Why #Weallneedfeminism

The #WhyINeedFeminism hashtag was a good idea. And fits with third wave feminism focus on the individual. I, however, am strongly in the second wave camp. We are all individuals but seeing ourselves as purely individuals is a great way to make sure nothing gets accomplished. We need to view ourselves as a group and understand that as a group feminism takes on different forms for us all. For example as a  American Feminist the problems I face are different from a Iranian Feminist. We both have the same overall goal, equality, but different factors that we cannot control change the priority of issues changes based on our individual needs. Religion, race, age, sexuality, gender, class, occupation and location all factor into what we place as high priority issues.

So I have complied a list of five reasons why we all need feminism as the human race. Obviously this list can go on but I decided to limit it to just five for now. Perhaps someday I will do a part two. 

1. #Weallneedfeminism because of human trafficking. Children as young as four are taken or sold into human slavery, usually sexual slavery. There are currently more modern day slaves than there were when slavery was legal in the United States and in most of the world.

                            
2. #Weallneedfeminism because of genital mutilation of both boys and girls. Women and girls around the world are subjected to genital mutilation that ranges from cutting of the clitoris to the complete removal of of the clitoris and vaginal lips. The idea being to control female sexuality and to keep women from cheating on their husbands by taking the pleasure out of sex. Then their is male genital mutilation otherwise known as male circumcision and is mostly practiced in the United States. This is probably going to make a bunch of parents mad but that doesn't change the fact that male circumcision is still genital mutilation. There is no medical or hygienic reason to circumcise boys. It is purely for looks and it does decrease the sexual pleasure of males. And also let me say for the record, uncircumcised penis' do not look weird or unattractive. They look like dicks, get over it.

3.  #Weallneedfeminism because we need to put an end to violence against women whether it be intimate partner abuse, sexual abuse, rape, bride burning, burning with acid whatever the violence. And we need to stop making those stupid violence against women jokes/rape jokes. a) You run a real risk or traumatizing someone because statistically you are saying those jokes/comments around someone who is a victim/survivor and no you probably don't know it because with the stupid shit that is spewing out of your mouth they surely won't be telling you. b) You are reaffirming that what the abuser/rapist/molester does/has done is not only okay and socially acceptable but that it is funny. Nice job asshat. And no you probably are not aware that your coworker John goes home and beats the shit out of his wife and kids because it is still illegal to do so. Or that your friend George on occasions rapes his dates when they don't want to put out after he has paid for a date. It's not funny. You are not funny. You sound like an ignorant scum bag.

4. #Weallneedfeminism because a woman's body is her own and so is the choice as to whether or not we have children, when we have them and how many we have. Unplanned pregnancies can have a wide array of repercussions including poverty, single parent households, higher rates of abortion, more kids in the foster system and so on. Abstinence only education simply does not work. Instead what research has found that students who were taught through the abstinence only method were still having sex they were just doing so without the use of condoms or birth control leading to higher rates of pregnancy and STDs. And unplanned pregnancies tend to trap women into bad marriages and into lower incomes, often times because they then have to stay home and take care of the children, world wide.

5. #Weallneedfeminism because women are not taken seriously. If we express any strong emotions we are either bitches or irrational. We can never just be rightfully angry or upset, we're either hysterical, over-reacting or PMSing. This also ties into how women aren't taken seriously when they are abused. We're exaggerating or just saying it happened to ruin the abuser's/rapist's life. This needs to stop. Someone is more likely to fake their own death than to lie about being raped.

I Like Everyone Else Am Devistated

Yesterday the news broke that Robin Williams took his own life. The man who brought so much happiness to the world, in the end he couldn't find his own. Robin Williams touch all of our lives and made the world a happier place throughout his lifetime. A light has definitely gone out in the world. 

And I say world because it is not just the United States that will miss him. Even animals have shown sign of mourning Robin Williams. Koko was mentioned in William's one HBO special that he did and the two clearly had a wonderful bond.


I myself am not a religious person by any means. However, I hope that there is someway that Robin Williams is able to sense how much he was and is loved. To understand that we all mourn his loss and that his life was not in vain. I truly am at a loss for words. 

May you have finally found some peace.

Because I Don't Want to Get Down With the Sickness

For the first time in my life I appear to have a really good immune system. I haven't been really sick in over a year at this point and while I am terrified that I am currently jinxing myself by writing this, I'm going to continue. *Watch next week I have West Nile and Ebola*

The secret to my health is a partially due to working with kids for over two years. I was almost constantly sick the first year and half, kids will do that to you. But my doctor was right and my immune system eventually said "Screw this being sick stuff" and I've been pretty healthy since. But the secret to how I didn't die during that year and a half and how every time I start to feel like I might be getting sick and the next day I am all better is simple: Apple Cider Vinegar.

When I was in graduate school I lived with a vegan couple who had fantastic health. And sure enough when I started to get sick they shared with me the all powerful apple cider vinegar. They drink it whenever they feel like they are getting sick. It kills all of the bacteria in your throat and stomach that is trying to make you sick. Now I was highly skeptical of this especially since they were drinking it right out of a bottle as though it was some delicious tea. But Meg and Jim assured me that I didn't need to chug a bottle of the stuff. So I gave it a whirl. I had shot glasses that I would fill halfway and slam it. Now I am not going to lie to you, I also have pinch my nose shut as I did this. I never questioned their claim that it killed at all of the bacteria because I could feel it doing it and after my throat wouldn't hurt.

My boyfriend swears it doesn't work however last night when I said I thought I was getting sick the first thing he said was "Do you want the apple cider vinegar?". Today I feel fine. Now the ACV trick doesn't work if you're knee deep in sickness, it may help you get over it quicker but the best time to use it is when you first notice that you are coming down with something. Some people suggest drinking it every day to improve health. And while studies have shown that there are health benefits to it I just haven't graduated to a stage where I am okay drinking ACV on a daily basis.