Not All Princesses Need a Prince

May 13, 2008, category

Parents read to their children all the time; in fact, some expectant mothers read to their children while they are still in utero and one of the most popular things that parents read to their children are fairy tales.

One thing you will be slapped in the face with repeatedly while reading any fairy tale is that all fairy princesses find their prince and then live happily ever after. Of course most fairy tales were written so long ago that sure, finding a man and living your life together was the standard; but what you can absorb through watching just one episode of Sex and the City is that finding a man and living “happily ever after” is no longer the standard. Now, women can be without a man and still go on to pursue their careers, own their own home and most of all, be happy with who they are without needing the validation of having a man–And now there’s a fairy tale for the modern day life.

Princess Bubble is the fairy tale story of a princess who sees her friends find their princes, get married and live happily ever after all the while being told that she too must go out and find her prince charming. After searching high and low for the man of her dreams, she finds that she is happy just how she is–She has a career as a flight attendant, she has her very own castle (that is decorated just the way she likes it and she didn’t have to give up an entire room in that castle for her prince to make into a den or a rec room, by the way,) and best of all, she is happy with herself and her life without needing to find a prince.

This story is a must-read for both children and for adult women, in my opinion. It is a cute story and it validates women for the wonderful people that they are–And not because they attracted the attention of the right man. What I also liked about this story is that it did not mention that in order for Princess Bubble to be happy living her life without a man, she had to go out and get a lot of cats. The crazy cat lady stereotype may now be put to rest!

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A Long Day Can Be Used as an Excuse for Calling Your Wife a Cunt

April 8, 2008, category

2008 election, books, politics

McCain The Real McCain, a book by Cliff Schecter has a surprising little anecdote regarding McCain and his infamous temper.

“Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain’s intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, “You’re getting a little thin up there.” McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, “At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt.” McCain’s excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.”

McCain called his wife a trollop and a cunt all in one sentence; he has skills, baby! The last sentence there really does make you think–McCain has the audacity to blame his misogynistic behavior on a long day yet he is running for president? Don’t presidents have many long days? If McCain felt the need to call his wife a cunt in front of the people of his campaign, I have to agree with Jessica over at Feministing when she says she wonders how he treats his wife when they’re alone.

When it comes to McCain, not only are we dealing with someone obviously not fit to be president when he is a definite warmonger, but we are also dealing with someone who sees it as perfectly fine to give half ass excuses for belittling his own wife in front of people working for him and a temper proven to flare up at a moment’s notice.

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Finding Angela Shelton

March 26, 2008, category

books, sexual assault

I’ve written about Angela Shelton before , specifically about her activism efforts regarding the Report It campaign as well as the Report It rallies for victim’s rights, but there is some awesome news that I couldn’t let go by without mentioning and that is that Angela Shelton is now also a novelist, on top of being the superhero of victim rights activism.

Angela Shelton was sexually abused as a young child by her father, which is what she confessed to the world while making her documentary, Searching for Angela Shelton. Since then, she has become a motivating and inspiring woman to countless survivors. On a personal level, after watching her documentary and after some time reading up on her and getting involved myself with activism efforts to raise awareness about sexual abuse, she had given me the motivation to speak up about my own abuse in early 2007.

She has undoubtedly inspired the lives of many people to either confront their own abuse or get involved in raising awareness of just how widespread sexual abuse is. In fact, it is believed that each and every single person knows someone who has been sexually abused, yet the silence surrounding it is overwhelming.

On top of her activism efforts, Angela Shelton’s first book, an autobiography of her life and her abuse, as well as overcoming it and going on to help others, Finding Angela Shelton, is hitting bookstores April 1! You can pre-order the book today or head on down to your local bookstore and pick it up when it’s released!

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