This blogaround brought to you by potato soup.
Recommended Reading:
Angry Asian Man: Chloe Kim Is the X Games' Youngest Gold Medalist Ever
Ragen: [Content Note: Fat hatred] What to Do with Doctors Gone Wild
BYP: [CN: Racism; eliminationism; violent imagery] North Miami Police Will No Longer Use Black Men's Mug Shots as Target Practice
John: [CN: Transmisogyny] Saks Fifth Avenue Is No Longer Claiming It Has a Right to Discriminate against Transgender Workers
Jamilah: Watch Queer and Trans Activists of Color Shut Down San Francisco's Historic Castro
Prison Culture: Chicago #TrainTakeOver for #BlackLivesMatter
Andrea: Dan Patrick Turns Texas Redder Than Ever on First Day in Office
And finally! Happy fifth blogiversary to Dr. Adrienne at Native Appropriations!
Leave your links and recommendations in comments...
The Monday Blogaround
Ink
We've previously had super fun threads (the most recent) in which we share images of our tattoos and discuss the process of choosing art and what it's like to get tattooed, etc., so here's another one! Share your ink, talk about your tattoos, ask questions of inked folks if you're considering getting a tattoo, whatever you like!
On my day of briefly visiting the world again, my oft-mentioned friend Ari and I finally got matching tattoos we've been talking about getting for ages.
I did the basic design of the sassy cat in cats eye glasses holding the tin can and string phone, and Lui (who's done half of my previous tattoos and a shoulder piece for Ari) perfected my drawing. Ari and I then picked the two colors we wanted—she picked papaya pink, and I picked a dark teal—and then we each got a cat with those two colors: Hers pink with teal stripes, and mine teal with pink stripes.
Once the stencils had been applied, Jake (who's done the other half of my previous tattoos) then hand-drew the string onto each of our arms so that they would match perfectly when we put them together.
Lui did Ari's tattoo while Jake did mine. It was such a fun afternoon, because we are all very silly, and also because it was special to have two dudes who are great friends themselves do our friendship tattoos.
It took awhile for us to decide on what we wanted—not for lack of ideas or lack of agreement, but because we both liked so many ideas!—but once I suggested the idea of the cats on the tin can and string phones, we knew that was the one. Because, of course, we can always, always, call on each other for anything, but also because we literally have matching cats lol.
Her Penny and my Olivia look like twins, by sheer coincidence, since Penny was found abandoned at a truck stop and Olivia fell off a vehicle in front of Iain and me on the highway. Even more coincidentally, our friend Ant, who introduced us in high school, has a cat who looks like their triplet!
Anyway. Got any new ink lately? Planning on getting some soon? Got questions for veteran tattoo sporters? Have at it in comments!
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
A small drone crashed on the White House property this morning whut whut whut: "A small drone flying at low altitude crashed into the White House complex before dawn Monday, the Secret Service said. President Barack Obama was not at home and the White House said it did not pose a security threat. The crash prompted an immediate lockdown of the White House grounds until officials could examine the drone. The Secret Service said the 2-foot-long device was a quadcopter—a small, unmanned aircraft that is lifted by four propellers. 'An investigation is underway to determine the origin of this commercially available device, motive, and to identify suspects,' said Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary." GOOD GRIEF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH WHITE HOUSE SECURITY?!
[Content Note: Terrorism; violence] Boko Haram unleashed a serious assault on the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri over the weekend: "Officials here called it the group's most audacious assault on the city to date. ...The attack on this city of more than two million people, a commercial and administrative hub, began late Saturday when the militants from the Islamist insurgency rushed in from at least two directions. Loud explosions could be heard in the center of the city, as well as small-arms fire and artillery in its suburbs. The attack was a significant thrust forward in a creeping campaign that began last summer to encircle Maiduguri, officials said. 'Certainly this is the most serious attack yet,' said Kashim Shettima, the governor of Borno State, of which Maiduguri is the capital. 'We faced a really existential threat.'" The Boko Haram fighters were eventually pushed back, but dozens of soldiers defending the city were killed in the battle. Fucking hell.
Something about gold prices after the Greek elections, which ushered in an anti-austerity coaltion.
In good news: US District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade has ruled Alabama's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional: "According to Granade's ruling, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange failed to explain how allowing or recognizing same-sex marriage between two consenting adults prevents heterosexual parents from caring for their biological children. 'If anything, Alabama's prohibition of same-sex marriage detracts from its goal of promoting optimal environments for children,' the ruling states. 'Those children currently being raised by same-sex parents in Alabama are just as worthy of protection and recognition by the State as are the children being raised by opposite-sex parents.'" BOOM. Congratulations, Alabama!
In more good news: Monica Jones' conviction for "walking while trans" has been overturned. Yay!
In even more good news: Viola Davis and Uzo Aduba made Screen Actors Guild Awards history last night, as Davis won outstanding lead actress in a drama for How to Get Away with Murder and Aduba won outstanding lead actress in a comedy for Orange Is the New Black. It's the first time ever that both winning lead actresses were black. Congratulations to both of them!
Also: Viola Davis' acceptance speech was awesome, because OF COURSE IT WAS!
[CN: White supremacy] This piece by Amy Davidson on "Why Selma Is More Than Fair to L.B.J." is so, so good. You should definitely read it!
[CN: Misogynist terrorism] What the absolute fuck: Five Wikipedia editors have been banned from "making corrections to articles about feminism" by Wikipedia's "arbitration committee, the highest user-run body on the site," because they were actively preventing the Wiki "GamerGate" entry from becoming a cesspool of lies about "ethics in game journalism." Goddammit.
These images of fat and in-betweenie women nailing yoga poses are amazing. The next time you hear someone saying fat bodies are ugly, or incapable, or weak, just send them this link with all the mirthless laughter in the multiverse.
OMGOMOMG: Two rescued baby eagle-owls trying to figure out how to play with tennis balls. Squeeeeee they are sooooo cute!!!
That Is One Crowded Clown Car
I bet we're all kicking ourselves that we weren't in Iowa for Rep. Steve King's inaugural Iowa Freedom Fest, at which a parade of Republican presidential hopefuls showed up to give beautiful speeches this weekend. We missed a big opportunity to sit through the rhetorical genius of: Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, Donald Trump, and Scott Walker—ALL TEN IN ONE PLACE! What were we even thinking, missing this terrific event?!
I mean, Sarah Palin made fun of Hillary Clinton's pantsuits! That's GOLD, baby! And Carly Fiorina got her biggest applause line for saying Hillary Clinton has never accomplished anything! "Like Hillary Clinton, I too have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles around the globe. But unlike her, I have actually accomplished something." HAHAHA OH SNAP! If there's one thing for which Clinton is known, it's doing nothing. Unlike Carly Fiorina, who's done LOTS of things. Like that time she ran a company into the ground and cost thousands of people their jobs and then left with a $42 million golden parachute. BEST ACCOMPLISHMENT!
It's cool how the ladies went after Hillary Clinton, while the guys went after absentee frontrunners from their own team, Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney.
The audience made it clear how they felt about Bush when New Hampshire state Rep. William O'Brien asked them why they would vote for a guy who backs Common Core and has an overly familiar last name. "Are we going to do that again?" O'Brien asked.Good grief.
The audience responded with a loud: "Noooooo!"
And Trump, a Manhattan-based real estate developer and reality TV star, lobbed radioactive bombs at both Bush and Romney, the 2012 GOP nominee. "Mitt ran and failed. He failed. So you can't have Romney," he said, as the audience cheered robustly.
Bush and Romney weren't the only Republican hopefuls who didn't make it to Freedom Fest. Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Bobby Jindal were also not in attendance, presumably because they were having ribs removed so they can fit in the clown car.
What a field of terrific candidates! A real embarrassment
Winter Storms Cold Flu Ugh Ugh Ugh
[Content Note: Extreme weather; illness. Video may autoplay at links.]
A "potentially historic" winter storm is headed for the East Coast of the United States, with blizzard conditions and more than two feet of snow forecast in seven states. If the storm is only half as bad as predicted, it's still going to be a rough one.
Here's hoping that warming centers get up and running in every place they are needed, and that no one who has heat loses it during or following the storm.
In other news, I'm hearing about more and more people suffering with the same ZOMBIE FLU that I've got. Just sick, sick, and more sick, for weeks at a time. This seems to be a particularly awful flu season.
I thought that maybe getting out of the house would help, at least by raising my spirits, so I had a bit of a fun day on Saturday, only to then sleep for 18 straight hours when I got home. Whoooooops so much for that idea!
How's winter going for you? Are you sick? In the storm path? Prepping for the worst and hoping for the best? Discuss.
Open Thread
Hosted by yuzu.
This week's Open Threads have been brought to you by citrus fruits.
(Sorry I forgot to post an OT yesterday! I'm such a dingaling!)
The Virtual Pub Is Open
[Explanations: lol your fat. pathetic anger bread. hey your gay.]
TFIF, Shakers!
Belly up to the bar,
and name your poison!
I have to wrap up early this afternoon, because I've got to go back to the doctor. I was starting to feel better, and then whatever this garbage nightmare flu is came back with a vengeance, and now I feel worse than ever. Because I've got an autoimmune disorder, the doctor wants to see me back in the office to figure out what's next.
Hope everyone has a great weekend, and I'll see you Monday.
Daily Dose of Cute
"You're cutting the dog out, right? You're not including the dog in my photo, are you?"
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.
In the News
Here is some stuff in the news today...
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died at age 90. His successor is his brother, Salman, who has already been crowned king. King Salman is expected to maintain King Abdullah's oil policy, which means that the US wil continue its "la la la we don't see any human rights abuses" policy.
[Content Note: Trans hatred; violence; death] RIP Lamia Beard, a black trans woman of 30, who was shot and killed January 17 in Norfolk, Virginia. There have been no arrests in her murder. Following the predictable story, local media misgendered and victim-blamed her. My condolences to her family and friends, and to everyone in the trans community who mourns another sister.
[CN: Misogyny; war on agency; sexual assault] The Republican Party continues to be a hot misogynist anti-choice mess.
[CN: Misogyny; war on agency; sexual assault] But they're still not the hotter even more misogynist anti-choicier mess that the "pro-life" movement would like them to be!
[CN: White supremacy; anti-blackness; discussion of racism, misogyny, and violence] Robert Jones, Jr. pens a stunningly moving open letter to Ava DuVernay, the director of Selma.
[CN: Harassment; abuse] So actress Jessica Chastain gave a speech at the Critics Choice Awards last week on the importance of diversity in the film industry, and now, after saying that artists must "stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic, and racist agendas," she's getting all kinds of pushback from people with those agendas: "I've had really terrible people who are racists comment on the speech and say really terrible things. I'm understanding that some people in this world, how much hate they can have." Prove her point more, assholes.
Neat! "Fish Found in Extreme Spot Beneath Antarctic Ice Shelf."
This video of whales and dolphins playing together is a couple of years old, but I only just saw it for the first time (thanks to Shaker aforalpha for passing it along). I was struck both by how little we really know about animals and play and interspecies play, and by how completely ginormous whales really are, when you see how tiny dolphins look beside them!
And finally! Reggie the Cat is the most patient puppy-sitter in the entire world. ♥
I Write Letters
[Content Note: Sexual violence; rape culture.]
Dear Dudes:
By now, surely you've heard that superstar Bill Cosby has been accused of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault by around 35 women. And maybe you've also read the number of defense of Cosby which have been offered by his family, friends, and colleagues, the latest of whom to weigh in was Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who played his son on The Cosby Show for many years:
"I can't really speak on any of the allegations because obviously, I was not there. The Bill Cosby I know has been great to me and great for a lot of people," he said.Dudes, we need to talk about this, because this response is a textbook example of What Not to Do, even though dudes do it all the time.
"What he's done for comedy and television has been legendary and history-making. What he's done for the black community and education has been invaluable. That's the Bill Cosby I know. I can't speak on the other stuff."
If you really care about sexual assault, and victims of sexual assault:
1. Don't pretend like you're not "speaking on the allegations" when you are defending the accused. This is a real tricksy bit of bullshit that I see men doing all the time: "I can't really say, but Bill is a great guy who has accomplished a lot!" You are really saying. You are taking a position. There is no neutral in rape culture. Being silent is not neutral, and talking about what a great guy an accused rapist is sure as shit isn't neutral, either.
2. Don't give life to the garbage lie that "nice guys" aren't rapists.
3. Don't offer as implicit evidence of innocence that an accused rapist was always great to you. Who fucking cares. If a man who has been accused by 35 women (or one woman) of sexual assault was always great to you, that should chill you to the bone, not serve as some sort of defense of his character. It's not evidence of his innocence; it's evidence of misogyny and deceit.
4. Don't think you can have it both ways. Either you believe women, or you want to defend your pal or your hero. And if you want to defend your pal or your hero, then you go right ahead and make that choice—but do us all the favor of not obliging us to act like you're not making that choice. If you want to defend an accused rapist, then own it. And stop trying to make it look like something else with mealy lies about not being able to "speak on the allegations."
If that feels uncomfortable to you, well, no one ever said being on the side of a rapist should feel good. But if that's the team you pick, you don't get to pretend like you're on mine.
Sincerely,
Liss
Breaking Clown Car Nooz
[Note: Video may autoplay at link.]
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Eallythirsty) is throwing his hat into the clown car:
Sen. Marco Rubio has begun taking concrete steps toward launching a presidential bid, asking his top advisors to prepare for a campaign, signing on a leading Republican fundraiser, and planning extensive travel to early-voting states in the coming weeks, ABC News has learned.Blah blah he's got a fundraising powerhouse in place, he's skipping Senate votes to go beg for money, and he "has also scheduled a book tour that will take him to all the early primary states." Yep, sounds like he's running for President!
"He has told us to proceed as if he is running for president," a senior Rubio advisor tells ABC News.
No word yet on who his burgeoning campaign has hired to be in charge of water bottle placement.
[During the SOTU rebuttal, a dry-mouthed Sen. Rubio awkwardly reaches offscreen for water.]
Good luck with all your presidential ambitions and your hydration, Senator!
Question of the Day
Suggested by Shaker themiddlevoice: "What kind of alternate world would you create if you had the chance?"
Finish This Sentence
Nothing makes me feel older than...
...when I see an internet acronym that everyone else understands and I have to Google it. LOL.
Well, the Headline Pretty Much Says It All
[Content Note: Climate change.]
"New Senate Environment Chair Gets His Gavel, Goes on Rant Arguing Climate Science Is a Hoax."
Welcome to your new Republican-controlled Senate. Sob.
Statement by the President on the 42nd Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
[Content Note: War on agency. NB: Not only women need access to abortion.]
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2015
Forty-two years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Roe v. Wade, a decision that protects a woman's freedom to make her own choices about her body and her health, and reaffirms a fundamental American value: that government should not intrude in our most private and personal family matters.
I am deeply committed to protecting this core constitutional right, and I believe that efforts like H.R. 7, the bill the House considered today, would intrude on women's reproductive freedom and access to health care and unnecessarily restrict the private insurance choices that consumers have today. The federal government should not be injecting itself into decisions best made between women, their families, and their doctors. I am also deeply committed to continuing our work to reduce unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, promote adoptions, and minimize the need for abortion.
Today, as we reflect on this critical moment in our history, may we all rededicate ourselves to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons.
Welp.
I know, I know—I'm the most ungrateful ingrate in all of Ungratefulville if I don't love this statement and thank our President for being such a stellar feminist ally.
But here's the thing: While I am indeed very appreciative that our President affirms abortion as a constitutional right and has promised to veto [pdf] HR 7, I do not appreciate that, on a day marking the passage of Roe v. Wade, the President's statement includes tired language that implies abortion decisions should be made in consultation with anyone other than the abortion-seeker.
Of course many abortion-seeking people make abortion decisions with the input of partners, friends, doctors. But many abortion-seeking people don't, for a whole host of reasons (like the pregnancy being the result of rape, or not having access to a regular doctor).
There's nothing wrong—and, frankly, there is everything right—with saying "The federal government should not be injecting itself into decisions best made my women." Full-stop.
(Or, even better, now that the President has acknowledged that trans people exist: "Best made by pregnant people.")
I am also deeply unthrilled with this: "I am also deeply committed to continuing our work to reduce unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, promote adoptions, and minimize the need for abortion."
The continual emphasis, even by pro-choice legislators and leaders, on "minimizing the need for abortion" as a worthy objective contributes to the stigma of abortion.
Because if all you mean is that you will continue to support access to contraception, access to healthcare, childcare services, and livable wages, then say that. Don't say "minimize the need for abortion," as if the existence of abortion itself is a problem.
Whatever number of people need abortions, that's the need for abortion. And what matters is whether the people who need abortion have access to it.
Finally: "May we all rededicate ourselves to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons." How about instead let's all rededicate ourselves to ensuring that women have the rights, freedoms, and opportunities they deserve as human beings. No "daughters" and no comparison to men necessary.
This language matters. The language that speaks about women as autonomous, rights-bearing human beings empowered to make their own decisions without shame or judgment matters. On every day. And especially this day.
Daily Dose of Cute
"Pet me."
As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to share pix of the fuzzy, feathered, or scaled members of your family in comments.
