(no subject)
I really don't have much to say lately--a combination of the funk I've been in, not much happening in my life and well... .the overall funk I've been in.
So here is an obligatory post.
gilmoure posted this ten year old article about how children in Miami's homeless shelters made their own mythology to explain the world around them. It's rich and detailed and just incredibly heartbreaking. It's an entire world they've made, starting with God being chased out of heaven by Satan and Bloody Mary. How freaking telling is it that they explain their world by saying God has been thrown from heaven. The hope they have in the Blue Lady is so stirring, until you realize that she can only help them if they know her name--and no one does. Wow.
*****
I guess you've really made it when a notable author writes fanfic about your uterus (and various other body parts).
This made me laugh long and loud.
**********
This did not make me laugh. It is a quote from a post over on Dark Christian that truly alarmed me. It was in a discussion about how the Dominionist Christians are trying to get a plan that allows women access to contraception outvoted or vetoed by Bush.
"There's a utopian view that women ought to be able to have sex any time they want to without consequences -- that's the bottom line of all these bills," Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America told the AP.
Okay, I'm going to have to preface this rant... and it will be a fucking rant... with the explaination that I'm currently also dealing with Liv being in an "abstinence program" at her summer program.
Mind you, the only reason I allowed her to take it was because all of her friends are in it and I didn't want her to stick out. I also pitched a total bitchfit and got a copy of the textbook so that I could see what they're teaching these children (so I can counterintelligence and counteract the brainwashing.) (and the form I signed said that since this is Federally funded, it is not religious. That is bullshit, btw.)
So I'm already primed when faced with a book that takes a condom package warning label and says to these kids (and I quote) "Bottom Line: Notice that the condom company does not claim to provide complete "protection" against either pregnancy or STDs. There is still a "risk" with condoms."
or: "Condoms are not effective in preventing the spread of HPV, which is the most common STD and has no cure." or "Some of the most common STDs are contracted from skin to skin contact on areas not covered by a condom."
Yes, true but twisted in a way that they think is going to scare kids from having sex, but more than likely is going to make some kids say, "Oh, they don't work anyway, so why bother?"
I am too young to be a grandmother.
AND here is the fucking kicker.
The last chapter is called "Winning the Prize" and it has pictures of girls in pretty princess wedding gowns and it says "The Dream" and asks the kids to describe what they see as their wedding day and "Go for the Gold"--"the ultimate relationship, marriage, is like winning a championship game. It's the big day. You have trained all your life for this day--your wedding day. A lot of hard work, sacrifice and discipline have gone into winning this championship game--your marriage! All your friends and family are there, gathered to support you, cheering you on. You feel--happy, proud and excited! It's time to celebrate."
This with the stories of all the girls with their magic wedding days with dresses and flowers and cakes and how happy they were that they were virgins when they got married....
I'm shocked the writers didn't choke on this shit.
Let's get real here, okay.
My daughter wants to be an astrophysics engineer. She will be in college for years and years.
I do not expect her to wait until she is in her 30s to have sex--which is how long it would take to get her schooling and get established in her career and get where she wants to be so she can think about settling down.
I also do not want her to get married at a young age JUST so she can have sex. That's an asinine reason to get married. It can take years to know if you're with the right person and to be honest, it can take years or several times to find the right person. I know women who are on their fourth and fifth marriages, and they started as young, virgin brides.
I explained to Liv that I don't expect her to wait to get married to get intimate. Her father and I didn't. Her aunts didn't. My mother didn't. (And the fact that two out of four of the above mentioned relationships resulted in premarital pregnancy seemed to have a higher impact on her than any bullshit that these abstinence assclowns are handing out) I did explain to her that I wanted her to wait until she was emotionally able to handle the impact of sexual activity, and that I wanted her to wait until she was intellectually able to take proper precautions to protect herself, and that she should always trust me to help her and have her best interests at heart.
Because, really, that's all a parent can do, you know? We can preach and yell and holler till we're blue in the face but all we can do is hope we brought them up to make good decisions.
I don't even really believe in waiting for "The One" because "The One" is just a load of horseshit in my eyes. When you're sixteen and in love, of course he's "The One". I had my "The One" and he backstabbed me and broke my heart in a thousand little pieces.
And you know what? I'm GLAD he did because if he hadn't turned me loose I'd have never found Thom and been going on my 18th year of marriage. A marriage that is stronger today than it has ever been (despite my manic mood swings of late), and marriage that according to the statistics in Liv's little book would never have lasted since we had premarital relations, and a marriage that for some reason is completely not threated by gay people getting married. (Hmmm. Imagine that!)
but I digress...
So back to the quote: "There's a utopian view that women ought to be able to have sex any time they want to without consequences -- that's the bottom line of all these bills," Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America told the AP.
You know what? FUCK YOU, Janice Crouse. FUCK YOU SWINGING.
It's my body, so I'll do what I want with it, thankyouverymuch.
If I want to have sex, I'll have sex. After all, my vagina belongs to me, not to you. My using my vagina in any way I see fit, up to and including shooting ping pong balls to ring the doorbell from across the room, has no impact on you, your religion, your way of life, your children, your husband, your family, your dog, your school, your church, your minivan, your personal state of being.
If I want to have sex, I will have sex. To say that my using my vagina for any purpose I see fit, up to and including chewing massive wads of Hubba Bubba (do they still make that? Remember they said it was made with spider eggs back in the 80s) and blowing gigantic bubbles made of Hubba Bubba and vaginal snot in the comfort of my living room is going to contribute to the downfall of western civilization is complete and utter poppycock.
To say that I should have sex without 'consequences' is 'utopian' is completely fucked up, lady. It's a basic human right that my body belongs to me. Moi. No one else.
My body does not belong to my husband (although he does lay claim to my left breast while we sleep, but that is only a lend/lease type deal--besides the fact that age and gravity makes it easy for him to pull it over and cuddle it like a wooby). My body does not belong to my child. My body does not belong to the government. My body does not belong to your church. My body does not belong to YOU, Janice Crouse.
So a big hearty FUCK YOU, Ms. Crouse.
And a quick notation that you said absolutely NOTHING about men having sex without consequences. And I really hate to get all ginmaresqe about it, but does that mean that men have a God-given right to 'sex without consequences' while women have to just sit and take it? Men can have orgasms and women have to have babies? Men can have vaginal sex all they want and women have to live in fear of conceiving an unwanted child?
FUCK YOU, Ms. Crouse. Because, really, it can't be said enough.
And now... to try and write something.
Goodnite, all.
So here is an obligatory post.
gilmoure posted this ten year old article about how children in Miami's homeless shelters made their own mythology to explain the world around them. It's rich and detailed and just incredibly heartbreaking. It's an entire world they've made, starting with God being chased out of heaven by Satan and Bloody Mary. How freaking telling is it that they explain their world by saying God has been thrown from heaven. The hope they have in the Blue Lady is so stirring, until you realize that she can only help them if they know her name--and no one does. Wow.
*****
I guess you've really made it when a notable author writes fanfic about your uterus (and various other body parts).
This made me laugh long and loud.
**********
This did not make me laugh. It is a quote from a post over on Dark Christian that truly alarmed me. It was in a discussion about how the Dominionist Christians are trying to get a plan that allows women access to contraception outvoted or vetoed by Bush.
"There's a utopian view that women ought to be able to have sex any time they want to without consequences -- that's the bottom line of all these bills," Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America told the AP.
Okay, I'm going to have to preface this rant... and it will be a fucking rant... with the explaination that I'm currently also dealing with Liv being in an "abstinence program" at her summer program.
Mind you, the only reason I allowed her to take it was because all of her friends are in it and I didn't want her to stick out. I also pitched a total bitchfit and got a copy of the textbook so that I could see what they're teaching these children (so I can counterintelligence and counteract the brainwashing.) (and the form I signed said that since this is Federally funded, it is not religious. That is bullshit, btw.)
So I'm already primed when faced with a book that takes a condom package warning label and says to these kids (and I quote) "Bottom Line: Notice that the condom company does not claim to provide complete "protection" against either pregnancy or STDs. There is still a "risk" with condoms."
or: "Condoms are not effective in preventing the spread of HPV, which is the most common STD and has no cure." or "Some of the most common STDs are contracted from skin to skin contact on areas not covered by a condom."
Yes, true but twisted in a way that they think is going to scare kids from having sex, but more than likely is going to make some kids say, "Oh, they don't work anyway, so why bother?"
I am too young to be a grandmother.
AND here is the fucking kicker.
The last chapter is called "Winning the Prize" and it has pictures of girls in pretty princess wedding gowns and it says "The Dream" and asks the kids to describe what they see as their wedding day and "Go for the Gold"--"the ultimate relationship, marriage, is like winning a championship game. It's the big day. You have trained all your life for this day--your wedding day. A lot of hard work, sacrifice and discipline have gone into winning this championship game--your marriage! All your friends and family are there, gathered to support you, cheering you on. You feel--happy, proud and excited! It's time to celebrate."
This with the stories of all the girls with their magic wedding days with dresses and flowers and cakes and how happy they were that they were virgins when they got married....
I'm shocked the writers didn't choke on this shit.
Let's get real here, okay.
My daughter wants to be an astrophysics engineer. She will be in college for years and years.
I do not expect her to wait until she is in her 30s to have sex--which is how long it would take to get her schooling and get established in her career and get where she wants to be so she can think about settling down.
I also do not want her to get married at a young age JUST so she can have sex. That's an asinine reason to get married. It can take years to know if you're with the right person and to be honest, it can take years or several times to find the right person. I know women who are on their fourth and fifth marriages, and they started as young, virgin brides.
I explained to Liv that I don't expect her to wait to get married to get intimate. Her father and I didn't. Her aunts didn't. My mother didn't. (And the fact that two out of four of the above mentioned relationships resulted in premarital pregnancy seemed to have a higher impact on her than any bullshit that these abstinence assclowns are handing out) I did explain to her that I wanted her to wait until she was emotionally able to handle the impact of sexual activity, and that I wanted her to wait until she was intellectually able to take proper precautions to protect herself, and that she should always trust me to help her and have her best interests at heart.
Because, really, that's all a parent can do, you know? We can preach and yell and holler till we're blue in the face but all we can do is hope we brought them up to make good decisions.
I don't even really believe in waiting for "The One" because "The One" is just a load of horseshit in my eyes. When you're sixteen and in love, of course he's "The One". I had my "The One" and he backstabbed me and broke my heart in a thousand little pieces.
And you know what? I'm GLAD he did because if he hadn't turned me loose I'd have never found Thom and been going on my 18th year of marriage. A marriage that is stronger today than it has ever been (despite my manic mood swings of late), and marriage that according to the statistics in Liv's little book would never have lasted since we had premarital relations, and a marriage that for some reason is completely not threated by gay people getting married. (Hmmm. Imagine that!)
but I digress...
So back to the quote: "There's a utopian view that women ought to be able to have sex any time they want to without consequences -- that's the bottom line of all these bills," Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America told the AP.
You know what? FUCK YOU, Janice Crouse. FUCK YOU SWINGING.
It's my body, so I'll do what I want with it, thankyouverymuch.
If I want to have sex, I'll have sex. After all, my vagina belongs to me, not to you. My using my vagina in any way I see fit, up to and including shooting ping pong balls to ring the doorbell from across the room, has no impact on you, your religion, your way of life, your children, your husband, your family, your dog, your school, your church, your minivan, your personal state of being.
If I want to have sex, I will have sex. To say that my using my vagina for any purpose I see fit, up to and including chewing massive wads of Hubba Bubba (do they still make that? Remember they said it was made with spider eggs back in the 80s) and blowing gigantic bubbles made of Hubba Bubba and vaginal snot in the comfort of my living room is going to contribute to the downfall of western civilization is complete and utter poppycock.
To say that I should have sex without 'consequences' is 'utopian' is completely fucked up, lady. It's a basic human right that my body belongs to me. Moi. No one else.
My body does not belong to my husband (although he does lay claim to my left breast while we sleep, but that is only a lend/lease type deal--besides the fact that age and gravity makes it easy for him to pull it over and cuddle it like a wooby). My body does not belong to my child. My body does not belong to the government. My body does not belong to your church. My body does not belong to YOU, Janice Crouse.
So a big hearty FUCK YOU, Ms. Crouse.
And a quick notation that you said absolutely NOTHING about men having sex without consequences. And I really hate to get all ginmaresqe about it, but does that mean that men have a God-given right to 'sex without consequences' while women have to just sit and take it? Men can have orgasms and women have to have babies? Men can have vaginal sex all they want and women have to live in fear of conceiving an unwanted child?
FUCK YOU, Ms. Crouse. Because, really, it can't be said enough.
And now... to try and write something.
Goodnite, all.