About six weeks ago now, I blogged here about the proliferation of rape-joke pages on Facebook and the company’s refusal to remove them. Though Facebook has policies against hate-speech and threats of violence, a statement issued by Facebook to the BBC compared the rape humor to lewd pub jokes, stating: “Just as telling a rude […]
Month: November 2011
#NoShaveNovember Raises Hairy Gender Questions
When Ms. magazine asked me what I thought about #NoShaveNovember, I had never even heard of such a thing, and I couldn’t quite grasp its point. Maybe this is because I participate in something called No Shave Forever: I don’t shave my armpits and only occasionally shave my legs. So I looked up the #NoShaveNovember […]
“In Time” Wastes Time
Based on a very timely premise, the new film In Time ironically moves rather slowly over the course of its 109 minutes. Lacking a “time is running out” feel and failing to deliver an edge-of-your-seat “every moment counts” experience, the film instead plods along in its attempt to examine wealth disparity through the metaphor of […]
As We Hit 7 Billion, Behold the Future of Contraception!
This Monday, as the world’s 7 billionth baby was being born somewhere on the planet, I was sitting in a conference room in Seattle catching a glimpse of the future of contraception. I was at, in fact, the Future of Contraception Initiative, where 200 of science’s brightest minds revealed their progress toward the next big […]
Crime After Crime: So That the Imprisoned Shall Not Be Forgotten
But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon. Genesis 40: 15-16 On Thursday, November […]
Don’t Ms.: Chocolate Gala, Art Objectifying Men and More!
Rarely does activism get this hedonistic. This week, support women’s rights by drinking chocolate martinis, gazing at the male form or hearing from the likes of Laurie Anderson and Valerie Plame Wilson. Minneapolis: Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota’s Celebrate! gala is back for its 10th year, with radio talk show host Jearlyn Steele […]
Personhood Amendment Threatens Women of Mississippi, Hits Home
Mississippi’s Initiative 26—the so-called “Personhood Amendment”—hits close to home for me. I was born in Mississippi and attended school there until I graduated from college. My immediate family and many, many friends still reside in the state. In just a few short days, my loved ones and all Mississippians will vote on the statewide question: […]
HERVotes Blog Carnival: Mississippi “Personhood” Amendment
Welcome to the fourth #HERVotes Blog Carnival! This time, we’re writing with an especially urgent focus. There’s an extremely dangerous constitutional amendment to the Mississippi state constitution on the November 8th ballot. It grants personhood and constitutional rights to a fertilized egg. Election day is just one week away. We must stop the outrageous movement […]
Race, Class and Rights in Mississippi: Save the Pill and Save the Vote
Two upcoming Mississippi ballot initiatives–Number 26, on so-called “personhood,” and Number 27, on Voter ID exclusions–may be one of the most important on-the-ground opportunities for the pro-choice and reproductive justice movements to work together. By co-joining race (Voter ID-27) with gender (so-called “Personhood”-26), we have an excellent opportunity to experience intersectionality in practice. Black women […]
Why I’m Glad My Miscarriage Wasn’t in Mississippi
I had a miscarriage in 1991. No one accused me of murder. No one arrested and jailed me on suspicion of abortion. No one charged me with endangering the miscarried fetus. If Initiative 26 to amend the Mississippi constitution passes next week, that won’t be true for the next woman who miscarries. She will be […]