Art: Sven Fennema, Forgotten Places
As you all can tell from my Abandoned Places post I love empty buildings and abandoned places.
And I’ve seen some of these pictures floating around Tumblr and was enraptured by them.
These are not places you can visit as I unfortunately don’t know where they are.
However, you can own a piece of this beauty as these are pictures by a German photographer named Sven Fennema.
Me: Blogging for a Year
I’ve been blogging for a year!
Wow, it doesn’t feel that long.
And I still feel like I’m figuring this out.
Anyways.
Happy Anniversary of Clare Blogging on the Internet!
Design: Dairy Farm House
A dairy farm converted into a house!
Of all the converted houses I’ve seen, this one I can actually picture myself living in!
I’d need to redecorate a little though…
Feminism: Rape and Self-Defense
If we teach women that there are only certain ways they may acceptably behave, we should not be surprised when they behave in those ways.
And we should not be surprised when they behave these ways during attempted or completed rapes.
This blog post is one of the best summaries of the whole rape culture thing.
Both quotes (above and below) are from the above linked blog post.
The way men and women interact on a daily basis is the way they interact when rape occurs. The social dynamics we see at play between men and women are the same social dynamics that cause men to feel rape is okay, and women to feel they have no right to object. And if you accept those social interactions as normal and appropriate in your day to day life, there is absolutely no reason you should be shocked that rape occurs without screaming, without fighting, without bruising, without provocation, and without prosecution. Behavior exists on a continuum. Rape doesn’t inhabit its own little corner of the world, where everything is suddenly all different now. The behavior you accept today is the behavior that becomes rape tomorrow. And you very well might accept it then, too.
And this is why all women need to take self-defense classes.
We have to practice defending ourselves.
I took self-defense classes at DC Impact and it was transformative.
Every woman in my class had a horrible experience related to sexual assault.
Every. single. woman. in. that. class.
And I saw every woman in my self-defense class work through that socialization of don’t be mean, apologize for hurting someone’s feelings (even when they are attacking you!) etc. etc. And it was only by the end of the class that we were all able to stand up for ourselves to protect ourselves from bodily harm. And it was inspiring.
I believe we maintain a state of denial about harassment happening because it’s not as scary if we pretend it doesn’t happen. Because it’s frightening to admit that this happens ALL THE TIME.
But in order for it to change we have to be able to confront it.
And when I mention self defense to the women in my life every single one of them expresses concern along the lines of “I don’t know what to do in the face of an attack”.
Self-defense is really important.
And I feel strongly that every woman should be able to protect herself from harm.
And it makes me sad that society programs women not to protect ourselves.
We have to change as a society.
And women, in the meantime, we have to stand up for ourselves and know that we have the power to protect ourselves.
Film: Movie Stars and What the Face of Cinema Looks Like
Article number 1 is the original article, in French, with the infographic shown below. It was published in honor of Cannes.
Article number 2 is how I found the original article. It includes a brief summary translation and then in the comments there are some good translations of the infographic.
Nothing surprising about the data. My summary below the infographic.
My summary (mostly by translating the comment bubbles):
- In the US there are almost twice as many leading actors as there are leading actresses
- In France the leading actress is 10 years junior to the leading actor and in the US the leading actress is 15 years junior
- The career of actresses in the US drops off drastically at age 40, contrarily this is the ideal age for an actor.
- Looks graphic The Actress: France is marginally worse at diversity on screen for actresses. Both are crap at overall diversity.
- Looks graphic The Actor: France is marginally better at diversity on screen for actors, especially those from Northern Africa (Maghreb = Northwest Africa, west of Egypt). Both are crap at overall diversity.
Feminism: Sexual Assault and Not Understanding Social Cues
“He might be on the spectrum.” But what about me?
“It’s like the sun rising in the east: Whenever the subject of harassment or stalking comes up, you invariably get a bunch of dudes barging in, insisting that the guy who followed you and screamed at you for not paying attention to him, the guy who groped you, the guy who tried to follow you home, the guy who kept looking you up and down when you were wearing a turtleneck at brunch with your friend, the guy who refused to accept the “no” and the “I’m not interested,” the guy who waited for you outside of your place, the guy who told you how the way you look gave him a boner, might have had Asperger’s or was somehow autistic. He just had problems understanding social cues/rules.”
Interesting article. It throws into perspective the excuse of “He’s really a nice guy”. If you have to explain away someone’s experience with a statement like that, I call BS. He may be a “nice guy”* most of the time, but in this instance he was not being “nice”. I think it’s scary how pervasive the dismissal of a woman’s experience of sexual harassment is in this day and age.
*tangentially related to the feminist definition of the “Nice Guy” phenomenon. Posts about that at a later date.
Film: Girl Rising
Women and Hollywood coverage: “Regal Cinemas Bringing Girl Rising to Theaters“
There is this amazing documentary coming to theaters.
And it’s about educating girls.
It’s called Girl Rising.
The best way to improve the status of women in the world is through access in education.
And there are many places in the world where girls cannot get an education.
This movie tells the stories of 9 girls from 9 countries.
Education can change the world.
And it is one of the tools to help women reach full equality worldwide.
Overall it looks like an incredibly powerful movie.
And it’s amazing how many wonderful actresses are behind this project.
Politics: France Legalizes Gay Marriage
Jezebel: France Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage, Bien Sûr
After months of intense debate, civil unrest and increasing incidences of anti-gay violence, French parliament has finally approved legislation to legalize same-sex marriage and the adoption of children by same-sex parents. It is the 14th country in the world and the ninth country in Europe to do so.
LA Times: France approves same-sex marriage
Vive la France!
Culture: The Aftermath of Terrorism
As disturbing as the Boston Marathon Bombings were, what concerns me more is the aftermath, the reaction to that terrorist act.
I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Articles that express some of my concerns:
Why Should I Care That No One’s Reading Dzhokhar Tsarnaev His Miranda Rights? (Slate)
10 Essential points about the Boston Marathon bombers, Islam, and America
The 10 Essential Points article articulates the main idea pretty well:
It’s not about Islam, or Chechnya. It’s about America.
What happens now matters. How we as a nation move forward is critical. Do we turn our attention where it belongs, on comforting and healing the victims of Monday’s attacks, and do we allow a fair and legal process to bring charges against the captured suspect?
The basis of the American criminal system is that we evaluate people for what they do, not for who they are. As one source put it, it’s about verbs, not adjectives. Let’s keep it that way. It’s about criminal actions, not their ethnicity or religion.
Information on Chechnya:
What You Should Know About Chechnya as the Boston Story Unfolds
9 questions about Chechnya and Dagestan you were too embarrassed to ask
A perspective that most of my friends share on the lockdown:
Uncategorized: Boston Manhunt
The best summary of last night’s events is NPR’s live blog.
A good summary of the suspects at CBS news.
Listening live to WBUR, NPR’s Boston station:
http://www.wbur.org/listen/live
Timeline via NPR.
Amazing pictures of a deserted Boston in lockdown.
I have to say that the whole police lockdown thing is scary in terms of civil liberties.
I’m not criticizing the police, I believe they are doing what is necessary to keep people safe, and I am really glad of that.
It just freaks me out, it’s like martial law.
Maps for reference on location via CNN.
Pictures from inside the lockdown via NPR.
Capture and the end of the manhunt.
Information about Chechnya.
Uncategorized: Boston Marathon Bombings
I’m not sure how to process what has happened.
I would never have thought that I would feel this affected.
I went to Wellesley College, outside of Boston.
So I lived in that area for 3 years.
I also travel there fairly often to see my college friends who stayed in the area.
There is a special place in my heart for Boston.
To me, it is the great American city.
This whole thing is just so sad.
All my friends are safe.
It’s just really frightening.
Patton Oswalt said it best in his fb status update:
But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We’d have eaten ourselves alive long ago.
So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, “The good outnumber you, and we always will.”
Going to college outside of Boston this article also resonated with me:
You May Leave Boston, but Boston Never Leaves You
“This means that there are millions of men and women wandering around America today who spent some of the best years of their lives in and around Boston, walking some of the very streets splattered with blood yesterday in the wake of the Marathon bombings. Boston is where those students like me came of age.”
Weirdly comforting:
29 Reasons to Love Boston
And some appropriate humor via Colbert.
Culture: Sir Patrick Stewart on Domestic Violence
Jezebel: Sir Patrick Stewart: ‘Violence Against Women Is Learned’
The truth is that domestic violence and violence against women touch many of us. This violence is not a private matter. Behind closed doors it is shielded and hidden and it only intensifies. It is protected by silence – everyone’s silence. Violence against women is learned. Each of us must examine – and change – the ways in which our own behavior might contribute to, enable, ignore or excuse all such forms of violence. I promise to do so, and to invite other men and allies to do the same.
I didn’t know Sir Patrick Stewart had been abused.
What a powerful story, and beautifully told.
Bravo.
Trigger Warning:
In the video below Sir Patrick Stewart speaks about his own experience with abuse in his childhood home.
Beware of triggers concerning domestic violence, violence towards women and children and verbal abuse.
Travel: Abandoned Places
Another great Buzzfeed List: The 33 Most Beautiful Abandoned Places In The World
Abandoned places are so gorgeous and evoke so many emotions as well as stir a sense of mystery.
Some of my favorites:
Kolmanskop in the Namib Desert
Film: The Door by Ava DuVernay
So I’ve seen this circulating a bunch of places.
Most recently on Racialicious.
Basically Miu Miu has put out, in support of the clothing brand, a series of short films directed by various women.
And the most recent one is called The Door.
It’s an absolutely lushly gorgeous short film.
Film: Oz and Women and Baum
Why ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Is A Major Step Back For Witches and Women
This was a really interesting article, I didn’t realize what a feminist Baum was. And I didn’t know he wrote so many books.
And the trailer for “Oz the Great and Powerful” is not compelling to me.
It bothers me that the wizard is the center of this movie, and a lot of the points made in the above article are things I was thinking while watching the trailer.
Plus it just seems like more of James Franco being egotistical.
Blah.
EDIT:
From the article on Jezebel: Why Is Michelle Williams in Redface?
Wow, I didn’t realize what a racist Baum was.
So thoroughly disturbing that I can’t process this statement:
“The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians. Why not annihilation? Their glory has fled, their spirit broken, their manhood effaced; better that they die than live the miserable wretches that they are.” – L. Frank Baum
I will not be supporting his legacy with my money.
Music: Radiohead Everything Remixed
So this is the song that made me fall in love with Radiohead.
I had never heard a song other than Creep.
And technically this is a remix, but the beauty of the original song creeps up on you.
And now I love Radiohead, not just this remix.
I somehow had a better quality version than this (around 2003) that I can no longer find, and you can’t seem to buy it online.
And it was an even better version, musically, than the below youtube version. hm. Mysterious.
It is so hauntingly beautiful.
EDIT:
Better quality version, audio only, on Grooveshark.
And the most well known Hybrid song (at least according to me; it’s the one I’ve heard the most).
Culture: Feminism and Sex Workers
I read a really interesting article called “The War on Sex Workers“.
A good summary would be this quote:
“It is not sex work that exposes sex workers to violence; it is our willingness to abandon sex workers to violence in an attempt to control their behavior. Prohibition makes prostitution more dangerous than it would otherwise be by pushing it underground and stripping sex workers of legal protection. The fight over that policy is about more than just strains between generations of feminism. It is about an unholy marriage of feminism with the conservatism and police power that many feminists claim to stand against.”
I found it via an article on Feministe.
I didn’t realize that there are people working against “sex/human trafficking” that are not actually talking about people that are kidnapped and forced against their will. That is completely not the same thing as prostitution. What the hell?
