Cheaper than a Cow

- Is this legal to do? To sell women as like, sex slaves? because it kinda sounds like with how secretive they are about it. And why is it recently that villagers became desperate for brides and sons? Where are all the women in these villages? Ok, so it's because fewer girls are being born but why? OK, that's what I thought. They abort them. WOw, what do they think is going to happen? duh.

- It's pretty sad what happens to these girls. IT sounds like some places are beginning to fight back against this though.

"Pop" Goes the Arab World

- I'm guessing this is going to get into the popular culture in the Arab world because it is becoming Westernized.

- Wow, so this American Idol show had amazing voter turnout because most of the govts. over there are not democratic and if they are, the elections are fixed! So this gives them an opportunity to actually voice their opinion about something. I never vote for shows like that because it all just seems so silly, but I never thought if it that way.

- hmm..so is it arguing that this is giving people a sense of power without actually giving them any because it's just a silly pop music show?

- I mean, I think it is kind of too bad that Western culture is turning these female pop stars into sex icons and that they have to look sexy to be popular. It goes against many of their values- they lose some of what makes them different and unique by adopting Western styles.

- I mean, these women should have the right to be sexy if they want without being censored at the same time. But it just seems like they are copying us and not evolving as a culture on their own. It's almost inevitable though with how technology allows communication and transmission of media to be spread all around the world. Cultures are just going to mix I guess and the more powerful culture will be the dominant one.

From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos

- I don't usually listen to the words that closely in rap songs- I just like the beat and how they sound. I realize they usually are very sexist though. geez I never thought about rap this deeply- that it's a reflection of the pain that black men deal with and their self-hatred?

- So is she saying black women need to distance themselves and recognize that the derogatory language isn't personal? That they need to build a close-knit community to heal the pain of racism? I mean, I think this is more of an issue with the men that they need to work on than the women.

- I'm still not sure what exactly she thinks people are supposed to do to improve the situation.

Despartely Debating Housewives

- I never watched this show so I don't really know what they're talking about. I just heard it was about housewives that have affairs so it sounded dumb to me.

- So is this Jessica saying that the show is pro-feminist? Because it involves girl-talk and the females play the lead roles? idk, it seems like she has some good arguments if it really does bring to light the hardships of housewives.

- yea...but Jen's arguments are a lot more convincing. Almost all the writers are male? and yes, it does portray childcare as the woman's responsibility.

- I don't understand this term "camp" that Jess keeps using in her 2nd response. Wow, so this guy wrote Golden Girls too? Why are his shows all about women? GG was a good show! And pro-feminist too I would say.

- This might mean more to me if I knew what they were referring to about the show. I don't think these women would ever come to an agreement about this show.

Pop Culture is Us

- At least on the Swan they give counseling to the women. They don't do that on Extreme Makeover. At least they're recognizing that they need help mentally too for their self-esteem issues.

- This is an interesting connection between the news and TV shows that I've never seen or thought about. I mean, I agree that these shows humiliating people are wrong, but these people volunteered to come on that show. And the torturing of Abu Ghraib was so extreme and inhumane, it's a ton more extreme than any of those TV shows.

- I definitely think that because the photo from Abu Ghraib showed a woman torturing these men, it made people a lot more critical of the events because it showed a women in power position over a man. I myself was slightly ashamed as woman seeing another woman doing something like this. I had hoped women were better than men in this regard to stoop to something so morally wrong. Maybe that was sexist of me to think though.

- I never heard of this show "I want a Famous Face" but it sounds terrible. I mean, men participate in this too right? So not just women are pressured to have this "perfect" look.

- It also reminds me of the analogy of the caterpillar transforming into a butterfly or the ugly duckling in the swan. This theme is really all throughout our history.

The Way it Was

- I thought most people were against partial-birth abortion. Doesn't that outlaw abortion if the baby can survive outside the mother? I mean, a ban against that makes sense I think because it's practically a baby already. The woman needs to get it taken care of before her third trimester and I think has enough time to do that.

- These descriptions are nasty. So other people's definition of partial birth abortion is different than mine. Just because the fetus is whole doesn't mean partial birth, to me at least. And making her give birth to a fetus with anencephaly which will die anyways? That's ridiculous. She should have it aborted if she wants- especially if it's inbred!

- omg, these stories about when trying to get abortions before Roe v. Wade are horrific!

- I can't believe this author woman went to a doctor like that. What did she expect? That place sounds nasty and shadey. I would've never gone there. omg I can't believe she's going to Florida! With $800 and not telling anyone? You'd think she'd learn her lesson the first time someone took advantage of her situation and desperation!

- Thank God she called her mother. That's the smartest thing she's ever done. She could've got off a ton easier if she had just not been so stupid about how she handled it.

- Very good arguments against anti-choicers. People will keep having sex, doh. Why punish these women? They're get an abortion whether it's legal or not. Let's give them a way to do it without risking their lives.

Women of Color and their Struggle for Reproductive Justice

- What is "targeted family planning?"

- So is this saying that poor women of color don't really have a real choice because they can't really afford another child even if they want one?

- Isn't that the same scenario that Sanger's patient was in, except she actually didn't have any choice at all? I mean, at least these women have an option besides what that poor women had and eventually died from. They call BC population control???

- I don't get it! First, they article claims women used to have no choice but to have tons of kids and now that they have a way to prevent that, they're calling it population control??

- I think targeting people on welfare by giving them BC makes logical sense. If they keep having kids, it's going to become a bigger and bigger financial strain on the government and tax payers. Call it what you will, but otherwise it would increase taxes. And the fact that a high proportion of people on welfare are black is another issue on its own.

- And the family caps? They're put in place because some women have more kids simply so they can get more welfare! People shouldn't be having kids that they are not able to provide for and simply expect the government to keep giving them more limitlessly!

- Exactly, that Martha Ward is right! Family planning really is helpful for poor people!

- OK, the part about forced sterilization is a little hard to believe, but shocking. If people really did that, they should be sued or go to jail. I don't understand minorities though. Why them?

- Ok, so why is it bad to stop women addicted to drugs from having kids? I mean, doesn't that seem like a good thing? And if it primarily attacks women of color, why are so many women of color on drugs in the first place?

- I guess because I'm white, I don't understand what minority women have to deal with, but I just disagree with a lot with how they feel about BC. We shouldnt have to be divided about this as women because it makes our fight more difficult when we're not united. A compromise needs to be made or something.

My Fight for BC

- I read about how Margaret Sanger was a nurse to birthing mothers and how she decided to begin telling women about BC after watching many die from abortions. Didn't she get arrested for it something? It takes brave, courageous women like this to make real change for the better.

- I've started a powerpoint presentation about historical feminists to see what their lives were like. I outline their big accomplishments, include a pic, and a quote from each one. I think it's really interesting and enjoy designing powerpoints! I'm just compiling facts I find into a slideshow. I think we don't know enough about the feminists of our past who fought tirelessly for the many rights we have today, nor do we appreciate their efforts enough.

Designer Vaginas

Just thinking about cosmetic surgery on my labia makes me cringe!

Who would want that? What's considered "normal" anyways? I

have had friends complain before about one labia being larger than the other, but honestly, who cares?

China's Costmetic Surgery Craze

- Why would anyone want to lengthen their legs? That seems very stupid thing to do. And folding eye lids is silly too. I've heard of that before and can understand it, but I think Asians are beautiful people as they are!

- The mess-ups sound horrific! Not worth the risk, the cost, or the pain at all. We are just taller than them because of all our growth hormones in red meat. The just need to eat like that during their childhood and adolescence if they want to be like us.

If Men could Menstruate

- hahaha I don't have penis-envy at all!

- hmm...I dont really think sanitary supplies would be federally funded. I mean, Viagra isn't.

- Wow, some of those sayings like giving blood to take it sounded very plausible! That's crazy!

- I never really saw my period as a way to connect to the universe. That's kinda far-fetched.

Breast Buds and the "training" Bra

- I really don't think breasts as a female sexual part didn't become popular until the WWII era. I'm sure big breasts were preferred long before then. So I don't know where she's getting her information. - I'm sure cleavage was popular too! I mean the female characters in Gone with the Wind and Pride and Prejudice! I've seen paintings of women with cleavage! Where is she getting this idea?

- I mean, women with very large breasts usually have back pain because of they heavy weight it has to support. You can't tell me women didn't have anything to hold their breasts up to help fix that problem until the 1930s?

- That's interesting that homemade clothes are simply made to fit you, but store-bought clothes are made to fit a norm that girls feel they must fit into. Buying clothes is always a trigger for me to feel fat if I don't fit into my normal, small size.

- I asked my mother for a bra when I was seven years old! Talk about pressure to be feminine at a young age! For some reason, I really thought I was growing breasts and needed one! She bought me two and after experiencing how uncomfortable they were, I was done! I can't believe I thought that I needed a bra when I was that age!

- I think training bras are terrible! That's such bullshit what they doctor says about needing them medically! I can't believe mothers actually measured their daughters' breasts. That's completely ridiculous. - I don't understand how they convinced thin girls to wear a girdle- there's nothing to hold in or hide!

- My mom taught me to bend over and lean into my bra! I never thought anything of it. I thought it was just so my breasts were completely in the support of the cups! - Wow, if this stuff is true with the calorie-counting booklet, it's really disgusting. No wonder girls are still dealing with the implications of this shit from way back then today and are now cutting their bodies or starving themselves to keep their "junior figure control."

- As embarrassed as I am do admit it, I once spent a lot of money on breast-enhancement pills and cream and it was a complete waste. They just promise you so much and I've had many issues with being unhappy with my body. I was willing to do almost anything if they promised me larger breasts. I was soooo stupid. Part of it was also because guys I had dated had commented on my small breasts so I didn't feel like a real woman unless I had them. I looked like an adolescent girl. It brings up lots of negative thoughts again and makes me very bitter that things I did to my body and my ball-and-chain still to the unhappiness connected with it.

Hermaprodites with Attitude

- I think parents just worry when their baby has ambiguous genitalia because they want he/she to have a normal, happy life and not have to worry about being rejected by society as a freak. I think that's something to legitamitely worry about. I would worry too!

- I can't believe they do that to babies and children! Expand the vaginal opening? That's disgusting! I can't imagine how traumatized the kid would be.

- So many things can go wrong or not develop properly. You can have all different variations. My mom once dated a man with Klinefelter's and I never knew until two years after they broke up and she told me. It made sense because he didn't have a deep voice and had small breasts, but I thought that was just because he was heavy.

- People don't try to change their babies with down syndrome because they claim "that's how God made her." How can they say that and then justify cutting their baby's genitals??

Inscribing Gender on the Body

- So are they suggesting we reject these notions of beauty? That sounds like a good plan, but is it worth being outcasted by our peers and society?

-I didn't know that about muscle dysmorphia or that many women have it.

- A lot of people are uneducated about EDs and don't take them seriously as a real disease like cancer or diabetes. They didn't mention that in here.

- People have worn makeup and jewelry dating back to Eygyptian times- it's just part of our nature almost.

Women, Sexuality, and Social Change in the Middle East

- So glad we are finally looking at international issues! I don't know much about it and really want to learn more. - This is shocking about the Qur'an! It sounds nothing like the one that's publicized so much. It's really awesome. I wonder who wrote the Qur'an. - So basically they mostly do exactly opposite what they Qur'an condones? Christianity does this too! So much people just make religion what they want it to be and use it to control and rule people. - I can't believe they gave girls virginity tests. And they could get expelled! You would never expect that in modern times today. - Really sad how women in the middle east already had all these rights and they were taken away from them. It makes me wonder how they were able to change the belief system of Islam to fit their needs for control. - So women have fought this movement destroying their rights and have gained some back. This is reassuring and leaves hope.

I was a cosmo deviant

I scored 19 so I guess I'm normal. I totally agreed with this essay. It's ridiculous the way those teen magazines tell girls they "should" live and bullshit about sex.

Biphobia

- I dated a bisexual guy last year and I didn't feel that he was hypersexual- he just was more open about his sexuality. I found it fun that we could check out guys together! It did start to bother me though that I think he was attracted to me because I was thin and not curvy. He used to tell me I should cut my hair very short. It made me uncomfortable that he wanted me to look like a boy. I never felt worried about him cheating than any other guy I've dated- it just worked with men or women. He told me about his homosexual experiences and I was okay with it.

- Never thought about the possibility that gay people could be suppressing their bisexuality so as not to be rejected from the gay community! It's a tough position to be in.

- So aren't people who are bi and choose a lifetime partner of either the same or opposite sex "choosing" a side to be on- to join the straight community or not? If they choose one of the opposite, then are they just permanently rejected from the gay community? How can they still identify as bi if they have to pick one or the other?