Normally, I’m not big on low-budget documentaries. But this new video called “Our Hidden Culture” really got me thinking. It argues that we in the United States live in a “rape culture”—where unwanted sexual attention is constantly lavished on women (hello, cat callers), where sexual violence is constantly portrayed in music and on film (that’s you, Eminem), and where women are always expected to be sexual creatures (thanks, Victoria’s Secret). When these behaviors are accepted as the norm, of course we see sexual harassment, verbal abuse, discrimination and, yes, rape. The idea here is that sexual violence is as much of a social problem as a personal one. These little things become so commonplace that we may not even notice them, but it’s these very attitudes that lead to violence. Keep reading »
Tag Archives: feminism
Hillary Clinton May Wear The Pants(uit), But Her Agenda Is All About Women
It’s about time someone started focusing on women’s rights, at home and abroad, and it looks like Hillary Clinton is just the woman for the job. On her 11-day trip to Africa, Hill first gave the smackdown to a guy who oddly asked her what Bill thought of something. Then, according to the Washington Post, she went to oodles of women’s dinners and mentioned women a ton of times in each of her speeches. Clinton is different than other Secretaries of State because she wants to “elevate people who, in their societies, may not even be known by their own leaders.” And she proved that she’s not just talking the talk—in fact, she spent twice as long in a housing project in South Africa as she did with the country’s president. Keep reading »
Today’s Lady News: Feminists Guilty Of Don Draper Lust Yet Again
- Season three of “Mad Men” debuted last night, which means it’s time for yet another round of “I’m A Feminist And I Feel Guilty For Crushing On Don Draper” confessionals. [Newsweek]—Actually, I’m so over Don. ‘Twas easy after he shoved his wife and sexually assaulted Bobbi Barrett. Alas, now I feel guilty for my crush on Pete Campbell.
No Sex For The Husband? No Food For The Wife, Says Afghan Law
A new law in Afghanistan permits men who are Shia Muslims to deny food for their wives if she won’t satisfy his sexual longings. According to the Guardian, the law states:
“Tamkeen is the readiness of the wife to submit to her husband’s reasonable sexual enjoyment, and her prohibition from going out of the house, except in extreme circumstances, without her husband’s permission. If any of the above provisions are not followed by the wife she is considered disobedient.”
New Modeling Agency Goes Out On A Limb
Hello gorgeous! There’s a new group of models strutting their way down the internet catwalk. While most of us tremble at the strict standards for high fashion models, these gals won’t let a missing limb stop them from booking a professional photo shoot. They are bad to the bone!
Amputee World is a site devoted to showing off young and beautiful women who happen to be missing a limb. The money raised by their webzine subscribers goes to giving girls a modeling photo portfolio to launch their career and fitting them with expensive prosthetic limbs. While they have a “no nudity” policy (respect!), dudes have been swooning over these glamazons. And who can blame them? These ladies are confident babes! Dang, I may not be missing a limb, but I wish I had the rad attitude these amazing women have. Keep reading »
“Save The Whales” PETA Billboard Tells Women “Lose The Blubber: Go Vegetarian”
A PETA billboard in Jacksonville, FL, calls larger women “whales” and urges them to “lose the blubber” by going vegetarian.
PETA’s press release on the billboard says “going vegetarian can be an effective way to shed those extra pounds that keep [women] from looking good in a bikini.” Oh, God, now even billboards are judging us?
Insults and fat-shaming aren’t tried-and-true ways to encourage tofu instead of burgers. But something tells us that wasn’t the point: Bigger women were the ones chosen to be dehumanized so this cruel, sexist billboard could get some chuckles. Gross. [via Feministing] Keep reading »
Woman Artist Turns Self Into Human Skin Rug
No, that’s not a deflated woman. It’s Chrissy Skin Rug, a work of art created by New York-based sculptor Chrissy Conant. What is it? A silicone rubber cast of herself. To make it, she shaved her body, coated herself in Vaseline, and lay spread-eagle on the floor, where she was covered with molding material. It’s like a bear skin rug — only she‘s the animal. According to Conant, the piece was inspired by her relationship to her parents. “Parental influences from childhood continue to suppress me,” she notes, “long after I have grown up and they have gone.” After the jump, find out how she made it. Keep reading »
Porn Mag For Women Has One Big Problem
We love the idea, in theory, of a porn magazine for women. Unfortunately, Filament, a British for-women-by-women porn mag, is having a lot of troubles. First, the above-the-waist photos of “feminine” male models, which Filament‘s editors said academic research proved women are attracted to, were not pornographic enough for us. Sorry, but Rufus Wainwright clones don’t make us hot. Fortunately, the mag listened to the complaints and is trying to, um, fluff their content by including guys with erections in the next issue. But now Filament‘s publisher has stated it will not allow them to print pictures of aroused men. [Guardian UK] Keep reading »
Lady News: Hotel Says Woman Was Negligent In Her Own Rape
- After a 40-year-old woman was sexually assaulted at gunpoint in the hotel’s parking garage in front of her two kids, Marriott Hotel & Spa in Stamford, CT, has responded to a lawsuit by the victim by saying she “failed to exercise due care for her own safety and the safety of her children and proper use of her senses and facilities.” The victim claimed her attacker, Gary Fricker, 56, had acted suspiciously in the hotel and garage for days prior to the attack, but the hotel says they had not been warned about any suspicious behavior by the man. [Greenwich Time]—This is an all-too-familiar story.
Women’s Boxing Is Now An Olympic Sport
I am a female boxer. A year ago, I was leaning against the boxing ring at my old gym in New York City, fully decked out in sparring gear and waiting nervously to hop in and kick some serious butt. To distract myself, I asked my trainer, “When do I get to compete in the Olympics?” He looked at me funny and shook his head. “Girl, women’s boxing isn’t an Olympic sport.” I was shocked. While men’s boxing has been in the Games for 105 years, female boxers have never had the chance to duke it out for gold. Keep reading »
