To honor this day without women, I've decided to meditate and contemplate. Instead of being "in the world" today, I want to be "in the spirit."
I choose to be more out of the world and take a break from all the insanity.
May you find your place, today, as well...
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Choices and Influences
I like a good romance novel. There, I've said it.
BUT -
Lately, I'm having a lot of trouble reading them. It seems that they are all about a man with power choosing his ideal partner. And the woman trying so hard to be that perfect partner.
Regency romance is generally less offensive to me than modern romance stories.
Some of the female characters are OK. They are their own person, but the male is still the one with power.
When one person in a relationship has all the power, the relationship is unbalanced. Regardless of what the other person can do to influence things, the one with power will always have the final say in any decision.
I started reading one of the endless series of modern billionaire stories that are coming out. Not that there are that many single billionaire men, but the number of stories certainly give that impression. Well, again, he is in charge of sexual couplings and can give, demand or withhold sex at his discretion. It's his decision.
No.
It is NEVER his decision. It is always the women's decision if she is going to have sex or not. These stories are so unbalanced, I had to stop reading it.
I can't listen to some music. The lyrics refer to women as "bitch" "whore" and worse. They promote physical violence against another person. I tend to stick to older rock music and classical music with no words. I like singer-songwriters like Carole King and Billy Joel. Still, some of the recent music can be disturbing. There is a song called "His Name is Luca" that is very disturbing by an artist I like.
I have to be careful what I watch on TV. I like Hogan's Heroes. Yep, it's old and corny. It's about a US Colonel who manipulates and lies to a German Commandant during WWII and makes it seem like it's OK to do those things. It is NOT OK to do those things. When I first started watching TV again, I didn't find a lot I could stomach. I stick with NCIS - Gibbs is a good guy. But it's a very patriarchal world that's depicted. Most of the world IS patriarchal, though.
I was with a friend yesterday. We were having a discussion about what I'm thinking about doing with my hair. I want it shorter, off my neck. But because of my face, I also like it below my chin. I've seen someone with the cut that I'm interested in, and can describe it to a stylist. I was describing this to my friend....
This woman - my friend, said it was a "lesbian thing" to have my hair cut in that fashion! Like being a lesbian is so bad, or that a hairstyle can tell a person's sexuality.
This woman continually says that a mutual friend painting a color streak through her beautiful gray hair is a mark of lesbianism. That mutual friend is very religious, and not a lesbian. In fact, she is happily married for over 25 years.
I think this woman is no longer my "friend." She is now an acquaintance. We obviously see things very differently. As long as I've known her, she will not be educated about feminism.
Being whatever gender a person chooses is totally up to them. If I identify as straight, lesbian or bisexual is up to me and my sexual partner. NOT SOMEONE ELSE, and even if I am/were/desired to be - a lesbian, who cares!!!
That is totally sexist thinking.
Being a woman is NOT inherently worse than being a man.
Being a lesbian is NOT inherently worse than being straight.
A boy is not a "sissy" because he likes softer, nurturing things in his life.
Being a "sissy" is not bad - the judgment that makes it bad is that being a woman is bad.
THAT IS SEXISM!!!
My sexuality is my personal business. I don't air my sexuality online. I was born female. I identify female. The rest is private. How I use or don't use that sexuality is private, unless YOU are my partner. And then it's between you and me - EXCLUSIVELY.
We are influenced by the stories we tell ourselves.
We are influenced by the entertainment we seek.
We are influenced by the music we hear.
We are influenced by the friends we choose to spend time with.
We must guard our lives. Our spirits are influenced by those things with which we surround ourselves. To raise the vibration, either limit or remove those things which will lower spiritual vibration. Do not expect to raise the other to your level. You can only do that - raise the world - by raising yourself. It's too easy to fall back. It's so hard to move forward. Choose the higher path - move forward and upward. Do not be pulled back to lower thinking.
BUT -
Lately, I'm having a lot of trouble reading them. It seems that they are all about a man with power choosing his ideal partner. And the woman trying so hard to be that perfect partner.
Regency romance is generally less offensive to me than modern romance stories.
Some of the female characters are OK. They are their own person, but the male is still the one with power.
When one person in a relationship has all the power, the relationship is unbalanced. Regardless of what the other person can do to influence things, the one with power will always have the final say in any decision.
I started reading one of the endless series of modern billionaire stories that are coming out. Not that there are that many single billionaire men, but the number of stories certainly give that impression. Well, again, he is in charge of sexual couplings and can give, demand or withhold sex at his discretion. It's his decision.
No.
It is NEVER his decision. It is always the women's decision if she is going to have sex or not. These stories are so unbalanced, I had to stop reading it.
I can't listen to some music. The lyrics refer to women as "bitch" "whore" and worse. They promote physical violence against another person. I tend to stick to older rock music and classical music with no words. I like singer-songwriters like Carole King and Billy Joel. Still, some of the recent music can be disturbing. There is a song called "His Name is Luca" that is very disturbing by an artist I like.
I have to be careful what I watch on TV. I like Hogan's Heroes. Yep, it's old and corny. It's about a US Colonel who manipulates and lies to a German Commandant during WWII and makes it seem like it's OK to do those things. It is NOT OK to do those things. When I first started watching TV again, I didn't find a lot I could stomach. I stick with NCIS - Gibbs is a good guy. But it's a very patriarchal world that's depicted. Most of the world IS patriarchal, though.
I was with a friend yesterday. We were having a discussion about what I'm thinking about doing with my hair. I want it shorter, off my neck. But because of my face, I also like it below my chin. I've seen someone with the cut that I'm interested in, and can describe it to a stylist. I was describing this to my friend....
This woman - my friend, said it was a "lesbian thing" to have my hair cut in that fashion! Like being a lesbian is so bad, or that a hairstyle can tell a person's sexuality.
This woman continually says that a mutual friend painting a color streak through her beautiful gray hair is a mark of lesbianism. That mutual friend is very religious, and not a lesbian. In fact, she is happily married for over 25 years.
I think this woman is no longer my "friend." She is now an acquaintance. We obviously see things very differently. As long as I've known her, she will not be educated about feminism.
Being whatever gender a person chooses is totally up to them. If I identify as straight, lesbian or bisexual is up to me and my sexual partner. NOT SOMEONE ELSE, and even if I am/were/desired to be - a lesbian, who cares!!!
That is totally sexist thinking.
Being a woman is NOT inherently worse than being a man.
Being a lesbian is NOT inherently worse than being straight.
A boy is not a "sissy" because he likes softer, nurturing things in his life.
Being a "sissy" is not bad - the judgment that makes it bad is that being a woman is bad.
THAT IS SEXISM!!!
My sexuality is my personal business. I don't air my sexuality online. I was born female. I identify female. The rest is private. How I use or don't use that sexuality is private, unless YOU are my partner. And then it's between you and me - EXCLUSIVELY.
We are influenced by the stories we tell ourselves.
We are influenced by the entertainment we seek.
We are influenced by the music we hear.
We are influenced by the friends we choose to spend time with.
We must guard our lives. Our spirits are influenced by those things with which we surround ourselves. To raise the vibration, either limit or remove those things which will lower spiritual vibration. Do not expect to raise the other to your level. You can only do that - raise the world - by raising yourself. It's too easy to fall back. It's so hard to move forward. Choose the higher path - move forward and upward. Do not be pulled back to lower thinking.
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Still Seeking Stories
Yes, I'm still here.
Yes, I'm still seeking stories.
I've been reading in mythology for the sources of patriarchy.
I saw a weblog on YouTube today - a psychic weighing in on the presidential election...
Not that important, but she said something I want to share:
She said that on 12.21.2012, the Mayan end of days, the world entered the feminine. It had been in the masculine for 100,000 years.
That made me think.
With all the craziness, cruelty and hate going around, I'm kind of stunned. But she made some sense of it.
She said Love, love, love, is the answer....
And she posted that on May 16, before the Orlando shootings.
Yes, I'm still seeking stories.
I've been reading in mythology for the sources of patriarchy.
I saw a weblog on YouTube today - a psychic weighing in on the presidential election...
Not that important, but she said something I want to share:
She said that on 12.21.2012, the Mayan end of days, the world entered the feminine. It had been in the masculine for 100,000 years.
That made me think.
With all the craziness, cruelty and hate going around, I'm kind of stunned. But she made some sense of it.
She said Love, love, love, is the answer....
And she posted that on May 16, before the Orlando shootings.
Monday, January 19, 2015
New Life for the Blog, Adjusted Focus...
Hey there!
You arrived here because you heard about the Women's History Project someplace, right? You heard that I'm re-writing the history books to include women, right?
Well, you heard it right. I am collecting women's stories. I want to know who you are, who your mother was and who your grandmothers were. Both of them. These women all had stories.
With the family becoming smaller, we don't live in multi-generational homes, so the stories are being lost and forgotten.
Tell me the basics:
The pertinent dates -- birth and death, marriage date(s), what year was the first, second or fifth kid born? Live or stillbirth? What were the circumstances - home, midwife, in the fields...
How did your women progenitors work or not work? What were/are the patterns of health and wellness? Any special recipes handed down? Quilts? Afgans? Sayings?
Tell the family stories - "Mom was in school, about 9 years old. She had to get home to feed the ducks, but one of the ducks was missing....." Any stories like these... Stories of bullying, accomplishments, pie contests, sack races, whatever...
These stories help put her in context with her times. The Depression, the War Years...
Who was the one who always made folks well? Who was the one who always cooked the cakes/pies? Who was it who made the clothes? Who was it told you about becoming a woman?
Tell the stuff that doesn't seem all that important. You would be surprised what it can mean when taken in context.
For instance, my mom told of having stones thrown after her by kids on the way home from school. It was because of the German foster home she was in - it was 1942... So this insignificant item had a lot of meat to it.
Please tell your friends. Let's get this project going. We need to help our sisters - we need to change the world.
When you've completed your story, there is a submission section on the menu. Use that link to submit your story. It should go to email. Your story will not be shared generally like a comment on a post. If you would like that, you can pick and choose and post your comments...
Thank you one and all for participating in this.
You arrived here because you heard about the Women's History Project someplace, right? You heard that I'm re-writing the history books to include women, right?
Well, you heard it right. I am collecting women's stories. I want to know who you are, who your mother was and who your grandmothers were. Both of them. These women all had stories.
With the family becoming smaller, we don't live in multi-generational homes, so the stories are being lost and forgotten.
Tell me the basics:
The pertinent dates -- birth and death, marriage date(s), what year was the first, second or fifth kid born? Live or stillbirth? What were the circumstances - home, midwife, in the fields...
How did your women progenitors work or not work? What were/are the patterns of health and wellness? Any special recipes handed down? Quilts? Afgans? Sayings?
Tell the family stories - "Mom was in school, about 9 years old. She had to get home to feed the ducks, but one of the ducks was missing....." Any stories like these... Stories of bullying, accomplishments, pie contests, sack races, whatever...
These stories help put her in context with her times. The Depression, the War Years...
Who was the one who always made folks well? Who was the one who always cooked the cakes/pies? Who was it who made the clothes? Who was it told you about becoming a woman?
Tell the stuff that doesn't seem all that important. You would be surprised what it can mean when taken in context.
For instance, my mom told of having stones thrown after her by kids on the way home from school. It was because of the German foster home she was in - it was 1942... So this insignificant item had a lot of meat to it.
Please tell your friends. Let's get this project going. We need to help our sisters - we need to change the world.
When you've completed your story, there is a submission section on the menu. Use that link to submit your story. It should go to email. Your story will not be shared generally like a comment on a post. If you would like that, you can pick and choose and post your comments...
Thank you one and all for participating in this.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
One Billion Rising
I've taken on the role of marketing for the local One Billion Rising event on Feb. 14, 2013 in Johnson City, TN.
One Billion Rising is a dance event to protest against violence against women, in a positive way. There will be dances all over the world on that date and I do hope some of my readers can participate. I've already spread the word through many friends, on Facebook, and other social media sites.
If you want more information, you can look at the site, OneBillionRising(dot)org or the Facebook page, One Billion Rising on Facebook.
If you can, dance. It will be a glorious time for everyone.
One Billion Rising is a dance event to protest against violence against women, in a positive way. There will be dances all over the world on that date and I do hope some of my readers can participate. I've already spread the word through many friends, on Facebook, and other social media sites.
If you want more information, you can look at the site, OneBillionRising(dot)org or the Facebook page, One Billion Rising on Facebook.
If you can, dance. It will be a glorious time for everyone.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Looking for Submissions
I'm still looking for folks to tell me what they think a feminist is - or what feminism means to them. I'll take a paragraph, if that's all you have. I would like to post several folks definitions, and we (collectively) can go through them for the "truth" of it.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Would You Like to Speak Up Here?
I'm accepting applications for guest bloggers. If you have something to say on Feminism, Women's History, or Gender Studies Programs around the world, just comment on this blog post with your name and e-mail address. It won't be published, and you will be contacted.
Thank you!
Thank you!
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