SAGE

thefourthvine:

My son is in preschool right now. Since Newtown, I’ve been staring at his school, at his building, at his classmates, and thinking of all those kids who are dead now. I don’t think any parent can help that.

And, hey, I am willing to do whatever it takes to stop that from happening again….

A well written article about the shape an form of feminism today, and its possibilities for tomorrow coming from Barnard College’s very own President D Spar.

A sad truth in many parts of society, SAGE - Student Association for Gender Equality hopes to help combat :”[men] don’t know how to make the right changes and are generally not party to the conversations that women have among themselves. All too often, women are scared of raising the topic of gender with men, thinking it will brand them as radicals or troublemakers, while men are terrified of saying or doing anything that might classify them as politically incorrect. The result, of course, is that no one says anything productive at all. Women mutter to themselves about their continued exploitation, men mumble platitudes and hire high-priced diversity consultants, and nothing changes.”

True? “[The problems we have] come partly from the media, partly from society, partly from biology, and partly from our own vastly unrealistic expectations” 

and, just for kicks, one of the replies in the comments section (beware: hilarious/absurd/sexist): 

“I recently worked at a company in which it was 75% plus female. I hated it. I’ve always got along well with girls in social situations, but boy are they god damn catty towards each other. You can never get to the bottom of things, since they sugarcoat like its no tomorrow. Too much politeness, and shields.Just get to the goddamn point and stop talking behind your backs like little girls. Be a “man” and say it front of everyone. Oh wait, your girls, you can’t break social structure and live off emotional highs and lows- and that’s a fact.

Contrary to what feminists think, a 50/50 workplace is much better than an all girl one. Keeps the attitude at the door. Much more calm environment.But I think most of the people ranting on here have been disregarded by society in one way or the other. Sorry, not everyone is beautiful. I’ve found that really attractive girls are usually much more open and secure than the fugly girls who complain about everything. 

No surpise mosts feminists are pretty damn ugly and such is shunned by society which places a lot on beauty. No wonder they are so bitter. Its always better to deal with a douchebag than a bitchy fugly girl. At least with men we can settle it outside.” ^^

zorascreation:

A murder occurred in Oakland early Sunday morning. As of this posting, there is exactly one — count it — one, article about the incident in the media, at least as measured by Google News hits for Oakland murder.

37-year-old Brandy Martell was sitting behind the wheel of…

(via fsufeministalumna)

Transgender advocate Victoria Cruz was recently awarded a top honor by the Department of Justice for her work helping victims escape abuse.

The feds are watching one of Brooklyn’s toughest ladies.

East Flatbush resident Victoria Cruz, a transgender woman who has been “out” since grade school, is a Justice Department 2012 pick as one of the nation’s top crime fighters.

The 66-year-old Latina, known simply as “Vicki,” advises abuse victims from across the city based on lessons she learned surviving years of sexual and physical torment during an era when homophobia was rampant.

“I’ve survived many crimes; been there done that,” said Cruz, a senior domestic violence counselor New York City Anti-Violence Project.

Attorney General Eric Holder honored Cruz and 11 others as life savers Friday in the National Crime Victims’ Service Awards ceremony in Washington D.C.

They transformed “their own experiences into a positive force for sweeping change,” Holder said in a statement.

New Yorkers dominated the power list. Girls Educational & Mentoring Services, a Harlem based nonprofit helping teens escape the world of sex trafficking, was also cited; along with city Correction Commissioner Dora Schriro and Common Justice, an alternative to Brooklyn criminal court for low-risk criminals.

Still Cruz stood out. The feds said she “empowers her clients to stand up and speak for themselves.”

The Red Hook native was born brazen, never hiding her sexual identity growing up in the 1950’s as a boy.

“I always knew that I was different,” Cruz said. “When I was in middle school they would call me ‘queer.’ ‘Gay’ at the time meant a jovial person.”

Cruz, like many women, was drawn to abusive relationships.

She made headllines in 1997 while working at the Cobble Hill Nursing Home part of a welfare-to-work program when she accused a group of female nurses of groping her while screaming “anti-man” and “battyman,” gay bashing slurs used by West Indians. A criminal court judge found two nurses guilty of harassment and acquitted two others.

AVP then hired Cruz transforming the victim into an advocate.

“I am passionate about the work that I do,” Cruz said. “People are coming out at a younger age. And putting themselves at risk.

This award is making the invincible, visible.”

(Source: transfeminism, via thesexuneducated)

whoneedsfeminism:

i need feminism because it hurts my heart to think that the majority of societies in the world condemn people for just simply being who they are, whether it be gay, straight, bi, none of the above, all of the above, asexual, gender-queer, pansexual, cis, transgendered, or something else…