Cranky Fat Feminist Speaks

liberal feminist from the south who ran away to college in the mid-west, and quickly retreated back after my four years were up. trying to save the world one picture book at a time; attempting to live healthier to lose weight, but without giving up beer. challenging the idea that “big is beautiful” as well as what I’ve learned and experienced about women, gender, and feminism from my time in college as well as my time in West Africa. pissed about the apathy of the world, ready to create change one mind at a time.

I'd love any comments you'd like to share! And as always, I'd love for you to click on an ad when you're done reading, it's a simple free way for you to give money towards my student loans!


Friday, December 20, 2013

[fat] Fatropolis

Have you ever sat on your kitchen floor, in tears, with the thought that everything in your cabinets is "fat food"? Have you ever drawn a hot bath only to realize you don't fit in the tub? When was the last time you heard snide comments about how your size makes you automatically unattractive? Do you struggle to find both well-fitting and flattering clothes?

Here is proof you aren't alone.

Tracey does a phenomenal job highlighting the absurdities and hypocrisies within our size-discriminating society by flipping the coin and showing thin people as the black sheep, and "hearty" people as the preferred body type. Fatropolis is flooded with advertisements for weight-gain products, television stars feature hearty actors, and there's no shame in second helps or ordering dessert. No need to hide your sweet treat to eat in private to avoid judgmental eyes.

Big really is beautiful. Escape to Fatropolis and fall in love with your body again.

Order Fatropolis on Amazon Here or by clicking the Amazon link on the side of the blog and searching for "Fatropolis" (if you enter through the Amazon link Cranky gets a commission that goes towards paying student loans!)

Thursday, September 12, 2013

[feminist] pink or blue

I'm spending the week with my godchildren just outside of Nashville. My nephew is 3, my niece is 2, and there is a newborn baby boy. (Yes, my best friend is 23 just like me. She's been happily married since she turned 18-- all the kids were very much wanted, and totally unplanned.) Kiddie bowls and silverware and sippy cups come in lots of bright colors, and the kids get to pick out which color they want to eat from out of whatever is clean. Green and orange are at least as popular as blue and pink, but if plates are put out without asking and one is pink my nephew insists on his sister eating from it -- "here sissy, this is your bowl."

How in the world does he already know that pink "is a girl color"?!!

boy pajama drawer

My niece has her own closet, and my nephew has his own that he also shares a corner of with the new baby. The boy closet has a wide array of colors, but no pink or purple. At all. The girl closet is eye-burning pink -- every shade of pink imaginable with splashes of other colors mixed in. Nearly all of their clothes are hand-me-downs or gifts from grandparents.

My friend is afraid to dress either of her boys in pink. "People would look at them funny, and probably make fun of them." And what would their grandma say if she saw them? "boooooy, whachu wearin' that pink shirt for?!" If the newborn went out wearing a pink or purple onesie most people would assume he was a girl, and some would of course tell her what a bad mom she is for having her baby boy in a girl color.


girl pajama drawer

There's already been some social-gender-bending -- everyone except their dad wears toenail polish regularly, (Why not have color everywhere possible?!) but that took some serious grandparent-calming the first few times. Also, while my niece absolutely loves baby dolls, my nephew has some as well and loves trying to help his mom in the kitchen (my niece is in favor of magically-appearing food without the kitchen).

We're planning on watching the kids the rest of the week to see what colors they ask for, but in the mean time I want to reflect on why colors matter.

First, we have to acknowledge that in America baby girls are socially "supposed" to be dressed in pink, and baby boys in blue. We have to acknowledge that the term "sex" refers to biology, and your sexual organs. You are born a girl, a boy, or intersex. Therefore, the term "gender" refers to culture and society-- often phrased "social construction of gender." What does it mean to be a boy, or to be a girl?

my six week old nephew lovin' on his mom's boob :)

Question: What adjectives have you been called recently?

  • weak, pretty, timid, demure (dowdy/frumpy, matronly, brazen, coy, slut, whore)
  • strong, handsome, burly, macho, stocky, strong (effeminate, queer, weak, timid)

Which line do your adjectives fit into? The top line usually describes girls, while the second line usually describes boys (and the parenthesis are generally insult-words). Comparing boys to girls is often an insult "you throw like a girl," while for a girl to be compared to a boy is usually a complement "strong like your brother." Similarly, it's okay for girls to be dressed in blue, but not okay for boys to wear pink, especially as young children.

Quick homework, go to Toys-R-Us (or some equivalent) online, and search for toys for kids under 5... there is an option to sort for "girl toys" and "boy toys." Here's my results-- "girl toys" got a pink doll in the top 10 results, "boy toys" got a kiddie sports car in the top 10 results. Pink baby doll, sports car, socially constructed gender.

You see your friend's young kid for the first time, what do you say? "Jane, your dress is so pretty!" or "Mark, you're so tall!"-- would you ever tell a boy that he was "pretty"?

Right there, you answered no. There is no escape from social constructions of gender. We are all victims of the society we are born into. But, we must all work to end these stereotypes of gender-- the manly man and the girly girl. Girls can do anything boys can do. Boys can do anything girls can do. We should never limit our children to dolls and pretend kitchens, or trucks and cars. We should never tell a little boy "you can't paint your toenails, that's only for girls" or tell a little girl "you can't play with trucks, that's only for boys." Just like we should never tell girls that they couldn't be things like doctors, astronauts, truck drivers, breadwinners, or the president; and how we should never tell boys that they can't cry, become a dancer, or be stay at home parent. Think before you speak and before you buy, and the next time you see a kid in the "wrong" color give them a compliment.


   

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

[cranky] "useless dependent"

I am the useless 23 year old dependent. I cannot find a job, and I'm not looking hard enough. Sometimes when the primary breadwinner loses their job, the child steps up and becomes the primary bread winner. Why hasn't that happened?

Why can't I be more dedicated to filing out dozens of online applications, and even more walk-in local applications? Why am I so disheartened by my lack of application response that I don't want to keep filling out applications? I can count on one hand the number of times I've received a response from a potential employer letting me know they're no longer interested and have found their person. I feel like I'm screaming out into a vast wasteland, and my voice has become hoarse. No one wants me to serve their burgers or stock their shelves. No one wants me to be their administrative assistant. Despite over seven years of employee and volunteer management, no one wants me to oversee a single person or task.

Every time I think we've made up, and I just start to get comfortable again with my father, this comes up. I'm not pulling my weight, I'm only getting more depressed. I'm able to pay my car insurance and student loan payments but not my phone or my medical bills and prescriptions.

I do something wrong, and then my sister or mother does something royally mean and evil-hearted to him, and his only outlet for anger is me.

Yes, I have applied for a job today. No, only one job. I've done more job research, but that doesn't really count.

I want to wait tables for drunk sloppy gross men for $2.13 an hour; I want to mop floors and take out trash for $7.25 an hour; I want to pay all of my bills and pay rent. I don't know what to do. I just can't keep doing this.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

[cranky] stupid facebook, updated

Facebook banned me from posting for 24 hours because I posted "abusive" photos -- my first two profile pictures from nearly a year and a half ago. So, of course, I'm sharing them here:

 
this is the back of my head. you can also see two of my many "little sisters" in the village I lived in in Ghana. the picture was taken by another of my little sisters (who is a damn good cook, in case you were wondering)
 
 
nudity?! trees don't wear clothes
 
 
Tuesday evening I received a 12 hour ban. (the page is set up so that you have to be 17+ to access or view anything, so shouldn't it be okay to have sex-positive posts and jokes?)
 


Tuesday, July 23, 2013

[cranky] so broke, so pissed

I can literally feel a stabbing pain in my chest. My two $25 birthday giftcards are gone. Who has been in the house since I recieved them? Realtors, prospective house buyers, my good friend "J," and my old high school friend and new friend-without-benefits "Jack." About a month or two ago I had a disappearing cash meltdown -- was Jack going through bags, to find my purse, to find my wallet, to take cash?! Twice? No way. Has Jack managed to walk off with giftcards that had been tucked away? Is that what he was doing instead of cleaning the kitchen after he made midnight dinner a few nights ago?

Previously the thief was my younger sister -- stealing keys, making copies, and sneaking in while we were at work to steal cash and sell-able anxiety meds (usually klonopin). I feel like the biggest fool letting someone into my home and having money disappear. There is $5.05 in my purse right now, all in coins. That's all I have. Along with no job and a student loan payment due in 7 days.

My sister has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). She was diagnosed when she was 17. There is a list of 9 "symptoms"/behaviors and you have to have 5 to get your gold star... she has all 9. Very briefly... she was drugged and raped at age 14 setting her off into a downward spiral of shit; by 15 she had admitted to us that she was drinking heavily since nearly age 13 and she also thought she had a miscarriage without actually having had sex; by 16 she had her first tattoo out of a pay-by-the-hour motel and was dating a 31 year old man with 4 kids from 4 different moms; at 17 I took away her PTI freebie and she had to be processed at the state prison after she stole my identity and all of my money while I was out of the country, she was a member of the Crips, got checked back into the psych ward, and skipped town for several months with my mom (to this day, I'm not sure where they went), after they came back in town she was checked into a residential outdoor rehab center and was their longest ever patient-- turning 18 at the facility and choosing to stay. By age 19 she accused me of molesting her repeatedly as children, and now at 20 I'm forbidden from being in the same building as her, per my mother and grandmother's orders. J has seen her out at bars several times, and she's going to be 21 in a few months. She's claimed to be an alcoholic since she was 15, and now she's regularly drinking and driving and the only person that could possibly stop her is my mother who is afraid of running her off. She is capable of constructing entirely alternate realities, alternate stories, events, persons and then believing them whole-heartedly.

Despite my father and therapist telling me otherwise, I feel like the ultimate dumb shit for allowing money to walk out of my house. I know better. I know the signs, I know what to look for. I let my guard down, and I feel like an idiot. I think there's some chocolate box cake mix in the cabinet I can make, so I can save that $5.05 for something... no clue what...

Sunday, July 14, 2013

[cranky] gynotician activism/harassment

Information for the "gynoticians" who need to receive pads, tampons, VAGINA postcards, and/or wire hangers in the mail, along with a phone call, email, or tweet about scheduling your next ob/gyn annual:

ALABAMA, for TRAP laws identical to Mississippi

GOVERNOR: Robert Julian Bentley
PHONE NO: 334-242-7100
FAX NO: 334-353-0004
EMAIL form: http://governor.alabama.gov/contact/contact_form.aspx
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/governorbentley
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/bentley2010
ADDRESS: 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36130

LT. GOVERNOR: Kay E. Ivey
PHONE NO: 334-242-7900
FAX NO: 334-242-4661
EMAIL: http://ltgov.alabama.gov/contact.aspx
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LtGovIvey
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KayIveyAL
ADDRESS: 11 South Union Street, Suite 725, Montgomery, AL 36130

ARKANSAS, for trying to implement a 12 week abortion ban

Governor Mike Beebe
Phone: 501-682-2345
Email form: http://governor.arkansas.gov/contact/index.php
Twitter: GovBeebeMedia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Office-of-Arkansas-Governor-Mike-Beebe/177813702279256?sk=wall

Lt. Gov. Mark A. Darr
Phone: 501-682-2144
Fax: 501-682-2894
Email link: http://ltgovernor.arkansas.gov/contact-us/
Twitter: @ltgovmarkdarr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltgovmarkdarr

ARIZONA, for new clinic laws

Gov Jan Brewer
Phoenix Office: (602) 542-4331
Tucson Office: (520) 628-6580
Fax Number: (602) 542-1381
In-State Toll Free: 1-800-253-0883 (outside Maricopa County only)
@teambrewer
https://www.facebook.com/GovJanBrewer?fref=ts
The Honorable Janice K. Brewer
Arizona Governor
Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

KENTUCKY

Senator Mitch McConnell:
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499
Email Form: http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitchmcconnellcan send a message this way

Senator Rand Paul:
Phone: Phone: 202-224-4343
Email form: http://www.paul.senate.gov/?p=contact
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SenatorRandPaul
Twitter: @SenRandPaul

Governor Steve Beshear
Phone: (502) 564-2611
Fax: (502) 564-2517
Email form: http://governor.ky.gov/Pages/contact.aspx
Twitter: @GovSteveBeshear
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/govstevebeshear

Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson
Phone: (502) 564-2611
Fax: (502) 564-2849
Email form: http://ltgovernor.ky.gov/Pages/contact.aspx
Twitter: @LtGovAbramson
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltgovjerryabramson/timeline?filter=3

MICHIGAN, for new clinic laws

Governor Rick Snyder
(517) 335-7858
Email form: https://somgovweb.state.mi.us/GovRelations/ShareOpinion.aspx
Twitter: @onetoughnerd
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RickForMichigan

Lt. Governor Brian Calley
(517) 373-6800
Twitter: @BrianCalley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briancalley

MISSISSIPPI, for trying to become the first state with no abortion clinic

Governor Phil Bryant
Email form: http://www.governorbryant.com/contact/
Twitter: @PhilBryantMS
Phone: 601.359.3150
Fax: 601.359.3741
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/im4phil

Lt. Governor Tate Reeves
ltgov@senate.ms.gov
Twitter: @TateReeves
Phone: (601) 359-3200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatereeves

OHIO, for redefining pregnancy, passing TRAP laws, and defunding PP in favor of CPCs

Gov John R. Kasich
Phone: (614) 466-3555
@johnkasich FB John R Kasich
Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215-6117 Phone: (614) 466-3555

Lt Gov Mary Taylor
Phone: (614) 466-3555
@MaryTaylorOH
Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215-6117

NORTH CAROLINA, for #motorcyclevagina, lying, and TRAP laws

Governor Pat McCrory
Phone: (919) 814-2000
Fax: (919) 733-2120
Email: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/contact/email-pat
Twitter: @PatMcCroryNC
Address:
Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301

Lt. Governor Dan Forest
Phone: (919) 733-7350
Fax: (919) 733-6595
Email: lt.gov@nc.gov
Twitter: @DanForestNC
Address:
Office of the Lt. Governor
20401 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0401

Chris Whitmire: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=660 Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepWhitmire

George Cleveland: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=476

Jacqueline Schaffer: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=647 Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchafferJM

Larry Pitman: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=H&nUserID=633

NORTH DAKOTA, home of the fetal heartbeat ban trying to go into effect any day now

GOVERNOR: Jack Dalrymple
PHONE NO: (701)328-2200
FAX NO: (701)328-2205
EMAIL-DIRECT LINK: http://www.governor.nd.gov/contact-us
EMAIL: governor@state.nd.us
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/NDGovDalrymple
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DalrympleforGov
ADDRESS: State Capitol, 600 E. Boulevard Ave, Bismarck, ND 58505-0001


LT. GOVERNOR: Drew Wrigley
PHONE NO: (701)328-2200
FAX NO: (701)328-2205
EMAIL: http://governor.nd.gov/contact-us
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/DrewWrigley
ADDRESS: State Capitol,600 E. Boulevard Ave, Bismarck, ND 58505-0001

Chairwomen of ALEC: Bette Grande
TWITTER: @bettegrande

TEXAS, for its 20 week ban, TRAP laws, and all-around unlawful bullshit

Governor Rick Perry
PHONE: (512) 463-2000
MAILING ADDRESS: Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 12428, Austin, Texas 78711-2428
DELIVERY ADDRESS: Office of the Governor, State Insurance Building, 1100 San Jacinto, Austin, Texas 78701

WISCONSIN, for trying to be the newest vag-probe state

Governor Scott Walker
PHONE NO: 608-266-1212
FAX NO. 608-267-8983
EMAIL: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/Contact-Us
EMAIL: govgeneral@wisconsin.gov
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/GovWalker
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/governorscottwalker
ADDRESS: 115 East State Capitol, Madison, WI 53707

 LT. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch
PHONE NO: (608) 266-3516
FAX NO: (608) 267-3571
EMAIL: ltgov@wisconsin.gov
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ltgovkleefisch
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ltgovkleefisch
ADDRESS: 19 East, State Capitol, P.O. Box 2043, Madison, WI 53702

VIRGINIA, for new clinic laws

Governor Bob McDonnell
Phone: (804) 786-2211
Fax: (804) 371-6351
Email form: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm
Twitter: @GovernorVA

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
Phone: 703-766-0635
Email form: http://www.ag.virginia.gov/ContactUsForm/ContactForm.aspx
Twitter: @KenCuccinelli
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KenCuccinelli

Sunday, June 23, 2013

[feminist] #exposeCPC

 
The irony of today... Texas is preparing to protest their House of Representatives from voting 3 anti-choice bills into law (since lovely Rick Perry is quite eager to sign them). Meanwhile it's also the planned well in advance Expose CPCs day. Texas is looking at using TRAP laws to close 39 of the state's 47 abortion providers-- requiring that abortions take place in surgical facilities with minimum requirements for hallway width, and equipment; requiring that abortion providers have admitting privileges at a local hospital; as well as ending abortion at 20 weeks instead of 24 (which Roe v Wade made law). Apparently now we can speculate that fetuses feel pain at 20 weeks instead of 24, and some low-IQ politicians believe that male fetuses can feel pleasure and masturbate in-utero meaning that the week limit should be brought down to 16 or less.


If Texas flushes women's rights down the toilet this afternoon, even more CPCs will pop up across the state. I can hear my father's voice saying "what's a CPC?"-- I didn't know what it stood for until I started volunteer escorting at my local clinic in college (only a 45 minute drive). Crisis Pregnancy Center. If you look up abortion services, family planning, pregnancy help, etc in the phone book most of what you'll find are CPCs. But you don't know that until you arrive, unless you're a prochoice fanatic who already knows where the nearest abortion clinic is at all times.

Crisis Pregnancy Centers are usually funded by churches, but are increasingly eligible (on a state-by-state basis) for tax dollars as well. CPCs look like abortion clinics but once you're inside you're inundated with guilt and lies. "abortions cause breast cancer" "if you have an abortion you won't be able to bear children again later" "post abortion syndrome" "if you have an abortion you'll definitely become depressed and wish you hadn't" "if you become a member of our church we can help you care for your baby" Many offer free ultrasounds, and then conveniently round down how many weeks along the embryo is, allowing the woman to think she has more time to make a decision than she really does. (Don't forget, first trimester abortions and second trimester abortions have a huge cost difference-- the kind of cost difference that can't be made up in one pay check for the majority of women).


Texas has already slashed funds for free and low-cost clinics which offer exams and birth control (note: not abortion providers). With a lack of access to reproductive information as well as birth control options, the need for abortions will obviously increase. Then, shutting down nearly 90% of the abortion providers in the state will increase the demand for CPCs. And, in turn, increase the number of unsafe, unsanitary, botched abortions. (yes, this is where you turn and bang your head on the nearest wall)



Want some official information to share about CPCs? NARAL Pro-Choice America: nar.al/r8

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

[feminist] House of Representatives: Democrats Shit List

The Democrats who voted for HR 1797, the 20 week abortion ban, are:

Henry Cuellar (TX-28) — 202-225-1640
Daniel Lipinski (Il-3) — 202-225-5701 **
Jim Matheson (UT-4) — 202-225-3011
Mike McIntyre (NC-7) — 202-225-2731 **
Colin Peterson (MN-7) — 202-225-2165 **
Nick Rahall (WV-3) — 202-225-3452 **

** = also the only Democrat cosponsors of the bill



 

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

[feminist] may: national masturbation month

Seriously, May is National Masturbation Month. Obviously this shouldn't be the only time of the year to masturbate, but it's a good excuse to discuss the fact that it's not just men that masturbate. It's totally normal, humans are sexual beings. Besides blowing off sexual tension and possibly feeling a little bit dirty, it's how a lot of us find out what gets us off with our partners. My first orgasm was a solo event; masturbating taught me what my vulva felt like, and allowed me to meet my clitoris (the never-discussed part of the female anatomy in my health classes). The less dirty I felt when I masturbated the more comfortable I became with myself and my body, and the more confident I became in telling partners "lets try this"-- eventually allowing me to have multiple orgasms and truly love sex.

I think no one should be ashamed or feel dirty for masturbating (obviously, in private). If you want to try sex toys-- individual toys or with your partner toys-- you should totally go for it. You never know what unexpected pleasures might come. The more uncomfortable you are with your body, your sexuality, or any difficulties climaxing, the more I want to encourage you to touch yourself and love your body.



Saturday, May 11, 2013

[fat] may garden

cucumbers seedlings with potatoes around the edge
cucumbers are getting taller and growing through the chicken wire

tomato surrounded by peas and cucumbers
cucumber seedlings around tomato, potatoes around the edge
cucumbers taking over the container


tomato with two layers of pea seedlings

tomato and lots of potatoes

I've also moved the bell pepper seedlings outside and planted them in the ground, and am still growing cucumber seedlings on my porch in their deli-tray-greenhouses.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

[fat] april gardening

I've started planting my seeds and shoveling through compost... here are some of the highlights so far--

spuds from 5 organic Russet potatoes
that were accidentally forgotten about in the corner of the kitchen over winter
cucumber sprouts in a deli tray
(lid is in the background, for a greenhouse warm self-watering effect)
 
cloche -- I swear there's a baby tomato growing in there!
potato spuds are planted around the edge of the container

the beginning of my bucket garden--
leaves, not-quite compost, more leaves, steamy compost, and some dirt

Sunday, February 24, 2013

[feminist] VAWA House action

Boehner, Cantor, and the other GOP/TeaBagger leadership have created a counter Violence Against Women Act. We are asking these targets (democrats and women) to co-sponsor HR 11, the comprehensive VAWA-- not the conservative VAWA. The conservative VAWA excludes LGBTQ, Native Americans, sex trafficking victims, and not-unblocking the rape kit backlog.


sample tweets in English and Spanish:
  • 1 in 3 #NativeAmerican #women are victims of #sexualassault during their life. We all deserve a comprehensive #VAWA
  • Promueve HR11 porque todavia hay gente muriendo por violencia domestica. #dv #VAWA
  • 2 in 5 black #women will be sexually abused during her lifetime. Sponsor HR11 now! #VAWA
  • 2 de cada 5 mujeres negras seran abusadas sexualmente en el transcurso de su vida. Promueve HR11 ahora! #VAWA
  • #LGBT survivors face the same rates of #DV & #SA as all – so #VAWA must include them too. Sponsor HR11!
  • #LGBT enfrentan la misma tasa de #DV & #SA como los demas-por eso #VAWA incluirlos tambien. Promueve HR11!

AL Roby, Martha  R RepMarthaRoby 202-225-2901
FL Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana  R RosLehitinen 202-225-3931
GA Barrow, John  D repjohnbarrow 202-225-2823
IL Lipinski, Daniel  D RepLipinski 202-225-5701
IN Walorski, Jackie  R RepWalorski 202-225-3915
IN Brooks, Susan W.  R SusanWBrooks 202-225-2276
KS Jenkins, Lynn  R RepLynnJenkins 202-225-6601
MI Miller, Candice  R CandiceMiller 202-225-2106
MN Bachmann, Michele  R MicheleBachmann 202-225-2331
MN Peterson, Collin C.  D no twitter 202-225-2165
MO Wagner, Ann  R RepAnnWagner 202-225-1621
MO Hartzler, Vicky  R RepHartzler 202-225-2876
NC Ellmers, Renee  R RepReneeEllmers 202-225-4531
NC Foxx, Virginia  R virginiafoxx 202-225-2071
NC McIntyre, Mike  D RepMikeMcIntyre 202-225-2731
SD Noem, Kristi  R RepKristiNoem 202-225-2801
TN Black, Diane  R repDianeBlack 202-225-4231
TN Blackburn, Marsha  R MarshaBlackburn 202-225-2811
TX Granger, Kay  R RepKayGranger 202-225-5071
UT Bishop, Rob  R no twitter 202-225-0453
UT Matheson, Jim  D RepJimMatheson 202-225-3011
WA Herrera Beutler, Jaime  R HerreraBeutler 202-225-3536
WA McMorris Rodgers, Cathy  R cathymcmorris 202-225-2006
WV Capito, Shelley Moore  R RepShelley 202-225-2711
WY Lummis, Cynthia M.  R CynthiaLummis 202-225-2311

Sunday, February 17, 2013

[feminist] senate shit list

These 22 Republican and Tea Party men voted against re-authorizing the Violence Against Women Act in the Senate. 8 of them voted against bringing up the VAWA for debate and vote at all.

The bill authorizes $659 million over five years for VAWA programs; expands VAWA to include new protections for LGBT and Native American victims; give more attention to sexual assault prevention and to help reduce a backlog in processing rape kits. Created in 1994, VAWA has helped to strengthen programs and services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

[feminist] call to action! #ERA

 Here are additional tweets to use:

.@maddow Freedom from legal sex discrimination requires #ERA. Please discuss & share: http://wh.gov/P6gP

.@maddow In 1977 #ERA author Alice Paul died. In 2013, we can ratify her dream. Discuss & share http://wh.gov/P6gP

.@maddow Without the #ERA, Congress can weaken/replace existing laws on women's rights. http://wh.gov/P6gP

.@maddow Without the #ERA providing motivation, the status quo will change much more slowly. help! http://wh.gov/P6gP

CALL TO ACTION:


Nobody in the news media is talking about the ERA. We want to change that and with your help, we will.

It's very simple and takes less than a minute. Below is an email to Rachel Maddow as well as a tweet. All you have to do is copy and paste the text into an email and send it to her between 5:00 and 9:00 P.M. EST 1/31/13.

Rachel Maddow email: rachel@msnbc.com

Tweet:
.@Maddow plz discuss #ERA & share White House Petition 4 #equality 4 #women need your help! Please RT #uniteblue http://wh.gov/P6gP

This post is going up on many Facebook walls today. Thousands of people will see it. Rachel will not ignore hundreds or thousands of emails and tweets all at once.

Please copy and paste:

Place this in the email subject box: TIME SENSITIVE! TALK ABOUT THE ERA ON YOUR SHOW!
---
ATTN: Rachel Maddow

It's time to ratify the ERA and you can help get us by talking about it on your show.

70% of American women are unaware that women are not equal under the Constitution.

We need a constitutional amendment.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA NEEDS TO TALK ABOUT THE ERA!

Please tell your audience there is a new and powerful movement to get a Constitutional amendment for the ERA.

Unitewomen.org / We Are Woman / ERA Now / RTSV UNITED are all working to make this happen and we ask for your help.

A White House petition that expires on 2/9/13 needs just over 10,000 signatures. If you share the link on your program and tweet it, we can fulfill the goal of 25k in one evening. You have the power and we're asking for your help.

Please talk about it on your show and tweet this link to your audience:

RT Please support #ERA for #women 's rights by supporting ratification efforts http://wh.gov/P6gP

Thank you.
---
Sponsored by:
Kimberley A. Johnson - RTSV United
Karen Teegarden - UniteWomen.org
One Million Sluts Against Rush Limbaugh
Cranky Fat Feminist
Sussex County Democratic Women's Caucus

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

[cranky] VAWA action for the Senate

The Senate is planning to vote on a comprehensive Violence Against Women Act (senate resolution #47) soon! We have 60 of the necessary 60 co-sponsors. Unfortunately, this doesn't have true bipartisan support-- all 38 Senators that haven't co-sponsored are Republicans. When VAWA came up for a vote on whether or not to bring it into the Senate for discussion and a vote, 8 Senators voted no (their names are in bold). Want to call or tweet Senators to say that VAWA must be passed? Here's the info you need:


Alexander, Lamar - (R - TN) @SenAlexander 202-224-4944
Barrasso, John - (R - WY) SenJohnBarrasso 202-224-6441
Blunt, Roy - (R - MO) RoyBlunt 202-224-5721
Boozman, John - (R - AR) JohnBoozman 202-224-4843


Burr, Richard - (R - NC) SenatorBurr 202-224-3441
Chambliss, Saxby - (R - GA) SaxbyChambliss 202-224-3521
Coats, Daniel - (R - IN) @SenDanCoats (202) 224-5623
Coburn, Tom - (R - OK) TimCoburn 202-224-5754
Cochran, Thad - (R - MS) SenThadCochran 202-224-5054
Corker, Bob - (R - TN) @SenBobCorker 202-224-3344
Cornyn, John - (R - TX) @JohnCornyn 202-224-2934
Cruz, Ted - (R - TX) SenTedCruz 202-224-5922
Enzi, Michael B. - (R - WY) @SenatorEnzi 202-224-3424
Fischer, Deb - (R - NE) SenatorFischer (202) 224-6551
Flake, Jeff - (R - AZ) JeffFlake 202-224-4521
Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC) @GrahamBlog 202-224-5972
Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA) @ChuckGrassley 202-224-3744
Hatch, Orrin G. - (R - UT) @SenOrrinHatch 202-224-5251
Hoeven, John - (R - ND) @SenJohnHoeven (202) 224-2551
Inhofe, James M. - (R - OK) InhofePress 202-224-4721
Isakson, Johnny - (R - GA) SenatorIsakson 202-224-3643
Johanns, Mike - (R - NE) Mike_Johanns 202-224-4224
Johnson, Ron - (R - WI) SenRonJohnson 202-224-5323
Lee, Mike - (R - UT) SenMikeLee 202-224-5444
McCain, John - (R - AZ) SenJohnMcCain (202) 224-2235
McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY) McConnellPress 202-224-2541
Paul, Rand - (R - KY) SenRandPaul 202-224-4343
Portman, Rob - (R - OH) @robportman (202) 224-3353
Risch, James E. - (R - ID) SenatorRisch 202-224-2752
Roberts, Pat - (R - KS) SenPatRoberts 202-224-4774
Rubio, Marco - (R - FL) @marcorubio 202-224-3041
Scott, Tim - (R - SC) SenatorTimScott 202-224-6121
Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL) SenatorSessions 202-224-4124
Shelby, Richard C. - (R - AL) SenShelbyPress 202-224-5744
Thune, John - (R - SD) SenJohnThune 202-224-2321
Toomey, Patrick J. - (R - PA) @SenToomey 202-224-4254
Vitter, David - (R - LA) @DavidVitter (202) 224-4623
Wicker, Roger F. - (R - MS) SenatorWicker 202-224-6253
.@SenateFloor



**last updated at noon EST 2.1.13

























Sunday, January 13, 2013

[feminist] "Human Traffick"

In honor of human trafficking awareness month, I watched part one of "Human Traffick" last night. It follows the stories of three women/girls-- a single mom in Prague, Czech Republic; a 16 year old student from Kiev, Ukraine; and a 12 year old American tourist visiting Manila, Philippines.

 Helena, the single mom is courted by a handsome man and agrees to get a passport and travel to Vienna, Austria with him. Upon arrival he delivers her to the traffickers for cash and immediately leaves. Nadia is the 16 year old student from Kiev who is recruited to come to America by an eastern European modeling agency. Her mother died several years before, and she lives in a small house with her father who doesn't want her to leave the country. She ends up sneaking away to go with the modeling agency and its other modeling victims. Helena arrives in New York with the modeling group, and they are taken to a strip club-- their passports and papers are taken away, they are stripped down to their underclothes, and told that they have to work as sex slaves until their debt (of passports, visas, plane tickets, all with interest) are paid off. They are sent to different brothels and moved around the area fairly regularly to avoid being caught.

In Manila we see every parent's nightmare: 12 year old Annie is snatched from her mother at the busy market, thrown into the back of a Jeep and driven away. Annie's mother continues to work with the police to try to find her daughter, and eventually her husband has to return home to work. We get a first-hand glimpse of what we usually only hear about in the news. Annie is taken to a brothel in Manila, catering to American/European tourists. We are also introduced to a young girl who is sold by her father into the brothel-- he has too many bills to pay, and he feels he has no choice but to sell her. We also see a very young boy swept away to cater to a client's needs, and then returned to the communal bedroom beaten, bruised, and crying.