Misogyny and Sexism in the News

[Soon]

Vatican: Ordination Of Women A 'Grave Crime'


/snip

One new element included lists the attempted ordination of women as a "grave crime" subject to the same set of procedures and punishments meted out for sex abuse.

That drew immediate criticism from women's ordination groups, who said making a moral equivalent between women priests and child rapists was offensive.

[Soon]

Canada Bans Pam's PETA Ad

Officials claim it's sexist


(NEWSER) – Pamela Anderson managed to get her PETA ad banned in Canada without even going naked. She was in Montreal to unveil the pro-vegetarian ad, in which she wears a bikini while marked up like a piece of meat, but officials denied the event a permit because, they say, the ad is sexist. One official attempts to explain: “It is not so much controversial, as it goes against all principles public organizations are fighting for in the everlasting battle of equality between men and women.”

Read more: http://www.newser.com/story/95729/ca...#ixzz0u3BcM2m4

[Stearns]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

Vatican: Ordination Of Women A 'Grave Crime'


/snip

One new element included lists the attempted ordination of women as a "grave crime" subject to the same set of procedures and punishments meted out for sex abuse.

That drew immediate criticism from women's ordination groups, who said making a moral equivalent between women priests and child rapists was offensive.

I suppose they'll just get transferred, then, as that's how they "punish" priests who sexually abuse kids. Transfer 'em.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

Vatican: Ordination Of Women A 'Grave Crime'


/snip

One new element included lists the attempted ordination of women as a "grave crime" subject to the same set of procedures and punishments meted out for sex abuse.

That drew immediate criticism from women's ordination groups, who said making a moral equivalent between women priests and child rapists was offensive.

Yeppers, offensive! Straight from centuries of patriarchy in the Catholic Church. Sometimes, it is really hard for me as an ex-Catholic to see this stuff. There were some good things in my life as such, but, this is so ugly!! There are times that I will go to a Mass, usually something like an outdoor service at the grotto in Portland or Yosemite, maybe at a Newman Center parish. There are still rituals that can give me some peace (if I leave the garbage behind). But, then I see things like this and all of the child sexual abuse cases and priests just being transferred along with women not being able to be ordained priests, and I go bonkers. Just bonkers!! It is hard to be someone that seeks spiritual grace in a world like this!! No matter what one does to find some kind of sane spiritual path!!

[The_Lady_Snow]

Policing Female Masculinity: Much Ado About Rachel Maddow’s Yearbook Photo!



http://www.autostraddle.com/policing...-gender-52441/

[Soon]

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

Policing Female Masculinity: Much Ado About Rachel Maddow’s Yearbook Photo!



http://www.autostraddle.com/policing...-gender-52441/

That was a great article that covered so much of how EVEN TODAY (or moreso today?) women's gender/presentation is policed.

thank you for sharing it (even though i'm steamed!)

[BullDog]

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

Policing Female Masculinity: Much Ado About Rachel Maddow’s Yearbook Photo!



http://www.autostraddle.com/policing...-gender-52441/

Yes, this is a great article. Young, blonde and thin and you are "tappable." Masculine female- no. Hah, that's one of my favorite butch advantages- that I don't get a lot of unwelcome attention from males. Other lesbian/queer females do not always have that same luxury.

We see here the same type of catty comments as with Cynthia Nixon's partner.

The article does a great job discussing how female appearance and sexuality is policed via heteronormative standards and the deep anxiety over female masculinity in our culture.

In the words of Rachel Maddow:

“I’m not Anchorbabe, and I’m never going to be. My goal is to do the physical appearance stuff in such a way that it is not comment-worthy.”

Sorry world, we are not your babes.

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by BullDog

Yes, this is a great article. Young, blonde and thin and you are "tappable." Masculine female- no. Hah, that's one of my favorite butch advantages- that I don't get a lot of unwelcome attention from males. Other lesbian/queer females do not always have that same luxury.

We see here the same type of catty comments as with Cynthia Nixon's partner.

The article does a great job discussing how female appearance and sexuality is policed via heteronormative standards and the deep anxiety over female masculinity in our culture.

In the words of Rachel Maddow:

“I’m not Anchorbabe, and I’m never going to be. My goal is to do the physical appearance stuff in such a way that it is not comment-worthy.”

Sorry world, we are not your babes.

Thanks, Bully! Rachael RAWKS!

Did you catch her in a veil in Afghanistan for her special? Quite a nice swagger goin' on below that darn veil in her chinos! Loved it. Also was glad she respected customs- that had to be hard for her to dawn!!! I cracked up because it reminded me so of myself back when in prom gowns, etc. I always looked like I was in drag!

I really appreciate Maddow's presentation of female masculinity. It has to be hard at times with her show and bosses, etc. even with enlightenment- it is national TV media. Another time while watching her show, she got up and walked over to some prop. I also cracked-up then as below the usual kind of gender neutral tops, (probably discussed length prior to her show being aired), she wears, she had on her jeans and boots! Almost seemed like she had an extra twinkle in her eyes as she walked over.. and yup, the swagger!

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by HowSoonIsNow

Canada Bans Pam's PETA Ad

Officials claim it's sexist

Ugh, that picture really bothered me.

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

Policing Female Masculinity: Much Ado About Rachel Maddow’s Yearbook Photo!



http://www.autostraddle.com/policing...-gender-52441/

More of the same societal illness that loves Ellen (cuz she seems friendly and not confrontational and is appropriately emotional (uses tears!) at the appropriate moments and is pretty) and hates Rosie (cuz she's loud and opinionated and fat).

[Heart]

Thanks for posting this betenoire:
http://www.autostraddle.com/policing...-gender-52441/

It's not just butches/masculine women/ or queers though -- it's all women who claim power. Think of the reactions to Hillary Clinton. There is always an effort to reduce powerful women to patriarchal standards of desirability.

[Nat]

This isn't in the news...



but I had to watch it before I was allowed to watch a youtube video.

Nice, Allstate. Why is this acceptable? Why isn't it on the news?

[Nat]

This came out over a month ago, but I don't think it's been posted.

The Daily Show's Woman Problem

The Daily Show is many things: progressive darling, alleged news source for America's youth, righteous media critique. And it's also a boys' club where women's contributions are often ignored and dismissed.

[SuperFemme]

Linda Hogan to Marry Boytoy Lover

Linda Hogan: The Hulkster's Ex to Marry 21-Year-Old

Linda Hogan: The Ultimate Cougar?

Linda Hogan is a cougar

Linda Hogan's Fiance is How Old?!? - ABC News

eta: these are headlines from today that I snipped.

[SuperFemme]

it has been pointed out to me that yes, dating and then marrying your childs classmate may be gross.

my point was that the big deal is never made about age difference when the gender is flipped.

[Mister Bent]

Originally Posted by Nat

This isn't in the news...



but I had to watch it before I was allowed to watch a youtube video.

Nice, Allstate. Why is this acceptable? Why isn't it on the news?

What.

While the point is effectively made with regard to new/teen drivers, it would have had the same impact had it simply said, "I'm a typical teenager."

[Nat]

Ariz. Illegal Immigration Law Judge Threatened

Authorities say a federal judge in Phoenix has been getting some threats since her ruling on Arizona's controversial immigration law.

David Gonzales, the U.S. Marshal for Arizona, says U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton has received thousands of phone calls and e-mails since her preliminary injunction Wednesday that put key provisions of the state's immigration law on hold.

Gonzales says some of the messages sent to Bolton are positive, but others are "from people venting and who have expressed their displeasure in a perverted way."

Gonzales says his agents are taking some of the threats to Bolton seriously. He refused to discuss any extra security measures, which U.S. marshals routinely provide federal judges.

[Soon]

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture


eta: you can make a donation to victims like Aisha and others through this site:

http://www.grossmanburnfoundation.org/aisha.htm

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by Nat

Ariz. Illegal Immigration Law Judge Threatened

Authorities say a federal judge in Phoenix has been getting some threats since her ruling on Arizona's controversial immigration law.

David Gonzales, the U.S. Marshal for Arizona, says U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton has received thousands of phone calls and e-mails since her preliminary injunction Wednesday that put key provisions of the state's immigration law on hold.

Gonzales says some of the messages sent to Bolton are positive, but others are "from people venting and who have expressed their displeasure in a perverted way."


Gonzales says his agents are taking some of the threats to Bolton seriously. He refused to discuss any extra security measures, which U.S. marshals routinely provide federal judges.

This makes me sick! She followed points of law as she should have. This law was destined to be considered by the federal Supreme Court at its inception.

[Soon]

Cutting off your vagina to spite your Face(book)

By David J. Ley , Ph.D.
Created Jul 31 2010 - 10:13am


Many cultures have celebrated the vagina. Many more have feared it.

In the past week, Facebook deleted a number of pages from their website, ostensibly due to their concerns about the sexual nature of the material. Interestingly, the organization appears to have primarily targeted the pages of several women and female sexuality organizations with Facebook pages. It may be that there were male-run pages deleted that I haven't heard about, but at this point, I'm only aware of sites that were focused on the lovely vagina, and that celebrated female sexual empowerment.

My dear friends at Self Serve, a women-owned and run sexuality resources center (toys, books, videos, educational materials and gear, all in a wonderful positive, safe and welcoming environment) had their Facebook page taken down because of a video they posted about the "fad" of labiaplasty. Labiaplasty is a cosmetic surgery, where women have their genitals surgically altered to be "more attractive," and fit the ideal image of a vagina (whatever that is). Matie, Molly and Alee walk the viewer through the physical risks and dangers of this surgery, and educate them about the diversity of the female genitalia. The video contains images of the female vulva, from Betty Dodson's work, when she began educating women years ago, about how to love themselves and their bodies. The video has a heartfelt message, urging women to love their bodies as they are, and not to give in to mutilation to fit an unrealistic, and uncommon ideal based upon porn. Check out their video and website, and support them in their defense of female sexuality.

Violet Blue is a sexuality activist, writer, and educator, whose Facebook page dedicated to women who celebrate and enjoy sexuality and pornography, was also deleted. Blue had over three thousand Facebook members supporting her page, and had worked hard to comply with Facebook's rules. She was given no advance notice and no explanation of why her page was deleted. Blue wrote a letter to Facebook, as yet unanswered.

So what's going on here? In the past few months, Facebook has attacked and deleted pages with breasts, breastfeeding, naked female dolls, and now Ms. Blue's page and the Self Serve video that tries to educate women to love themselves and their vulvas. Does Facebook have a problem with female sexuality?

In the past, men feared the “vagina dentate,” an almost universal myth that suggested that women's vaginas were not only dangerous, but actually contained teeth that could bite off the penis of any man so foolish as to insert it in the woman's body. A very rare congenital abnormality can in fact create tumorous cysts near the opening of a female’s vagina, which could resemble teeth, but the global prevalence of this mythical symbol is believed to have much more to do with a general fear of female sexuality.

In the folklore, men combated these toothed vaginas, much as knights fought monsters. In a Jicarilla legend from New Mexico, the boy hero fed sour berries to the women's hungry vaginas, which ended up destroying their teeth (remember good dental hygiene!), while in a legend from India, the boy hero used an iron tube like an indestructible dildo, to knock out the teeth that lurked in the vagina of a demon female. In her marvelous book, The Story of V, Catherine Blackledge recounts similar stories in a history of the vagina. She describes that all of these tales carry similar meaning: “pulling vaginal teeth is a metaphor for how some men would like to make women meek and biddable, remolded in a shape defined by them. In these stories, instead of shaming her into submission, physical means are used to tame her sexuality.”

Is Facebook hurting itself with these actions and hurting women? Will women start leaving this site, and heading to social networking sites that are more accepting of female sexuality? I've heard from many Insatiable Wives, who have left Facebook, for sites where they can freely celebrate their sexuality. Who's next? And where does it stop? If Facebook was a client, sitting on my couch, I think I'd be asking "How was your relationship with your mother?" and "Do you think you stopped breastfeeding too early?"

[Soon]

...there IS still an active FB group entitled:

It isn't r.a.p.e...It's SURPRISE sex.