Lady of the Hour: Janet Howell
Since anti-choice legislators are forcing women to undergo invasive and unnecessary ultrasounds before obtaining abortions — yes, that is a legal requirement that women be vaginally penetrated for no medical purpose other than to humiliate and emotionally manipulate them — Virginia State Senator Janet Howell has decided that maybe men should also be subjected to some less-than-necessary medical examinations for the privilege of being sexual creatures:
...read moreThe Power of Female Friendship
A truly excellent piece over at The Rumpus about female friends:
...read moreI was reminded of the Wrinklies, of my friends, of the ways in which they carry me, when I read A Train in Winter by Caroline Morehead, a remarkable book that tells the story of women French resistance fighters who were sent to Auschwitz and who survived by doing what women do: supporting, finding a way to love and nurture in situations marked by the absence of love, tenderness, sense, sanity, or even humanity. In a concentration camp they managed to make Christmas gifts out of string and sticks; they put on plays in their barracks; they supported the weaker women, often hiding them for roll call. They were “a team.”
Reminds me of me when I was her age (if I’d been a badass)
I spent a good twenty minutes trying to come up with some kind of commentary here so it would seem like I’ve made a personal contribution to the post, but it turns out when you have a thirteen-year-old girl who speaks more eloquently on subjects like slut-shaming and sexual double standards than a lot of adults I know, it’s best to just leave the talking to her.
Be my friend, Astrorice.
[Transcript, and more of my blathering, after the jump]
...read moreHero of the Day
...read moreWhen Samira Ibrahim makes a rare foray into the streets of her hometown of Sohag in Upper Egypt or to a demonstration on the streets of Cairo, she has the distinct feeling of being watched.
“I never feel comfortable,” she said during in an interview in a Cairo cafe. “The only place I can feel like myself is in my home with my family. Everywhere I go, I feel there are eyes on me. They want me to forget everything and just go away.”
Ms Ibrahim, 25, is taking on, under her own name, a battle against the powerful ruling generals. She is the only named plaintiff in several legal cases against the officers who conducted “virginity tests” on 17 women protesters detained by the military last year.
Beyonce Baby Drama
I have a long-standing soft spot in my heart for Ms. Knowles, and although I’m not much of a celebrity gossip follower, I was very happy to hear about her giving birth to baby Ivy Blue, with husband Jay-Z. Jay even wrote a song about it — and while it’s admittedly not the hottest track, it is extremely sweet and no I did not tear up I JUST HAVE SOMETHING IN MY EYE.
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Student Debt Story
Natalia writes about something too many of us live with: Being overburdened by student debt.
...read moreLive Chat with Jaclyn Friedman: Send In Your Questions
We had a livechat scheduled with Jaclyn Friedman, author of What You Really Really Want this afternoon, but since we only received a small number of questions we’re going to push it back until next week. In the mean time, watch last week’s interview and send in any questions to have to feministe@gmail.com (or leave [...]
...read moreJaclyn Friedman on What You Really Really Want, Plus Live Chat Next Week
Two weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of interviewing author, activist, speaker, former Feministe guest-blogger and my friend Jaclyn Friedman. Jaclyn’s latest book, What You Really Really Want: The Smart Girl’s Shame-Free Guide to Sex and Safety is out now, and should go on every Smart Girl’s reading list (it also makes for a [...]
...read moreOur own Lauren on teen pregnancy and parenthood
Feministe founder Lauren Bruce has some fantastic things to say in this interview: Which is why I like how you put that — that “young moms are encouraged to accept failure.” To many, pregnancy and parenthood is the punishment teen moms should bear for becoming parents before it’s socially acceptable. We’re set up to fail, [...]
...read moreKids These Days.
Everyone should read this very excellent piece by Edith Zimmerman. I guess this may all just be a roundabout way of saying, “I saw something that made me feel old, isn’t that crazy?” To which you say, “No,” and also maybe, “That song sounds terrible.” Then again, the Internet is a new kind of barometer [...]
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