Book Review: Wild Words from Wild Women
It isn’t news that women are very opinionated people; the blogosphere alone speaks volumes about how women are demanding their voices be heard. I know, I run three of my own blogs because I have so many views and opinions that for years, people minimized or told me weren’t that important to get so worked up about. The feminist blogosphere alone gets an impressive amount of trolls; people who are just like those who used to tell me that my views and opinions weren’t that important, people who seem to get a great amount of pleasure from demeaning and talking down to women as well as men who identify as feminists or identify with feminist ideals. People like this prove that all women everywhere need to be born with or need to develop a thick skin very quickly just because they happen to be women.
In the movie Kissing Jessica Stein, there is a scene that talks about quotes; how that to truly finish your life successfully, you must come up with one great quote that has the ability to transcend time. Quotes like “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” is a quote that is still being used now by present politicians and people everywhere. That is an example of a quote that has stood the test of time, the only thing that is wrong with it is that it was spoken by a man, as most quotes that people remember off of the top of their heads are.
Wild Words from Wild Women is a book full of words of wisdom, courage, laughter and much more all said by women throughout history who have made a difference in one way or another in the world we live in today. The words these women share with the words are words based on their beliefs, opinions and personal views that most likely, they were told weren’t important or didn’t matter by people who either didn’t like what they heard or didn’t believe that a woman should have the right to open her mouth about. This book gives you a look into the minds of several women where you will find yourself nodding in agreement or even vocally expressing your support for the words these women have contributed to the world.
The Vatican Says Your Pee is Polluting the Environment
The Vatican newspaper misinterpreted the facts of a recent study about pharmaceuticals ending up in the US water supply.
According to the Vatican, oral contraceptives are the sole culprit for polluting the environment, but that’s not all; the Vatican is also claiming that birth control pills are making men infertile.
The pill “has for some years had devastating effects on the environment by releasing tonnes of hormones into nature” through female urine, said Pedro Jose Maria Simon Castellvi, president of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, in the report.
“We have sufficient evidence to state that a non-negligible cause of male infertility in the West is the environmental pollution caused by the pill,” he said, without elaborating further.
First of all, the Vatican believes in science (you know, that thing that gives us medicine) only when it is convenient for them so the International Federation of “Catholic Medical” Associations is already a less-than-credible resource as far as I’m concerned.
The Vatican has continuously spoken out about their disapproval of women’s rights and Pope Benedict XVI followed suit in October, reaffirming the Roman Catholic Church’s condemnation of contraception. While it is true that there are many pharmaceuticals that are finding their way into our water supply, to pick and choose what parts of scientific research you want to believe and even publish an entire story in a newspaper about, just to support your agenda is ridiculous. Then again, hey, that’s religion for you–It’s all about picking and choosing and leaving the rest.
So women, the moment you urinate while taking oral contraceptives, the Vatican is holding you responsible for polluting the environment as well as making men all around the United States infertile. This is yet another case of the sexuality and now even bodily functions of women are considered inappropriate or unnatural in some way. Who knew just being a woman could threaten and offend so many people so much. Do we feel ashamed yet?
Should “So Help Me God” be Banned?
Should Barack Obama leave “so help me God” out of the end of the president’s oath of office during his inauguration on January 20? A number of atheists and non-religious organizations think so and even went as far as to file a lawsuit Tuesday banning the words. In addition, the lawsuit also objects to plans for ministers to deliver an invocation and benediction, knowing that they will discuss God and religion.
As a president who has fought for the past two years for real change to come to America, will Barack Obama voice his support and acceptance for the non-religious community? Do we perhaps have the opportunity to change “freedom of religion” to “freedom from religion?” I highly doubt it. Not only were two similar unsuccessful lawsuits filed for the 2001 and 2005 inaugurations, but the change America will most likely be seeing in the next four or possibly eight years will simply be reversing and improving the damage that has been done to this country by his predecessor. This is not the time where we will see the reversal of the ultimate brainwashing due to the fact that this country is fueled by how far a group of people will go for a religion that they were either raised with or follow on their own accord.
Within the past few years a study was done to predict if and how many people would vote for someone who happened to be an atheist for president. The results showed that an atheist would most likely never see the presidency. But why is that? Does having one atheist president mean that the entire country and all of its people are going to hell? Would that president not take their job as seriously as a religious follower? Do atheists taint the name of America? Many believe they do, and even more so as we saw with this past presidential campaign, people were going as far as to saying that Barack Obama would not make a good president for American solely based on the fact that he was found to be a Muslim, thus initiating an entire “faith forum” where he was forced to prove his devoutness to Christianity.
An an atheist myself I have been subject to ridicule based solely on the fact that I do not believe in a higher power. Atheists in this country are experiencing the same discrimination as anyone who does not accept the government-appointed God as their own. While it was beyond time that we accept each and every human being in this country despite the higher power they choose or do not choose to accept into their lives, I think we have much further to go before we see that happen. In fact, I do not believe that even “freedom of religion” exists in this country at this time.
What do you think? Do you think “So help me God” should be banned from the January 20 inauguration?
Where Did 2008 Go?
I have been blogging on Menstrual Poetry for this past entire year and looking back, I really have no clue where this past year has gone! Every New Years Eve I find myself reflecting on the year that has passed and where I stand as far as my personal goals go and think about the year ahead of me.
It has been a true pleasure blogging here and meeting the people I have met through and because of this website over time. Every single person I have had the luxury of meeting either on or because of this website has taught me something about the world, life and/or about myself and I am a better person because of it, always.
Love yourself this new year; have respect for yourself, your actions, the people you choose to surround yourself with and for your body. Love who you are, inside and out because after all the shit fades, you’re all you have. I started Menstrual Poetry because I know who I am. Because I got sick of being told that my beliefs didn’t matter or that I didn’t know what I was talking about. I will continue to blog on Menstrual Poetry for (hopefully) many years to come for those same reasons.
I hope everyone has a very happy new year celebration and an even happier 2009!
Token Negress Alert
Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Renee and my blog is Womanist Musings. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to blog here and share some of the ideas that I have with a new audience. I am not known to mince words, so if you find my style abrupt oh well, I will not be policed. WOC have had our voices silenced for far too long for me too worry about anyone’s delicate sensibilities.
I would like to discuss something that I have come to refer to as the token Negro, or in the case of feminism the token Negress. All social movements have one thing in common; they must present a diverse progressive image publicly even if the hierarchy of the organization does not actually reflect a fair distribution of power. Ironically it is the least oppressed group – whiteness, that has become the face of oppression. Whether it is gay rights, fat acceptance, disability rights or feminism, you can guarantee the closer you get to a leadership position the whiter the faces become.
Maintenance of the power structure requires a token Negress, unless you can call on a black person, or a POC to play the role of the “diversity being” the obviousness of the exclusion is difficult to hide. What we see over and over again is the same pet blacks who have learned to speak the language of submission repeatedly being created as experts and given the authority to speak on behalf of POC by white people. Think that about for a moment…permission to speak on behalf of POC by white people.
This puts WOC in an untenable position. On one hand working towards social justice does provide its own reward; however continually being devalued is a constant reminder of exactly how racist society is. We have become accustomed to having our ideas shot down only to have them rephrased by a white person and immediately praised. We must walk a delicate balance between maintaining the little power we have and hiding from view the truth of our emotions and thoughts. Even speaking bluntly is often enough to illicit the charge that we are angry. Whiteness only wants us to be present for long enough to make the coffee and smile pretty for the camera. Say cheese everyone.
Even as we are being used to promote an atmosphere of diversity, we are well aware, but the only other option available to WOC is to fade into oblivion. We work diligently muting our rage in the hopes that one day the world will recognize that we are women, and that we are human too. Feminism has much invested in maintaining the status quo. Though some white women step forward for their daily bit of self flagellation, and depreciating commentary, in truth few are willing to listen with an open heart. We hear the “I am a white woman but” commentary daily. There is always a proviso, some need to insert the word but, as though there is any form of legitimization for the current imbalance in power. Somehow they can understand what it means to be silenced by relating it to their experiences of privilege. Somehow they can imagine what it is like being asked to speak on behalf of your people and then told that what you have to say is not good enough.
We are expected to be happy playing the role of token Negress because on some level we are supposedly being heard. The ethnic representative role is just as binding as being created as invisible because on one hand something needs to be said to represent black woman,but what we are allowed to express in these spaces does not close to the reality of our experiences. It allows no room for truthfulness and no room to challenge the status quo. The token negress ends up performing her race and gender in the hopes that at some point truth will be allowed to reign supreme. This is a role that at some point most black women will be asked to play. It preserves whiteness as good and powerful while relegating us to a mouth piece for hire.
Sex-Positivity
I'm passionate about sex-positivity and believe every sexual being should have the freedom to explore their sexuality safely and without condemnation. I even lost my ad network after my refusal to censor myself after reviewing feminist porn.So if you're in the market for sex toys, porn, books, etc. take a look at the retailers below, all of which are feminist-friendly.
Out Campaign
The OUT Campaign allows individuals to let others know they are not alone. It can also be a nice way of opening a conversation and help to demolish the negative stereotypes of atheists. Let the world know that we are not about to go away and that we are not going to allow those that would condemn us to push us into the shadows.
