This Saturday in… Feminists Behaving Badly
Posted: December 18, 2010 Filed under: just because 26 Comments
Good morning everyone, Wonk the Vote here. I am having a holiday week from hell and laptop troubles to boot, so my Saturday offerings are going to be on the breezy side as I try to bypass the big-item news stories going on right now. It’s all so depressing, and I need to detox from my own stress. I doubt I’m alone in that!
First up… from Julie Bindel via The Guardian (this past Sunday): “Why feminists are using their eyebrows to celebrate December… We’ve had Movember, but now it’s time for Decembrow – a fun way for feminists to grow a ‘unibrow’ to raise money for charity.”
More from the link: “What do Ava Gardner, Frida Kahlo, Jodie Foster, Keira Knightley and Brooke Shields have in common? You’ve got it – beautiful bushy eyebrows. And now you can too. A campaign led by Feministing, an online feminist community, has proposed growing a “unibrow” this month for a charitable cause of your choice.” Wonk sez: Bindel left out one of my Bollywood favorites from that beautiful bushy brows list–Kajol.
As for the feministing unibrow campaign, much as I love Frida and Kajol, I think I’ll pass on this one!
More power to Bindel, though, who says she’ll be “popping down to [her] local fancy-dress store and buying a stick-on monobrow to show solidarity with [her] sisters.” Also, I think she makes a nice retort in response to the predictable “hairy feminist” taunts from the Concern Trolls Concerned Women for America. (Bindel writes, “Well, considering how often the words ‘hairy’ and ‘feminist’ appear in the same sentence, we may as well live up to the stereotypes for a good cause.”)
So what do you think? Is this just another ineffectual awareness-raising effort… or ’tis the season to sport a Frida-brow?
Alright, next up… The AFP/Herald Sun reported Tuesday that “Ukraine feminists ‘urinate’ in protest… DOZENS of Ukrainian feminists staged an unusual protest against the country’s all-male cabinet, pretending to urinate to show the government had turned into nothing more than a men’s room.” Way to take that Ulrich quote on “well-behaved women seldom making history” and run away with it!
The article continues: “The members of the Femen group – known for its brazen feminist stunts – squirted bottles of water and yellow liquid from their groins outside the government headquarters as a bemused line of police looked on... ‘To urinate standing is not a privilege,‘ said a banner held by one of the estimated 30 protesters. The police did not prevent the protest but also did not allow the women any further towards the government.”
Stand up and… pretend to pee for your rights?
Well, I will say this…the protest certainly did get my attention focused on the Ukraine’s all-male cabinet. So I think this may have a little more sticking power than the Decembrow campaign. But, that’s just my two, heh.
Moving on to something a little less uncouth, but no less threatening to the status quo– from Deutsche Welle: “Women’s publisher focuses on forgotten texts with feminist undertones… Newly established in Germany, the edition fuenf publishing house has a specific focus: books for women, written by women, published by women. Its founder is hoping to satisfy the needs of intelligent female readers.”
…which brings us back to the constant conundrum of whether having a separate category for women’s this, women’s that, or women’s anything is the solution — or is it just perpetuating the problem?
I personally think this “edition fuenf” undertaking sounds intriguing. I hope they publish some English versions.
Okay, now for my two “heavier” links for the week.
Serious read number 1…
If you click on any link in this roundup, I hope it’s this one, from last Friday in the Toronto Star, by Mona Eltahawy: “Let me, a Muslim feminist, confuse you.“ The entire thing is too wonderful to quote just one part. Read it. Now! (Or, as soon as you get a moment to yourself on this penultimate X-mas weekend.)
Serious read number 2…
Published Wednesday in the Independent Weekly, Carolyn McAllaster’s “Elizabeth Edwards: A feminist, a thinker.“ This roundup is already top-heavy, so I’m not going to excerpt. But, if you’re like me–still thinking about Elizabeth–and would love to hear about her feminist work back in her UNC Law School days, click on over and read for yourself.
Before I start wrapping this post up, a mini- Wonk rant (re: the Toronto Star link)…
Though I’m not Muslim, Eltahawy’s words mirror the thoughts that often go through my mind while watching the right wing’s paternalist, self-righteous and singular obsession with “defending” women of color from a certain side of the world. I’m an American Desi woman, a liberal, and a feminist. I oppose misogyny anywhere and everywhere. The right/left/whatever-wing hacks who don’t oppose the same can kindly go shove it. (Nope. I am not a well-behaved woman, Frida-brow or not. End Rant.)
Now for your weekend trivia. This Saturday, December the 18th, in feminist history (click on the links for their bios)…
1814: Josephine Sophia White Griffing was born.
1849: Henrietta Muir Edwards was born.
If you have a half hour to spare somewhere in your weekend, here’s a youtube of a neat interview with Laurel Thatcher Ulrich.
I’ll close with a light and fluffy feminist link from earlier in the week. Via the Patriot Ledger: “EVERYDAY FEMINIST: Find time to savor the season… Back by popular demand … On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me … twelve guests expected, eleven last-minute presents, ten family dramas, nine kinds of cookies, eight more pounds on my butt, seven sticky-note lists, six nights of no sleep, fiiiiive hungry kids …Four bill collectors, three pairs of high heels, two twisted ankles, and one woman does it all again!“
So what are you reading and ruminating on this Saturday? Let’s have a listen in the comments.
Oh, and Happy Holidays to anyone who made it all the way to the end!
Crossposted at Let Them Listen, Liberal Rapture, and Taylor Marsh.
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
This is from a few days ago. Our stateswoman Hillary, speaking of the late statesman Richard Holbrooke (CNN has the embedding disabled, so you’ll have to watch it on youtube):
Thanks, Wonk. Stimulating post.
“a fun way for feminists to grow a ‘unibrow’ to raise money for charity” uh, OK. Hairy legs are way too radical. (snark)
“To urinate standing is not a privilege,” I don’t understand the banner, but I agree with you that it’s a harmless and effective attention getter. Love those kinds of stunts.
“Women’s publisher focuses on forgotten texts with feminist undertones…” The “separate” aspect to this doesn’t worry me. These books might not be (re)published at all without this specific focus.
Good morning, purplefinn, thanks for chiming in. I didn’t quite understand the “not a privilege” banner either! I chalked it up to one of those 30 second ads that don’t really make sense if you sit and think about them. Shock value.
Agreed.
Yes, awesome Saturday Reads. Those “peeing” women got my attention, way more that a unibrow. As someone who constantly has to pluck mine, the thought of the entire thing growing back in is way too painful. Now, I can handle the hairy legs…that I got already..no problem.
Here is a NYT Book Review of the Ulrich book:
Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich – New York Times
I can appreciate the concept of turning the “hairy feminist” stereotype on its head for a charitable cause, and I can even appreciate the Frida et al. tie-in. But, this Decembrow campaign just doesn’t do the trick for me. I am very fortunate to even have a pair of two eyes/two brows! (I was in a horrible accident when I was a child and suffered a terrible injury to that area of my face.)
I like the ladies with the bottles… we need more such act up stuff….
I believe the banner means ” just cause you stand to take a leak ,…that doesn’t make you the shit…” Clearly I’m paraphrasing
Thanks for the Mona Eltahawy article link! It was a real pleasure to read!
I’m a bumble bee who carries ideas — pollen — from one place to another in the hope that they will blossom into a wild and challenging orchard. The pollen might be sweet, but I “sting like a bee” because like the great Muhammad Ali, I will not hesitate to knock you out.
Confusion is both my right and left hook
keep swinging sister!
dang tags…..grrrr
That help?
YES bless you!
I’ve suggested this to everybody before… If you use firefox, Download this maybe (if you haven’t already)! It’s a time/headache saver for me when it comes to tags:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/491/
(I don’t know if that’s the best version out of the latest ones out there these day, I just went for the first link that pulled up)
Thanks for the link Wonk.
Create Link – Google Chrome extension gallery
This one in google really is my favorite. They have it for firefox too, there it is called Make Link.
OT: 'Don't ask, don't tell' cloture vote passes – Political Intelligence – A national political and campaign blog from The Boston Globe – Boston.com
The Dream Act Failed. Couldn’t break the 60 mark.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46573.html
Testing 1-2-3, is this mic on?
Where is everybody? Trying to keep warm and holidaying I hope!
I have been wrapping presents. But I am here now!
🙂
I need to start wrapping! My last shipment has arrived. Woo hoo. LOL!
Nope, cleaning the kitchen here.
Lol, you just reminded me of something. Check your e-mail! 🙂
lol, none of that here … just elbow grease and aretha franklin on the stereo!!
Pheww, It’s a cold soggy, almost snowing, day here. Have to go to a Christmas party in a few, but I’m not yet in the mood. I’ll get there, I’m sure.
About the urinating thing. Women CAN write their name in the snow. I can. Hehe. It takes a bit of practice though, ok, more than a bit. I learned so I didn’t have to sit down in some of the awful toilets one encounters when camping. There used to be a web page that explains how to learn. Just saying… only thing women can’t do that men can is.. errrm… ummmm… ok, that 1/2 of the baby thing.
No unibrow here. I will note, however, that in Roman times unibrows were often considered a sign of beauty. So there, take that, patriarchal pro-plucking perpendicular-pissers! No, that last sentence makes no sense, but I’ve been learning about alliteration in English poetry and giving it a try. 🙂
Yeah, I can do it too, Sima.
Here’s the website:
http://www.wikihow.com/Urinate-Standing-up-As-a-Female
Great light hearted feminist round-up, Wonk!
I’ve actually come across that wikihow before. Can’t say I was tempted to try it out, though!
I’ve also seen this product:
http://www.go-girl.com/
Never really felt the need to try that either, but I can see how it might be useful for women who are outdoors or travel constantly.
“So there, take that, patriarchal pro-plucking perpendicular-pissers!”
🙂
Yeah, okay, that made me feel better. 😉 Thanks. I’m coming around to the realization that we need more–stunts, or whatever you want to call them. Symbolic actions? Not stupid stunts like inviting fictional characters to testify before Congress, but chances for people to get together, maybe learn a little something, laugh, and go away feeling better. So much of the news is so depressing and leads to this bleak feeling of hopelessness–anything that can counter that I’m in favor of 100%. We need to get our mojo back before we sink into the slough of despond.
Glad these stories could bring a little cheer to someone besides just me.
“chances for people to get together, maybe learn a little something, laugh, and go away feeling better.”
Ayup! Happiness stunts! 🙂