The police went to a house due to a domestic disturbance. A woman's boyfriend apparently attacked her, but when the police got there, all they cared about was the fact that she was breastfeeding her 6-week-old while intoxicated. So, they arrested her.
That's right. They arrested her for BWI (Breastfeeding While Intoxicated). Um, this is NOT illegal, dumbasses. This shit better get thrown out of court.
You have a moral objection to a woman nursing while intoxicated? Fine. But, guess what? If your 6-week-old is hungry and you don't have formula and you're drunk, how the fuck are you supposed to get to the store and buy formula? You're supposed to get a DWI instead of BWI (which, btw, doesn't even exist!)?
It's not like she could send her boyfriend. He'd just finished attacking her!
Example 3704634073 of how patriarchy sucks. And, I'm sorry but if the way the police reacted makes sense to you, you are part of the problem and an idiot.
Wednesday, April 29
Sunday, April 26
radical feminism
I am a radical feminist and I'm proud of it. I contend that to be a woman on this planet and to refuse to recognize that patriarchy is an oppressive force is ridiculous. If you don't understand, you need to get educated. Ignorance is no excuse at this point.
When reading about radical feminism, I encounter a lot of "radical feminism is not man-hating" and while I agree that one can be a rad fem and not hate men (I certainly don't hate them...I wouldn't mind shaking the shit out of most of them, tho ;), I wonder at this:
"Radical feminism opposes patriarchy, not men. To equate radical feminism to man-hating is to assume that patriarchy and men are inseparable, philosophically and politically."-found on about.com
I need someone to explain to me how patriarchy and men are separable. I'm missing this point. You cannot have patriarchy without men. Or males, if you disagree that they've matured to the point of being able to be referred to as men. Let me repeat myself, though.
You cannot have patriarchy without men.
Which means that patriarchy and men are inseparable. Duh.
(What is patriarchy? Read here to get a very elementary idea of it. I linked above, but...)
Okay, so we've, hopefully, established that without men, there is no patriarchy. Therefore, patriarchy and men are inseparable. Therefore, whoever wrote that blurb at about.com failed to make a good argument for why radical feminism doesn't inherently equal hatred of men. Not one to leave anyone hanging, I'll take a stab at it.
Patriarchy basically means that the men run things. In a patriarchal society, men hold most of the positions of power and control the economy. I'm not going to go into it further because there is so much in the world (you're on the internet, after all) about this, I trust you have enough sense to look it up.
Now, when radical feminists say that they don't hate men, they are pandering, because if someone is going to assume that you hate men simply because you can see what's right in front of you and you decide you don't like it, that person is a hyper-sensitive, hyper-emotional idiot. I have very little patience for that. Why do we need to state that we don't hate men simply because we state that men are oppressing us? It's ridiculous.
I think the sentiment that's being (poorly) expressed is that radical feminists don't want to kill off all the men on the planet. Many of us have sons and husbands and fathers and we like them. I think people are afraid of the potential for rad fems to hate men (or any women to hate men, really) because they recognize that men do a lot of fucked up shit. We live in a society that teaches us that if you sin, you should be punished. If the sin is heinous enough, you should be punished by death. That's patriarchy for you! So, I think lots of people are afraid that the rules of patriarchy will bite the harbingers of patriarchy (ie men) in the ass.
Unfortunately, women are very forgiving folks. Too forgiving. And, there are enough laws in place that most men are safe from us. (Not sure how safe y'all are from each other, though. You're constantly starting military conflicts and killing each other. What's that about?) Plus, patriarchy is so damaging that many women are unwitting participants in it. We've become our own worst enemies.
So, no. A radical feminist doesn't inherently hate men. But if she does, who can blame her?
When reading about radical feminism, I encounter a lot of "radical feminism is not man-hating" and while I agree that one can be a rad fem and not hate men (I certainly don't hate them...I wouldn't mind shaking the shit out of most of them, tho ;), I wonder at this:
"Radical feminism opposes patriarchy, not men. To equate radical feminism to man-hating is to assume that patriarchy and men are inseparable, philosophically and politically."-found on about.com
I need someone to explain to me how patriarchy and men are separable. I'm missing this point. You cannot have patriarchy without men. Or males, if you disagree that they've matured to the point of being able to be referred to as men. Let me repeat myself, though.
You cannot have patriarchy without men.
Which means that patriarchy and men are inseparable. Duh.
(What is patriarchy? Read here to get a very elementary idea of it. I linked above, but...)
Okay, so we've, hopefully, established that without men, there is no patriarchy. Therefore, patriarchy and men are inseparable. Therefore, whoever wrote that blurb at about.com failed to make a good argument for why radical feminism doesn't inherently equal hatred of men. Not one to leave anyone hanging, I'll take a stab at it.
Patriarchy basically means that the men run things. In a patriarchal society, men hold most of the positions of power and control the economy. I'm not going to go into it further because there is so much in the world (you're on the internet, after all) about this, I trust you have enough sense to look it up.
Now, when radical feminists say that they don't hate men, they are pandering, because if someone is going to assume that you hate men simply because you can see what's right in front of you and you decide you don't like it, that person is a hyper-sensitive, hyper-emotional idiot. I have very little patience for that. Why do we need to state that we don't hate men simply because we state that men are oppressing us? It's ridiculous.
I think the sentiment that's being (poorly) expressed is that radical feminists don't want to kill off all the men on the planet. Many of us have sons and husbands and fathers and we like them. I think people are afraid of the potential for rad fems to hate men (or any women to hate men, really) because they recognize that men do a lot of fucked up shit. We live in a society that teaches us that if you sin, you should be punished. If the sin is heinous enough, you should be punished by death. That's patriarchy for you! So, I think lots of people are afraid that the rules of patriarchy will bite the harbingers of patriarchy (ie men) in the ass.
Unfortunately, women are very forgiving folks. Too forgiving. And, there are enough laws in place that most men are safe from us. (Not sure how safe y'all are from each other, though. You're constantly starting military conflicts and killing each other. What's that about?) Plus, patriarchy is so damaging that many women are unwitting participants in it. We've become our own worst enemies.
So, no. A radical feminist doesn't inherently hate men. But if she does, who can blame her?
what way to peace?
I am not a pacifist. If anything, I consider myself a revolucionaria. I understand the need for pacifists. They offer contrast, they offer a different way of looking at things. The way I see life is that we are at war, whether we're conscious of it or not. As a black American woman, I am at war on several fronts and I will not sit down on the job.
There is always the issue of peace. If one believes one is perpetually at war, what does one think about peace? Is it attainable? Is it something worth concerning one's self?
I think peace is a wonderful idea. I think it probably starts from within and I think it's easier to achieve internal peace once one feels externally safe. I feel like there are definite "forces of evil" in the world and they are active and need to be dealt with, so while peace-mongering is a wonderful way to spend one's time, I think one should simultaneously spread the message of peace and self-preservation.
As I live my life, I see that my perceptions are under constant attack. We live in an abusive society and many (most?) of us take on the traits of the abuser while residing in the status of victim. I am not entirely convinced this natural tendency is an inherently bad one. I think self-defense is necessary and when someone attacks you, you have the right and responsibility to fight back. If you don't want to, that is your choice. I respect your right to make that choice, but I don't necessarily respect the choice.
Perhaps that is because I am a product of my war-ridden society. I'm not sure. Most of the time, I'm not sure it matters. Since we all die, we may as well die fighting for what we believe in.
Peace will come when it's time for it. Right now, I've got fighting to do.
There is always the issue of peace. If one believes one is perpetually at war, what does one think about peace? Is it attainable? Is it something worth concerning one's self?
I think peace is a wonderful idea. I think it probably starts from within and I think it's easier to achieve internal peace once one feels externally safe. I feel like there are definite "forces of evil" in the world and they are active and need to be dealt with, so while peace-mongering is a wonderful way to spend one's time, I think one should simultaneously spread the message of peace and self-preservation.
As I live my life, I see that my perceptions are under constant attack. We live in an abusive society and many (most?) of us take on the traits of the abuser while residing in the status of victim. I am not entirely convinced this natural tendency is an inherently bad one. I think self-defense is necessary and when someone attacks you, you have the right and responsibility to fight back. If you don't want to, that is your choice. I respect your right to make that choice, but I don't necessarily respect the choice.
Perhaps that is because I am a product of my war-ridden society. I'm not sure. Most of the time, I'm not sure it matters. Since we all die, we may as well die fighting for what we believe in.
Peace will come when it's time for it. Right now, I've got fighting to do.
what's the plan?
When I think of men and women, different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds, age, etc., I think of politics. Everything is political. We live in a world of economics, governments, militaries, and propaganda. All of that is political.
So, what's the plan?
I like to think that human beings can band together and take back their lives, take back the planet. That doesn't seem to be true, though. We are divided, hence conquered.
Sometimes I feel like I'm part of the problem. I have my own issues with adult males, in general. But, those issues aren't issues until the males make them so, so *shrug*. Maybe I'm just the victim.
Maybe I'm neither the problem nor the victim. Maybe I'm just another human being doing the best she can whilst surrounded by the Lessers. People with Less Intelligence, Less Integrity, Less Logic, Less Idealism. I often feel like there's a lot I have to tolerate in order to make it through life among humans. Sometimes, I'd love to shed this skin and truly LIVE. Be free. Go on about my bizness.
But.
(And, there's always a "but".)
I'm here. On this planet, in these times, doing the best I can and trying not to become too discouraged.
If the Abrahamic God is anything like me (and He'd be so lucky), most of y'all are going to Hell. Just so you know. ;)
So, what's the plan?
I like to think that human beings can band together and take back their lives, take back the planet. That doesn't seem to be true, though. We are divided, hence conquered.
Sometimes I feel like I'm part of the problem. I have my own issues with adult males, in general. But, those issues aren't issues until the males make them so, so *shrug*. Maybe I'm just the victim.
Maybe I'm neither the problem nor the victim. Maybe I'm just another human being doing the best she can whilst surrounded by the Lessers. People with Less Intelligence, Less Integrity, Less Logic, Less Idealism. I often feel like there's a lot I have to tolerate in order to make it through life among humans. Sometimes, I'd love to shed this skin and truly LIVE. Be free. Go on about my bizness.
But.
(And, there's always a "but".)
I'm here. On this planet, in these times, doing the best I can and trying not to become too discouraged.
If the Abrahamic God is anything like me (and He'd be so lucky), most of y'all are going to Hell. Just so you know. ;)
Saturday, April 25
man-hater
Man-haters get a lot of hate. People say, "There is something wrong with you if you seriously dislike whole groups of people. You need help."
I disagree.
I have found that men who hate women actually hate themselves. They are still angry at their mothers and probably some other woman they feel mistreated them. Which means they didn't get what they wanted from her. And, so, since she didn't give him what he wanted, he takes it out on all women. He's abusive and pathetic. Intolerable.
Women who hate men, though? It's more of a "Can you blame them?" type of thing. Look at what men have done to women through time. Look at what they continue to do to us: rape, murder, abuse, stone, sell, etc. So many women have problems because our entire society teaches us that we are worth less than men, we should take care of them, we should be more patient with them, we are the reason they're so fucked up when they're fucked up, we control everything, and the list goes on.
I'm sorry, but it's arguably practical to despise men, in general. As a group, they suck. Worldwide. They use, abuse, destroy, throw away. And, on top of that, they want to run everything. If we disagree with them, we are hormonal. If we want to stand up for ourselves, we're entertaining. If we want to make money off our bodies instead of only allowing men to do so, we are full of self-hate and the products of abuse. We fucking can't win!
They say all men are not the same, but I've yet to meet an exception. Every man I've ever known tolerates, accepts, and promotes sexism and misogyny on some level.
And, I just don't have a use for that in my life. Call it man-hating if you must.
I disagree.
I have found that men who hate women actually hate themselves. They are still angry at their mothers and probably some other woman they feel mistreated them. Which means they didn't get what they wanted from her. And, so, since she didn't give him what he wanted, he takes it out on all women. He's abusive and pathetic. Intolerable.
Women who hate men, though? It's more of a "Can you blame them?" type of thing. Look at what men have done to women through time. Look at what they continue to do to us: rape, murder, abuse, stone, sell, etc. So many women have problems because our entire society teaches us that we are worth less than men, we should take care of them, we should be more patient with them, we are the reason they're so fucked up when they're fucked up, we control everything, and the list goes on.
I'm sorry, but it's arguably practical to despise men, in general. As a group, they suck. Worldwide. They use, abuse, destroy, throw away. And, on top of that, they want to run everything. If we disagree with them, we are hormonal. If we want to stand up for ourselves, we're entertaining. If we want to make money off our bodies instead of only allowing men to do so, we are full of self-hate and the products of abuse. We fucking can't win!
They say all men are not the same, but I've yet to meet an exception. Every man I've ever known tolerates, accepts, and promotes sexism and misogyny on some level.
And, I just don't have a use for that in my life. Call it man-hating if you must.
Friday, April 24
aaaaah! youtube
I stumbled upon a company: oyin handmade
That stumble led me to a search engine page with a pertaining youtube video link. I clicked upon the link. I watched the video, then farted around youtube, clicking on other video links.
I came across this one:
I don't like to leave youtube comments, so I'm going to post my thoughts here in the little intraweb corner I've cleaned out and decorated for myself.
Sista, why are you concerned about this? You're not alone. Obviously. There are quite a few youtube videos asking this very same question and another few responses from men. I don't know if you're feeling better about the issue two months later, but let me help you out with this tidbit of information: those that care don't matter and those that matter don't care.
Your hair is your hair. If it is beautiful to you, it is beautiful. Period. I've chopped my hair off a few times during this incarnation and the last time I did it knowing full-well many guys would stop hitting on me. Thank the gods for such an easy repellent!
My sista, the fact is that most of the men you randomly encounter aren't worth your time or energy. Be grateful that your hair keeps many of them away. It's like a sifter for life. Your own, personal Force Field.
Natural, Kinky Hair: the Final Fronteir.
Appreciate this reprieve from the lunacies of most males. And, if you are having a hard time being grateful that many time-wasters are now avoiding you, work on your self-esteem.
That stumble led me to a search engine page with a pertaining youtube video link. I clicked upon the link. I watched the video, then farted around youtube, clicking on other video links.
I came across this one:
I don't like to leave youtube comments, so I'm going to post my thoughts here in the little intraweb corner I've cleaned out and decorated for myself.
Sista, why are you concerned about this? You're not alone. Obviously. There are quite a few youtube videos asking this very same question and another few responses from men. I don't know if you're feeling better about the issue two months later, but let me help you out with this tidbit of information: those that care don't matter and those that matter don't care.
Your hair is your hair. If it is beautiful to you, it is beautiful. Period. I've chopped my hair off a few times during this incarnation and the last time I did it knowing full-well many guys would stop hitting on me. Thank the gods for such an easy repellent!
My sista, the fact is that most of the men you randomly encounter aren't worth your time or energy. Be grateful that your hair keeps many of them away. It's like a sifter for life. Your own, personal Force Field.
Natural, Kinky Hair: the Final Fronteir.
Appreciate this reprieve from the lunacies of most males. And, if you are having a hard time being grateful that many time-wasters are now avoiding you, work on your self-esteem.
Tuesday, April 21
political non-sense
I was reading The Confluence today and came across afrocity's post about how proud she is to be a PUMA and wondered if PUMAS will make room for her kind: Republicans.
Now, I find it odd that she'd wonder about that since PUMAS have been saying for a while that they accept everyone who wants to fight their fight, Dem or Repub. PUMAS readily supported Sarah Palin when the Dems didn't allow Hillary Clinton on the national presidential ballot. So, why is afrocity concerned about this?
Maybe it's because she's not very bright? I mean, she's a self-identified black woman. She's not uneducated on racism and politics. But, she calls herself a Republican. Why? Well, she apparently feels she's politically conservative. How nice. Can you not be politically conservative without taking on the massive amount of bullshit that is the Republican Party?
My problem with so many feminists is that they want to fight the misogynist political and social arena from a seat in the stands. Your feminism does not matter if you want to sit and play with the "Big Boys." It just doesn't. Don't tell me you're a feminist and then tell me you're a black feminist and then tell me you're a Republican. Because that makes me doubt you really understand feminism and your political position as a black person. Subsequently, I doubt you understand what a woman really is.
A woman doesn't stand under the Umbrella of Patriarchy and say, "I'm revolting!" Maybe that's why afrocity listens to so much Riot Grrl. She's not yet a woman, still a girl, asking to sit on daddy's lap, hoping her presence makes a difference.
Good luck with that, sweetheart.
Now, I find it odd that she'd wonder about that since PUMAS have been saying for a while that they accept everyone who wants to fight their fight, Dem or Repub. PUMAS readily supported Sarah Palin when the Dems didn't allow Hillary Clinton on the national presidential ballot. So, why is afrocity concerned about this?
Maybe it's because she's not very bright? I mean, she's a self-identified black woman. She's not uneducated on racism and politics. But, she calls herself a Republican. Why? Well, she apparently feels she's politically conservative. How nice. Can you not be politically conservative without taking on the massive amount of bullshit that is the Republican Party?
My problem with so many feminists is that they want to fight the misogynist political and social arena from a seat in the stands. Your feminism does not matter if you want to sit and play with the "Big Boys." It just doesn't. Don't tell me you're a feminist and then tell me you're a black feminist and then tell me you're a Republican. Because that makes me doubt you really understand feminism and your political position as a black person. Subsequently, I doubt you understand what a woman really is.
A woman doesn't stand under the Umbrella of Patriarchy and say, "I'm revolting!" Maybe that's why afrocity listens to so much Riot Grrl. She's not yet a woman, still a girl, asking to sit on daddy's lap, hoping her presence makes a difference.
Good luck with that, sweetheart.
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