ff

this week has heralded a few great conversations about rape and rape culture. (some not so great, too, but let's not focus on those right now.)

people outside of the feminist blogisphere have been engaging in rape culture discussions triggered by the horrible so sad awful rage-tears-inducing gang rape in india. and. while i do agree with the following...

{@pushinghoops}

i am still grateful that soooomething is happening and people are thinking and speaking and learning.

jill over at feministe links to two really thoughtful pieces that discuss purity and virtue. read them both. they're worth spending some time with.  

{from e.j. graff's piece for the american prospect}

and then, too, mom sent me this little dude which is very yes and i like it very much. (because, say it with me friends, feminism is not about women wiiinnnnnning, its about gender equality and a world that is accepting of masculinity and feminity that fall outside of the rigid little set of descriptors we're all supposed to adhere to.)

and also, this video which a dear old friend (hi jess!!) sent me.

somedays my heart hurts so bad for the state of the world, and somedays i have slivers of hopefulness and somedays... and everydays i am thankful and thankful and thankful for my own personal world, where, jokes aside about 'erin's silly feminist posts', i am loved and respected by my friends and family and given autonomy. if only everyone was so lucky. (if only that, then... universe fixed...)

**and as always seems to be the case when i write an ff post that isn't 100% angry-sad a little in advance of friday, i came across this piece last night about two young men raping their jiu-jitsu teammate in a parking lot instead of driving her home safely like they said they would do. and oh, fuck it. ow. oh. my heart. my angry-sad heart.**

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ff

you're in for a real treat this week! surprise! i'm in a real real good mood today. chipper cheerful. SO! that means a good-news positive-attitude feminist friday! you're all welcome.

this week is about saying 'hooooray! thanks!' to the men and boys who are NOT small minded, misogynistic, hateful, repressive. or:

*men who trust women

the above link is to a great little tumblr that chloe over at feministing started. it is men talking about why they believe that women's right to control their own bodies is a thing. and it is awesome. (also they're working on a documentary and you can give them money if you want...) it is easy - when you are all enraged by the things that are happening - to not give credit to the men and boys who are NOT awful.

as strongly as i feel about all this stuff, and as opinionated as i am, i hate to think that the gooood men in my life might think they are bad or that i think that they are bad. i am very blessed to have a lot of fantastically thoughtful, kind, progressive, considerate, articulate, passionate people around me who allow me to speak bravely and develop my ideas about the world. a lot of those people are men. and i think they're aces. and i'm grateful to them for using their voices. and for being a part of the movement. i'm glad that we can learn from and with each other. like i said. hoooray! thanks! good work.

so that's it for today! run free and pet a puppy or something. i have a million fashion shows to look at!!!

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