It’s What Women Want Blog Day.
As explained in comments on a previous entry, the idea is:
Head to your favourite woman blogger’s site, read what they want, and follow the links at the bottom to find some new blogs to bookmark.
There are currently 17 female bloggers on the LP blogroll, not counting group blogs with women posters. I’d like to see more. Please nominate yourself, or women bloggers you love to read (and why), and I’ll add the sites. The only real guidelines for the blogroll at the moment are that the blogs are all Australian (or have Australian bloggers) and contain some political/social commentary, or are bloggers who regularly comment on political blogs.
Update: If you’re coming here from I Blame the Patriarchy or Bitch, PhD, you might like to scan Kim’s two comments and the ensuing discussion for some clarification. And these two just in. We seem to have been having a few intercultural misunderstandings, but happily these appear now to be resolving.
Oh, and this clarification.
What an excellent idea. I’ll try to find the time to do a post.
HOORAY!
I fully intend to blog this later today. Not sure if I really should be saying what I want, but I’ll try and keep things family-friendly!
What Women Bloggers Want
According to Mark Bahnisch’s blog, today is What Women Bloggers Want Day. I’m supposed to say what I want, and male bloggers or blog-readers are supposed to give it to me. Or at least that’s how I think it ought to work. In any case I haven’t thoug…
Does trackback work with Blogger? Anyway, I have given some brief on topic loving to some of our sisters. I am thinking over a post on female empowerment in country music. (I realise saying that leaves me wide open for snarky comments –bring it aaaaawwwwn!) Real country that is, not that alt. nonsense. Might get to it tonight.
goodonya, Mark. Below are some more excellent blogs written by Australian women. Not all necessarily write consistently about politics, but all do sometimes – I think that pattern of being a “political” or “pundit” blogger is itself fairly gendered.
Helen
Jo
Burnt Karma
la nadine
fluffy
Ampersand Duck
There’s some interesting stuff about “A list” North American liberal bloggers and gendered patterns of linking at pinko feminist hellcat (possibly the best blog name in the world) and particularly at Shakespeare’s Sister
I should also have included Laura and sju sju
Thanks, Zoe, I’ll check them all out when I get a chance.
I always enjoy reading Stack, who is on your list already, Naomi from wsacaucus.org, who is kind-of-on-it, and Mushroom from the Pen, who is not.
What about Barbara Nicolosi’s “Church of the Masses” (http://churchofthemasses.blogspot.com/). Pinko feminist hellcat she ain’t, and she doesn’t qualify for any of your listed constraints either, Mark (sorry, breakin’ the rulez) – but she’s got a really interesting perspective, I’ve always thought.
to the tune of Casey Chambers ‘Am I not pretty enough’
Am I not political enough?
Is my blog too crappy
Do I whine too much
Or am I too sappy
Don’t I make you laugh?
Should I stop talking toddlers
Come on and read For Battle
actually if you aren’t interested in toddlers and strange flatmates it probably isn’t your cup of tea. I can’t say we’re a political mob. (Shameless plug)
Err, Mindy, you’ve been on the blogroll for some time!
Yeah Mindy,
Learn to read you stupid woman!
Oh, and happy female blog day.
Joining memes here, do women want equal pay, perchance? Bad luck babies.
You messed up the link, you cretan.
Thanks cretin. try here.
Women want a good man and as many babies as possible. As we all know.
Oi! Stop being typical boys with the stoushing, name-calling and back to the kitchen rhetoric, EP and C.L.!
Cheers for the links, folks. Imagine the voice of BB: “The Blogroll has now changed”.
FWIW, Zoe, I agree with you about the gendered nature of what counts as “commentary”.
And I thought women wanted massages and to be hand fed choice tid-bits…
Women want everything, and they want the opposite as well. And they want men to pay for it.
Hey Zoe – interesting google string in the stats today.
Here are some of my favourite women bloggers:
http://www.ninme.com/
http://drsanity.blogspot.com/
http://www.risawn.com/blogger.html
http://www.theanchoressonline.com/
http://site-essential.com/
http://mindofmog.net/
http://www.gravett.org/theapplicant/blog/
http://michellemalkin.com/
EP, have you checked out this one from Zoe’s recommendations? I can guarantee it will be of interest to you.
Sorry Kim, it’s just a bunch of pictures with occasional text to me.
Back Paddock is a Brisbane blog I’ve begun reading recently, and enjoying very much. Not enough of us are game to ask strangers to pose for photographs.
Musta been a different Zoe, Mark. They didn’t get anywhere near my place – just the usual summernats and teenage c*ck searches.
Bitch Phd at bitchphd@blogspot.com has a very interesting take on life and marriage. I don’t think EP would approve though. (and she is American)
Mark – I was making a general comment, I know we have a nice spot on your blogroll.
Harry – get bent Batman.
*le sigh* why I’m biting I don’t know.
E.P. Women want exactly what men want. All humans want
1. Love.
2. Warmth, shelter and food for themselves and those they love.
3. Access to housing, health services, education and transport
4. Respect for who they are, for their needs, for their beliefs and opinions.
5. The chance to work towards personal goals, and achieve their aims.
and I want a box of chocolates and a long stemmed rose.
I’m surprised EP didn’t notice the tagline – pseudo-Swede.
Last night, I wanted some beers, a dance and a bonk and am happy to say I got what I wanted.
Women want exactly what men want. All humans want
1. Love.
2. Warmth, shelter and food for themselves and those they love.
3. Access to housing, health services, education and transport
4. Respect for who they are, for their needs, for their beliefs and opinions.
5. The chance to work towards personal goals, and achieve their aims.
… this is a good summary of the things feminism tries to deny to men — with considerable success.
Oh, EP, how does feminism deny these things to men? By asserting that women should also have them?
Y’know what I want? I want EP to find some peace (and warmth), and give the rest of us some.
Oh, EP, how does feminism deny these things to men? By asserting that women should also have them?
No, of course not.
Feminism does these things by conceiving of sexual equality as a zero-sum game. That is, radical feminists believe that in order to have something, women must take it away from men. The others go along with them.
In the case of the five items listed above, feminist-influenced family law is the means by which some men are systematically deprived of all these things, purely on account of their gender. Feminists resist reform to these laws, because they believe that any gain for men is a loss for women (that zero-sum thinking I mentioned).
Righto Meg, up on the battlements with you. EP I have found that there are actually a lot of men who also indulge in zero-sum thinking. I accept that there are feminists out there who think like that, but I would argue that many of them don’t. I agree that family law has been rough on men for many years, although a lot of this comes from men being the traditional breadwinners and women being primarily wife and mother, so the seemingly logical conclusion that children should be with their mother came about. A few bad apples have also not helped men’s causes. This is not a justification for the laws being as they are, and they are being changed. But I think men need to understand that demanding what they want isn’t going to work. There are a lot of women out there who see the need for fathers to have access to their children, kids need their Dads. Kids also need their Dads to pay child support and I know quite a few women who struggle because ex-hubby doesn’t pay his share. Conversely I also know men who struggle to pay their share and still live a reasonable existence. I think what I’m trying to say is that it’s not as one sided as you like to make out EP.
Perhaps it isn’t all that one-sided.
But feminists are just as guilty as I am of presenting only one side of the case, and they have dominated media reporting and public debate on gender issues for 20 years.
It’s important to let both sides be heard.
It certainly is important to hear both sides. So, EP, can you give some examples where feminism has denied (or tried to) men any of the 5 things on my list?
The original question is not one I’d consider to be compatible with feminism; it perpetuates the belief that women are inscrutable and puzzling
I agree, Laura, as I (kind of) said in my post. But I think the intent was to pose it ironically, and give us a chance to say what we actually want.
Actually reading the answers makes women seem less inscrutable and puzzling.
But then, that’s probably just what they want us to think.
yep, there’s that conspiracy again.
As a woman, my advice to all youse men.. is… ASK.
I know, I know, revolutionary….
Music is a necessity. After food, air, water and warmth, music is the next necessity of life.
– Keith.
So late to this but I just had to link to one of my favourite sites, which I know EP will just luuuurve:
http://twistyfaster.typepad.com/i_blame_the_patriarchy/
Rock musician, spinster Aunt, food critic and all round blamer of the patriarchy, Twisty also does a nice line in insects and Mr. T inspired commentary.
Hmmm what this woman (feminist) wants, is for people to stop assuming there is only one brand of feminism.
Of course there are all sorts of feminisms, Maryam. But EP’s references aren’t to any actually existing feminism but to some sort of demonic construct that he believes in.
No, my references are to basic characteristics inherent to all forms of feminism.
These characteristics include the belief that “men” and “women” are social classes, that women are oppressed, and that men are the oppressors.
From these basic beliefs, all the theoretical constructs of feminism spring — and all of them, at some level, see men as enemies to be attacked.
This is why feminism is an inherently sexist and evil movement.
These characteristics include the belief that “men” and “women” are social classes, that women are oppressed, and that men are the oppressors.
Many feminists would argue that because of the social structuring of gender, men are just as much oppressed by the sex/gender system as women.
Not everyone sees things (or acts) in the dichotomous Manichean terms you like to see the world in, EP.
Actually feminists see the world in dichotomous Manichean terms — women good/men bad.
Hello, EP? I’m a feminist and I don’t.
You need to get over your ideological blinkers.
That’s what you think, Kim, but when pushed on certain issues I’m sure you’d show those traits.
Feminists will avow support for equality, but when it’s suggested that men should have some specific equal rights, such as the right to choose whether to have unwanted children, the “equality” suddenly disappears.
Feminists are to be judged by their policies and actions, not by their rhetoric.
Popper, however, is to be judged by his rhetoric.
EP, you forget one vital physiological fact and that is that women have the children, ok? My womb. My choice. If I have sex with a man and I fall pregnant, I am now officially in charge of what happens to the biological material within. Sorry about that, but it’s the way it is. Because it’s my body.
Now, as a man, if you’re so worried about unwanted pregnancy, you’ve got the choice not to put your penis inside any woman’s vagina and ejaculate. That’s your choice when it comes to having children. Very simple, my friend, very simple.
If you’re seriously suggesting that true sexual equality comes from giving men more control over women’s bodies, ie, the right to abort a fetus within a woman’s body when she does not want an abortion, then you’ve just revealed yourself as one seriously troubled individual.
I think Kim the problem EP has is that he insists as seeing a problem with many shades of grey as black and white. I totally agree that if I fall pregnant and you want me to have an abortion, it is still my choice.
However, I also think that if the pregnancy was accidental then if the father choses to have nothing to do with the child, then that is his choice, and by choosing to have that child I have made the decision to be a single parent and rely upon my own resouces. (of course were I actually in this situation I may feel differently, but from a theoretical perspective this is where I am at).
If I deliberately lie to the sperm donor and fall pregnant knowing that he doesn’t want to have children, then see above.
However, if I and sperm donor are trying to have a baby, or not trying not to, and when the pregnancy occurs then the sperm donor suddenly gets cold feet, well too late buddy, you knew the risks when you went in there. You can’t change your mind halfway through.
The problem being of course that there is often a whole mishmash of the above going on when unplanned / unwanted pregnancies arise. Thus the shades of grey where misunderstandings arise.
But EP we aren’t all out there trying to entrap men into paying for children that they don’t want. I know that there are women who do set out to entrap men, but the majority of us have better things to do, and want better for our children and ourselves.
sorry that should be Kate.
I think you are all missing the point.
Clearly, EP is hot for you ladies and he’s using the age-old flirting ritual known as enraging the opposite sex so much that they invariable fall in love with him.
Come on EP! Fess up
Yes Mindy, I agree. I just wanted to point out where EP’s comments were leading.
As you said, I’ve got better things to do than entrap a man for his money via bearing his unwanted children. Frankly this belief that sperm-theft is the road to riches and power (explaining all those female pollies and female CEOs and female top lawyers etc, they all got there via sperm theft and by milking the extremely lucrative child maintenance payments for all their worth) is ludicrous.
Russell, I’m yet to hear from EP about my offer of intimate seduction to test his theory about sperm theft.
Give it time Kim, give it time.
Kate, I’ve just discovered EP’s amazing American blog adventures. I wouldn’t worry about your link sending him over there. I’m sure in time, they’ll discover he’s just a provocative pussycat with a misguided view of women. It’s all down to his Sweden-hating.
From What She Said!
[Comment edited by Kim: Morgainne listed her progressive women's blogroll which contains, as she says, over 500 links. An unintended effect is to make this comment exceptionally long and thus this thread hard to read. So please follow the link above to get the idea.]
That’s over 500 Progressive Women who blog politics. Want the Conservative women’s list, too?
Thanks, Morgaine, but see the original post – what we’re looking for is Australian blogs.
Morgaine, see the comments by Kate and Amanda here (the thread doesn’t seem to want to let me link to individual comments). If you think that what Mark was saying was that there were only 17 female bloggers worth linking to, then that’s quite wrong. What he was talking about was the Australian political blogosphere which is very boy. I think you’ve jumped to the assumption that this is a US blog, and that’s just another hierarchy, I fear. I think it would be quite sad if people misinterpreted the intent of the post – which seems to have happened with some US readers. I think some quick assumptions about context have been made. All of which probably fit into a pattern of assumptions about blogs, which these things tend to do. The hope here is to question some of those assumptions about what’s an “A-list blog” and what constitutes a “political” blog – from within the context of the Australian blogosphere.
Oh, Australian ones…
Here goes…
Aardvark’s Time In
Aardvark’s Wendy House
Abacus Usin’ Koala Counter
Abalone is for Fisheaters
…
…need I continue
See also this comment I’ve just posted to the US thread on long American lists and the intent of posting same:
Just as well that list of 500 names wasn’t hyperlinked throughout, the moderation facility would have crapped itself. Isn’t five links usually the anti-spam tripwire?
Your comment, Kim, at the twisty blog that;
…sums it up for me. That’s why I keep an LP bookmark.
Kim’s just edited the comment, Liam.
And yes, more than 5 hyperlinks and the Spaminator goes nuts.
Some people — men , women, Fyodors — really do go out of their way to be offended, which is partly why I take the safe route and don’t blog (or even comment much) about politics.
Oh dear, the intercultural misunderstanding has spread and LP is being disparaged on another US feminist blog, ironically one that Mark has linked to with approval on many occasions.
See what one EP can do!
I think the context is again different – the blog I’ve just linked to has turned off its comments so we can’t even clarify things – they must get millions of crazed anti-feminist commenters and assumed that we encourage them here – whereas EP is really just our domesticated and rather grumbly tomcat pet.
The more I think about it, the more this sucks. How many male written Australian blogs never mention gender issues or sexuality issues in the context of politics? How many Sophie Massons post heterosexist bile at the drop of the hat? How many of the widely read Australian political blogs ever post queer-affirmative stuff or treat gender politics as properly political and important?
And this is the blog that now gets attacked by American feminist women.
The Australian blogosphere is culturally different to the American one and I am coming to the view that Ms Twisty has done herself and people who should be her allies a real disservice by rushing to conclusions and into a post like the one she wrote.
I’m really pissed off about this now!
Hey, don’t complaain!
My blog often mentions gender and sexuality issues in the context of politics.
Sheez, you just can’t please these fussy females.
I really like I Blame The Patriarchy (and BitchPhd) and I was very dismayed when I read that initial post (OK, the takedown of EP was good) in that LP is being attacked for something that’s not happening.
There’s a real sensitivity in women’s blogs in the US that they are ignored by mainstream sites, ie, Kos and so forth, and it seems to be true. So I guess that’s where this sort of thing is coming from, even though Mark specifically stated he wanted to find more women’s blogs… and wasn’t attacking women’s blogs at all.
Cultural gap, do you think?
I dunno. It’s weird, whatever it is.
They just hate men, and therefore they hate blogs run by men.
It’s that simple, Kate.
Yaaaaawwwwwn.
Naomi, that link doesn’t seem to be working.
I am offended. I started blogging with a large nude photo – no mistaking the sex. I have cat stuff. More female links than male. My blog template is PINK for chrissakes – show me a male blogger who would do that.
Hey there, LP. I’m an occasional lurker and was sent here this time by Ms Brownie. I’m going to check out all these birdy bloggers in a tick, but not before I put in my .02 of great female bloggers. I freely admit I am a blogging narcissist, so I will nominate myself, though I don’t quite know what’s worth reading on my blog, heh. Other than that, here are my picks:
http://exonome.blogspot.com/ – Brownie
http://llachar.blogspot.com/ – Misha, who is my ultimate Sydney drinking buddy, since I’m a lowly Brisbane ex-pat.
http://chickybaberules.blogspot.com/ – ChickyBabe
http://www.observationdeck.org/lip/ – Rachel Croucher
http://tokenwoman.blogspot.com/ – TokenWoman
http://nailpolishblues.blogspot.com/ – Nailpolishblues
Haven’t really come to grips with Third Wave, have you EP. My own definition of feminism that informs my worldview is: “A feminist is someone who believes that gender distinction does not have a value attached to it, and that therefore women or men should not be valued less or more (either practically or theoretically) because of their gender.” So don’t give me crap that the feminist ideals I cherish are somehow *inherently* misoandrist.
Furthermore as specifically a Muslim feminist, I (and others like me) hold to the notion of equality of results, not absolute uniformity of treatment.
But I do agree with those commenters who see a cultural gap between the US and the Australian blogosphere. Their politics are much more starkly divided too, ours are more.. hmm shall I say, nuanced.
Kate
I wouldn’t worry to much about EP inadvertantly making any women pregnant. In order for that to happen he’d have to actually persuade someone to shag him, and judging by his level of anger and general frustration I’m guessing that hasn’t happened in quite some time.
I think I’ll settle in and watch EP battle his imaginary feminist strawman (or should it be strawwoman?) now. Anyone want some popcorn?
BritGirlSF, we normally only see EP on weekends or during working hours. He’s testing the limits of the new laws to facilitate the unfair dismissal of employees with his campaign against sperm theft (EP – by the way, I’m self employed and can do what I like with my time provided I get my work done and I note that you’re normally omnipresent at millions of blogs and bulletin boards).
Kate, yeah it’s weird. I do think Ms Swifty should have thought a bit before she put that post up but perhaps it is a response to a more polarised blog culture.
Sorry, Brownie, you hadn’t visited us for a while and I thought you no longer loved us
I’ll update the blogroll tomorrow to include your place and also have a look at Bourbon Bird’s links, and check out other commenters’ blogs.
Bourbon Bird, I think I remember seeing piccies of you and Misha at one of the many post-Sydney Grogblog posts somewhere or other. Brisvegas exile, hey? Brisvegans always come back to us eventually
Maryam, this is such an excellent idea. Am loving your site already. Will have a proper look around yours and others tomorrow – time for sleep!
Here’s the latest from Ms Twisty:
And my response:
I propose that next time we conduct intercultural exchanges in Swedish. Or Latin.
Holy Wollstonecroft, two weeks in China and feminism goes fourth wave on me. I cant follow all this. I would point out, however, in response to earlier comments, that I strongly object to the ‘inscrutable’ tag.
Personally, I’ve always found feminist women to be highly scrutable.
And on that boom-boom note, to bed.
Apologies follow in the morning.
Kim, I think you are right that there’s been a bit of a gulf in understanding – not just from you but from me and also as I read this thread, a number of commenters here. Hopefully it’s being sorted now.
So much for the Anglosphere, hey? I’m still with Kate – I think the whole thing was kinda weird. And if you read Dr Bitch’s comment, I still reckon the Aussies and Americans are talking past each other a tad.
I of course, as an American citizen, have a foot in each camp. Well, I would if I had two feet. I guess I have a foot in the Australian camp and a prosthesis in the American.
I’m having a hard time grasping the sperm theft thing. Most men I know seem to be all too eager to give their sperm away for free. Why on earth would anyone need to steal it?
Nice to know your resident troll works so hard while he’s, you know, supposed to be working though. I just find it funny that, despite all the cultural differences you might expect to encounter(see the little spat above), the woman-fearing anti-feminists sound exactly the same in every country. Is there some sort of textbook they’re all cribbing from?
Also, what’s his beef with Sweden? The Swedes seem quite harmless to me. Is he a fan of this guy?
http://www.godhatessweden.com/
Hey Mark,
Yeah, I used to make an annual pilgrimage back to Brisvegas. I’ll be sure to take it back up sometime soon, Sydney’s giving me shoulder-knots.
I have a solution for EP *tongue firmly in cheek* (no not that) – that all men who don’t want children (yet or if ever) have a reversible vasectomy and a large V painted on their forehead. That way any woman sleeping with them will know instantly that the men don’t want children, or at least not with them. Should the vasectomy fail for any reason the men can then make their own choice of whether they want to have a child with this woman, or walk away and take no responsibility. In a court of law they have made a reasonable attempt not to become a father by having the surgery and so should not be held accountable by a doctor’s mistake or nature’s obstinancy. Men who don’t trust vasectomies could always go for a complete removal solution.
BritGirlSF, I think EP has drawn our attention to that important link in the past.
BourbonBird, feel free to let us LP types know when yr next in Vegas!
For sure, Mark. There’s not much left for me up there, time changes everything. You’ve been linked, Chief.
Ah well. Storm a blog cup, really. We all know here that Mark wasn’t pulling out the “where are all the good female bloggers, guess they’re too busy blogging about their PMS” bullshit we’ve heard before (or I have, as a regular reader of US blogs) and was genuinely asking for more links to female bloggers because… there aren’t many linked to in the Australian blogosphere. For whatever reasons, which are too varied to go into here.
Anyway, most of my fave female Aussie bloggers are already represented on Mark’s blogroll, and many of my favourite blogs are from OS, so that’s outside the rubric of this post, which, if I’d realised that initially might have menat this whole thing might not have occurred. I still really like Twisty’s site and I can forgive her the oversight in thinking Mark was being a little, Antipodean Kos or whatever, whcih he wasn’t.
This is all very meta right now. My fingers are frickin’ freezing. It’s like two degrees here this morning… aggrgh.
So I think I’ll shut up and resume my plans to take over the world, one man’s sperm at a time. Sisters are doing it for themselves, etc etc.
Cheers, BourbonBird.
Will have a look at the bloggy goodness from suggestions tonight – got a job interview thingy today. Nothing stands between me and 80k but my purple suit. Just kidding – wearing charcoal and white pin stripe.
It’s hard for me to say this, but the American thing aside, I also was a little bit taken aback by the request for referrals to blogs by women. It’s as if a literature professor said he’d be delighted to add a few women poets to his syllabus on the english renaissance, provided someone else would look them up for him first.
But you see Laura Mark knows that if we enjoy the blogs that we recommend chances are he will too. It’s not that he’s too busy Phd-ing, because he’s here too often to be doing that, but why reinvent the wheel when like minded individuals can send him some great new links?
Laura, I don’t think the analogy of a syllabus works at all. It would be patronising were Mark to have called for links to add to some kind of reading-list of important blogs, but that’s not how I read the post.
The sharing of links is a collective activity. I’ve read a lot of blogs as the direct result of this thread, I imagine many of the other commenters have too. It’s been excellent. If only link-sharing would happen more often, we might demolish the worst aspect of the ‘blogosphere’: the idea that there are a ‘canon’ of important blogs which constitute required reading for internet citizens, or worse, a hierarchy.
Down with A-listism!
I just love the way that Mark gets attacked by feminists for trying to please them.
Says a lot about the priorities of feminism. “Men are always wrong, it’s all their fault”.
No, EP, I think it’s just you.
Fair call, Laura — Mark is in a position of power here, you’re right, and a call-out for more blogging women can be patronising when it has overtones of “well, I would link to women but I just can’t gosh darned find any”. Which wasn’t what I read in Mark’s post. Instead, he posted response to other female bloggers calling out for other bloggers to get more chick links. So he put it out there too. If you reread the original post I think you’ll see what I mean.
And he is admitting that Australian womens’ blogs are under-represented, both on his own site and in the general linkage of the Australian blogosphere.
And he is trying to fix it.
Look, women’s voices are terribly under-represented in politics and that’s reflected in blogging. The big blogs on the block in this country are men’s blogs, writing about bloke’s politics. How do women crack into that? With some difficulty…
Anyway, I’m a feminist, I’m a woman, and I’m happy to be part of Mark’s blog because he has a wide readership and good commenters, with the odd exception. He has shown a great deal of respect for women and gender issues, and has proven that he wants more input from women in both his own blog and the Australian blog scene in general.
In short, I don’t think Mark or this blog deserves to be castigated for wanting to be more inclusive.
If we want to castigate people, let’s head to some RWDB’s blog and tell them what we think of their brand of nastiness. Not that it will do any good, but anyway…
No, Liam, it’s all the feminists on this comment thread and two linked feminist blogs who are attacking Mark because he asked for links to women’s blogs.
Perhaps you should read the thread before making silly assumptions.
EP, perhaps you should read my comment before you jump to silly conclusions. Where did I attack Mark? As one of the feminists on this thread, I reject that claim. Kim didn’t either. You yet again make the mistake of seeing individuals as a coherent whole where instead there is a wide range of opinions. Nor did Meg, Mindy, Naomi, etc etc.
Some women object that Mark should need to ask for more women’s blogs. This is fair enough, but I actually don’t think it’s a comment about Mark per se, but rather a continued frustration from women that their voices are marginalised and patronised in the blogsophere.
Overreaction? In this case, yes, but in many such cases (see the whole Kos controversy) it’s justified. I have personally defended Mark from these charges. As a feminist. Defending a man. Shocking stuff.
It really may astonish you to discover that women, and feminists, disagree about a great many things. This doesn’t make women, or feminists, bad, or all wrong, or all right. It just makes us human. I don’t want to belong to any group of people that has no room for disagreement.
And actually, neither of those two blogs actually attacked Mark… one of them was a bit snide about Mark’s motives for calling for more feminist bloggers, but not duly so, but one wasn’t. It certainly wasn’t an attack. More of a wire-crossing.
Both of them did, however, attack YOUR comments.
I should have phrased that more carefully.
I meant “all the feminists who attacked Mark on this thread”, not “all the feminists on this thread”. My apologies.
Some women object that Mark should need to ask for more women?Äôs blogs. This is fair enough
I don’t think it’s fair at all. People can link or not link any blogs they choose to. It’s not for some feminist to tell people what they should or should not be linking.
Laura, my intent in asking people to submit links was basically what people have been saying it is. Rather than being the great blogger who adjudicates on what’s worthy and what’s not, I thought it much more democratic and also much more likely to produce good links to ask people – given that they will know sites they visit regularly well, whereas if I googled or followed other links I’d necessarily only be having a quick look.
It’s indeed part of at least troubling some of the hierarchies that are reproduced in the blogosphere – including the gendered hierarchies.
I posted this on a previous thread -
Now this wasn’t – as suggested in some of the US discussion – some sort of defensive response. It was prompted by seeing Miss P’s post on What Women Want Blog Day – and also by a bit of reflection on what Suzoz wrote.
I am of the opinion that the personal is political, that gender and sexuality issues are “real” politics, and this has been part of my personal political practice since long before blogging was invented. It was for this reason that I posted on heteronormativity during the Troppo sexuality wars (which is what Kim is alluding to, no doubt, with her reference to Sophie Masson above) and indeed why I revisited the arguments about the social construction of sexuality and gender here at LP. And gender at school. It’s also why on another Troppo thread (I can’t find it now but it was around the same time as the post I’ve linked to above) I was happy to state that I’m not entirely straight.
I could go on but I won’t. I’m proud of the fact that this blog treats politics and culture as broader than the (masculine) norm.
All that kowtowing to feminist ideology, and you’re still not good enough for some people.
It just isn’t the same without your gravatar, EP…
Why were gravatars dropped?
(When I read the word “gravatar”, I think it should be a synonym for “tombstone”)
Yes, it’s not the best word.
When comments threads started regularly topping 100, people reported excessive slowness in loading them – even on good urban broadband connections – and the culprit was the interface with gravatar.com – Absolutely deadly for dial-up users.
Rob, I gather, is looking into a better plugin.
Use your imagination to provide the images, EP, I certainly do when you post.
Can I just say how much I enjoyed EP’s reckless adventuring into America’s feminist blogdom. You did good, boy.
You can say it, Rob, but I wonder why you don’t post your comment on EP’s blog. That hub of all things EP.
Alternatively, Rob, you could join me on the Political Animal Forum that I administer, which needs a few more righties for balance.
Just commented at EP’s. Yes, I’ll drop by the Forum, EP.
Lots more linky goodness on the blogroll, now.
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That was a comment from my cat, who just walked across the keyboard.
Very mature, Rob.
What you and EP can’t deal with a thread that’s not all about you?
Lighetn up, Kim! You feminists have no sense of humour.
Sorry, not understanding you.
http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2005/07/10/a-call-for-dude-bloggers/
This is ridiculous, Cousin Larry.
It’s a blog meme! A blog meme! The syllabus analogy is false for two reasons 1) It’s a blog meme! A stepping off point for conversation, a way to generate discussion and to hear what others are thinking. My contribution was to ask “Who are your fave girl singers?” The ghost of Sojourner Truth is just bursting to rise up and stab me through the eye for that one I’ll bet. 2) The Internet is a big place, there is only the loosest of canons and as most of us would say, the canon can be constricting. Whats wrong with saying, hey I’ve read Woolf and Morrison — what else is out there I don’t know about. Sure, Mark could go and Google “Australian women bloggers” (but its not actually that helpful. )and, I don’t kow, spend the nextfour years trawling them or he could, you know, do what a normal person would actually do and ask for recommendations.
Eh. I posted prematurely. Typos abungo. Anyway you get the picture.
PS I also want a night with Johnny Damon in a hot tub.
Americans are weird, Amanda. Take it from an American chick who knows. (ie me – just in case this is too Australian to be transparently clear).
Americans are weird
And thank god for that, I say. What would I have to blog about if they weren’t?
Ha!
Did you see the daily show? You’d never get such gender/sexuality transgression as Girly Lefty Tim and Nancyboy Greg (to quote Gretel from last night…) on American network tv!
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
(Ps – I want mindless girly fun)
Nyet, Im an intellect and so usually watch Temptation and only flick over to BB in the ads. My theory is that he girly/nancyboy quotient has gone through the roof since Vesna started doing the hair. Zjuszh the hair and the housemate will follow.
Ah, Amanda, Tim had not only zju-zjued hair but makeup and a boa. Logan Greg got his eyebrow waxed. Mean D**n gave a massage. It was priceless.
Your theory is correct, though. It’s not the stupid numerical meme of the show. It’s the hair! It’s the Vesna! Vesna for Queen of the World!
Amanda, thak you. Ive been seeking the correct spelling of Zjuszh for ages. I think you’re got it.
Ugh, they are forever plucking or waxing some part of the boys. Didn’t think it was poss for them to be less attractive to me, but there you go. Boys, if it isn’t your face and you arent a professional swimmer – don’t touch it!
Before I retire. Just put this at my site, but I think it deserves a wider audience.
Paul Anka goes postal at his band. See? it’s that kind of rage which has been oppressing us women for millennia …. I bet Anka would know maybe 5, 6 female bloggers tops
Also nice to see our female Redrag comrade Manas posting more regularly. Since she’s another IR boffin, I might send her an email asking her for a guest post on women, pay equity and the Howard IR changes.
Good idea!
I disagree, Amanda. I like waxed boys.
I am now testing a hypothesis about whether or not Australian and American styles of humour and dealing with Pundits are commensurable.
Waxed boys = infantalised, sexless and creepy.
You people never sleep.
I have to agree Amanda. Both on your blog meme comment (which is what I was trying to say, but in my own usual over-wordy way) and on the whole waxing thing.
There’s something deeply unsettling about men with no body hair at all. But then, I also feel that way about some current trends in female pubic styling…
It’s just Amanda and John Quiggin who blog after three and before five, Kate. They’re nay people, arrr, thay’re unstoppable blogging macheeens!
That, sir, is a lie.
Duel!
Manas is busy doing work for me right now, so
HANDS OFF!
She’s waiting til the weekend, amanda. Never fear.
Hiya Mark, found you via Bourbonbird. Just dropping in to peruse your blog and say hi!
Nice to have you here, ChickyBabe – always good to see another blog featuring purple in the design
Mark – I always read your Posts, but Commenting would be fighting outside my weight thanks. same at Barista.
At my New Improved blog, everything is now ‘political’, as in Life. The politics of supermarket food distribution is the next big thing. bad stuff is happening there while we are not noticing. Stay tuned.
Now lets all go over to Evil Pundits and bugger up his comments.
Not all that many there to bugger up, Brownie.
Oooooh, vicious!
Just an observation, EP.