Pink pussyhats, inclusive feminism and changing the mind of old ladies.

An "older woman" (alright I am a "senior" ) suddenly "gets it". . .. . . at least a little. . .

So first,  where I was. . . 
I was concerned.  There were a lot of attacks on "pink pussyhats" from the women's march. . .  and I felt like - wait a minute. . . 1) that was a great organizing tool. . . women made them and then wore them and it looked great at demo's. As someone who has done a lot of organizing - anything that helps people feel included is a good thing. . . and 2)  if you saw someone wearing one on the street, it made me a feel a little "warm". . . like they were on "my side". 

So then I started to hear the complaints and arguments. . . women of colour do not have pink pussies.  Trans women do not have pussies (necessarily) at all. 

Then, the  mulling it over, and hearing the discussion. . . 
Well I thought - that is true - black women in particular tend to have brown or purple vulvas rather than pink . . . but, I thought to myself,  all women have pink vaginas and I have often heard the hats called "vagina hats". . . (yeah rationalize some more - M.A.  - even I knew I was defending something I should be questioning. . .) When people say vaginas, that way, they mean vulvas, and I know that. . .  My other rationalization was that I actually had assumed that they were pink "pussyhats" - that is pussy's of any colour, but pink hats. . .  that is also what the Asian American woman -- do I point that out in my defense?  Gee I hope not --  who came up with the idea says she meant - that "pink" is the colour assigned to girls and women, in general, and nothing to do with actual "pussy" colour.  A great compromise but it means that everyone has to use my interpretation - one of those - "oh you are offended, look at it this way. . ."  Yikes! Though, thank goodness,  in the U.S. they did ask people at many marches not to wear them, in order to be inclusive. There were few in Halifax, but I did note that tons of people in Toronto were still proudly wearing them.

Racialized women, esp women of African descent, tend to be marginalized in every way.  Whatever I am doing as a feminist,  better put their struggles first or I am not an ally.  I know that - I do support Black Lives Matter, and when able -bodied I did attend Black Lives Matter, First Nations and Indigenous,  demos and protests (including visiting Elsipogtog First Nation and the Water Protectors of Shubie. . .I do not mention those to toot my own  horn but to explain that I thought of myself as a "good ally" and someone who "gets it", but who was definitely struggling - though it took me a while to realize how much. ) 
 
Oh dear. Then,  I also thought, well, maybe not all trans women have pussies, but still cis women (who are more than 95% of the woman population) have pussies,  and how else are we going to define "women" if not by their pussies, Periods, pregnancy, menarche and menopause etc.  etc.  'cause I always thought women were just their biology (NOT!) So why was I wanting to do that now? Don't trans women want into that category "women" and that category includes pussies,  whether they individually have one or not . . . I thought that,  even while simultaneously thinking that trans women are women.  Two of the trans women I know I cannot think of as anything other than a woman - I do not wonder what their cis gender is, I do not wonder what their "plumbing" looks like.  They live in the world as women.  But, I realize that  it is not always the case, and it is hard for many trans women who seem spurned much of the time by any and all genders.  It is personal choice - theirs, not mine.  People do their own "categorizing" or resisting categories. I can only support them.

Even though I am totally in support of gender queer people and those who want to be genderless, AND trans people.  I have tried to be an ally . . . but what this whole discussion made me realize is that I cling very hard (too hard ) to gender categories.  I find it amusing when I meet someone or see someone who is very androgynous.  I love it when I cannot determine someone's gender - but I had, until a few days ago been treating it as a puzzle to be solved - as some point I would identify a cis' or trans' gender -- even though I know not to ask . . . but why do I feel like I have to put people in one of those categories?  No wonder I struggled (though just in practice not in philosophy) to use "their" instead of his or hers.   Have I not spent my life fighting as a feminist and a woman and a socialist, to end capitalism, to make women more equal,  to fight for peace and justice and equality,  and elimination of violence against women? The urge to categorize is (wrongly) strong in me! 

So I started to talk quietly (and with some trepidation) to people about those hats and my discomfort,  and out of those conversations I came to realize how much I cling to gender categories.  I do not for a moment,  not put trans women in the woman "category" I have no trouble doing that - but have come to realize over the last few weeks that I still want the categories.  Why?  Because I have fought for women, and I want there to be a definition of that. . . and I am scared of the category "men" defining the category "women".

Conclusion and new thinking . . . 
But, I am slowly realizing that there is no reason to cling to those hard gender boundaries - what makes me uncomfortable is something I can learn from . . .  I am trying very hard to get away all together from those categories.  We do not need to define "woman" by body part, (and I would have sworn I did not do that until I examined by discomfort with an attack on pink pussyhats)  I think in the near future (at least in the privileged north) there might be people more masculine,  or more feminine, without such clear boundaries,  and I think that there will be a lot more androgyny/genderlessness.  Millennials seem to  find it easy.  I can imagine it. I had no trouble with the Left Hand of Darkness.  Navigating sex in that world is something I won't have to do (too old) but what an adventure.  I have never had sex with anyone whose "genitalia" I could not categorize in advance.  More or less I knew what I would find "down there" (including a lot of individual variation)  I think in "The Kin of atta is waiting for you" there is a scene about that, or maybe it was Marge Piercey. . .  - but otherwise, than fictional experiences. . . it is a new thought for me. 

So the big realization is that I really don't need to care about what is in anyone's pants.  Including my own.  I do not need to identify with a category of "female sex" and who is in the category "woman", or the "genderless/queer" category,  is of no real consequence. . . I should just get over it - which means right away being more inclusive. It is backward thinking -- like seeing the increasing equality of black/African Canadian as somehow taking something from white people.  (all those white nationalists/racists I do not see myself as among!) Expanding "categories" rather than using them to exclude people,  expands us all and takes nothing from me. (or you!)

Animaniacs, Intuitive Eating, defining "research" and Amy Cuddy

First,  Hulu is "rebooting animaniacs", and letting the back catalogue be available. . . . Used to love those cartoons and "Pinky and the Brain" -- and some other related. . .





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So complained about something on FB using the word "research" (that is I did a short - not exhaustive lit review on pub med) but some people objected to "looking things up",  including published "research",   being referred to as "researching a subject" - only doing the actual trials counts as "research". Please let me know in the comments what you think.  I think this is "hard science treats everyone else as an idiot" bias - but perhaps I am protesting too much. It means in law and sociology and history there is very little "research".   Even in heavily "evidence based" midwifery school "research paper" meant doing a lit review of the best evidence for certain practices.  Using cochrane database, pub med etc.  But that is not "research", according to my Science PhD's.  It is in the dictionary definition but makes some people howl.   It has, at this moment, changed my use of the word so as to not get involved in semantic arguments. I was surprised to be "corrected" that a lit review is not "research" but there you go. . . what do you think?
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I have been following and studying critiquing and collecting info on (not "researching" which I otherwise might have used here)    intuitive eating and non-diets. Most (literally most of it) nutrition advice is bogus and we actually have no idea what size people should be, or that there is a proper size,  but have a bias to thin (and white, and straight and tall,  but that is neither here nor there. . . for my purpose here).  Over weight people are often blamed for all their problems regardless of how they eat and exercise and what their actual state of health is. . .

My ND/dietitian no longer coaches people on weight loss - it does not work to lose weight or to increase health in the long term.   95-97% of diets fail - They may often work in the short term but people don't keep the weight off more than 12 months.   Everybody loses.  You don't get satisfaction from eating - but deny yourself things. . .   This approach of body acceptance and intuitive eating reminds me of a program called mindful eating that was not popular but around years ago, but it had little research/evaluation/critique/science behind it. Not sure the new one does either but I am going to give it a try. It is not just at what you want but figure out when you re really hungry and what really satisfies. . . Over time you get what you need. . . and you stop dieting and decreasing your metabolism

So here's a few pieces on this "new" approach to weigh loss and no weightloss/size acceptance. Don't think about losing weight.  Get rid of your scale - figure out what makes you satisfied, happy and feeling good.  Maybe not the same for everyone. . .

Here's an overview where 13 Experts Explain Why Diets Don't Work And What To Do Instead                ". . . Even if we could, [determine what size people should be]95–97% of purposeful weight loss attempts fail. Instead, I help my clients build sustainable habits that aren't built on restriction, and let their body settle at whatever size it's supposed to be."  

or. . . "Weight is not the issue — whether or not the body loses weight is up to the body, not up to the client or me, for that matter. Food can be a comfort, a source of nourishment, and a source of joy. It’s a part of life, just like movement."

 If you prefer listening,  this streaming or podcast from CBC The Current is also interesting - Forget everything you've heard about 'bad food' to avoid, says doctor - although he does think that you should avoid sugar . . . 

I have not read it yet, but apparently the book that started some of this (and is NOT available at the Halifax Public Library - anyone got a copy, I can borrow?) is Health at Every Size.  

And lastly  - although the web is full of stuff about Intuitive eating -  here's another titled "what thin people don't understand about dieting".  If you are not "over weight" and are judgmental of those who are, or if you are a practitioner still trying to coach people to sustainable weight loss, this outlines some of the issues. . . (not "science" just popular info)  

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Final musing today is about Amy Cuddy - speaking of research. . . I showed  this Ted talk, about power poses,  to lots of people and found it fascinating - especially to Stewards to build confidence before their first meetings.  I had no reports of whether people used it or found any benefit but tons of people were fascinated by it. . .   

So today I learned (although I was slow to catch up) that a larger study was done and they could not replicate the results and found no effect. . . LOL  So I think "science" is broken! And I will stop using this talk!

Wind, Cannabis, apprehension of children, minimum wage and more

So made it thorough a wild night of crazy wind (up to 120km an hour gusts) - no snow though.  Trees down in front of/beside our house but all belong to neighbours. . . although two are in our driveway they are on the house side of both cars - Assume eventually construction workers building new house next door will deal with it --   on Monday if not before.  We have power and warmth and light and internet etc. (113,000 NS Power customers without power this morning - never privatize your power company!!!!) )   All happily in place with one son, wife and grand child, and waiting for the other son and family to arrive for another "Christmas" at our house.   So happy. 
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Well thank goodness for the occasional judge that can literally see through the DCS judgment.


"An impoverished Halifax-area couple have regained custody of their toddler daughter, after a judge declared: "There is a difference between parents who are poor, and poor parents."   . . .
"The province's community services minister argued in court there is a "real chance" of harm if the girl is returned to her parents.
"But the judge noted the woman has had no mental-health crises for 17 months, and previously sought help when needed. She said the woman works as a babysitter, and has extensive experience caring for five younger siblings, and is "a confident, competent and capable care-giver."
"Parents who have poor mental health are not deprived of their children: parents whose poor mental health puts their children at risk and who do not seek needed treatment are," Jollimore said in her ruling."
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Lots of blow back in Ontario on minimum wage increase. . . and media playing their part by publishing lots of articles about how the increase will hurt minimum wage workers.

Although I cannot find the article this second - many news articles were about how 50-60,000 thousand jobs will be lost because of it - but the truth is that they are only predicating a slow down in job growth, NO job losses in fact.  And yet many headlines repeated this error. . . 

Michael Coren wrote a great piece (will wonders never cease - not the first time - amazing watching his views change over the last decades) saying in part: "The response seldom has anything to do with economics but is about control and even humiliation. Critics believe that those earning minimum wage somehow deserve to go without, need to pay a price for some imagined sin of failure or lack of ambition. Minimum wage is in their eyes punitive. Listen to talk radio, read right-wing columnists and we see a contemporary Calvinism, a perverse form of predestination where the undeserving poor need to know their place.
. . .
"When, for example, it’s revealed that business leaders are to receive bonuses on already astronomical salaries we never hear that this will lead to inflation or the need to reduce the number of bosses. On the contrary, the same types who oppose minimum wage increases explain that only such munificence will attract the best, even though the evidence indicates otherwise."

Tons of other great pieces on the minimum wage defense.  . .

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This article in Wired is from the summer,  but I just read it and found it fascinating: https://www.wired.com/story/this-pill-promises-to-extend-life-for-a-nickel-a-pop/
Metformin - that is used primarily to stabilize blood sugar in diabetics  may be the key to living, maybe not longer,  but healthier for longer - so more years of good health and ability - still perhaps getting cancer or heart disease,  but much later. . . Sounds good to me - I would love more years of health to enjoy the world. 
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There seems to be an assumption in this story that Cannabis use is way worse than alcohol.  Why is it any different than not allowing people to be drunk on the job?  Why need different methods or processes? It uses language like

Do you want some bozo driving a tank to be strung out? No," said Stuart Hendin, a lawyer and instructor at the Royal Military College and Canadian Forces College.

"strung out" on weed? Miriam Webster describes strung out as addicted or physically debilitated from long term drug use.  Cannabis does neither of those things on its own.   You can develop a "habit" but there are no physical symptoms from stopping use -  just psychological ones. . . there seems to be real panic as if there is not much difference between cannabis and heroin (a la Jeff Sessions) The Military seems a little panicked and the press are not asking questions about their lack of science/medical knowledge.

Women, Work, Palestine and Carnival Games

The worst jobs. . . the most dangerous jobs. 

 Global TV published a piece about the "worst jobs" citing the most dangerous (with death as the outcome) but with a focus on jobs (like healthcare) where mental health is a big issue. 

Most people think of "dangerous jobs" as the ones where there might be violence like policing and corrections, but death (although it happens and is always a tragedy when anyone dies at work) is not an issue statistically for those professions - they do not even make the list of most dangerous professions and yet they are compensated for that risk.  Police Officers in Halifax now (in large numbers and including overtime) make over $100,000/yr  -- and that list was compiled before they got an arbitration decision of 2.75% increases each year for 5 year.   Basic requirements - physical requirements, a pass on a basic knowledge (GED equivalent) test, a high school diploma and a good character with no criminal record.  Compare that to nurses, (basic requirement now - 4 year degree and working unpaid under supervision) and teachers, (require two degrees and working unpaid under supervision) and librarians (many with master's degrees) There is history at work here - as historically,  male occupations were unionized first and for along time we existed in a world where "men are the bread winners" and "men have to be able to support a family",   which set up a lot of these dichotomies.   But it is not any kind of "pay for work of equal value" which we are supposed to be working under/toward (for the last 25 years) 

The worst thing for your health as a workers is to work mixed day and night shifts - where do they still do this?  Healthcare for sure.    And have you seen the pics of the violence that Educational Assistants put up with?    My only point is that job compensation is not related to actual danger, or pre-reqs like education,  but, in fact, are segregated and compensated by union density, year they got organized,  and gender.   Lest you think I do protest too much about gender, there is evidence from the New York Times. . . When the number of women in an occupation increases, the pay for that occupation drops.

"Women, for example, are now better educated than men, have nearly as much work experience and are equally likely to pursue many high-paying careers. No longer can the gap be dismissed with pat observations that women outnumber men in lower-paying jobs like teaching and social work.

A new study from researchers at Cornell University found that the difference between the occupations and industries in which men and women work has recently become the single largest cause of the gender pay gap, accounting for more than half of it. In fact, another study shows, when women enter fields in greater numbers, pay declines — for the very same jobs that more men were doing before."

Not like it could not be fixed - just requires political/social will.   In Iceland, as of this year, it is illegal to pay women less than men. 

'Iceland is not waiting for the gender pay gap to fix itself.
Starting January 1, 2018, it is now illegal for employers to pay women less than men. In Iceland, both public and private employers with 25 employees or more will need obtain government certification of equal pay policies. Organizations that fail to obtain the certification will face fines.
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 Machetunim

Was reminded of something today from a Facebook "memory" of us meeting my son's,  in-laws for the first time (and we really love them!) There is a word in Yiddish for the relationship - our "machetunim" -- thanks to Yiddish for having a word we do not have in English!  But need.

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Palestine. 

Gideon Levy - a journalist and Israeli Human Rights Advocate writes about the arrest and detention of Ahed Tamimi and how much Palestinians have become non-human to most Israeli's.   Yes there are Human rights Abuses all over the world and Israel always wants to us "whataboutism" - - what about Russia, what about the Philippines, what about Indigenous People in Canada?  Well I decry all of them too - but I think Israel gets the brunt because they keep saying they are a democracy and have the rule of law etc but in fact it is only for some, jut like it is in some Arabic/Muslim countries. . . . We object to rule by religion in other countries. But Israel expects a pass.  Click on photo for link to full article.

"Yet even Ahed Tamimi’s “non-Arab” appearance hasn’t managed to touch any hearts here. The wall of dehumanization and demonization that has been built through vile campaigns of incitement, propaganda and brain-washing against the Palestinians has trumped even the blonde from Nabi Saleh.              . . .

"Tamimi is a Palestinian, that is to say, a terrorist, and therefore, she doesn’t deserve any feelings of sympathy. Nothing will crack the defensive shield that protects Israelis from feelings of guilt, or at least discomfort, over her outrageous arrest, over the discrimination by the justice system, which would never have paid any attention to her had she been a Jewish settler.         . . .

"Israel hides behind an iron curtain that it’s no longer possible to pierce. Nothing Israel does to the Palestinians is still capable of rousing any compassion. Not even the poster girl, Tamimi. Even if she were sentenced to life in prison for a slap, even if she were sentenced to death, her punishment would be greeted with either open joy or indifference. There is no place for any other human emotion toward any Palestinian.

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Science of Carnival Games

Have not got time today but someday I am going to take this and write the same info about Capitalism scams!  LOL

https://kottke.org/17/12/the-art-and-science-of-carnival-games-and-how-to-win-them

I'm back!

So apparently I let this blog lapse for two years. I keep suggesting I am going to blog daily and put all the things I want to share in one blog post and then I will share THAT on Facebook.

So, I guess first, the traditional Happy New Year!  2017 was not good for me personally, nor politically, nor for the planet.  Although on the good news side they did get some positive worker legislation in Ontario --  Increased minimum wage and improved benefits and days off for workers covered only by Labour Standards.

I intend to spend less time on FB. Between their new algorithms that make it hard for me to see or share what I want, with/from who I want. . . it seems like a lot of wasted time.  That combined with their removal of accounts on the request of Israel and other governments. .. ubiquitous capitalism on display and plying along with the "wrong side" too often.

So here's what interested me today. . .

Galen Weston won Scumbag of the year from Rank and File. Not a great guy - decried the raising of the minimum wage in Ontario complaining that it would cost Lob=laws stores too much money - this from a company that has huge profits, and from a man who is a Billionaire.   They also admitted to a bread price fixing scandal for TEN YEARS! From Rank and File: 

"Never mind that Loblaw Companies Limited profits continue to smash new records and that Weston’s personal wealth is in excess of $8 billion, Weston wanted you to feel bad for him and his company because they couldn’t pay the poverty wages to his workers.
Loblaws, which has been long in the spotlight for tax dodging, was named in this fall’s release of the Paradise Papers. The company registered offshore holding companies in Barbados and Bermuda in 2005. By some estimates its tax avoidance schemes have cost tax payers up to $350 million dollars.
And then on the day the Ontario government passed Bill 148 increasing the minimum wage to $15 and strengthening labour laws Loblaws announced it was closing twenty stories and firing 500 people from the company, despite making record profits."

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Another thing that I think about every day is the occupation of Palestine and the life that people have to tolerate.  Israel is always asking "what about . . ." other countries and their human rights records, and "what about. . ." - we're the only country in the middle east that has democracy and freedom for gays and lesbians. . . sigh . . . called pink washing.    But recently the worst was jailing a sixteen year old (do you know they have special children;s military courts?) for slapping a soldier who had just slapped her as she tried to defend her home from an invasion by soldiers.  Sigh again. Judy Haiven wrote about it here.

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I am soooooo     looking forward to Black Panther. 

And so I also enjoyed this review of and a little history of black super heroes. . . Some "food for thought. . .

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And lastly, on this morning of this first day of 2018.  I enjoyed this podcast from Laurie and Eleanor Penney, on New Statesman.  Click on pic for link.