Edmonton's Slut Walk

Edmonton now has its very own "slut walk". Come out and support!!!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=212789382065969&ref=nf

A Call to Arms to Defend the Body!

When we think of body image issues we often land on this concept of a "self-esteem" of middle class, teenage white girls. The problem however is far more diverse. It affects all ages, genders, economic class and ethnicities. It is truly a global problem that requires a global solution, which is what this article is all about.

Have a read and tell me what you think...

The Media...

Although I have not watched this film, it does look very interesting. It deals with the very negative portrayal of women in the media, and presents alternatives. The trailer can be viewed here, though I have no news as to whether or not it is available to rent or purchase.

Some Disturbing News From South of The Border

There has recently been a push within the government of the United States to severely limit the access to abortions. This movement seems to be peeling back time as the advances made by women's movements over the past decades are set to be destroyed. Even more alarming still is the fact that Planned Parenthood, a publicly funded sexual health provider would stand to loose its funding if these bills were to go through. The result would be to close the doors of their clinics which serve over 3 million patients per year.

For Planned Parenthood however, abortions account for roughly ten percent of their services. The rest is taken up by prevention. Removing their budget would simply mean more abortions, not less, with the risk of many of those abortions being performed in unsafe environments.

Please watch the interview on DemocracyNow!

The Price of Sex?

Maclean's Magazine "The Price of Sex is at an All Time Low". This is a very interesting read in that it seems to be from a scholarly point of view yet its logic is incredibly flawed. The basic argument that is being presented is that women are becoming more and more like "men." It argues that as women are seeking to "have sex like men," and as they seek higher education and higher incomes that they will limit themselves to the kinds of partners that they will be able to have.

What is assumed by this is that first, "men" is a homogeneous group and that women aspire to be just like that group. We know that this is not true. "Men" are not a group any more than "whites" are a group. The vastness of experience that exists within these groups is simply astounding. This also assumes that every one in the world wants to be just like "men."

Give it a read, and see what you think...

Dear Mister West,

Kanye West has been fairly silent with regards to the comments about his video for his single "Monster". Viewers of the video, on the other hand, have been extremely vocal about the content. Here is the video itself, and here is a very well done critique of it.

Your thoughts....

Dear Mister Wayne,

These girls would have done well on a praxis project...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-T-FVR0WZw&feature=player_embedded

White Ribbon Campaign

Where do men fit in the ongoing issue of violence against women? Is our only role to be perpetrators and the cause of the problem? The White Ribbon Campaign is challenging men to get involved. It is a campaign designed to educate men and boys to stop the cycle of violence. Check it out.

Thoughts...

A Friendly Reminder From Toronto's Police Not to Dress Like "Sluts"....

Toronto police  Const. Michael Sanguinetti had some choice words for a class room discussion on rape. “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized." There are a few glaring problems with this sort of conversation. For one, this puts the blame on the victim and the way she was dressing, and not on the fact that some on sexually assaulted her. Lets get this clear: it is not the victims fault. Period. End of story. We need to seriously shift gears away from victim blaming with this sort of discourse. The people of Toronto have responded very appropriately.

"Too Fast to be a Woman"

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/The_Passionate_Eye/1274903384/ID=1836060745
South African runner Caster Semenya's gender has come under question. Higher levels of testosterone in her body were seen to have given her a potentially "unfair" advantage over her fellow competitors and as of such she was forced to undergo gender testing. The testing, which was supposed to be a closed and private matter due to its highly sensitive nature, proved to be anything but sensitive. The very public testing and scandal was emotionally devastating to the young runner.

This documentary humanizes her struggle and is very worth while... enjoy...


Thoughts?

Modern Day Gender Binary Hierarchy: "Slut Shaming"

Gender Binary Hierarchy is a term that refers to the unequal relationship between women and men in which women are always seen as subservient and lesser to men. This is a hard concept to swallow. You can point to any number of legislation that would seem to negate this concept. Women are legally equal to men, which should make the gender binary hierarchy a thing of the past. But it is not a thing of the past.

Slut shaming is the practice of degrading women for their sexual practices. What do you call a man with multiple partners? A player, a pimp, lady killer, casanova? And waht do you call a women with multiple partners? Think about it... Slut shaming stands as evidence that the gender binary hierarchy is alive and well. Check it out...http://finallyfeminism101.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/what-is-slut-shaming/