“Welcome to Our World”

Yes, trans women are beaten, killed, and raped. So are female women. Everyday, everywhere. As other radical feminist bloggers have said, “Welcome to our world.” This stuff isn’t surprising to us. So welcome to what it means to have your body read as ‘woman': open season for male violence.

I want it to be , “Welcome to our world. It’s awful. Let’s change it together,” but that’s difficult when trans women demand focus be solely on them and the harms of “trans misogyny” and how it is so different from what FAAB women go through*. But it really isn’t.

This should be a touch point – yes, for radical feminists and trans women – rather than a divergence. But folks need to examine their years of accumulated male privilege before something like that can happen. A good first step? Actually listening to what FAAB women have to say about their experiences of being treated like women. Blogroll is on the right.

*Focusing solely female issues also can get you labeled transphobic, cissexist, or even a ‘cis supremacist’. Quick tip from a female person: talking about my uterus is not oppressing trans women.

Links: February 24, 2011

I recently joined Tumblr. Woohoo.

Some good news this morning: “Julian Assange Ordered by Court to Be Extradited to Sweden”:

Judge Howard Riddle, in his ruling, said that allegations brought by two women qualified as extraditable offenses and that the warrant seeking Mr. Assange’s return to Sweden for questioning was valid.

Womanist Musings: “Bill Maher Pronounces Sexism in the Middle East Worse Than in America” . . . because Maher is still an asshole. Here’s a handy image to help him understand why he is wrong: (via)

Noanodyne: a great roundup of rad fem blog links on ‘cis privilege’ and the likes. . . “Come on in, have a seat at the table”. Generally, just go read all of Noanodyne’s recent posts.

Scum-o-Rama: “The ‘Gendered’ Intersex Brain”

Here’s a good compilation of links to stories on how Republicans are trying to take away abortion rights across the country.

And the most upsetting for last. . .

TruthvsCompliance: “Pornography isn’t abusive???? Trigger Warning!” . . . a very detailed review of the film “Hardcore” [really, really strong TW for descriptions of sexual assault and pornography].

Cervical Screening Lies: Part 1

[Trigger warning for medical coercion and abuse.]

Women, particularly in the U.S., have been conned into believing that pap smears are a necessary, frequent screening that they must endure, either so they can have access to oral contraceptives or so they feel “proactive” and “responsible” for their health. This is a bunch of rubbish.

I have gone through two pap smears, both before age 20, because guidelines at the time said it was necessary and I believed I was required to submit in order to get birth control pills. In my case, and surely the case of millions of other women, informed consent was absent when I made the decision to get cervical cancer screening.

I have compiled a great number of links so that every woman may educate herself about this procedure and the lies we are told so we will not resist having this done to us. Know that you are not alone in questioning this screening.

Links: December 7, 2010

Womanist Musings: “Today I Remember the Women of École Polytechnique” [TW for violent misogyny]

On the stereotype threat and success of people of color and women in science… “15-Minute Writing Exercise Closes the Gender Gap in University-Level Physics”

Found via Racialicious… a space for reporting everyday microaggressions. [TW for numerous examples of privileged assholery involving misogyny, racism, ableism, and much much more!]

Talk show host Regis Philbin touched Nicki Minaj’s ass after she performed a song on “Regis and Kelly” last week, and there “Ain’t Nothing Cool About This”. [TW for sexual violence, particularly with the videos included in the post]

More on this from The Crunk Feminist Collective… “Really Regis?!”

Shakesville: “Men vs. Roe Again“… on men’s right’s activists wanting to be in charge of women’s uteruses and ‘opting out’ of parenthood

Finally, as a palette cleanser for my last post, several instances of bloggers getting it right.

The Guardian: “How the rape claims against Julian Assange sparked an information war: Conspiracies, slander and misogyny have become every bit as central to debate as principles of justice” [TW for victim blaming and sexual violence]

Salon: from Kate Harding, “The Rush to Smear Assange’s Rape Accuser”.

From Jessica Valenti, “Naomi Wolf really needs to read the internet”. Seriously.

Update: Ok, wow, more details about the allegations came out earlier today that I missed. [TW]

The court heard Assange is accused of using his body weight to hold her down in a sexual manner.

The second charge alleged Assange “sexually molested” Miss A by having sex with her without a condom when it was her “express wish” one should be used.

The third charge claimed Assange “deliberately molested” Miss A on August 18 “in a way designed to violate her sexual integrity”. The fourth charge accused Assange of having sex with a second woman, Miss W, on August 17 without a condom while she was asleep at her Stockholm home.

How’s that for “rape-rape”?

Action Item: Ending Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners

For USian readers. . .

Urge Attorney General Holder to Improve Conditions of Confinement for Pregnant and Parenting Women

It’s time to start addressing the unique needs of pregnant and parenting mothers behind bars.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has shown a desire to end the inhumane practice of shackling women giving birth, but that’s not the only issue that mothers behind bars face. Women are often denied pre-natal care and the opportunity to bond with their babies after birth and as they grow.

Thank Attorney General Holder for his attention to shackling, while urging him to continue to address the needs of mothers behind bars and ensure that they have healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and opportunities to enter family-based drug treatments.

For more information on shackling of incarcerated pregnant women, this RH Reality Check article is quite comprehensive.