A non-comprehensive list of ways the holiday season grates upon my feminist sensibilities

The egregious gift buying; calls to bake the "perfect holiday meal"; the outfits;  the ugly sweaters we somehow must wear in the most ugly/sexy way manageable; and the  reminders that we could get f.a.t. this season, so let's diet ladies! There a zillion and one reasons a feminist could come to despise the holidays, everything we're taught to critique, and everything I personally find wrong with the world, seems to be wrapped up into a nice, jolly, present for us this time of year. Complete with a shiny red bow. Pun intended.  In case anyone wants to know exactly what it is that pisses me off so much this time of year, I'll list them neatly for you.

• Jewelry commercials: For some reason, these commercials and advertisements are particularly annoying, for they signify that women are so shallow, they'll open their heart to a man for the right price- that price is the low cost of &89.99 for the original, holiday , open-my-heart-gag, pendant from (de)Kay Jewelers. Love's embrace ? #killmenow.

• Holiday diet tips: It's that time of season, when we all gather around a table and become absolute gluttons (more than normal, which is saying a lot for us Americans), shoving all sorts of candy, cookies, and fattening foods into our mouthes to celebrate. Don't get me wrong , this is by far my favorite part of the holidays, i love to eat and damn anyone that tries to persuade me out of it. I don't want a "Christmas on a Diet Cook Book" or 10 tips to stay the diet course over the holidays. I want all the food I never eat because I am addicted to my microwave and take out the other 364 days out of the year.  For women, the pressure to resist the feast, diet, cook diet foods, skip meals, work out more, go on a diet, and /or  have their figure to worry about is far more dramatic at this time of year, and I hate it.  Eat healthy, enjoy the company, enjoy the family, enjoy the blessings; forget about diets, forget about conforming to society's ideals for one, freaking, day. Please. And everyone saying different can STFU right now. 

• The perfect hostess: No. Women were not naturally predisposed to excel at becoming the best cook on (insert winter holiday here) Day. We are not naturally predisposed to want to slave away in the kitchen during the Holidays either. Perhaps women want to sit and watch basketball while their significant other or husband cooks a meal? How's that sound, fellas? Shitty? Join the club, we don't want to cook a 18 course meal for the entire family either, but sadly, during this time of year, somehow society demands it. And I hate that. I'm going to let everyone else cook while I sit with my feet up and watch the NBA on Christmas day, ladies, I encourage you to do the same. 

• Shopping: Men like purchasing things too, society. Don't think it's just the girls that are rushing to the malls. Even though studies have proven otherwise, the majority of advertisements during the consumer Christmas season here in the USA are geared toward women and children, while leaving out men, who naturally, are portrayed as the "recipient" of gifts. 

In all seriousness, it does seem that sometimes the Holidays bring out the worst in us. I partake in a lot of stereotypical and sexist activities every day and especially during the holidays, so I don't want to condemn everyone for doing what they like. But the way women are portrayed this time of year really pisses me off, to the point that I sometimes have to tune out all of this nonsense so I can retain my sanity and enjoy the time off and celebrate with my family. 

Happy Holidays everyone, and have a merry, merry New Year. 

LaPrincipessa | Twitter | Email 

Support the Birth Control Matters Campaign For Contraception With No Co-Pays

Birth Control Matters is an effort to make birth control available with no copays so that all women can use the method that works best for them and to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.

Affordable prescription birth control is an essential part of health care for millions of women. The average woman spends 30 years of her life trying to avoid getting pregnant. More than one-third of women voters in America have struggled with the cost of prescription birth control at some point in their lives, and, as a result, have used birth control inconsistently.

No copays for birth control is the single most important step we can take to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.

The new health care reform law represents the single biggest opportunity to advance women’s health in 45 years. 

To make this opportunity a reality, the law must require health plans to provide prescription birth control to women with no copays, as part of the prevention provision. 

This would be a huge step forward for America – and especially for the many of women in this nation who cannot afford to pay for prescription contraception.



Please read the entire release from Planned Parenthood and find ways to donate and spread the word.

What to do when one finds a triggering, and sexist, blog

We've all seen the terrible blogs, those that bash women, sexualize them, make them seem like objects, and promote rape culture. We all know, and most who are not part of the feminist blogosphere usually can tell right away, that these type of blogs are bad.

But when I ran across this blog, with that terribly triggering image suggesting eating is pathetic, how is one who's not trained to spot such damaging content to recognize their being fooled, tricked, manipulated into hating their own bodies?

In the blog's "about" section, it mentions this blog is for "thinspiration".. meaning it's a pro-ana, or pro-anorexia /eating disorder website that works to support those with eating disorders by posting pictures of skinny models- someone's motivation to be skinny.

If one were to run across this blog and he/she is recovering, suffering, or has suffered from an eating disorder, the trigger from this image in particular and the overall content and language of that blog is immediate. Bad feelings of low self esteem come rushing back and the urge to revert to old habits reemerge.

There is no trigger warning or disclaimer before one enters this site, therefor, anyone perusing the net can stumble upon this tumblr blog (no pun intended) and be persuaded to think :

a) this picture, the depiction of that woman and the entire blog are normal.
b) "skinny" is better than "fat"
c) the picture of this model is untouched and un-photoshopped (which is undoubtedly is )
d) perpetuating the myth of skinny equals beauty is normal and glamorous

All of these issues are those which many advocates against negative portrayals of women in the media write/blog/work against. In this, it is sad that this young woman that presumably runs this blog is so careless in her attempt at achieving her ideal , and a reflection of society at large, of beauty.

To me, this is an opportunity to report the blog to someone or a group that can help. It isn't so much as willfully hateful, rather, the blog is sexist and harmful in a more ignorant and unintentional way. The young women certainly deserves her right to say and type what she wants, yet she seems as if she doesn't really know the damage her blog can do .

So, in this case, report to tumblr, request a disclaimer and hope that real guidance and help is offered to this young woman and anyone else who runs a blog such as the one I've linked.

Legendary Female Boxer Shot and Stabbed - Accused is Her Husband

The scary details:

Cops in Orange County, Florida claim the 42-year-old former boxing champion -- who once fought on an undercard for Mike Tyson -- managed to stumble out of her home and flag down a passing motorist ... who took Christy to a local hospital.

Christy -- despite being SHOT AND STABBED -- mustered up enough strength to tell police that the man who pulled the trigger was her 66-year-old husband and boxing trainer James Martin.

Cops are currently on the hunt for Martin.

TMZ spoke with Don King -- Christy's former promoter -- who tells us, "I am shocked and saddened to see this happen to Christy. I send my prayers and well wishes."

I'll update as more details are made available. For now, I hope she get's well soon. Tragic.

LaPrincipessa| Twitter | Email

Oregon Women's Sports Round Up

During the past week, there have been some pretty amazing games, wins and sports performances in Oregon woman's sports. I'll try to capture all the major stories here, but if I missed one, please don't hesitate to let me know!

Central Catholic High School (I graduated in 2004) Girls Volleyball repeats as state 6A champions:

HILLSBORO -- Central Catholic repeated as OSAA Class 6A volleyball champion Saturday night by defeating rival Jesuit 25-20, 25-27, 25-22, 25-18 in the final at Liberty High School.

The 2010 final was a rematch of the previous year's, also won by Central Catholic in four games.

Martenne Bettendorf had 22 kills and Cheyne Corrado added 20 for Central Catholic. Alyssa Foster had 46 assists and 12 digs.

Jesuit's Elizabeth Brenner had 22 kills and 12 digs, and teammate Katie Waters added 14 kills. Megan McCool registered 42 assists.

The Rams gave coach Rick Lorenz his ninth big-school state title, his fourth with the Southeast Portland school. Lorenz reached the 1,000-victory mark this season and is believed to be the only coach in Oregon history with that many wins.

University of Portland Women's Soccer score 9 goals against University Texas San Antonio to advance:

The Pilots scored two goals within a span of two minutes early in the first half and rolled to an easy 9-0 win against the University of Texas San Antonio (13-8-2) in front of 3,177 fans in a first-round game of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer championship.

It seemed as if just about every Portland player who wore cleats scored a goal as the second-ranked and top-seeded Pilots moved through to the second round. Portland (19-1-1) will face Northwest rival Washington Sunday at 1 p.m. at Merlo Field. The Huskies defeated Oklahoma 4-0 in a first-round game Friday night.

The Pilots' nine goals were their highest total since they defeated Oklahoma State 9-0 during the 1999 season. The Pilots dominated the game so thoroughly that Portland coach Garrett Smith started inserting substitutes midway through the first half and played reserves for much of the second half.

The Pilots kept scoring even with reserves in the game, but Smith wasn't making any apologies.

"We're in the playoffs. In a game like this, we gotta keep playing," Smith said. "It's nothing personal, but I'm never gonna tell a team not to score goals. That's the hardest part of the game."

Sadly, the Pilot's season came to an end at the hands of the Washington Huskies . Sad loss, awesome soccer team none the less.

Oregon State Beavers Women's Basketball open the season with a dominating win:

Freshman Alyssa Martin (Portland, Ore.) shot 5-for-7 beyond the arc, 9-for-12 overall, to spark the Oregon State women’s basketball (1-0), 71-39 win over Long Beach State (0-1) on Saturday evening in legendary Gill Coliseum in front of a crowd of 1,532.

The University of Oregon Women's Basketball team also opened the season with a monster win:

The Oregon women’s basketball team christened the year with its ninth consecutive season-opening victory, defeating visiting Western Oregon, 110-70, at McArthur Court on Saturday afternoon.

The Ducks (1-0) had six players in double figures led by Amanda Johnson's 13th double-double of her career, scoring 18 points and adding a game-high 11 rebounds.

Finally, some cool pics and info about Skate America figure skating competition, which took place in Portland this past weekend:

Among the 60 skaters in Portland this week, 16 different nations are represented. The competition is set up in an Olympic-style format and employs the rules of the International Judging System.

The entries include Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S., the ice dancing silver medalists at the Vancouver Games, and Japan's Daisuke Takahashi, the men's bronze medalist.

LaPrincipessa | Twitter | Email

Anti-Rape Condom with "Teeth"- Why are Women Responsible for Stopping Rape?

Look,  this is great. It will probably save someone from getting raped. Or, maybe it will just throw her/his attacker into an even more intense rage, and he'll just find another way to exert power and control.

Because rape isn't about sex; it's power and control; punishment and terrorism; to conquer and humiliate.

And this is where the whole "let's make it painful to insert a human penis into  [presumably] her vagina" idea isn't really that great. Becuase  this isn't about sex.

 In some countries, the condom will prevent some attacks and no doubt help some women, but forgive me for hating these ideas that reinforce the idea that stopping rape is the responsibility of the victims. To me, this is just another example of victim blaming, albeit not in the classic sense. It is akin to people suggesting that women shouldn't wear short skirts and revealing shirts, in order to detract attention from men. As if dressing as frumpy as possible, thereby making oneself look less "sexy", will stop them from being raped.

People that think condoms with teeth are going to help the rape endemic across the globe are missing the broader question: what is it about society that creates so many men that rape?

Before we start mass distributing condoms with spikes, we should perhaps address that question first.



LaPrincipessa | Twitter | Email

Source: World AOL News : South Africa Debuts Anti-Rape Female Condom 

2010 Midterm Elections - Repro Rights Severely Threatened if Pro-Choice Don't GOTV

I shouldn't be blogging tonight, being that I have a midterm in the morning and a test on Wednesday and project due Thursday and a paper due .... Okay, I'll save you the gory details.  Point is, I saw this picture and couldn't help but think, "gee, we certainly don't want the right to choose to go away".

But you know what? The right to have an abortion is being efficiently chipped away, one local law at a time; one legislative session at a time.

The laws that have passed in the previous two years alone have set back abortion rights-a legal medical procedure, by the way- to levels that American women have never seen. Although it is still technically a constitutional right of women to obtain this legal medical service within the privacy of their physician's office; the anti-choice activism, money, support, and laws surrounding that legal medical procedure have made it more difficult than ever to actually obtain said legal medical procedure.

Waiting periods; fetal pain laws;  religious harassment on account of the "unborn";  slut shaming; political posturing; laws, both federal and state/local banning medicaid from funding this legal medical procedure; mandatory ultrasounds; states rescinding funds; rising costs; and lack of access as more and more clinics are shutting down, particularly in rural areas. 

If not one of these links make you mad, makes you think your right to make reproductive decisions for yourself or ability  to obtain a legal medical procedure  is jeopardized, then perhaps you should remove your head from the sand.

During these midterm elections, it is easy to say that we'll just get involved next time, maybe when there is a President to elect. But many of the popular and media-darling candidates on this year's tickets across the country are radically against abortion, women's rights, and a woman's right to chose. Find out which candidate this is in your district or state and DO NOT VOTE for her/him.

In order to keep what little reproductive rights women have today, we  must vote and vote for the candidate that supports our right to chose.

LaPrincipessa | Email | Twitter