habladora

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By habladora • 17 years ago

Is there a gamer in the house?

Over at The Feminist Underground , we’ve got a guest-blogger today who reviews Soul Calibur IV for us. Look, I like his review, but after pointing out the ridiculousness ‘fighting dominatrix’ Ivy’s ever-increasing chest size and ever-decreasing clothing, he then makes the claim that the game isn’t sexist – because both genders are objectified. Riiiight.

Perhaps this is poor form (OK, definitely), since he is a ‘real world’ friend of mine, but if there are any feminist gamers on the Feministing Community today with some free time on their hands, I’d love it if you’d stop by and give an informed opinion. And, no, you don’t have to agree with me that the game is, in fact, terribly sexist and a sure way to keep a lot of women thinking that games just aren’t for them… but you can if you want 😉

By habladora • 17 years ago

Smiling Othering: How to Cope?

(Excerpted from a post at The Feminist Underground )

Othering is "a way of defining and securing one’s own positive identity through the stigmatization of an ‘other.’ " It is the "[s]implistic recognition of normal human diversity, combined with ethnocentric thinking [that] can lead to a tendency to depict ‘others’ …as somehow, categorically, topologically, intrinsically, DIFFERENT." It is also incredibly common.

(Excerpted from a post at The Feminist Underground )

Othering is "a way of defining and securing one’s own positive identity through the stigmatization of an ‘other.’ " It is the "[s]implistic recognition of normal human ...

By habladora • 17 years ago

PETA’s New Ad Campaign: Targeting Impoverished Communities for Vegan Propaganda

It sometimes seems to me like PETA is bent on hurting animals by trying to make the term ‘animal rights activist’ synonymous with ‘self-absorbed, ignorant jack-ass.’ So what’s their newest tactic for sullying an otherwise decent cause? Billboards on the border fence warning people who which to cross that getting fat from eating meat might be the most serious danger facing them :

The billboards, in English and Spanish, would offer the caution: "If the Border Patrol Doesn’t Get You, the Chicken and Burgers Will — Go Vegan."

"We think that Mexicans and other immigrants should be warned if they cross into the U.S. they are putting their health at risk by leaving behind a healthier, staple diet of ...

By habladora • 17 years ago

Quick Hit: Explaining HPV and Cancer

Denialism has posted a succinct description of the relationship between HPV (human papilloma virus) and cervical cancer.

So how can a virus like HPV lead to cancer? The short answer is simply that "HPV causes cervical cancer by screwing with two of our most powerful tumor suppressor genes." The long answer is really worth reading though, so go to!

(Cross-posted from The Feminist Underground )

Denialism has posted a succinct description of the relationship between HPV (human papilloma virus) and cervical cancer.

So how can a virus like HPV lead to cancer? The short answer is simply that "HPV causes ...

By habladora • 17 years ago

Feminist Parenting: The TV Dilemma

Knowing that the media can play a strong role in shaping how children see themselves , many parents come to view television as a mixed blessing. On the one hand, lots of television programs are educational, and can provide over-worked parents with a way to entertain the kids for a few minutes while meals are prepared or little sister’s diapers are changed. On the other, even ‘family friendly’ programs might include messages dangerous to a kid’s self-esteem – and the commercials are sure to play-up all the gender stereotypes that could help build better little consumers . So, what are feminist moms and dads (and feminist aunts, uncles, and babysitters) to do? We clearly want kids to benefit ...

By habladora • 17 years ago

Feminism Definitions: What’s Yours?

The last time I had a series of run-ins with ostensibly feminist women who nevertheless rejected the term – choosing instead to define feminist in ways that would make Bill O’Reilly proud, I asked readers to send me their definitions of feminism – definitions of feminism penned by feminists. Well, it has been another one of those weeks, so I’m putting the same question to the Feministing Community – what’s your definition of feminism, and how has feminism impacted your life?

By habladora • 17 years ago

Paying for Pregnancy: Health Insurance and Motherhood

When I put out a call for submissions for a new series at The Feminist Underground on feminism and parenting , I thought I had a pretty good idea of what the issues would be – maternity and paternity leave, balancing work and family, and helping kids cope with the toxic gender and racial stereotypes rampant in our society. Then my friend Maggie sent me an article that introduces an issue I’d never even considered – the difficulties many women have obtaining the type of health insurance that could make pregnancy and childbirth safe and affordable. Maggie explains how her own struggles with this issue surprised her :

When I put out a call for submissions for a new series at The Feminist Underground on feminism and parenting , I thought I had a pretty good idea of what the issues would be – ...

By habladora • 17 years ago

The Little Blue Orgasm Pill?

OK, I confess. When the popular press starting running headlines about Viagra’s possible benefits for women earlier this week, my first reaction was that of a skeptic – I smirkingly thought, "well, this seems like a great new way to market an already immensely popular drug." Then I read my co-blogger’s very different take :

A great article came out in JAMA this week: Sildenafil Treatment of Women with Antidepressant-Associated Sexual Dysfunction by a group in New Mexico (with 3/6 female authors!). Although it is not the magic solution that men have, it seems that Viagra (Sildenafil) is successful in increasing orgasms in women on anti-depressants. That is no small feat. Anti-depressants are notorious for decreasing libido and ...