What makes a feminist?

What makes a feminist?

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Joys of Facebook

One of my friends just gave birth. What a fantastic thing new life is, and what a wonder technology is that we can share photos of a new miracle so quickly!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

There is a great deal of anti-choice discussion on many feminist blogs. It appears that the target du jour is the Crisis Pregnancy Center, advertised in many cities under "abortion alternatives" but allegedly also posing as abortion fake-clinics meant to scare women out of terminating their pregnancies.

Alleged Campaign of Misinformation.

What I'd like to know is: is there anyone out there who has had a positive experience at a CPC who would be interested in telling their story? I'd hate to see these incredibly useful (and often volunteer-run, how cool is that?) resources get taken down!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

happy tax day!

If you need a break from number-crunching, spend some time at my favorite daily cute sites!

Babies Making Faces cute pictures of silly baby faces.
Cute Overload Baby animals galore!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Fixing poverty--as the LOLcat would say, ur doin it wrong

Let's fix it by punishing children born out of wedlock!

No, no, and NO. This is not the solution.

A peaceful society cannot exist where a child conceived/born in one set of circumstances (in this case, out of wedlock) is treated as inferior to another child born/conceived within wedlock.

The answer cannot be in withholding assistance to children born out of wedlock. Whether you believe marriage is a sacred bond or merely a piece of paper that affords legal perks, the ones who suffer the most from lack of support are the children. America can not simultaneously claim to value life and fail to support it.

We aren't losing a huge chunk of tax dollars on these "welfare queens" (and for the record, I hate that term. Racist/classist much?). It doesn't anger me. You know what does? Corporate bailouts for billionaires. They're not going to starve if suddenly they become millionaires instead of billionaires.

No distinction should ever be made with regard to the conditions surrounding the birth of any child. All children must be welcome and accepted!

Saturday, April 3, 2010

crisis pregnancy centers and historical heroes

Dr. Charlotte Denman Lozier, (1844-1870) wife, mother, scholar, physician, and woman

In 1866, Dr. Lozier refused-and had arrested-a man who was looking to procure an abortion.

In other news, I've been reading a lot of fire over the controversy that is the "Crisis Pregnancy Center". Allegedly, these centers are firmly right-wing, will use scare tactics to talk women out of abortion, even providing false and misleading information about how far along they are, how "it's not necessary to abort, the pregnancy isn't viable", subjecting them to propaganda images, etc. All while advertising as "abortion services".

Well, maybe it's because I live in the liberal Pacific Northwest, but I've never seen these centers advertised as "abortion services". They sit prominently at the top of the phone book as "abortion ALTERNATIVES". Some have ultrasound machines, some are desperate for them (guess which agenda fights against requiring women to view their ultrasounds before obtaining abortion?). Pretty much all are run by volunteers and don't charge for their services as they operate by donations.

Recently, in Baltimore, CPC's came under fire for not properly advertising their services. They were asked to put on their door that they do not offer or refer for abortion or birth control services. The Baltimore Archdiocese has stated this interferes with their right to free speech and religion.

Call me a dirty secular humanist, but I would hope any crisis pregnancy center would PROUDLY display that they do not offer abortion services (and artificial birth control if that goes against their beliefs too). Be proud of your beliefs!