Why don't you just marry us off and shackle us up in the kitchen, too.

I've never had to make this decision, I hope I never will, and living in Ottawa, I still can.

I can only send heartfelt well-wishes to the women (and the men who stand by them) who have been hurt by this tragedy. I hope that no more lives are lost because of this attack on individual freedom and the health and welfare of women who have had to make this choice, or who were left with none.

I hope that people are able to find a way to cope, support one another, and protect each other from pursuing dangerous alternatives. I wish I could be there to lend support. What we need now is a support network. Women and the men who love us as their equal counterparts in family, friendships, and in bed can't be complacent now.

Womens lives are endangered. We absolutely need to help each other. Anything helps: Drive someone to the nearest place they can get help, even if it is far. Donate to the cause (see link to NARAL). Donate to the person you know. Write letters to the newspaper. Write letters to congress. Be there for the person who needs you right now. Some women's lives are about to drastically change if we can't help them. They are your past, present, and future sisters, wives, daughters, girlfriends, grand daughters, high school crushes, nieces, best friends, aunts, grandmothers, and mothers. They are women you know and love.

When someone threatens the health and welfare of a fellow human, stand by that person. Defy the terrorism, defy the threats, defy the hatred and the oppression.

For those who care: unite and act.
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clearly i need to learn html

that is all

You're Damn Right I Can.

A note I posted on facebook in November 2008:

Why Sexist Beer (etc) Ads Piss Me Off

•Resorting to stereotypes is no less lazy than resorting to sex, and at least sometimes ads using sex are creative, but recycling prejudices and outdated and/or offensive negative perceptions is just repeating something that has already been said, and is no longer relevant (or never was). Besides, I would certainly argue that sex itself is a much healthier thing than sexism.

•It portrays women as less intelligent, second hand citizens, that are simply an inconvenience and obstacle in the path of the desires of men.

•It reinforces the validation of misogyny as part of a culture of fraternity, and portrays it not only as acceptable, but also "cool." It sells the negative idea along with the product.

•It alienates a large group of people who are potential or actual consumers.

•Exclusion is never positive, and women are still excluded, belittled, devalued, and mistreated in society, with a blind eye so often turned.

•Women are not a minority, but so many still accept this kind of treatment. There are too many problems that affect women in society for us to continue to accept any kind of additional belittlement. If we don't have the courage to start out strong facing the larger issues, surely we can speak out against prejudice and stereotypes as a starting point. We are individual people more than women, and we have good, strong qualities, as well as flaws like anyone else. There is no need to reinforce negative stereotypes that some people already subscribe to as fact, when as a society, we should all be fighting to diminish "isms" of all kinds.

•It encourages everyone to treat the issue as a laughing matter, women included. Many women (more importantly than men) adopt the attitude that those concerned by it are overreacting, and that it is "no big deal," They adopt this attitude not because they agree with the portrayal, or don't mind being thought of as frivolous or dumb, but because they don't want to be further marginalized and ostracized for speaking out. In order to feel like part of the group that has just ridiculed them, they permit the behaviour and make no point of speaking for themselves.

•Because in this culture in 2008, there is no reason why I should have felt like some might have thought I was being a "bitch" or "emotional" or anything of the sort the day I was the only one to raise my hand in class to say "yes, it does bother me a little," and that while I could accept the fact that it is part of mainstream humour, I didn't think it was a positive thing.

what do you know

Hmm, well I'd forgotten about this blog. Only significant updates: new boyfriend, new job, happy as hell, it's summer, and I went to New York in March and now I have a goal in life.

Carry on.
(I may actually start updating this wasteland shortly)