Womanist Musings

Kiss In At The Mormon Temple

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Two gay men were taking an innocent walk home when they paused to embrace one another. A small peck on the cheek was exchanged and the Mormons went batshit crazy. It seems that an expression of love and caring is enough to get their extra set of super duper under pants in a bunch. The men ended up in handcuffs and one reported that he experiences bruising. I wonder how the LDS get their groove on when a kiss is deemed inappropriate. Yep, not a lay I would want to participate in.

Gotta say I love the response from the GLBT community.

I know I have said this on many occasions but I will NEVER, EVER understand how people can be against love. Love is the most wonderful thing that any human being can experience. When I put my head on the unhusbands shoulder and he wraps his arms around me, I know that I am home and no one should ever be denied so a wonderful feeling. I guess for the Mormons love has to come racist, sexist Brigham Young style with multiple wives to matter. I don’t have a same sex partner to kiss but I’d love to wear a rainbow shirt through their little square of bigotry. Happy kissing GLBT community and don’t let anyone ever tell you that love in a world filled with hate and intolerance is a bad thing.

Pro Womanism Wow I’m Relieved

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:31:00 +0000

I often get sent e-mail in which the author is looking for clarification on an issue. Though sometimes it can smack of I’m to lazy to hit teh Google, I will for the most part take the time to answer questions. What I don’t like is being summoned to a major feminist blog to play mystical Negro, for someone who has not taken the time to get her 101 on.

Though I have occasionally guest posted over the last year at Feministe, it has not been a safe space for me and each time I do so it comes at an emotional cost. To be summoned into a space because a white woman feels she has the right to question me is simply insulting. Even the most loyal dog will think twice before following a master into danger, and honey I ain’t no dog. I enter for my own reasons and none of them involves an overwhelming desire to use the force and play yoda.

It seems that no matter how many times WOC say don’t appropriate our work, labels, bodies or culture,Whiteness cannot stop from reaching with tentacle like hands to consume all that exists in its path. Saying I am “pro womanist” only indicates that you had the choice to dissent in the first damn place. As a WOC what choice do I have but to advocate for POC, when Whiteness has made it clear that we will be thrown under the bus the moment our bodies are no longer useful?

What the hell is wrong with the word ally? It’s a nice friendly little word that does not assert or imply any kind of appropriation. Try it out for size A-L-L-Y, see that didn’t hurt a bit now did it? Declaring oneself an ally means that you are dedicated to working on a particular cause while at the same time acknowledging your privilege without appropriating the experiences of another. Now doesn’t that pack a punch for a four letter word?

One can state that you are pro gay marriage because that is a right being denied by law but what does I am “pro womanism “mean other than code for new age third wave feminism speak for I am down with teh peeps, but I don’t have to do shit to learn about them? Who would openly say they are against womanism unless they want to wear their bigotry like a scarlet letter on their shoulder?

Pro womanism is comfortable because it does not come with an obligation to work towards change, acknowledge privilege, or allow women of color to lead. Ally means work and feminism has a long history of paying lip service to the needs of WOC. Our feelings are often over looked in a desire to promote white women, but since this largely seems to be the goal of feminism, what can I say but a hearty mission accomplished.

When we look at the major feminist blogs, is it really a surprise that they are white,, straight, cisgender, and able body centric? While I will admit that there is some excellent work being done in this sphere, it has not escaped my notice that part of the reason that they are so large is because they make it comfortable for people to ignore their privilege. If you happen to run across a blog written by a Womanist or a Radical Woman of Color, you might read something that disturbs you and wouldn't that just curdle the cream in your latte?

The spaces of Womanists or Radical Women of Color are ignored by mainstream feminists. We may get the occasional bone but serious commentary or engagement is something that is denied us and therefore it is hardly pleasurable to be summoned for the purposes of providing an education in what I have learned through bitter tears and personal debasement.

While your offer to play mystical negro on such a large stage may seem appealing to you, being a blogger myself I have become accustomed to controlling when and how I engage and therefore; it is without remorse that I less than respectfully decline. When you want to converse you know where to find me. I’m not looking to be anyone's teacher when Google has a search button that I recently discovered they allow so called pro womanist feminist to use.

P.S. I bet you thought, I forgot…..Here you go

Thanks for being Pro my life, the approval of white women is what I live for.

Giving Birth Without An Epidural

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:37:00 +0000

From the moment a woman discovers that she is pregnant with a wanted child she beings to bond with her unborn child. It is not uncommon to name the child in utero if the sex is known, play music to the child or even engage in conversations. Even as we prepare for the moment that is sure to change our lives forever, no one is ever ready for the rush of love and emotion that happens upon meeting the baby for the first time.

According to the BBC, “Dr Denis Walsh, associate professor in midwifery at Nottingham University, said pain was a "rite of passage" which often helped regulate childbirth. He said it helped strengthen a mother's bond with her baby, and prepared her for the responsibility of motherhood.” Doesn’t that sound like the opinion of someone who will never have to endure the “pain” that he is so quick to advocate for.

The article in question attempts to avoid shaming women for choosing to go the route of the epidural, but somehow this option is not seen as a “natural choice”. I find it hard to believe that women have not always had a way to alleviate the pain induced by giving birth through some sort of drug. Medicine women have always known how to combine roots and other items found in nature to produce soothing teas and elixirs to deal with pain. I find it hard to believe such options were not employed for childbirth.

Giving birth can be an extremely painful experience despite the recent push to “go natural” and the media fixation on labour orgasms. It seems to me that from the moment we conceive the pressure to experience and or practice a particular form of motherhood begins. Clearly, even though the responsibility of raising a child from birth to adulthood largely falls to women, patriarchy does not seem to feel that we should have any say in how our bodies are treated.

The moment a woman becomes pregnant her individuality disappears and she becomes a walking womb for the world. Think of the baby the nosey bystander will say. The pressure to conform is enormous and we forget that though a potential mother; a woman is still a person in her own right. Whatever alternatives a woman needs to make labour the kind of experience that she wishes is what should be the top priority. Can we just face the fact that we have a lifetime to bond with our children and this pressure to have “natural” childbirth to make us closer to our kids is ridiculous. A woman and a baby share the same body for nine months; if that does not accomplish a link nothing will.

Sex Offender Returns To Jail To Avoid Homelessness

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:30:00 +0000

Raphael Marquez requested that his probation be revoked because he could not find a residence that he could afford that was restriction free and within his ability to afford. Like most people, I have very little pity for sex offenders but I do believe that this issue speaks to why the recidivism rate is so high.

If men like Marquez are not able to secure a residence, they are more likely to fall off the radar, thus making them harder to regulate. He represents the last type of criminal that we want walking about our communities without any form of oversight. The more integrated these men are in our communities in terms of gainful employment and a residence, the easier they will be to monitor.

The issue of finding employment and residence is not unique to sex offenders. Though we claim that someone has paid their debt to society after serving time, we very seldom give second chances. Spending time in jail can actually mean a lifetime of poverty as we practice a “not in my backyard” philosophy towards ex cons.

Often these men and women are reduced to committing crimes because they are unable to survive on the outside. Those without an adequate support system quickly find themselves without options and become revolving residents in prisons. When we consider that we do little to actually focus on rehabilitation while in prison, our failure to properly integrate them back into our communities reaffirms that these men and women are deemed disposable bodies that we would rather free ourselves of. Like a nation of Inspector Javiers, we chase and hunt them down like animals, ignoring our communal responsibility to them as human beings.

We know without question that the penal system is imperfect and therefore unjust. Race and class often determine who is incarcerated. Just living in a poor neighbourhood largely composed of people of color necessarily means a higher rate of interaction with law enforcement. The ability to defend oneself once accused is severely limited by class. We may parrot the words innocent till proven guilty but if you are person of color that presumption often goes out the window as the police officer is given far more credibility than the accused. I cannot imagine the trauma of being punished for a crime I did not commit.

Just as we are reluctant to give the benefit of the doubt before incarceration, we are unwilling to do so upon release. Little time is spent giving thought to the ways in which capitalism and racism combine to create a criminal element in our society and therefore we continue to see criminal behaviour as a failure of the individual rather than a communal failure. Politicians seeking re-election often take a tough on crime stance and in this model the suggestion often proffered is tougher sentencing and larger prisoners. Anything that suggests a communal ownership of criminal behaviour is seen as soft on crime.

If we truly want to create safer communities, we really need to focus on the ways in which our behaviour encourages recidivism. Simply because someone has been to prison does not mean that they cannot contribute to society. Men like Raphael Marquez will always be considered detestable by most but the surest way to ensure that he is unable to harm other than a lifetime of incarcerations is by creating a space for him to participate. What he has done is terrible but how much better are we if we treat him like an animal?

Malia Called A Typical Street Whore At The Free Republic

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:05:00 +0000

The Free Republic is one of the most mainstream Republican blogs. Though they have a policy which clearly states that they do not support racism violence, rebellion, secession, or an overthrow of the government, apparently it does not apply to the first family. Malia is an eleven year old girl and her innocence seems to be irrelevant when it comes to directing hate speech.

The controversy started because on their recent trip to Africa Malia wore a shirt with a peace symbol on it. Of course this inspired nothing but hatred in the group think bee hive of the conservative set. Dear lord, advocating for peace on a planet that has known far too much war simply cannot be tolerated.

The following appeared in the comment section:

"A typical street whore." "A bunch of ghetto thugs." "Ghetto street trash." "Wonder when she will get her first abortion. "Could you imagine what world leaders must be thinking seeing this kind of street trash and that we paid for this kind of street ghetto trash to go over there?" wrote one commenter. "They make me sick .... The whole family... mammy, pappy, the free loadin' mammy-in-law, the misguided chillin', and especially 'lil cuz... This is not the America I want representin' my peeps," wrote another.

When Kristen N, dared to complain about the language that was being tolerated the moderators temporarily removed the blog post, only to to repost it with her address and a copy of her e-mail complaint. It is only after many left wing blogs wrote posts about this issue that The Free Republic finally decided to remove the post.

Malia did not choose to be a public figure and is only one by default of being born to the first African American president. She is a child and had not begun to make her own way through this world. The conservatives are continually harping about family values and yet it fails them when it comes to respecting the children of democrats. It was not that long ago when Chelsea Clinton was treated mercilessly because of her pubescent appearance.

There are those that would claim that just because they are the first children that it does not mean that they should be sheltered from the racism that has become a fact of Black life. As a parent I understand why this argument is presented because the reality of the situation means that even as we encourage our children to follow their dreams, we are forced to break the bubble of equality at a very young age. As a child I remember my mother and father telling me that I could have anything I wanted as long as I was prepared to work twice as hard and this is still true today.

It hurt me when I had to explain to my child why some children did not want to play with him because he was the “brown boy,”just as it hurt me to explain why store owners watch his every single move when he enters. This is the reality of his life, though he is a bright and engaging little boy. It is the reality for any child of color; their race speaks for them long before the content of the character is allowed to testify for their worth.

Even as we wish to arm our children against the slights and wounds that we are aware that the world is prepared to deliver, they are being robbed of their innocence. Generation after generation of children of color have had to turn their back on the innocence that should be a right in order to negotiate the evil of our racialized world. Malia Obama is no different than any other Black child however; is it really too much to ask for even one child to grow in a safe space where they are not subject to humiliation due to the ignorance of adults?

I am quite sure that her mother and father have prepared Sasha and Malia for the realities of their situation, however; no child should ever have to read commentary that refers to them as a whore, or ponders when their first abortion will be. These comments that the Free Republic saw as unproblematic are representative of racism and sexism that are typically aimed at young women of color. Malia is not even a teenager yet already she is learning that because of her race and gender there will always be those that see fit to demean her in an effort to uplift themselves. Such is the curse of young Black womanhood across the Diaspora.

It’s All About The Sugar Daddy

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:42:00 +0000

If a woman agrees to date a man only if he spends large amounts of money on her, or takes her to fancy restaurants and trips is this the equivalent of being a sex worker?

I was sent a link to Established Men. The goal of this site is to match men of class privilege with attractive young women who are seeking to have their inner princess identity validated. Champagne tastes on a beer wallet are still as incompatible as they always have been. Nothing comes free in this life and no matter how angelic your face or how great the conversation is, when interactions begin with a power imbalance, in the end the weaker party must always pay the tab.

This site advertises itself as a dating site based in the premise that its owner, a former stripper met her husband while dancing and was instantly transported into a life of luxury. Yep, you guessed it folks, pretty woman come to life except that Julia Roberts admitted that she was a sex worker; a woman for hire. The women on this site are only “dating” and not working.

I do believe that under the right circumstances women can freely choose to engage in prostitution. It would seem that after viewing the video and the site, that the men have made their priorities very clear; they are looking for a short term engagement with no strings attached and are willing to pay for the convenience. Does this not sound like a typical john to you?

If you are going to make the choice to work as a prostitute, I think that it is important to acknowledge what you are doing. “Dating” for the purposes of special gifts is the same as accepting money. We do ourselves a disservice when we lie to ourselves about what our actions really mean. These men are not going to sweep you away like Richard Gere did…Pretty woman was just a movie people.

This is not a relationship between “perfect princesses” and “generous benefactors,” it is a business contract between two adults and all of the pretty language in world will not change the terms of engagement. It is further deceptive to describe the payment as “lifestyle needs “, as though everyone needs six hundred dollar meals and Prada purses to subsist. Clearly, this is a business relationship which allows women to acquire products and services that they would otherwise be unable to afford. These are the extras and not the essentials.

These men are not spending ten thousand for a kiss on the cheek and at the end of the day, they will expect a return on their investment. The only reason that these “dates” are not openly referred to as prostitution by the participants is because of the stigma attached to paying for sex, or being paid for sex. Despite the dream of being swept away by some rich man, it is more likely that this will be a short term arrangement, solely under the control of the benefactor (read:john).

People continue to view prostitution as something that happens in alleyways with a drugged out woman and a sadistic john. Those that are able to command more money are call girls and treated differently than street whores. Isn’t it interesting that no matter what area of society that we look at, class plays a substantial role in how we are understood. I have no wish to slut shame these women for their decision and or actions but I do believe that it is time that we acknowledge that these relationships are about business and not love.

The Obama’s And The Door Of No Return

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:51:00 +0000

As a child of the African Diaspora The Door Of No Return has much emotional meaning for me. My ancestors were pushed through that door in chains and so began a legacy of slavery that would last for hundreds of years. The Obamas recently visited the Slave Castle in Ghana.

Architecturally it is quite a beautiful building. If one did not know of its cruel history, it might even be a pleasure to behold.

Looking out over an ocean that would serve as a burial ground for millions, its white stone belies the bloodshed that its very existence is responsible for. There are times when I vow that one day I will return for the sake of my ancestor who never had the chance. Perhaps they were a baby shackled with chains and therefore unaware of the cruel fate that awaited them. Their name has been erased from history and who and what they were will never be known to me. The name of their homeland has forever been lost to the ocean tides and I sit here today an African Canadian forever disconnected from my history. Even writing about this loss causes my throat to sting with tears.

Many times Blacks have been told to get over slavery because it was so long ago, but to me it will forever be personal. No, I was never a slave, fortunately I only have to live with its lasting effects but the thought of an ancestor of mine surviving on gruel, urine, menstrual blood and feces because they refused to die, is almost more than I can bear. She or he was made of more mettle and self will than I will ever be able to marshal and I shall never disgrace their faceless memory by forgetting about the inhumanity to which they were subject.

My children will never be ripped from my arms because they are considered chattel. I will never have to apply a poultice to my sons back because he has been whipped senseless by a psychotic overseer. My life is my own to do with as I will. I have the freedom that they could only dream of and in my blood flows their hopes and aspirations. It was for me, for my life that they continued on in the worst of conditions. To forget slavery or move beyond it, is to dishonour their memory and they have already given enough so that I could walk the earth today with my mind and body intact.

Those who refuse to see the seriousness of the African slave trade often try to blame it on Africans for their so-called collusion with Europeans. Slavery in Africa was completely different than that engaged in by European powers, in fact it resembled more of what would have been considered an indentured servitude. They had no way of knowing about the inhumane conditions to which they were subjecting people to. There was also a power imbalance between African tribes and Europeans; in some cases it was participate or be subject to slavery yourself.

Those that want Blacks to move past slavery do so from a position of privilege. It is not up to the oppressor to state when we, the oppressed should cease mourning for our losses. I am tired of hearing that other groups were also enslaved. How many of these groups experienced slavery in the same ways as the peoples of the African Diaspora? How many continue to be thought of as sub human? Even sharks thought of us a chum. They were known to follow the slave ships because it was only a matter of time before a slave was thrown over board.

As I looked at the picture of Obama at the slave castle, I knew that he could never experience in the same way that Michelle or any other child of the African Diaspora would. His return represents that of a native son made good whereas; Michelle’s return represents that of a lost child returned home. I have been told on many occasions that I should be thankful that an ancestor of mine was enslaved because it allowed me to be born a Canadian and to them I say, I would gladly give up that western privilege if it were to mean that no member of my family ever had to live through such a crime against humanity. Slavery did not improve the lot for the descendants of slaves or that of the African peoples and it is dishonest to perpetuate such a myth.

When Obama looked out over the ocean and heard the echo of the masses that had lost their lives and their freedom, on some level it must have haunted him. The slave castle will forever be a monument to the depths to which we are willing to sink to in the name of so-called profit and or advancement. I don’t now whether or not I will ever have the courage to return and look through the doorway that lead to the death of millions but I know I shall never think of it without a feeling of loss and sorrow.

Sunday Shame: You Decide Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 04:08:00 +0000

I use the phrase, “I loves me some,” to speak about a person I either really like or have a large amount of respect for. For instance I would say, “I loves me some Queen Latifah or I loves me some Flo Jo” In the right company, a good “I loves me some” session can on on for quite some time. I was recently engaged in a session with a friend of mine when I chose……

That’s right, I loves me some Little Richard….Shut up! Not only was Richard a ground breaking musician for his time, the man is Hi-la-ri-ous. UH HUH. Little Richard is so worth an I loves me some….SHUT UP! Okay he was stolen from an ain’t nobody ever gave the man a dime…UH HUH….

The friend in question shall remain nameless only because I think that denying Little Richard his I loves me some status is beyond a Sunday Shame. She had the nerve to call the man fugly and pick at his addiction to the soul glo jerri curl. Talk about some sacrilegious shit. You know what, I change my mind, she can own this one….ALLISON MCCARTHY…of course you know the fabulous Monica of TransGriot agrees with me

Well readers, I am counting on you to restore Little Richard….weigh in and let me know if I have earned a Sunday shame by giving Little Richard the I loves me some status and feel free to share some of your favs I love me somes in the comment section.

Obama The Monkey What An Honour

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:32:00 +0000

It seems that a zoo in Germany decided to name its new mandrill Obama in honour of the US President.

How the hell is naming a monkey after a Black Man an honour, when we consider that Blacks have historically been compared to monkeys to justify our second class citizenship globally?

The zoo said it chooses names beginning with the same letter for all newborn animals in any one year. In 2009 that letter was O and a keeper thought "Obama" would be a positive tribute to the US president.

If you buy that shit, I have some primo swampland in Florida I would like to sell you. For the last fucking time, Black people are not God damn animals. We are not a different species. We are human beings.

Considering Germany’s history of race relations one would think that they would be extra cautious of inferring that a person is subhuman. It seems the desire to promote white privilege and the perfect race knows no bounds. It wasn’t until a local Black group protested that the zoo realized the error of their ways and changed the name of the monkey from Obama to Okeke.

Though they did apologize for their actions, the original injury still stings. Insults and barbs like this are continually aimed at Blacks. We are repeatedly placed in a position where we must defend our human dignity and no such discipline is aimed at Whiteness. White people are the humans in this world and this fact is reified on a daily basis.

Obama is arguably the most powerful man in the world and still yet the color of his skin is used to render him subhuman. If Obama cannot escape such damaging stereotypes what hope is there for those of us without his power?

When I speak about Whiteness, the label racist is continually thrown at me. Dear White people, you don’t know what the fuck racism is. You may understand it in the text book sense from a discrete and safe distance but until someone spits in your face, or threatens violence against you because of your color, you have no idea of how bad it can be. How about being declined for a promotion despite the fact that you are clearly over qualified or being told to smile because when you frown you look threatening? One of my former coworkers used to love to infer how miserable and angry I was because I refused to play mammy to his smiling white idiot. These are just a few examples of what I have had to put up with. There isn’t a single Black person that interacts with Whiteness that will not have a similar story to tell about the effects of racism.

I am always asked to qualify my words and say “some white people” instead of using the term Whiteness. Look, I don’t care how anti-racist you are, you are walking around with a bag of undeserved privilege; which is part of the systemic nature of Whiteness or racism. You may be aware enough to avoid using the term nigger or comparing Blacks to monkeys, however; because you have been steeped in a racist culture you cannot avoid taking advantage of your privilege. If you are not demeaning you are silencing, “othering” profiting, marginalizing or appropriating your way down the yellow brick road.

The post racial “theorist” (read: racist) would have us believe that we are all equal now and that any short comings are because Blacks don’t try. Sometimes treading water is hard enough without having to engage in a full battle with someone who is determined to maintain their privilege at all costs. It can be particularly maddening after taking the time to explain to someone why their language and or actions are unacceptable, only to have them declare you to sensitive, or a member of the PC police. I call those people intentionally obtuse fuckers. Though I don’t agree with Garveys approach regarding separation of the races, there are days like this that I sure as fuck understand it.

Baby Break Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Okay..totally silly but it made me smile. What else can you ask for on a Saturday afternoon?

Drop It Like It’s Hot

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:09:00 +0000

Hello everyone thanks for taking the time to stop and read the blog this week. The posting schedule is a little bit off right now because I am tryint to adjust to the boys summer schedule. It has been a very hectic week. To those that sent me an e-mail this week, please be patient; I am incredibly behind but I promise to answer them all as soon as I am able.

Thanks for all of the tips via e-mail and please keep in mind that womanist-musings has an open guest posting policy, so please feel free to send in a post or even something you would like to cross post from your blog. The more opinions expressed, the better.

Below you will find a list of the great blog posts I came across this week. Please take the time to show these bloggers some love and check them out. When you are done, don’t forget to drop it like it’s hot and leave your link behind in the comment section.

FemiNoshing: Easting According To Gender

Cisgender Isn’t An Insult

BLACK BOOTY BODY POLITICS

‘But You Look So Good’! AND 7 Other Things Not To Say To Persons With Disabilities.

Children’s Books: F*cking With Gender Roles Since 1970

Semantics, Gender, and ‘Cis’

To the gentleman who utilized the faculty facilities across from my office (This is the laugh of the week hands down)

The Coonery Paradox

The Spirit Of Humanity

I want to be empty

A Normal Woman

Treat working people of color like they’re less than

Spiritual Empowerment Of Women

Cinderella: Guerrilla Training Manuel For African -American Women

Who Wants A Man Wall?

Organisation Pays Addicted Women to Undergo Permanent Sterilization

I told myself I was gonna leave it alone, but…

Oral Sex and Marion Barry, Washington had to know

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Marion Barry is no stranger to controversy and legal entanglements. The former mayor was caught red handed in a drug scandal and was recently accused of stalking a woman. The charges have since been dropped.

The above image appeared in the Washington City Paper and evoked charges of racism from Barry supporters.

"Some people are going to find that vulgar -- that's inevitable," Editor Erik Wemple said, taking a break from fielding at least 30 calls from irate readers. "If they find it vulgar, they can complain. It's worth putting it out there, and it's the truth. Sometimes the truth is vulgar." Wemple insists he has no second thoughts. "I haven't had any trouble sleeping because of it," he said.

Let’s be clear from the start, Barry is definitely no saint but the language used to speak about his activities is unnecessarily inflammatory. He is not the first politician to be involved in a sex related scandal and yet this graphic language was not used to describe their activities.

When Clinton engaged in oral sex in the white house, there were no media reports that Monica Lewinsky was sucking his dick under the desk. “Don’t cry for me Argentina” Stanford, took off for days to engage in his affair and no such explicit language has been used, though you can bet he had more than his dick sucked by the “love of his life”. What about Spitzer? Did his one eyed snake just wink and smile or did the man get his rocks off with a sex trade worker? There are ways of describing acts of sexual indiscretion that are accurate without reducing it to vulgar commentary.

Most politicians that are caught cheating on their spouses experience a fall from grace because we have moralized sexual activity, however; when a Black man engages in the same behaviour the media is quick to turn it into a circus for profit.

Black male sexuality is always constructed as hyper sexual based in the idea that the so-called Negro is a savage animal. Though white men certainly engage in oral sex, their participation is seen as a validation of their manhood. Black men are understood to lack the ability to control their sexual urges and therefore to reduce Barry in this way simply supports the social myths that we already function with.

The Black penis is a problematic organ. On one hand it is lauded for its supposed prowess and yet it is continually decried for its supposed ability to cause harm and injury to unsuspecting women. The big black buck is designed to take what will not be wilfully given because its desire can never be denied, hence the construction of the Black male rapist. In every construction of the Black male the understanding of the penis colors how he is viewed.

When white heterosexual men are sexual it is seen as a regular part of manhood. A man is only disciplined for not actively seeking sex or presenting the image that sexual conquest is not foremost in his thoughts at all times. If the Black man attempts to mimic the behaviour of heterosexual White male sexuality, he is summarily disciplined because he is understood to be competition for female bodies.

When Hugh Grant was arrested for seeking oral sex from a Black female sex trade workers between the guffaws and giggles was the defence of “boys will be boys”. It seemed perfectly understandable that he should seek a sexual release, it was the person whom he attempted to gain it from that was the issue. How could Grant in his right mind stray from the pure beauty of his then fiancée Elizabeth Hurley, to engage in a sexual activity with a Black whore? Divine Brown was ridiculed and reduced to a service animal though it was Grant that initiated the sexual encounter.

It is quite natural for Erik Wemple to be comfortable with the image that he released because in the end it serves to promote and protect White male heterosexuality. Oral sex in and of itself is not a vulgar act; it is how it is understood through the lens of race and gender that makes it problematic. Wemple may deny the racism that occurred, however; the difference in how we speak about bodies of color versus that of White individuals speaks volumes.

H/T Allison McCarthy via gmail chat

Something Creamy In A Can For Anderson Cooper

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I simply had to share this video. I discovered this over at Shakesville and if it does not make you want to go out and buy a can of whipped cream, nothing will. It seems that Anderson was filling in for Regis when he got his fill. Yeah double meaning there but go with it..

Transcript provided by Liss at Shakesville

[Transcript starting at 1:45]
Kristin Van Ogtrop: And so finally we have an ice cream pie.
Anderson Cooper: Mmmmmmmm...cream pie.
Van Ogtrop: Now, you can use a couple of crusts; this is the easiest one, which is, um, you know, just your cookie dough, your cookie crust.
Kelly Ripa: [to Cooper] I know. [inaudible; grabs can of whipped cream and squirts a shot directly in mouth]
Cooper: Oh my god! Wow! [audience laughter and applause] Wow!
Van Ogtrop: You start with that. You do that first.
Ripa: [shimmies at Cooper] Dance with me right now.
Cooper: [giggles] Wow. [reaches for can]
Van Ogtrop: And so, you know, what you want to do is, you want the ice cream to melt a little bit more, obviously, than this...
Ripa: Right. Well.
[In background, Cooper is intently investigating the can of whipped cream.]
Van Ogtrop: And you spread it out, right?
Ripa: Yes.
Van Ogtrop: And you spray it—Anderson, you could do a little cream on top here.
Cooper: Sorry, I'm—
Ripa: Anderson, please, make that pretty.
[Cooper turns can upside down and tries to squeeze it; looks at Ripa helplessly and confusedly when nothing comes out]
Van Ogtrop: Oh, come on! [gently takes can from him]
Ripa: Are you serious? Did you not have a childhood at all?
Cooper: [laughing] No!
[crosstalk; Van Ogtrop explains how the can works to Cooper]
Ripa: At Studio 54, they never had any Cool Whip.
[Cooper sprays an enormous amount of whipped cream onto the top of the ice cream; then tries to squirt a shot in his mouth, but gets nothing but air; he looks dejected; laughter]
Van Ogtrop: No, you gotta— [mimes shaking]
Ripa: [grabs can] Put your head back.
Cooper: Oh! Now I'm huffing!
[Ripa shakes can and then squirts a shot into Cooper's mouth; audience laughs and applauds; Ripa takes another shot]
Cooper: Wow. That is really good! [takes another long shot; stands back with cheeks puffed full of whipped cream while Ripa ends the segment]

Men Kissing Is A No No In Texas At Chico's Tacos

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:42:00 +0000

I find child abuse, racism, sexism, ableism etc., to be disgusting and an affront and yet daily all of these actions occur within out society without very much negative feed back. One of the few redeeming characteristics that we possess as human beings is our ability to love. Love binds us together and forces us to forget our pettiness and selfish nature. When I see two people embracing in public, I smile because I know that this action is a reflection of the best part of humanity.

There are those that are still so ignorant that two men kissing is understood to be deplorable.

"It was a simple kiss on the lips," said Carlos Diaz de Leon, who called police when he feared he and his group were targets of discrimination after his friends, both men, kissed in public.

At about 12:30 a.m. on the morning of June 29, the five men were placing their order at the Chico's Tacos on Montwood when the two men made their public display of affection, sparking the ire of two contracted security guards at the restaurant, police and witnesses said. After the group sat down, the security guards told them "they didn't allow that faggot stuff to go on there," and made them leave, de Leon said.

You can be certain that if a heterosexual couple had exchanged a kiss, not a single feather would have been ruffled in this restaurant. Chico’s Tacos is more than happy to take the money of gay men, however; it feels that it is has the right to control behaviour based in heterosexual privilege. The gay community is expected to participate in society, i.e pay taxes and generally perform acts that strengthen social cohesion,while at the same time being invisible.

Many of the isms that we engage in regularly come down to a desire to express power coercively and a denial of space. The right to control who is allowed to be a part of our social discourse is very much an expression of privilege. The demand that a marginalized group sequester itself is meant to normalize certain bodies or behaviour. Homosexuality can hardly be deviant when it has been a part of our world from the very beginning; it is only the fact that we abhor difference that makes it seem like an oddity or a perversion.

You will note that the guard made sure to use hate speech to reference an act of love between two men. This amounts to yet another form of violence, though language is often understood to be harmless. The word faggot exists to demean and degrade what is in fact a very natural link between two people. Each time a person is subject to violence or prejudice, it has its very root in the fact that we enable language that not only asserts difference but infers value to difference. The end of of homophobia begins with a zero tolerance for hate speech.

Contacting Chico’s Tacos and informing them that their behaviour towards these men is deplorable is a wonderful act of resistance, however; it is not enough. Each day we are offered opportunities to challenge the social imbalances that we have created and we must take action.

We must be proactive in teaching children that all bodies matter. We must have the courage to tell our friends when they use hate speech or express their privilege, that their actions/language are not acceptable. We must endeavour to create safe spaces where ever we can, so that all can fully participate in this world. Even if it is as simple as ensuring that your home is safe for all that enter; it is one less place where a marginalized body will experience the social phenomena of “othering”. Equality will not be given, it must be taken.

Tank Chair

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:02:00 +0000

Okay can I just say how much I want this mighty machine. Even though I now have my scooter, there are still plenty of places that access is denied to me. When I came across this muscle bound baby, yeah I had total wheel envy.

Until I came down with three chronic illnesses, mobility was something I very much took for granted. It was an easy thing to do because the world was built to accommodate me. Today as I struggle to get through narrow doorways and negotiate sidewalk curbs that are not smoothed down, the world that once made way before me is now filled with obstacles.

Some may look at the tank chair and see a monstrosity but I see it as yet another tool to help those of us who have disabilities experience full and active lives. The sheer size of the wheels impress me. I have become used to having my right to take up space continually challenged. As I struggled this week to get into the DOJO were Destruction takes karate, I was told by a fellow parent that I should just leave my scooter outside at the parking meter. Without that scooter I would not be able to watch my son participate in an activity that I paid for and that he loves and yet it was so easily suggested that I should give it up because my method of transportation took up too much space.

Scooters, wheel chairs, canes, walkers etc., all mean freedom. Each activity that is opened up for me improves my emotional health because it allows me to participate in the wonders of this world. Small things like taking a walk with my family, or watching my sons at the playground, give me a sense of peace and well being that I can find nowhere else. When those that are able bodied infringe upon that experience in an effort to express their privilege, it shatters the delicate balance that we have so carefully crafted.

Part of what we fight is this idea that there is a normal way of functioning and or relating to the world. There have always been those whose bodies don’t fit what the medical establishment has normalized as functioning, even though the persistence of our presence proves we are a natural part of creation. It is not difference that is the issue; it is the way that we have come to understand this supposed difference. In an environment that is designed to ensure that a differently abled individual is able to function at their highest level, the disability becomes irrelevant. We enforce a medical model of disability each time we fail to accommodate or demand that a differently abled person complete a task that is beyond their capabilities. It forces the individual to become their illness and or disability.

I see the way that people tend to regard physical aids with pity as though those of us that are dependent upon them for mobility should be ashamed. I am constantly reminded by others of what I cannot do because of my scooter as though the fault lies with my body and not an ableist world that has decided that PWD don’t deserve accommodations. It is not my body that limits me but the construction of the world. Even as the dependency of PWD is decried and stigmatized with the “super crip” mythology, the powerless state is created. If the bar of accomplishment keeps moving and barriers are purposefully put in our path, how are we to lead successful lives?

Please take the time to share some of your experiences with reactions to your wheelchair, walker, cane etc…how do you deal with any ableism that you encounter?

Yep Obama Likes The Booty

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:10:00 +0000

This photo of the O man and Nicholas Sarkozy was taken at the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, July 9, 2009. It was posted by Reuteurs. I think we can all agree while perfectly human to admire a fine behind, this was not his best moment.

Editors Note: It seems that Obama has been exonerated by the following video, however Sarkozy is guilty as charged.

Americans Must Stop Marrying Other Species

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Brian Kilmeade: We keep marrying other species and other ethnics--

GRETCHEN CARLSON: Are you sure you are not suffering from some of the causes of dementia right now?

Brian Kilmeade: The problem is the Swedes have pure genes. They marry other Swedes, that's the rule. Finns marry other Finns; they have a pure society. In America we marry everybody. We will marry Italians and Irish.

DAVE BRIGGS: This study does not apply?

Brian Kilmeade: Does not apply to us.

[pause]

DAVE BRIGGS: Huh.

Just another day in post racial America. Fox cannot even pretend to be a fair and balanced news network with the racist commentary that they readily allow on the air. Can someone please explain what the hell pure genes are? OOOPs silly me, I suppose that is code for White genes. It seems to me that this idiot has read Mein Kampf one to many times.

Racism is structural because it occurs in every single agent of socialization. When the media does not even bother to filter its goal of affirming a white supremacist state, what hope is there that people of color will ever be understood as equal? We cannot take comfort in the fact that this was the opinion expressed of one man because this line of thought is repeated daily from sea to shining sea.

Of course, once again there will be no apology from FOX news. With the rise of white supremacist groups, this kind of language is not only inflammatory, it is down right dangerous. This kind of language cannot be defended under the cover of free speech because it comes at a very real cost. When Brandon McClelland, James Byrd, Bernard Monroe, and Kathryn Johnston, were killed, their major crime was existing as Black in a society that long ago decided that Black bodies are worthless.

Where does one direct rage when no matter where you turn, you are told that your life is meaningless? To this day Blacks are expected to play happy sambo and smile even as Whiteness asserts its power. When we express anger it is judged illogical or animal like and yet no matter the hatred or inhumane actions committed by Whiteness, it remains above critique. If the US were serious about dealing with the racial divide such speech could never be tolerated.

There is a reason why Blacks continue to lag behind Whites and one need look no further than what FOX news considered acceptable commentary. When the jails are over flowing with Black criminals and the schools are crumbling with decay, the criminality lies with the direct actions of Whiteness. More time and energy has been invested into continuing a hierarchy of bodies than has ever been invested in eliminating elements of society that are harmful.

Many quote the words of Dr.King pre 1963 and yet fall so far from his dream. Segregation may no longer be the rule of the land but the world is every bit as divided by race. Nightly Whiteness rushes back to their suburbs, leaving the Blacks in the inner cities that they have created through white flight. As steaming flesh lays on top of steaming flesh the pain of poverty creates conditions that are inhumane. It is not Blacks that are to blame but the conditions created by Whiteness in an effort to maintain privilege. It is far easier to refer to us as a separate species than to acknowledge our shared humanity. To admit we are human is to understand that all of the actions committed by Whiteness against Blacks are crimes against humanity. From Slavery to Jim Crow to Police Violence the “othering” of Blacks has consequences.

Disabled activists protest budget threats

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:36:00 +0000

By Judy Greenspan
San Francisco

Published Jul 3, 2009 10:29 PM

Chanting “They say cut back, we say fight back!” over 400 disabled activists and their supporters took over the street in front of the State Office Building in San Francisco June 23 to “Stop the governor from slashing programs for people with disabilities, kids, and poor people.” Seventeen people both in and out of wheelchairs were arrested in a civil disobedience action.

WW photo: Judy Greenspan

The demonstration was called a “People’s Day of Reckoning” and coincided with the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision, which stated that people with disabilities have a right to live in the community, not just in nursing homes. The action was organized by a diverse group of disabled people, seniors, single-payer health care advocates, union members and others.

Not only did the action target the anti-people budget currently being proposed by legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, but it specifically exposed the inhumane cuts aimed at disabled people in California. Under Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget proposal, disabled people would lose their independence without attendants and aid and be forced into institutions and nursing homes.

Speaker after speaker challenged everyone to fight against the “cuts-only” budget and to support the rights of people with disabilities. A large group went into the streets and held a die-in during the protest. Jean Stewart, a long-time disabled writer and activist, addressed the crowd from the street before she was arrested: “The governor is doing this deliberately. He is saying ‘screw the people.’ We should be shutting down this country.”

Several other rallies were held around the state by the People’s Day of Reckoning Coalition which said loudly and clearly, “The state budget is killing us!”

Greenspan was arrested as part of the civil disobedience action.

How Much Has Changed For The Women Of Afghanistan?

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:01:00 +0000

The following video is extremely graphic.

“Every woman has the right to obey her husband and every woman has the right to pray though not in the mosque, that is reserved for men.”

“If we have some women in Parliament if we have a Ministry of Women It does not mean that now Afghan women [are] free. Because for common women ordinary women the situation is the same. ”

“The United States Government has not sent one delegation to go and talk with the Afghan people, what the Afghan people want and especially what the Afghan women want”.

What will it take to improve the lives of women in Afghanistan?

“Stop this war because our people is very tired with this situation. And if they really want to help our people we don’t need more soldiers.”

“I don’t believe and I don’t expect any outside power to come and liberate me. If I cannot liberate myself, no one from outside can liberate me. “

In their own words the women of Afghanistan give voice to the horror that we have inflicted upon them with this needless war of aggression. Many westerners see what is occurring in Afghanistan as righteous due to the 9/11 attacks and the oppression of women however nothing could be further from the truth. 9/11 was a terrible day that will not soon be forgotten. The people that died that day were truly innocent victims however there is such a thing as a measured response. More Afghanis have died then were killed on that day. The puppet government that has been installed is no better than the Taliban that ruled before it. They are simply more sympathetic to western demands as they know better than to bite the hand that feeds them.

As a Canadian I continually see our participation justified as saving the women and yet from their own mouths comes the cost of this imperialistic mission. Saving the brown people is a mission that Western nations have engaged in without ever admitting the ways in which this attitude is perpetuated by racism, (in the case of Afghanistan Islamophobia) and a desire to create readily exploitable colonies.

As Obama begins to marshal more troops to engage one cannot help but wonder when the women and children of Afghanistan will finish paying the price for Osama Bin Laden’s misdeeds? As my own government struggles with the rising dissent to our continuing participation, I cannot help but wonder what happened to the myth of Canadians as peacekeepers, rather than faux nation builders.

This war is not righteous and is as much a quagmire as the Iraq war. You cannot win the hearts and minds of people as you trample their customs and destroy their limited infrastructure. Their stories should not be lost in the desire for conquest. There is always a cost to human actions and it is the most vulnerable that usually pay it. The Afghani women and children do not owe a blood debt to western nations and it is time in the name of decency to end this invasion. NGO’s will do a far better job of creating change than any gun ever could.

Is Serena Williams the New Sarah Baartman?

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:18:00 +0000

I have a new post up at Global Comment

Venus and Serena Williams have dominated tennis since their first appearance in the nineties. Despite being champions many times over, they are still not given the respect that their accomplishment should merit, due in large part to their race and gender. Though we labour under the misconception that we have created a post feminist /racist world, the everyday experiences of women of color prove the mendacity of this social myth.

Words like “menacing,” “threatening” and “aggressive” are often associated with Serena. While these may not seem readily damaging, when one considers that Black women have historically been understood as “unwomen”; this language is an indication of a disturbing trend. Additionally, the epithet “tranny” is often used to insult Serena, thereby asserting that she is not a “real woman.” Though the category of woman is understood to be universally oppressed, white womanhood is perceived to subsume all that is good and desirable about femininity. This is a quagmire that women of color must negotiate to form any basis of self respect or agency.

Since the days in which Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman was forced to reveal her buttocks and labia to curious Europeans in a human circus, the bodies of Black women have been scrutinized and uniformly judged as lacking and/or sub-human. While our bodies may no longer be on display, the fixation with the buttocks of Black women reveals that the “The Hottentot Venus” stereotype is still very much a part of social discourse.

Finish Reading Here

Black Kids Change The Complexion Of A Pool

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:34:00 +0000

I should really start naming these sorts of posts dispatches from a post racial world. Blacks are continually being told that we should focus on how far we have come as though whiteness does not continue with undeserved privilege, which they have a tendency to invoke on a daily basis.

The Creative Steps Day Camp paid more than nineteen hundred dollars for their kids to swim at The Valley Swim Club. The children got their swimming gear on and were ready for some summertime fun when they were assaulted by racist commentary.

"I heard this lady, she was like, 'Uh, what are all these black kids doing here?' She's like, 'I'm scared they might do something to my child,'" said camper Dymire Baylor.

Scared of what exactly? How are children swimming and playing in a pool threatening, unless you are a raving bigot? It could be that this woman had internalized many of the negative stereotypes that media regularly portrays about bodies of color, but hey; we’re all post racial right?

When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool," Horace Gibson, parent of a day camp child, wrote in an email. "The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately."

Yep,…now we can clearly see why racism continues to be a problem…WE TEACH IT TO OUR CHILDREN. The adults in the club reacted with racism and the children responded appropriately. So much for the election of a Black president changing the way the world views bodies of color. People may want Sasha and Malia dolls but they don’t want their perfect white babies associating with the darkies.

The club made sure to make their position clear should we mistake the intent behind their actions.

"There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club," John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club said in a statement.

Gee…what if all that scary Blackness rubs off? What if the white children should learn that all of the privilege that the world is intent on offering them based in the constructed idea that Blacks are inferior, is a steaming pile of bullshit? The world certainly could not survive children learning from one another and sharing experiences; that might lead to equality and we cannot possibly have that.

The club has yet to offer an apology though they have refunded the money spent by The Creative Steps Day Camp. Even if they were to apologize to the parents and the children; they could never undo the harm that their racist actions have caused. Actions like this are exactly why children of color learn to see Whiteness as good and Blackness as bad. This can have lifelong effects, and is extremely emotionally damaging.

Whiteness has created many myths to sustain its undeserved privilege and often when confronted with its racist behaviour, it will act defensively. With whiteness comes the ability to deny the ways in which individual actions support and maintain a white supremacist state. It is not enough to say that not all white people are racist, when all white people continue to benefit from the devaluation of people of color.

The kind of degradation suffered by these children is not unique. People of color continue to be assaulted daily and yet it is Whiteness that claims to live a life of fear. When we examine the history of violence between the races it is POC how have a legitimate right to fear and not Whiteness. If they experience any real fear at all; it can only be from the awareness that at some point there will be a reckoning. Such an imbalance cannot continue indefinitely and we shall have our justice at some point.

We Loved Michael But The World Goes On

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:56:00 +0000

Even the most cold hearted cynic had to have been moved watching Paris Jackson say goodbye to her father at yesterdays memorial. It was one of the few occasions since his death that we got to see the human connection, instead of the celebrity oddity that he had become.

Like many across the globe, I tuned in to watch the memorial. It was a beautiful tribute to the man and his music, even if we did have to tolerate positive references to his abusive father Joe Jackson. I firmly believe that the only thing that the man is mourning is the loss of his largest meal ticket.

At this point, I don’t feel that it is disrespectful to say that it is time for the world to move on. We have played his music, watched his videos and laughed at the way we tried to dance like Mike. To go any further would be to create a circus and in fact we are already verging on this.

The news this morning continued to show clips from his memorial, just in case you somehow missed the MASSIVE coverage from yesterday. As great as MJ was, he was only one man and there are issues in this world that require attention. Much of this mourning reveals the over obsession with celebrity, rather than focusing on someone’s good work. This is not to say that his charitable donations are not noteworthy, however I cannot help but think of the contrast between his memorial and the funeral of Mother Teresa a little over a decade ago.

If we really want to celebrate the fact that Michael dreamed about a better world, perhaps we should get to the work of creating one instead of continuing on with the media circus. He reminded us that there were “kids in the street without enough to eat,” and if he could not be blind to their weeping then in his name neither should we. “Heal the world make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race.” He has passed us a torch and what remains to be seen, is if we have the heart to pick it up.

Vulva Jewellery Failure

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:48:00 +0000

Like most other womanist/feminist I am all in favour of claiming the vagina as a positive body part. Many of the constructions we have that about the vagina construct it is as dirty, or uncontrollable.

I must admit that I was curious when I saw the Vulva Portrait Pendant for sale on Etsy, however something about this feels wrong. Each vagina is custom made from a photograph or a description and yet somehow it does not seem personalized. It seems instead like a collection of disembodied body parts.

The media has a penchant of reducing women to parts and somehow this “vagina jewellery” seems to convey the same message. There is more to being a woman than having a vagina and some women don’t even possess them. It is one thing to refute the social memes that are aimed at the vagina to reduce women and it is completely another to display disembodied vaginas as a supposed symbol of self acceptance. Womanhood is not contained in a vagina; it is in the very fabric of our being.

McKinney Kidnapping Ignored By Media

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:57:00 +0000

Had it not been for twitter, I doubt that I would even have been aware that Cynthia McKinney was held hostage in Israel after attempting to deliver aid and supplies to the Palestinians. There has been a resounding silence on this issue as CNN, MSNBC and other mainstream media sources rush to give us the latest news on the death of Michael Jackson.

Jackson was truly an iconic figure, however the man is dead and Cynthia is alive. His memorial is receiving massive coverage and the announcement that his body would be present was considered breaking news. Even Palin’s resignation has garnered more media and internet attention. Though McKinney is safely back on US soil, her wellbeing during her ordeal was of little concern.

As celebrities and media personnel rush to speak about the ways in which Michael Jackson transcended race, the erasure of the plight of McKinney proves that race and gender continue to divide the country.

Her mission was righteous and her intentions good, yet it matters not because the world places very little value on the bodies of Black women. "If Israel fears for its security because Gaza's children have crayons then not only has Israel lost its last shred of legitimacy, but Israel must be declared a failed state," McKinney said.

Despite her accomplishments McKinney cannot escape the legacy of her mothers womb. The media has gone to great lengths to paint her as radical, wild and untameable. One may not always agree with her methods or her arguments, but the reduction of her to an almost animal like caricature over the course of years allowed her detainment to be deemed unimportant.

Imagine if a white male politician had been held captive by a foreign country. Regardless of what we considered about the impetus for the detainment, his value would be enough for this to be heavily reported in the media. Israel may be considered a friendly state, however the welfare of an American citizen should take precedence in this situation. There was not even been a strongly worded statement on her behalf demanding her release.

Her action was a response to Obama call to action on behalf of the Palestinian people and his silence was her reward.

"State Department and White House officials have not effected our release or taken a strong public stance to condemn the illegal actions of the Israeli Navy of enforcing a blockade of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians of Gaza, a blockade that has been condemned by President Obama," McKinney said in a statement posted on the Green Party's Web site last week.

McKinney is a Black woman and therefore the desire to identify with her is minimal. No matter how successful a person of color becomes, few white people would change places with them because a Black identity is still considered less than. People can congratulate themselves on being able to recognize the talent or skill of a person like Michael Jackson or Queen Latifah but when it comes right down to it; if our safety, health or happiness is an issue, it is irrelevant because we are all considered disposable bodies.

Heroes Adds Lesbian Love

noreply@blogger.com (Renee) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:50:00 +0000

The sitcom Heroes started off with an amazing first season. Each episode was climatic leaving viewers enthralled. Since that point, it has steadily declined with only the most devoted fans continuing to follow the series. Racialicious has kept a running discussion of the shows mystical usages of bodies of color. Race is an issue that Heroes continues to flounder with.

Heroes is desperate to repeat the success of the first season and apparently has decided to give Claire the character played by Hayden Panettiere, a female love interest. Depending upon how audiences react to the sudden change from the incestuous interaction between her and Peter to this new called desire to participate in the love that dare not speak its name, Panettiere might very well find herself involved in a full fledged affair.

In most cases I would be very excited with the fact that a mainstream television employing LGBT characters within their storyline because it lends credence to the concept of all bodies being deserving of equal representation. In fact, the more TBLG characters are shown in the media interacting with heterosexual characters and leading their lives; the easier it will be for society to accept the the fact that the BLTG community are no different.

I cannot say that I hold the same sort of hopes for the latest plot twist in Heroes. It seems evident that the producers are going for the titillation factor, considering that this is an attempt to raise ratings. Heaven forbid a lesbian relationship exist on television because <gasp > women actually engage in sexual relationships for pleasure and not to be a visual fluffer for some guy who wants to get off.

Even if they somehow manage to normalize this relationship, the impetus for its creation will always render it a form of exploitation. The idea that GLBT relationships can be affirmed when it suits the needs of heterosexuals only maintains the power imbalance. Heterosexuals should not be able to decide when expression of lesbian love is appropriate, when little to no such disciplining occurs between men and women.

How often has it been said that people are fine with homosexuality unless it is being flaunted? In this one statement alone, we can decipher the degree to which certain acts immediately come under censure, not because they are morally problematic but by whom the act is performed by. Deciding to advance the storyline only if it is well received by viewers means once again the LGBT community is waiting upon the acceptance of heterosexuals.

When one considers the repeated failure of Heroes to treat its characters of color with respect, I don’t hold much hope for the addition of a gay identity being treated as anything other than a sideshow. In this instance it may be necessary to save the cheerleader to save the world from its desire to perpetuate a hierarchy of bodies.