Women are used as pieces ofmeat

Women are used as pieces of MEAT

Hello again, loyal followers. This week I just want to take a chill pill from writing a book-length blog post (LOL). How about watching this amazing documentary created by feminist educator Jean Kilbourne called “Killing us Softly” that critiques the way women are shown in ads and TV shows.  Sounds awesome, right?   I guarantee you will enjoy this documentary, and if you don’t, hey, what’s 10 minutes of your life, right?

I first watched this documentary during a workshop I attended at Sadie Nash ( if you don’t know what that is, look at my earlier blogpost # 14). Okay, so here it is, a segment from “Killing us Softly,” entitled “Women are Used as Pieces of Meat.” Stay tuned for the next part I will be posting. Have a super awesome sparkly day. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVmcmePRqSk

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No women Priests

No women Priests

As you know Pope Benedict is retiring and the Catholic Church is looking for a replacement. Obviously they are looking for a man, but why can’t they look for a woman. Why can’t there be women priests? Are we not as smart as men? Just because Christ is a man and he had his 12 disciples which were all men, there were women behind the scenes. For example, the  Last Supper, you can’t tell me a man made such an enormous feast because they didn’t it was women. People need to understand that the most important thing about Jesus is not that he was a man, it is that he was God. The Catholic Church argues that the reason women can't be priests is that Jesus was a man and chose men as his apostles.  Who was Mary Magdalene if not a disciple of Jesus?

Women can do anything that men can, if not better. I don't see the problem; women are highly intelligent, are better at dealing with emotion, and have experience with dealing with feelings and being caring. Anything men can do should be available for women to do as well. Women are great leaders. They take action and make changes and are not afraid to do it.The law states that men and women in the workplace should be treated equally, but the law  allows the Church to be an exception. As the church is a workplace, why should the fact that it is a religious building change the law?

    Religion should be equal for everyone. It is not written in the Bible that all preachers should be men. Everyone has the right to be able to let others know about their religion. God gave all of us the right to tell others about him. Some people say, “Women are still able to become nuns. If Jesus had wanted woman to become priests then surely he would have made Mary the head of the church as she never sinned.” But discriminating based on someone’s gender is simply not right.
Here’s a link to why the Catholic Church feels women can not be priests.
http://catholicism.about.com/od/beliefsteachings/f/Women_Priests.htm

Racism found in beloved disney movie The Princess and the frog

Racism found in Beloved Disney Movie Princess and the Frog?
Media such as television and movies influence the way individuals perceive society and the way they behave. In particular, children have become one of the most targeted groups in marketing, television programming, and movies, depicting what they see in the media. In American society, one of the most known sources of media for children is Disney. Almost all Disney movies depicting princesses are racist but this week we’re going to focus on Disney’s “ The Princess and the Frog.” For many years the controversy concerning racism in Disney movies has been happening. Many argue that Walt Disney himself was without a doubt a racist individual. Therefore the movies he created were filled with racist remarks.
   

Released on December 11, 2009,the movie tells the story of Disney's first black Princess, a poor African-American named Tiana. Her mother works as a dressmaker for her best friend's, a privileged white girls, father. Her friend’s  family host’s  a party one night for Prince Naveen, when a magician turns the Prince into a frog. Prince Naveen convinces Tiana that if she would kiss him, he would turn back into a Prince and he would help her open her own restaurant. Well, after the kiss not only did Prince Naveen not turn back into a Prince, but Tiana was suddenly a frog. The two of them then set out to find a voodoo specialist who could fix everything for them.

The first African American princess in this movie “Tiana” is a little stereotypical to me. First of all she wants to open a restaurant that caters to the famous food of New Orleans, but why couldn’t she want to become a lawyer or doctor?  Just  cause she is black her passion has to be in food. Secondly she has a best friend who is white, but her best friend is nothing like a best friend should be, she bosses tiana around and always talks about herself, that’s not a good friend.  Another problem  that I had with the movie is the fact that the Prince in the movie was white and not black.I felt that since the Princess was black she should have had a black Prince. Lastly, why does the practice of “voodoo” have to be something negative? Vodoo was not something African Americans used to harm people it was more of a spiritual practice for African Americans/ West Indians  to come together.

Hope you enjoyed my post and  another week I will explain how racism can be found in other famous Disney movie, but you won’t find out which one unless you stay posted.. Until next time:).

Sadie Nash

I attended this amazing program during the summer called Sadie Nash Summer Institute and it inspired me and encouraged me to be more BOLDER in stating my opinions.. It was all girls and before you say Oh... like really,all girls? I want you to know those girls became my family after just 6 short weeks. They were motivating, trustworthy and will forever hold a place in my heart, and I miss them so much. I wish we had our own little high school, because if we did I would be excited to attend high school everyday. Those magnificent ladies and mentors unlocked a talent that i never knew i had, which is poetry, and I will forever be grateful to them. Below are summaries of and links to videos created by my fellow Nashers. Leave comments, but remember, only warm and fuzzies , no cold and pricklies  ( learned that from Sadie Nash).

“There are two ways of spreading light ...To be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it.”
~ Edith Wharton ~

Our Forgotten Voices: From History to Herstory
Revealing Womyn's Stories Under A Police State
Growing media attention and activist work have been dedicated to the criminalization of men of color by the justice system and the NYPD’s policy of Stop and Frisk… We acknowledge and validate these experiences but would like to shed light on women’s perspectives because womyn are diversely affected by the culture of policing and surveillance by the NYPD, which has grown increasingly sexist, racist, classist, homophobic, and transphobic through the Stop and Frisk policy and abuse of power. We do not feel safe. Through this film we are calling allies and survivors of all identities to work together to enact change, not only in our cities but our justice system as a whole.
http://www.connecther.org/gitw/galleryview/id/52
Changing Politics: Women's Edition
This film explores the power of women to make change in our political system and the barriers we face to that leadership. I propose a 5-step solution for what girls can do RIGHT NOW to change the face of leadership in their communities
http://www.connecther.org/gitw/galleryview/id/60

What is Feminism?

Feminism is the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men. Intelligent women, do you consider yourselves feminists?Do you want to be seen as equal to men? Yes,of course we all do want to be equal to men in the workplace or in politics, but sometimes we are not.

There are three forms of feminism. The first form of feminism is liberal feminism, where women fight for both men and women to be treated equally both legally and politically. Radical feminists believe their is a sexist hierarchy is to blame for the way women are treated in society.

Social feminists believe women are being held back in the workplace. They believe men devalue women through marriage, prostitution and other things. Their main focus is changing society on the whole and not targeting one gender or institutions.

You didn’t know there were different forms of feminism ? Well, guess what, there are still more. So what kind of feminist are you? Or are you not a feminist? Leave your comments below and we’ll learn more about feminism in another post. I also found this website which talks about different types of feminism, so check it out. http://suite101.com/article/types-of-feminism-a51502

Abortion

Abortion, a topic greatly debated in the world of women and politics. Should it be allowed or not? Is it ethical? Are you really taking a human life? It all started with the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade. A pregnant  woman challenged  a state law  forbidding the artificial termination of a pregnancy, saying that she “ had a fundamental right to privacy.” The court supported a woman’s right to choose, noting that the state’s “important and legitimate interest in protecting the potentiality of a human”, became compelling at the end of the first trimester, but that before then “the attending physician in consultation with his patient’s is free to determine , without regulation by the state, that the patients pregnancy should be terminated.”

I personally agree with the Supreme Court decision, but I have a few stipulations. I only agree with abortion in the first two weeks of pregnancy because a baby’s hear starts beating 22 days after conception.  Abortion is something one wishes to not be shunned for, but some people because of their religion, family, or walking to the abortion clinic and having signs shoved in their face saying your a murderer. Nobody wants to go through that and we have no right to judge. But who has abortions? Fifty percent of U.S. women obtaining abortion are younger than: twenty-five. Women aged 20-24 obtain 33% of all abortions, and teenagers obtain 17%.Thirty seven percent of abortions occur with black women, 34% with non-Hispanic white women, 22% to Hispanic women and 8% to women of other races, according to Womens Center.com. One third of all pregnancies worldwide are unplanned,One woman dies every 7 minutes around the world due to an unsafe illegal abortion.

Women who undergo illegal abortions are those who are very poor, and do not have access to family planning facilities for education and prevention of unwanted pregnancies. Fifty-four percent  of women having abortions had used a contraceptive method (usually the condom or the pill) during the month they became pregnant. Among those women, 76% of pill users and 49% of condom users report having used their method inconsistently, while 13% of pill users and 14% of condom users report correct use. There is no contraceptive method that can prevent pregnancy 100% of the time also according to Womens Center.com. Abortion is a very difficult topic to discuss without being judgmental. You also have to look at the person’s reason for getting an abortion and not if you feel that it’s right. Leave your comments on abortion below.

Im Stressed

 

 

This week I feel so depressed and ambushed with deadlines galore. I’m happy and sad one second and the next I’m angry and volatile. I wake up, get ready for school, walk to the train station, take the train for 50 minutes, walk up the stairs at school, sit in class for 45 minutes for nine periods in a row, walk up the stairs to get to these classes. Then, I take the train home for another 50 minutes, get home, do homework, study.  Squeezing all of these things into one day is just stressful and annoying. I’m not going to just write from a perspective that this only happens to me, it doesn’t,  but all this in one day is just ridiculous. I swear I’m bipolar or something but I just needed an outlet to write down  my grievances and  say thanks to my amazing followers for       listening to me  Leave your own grievances  in the comment section;I know I’m not the only one who needs to vent once in awhile. Below is a  poem that reflects my bipolar mood.

Stress

By- Jody Mark

Stress is eating at me every minute and second of the day, how do I cope with the horrible effects and make it go away?

I feel so tired and run down and I don't sleep, I lie in bed at night and wonder why it runs so deep.

Everyone asks why do you look so sad, do I tell them that my stress is eating me up and that I feel really bad?

Does everyone notice how I walk around in a daze, and that I have deep black bags under my eyes nowadays?

I wake up every morning feeling so hopeless, like nothing ever goes right and wondering why my life has to be such a mess.

Stress is my one worst enemy, it’s taken over my mind and my whole life in every single degree.

White Skin Privilege

White Skin Privilege

Are you racist or simply privileged? Racism, everyone HATES that word. But what is racism? Prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race is what Wikipedia defines as racism. Privilege is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to one person or group of people.

In this blog post I will discuss the many ways in which white people are privileged but can be seen as racist  if you don’t acknowledge your privilege and reach out to make things better. A privilege that can lead to racism is in school seeing and learning that white people made the world what it is today. Now we know that’s not true, but you wouldn’t know what African Americans contributed to American society unless you looked it up yourself or, by word of mouth.  Remember this is my opinion and your opinion is always welcome. Just hit that comment button and you’re all set.

White-skin privilege is something I see almost every day. It’s present when I go to the store, and I never find shampoo for my coarse hair, but see millions of shampoo bottles for straight hair. I also see it when I’m in the train station and I see African -Americans or Hispanics being harassed more than Caucasian people. I remember one day I was with my mother buying food and repairmen who were African- American were fixing a door. A white police officer walked by and asked what they were doing and of course they said fixing the door, and the police officer said, “I thought you guys were breaking in.”

Now tell me, would that have happened if those guys were white? No, I don’t think so. What that police officer did was wrong and, you guessed it, racist.

Okay, so I found this really good explanation on the privileges of white people in this excerpt from White Anti-Racist Activism: A Personal Roadmap by Jennifer R. Holladay, M.S. (Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books, Inc., 2000).

          

White people receive all kinds of perks as a function of their skin privilege. Consider the following:

White Privilege: The Perks

- When I cut my finger and go to my school or office’s first aid kit, the flesh-colored

band-aid generally matches my skin tone. 2

-When I run to the store to buy pantyhose at the last minute, the ‘nude’ color generally appears nude on my legs.

- When I buy hair care products in a grocery store or drugstore, my shampoos and conditioners are in the aisle and section labeled ‘hair care’ and not in a separate  section for ‘ethnic products.’

White Privilege: The Advantages

- My skin color does not work against me in terms of how people perceive my financial responsibility, style of dress, public speaking skills, or job performance.

- People do not assume that I got where I am professionally because of my race (or because of affirmative action programs)

- Store security personnel or law enforcement officers do not harass me, pull me over or follow me because of my race.

White Privilege: The World View

-When I am told about our national heritage or “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.

-Related, the schools that I attend or have attended use standard textbooks, which widely reflect people of my color and their contributions to the world.

- When I look at the national currency or see photographs of monuments on the

National Mall in Washington, D.C., I see people of my race widely represented and celebrated.

These are really interesting, right? So anyway these might be the privileges of white people but does it make them racist? No and yes. NO because you can’t help what you’re born with and YES because if you  have these privileges you should be helpful to people who are less fortunate than you.. Uhh!!!! The world would be so much better if everyone was one color…. Leave comments; this could be a really awesome discussion.

White Skin Privilege

FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)

“Ouch!!! Vagina cut,”! When you’re shaving your vulva and you get a cut, it’s the worst feeling in the world, right? What if I were to tell you that girls ranging from 5-16 are forced to have their vulvas cut?That’s horrible, right? Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is defined by the

World Health Organization (WHO) as "all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia,” according to Wikipedia.

    Just thinking about a knife or a pair of scissors  going anywhere near my vagina gives me chills, but this is an epidemic that we as women have to fight. Some young girls are not as lucky as we are.  FGM is  practiced in 28 countries in western, eastern, and northeastern Africa, in parts of the Middle East, and within some immigrant communities in Europe, North America and Australasia.  FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

    In some cultures FGM is considered a right of passage for girls.  FGM is often considered a necessary part of raising a girl properly and a way to prepare her for adulthood and marriage. FGM is related to cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are “clean” and "beautiful" after removal of body parts that are considered  "unclean.”

Female genital mutilation is classified into four major types according to WHO:

• Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris

• Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (the labia are "the lips" that surround the vagina).
• Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or outer, labia, with or without removal of the clitoris.
• Other: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.

FGM is believed to reduce a woman's desire to have sex.  When  the vaginal opening is cut the fear of the pain of opening it, and the fear that this will be found out, is expected to discourage women from premarital sexual intercose.

FGM has a negative effect on girls’ bodies. It causes infertility, premature births, deaths, and the need for corrective surgeries in the future.  For example, the FGM procedure that seals or narrows a vaginal opening needs to be cut open later for sexual intercourse and childbirth.

         I’m really angry and just upset that this  is happening, but my anger won’t stop this. But you know what will?  Spreading the word: Not everyone might know about FGM but they will if you tell them.  

Until next week, my amazing followers.

I’m stressed and I need some INSPIRATION...

Okay, you’re stressed and you need a little picker -upper. Well ,don’t feel upset, I’m stressed too. I have all of these things due this week and every time I turn around there’s something else due. Well... no one ever said success was easy,right? Is there a way to combat stress? Inspiration is the key. Everyone has something that inspires them, whether it’s a quote or picture, or maybe even a poem. I found some pictures that can inspire you if you have a bad day because they have helped me. And don’t forget when you think of stress remember this:

          

           S- Sophistication 

T- Together

R- Registers

            E- Encouragement

S-Strength

S-Success

 

Plan B being accepted in high schools?

 

Should Plan B be distributed in high schools?

 

 

Do you feel contraception should be given to students without their parents’ consent? Well... you really don’t care because you aren’t having sex right? If you were given the choice to have Plan B distributed in your high school, would you feel angry that adults think you are having sex or would you be happy that there are free ways to prevent you from becoming pregnant? In Jan. 2011, New York City quietly launched a pilot program to dispense free prescription contraceptives, including birth control pills and the morning-after pill, Plan B, to students at more than a dozen public high schools in the city.

 

A program known as Catch was developed to administer the contraception Plan B. Connecting Adolescents to Comprehensive Healthcare is an expansion of an existing program that has runned in about 40 schools. In 2011 catch launched a program in about 13 schools to administer Plan B. Certain schools were chosen because in those neighborhoods that lack nearby clinics or health services.

 

I feel that Plan B should be available for teens without a prescription, but only after they talk to their parent or guidance counselor. To me this would allow them to think about ways to prevent them from needing Plan B again and to not feel alone. “Plan B is currently available without a prescription for teens aged 17 and older. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was prepared to remove the age restriction, which would have brought Plan B from behind the pharmacist’s counter to store shelves and made it available for all teens. But the move was blocked by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who said she thought there was insufficient evidence that the youngest girls fully understood how to use the drug appropriately,” said the FDA.

So is Plan B good or bad? In my opinion I believe it is both good and bad. It is bad because it is available without parents being aware and instead of having sex without using protection, girls should be worried about their education. If a female gets pregnant they have to take care of the baby, thereby missing school. It is good because if a female thinks she is pregnant there is a chance to prevent the sperm from reaching her egg. But the question here is:why have sex at all? What do you gain out of being sexually active besides worry if you missed your female gets pregnant they have to take care of the baby, thereby missing school. It is good because if a female thinks she is pregnant there is a chance to prevent the sperm from reaching her egg. But the question here is:why have sex at all? What do you gain out of being sexually active besides worry? Stay focused on school and have the good kind of worry, like if you passed your Chemistry test. Leave comments and see you next week.

 

 

Why are you being such a B**ch?

 

Have you ever been called a b**ch and just shrugged it off? Or you might have gotten angry? But why does the notion of being a b**ch have to be negative? “Most girls have at least some b**chiness in them. Yeah, that last line caught your attention, didn't it? Come on, there's no denying it − I don't even know you but yet I can probably guarantee there's been a time in your life where you've been jealous of someone, or you've felt the need to get revenge on a girl who did something wrong to you. The question is:what type of b**ch are you? Are you the kind of girl who occasionally stands up for herself? Or are you the kind of girl who is not afraid to let the world know that you are a psycho? Or perhaps you are a perfect little priss who is always nice to people no matter what happens?” I absolutely love this quote that I read on this blog entitled “Crazy Horoscopes.” I totally agree with the idea and description of what a b**ch is.

Okay technically I know a b**ch is a female dog; it’s the number one argument people use when they are upset that someone called them a bi**h. But instead of sticking with the norm of a bitch being a female dog let’s give it our own definition. To me a bi**h is someone who is strong, empowered, funny, sharp (like a dog’s teeth lol), proud, energetic. This list can go on forever if you gave me the chance, but yeah a bi**h does not have to be a female dog or a word that is degrading if you don’t want it to be. For instance say someone asks you for your homework, not what’s the homework, but your homework to copy and you don’t want to give it to them. Because of that they call you a bi**h. To counter that you can say yeah I’m a bitch because I’m strong enough to say no to letting you copy my homework. So how awesome is being a bi**h? Totally awesome if you ask me. Here are some great responses I found in Glamour Magazine that you can use when someone asks you ”Why are you being such a bi**h,...”?

 

The question: "Why are you being such a bitch?"

(Glamour Magazine) by Judith Stone

Possible response #1: "That depends on what you mean by being a bitch. Do you mean, why aren't I doing everything your way without a fuss? Because I disagree with you. Do you mean why am I disagreeing with you?

Possible response #2: "If I fetched your slippers, had your puppies and rolled over and played dead, then I'd be a bitch. What I am now is an enraged woman."

I would love to read what a bi**h means to you (my readers) because we own have different opinions. Hit that comment button, and let your thoughts on this topic set you free. Until next week my amazing followers! Maybe I’ll have a follow up on this top topic with your views on what is a bi**h ;)

Your Short Skirt is NOT an Invitation

What does your skirt say about you? Does it depict your sense of style, or the latest fashion trend, or simply that it’s too hot to wear pants? When you decide to wear a skirt are you worried about being cat called or sexually harassed? Are you upset when people call you out of your name by saying “Yo Ma,” “Psst,” or “Shawty with the face”? What kind of words are these, this just shows how unintelligent men are. “My short skirt is not an invitation, a provocation, an indication, that I want it, or that I hook,” an excerpt from the poem “My short skirt” - by Eve Ensler.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, which can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature.”

            This can include anything from catcalls on a street corner to cyber and in-person bullying in schools to inappropriate sexual advances and even rape. Women are constantly taught that if they wear something provocative or revealing they are “asking for it.” That is so not true. What’s under a woman’s short skirt belongs to her and wearing a short skirt does not mean a woman wants attention, sex, or to be raped. Wearing a short skirt shows how proud you are to be a woman, how happy you are that you have gorgeous legs, and how strong you are to walk out of your house with a short skirt on knowing that you can be looked at inappropriately.

Men must understand that a woman’s body is her own and that a woman has a right to wear what she wants without being disrespected or violently attacked, but sadly women don’t have that security yet. It saddens me to know that women and girls all over the world are still being burned, stoned to death, circumcised, raped, murdered, beaten, battered, sterilized, targeted, hunted, enslaved, forced to marry, silenced, and aborted. Knowing about these atrocities discourages me and makes me feel powerless against the system of patriarchy. Realizing that I am an endangered species is not only depressing but frightening. To know that any day and at any time I or my sister, mother, grandmother, niece, aunt, or best friend may be stalked, raped, and murdered just for being female.

Some men contradict themselves. They talk about how woman wearing short skirts are “sluts” and deserved to be raped, but what does “sagging” your pants say about you. Ok, let me guess it says you’re an overachiever, that you care about education, that sense of style, or maybe it shows that you haven’t washed your underwear in three weeks. So what gives you the right to criticize a woman wearing a short skirt when you are showing your butt crack for the whole world to see? Here are some reasons I found about how showing your underwear is not cute:

1. No one wants to see your dingy underwear- Men have such a big ego that they think that everyone would want to see their underwear. Why do they think they are that special?
2. You make yourself look like a criminal. People that sag their pants are going to suffer from some profiling issues.
3. No one will take you seriously. I have never seen anyone take someone with sagging pants seriously. Especially when it comes to jobs, but even when it comes to relationships.
4. Everyone knows you're just trying to be rebellious. People sag their pants for the simple fact that most other people do not. They want to stand out and feel special somehow
5. It is disrespectful. It is rude to make everyone look at your butt. Besides, sagging pants makes you walk stupid, and that's not a good look either.
6. No woman of value will want you- No woman will take you home to their parents with your pants sagging. You won’t even make it in the door before you get a dirty look from her parents.

             So the biggest lesson to learn here for men is before you judge look at yourself in the mirror. For my phenomenal woman I encourage you to watch or read the Vagina Monologues. This play will make you think about your body, and how to love and enjoy being a woman. I also want you to think about what your skirt means to you. My skirt means happiness and liberation. It does not define me but shows that I am proud to be a woman. “My short skirt is a liberation flag in the women's army. I declare these streets, any streets my vagina's country,” said Eve Ensler.