it’s so polite it’s so polite it’s offensive it’s offensive

This might be especially near and dear to my heart seeing how I’m super, crazy fan of her and her band the Dresden Dolls. If you couldn’t tell –cough- lol


Apparently Amanda Palmer from the Dresden dolls has left her record label after they refused to promote her new single Leeds United (wicked good song btw) and video because she showed off her stomach which to them was too fat. After filming the video, her label tried to remove shots of her stomach after she refused they told her it was unflattering therefore uncommerical.
Not only is this complete BS with a side of sexism and discrimination but its also confusing. What is so confusing to me is that ummm in what universe is she considered fat. I think this was just a way for them to finally get rid of her. She’s a gay rights activist and writes songs about rape, abortion, gender nonconformity, and the government. Not only that but she’s the scariest thing to a corporation there is: a women. I think they were more scared of losing control over a woman, then her single not selling.
I’m proud of her for standing up for herself. Even prouder of the fans who protested the record label. It’s good to know there are real female artist would that still give the finger to “the man”.

So what do you think?
Spot the invisible belly fat!

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day was yesterday so I'm a little late in my posting but heck I was actually having an AIDS event so I was a tad busy.

World AIDS Day, possibly the most overlooked but most important day of the year falls every December 1st. Started as a day to continue HIV/AIDS awareness and honor those who are positive. On this day, health organizations from around the world come together to bring attention to the AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Now more then ever, we must be reminded that this disease has not gone away but has gotten worse. The CDC estimates that about 1.1 million people are living with HIV in America. Today the largest group hit by the virus isn't what you expect. Some would say gay men and/or IDU's but it is actually African American women that are hit the hardest. Regardless of who is hit the hardest, we all are hit by this. Black, white, gay, straight, male, female, disabled, whatever we are all effected. We have to not only take care of those around us but ourselves. We are the only ones that can take care of ourselves. It's easy really. Take control of sexuality. (Remember: Condoms=good). Get tested. Be safe. You only have one life, so make it last and make it count!

Speechless

I just... I can't...
I'm sorry
I'm so..... ughhhh
I can't really form words
Just go here (and try not to pull out your hair)

http://contexts.org/socimages/2008/11/23/the-new-risk-for-men-only/

All I want for christmas...

The holiday season is upon us which means Black Friday, packed malls and last minute shopping. Must of us opt to keep things a little simpler by buying our loved ones a gift certificate. But no one is taking advantage of this like Indiana. Why Indian you say? Is there a gift certificate for corn or whatever there famous for? Oh no. In Indian they are offering gift certificates for Planned Parenthood. These certificates can be used for everything from birth control to breast exams and pap tests. The organization says that a higher number of unemployed and uninsured visitors lately prompted this idea.

Personally I’m not only super excited by this but also really pleased by this as well. I’m a major supporter of Planned Parenthood and I mean what’s better then helping people who can’t afford health care on their own. I think this will really save a lot of lives and further the education of young girls and women in the Indian area. My only hope is that this will spread to other states as soon as possible. Sadly (but not at all surprisingly) people are freaking out. When I say people I mean the religious right. Apparently they are fearful that OMG girls will use this to get abortions. Because you know that is the only thing Planned Parenthood does. Lets just see how long this lasts and if it works. Because knowing our country, even though this is an extremely positive thing, someone will shut it down due to personal beliefs.

-sighs-

Should I even try for a pun

Okay this makes me so weirded out that I just had to share!

A restaurant owner in Switzerland, by the name of Hans Locher plans to have a menu for his new restaurant that consist of soups, stews, and sauces that contain –drum roll please-
Breast milk. Oh yes breast milk. Apparently he says his reason behind it is that, "We have all been raised on it. Why should we not include it into our diet?” I don’t really know which makes me more uncomfortable. The fact that this idea could actually come to be or the question of how will he get said milk. I mean how many mothers will want to help this man out? I think that nothing like this would ever happen in the US, seeing how we are pretty rigid when it comes to well umm everything but especially about a breast milk. Who could forget the big freak-out over women breast feeding in public. So could my pretty visceral reaction be in large part to my American upbringing or is there really something cardinally wrong with it. After researching the benefits/disadvantages to drinking breast milk as an adult I found a couple of things. One being that women actual sell breast milk to men who enjoy drinking it (ughh). Also, while there is no documented evidence specifically on using breast milk in adults, there is however, people who drink it to combat illness and even some people who believe it can cure cancer. In 1995, scientists at Lund University used a compound found in breast milk to kill brain tumor cells in a test tube and it seemed to have worked. The same research team, in 2004, used the breast milk compound to destroy many warts caused by HPV. This really surprised me, having not heard this news before. Hmmm… so if it works will people actually begin drinking it or will personal beliefs cause people to stay away (much like stem cell research etc).

This is why I don't shop there

Shopping with my girlfriend and her sister we went into -shudders- American Eagle... Apparel whatever. Well we walked into one of those trend clothing stores that teens flock to. Dragged to the junior department, we waited impatiently for her sister to be done. Scanning through the new fashions I noticed how tiny the shirts looked on the rack.
Now I understand that we were in the junior section, so clothes would be smaller but these clothes were extremely small. Curious to see what size it was, I was shocked to find that the back of the sweater was clipped. Clipped, to my amazement to appear to be much smaller then the actual size. Upon my discovery, I quickly looked at each display shirt only to find that each and every one was clipped back. My girlfriend (much braver then I) went up to the cashier and in a feminist frenzy asked if there was any real reason to do such a thing. He replied with a mumble, a shrug and finally told us that it’s just policy in the juniors department. Resulting in my girlfriend and I leaving in a huff.

Which makes me wonder…..
How many other stores do this?
Do they actually have a real reason,
or does this policy lead it’s self only to continue the lowered body image of America youth?
What do you all think?
Am I reading too much into this
or is there really something fishy going on at ‘Eagle.

November 25, 2008 is now the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The UN decided that November 25, 2008 is now the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Not merely a day to raise awareness or remember the victims/honor the survivors but this day also stands to combat violence against women with continuous education, and protect for women in need. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women states that the UN seeks to prompt police response, provide free legal and health services to the poor, and provide shelters and 24 hour hotlines for emergency purposes. They hope that by raising awareness on this issue, more women will come forward and national discrimination and bias will end.

I am beyond pleased with the decision to mark this day. I only hope that one day we can speak openly about this issue; instead of pretending like it doesn’t happen and learn from our past mistakes. Not only does this issues effect the personal lives of million of women and children but of the nation as a whole. It affects, as a whole, our safety, our morals, crime rates, etc. but also our economy. Apparently, “the economic costs of domestic violence in the United States alone exceed more than $5.8 million each year”, says the UN. Although I don’t think that violence will ever stop against women (hey, I’m a realist), I think education can help to end the shame that surrounds victims and laws can help protect the survivors. Lets all cross our fingers and toes that this will make an impact!

On the Rag

Let me make it clear: I really, really, really, dislike Country music. I use the word dislike because it seems a lot nicer, when really I hate it. I find it completely patriarchal, homophobic, and sexist. For some reason in the eyes of country music being a man merely means cheating on your women and/or having sex with her. Oh and of course hunting and voting republican. Ya ya I know this is pretty bias. Not all country music is this way and there are many examples of strong female artists (Dixie Chicks being one of them). So what’s the point of this post, you ask…other then blasting country music. Well last night I was driving with my friend who loves country music. She played me this song by Dolly Patron called PMS Blues.

I’ll give you a moment.

PMS Blues…

God this woman is ballsy. No one really has the guts to talk about this.
Which got me thinking about menstruation in general.

In our culture menstruation is seen as something you keep to yourself.
Girls are taught to be embarrassed of a natural thing their body goes through.
Tampons are made smaller and smaller to hide in ones purse.
They even sell ones that won’t make noise in their wrapper.
As we learned in class, female hygiene products are even dyed white.
There is an obsession with purity that has filters its way through our society.
Even worse girls and women are told that this process is a bad thing.
Called the “curse”, your period is something private, painful and gross.
We are given pills to cover up the pain.
We view menstruation as something dirty, and smelly.
We are told to cover it up, the best we can.
All girls have it, but no one must speak of it.
Better yet never talk about it with men.
We are mad fun of for our emotions and our response brought on by hormones.
Who hasn’t heard a joke about PMS?
Some people even say that women are unfit to be in the army frontline because it’s “unsanitary” and can cause bacteria to breed.
Not only this is completely insane but also it’s sexist.
These prevalent beliefs beginning with religious fears have taken hold of our culture and only serve to oppress women and their sexuality even further.

p.s.

heres the lyrics:

http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/parton-dolly/pms-blues-7622.html

and the song itself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F14FLQi4h7U

I was planning on blogging about Palin charging women for rape exams (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/21/palin.rape.exams/?iref=hpmostpop )
but in all honesty I'm so upset about it I feel like all I would write would be obscenities
So I'm sparing you

Instead I'm asking you to please go here:
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20080911_tows_predators
and do as much as you can!!!

We can not just push this issue under the rug and pretend like it doesn't happen
Look at the statistics:

15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.
7% of girls in grades 5-8 and 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.

In 1995, local child protection service agencies identified 126,000 children who were victims of either substantiated or indicated sexual abuse.

• Of these, 75% were girls.
• Nearly 30% of child victims were between the age of 4 and 7.

93% of juvenile sexual assault victims know their attacker.

• 34.2% of attackers were family members.
• 58.7% were acquaintances.
• Only 7% of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim.

Somewhere in America, a woman is raped every 2 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!

Taste like Cherry chapstick

I guess it's time I talk about this, since well everyone is asking me about it.
For some reason I'm the go to girl when it comes to this issue.
(Cause don't you know that all gay girls know each other therefore I must know that this 20 something celebrity who I never met is batting for my team)

Lindsay Lohan...is she or isn't she. Months ago one would think the "is she/isn't she" question was about a drug addition or an eating disorder rumour. Know times have changed, now the question on everyones mind is : is she gay.


Honestly when the news first hit, I must admit I was intrigued. And maybe I might have gossiped a little about the pop tart, speculating about her sexuality. I might have even had a deep philosophical conversation with my girlfriend about how Samantha is sexy with a capital S. There's no doubt about it that I was victim to the gossip gods.

But how could I not be. Everytime I opened a magazine, everytime I (and don't judge me on this) checked tmz.com all I saw was a spread of pictures of Lindsay her "girlfriend" Samantha. Quotes from so called close friends of the girls saying that they are the newest it couple. All the while of course, the girls have never said they were in a relationship. Maybe that's my biggest issues about this whole thing.

If Lindsey were to officially come out, it would be great. Finally there would be a (mostly) positive role model for teenage girls who are dealing with their sexuality. The fact that it's a clearly a loving and supportive relationship, that Sam has apparently cured Lohan of her wicked wicked partying ways is plus. Too long had gay relationship been seen as a phases or a dangerous, purely sexual unhealthy thing. Truth be told, images of gay couples are few and fare in between in the media. Other then the Ellen's and Rosie's, there really is no lesbian visibility. Putting a positive face on such a controversial topic [of GLBT loving] would really help middle America learn that gay is truly is okay and that normal/healthy relationships are real. Not saying that one couple could change homophobes into PFLAG members, but the couple could combat the invisibility/bias in the media.

The thing is, she hasn't come out yet. And guess what America: IT'S HER RIGHT!! How dare the media out her like this. Not only is it no one's business but the coming out process is an extremely private and personal matter. Anybody that has been through it knows that being outed is the hardest thing to deal with. What really upsets me is when the gay media speculates on the issue. After reading Perez Hilton blog, in which he belittles Samantha; focusing on her androgynous looks and calling Lindsay a lesbo, I can not believe that a gay men would do such a thing. He of all people should know the ridicule, discrimination , and daily struggles one has to deal with being gay in the public eye. I'm not expecting that the media gives up it's gossiping ways. I mean that's where the money is but maybe just possibly could they atleast try and remain respectful to the GLBT community. Last time I checked "Lesbo" is a derogatory term. Just a guess, but I doubt that these mags would title an article on African American using the word "negro".

And with that note
I'm stepping off my soapbox


EDIT: Well it seems she just come out kinda sorta maybe
She seemed to do it in such a half assed way, that I'm a little wary
Atleast some of the media have been nice about there relationship, making it out to be a positive thing which I think really shines a positive light on the LGBTQ community.

Ay Dios Mio

A little birdie told me recently (and when I say birdie I mean http://www.parentdish.com/2008/08/24/dora-the-explorer-getting-a-makeover/
told me) that Dora the Explorer is getting a "makeover". After picking my jaw off the floor, I was shocked at the recent news. It seems that Nickelodeon feels the need to update her a bit to draw in a older crowd. Now I understand completely why they would choose to do this. There is a ton of money in the tween market and maybe it's time for Dora to grow up with her viewers. A part of me feels sad about this also, after all Dora holds a grande place in my heart. As an older sister, I was always glad that Dora existed. For a Latina girl as myself it was nice to finally see a positive role model for my little sister. I also always loved her spunky tomboy style (that hair, that attitude) and her independent, feminist ways. Now it seems even little old Dora is feeling the pressure of the female ideal. A makeover in my mind only means one thing: Dora's gonna get girly. The very thought of it is heartbreaking, seeing the ways in which the media and the toy companies portray "girly". My only thought is that Dora might get the Brat's treatment. An idea that is equally terrifying seeing just how minorities are treated by Mattel (because don't you know that all little Latina/African America girls wear mini's and have big asses and lips). My only hope is that the sensitivity and understanding that created this character can survive in this day and age.