Not Oprah’s Book Club: Sub Rosa

Sub Rosa by Amber Dawn is a haunting semi-real semi-fantastical novel about a community of sex workers in fictional community called Sub Rosa.

I was immediately drawn in by the tale as I followed Little, the book’s protagonist and she-roe, through the twists and turns of her time at Sub Rosa. It’s a hard book to explain or describe–much is left unrevealed and not understood, but that is part of the magic of the book.

As someone who primarily reads non-fiction, I was drawn in by how this novel, even with its fantastical elements, paralleled and commented on the realities of our lives.

From the official description:

Sub Rosa’s reluctant heroine is known as “Little,” a teenaged runaway unable ...

Sub Rosa by Amber Dawn is a haunting semi-real semi-fantastical novel about a community of sex workers in fictional community called Sub Rosa.

I was immediately drawn in by the tale as I followed Little, ...

Maine Governor Paul LePage Threatens Workers Rights Mural

Last Friday, on the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, Maine governor Paul LePage announced plans to remove a mural from Maine’s Department of Labor building painted by artist Judy Taylor of Tremont, ME. The Portland Press Herald writes,
“The 36-foot-long, 11 panel mural depicts the state’s labor history, including a shoe worker strike in Lewiston, female shipbuilders and striking papermakers in Jay.” Gov. LePage also ordered the renaming of Department’s conference rooms, four of which are named after women including Frances Perkins, the first female Cabinet member, and Marion Martin, founder of the National Federation of Republican Women. Another one of the conference rooms is named for Cesar Chavez. 
LePage says removing the mural and renaming the ...

Last Friday, on the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, Maine governor Paul LePage announced plans to remove a mural from Maine’s Department of Labor building painted by artist Judy Taylor of Tremont, ME. The ...

President Obama’s face used on most recent anti-choice billboard campaign

Just when you think they couldn’t stoop any lower.


This is the image that, according to the Huffington Post, is set to appear on 30 billboards in the South side of Chicago, President Obama’s political home.

There are so many huge issues facing our world today that could be addressed with the thousands of dollars going into these billboards. Maternal mortality. Fetal mortality. Appallingly high rates of incarceration. Poverty. Violence. Environmental disasters. War. Focusing so exclusively on the choices of women is appallingly misogynist, and their focus on the choices of black women is appallingly racist.

For background on the movement behind these billboards, check out my article for Colorlines.

Just when you think they couldn’t stoop any lower.


This is the image that, according to the Huffington Post, is set to appear on 30 billboards in the South side of Chicago, President Obama’s ...

Quick Hit: Good Spring Break Advice

I posted this a week or so ago on Change Happens and forgot to share it here! I found this sign in an NYU bathroom stall:

Instead of “watch your drink,” this poster focuses on knowing your own limits, “communicating clearly and vocally about your sexual desires” and being prepared with contraception. Unbelievably refreshing message from a university. What kind of messaging does your school have about spring break?

I posted this a week or so ago on Change Happens and forgot to share it here! I found this sign in an NYU bathroom stall:

Instead of “watch your drink,” this poster focuses on knowing ...

Can the New York Times paywall save journalism?

Today, after a short trial run with their Canadian subscribers, the New York Times will start charging for some digital content.

This plan has been in the works at NYT for over a year, and has been receiving much praise and much criticism across the media world.

This paywall decision is particularly important in today’s media climate. We all know that more and more people are getting their news online. Well online advertising pays pennies to the dollar compared to what print advertising pays, and advertising is the shaky business model that most media outlets have been built on. That includes the NY Times.

Journalism isn’t cheap, and even as newsrooms have been shrinking and papers have been shedding reporters and staff, ...

Today, after a short trial run with their Canadian subscribers, the New York Times will start charging for some digital content.

This plan has been in the works at NYT for over a year, and has been ...

Ann Friedman parodies NY Times for ignoring women writers

The original:

ONE winter evening, Brian Beutler, 28, a reporter for the online publication Talking Points Memo, sat with his friend and roommate Dave Weigel, 29, a political reporter for Slate and a contributor to MSNBC, at a coffee shop on U Street. Recovering from a cold as snow fell outside, Mr. Beutler spoke about his younger — well, relatively younger — days in the city.

“Everyone’s gotten a little bit older and a little more boring,” Mr. Beutler said, speaking of a wave of Washington bloggers who have come of age together. “Four years ago, we were far less professionalized, and the work was less rigorous and less stressful. So in addition ...

The original:

ONE winter evening, Brian Beutler, 28, a reporter for the online publication Talking Points Memo, sat with his friend and roommate Dave Weigel, 29, a political reporter for Slate and a contributor to ...

Groundbreaking political figure Geraldine Ferraro dies

This past weekend, Geraldine Ferraro, best known for her groundbreaking presence as the Vice-Presidential candidate on the ill-fated 1984 Democratic ticket alongside Walter Mondale, died at age 75.

The team lost by a landslide to President Ronald Reagan, but Ferraro’s presence on that ticket was not long forgotten.

As Mr. Mondale’s surprise choice, Ms. Ferraro rocketed to national prominence, propelled by fervid feminist support, a spirited and sometimes saucy personality, canny political skills and the calculation by Democratic strategists that Reagan might be vulnerable on issues thought to be more important to women.

Unsurprisingly Ferraro faced a lot of criticism as the first woman in such a role (sound familiar?). Her qualifications were vigorously questioned and ...

This past weekend, Geraldine Ferraro, best known for her groundbreaking presence as the Vice-Presidential candidate on the ill-fated 1984 Democratic ticket alongside Walter Mondale, died at age 75.

The team lost by a landslide to ...

The Feministing Five: Carl Siciliano

Carl Siciliano is the founder and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, New York City’s only shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth. There are an estimated 3,000 homeless youth in New York City alone, and 40% of them identify as LGBTQ. Yet there are only 200 beds in the entire US designated for LGBTQ youth, and 57 of them are at the Ali Forney Center.

Governor Cuomo is proposing to cut all state funding for homeless youth shelters. Please click here to take action against these inhumane budget cuts.

Siciliano is an impassioned advocate for the young people he works with and, as I definitely saw in his answer to my last question, just an incredibly kind, sweet person.

And ...

Carl Siciliano is the founder and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, New York City’s only shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth. There are an estimated 3,000 homeless youth in New York City alone, and 40% ...

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