feminism

Here's a very interesting article on how Japanese women are utilizing dating agencies to connect with highly-educated western husbands. Primary reason: it's a well to do demographic that these days, treats their wives more like equals and romantic companions. Japanese men, according to the article, are comparatively conservative and view women (helped along by the culture) as maids, homemakers, and child rearers. Period. I remember hearing about the first Japanese female office manager in Japan and how that was a big deal. I took a east Asian culture studies class in college. My prof. was a Japanese woman and she said how if you're a woman with a Ph.D. or Dr.

We got back from our conference to a stack of Ask Dr Betty questions about how to have a vaginal orgasm. Betty's been answering this same question since 1968. It's all clit all the time whether its direct or indirect. And Betty found Anne Koedt's original thesis The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm.

Michelle Goldberg's new book, "The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of the World," is finally out.  I'm off to Barnes & Noble to get my copy.  Growing up in a fundamentalist family was a real eye opener.  It's always about controlling female sexuality.

A quote from the author: "When I told people I'd written a book about religious fundamentalism in American politics, they immediately knew what I was talking about. When I say my new book is the about the global battle for reproductive rights, they tend to look at me blankly, because the story I'm telling here has hardly penetrated the mainstream media at all. That, of course, is why I think the book is important. Its core message is, as I write, "that the widespread, overwhelming abuse and devaluation of women, especially in poor countries, is the biggest human rights crisis in the world today," and that the planet's future depends on giving women control over their own bodies. It shows how a globalized network of religious fundamentalists are fighting women's rights worldwide, and how women are fighting back."

I grew up with images of women that were strong, sexual, and independent. First of all, my mother adored Mae West and my nickname was "Betty Boop".

The modern Hollywood portrayal of women is increasingly a heroine who is hysterical, weight-obsessed and only thinks of men, an Oxford academic claims.

Dr Diane Purkiss, a feminist historian and fellow of Oxford University , has argued that over the past five decades the movie industry has made its female leads 'dumber and dumber'.

She suggests that these cartoon protagonists are merely reflecting a decline in our own culture into one that, for women, is image-obsessed.

Dr Purkiss referred to latest chick flicks such as He's Just NOt That Into You and Confessions of a Shopaholic.

They fell into the 'worst king of regressive, pre-feminist stereotype of misogynistic cliche'.

I watched the movie "Wanted" recently. It had its moments that appealed, but what stood out was how often they used the word "pussy." Its usage was not the one referring as an all-encompassing term for the female genitals, inside and out, like the sanskrit term "yoni" is used. The usage was the one in slang (but apparently not vulgar slang) for a weak and cowardly man. I would add to that a low pain threshold. This had crossed my mind before seeing this movie, but the repetitive usage rang out loud and clear to me. If pussy refers as vulgar slang for the female genitals and also weakness and cowardice, is this an instance of vernacularized misogyny claiming that women are inherently cowardly and weak?

Even pregnant Gillian Anderson is amazing! I caught X Files last weekend (my man made we wait to post about it so I wouldn't ruin it for everyone else) and I finally got it...why I loved X Files:

it was the first accurate portrayal of a female heroine. Mulder was ruled by his emotions; Scully was ruled by her reason. She was cool, calm, and collected and always saved Mulder's ass (she does again in the film). God, I love Chris Carter.

And the best part (besides Mulder and Scully lying in bed talking about the son, William, they had that died....I know!) is that half way through the movie my man looks over at me and whispers in my ear, "I had such a huge crush on Scully".

I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have a man who prizes wit and resolve.