Byebye

I think it’s time to retire this blog. It was a lot of fun while it lasted and I was really into it for a while, but, as you can see, I barely update anymore.

So, I’ll let this feminist blog rest peacefully in blog heaven.

In the meantime, you can head over to my personal blog which is a little bit of everything: JESSICA SUE. Granted, it’s not a feminist-specific blog, but instead all of my feminist ramblings will be there from here on out.

Thanks, everyone.

Roman Polanski arrest

So, it’s all over the news: Roman Polanski was finally arrested for the rape of a 13-year-old girl.

It’s posted on a ton of different sites, but here it is from The New York Times.

First pair of high heels

I bought my first pair of legitimate high-heeled shoes Saturday (a pair of wedges from Aldo – not listed on their Web site).

Am I a sell-out? I don’t think so. It’s silly, but I actually do feel more authoritative.

High-heeled shoes = female empowerment?

Why I am not afraid to say I love the Gilmore Girls

So, I’m no longer embarrassed to admit that I love the Gilmore Girls. No matter how many times I watch re-run after re-run, I still laugh at Lauren Graham’s snarky jokes and obscure pop culture references.

But, there are other reasons why I love  it and why I believe it’s one of the greatest shows that has ever been on television.

I love it because it went beyond the typical all-white, suburban, heterosexual, middle-class family that portrayed everything as hunky dory.

Instead, it portrayed a 16-year-old who dropped out of high school to have a baby with a man whom she did not marry. True, they’re white, heterosexual and live in a middle-class town in Connecticut, but it made progress. It might have somewhat glamourized being a single mother, but I’m willing to look past that.

It showed that it is possible for women to succeed alone and that single mothers can be happy.

It gave hope in saying that having a child at a young age without a life-long partner doesn’t mean that one’s life is over.

It didn’t fit into the stereotypical mold that children of single mothers are jaded, uneducated, sexually promiscuous wastoids. Rather, Rory Gilmore (played by Alexis Bledel) was responsible, intelligent, goal-oriented and a bit of a goody-goody.

The Gilmores have the full support of the town, a bit idealistic and probably done for the sake of ratings, but it’s an overall positive message that being a single mother doesn’t necessarily mean facing the world on one’s own.

All in all, sarcasm and obscure references aside, Gilmore Girls was a start in the right direction for progressive, women-positive entertainment.

Update: As much as I do love the show, I definitely could do without Rory’s cornball boyfriends Dean, Jess and Logan.

I also failed to include my criticisms for the show. I really, really wish they would have included characters other than the all-heterosexual, all-white (excuse me, I forgot the two Koreans), all non-disabled cast. The show could have really broken boundaries.

Feminist book, “Listen up” a fantastic read

Last night, I began reading “Listen up: Voices From the Next Feminist Generation•,” which is full of great short stories and essays.

The first in the compilation is probably the closest explanation of girlhood I’ve ever read, at least in terms of my own experience. I’m not talking about the events in the girl, Anna’s life, but the feelings, emotions, attitudes of herself and from others; those are almost spot-on.

I highly suggest this book, and if ever you were an awkward, unhappy girl during adolescence, then do yourself a service by reading Curtis Sittenfeld’s “Your Life as a Girl.”

•Note: “Your Life as a Girl” can be found in the “Listen up” link on pages 3-10.

Oh, wow, look another dumb political candidate

If you’re going to run for political office, it’s probably not a good idea to post topless pictures of your roommate on Flickr. Just a thought.

The Republican candidate, John Paul Mitchell, intends to run against Jan Brewer in 2010.

Apparently, he’s made a new Flickr account.

On Twitter, Mitchell’s response was, “In a way I feel ashamed for my mistake, but in a way, I feel more human, closer to reality. But, if I truly believe in myself and what I can do for this state, then I must accept my mistake and move on.”

Yeah, it’s totally human to post photos of half-naked women on the Internet.

Thanks, John Paul Mitchell, for joining the human race.

Breast cancer research center opens in Deer Valley, Ariz.

The new, 9,000-square-foot center will give patients the choice to confidentially donate their breast cancer tissue for further research, according to an article in today’s The Arizona Republic.

Sexist Nikon ads

In case you can't tell, the highlighted squares in the background are men's faces, viewing the women on the bed.

Angie Zapata’s murderer sentenced to life in prison

Angie Zapata

After two hours, a Colo. jury reached a verdict April 22 that the murderer of the 18-year-old transgender woman, Angie Zapata is guilty of first-degree murder. The jury also concluded that the crime is a hate crime.

The defendant, Allen Andrade, is sentenced to life in prison without parole, the required sentence for first-degree murder in Colo.

Andrade was convicted for murdering Zapata in her Greeley, Colo. apartment in the summer of 2008 after he found out Zapata was not born female. Zapata, born Justin Zapata, met Andrade on the Internet.

Andrade beat Zapata to death with his fists and a fire extinguisher, according to prosecutors.

Michelle Obama, more popular than husband

The first African-American first lady, Michelle Obama, has a significantly higher approval rating than her husband, President Barack Obama, according to a recent Gallup Poll. Michelle’s approval rating is 79 percent, whereas Barack’s is 64.

The only first ladies with higher approval ratings since President Franklin D. Roosevelt are Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. Laura’s approval rating was 85 percent when President George W. Bush was sworn in for his second term. As for Hillary, hers was 80 percent in February 1999.

The poll was conducted April 20 and 21, consisting of 1,051 adults. There is a plus or minus 3 percent margin of error.