FEMBORG

Actions Speak Louder Than Prayers: Be the Helpers

“In times like this, it’s often difficult to know how best to help. My thoughts—and my prayers, such as they are—do go out to the LGBTQ community today, but I will not pretend my thoughts and prayers are magical and will create change in and of themselves.”

Why #StopWoody Is Important to Me

Originally posted on Make Me a Sammich:

*Trigger warning for CSA*

Some of you will know that I’m a survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). When I heard that Amazon has signed Woody Allen to create a new TV show for them, it reminded me of this story:

When I was nine years old, a family friend was sexually abusing me. This was unfortunately not my first experience with CSA, but it was my…

Jonathan Chait’s “Not A Very P.C. Thing To Say” in a nutshell

Originally posted on The Belle Jar:

Today in New York Magazine, Jonathan Chait discusses how hard it is to be a white man these days. In case you don’t have the time or moral energy to read his 5,000 word opus of angst, here’s a brief rundown.

1. If this articleseems familiar, it’s because you’ve read it before. Not only that, but you’ve experience it in various iterations in conversations both…

Friends don’t let friends read the Onion

Originally posted on feminism first:

Maybe the title should be “feminists don’t let feminists read the Onion.”  And does it even matter, because I don’t think anyoneshould be reading the Onion after the shit I just uncovered.  Anyone with a capacity for empathy and social responsibility wouldn’t read a website that has a documented history of abusive “humor.”  It feels odd even having to point…

The Problem With A Lively Debate

Originally posted on Dances With Fat:

The Facebook page “Unpacking the “F” word” posted a quote from my blog:

“Fat people have the right to exist in fat bodies regardless of how we got fat, what being fat means, or if we could be thin through some means – however easy or difficult. There are no other valid opinions on this – we have the right to exist without shaming, bullying or…

American Girl: Representation Matters

Originally posted on Make Me a Sammich:

image: Flickr user terren in Virginia

I missed out on American Girl dolls, and somehow my daughter did, too. But for many women and girls in the US, they were and continue to be a big part of growing up. Their historical characterdolls offer a glimpse into the lives of girls who lived through different times and also encourage a love of reading (each…

The new online porn regulations and how they disproportionately affect women

Originally posted on Another angry woman:

Content note: this post discusses consensual BDSM

Today, new regulations have come into force which bans vast swathes of online porn. Fisting’s on the list, obviously, because someone at the CPS has an enormous fetish for showing juries fisting porn. So is hard impact play, simulated non-consent, urination, facesitting, and female ejaculation, among…

Sheffield United need to listen up: rape is not acceptable

Originally posted on Another angry woman:

Content note: this post discusses rape and rape apologism

At the time of writing, Sheffield United are still refusing to make a definitive statement on whether they will re-sign the rapist Ched Evans to the club. This decision is looking more bizarre by the day, as a scramble to disassociate from the enterprise begins. It started with patron Charlie…

put your damn shirt back on: my adventures in demisexuality

Originally posted on Note To Self:

Hey kids! Remember that one time we talked about how I managed an epic feat of self-denial and told myself for years and years that I was Totally and Completely Straight?

Well, guess what: There’s even more to that story!

Demisexualis a term I hadn’t really heard of until about a year ago, when I stumbled across the word on Tumblr. I remember feeling an…

Sheriff’s Office Re-Victimizes Rape Survivors

Originally posted on The Belle Jar:

Trigger warning for rape

When Lori O’Brannon found a card in the mail from Clark County Sheriff’s office addressed to her 18 year old daughter Josie, she didn’t give it much thought. The card, a blue, standard post-card sized piece of cardboard, said that the evidence department had something to release to Josie. Lori figured that it was probably something…

When Bad Allies Get “Good Guy” Awards

Originally posted on Make Me a Sammich:

A while back I wrote about fake allies—specifically, Charles Clymer, a cis white dude who used to run a popular Facebook page called “Equality for Women” but shut it down amidst accusations that, among other things, he was deleting comments from and banning women who questioned his views or the way he ran the page. And then there was his abusive verbal…

They Are Not Trolls. They Are Men.

Originally posted on Make Me a Sammich:

Oliver Rawlings

Trigger warning for discussion of the various types of abuse perpetrated by those humans known as “trolls” incuding rape and death threats and suicide.

Back in July, during Netroots Nation 2014, Zerlina Maxwell spoke on a panel about online harassment. I wasn’t there, but someone tweeted a quote that stayed with me:

“Don’t call them…

If She’s Not Having Fun You Have To Stop

Originally posted on :

This is about the nuts-and-bolts of how the work gets done. This is about parenting the next generation.

A boy and a girl run around on the grass at the park. The boy tackles the girl. The girl laughs. She gets up and runs away. She loves to run. He chases, she turns and they grab eachother, tumble and land in a pile, giggling. After a few minutes, he tackles her again…

Gender Focus | I Don’t Like Catcalls. Why Do You Care?

via Gender Focus:

In a piece for the always classy New York Post, Doree Lewak wants all of us to know that “Hey Ladies – Catcalls are Flattering! Deal With It”. But as Natalie DiBlasio of USA Today points out, catcalls can actually be pretty frightening.I’m with DiBlasio on this one. If you’re familiar with my writing you’ll know I talk quite a bit about street harassment, whether in the form of…

Because I Didn’t Do Enough – #RWA14

From Amy Jo Cousins at Wonkomance.com:

…I learned, or was reminded, of how well trained I am to shrug off harassment, to ignore being mistreated by someone, to declare that “it’s no big deal” when a man is inappropriate.

I also learned, or was reminded, of how much easier it is to access my ability to act when I am doing so on another woman’s behalf.

On Friday morning, I got on the elevator with…