A New Funny Poll

I haven't had a funny poll in a very, very long time. But it was Glenn Beck's birthday the other day, and this is my way of celebrating. In other words, I recognized the day by taking a few minutes to make fun of him. So . . . .

What do you think Glenn Beck wished for when blowing out the candles?

• More chalk to illustrate his insane conspiracy theories
• Fewer auditory hallucinations

You decide!

Take Action Monday

So CBS ended up airing the Focus on the Family ads during the Super Bowl anyway. When I saw one of them on YouTube, I commented that Focus on the Family is an extreme right-wing hate group that works to roll back the rights of women and LBGTs, meager as they already are. A loser then replied saying this: "Focus on the Family is not an extreme right-wing hate group. They believe in the love of family - every member of the family - the pregnant and the preborn. 64% of all abortions are coerced making abortion the ultimate exploitation of women. Focus on the Family is there for the family, the pregnant, and the preborn. There is no hateful propaganda on their website only love and compassion." Anti-choicers say that darndest things, don't they?

Demand maternal healthcare in Burkina Faso. Five women died of pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths in Burikna Faso ALONE on the day CBS aired ads for Focus on a Family, an organization that supports women dying as long as it aligns with their political beliefs.

Stop the lying teabaggers.

Tell the CDC and NIH to include children in their HIV vaccine studies.

Sign to take genetically modified corn off the shelves.

Tell Congress to stop wasteful defense spending.

Call on President Obama to end nuclear weapon proliferation.

Support investing in women and families.

Tell Glenn Beck that you have a weird name, and you're an American.

Speak out against offshore oil drilling.

Urge the Census Bureau to count LBGT families too.

Protect our drinking water.

Take Action Monday

Don't let big business buy our elections.

Help forgive Haiti's $1 billion debt.

Demand that the EPA test chemicals more thoroughly.

Support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Tell Congress to fund education and job creation, not the war in Afghanistan.

Demand the truth about bank bonuses.

Urge President Obama to end nuclear weapons proliferation.

Tell the FDA to take GM corn off the shelves.

Stop the building of a military base in Okinawa that could disrupt marine life.

Tell CBS not to air anti-choice ad.

My Career Dreams are Officially Over!

I found out that Russel Brand and Katy Perry are engaged, and being Katy Perry's husband was my career dream! *runs and cries*

Just kidding. My real career dream, as anyone could have guessed, was to become an Australian porn star. I'm not Australian, I've never been to Australia, and their many poisonous animals scare me. But I figured that Australians would appreciate my little boobies. I mean, they're on an island in the middle of nowhere. They should be happy with whatever boobies they can get.

That was until I read this article about Australia banning small breasts from adult films and publications. They're doing it because pedophiles might find it . . . (what's an Australian word?) . . . randy. Um, I think a pedophile knows the difference between a 5-year-old and a 25-year-old with small breasts. Damn Australia, ruining my dreams.

Take Action Monday on Tuesday

I was sick yesterday, so I didn't get the chance to post any petitions. This may be the first time I've had two colds in a year since I was a little kid.

Demand that CBS pull an anti-choice Super Bowl ad.

Don't let Citizens United v. FEC happen again. The Supreme Court will hear a case that may allow billionaires to donate an unlimited amount of money to campaigns.

Support common-sense healthcare reform for women and families.

Make sure health insurance is made affordable to older Americans.

Demand quality early childhood education in your state.

Tell President Obama to close Guantanamo Bay prison.

End world hunger.

Help free a Tibetan filmmaker.

Demand an exit strategy in Afghanistan.

Help stop Uganda's anti-gay bill.

What Does "Trust Women" Mean to A Funny Feminist?

I really love this year's Blog for Choice subject: What does "Trust Women" mean you? Meaning me. I love it because, in two little words, the entire foundation of reproductive rights, and feminism itself, is explained. "Trust Women" has more to do with more than just abortion rights; it has to do with all sexual health and rights to our own bodies.

I believe that all sexism is predicated on a distrust of women, and there's a long history of women's voices about their own bodies being dismissed. There was a time when women who complained to their doctors of menstrual cramps weren't believed. It wouldn't surprise me at all if some doctors still belittled the cramps that some women experience during their periods. And I can tell you from personal experience that there are men out there who don't see menstrual cramps as all that serious, even when they hurt like a bitch. That's because the patriarchy allows men to claim that women are emotional and overreacting, lest they actually care about women.

Women also aren't trusted when it comes to having sex. Whether women are saying they want to have sex or they don't want to have sex, it's all hogwash. The only one who really knows what the woman wants is the man who is intent on controlling her. We know this when men are told that "no means yes," and that women like rape. AskMen.com just listed rape as the third most common sexual fantasy of women. Except they describe the "rape" fantasy thusly:

Most psychologists believe this top 10 female sex fantasy allows a woman to have the wild, dirty sex she craves, without having to suffer the guilt that often follows. These female sex fantasies usually involve a gorgeous man carrying her off to his bedroom and quickly getting down to business. She’ll protest as he tears her clothing off and expertly arouses her body, but on the inside, she’ll love every minute of it. This continues to the point of penetration, and leads her to an incredible orgasm despite her earlier protests. This female sex fantasy allows a woman to be wanton and enjoy sex -- something society rarely permits.

Which means that some women like taboo sex, not rape. See how men turned that around to pretend that when women say no, you don't have to trust them, and men can just claim that he thought she liked being forced upon and assaulted? I mean, why ask if she'd actually like that -- it'll kill the fantasy! A similar phenomenon is the idea that women actually don't like sex. So when they say they do, they just have to learn that they're really just being conned by our crazy culture into thinking they want sex. Enter abstinence-only education. One goal for abstinence-only education is to deny young women knowledge about sexuality and validation to their own biological sexual urges. From a critique of the abstinence-only curriculum Sex Respect:

“[A] young man’s natural desire for sex is already strong due to testosterone, the powerful male growth hormone. Females are becoming culturally conditioned to fantasize about sex as well.” (Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 11) In a section dedicated to possible questions from students, the curriculum asks “but aren’t there many girls who really want to have sex, and so they pressure the guys?” The answer, “yes, there are. This is happening in larger numbers now than in years past, since the pop culture has removed the stigma from non-virgins and displays many role models of provocative women.” (Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 12)

There's nothing natural about a young woman's desire to have sex! It's all television's fault, which is why no one existed until a few decades ago. But abstinence-only education doesn't just tell young women that the tingly feelings they've felt in their nethers shouldn't be trusted. The Miss The Mess program teaches teens that certain young women who say they've been raped shouldn't be trusted either. In the part of the website that I linked to, there is a scenario where four friends are at a party together. A boy named Jason gets drunk after breaking up with his girlfriend, Monica. He meets a friend of his, Rochelle, to talk about it. After the sex act, Rochelle tells the police she's been raped. At the end of the story, students are asked if rape occurred:

“Unfortunately, we are left judging (Rochelle’s) honesty by her character and her actions"... “Monica implied Rochelle had a promiscuous reputation and the whole school seemed to know it.” (cite, I also have the original transcript in my e-mail for any who want it).

Because Rochelle might not have been a virgin (after all, the only evidence of this is a "friend's" rumor-mongering), she couldn't be trusted when she said she was raped. Of course, anyone who comes forward to report a rape must be trusted; they are also extremely brave. Only after a huge effort by the online feminist community did the website change the discussion portion.

But this day, which is almost over, is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that gave women their bodies back. Since then, a ton of legislation has been passed or proposed to limit this legal procedure that 1 in 3 women will have done in their lifetime. Thirty-three states require women to go through counseling, and 20 states require a woman wait 24-hour before having an abortion. Some are told misinformation or outright lies about pregnancy and abortion before they can consent to the procedure. And still some states have the patronizing ultrasound law that requires women undergo an unnecessary ultrasound and be told "Thar's a baby on thar!" before going through the procedure. This is all because people believe that women don't know what they're doing when they seek an abortion. They also believe that women somehow floated to the clinic by some invisible force, rather than make a conscious decision after a great deal of thinking. They just plain don't trust women.

So for me, trusting women means taking what we say at face value. Women don't speak a foreign language that needs to be translated by men before we get to do anything. Well, maybe we say things nicer to you as to not to offend:

Because when we say "No," we mean, "HELL no!"

And when we say "Yes," we mean, "FUCK yeah!"

And when we say "I have cramps," we mean, "Uterus, get the FUCK out of my body!"

And when we say "I've been raped," we mean, "Some DICK just fucking raped me, and if you don't believe me, direct me to someone who gives a shit, pig."

And when we say "I'm calling to make an appointment for an abortion, " we mean, "Goddamn, I wish it was easier to raise a kid in this country/That fucking deadbeat/Do anti-choice protesters, like, have jobs? Or do they just harass women all day? Maybe they should take care of their kids instead of policing my pussy."

And when we say we like sex, we mean we do it best to ourselves. You don't know what a clitoris is, do you, dude?

And Scott Brown Couldn't Go 9 Minutes and 20 Seconds Without Saying Something Sexist & Creepy

Take Action Monday on Tuesday

Urge the IMF to forgive Haiti's $800+ million debt.

Thank President Obama for giving Temporary Protected Status to Haitians in America, and ask him to protect Haitians fleeing to America to escape the hurricane's devastating effects.

Tell credit card companies to stop taking a cut out of charged charitable donations.

Stop Ticketmaster's monopoly.

Tell financial institutions that you want your money back.

Ensure that healthcare insurance reform covers abortion.

Now That's a Sex Toy: Shake Weight

If you can pinch your arm skin, you'll love this new sex toy.

Take Action Monday

Support legislation to enact legislation that trains childcare workers.

Keep Texas from erasing Hispanics in textbooks.

Support real healthcare reform.

Protect the Caribou from extinction.

Send a message of support to Iranian activists.

Support early education.

Stop the Stupak Amendment from making it into healthcare reform.

The Funny & the Fucked Up

The Funny:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Even Better Than the Real Thing
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

John Oliver of The Daily Show talks about the wonderful yesteryear of Christian White Dudes

The Fucked Up:

New Jersey legislators nix the gay marriage bill. It's the worst thing to happen to New Jersey since Snooki and The Situation.

A Little Bit of Both:

When talking about how great the GOP platform is to Sean Hannity (who I'm sure has no opinion on the matter at all), Michael Steele says "Honest Injun," which I don't think I've heard since like Kindergarten. God, Michael Steele. It's "word is bond." If you can't get the lingo right, how are any of your Republican friends going to remember that you're Black?

So Not Funny, David Letterman!

This story is three days old, but transmisogyny is not, so I'm going to talk about this anyway. Late night talk show host David Letterman made a transphobic "joke" on his show the other night after telling his audience that President Obama appointed Amanda Simpson, a transgender woman, to be the Senior Technical Adviser to the Department of Commerce. Amanda Simpson is a super smart woman with three degrees, but that doesn't seem to matter because:

Letterman's announcer guy: What?! Amanda?! Amanda used to be a dude?! OH MY GOD!!!!! *runs away*

See, because it's funny that Letterman's announcer guy became disgusted at the thought of a trans person existing. Maybe he found Ms. Simpson attractive and now can't believe how stupid he was not to have seen what should have been so obvious. Now, I know Letterman didn't say the joke. He might not even have written the joke. But this is something that should have been canned before the taping of the show. So not funny, David Letterman!

WTF: Booty Pop

I saw this commercial for Booty Pop panties while I was flipping through the channels yesterday. They're padded underwear to make it look like your butt is bigger than it is. Because I guess that's what women want now? That's news to me.

Take Action Monday

Support legislation to provide emergency contraception to servicewomen.

Send a message of hope to refugees in Gaza and the West Bank.

Help bring water to Gaza residents.

End age discrimination in the workplace.

Urge President Obama and Congressional leaders to support real healthcare reform.

Support critical habitat designation for the remaining Beluga Whales.

Tell President Obama to keep his commitment to end world hunger.

Ponder on this for a Moment

If anyone needs evidence that sexism exists, just look at the abortion compromise in the Senate healthcare bill. Basically, women who want abortion coverage will have to write two separate checks, one for their regular health insurance premium and another for their abortion coverage. I don't know how cumbersome writing the separate checks will be, but the fact that women have to go through that is ridiculous just on principle. No other healthcare coverage requires a rider like this. Furthermore, states will be allowed to keep insurance companies from covering abortion. This isn't new, but it's new to national healthcare legislation.

Okay, quiz time. Here are a couple of scenarios where someone would need healthcare.

Scenario 1: One day, someone drinks several alcoholic beverages, enough to be legally "under the influence." They get into a car and drive. They're speeding, going 60 mph in a 35 mph zone. They're not wearing a seat belt, and they're talking on their cell phone, both of which are illegal in their state. Then, they drive into a tree. Since they weren't wearing a seat belt, they sustained many injuries. The drinking, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, and talking on the cell phone all contributed to this accident.

Scenario 2: One day, a woman has consensual sex with her boyfriend. Two weeks later, she finds out she is pregnant. She decides to have an abortion, for reasons that are none of your business.

Who's covered by health insurance? The person who became seriously injured because they engaged in four illegal behaviors at once? Or the woman who did absolutely nothing illegal, two of those things being biological phenomena (sex and pregnancy), one of which she really has no conscious control over (pregnancy)?

In the first scenario, the person who engaged in all of those illegal behaviors is covered by insurance. Furthermore, they do not have to purchase a rider to cover injuries sustained in the event that they drive drunk, speed, don't wear a seat belt, or drive while talking on the cell phone. (Keep in mind, the fines leveed on the person for doing all of that are probably more than your average first-trimester abortion would be). The fact that they've broken four laws in the process is not held against them. Nobody really cares that such people exist. Nobody is debating their rights on the floors of the House and Senate, in the media, or at the kitchen table. Nobody is worried that they're tax dollars will fund the treatment of such reckless and illegal behavior. They're given the benefit of the doubt, in addition to their treatment.

In the second scenario, the fact that she's a woman is held against her. The fact that she had sex with a man who is not her husband is held against her. The fact that she had sex without wanting a child is held against her. The fact that she is pregnant is held against her. The fact that she wants an abortion is held against her. Her rights are constantly being attacked by the people who are supposed to represent her, as well as people who care about her, and people who don't know her and are judged by them anyway. People are complaining that their tax dollars might go to providing her an abortion, because they think abortion is wrong, even though it's a completely made-up concern. Nobody gives her the benefit of the doubt, and nobody gives her treatment.

So to say that the Senate healthcare bill will treat women like criminals isn't exactly accurate. The coverage of criminals isn't being debated. Criminals will still get their healthcare.

WTF: Best Female Athletes

Tennis star Serena Williams would be happy to know that she was voted Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Tennis star Kim Clijsters might not be so happy that she came in third. Why? Because this is who beat her.

Zenyatta! A fuckin' horse! The second best female athlete of the year!

Take Action Monday

If you're still not done with your holiday shopping, please remember to by fair trade and/or American!

Support the regulation of greenhouse gases.

Protect communities from hazardous mining waste.

Urge President Obama to get some of the bank bailout money paid back.

Help bring clean water to Gaza residents.

Decry the anti-LGBT bill in Uganda.

Support microfinance.

Tell President Obama to make ending genocide a priority.

Support the Superfund Polluter Pays Act.

Demand that Walmart takes its dangerous toys off of the shelves.

A Feminist Christmas List

Liz ODonnell from Care2 authored this cute feminist Christmas list. It has most of the stuff I'd want, although I'd prefer those D&G pumps in a 6 1/2 :)

Dear Santa:

I've been good all year. I worked hard even though I earned less than my male coworkers. Sure I called out when the kids got sick, but I checked my work email all day.

I took care of myself and got my yearly physical despite paying higher, gender-based premiums. I even managed to exercise 12 times.

I called my Senators and told them to vote no on Stupak-like anti-abortion amendments and yes on healthcare reform.

I voted in every election -- and for strong women candidates too.

I signed petitions to end human-trafficking, stop domestic violence and make rape kits more accessible.

I wore red for equal pay awareness, pink for breast cancer awareness and teal for ovarian cancer awareness (and I do NOT look good in teal.)

I stopped buying Isotoner products when the company fired a woman for pumping, drank only Diet Coke after Pepsi created a sexist app for the IPhone, and I won't let my husband wear Dockers anymore because of the company's ridiculous "Man-ifesto." (I guess I wear the pants in this house!)

Speaking of my house, I know it was a mess all year. But I read a study that said men are doing more housework than ever before, so I thought I could slack a little.

Santa, I think you will agree I deserve a few presents this year, so here is my Christmas wish list:

Healthcare reform that affords all women equal coverage for equal premiums and doesn't compromise women's reproductive rights

Passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act and equal pay for equal work

A strong slate of women candidates and women-friendly candidates for the 2010 elections

A critical mass of women CEOs, corporate directors, op-ed contributors and professors

Affordable child care

Paid sick days for all workers

An end to domestic violence, human trafficking and street harassment

Passage of the Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act of 2009 to eliminate rape kit backlog

World peace

And, if you think I've been very good, a pair of Dolce & Gabbana patent pumps in rosa/geranio size 9.

Thanks Santa. Oh, and don’t forget to check my mantle when you stop by for some chocolate chip cookies (they're store-bought because, hey, I'm busy) and milk (soy of course).

Merry Christmas,

So Not Funny, Dennis Miller!

I don't really have to put anything after that, because everyone knows that Dennis Miller is the shittiest comedian ever. But he did indeed make a sexist joke when he appeared on WWE RAW on Monday.

I am happy to be the host of the 2009 Slammy Awards. Very excited to be here. This is something I've always wanted to do. I cover politics on my radio show, and the similarities between politicians and the WWE are eerily similar. Now both have loud, obnoxious women with increasing power whose faces scare little children.

Then he showed a picture of some woman wrestler and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. What is it with conservative guys and making fun of powerful women's looks? Becoming Speaker of the House isn't the prize the Miss America winner gets, so nobody should give a shit what she looks like. And at least Speaker Pelosi has a face for C-SPAN. Miller has a face for radio, and material for the litter box that's so bad the crowd of homorepressed Texans couldn't even bring themselves to laugh at it. He couldn't even get a hoo-rah when he said "troops." Stick to what you're good at, Dennis: Jerking off on the toilet to the Washington Times op-eds.

Take Action Monday

Nothing's funny anymore!

Say no to cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to balance the budget.

Pledge to oust Senators who try to filibuster healthcare reform.

Support the REAL Act.

Tell everyone you know about the benefits of microfinancing.

Help save the American Jaguar.

Tell Congress to vote no on any budget that sends more troops to Afghanistan.

Support the public option.

Take Action Monday

Show everyone you know this video.

Protect polar bears from global warming.

Help stop violence in school.

End water pollution from mountaintop removal mining.

Urge President Obama to make fighting HIV/AIDS a priority.

Tell Congress not to fund the troop surge in Afghanistan.

WTF: Weird Trolling

I think I mentioned before that I've been getting a lot of Russian spam comments on the old blog. Now, some Anonymous person is posting quotes from "Our Mutual Friend," a Charles Dickens novel. And they insert hyperlinks whenever "winter allergies" comes up. WTF?

Take Action Tuesday

I am slowly but surely getting back to more normal schedule. I cannot wait for this semester to be over!

Today is World AIDS Day. Please have open and frank conversations with the people you care about regarding who is most affected by HIV/AIDS. Recognize that people considered disposable -- women, the poor, LGBTs, people with mental illness, people of color -- are the ones being killed by AIDS. Once the oppression stops, so will the spread of HIV.

Ensure that women's health is covered in healthcare reform.

Act now to stop the Stupak Amendment.

Support paid sick leave for workers sick with H1N1.

Target Women: Broadview Security

I totally didn't want to wake up this morning. This makes me glad I did.

Take Action Friday

Quick Take Action update before I celebrate my friends birthday.

Tell the House and Senate that abortion is healthcare.

Help protect seniors during these harsh economic times.

End the illegal dog meat trade.

Join the campaign to end preventable blindness.

Support 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

Tell the FDA to ban BPA.

Show your support for Medicare.

Urge the US to ban land mines.

Help ratify the Treaty for the Rights of Women

Too Funny for Words

The people in the above video love Sarah Palin. Let them count the ways . . . .

1. "Oh, gee. Help me out here, guys!"

2. "I can't think of the policies right off the bat."

3. "I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it."

4. "I'm not really sure."

5. "I'm not really sure where you're going with that -- what issues . . . ?"

6. "Uh . . . ."

7. "To be honest with you, I don't know anything about her foreign policy."

8. "I don't know. Uh, I don't really have an answer. I don't know her well enough, her thinking. I don't know what she knows and doesn't know. I wouldn't know half the stuff that some people would ask me." [WHAT?]

The next part of the video showcases how little these particular supporters know about anything that's going on in the country. It's like they can only hold in two or three consecutive words at a time, and the rest of the English language falls out of their ears. So they can say "cap and trade," "slippery slope," "partial-birth abortion," etc., but they can't simply can't find the words to put around those phrases to express a coherent thought. I wonder if it's because the Republican talking heads on FOX News and Clear Channel that they watch -- wrapped in a Snuggie, head cocked to the side, cross-eyed, and drooling -- "defend" their opinions with the same vagueness. Kind of makes me wish that theirs were the votes that were lost in Ohio.

Take Action Finally

Practicum teaching, school projects, work, oh my. I've been a busy, busy bee. And I've been getting a lot of comments on the old blog, but they've been from the same Anonymous Russian, so I can't read them . . . .

Today is International Transgender Day of Remembrance. Attend an event, e-mail your representatives, write a newspaper editorial. Make sure they're not forgotten.

Stop the Stupak Amendment from entering the Senate health reform bill. And send a coat hanger to the so-called "pro-choice" Democrats who voted for the amendment in the House. Virtual coat hangers, of course. Real ones wouldn't get past security.

Block attempts by the Chamber of Commerce to block healthcare reform.

Support early childhood education.

Tell the CEO of Goldman Sachs to help the workers of Stella D'Oro (or just do it for the cookies).

Urge President Obama to make fighting HIV in women and children a priority.

See Ya, Wouldn't Wanna Be Ya

Not that I'd want to be Lou Dobbs ever. Point is, Dobbs is out a job at CNN as of today. And guess which network he's moving to. I'll give you a hint: It's where all wing-nuts from CNN go to get even crazier.

Edit 11/14/09: I thought since Lou Dobbs met with Roger Ailes, Dobbs was moving to FOX News. But that hasn't been decided. He'll probably just go the Sarah Palin route and tweet all day long.

Take Action Monday

Most of the petitions I received asked that we thank our Representatives for voting for the healthcare reform bill. But since it has the Stupak Amendment in it, I don't think I'll be doing that.

Tell President Obama to demand that reproductive rights be included in the final healthcare reform bill.

Urge the United Nations to make ending rape a top priority.

Ask your Representative to sign the Wolf-Capuano letter to President Obama regarding Sudan.

Protect polar bears from developers and global climate change.

Somewhere, A Woman is Walking Around Screaming, "WHERE'S MY BABY?!?!"

Who says Republicans aren't classy? During Saturday's healthcare debate, Representative John Shadegg (R-AZ) exploited a child for political purposes by putting words in the mouths of a 7-month-old baby and her mother. Poor kid. Just move that mic away from the nasty man.

Take Action Monday on Wednesday

I've been a real sucky blogger for at least the last week or so. My schedule has changed and I need to get used to the new routine. I have at least one thing I want to post about body image during the weekend, so you can at least look forward to that.

Urge your Representatives to reject any anti-choice amendments to health care reform.

Support legislation that provides nutritious meals for America's children.

Demand stronger car emissions standards from the EPA.

Tell Republicans to stop lying about health care reform.

Support a public health insurance option.

Tell the CDC that circumcision is not the answer to preventing STDs.

Target Women: Beauty Contraptions

The latest funny Target Women from Sarah Haskins takes on all of those crazy beauty contraptions. But she forgot this one!

Take Action Monday

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I was sick allll week. Fortunately, I'm getting better, so I should be posting a bit more.

Tell your Representative and Senators that being a woman is not a pre-existing condition.

Support fair salaries and unionization at WalMart.

Tell President Obama to make Sudan a priority on his next trip to China.

Urge CNN to dump Dobbs. And tell Glenn Beck what you think of him too.

Tell Senate Majority Leader Reid to support a public health insurance option.

Protect wolves from slaughter.

Urge the Sri Lankan government to release detainees.

The Stupid. It Burns

Bill Maher can add this startling statistic to his list of reasons why Americans are stupid.

The latest Pew poll on global warming shows a large drop in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence that global temperatures are rising, from 71% down to only 57% in the last 18 months. And global warming due to human activity? The overall numbers have declined from 47% to 36%. To put this in perspective, a Gallup poll found that 37% of Americans believe that houses can be haunted. This contrast is particularly dramatic among conservatives: Only 18% of republicans believe that there is evidence of global warming caused by human activity, while 28% of conservatives believe in haunted houses.

The stupid. It burns.

Take Action Monday

End water pollution from mountaintop removal mining.

Urge your Senators to cut abstinence-only education funding from healthcare reform.

Tell President Obama it's time to act on climate change, and to help save the whales.

Protest lobbyists for Sudanese president Bashir.

Oppose the Vitter-Bennett Senate Amendment 2644.

Tell Walmart to stop its suppliers Giumarra's unlawful behavior.

Urge President Obama to investigate the link between pesticides and Parkinson's.

WTF: Miscegenation Edition

A pastor in Louisiana intentionally doesn't marry interracial couples, but there's one very important thing you need to know.

I'm not a racist . . . I have piles and piles of Black friends.

Gee, that's reassuring, I guess. What's this guy's deal? Does he think it's 1953? No, he uses the classic Helen Lovejoy "won't someone please think of the children" defense.

"There is a problem with both groups accepting a child from such a marriage. I think those children suffer . . ."

True that. Just look at these unfortunate interracial misfits who were never accepted and amounted to nothing.

How cruel it would be to bring interracial children into the world when all they have to look forward to is becoming one of the most successful recording artists of all time, the highest paid athlete in professional sports, an Academy award winning actress, or President of the United States.

Take Action Monday

Or buy them a discount mattress.

Urge your Senators to include immunosuppressive drug coverage in the health care bill.

Help protect the Florida Panther.

Tell the UN to appoint a special representative to hold countries involved in gender-based violence accountable. Tell the European and African Unions to do the same.

Support the Foreign Assistance Revitalization & Accountability Act of 2009.

Help the U.S. strengthen its toxic chemicals standards.

Stop the Ken Lewis (Bank of America) bailout.

Thank the workers who eliminate pollution.

Funny Videos (No Homo)

Bryan Safi"s latest -- no homo -- on the no homo use (or maybe no homo overuse) of "no homo." It's like the new "you know what I'm sayin'?"



Secretary of State Hillary Clinton uses her diplomacy skills to resolve the Mayor Cory Booker/Conan O'Brien conflict.



Roman Polanski on To Catch a Predator. Not really, but at least we don't have to use our imaginations anymore.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Gay After Tomorrow
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

Jon Stewart thinks President Obama should finally repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Maybe he will this weekend at the pride march in Washington, D.C.

Hey Hey It's Racism!

On Hey Hey It's Saturday, which seems to be like an Australian version of The Gong Show, a group calling themselves The Jackson Jive performed a horrendous dance and singing routine -- in blackface. Mind you, the performance would have been horrendous without the blackface, but at least it wouldn't have been totally racist. Harry Connick, Jr. was one of the judges. He gave them a zero and later said that he wouldn't have done the show had known these jackasses would be on (in a more polite way, of course). As the Aussies might say, good on ya, Harry!

Because in Reality, You Have Nothing to Offer

Take Action Monday

Before I link to the petitions, I have to plug the new poetry book By Way Of from Toadlily Press. My BFF Diana Alvarez wrote a chapter for it, and she's a very talented poet. She's definitely the best, and I say that completely objectively.

Tell President Obama and Congress that we need a smart exit strategy from Afghanistan.

Keep fighting for a public health insurance option.

Nominate or vote for your favorite change maker.

Support the REAL Act.

Urge your Senators to support early breast cancer detection.

Demand strong clean car standards.

Stand up for farm workers.

Urge Sierra Leone's government to make maternal health a priority.

Colbert Urges Us to Send Our Medical Bills to Max Baucus

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Send Your Medical Bills to Max Baucus
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Stephen Colbert gave his viewers a great idea to show our outrage over the public option failing to pass.

Send Max Baucus your healthcare bill. All of them. Believe me, believe me, folks, he's good for it. In the last five years, Baucus has gotten $3.2 million from the healthcare industry. So, Nation, if you've been denied coverage by a health insurance company, just send your unpaid medical bills to: Max Baucus' Huge Pile of Money, Washington, D.C. Not sure if you qualify? Just call his office and ask to speak to the eligibility agent. I believe his name is . . . Max.

His D.C. real address is:

511 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510.

Maybe he'll read your bills. I doubt they'll be 1,000 pages.

Take Action Monday

Since Tom Felton started following me on Twitter a few days ago, I have about 15 new followers. I'd like to think the recent influx of followers is because of the feminism, but I won't kid myself.

Urge President Obama to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Child. The United States and Somalia are the only two countries who haven't signed it.

Tell Congress to close the Part D "doughnut hole" that limits prescription drug coverage for seniors.

Help restore fair wages and government oversight for guest farm workers.

Send pictures of your little ones to Senator Kyl, and let him know that maternity care is important for all.

Protect our drinking water supply from pollution.

Thank Speaker Pelosi for standing up for a public health insurance option.

Support the Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2009.

Urge your Senators to pass legislation to protect our national parks.

Ask your Senators to co-sponsor the JUSTICE Act.

Support the Roadless Area Conservation Rule

Thank Michelle Obama for standing up for women and children in her recent health care reform speech.

Latest from Bryan Safi & Sarah Haskins

Bryan Safi outlines the many ways of coming out, brought to you by every television show ever.



Sarah Haskins explains why back to school is, like, totes awesome.

Anti-Feminist Dating Service: Senator Jon Kyl

This is Jon Kyl. He's a Republican Senator from the great state of Arizona, so you know he has a stable well-paying government job. Very hot. And he's a real man's man. When debating health care reform, he makes sure no one thinks he's a lady:

I don't need maternity care.

See, he's not like those pussy guys who need maternity care. He's a real man. A real honest man:

So requiring that on my insurance policy is something that I don't need and will make the policy more expensive.

*swoon* What a bad boy! If you want to find out if he's as selfish a lover as he is a human being, give him a call. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you.

B-b-but What About the Billionaires???

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

If you've been on the same planet as I've been on the past few days (i.e., Planet Why Did I Choose to go to Grad School AGAIN?!), you haven't seen this new video from Will Ferrell and friends imploring us to think about the health insurance companies for once. 'Tis funny.

Take Action Monday on Tuesday

Busy birthday weekend, busy day yesterday with school and work -- no time to update!

Fight to end hunger in America.

End healthcare discrimination based on pre-existing medical conditions.

Tell your Senators that now is the time for healthcare reform, but not the Baucus bill.

Help repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Protect America's mountains.

Thank UN peacekeepers.

Support the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009.

Protect reproductive rights in healthcare reform.

So Not Funny, Russell Brand!

The big story about MTV's Video Music Awards Sunday night was the Kanye West/Taylor Swift affair. The event that isn't getting much play is Russel Brand's rape joke that he made against Megan Fox:

“She has admitted she is a little bit cuckoo upstairs and I have trained in psychiatry. So Megan, if you do have a little dizzy spell love, I could probably drop you a little pill. You can go and have a lie down in my dressing room. You might get some crazy dreams about being visited by a scarecrow, a perfumed weirdo leaning over you. But let me tell you, that’s a common side-effect. Megan, take your medicine.”

Rape isn't funny, and joking about it is even less funny. And if that's not bad enough, he made a joke about the rumors regarding Lady Gaga's sex. I couldn't find a direct quote of what he said first, but here's my rough summary of it. He said that the rumors about Lady Gaga's sex were sexist; people thought that because of her comfort with her strong sexual expression, she must really be a guy. Good on you, Russell Brand, for calling it how it is. Oh, wait, this is still Russell Brand we're talking about, so he had to say something disgusting.

“And if I pull her leotard to one side and find something a little extra there, I will just make it stiff and hang my hat on it.”

Ugh. Either put the rumors to bed, or don't discuss them at all. Don't send mixed messages about them. What does he expect the audience to think now? Even though Brand correctly stated that the rumors were sexist, he reignited them by saying they might be true. That damages Lady Gaga and the entire intersex population (and the thought to be intersex population).

Joking about rape and delicate sexuality issues -- so not funny, Russell Brand.

Take Action Monday

I have to do this assignment for one of my teaching courses where I have to visit a school for a few hours, observe a class, and get some general information about the school and surrounding community. Every school I call requires that I give up my first-born child in order to do this assignment, since they don't want just anyone entering their school. When I told them I don't have any children and don't plan to, they told me a pint of my blood would be a sufficient offering. So I'll be visiting the blood bank soon. Anyway . . . .

Protect the Arctic from oil and gas development.

Encourage the 62 companies who have pulled their ads from Glenn Beck's program to stand their ground.

Support the Clean Water Protection Act.

Tell your Senators to pass healthcare reform now.

Tell your Representatives not to meet with anti-immigrant hate groups while planning immigration reform.

Support a balanced approach to achieving Middle East peace.

Urge your Representative and Senators to prioritize reproductive healthcare access in healthcare reform.

More from the Anonymous Misogynist

It's been more than a year since I left my old blog and started this one. For some reason, people still comment on the old blog from time to time. Some of the comments come from assholes who always post under "Anonymous," so I'm calling this sorry excuse for a person the Anonymous Misogynist. They're probably different people, but they all come from the same breed of women-hating dirtbags. And I recently got two comments in moderation two days in a row, so this time, I think the comments did come from the same Anonymous Misogynist. They're just too stupid to realize that comments go through moderation and aren't even posted anymore (not even the nice ones), because I don't update that blog anymore in any way. One comment was from a post dated March 10, 2008 where I wrote about a gym at Harvard that has women-only hours to accommodate Muslim women and any other women that feel uncomfortable exercising in front of men. I commented on the backlash the Muslim women were receiving from political pundits and the university community. Anonymous Misogynist said,

You're just a man hating sexist and all of your arguments boil down to that.

Yes, I am a man (shock horror) and no, I don't letch at women nor do I feel I have the privilege to do so and I don't want it either. (I bet now your next conclusion is that I'm gay - wrong again).

In the UK there are entirely female only gyms and I'm forbidden to enter because of my gender. There is no other reason.

There is no way you can argue that that is not sexist. Its ridiculous that you're even trying.

Rich of the person who's commenting anonymously to a post from a year and a half ago to call me ridiculous, and rich of the person who's telling me what I believe to simultaneously deride me for supposedly making assumptions about his gender and sexuality, which I never did, and before even reading the comment. And this is after I said, "A Harvard student suggested that another gym on campus have male-only hours at the same time as the female-only hours, and that's a policy I support," and "Usually, I don't support separating the men from the women," and after a slew of other civil comments I made without insult to two people, at least one who I know is male (because he's a friend of the woman I used to blog with). But apparently, according to the paranoid and privileged "Anonymous Misogynist" ** that's all code for "I hate men!" [froths at mouth]

The next forever-to-be-unmoderated comment from Anonymous Misogynist was about a genderqueer boy named Larry King, who was murdered for flirting with another boy after that boy made fun of his gender identity. I wrote that post on March 28, 2008, and the trial starts late next month. Here's what Anonymous Misogynist said:

that faggot deserves it! and you are a piece of shit feminist.

I guess Larry King was a bigger faggot than I am a piece of shit feminist, considering Anonymous Misogynist didn't end that last statement with an exclamation point. What a fuckface, right?

I don't know if Anonymous Misogynist takes Sundays off, but I'm definitely looking forward to its next comment.

*Reminds me of a recent episode of The Simpsons that was just on, in which Marge opens a gym for women. Homer asks, "Why would women want to go to a gym if there were no men there watching them and judging them?" After seeing the long line of women waiting to enter the gym at its grand opening, Homer exclaims, "We're gonna be rich!"

**I'm totally thinking of drawing a cartoon character of that.

The Funny & the Fucked Up

The Funny:


The latest from Bryan Safi shows us that teh gay, despite what the religious wrong seems to think, actually makes everything all better.



A Tonight Show sketch about Sweden's tax-payer supported feminist porn film.

The Fucked Up:

Another "family values" Republican resigns after bragging about his affair -- while his mic was on. He said, "She wears little eye-patch underwear. So, the other day she came here with her underwear, Thursday. And
 so, we had made love Wednesday--a lot! And so she'll, she's all, 'I am going 
up and down the stairs, and you're dripping out of me!' So messy!" You kiss your mistress with that mouth? Ewwwwwwww.

Take Action Monday

Happy Labor/Labour (Canada) Day!

Urge your Senators to pass a clean energy bill.

Support freeing sex trafficking victim from a life sentence without parole.

Help end discriminatory health insurance practices.

Support a public health insurance option.

Tell Secretary of State Clinton to help restore democracy and accountability for human rights abuses in Honduras.

Support humanitarian aid in Sudan.

So Not Funny, Representative Jenkins!

Representative Lynn "Great White Hope" Jenkins (R-Kansas) laughed at a single mother at a town hall meeting about healthcare a few weeks ago. Here's how the conversation went:

Constituent: I’m a 27 year-old single mother. I work full-time. I do not have health insurance. My employer does not provide health insurance to me and I cannot afford it privately. So my question is, why shouldn’t my government guarantee all of its citizens health care?

Rep. Jenkins: Thank you. I’m sorry, maybe you missed my opening remarks, but absolutely. That’s why we have Medicaid in the current system and that’s why under the alternative proposal we have an option for low-to-modest-income people to be able to afford health care and then we’ve got the SCHIP program for children. So I think we’ve got all of the bases covered.

No, we don't. If this constituent and her child were eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP, they'd be on it. How patronizing of Representative Jenkins to dismiss this woman's concerns for her and her family's healthcare access. This is a reality for millions of Americans. Audience members informed Representative Jenkins that not everyone is covered under these programs, and the conversation continued.

Representative Jenkins: OK, if you’re not then you’re the perfect example for why we've got to have reform and why we've got to do it now but we have to do it right and if we can do an alternative proposal, as I’m suggesting, give you the money to go buy it in a reformed marketplace where it is affordable, that’s my preference rather than to saddle the nation with yet another government program when they can’t afford the government run programs we have.

Constituent: I want an option that I can pay for. I work. I pay my bills. I’m not a burden on the state. I pay my taxes. So why can’t I get an affordable option. Why are you against that?

Representative Jenkins: A government run program (laugh) is going to subsidize not only yours but (laughs) everyone's in this room. So I’m not sure what we’re talking about here.

But Representative Jenkins knows exactly what this constituent is talking about. As a member of Congress, she already gets healthcare that is subsidized by the American people! That's what we're all talking about, you idiot. Later, Representative Jenkins calls getting a government handout of thousands of dollars a year to buy health insurance in the private market "being a grown up." Did she not listen to this constituent at all? She isn't a "burden on the state," and she doesn't want to be. She wants to be a self-sufficient grown up and have affordable and reliable health insurance for her and her family. Put on your listening ears, stop laughing at hard-working women, and stop claiming ignorance, Representative Jenkins. It's so not funny!

You Can Go Girl . . . .

Or you can sit on the damn seat!

Correction

I just want the same healthcare Congress gets, minus Michelle Bachmann.

WTF: Little Pole Dancer Edition

Some toy company just came out with a little robot girl that pole dances. It goes up and down, round and round, and flashes. The lights on the stage flash, not the little robot girl. Maybe she'll show her ta-tas next year. I think she looks like Delta Burke from Designing Women.