By Samhita • 16 years ago

Turning to the Quran stop FGM.

Health activists in sub-Saharan Africa are seeing that attempts at stopping FGM based on women’s rights isn’t working, so they are turning to the Quran, to find evidence that it is not a religious necessity.

Abdi, who speaks about female genital mutilation on behalf of the US-based Population Council, said invoking Islam penetrates years of cultural indoctrination.
“Women don’t have to torture themselves.
Islam does not require them to do it,” said Abdi, who underwent the procedure when she was 6 and was a college student by the time she realised it was not necessary from a religious viewpoint.
With age-old cultural roots, female genital mutilation is practised today in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Egypt and other parts of the ...

Health activists in sub-Saharan Africa are seeing that attempts at stopping FGM based on women’s rights isn’t working, so they are turning to the Quran, to find evidence that it is not a religious necessity.

Abdi, who speaks ...
By Samhita • 16 years ago

Leave Tinky Winky alone!


I, like Christopher Hitchens, do not give a rat’s ass about Rev. Jerry Falwell. I was reminded of another reason why he did indeed lead people based on paranoid, hate-based superstition. Falwell outed Tinky Winky and for that I will never forgive him. Nothing (well not nothing) gave me more pleasure when I was stoned in college, than to watch Teletubbies.
Apparently, the Polish government is also suspect.

The spokesperson for children’s rights in Poland, Ewa Sowinska, singled out Tinky Winky, the purple character with a triangular aerial on his head.
“I noticed he was carrying a woman’s handbag,” she told a magazine. “At first, I didn’t realise he was a boy.”
EU officials have criticised Polish government ...


I, like Christopher Hitchens, do not give a rat’s ass about Rev. Jerry Falwell. I was reminded of another reason why he did indeed lead people based on paranoid, hate-based superstition. Falwell outed Tinky ...
By Vanessa • 16 years ago

Hooray for breast cancer research!

It looks like questions are being answered concerning the genetics of breast cancer, and in fact, may be the most important genetic discoveries since 1994.
The findings could lead not only to better understandings of breast cancer, but better ways to identify and treat the disease. Good shit.

It looks like questions are being answered concerning the genetics of breast cancer, and in fact, may be the most important genetic discoveries since 1994.
The findings could lead not only to better understandings of ...
By Jessica • 16 years ago

Awards, weddings, and a day off


At the Choice USA Awards: Jen, Jessica, Marvelyn, Courtney and Ann.
Hey all…so a lot of the Feministing ladies have been traveling like crazy over the past week. The Choice USA Awards in DC were super fun–it was amazing to meet all of these incredible women doing such important work for reproductive justice.
Then we were off to Colonial Williamsburg for the wedding of Feministing friend and real hot 100 director Gwynn Cassidy.
And in two days, we’re off to Chicago for the Causes in Common meeting and the SisterSong conference.
So given all of the past and future craziness, we’re going to be taking today off to sleep, chill out, and ...


At the Choice USA Awards: Jen, Jessica, Marvelyn, Courtney and Ann.
Hey all…so a lot of the Feministing ladies have been traveling like crazy over the past week. The Choice USA Awards in DC ...
By celina • 16 years ago

Pagan Kennedy: The First Man-Made Man


Photograph by Mathew Schwartz

Pagan Kennedy has published seven books and is a pioneer of the ’90s zine movement; her autobiographical zine Pagan’s Head is noted for describing her life in extraordinary detail. Some of her books include Black Livingstone which was named a New York Times Notable Book and her novel Spinsters which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. She has also written for The New York Times Magazine, Boston Globe Magazine, Village Voice, Utne Reader, The Nation and Ms. magazine.
Pagan’s new book, The First Man-Made Man: The Story of Two Sex Changes, One Love Affair, and a Twentieth Century Medical Revolution, is a biography that documents the life of Michael Dillon who, ...


Photograph by Mathew Schwartz

Pagan Kennedy has published seven books and is a pioneer of the ’90s zine movement; her autobiographical zine Pagan’s Head is noted for describing her life in extraordinary detail. ...
By celina • 16 years ago

Took Nubian’s Interview Down

For many of you, you may be saying it’s about time. But I just want you to know, my intentions and actions, although contrary to what you may have hoped for, were never from an ill or self-gratuitous place. I decided to interview and post Nubian’s interview because I wanted to help share her voice and her experiences with racism on the blogosphere. Unfortunately, what went down was exactly what she documented in her interview with me.

For many of you, you may be saying it’s about time. But I just want you to know, my intentions and actions, although contrary to what you may have hoped for, were never from an ill or ...

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