Exit, Pursued by a Bear
An Open Letter to White Male Comedians
I want to try and convey to you, broadly, how you are hurting women and hurting your own art form, and how easy it would be to stop. Because right now you’re coming across like a bunch of entitled babies terrified of a few girls in your clubhouse—demanding that women be thick-skinned about their own rapes while you’re too thin-skinned to handle even mild criticism. It’s embarrassing…
If you just don’t care, that’s fine—that’s your choice—but understand this: I know you think you’re being transgressive and edgy and bad-in-the-cool-way when you are careless with the trauma of strangers, but you’re not. You are being conservative. You are a conservative comedian. You are moving your art form backwards, you are a bully (a bully who has likely experienced bullying himself, which is the worst kind), and you are propping up the status quo in the most boring way possible. If that’s what you want, at least have the grace to own it.
Last night’s episode of Spartacus reminded me how much I love this show. I seriously think it’s one of the most feminist programs on TV right now, even though it in no way markets itself as such.
Love it.
Of Church, feminism, and safety
“Safety is a big thing for survivors of all kinds of abuse. It’s a big deal when someone confides their pain in another individual. And when that individual turns around time after time and clings to rules and regulations, idioms and cliches, proverbs and parables, it invalidates the experience and pain of the person who trusted them. It is a deep betrayal of trust. And when the Bible is used as a tool to shame people for their emotions, silence their pain, and brow-beat them back into line, all in the name of God…if that is not taking His name in vain to hurt the least of these, I don’t know what it is.
But you know what?
It’s been outside the church, among “godless” liberals and feminists, that I have been given the tools I need to heal. (I put “godless” in quotes, because I was always taught that liberals and feminists are godless, when in fact I’ve discovered quite the contrary.)
It’s been outside the church, among these liberals and feminists, that I’ve learned that it is okay for me to exist.
It’s been outside the church, among these liberals and feminists, that I’ve been allowed to grieve when I hurt, rage when I’m angry, dance when I’m happy, and experience human emotions fully for the first time in my life.
It’s been outside the church, among these liberals and feminists, that I’ve truly heard for the first time that there is nothing I can think, say, do, or wear that can possibly justify sexual, physical, spiritual, or emotional violence against me.
It’s been outside the church, among these liberals and feminists, that I’ve been told that my voice is important.
It’s been outside the church, among these liberals and feminists, that I’ve been told that my entire worth isn’t located in my vagina or connected to any activity that happens therein.
It’s been outside the church, among these wonderful, strong, brave, compassionate liberals and feminists, that I have found safety. Understanding. Friendship. Love.”
Dangerous Women Creed- I think I need to print this and hang it in my room
Dangerous Women Creed
Dear God, please make us dangerous women.
May we be women who acknowledge our power to change, and grow,
and be radically alive for God.
May we be healers of wounds and righters of wrongs.
May we weep with those who weep and speak for those who cannot
speak for themselves.
May we cherish children, embrace the elderly, and empower the poor.
May we pray deeply and teach wisely.
May we be strong and gentle leaders.
May we sing songs of joy and talk down fear.
May we never hesitate to let passion push us, conviction compel us,
and righteous anger energize us.
May we strike fear into all that is unjust and evil in the world.
May we dismantle abusive systems and silence lies with truth.
May we shine like stars in a darkened generation.
May we overflow with goodness in the name of God and by the power of Jesus.
And in that name and by that power, may we change the world.
Dear God, please make us dangerous women. Amen. -
From Lynne Hybels’ blog.
It frustrates me beyond words when I see my friends, especially those who view themselves as champions of reason and open-mindedness, mocking feminists for their inability to find rape jokes funny.
How many times do I have to say it? Your desensitization to rape jokes isn’t edgy, and it isn’t something you should be proud of. It just demonstrates how incredibly insensitive and selfish you are, for not being able to see past your freedom of speech to understand why that that speech might just be a bad idea.
But no, apparently it’sme who needs to get my head out of my ass for wanting to spare the victims of a horrible crime from further pain.
The Wit and Wisdom of the Guy Who Created That "Beat Up Anita Sarkeesian" Video Game
What a friggin douchebag.
A Message to Girls About Religious Men Who Fear You
Know that you are strong and powerful. Use your reason. Trust your instincts. Seek out those that would support you and, yes, know your place: on the field, in the street, on the bus (in the front), in school, at work and in public office.
You are not alone and you are brighter than the sun.
What We’re Really Talking About When We Talk About Hillary Clinton Without Makeup
“You may not agree with a woman, but to criticize her appearance — as opposed to her ideas or actions — isn’t doing anyone any favors, least of all you. Insulting a woman’s looks when they have nothing to do with the issue at hand implies a lack of comprehension on your part, an inability to engage in high-level thinking. You may think she’s ugly, but everyone else thinks you’re an idiot.”
Fox News guest laments "mistake" of letting women vote
I went into reading this article with an open mind, giving it the preemptive benefit of the doubt that maybe the journalist who wrote it took a single quote out of context and ran with it in order to get a sensational article.
Yeah, no, this guy is whack. And he definitely does NOT need a national platform from which to preach this ridiculous bile.
(I’ll stop posting articles like this when the people in these articles stop getting invited onto national television to insult women and black people).
