Purity Balls...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1823930,00.html?xid=newsletter-weekly

Maybe you've already heard about "purity balls," maybe not, but either way, you should check out this thoughtful article from Time magazine on the subject. Nancy Gibbs does a nice job of offering a balanced perspective on this phenomenon that some of us may find a little bit creepy.

I'd say I still have objections to the way the events are structured, the focus on sex as impure, and the limiting of the participants to girls and fathers (what about boys and mothers?). However, this article points out that many of the dads present are there to commit themselves to being a positive, involved presence in their daughters' lives, rather than leaving all the raising of their children to the mothers of their children. Also, I think that abstinence is a perfectly respectable and healthy choice, and I hope that Gibbs' conclusion including the importance of education and respect for teens' agency is part of the message imparted by these events.

Interesting...what do you think?

the only bush i trust is my own.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/washington/15rule.html?scp=1&sq=NARAL&st=cse

So, President Bush is still trying to screw over women, this time with proposed regulations that would limit federal funds to healthcare providers who didn't agree to hire employees despite their objection to birth control. Let's hope this never becomes an actual regulation, and that women who need birth control and emergency contraception don't have to face even more obstacles to getting it.

See the post on NARAL's blog for more info: http://www.blogforchoice.com/archives/2008/07/another-day-ano.html

Media's portrayal of women

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-IrhRSwF9U

I just wanted to post this video for everyone to see. Perhaps, some of you have already seen it. It disgusts me that media is so sexist. I don't know why women put up this this. I do sincerely hope that as we enter the work force more of these kinds of statements will become infrequent.

Particularly, I would like to comment on Tucker's statement stating that he "is not embarrassed by being 68th for having women in Congress" What a ridiculous statement. I don't know if the news stations are simply trying to fulfill certain stereotypes through their news reporters... however, who thought that this kind garbage is acceptable on national television has been sorely misguided.

A call for posts

Someone who has seen the Sex in the City movie should write about it!

Should Women of Color Call Themselves Feminists?

So this link to came to me in an email from New Demographic which is a site dedicated to discussing representation of people of color (specifically multiracial people) in the media. I thought it was interesting that the topic of the article was about feminism. According to the article there has been a lot of discussion lately about women of color and whether or not they should call themselves feminist if feminist refuse to address racism as a feminist issue. I do not think this is a new debate at all, but I like to hear if any one else has opinions on this?

http://www.racialicious.com/2008/04/28/
does-feminism-have-to-address-race/

I personally do not have any problems with calling myself a feminist (speaking as a woman of color) but I have always felt that racism was an important issue addressed in feminism. Now that I reflect on my own experiences and some of the information I have read I can defiantly see where some of these women of color are coming from. However, I also recognize that I have some privilege as a white woman also, which makes my experiences different. Although I would say that I identify more as a person of color. Hmmmm.....

Pictures!

Consider this a call for photos! I know more people took pictures at the voting event...
If you can post on this blog, POST! If you can't we can add you as an author or you can email your photos it to anyone who can currently post and we'll put it up.
I've dug up some pictures from my camera. Some of them are ones I already posted on Facebook, but I'll put them here anyway.

TBTN

Take Back the Night 2008 was amazing!! Everyone should check out the poem Stacyann Chin wrote about it:
www.myspace.com/stacyannchin