Headline Heartache of the day

Groups fight abortion for 11-year-old Romanian
Girl, who was raped by her uncle, seeks to travel to U.K. for procedure

A bone to pick

I was shopping online today at Macy's in the "junior plus" section. First of all, the "regular" juniors section features pages and pages of clothes, while junior plus gets maybe two. That is lame.

Also, when I go to the junior plus page, I exepct to see junior plus-size models.

For the record, these......



... are not plus size juniors.

Just saying.

Dear Perez Hilton,

You owe Denise Richards an apology. I cannot count how many times you posted pictures with the word "slut" or "whore" written on her. I know it's the Perez Hilton blog, but I've had just about enough of the misogyny, mmm' kay? And in the case of Denise Richards, it doesn't even make sense anymore. Quit making her the whipping boy -- er, girl in this situation.

Recently, voicemail messages from Charlie Sheen to Denise Richards were leaked to the press. Besides using the f-word constantly, Sheen referred to his wife as a "cunt" and a "nigger."

Sheen apologized for the racial slur "especially" since the best man at 2 of his 3 weddings (ha!) was African American. (Ahhhh, sweet. He can't be racist, he knows a black guy!)

How about an apology for leaving your ex-wife harassing voicemails and calling the mother of your two children a cunt?

There is just something so ripe with hypocrisy from a blogger who posts about ending domestic violence and day later still declares "Team Charlie" after those voicemails hit the press.

That is why I'm writing this letter. I usually enjoy Perez Hilton's blog. I do enough hardcore political reading that sometimes I want fluff. Tell me who's getting married, who's dating, what movie is flopping etc. I LOVE LOVE LOVE when Perezhilton posts music because it's stuff I've never heard of and it's usually lots of fun.

However, his affinity for picking on female celebs is tired. From suggesting (with photoshopped photos) that Rumer Willis could really use some plastic surgery, to highlighting Mischa Barton's body "flaws", to never ending attacks on Heather Mills, Lindsay Lohan, Lily Allen, Avril Lavigne, Ashlee & Jessica Simpson etc etc ... ENOUGH.

His loyal readers are not immune to this either, from the comments on one of his posts:

... Perez glorifies misogyny by calling most females he posts about "sluts", "skanks", and "whores" with no justification, and for no reason, only to pass it off as being witty and funny when it's really just cruel, and redundant. Mario, you consider yourself to be a proud spokesperson for minorities such as the gay and latino community, yet you pick on another long-oppressed group throughout the world- females- which is purely hypocritical. Shame on you. Being a latino woman myself, I would never look up to you as a latino role model because of your blatant hypocrisy and misogyny.

Amen!! There's nothing "new" or "trendy" about using sexism against women. It's been done to shame women and shut them up for centuries (for recent evidence please see Hillary Clinton's campaign for president). Moreover, it's so pathetic and unoriginal. Kids come up with this garbage every day in middle school. There is a way to dissect people's bad clothing choices without taking it there. The mean girls attitude doesn't suit you, Perez.

Perez's problem has been brought up before by Feministe and in a recent post at Shakesville, Melissa McEwan sites the growing trend of the mainstream media demonizing and using sexism against female celebs.

I'd like to think that Perez Hilton has no effect on mainstream media, but with the number of blog hits he gets, I know better. Major outlets want that type of success and notoriety as well. And they're getting it at the expense of women. Sexism against female celebs hurts us all. Even if we don't like the celeb and think they ARE a big drunk trainwreck. That doesn't mean we can turn a blind eye to the stalking paparazzi hounding for crotch-shots and ignore the small men on the internet calling them "sluts" and worse.

Perez, quit playing these these games. Do what you're good at: Be silly, be snarky and post the latest hollywood news and great music. Leave the misogyny at the door. You'll get more fans and then you'll truly be a unique voice in Hollywood.

Weekend Giggle

Every time I saw this chair infomercial I freaked out -- seeing it come to life on Ellen was the best gut laugh I've had in a while.

I *heart* Ellen so much!

300th Post!!

This will be my 300th post... and I am posting what superhero I am (very deep, I know)

... sounds about right though doesn't it?



Click here to take the quiz!

The Pro-Choice President

I blog over at plannedparenthoodadvocate.com and consequently am privy to some cool news. For example, Planned Parenthood has created these "widgets" for facebook, myspace, blogs etc (example above). They feature a running countdown to the next pro-choice president. I have one up here right under Alice, my pet penguin (feel free to feed her fish).

Side note: I had to think awhile about posting this widget. I realize that Obama claiming the nomination for Democratic candidate was not happy news for everyone. It has caused major rifts in the progressive community. Personally, this primary season left me feeling squashed and pained as well. Several other bloggers have said it better than I could. And certainly with such difficult times immediately behind us, it's hard to feel "rah rah" at the current moment.

However, knowing what I know about John McCain, I feel I must do everything I can to see he is defeated in 2008.

John McCain has consistently voted against women. He doesn't believe women deserve equal pay much less control of their bodies. He's voted against affordable birth control and medically accurate sex ed. He proudly states that he wants Roe v. Wade overturned. I'd say he's a bigger threat to women's lives that George W. Bush. And that is pretty damn scary.

So if a pro-choice President means as much to you as it does to me, and you support Obama for '08, feel free to head to this site to download a widget to add to your internet space in support for pro-choice policies back in the White House.

Thanks to Planned Parenthood for working to put choice back in Washington!

Rape a way of life for Darfur's Women

That is a headline on CNN.com right now. And I could cry right there. But instead I read the whole article and cried after that.

TRIGGER WARNING....

Sudan's Darfur crisis has exploded on many fronts -- violence, hunger, displacement and looting -- but United Nations peacekeepers say the biggest issue now affecting the region is the systematic rape of women and children.

Thousands of women -- as young as four -- caught in the middle of the struggle between rebel forces and government-backed militias have become victims of rape, they say, with some aid groups claiming it is being used as a weapon of ethnic cleansing.

"That is one of the biggest issues in Darfur -- the rapes, and crimes against women and children," says Michael Fryer, UNAMID's police commissioner, the United Nations peacekeeping force deployed to try to tackle the violence.

Relief workers say they are powerless to stop the attacks and they say if they do speak out they fear the Sudanese government will tell them to leave the country.

Humanitarian group Refugees International in a report last year said rape was "an integral part of the pattern of violence that the government of Sudan is inflicting upon the targeted ethnic groups in Darfur."

(Emphasis mine)

How can this be happening? How can human beings do this to each other? If anyone knows of groups that need funds or letter writing that needs to get done, send that info my way and I'll post it. We have do SOMETHING.

Thank heaven I was born in America. This kind of terrorism is unthinkable.

Just say NO to Dr. Phil

Let me say first off that I never watch Dr. Phil at home. However, it's 85 degrees in my office today and I have nothing to do. I was feeling a coma coming on, so I ventured to YouTube, where I saw this....



I'm trying to understand. It's been my opinion for some time that Dr. Phil is a menace to society, but what's happening here is blowing my mind. If I was in this audience, I would be on my feet screaming.

"Hey asshole, you aren't talking about sex. You're talking about rape."

When you feel that women are things to go after and sex is something you take, that is rape. When you are so calculating that you drink seltzer to appear drunk and keep a woman drinking so she can't "sober up" and realize she wants to go home-- that is rape.

It's an episode called "Out of control male egos" and Dr. Phil refers to this man as a "Casanova" -- STOP IT. This man is not a gift to women, he's a threat. Even if he's not coercing sex, he is a serial objectifier. In the first few moments of this video he lays out 3 points:

"Fucking" is a commodity second only to water.

Men should be like cavemen: "Grab that woman off the street, drag her back to your lair."

"Women ultimately only care about a man's ability to pay and his ability to make love to her."

As you can imagine, with this being on YouTube there are some charming comments...

I WOULD RATHER FUCK A GIRLS BRAINS OUT THEN CHIT CHAT WITH HER. MORE POWER TO THOSE DUDES!

This is why shows like this aren't in "good fun". Because attitudes like this aren't rare. They are prevalent and dangerous. Giving these freaks a public appearance on Phil (I refuse to call him doctor anymore) just reinforces some idea that this attitude about women is "normal" or "harmless."

And hey-- I thought Phil was a guy who took people to task with his "straight talk"?? Yet this topic is a big joke. Besides the obvious bad press for women, this show is insulting to men too. By treating this guy as a "Casanova" with a big ego, they miss the point. All guys want confidence and want romantic game -- but I don't know many guys who would want to be like this jackass.

Wanting to screw anything that moves (and keeping a spreadsheet about it) has nothing to do with biology and everything to do with being a juvenile-minded asshole.

At one point, the crew puts the "Casanova cam" on him and sends him into "the lion's den" cause women are wild animals -- get it?

But it turned out to be great because they interviewed the women he hit on later. And they said, "NO I did NOT appreciate it when this strange man came up behind me and tried to touch me."

Imagine that!

How about putting THESE WOMEN on the show, Phil? Why not have a dialogue about street harassment, the culture of objectification and the dangers of men like this who think as "cavemen" and feel that they can trick women into their bed and take 'what's theirs.'

Great webcast

I found a great link at Feministing's weekly reader.

It's a webcast (listen to it here) to do with online harassment against women. The panel is full of insightful and funny women who have lots of experience to share. The entire thing is over an hour long but it's worth it. At least catch the first 20 minutes where Jessica Valenti, a US blogger and founder of Feministing speaks about her most recent case of online harassment stemming from this fabulous you tube video:



I had no idea that the response to her video had been that terrifying. It made me stop and take the time to write to Jessica in support. I hope you all do the same -- jessica@feministing.com

This webcast was helpful for me, a small time blogger who deals with her fair amount of trolls. I do not post the threats or the comments that merely spew bile but I publish a fair amount of condescending snark from trolls that are along the lines of:

"Let me tell you what you DON'T understand, little lady."

Some days I get really tired of that. I mean, there's a big wide internet out there -- why can't these guys go hang with all the other misogynists? Seriously- go. They'll gripe right along with you about 'womenz and their unfair quest for equality.' But I think I agree with the webcast panel that publishing some of these comments is good because it brings together a "swarm" of other feminists who will rally.

I see that happening right now on my Answering Anonymous post. And I want to thank any and all of you who support feminist blogs and comment here. I promise to keep this space as safe as I can and I always welcome a feminist swarm :)

North Dakota's abortion clinic

The one and only -- and its amazing history.

Check out the mini-documentary.

Answering Anonymous

My last post was about the local Microsoft campus and their Tech Camp for young girls. I thought (and still think) this rocks hardcore.

Then I got an interesting comment from an 'anonymous' who said:

I hope they have a similar program for males! That's true equality. However, maybe males are inherently more interested in computer technology and gadgets. I know my girlfriend can't tell the difference between hi-definition tv and regular old tv.

That comment reminded me of this cartoon:



Same principle at work with Anonymous. My girlfriend doesn't understand high tech TV, therefore women in general don't understand/care. We'll come back to that later...

I think it's important to address comments like this one, which claim that whenever girls are offered an opportunity, it's somehow "reverse sexism" on young boys.

I think you'll find that's not the case. It took me two seconds on google to get a hit on an article that explained more about Microsoft tech camps. And here's what I learned :

Over 10,000 students -- boys and girls -- have taken advantage of these technology classes over the past few years. This high-tech camp focuses on girls, Dopps says, because there is a general lack of interest from women to pursue careers in high tech. (emphasis mine)

Okay, you may ask how they know that there is a lack of interest? They've seen it.

"In general, at any IT event, there is a higher percentage of boys that attend than girls," Dopps says.... "This is a way for them to be around other girls who are interested in technology and to hear from women who made careers in technology, and this will help them understand what their opportunities are and get answers to questions that they might have -- such as what steps they should take next."

Of course, when young women see that technology and science are for girls too (and hey look, here's a bunch of them that currently work in the field and enjoy it) -then yes, more girls will gain confidence in their ability and pursue a dream outside the box.

I think our generation of American women have enjoyed more freedoms and opportunities than any generation of mothers and grandmothers before us. We have legal birth control and more job opportunities and legal protections than ever before. However, there are still serious barriers.

Not enough women run for political office. Not enough women pursue their dreams in science and technology and yes we can credit some of that to sexism . There are people who believe it goes against women's nature to be interested in those male-dominated fields. There are even people who believe women aren't smart enough. So many young girls grow up playing with the Rose Petal Cottage instead of a children's chemistry set (when have you EVER seen that marketed towards girls?). We need things like Girls Tech Camp to encourage the bright minds of young girls who previously thought, (even subconsciously) that "that stuff isn't for me."

Girls consistently rate themselves lower than boys on computer ability and have less positive attitudes toward computers, according to a 1998 American Institutes for Research study, "Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail Our Children. And women earn only 18 percent of doctorates awarded in computer science in the United States, according to a 1999 report in The New York Times.

So there you have it, Anonymous... maybe your girlfriend never felt particularly welcome in a tech atmosphere. Or maybe like me, it's just not her bag. But I can tell you one thing, her lack of reverence for your high-def TV has absolutely nothing to do with her woman-parts. Just sayin.

Girls Tech Camp in my hometown

Where I live, Microsoft employs a lot of people. Yes, they're a huge corporate giant, but they do a lot for our community --- like DigiGirlz High Tech Camp.

From their press release:

Seventy-eight teenage girls arrived on campus this morning as the 2008 Microsoft DigiGirlz High Tech Camp got underway. The girls hail from 9 different states, including California, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri and Mississippi.

This signature program works to dispel stereotypes of the high-tech industry by giving young women the chance to experience firsthand what it is like to develop and work with cutting-edge technology. Perhaps the most noteworthy project they will undertake during this year's camp is one of collaboration. Attendees have been divided into teams and are collaborating via webcam and LIVE Meeting with girls attending a DigiGirlz camp in Stockholm, Sweden. Together they will create a LIVE space, utilizing their diverse backgrounds and sometimes similar experiences to make their project compelling.

Smashing!

Sexism against SATC part II

Apparently responsible for downfall of women


I told you that the Sex and the City movie was getting whomped by the sexism stick. But I don't know if I was prepared to see this.



For reference, Mark Rudov also brought us these hits:

- He called America a "gynocracy" and said of Sen. Hillary Clinton: "The woman is not called a B-word because she's assertive and aggressive; she's called a B-word because she acts like one."

- "Well, this is exactly why men shouldn't allow the vagina monologue to become a dialogue. Hillary Clinton, who's living by the gender sword, is going to be dying by the gender sword. She sends in Elton John to do her hissing when she's having a catfight with America."

- "Men are depressed, and it's their own fault, because men are allowing women to take over the world. You know, female happiness is an oxymoron."

- When asked about the downside of a woman president he responded, "You mean besides the PMS and the mood swings, right?"

- Comparing Obama and Hillary: "When Barack Obama speaks, men hear, 'Take off for the future.' And when Hillary Clinton speaks, men hear, 'Take out the garbage.'

That's a SMALL sampling.

I just want to reiterate that it should be very, very telling that conservative commentators are in such a huge rush to "boycott" this movie and condemn not only the movie characters, but ALL American women as shallow, spoiled, whiny, manipulative whores. The SATC movie and series was far from perfect, but it was about women. Women were the stars and they drove the plotlines. It was about women getting what THEY wanted. And that's scary to these assholes.

These women wanted careers, wealth, respect and power. They wanted choices - they had abortions and children out of wedlock and they didn't apologize for it. When a marriage failed, they got out and got a divorce. They wanted sex. They WANTED ORGASMS. Women getting what they want is scary to a man like Mark Rudov. He obviously has a toxic personality, and I'm willing to bet a tiny, tiny penis.

I'm not saying SATC is a revolutionary feminist statement. It's driven by a lot of consumerist ideals. But what big budget Hollywood film isn't? Think of some of the movies targetted at men. You're gonna tell me their film heroes are so much loftier than Carrie Bradshaw? Look at some of the biggest male-driven hits -- the Apatow comedies, the explosion/shoot 'em up action/superhero hits. Those are all about consuming hot women and driving fast cars... oh and getting high.

But when women shop for shoes and sit around and talk about unhappy sex lives, or cheating husbands -- they are whiny, "entitled princesses" who are just ruining life for men.

Someone please tell me why someone like Mark Rudov, whose entire career is made selling sexism gets booked on all these big talk shows so frequently? Why is there always one poor women on the panel to defend this movie (as if she has to justify her choice to see a mindless summer flick)? Why do we need to silence women everywhere-- even when its fictional women in movies?

Just let women (and men!) go see the movie. They may love it. They may hate it. But they are entitled to go without having to explain to a bunch of assholes why four fictional women in a movie do not mean that all women in America are vapid and whiny. Especially when this series has tackled so many serious issues: broken realtionships, forgiveness, friendship, cancer, infertility, death, etc etc etc. I am so sick of people dismissing this show as stupid SIMPLY BECAUSE it stars women and is targetted at women. Stop trying to tell people that women's lives = stupid!

What I find even more interesting is that the male anxiety over Sex and the City was going on pre-movie. I was (stupidly) watching Family Guy last night (In case you haven't heard, I've HAD IT with that show -- honestly -- I seriously can't handle it anymore) -- an old episode came on where Brian the dog is watching SATC on TV -- naturally only because he's hanging with gay guys. Brian comments:

"So, it's about three hookers and their mom?"

REALLY?

Cause 40 something Robert Downing Jr and 60 something Harrison Ford just played studly action heroes and no one seems to tweak about that.

Interesting... and yet completely predictable.

Blog, Women and Hollywood has more about sexist comments against SATC



****************************************************************************
Mom's words of wisdom upon reading this blog:

People like this ass face Rudov (whoever he is) annoy the hell out of me, but really -- who takes him seriously? He says this crap so he can get his ugly face on Fox news shows. They have to talk about something because heaven forbid that they talk about how their hero Geoge W. and his cronies Lied thier asses off to get us into a war that resulted in the deaths and mutiliatons of thousands of American soldiers and that we'll be paying for for the next 4 or 5 generations. it's all sound and fury signifying nothing.

Your points, however, are well taken. I wonder if people from other countries who see movies like this think this is the way American women really live??? That would be frightening. On the other hand, these women do have the power, status, smarts and money to live the lives they choose for themselves without apology. Even if we don't live in Manahattan and spend all our time shoe shopping, this is a goal for which we should aspire!!!

:) I *heart* my liberal, feminist mother

War Crimes = Frat boy pranks

This clip represents so much of what is wrong with our current political climate.




To steal a line from a you tube commenter:

Frat initiation=voluntary participant. Prisoner = NOT VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANT. Doing things to someone that are repugnant to his/her religious beliefs==NOT OKAY. Justifying and minimizing these things = WAR CRIMINAL

The "ha ha- it's just panties" ploy was merely a way to distract from other human rights violations going on. But I really don't understand how you could confuse this with hazing, which while stupid is not the same as intimidation/interrogation. Frat boy hazing is committed by people you know (your "brothers") and it's meant to make people feel welcome (usually it ends up being stupid, dangerous and deadly -- but that's another post). But you can see frat hazing has a decidely different tone than foreign people holding someone against their will and torturing them --whether with phsyical pain or the threat of pain (keeping a large, growling dog nearby for instance).

I understand there are evil people in this world. If I had lost someone in the Twin Towers, I wouldn't trust myself to be responsible for interrogation. It's hard not to hurt and punish people who have done you wrong and declared themselves a dangerous enemy. But I expect more from my elected officials. I expect people who understand that torture is never the answer, and while we may feel attacked and wronged, it does not justify looking at another human being and sneering with disgust, "This man deserves no respect." Especially when this war's definition of an "enemy" has become so murky.

Also--- was anyone else pissed to learn how sexist many of these mental torture techniques were?

- Calling female family members whores (according to Rep. Rohrabacher "that's certainly not a nice thing to do" -- yeah, not nice)
- Putting women's underwear on their head
- questioning the prisoner's "latent homosexuality"

So we throw out the Geneva Convention, create real hostility and anger towards America and American people and at the same time propagate the notion that the worst way to humiliate men is to make them into women or homosexuals.

F THAT!

Welcome back Whedon

I made the spectacular mistake of missing Firefly before it was cancelled. But I know from watching Buffy and Angel that Joss Whedon is a freakin genius. I will tune in January 2009 *(groan-- so far off!)* and catch Dollhouse. It looks promising.



So says Joss Whedon

Are you ready for it, ouyangdan? :)

Obama claims the nomination

Just watched Obama speak -- it's no surprise because Clinton's campaign was behind in the 'numbers that matter' category. Overall, it was a nice speech and I am so glad that he paid Hillary so many (very true) compliments.

I wasn't always in the Hillary camp. When this whole primary season started, I leaned towards Edwards. As Barack Obama gained more and more followers, I started to pay attention. And I can admit, he wooed me with his promises of change and hope. I still think he's a good speaker. But by the time I cast my vote, I had decided on Hillary.

The longer this campaign went on, the more pro-Hillary I felt. This really solidified when I saw her and Barack speak in Grand Forks. Clinton was absolutely amazing. While Barack was a touching speaker, so was Clinton and she had something Barack did not--- she had solutions to the vast problems plaguing our country. Very detailed solutions that proved to me that here was a canidate ready to lead. That was the speech that gave me faith in real change. That was when I knew I was a Hillary girl 100%.

That's not to say her campaign has been perfect. And I don't hate Obama, I just feel Hillary would be better qualified. This campaign took an ugly turn when sexism and racism became more and more accepted in the media. From "iron my shirt" to Liz Trotta on Fox news joking about 'knocking off' Obama/"Osama". Yes, she "pretended" to make that mistake with his name.

And I'd like to make it very clear here that I've never felt that Hillary needed to drop out to "heal" the party. Frankly, the party broke itself.

Tonight, watching this primary wrap up, I felt an odd mix of hope and anger. Anger that this primary has become so soaked in sexism... I'm angry that a lot of people felt no shame going on national news and calling Clinton a bitch or insinuating that because her marriage failed, so should her run for the presidency. I'm angry that the idea of a woman president is still controversial in 2008.

But I am hopeful that Barack will claim Hillary as his VP and make a stronger ticket. I am hoping he makes good on his promises he laid out tonight -- renewable energy, universal health care, stronger economy. I hope that he continues to speak out for Clinton's positive attributes when so many in the media will gleefully tear apart her "failure."

I will vote Obama because voting Green or not voting at all is as good as voting McCain -- a man who admits he knows nothing about the economy, is comfortable continuing the war indefinitely and is against women's reproductive rights and gay marriage.

I hope the party will unify, I hope Hillary knows she didn't let any of us down. I hope for strong democratic ticket in 08.

Update: Why does Melissa McEwan always say it better? :)

PS: On a lighter note... for your viewing amusement, this was the 'graphic art' in a North Dakota paper when Obama and Clinton spoke here. We have no other landmarks? Only buffalo? Yikes....

Sex and the City Movie/Sexism review

I've always been a fan of Sex and the City. Yes, the show had some flaws. It was relationship-centric (99% of the time those relationships were heterosexual and involved white, athletic-bodied people with VERY disposable incomes). That aside... I still loved the show. Episdoes could make you laugh and cry and they dealt with some very real subjects -- the episode where Miranda's mother dies, where Charlotte miscarries, where Carrie breaks her engagement with Aidan and when Samantha learns she has breast cancer -- are just a few examples. For all their flaws, these characters were very interesting and they were WOMEN.

I don't think I need to stress how rare it is for a show to revolve around the lives of women (even if those women's lives seem - at times - to revolve around men).

So when I heard the movie was finally coming out, I was thrilled. The event became even more hyped because my girlfriends used it as an excuse to get together. We all met in Bismarck (I live about 3 hours away) but one came all the way from Montana (8+ hours) -- gas prices be damned, we hadn't seen each other in years and this was our excuse!

There were about 7 of us and we spent the whole day together prior to the movie. It was wonderful catching up. I got to hold a friend's new baby and touch the belly of another friend who just found out she's gonna have a girl! We talked about our relationships, marriages, careers, politics and yes, we talked about sex. We're Midwest women from a low/middle class. Our shoes are Payless and we take our 'posh breakfast' at Perkins. Still, the SATC women appealed to us.

Not all of us loved the movie. One woman in our group felt the women weren't "strong enough" and several of us agreed that we didn't understand their romantic choices. But most of us really enjoyed the movie. I was one of them.

**SEVERE SPOILERS AHEAD (in blue)***

...

Seriously, stop reading if you don't want MAJOR plot points revealed.... you have been warned....

When Steve tells Miranda he cheated, the audience in the theater gasped. When they put their relationship back together, it was one of the most touching, realistic moments I've seen in film. Cynthia Nixon and David Eigenberg (Steve) brought me to tears when they reunited on the Brooklyn Bridge (do NOT forget kleenex).

There are plenty of laughs but also serious heartache. Carrie is jilted at the alter by Big (in one of the least sensible parts of the movie, in my opinion) but the scene is so powerfully acted, I could really forgive some of my nagging questions about Big's motivations. Charlotte in particular will give you chills in that scene. As Big tries to approach Carrie, she screams "NO!" My friend Randi pointed out the subtext in that 'NO' was clearly, "If this woman was not in my arms, I would rip out your jugular." Amen.

Really, I don't know if I've laughed that hard in a movie theater in years. I left the theater very happy and I'm taking my mother this weekend. She's a much harsher critic than I am - so we'll see...

Here's where I get pissy though. The press around this movie has sucked the big one seriously-- one reviewer even called it a "Taliban recruitment film!"** Sexy boyfriend (who I left at home) said our local news woman went to the theater and was trying to "find a man" who wasn't "dragged against his will." When I went, I met several men out with wives/girlfriends who said they enjoyed the show. Why is this shocking? We aren't perplexed when women enjoy action or horror movies, why can't men enjoy a movie where the females lead?

Then I saw one of my fave you tube channels, Reel Geezers, reviewed the movie and they really pissed me off too. It was just one sexist comment after another:

- These women aren't that hot
- They are bad parents
- They're thoughtless -- they care about shoes, not the Iraq War
- It was like soft core porn.

I've watched other Reel Geezer Reviews and they aren't prudes by any means. Not sure what is up with them.

Why is the media asking asinine questions like "Will regular women relate to the SATC girls?" -- really? Do we worry if men will relate to the Hulk? After all, men don't get big and green... I'm not sure men can look past that to the message. *sarcasm*

SATC women have always been into shoes, bags, designer labels etc. But is that any more ridiculous than the gadget/car/weapon fixation we get in so many traditional "men" movies like Batman/Bond?

Speaking of "soft core porn." Bond has a different bed mate in every movie, often times more than one woman per movie. We don't blink at this! However, when we portray women who aren't necessarily in monogamous relationships (and enjoy sex), suddenly it's 'too much'? PLEASE.

As for the Iraq war comment-- that just takes the cake. Did anyone go into that theater with the expectation that the war would come up? Do we expect the stoner dudes in Superbad to stop and ponder war and peace? NO. But because it's women shopping, drinking and partying -- suddenly it's "shamefully" shallow.

If you enjoyed the show, I think you'll enjoy the movie. If you've seen it, please tell me what you think. :)

................................................

Last minute thought--- I recall Sarah Jessica Parker from movies like "Hocus Pocus" and "First Wives Club" (where she plays the sexy young girlfriend) --- and I realized something... she's always been a cute/hot girl at the multiplex. She's never been the "ugly friend" or anything like that.

And for good reason... She's NOT ugly. Not until Sex and the City took off and she became a heroine for single women everywhere. Then suddenly Maxim named her Unsexiest woman alive. Interesting that suddenly lots of critics are stumbling over themselves to print their feminist backlash reviews railing at these women for being ugly and shallow.

One commenter at Women & Hollywood blog may have said it best:

It's a bizarre cultural experiment, seeing how so many people are so threatened by a single movie aimed squarely at ladies.

** UPDATE: More sexist press for Sex and the City -- this one manages to also be sexist to Hillary Clinton in the process! What WILL they think of next?

For the love of You Tube

I told you before that I loved Thom Simonson's you tube channel.

He's done it again:



Whenever men speak out for feminism, I just feel so endeared to them. It'd be so easy for guy's to completely overlook these issues. And here Thom is, hitting the nail right on the head.

In the you tube description he provided all this awesomeness as well:

Why do we insist on placing teens in such a difficult position when it comes to sex?

For more information about the Purity Ball Check out these links...
NY Times Article on the Purity Ball in Colorado Springs:

Pictures of the Purity Ball

Commentary on the release of the report about the Abstinence only report.

Information about teen sex and pregnancy

The Washing Post Story about the 8- year study of Virginity Pledges that establishes they are not effective in protecting kids from STDs

Thanks again to all of my subscribers. I'm flattered as always by your continued support.

Remember you can visit http://www.onefellowsopinion.com/ for my written blog.

Thanks Thom for being a fearless, feminist voice on you tube. Because sadly, that can result in some shocking abuse. I appreciate all that you do!