2009 February Archive

Obama’s Address to Congress Open Thread

OK, I sorta teared when Obama walked out. I am such a sap, but isn’t it nice to see some Democrats in power?
Have at it in comments. What do you think of this “not state of the union?”

OK, I sorta teared when Obama walked out. I am such a sap, but isn’t it nice to see some Democrats in power?
Have at it in comments. What do you think of this “not state of ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Urge the Senate to confirm Hilda Solis Today!

Go here and demand Hilda Solis is confirmed ASAP!
Solis is a pro-labor, pro-women’s rights advocate and someone we want in the Cabinet. Here is a video that SEIU put together (via ProblemChylde who has more links).
UPDATE: Solis was confirmed by a vote of 80-17. Nice!

Go here and demand Hilda Solis is confirmed ASAP!
Solis is a pro-labor, pro-women’s rights advocate and someone we want in the Cabinet. Here is a video that SEIU put together (via

By Samhita • 15 years ago

I love this commie, homo-lovin, son of a gun.

Sean Penn won the Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk. Check out his acceptance speech below.

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Slumdog Millionare wins Picture of the Year!

And it took a white director to make sure we got there! OK, OK, I will try to be less cynical. I know, I should be totally psyched that Slumdog Millionare won so many Oscars, including best picture. Any visibility for South Asians is good right?
Right. And wrong. I personally didn’t think Slumdog Millionare was an Oscar worthy movie. I thought it was creative, beautiful, interesting and had a great soundtrack, but I didn’t understand how it was Oscar worthy. Where was the complexity of the characters? Where was the deep cross-cultural analysis that helps us understand the South Asian condition? Where was there any agency displayed in the character of Latika? How did this story help ...

And it took a white director to make sure we got there! OK, OK, I will try to be less cynical. I know, I should be totally psyched that Slumdog Millionare won so many Oscars, ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Quick Hit: Murdoch apologizes for racist NY Post comic

Yeah, that cartoon that was run in the NY Post last week that was so obviously racist. Well, Murdoch says the Post didn’t mean it that way, but sorry if that is how you took it.
But is that good enough?
Related video:
Baratunde’s take
Jay’s take.

Yeah, that cartoon that was run in the NY Post last week that was so obviously racist. Well, Murdoch says the Post didn’t mean it that way, but sorry if that is how you took ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Consortium of Pub-Going Loose and Forward Women Hacked!

Remember the Pink Chaddi campaign? Well they put together a facebook group called, “the Consortium of Pub-Going, Loose and Forward Women” and unfortunately not surprisingly, it was hacked. They are not quite sure by who, but are surmising it is a group of hacktivists in the US.
Feministing hosts multiple groups on social networking sites and we are all too well aware of the threat of hacking, trolling and general disrupting of our online communities. These folks get their kicks from making us “feminazis” upset. But we don’t get upset. Trolling feels like a virus. You gotta get the right software and good implementers and you are golden. Also, hacking like this reminds us it is ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Black women’s bodies, voyeurism and Rihanna

I really wish I hadn’t seen the pictures that were leaked of Rihanna after the supposed assault by boyfriend Chris Brown. I am not going to post them here, because I think they are too triggering. Needless to say, they show someone who was brutally attacked.
As I said the last time I wrote about this, it is rare that the media gives light to violence against women of color. From the jump, this story hinged from an angle of victim-blaming, from blaming Rihanna for “giving Brown herpes” to “cheating on him with Jay-Z.” The narrative was clear; sometimes it is OK to beat a woman.
In releasing the pictures two things have happened. First, Rihanna’s privacy has been ...

By Samhita • 15 years ago

Online misogyny.

Thanks to votes from many of you, some of the Feministing ladies (myself and Ann) and Amanda Marcotte from Pandagon and moderated by Cecily Walker will be on a panel at SXSWi, called “That’s Not My Name: Beating Down Online Misogyny.” If you are going to be in town please come through and say hello!
Needless to say, online misogyny is a topic we deal with regularly and it is a condition that we face online. Despite our ability to move towards a more free space where we can voice our opinions, we are consistently threated by emails, commenters and on other blogs and videos, with sexualized violence or we are just plain ridiculed for speaking in ...

Thanks to votes from many of you, some of the Feministing ladies (myself and Ann) and Amanda Marcotte from Pandagon and moderated by Cecily Walker will be on a panel at SXSWi, called “That’s ...