What Is Cultural Appropriation?

A few years ago at WisCon (the feminist SF convention) there was a panel about Cultural Appropriation that sparked an online discussion about the topic that is generally referred to as the Great Debate of DOOM. This was partly due to the wide-ranging nature of it (over 20 blogs, I believe) and due to [...]

Joe Six Pack

Palin goes on and on about Joe Six Pack, McCain is all about Joe the Plumber.  These mythical men are supposed to represent Real Americans and all that.  Yeah.
I haven’t bene paying much attention to the coverage, so maybe one of you can tell me: has no one commented on the fact that this mythical [...]

Louisiana State Senator Worries That There Will Soon Be Too Many Black People, Film At 11

I don’t even know if I have the stomach to do full commentary on this shit.  So here are the highlights.
Worried that welfare costs are rising as the number of taxpayers declines, state Rep. John LaBruzzo, R-Metairie, said Tuesday he is studying a plan to pay poor women $1,000 to have their Fallopian tubes tied.
“We’re [...]

California Love

Was going to post something morose about Edwards endoring Obama. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good thing, especially given that this looks like the runup to an Obama/Edwards ticket. I like Edwards; he quit too soon. But I can’t help but reflect on the fact that not so long ago I [...]

On Feminism, Part 2

I bet you don’t remember part 1, do you? Here’s a reminder.
I said back then that I was still trying to put my own feelings into words and hadn’t succeeded yet. Considering what’s been going on in the blogosphere lately I think it’s time to finally crystallize my thoughts. The problem I [...]

The Politics of Hair (the kind not on your head)

In my other life I work for a fashion magazine, as I’ve mentioned. One of my newest assignments is to find the best products to remove hair, whether cream, blades, electric shavers, waxes, whatever. I’m going to surprise you all by saying that I jumped on this assignment. Asked for it, even. [...]

March on the ABW

So, we made it through February. And I feel it was quite a successful celebration of blackness and history. But now we’ve come to March and, guess what? It’s Women’s History Month.
Now, had I planned this out from the beginning of the year, I’d be all prepared to celebrate my womaness with [...]

The Strong Woman* & Emasculated Man

Posted by: Naamen Gobert Tilahun
The nicknames are endless, bitch, ballbuster, battleaxe, ballcutter, … all of these are used in reference to a strong woman. When confronted with a woman who exudes strength the automatic reaction of some men is to fall into the whole “woe is me, she emasculated me” line of thought. The introduction [...]

Change or Die

Posted by: Karnythia
Students march 7 miles to vote in Waller County Texas. I had a vague plan to write about the Democratic candidates and the idea of “In our lifetime” and what it means to women (of all races) as well as what it means to black people. But then this story hit the wire [...]

Are Women or Blacks More Disadvantaged?

Posted by: Steven Barnes
Recently, a question has been bandied about the airwaves and internet. Which causes more pain: Being black or being female?
There is only one group who can answer that question, and I’m not a member.
Only African-American women have personal experience with both femininity and blackness.
I’ve [...]