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Holy crap I can’t believe it’s almost September already.
Anyway. You should check out these links:
~Stuff I pinned at my TIAW and Wisdom boards.
~Interesting post showing how photos of Prince Charles have been manipulated to make him look taller than he is. It’s interesting not because it happens, but because it puts into clear view this strange idea we have that men must be taller than women. I get it. I like taller guys as a general rule. Maybe it’s because it makes us feel protected to be with someone larger than we are. In any case, it’s something to be aware of and perhaps something to start changing our opinions on.
~Because focused on the issue of “legitimate rape” last week, I didn’t get to share this last bit of Olympics drama. Is Leisel Jones, Olympic swimmer, fat? The article ends with this question, “Does she need to lose weight to be a competitive swimmer, or is she fine the way she is?” Um. She IS a competitive swimmer so not only is the question irrelevant, but she was good enough to make it to the Olympics so I think that everyone who’s not an Olympian can just STFU. Because, obviously, she’s fine the way she is.
~Hillary Clinton once again kicks ass. I love this woman.
~Miley Cyrus cut her hair and the internet freaked the hell out. I believe that sudden and dramatic changes to hair like that can be linked to/caused by/etc personal or spiritual growth. It doesn’t surprise me that the world sees a sign of growth in a woman and labels her crazy. *sigh* Go, Miley!
~This one is kind of old (in internet years, I mean – it was published, like, weeks ago). Awhile back there was, apparently, a thread on Reddit wherein a serial rapist talked about why he raped women. I didn’t follow it closely (because nausea) but I guess other rapists jumped in and added their POV’s. Here’s a Feministing article about it.
~“Project Runway” and the Designer Who Looked Even Worse than His Clothes.
~Let’s end on a funny. 12 hilarious reviews of a pen designed for women. I love you, Interwebz, never change.
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So this week some bafflingly ignorant guy claimed that women very rarely actually get pregnant from being raped because, “if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” This guy obvs did a science there. Or the other thing. That’s completely the opposite of anything scientific. In fact, on that note, here’s another image that gave me a good lolz.
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But, really, so much has been written about this guy this week so let’s just onto the articles, yes?
~Jezebel’s Guide to Legitimate Rape.
~”Why don’t you spend your time ending rape rather than redefining it?” <--Indeed. This is an INCREDIBLE letter. Remember when I wrote about gaslighting? Todd Akin is gaslighting victims of rape with his words. This article calls him out on it. (Thanks to Kat for the link.)
~President Obama’s response. THIS, fellow women, is what we need to hear from politicians. Thank you, Obama.
~It appears that Akin got his information from Physicians for Life, whose “science” is deeply flawed.
~Or maybe this is where he got his info. Or maybe he confused women with ducks. (Thanks to Grace for those links. Including the video of a duck erection. Um.)
~Thank god the ACOG has provided a response based in actual science. (Thanks to Stephanie and Colleen for the link.)
~UPDATE: My friend Katie shared this link with me today. One mother’s story of raising a daughter conceived by rape. Guess what? Not only does it happen, but the government allows fathers to have rights to these children. I have no words.
~In any case, as Mike Huckabee points out, rape has produced some really great people! So. More rape-babies for all? (Thanks, again, to Grace for this link.)
~How Akin probably should have apologized.
~Todd Akin apologizes. And then he tries again, a little better this time.
~And here, my friends, here is an excellent post about why this one man’s apology isn’t worth shit. Because he’s not alone. This is a problem rampant among social conservatives. Including the man running for vice president. The man chosen by the man who hopes to become president someday. As the author of this article says, [they think] “none of us are paying attention. But we are.”
A few weeks ago there was a massive controversy over a certain fast food joint and homophobia. I remember hearing people saying repeatedly that they were sick of hearing about the whole thing. I imagine we have another day or so before people start saying the same thing about Akin and his comments. But that kind of attitude is so dangerous. It’s what they want from us. To brush things under the bed and pretend that they aren’t there, that they never happened. But it doesn’t make them not there. It doesn’t mean they never happened. It just means we aren’t willing to work hard enough at social change, that we would rather watch the Kardashians than have to think or act.
So talk about this. Loudly and often. And if people get sick of hearing about it, talk about it more and louder. Don’t let it get brushed under the bed. Because, quite frankly, with all the madness against women happening this year, it could be more than merely dangerous to pretend like none of this is happening. So talk and talk and talk. And you know what else? VOTE.
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Because YOU, as a woman, have the power to not elect people like Akin or Ryan. Save this world, ladies.
And, dear politicians, please change your focus to stopping rapists, rather than blaming women.
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