Women

Back Up Your Birth Control, Damn It

4 Comments / Daily Dose, Health and Wellness, News and Politics, Women /

buybc.jpgI made it! I am here to remind you that Emergency Contraception is available to YOU, over the counter, if you need it – or when you need it. Do NOT hesitate to go to your pharmacy if the condom breaks, if you forget to put your diaphragm in, if you are forced to have unprotected sex. In fact, I would urge you to do what I’ve done – buy a box right now. You can order it from Drugstore.com if you like. Have it in your medicine cabinet and tell your friends that you have a box if they ever need it.

I bought a box one year ago. So far, nobody around here has needed it and it will expire in six months or so – and then I’ll throw it out and buy another box. Just in case.

And even if you don’t order your own box right now, you should make sure every woman of childbearing age knows that emergency contraception is available – over the counter. Spread the word. There are still many, many women who don’t know it is available. There are many, many women who don’t know what emergency contraception is. There are many, many women who are afraid to use emergency contraception. Reassure them. Help them find information. Support them as they learn more about their reproductive rights and options.

Back Up Your Birth Control – it’s your right and your responsibility – do it.

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Santa Claus: Blame the Patriarchy

3 Comments / Christmas, Daily Dose, Family Funk, Kid Talk, Women /

I know, it’s Easter and here I am blogging about Santa Claus. That’s just the way this family rolls. Also, this is sort of related to the Easter Bunny so just be patient while I explain.

Yesterday when TW picked up the kids from school there was a discussion about what the Easter Bunny might bring. This led to RJ saying that she is pretty sure the Easter Bunny is a girl. She is also very, very sure that Santa Claus is a woman.

TW questioned this because, ya know, Santa Claus is a dude. Everybody knows this.

RJ does not agree because what everybody really knows is men do not know enough about children to be able to provide the perfect, high quality gifts delivered by Santa Claus. Only a woman would have the insight into gifting and into children to be able to pull of a great gift giving season – year after year after year.

TW asked her how she reconciles that with the long, long history we have of Santa Claus being a man.

RJ says, duh. Santa is a woman dressed like a man. History proves that women have often had to pretend to be men in order to accomplish great things. And, that they have had to allow men to take credit for their work because women aren’t allowed to do great things.

Needless to say, I love that kid.

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Vaginas and Me

2 Comments / Daily Dose, Women /

If you know anything at all about me then you probably already know that my pal Maria Niles is going to be interviewing Eve Ensler on behalf of BlogHer. And if you know anything at all about BlogHer then you know we’re asking members of the community to help Maria create the list of questions to ask Eve Ensler. Which leads me to a problem.

I cannot ask Eve Ensler a question. I had the same difficulty years ago when I had to come up with questions to ask Germaine Greer.

As I said in my comment on BlogHer, Ensler is the kind of woman I don’t want to ask a laundry list of questions to. I want to sit down with her over coffee and have a conversation. This is probably not a great idea since I’m sure that conversation would lead to me doing a vagina interview of my own. She’s probably a little tired of that, don’t you think? It’s embarrassing but I don’t think I’d be able to stop from giving her a vagina interview.

I’ve seen the Vagina Monologues umm eight times? nine times? ten? I don’t know, I’ve lost track.

I’ve seen it three times in NYC, once in Vancouver, once in Atlanta and at least three times (or is it four? or five?) here in Gainesville.

I’ve seen it with TW and the almighty Hobbit. I’ve seen it with my mother and my two oldest daughters and a waitress at our favorite restaurant who needed some serious positive woman energy.

I’ve seen it “off Broadway”, I’ve seen it in a UU church, I’ve seen it at a University and I’ve seen it in a bar.

Katherine Helmond was amazing in the Vagina Monologues, I saw her perform them twice (or maybe three times.) Elvira Kurt was hysterical.

We own the audio version of the book, two copies of the book and I’ve seen it on TV. We own The Vagina Warriors and more Vagina Monologues and VDay tshirts than I can count. (Viva Las Vaginas and Vagitarian were huge hits at BlogHerCon.)

I can recite most of the monologues word for word, not because I made an effort to learn them but because I’ve lived them. And, and hearing someone say “the flood” or seeing a “white Chevy Bel Air” do not mean what you think they mean. We no longer shop at the local craft store because of a nasty comment a clerk made about TW’s Reclaiming CUNT t-shirt.

My children have grown up with The Vagina Monologues and they are still growing up with The Vagina Monologues. Michelle has a 101 things in 1001 days list and performing “My Short Skirt” is on her list of thing to do. I’m so proud. We do a lot of talking about vaginas.

Ask Ensler a question? Where would I start? It’s impossible. And if I did manage to find a place to start, I wouldn’t be able to stop.

My vagina can be very chatty.

Go ask Eve a question. Your vagina wants you to.

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No wonder Kelly is so cool

2 Comments / Daily Dose, Women /

HER mom is in The Vagina Monologues.

So, not so much education-ish, but my mom asked if I’d ever seen The Vagina Monologues to which I replied, “Sure I have. Why?” and then she proceeded to tell me that she is in a stage version of it to play here at the local community college. She was heading off to her rehearsal and trying to get off the phone with me. Now, I’m certainly nonplussed by this woman so it was nothing for me to say, “Ok. See you later. Good lu…err…break a hymen.” She was nonplussed to hear it from me.

I wish my mom was that cool.

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How do I get paid to blog?

1 Comment / Daily Dose, Money Talks, Questions and Answers, Women, Work /

I hear this question all of the time. All. Of. The. Time. The people who have taken my suggestions are making money online. (Some more than others, but that’s the way life works.) Those who ignore my suggestions are probably not making any money online right now. If you’ve ignored me because you need to hear from someone smarter or cooler than I am, here’s your chance.

Lisa Stone – watch this video first – and Susan Wagner – watch this one after Lisa’s.

These women are brilliant and I am very, very lucky to work with them. Very lucky. Now you’re lucky too because you can learn from them if you watch these ABC news pieces and take their advice.

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Blog For Choice

1 Comment / Daily Dose, Health and Wellness, News and Politics, Women /

Blog for Choice DayIt’s that time of year again. The time of year that I blog about choice. Pro-choice, that is. This year’s theme is WHY I vote “pro-choice”. I think I’ll just quote Hillary’s views on “choice”:

“Women’s right to make choices about their reproductive health has been systematically challenged and family planning and contraception are under attack. All women must be able to make their own choices about their reproductive health.”

I don’t want you making reproductive choices for me. I don’t want you making reproductive choices for my daughters. I don’t want to make reproductive choices for you or for your daughters. I certainly don’t want the state or federal government making reproductive choices for any of us.

I am pro-choice and I don’t just vote – I vote pro-choice.

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