As many of you probably know, Hollywood is gearing up and coming together for Haiti. We have the Supporters, the ones who think its 'wonderful' or 'absolutely amazing' or 'touching' that this group of people can come together for such a great cause. Then we have the Naysayers, the ones who think they're just trying to 'boost their ego' or 'help their careers' or 'benefit from this terrible tragedy'.
There are at least three recordings out that benefit Haiti: Hope for Haiti Now, We are the World, and Everybody Hurts. All of which have notable performers (We are the World has Barbra Striesand in the cast. I know this is going to sound terrible, but that's the primary reason I bought it. Sue me.) and all of which will benefit from the publicity from this. Arguably, they get more publicity when they do things for charity, get knocked up or they royally screw up. And just a side note, at the risk of sounding like a callous bitch, the last like 2 minutes of both songs is just repetition of the main chorus. I get it We are the World and Everybody hurts. End the fucking song already.
Well I know ya'll are wondering 'How does Ms. Wilson see it???', seeing how that's the title of this blog. Well Ms. Wilson see's it like this:
Their hearts are in the right place, they really do seem genuine about this cause they are fighting for. Honestly they would have to be a bunch of selfish, cold-hearted bastards to not feel something about this terrible tragedy. The thing that bothers me is the publicity they get, it kind of plucks my nerves. I was always under the impression that humility and charity go hand and hand; the most wonderful people in the world are the ones who silently fight the battles and donate their time/finances to the cause that they are most passionate about. Publicity is great for getting the word out about your charity but I really don't give a rats ass about how much money you've donated or how many kids you've adopted, saving them from 'certain death'. News flash: There are hundreds of people out there who adopt and save kids from 'certain death' everyday. You're not special just because you have eight of them. That doesn't make you special, that makes you stupid.
The artists I respect are the ones who silently give their time and money to organizations and causes that matter to them. The only go public just to get the word out and that's it. No 'So and so donated $3405834058469574068 dollars!!' I would rather see them do one of two things: donate anonymously or get out there and volunteer.
At least that's how I see it.
Check out the websites below and see what YOU can do for Haiti or otherwise:
Wyclef's Yele Haiti
Shakira's Barefoot Foundation
1GOAL
Mercy Corps
UNICEF
VDAY
JoinRED
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
#13: How to deal....
...with Debbie Downers.
Yes, we all have a Debbie Downer in our social group. That one person who, no matter how wonderful or exciting the news it, manages to find something negative or sad about the situation. They literally rain on your parade and you are momentarily sad when you should be happy. There's only one way to deal with them:
Shoot them.
I'm only half serious...anyway, moving on. The main point is that some people's entire existence is dependent upon making you feel a crappy as they do. It really sounds pathetic when you look at it like that doesn't it? I mean really with all of the super awesome things there are to do with your life, they choose to make others feel like crap so they can feel better. Then there are those Debbie Downers are just plain annoying because they really don't try to make you feel like crap, but they're just so damn pessimistic that you're like 'Dude...you're sucking the positive energy out of my zen here.'
In my experience, I've had to deal with both; Lets call them Debbie A and Debbie B. Debbie A types usually are the ones that tell me I can't (or shouldn't) do something because it simply isn't done around here. They're the ones that get in my way of organizing events such as The Vagina Monologues at my community college, saying that they'll do it with the hopes that it won't be 'financially plausible'. Because nobody will come to it because the other college in Salisbury is doing it. Nevermind that the interpretation varies with actresses.
Or the people who found out I was marching for Marraige Equality for ALL and tried to discouraged me from going. Saying that 'it won't change anything' or 'why would you want to go march with a bunch of faggots?' things like that. Then Debbie B always shows up when something awesome happens. Like when I get one of the parallel parking spots in front of school and I'm all excited about it; then Debbie B comes up and is like 'wow that'll only happen once in a blue moon' or 'what's the big deal? Its just a parking spot, I got it once too'
Debbie Downers can be incredibly contagious, and they can even get to you; making you wonder why you're doing what you're doing. Why you're fighting a cause that seems like its a loosing battle. Well my dear friends I'll tell you why you're doing it:
Because it matters to you. Its something that you're passionate about. Nothing was ever accomplished by people sitting on their ass feeling apathetic. If something fires you up and gets you mad then do something about it. There will always be people out there who will try to discourage you and rain on your parade. Honestly I wouldn't have been able to do half the stuff that I have done, had someone not told me I couldn't do it.
So how do you deal? Simple: Tell them you can when they say you can't.
At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!
Yes, we all have a Debbie Downer in our social group. That one person who, no matter how wonderful or exciting the news it, manages to find something negative or sad about the situation. They literally rain on your parade and you are momentarily sad when you should be happy. There's only one way to deal with them:
Shoot them.
I'm only half serious...anyway, moving on. The main point is that some people's entire existence is dependent upon making you feel a crappy as they do. It really sounds pathetic when you look at it like that doesn't it? I mean really with all of the super awesome things there are to do with your life, they choose to make others feel like crap so they can feel better. Then there are those Debbie Downers are just plain annoying because they really don't try to make you feel like crap, but they're just so damn pessimistic that you're like 'Dude...you're sucking the positive energy out of my zen here.'
In my experience, I've had to deal with both; Lets call them Debbie A and Debbie B. Debbie A types usually are the ones that tell me I can't (or shouldn't) do something because it simply isn't done around here. They're the ones that get in my way of organizing events such as The Vagina Monologues at my community college, saying that they'll do it with the hopes that it won't be 'financially plausible'. Because nobody will come to it because the other college in Salisbury is doing it. Nevermind that the interpretation varies with actresses.
Or the people who found out I was marching for Marraige Equality for ALL and tried to discouraged me from going. Saying that 'it won't change anything' or 'why would you want to go march with a bunch of faggots?' things like that. Then Debbie B always shows up when something awesome happens. Like when I get one of the parallel parking spots in front of school and I'm all excited about it; then Debbie B comes up and is like 'wow that'll only happen once in a blue moon' or 'what's the big deal? Its just a parking spot, I got it once too'
Debbie Downers can be incredibly contagious, and they can even get to you; making you wonder why you're doing what you're doing. Why you're fighting a cause that seems like its a loosing battle. Well my dear friends I'll tell you why you're doing it:
Because it matters to you. Its something that you're passionate about. Nothing was ever accomplished by people sitting on their ass feeling apathetic. If something fires you up and gets you mad then do something about it. There will always be people out there who will try to discourage you and rain on your parade. Honestly I wouldn't have been able to do half the stuff that I have done, had someone not told me I couldn't do it.
So how do you deal? Simple: Tell them you can when they say you can't.
At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
#12: She Tweets, She YouTubes, She Facebooks. And she's promoting Education for all
No it's not Britney Spears or Beyonce. I'm talking about people who actually make a difference beyond providing useless entertainment.
I'm talking about her majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. If asked, she'd probably describe herself as 'a mum and a wife with a really cool day job'. At least that's what her 1-line bio on Twitter says. As a global figure, and considered to be one of the world’s most powerful women, Queen Rania has focused her energy on a variety of causes, notably education. In Jordan, her work focuses on the quality of education for Jordanian children, while abroad she advocates for global education and for world leaders to fulfill their commitments towards the second Millennium Development Goal, universal primary education.
Before she was an advocate and humanitarian, She was Rania Al-Yassin. She was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents from Tulkarm. Following her elementary and secondary education at the New English School in Kuwait, she earned a degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo. Upon her graduation from university, Queen Rania returned to Jordan and pursued a career in banking, working at Citibank, followed by a brief career in the field of Information Technology, at Apple Computer in Amman.
She believes strongly that enhancing education is vital for bridging gaps, giving people hope, improving lives and ensuring stability throughout the world. To this effect, over the past few years, Queen Rania has launched, championed, and given patronage to a number of initiatives in education and learning. She believes firmly that education can save children from poverty, disease, exploitation and "preparing children from the early years for the world in which they will come of age. It means instilling a love for lifelong learning, creativity, self-expression and an appreciation for diversity"
On her website she says “I just wake up and feel like a regular person. At the end of the day you are living your life for the people that you represent. It’s an honour and a privilege to have that chance to make a difference – a qualitative difference in people’s lives – and it’s my responsibility to make the most out of that opportunity.”
Katie Couric recently sat down with her and talked about a wide variety of issues from the misconceptions about Islam to the ups and downs of tweeting. That story (along with other cool stuff) is at the bottom of this post. But the one thing that really touched me was this:
"The more time goes on, the closer I am to the ground. I’ve been exposed to so many issues and people living under different pressures. It’s helped me realize that a lot of glamorous things that people prioritize really don’t matter."
To see a world leader so passionate about what really matters in our world gives me hope. Without education our children are doomed. Without education we kill what they could be. Without education we subject them to exploitation, poverty, disease, and slavery. Without education we are no better than those who kill because of difference of opinion or religion.
I highly suggest you support Her Majesty in her goal to promote education for every child on the planet. They are our future. To deny them of a quality education, you kill our hope for a better world. Support her in the fight. I certainly do.
At least that's how I see it
Queen Rania's official site
Her YouTube Channel
Follow Her on Twitter
1GOAL official Site
Barefoot Foundation
UNICEF
Mercy Corps
Katie Couric's Interview with Queen Rania
I'm talking about her majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. If asked, she'd probably describe herself as 'a mum and a wife with a really cool day job'. At least that's what her 1-line bio on Twitter says. As a global figure, and considered to be one of the world’s most powerful women, Queen Rania has focused her energy on a variety of causes, notably education. In Jordan, her work focuses on the quality of education for Jordanian children, while abroad she advocates for global education and for world leaders to fulfill their commitments towards the second Millennium Development Goal, universal primary education.
Before she was an advocate and humanitarian, She was Rania Al-Yassin. She was born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents from Tulkarm. Following her elementary and secondary education at the New English School in Kuwait, she earned a degree in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo. Upon her graduation from university, Queen Rania returned to Jordan and pursued a career in banking, working at Citibank, followed by a brief career in the field of Information Technology, at Apple Computer in Amman.
She believes strongly that enhancing education is vital for bridging gaps, giving people hope, improving lives and ensuring stability throughout the world. To this effect, over the past few years, Queen Rania has launched, championed, and given patronage to a number of initiatives in education and learning. She believes firmly that education can save children from poverty, disease, exploitation and "preparing children from the early years for the world in which they will come of age. It means instilling a love for lifelong learning, creativity, self-expression and an appreciation for diversity"
On her website she says “I just wake up and feel like a regular person. At the end of the day you are living your life for the people that you represent. It’s an honour and a privilege to have that chance to make a difference – a qualitative difference in people’s lives – and it’s my responsibility to make the most out of that opportunity.”
Katie Couric recently sat down with her and talked about a wide variety of issues from the misconceptions about Islam to the ups and downs of tweeting. That story (along with other cool stuff) is at the bottom of this post. But the one thing that really touched me was this:
"The more time goes on, the closer I am to the ground. I’ve been exposed to so many issues and people living under different pressures. It’s helped me realize that a lot of glamorous things that people prioritize really don’t matter."
To see a world leader so passionate about what really matters in our world gives me hope. Without education our children are doomed. Without education we kill what they could be. Without education we subject them to exploitation, poverty, disease, and slavery. Without education we are no better than those who kill because of difference of opinion or religion.
I highly suggest you support Her Majesty in her goal to promote education for every child on the planet. They are our future. To deny them of a quality education, you kill our hope for a better world. Support her in the fight. I certainly do.
At least that's how I see it
Queen Rania's official site
Her YouTube Channel
Follow Her on Twitter
1GOAL official Site
Barefoot Foundation
UNICEF
Mercy Corps
Katie Couric's Interview with Queen Rania
Monday, February 8, 2010
For the Record
I don't normally post twice in one day, but what the hell. I suppose I started this blog just because I wanted to see how I would fair with the whole column thing. I think that I really just want to somehow make a difference using this wonderful tool we call the internet. Even though there are MILLIONS of blogs out there like mine with people managing them who are a million times smarter than me.
I was watching Oprah today (a treat I don't normally get) and she was doing a very powerful piece on child molesters. You can find it here
There was something about it that just really got to me. Maybe it was the sheer honesty of the sex offenders or maybe it was the tenacity of Oprah herself. I myself being a victim of molestation, was torn between turning it off or sitting there and watching it; between sitting there listening to men so much like the one that took advantage of me 9 years ago or watching a rather dull documentary on PBS.
I ultimately decided to watch it. There were so many unanswered questions I had, and while I had moved on for the most part I still harbored feelings of fear and filth. I wondered how I had allowed myself to be taken advantage of like that? Why I didn't see what he was doing sooner? How could a teacher (A BIBLE teacher) betray my trust the way he did? How could he take advantage of my vulnerability after the devastating loss of my mother just five months prior?
Their brutal honesty...the way they talked about what they did...how they showed remorse...
I had a hard time hearing it because I never got the chance to hear my molester say that. He just disappeared...as if it never happened. I don't even know where he is now, part of me doesn't want to; part of me wishes he's buried in some cedar box with a crumbling tombstone, but a small part of me wants to confront him. I want to look into those eyes that I trusted, the same eyes that lustfully yearned for me and tell him exactly what he did to me. How he damaged me.
The one thing that really got to me was this: "I killed who she could have been..."
Part of me wonders what I would be like if this hadn't happened to me. Would I be paranoid in large crowds? Or nervous in line at a supermarket when a man steps behind me? Would I be able to actually date and get close to a boy without wondering what his intentions are? I would like to say the answer would be 'no' but I'll never know.
I suppose I'll eventually be able to move on, after all I've come so far since then. I'm now able to be a strong woman at the expense of intimidating many of the opposite sex because I do not hold back.
Its going to take a special guy I suppose.
I was watching Oprah today (a treat I don't normally get) and she was doing a very powerful piece on child molesters. You can find it here
There was something about it that just really got to me. Maybe it was the sheer honesty of the sex offenders or maybe it was the tenacity of Oprah herself. I myself being a victim of molestation, was torn between turning it off or sitting there and watching it; between sitting there listening to men so much like the one that took advantage of me 9 years ago or watching a rather dull documentary on PBS.
I ultimately decided to watch it. There were so many unanswered questions I had, and while I had moved on for the most part I still harbored feelings of fear and filth. I wondered how I had allowed myself to be taken advantage of like that? Why I didn't see what he was doing sooner? How could a teacher (A BIBLE teacher) betray my trust the way he did? How could he take advantage of my vulnerability after the devastating loss of my mother just five months prior?
Their brutal honesty...the way they talked about what they did...how they showed remorse...
I had a hard time hearing it because I never got the chance to hear my molester say that. He just disappeared...as if it never happened. I don't even know where he is now, part of me doesn't want to; part of me wishes he's buried in some cedar box with a crumbling tombstone, but a small part of me wants to confront him. I want to look into those eyes that I trusted, the same eyes that lustfully yearned for me and tell him exactly what he did to me. How he damaged me.
The one thing that really got to me was this: "I killed who she could have been..."
Part of me wonders what I would be like if this hadn't happened to me. Would I be paranoid in large crowds? Or nervous in line at a supermarket when a man steps behind me? Would I be able to actually date and get close to a boy without wondering what his intentions are? I would like to say the answer would be 'no' but I'll never know.
I suppose I'll eventually be able to move on, after all I've come so far since then. I'm now able to be a strong woman at the expense of intimidating many of the opposite sex because I do not hold back.
Its going to take a special guy I suppose.
#10: WHO DAT? Dat be saying deres still work t'do
So first of all let me start off by saying:
WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?!
Okay. Now that I've got that off of my chest, let me talk about the amazing city of New Orleans. In case you haven't heard, they suffered a catastrophic hurricane about five years ago. A hurricane that literally wiped out the city, and left thousands of people dead, even more homeless.
Five years later, there are still people who have nothing. No home, no family, nothing. I was watching the pre-superbowl coverage and they were doing a segment on the city of New Orleans five years after Katrina. There was one person in particular that really touched a chord and made me cry. He was an older gentleman, probably around 70, and he was talking to the reporter about how he has just now gotten his land cleared off. There's one problem: He doesn't have a home. His house is gone. He was begging the reporter to tell the mayor to do something, he just wanted his house back. He just wanted a roof over his head...
How often do we take that for granted? We go through our daily lives and never think that in an instant this could all be taken away from us. Things like a house, clean water, food, clothing, and shoes on our feet. We were all devastated by Haiti, but what about our own people here?
Now I'm not saying that Haiti deserves any less attention, they need all they can get. I'm just reminding everyone that there are still a hell of a lot of needy people here. If you can't do something abroad, they pull your bootstraps up and see what you can do in your own backyard. There are several Organizations that are dedicated to improving the life of people right here in our hometown.
Five years is way to damn long to be waiting for a house or action. The Saints winning isn't going to bring the action that needs to be brought to the city of New Orleans.
At least that's how I see it
Cheers!
WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS?!
Okay. Now that I've got that off of my chest, let me talk about the amazing city of New Orleans. In case you haven't heard, they suffered a catastrophic hurricane about five years ago. A hurricane that literally wiped out the city, and left thousands of people dead, even more homeless.
Five years later, there are still people who have nothing. No home, no family, nothing. I was watching the pre-superbowl coverage and they were doing a segment on the city of New Orleans five years after Katrina. There was one person in particular that really touched a chord and made me cry. He was an older gentleman, probably around 70, and he was talking to the reporter about how he has just now gotten his land cleared off. There's one problem: He doesn't have a home. His house is gone. He was begging the reporter to tell the mayor to do something, he just wanted his house back. He just wanted a roof over his head...
How often do we take that for granted? We go through our daily lives and never think that in an instant this could all be taken away from us. Things like a house, clean water, food, clothing, and shoes on our feet. We were all devastated by Haiti, but what about our own people here?
Now I'm not saying that Haiti deserves any less attention, they need all they can get. I'm just reminding everyone that there are still a hell of a lot of needy people here. If you can't do something abroad, they pull your bootstraps up and see what you can do in your own backyard. There are several Organizations that are dedicated to improving the life of people right here in our hometown.
Five years is way to damn long to be waiting for a house or action. The Saints winning isn't going to bring the action that needs to be brought to the city of New Orleans.
At least that's how I see it
Cheers!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
#9: Brave folk
Yes I know. I haven't posted in a while. Personal stuff, but now I'm back on track!
So the recent earthquake in Haiti really has me thinking about the human spirit. How people have the ability to overcome incredible or 'impossible' odds and prove to us that phoenixes are real.
Haitians are a very proud people, they're a very artistic people; they have shown us time and time again how strong that a person can be. They've also shown us that no matter where you come from, you can make something of yourself. This does not overshadow the millions of children who die from lack of food or clean drinking water, the women who are beaten and raped or the government that is almost non-existent.
So text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross(http://www.redcross.org/) or you can text UNICEF to 20222 to donate $10 to Unicef (http://www.unicef.org/)
But that's not what this post is about. We've heard lots of sad stuff lately, so I thought I would remind everyone that there is a lot of good stuff too, and that human beings (for all of their shortcomings and imperfections) are really amazing creatures. We have the ability to be compassionate, to love, to heal, to feel, to give aid, to take risks, and create.
Now don't get me wrong, our troops are some of the most heroic risk-takers out there, and yes there are some notable risk-takers that have made history books. But what about people who take risks everyday and go unnoticed? People like police officers, firefighters, EMT's, etc. They take their lives in their hands everyday in order to protect us. Granted some police officers don't deserve a badge, however lets not let a few douchebags shine a poor light on those that do.
Now we all know that I am a HUGE supporter of the arts, particularly the theatre. I don't talk about the risks that the actors take enough. In the words of Patty Duke: "Actors take risks all the time. We put ourselves on the line. It is creative to be able to interpret someone's words and breathe life into them". Lets not forget sacrificing time with family, and living in a crappy apartment surviving off of raman noodles and coffee, shivering under a blanket because you can't afford to turn up your heat beyond 67 in the middle of January. You think I'm kidding? Ask anyone who's been acting. Chances are they've been there or close to it or they've known someone who has been there. In these economic times, with shows closing left and right theres even more uncertainty. When you sign on with a show, you don't know if its going to last 3 years or 3 months. So really, you don't know how long this paycheck is going to last. That my friends is why I whole-heartedly support actors in their pursuit of a career in the theatre. Because we all know that the theatre fulfills whereas the cinema is empty.
While we're on this kick of average-joe risk takers, lets look at you. How many risks have YOU taken in your life? Do you take risks at all? Yes, there's a lot to loose in taking them, but trust me you'll loose so much more if you don't
There are so many other aspects of the human spirit that inspire me. The passion and ability to see hope in the darkest of times; along with the risk-takers, the ones who are willing to sacrifice a lot in order to fulfill their dreams. Those are the sparks of tomorrow. Don't put them out, encourage them.
At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!
So the recent earthquake in Haiti really has me thinking about the human spirit. How people have the ability to overcome incredible or 'impossible' odds and prove to us that phoenixes are real.
Haitians are a very proud people, they're a very artistic people; they have shown us time and time again how strong that a person can be. They've also shown us that no matter where you come from, you can make something of yourself. This does not overshadow the millions of children who die from lack of food or clean drinking water, the women who are beaten and raped or the government that is almost non-existent.
So text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross(http://www.redcross.org/) or you can text UNICEF to 20222 to donate $10 to Unicef (http://www.unicef.org/)
But that's not what this post is about. We've heard lots of sad stuff lately, so I thought I would remind everyone that there is a lot of good stuff too, and that human beings (for all of their shortcomings and imperfections) are really amazing creatures. We have the ability to be compassionate, to love, to heal, to feel, to give aid, to take risks, and create.
Now don't get me wrong, our troops are some of the most heroic risk-takers out there, and yes there are some notable risk-takers that have made history books. But what about people who take risks everyday and go unnoticed? People like police officers, firefighters, EMT's, etc. They take their lives in their hands everyday in order to protect us. Granted some police officers don't deserve a badge, however lets not let a few douchebags shine a poor light on those that do.
Now we all know that I am a HUGE supporter of the arts, particularly the theatre. I don't talk about the risks that the actors take enough. In the words of Patty Duke: "Actors take risks all the time. We put ourselves on the line. It is creative to be able to interpret someone's words and breathe life into them". Lets not forget sacrificing time with family, and living in a crappy apartment surviving off of raman noodles and coffee, shivering under a blanket because you can't afford to turn up your heat beyond 67 in the middle of January. You think I'm kidding? Ask anyone who's been acting. Chances are they've been there or close to it or they've known someone who has been there. In these economic times, with shows closing left and right theres even more uncertainty. When you sign on with a show, you don't know if its going to last 3 years or 3 months. So really, you don't know how long this paycheck is going to last. That my friends is why I whole-heartedly support actors in their pursuit of a career in the theatre. Because we all know that the theatre fulfills whereas the cinema is empty.
While we're on this kick of average-joe risk takers, lets look at you. How many risks have YOU taken in your life? Do you take risks at all? Yes, there's a lot to loose in taking them, but trust me you'll loose so much more if you don't
There are so many other aspects of the human spirit that inspire me. The passion and ability to see hope in the darkest of times; along with the risk-takers, the ones who are willing to sacrifice a lot in order to fulfill their dreams. Those are the sparks of tomorrow. Don't put them out, encourage them.
At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
#8: The All mighty Uterus
I have often been called a feminist, which is defined by dictionary.com as a person whose beliefs and behavior are based on feminism; Relating to feminism which is the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
If that's the definition that people think of when they here 'feminist' then hell to the yes that's what I am. However when people hear the words 'feminist' or 'feminism' they often peg it with negativity. Then think of a bunch of angry lesbians marching on some big corporation with torches and signs. Or they think of Barbara Streisand's character in The Way We Were, or some really annoying nasally woman with a megaphone.
The next question is obvious: Why do people, even women themselves, automatically go to that stereotype when they hear the phrase 'Feminism'? The answer is simple: Men.
Your next response is probably: "Duh, as a feminist yourself you're going to blame this shameful stereotype on men.". A conditioned response dear friends, allow me to regale you:
Go to any major newspaper's website: The New York Times, The Washington Post or USA Today and find me 7 front page articles that involve women shown in a positive light. Go ahead I'll wait...........if you find any, leave them in the comments with the link.
Now go to a crappy entertainment website: TMZ, Entertainment Tonight, ect. , ect. and see what kind of light women are portrayed in. Beyonce singing to the little girl with cancer does not count. I'm talking currently, as in right now as you're reading this.
My bet is that you won't find anything. Why? Because I look everyday and don't find them. Now I found tons of articles during the election, but after Obama became president they disappeared like they never existed. Occasionally you'll get one or two but its usually followed by '...and she's creating a stink about everything.'
Now lets go to Katie Couric. I love her, I think she does a wonderful job as a news anchor but has anyone noticed that she's not a feminine as she was when she started out? Her hair's shorter, and she's wearing suites that do nothing for her figure. Why all of a sudden a change? Because men feel that a woman needs to assimilate into a masculine field. Her ratings are going up sure, but wearing a suite that flatters her figure and have a hairstyle that's cute and flirty? People won't watch that, they'll think she's a slut.
How about in the sports world? If you look at any major university you'll see that the boys athletic programs get twice, if not three times more than the woman's athletic programs. Why? Because God forbid that the Woman's field hockey team should take home the championship and the boys soccer team shouldn't. Women have no place in sports, their home is behind a desk or cleaning house. Turn on any sport channel and see how many games you find that involve woman's sports.
If you saw the November 25th edition of Newsweek you probably remember Sarah Palin being on the cover. Now, I am not a Palin supporter by any means but I did not like the way they portrayed her in the least. If you didn't see it, you can find it here: http://flapsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/Sarah-Palin-on-Newsweek.jpg
yahoo news also did an article on it: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091117/pl_ynews/ynews_pl984
If I were her (which I'm SO GLAD I'm NOT), I think I would be angry too. The photo was originally published in the August 2009 issue of Runners World, she stated in her blog that 'The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention -- even if out of context.' Now, I don't agree with her on a lot of things and I'm not going to go into that because that's a whole new blog, but I do agree with that statement to an extent. Of all the pictures they could have chosen, they chose one of her in short runners shorts and sneakers. This wasn't an attempt by Democrats to discredit her in an attempt to hurt the Republican party, this was an attempt to discredit her as a woman in politics. Every woman that has ever tried to make an impact in the political world has suffered the same thing. Look at Hillary Clinton and her attempt to run for president, people kept saying it wasn't possible. It wasn't possible because we thought it wasn't possible. Because we're conditioned to think that the position as President of the United States is a man's position. Because we're conditioned to think that the position as President of the United States is a man's position. When she decided to withdraw from the race, I'm sure that several male politicians, both Democrat and Republican wiped their foreheads and remarked how they dodged the bullet.
Lets not forget how that every single book in the Bible is authored by men, and how it is documented that Mary Magdalene herself penned a book that didn't make it in. Why? Because she's a piece of property, what does she know? She probably remarked on how sexist everyone but Jesus was and that ruffled a few feathers so they decided that her book had nothing important to say. While we're on the topic of religion, has anyone ever noticed that there are very few books in the bible that portray women in a positive light? I mean Esther, Ruth, Abigale, Mary and Rahab are all notable but that's about it. Rahab gets an unfair mention because they say that she was a prostitute. Even though her behavior and closeness to her father's family seem to indicate that she may not have been. Its like "Okay...it says here that a woman helped our guys capture Jericho...shit...we can't have that, but if we don't mention that she helped she'll be a real bitch about it. We have to find some way to--WAIT! She did what? YES! We can say she was a prostitute! That's good...good, whew for a minute there I thought we would have to admit that a woman did something noble." Mary Magdalene had the same problem, there's no proof that she was a prostitute but because men had the control and they didn't see women as anything more than property...well there you go.
Now this leaves me to you, my fellow women I have one question for you:
What the hell is wrong with you?
Why are you allowing yourself to be conditioned to think that this is okay and its the way it will always be? Is it fair to you that our athletic programs get half the funding? Or that we're left out from the news not because our deeds are any less great, but because we're women and portraying us in a positive light would be unthinkable? What about the workforce? Did you know that in most corporations that some women make less than the men do and it goes unnoticed? What about this issue with Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton? It doesn't matter what your political standpoint is, we all have vagina's here and mine is pissed off at this (Thank you Eve Ensler for that).
I get that we have come a long way since the 50's and 60's, we have more rights now than we did then. We have the right to vote, to work whatever job we want, to wear whatever we want, and not be labeled as piece of property on our husband's tax form. But what good is any of that if we don't have any respect? I can't tell you how many times I've heard how women can't be president because of one simple ailment: PMS. Okay so because I don't have chocolate I'm going to let that override my common sense and policies and nuke the son of a bitch that won't listen to me.
In 1503 when Queen Elizabeth I sat on the throne she received the company of Gráinne Ní Mháille, or Grace O' Malley who had come because her sons, Tibbot Burke and Murrough O'Flaherty, and her half-brother, Donal-na-Piopa, were taken captive by the English governor of Connacht, Sir Richard Bingham. She had sailed to England to petition Elizabeth I for their release. In a matter of hours Elizabeth apparently took to Ní Mháille, who was three years older, and the two women reached sufficient agreement for Elizabeth to grant Ní Mháille's requests provided that her support of many Irish rebellions and piracy against England ended.
May I remind you that the conflict between England and Ireland had been going on for most of Gráinne Ní Mháille's life. She was about 40 when she sailed to England. I think you know where I'm going with this, so I'll just let that hang there.
What I'm getting at is this: Women deserve the same recognition as men do. We deserve the same benefits, funds and healthcare. We are not symbols of sex, nor are we objects of your animalistic desires. We are not stupid, we have opinions; we have the ability to carry life, to nurture and to carry on despite impossible situations. We are the anchors that keep a family together, we are the mothers to some of the greatest individuals that have walked the face of this earth.
We have the ability to be great leaders, if only those with narrow minds would see it. I see it, and it looks pretty damn good to me. Lets get on it ladies!
At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!
If that's the definition that people think of when they here 'feminist' then hell to the yes that's what I am. However when people hear the words 'feminist' or 'feminism' they often peg it with negativity. Then think of a bunch of angry lesbians marching on some big corporation with torches and signs. Or they think of Barbara Streisand's character in The Way We Were, or some really annoying nasally woman with a megaphone.
The next question is obvious: Why do people, even women themselves, automatically go to that stereotype when they hear the phrase 'Feminism'? The answer is simple: Men.
Your next response is probably: "Duh, as a feminist yourself you're going to blame this shameful stereotype on men.". A conditioned response dear friends, allow me to regale you:
Go to any major newspaper's website: The New York Times, The Washington Post or USA Today and find me 7 front page articles that involve women shown in a positive light. Go ahead I'll wait...........if you find any, leave them in the comments with the link.
Now go to a crappy entertainment website: TMZ, Entertainment Tonight, ect. , ect. and see what kind of light women are portrayed in. Beyonce singing to the little girl with cancer does not count. I'm talking currently, as in right now as you're reading this.
My bet is that you won't find anything. Why? Because I look everyday and don't find them. Now I found tons of articles during the election, but after Obama became president they disappeared like they never existed. Occasionally you'll get one or two but its usually followed by '...and she's creating a stink about everything.'
Now lets go to Katie Couric. I love her, I think she does a wonderful job as a news anchor but has anyone noticed that she's not a feminine as she was when she started out? Her hair's shorter, and she's wearing suites that do nothing for her figure. Why all of a sudden a change? Because men feel that a woman needs to assimilate into a masculine field. Her ratings are going up sure, but wearing a suite that flatters her figure and have a hairstyle that's cute and flirty? People won't watch that, they'll think she's a slut.
How about in the sports world? If you look at any major university you'll see that the boys athletic programs get twice, if not three times more than the woman's athletic programs. Why? Because God forbid that the Woman's field hockey team should take home the championship and the boys soccer team shouldn't. Women have no place in sports, their home is behind a desk or cleaning house. Turn on any sport channel and see how many games you find that involve woman's sports.
If you saw the November 25th edition of Newsweek you probably remember Sarah Palin being on the cover. Now, I am not a Palin supporter by any means but I did not like the way they portrayed her in the least. If you didn't see it, you can find it here: http://flapsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/Sarah-Palin-on-Newsweek.jpg
yahoo news also did an article on it: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20091117/pl_ynews/ynews_pl984
If I were her (which I'm SO GLAD I'm NOT), I think I would be angry too. The photo was originally published in the August 2009 issue of Runners World, she stated in her blog that 'The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention -- even if out of context.' Now, I don't agree with her on a lot of things and I'm not going to go into that because that's a whole new blog, but I do agree with that statement to an extent. Of all the pictures they could have chosen, they chose one of her in short runners shorts and sneakers. This wasn't an attempt by Democrats to discredit her in an attempt to hurt the Republican party, this was an attempt to discredit her as a woman in politics. Every woman that has ever tried to make an impact in the political world has suffered the same thing. Look at Hillary Clinton and her attempt to run for president, people kept saying it wasn't possible. It wasn't possible because we thought it wasn't possible. Because we're conditioned to think that the position as President of the United States is a man's position. Because we're conditioned to think that the position as President of the United States is a man's position. When she decided to withdraw from the race, I'm sure that several male politicians, both Democrat and Republican wiped their foreheads and remarked how they dodged the bullet.
Lets not forget how that every single book in the Bible is authored by men, and how it is documented that Mary Magdalene herself penned a book that didn't make it in. Why? Because she's a piece of property, what does she know? She probably remarked on how sexist everyone but Jesus was and that ruffled a few feathers so they decided that her book had nothing important to say. While we're on the topic of religion, has anyone ever noticed that there are very few books in the bible that portray women in a positive light? I mean Esther, Ruth, Abigale, Mary and Rahab are all notable but that's about it. Rahab gets an unfair mention because they say that she was a prostitute. Even though her behavior and closeness to her father's family seem to indicate that she may not have been. Its like "Okay...it says here that a woman helped our guys capture Jericho...shit...we can't have that, but if we don't mention that she helped she'll be a real bitch about it. We have to find some way to--WAIT! She did what? YES! We can say she was a prostitute! That's good...good, whew for a minute there I thought we would have to admit that a woman did something noble." Mary Magdalene had the same problem, there's no proof that she was a prostitute but because men had the control and they didn't see women as anything more than property...well there you go.
Now this leaves me to you, my fellow women I have one question for you:
What the hell is wrong with you?
Why are you allowing yourself to be conditioned to think that this is okay and its the way it will always be? Is it fair to you that our athletic programs get half the funding? Or that we're left out from the news not because our deeds are any less great, but because we're women and portraying us in a positive light would be unthinkable? What about the workforce? Did you know that in most corporations that some women make less than the men do and it goes unnoticed? What about this issue with Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton? It doesn't matter what your political standpoint is, we all have vagina's here and mine is pissed off at this (Thank you Eve Ensler for that).
I get that we have come a long way since the 50's and 60's, we have more rights now than we did then. We have the right to vote, to work whatever job we want, to wear whatever we want, and not be labeled as piece of property on our husband's tax form. But what good is any of that if we don't have any respect? I can't tell you how many times I've heard how women can't be president because of one simple ailment: PMS. Okay so because I don't have chocolate I'm going to let that override my common sense and policies and nuke the son of a bitch that won't listen to me.
In 1503 when Queen Elizabeth I sat on the throne she received the company of Gráinne Ní Mháille, or Grace O' Malley who had come because her sons, Tibbot Burke and Murrough O'Flaherty, and her half-brother, Donal-na-Piopa, were taken captive by the English governor of Connacht, Sir Richard Bingham. She had sailed to England to petition Elizabeth I for their release. In a matter of hours Elizabeth apparently took to Ní Mháille, who was three years older, and the two women reached sufficient agreement for Elizabeth to grant Ní Mháille's requests provided that her support of many Irish rebellions and piracy against England ended.
May I remind you that the conflict between England and Ireland had been going on for most of Gráinne Ní Mháille's life. She was about 40 when she sailed to England. I think you know where I'm going with this, so I'll just let that hang there.
What I'm getting at is this: Women deserve the same recognition as men do. We deserve the same benefits, funds and healthcare. We are not symbols of sex, nor are we objects of your animalistic desires. We are not stupid, we have opinions; we have the ability to carry life, to nurture and to carry on despite impossible situations. We are the anchors that keep a family together, we are the mothers to some of the greatest individuals that have walked the face of this earth.
We have the ability to be great leaders, if only those with narrow minds would see it. I see it, and it looks pretty damn good to me. Lets get on it ladies!
At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!
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