Stuff on My Mind

I've been a bad feminist. I haven't written in a while. It's not that I haven't felt like writing. Or that there hasn't been totally awesome stuff to write about...it's just more like I've been in a funk.

I don't even know how to describe my mood lately, other than...not. chipper.

But anyway, instead of a lengthy analytical post which I'm known for (ha, ha) here are some things I've been thinking about lately.

1) There's been really interesting discussion over at Feministe about fat shaming. Like how fat shaming and slut shaming are connected. Or why the whole "I'm just concerned about their health" excuse doesn't justify fat shaming. Speaking of fat shaming...

2) Gabourey Sidibe on the cover of ELLE. If that's not colorism, what is? In one of my workshops I wrote for work, we compare before and afters of celebrities on magazines and we are SO using this one. And in the tie back to fat shaming, I like how she gets the headshot, while everyone else gets a full body pose on the cover. Nice, ELLE, nice. (Thanks to Myranda for the heads up.)

3) Why are tea partiers picking up steam in US elections? Why, just why? When I think about "take our country back" I actually apply that to reasonable Americans taking it back from them; a fringe, extremist party.

4) As a yoga novice, I have been happily involved in this physical activity for I feel it promotes stress release and body acceptance/love, with health benefits as a natural, awesome outcome. So why is this book out there claiming to take you from a size 8 to a size 00? Why do we have to take something so positive and make it all about weight loss?

5) So...I "heard" about this awesome conference, and anyone and everyone should go to it and spend a day devoted to girls!

6) I spent a weekend in the trenches of suburban Texas, and I am sad to report that things are barely beyond 1950 in terms of gender relations. Dads teach their sons that masculinity is anger. Boys play football. And girls are cheerleaders. Don't like it that way? Well then get outta our town!

7) I recently learned that despite Title IX's origins in trying to HELP girls, it will undoubtedly be used against them, over...and over...and over.

8) I re-read The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. It's been 6 or 7 years since the first time. It was remarkable how much more the book touched me and I understood more with the passing of those years. I remember liking the book before, but I didn't remember much else of it. This time a lot more stuck. I know a lot of people don't like re-reading books, but I recommend to do it occasionally. You might learn something about yourself, interestingly, in the process.


Whelp, that's a run down of what's been in my head the past few days. Here's hoping that some inspiration strikes me to write an actual blog.