Sorry for the sporadic posting this week folks; my life was unexpectedly hectic. Hopefully a return to normal (such as it is) next week! In the meantime, here are a few quick links I had a chance to note.
My hometown (Holland, Mich.) once again made the news (or at least one of my favorite blogs, Pam's House Blend) in an unflattering way when the Family Research Council decided to publish a full-page anti-gay advert in the town newspaper, the Holland Sentinel. Thankfully, the newspaper has also created a dedicated webpage for the letters it got in response. I haven't had a chance to read more than the headlines, but if they are anything to go by the response has been overwhelmingly negative.
Emily Nagoski @ ::sex nerd:: mused about the intersection of feminism and sexology and the "nerd voice" as identified and described by Sara Vowell in her essay of the same name.
Thomas @ Yes Means Yes talked about the two ways to disrupt the power of shaming labels (in this case "slut"): attacking the existence of the label and embracing it.
lis @ Sociological Images resposted the "findings" of a researcher who analyzed the messaging habits of those seeking women and men on the dating site OKCupid and ... regurgitated some pretty simplistic (and damaging) stereotypes about bisexuality in his analysis. Commenters on this thread were pretty universal in decrying the shoddy research for what it was, so the comment thread is well worth reading.
In other flawed-yet-fascinating research results, Lisa Wade @ Jezebel shares the results of a poll conducted through a Christian website asking men what types of clothing and behaviors were considered "immodest" for women. Basically, to be modest apparently requires 24/7 policing of one's appearance and physical movements. Finally: the answer to why I became a feminist -- being a non-feminist was just too much effort!
Adrienne @ From Austin to A&M on the perils of being a feminist romance reader, and suggestions for where to go as a feminist for your romance fix (hint: paranormal romance features heavily).
Greta Christina has a piece up over at Alternet about five stupid, unfair and sexist things expected of men. File this one in your "the patriarchy hurts men too" (even though, I know, I know, it isn't the patriarchy but the kyriarchy anyhow).
B @ Feminist Review reports on a new book coming out of the UK called Reclaiming the F-Word: The New Feminist Movement. Sounds like an interesting perspective from across the pond.
Molly @ first the egg asks for suggestions of your favorite feminist young adult books. Hop on over and share!
Cass @ Bonjour, Cass! has suggestions for non-fiction reading on trans issues. Looking for a refresher (or just some geeky summer reading? Check out the post!
Other folks looking to get themselves educated are medical students, who feel woefully ill-equipped to provide sexual health services to their patients, according to a new study. Kate Drummond @ Surge Desk has more.
s.e. smith @ FWD/Forward takes on uninformed advice from a different angle, this time a problematic response to a Miss Conduct etiquette column about touch, boundaries, and social spaces.
Last week, Dan Savage @ the New York Times observed that the new indie film, "The Kids Are All Right," featuring a lesbian couple with two teenage children might not be the great progressive breakthrough it's being touted as in many reviews. (Spoilers ahead in both links if you care!)
I realize this is the worst sort of film criticism (“Why did the filmmakers tell the story they told instead of the story they didn’t?”), but I couldn’t help feeling a little let down. There is, I think, just as much dramatic potential — just as many opportunities for crisis and conflict — in a story about two women who successfully incorporate the father of their children into their lives and into their family.
But maybe I have a bias.
Tonight we’re taking our son to the airport to pick up his mom, the woman who chose us, in an open adoption nearly 13 years ago, to raise her child. We didn’t have to slam a door in her face to become a family or to protect our family. We couldn’t have become a family without her.
Miriam @ Feministing also offers her own observations.
And finally, Abie Kopf @ Gay Rights Blog dissects the import of the wily quotation marks of homophobes.
Or should I say "wily" quotation marks?
Thanks so much for the mention!
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