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Why Society Still Needs Feminism

A found a post linked by a friend that I believe we all need to think about. I don’t think I realized until 2011 just how much crap almost every woman goes through on a very regular basis. I mean, I knew this stuff happens, but I didn’t realize how common it is. If you’re a guy, please follow the link below and know that people you care about are putting up with this on a regular basis.

http://sorayachemaly.tumblr.com/post/50361809881/why-society-still-needs-feminism-because-to-men

(JHM, update 2025 September 20: I decided to copy the text in case the page goes away.)

Why Society Still Needs Feminism

Because to men, a key is a device to open something. For women, it’s a weapon we hold between our fingers when we’re walking alone at night.

Because the biggest insult for a guy is to be called a “pussy,” a “little bitch” or a “girl.” From here on out, being called a “pussy” is an effing badge of honor.

Because last month, my politics professor asked the class if women should have equal representation in the Supreme Court, and only three out of 42 people raised their hands.

Because rape jokes are still a thing.

Because despite being equally broke college kids, guys are still expected to pay for dates, drinks and flowers.

Because as a legit student group, Campus Fellowship does not allow women to lead anything involving men. Look, I know Eve was dumb about the whole apple and snake thing, but I think we can agree having a vagina does not directly impact your ability to lead a
college organization.

Because it’s assumed that if you are nice to a girl, she owes you sex — therefore, if she turns you down, she’s a bitch who’s put you in the “friend zone.” Sorry, bro, women are not machines you put kindness coins into until sex falls out.

Because only 29 percent of American women identify as feminist, and in the words of author Caitlin Moran, “What part of ‘liberation for women’ is not for you? Is it freedom to vote? The right not to be owned by the man you marry? The campaign for equal pay? Did all that good shit get on your nerves? Or were you just drunk at the time
of the survey?”

Because when people hear the term feminist, they honestly think of women burning bras. Dude, have you ever bought a bra? No one would burn them because they’re freaking
expensive.

Because Rush Limbaugh.

Because we now have a record number of women in the Senate … which is a measly 20 out of 100. Congrats, USA, we’ve gone up to 78th place for women’s political representation, still below China, Rwanda and Iraq.

Because recently I had a discussion with a couple of well-meaning Drake University guys, and they literally could not fathom how catcalling a woman walking down University Avenue is creepy and sexist.
Could. Not. Fathom.

Because on average, the tenured male professors at Drake make more than the tenured female professors.

Because more people on campus complain about chalked statistics regarding sexual assault than complain about the existence of sexual assault. Priorities? Have them.

Because 138 House Republicans voted against the Violence Against Women Act. All 138 felt it shouldn’t provide support for Native women, LGBT people or immigrant women. I’m kind of confused by this, because I thought LGBT people and women of color were also human beings.
Weird, right?

Because a girl was roofied last semester at a local campus bar, and I heard someone say they think she should have been more careful. Being drugged is her fault, not the fault of the person who put drugs in her drink?

Because Chris Brown beat Rihanna so badly she was hospitalized, yet he still has fans and bestselling songs and a tattoo of an abused woman on his neck.

Because out of 7 billion people on the planet, more than 1 billion women will be raped or beaten in their lifetimes. Women and girls have their clitorises cut out, acid thrown on them and broken bottles shoved up them as an act of war. Every second of every day. Every corner of the Earth.

Because the other day, another friend of mine told me she was raped, and I can no longer count on both my hands the number of friends who have told me they’ve been sexually assaulted. Words can’t express how scared I am that I’m getting used to this.

Because a brief survey of reality will tell you that we do not live in a world that values all people equally and that sucks in real, very scary ways. Because you know we live in a sexist world when an awesome thing with the name “feminism” has a weird connotation. Because if I have kids someday, I want my son to be able to have emotions and play dress up, and I want my daughter to climb trees and care more about what’s in her head than what’s on it. Because I don’t want her to carry keys between her fingers at night to
protect herself.

Because feminism is for everybody, and this is your official invitation.

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Another 80’s Music Meme

Saw this one on Eyeore’s LJ and of course was compelled to steal it. 🙂

(I got 80% right, BTW)

Your result for The Ultimate 80’s Pop Music Test…
80’s Music Encyclopedia
80's Music Encyclopedia

If this was a class in high school, you just broke the curve. I bet people come up to you all the time wanting answers to all of their 80’s music questions, after all, you know practically everything there is to know about the best decade in music! You, sir or ma’am, are the platinum standard when it comes to 80’s music knowledge. Congratulate yourself (and don’t let it go to your head)!

Take The Ultimate 80’s Pop Music Test at HelloQuizzy (link defunct)

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Dude.

while watching The Big Lebowski with Amy, which we’ve never seen before…

Me:

Wow. He’s gonna unpimp her auto.

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Online Filesystem Service

Here’s your linkfood for tonight. I found an online file system service called rsync.net. It’s probably most commonly used for backups, but it could work for a lot more things. I’m considering signing up, simply because it’s so flexible. It’s quite a bit more expensive per GB of data stored than Amazon S3, but they support lots of cool applications for accessing the files.

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Huntsville Master Chorale Web Site

Well, after lots of time making sure the design was okay and more time building the back end and more time getting enough content to reach “critical mass”, the Huntsville Master Chorale web site is now open for business.

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What SAG Says About Babies

Here’s your random link for the day:
Where do Hollywood babies come from?

My vote for the most bizarre detail from this article:

Screen Actors Guild guidelines do cover condiment usage. Grape, red currant, and cherry jelly can be used to simulate birth-related fluids.

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Lead singer of Boston dead

If anyone in our group of friends is going to post about it, it would be me:

Boston lead singer found dead in his home (archived copy on archive.org)

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The countdown begins

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to be released in July. (archived copy on archive.org)

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Technobabble Stream of Consciousness

Thanks to Thomas (link defunct) for the cool link that got me started on this one.

Jamie’s technobabble over the big diagram (in the defunct video) reminded me of an old electrical engineering in-joke: the turbo encabulator. I have known for a long time about a video incarnation of this joke apparently made by some folks at Rockwell: The Rockwell Automation Retro Encabulator.

However, what I didn’t realize is that Chrysler took a shot at this old joke even earlier: The Chrysler Turbo Encabulator. Keep listening. There are some screw-the-customer jokes at the end.

I love how this old joke just keeps coming back.

Bonus for the Mythbusters fans
Do pretty girls fart?
I hope they pay the poor girl well.

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What is beauty?

I don’t often post links here without a fair amount of commentary, but this one really doesn’t need anything added. I stole this one from a friend’s LJ post.

Watch “evolution” (revised the link again)