The Truth about Feminism in the United States

UNITED STATES - Remember Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin? Both were criticized for their looks, their clothing, their voices, their husbands and their children. It wasn't exactly "fair game", but it was certainly sexist. (Please note Sarah Palin is NOT a feminist.)

American women are getting "bitch slapped" back down where 'they belong' on a regular basis in the United States. For all their beliefs about equality Americans still can't accept women as leaders or equals.

The Oklahoma legislature recently approved a move that would compel doctors to fill out 10-page forms on each abortion they perform, including questions about the woman's relationship with the "sperminator"... worse, all these details would then be posted on a public website.

The idea is being pushed by the religious right-wing in an effort to discourage women from having abortions by fear-mongering them and exposing them publicly.

This is just one example of how women's rights are under attack.

If you read Maria Shriver's report "A Woman's Nation Changes Everything" or "When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present" by Gail Collins you will get a better idea of just how much women's rights is under attack by the religious right-wing.

Gail Collins' book has lots of little stories like the woman who couldn't get a lease unless it was signed by her institutionalized mental patient husband or the woman who was shouted out of traffic court by the judge for wearing slacks instead of a skirt.

Collins also writes "Back then, if you wanted a career that involved travel, you'd have to have become a flight attendant..."

"Coffee, tea ... or me?"

The Great Pink North (Canada) meanwhile has free health care and maternity leaves, greater numbers in the workforce and halls of academia, but Canadian women still fall behind in government jobs and executive positions compared to the USA. So we're not much better if you we are realistic about it.

There's also the wage gap, both for wages and pensions. Women in particular suffer in their old age after their husband dies (or leaves in divorce) because they have little or no access to their husband's pension despite serving as homemaker and mother for decades.

Worse, feminism has been so attacked over the years by men and the religious right-wing that young women now associate the F-word with hairy-legs and man-hating Feminazis. So regardless of whether you live in the USA or Canada, the truth is feminism has yet to be accepted as what it really is: Equality.

"Feminism needs to rebrand." - Cristina Simonetto, ad copywriter.

The Truth About Lap Dancing

FEMINISM/SEX - If it were up to some people (religious folks and prudes) lap dancing would be illegal.

As would stripping, porn and even sex shops that sell everything from extra large condoms, dildos and risque lingerie. They're the type of people who like censorship and want more censorship of TV, movies and the internet.

Some people would love to point the blame at prudish feminists... and indeed some feminist groups (ie. The Fawcett Society and OBJECT) are even actively promoting the banning and government regulation of lap dancing. But these groups aren't just composed of feminists... most of the people are actually quite religious and I'd argue they are more of a religious group than a feminist group.

Post feminist theory says feminism is about CHOICE. Women choose to have sex when they want to. Women choose to have an abortion if they want to. Women choose to lap dance if they want to.

The problem with lap dancing is that its a slippery slope. Stripping involves no touching... lap dancing does, but the man isn't allowed to touch (or else the bouncer throws them out). Its only an offer away from being prostitution.

The problems with prostitution include pimps, coercion, drug addiction and underage women who aren't even out of their teens. Some women might choose to become a prostitute because they sincerely like the lifestyle and the extra money, but the vast majority do not.

The core of this crisis is there isn't a lot of options for poor women with low levels of education. Its a Catch-22. They need money to go university, but they can't find work because they lack education or experience.

What our society needs is more jobs women (and men) can do that don't require a lot of education or experience. I think the solution lies in farming, gardening and food preparation... and a lot more greenhouses. There is no shortage of demand for food in the world. People are starving in countries that could easily be employed to build things. (Of course then you get into a slippery slope with sweatshop factories, so people have to watch out for companies that are ill-treating their workers.)

What is the real crime here? Women who choose to be lap dancers? Partially.

The real crime is these groups that have taken their eye of the ball and have been corrupted by the religious right-wing in an effort to censor "smut". They should be helping impoverished women to get a better education and work.

The sad truth is if we make lap dancing or stripping illegal more women with a lack of education will be forced into prostitution because it will be the only work available to them. The only permanent solution is more education and work programs to help impoverished people.

Pregnant Woman Wins Court Battle

FEMINISM/HEALTH - In 2008 Ontario woman Jessica Maciel was 20 years old, single and was accidentally pregnant. She chose to keep it. A year later she has a bouncing baby boy.

What she wasn't expecting was to be fired over it. The Nino D'Arena beauty salon in Mississauga apparently didn't want a pregnant woman working in their salon.

Two days ago on Wednesday the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario awarded Maciel $35,000 is damages and lost wages, to be paid for by the salon. The Nino D'Arena salon has also been ordered to implement a policy that will protect women in the future from being fired over a pregnancy.

Maciel was already 4 months pregnant when she first started working at the salon in August 2008. There is no requirement under the Ontario's Human Rights Code to advise possible employers about a pregnancy.

After telling her boss Cinzia Conforti about the pregnancy however she was asked 15 minutes later to leave. It was blatant discrimination.

The court decision to punish the salon and award Maciel "really sends the message that excluding new mothers from the workplace is not an option for employers," says Maciel's lawyer Kate Sellars. Ontario's Human Rights Legal Support Centre receives about 40 calls / week from women facing discrimination.

Other legal support groups are out there all across Canada and the United States. You just have to look for them. Here is the links for other non-Ontario groups.

Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commissions
British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal
British Columbia Human Rights Coalition
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies
Manitoba Human Rights Commission
New Brunswick Human Rights Commission
Newfoundland Human Rights Commission
Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission
Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission
Prince Edward Island Human Rights Commission
Quebec – Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse
Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission
Yukon Human Rights Commission

Word to the Wise: Don't trample on people's Human Rights, because they can sue you and win.

The Truth about Cuckolded Women

DIVORCE - Yes, cuckold is technically a term applied to husbands of cheating wives. Sadly there's no reverse equivalent in the dictionary for when husbands cheat.

When a husband cheats women really have two options:

#1. Leave him.

#2. Forgive him.

There's also a third option, but it usually results in the wife leaving him anyway.

#3. Teach him a lesson / cheat on him too / make his life miserable.

The third option however is just plain vindictive. Once you've reached that point you might as well just split up. Its not worth your time and the stress trying to teach your soon-to-be ex a lesson. Making his life miserable will just result in more cheating. You cheating on him implies you didn't really love him anyway. Being vindictive isn't going to change anything.

Husbands who are cads (such an old term, but an accurate one) aren't about to become faithful over night by teaching them a lesson. People, as a rule, do not change over night. Ever.

Oh sure, you might get someone to change their habits temporarily, but eventually they're back to their old routine.

Call it part of social conditioning, but once a cad always a cad.

But this post isn't about cad husbands. Its about cuckolded women, and more specifically about their goal of revenge / teaching their cheating husbands a lesson.

Some women think that acting like a bitch is "girl power" in action.

Except it isn't. Sure, you have the right to be angry, but being vindictive is just childish, immature, shameful and there's nothing dignified about it.

So my advice to women? Don't bother being vindictive or vengeful. Its not going to accomplish anything, it isn't going to make you feel better, and its only going to make you look like a complete bitch (and possibly provoke further immature acts of vengeance).

Ergo, stay or go. Just take it like a man, ladies. Yes, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but taking out your anger on your ex isn't going to solve anything. (Note: This advice works equally well for men who catch their wives cheating.)

If you really did love him... here's what you do:
Cry your heart out.
Eat ice cream.
Dump him.
Get over it.

The Truth about Who Wears the Pants in Sudan

FEMINISM/RELIGION - Yesterday a Sudanese judged convicted a woman of wearing pants outside and fined her approx. $200 US.

Originally the penalty was supposed to be 50 lashes for violating the public indecency law, but thanks to international condemnation the judge was pressured to lower the penalty.

Lubna Hussein, a journalist, was one of 13 women arrested back on July 3rd in Khartoum. Ten of the women were afraid to go to trial, agreed to the charges and were fined & flogged for wearing pants. Hussein and two others however decided to go to trial

"I will not pay a penny," says Lubna Hussein while still in court custody, who said Friday she would rather go to jail than pay any fine.

"I won't pay, as a matter of principle," says the journalist. "I would spend a month in jail. It is a chance to explore the conditions of jail."

The case made headlines in Sudan and around the world and Hussein used it to rally world opinion against the country's strict morality laws based on conservative interpretations of the Quran. Hussein says the law is un-Islamic and oppressive to women.

Outside the courtroom police arrested dozens of female demonstrators who were also wearing pants. They all say they want to go to trial and denounce the unfair laws.

Meanwhile Amnesty International called on the Sudanese government to withdraw the charges against Hussein and trash the law which justifies "abhorrent" penalties on women and say the law should be scrapped because it allows for state-sanctioned torture.

Human rights groups in Sudan say the law also violates the 2005 constitution which guarantees equal rights and freedoms.

In 2003 eight Sudanese women were publicly flogged with plastic and metal whips leaving permanent scars for going on a picnic and wearing pants.

This is just one of many unfair laws in Sudan that have yet to be overturned.

"When I think of my trial, I pray that my daughters will never live in fear of these police ... We will only be secure once the police protect us and these laws are repealed," says Lubna Hussein.

Hussein says she's ready "to receive (even) 40,000 lashes" if that is what it takes to abolish the law.

Christian woman abducts baby, beats it head against sidewalk

CANADA/RELIGION - In Winnipeg today police are "scratching their heads" over why a 19-year-old Christian woman abducted a baby girl from a house party and brutally beat the child's head against a Winnipeg sidewalk.

Nikita Solange Eaglestick was charged today with attempted murder, abduction and aggravated assault. The 14-month-old little girl, identified by family as Vanessa, is recovering in hospital.

"That is something that we're all kind of scratching our heads right now to try and figure out," says Const. Jason Michalyshen, who also says: "Our investigators spent the majority of (Tuesday) interviewing witnesses, individuals that may possess valuable information with regards to the investigation. We're going to be continuing with that investigation by interviewing individuals that may help us find out some of those answers."

According to friends and family Nikita has been acting erratic and increasingly religious lately and may have been under the belief the baby was possessed by the devil, and thus was trying to beat the baby girl to death in an attempt to kill the anti-Christ... but that is just a theory.

Talk about completely wacko.

Police say the mother was at a house party in the area and her baby daughter was asleep. People were drinking and at some point the baby was taken from the party. Baby Vanessa and her parents have no relation to the abductor Nikita Eaglestick.

There is a hero to this story however.

18-year-old Tyler Bilsborrow is being called a hero for interrupting the attack. He was coming out of his home at 4 AM in the morning when he heard screaming nearby. He rushed around the corner and interrupted the woman who was beating the baby's head against the sidewalk. He then wrapped the baby in a sweater and called police.

"I thought the woman was drunk, beating up a cat," says Bilsborrow, the father of a two-year-old daughter.

The child's condition has been upgraded from critical to stable.

So... Christian or not, what would make a woman abduct a baby belonging to a complete stranger and then try to kill the baby by beating its head against a sidewalk? Its just plain sick.

Hopefully the truth will come out as to the real reason the woman tried to kill the baby. Nikita Eaglestick is a disgrace to all womenkind.

Misogynism at the Cannes Film Festival

ENTERTAINMENT - Want to see a movie that is rather... misogynistic?

The "Antichrist" is a horror film starring William Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg and is rather graphic... featuring a scene in which she lops off her clitoris with a pair of rusty scissors.

I shit you not. Thats pretty graphic.

The film was recently shown at the Cannes Film Fest... and festival chief Thierry Frémaux remarked that the Cannes jury made "a ridiculous decision that borders on a call for censorship" when the primarily Christian jury gave the film the "anti-prize" for being "the most misogynistic movie" at the fest.

Now evidently people are going to get upset about this film. The name "Antichrist" alone is sure to offend some religious folks and create confusion about what the film is about.

The film wasn't the only film at Cannes that was anti-woman. Its actually a theme this year. "Kinatay" features the kidnapping, rape, torture, murder and dismemberment of a prostitute.

"Enter the Void" is about a Tokyo stripper named Linda who is haunted by the spirit of her recently murdered brother, and the end of the film features a rape scene viewed from inside the vagina.

"The White Ribbon" is set in a remote German village just before World War I, where the village elders variously commit incest with their daughters, physically and emotionally abuse their spouses and lovers and treat women like slaves.

Then there's the opening scene in "Map of the Sounds of Tokyo" about a female fish cutter who moonlights as a hit-woman. In the scene a group of Japanese businessmen sitting around eating sushi off the torsos of naked women who lie before them, all the while making sexist and racist remarks.

So what is the point of these films? Well, you might say they are to provoke the audience in the hope that people realize times are changing, but in some cases they really haven't changed that much. Women are still seen as sexual playthings by many men.

Thus these films are just a wake up call to women. I am not saying we should start burning bras again (thats just silly in my opinion), but it is certainly past time that many women start taking a more active role in promoting equality.

The Truth about Satellite Babies

CANADA/FEMINISM - No, we're not launching babies into outer space. If you're confused about the name satellite babies, we should best start you off on the right foot so you know what it is we are talking about.

Satellite Babies is the unusual but growing practice of immigrant women (often single mothers) sending their babies to live with their grandparents or aunts/uncles overseas so they can focus on school or career here in North America.

Its a tough decision to make. It can be very difficult to raise a child all by yourself, even if you do live in a wealthy nation like Canada or the United States. Sending your baby overseas to China, India or wherever to be raised by the relatives isn't really a right or wrong decision. Its a very gray area and its up to the individual to decide what is best for their baby and for themselves.

During a recession or during times of financial peril it does make a lot of sense.

According to a Canadian study published in the Infant Mental Health Journal, an increasing number of immigrants to Canada and the U.S. are shipping infants to their home country to be raised by extended families. In Greater Toronto alone an estimated 2,000 Canadian-born kids of Chinese parents are sent back to mainland China each year, then returned to Canada when they reach school age.

"These parents are completely torn by the decision, but they believe in this collectivist value that their own pain of separating from their child will be a greater good for the family (later on)," says researcher Professor Yvonne Bohr. "The family system is the building block of a community. When it is changed, compressed and stressed, it could create problems in relationships."

"Serial family separations are common in countries that welcome immigrants, and could be but one of many repercussions of globalization for parents and their children," says the 22-page article. There's even support groups in Toronto that help guide parents through the pros and cons of sending their children home.

"I've built this bonding with my baby boy, seeing him grow every day. It is hard to be separated from him," says one mother with two kids. "But to keep him here, I can't go to English classes or get a job. I really don't know what to do."

"It's too expensive to put two kids in daycare. I don't have any support," she says.

All of the families interviewed for the study cited the necessity to retrain or to develop their careers and the high cost of child care as reasons that would make it impossible to keep their baby in Canada. Some said they tried to bring the grandparents to help babysit in Canada, but were caught up in government bureaucracy.

More than half said their own grandparents had taken care of them, so having their children raised by their own parents feels very traditional. Returning the child to the old culture seemed to be an acceptable solution, the report found.

The parents are also really torn by their decision. Its a decision of necessity because there isn't a lot of support for immigrant mothers. The parents also expressed "sorrow, hardship and guilt" for the "abdication of responsibility and of letting the baby down."

Professor Bohr says parents also raise concerns over the returning school-age kids' adjustment to a new place, as well as depression at being separated from their grandparents.

Some people will no doubt say that these women are bad mothers, but such naysayers have never been in such a position of poverty and doubt about their future, or the future of their children.

Technically the practice of sending children to live with their grandparents does happen frequently in North America, its just that we're not used to sending them overseas.

We Boobed, admits Marks & Spencer

FASHION - Marks & Spencer (M&S) has admitted it was wrong to charge a £2 ($3) surcharge on larger bra sizes, after months of campaigning on Facebook and Twitter by large-breasted activists who felt they were being discriminated against. M&S is Britain's largest retailer of bras and lingerie.

Marks & Spencer has placed full-page ads in newspapers today stating "We boobed". The ad reads: "It’s true our fantastic quality larger bras cost more money to make, and we felt it was right to reflect this in the prices we charged. Well, we were wrong, so as of Saturday 9 May, the storm in a D cup is over!"

M&S said it will reduce the price of its bras over a size DD by up to £2 and for two weeks from Saturday (today), it will also reduce all prices for bras (regardless of size) by 25 per cent. The retailer said: "Every woman can now experience the difference a well-made quality bra will make."

M&S came under fire from The Busts 4 Justice campaign group for applying the £2 surcharge. One campaigner bought one share in the company so she could confront boss Sir Stuart Rose at the company’s Annual General Meeting.

M&S had said that bigger bras needed more work to develop a greater level of support and therefore the cost was justified, but ignored the fact that under that logic smaller bras are more profitable because they take less material/work, and therefore it all evens out in the end.

Busts 4 Justice has more than 8,000 members and the group's co-founder, Beckie Williams – a 34E – argues that just as fat or tall people don't have to spend extra on larger clothes, so women with bigger breasts should not have to pay more for larger bras.

"We've won, and we never thought it would happen so quickly," said Becky Mount, also a co-founder. "They didn't want a lot of big-breasted women storming their meeting."

British celebrity Ulrika Jonsson has been scathing of the £2 surcharge. She said: "This is nothing short of a tax on bigger breasts." Ulrika Jonsson had breast reduction surgery when after 4 kids her breasts ballooned to size 34I. The surgery decreased her breast size to 34C.

Having naturally large breasts is more of a curse for many women. They're uncomfortable, they become deformed and lumpy (and unsexy) and they make it difficult to purchase clothing that fits properly. There's also numerous health hazards, the least of which is chronic back pain.

Some women may revel in having large breasts, but its a double-edged sword.

"It's really awful, actually. I get terrible back pain," says one woman. "And I can never find a bra that fits, or doesn't look like a piece of building equipment or surgical dressing. Also, people just stare at them all the time. It's as if I'm not a person – I'm just a giant pair of boobs."

"People may joke about it, but bras are a sensitive subject," says Williams. "It just shows how much of an emotional issue having big boobs is for a lot of women."

See Also:
The History of the Bra
The History of the Corset & Brassiere
Open-Cup Bras
Sports Bras