ENTERTAINMENT - Looking for feminist music that is more mainstream? Here you go! :)
#1. Salt-n-Pepa, 'None of Your Business'
With a chorus like "If I wanna take a guy home with me tonight, It's none of your business!" the point is made clear.
#2. Destiny's Child, 'Independent Women'
There is a very strong feminist undertone to all of Destiny's Child's music. This one especially.
#3. Nina Simone, 'Four Women'
A slow song, but a poignant song about identity.
#4. Team Dresch, 'She's Amazing'
Considered by some to be the greatest all female punk band of the 1990s. A must have for Riot Grrls.
#5. Patti Smith, 'Piss Factory'
Ever had a dead end job? This one will make you think.
#6. Bikini Kill, 'Rebel Girl'
Cuz Rebel Girl, you're the Queen of My World. :)
#7. The Raincoats, 'Lola'
More for the lesbian and dyke crowd, but hey, its all good. The Raincoats version adds an extra element to the original song.
#8. Bratmobile, 'Cool Schmool'
More for the bratty riot grrl crowd so not quite mainstream per se, but listen closely to the lyrics.
#9. Carole King, '(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman'
You have to listen to the whole thing to truly appreciate the feminist elements of it. Not just a love song. Its about being natural, without the need for makeup, botox, surgery or any of that nonsense.
#10. Aretha Franklin, 'Respect'
Seriously, the greatest feminist anthem of all time. Huzzah!
#11. Destiny's Child - 'Survivor'
Yeah I know there is 2 Destiny's Child songs on this list. What can I say, they really know how to pump up that self-esteem and anyone who increase self-esteem is good in my opinion.
#12. Ani DiFranco... all of her songs!!! 'Blood in the Boardroom'
Because what list of feminist anthem songs would be complete without Ani F*cking DiFranco??? Ani has over 200 songs and the vast majority of them have a feminist theme. The following is one that all women can identify with.
The Truth about Girl Gamers
ENTERTAINMENT - The inspiration for this blog post came to me from Amanda Kirby from La'Riot. Give her all the credit.
Ah... girl gamers.
Now there is a rare breed.
Nerdy, addicted to videos games (or cards / board / dice / roleplaying games in the case of Magic the Gathering, Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons, etc), and are metaphorically kittens amongst lions when it comes to the gaming industry. (Kittens with claws!)
Women gamers are very rare. That doesn't mean they're any less good at what they do. Women gamers have sharp analytical minds and can kicka$$ as much as the men do (with the possible side benefit that they don't have the male ego and can sometimes surprise their ego-prone male counterparts with their sophisticated strategy and skills).
The problem however is that because they're so rare girl gamers are often prone to sexism. They're the sex symbols of the gaming industry. What every male gamer wants: A female gamer they can play with and frolic with after the game is over.
Talk about pleasure junkies.
What is interesting is why there is so few female gamers.
#1. Females are not the target audience when game designers sit down. They know most games are action packed adventures or war strategy games... and they're aimed at men. Very few games (ie. The Sims) are aimed at women.
#2. Pink controllers is really just an insult. (Real girl gamers don't buy pink controllers... because they're playing the blood and gore games just like the guys do.)
#3. Women crave more intelligence in their games. Playing a mindless game gets boring regardless of what gender you are, but men will play mindless games if there is the least hint of sexually enticing images along the way.
#4. Playing video games is considered to be nerdy / masculine hobby and many women don't want to be associated with being a tomboy or nerdy. Darn stereotypes.
#5. Women tend to spend their money differently. Gaming is an expensive hobby to get into. Gym memberships are cheaper comparatively, which explains why there is so many more women at the gym.
#6. Gaming is associated with being fat and lazy couch potatoes. (Another reason why gym memberships are more popular.)
#7. Fear of social rejection. "Oh you play video games?" *sound of disgust in the person's voice* Video games is considered low brow. Its not chic.
#8. Sexism in video graphics. This is a biggie. Because so many video game companies market towards men they often make the graphics as sexually revealing as they dare in an effort to sell more product and keep men coming back for more pixelated mammaries. Part of this is because nerds have difficulty finding girlfriends and thus have lots of money to spend since they're evidently not spending it on dates. Don't expect the women in the graphics to be realistic. (Although we could say the same about women on reality TV shows that are less than realistic shapes too. It really should be called Phony TV.)
#9. Videos games often have fantasy / sci-fi / war plots that are uninteresting to many women. Its too macho.
Check out the website girlgamer.com if you want to learn more.
For years now the video game industry has been bigger than the movie industry. Its estimated it may someday even dwarf the p*rn industry because of all the free p*rn now available via the internet. In the combat for the wallets of men, the gaming industry is winning all the way and its just a matter of time before it dwarfs other industries too.
On a separate note:
I have a theory about obesity rates in the USA. Television alone didn't cause obesity rates to skyrocket. But when videos games and the internet became popular during the 1990s obesity rates began to skyrocket. Suddenly more Americans were watching television AND spending time in front of computer games or on the internet. As the internet usage skyrocketed so did obesity in America.
So if you want to play games, go ahead. But try to get outside and exercise more often.
Or better yet, buy a Wii Fit and do both. :)
Ah... girl gamers.Now there is a rare breed.
Nerdy, addicted to videos games (or cards / board / dice / roleplaying games in the case of Magic the Gathering, Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons, etc), and are metaphorically kittens amongst lions when it comes to the gaming industry. (Kittens with claws!)
Women gamers are very rare. That doesn't mean they're any less good at what they do. Women gamers have sharp analytical minds and can kicka$$ as much as the men do (with the possible side benefit that they don't have the male ego and can sometimes surprise their ego-prone male counterparts with their sophisticated strategy and skills).
The problem however is that because they're so rare girl gamers are often prone to sexism. They're the sex symbols of the gaming industry. What every male gamer wants: A female gamer they can play with and frolic with after the game is over.
Talk about pleasure junkies.What is interesting is why there is so few female gamers.
#1. Females are not the target audience when game designers sit down. They know most games are action packed adventures or war strategy games... and they're aimed at men. Very few games (ie. The Sims) are aimed at women.
#2. Pink controllers is really just an insult. (Real girl gamers don't buy pink controllers... because they're playing the blood and gore games just like the guys do.)
#3. Women crave more intelligence in their games. Playing a mindless game gets boring regardless of what gender you are, but men will play mindless games if there is the least hint of sexually enticing images along the way.
#4. Playing video games is considered to be nerdy / masculine hobby and many women don't want to be associated with being a tomboy or nerdy. Darn stereotypes.
#5. Women tend to spend their money differently. Gaming is an expensive hobby to get into. Gym memberships are cheaper comparatively, which explains why there is so many more women at the gym.
#6. Gaming is associated with being fat and lazy couch potatoes. (Another reason why gym memberships are more popular.)
#7. Fear of social rejection. "Oh you play video games?" *sound of disgust in the person's voice* Video games is considered low brow. Its not chic.#8. Sexism in video graphics. This is a biggie. Because so many video game companies market towards men they often make the graphics as sexually revealing as they dare in an effort to sell more product and keep men coming back for more pixelated mammaries. Part of this is because nerds have difficulty finding girlfriends and thus have lots of money to spend since they're evidently not spending it on dates. Don't expect the women in the graphics to be realistic. (Although we could say the same about women on reality TV shows that are less than realistic shapes too. It really should be called Phony TV.)
#9. Videos games often have fantasy / sci-fi / war plots that are uninteresting to many women. Its too macho.
Check out the website girlgamer.com if you want to learn more.
For years now the video game industry has been bigger than the movie industry. Its estimated it may someday even dwarf the p*rn industry because of all the free p*rn now available via the internet. In the combat for the wallets of men, the gaming industry is winning all the way and its just a matter of time before it dwarfs other industries too.
On a separate note:I have a theory about obesity rates in the USA. Television alone didn't cause obesity rates to skyrocket. But when videos games and the internet became popular during the 1990s obesity rates began to skyrocket. Suddenly more Americans were watching television AND spending time in front of computer games or on the internet. As the internet usage skyrocketed so did obesity in America.
So if you want to play games, go ahead. But try to get outside and exercise more often.
Or better yet, buy a Wii Fit and do both. :)
The Truth about Tati Kalveks
ENTERTAINMENT - I love feminist musicians.
The problem with feminist musicians however is often they are amateurs and the quality of their recordings frankly suck...
But this doesn't mean their performances aren't good. They're great, its simply a problem of finding the opportunity to properly record their music in a studio.
Lets take Tati Kalveks as an example. A feminist singer/songwriter, just 18 years old. Still wet behind the ears. You look for videos of her work online and you find these on YouTube:
Now right away you realize the sound quality is low. You can hear laughter from the audience. Its to be expected from a live performance.
To be fair Tati Kalveks is very early in her career right now too. Given time we will likely get better quality recordings.
I like her lyrics and I hope she does well.
The problem with feminist musicians however is often they are amateurs and the quality of their recordings frankly suck...
But this doesn't mean their performances aren't good. They're great, its simply a problem of finding the opportunity to properly record their music in a studio.
Lets take Tati Kalveks as an example. A feminist singer/songwriter, just 18 years old. Still wet behind the ears. You look for videos of her work online and you find these on YouTube:
Now right away you realize the sound quality is low. You can hear laughter from the audience. Its to be expected from a live performance.
To be fair Tati Kalveks is very early in her career right now too. Given time we will likely get better quality recordings.
I like her lyrics and I hope she does well.
Crazy Stuff People Say to Feminists
FEMINIST - All women are feminists. What is sad is the women who don't realize they are feminist and have confused feminism with male-hating.
Check out the video below to see some of the crazy stuff people say to "non closet" feminists. By 'non closet' I mean activist feminists. Out there actually doing something about it. There are tonnes of women out there whom I would describe as 'closet feminists', meaning they support women's rights but they don't make activism part of their regular lifestyle.
Check out the video below to see some of the crazy stuff people say to "non closet" feminists. By 'non closet' I mean activist feminists. Out there actually doing something about it. There are tonnes of women out there whom I would describe as 'closet feminists', meaning they support women's rights but they don't make activism part of their regular lifestyle.
The Truth about Fashion Models and Plus Size Models
In 1992 the average American woman in her 20s weighed 132 lbs.
In 1992 the average fashion model weighed 120 lbs (8% less than the average).
In 2012 the average fashion model weighs 102 lbs (23% less than the average).
In 2002 plus-size models were considered to be between size 12 and 18.
In 2012 plus-size models now average between a size 6 and size 14.
So the fashion models are getting thinner and even the plus-size fashion models are getting thinner, despite the vast majority of women who say they would prefer models who are more realistic.
In America 50% of women wear a size 14 or larger, but the majority of fashion stores only cater to size 14 or smaller. Even so-called "plus size" stores have a limit on the sizes they have available.
My message?
Support local companies which cater to your size and taste in fashion. Change will never happen if we keep supporting companies which keep making things smaller and smaller.
Let fashion designers and brands know what you think via social networking sites and email them via their websites to let them know how you feel about clothing options.
If more people stop buying at certain stores and let them know you will not be purchasing clothing from them until they market to you, this will get their attention when they see their revenue losses and have to start contemplating store closures.
Support indie designers.
We are bombarded with sexually suggestive ads every day, but there is nothing wrong with our bodies. Our bodies aren't meant to be starved. We're meant to be eating hearty, exercising constantly and have an Amazon / Cavegirl physique. Its being too skinny which is unnatural.
We need to embrace our Amazon side and not be afraid of it.
In other news here is a fun video that may give you some food for thought...
In 1992 the average fashion model weighed 120 lbs (8% less than the average).
In 2012 the average fashion model weighs 102 lbs (23% less than the average).
In 2002 plus-size models were considered to be between size 12 and 18.
In 2012 plus-size models now average between a size 6 and size 14.
So the fashion models are getting thinner and even the plus-size fashion models are getting thinner, despite the vast majority of women who say they would prefer models who are more realistic.
In America 50% of women wear a size 14 or larger, but the majority of fashion stores only cater to size 14 or smaller. Even so-called "plus size" stores have a limit on the sizes they have available.
My message?
Support local companies which cater to your size and taste in fashion. Change will never happen if we keep supporting companies which keep making things smaller and smaller.
Let fashion designers and brands know what you think via social networking sites and email them via their websites to let them know how you feel about clothing options.
If more people stop buying at certain stores and let them know you will not be purchasing clothing from them until they market to you, this will get their attention when they see their revenue losses and have to start contemplating store closures.
Support indie designers.
We are bombarded with sexually suggestive ads every day, but there is nothing wrong with our bodies. Our bodies aren't meant to be starved. We're meant to be eating hearty, exercising constantly and have an Amazon / Cavegirl physique. Its being too skinny which is unnatural.
We need to embrace our Amazon side and not be afraid of it.
In other news here is a fun video that may give you some food for thought...
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