2008 September Archive

Troll-B-Gone!

Above: An artist’s rendering of the men’s rights trolls who populate this feminist blog and others. The jewels in their bellies give them magical powers that blind them to their own privilege!

Regular readers have probably noticed that the comment threads have been overrun as of late with a serious influx of trolls. We’re not sure if it’s just the Palin-related traffic lately, the general election frenzy, or some special link-lovin’ from a men’s rights site. In any case, we’ve noticed. We’re on it.

What is a troll, you ask? A brief definition here.

More specifically, the breed of troll that’s been showing up here lately typically…

Has a username that’s something vaguely female with some numbers at the end Makes racist/sexist/homophobic/generally ignorant ...

Above: An artist’s rendering of the men’s rights trolls who populate this feminist blog and others. The jewels in their bellies give them magical powers that blind them to their own privilege!

Regular readers have probably noticed ...

By Ann • 15 years ago

The Postville 28

Back in May, Postville, Iowa — a small town not far from where I grew up — was the site of the largest immigration raid in U.S. history. Nearly 400 undocumented workers were rounded up and detained. Today, 28 women remain in custody as they apply for political asylum and special visas for victims of violence (many have suffered sexual assault and/or sexual harassment).
New America Media has video interviews with two of the women who are fighting deportation, María Laura Gómez and Maricruz Rodríguez. (I can’t figure out how to embed the vid, so you’ll have to click here to watch.)

In Rodríguez’s case, she’s applying for political asylum, seeking protection from her alcoholic, abusive ...

Back in May, Postville, Iowa — a small town not far from where I grew up — was the site of the largest immigration raid in U.S. history. Nearly 400 undocumented workers were rounded ...

By Ann • 15 years ago

On recruiting rape survivors for campaign ads

Jonathan Martin reports that the Obama campaign was looking to recruit a rape survivor to appear in an ad.

Kiersten Steward, director of public policy at the Family Violence Prevention Fund, served as a conduit between the campaign and victims and women’s advocates.
“Obviously, this is a big ask and I haven’t seen a script but presumably it will be a brief ‘this is what happened to me, we need someone who will fight for women like me, these are the guys to do it,'” Steward wrote in a Sept. 15 e-mail. “Again, that’s just my assumption, given how these things usually go.”

So it raises the question: Is this exploitative? Or is it simply a compelling way to draw attention ...

Jonathan Martin reports that the Obama campaign was looking to recruit a rape survivor to appear in an ad.

Kiersten Steward, director of public policy at the Family Violence Prevention Fund, served as a conduit between the ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Tuesday Ten: Feminist friendly male bloggers

I am really into lists lately. After Courtney’s ten things she can do without and my own replica, along with all the responses we got, I figure why not make it a weekly feature. So similar to Amanda’s Friday Random Ten, here is my second crack at the Tuesday Ten.
I have been thinking about highlighting men that do feminist work in their blogging (sort of in the vain of Twanna’s Manly Monday, but different trajectory). Many of these men, I don’t know personally, so I will not say they are feminists, however, in much of their writing I have found they support many of my ideals.
So here goes. This is my list of who ...

I am really into lists lately. After Courtney’s ten things she can do without and my own replica, along with all the responses we got, I figure why not make it a weekly feature. So ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Oh no not tribal fashion references again!

So the last time I wrote about American Apparel’s use of mock tribal prints and the name, “Afrika” for a line of clothing, it was a little bit controversial. Some folks didn’t understand why putting thin, white models, in faux tribal and animal prints with the title, “Afrika” was racist. So be it.
UPDATE: I think one of our commenters put the argument for why the use of “African” symbolism is problematic and racist best here.
She says,

For people who have not been exposed to critical race theory or the study of colonialism and cultural appropriation, the new Afrika line probably doesn’t look racist to you. The reason it doesn’t look racist to you is because the attractiveness ...

By Jessica • 15 years ago

Headlining Anti-feminism

Perusing LifeNews can be great when you need a laugh (or a cry). Or in this case, when you need a good reminder of why anti-feminism is so effin’ ridiculous.
The title of Joan Swirsky’s article really says it all: Some Feminists Love Abortion on Demand But Hate Governor Sarah Palin
The whole article is priceless, chock full of old anti-feminist standards like calling feminists hysterical, full of rage, and blaming the divorce rate on the women’s rights movement. But it’s the sub-headers that slayed me.
Swirsky’s history of feminism, in sub-headlines: DOMESTICITY BAD, MISS & MRS. BAD, UNEQUAL PAY BAD, VALUING HUMAN LIFE ESPECIALLY BAD, SHRIKES ON PARADE.
Feminist shrikes (?) have been bad, ...

Perusing LifeNews can be great when you need a laugh (or a cry). Or in this case, when you need a good reminder of why anti-feminism is so effin’ ridiculous.
The title of Joan ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Google opposes CA Proposition 8

and so should you! I think it is awesome that Google made a public statement about this. According to the Official Google blog:

As an Internet company, Google is an active participant in policy debates surrounding information access, technology and energy. Because our company has a great diversity of people and opinions — Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, all religions and no religion, straight and gay — we do not generally take a position on issues outside of our field, especially not social issues. So when Proposition 8 appeared on the California ballot, it was an unlikely question for Google to take an official company position on.

and so should you! I think it is awesome that Google made a public statement about this. According to the Official Google blog:

As an Internet company, Google is an active participant in policy debates surrounding ...

By Jessica • 15 years ago

Roe is the only SCOTUS case Palin knows?

The Politico reports that in a yet-to-be released clip from Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin, the Vice Presidential candidate trips up again.

Of concern to McCain’s campaign, however, is a remaining and still-undisclosed clip from Palin’s interview with Couric last week that has the political world buzzing.
The Palin aide, after first noting how “infuriating” it was for CBS to purportedly leak word about the gaffe, revealed that it came in response to a question about Supreme Court decisions.
After noting Roe vs. Wade, Palin was apparently unable to discuss any major court cases.
There was no verbal fumbling with this particular question as there was with some others, the aide said, but rather silence.

Oh dear. And yet…I ...

The Politico reports that in a yet-to-be released clip from Katie Couric’s interview with Sarah Palin, the Vice Presidential candidate trips up again.

Of concern to McCain’s campaign, however, is a remaining and still-undisclosed clip from Palin’s ...