Case Study 1: I am reading "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides author of "The Virgin Suicides". I am not too far into the book but the concept has already got me thinking. In a nutshell the book is about a Greek-American hermaphrodite. Calliope later known as Cal was raised as a girl. At some point (and this is what I haven't gotten to yet) she discovers she is not in fact female. She then lives out the remainder of her life as a man. Anyone that has just met him would have no doubt he is male. This made me start turning over in my head what truly defines sexuality.
Case study 2: African sprinter, Caster Semenya had to undergo tests to determine her gender after blowing the other competitors out of the water at a competition. It was determined that she was essentially an undeveloped male, though these reports have not been completely confirmed. It was finally decided she could keep the medals she won in the women's sprint races. However, it is still not known if she will be allowed to continue to compete in women's events.
Case study 3: I just finished "Cunt" as mentioned about a week ago. Absolutely loved it! The book was a newly released version of the original. In this version the author added a very lengthy afterword. She addressed a concern she had recieved lots of complaints, emails, letters, and questions about after the book came out. In the book she many times referred to a cunt as being the one thing that ties all women together. No matter our nationalities, our histories, our salaries, our sexual orientation - all women have cunts. Many people from the transgendered community for obvious reason took offense or simply did not agree with this statement. They asked her why she so blatantly left them out. In the Afterword which was the length of probably a third of the original book she first explained why she didn't include trannys (her word not mine). She said she simply didn't think about it, but that this reason didn't make it ok. After getting all these comments she began years of research and began writing this follow up to address the concerns.
So now I wonder... what does make someone a women? In the first two hermaphrodite examples both were raised as female (which is common for hermaphrodites) but one clearly identified as male while the other chose to remain female. A transvestite is physically one gender but emotionally another. And then there is the issue of a complete sex change.
This brings me to my next question. While a man who identifies as a female will face many many hardships and prejudices (and I by no means want to downplay or disregard these). This man was still raised in a male dominated society as a boy. Can this man ever understand the fear of walking the ten feet from your car to your building late at night? Can this man know the loss of freedom that comes with feeling the need to inform friends where you will be and with who when you go out on a date with someone new? Is it our genetics, physical makeup, emotional makeup, or experiences that determine our gender?
Personally, I don't think there is one answer. As with all of life nothing is black and white. I still haven't decided my opinion on this but I have enjoyed pondering it.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Cunt: A Book Review
Cunt...
Apparently this word is supposed to invoke anger and outrage in me. This is supposedly one of the most offensive words I could be called. I can't say I want to be called this anytime soon, but I have never considered it any worse than other derogatory words. Maybe our culture has just come that much farther since this book was written (1998). Regardless of my feelings about the word, the book Cunt was incredibly thought provoking.
Some things I learned:
Apparently this word is supposed to invoke anger and outrage in me. This is supposedly one of the most offensive words I could be called. I can't say I want to be called this anytime soon, but I have never considered it any worse than other derogatory words. Maybe our culture has just come that much farther since this book was written (1998). Regardless of my feelings about the word, the book Cunt was incredibly thought provoking.
Some things I learned:
- You can induce a miscarriage naturally. This BLEW MY MIND, there is such thing as essentially a homeopathic abortion. With the right combination of herbs and pelvic massage I could force my body to reject a fetus. If this isn't empowerment I don't know what is.
- I have new views on feminism and lesbianism to be first more fully defined and then later discussed here on this blog.
- So much of my life is controlled by white men. So very much of it.
- Our culture very much supports rape. Rape of women, rape of the land, and sadly rape of our children.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wow, I fail...
I decided I was going to go big or go home, I got some new contributors on board (hi Chi!), did a ton of brainstorming (I am good at that) and then of course lost momentum when it came to follow through... no real surprise there.
I plan to be back for real this time. I do have some of what I feel are solid ideas... I also found this book list of essential feminist readings, my goal over the next year or so is to read as many as possible.
So far I have read the following:
2. The Feminine Mystique - Betty Friedan
(Haven't quite finished, but I have started it multiple times)
8. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used... - Naomi Wolf
(Also haven't finished, I am so bad about reading multiple books at once)
9. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
(See above, I suck at life)
10. Full Frontal Feminism - Jessica Valenti
(Horrible book, see review in a previous blog post)
15. Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture - Ariel Levy
(Excellent, highly recommend!)
18. Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power... - Jaclyn Friedman, Jessica Valenti
(My most recent read, will post a review soon)
31. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting Ahead in America - Barbara Ehrenreich
97. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
Eight out of one-hundred isn't a bad place to start... I suppose.
I plan to be back for real this time. I do have some of what I feel are solid ideas... I also found this book list of essential feminist readings, my goal over the next year or so is to read as many as possible.
So far I have read the following:
2. The Feminine Mystique - Betty Friedan
(Haven't quite finished, but I have started it multiple times)
8. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used... - Naomi Wolf
(Also haven't finished, I am so bad about reading multiple books at once)
9. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
(See above, I suck at life)
10. Full Frontal Feminism - Jessica Valenti
(Horrible book, see review in a previous blog post)
15. Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture - Ariel Levy
(Excellent, highly recommend!)
18. Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power... - Jaclyn Friedman, Jessica Valenti
(My most recent read, will post a review soon)
31. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting Ahead in America - Barbara Ehrenreich
97. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
Eight out of one-hundred isn't a bad place to start... I suppose.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Male Feminism (Now With Wandering Metaphors!)
I'm a man.
However, that didn't stop Meg from inviting me to contribute to this feminist blog. My initial thought was if I was qualified to talk on the topic at all. It's not that I don't have ideas about feminism, or of its related modern battles. I've just always felt like it was good that the evolving dialog on feminism wasn't being refereed by men, and more importantly many women were creating new platforms to spread ideas (as opposed to being granted them by men).
I have been blogging for a few years now, and posting in forums for several more years than that. Often these digital marketplaces are my muse, and offer me an opportunity to hash out my ideas. It's kind of like a rough draft of sorts. It is then no surprise that when I was invited to write here and didn't know what to write about or what I could write about, I ran to the forums to ask.
Many people thought I should write about second person views of feminism. I after all have a sister and a mother; women's issues affect those that I care about. Others thought that I should non-dimentionalize the topic and write about inclusion in general. The idea here was that all of the things women are wanting are in some form things that we all want; human things. I received a minority of replies that basically demonized feminism and portrayed it as being the same as chauvinism, only it is the promotion of women above men.
The responses weren't the best at offering me a topic, but they did tell me one thing, It was okay for me to sit at the table. The only topic that came to mind was the original question: What can I talk about? Perhaps, my apprehension is not about what I can, but what I should talk about.
I'll just come out pistols blazing and polished clean (cause they've never been used). I'll just bypass that first hurdle now: I'm not talking about the right to speak on the topic. I have the right, and I'm not interested in unnecessary detour on free speech. Now that we've got that out of the way, I should charter a path of topics. The method that first comes to mind is topics that begin with little to no female interaction and gradually increase to male/female integration, and finally to topics that women overtake men in a battle of interest.
In the shallowest of waters male feminism must exist where there are no females present at all. Men socializing with other men or while by themselves have are faces with an abundance of women's issues. How men field those issues can say a lot about how we contribute positively or negatively. Music, film, literature, pornography and other popular forms of media and it's consumption exist here. The example I'll give (but won't labor on about) is women's sports. This year, the USA men's soccer team went all the way to the finals in the FIFA Confederations Cup! It was like nothing we've ever done before. Now, on the road to the 2010 World Cup, there is a nice buzz on the team that the Europeans refer to as "no longer an appetizer." Pretty great huh? It was being talked about as the US's serious debut into the competitive world of futbol, but was it? some might be surprised to learn that in women's soccer, the USA has been the definitive team for over a decade. So tell me then... Okay, I said I wouldn't labor on, but there is something there to talked about.
Moving on. About waist deep in the pool of feminism is where most men show either comfort or want to head back to shore. This level of interaction is probably the largest and contains topics ranging from workplace interactions, friendship, dating, sex, marriage, and all sorts of other interactions. At this depth, we see men socializing directly with women. The ways men contribute positively and negatively are mostly based on communication. Dating, most immediately comes to mind here for me. The words "hierarchy" and "roles" come to mind but don't find themselves worked into sentences so easily. Does a man seek an equal relationship? What does a man do if he finds himself in a relationship where he is not equal (be him the dominant or recessive partner)? More topics, I think a man can talk about.
At the point where the water is over a man's head, is there anything left that he can talk about in the pool of feminism (I didn't intentionally start that metaphor, but I ran with it)? Once our toes can't touch the bottom anymore, can I man have anything to share on things like child birth, rape, abortion, and other major topics? Is empathy enough for a man to keep from sinking at this depth? We'll find out, and if the water gets rough, maybe somebody here will throw me a life preserver.
I hope as I continue to write here that I am able to offer something worth reading and potentially original. I don't take it lightly that I was invited to write here, and I feels like an positive affirmation that I've done well advocating equality. I do not come well read in the literature of classical or modern feminism. I'm just a guy who thinks and writes. As long as my input is welcome, I will try to give my best.
~Chi
However, that didn't stop Meg from inviting me to contribute to this feminist blog. My initial thought was if I was qualified to talk on the topic at all. It's not that I don't have ideas about feminism, or of its related modern battles. I've just always felt like it was good that the evolving dialog on feminism wasn't being refereed by men, and more importantly many women were creating new platforms to spread ideas (as opposed to being granted them by men).
I have been blogging for a few years now, and posting in forums for several more years than that. Often these digital marketplaces are my muse, and offer me an opportunity to hash out my ideas. It's kind of like a rough draft of sorts. It is then no surprise that when I was invited to write here and didn't know what to write about or what I could write about, I ran to the forums to ask.
Many people thought I should write about second person views of feminism. I after all have a sister and a mother; women's issues affect those that I care about. Others thought that I should non-dimentionalize the topic and write about inclusion in general. The idea here was that all of the things women are wanting are in some form things that we all want; human things. I received a minority of replies that basically demonized feminism and portrayed it as being the same as chauvinism, only it is the promotion of women above men.
The responses weren't the best at offering me a topic, but they did tell me one thing, It was okay for me to sit at the table. The only topic that came to mind was the original question: What can I talk about? Perhaps, my apprehension is not about what I can, but what I should talk about.
I'll just come out pistols blazing and polished clean (cause they've never been used). I'll just bypass that first hurdle now: I'm not talking about the right to speak on the topic. I have the right, and I'm not interested in unnecessary detour on free speech. Now that we've got that out of the way, I should charter a path of topics. The method that first comes to mind is topics that begin with little to no female interaction and gradually increase to male/female integration, and finally to topics that women overtake men in a battle of interest.
In the shallowest of waters male feminism must exist where there are no females present at all. Men socializing with other men or while by themselves have are faces with an abundance of women's issues. How men field those issues can say a lot about how we contribute positively or negatively. Music, film, literature, pornography and other popular forms of media and it's consumption exist here. The example I'll give (but won't labor on about) is women's sports. This year, the USA men's soccer team went all the way to the finals in the FIFA Confederations Cup! It was like nothing we've ever done before. Now, on the road to the 2010 World Cup, there is a nice buzz on the team that the Europeans refer to as "no longer an appetizer." Pretty great huh? It was being talked about as the US's serious debut into the competitive world of futbol, but was it? some might be surprised to learn that in women's soccer, the USA has been the definitive team for over a decade. So tell me then... Okay, I said I wouldn't labor on, but there is something there to talked about.
Moving on. About waist deep in the pool of feminism is where most men show either comfort or want to head back to shore. This level of interaction is probably the largest and contains topics ranging from workplace interactions, friendship, dating, sex, marriage, and all sorts of other interactions. At this depth, we see men socializing directly with women. The ways men contribute positively and negatively are mostly based on communication. Dating, most immediately comes to mind here for me. The words "hierarchy" and "roles" come to mind but don't find themselves worked into sentences so easily. Does a man seek an equal relationship? What does a man do if he finds himself in a relationship where he is not equal (be him the dominant or recessive partner)? More topics, I think a man can talk about.
At the point where the water is over a man's head, is there anything left that he can talk about in the pool of feminism (I didn't intentionally start that metaphor, but I ran with it)? Once our toes can't touch the bottom anymore, can I man have anything to share on things like child birth, rape, abortion, and other major topics? Is empathy enough for a man to keep from sinking at this depth? We'll find out, and if the water gets rough, maybe somebody here will throw me a life preserver.
I hope as I continue to write here that I am able to offer something worth reading and potentially original. I don't take it lightly that I was invited to write here, and I feels like an positive affirmation that I've done well advocating equality. I do not come well read in the literature of classical or modern feminism. I'm just a guy who thinks and writes. As long as my input is welcome, I will try to give my best.
~Chi
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Book Review: Full Frontal Feminism
This is the review I wrote for the book on amazon.com, I plan on going into more detail on certain aspects of the book soon:
When I find the time to read I vary between the classics and feminist books. Working in a predominantly male environment and having mostly male friends I really enjoy studying feminism, the women's movement, and related issues. I also find that my male friends are often more then willing to discuss many feminist issues and often are very educated on them. This book gives both men and women very little credit. While Jessica says feminism is not all about the stereotypical man hating, she rarely leaves you feeling she has much respect for men. When men are discussed you are left feeling that there are so many criteria to consider when finding men that are worth your time. I was particularly turned off in any of the sections that discussed dating. After going on and on about female sexuality, choices, and freedom she gives a list of what to look for as a feminist dating. One of the bullet points says don't sleep with republicans... really? Does Jessica really believe feminism is such a black and white issue? I believe really smart empowered women are able to look at issues individually instead of writing off every single republican. And that doesn't even take into effect that one chapter earlier she talks about how women should never have to feel bad for their sex life, did she forget to include the clause: unless you slept with a republican?
I have read some really amazing books about modern day feminism, feminism in the 21st century, and feminist books written to empower young women to take up the cause... this was not one of them.
Summary: Don't buy this book, go buy Female Chauvinistic Pigs instead.
When I find the time to read I vary between the classics and feminist books. Working in a predominantly male environment and having mostly male friends I really enjoy studying feminism, the women's movement, and related issues. I also find that my male friends are often more then willing to discuss many feminist issues and often are very educated on them. This book gives both men and women very little credit. While Jessica says feminism is not all about the stereotypical man hating, she rarely leaves you feeling she has much respect for men. When men are discussed you are left feeling that there are so many criteria to consider when finding men that are worth your time. I was particularly turned off in any of the sections that discussed dating. After going on and on about female sexuality, choices, and freedom she gives a list of what to look for as a feminist dating. One of the bullet points says don't sleep with republicans... really? Does Jessica really believe feminism is such a black and white issue? I believe really smart empowered women are able to look at issues individually instead of writing off every single republican. And that doesn't even take into effect that one chapter earlier she talks about how women should never have to feel bad for their sex life, did she forget to include the clause: unless you slept with a republican?
I have read some really amazing books about modern day feminism, feminism in the 21st century, and feminist books written to empower young women to take up the cause... this was not one of them.
Summary: Don't buy this book, go buy Female Chauvinistic Pigs instead.
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Rose By Any Other Name
I am finishing a book on why feminism still matters. It is turning out to be a pretty bad book but more on that later. At one point the author discusses the keeping of one's last name. She concedes at one point that if you absolutely must then it is ok to hyphenate.
I just really can't come to a decision on this one. I do know that I by no means feel that taking your husband's last name makes you any less of a feminist. Is it wrong to be ok with losing your last name or (even worse) enjoying the time-old tradition of adopting your husband's name? Sure the tradition is tied up in transferring ownership of a woman from her father to her husband. Sure when you put it like that it makes a women nothing more than property. But do most men these days even see it that way? Yes there is always going to be the assholes out there that do feel they own their wives. But there are also plenty of women who feel they own their husband's whether they took the poor guy's last name or kept their own.
Maybe I can't make up my mind on this one because I never have felt incredibly attached to my own last name. Personally it is long and at the end of the alphabet and I have never particularly liked it. I hated being last in grade school where everything was alphabetical. It is slightly annoying that my name is always misspelled (but my first name is often too so that problem is never going away). I don't think I could hyphenate because my last name is too long as it is, I would never wish that upon my children! So maybe I can't back this supposed feminist statement because I am lazy or apathetic. Or maybe feminists should stop focusing so much on these little things and get going on things that really matter.
This being said, if I had a husband that didn't mind taking my last name that would be very cool. But I don't think I would ever fight for it or expect it. However, if I was dating a guy that threw a fit about the possibility of me keeping my last name that would be a big turn off. All in all it should be my decision, but in the end I think I know what I would decide.
I just really can't come to a decision on this one. I do know that I by no means feel that taking your husband's last name makes you any less of a feminist. Is it wrong to be ok with losing your last name or (even worse) enjoying the time-old tradition of adopting your husband's name? Sure the tradition is tied up in transferring ownership of a woman from her father to her husband. Sure when you put it like that it makes a women nothing more than property. But do most men these days even see it that way? Yes there is always going to be the assholes out there that do feel they own their wives. But there are also plenty of women who feel they own their husband's whether they took the poor guy's last name or kept their own.
Maybe I can't make up my mind on this one because I never have felt incredibly attached to my own last name. Personally it is long and at the end of the alphabet and I have never particularly liked it. I hated being last in grade school where everything was alphabetical. It is slightly annoying that my name is always misspelled (but my first name is often too so that problem is never going away). I don't think I could hyphenate because my last name is too long as it is, I would never wish that upon my children! So maybe I can't back this supposed feminist statement because I am lazy or apathetic. Or maybe feminists should stop focusing so much on these little things and get going on things that really matter.
This being said, if I had a husband that didn't mind taking my last name that would be very cool. But I don't think I would ever fight for it or expect it. However, if I was dating a guy that threw a fit about the possibility of me keeping my last name that would be a big turn off. All in all it should be my decision, but in the end I think I know what I would decide.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
A Feminist Blog - What A Novel Idea...
Do a Google search on "feminist blogs" and you won't have any shortage of reading material. These blogs range in material from historical, political, pop culture, and more (I even found a redneck feminist blog). So what makes this one different? Probably not much except that unlike the other blogs out there I agree with 100% of the content on this one. So with that logic, for anyone but myself it may not differ at all.
I am starting this blog to share my experiences with feminism. I fall into that 20-something group of women that doesn't necessarily associate themselves as readily with feminism. The reasons for this are all over the place. They may find it unnecessary in this day and age, or hard to relate to, most likely though they just don't care. Apathy is the biggest problem. Young women should care.
Women young and old should never stop caring. And I think just as importantly men should care too.
I will end with this quote from Ani Difranco's Grand Canyon:
Coolest f-word ever deserves a fucking shout!
I mean why can't all decent men and women call themselves feminists?
I am starting this blog to share my experiences with feminism. I fall into that 20-something group of women that doesn't necessarily associate themselves as readily with feminism. The reasons for this are all over the place. They may find it unnecessary in this day and age, or hard to relate to, most likely though they just don't care. Apathy is the biggest problem. Young women should care.
Women young and old should never stop caring. And I think just as importantly men should care too.
I will end with this quote from Ani Difranco's Grand Canyon:
Coolest f-word ever deserves a fucking shout!
I mean why can't all decent men and women call themselves feminists?
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