Just a quick hit!
Sam Beam (better known as Iron & Wine) is playing with Glen Hansard at the Paramount July 27th to benefit the Midwives' Alliance of North America.
Tickets pre-sale this Saturday, June 20.
Here's the event page on the Paramount website!
6.02.2009
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things #1
Occasionally while traveling through the vast and confusing world of the interwebs, I find awesome things that pique my interest that I bookmark and consequently never post about. Fear not, dear readers, for I shall deprive you no longer! Here are a few gems I've been meaning to share.
1. The Belly Project
Right here in Austin, Texas, St. Edward's graduate Dr. Karen Rayne and midwife Christy Tashjian are focusing on a part of our bodies most of us are all-too-aware of: the belly. The Belly Project consists of a compilation of photos of the stomachs of real women and a brief accompanying medical history. While it is incredibly fascinating to see the wide differences in how each belly has changed in reaction to pregnancies, hysterectomies, abortions, c-sections, plastic surgery, miscarriages, menopause, you name it- looking through I can't help but feel a sense of relief. In a way, The Belly Project sort of cements that everyone is different and beautiful and oh! This is what people look like! I never thought I would be in my underoos on the internet, but this was for a good cause.
2. From Feministing Community: How Men Can Be Better Feminists/Allies/Partners
I know the post is a bit old, but it is without a doubt the best commentary I've read on the debate of male roles within the feminist movement, written from a male perspective no less. Do we need any more proof that men shouldn't be discouraged from involvement in the feminist movement on principle alone?
3. Ligerbeat (NOT work-safe)
I think we can all agree that porn is awesome, but definitely male-dominated (and not the sexy kind, either.) I haven't seen the mag with my own eyes, but porn for women by women sounds a-ok to me. The ladies of Ligerbeat are sassy and smart, their blog material ranging from "cliterature" to raving about how much they want Flight of the Conchords' Bret and Jermaine to make a special (naked) appearance in their pages. And they don't care if you call them sluts, either.
4. Asylum
Asylum is a men's magazine I hadn't heard of until an article posted by one of my friends showed up in my facebook feed. I browsed around and was pleased to find articles such as, "Hot Plus-Side Model Gets Sexy Magazine Spread" that opened with the sentence, "Here at Asylum, we have a policy of love for all ladies -- black or white, short or tall, slender or voluptuous." YES. YES YES YES. In some ways, Asylum remains a stereotypical men's magazine, but it's definitely further along than Maxim. Bravo, Asylum. Bravo.
5. A Softer World
One of my most-favorite webcomics (if you can even call it a webcomic) that offers quirky, macabre comments on the subjects of homosexual relationships, gender-bending, pregnancy, sexuality, female masturbation, and self-esteem.. among other things. Like zombie apocalypses and kittens.
Happy readings!
Love,
Rachel
1. The Belly Project
Right here in Austin, Texas, St. Edward's graduate Dr. Karen Rayne and midwife Christy Tashjian are focusing on a part of our bodies most of us are all-too-aware of: the belly. The Belly Project consists of a compilation of photos of the stomachs of real women and a brief accompanying medical history. While it is incredibly fascinating to see the wide differences in how each belly has changed in reaction to pregnancies, hysterectomies, abortions, c-sections, plastic surgery, miscarriages, menopause, you name it- looking through I can't help but feel a sense of relief. In a way, The Belly Project sort of cements that everyone is different and beautiful and oh! This is what people look like! I never thought I would be in my underoos on the internet, but this was for a good cause.
2. From Feministing Community: How Men Can Be Better Feminists/Allies/Partners
I know the post is a bit old, but it is without a doubt the best commentary I've read on the debate of male roles within the feminist movement, written from a male perspective no less. Do we need any more proof that men shouldn't be discouraged from involvement in the feminist movement on principle alone?
3. Ligerbeat (NOT work-safe)
I think we can all agree that porn is awesome, but definitely male-dominated (and not the sexy kind, either.) I haven't seen the mag with my own eyes, but porn for women by women sounds a-ok to me. The ladies of Ligerbeat are sassy and smart, their blog material ranging from "cliterature" to raving about how much they want Flight of the Conchords' Bret and Jermaine to make a special (naked) appearance in their pages. And they don't care if you call them sluts, either.
4. Asylum
Asylum is a men's magazine I hadn't heard of until an article posted by one of my friends showed up in my facebook feed. I browsed around and was pleased to find articles such as, "Hot Plus-Side Model Gets Sexy Magazine Spread" that opened with the sentence, "Here at Asylum, we have a policy of love for all ladies -- black or white, short or tall, slender or voluptuous." YES. YES YES YES. In some ways, Asylum remains a stereotypical men's magazine, but it's definitely further along than Maxim. Bravo, Asylum. Bravo.
5. A Softer World
One of my most-favorite webcomics (if you can even call it a webcomic) that offers quirky, macabre comments on the subjects of homosexual relationships, gender-bending, pregnancy, sexuality, female masturbation, and self-esteem.. among other things. Like zombie apocalypses and kittens.
Happy readings!
Love,
Rachel
5.17.2009
I dreamed a dream... no, this is not another susan boyle post.
Ladies and Gents,
Today I was talking to a friend online about how another friend wanted to stage a hunger strike. In explaining why I didn't take him seriously, I pointed to a mental graveyard where activists' idealistic dreams so often go to die for lack of many different kinds of things. In this visit, I remembered one of my own activist dreams, which was to start a magazine that was accessible to teenage girls, incredibly cheap (if not free), and completely and totally against the mainstream idea of what a girls' magazine is supposed to be. I wanted something like bitch, or Bust, or Ms. for my little sister. There are some options, such as New Moon, which offer both an online community and a bi-monthly magazine, but most (as this one does) cost money.
Even my hallowed bitch costs money, I know, but I guess I just had a dream of a fun, smart, sassy zine that was everything I, and my feminist (and femAnist) peers wanted to say to our tweenage selves that all girls could have access to, despite access to money. As I re-read an old issue of Seventeen through my new, chic, feminist lenses, I started to realize how much insecurity and social conformity resided in the pages where my younger self so often sought validation. I will admit that the magazine has come leaps and bounds from where it was to address issues like the experiences of the transgender community and to give real, honest answers to sexual questions. These good parts are overshadowed by the astounding amount of negative information in the form of ads, beauty/fashion tips, and "how to get your man" articles that are always present in this magazine and others like it.
I've done my research, and I've found that most if not all of the magazines available for girls seem to come from a perspective that assumes that tween girls will be attracted to a certain kind of magazine... a magazine that reminds me a lot more of my old issues of Highlights than cosmogirl. It seems to me that if you really want to get these girls to listen and to care about what the magazine says, you have to get past that wholesome idea of what a tween "should" want to see and accept what they're actually looking for. The biggest problem, aside from the fact that I have no idea how you actually make a magazine, or even a zine for that matter, is that most magazines get that pop and attractive factor from the money brought in through advertising. So, how does one get around this problem to make a fun, interesting, honest, and accessible option for tween (and teen) age girls?
I really don't know, but I think its worth discussing.
Stay shiny,
feministish
**Note: if any readers know of a publication, online or in hard print, that fits this bill, please feel free to call me out and let me know that it exists. I would be ecstatic even while wallowing in my researching abilities' shame. :)
Today I was talking to a friend online about how another friend wanted to stage a hunger strike. In explaining why I didn't take him seriously, I pointed to a mental graveyard where activists' idealistic dreams so often go to die for lack of many different kinds of things. In this visit, I remembered one of my own activist dreams, which was to start a magazine that was accessible to teenage girls, incredibly cheap (if not free), and completely and totally against the mainstream idea of what a girls' magazine is supposed to be. I wanted something like bitch, or Bust, or Ms. for my little sister. There are some options, such as New Moon, which offer both an online community and a bi-monthly magazine, but most (as this one does) cost money.
Even my hallowed bitch costs money, I know, but I guess I just had a dream of a fun, smart, sassy zine that was everything I, and my feminist (and femAnist) peers wanted to say to our tweenage selves that all girls could have access to, despite access to money. As I re-read an old issue of Seventeen through my new, chic, feminist lenses, I started to realize how much insecurity and social conformity resided in the pages where my younger self so often sought validation. I will admit that the magazine has come leaps and bounds from where it was to address issues like the experiences of the transgender community and to give real, honest answers to sexual questions. These good parts are overshadowed by the astounding amount of negative information in the form of ads, beauty/fashion tips, and "how to get your man" articles that are always present in this magazine and others like it.
I've done my research, and I've found that most if not all of the magazines available for girls seem to come from a perspective that assumes that tween girls will be attracted to a certain kind of magazine... a magazine that reminds me a lot more of my old issues of Highlights than cosmogirl. It seems to me that if you really want to get these girls to listen and to care about what the magazine says, you have to get past that wholesome idea of what a tween "should" want to see and accept what they're actually looking for. The biggest problem, aside from the fact that I have no idea how you actually make a magazine, or even a zine for that matter, is that most magazines get that pop and attractive factor from the money brought in through advertising. So, how does one get around this problem to make a fun, interesting, honest, and accessible option for tween (and teen) age girls?
I really don't know, but I think its worth discussing.
Stay shiny,
feministish
**Note: if any readers know of a publication, online or in hard print, that fits this bill, please feel free to call me out and let me know that it exists. I would be ecstatic even while wallowing in my researching abilities' shame. :)
5.12.2009
A Personal Endorsement Born of a Love Affair
Today I received a wonderful, amazing package in the mail from my mother. Before I go into that, let me go a little into one of my favorite sources of information and entertainment: bitch magazine. I stumbled across this while reading the book that started my own personal feminist journey, Courtney Martin's "Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters", where she mentioned her transition from COSMO to magazines like bitch and BUST. After being inspired by her book to become a more conscious participant in my identity as a woman and a human being, I immediately went out and bought the newest additions of both. BUST is a fantastic mag, and I would never want to rag on something that promotes hip, savvy, feminist culture, but it is bitch that has truly captured my heart. I've invested in every issue since my first, which was the Lost and Found issue from Winter 2008. When bitch went through a financial crisis last semester, I pledged that as soon as I was no longer saving for my time in Estonia, I would put my money where my mouth is: in the recycled pages of bitch.
I found soon after coming to Estonia that, not only is bitch not distributed here, but I can't even get the magazine shipped. This I blame on my decision to come to a former Eastern Bloc country and not on bitch. Anywho, surprise of surprises when I find out that my new status as a bitch sustainer (although on the lowest rung of that ladder) got me the new issue of bitch at my mother's house! This was the package I got today, and it could not have come at a better time. Though I have been keeping up a constant stream through the twitter page of bitch, I'd been dying for something to really sink my teeth into.
Every issue challenges my thought and opens my mind, and the magazine has led me to find new authors, organizations, and ideas that have since become indispensable in my life. I highly encourage anyone looking for a shot of hard-hitting, quirky, feminist lit to pick up this season's issue of bitch. bitch endeavors to tackle topics both tame and controversial in the feminist conversation which can lead to some hot discussion (which is always fun to read in the first pages of each issue), and it is just this thought provoking character that has me hooked!
You can grab a copy of bitch at the borders on westgate, or if you'd like to support a local endeavor, just drop by MonkeyWrench Books to get your copy. Not in Texas for the summer? Check this nifty list for a bookseller near you.
Stay Shiny!
-feministish
I found soon after coming to Estonia that, not only is bitch not distributed here, but I can't even get the magazine shipped. This I blame on my decision to come to a former Eastern Bloc country and not on bitch. Anywho, surprise of surprises when I find out that my new status as a bitch sustainer (although on the lowest rung of that ladder) got me the new issue of bitch at my mother's house! This was the package I got today, and it could not have come at a better time. Though I have been keeping up a constant stream through the twitter page of bitch, I'd been dying for something to really sink my teeth into.
Every issue challenges my thought and opens my mind, and the magazine has led me to find new authors, organizations, and ideas that have since become indispensable in my life. I highly encourage anyone looking for a shot of hard-hitting, quirky, feminist lit to pick up this season's issue of bitch. bitch endeavors to tackle topics both tame and controversial in the feminist conversation which can lead to some hot discussion (which is always fun to read in the first pages of each issue), and it is just this thought provoking character that has me hooked!
You can grab a copy of bitch at the borders on westgate, or if you'd like to support a local endeavor, just drop by MonkeyWrench Books to get your copy. Not in Texas for the summer? Check this nifty list for a bookseller near you.
Stay Shiny!
-feministish
5.01.2009
Funny Feminist Friday: RIP Bea
As you've probably heard by now, the wonderful Bea Arthur passed away last Saturday. Known for her roles in Mame, Maude, and The Golden Girls, Bea Arthur was never afraid to discuss controversial topics from a feminist point of view. One episode of Maude that aired in 1972, before Roe v. Wade had been decided, even had her character struggle with whether to get an abortion and ultimately make the decision that she was too old to have a baby and abortion was the safest option.
Of course, she is best remembered for her comedy, and as I'm sure we all need a little comic relief before finals, here is a clip of the fantastic reading she gave at Comedy Central's roast of Pamela Anderson (definitely not safe for work):
Thanks for all the laughter, Bea, and of course, thank you for being a friend.
Of course, she is best remembered for her comedy, and as I'm sure we all need a little comic relief before finals, here is a clip of the fantastic reading she gave at Comedy Central's roast of Pamela Anderson (definitely not safe for work):
Thanks for all the laughter, Bea, and of course, thank you for being a friend.
4.26.2009
Survey on Name Changing and Marriage
Hey everybody, I'm conducting a survey on name changing and marriage to use for a paper for my Gender Communications class. I'm hoping to get an idea of people's views on name changing and whether this is still a societal norm.
Click here to take survey!
I would really appreciate everyone's responses (and maybe I'll blog about my findings)! Thanks!
Click here to take survey!
I would really appreciate everyone's responses (and maybe I'll blog about my findings)! Thanks!
4.24.2009
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