Okay, I give up. I'm afraid Friday Femmes Fatales is going to have to become an "occasional" series rather than a weekly one. (I'm going to aim for but not promise fortnightly.) I just can't spend any more hours at the computer than I do now. (But - small bribe - if you send in lots of nominations it could be more regular!)
Now that my little whinge is over, on to the ten great female bloggers with ten killer posts...
Regular readers will know I aim to promote women bloggers even when I don't necessarily agree with them, so I'll start with Jo22 on I Can't Fly, and her take on Jack Straw and the Muslim veil issue.
But I entirely agree with the sentiments of the blogger on Politics'n'Poetry, who highlights the environmental misdeeds of the Saskatchewan Power Corporation (Canada).
Staying green, Anna on Bitchinspin, who's obviously a far more serious cyclist than I, reports on a university free bike scheme. Amazingly it seems, they aren't being stolen!
I'm equally in tune with Kari on Thought Interrupted, who picked up and reshaped the currently popular meme to make it five things feminism still has to do.
Ronni Bennett (no relation, that I know of) on Time Goes By, subtitled "what it's really like to get older", wonders how plastic surgery comes into the 'women's health category', concluding "they’ll force us to become grotesque simulacra of youth to not offend their delicate sensibilities of what is attractive".
On the superb group blog Our Bodies Ourselves, Christine C. contemplates that old question: can men be feminists?. One powerful obituary certainly supports that possibility.
On another question that keeps being asked - what is university (college) for? - the Blue Gal provides some great stats, and interesting thoughts on the changing American experience.
Article comments
1 - Douglas Mays
"Can men be feminists?"
Yes, maybe some can. You have one leaving a comment right here.
I am a feminist to such a hardcore degree it would probably blow your mind. Let me just give a few examples for sake of painting a picture instead of going on some rightous attack trying to defend the extent of my existance.
Lets see. I was born in the South End of Chicago in 1957. Very matriarcally (sp?) raised. My grandmother, mom and knowing all her Chicago women of the 50s friends. Dad was struggling thru college and working (and mom worked some too).
Let me throw this in, knowing these women of the Chicago area growing up in the 1950s, THESE ARE SOME RIGHT ON GALS! Hardcore with vision and compassion and drive. Point being, VOTE YES FOR HILLARY CLINTON!!!!
Anyway, back to it. OK, during my years heavily involved in arts/politics/public statement of the early 80s (Seattle, the proto-grunge years) of course my growing music business endeavors included human rights. Example, say during a nite out on the scene after a gig and talking to politically active women, I would come up with stuff that would blow their minds. Stuff they could not have even come up with.
One night at a show of ours at a popular Seattle punk rock club (1980 or so?) one woman who was a card carrying 'LESBIAN SEPERATIST' dared enter the venue (with males inside also). She accepted me and brought me into the LS fold.
Uh, in case you don't know, lesbian seperatists are the most hardcore dykes around. If you are a male you are as good as an insect or something...Very military in function. Way hardcore....
Oh, I am not gay. I am a good 'ol headbangin' guy that HATES any sort of oppression against women.
Anyway, the lesbian seperatists accepted me to the point of uh, OK, lots of sperm donation. No, I don't think any turkey basters took.
Our band, X-15 (later became known as Life In General) would often play fundraisers for the 'Radical Women' organization.
I am one of those guys who has mostly women friends. I emphasize 'friends'. Well, I am just non-threatening-kinda like that 'gay' friend mentality.
Well, life goes on and we become more like ourselves. And our politics deepen. My wife I am fighting for in the issue of oppression against women. If you go to www.myspace.com/x15 and click on the blog entry (below the song listings) entitled 'women, feminists, radical women'. She has this problem with a so-called long time 'friend' she has known for 20 years who in past and currently uh, just read the blog for personality profile and sick oppression that is active to this very minute.
It is a cutting edge study that has finally identified an evil against women that has been lurking out there for years.
OK, OK, OK, women stand tall and fight your oppressors.
As for me, I just came out of the chute as someone who really appreciates and respects women. Don't throw me into the loop of 'asshole men'. I have extremely evolved outlook and personal practice on the issue of women.
Anyway, that is my rant. Go to the myspace site. Let's start a discussion of issues, etc. The fight continues.
best,
DM
2 - Douglas Mays
hhhmmm...you know, one thing I cannot stand are shows like Law and Order SVU with scenes of violence against women.
Geez, I immediately switch the channel to the futbol game or something.
And you know, our general community of proto-grungers in Seattle have the same point of view I do.
So the answer to the question is YES, men can be feminists. It may be a small community having ultra evolved points of view, but it does exist in some places.
Very frustrating for us types being looked at as oppressors of women when some of us are quite the opposite. Try dealing with the cops on such issues. I might as well be black...you know what I mean....
best,
DM
3 - Douglas Mays
OK, to go one step further in my self created thread.
Above I mentioned the arts/social politics of Seattle's proto-grunge scene ('75-'85). Our band policy was to NEVER even consider a gig that was on a 'ladies night' promotion.
I hate that shit. The women being used as a tool for getting guys into the venue!!! Our audience is there for the music NOT to be part of a meat market cattle drive.
Well, actually, since we had a strong lesbian/feminist fan base, I guess we could have had some fun with that idea in the form of promotion by espionage...Ladies only night? Well, that would apply to bars on the hill. Seattle residents will know what I mean by that. LOL
shine on,
Douglas/X-15