The Business of Being Born

I think that I am pretty highly susceptible to movies like this because right after I saw this documentary I was pretty convinced that if I ever had children, I was definitely going to want a home birth with a midwife instead of going to the hospital. I told my friends this and they were not as convinced. They were still pretty sure that if they ever had children they would go to a hospital. Which is fine, to each their own, but their largest reason was "what if something happens?"

And I think that the point of the documentary is that like 98% of the time, for those who choose midwives and are healthy, nothing will happen (that is not a real statistic, there is a real statistic in the movie that I can't remember, so don't quote me on that). Okay just got a stat  from the American Pregnancy Association: 60-80% of pregnancies are low risk and in these pregnancies there is no advantage to going to a hospital over having a midwife. We have come to an age where women have been convinced that something bad will happen to them during birth; so they go to hospitals, listen to doctors, and are partially removed from making their own choices regarding their own birth. 

It's interesting. When the documentary began and it started by telling the audience that hospitals are all a business to make money, I was pretty skeptical (partially due to the fact that for a period of my life I wanted to be a doctor and I currently have like 4 or 5 friends who are going to med school). But it all makes sense. Ambulance rides are expensive, the ER is expensive, everything is expensive. Granted this high expense is partially due to the high risks and expense of being a doctor (who have to have like the highest malpractice insurance fees), but it partially seems ridiculous. 

Back to birthing babies though. When women go to hospitals they have their autonomy removed regarding their body when it really isn't necessary and that bugs me. I guess that is largely the message I got pertaining to the documentary. Ugh, maybe I just won't ever have kids.

Our Bodies, Our Crimes

Once during eighth grade I was hanging out with two of my friends and the topic of abortion came about. I remember saying quite frankly that if I ever became pregnant as a teenager, I wouldn't hesitate to seek an abortion. The two friends I was hanging out with seemed shocked and their responses surprised me as much as my statement surprised them. They talked a little bit about God and church and fetuses being babies, but I held my stance.

Suffice to say, I have never quite understood why abortion has always caused such a fuss. But then again, I have gone so far to say that I am not just pro-choice, I am pro-abortion. And after reading Our Bodies, Our  Crimes I stick by that statement more than ever. The auther, Jeanne Flavin, talks about how by labeling the argument for the right to abortion as pro-choice we assume so many things. We assume that women are in a financial situation where they can abort, we assume that the barriers to abortion do not exist for every woman. I personally have never liked the phrasing "pro-choice" because it seems to imply that there is an agreement with the "pro-life" side that abortion is still a taboo topic and a last choice option. I like pro-abortion because I believe that every woman should have the right to have an abortion with no obstacles like money or invasive ultrasounds or fetal heartbeats standing in their way. I also want to make it clear right now that I also support women who do not choose to have an abortion as well. 

I also like how Jeanne Flavin discussed how the argument for abortion often makes women seem powerless as well. Currently, a lot of talk about abortion is that there should be exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger. Right now, I am all for these arguments if they prevent states from enacting laws that could outright ban abortion using very specific concepts, but overall the argument is flawed. As Flavin points out, women are seen as powerless victims or sexual harlots. There is no in between. By framing the case for abortion in terms of just taking action for victims, it draws back to the idea that women are powerless. And I think creating that implication is what stunts the argument. We can't argue for something that should be empowering for women while at the same time framing it in terms that cause women to be victims.

Another conversation I had with a different friend, this time during my senior year of college:

Me: I would totally carry on an illicit Republican affair with Paul Ryan.

Friend: But what if you got pregnant? You're baby would be half Republican.

Me: Are you kidding? I'd abort that shit.

Friend: I am going to make you a shirt that says that. "I'd abort that."

I don't suppose I am ever terribly politically correct. But I like the shift in the tone of my conversations. I can't imagine speaking to my friends during high school and them having the same reaction. I am actually that kind of joke would have gotten me ostracized from certain social circles, well that joke and my casual attitude towards abortion. But abortion will never be a basic right for all women until we can talk about it casually: remove the stigma and its taboo status. 

And I don't think the US currently recognizes that by increasing access to abortions we have less teen mothers, fewer mothers that are forced to raise children in impoverished conditions, we stop condemning female sexuality. Flavin discusses neonaticide and a significant contributer to neonaticide: a climate of moral conservatism. If women, particularly teenagers, did not feel so condemned by society for having sex, perhaps they would see out contraceptives, perhaps they would tell their parents that they were pregnant, perhaps they wouldn't deny their pregnancies. But we don't live in that society. We live in a society where abstinence only sex education is promoted (and I know first hand what abstinence only education was like), I mean, condoms weren't really talked about in my high school. I didn't even receive a proper education on how to use a condom until college (and there are a lot of ways to break a condom that I am sure that some of my classmates in high school would have liked to know how to avoid and save themselves some stress). 

A third conversation with a different friend from college, a friend who labels herself as "pro-life":

Her: Every time I have sex I am afraid that I got pregnant until my period comes. And I swear it is always late after I have sex.

Me: I don't have those worries. If I get pregnant I am just going to take a trip to Planned Parenthood.

Her: I know that and I respect your choice to do that. 

What she doesn't realize is that her last statement makes her basically pro-choice. Although she herself would not get an abortion, she respects my hypothetical decision to get one. And the conversation on abortion ended with that. She did not try to change my opinion, she just respected that. And that makes her pro-choice.

Abortion is a topic that I always will get in fights about. It just makes me angry. It makes me angry that Roe v. Wade was passed 40 years ago and state lawmakers are still trying to find ways to ban abortion. It makes me angry that it is 2013 and we are still fighting for basic women's rights. I don't really know that I will ever not be angry. At least not until I have the same access to abortion as a cis-gender man does to his Viagra.

Jason Collins, Masculinity, and Sports

I always liked playing softball. I played every summer recreationally from when I was a kid living in Arizona through high school. When I played in my high school summers, it was probably the only place where it was normal not to wear makeup or jewelry. Makeup will just sweat off and jewelry (like earrings) could be caught or ripped off. Playing softball was probably the only time that I fit in because I don't wear makeup or jewelry.

I lead off with softball because we talked in class about gender in sports. Specifically the masculinity that partaking in sport imbues on its players. Sports is one of the few areas that I can think of where men can interact closely without the "gay" label placed upon them because of the perceived inherent masculinity of sports. This masculinity applies to not only men but women as well. And that's the reason why it isn't a big deal when women come out in sports.

When women come out in sports, it isn't unexpected. On the other hand, Jason Collins's coming out story will probably be the biggest sports news of the year. Of course, a part of this is due to the importance that the United States places on the Big 4 male sports (baseball, football, hockey, and basketball) because many others in different sports have come out over the years (here is even a top 10 list of those who came out last year) some during their tenures as professional athletes and a lot from after their retirements. But also, because being gay somehow clashes with the ideal of masculinity that is inherent in sports. This article gives a good breakdown of these ideals. This isn't to demean Collins's coming out or make it any less of a big deal, because it is a big deal. And I think that whenever a famous person comes out it will continue to be a big deal for a long time.

The inherent idea that to play sports you have to be hegemonically masculine is problematic. It prevents both men and women in sports from coming out. For men they are going to have to fight harder and play more aggressively to be seen as equally as masculine and capable as their heterosexual teammates and for women they have to fight to maintain an image of femininity.

Dove Real Beauty Sketches

This video is uplifting but at the same time incredibly tragic. It is kind of the epitome of how society shapes women to believe they aren't beautiful. It is the result of how the cosmetic industry and the entertainment industry force women to believe they aren't beautiful because they aren't "perfect." And it's all tragic.

Equal Pay Day: The Swiss Version

I wanted to do nothing more than just post this video.

Equal pay is something that doesn't exist. This graph comes from the OECD:

I am sorry that it is a little small, but it gets the point across. I want to point out that the United States is in the higher end of the gap. This isn't something that can just be explained away by "men choose higher paying jobs" or "men are more likely to work longer hours" or "men negotiate higher salaries more frequently than women." The fact is that men earn more than women in comparable jobs pretty much regardless of the field.

Furthermore, in an article we read in class, "Selling Women Short: Gender Inequality on Wall Street" by Louise Marie Roth, she discusses that women have to work harder to get into the same positions as men. And when they are in those positions they have to work even harder to ensure that their positions are still seen as equal. And that is in a supposed merit-based reward system. Women always have to be at the top of their game and men can afford to be mediocre. 

And that information does not pertain to just Wall Street. In this study published by PNAS, shows that there is a gender bias for males in the sciences. Even being given the same background, resume, and qualifications, John was favored over Jennifer. As somebody going into science, that kind of upset me.

And not only do the majority of people just accept it, there is constant blocking of bills in Congress to ensure that no law is passed to ensure that women have equal pay. That there won't be an amendment passed to ensure that pay is equal regardless of sex, race, or sexuality. And it's ridiculous. The gender wage gap pisses me off. Because propagating this gap just sends the message "You have to work twice as hard to be seen as equal." And that is just not how it should be.

Current Jamz: A Playlist

I listen to a lot of music. And there are a lot of songs written by men about women. And there are a lot of songs written by women who want a man. This playlist is about none of those.

This playlist is a Power Jamz playlist with a particular emphasis on songs by women. Expect some commentary not related to the music underneath each song.

Power Jamz: 

1. "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyoncé
Beyoncé has publicly commented that although this song is about women running the world, the reality of it is that women do not run the world. In fact they are far from it. From GQ:
"You know, equality is a myth, and for some reason, everyone accepts the fact that women don't make as much money as men do. I don't understand that. Why do we have to take a backseat?" she says in her film, which begins with her 2011 decision to sever her business relationship with her father. "I truly believe that women should be financially independent from their men. And let's face it, money gives men the power to run the show. It gives men the power to define value. They define what's sexy. And men define what's feminine. It's ridiculous."

There is no doubt that Beyonce is a powerful figure. But a great factor in her power is that she doesn't shy away from it. Her new tour may be called "The Mrs. Carter Show" but there is no doubt that she is 100% Beyonce.



5. "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" by X-Ray Spex
This video isn't the greatest quality, but if you choose a different video, you miss the beginning when frontwoman Poly Styrene "Some people say little girls should be seen and not heard," which leads pretty gloriously to "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" There isn't much more to the song lyrically, but there doesn't need to be. This song is pretty incredible for a couple reasons beyond the message, the biggest being that in 1977 Poly Styrene, a 20 year old female, fronted a punk rock band. It's pretty progressive stuff.

3. "Rebel Girl" by Bikini Kill

The next two songs come from the Riot grrrl movement. Riot grrrl is one of the only musical movements to specifically address women's issues. This song is perhaps Bikini Kill's best known song. It's pretty cool in that it is a rockin' song about a sexual relationship between two women. One of whom is implied to be like the shit.

4. "Ballad of a Ladyman" by Sleater-Kinney
This is not my favorite Sleater-Kinney song. But it works the best probably for the purposes of this playlist. This is a song worth looking at the lyrics. Particulary this half of the last stanza:
"I'd rather be a ladyman
how many times will you decide
how many lives will you define
how much control should we give up of our lives"
This is a particularly great song about how not only are standards of femininity, but if a woman dares to break these standards they are labeled as "manly" by men.

5. "You Don't Own Me" by Leslie Gore
Going from a song about not letting men define women, we move onto a song about not letting men dominate women. You don't own me is a staple feminist song (and one used extensively during the second wave of feminism in the 60s).

6. "Werkin' Girls" by Angel Haze
Sorry for the tonal shifts, but I start to call this section of the playlist "Fuck you, Macklemore." And by that, I mean we are about to feature three songs by QPOC rap artists. All female to go with the playlist. I don't really mean "Fucky you, Macklemore" but there is a lot he could be doing with his privilege. If you have stumbled upon here, I am sure that you have stumbled upon this article. It's pretty great and acknowledges that although Macklemore acknowledges a problem that is pretty rampant in the hip-hop community, he does nothing to address the fact that there are plenty QPOC artists in the hip-hop world. Particularly two rising female stars, Angel Haze and Azealia Banks, both identify as bisexual. And Angel Haze just slays in this track. Her flow, rhythm, and rhymes are top notch and it is no wonder she is carving out an impressive fanbase.

7. "212" by Azealia Banks ft. Lazy Jay
Where Angel Haze represents a very current take on rap, a lot of Azealia Banks's stuff could very much fit in the 90s (though this song doesn't). There is no doubt that this is her "I have arrived" song. And she arrives in a big way. She isn't playing with this song and proclaims multiple times "I'mma ruin you cunt." And continues on to describe how she is going to dominate.

8. "QueenS" by THEESatisfaction
I am pretty sure that THEESatisfaction is revolutionary for the sole fact that there are two out lesbians making hip-hop music. I like "QueenS" because it really has a funky beat to it. And even more I like the "Don't funk with my groove" message.

9. "Cherry Bomb" by the Runaways and "Damn Reputation" by Joan Jett
Joan Jett gets a combined entry. Because you can't forget these two staples. I use these as the penultimate songs in order to tie the playlist back to the beginning. There is pretty much nothing to say about why these songs make the playlist.

10. "Drive" by Melissa Ferrick
The playlist ends with a song a little from left field.  But the reason that this song is on here because the sexiest song about having sex with a woman was made by a woman. All those songs men make about loving women all night long cannot compare to Melissa Ferrick's "Drive." Because damn.

Coming Out in Glee: Kurt Hummel vs. Santana Lopez

Yup, I am doing a Glee post. I want to eventually do a whole, gay men vs. gay women in the media, but I have to watch many more shows to do that. But what I really wanted to do was show the stark contrast that the show took in their coming out stories because I feel that it is actually pretty representative of stories of gay men and lesbian women on television.

1. Kurt Hummel

Glee does a marvelous job with Kurt coming out to his father. It is incredibly sentimental and perhaps the best scene that has been on the show. Kurt's coming out to his father is handled gently and pretty perfectly and I think will probably stand as one of the best coming out scenes on television. This scene shows all the potential that the show had in season 1 and all the places it could have gone.

2. Santana Lopez

On the other hand, Santana Lopez is forcefully outed by Finn Hudson. A moment which left a lot of commentary by fans of "she deserved it" (which no one deserves to be forcefully outed). It is also a moment that led to the most perfect musical performance on Glee.

This really has nothing to do with her outing, but I just posted it because it is like I said the most perfect musical performance on Glee. The following episode deals with the aftermath. Now remember Kurt gets a heartwarming coming out story with his father. Santana gets a mention of "oh my parents just accepted it." The other Glee women, to show their support, sing "I Kissed a Girl." A song about kissing women in order to sexually arouse a boyfriend. Glee treats this very seriously and okay by the way. Like no mention is made of how offensive that is. Santana's big moment is with her grandmother. A character never mentioned by Santana before and thus what should have been a deeply emotional story bears little impact.

In Glee the show makes some things very clear: if you are a man your homosexuality is treated with deep importance and in fact, we will devote an entire season to it; however, if you are a woman, you get one of the shittiest episodes in Glee history and no major coming out scenes to those you have shown to value in the show.