Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Highlights of the Week

Next they’ll print one about airplane food
This honest to god made me LOL. This right here is a stunningly great example of the male gaze and how it is founded on male privilege. There are two parts of this sentence that are more or less factual: 1) “Hollywood’s women may have weight issues of their own” (depending how you define “issues,” of course), and 2) “actresses who expand do not often get roles to showcase that growth.” But it’s the hinge of these facts, that wonderfully clueless phrase “But it is somehow less noticeable,” that makes me want to put this article in a textbook under “Male Gaze 101.” See, there’s a phrase missing from this sentence, an important one. The sentence should read: “It is somehow less noticeable to me.
Confessions of a Rough Sleeper
Ask the poverty-ridden and homeless in a conventional group what they want and they will tell you exactly what they think the public wants to hear. We’ve all been nicely trained to parrot the party lines...Ask those same de-housed people what they want behind closed doors, without any coordinator class, social workers or political influence peddlers and listen to the difference.
City Councilman Promoted Violent Anti-Immigrant Video Game
whatsername says; you've GOT to see the picture on this one

A Chocolate Coating to make the Bitter White Pill Go Down Easier

The Misinformed Opinions of People Who Don’t Know You

Miriam Perez, have u forgotten something?

Urgent: Masseuse Advertising on Craig’s List Murdered
Some Links On Boston Murder
RI cops: Case similar to Boston Craigslist slaying

Asexual Ants Give up on Males

sm[art]: Anna Deavere Smith and the Art of Politics

The Common Elements of Oppressions

Vandana Shiva on Farmer Suicides, the U.S.-India Nuclear Deal, Wal-Mart in India and More

Weekly Immigration Wire: Legalize the Undocumented, Help Fix the Economy

stuff white people do: appreciate opportunities to release their repressed racism in public

Billie Joe Armstrong Goes Nuts for Robert Pattinson, Obama and 'Rock of Love'

The Souls (and Hair) of Black Girls

The response I received from Amazon dot com
Update: Amazon’s “Gay Glitch” and the Pagans

A Palin pondering...
During her speech Governor Palin shared her experience of being unexpectedly pregnant and choosing to continue her pregnancy. She offered that she understands what other women face when confronted with an unplanned pregnancy...and a bitch can’t help but wonder at her lack of inner-work there.
I Don’t Believe In PC Speech

Is Boycotting Jamaica The Solution For GLBT People?

IRAN: USING TECHNOLOGY TO BOLSTER WOMEN'S MOVEMENT

Spirit of the Resistance in Somalia

Is $1500 Too Much For a Shelter?

Andrade Trial-Opening Impressions

Our Common Story
I want to highlight these acts of resistance among Afghanistan women, because even for women who may not identify themselves as "feminists," the question of women's full humanity and freedom is of vital concern. Personally, I struggle with wanting to understand and recognize the legitimacy of a different cultural experience, even as I need to acknowledge what are real human rights violations. That tension is important to me, but I cannot allow it to render me silent when there is injustice.
Reunion
This week, I’m meeting with the psychiatrist who oversaw my transition and the first few months of my re/de-transition. I’m not seeing her for therapy–at least, not technically–but as an update: to tell her how things are going and what the process has been like. I’m not anxious about it, or about my gender identity or presentation, but it has made me thoughtful. It feels like a job interview–no, more like a high school reunion. A performance review?
Troy Davis Appeal Denied

Bush Torture Memos

in response to passing or not

What makes a feminist TV show?

Dollhouse, Joss Whedon, and the Strange and Difficult Path of Feminist Dudes: Some Thoughts
whatsername says: an entirely brilliant review of Dollhouse, the best yet I've seen, and I don't think there is anything I can disagree with! (well except I liked Buffy but I had the same problems with it).



Native News Stories

And I really REALLY want to encourage you to take the time to watch Melissa Harris-Lacewell's analysis in the W.E.B. DuBois lectures she gave not long ago over three nights, found here. She ties things together really well, and I think anyone reading this blog would find it interesting.