[Content note: Rape, child abuse, transphobia, guns]
Friday!:
Sweden repealed a law that required a trans person to be sterilized to have their gender change recognized legally.
450 people say the late entertainer Jimmy Savile sexually abused them. Most victims were children and teens. Good lord, this guy.
The chairman of the national Gun Appreciation Day says that there never would have been slaves in America if black people had guns. Good lord, this guy.
Tomboy Tailors opens up the first genderqueer menswear shop in the country.
I wasn't voted one of The Advocate's funniest fags of 2012. Sad face. For them.
Indiana legislator seeks to limit specialty license plates.
Fox News doesn't understand how coins work. Among other things.
Also: Algebra is a liberal conspiracy. Or something.
In The News
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Rape apologia; misogyny.]
"In Missouri, Todd Akin…was asked by a local news source about rape and he said, 'Look, in a legitimate rape situation'—and what he meant by legitimate rape was just look, someone can say I was raped: a scared-to-death 15-year-old that becomes impregnated by her boyfriend and then has to tell her parents, that's pretty tough and might on some occasion say, 'Hey, I was raped.' That's what he meant when he said legitimate rape versus non-legitimate rape. I don't find anything so horrible about that. But then he went on and said that in a situation of rape, of a legitimate rape, a woman's body has a way of shutting down so the pregnancy would not occur. He’s partly right on that… I've delivered lots of babies, and I know about these things. It is true. We tell infertile couples all the time that are having trouble conceiving because of the woman not ovulating, 'Just relax. Drink a glass of wine. And don't be so tense and uptight because all that adrenaline can cause you not to ovulate.' So he was partially right wasn't he?"—Phil Gingrey, a Republican Congressman from Georgia. [Via Chloe.]
Santorum. Akin. Walsh. Mourdock. Koster. And now Gingery. What a cool club full of cool dudes!
You know, I've heard a lot of people use the whole "a scared teenage girl gets pregnant and tells her parents it was rape" chestnut, and I just really want to call major bullshit on that. I have known scared pregnant teenage girls, friends and family members, and not a single one of them said they had been raped—because they wanted the fathers of their children to be in their and their children's lives.
I'm not saying it's never happened in the history of the world, because BIG PLANET, but the routine assertion that is a common scenario just doesn't pass the smell test. No girl or woman who wants the involvement of her child's father is going to say she was raped. And if she is saying she was raped, well, maybe that's because she was.
Friday Blogaround
This blogaround brought to you by rain.
Recommended Reading:
Trudy: 7 Attacks on Feminism [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of common anti-feminist tropes, privilege, and violence.]
Fannie: To Forgive Without an Apology? [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of violence, abuse, and homophobia.]
Maria: Remembering Ka'Sandra Wade [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of violence, misogyny, and police malfeasance.]
Living ~400lbs: Harriet Brown on Weight Bullying by Parents [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of fat bias.]
Andy: North Carolina Cafe Owner Hands Lesbian Couple Letter Condemning Homosexuality as They Leave [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of homophobia and Christian Supremacy.]
Lady T: It's "Impossible" Not to See the White-Centric Point of View [Content Note: The post at this link contains discussion of the 2004 tsunami, racism, and privilege.]
Jorge: Quvenzhané Wallis Is Youngest to Get Oscar Nod for Best Actress
Finally! Reni Eddo-Lodge has launched a new blog, The Master's Tools, with an eye toward building greater support for intersectional feminism. Check it out!
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
Because Roman Cameo Oreo Cookie, That's Why
Is this what you've been waiting for all your life? Because I know I have. From imgur, an Oreo carved into a cameo:
I can't stop giggling when I look at this. Not only because of the comments at the site ("Eat tu, Brute?" LOL FOREVER!) but in sheer delight at the love and effort someone put into creating a Roman emperor's portrait on a sandwich cookie.
(H/t my cousin AC, via Facebook.)
ETA: The artist for this amazing image is Judith Klausner and there are more wonderful cameos at the link. Thanks to Shakers babydyke and pbrim!
I Don't Even
[Content Note: Guns; violence; terrorism.]
Men armed with rifles walk through Portland to 'educate':
Two men carrying assault rifles on their backs said they were simply exercising their Second Amendment right, but police said they scared plenty of people.
Calls started coming in to 911 dispatchers shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday. Callers said two men with guns strapped to their backs were walking through the area of Southeast Seventh Avenue and Spokane Street in Portland's Sellwood neighborhood.
Officers arrived in the area and contacted both 22-year-old men. They were carrying rifles openly on their backs and were valid concealed handgun license holders in Oregon.
The men told officers they were hoping to educate the public about gun rights.
Officers explained that they were likely to continue generating 911 calls from alarmed people in the area, which would require a police response. Officers reported neither man seemed interested in those concerns.
"Educational."
Warren said he hoped people would approach them and talk to them, instead of calling police.The vast amounts of privilege it requires to casually assert that people should not be afraid of men strolling down the sidewalk with assault rifles is astounding.
"What they really should do is observe the person to determine if the person is aggressive," he said of seeing someone with a gun in public. "We're not doing anything threatening to anyone."
And I find the admonishment to not feel threatened by actual and present deadly weaponry particularly gross coming from people who own that deadly weaponry because they feel threatened by bullshit fantasies of peril.
They invent threats, or imagine that encroachments on their undeserved privilege are a threat that warrants deadly defense, and then have the fucking gall to pretend their paranoia about having to live a life without the precious inoculations of privilege is the same as the real existential threats faced by oppressed peoples.
An Observation
[Content Note: Rape culture.]
I have gotten into countless public debates with men, some of them famous and/or influential men, about rape apologia, rape culture, and rape jokes. In all cases, these men were engaging in denialism about the effects and/or even basic existence of these things.
Every time, I ask them the same thing: Why are you so invested in defending the rape culture?
And every time, they offer no reply.
Um
[Content Note: Guns; violence; terrorism.]
James Yeager, CEO of Tactical Response and fucking terrorist, whose frightening tirade was yesterday's Quote of the Day, has released a second video in which he clarifies he won't murder anybody unless it's "necessary."
"I do not condone anybody committing any kind of felonies up to and including any aggravated assaults or murders, unless it's necessary," Yeager said in the second video. "Right now it is not necessary."Swell.
"I have drawn my line in the sand: Not one more inch," he said.
Yeager opened the latest video saying that he "probably allowed my mouth to overrun my logic," and announced he had edted some of the more heated comments out of his previous video and reposted it. Then he added: "But I don't, I don't retract any of my statements."
Yeager continued to get worked up over the Obama administration's "tyranny" and talked urged people to pack backpacks, get in shape, and load their guns. He said that his first video had "accidentally assembled an army … a quite formidable army."
Question of the Day
What is the most comfortable pair of shoes you've ever owned? Style, brand, why they were comfy, in what context (work, sport, etc.), whatever.
Quote of the Day
[Content Note: Guns; violence; terrorism.]
"Vice President Biden is asking the President to bypass Congress and use executive privilege—executive order to ban assault rifles and to impose stricter gun control. Fuck that. I'm telling you that if that happens, it's going to spark a civil war, and I'll be glad to fire the first shot. I'm not putting up with it. You shouldn't put up with it. And I need all you patriots to start thinking about what you're going to do, load your damn mags, make sure your rifle's clean, pack a backpack with some food in it, and get ready to fight. I'm not fucking putting up with this. I am not letting my country be ruled by a dictator. I'm not letting anybody take my guns! If it goes one inch further, I'm going to start killing people."—James Yeager, CEO of Tactical Response, a company specializing in weapons and tactical training, located in Tennessee.
Sounds reasonable.
Assvertising
[Content Note: Rape culture.]
I've been meaning for ages to post about this State Farm advert, which I see constantly, and makes my teeth grind every damn time. Thanks to Spudsy for reminding me:
On a residential city street, a young thin black man (named Mike) stands at the curb next to a wrecked car with his mobile phone in his hand. A young thin blonde white woman (who isn't given a name, but we'll call her Jane) walks up to him. Text onscreen: "State of Disbelief."Now there are all kinds of tired tropes in this advert: Blonde white women are stupid and/or gullible and/or shallow; women don't understand technology; everyone you meet on the internet is creepy; beautiful women never date "ugly" men; etc. But the thing I really hate about it is this moment, right here:
Jane: Oh hey, Mike! What're you up to?
Mike: [sighs] Ahhh just diagramming this accident with my State Farm pocket agent app. You can also get a quote and pay your premium with this thing.
Jane: I thought State Farm didn't have all those apps.
Mike: Where'd you hear that?
Jane: The internet.
Mike: And you believed it?
Jane: Yeah. They can't put anything on the internet that isn't true.
Mike: Where's you hear that?
In unison: The internet!
A young, schlubby white guy with an unkempt beard and eyeglasses, wearing a fanny pack, and in need of a haircut walks toward them.
Jane: Oh look—here's my date. I met him on the internet. He's a French model.
Dude: Uhhhhhh bon jour. [said without any hint of a French accent]
The guy puts his arm around Jane, grins at Mike, and then leads Jane away. Mike silently watches them go.
Blah blah voiceover about how awesome State Farms apps are.
At that moment, we know the man who has arrived to take Jane on a date is a liar who has manipulated her into a date with false information—and that the trusting Jane is evidently too naïve to detect nakedly fraudulent claims. And as he gives a skeevy grin to Mike, Jane's neighbor and apparent friend, that conveys his intentions, Mike merely gazes back at him nonchalantly.
Because that's what guys do, amirite? Bros before hos. I mean, shit, it's like the hugest violation of the Man Code ever to cockblock a total stranger who is almost certainly going to rape your friend.
All of this is played for laughs. And the context in which it is supposed to be funny is a rape culture that tells the damnable lies that coercive sex is not rape, that rape is vanishingly rare, that this scenario is absurd, that it is so far removed from any reality that it's okay to laugh at the creepy man who is luring Jane on a date under false pretenses.
Yeah. Somehow I'm not laughing.
Photo of the Day
[Click to embiggen.]
A New Perspective of the Day: Central Park, Manhattan—Russian aerial photographer Sergey Semenov took this breathtaking view of Manhattan near Central Park, which earned him the Epson International Photographic Panorama Awards 2012 in amateur's built-environment category. [Via TDW.]
There's Something About Critics
[Content Note: Misogyny.]
First of all, I'm happy to report that since I began my enthusiastic campaign of liking Zooey Deschanel out of spite, we are now best friends and we have superfun vegan picnics with our kitten friends at Unicorn Park every Tuesday. I know you are way too busy to be jealous, because you're spending all your time having coffee with the guest lecturer at your university, Professor James Franco, so everything is great for all of us.
Zooey Deschanel, actress, singer, activist, and not at all my friend,
but definitely a human being who seems pretty neato and not in a sarcastic way.
Anyway!
This is just a perfect story in Entertainment Weekly—and what follows is literally the entire story—about Zooey Deschanel:
Critic asks Zooey Deschanel to explain her nameNow, obviously, James Hibberd, author of this piece, is on the side of the kitten picnics, because YES LIKE HER NAME IS A RIDDLE OR A TRICK SHE'S PULLING.
by James Hibberd
[picture of Zooey Deschanel shrugging and looking perplexed]
Something about Zooey Deschanel throws off TV critics. At last year's press tour panel for her Fox hit New Girl, a reporter wanted to know when did she realize that she's "adorable."
This time at the semi-annual event, she was asked to explain her name. That was the question — can she "explain her name." Like it's a riddle. Or a trick she's pulling.
"My name?" the actress replied, confused. "My first name or my last name?"
Critic: "Both."
"My name on the show?"
The critic explained (… sort of … not really): "Zooey. Zooey Deschanel."
"I was named after [the J.D. Salinger novel] Franny and Zooey," she said. "My last name is French."
And her last name is French.
With that finally settled, her fellow panelists and other reporters applauded.
But James Hibbard! Maybe start instead with the observation that there's "something" about the dingalings who ask these dipshit questions, like the fact that they're possibly being misogynistic (I add "possibly" only because I can totally imagine that Goran Visnjic has been asked to explain his name fully one million times) and definitely being unprofessional and should never be invited to any picnics ever, except the ones with all the ants.
It might seem like a small thing, to make sure the blame for such foolery is placed squarely on the fools, but it's these small things, like the unfortunate if unintended implication that there's something Zooey Deschanel is doing to cause industry critics to condescend to her, that add up to create a culture in which women, especially women who are quirky and silly and cute, are summarily dismissed as unserious, even if they are also smart and talented and fierce.
And that the summary dismissals are their own fault.
Daily Dose of Cute
Zelda and Dudley
I mentioned yesterday that Dudley has a hurty foot. It actually seems to be a re-injury of a torn ligament in his front ankle, and he's walking very gingerly. He's also having trouble leaning down to eat and drink, presumably because it puts weight on and stretches his leg in a way that hurts him, so I've been holding his food bowl at feeding time and water bowl several times throughout the day on my lap, which is the perfect height for him. He also seems to find it reassuring to be close while he's feeling yucky.
Last night, I was holding his food bowl while he ate dinner, and, in typical fashion, he coughed and sprayed food all over the floor. Normally, when he does this, he immediately cleans up the mess himself, because he is such a good boy, so he started circling the food on the floor, tentatively leaning toward it as he approached it from different angles, but it was obviously too hurty for him to lean down for it.
"It's okay," I told him, scratching his head. "You can leave it."
He looked at me with a sad expression. I'm sorry. I pulled him into a tight hug and told him he was a good boy. I offered him his half-finished dinner again. He looked forlornly at the food on the floor.
Zelda, sitting at my side, was watching all of this with her usual intensity. She walked over and ate the food off the floor, then play-bowed at Dudley and tossed her head in the direction of his food bowl, still in my hands.
Dudley returned to finish his dinner.
In The News
[Content note: Guns, gun violence]
It's Thursday All Over Again:
Younger Americans die earlier and live in poorer health than their counterparts in other developed countries.
Also: The flu has been spreading fiercely across the United States.
What a new doctor learned about medical mistakes from her mom's death.
Liz Carmouche, the UFC's only openly gay athlete, will be brawling in the main event this Winter.
The National Rifle Association has gained more than 100,000 new members since the Sandy Hook shooting. Gross.
Also: The White House is weighing all available means to reform gun laws, including executive orders the President may issue.
The Marine Corps has advised its legal staff that spouses clubs operating on its installations must admit same-sex spouses if they wish to remain on the bases.
Dick Armey accidentally talked some shit.
Al Roker accidentally took a shit.
Jobs are not growing fast enough to keep up with potential workforce.
Adorable Labradoodle mistaken for lion. Cute!
Yes, Virginia: Rape Culture Exists Here Too
[Content note: Rape, rape culture, institutionalized sexual assault, rape denialism, colonialism, racism]
If you've been following Doug Saunder's concern-trolling claims about the superiority of "English-speaking countries" in the handling of rape, and his appalling behaviour on Twitter wherein he mansplained and gaslighted survivors ...
...then you may very much appreciate this column from Kate Heartfield at the Ottawa Citizen, where she lays out, in very clear language, exactly why a Westerner might have trouble seeing the rape culture in North America. (Spoiler: it's not because it doesn't exist.)
If a court in India ruled that the law of rape is different for married and unmarried women, editorials in North American newspapers would adduce that as evidence of India’s “rape culture.” If a lawyer for one of the men accused in the Delhi bus rape said the victim was “clearly engaged in at-risk behaviour,” it would be outrage fodder on Twitter.These two things did happen recently — in the United States.
That doesn’t mean those editorials are wrong about India. The situation for women in India and the United States are not equivalent — and neither is equivalent with, say, Congo.
And it’s perfectly valid for outsiders to critique the cultural and legal structures that support Indian misogyny.
In fact, a little observational distance can be very useful. That’s why we North Americans should also try to take a step back now and then when we look at our own culture.
Many of our cultural touchstones, in the West, are still based on an understanding of romantic relationships that makes no distinction between feminine coyness and feminine refusal. Ever listen to the creepy lyrics of Baby It’s Cold Outside? The woman: “Say what’s in this drink?”, “The answer is no,” “At least I’m going to say that I tried.” The man: “No cabs to be had out there,” “How can you do this thing to me?” “What’s the sense of hurting my pride?”
If this were a Bollywood song, how would it strike us?
Read the whole thing if you can. It's very good.
It's crucial to support Indian survivors, advocates, and allies in the struggle to change the way rape and sexual violence are addressed in India. It is NOT supportive of their efforts to claim that "Western" (or "English speaking"--sorry, Quebec!) countries are in a position of superiority regarding rape.
It's deeply colonialist to assume one's own culture is superior merely because one is insulated by privilege from its toxicity, and inured by socialization to its misogyny. Kavita Krishnan and other activists have already pointed out how poorly the remnants of colonialism serve Indian survivors. Let us hear no more about the superiority of English-speaking countries. Colonialist arrogance is not the answer. Listening is.
Around the world, survivors have been telling their stories, testifying about their experiences with rape culture in their own societies. When we listen to them, we hear horrifying similarities, as well as nation- and culture- specific differences. Survivors are talking: in print, online, and in person. That Doug Saunders and his fellow rape culture defenders refuse to listen doesn't mean the problems are imaginary. It does mean that continued willful ignorance is all the more contemptible.
Sandusky Appeals
[Content Note: Sexual violence.]
Former Penn State football prince Jerry Sandusky, who was sentenced in October "to not less than 30 years and no more than 60 years in prison with credit for time served" for the sexual abuse of 10 boys, is appealing his conviction.
Sandusky's lawyers argue that there was insufficient evidence to convict him, and that the court didn't allow them enough time to prepare for trial, after the prosecution flooded them with documentation.As you may recall, Amendola is the comedian who called the trial a soap opera, and, when asked which one, replied, "All My children." What a neat guy he is.
They also maintain that certain counts were too broad and general and should therefore have been dismissed. The lack of specifics further prevented Sandusky from preparing an adequate defense, they have said.
...This first attempt to overturn the conviction based on ineffective counsel, a common appeals tactic, will be tough, his lawyers have said, but if the court rejects it, they can launch new appeals based on different aspects of the law.
"If you win on one of the appeal issues, everything probably falls," defense attorney Joe Amendola has said. "All we have to do is convince an appellate court that one of the issues we will raise is worthy of a reversal."
Everyone, even and especially those charged with heinous crimes, deserve a vigorous defense. But Jerry Sandusky was not railroaded. He was defended in court by expert defense attorneys, and he had plenty of unofficial defenders in the public square. His victims testified, and submitted themselves to defense questioning. He faced up to 400 years in prison, and got a gift of a sentence.
It's time to leave it alone.
But Sandusky won't leave it alone. He has never been concerned about his victims' safety or peace, and he isn't about to start now.
Random Nerd Nostalgia: Superman Says Let's Rap! Dig?
[Image description: Superman stands at the top of the page with a speech balloon saying "Let's rap! Here's a chance to tell us what you think about our comics! Tell us about yourself and we can put out the comics you want!" The Flash says "Answer all the questions so we know who you are and what you think is groovy. Just because you helped us out and we love you for it, we're giving away big gifts prizes including a portable color tv set!" Superman says, 'We;re drawing the name son September 30, 1970.Dig! 150 different winners!" The text continues "Hang in there... here come the questions...!" A short survey follows, asking things like where you bought the comic, if mom and dad bought the comic or you did, what you do with your free time, what you eat for breakfast (?) and other marketing questions such as "Q5 How interested are you in reading about...Pollution? Black People? Space Flights? National Problems? City problems? Sports? (which one) Hobbies? Romance? Astrology?" and "Q6 What is your favorite kind of comic mag? (check one) Superhero type? Romance type? War type? Mystery type? Humor type?" and "Q9 "What kind of records do you like most? Check only two. Rock? Country music? Bubble gum music? Folk? Soul?"]
Scanned from Wonder Woman # 190 October 1970.
