Tag Archives: meghan daum

Is Sarah Palin Allowed To Call Herself A Feminist?

Jessica WakemanJune 1, 2010 //

Once upon a time, Sarah Palin was just a pit bull in lipstick. But speaking on May 14 to a PAC that finances anti-abortion female congressional candidates, Palin not only called herself “feminist” but praised the “emerging, conservative feminist identity” and the “pro-woman sisterhood.” (Never one to miss an opportunity to inject ferocious animals into the conversation, Palin praised “mama grizzlies,” too.)

Now, it’s not difficult to understand how the estrogen contact high, which surely comes from speaking to a group that finances female congressional candidates, could give one a sense of kinship to the sisterhood. But considering how feminists are generally not considered the type of people who would require women to pay for their own rape exams, you wouldn’t be alone in wondering what the heck was going on when Palin dropped the “f-bomb.” Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Is Sarah Palin A Feminist?

Jessica WakemanMay 25, 2010 //
  • Lots of feminists were pissed recently when Sarah Palin referred to herself as a “feminist” at a fundraiser. Los Angeles Times columnist Meghan Daum, who herself identifies as feminist, says, “If she has the guts to call herself a feminist, then she’s entitled to be accepted as one.” Do you agree? [L.A. Times]
  • Moms-to-be are using “hypno-birthing” — or self-hypnosis — to put themselves into a trance before giving birth. [New York Post]
  • Researchers say the stress of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks may have contributed to an increase in miscarriages of male fetuses — even among women who were not directly affected by the attacks. It should be noted, though, that the study only examined the miscarriage of male fetuses, because they are considered more sensitive to stressors than female fetuses. [CNN]

Keep reading »

Ex-Gawker Editor Emily Gould On Women Writers

Jessica WakemanApril 30, 2010 //

I feel bad for Emily Gould. Next week, the former editor of gossip blog Gawker.com will publish her first book, a collection of personal essays called And The Heart Says Whatever. And when I think about what’s going to happen to her, I just want to shield my eyes.

You see, almost two years ago exactly, Emily Gould landed on the cover of The New York Times Magazine for an article published in it, “Exposed: Blog Post Confidential.” If people hated her article (several thousand words about how her sometimes nasty blogging for Gawker complicated or ruined her personal relationships), they hated her cover photo even more: Gould lying on her bed in a tank top, staring up at the camera. The types of internet comments her piece provoked included cyberbullying-ish put-downs like “narcissists,” “narcissistic pipsqueak,” “immature,” “intellectual midget,” “navel-gazing,” “idiots with big mouths,” “undiagnosed psych disorder,” and “Now I understand the timeless appeal of public stoning.” Yeesh.

As another young female writer, watching this scared the crap out of me. I should probably be old enough to know better than to get rattled by all that haterade, but I worry about the young female writers in high schools across the country who see that and then learn, “This is what will happen if I write about myself.” Keep reading »

Chatter Boxes: What Women Op Ed Writers Are Saying This Week

Jessica WakemanJune 18, 2009 //

Ever glanced at an op ed page and noticed that it’s bit of a boy’s club? Us, too. In fact, The Op Ed Project, which teaches women how to write and submit opinion pieces to newspapers, reports that 85 percent of op eds are written by men. While we do love us some guys, we want to show our support for female columnists, too. In Chatter Boxes, we’ll point you towards a few of the most thought-provoking. This week, Maureen Dowd tackles the meaty subject of Obama’s cheeseburgers, Kathleen Parker hopes women’s rights will get their due in Iran, and Meghan Daum begs the president to smoke a cigarette. Keep reading »