Tag Archives: the soapbox

The Soapbox: “Dr. Who” Has A Lady Problem

Lauren HunterAugust 27, 2012 //

This man proposed with a ring box shaped like a TARDIS. Read More »

Who Loves "Dr. Who"?

Just about anyone can enjoy this British import. Read More »

Dr. Who Urn

It's time to cry: wife of dying "Dr. Who" fan seeks TARDIS urn. Read More »

To say that I am a fan of the British sci-fi show “Doctor Who” would be and understatement. Not only do I have “DW” viewing parties at my apartment, I own a sonic screwdriver, I’ve eaten fish fingers and custard (a “DW” inside joke), I waited for hours to get a glimpse of the show’s stars when they shot an episode in New York, and I even traveled to London to go to the “Doctor Who Experience.” Despite some missteps (cough, “Daleks in Manhattan,” cough), “Doctor” Who won my heart(s) long ago, and I keep coming back for more adventures in that blue box.

But then I saw the promo art for season seven in which the titular character of the show, the Doctor, looks darkly determined while carrying his unconscious companion Amy in his arms. (“DW” has always referred to the people who travel with the Doctor as “companions.”) If my life were a preview for a romantic comedy, this would have been the moment you heard the sound effect of a record scratching to a stop. What the what?! Is “DW” really going there? Portraying Amy as merely a victim for the Doctor to save?

It gave me pause, and it made me think about the way the show has portrayed (or betrayed) its female characters in the past. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: The Problem With The Anti-Abortion Movement’s “Rape Exception”

Ava KrizevcanAugust 20, 2012 //

Akin's Rape Science

Rep. Todd Akin says "legitimate rape victims" don't get pregnant. Read More »

Mother Aborted Me?

This author explains why her mother should have aborted her. Read More »

It Was Rape

Help fund a documentary about sexual assault survivors. Read More »

This weekend, a Missouri Congressman and Senate candidate, Todd Akin, infuriated people everywhere when he claimed that victims of “legitimate rape” do not become pregnant. He was explaining his belief that abortion should be outlawed even in cases of rape. Apparently, Akin believes that the female body has ways to “shut that whole thing down,” if the woman involved didn’t really want to have sex. Nevermind that according to a 1996 study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, approximately 32,101 pregnancies occur due to rape every year in this country.

The response to Akin’s disgusting remarks has been fast. After the initial wave of outrage, the Congressman released a statement saying that he “misspoke” but continuing to defend his extreme views on abortion. Akin clarified, “I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action.” Keep reading »

The Soapbox: Is Hollywood Still Colorstruck? The Search For Nina Simone Is Skin Deep

Erica WatsonAugust 20, 2012 //

Tokenism?

Erica says lay off "Girls" for being all-white and give black girls a show. Read More »

Race On Mad Men

Teyonah Parris on playing "Mad Men"'s first black employee. Read More »

Racists Upset

Some racist "Hunger Games" fans are mad about its black actors. Read More »

When the big news was announced last week that Zoe Saldana would be playing singer Nina Simone in a biopic, black cyberspace (yes, there is a “black Twitter” and a “black Facebook”) let out a collective “Oh, hell to the naw”!

For some it was because they did not believe that Zoe had enough acting talent to pull it off. Nina Simone was an extremely complex woman in real life, and the actress assigned to do this would be embarking upon the role of a lifetime. For others, the statements ranged from “Can Zoe even sing?” to “Wait, I thought she said she was a Latina?” to “Zoe is too skinny to play Nina Simone anyway!”

As the debate continued, it became clear to me that the issues surrounding the casting of Zoe ran much deeper than her acting ability. It was “skin deep.” Once again we were seeing an example of how Hollywood just doesn’t understand black women. To mainstream America, Black is “one color fits all.” But to African-American women, the color of our skin is much more than a random hue. In many ways, it uniquely shapes who we are and how we are treated in the world. For us, body image and self-esteem does not only involve loving your womanly body for the shape of it, but also embracing your complexion, hair texture and other features in a culture that constantly reminds you that thin white women are the standard of beauty. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: Black Men, Is Chad Ochocinco Your Hero?

Erica WatsonAugust 16, 2012 //

Domestic Violence Arrest

Chad Ochocinco was arrested for domestic violence this weekend. Read More »

Ocho Apologizes

Ochocino issues a public apology for his alleged domestic violence. Read More »

Ocho's Race Criticism

Ochocinqo criticized for not choosing black women on VH1 dating show. Read More »

Chadvelyn, LosOcho and OchoSado: those were the three hybrid names that I came up with for my favorite reality TV couple, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Evelyn Lozada. But after only six weeks of marriage, the beautiful sounds of wedded bliss and the hoopla surrounding their much anticipated reality show have been silenced by the head-butt that was heard around the world.

By now, everyone knows about the drama surrounding Chadvelyn. The Internet has been all aflutter with updates. She-said this, he-said that and we-said “WTF?” He loses his job, she files for divorce, and we all sit back to make judgments and assumptions about everything. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: In Defense Of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”

Amelia McDonell-ParryAugust 10, 2012 //

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo

Six things we learned from the premiere episodes. Read More »

About The Boo-Boos...

We have a few questions about Alana, June, and the rest of the fam. Read More »

Meet Alana...

Our latest "Toddlers & Tiaras" muse. Watch »

It took me all of 10 seconds to fall madly in love with “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” the “Toddlers and Tiaras” spin-off about Alana Thompson, the 6-year-old pageant hopeful known for her one-liners and love of Go-Go-Juice, and her self-described redneck family. While I was already enamored with Alana after seeing her on “Toddlers and Tiaras” last year — for being, essentially, the opposite of everything the pageant world wants their living dolls to be — but “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” sold me on the entire Thompson family. What Alana, June, Sugar Bear, Pumpkin, Chubbs, and Chickadee lack in traditional etiquette and higher education, they make up for in love, acceptance, and family values. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: On Being A Sikh Feminist

Tarnjit KaurAugust 9, 2012 //

Frisky Faith

All of The Frisky's posts about faith and religion. Read More »

Losing My Religion

Rachel Rabbit White on growing up and out of the Bible Belt. Read More »

Frisky Feminism!

Everything The Frisky has ever written about feminism! Read More »

In light of this weekend’s tragic shooting at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, we thought our readers would be interested to learn more about this religion. We reached out to the Sikh Feminist Research Institute for some thoughts on Sikhism.

Often I am asked of when I first became aware of being a feminist. This question takes me back to the deepest recesses of my memories of early childhood, since it was my mother who was my first feminist role model. She would frequently give me feminist pep talks: “You want to be a pilot? Yes, of course you can become a pilot!” or “Your favourite color is blue? Sure, blue is a great color.” Often defiant of male authority, a natural and equal partner in running the household, she was both bread-winner and the CEO of our home.

As I grew older I would often wonder about the origins of my mother’s feminist ideas. Not having had the opportunity of a formal education due to the poverty following forced migration at the time of Partition, it was apparent she had no access to the feminist theorists I would come to prize in later life. Instead her ideas emerged from the Sikh historical narratives she was raised on and the strong women in her own life. The re-telling of the lives of Sikh women would provide fodder for bed-time stories, both awe-inspiring but also re-assuring of a universe that made sense where women and men are equals. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: Why Aren’t Black Girls Allowed To Be Girls?

Helena AndrewsAugust 8, 2012 //

The Soapbox

On the lack of color on TV. Read More »

Black Marriage

New book asks, "Is Marriage For White People?" Read More »

Black Women Stereotypes

Stephen Colbert gets schooled on stereotypes of black women. Read More »

This piece was originally published on xoJane.com.

When I was a senior in high school [above left], I attended this college prep program held in the sanctuary of a Baptist church across the street from my grandmother’s $1 Soul Food restaurant in south central Los Angeles. High-achieving nerds from all over the city would meet up every Thursday to talk personal essays, financial aid and application fees well past 11 o’clock.

One night the guy I was crushing on gave me a ride home in his mom’s new-but-used white BMW. I think we were debating the merits of the Common app versus the UC app and listening to Tupac at a medium volume when those angry telltale lights began to flash behind us. Jay looked at me and laughed. Those couldn’t be for us.

Of course they were. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: Yes, Women Writers Without Kids “Understand Human Emotions”

Diane ShipleyAugust 3, 2012 //

Defending Chick Lit

Why Jennifer Egan was wrong to diss the genre. Read More »

Friends With Kids

Oh look, an ensemble cast that does not look godawful. Read More »

Broken Biological Clock

Some biological clocks just don't tick. Read More »

The death of Irish novelist Maeve Binchy earlier this week has inspired a lot of articles, most of them warm tributes to her kind heart, quick wit, and writing ability.

British novelist Amanda Craig took a different tack.

In a piece published today by The Telegraph, she wonders whether Binchy might have been a better writer if she had been a mother. The subtitle is even more blunt, asking: “Does a female novelist need to have experienced motherhood to truly understand human emotions?” Keep reading »

The Soapbox: Rapists Know The Answer Is “No”

Amanda MarcotteJuly 27, 2012 //

Tweets Attackers Names

Savannah Dietrich tweeted the names of the men who sexually assaulted her. Read More »

Project Unbreakable

Victims hold signs with of words said before, during, or after the assault. Read More »

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

Despite endless work by anti-sexual violence activists trying to change the narrative, the myth persists that rapists —at least so-called “date rapists” — are men who got a little out of control with lust one night and accidentally went too far. It doesn’t help that this is the story that we usually hear on those very rare occasions when rapists tell their side of the story, usually to escape social consequences or even jail.

But recently a self-identified rapist went on Reddit and, for whatever reason, told a story that social research shows is much closer to the truth: Rapists rape because they like to rape. They aren’t confused about consent, nor are they overcome by lust. The pleasure is from the act of overpowering a woman and making her submit against her will. Keep reading »

The Soapbox: The Aurora Shooting & The Myth Of Men’s Obligation To Be Heroes

Jessica WakemanJuly 25, 2012 //

Don't Marry Him

Hey, Patricia Legarreta. You seriously should not marry Jamie Rohrs. Read More »

Tragedy In Colorado

A gunman killed 12 and injured 50 at showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." Read More »

"Worthy" Of Sacrifice?

Idiot WSJ columnist "hopes" the women saved by BFs were "worthy." Read More »

In the days, weeks and months following a national tragedy, myths settle into our national consciousness. Myths are not falsehoods, per se. Rather, myths are the stories that we repeat to explain a complex and unnerving topic and make sense of the confusion — to label something “good” and “evil,” to finger the “bad guy” and the “hero.” A story coming out of the Aurora, Colorado, shooting — which I have heard again and again these past few days — is of the three boyfriends who saved the lives of their girlfriends by throwing themselves in the line of fire during the “Dark Knight Rises” shooting.

Matt McQuinn, 27, Jonathan Blunk (above), 26, and Alex Teves, 24, were all killed by gunman James Holmes while trying to protect their dates. According to The New York Post — admittedly not the most reliable news source — McQuinn “dived” in front of his girlfriend. Blunk “threw his date … to the floor, pushing her under the seat.” And Teves “used his body” to shield his girlfriend. Teves’ grandmother Rae Iacovelli said her grandson “got down on the floor and covered [his girlfriend] up.” Blunk’s date told “The Today Show” herself that “he took a bullet for me” and his ex-wife even weighed in to say Blunk “wanted to die a hero.” Keep reading »