I’m really, really glad I don’t live in America.
This weekend, activists in Uganda - a country where homosexuality is punishable by death - held their first Pride.
This is the epitome of courage. I have no other words.
(Source: advocate.com)
In 2009, when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put out a report on the dangers of right-wing extremism in the US, it received severe backlash from many conservative policy makers. As a result of the criticism, the DHS dismantled and cut funding for the intelligence team that monitored such threats.
(via Desis Rising Up and Moving)
That report is chillingly accurate, and well worth a read.
(U//FOUO) DHS/I&A assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists—including lone wolves or small terrorist cells—to carry out violence. The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today. […]
— (U) A prominent civil rights organization reported in 2006 that “large numbers of potentially violent neo-Nazis, skinheads, and other white supremacists are now learning the art of warfare in the [U.S.] armed forces.”
The recent terrorist attack on the Sikh place of worship in Wisconsin was carried out byneo-Nazi, former war veteran.
I’m really excited to see this documentary. It’s a subject that I never thought about before. I think what she’s doing is really cool.
Scarlet Road, a documentary about a sex worker who works with the disabled.
Oh have I mentioned that y’all should follow my film blog?
http://www.scarletroad.com.au/about/
SR is a seriously humbling Australian documentary exploring not only the naturalness of sexuality but showing just how easy it is to pass judgement when in good health and able-bodied instead of recognising the huge difference such basic human expression and touch can make in the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves.
You might be a feminist if you know that for many women and men sex work is a viable and healthy choice—not a last resort.
The image is of Australian sex worker Rachel Wotton from the documentary Scarlet Road with her client, Mark.
Hello, I am new to SJ on tumblr so please forgive me if you've already answered this question: what is your take on the war between rad fems (people who think feminism applies to people assigned female at birth, and believe trans*women are taking advantage male privilege) and feminists who want to be inclusive towards trans*women?
:I certainly don’t beleive trans* people are “taking advantage” of male privilege, although some may benefit from it passively. Nor do I believe in ‘womyn born womyn’ garbage. I acknowledge, accept and welcome people of all genders who are feminists, including trans* folks! :)
In all honesty, I think the issue is much more complex than most people who commonly post and argue on either side give credit for. Both sides fight rather like kids on tumblr, throwing insults, death threats and extremism in every direction which is why I’ve avoided talking about it.
I believe that trans* people deserve to be treated equally, and must be accepted for who they are, with the same rights, and should be treated as ‘normal’ (normal is such a silly word!). However to say it’s a simple fix is naive, and to say it’s impossible is ignorant, discriminatory, lazy and naive. Changing an entire system, bending ways of thinking thousands of years old, dealing on a personal level with peoples fears, concerns, misgivings and lack of education isn’t a quick fix. It’s something that takes a good deal of time and consideration so things are changed for the better, for everyone.
If Gail Dines is concerned about performers on set, why doesn’t she comment or support any initiatives by sex workers to improve performer rights? Where is she when a performer picks a new career only to be shunned? What has Gail Dines brought to the table in terms of assisting performers who leave the industry? How has she helped humanize porn performers, and what does she believe we are capable of doing if not porn? Why does she refuse to acknowledge the growing number of independent performers who are high functioning and happy? If she’s an expert on porn, why hasn’t she commented on the rise of the clip sites and web cams?
Why monogamy isn’t the problem « Automatic Writing
In a Facebook thread discussing this rather excellent post on polyamory and the objectification of women within activist circles, a friend of mine (who is a bit of a polyamory…
Ian Millhiser writes about his full experience at TP:
Three weeks ago, I left work in an ambulance and a great deal of pain. In the night that followed, doctors determined that I had a bowel rupture leaking digestive fluid into my abdominal cavity, and a truly outstanding surgeon removed about 8 inches of my small intestine. A few days later, my doctors told me I have Crohn’s disease, a chronic condition in which my immune system sometimes decides to go rogue and attack my own digestive tract.
The upshot of this is that, in one night, I transformed from the kind of patient health insurers drool over — a young, healthy man whose biggest medical expense in the last ten years was a broken toe incurred during a kung fu class — to what those same insurers deem a “high risk” patient. If I lost my job tomorrow, or if I left CAP and ThinkProgress to start my own business, it is very unlikely I would be able to afford health insurance once my current plan runs out. Indeed, without Obamacare, it is reasonably likely that I would not be able to obtain insurance at any price.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, however, the insurance industry’s practice of denying care to high risk patients like myself will soon be illegal.
In many ways, a lot of porn is comparable to junk food. It’s a highly distilled and concentrated formulation that is engineered to tap into some of our most basic urges. As a culture, we’re really good at taking something that’s good for us or fun and distilling it to the point of toxicity. In the case of food, it’s salt, sugar, and fat. In the case of porn, it’s formulaic, unrealistic sex that follows predictable conventions and neglects genuine pleasure. In both cases, real diversity and variety is removed and instead, superficial differences are promoted. When it comes down to it, what’s the difference between Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos, etc? They’re all corn products, with salt, fat, and variations in flavoring additives. Their purpose isn’t to nourish- their purpose is to get people to buy their products so the producers can get as much money as possible.
The Porn I’d Like to See in the World | Charlie Glickman | Adult Sexuality Education & Sex-Positivity (via sexisnottheenemy)
The article linked above isn’t there anymore :( Anyone got a copy or know if it’s archived somewhere?
The dictionary definition of feminism — the entire dictionary definition of feminism is quite straightforward and concise. If you believe in, support, look fondly on, hope for, and/or work towards equality of the sexes, you are a feminist. Yes, you are.
-Sarah D. Bunting
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