said eyelashes with a laugh.
They were interested in fashion, and topics such as weight gain, designer brands, drinking, and parties. Oh, and they hated long flights.
Their conversation got me thinking about women and power. Maybe I was being too hard on the girls, but I wondered: with the myriad of options available to them in this day and age of possibility, achievement and access, why were they missing out?
Why hadn't any of the things feminists had been writing and speaking about (and living) actually translated into their lives?
Of course there are pea-brained young men out there too. But there was something about these two women that was especially unsettling: perhaps it was their profound vulnerability, I thought, in a world that will so quickly leave them behind.
Or maybe it was the fact that they seemed so disinterested in their own potential -- their own present, as well as future power.
Or maybe I was just a 40-something old fogy, witnessing that perfectly normal phase that so many young people go through as they struggle to find their way into adulthood. I've been there. Maybe they'll pull it together eventually, I thought, and find their own unique passions.
And when they do, I hope that feminism will be there -- ready to help make the journey beyond fashion and fake eyelashes, into true power.
The Financial Times has an interview with Gloria Steinem if you want to check it out. Not-so-favorite moment? When reporter Chrystia Freeland (fully aware of the slightly ugh nature of the question) asks Steinem if she regrets not having children.
Now this is a good way to start the week off!
Thanks to Katie from MI for sending this awesome vid along.
It's back folks! This series which I kicked off a few months back with the Millionaire Matchmaker edition. As a refresher:
In this series we're going to share a few of our own (un)feminist guilty pleasures. It's those pop culture things that you love, even though deep down inside you know that they might conflict with your feminist values. Maybe it's a show that makes your Women's Studies 101 alarm go off, but you just can't stop tuning in every week. Maybe it's a celeb gossip blog, or an immature movie marketed to teen boys, or high-fashion magazines where all the models look half dead. Maybe you're just human, and humans are complex occasionally hypocritical beings. Maybe you have created your own unique definition of what it means to be feminist that includes all of these guilty pleasures (and much more).We at Feministing believe there are ways to maintain a critical eye towards these (un)feminist things while still enjoying them. It can even be fun! We think you believe this too and we are psyched to see what guilty pleasures you have to add to the mix.
So on that note, to today's edition, which is reggaeton. Now maybe it's because I'm Cuban, but nothing gets me dancing faster than some good old reggaeton. We're talking Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Wisin y Yandel, Aventura. I love most of it, but especially the songs with a great dance beat. Unfortunately, a lot of my favorite reggaeton tunes have horribly sexist and offensive lyrics. You name it, it's there. Talk about brutal sex, the objectification of women, machismo at its worse. None of this is unique to reggaeton, and a lot of it comes from the roots of reggaeton, which is a fusion of Jamaican music like reggae and dancehall with Latin American music like bomba, plena, salsa, merengue as well as US hip hop and R&B. (Go here for a great explanation of what reggaeton is, and its history).
That's why reggaeton is my (un)feminist guilty pleasure. I can't stop listening to it, because I enjoy it too much (I even have a pandora station that I'm listening to right now!). Occasionally I just pretend that I don't understand spanish so I can ignore the lyrics, but its tough. What do we do with art forms like music that might use these kinds of sexist troupes? Boycotting the artists does little to remedy the underlying issues of sexism and misogyny that lead to these lyrics. Luckily, there is an alternative for reggaeton lovers who can't handle the misogyny anymore: Ivy Queen, a female reggaetonera has been gaining popularity. Now, being a woman does not guarantee that her music won't include any of the same sexist ideas, but from what I've listened to, it's a big improvement.
What music is your (un)feminist guilty pleasure?
I've argued that the feminist movement doesn't need icons, and it's always problematic to start naming feminists as more "important" and worthy of iconic status than others. But hey, it's Friday - and it seemed like it would be a fun poll topic. If your feminist icon of choice isn't in the poll, feel free to name drop in comments...
Note: These are names I thought up of off the top of my head, so pretty please spare me any "I can't believe you didn't include so and so" comments. I don't consider this a complete list in the slightest - I was hoping you lovely feministas could help me fill it in. :)
Two related calls for help in the feminist publishing world this week.
The first, via Lisa Jervis over at the Bitch Magazine blog, is about South End Press.
If you're not already familiar with South End, you should get to know them right now. They are, as their letter notes, "the nation's only unapologetically radical, feminist, mission-driven, and majority women of color publishing collective." Their list is tremendous: big names like bell hooks, Vandana Shiva, and Howard Zinn, plus less well-known but no less important books from Incite!, Andrea Smith, Kristian Williams, and many more.And they're in trouble, because Borders is in trouble, and the unfortunate thing about the publishing business is that the actual producers of actual content are generally at the mercy of retailers and distributors when it comes to our financial survival.
The short of it is that they need help, particularly in the form of their community supported publishing program. You pay a monthly fee and get their books for free. Sounds pretty great. More info about that program here.
The second comes from Off Our Backs, an almost 40 year old feminist news magazine. From an official statement:
We are not closing down yet, but things are a bit difficult for us right now. We are trying some last-ditch efforts in the hopes that we will be able to raise enough funds to continue publishing.Ironically, we have been in a process of actually coming closer to achieving self-sustainability, but have a shortfall of approximately $20,000 at this time. When we are able to afford enough staff to continue our new subscriber campaign, we in fact are able to steadily increase our revenue. If we can manage to fill this gap, we believe that we will be able to continue building our growing subscriber base through our subscriber
outreach campaign, which, when we have been able to do it, has been remarkably successful.As the oldest feminist publication in the United States, we are in our 38th year of publication, so hopefully, we'll be able to weather this latest downturn in funds and regroup to keep going. Rest assured that all of us on the collective are trying as hard as we can, and we have managed to come through funding shortfalls before, but we're not sure right now how this will happen.
You can donate to off our backs here, and even better, subscribe to the newsjournal here.
We have to support independent and feminist media, particulary during times of economic decline so that we don't lose important venues for these writers and ideas.
So, first of all, apologies to those not living in NYC or DC for how geographically biased my event posts are. As the majority of us are based in those two cities, our event posting tend to be geographically weighted. Apologies, and a reminder that the community blog is a great place to post about events in your area!
Next week, the Feminist Majority Foundation is hosting a Congressional briefing on funding for reproductive rights.
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) invites you to attend a briefing on Capitol Hill on July 24, 2008 from 9:30 AM-11:30 AMThe event will feature Members of Congress and leaders in the global and domestic women's health communities. Speakers will discuss the critical need to increase U.S. assistance for international family planning. The panel will expose the ways in which cuts to family planning funds both domestically and globally are killing thousands of women every day.
Space is limited and available to first respondents. Light refreshments will be provided. To reserve your spot, please RSVP online.
Questions? Call (703) 522-2214 or Email ahossain@feminist.org
Ann and I are planning on going, so hopefully we'll see some other readers there to support the event!
H/t to the awesome FMF interns for the info
For those in or around the NYC area, next week holds a couple of cool feminist events. On Wednesday the 16th, NOW NYC is holding a forum with financial planner Diane MacPhee where she'll be talking about the economy affects women and how to take a hold of your moneys.
That weekend on Saturday, July 19th, the inspiring Girls for Gender Equity are having their 3rd Annual Gender Equality Festival (check back on their site for more info) and a fundraiser, "Get Down 2 Get Up" with DJs spinning dope beats at Sputnik in Brooklyn. Click here for more info.
I'm sad to say I'll be on vacation joining Jess in Martha's Vineyard that week, but I highly recommend you join the summer feminist love.
The Women's Media Center has posted some great little clips from the panel I was on a few weeks ago at The Paley Center: From Soundbites to Solutions: Bias, Punditry, and the Press in the 2008 Election. Patricia Williams is especially amazing. Thanks to my friend Sean for the miso-ginee story.
Feministing friend and author of Odd Girl Out, Rachel Simmons, wanted to let ladies know that she's speaking at an Omega conference in September on Women & Courage. There are scholarships available for young women here. Deadline is July 15th, so don't sleep on it. Speakers include Isabelle Allende, Tara Brach, and Queen Afua, among others, and the conference material reads, in part:
The classic myth of the hero traces an arc of death-defying adventure and violent battle. Yet, on our interdependent planet-with no territory left to exploit and no war that can be won-empathy, love, and wisdom have become the most heroic of all adventures.
It is time to change our definition of what it means to be a brave and daring human being.
I can definitely get down with that. Thanks for the heads up Rachel.
Moe and Tracie of Jezebel appeared on a show called Thinking and Drinking recently, with host Lizz Winstead. What ensued has been the subject of many blog posts, a whole lot of comments and a ton of emails to Feministing. I was tempted not to write about this at all, because it seems like a no-win situation: The damage is done, the whole thing was sad, and writing about it very much feels like beating a dead (and drunk) horse.
But the thing is, this is important. As many of you know, I'm on vacation this week with the boyfriend - and despite being all relaxed and laying around, this video caused quite a stir among my friends who were here with us over the weekend. We sat around for a good couple of hours discussing what it means to be a role model, apathy, rape "jokes" and the use of irony and sarcasm in feminism. So it's clear to me that there are plenty of jumping off points for progressive and useful discussion.
For those of you who haven't already been following it, here's what went down.
Check out this article from Dave Hill at Comment is free, "Gender stereotypes hurt men too."
I think Hill brings up a lot of important points about the ways in which sexism damages men, but I wish he would identify feminism (at least more concretely) as a movement that's already working to help men as well as women. For example, Hill writes of gender stereotypes affecting men, "Sensible, grown up, non-sectarian feminism recognises all of this and seeks ways for men to combat it." I'm not sure what "grown up" feminism is, but the feminism I know has always talked about the ways in which the movement can benefit men.
Thoughts?
Weekly Feministing Newsletter
Feministing RSS Feed