I Am a Feminist

I didn’t think I was a feminist. I said so in a paper I wrote for my Freshman English class. I turned in a research proposal saying as much and my professor returned my paper having circled and underlined that particular sentence with a comment all in capital letters “WHAT?!?” Her reaction shocked me. How was not being a feminist any worse than not being a democrat? It was all a matter of personal and political inclination.

It wasn’t until I took a sociology course that I truly understood feminism. Feminism, in my mind, had always been portrayed by unfeminine woman and a far left political position. However, that is not feminism. It exists within feminism, to be sure, but those individuals do not encompass the whole idea. Feminism, in its essence is about equality. While some use feminism to campaign their right not to shave their armpits, original feminists used it to campaign for their right to political, social and economic equality. They wanted to vote, go to college, be doctors and lawyers, run for public office, take out loans, and own property. They wanted to be treated as equal to men.

When you’re treated as an equal, you are treated as having the same level of dignity, yet at least for me, the argument as to whether or not men and woman are the same is irrelevant. We have obvious biological differences. However, what role these biological differences actually play in our behavior has been far too long connected to socially constructed gender roles. Having a vagina does not make me more capable of cooking, cleaning and nurturing than someone with a penis.

Gender roles make the world go round and we learn them from a very young age. We learn that girls  and boys wear different things. That boys and girls play with different toys. That they are expected to be gifted at and interested in different things. Yet it is not a matter of biology that I wear skirts and make up. Gender roles and gender are not the same, yet they are so often tangled up in the conversation of feminism, which as you will recall is about equality. Can I have the same dignity as a man and wear mascara? Absolutely.

In short, I am a feminist because I think that woman are equal in dignity and rights to men. But I am also a feminist because I think that woman should not make about 75 cents for every male dollar. Because I think it should not be a social norm for woman to have work the second shift. Because the average male says it would  “bother him” to have a female boss. Because when a woman can’t run for public office without her gender being considered her most defining characteristic. Because woman are subject to a level of objectification in the media that men are not. Because I don’t think a woman should have to choose between her career and having a family. Our society places woman at a disadvantage, and I don’t think that’s okay. So to set the record straight: female is a matter of biology. Feminine is a set of culturally defined characteristics. Feminist is a political position. I happen to be all three.

*A lot of ideas are vauguely plagarized in this reflection. I caution readers to take wording and exact numbers with a grain of salt. If you have any questions about my sources or reasoning, I would be happy to do my best to dig up a credible source that reflects my claims.

The Top 5 Hottest Male Celebrities with Gray Hair

As I've often said, men are like cheese. They get better with age. Please enjoy the following photos of and commentary upon these five men who I feel are gorgeous with gray hair.

1. Richard Gere

He had to be number one because there is simply no other male celeb who has aged this well and made looking mature so freaking sexy. Favorite thing about him? His fabulous hair, of course.

2. Anderson Cooper

Piercing blue eyes, suave and ageless sophistication endear me to Anderson Cooper and makes some small part of me wish he weren't gay. Favorite thing: those eyes.

3. Pierce Brosnan

Why hello there, gorgeous. Next on our lovely list is Pierce Brosnan, who I find irresistible, young or old. My favorite thing about this handsome gray haired hunk is his voice. So sexy.

4. Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey is a fairly new addition to the ranks of grey haired hotties, but he fits right in. A rugged mans man and humorous actor, I find him charming eye candy. Favorite thing: his smile.

5. George Clooney

And last, but certainly not least, is the handsome George Clooney. I would say he's definitely gotten better with age. My favorite thing about this gray haired icon would have to be his style... so timeless. 

There you have it, ladies (I doubt it any gentleman made it this far) five studs with silver strands and heaps of sex appeal.  



First Ever Angsty Political Rant

I'm shocked this is the first ever angsty political rant, because honestly, I could have chosen better issues. Yet somehow I've bottled it all up inside in the past and at least protected this blog from my political opinions even when my friends and family weren't so lucky. But here we go.

I was shocked Obama's "coming out" in support of gay marriage had such a positive response, I think it seems fairly obvious that after Biden's statement, the Obama administration said "Oh snap, Obama. He's making you look bad. If you want to live here for the next four years, you'd better get your act together and show some semblance of uniformity within this organization and put yourself in stark contrast with Romney." That's my take on it any way. If anyone else were to change their opinion on an issue like that, they would be wishy-washy and inconsistent. But when Obama suddenly comes to an epiphany as a result of careful reflection and study that took him several years and coincidentally concluded today, it's very mature and reasonable.

Can you say double standard?

I honestly don't really care if Obama supports gay marriage. The "marriage equality" issue is very hot right now, and I don't see resolution for either side as being a feasible reality, at least not in the short term. In other words, the law should not be dependent on if one man supports or doesn't support something. According to a recent Gallup poll, half of American support gay marriage. In a true democracy with one person, one vote, this should be put up to vote and according to Gallup, the majority of us want equal rights for homosexual couples. Yet America is not a true democracy. Our values may well be changing, yet it will take time for our norms to reflect that.

So why am I so incensed? I don't think you should be able to play the game that poorly and be handed a "Champion of the Oppressed" trophy as a reward. This might turn things around for the Obama in the eyes of the public, but I'm not impressed.


Read the article and see the video that prompted this rant here!!
 http://gma.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.html

People Say the Darnedest Things I

People say the darnedest things when they have to give speeches or presentations. I recognize not everyone has the grasp on the English language that I was taught/blessed with...but still. Some of this is so bad I have to stifle a snicker. Public speaking is hard. Everyone is inarticulate at times, myself definitely included. Yet in what I assure you is good humor, I would like to share some of the most amusing errors I have witnessed in my final weeks of group and research presentations.

"The author died of a very popular disease."

This one I almost laughed at loud. The plague was so popular at the time, everyone just had to get their hands on it!!

"In researching this topic, I found many findings."

Did you now? Can you say redundant??

"He then contacted malaria."

By phone or e-mail?

"X muchly affects Y in that..."

I muchly imagine so.

I have to say listening to this is both painful and hysterical. So at some point I decided I needed to start collecting these to share with the world. So when I look like I'm studiously taking notes, I'm actually noting your creative and incorrect use of the English language. Yeah. I'm just that kind of person.

What Girls and Guys on My Campus Are Wearing -Winter Edition!

1. North Face. UGH. Do these come in any color other than ugly? If they aren't boring black, they are this hideous fuchsia. I know they must be warm... but seriously? Everyone, guys and girls alike. They're seriously not that flattering.

2. Uggs. Double ugh. I loathe these boots. They are so ugly and when they get ratty and nasty... I literally cringe at the sight. Again, I understand the importance of warmth and utility, I really do. But this is uncalled for. Swear by their unsurpassed comfort all you like, but I will never, ever wear a pair.

 3. Mittens. Love these. Particularly the ones that have the fingerless gloves and then the mitten part folds over. So cute and perfect for texting.

4. Tights. Sadly these are all too rare, but I feel like giving the select stylin' few their due.Very nice, ladies. I'm impressed. And jealous.

5. Pea coats. I particularly love the brightly colored ones! The pink, teal and mustard ones were my favorites. I had to stop myself from staring. There is one guy on campus who has a lovely gray pea coat and let me tell you- that kid looks sharp. Take notes, boys. Nothing is more swoon worthy than a man in a nicely cut coat. Except maybe a man in a good hat...

6.  Muckluks. Okay. I don't know why, but these are so much cuter than Uggs. I hesitate to call them stylish, but I don't violently loathe them or feel vaguely nauseated when I see them.

7. Scarves. There are not words that can express my affection for, devotion to and adoration of the scarf. The cuteness is so intense it's painful. At least once or twice a day, I see someone wearing one I am positively enamored with. I regularly steal my roommate scarves because she has a lovely collection she never wears. Feminine, smexy and warm. What more can we ask for?

8. Hoodies. I have a complex relationship with the hooded sweatshirt. I feel it is a reprehensible article of clothing that much of the undergraduate population uses to get away with not caring. Yet I must admit they are warm and, in some cases, appropriate. But when you use them as gym wear, your outfit for class and your coat... I just feel like you're limiting yourself. And failing to flatter any curves you might have.

9. Sweatpants. I own one pair and that is too many. Wear them with a hoodie and you just look sad. Like the poster child for despair. "I've given up on any fabric that isn't cotton. My depression is too deep for even denim." I really don't mean to sound like a total and absolute snob. Wear them if you like. You might even by some miracle look half way decent in them. You are free to wear them and I am free to despise them and feel sorry for anyone wearing them, much less that poor smuck I see wanting campus all too often wearing the North Face, a hoodie, sweatpants and Uggs. That's just too much sin for any man or woman to carry around on their person.

10. Trapper Hats. Which always make me think of Kingsley. Which is an excellent connotation. Plus, it's the fake fur trend which somehow looks so fab on everyone else but I have no desire to adopt it myself. Meh. It happens.

What Guys and Girls On My Campus Are Wearing

On my college campus, I see a lot of hoodies and sweatpants and other typical college wear, but there are a few things that it honestly seems like every single kid and his girlfriend are wearing.

1. TOMS. I'm not kidding. They haunt me. Everybody has a pair and I feel massively left out. Next time I stumble across $40 I'll be sure to buy a pair.
2. Battered Flip-Flops. From the guys and their ugly Adias ones (it gets worse... they wear socks with them) to the girls and their thin strappy flip flops that should have been thrown away three seasons ago.

3. Destoryed T-Shirts. For some reason my fellow students think they can make the t-shirts the college gives them for free cuter by cutting out the arm pits and fraying the edges.

4. Moccasins. As you can see, there is a lot of variety in the footwear on this campus. I have seen many, many cute pairs shuffling by.

5. Crop Tops. Before it got freezing, a lot of girls were wearing cropped tops. I actually like the looser cut crop top. They seem more relaxed and less revealing then the skin tight 90ties cropped top.

6. Black Yoga Pants and Leggings. I have seen so many panty lines through these black beauties this week, it's not even funny. And they're ALL black. I've seen like... maybe one gray pair? They're not that comfortable, people.

7. Floral Prints. So cute. I'm seriously jealous. Skirts, dresses, shoes, scarves... the flower children abound.

8. A Wrist Full of Bracelets. They were all doing this awhile ago with this horrible rubber braclets advertising everything under the sun and now it's with rope and beaded bracelets. Granted, that is a huge improvement. I'm not complaining.

9. Skinny Jeans. No colored ones though. I'm kind of disappointed. The flare trend really hasn't caught on here yet.

10. Colored Hair. We have a lot of fun pink streaks, deep brunettes and highlighted blondes. Everyone decided to dye their hair. I confess, I helped one of my friends but a reddish purple streak in her hair. And it looks awesome.

So there you have it. For better or for worse, that's what kids around here are wearing. We have some lovely fashion forward ladies and lads here also, whose outfits I admire from a far and in general, we're a decently dressed campus... I only see pajama pants in the residence halls and on weekends.

Adele

Okay, so I'm gonna rave. Because every so often I feel some things need to be raved about. I am somewhat obsessive in my interests. Okay, a lot obsessive. I can't even imagine what people like me did before the Internet because I love to feed my obsessions with the bread crumb trail that is the Internet. And along this lovely bread crumb trail, I found some interesting things about a particular person about whom I feel the need to rave. This person is Adele. She's like Rihanna. I don't know (or even really care) what her last name is.

The first reason Adele is rave worthy is because is she is a talent. She is not "talented", she is a talent. There is a difference. I guess I feel talented people are like me. They "can" sing. People who are talents are like Adele where it seems like God made her to be what she is. She can sing, she can write song lyrics and music and she can preform. The talents are the combination that is too much to be coincidence. The talented just got one or some other to console them in their otherwise ordinary lives.

I love her voice. I love the power and control she has. She can actually sing, which is not a prerequisite for musicians in Hollywood, or so it would seem. I feel it is generally agreed that there is no one else like Adele. There just isn't. Deal with it. 

She waves her hands in the air while she sings. People who move while they play the piano or sing have a special place in my heart. Like they feel the music and they just can't stand still because they love it and they need it and when you're around them you can't help but feel it too.

Another thing- she's heavier. She doesn't look like a model. She's actually kind of fat. And I think she's drop dead gorgeous. She has a double chin and I think it's beautiful. I guess I kind of see her as one of those people who is lit up from the inside. Like her body knows that it carries an extraordinary soul inside and she shines with the confidence that comes from knowing who the heck you are.

I love Rolling in the Deep. It's been massively overplayed resulting in mass hatred towards the song. (Why do radio station murder songs like that any way? It's just appalling.) She describes it as her being like "I'm going to be fine without you." There's this fire in her heart and she certainly not her ballad about sitting on the couch crying with a tub of Ben and Jerry's in hand. Heck to the no. And yet it also has a healthy dose of appreciation for all the hopes she had... they had so much potential, they could have had it all and been rolling in the deep, for heavens sake. I guess it's a healing song to me. She's not over him, but she's getting there. It's tinged with pain and regret, but it's also powerful and hopeful in a way.

I also love Someone Like You. This is her "I am so not over you and I don't think I ever will be." song. I mean, the song is about her still not being over him after he has completely moved on. Like, wedding rings and offspring moved on. I don't know how much farther you can move on than that. I think that's universally the most tragic thing that can happen. Still loving someone when they no longer love you. It makes you doubt all the things you thought were true... doubt that you were ever loved. If he did love her, wouldn't it have worked out? How do you have that much love in a relationship and not have it work out? And then it gets worse. (Seriously. How much worse can it GET?) She asks him not to forget her. This is the part where I just wanna bawl my eyes out. "Hey, I know you've got this lovely wife and kids and everything and pretty much haven't thought of me in years until I showed up, but don't forget me... okay?" It's the heinous indignity of love.

So. Why Adele? She's a poet, a talent and a queen among woman. You look at her and you don't doubt that she has been places and done things with her sad doe eyes and a voice with so much joy and agony trapped within it. She has dignity and presence and down to earth- the kind of person that you can see drinking coffee and wearing sweat pants instead of a posh celebrity like Paris Hilton or Lady Gaga. I err in m judgement a lot, but I don't think I'm wrong about Adele. There is something real about her. She's special... just listen to her.

Problems with Chain Tag

Sometimes I am just like "Seriously. What is up with the world?" We are one messed up bunch of creatures. Human beings, that is. I think the ants are doing quite well as a race, actually. But us human beings. Goodness gosh. We have problems. Boy, do we have problems.

We hate each other. We kill each other, attack each other, hurt each other and try to bring each other down. In some ways people condone it saying its natural, animals do it and war is really part of the natural balance of power and influence in the world. Well screw it. I'm sick of it. I can't stand it. It's in us, in our blood and in our nature and it makes me sick.

We hate ourselves.  And maybe for good reasons in many cases. The heart forgives itself so slowly We hate what we've done, where we are at and where we always have been and probably always will be. I look in the mirror and I don't see much. Maybe reflections are really just that hallow. Life is a funny thing. It's never what you want it to be or what you would have wanted to be, and yet we all create lives for each other. We bring more of our race into the world, raise each other into maturity and by our social systems and hierarchy, we very much influence not only who each individual will be, but what their lives will be like.

Some people don't want anybody. They will pull themselves up by their bootstraps and they do not need anyone. Not true. Not true at all. Yes, you influence your own life. But so do countless other people. It's never just you. For better or for worse, we're all connected. It's like a silly game of chain tag where everyone is running in different directions while being forced to hold hands. Why do we focus on breaking the ties that bind instead of trying to work together? I don't get it. I don't get a lot of things though.

It's enough to make you want to give up on yourself and everybody else. But I can't get everyone to sit down on the ground, holding hands and singing campfire songs. So does that mean I have to keep running?

Ah, but in which direction?

Rate the Stranger

There's this game I play, usually from the passenger seat of a parked car. It is a game to assuage boredom, encourage critical thinking skills and celebrate awesomeness in all its many forms.

This game is called Rate the Stranger.

Be forewarned, this game is addicting.

RULES OF PLAY

1. You must rate each stranger on a scale of 1-10, 1 "Decidedly Unawesome" and 10 "Epic Beyond All Reason".

2. Ratings are based on:
            A. A stranger's tasteful, colorful or create fashion choices
            B. A stranger's awesome, amusing or downright strange actions
            C. A stranger's positive attitude, vibe or aura.

3. Personal biases (such as a love of beards, cute boots and random dancing and/or a distaste for people who drop their cigarettes in the grass, scowl at you and yell at their kids) are totally allowed and strongly encouraged.

4. While this game is to celebrate the awesome and random stranger, it is also not intended to be a platform to demean those who may appear unappealing or utterly boring at a first glance. This game cannot judge the inside of a person, only the outside. If there is nothing positive you can find about a stranger, or a good reason to dislike them, it is often best not to rate them at all.

5. The glorious and special time may come when you see a stranger so awesome, the scale simply does not do them justice. In this event, you may declare them an 11.

6. The game may begin at any time and end at any time. Everyone in the vehicle, convoy or space ship is allowed to submit their rating. The group need not agree.

7. The players do not and cannot win the game. Epic strangers win the game.

Coke and poly-the letter H-something-ides

Today I drank 7-UP. (Seven up? 7UP? You know what I'm talking about. Unless of course you are an alien who doesn't drink carbonated beverages. If so, try one. It's a pleasant surprise. And thanks for reading my blog.) Anyway, this was an odd and rather invigorating experience for me because I have an addiction to pop, but not 7-UP. An overwhelming passion for one and only one kind of pop. So wonderful, I forget all others exist.

While we are on the topic there is something I must say: it's called pop, people. Not soda. Not coke (unless of course it is a Coke. Coke is a brand, not a all inclusive word for carbonated sugar). Pop. It's a sound; it's a drink; it's the death of a balloon; it's a way of life.

And that's where I get to the point (however dull it may be) Today, I feel like raving about the greatest of all pop. Diet Coke.

I love Diet Coke (I have the t-shirt to prove it). It's a bad habit I picked up from my Mother. Maybe I can say it's in my genes? People are often disgusted by my deep obsession with this beverage. I am sorry, but I can't help it.

Well meaning friends try to cure me of my addiction through support and concern.

"Anna! That's disgusting! Just drink a regular coke!"

"You know that stuff is really bad for you, right?"

"You drink... diet?"

I could do some research... maybe one day I shall. But for some reason, everyone says diet is disgusting and whatever makes it taste so good also turns to formaldehyde in your liver. Charming, eh? But that substance that sweetens... (poly-the letter H-something-ides) are what makes it so much better.

It's like Coke... yes. And yes, Coke is good, but Diet coke is just plain better some how. Glorified Coke!

And it's not just any Diet drink. No. Pepsi is just as loathsome in diet as it is regular. I am left to believe that Coke was just made for those poly-the letter H-something-ides and it was love at first sip.

In order to describe to you the party this drink throws in my mouth and truly do it justice, I would have to sample great quantities and be a lot smarter, but the best way I can think of to describe it at this time is that it's more complex than just Coke... thinner and lighter somehow but deeper. There is a subtle undertone, a hint, a vague something that is lacking in Coke. Either it's those poly-you-know-what's or it's magic. It's pop, sweet, bubbly and painful when snorted, but somehow more.

In any case, when I have the choice of pop (savor that word everyone, POP) I always choose Diet Coke. Automatically. And so to consume another brand of pop was both strange and surprising. Strange because it rarely happens and surprising because I actually liked it. It was good. And yet it was not Diet Coke. My mind could not compute the two.

So I will drink Diet Coke. May it turn to whatever it turns to in my liver, I don't care. But when hard pressed... I can drink something else. It may not be magical, but it still pretty good.