A Feminist President

So, all of you anti-violence against women activists out there, what would you like to see Obama do to help our cause?
Check out the latest edition of Ms. Magazine: What a great cover.

I'm Liking the Teaspoon Reference

I have to say, I'm not an avid daily blog reader, but now and then I stumble across some blogs that I find interesting posts on now and then... you know, when I get that reading itch that only hits me ever so often. In one of those rare occurrences this week, I came across a link to a blog with a post about teaspoon jewelry that you can buy, and the proceeds benefit CARE, an organization dedicated to ending the global hunger crisis. I know what you're thinking. Teaspoon jewelry...why?!

It originates from a writer named Melissa on a fabulous blog called Shakesville. She explains the reference started in a post titled "Me and My Teaspoon" by saying:

The teaspoon reference started with my post on International Human Rights Day, when I said: "Today is the final day of the 16 Days of Action Against Gender Violence, during which I suppose I have blogged exactly as often as always about violence against women, in America and abroad. Sometimes it feels like it's all I ever write about; sometimes it feels like I can't possibly write about it enough to do the issue justice; often, those feelings exist within me simultaneously. All I ever do is try to empty the sea with this teaspoon; all I can do is keep trying to empty the sea with this teaspoon." From that came the Shakesville Silver Teaspoon for Random Acts of Feminism, and a whole lot of subsequent references to teaspoons in these pages, when we are feeling crushed by the vastness of the work to be done.

Really. Do I need to say more? Could a reference be anymore fitting for the work we do at PWCL and similar feminist organizations? I think not. Thanks to Melissa and the awesome bloggers over at Shakesville and to Faith on That is so Queer for making such cute jewelry with great meaning and an even greater cause that will benefit from the sales.

Joyful

When things start to get complicated, I like to go back to the basics. I don't know about you, but things are starting to feel... complicated.

PWCL is so busy right now! We have so many fabulous things happening -- Bike Back the Night; Safety in Numbers; a new website; new grants; new positions. It's amazing and inspiring, and it's a whole lot of work.

On this Friday, with my ipod and stacks of paper keeping me company in my office, I'm humming a song that has always been a reminder of why I do the work I do and have the commitments I have. It's "Joyful Girl" by Ani Difranco, and I thought you could use it as a reminder too.

I do it for the joy it brings

because I'm a joyful girl

because the world owes us nothing

we owe each other the world

I do it because it's the least I can do

I do it because I learned it from you
and I do it just because I want to

I want to

White Feminists: Please Read This

Yet another pioneering feminist wholly and thoroughly disappoints me.

Geraldine Ferraro says Obama is "lucky" to be a black man

One of my favorite bloggers responds here (FYI - she used lots of curse words!)

You'll notice that Geraldine panders to women of color but she is really just talking about a black man versus a white woman. Who has it rougher out there? sigh. sigh. sigh.

Let's not pretend this was a slip of the tongue. In 1988, she said that " if Jesse Jackson were not black, he would not be in the race."

Could we mandate some kind of nation-wide oppression training, maybe? I wish that Hillary's camp would start talking about their own culpability and their own privilege. Maybe they could recognize that just 150 years ago, black men and women alike were OWNED by whites. So what if they want to vote for Barack? Suck it up, ladies.

Unpack your invisible knapsack, Geraldine. It's hard work but we all have to do it.

ETA: More disapppointing quotes from Geraldine and good commentary from the Daily Kos

Sexual Autonomy Ruins Relationships

Thanks to Feministing.com, I found another jewel of an article from The Times Online. In this article, a "sexpert" claims that, "women need to start having sex with their partners whether they feel like it or not" because sexual autonomy is ruining relationships. So, after reading the study that was posted a couple weeks ago by Rebecca showing that feminists have better sex and relationships, I find this Times article a bit humorous. It would be more humorous if I knew that there weren't people reading it and believing what she says.

Here's a snippet to spike your interest:

Not tonight, dear . . . in fact, not ever
Feminism gave women control of their sex lives, but has it gone too far? Author and sex expert Dr Pam Spurr argues that many women are risking their relationships by saying ‘no’

Oh, and here's my favorite part!

At the risk of being called old-fashioned (though I don’t think that old-fashioned should always have negative connotations) and antifeminist, I’d go so far as to say that for both partners sex could be considered a duty, if it is something that one partner knows would make the other happy. Does he really want to go up on the roof to repair a leak on a Sunday afternoon? Does she really want to take out the rubbish in the pouring rain? No, but partners in relationships do such things because they know that it makes the other happy. Sex should be seen in the same light.

Nothing seems less sexy to me then getting it on as a duty rather than a right, and the last time I checked there was nothing less sexy to my partner then having sex with me when I wasn't into it.

Lucky for us, there's research that shows that "Sex Doctor" Spurr's claims don't exactly hold up, and that maybe the problem isn't with women asserting their sexual rights, but really with the lack of healthy conversation happening in these relationships in regards to their sex lives.