Channel Surfing the Apocalypse

The Asylum story yesterday about drink spiking is perhaps one of the worst cases of irresponsible journalism I have seen in quite some time. This is probably because I don't often read the dregs of web media, but it's still pretty bad. Citing a study of Australian "drink spiking victims", Jeremy Taylor presents a "happy hour fact to amaze your drinking buddies with!" Out of women who claim their drinks were spiked, NONE of their claims were true. Nope, they just drank themselves into a stupor and made up a story about being drugged to absolve themselves of responsibility.

The report itself is offensive enough (I want to see some credentials and more information on that report's sources), but the article's tone is also dismissive to the point of causing harm. Taylor's use of quotation marks when using the word victim, rather than taking issue with the semantics, serves to dismiss the real trauma of countless women who have been drugged. It negates the plausibility of all such claims of abuse.

There's no use arguing how damaging such dismissive rhetoric is, especially in cases of violence against women. We have a few decades, at least, of wrongfully dismissed rape cases and countless women afraid to report real crimes for fear of being called a liar or worse for proof of damage. Also, I'd be preaching to the choir. But I think it's worth getting really riled up about. And I think it's worth pointing out the last line of the article, as well: "We tried to use the 'my drink must have been spiked' excuse with a girlfriend once. No, we are no longer dating".

Taylor's use of humor, from the epitaph of the article to its closing line, makes the issue of date rape and the spiking of drinks into a punchline. Not only is this offensive, it is completely inexcusable. While the author himself deserves to be punished, the media network who allowed the article to be written and then linked to more prominent news outlets (like AOL, where i found it) should also be held accountable. While citing a vague report, presenting unsubstantiated claims is reckless and irresponsible, it is important to realize that when the issue is as important and sensitive as this, the stakes are even higher. The standards of journalism should be too.

You know, ever since I grew out of my 14 year old rebellious phase, I've recognized that sometimes cops just get a bad rap. Sure, I still kind of love the NWA song, but I know that cops do a lot of good work, especially after getting to know a few. That's why it's always especially distressing when cops end up proving stereotypes right by doing something assinine. Like wailing on a teenage girl for tossing a shoe at them. Today's news, however, is unconscionable.

The NYPD were called to help escort a drunken woman home. Two male officers, Moreno and Mata, arrived, took her upstairs, then returned twice. At some point during one of those visits, Moreno, who has been on the job for 18 years and two years away from retiring with his pension, raped the semi-conscious woman while she lay face down on her bed. Mata, only part of the force for 3 years, kept lookout for his partner.

The NYPD is dually heralded as both the best and the worst police force in the world. For a police officer answering his call of duty by raping the citizen he was sent "to serve and protect" is truly one of the most dispicable acts one could commit.

Today NPR is talking about the barter system and how it can be useful in a depressed economy. They have been talking with people who exchange sewing work for someone to come by and give their cat a diabetic shot, exchanging electric guitars for acoustic ones, hairdressing for carpentry, and countless other exchanges. One of the ideas I liked best was the idea of some barter communities of balancing growth of their group with the importance of having a small, intimate community to trade in. I immediately thought of spiritquesting, and what a great little community of very handy people we've got here.

Unfortunately, being surrounded by crafty people has yet to rub off on me. I am terrible at sewing and still pretty iffy on bike maintenance (though I can confidently change my brakes. And tires, kinda sorta). But one thing I have taught myself in the past couple of years, out of necessity, has been gluten free baking. And I need a nice pair of jeans shortened and hemmed. I have needed this done for about six months now, but haven't gotten around to finding a shop in town to trust. And while I know a couple of people who hem, I'm not a big fan of asking for random favors. I have finally perfected the gluten free chocolate chip cookie and I have been told I have some excellent cakes, brownies, sandwich bread, and lemon loaf (which seems to be a pretty consistent favorite among test groups).

So...gluten free baked goods for tailoring?

My daily perusals of the New York Times online today led me to this, a review of "My Little Red Book", by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff. I was attracted initially by the review's title: "In the Open at Last, a Secret All Women Share". I was sure I'd find something at least marginally offensive or just plain interesting. I was right on both counts. I am certainly interested in checking this book out. It is a collection of stories from women about the experience of their first period. It has oustanding potential.

On the other hand, reviewer Abigail Zuger, MD, rubs me the wrong way. In both title and her insistence that men should go outside and "toss a ball around for awhile" rather than read the book, Zuger seems stuck in the binary view of gender, deciding for others how their genders must present themselves. She further distances herself, as well as the book, from being overtly feminist. I can't speak for the book until I've actually read it, but Zuger assures us that the editors "manage to avoid both the chirpy 'You are a woman now' song of the Tampax box and the lugubrious musings on blood, moons and fertility of the feminist academic."

Still, I am very curious about the book. I am also curious about the subject. Take my first period for example. My mother had already been telling me for a few years that I would get my period "very soon". That never happened. I probably spent a few seconds every day for two years wondering if "this will be the day?" I was terrified it was going to happen in class, or without my realizing it until someone laughed and pointed to a bloodstain on my pants. I began asking my mother and sister how I would know? What does it feel like? I was never really satisfied with my sister's "like trickling blood" explanation, but what could I do? I started going to the bathroom a lot in 8th grade, when many of my other lady friends had already started. I had to check. I often convinced myself I could feel myself bleeding during class, so I'd run off to check.

The actual moment was more lackluster than most stories. I was at home. Going to the bathroom. For real, not in a paraniod "have I started my period yet?" way. As I was, for lack of a better way to put this, "cleaning up", the tissue came away bloody. I was terrified for a few seconds until I figured it out. I screamed "MOOOOOMMM!!!!" at the top of my lungs, she came, she gave me a tampon, which I refused to use because it terrified me, she came back with pad, and that was it.

Anyone else want to share their stories?

Oh my! I really really want to see this play: "In the Next Room (or the vibrator play)" by Sarah Ruhl.

It sounds like it deals with the themes of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, but with primitive electric vibrators! What more needs to be said? Anyone wanna sponser my trip down to Berkeley to review this?

That's right, folks, it's that time of year! No, Not the Academy Awards, but the GLAAD Awards!!! This year marks the 20th anniversary of the GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Awards and the nominees are out! My favorite category, comics, will probably be a tight race between favorites Buffy the Vampire Slayer, by Drew Goddard, Jeph Loeb, and Joss Whedon, and Secret Six, by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. Other nominees include The Alcoholic by Johnathan Ames, Final Crisis: Revellations by Greg Rucka, and Young Avengers Presents by Ed Brubaker, Brian Reed, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Paul Cornell, Kevin Grevioux and Matt Fraction.

I must say, I'm not an Avengers or a Final Crisis fan. At all. I can't imagine how they got in the running for this award, but GLAAD generally has pretty good taste. I am particularly excited about the Buffy nod. There are times when it feels like Joss just really has a jones to see some lesbian action, but the follow through with the most recent story arc was great. More importantly, while Buffy's lesbian relationship certainly plays a role in the plot, it does not take center stage. The story still focuses on the Slayer's battle against "the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness" with relationships providing a backdrop and a third dimension for the character. So, while Buffy's rather sudden new relationship at first seemed like a frolick in Joss' fantasy world, it has ended up being drawn with affection, sensitivity, and even a shade of real world depiction...minus the superhero bit.

As for Secret Six, I keep meaning to pick it up but simply never have. I do not enjoy jumping into the middle of a story arc, so I have waited. Gail Simone is a fantastic story teller, evidenced by her current run on Wonder Woman, and I look forward to checking this story out.

Men in skirts. According to New York Times fashion bloggers, it's the new trend. Several big name fashion designers have been spotted wearing skirts for themselves, but they have also been a big hit on the runways of New York and Paris.

Addmittedly, I'm no fashion buff; but this story intrigues me nonetheless. As one commentator on the New York Times blog post points out, men in the Northwest have done the Utilikilt thing for years. I've seen it. But there is something much more striking about a man wearing a pencil skirt with graffiti tights. And a silk skirt with Mary Jane style patent leather shoes. Not only are these images striking, they may speak to a more progressive view of gender in the fashion world.

I cannot speak much to trickle down theory of fashion runways to streets. From personal experience, however, I feel fairly confident when I say the runway has never been a reflection of the real world. In terms of body type, it has certainly been a place to view our culture's "ideal form", but whether or not the prevalence of men in skirts on the runway will soon be seen on the streets of Seattle, I cannot say. I doubt it.

Regardless, the trend is incredibly interesting and I'll be curious to see how it develops. These designers, such as Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, have certainly put forth an alternative to traditional gender expressions. Their models look elegant without looking like they are cross-dressing. And yet there are certainly expectations of the angry media mob to follow. Perhaps more importantly, while this could mark the beginning of new expressions of gender, the fashion industry is often far too easily dismissed as either "gay", "frivolous", "racist", "elititist", and "ridiculous". While many or all of these categorizations may be true, these images are still bound to cause a stir. And it could be productive.

Last week over at the New York Times, writer Daniel Bergner talked about sexology in his article, What Women Want.

From Bonobo porn to the fluidity of sexual desire, Bergner discusses a variety of very interesting theories. And there's highly respected women to back them up, too, like Meredith Chivers and Lisa Diamond.

There is, however, one strike against Bergner for describing the outfits and body types of each PhD woman he interviews; but the article was still an interesting read that I highly recommend.

While looking around online after that last post, I found this:

I really don't think I need to say anything. Other, of course, than what the fuck? It's moments like these I'm grateful I don't read fashion magazines.

The Colorado State University Police Chief, Dexter Yarbrough, has an awful lot of charges against him. Unfortunately, most of those charges were pressed years ago, but CSU seems to have kept them quiet. Now the situation has come to a head and an awful lot of nasty evidence is surfacing. My favorite are the tape recordings of his lectures, taken by a saavy student who knew Yarbrough was crossing lines, particularly legal ones.

There are a lot of awful quotes, but the one that really manages to stand apart from the rest is this gem: "Women want the dick, even when they say 'no'. They want the dick."

Thank you, Jessica, at feministing.com, for alerting me to another heartwarming day in the news!