Posts (page 2)
I'm pro-choice because I am a feminist, and I know that the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes will never happen as long as women cannot determine their own reproductive destinies. Women bear the entire weight of being pregnant, to the real and potential detriment to their health (both physical and emotional) and employment capabilities. Women take on most of the burdens associated with childrearing, even those who are in relationships. Having children nearly always puts women at a disadvantage in the job market. Until these realities change, equality between the sexes must be predicated upon the ability of women to make their own reproductive choices. There is no way that a society that systematically disempowers women and mothers the way that the United States' does will achieve equality between the sexes without allowing women total autonomy over their reproductive capabilities.
I'm pro-choice because I don't hate women, sex, happiness, or myself. I know that, at the end of the day, anti-abortion policies have little to nothing to do with protecting fetal life from conception and everything to do with restricting women's rights and punishing them for having sex. The classic rape-and-incest dilemma highlights how truly monstrous the anti-choice agenda is. Forcing women to bear the children of the men who raped them is an atrocious violation of their human rights. However, if they agree to allow abortions in the cases of rape and/or incest, which is the humane option, they are being ideologically inconsistent by showing 1) that some fetuses have more of a "right to life" than others (a logical impossibility) or 2) that they only support abortion rights for women who did everything they could to keep their legs shut. Either way, the dilemma throws the hypocrisy inherent to their beliefs into sharp focus. If they really valued human life, they wouldn't demean it by forcing women (who, by the way are alive) into producing it against their will.
I'm pro-choice because, at the end of the day, it's my body and my life, and I should be trusted to do the right thing by myself.
I'll be Blogging for Choice tomorrow in honor of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Watch for it!
I am insanely excited about my classes this semester:
English 237E: Shakesperean Sexualities:
Sociology 257: Gender, Sexuality, and the Body:Pericles
Coriolanus
Antony and Cleopatra
The Winter's Tale
Troilus and Cressida
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Twelfth Night
Measure for Measure
Othello
The Merchant of Venice
All's Well That Ends Well
Macbeth
Sociology 229: Social and Cultural ProductionReal Knockouts:The Physical Feminism of Women's Self-Defense by Martha McCaughey
The Male Body by Susan Bordo
The Politics of Women's Bodies by Rose Weitz
Women's and Gender Studies 201: Perspectives on Women in the World:
I also don't have classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. Best. Schedule. Ever.Orientalism by Said
Western Women and Imperialsim: Complicity and Resistance by Nupur Chaudhuri and Margaret Strobel
Women's History in Global Perspective by Bonnie G. Smith
Guests of the Sheik by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
Dreams of Trespass: Tales of a Harem Girlhood by Fatima Mernissi
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Truth Tales by Kali for Women
Again, I Fail at Updating. The beginning of the semester is so hectic, anyway.
My current projects consist of the following:
1. Finishing applying to grad school. My recommendations and
transcripts are sent. Now, I just need to send my essays in. But first,
I have to write them. Not looking forward to that. Admissions essays
are so fake. The final list, though:
2. Filing for financial aid (and paying my taxes). This will happen once I get my W-2s. Not looking forward to that, either.The California Institute of Integral Studies
Towson University
New College of California
Roosevelt University (Chicago)
3. Working on my thesis.
4. Going through my enormous yarn stash. Which will take forever.
More later, maybe.
Making French onion soup from scratch is unnecessarily difficult. Mainly, I have better things to do with my time than slowly stirring a big pot of onions for over an hour, waiting for them to "brown slowly."
This is my final list. I chose these programs based on departmental structure and practical application. Most master's programs in Women's Studies are with entirely theory [which would be fine if I wanted to be an academic/have a job outside academia, but I don't/do] or are three or four theory classes and then random courses cobbled together from other departments [which is what Vandy's program is, and I'm not a fan]. These programs also either require or offer off-campus study in the form of individual projects in the community or internships. Since I plan on being employed in this field, I obviously would like both. Anyway, here's the list:
1. California Institute of Integral Studies. (MA in Social and Cultural Anthropology)
2. Towson University (MS in Women's Studies)
3. University of Southern Florida (MA in Women's Studies)
4. Roosevelt University (MA in Women's Studies)
5. New College of California (Some random activist program whose name I can't recall).
Notice the following:
1. None of them are in the South.
2. All are located in or near large cities.
3. None of them require the GRE!
I'm pretty sure my chances are good.
I always make a ton of these, so I've separated them into categories.
I. Education-Related Resolutions
A. Finish my thesis.
B. Graduate
C...Magna Cum Laude.
D. Finish my grad school applications.
E. Get into grad school.
II. Not Strictly Education-Related, but Nevertheless Intellectual Resolutions
A. Read more outside of class. This includes literature, non-fiction, philosophy, and feminist theory. The older I get, the more I realize that I need to take it upon myself to educate myself.
B. Find a school of feminist thought that suits me better and pisses me off less than radical feminism.
C. Use this thing more. It makes my brain feel all limber and stretchy, especially since I have so few intellectual conversations these days.
D. Start paying better attention to current events.
III. Personal/Health-Related Resolutions
A. Continue working on last year's resolution of "Quit taking [unnecessary] shit off people."
B. Pay more attention to my appearance [because, normally, I don't].
C. Eat healthier.
D. Stop consuming soda. Even the diet kind.
E. Make a workout schedule and stick to it.
F. Make some friends who don't suck.
G. Date guys that don't suck.
H. Take vitamins.
IV. Miscellaneous
A. Write at least five crochet patterns.
B. Knit a sweater.
C. Go camping/hiking at least once.
D. Learn to kayak.
E. Get a decent job.
Back in Knoxville.
Let the vegging begin.
I can't believe I'm writing this.
Seriously, people, in what alternate universe is calling sexual assault, which is not only an act of extreme brutality, it's absolutely horrifying and soul-shattering to experience, "surprise sex" acceptable? I'd kind of like to know so that I can send you there, never to return.
I'm not a big fan of the whole "OMG I RAPED THAT FINAL" or, conversely, "Boo hoo, that final raped me and left me in a metaphorical dumpster with my underwear torn and duct tape around my wrists! *kutkri*" routines, either. Call me crazy, but you really can't sexually violate an exam, nor can one sexually violate you. If you studied and did well, great. If you didn't study and did well anyway, really great. If you didn't study and failed, ha, sucks to be you. But for the love of freaking god, rape is not an acceptable analogy for any of these processes. It's not cute, it's not clever, it's not funny.
All it is is really fucking offensive and all it does is make me hate you and not want to talk to you ever again.
Especially those of you who know full well what I've been dealing with lately. Screw you.
Books to read:
* = books I've already started.-The Mommy Myth by Susan J. Douglas and Meredith W. Michaels*
-The Cider House Rules by John Irving.*
-Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Idiot by Al Franken.*
-The World of Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama.
-The Transformed Mind by the Dalai Lama.
-The Meaning of Life by the Dalai Lama.
-The Life of Pi by Yann Martel.*
-Skipping Towards Gomorrah: The Seven Deadly Sins and Pursuit of Happiness in America by Dan Savage*
Knitting/Crocheting Projects to Complete:
I know it looks like a lot, but most of these have already been started:-Big pink purse. */$
-Funky black hat. *
-Gray and Noro purse (for me!)
-Funky crocheted hat to match my similarly funky scarf. $
-Kitty Hat. $
-A calorimetry.
-A baby blanket that I've been working on since September. *
-Overly bright Malabrigo messenger bag. #
-A funky blue hat.
-A marbled entrelac scarf. #
-Possibly a sweater.
Schoolwork:# = Started
* = Lots of Progress
$ = Nearly Finished
I found out a few days ago that my family has put me on Grandmother Duty. My Gran just had knee replacement surgery and needs someone to keep an eye on her and cart her around town, and since I don't have a job, I've been volunteered. I'm fine with that. It means I can actually get something done instead of waiting tables during the holidays (which is pretty much the worst job EVER).-Work on Thesis (I want rough drafts of my first two chapters)
-Start reading for next semester (Lots and Lots of Shakespeare, it seems. The reading list for that class is so intimidating.)
It'll be a nice break. I'm really looking forward to it.
