Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Domestic Violence in Spain

Watch this CNN news clip about a talk show in Spain, who under the guise of talking about domestic violence with a survivor, allowed her estranged boyfriend to come on and (surprise!) propose marriage *never mind she had a restraining order* -- in front of 2 million people the woman said NO. A week or so later she was stabbed to death.

The clip goes on to discuss the epidemic problem of DV in Spain. It's heartbreaking.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Just too tired

To deal with how sick and wrong this is

Under fire for its treatment of a rape victim, the Saudi Arabian government on Saturday said that the woman had an "illegitimate relationship" with a man who was not her husband, and that both "exposed themselves to this heinous crime."


Um--- ewwww. Also interesting how our western media keeps ignoring the fact that a man was raped that day too.

The government statement said that according to the woman's signed confession, she called a man on her cell phone and "asked to be with him alone, illegally." The two met at a marketplace, then rode in the man's car to "a dark area of the beach, and stayed there for some time," the ministry said.

The group of attackers "saw her in a compromising situation, her clothes on the ground," the statement said. "The men at this point assaulted her and the man with her."

The woman knew that being alone with a man who wasn't her husband was illegal, "and therefore she violated the covenant of marriage." However, the woman was engaged -- not married -- at the time.


Victim blaming-- it's for every culture apparently.

I have to get to bed so no more writing-- but I think I can simply leave it at "too f***ed up for words"

Friday, November 09, 2007

Bill O'Reilly: Still stupid



How this woman keeps composure is beyond me.

I'm so glad she was on to constantly call Bill on his heaping pile of BS.

O'Reilly takes offense that a lesbian couple was voted a "cutest couple" in a high school yearbook. He doesn't think sexuality should have any place in the school, but he does say he wouldn't be upset if the couple were heterosexual.

Basically good ol' Bill associates homosexuals with their bedroom activity. This defines them. Whereas heterosexual people are complete people who have full lives and personalities, homos are people who do nasty things in the bedroom. They are not the norm.

Oh and it couldn't possibly be that the students like these girls--- the vote must be to "rile" up mom and dad. Yeah, just like that loud rock n' roll the kids like so much.

Anti Gym seems kinda Anti-Woman


These sexy eyes can be yours too... if you admit you're a big fattie

Some days I read stuff and think to myself, 'No way... no way in hell is this real ... it just can't be.' But sadly this horrifying piece of news is real.

Feministing and Feministe have both reported on the Denver, Anti-gym. It's run by Michael Karolchyk who thinks that shaming fat people is something revolutionary and new. His trademark slogan is "No Chubbies." A message he proudly wears on his shirt.

On their website, a chubby is defined as:


Not necessarily someone with a spare tire or thunder thighs, it’s an unmotivated, lazy slob who wants to blame everybody else but themselves for their shortcomings.

This is the classic definition of chubby people. And I'm sure it can be true. Lord knows I make excuses when I want to avoid working out. BUT -- Can anyone out there tell me they never met a thin person who was lazy, unmotivated, slobby and blamed everyone else for their problems? Cause, I don't think this is just "a fat person thing."

The gym keeps on with the stereotypes by talking about the "bearded lady" (a close relative of a chubby) Funny though, the characteristics of the bearded lady sound remarkably like stereotypes about feminists. Which shouldn't be surprising given how unfriendly this gym seems to be towards women who don't conform to patriarchal standards of beauty and sexuality.

Top 10 Characteristics of Bearded Ladies:
1. Fat, really fat, but refuse to change their behavior because of a “thyroid problem”.
2. Usually emit a foul and unpleasant odor because they don’t wear antiperspirant.
3.Don’t wear make-up, because lipstick gets in their mustache and eye-shadow clashes with their red face.
4.Hate men. Actually hate women too, but won’t admit it.
5. Feel like they are victims of everything. Conveniently ignore their own laziness.
6. Watch Oprah while eating cupcakes alone in the dark.
7. Have not had sex with the lights on in their entire life.
8. Pretend in chat rooms to be 20-year-old cheerleaders with huge breasts.
9. Think all Anti-Gym ads are offensive. Are also offended by PG13-rated movies because they have the emotional maturity of a 12-year old.
10. Have enough time on their chubby hands to send hysterical emails or phone calls to Anti-Gym sponsors.

See! Classic feminist bashing: You're stinky! You hate men! You have a mustache! You're hysterical and constantly attacking people! You're unnatractive!

*YAWN*

Another advertising catch prhase for the gym is "Have sex with the lights on." This seems to be the most accurate description of the gym's goals. It's very little to do with healthier living and more about becoming sexually attractive (emphasis on WOMEN being sexually attractive that is). For example, their commercial called "hottie" where a fat women is watching TV and jumps up to greet her man but is beat to the punch by this porned-out woman.



The husband happily makes out with the skinnier lady, grabs her ass and leaves the fat woman alone to cry. But luckily Michael Karolchyk busts out of the fridge (I can't make this shit up) to MOO at the woman, push her chocolate cake into her chest and say "you'll never get a hubby if you're chubby... Pathetic."

Charming-- totally like junior high.

If you can handle it-- here's another one where Mr. No-Chubbies physically assaults a fat woman with her own pie.



Correct me if I'm wrong, but weight loss should be about a healthier, less-impeded lifestyle. Self-confidence and better sex life are great perks too but a person's entire worth as a human being/sexual person should not be determined by a number on a scale.

This anti-gym message seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with health. It's just condemning fat women. Scaring them and shaming them with their message of fat = unhappy and alone whereas looking like a porn star = happiness and access to men. Well, access to the type of man who wants you for your body and will show affection by grabbing your ass.

Striving for weight loss and better health is just fine. It's great in fact. But this message is disgusting. Assaulting a "chubby" with her own cake? Pushing her down? Calling her pathetic? And making all thin "beautiful" women nothing more than objects of overt-sexuality and lust? WTF?

I'm no skinny-minnie, but yet I have a wonderful boyfriend, great friends, a great life. I don't watch Oprah alone in the dark and cry. So I guess being plus size isnt' the worst thing. I know that less weight can mean less health risk, but I certainly don't need humiliating messages hurled in my direction or in the direction of other "fat" women (who I happen to know and love and think are beautiful). So Anti-Gym can kiss my fat ass. And for the record, I don't have any "lights on/off" phobias so we can put that bullshit rumor to rest.

The anti-gym website has photos at the top of all their pages and interestingly enough-- they look like this:






When you look at these photos, do you think of exercise???

I'll say it again.... Any gym that promotes fitness by bullying *including throwing cupcakes and twinkies at people working out * is not a healthy atmosphere. Losing weight should be about what makes you happy and healthy, not about looking like these photos. Turning women into sexual objects seems to be the only "real" goal anti-gym offers. According to the website,


Anti-Gym is the only organization in history that does not discourage alcohol and marijuana use as part of a healthy lifestyle

Right cause alcohol and marijuana, not so bad for you. But a chubby woman? MOOOOO!

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Weirdest "apology" ever

I never watched Dog the Bounty Hunter. My mom was a fan and I wanted to like him in theory... until I found out he was a psycho racist.



You know what really creeped me out about this video was the total lack of understanding. I really almost pity Dog. He called her a "n***er" and a "whore" and told his son not to see her. Rather than apologize for using those stupid, racist words, he tears up and says:



I've never met her, she's a cute little girl, I didn't know that, I never knew what she looked like..... I'm so sorry, honey. I'm not like that-- you know that.

Okay? Way to miss the point.

What did he expect her to look like? Some cracked out street whore? I guess so, cause she's black. But now he sees that she's beautiful, well-dressed & well-spoken... NOW she's deserving of apology?

Gee wiz, little girl, if I'd a known your was purdy, I'd never call you a nigger!

And she's a CUTE LITTLE GIRL? A CUTE LITTLE GIRL?

And then he calls her honey?

Oh dog, honey you need to visit dictionary.com and look up SELF AWARENESS.

You call someone a nigger and make up for it by telling them they're pretty? It's like he truly doesn't get it.

Then to top it all off, he says "you know I'm not like that." UM DUDE? Clearly you are.

GROSS!

Monday, November 05, 2007

Lovin Tyra



I've been a Tyra fan for some time. She and I don't always see eye-to-eye, but I respect her hard work and her advocating for models of all shapes, sizes and colors. She's pretty much been my hero since her "Kiss my fat ass" show.

However, this is pretty fricking sweet. Having a whole show dedicated to the Vagina!

Word.