No More Periods? Ever?

Every 26-30 days or so, I wish never to have my period again. I mean, I don't like cramps, I don't like irratibility, I don't like sadness, and I don't like babies. And I wonder, why do I even need a period? I don't use it, and my dog sniffs my crotch more often than usual when I'm on it. TMI, I know. But now the FDA is to approve a new birth control pill that stops a woman's period indefinitely, called Lybrel. That sounds like a good idea, but I'm not convinced. I'm not going to say that not having a period is unnatural, because I think that argument is just plain silly. Women are always told what is natural for us, like periods and childbearing and rearing, as if thinking for ourselves and for our own sake is the most unnatural thing of all. But I don't think it's the most healthy thing. I watched something about eating disorders when I was a sophmore in college, and a 30-something year-old woman who hadn't menstruated in 15 years had the brittle bones of an 80-year-old. Of course, I'm not going to knock any woman who tries it, but I hope that the FDA isn't rushing this.

Yeah, yeah. . .

I've been gone for a while, I know. I've had "Hey, you're graduating from high school!" type stuff, so cut me a break. I should have a pretty long post up soon. A good friend of mine recently snagged me some anti-choice literature, so it should be a fun bloodbath.

In any case, until then, everyone needs to read this post by guest-blogger Flea on Feministe. Amazing stuff.

11-Year-Old Girl Kicks Ass

Not sure if most people would say this is feminist news, but I think it is.

Xochil Garcia, an 11-year-old girl who purposely grows out her nails to defend herself against attackers, fought off a potential kidnapper in her Brooklyn apartment building yesterday. "He grabbed my mouth and told me to not scream,'' Xochil said. "I thought he was going to take me up to the roof and rape me or something.'' She wrestled with the would-be kidnapper and screamed to catch the attention of other tenants. During the television news report, which unfortunately didn't make it to the article in the above link, Xochil said that her mother taught her to defend herself by "kicking them in the balls" (and they bleeped out "balls"). The girl's attacker was arrested and charged with unlawful imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a child, and burglary. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

Okay. So Maybe Rabbi Schmuley Deserves a Couple of Points for This

Megan and I aren't huge fans of Rabbi Schmuley (and I let Megan write about it). But he was pretty cool on Tucker this afternoon.

"Dr." Laura Disses Military Wives

The radio show host with a PhD in Asshatery had a lot to say about women and the military but not so much to say about women in the military. On wives who are concerned about their husbands serving in Iraq,

"'He could come back without arms, legs or eyeballs, and you're bitching?'" Schlessinger asked before taking the stage at the base theater to host her daily program on ethics, morals and values. "'You're not dodging bullets, so I don't want to hear any whining - that's my message to them.'"

"Schlessinger boasted that she once talked a young woman out of marrying a soldier, noting that 'warriors need warrior wives' and that she felt the girl was unprepared."

"'When you're in the military, that comes first,'" Schlessinger said. "'You don't want to not have gone and find out your wife has to wear a burka.'"

Is that why we're there? I had no idea that I was in danger of being forced to wear a burka. But there's more! When asked about women who leave their families to serve in the military, she replied, "I'm going to leave that alone." And suddenly, the woman who can't keep her mouth shut shuts her mouth!

Laura Schlessinger, D.A. (that's Doctor of Asshatery) claims that these comments were taken out of context. Instead of putting them in context, she goes on about her son who's in the military and how much money she has raised to support military families, in the same way people against gay marriage say they don't have a problem with gay people -- just ask all their gay friends.

Urge Your Senators to Ratify CEDAW

CEDAW is the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. Countries that have ratified CEDAW commit themselves to ending discrimination against women in several ways including

Incorporating the principle of equality of men and women in their legal system, abolish all discriminatory laws and adopt appropriate ones prohibiting discrimination against women;

Establishing tribunals and other public institutions to ensure the effective protection of women against discrimination; and

Ensuring elimination of all acts of discrimination against women by persons, organizations or enterprises.

And the United States hasn't ratified it. Isn't that just crazy? Well, looking at the list of countries who have, you are bound to wonder if heads of States simply ratify it and then do nothing to uphold it. And you're probably thinking that our president would do the same thing. But he's leaving soon, so urge your Senators to ratify CEDAW. It'd be nice.

Jerry Falwell Died Today

Can't say I'm celebrating. Can't say I'm sad.

There IS a Time When Politics Should Come First

In a presidential campaign!

NOW sent me a petition to sign to stop sexist campaign coverage.

So . . . just sign it.

As If We Needed More Evidence of Heterosexism = Misogyny

House Passes Expanded Hate Crime Bill, but White House Opposes Hate Crime Bill. And I just loved the White House reaction.

"There has been no persuasive demonstration of any need to federalize such a potentially large range of violent crime enforcement, and doing so is inconsistent with the proper allocation of criminal enforcement responsibilities between the different levels of government." (emphasis mine)

The job's just too big to be done! Sorry, ladies! Sorry, homosexuals! Because people hate you so much, we can't protect you. Oh, and extremist Christians wouldn't be allowed to practice their faith, because the foundation of Christianity is apparently gay-bashing.