I am frequently in awe of Michelle Obama's integrity, intelligence, and humor, which she wields so brilliantly against the racist, sexist hate that gets hurled at her every day. I also like the classic Wonder Woman, who so frequently reminded readers that inside every woman there is super-heroic potential. So I really LOVE seeing it all come together in this comic-style drawing of M. Obama by J. Bone! Via The Grio , where you'll also find a neat interview with the artist.
Shummi, a Bangladeshi girl, in voiceover (with translation) over video of congregated young Bangladeshi girls and adult women: My name is Shumi. I am 11 years old. [text onscreen: Shumi, EKATA Group Member; she appears onscreen] My father wanted to arrange my marriage, but I did not agree to the proposal.Child marriage is not an immutable fact. It is a preventable social convention. Girls need champions. This is day to recruit those champions.
An unidentified Bangladeshi woman, in voiceover (with translation): Shumi told us her father was arranging her marriage. [text onscreen: EKATA Group Leader; she appears onscreen] Shumi asked us to go talk to her father and make him understand. [over video of women walking out of meeting space] As a result, we approached members of the local government, and other EKATA members, and we went to see Shumi's father together.
Rajendranath, a Bangladeshi man, onscreen, beside his meager home: The EKATA groups came and spoke to me. [text onscreen: Rajendranath, Shumi's Father] They said my daughter was too young for marriage. After a discussion, we agreed. [over video of Shumi walking with friends] We will now wait to marry Shumi when she comes of age.
Shumi, back with the congregated group again: I am very happy that my father has stopped this marriage. I want to be self-dependent; I do not want to marry until I am 18 years old.
EKATA Group Leader: We are all united to stop child marriage!
Whole Group, with arms in air: We are all united to stop child marriage!
Text Onscreen: International Day of the Girl: October 11, 2012. Just $49 can send a girl to school for a year, which will greatly decrease her chances of becoming a child bride. Donate now. Care.org.
Some recommended reading on the affirmative action case before the Supreme Court:
FMF News: SCOTUS Hears Affirmative Action Case
Elle: Quick Thoughts on Fisher v. UT
Jessica: Fisher v. University of Texas, Part One
And: Fisher v. University of Texas, Part Two
I don't have a hell of a lot to say beyond what I tweeted earlier:
Dear Fellow White Ladies: We have benefited mightily from affirmative action, just FYI. THE MORE YOU KNOW.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) October 10, 2012
And, not for nothing, even if I didn't stand to personally benefit from affirmative action policies, I would STILL SUPPORT THEM.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) October 10, 2012
[Content Note: Transphobia.]
You owe people an apology.
Earlier this week you published a satirical story about Mark Wahlberg being a trans woman. The joke, as it were, is that trans people are trans.
Yaaaaaaaawn.
I’m a huge fucking smartass, and a longtime Onion reader. I totally get that satire involves risks. I also get that satirists miss the mark a lot of the time. Y’all miss the mark a lot. That’s not surprising, given how much content The Onion's writers churn out. It’s also something a lot of your readers tolerate, because OMFG WHEN YOU HIT THE MARK.
But bloody hell, “trans person trans” isn’t funny (see also: “fat person fat”). It’s lazy. It’s been done (TRUST ME). It’s hurtful. It perpetuates hate and violence. Etcetra.
Look, it’s not that trans people aren’t funny. I know so many hilarious trans people who can write satire about transness that would make y’all laugh your tits and/or wangs off. A lot of us could use the cash. CALL US.
In the meantime, do the grown up thing and apologize.
Crossposted from A Cunt of One's Own
This is the actual cover of the current issue of Newsweek yes for real no I am not kidding good grief:
Here is a video sent to me by everyone in the multiverse (and thanks to each and every one of you!) of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard giving a passionate speech to Parliament calling out opposition leader Tony Abbott's hypocrisy on misogyny. It's pretty amazing.
Some background on the events leading up to this speech is here. Kath also has some additional thoughts about the context of Gillard's words here.
This blogaround brought to you by carousels.
Recommended Reading:
Brentin: Voting Rights Act Protects Two More States from Voter ID Laws
Soraya: 'Boys Will Be Boys' Is No Excuse For Bad Behavior [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of bullying; rape culture; gender essentialism.]
Jessie: "You're a Mutt": Racial Policing Practices [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of racism and police misconduct.]
Jazmine: Saving the Boobies Will Not Save Me [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of racism, objectification, and abuse.]
Sean: Bias, Bias Everywhere [Content Note: The post at this link includes discussion of misogynist and racist bias in academia.]
Zach: Transgender Narratives: "I Always Knew"
Andy: Obama Administration Issues Written Guidance to Immigration Officials Regarding Same-Sex Relationships
Echidne: The Polling Games!
Cuppycake: World of Warcraft: Rescuing Mina Mudclaw from a Rape Joke [Content Note: Rape culture.]
Zack: Kirk Cameron Claims Crucifixion for His Anti-Gay 'Love Speech' [Content Note: Homophobia.]
Spooky: Russian Artist Irina Parosova Creates Amazing Straw Paintings
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Here is your topic: Top Five Favorite Chat Shows. Daytime (Oprah) or evening (Jimmy Fallon); old school/cancelled (Phil Donahue) or current (Ellen). Go!
Please feel welcome to share stories about why your Top Five picks are what they are, though a straight-up list is fine, too. Please refrain from negatively auditing other people's lists, because judgment discourages participation.
[Image Description: a comic book cover headed by "She's all Girl...She's All Super..She's SUPERGIRL! See Supergirl do her thing in this GIGANTIC Action-Packed Issue!!" The cover is of Action Comics, priced at 25C (!!!) with Supergirl bursting out of the middle of the comic, surrounded by images from various other stories, featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, super-pets, Superman, the Superman Emergency Squad, and Mr. MXYZPTLK.]
Scanned from Wonder Woman 181, March 1969.
"I think it's fair to say I was just too polite."—President Barack Obama, on his performance during the first debate.
One of the best things about President Obama is that he affords people good faith.
One of the worst things about President Obama is that he continues to afford people good faith even long after they have demonstrably proven they are no longer deserving of it.
Part of that is rooted in a fantasy about changing the tone in Washington through sheer force of will, a notion which members of the administration have admitted was arrogant and naïve, but to which they lingeringly subscribe nonetheless. The President has incentive not to let that fantasy go: He was carried to the steps of the White House on the shoulders of the people who believed he could do it. To abandon that fantasy is to let them down, and to admit he was wrong.
Part of that is the reality that Obama can't express himself in quite the same way as a white president could, thanks to racist narratives about Angry Black Men. He can't let naked fury cross his face without a cost—although I suspect, given the nature of protest against this president, it would ultimately be no bigger cost than simply being a man of color in the first place.
Part of that is just something in Obama's constitution: He wants consensus, even when it is manifestly obvious that it's never going to happen. One of the ways in which President Obama most infuriates me (and always has) is his refusal to hold Republicans/conservatives accountable, and his insistence on drawing equivalencies, while fetishizing bipartisanship as inherently superior to any solution even distantly associated with a partisan ideology.
And part of it is that Obama is just a decent man who wants to believe that he people with whom he's trying to run the country are decent people, too. When he says that he believes Republicans are good people who love their country and just have different ideas about what's best for it, I think he really believes that shit. (Or used to.)
The President has good reason not to let that fantasy go, either: The fact that a lot of Republicans are plutocrats who genuinely don't prioritize this nation or the needs of its people is terrible and terrifying and super grim.
No one wants to look that shit in the face, least of all someone who really does love this nation and carries some measure of personal responsibility for keeping it out of the other guys' hands.
I hope that President Obama, if he wins reelection, makes it his highest priority to be profoundly impolite.
[Content note: violence]
“This seems so odd to normal Americans” – Jonah Goldberg commenting on the likes of you
Chapter Ten is about dissent, so it makes sense that the first mention of Nazis is on page three. Congrats to those of you who have page three on your fantasy teams!
Goldberg is pissed off because Thomas Jefferson didn’t say “dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” Also, you should really “bear in mind that even if Jefferson had said it, it would be no less dumb.”
LOL UR STOOPID!
Speaking of LOL STOOPID, words are bullshit:
[“Dissent” is] a word that often elevates buffoonery on its own. But when it’s tethered to patriotism it transmogrifies the lead of jackassery into the gold of stouthearted rebellion.Totally, it’s like…
The reflexive contrarian who cares not what he’s contradicting is quite simply the most useless of citizens and annoying of coworkers.It’s almost as if Goldberg is accusing dissenters of playing some sort of disingenuous game. It’s also almost as if Goldberg is doing a bait-and-switch, ignoring the unstated implication that we’re talking about “principled” dissent. Funny, that.
Just curious: If a marine throws himself on a grenade while fighting for his country, would you feel confident that you’d keep your teeth if you said something along the lines of, “Wow. What a hero. A true patriot. He’s almost as patriotic as that college professor who, from the comfort of his air-conditioned office, called the Marines baby killers and war criminals.I’m just curious what Goldberg means by “you’d keep your teeth.” (Just kidding. He means that some asshole will likely assault y’all if you criticize the military. Go back to Red Russia, jerks!)
Some of the chanting Occupy Wall Street protesters out there recycling their urine and filming gay porn movies in tents might also be interested in helping America, but many are simply motivated by an apish desire to join the crowd or a ritualistic yearning to take a sledgehammer to the foundation of a country they just happened to be born in.If you haven’t seen the golden parachute scene in Stearn Bears, you haven’t truly lived.
I am not saying that all liberals do not love America. What I am saying is that they are hopelessly confused about how to think about and, therefore express their love of her.HEY PUSSIES, WHY DON'T YOU TREAT YOUR NATION LIKE THE LADY SHE IS?
At the most basic level love is about acceptance. If you are constantly trying to chane the person you claim to love into someone he or she is not, there comes a point when it’s reasonable to ask whether you really, truly, deeply live the person for who he or she is. Barack Obama campaigned promising to “fundamentally transform” America. We would not think a husband who promises to “fundamentally transform” his wife has a healthy love for her.Do you hear that, liberals? Citizenship is the same as marriage, and no-fault divorce is immoral. Also, collecting taxes is the equivalent of divorce. Oh, and you’re totally married to Sears Roebuck and other companies, so don’t even think of about your refrigerator.
[Content note: homophobia, racism, terrorism, reproductive coercion]
All The News In Fits and Spurts:
Katerina Samutsevich of Russian punk band Pussy Riot is being set free on appeal today.
An oil company study has found that fracking would be perfectly safe in the predominantly black neighbourhood of Baldwin Hills.
Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt told the mother of a gay son that she should reject him or risk burning in hell. Just like Jesus would do!
The State Departments top security official in Libya asked for extra security for the consulate in Benghazi prior to it being attacked but received no response from superiors.
Good grief: A big screen adaptation of Peanuts is in the works. In 3D obviously.
Toyota announced a global recall of 7.43 million cars due to a power window problem that poses a fire risk. (I find it odd that recall news is always reported in the financial section of news sites. Because what is really important is how it effects stock prices.)
Alex Karras, known best to Gen-Xers as adoptive father George Papadopoulos to Emmanuel Lewis on Webster, died yesterday of kidney failure. He was 77.
Anti-choice Republican congressman Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee pressured his mistress into getting an abortion. Of course he did.
A ground squirrel in California has tested positive for exposure to fleas infected with the bacteria that can cause the plague. Good lord. What century is this?
Resort CEO David Siegel sent an e-mail to his 7,000 employees warning them their jobs are at risk if the president is re-elected. If he has to pay more taxes he's going to fire a bunch of people.
Want to watch Frankenweenie? Sure you do.
Women are going to decide this election.
Whether it's the oft-mentioned "white women without college degrees" or the never-mentioned "women who feel like neither party gives a flying shit about their needs," women are going to be the ones who make the call.
Most of these women, even if they have traditionally voted Republican, support reproductive freedom. They might support abortion with caveats, or support contraception but not emergency contraception, but most of them want women to have access to some contraceptive method(s) and access to safe, legal abortion.
One of the gravest mistakes the modern Democratic Party makes is assuming that pro-choice women (even marginally pro-choice women) regard the Democrats' national candidates as reliable allies on reproductive rights.
The reality is that, with Democrats in many state governments staking out anti-choice positions, or merely failing to even try to robustly defend reproductive rights from Republican legislatures, and with a Democratic President who has failed to call out anti-choice terrorism, failed to give reproductive rights a single whole sentence in his nomination acceptance speech, failed to give an address centering reproductive rights during his first term even as record numbers of anti-choice legislation were being passed in state legislatures, failed to give even a passing mention to reproductive rights in his "Women's Equality Day" proclamation, failed to give even a passing mention to reproductive rights in his "Women's History Month" proclamation, failed to acknowledge the war on agency in his State of the Union address, failed to prioritize science over religion, failed to prioritize healthcare over religion, and failed to be generally clueful on the issue of reproductive rights, lots of women across this country feel as though they have been completely abandoned by both parties on the issue of their reproductive health.
The Democrats have calculated that if they simply don't mention abortion, they won't alienate anti-choice voters (who, argh, will never vote for them, anyway), but instead they have communicated to women across this country that the issue is off the table.
A foolish, terrible calculation.
The Democrats' silence on reproductive rights does not treat it like the marked party distinction it is; it treats it like an issue they don't even think is worth talking about.
As a result, the best way for President Obama to secure his reelection is to have NASA build him a time machine so he can go back and make reproductive rights a central part of his first term and his reelection campaign.
But, failing that, here's how he wins the election:
1. This Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden will be debating Rep. Paul Ryan, who is profoundly anti-choice and wants to redefine rape. Here's a Fun Fact about Joe Biden: HE DRAFTED THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT AND HAS BEEN ITS MOST FERVENT CHAMPION! Meanwhile, Romney/Ryan's party has held up the reauthorization of the VAWA for nearly a year because they prioritize homophobia, transphobia, and hatred of undocumented workers over protecting people from stalking, sexual violence, and/or domestic violence. JOE BIDEN NEEDS TO SAY THIS 100 TIMES DURING THAT DEBATE.
2. During the next presidential debate, which is a garbage town hall format on both foreign and domestic policy, President Obama needs to talk about reproductive rights EVERY CHANCE HE GETS. Sure, mention the Lilly Ledbetter Act and USE FEMALE PRONOUNS when talking about the hypothetical worker who needs a job with a livable wage to put food on her family, but TALK ABOUT THE WAR ON AGENCY. The President needs to say, point blank, that women are 52% of the population, and say he trusts them to make their own decisions about their own bodies, and say MITT ROMNEY DOESN'T AGREE. Say: MITT ROMNEY SAYS HE WANTS THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR LIVES, BUT WANTS TO INSERT THE GOVERNMENT IN WOMEN'S PERSONAL HEALTHCARE DECISIONS. Saaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy thaaaaaaaaaaaaat, pleeeeeeeeeeese!
3. During the final debate, on foreign policy, work in a way to quote Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—"human rights are women's rights and women's rights are human rights"—and then promise to push for ratification of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which has languished in the US Senate since its adoption in 1979.
What I'm saying is: TALK TO WOMEN. Directly and meaningfully. Mean it.
Mean it.
Mitt Romney today said no abortion legislation is part of his agenda, but he would prohibit federally-funded international nonprofits from providing abortions in other countries.WELL, GEE, THAT DOESN'T SOUND SO BAD!—Low-Information Voters.
"There's no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda," the GOP presidential candidate told The Des Moines Register's editorial board during a meeting today before his campaign rally at a Van Meter farm.
But by executive order, not by legislation, he would reinstate the so-called Mexico City policy that bans U.S. foreign aid dollars from being used to do abortions, he said.
"Gov. Romney would of course support legislation aimed at providing greater protections for life," spokeswoman Andrea Saul said, declining to elaborate.HEY, WAIT A SECOND!—Low-Information Voters.
