Perhaps in an effort to atone for the masked (or, at times, not so clandestine) sexism in the media regarding the democratic primaries, various news outlets and columnists were addressing feminist and women's health issues today.
One of the main threads has been the fate of the white female vote now with Hillary's withdrawal from the race. Some news outlets have been putting the microphone in front of the mouths Hillary supporters' who would rather go to McCain than turn to the dark side.
As columns by the Times' Frank Rich and Ariana Huffington demonstrate, however, this move may not neccesarily be as en masse as it seems. And even if middle aged white women are saying they will vote McCain, the sooner they learn about his policies regarding a woman's right to choose and reproductive health (125/130 votes against choice), the sooner they change their minds.
Rich does well to point out that "the notion that all female Clinton supporters became “angry white women” once their candidate lost — to the hysterical extreme where even lifelong Democrats would desert their own party en masse — is itself a sexist stereotype."
At the rally before Hillary's good-bye speech, I did hear a handful of staunch supporters (ages roughly 50-60) say they might vote for McCain. Reporters, huddled around their little camera platform, were practically foaming at the mouth to talk to these vocal women.
However, even the most vocal supporter in my vicinity (so vocal she was urging those around her to clap their hands and sing when "We Are Family" was playing over the loudspeakers), had changed her mind after hearing Clinton's extremely supportive cry for Obama. Though, to be entirely fair, there were indeed audible 'boos' at the mention of his name.
Both Rich, Huffington and Maureen Dowd make passing mention of a crude joke McCain once told in 1998 about Hillary and Chelsea Clinton and Janet Reno. This, of course, made me curious. I think any woman considering voting for McCain should hear this.
Allegedly, McCain said, "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?"
"Because her father is Janet Reno."
Chelsea was a teenager at the time; McCain was still a senior citizen. I think this proves that she (yeah, Chelsea!) is closer to deserving the highest office of this country than he.
He told Maureen Dowd ''I will always maintain a sense of humor. Life is too short not to.''
Well, you know what I find funny, John?
http://www.thingsyoungerthanmccain.com/
The Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches are younger than John McCain. So are chocolate chip cookies.
I've gotten sidetracked by John McCain's near-octegenarian status. PS. Read this about ageism.
Now, other Times' column. Nick Kristof writes today about a UN special session regarding sexual violence. You can read more about this opportunity for action at human rights watch online.
And finally, Sarah Odell, Wellesley junior with her insight into the Clinton campaign and the importance of feminism from today's Washington Post. I can't believe that girls can go into college, much less come out not wanting to be labeled feminists because of all that feminism entails, but in some ways I guess thats a good thing because it means the women attending colleges such as Wellesley and Vassar grow up hearing the same thing men have heard for years: You can be whatever you set out to be.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
401K and Health Insurance: Because You're Not Supposed to Just Know
Dear Ron Lieber,
Thank you for your article "A Primer for Young People Starting your First Job." Though I would have loved for you to go on and on about the many real-world facts of life I as of yet don't understand - it was a good start.
...If you don't understand what 401K means, or wonder what having student loans indicates for your W4, read it. Today.
Thank you for your article "A Primer for Young People Starting your First Job." Though I would have loved for you to go on and on about the many real-world facts of life I as of yet don't understand - it was a good start.
...If you don't understand what 401K means, or wonder what having student loans indicates for your W4, read it. Today.
Up, up and away to D.C.
So, you may have noticed a layout change. I'm not sure who "you" is, other than Sam and Molly, who are my only known dedicated readers. But for the sake of rhetoric.
I'm moving to Washington! I'm a real person now, didn't you hear? So, anyhow, I have a job with communications/pr for a publishers trade organization.
Having a plan leads to the inevitable doubts as to whether or not I'm doing the best thing, the "right" thing. One job leads to the next, one move precipitates all the rest, in a chain of events you cannot really prevent or change. Needless to say, I feel intimidated. I turned down a job with a small newspaper in upstate New York, about a half hour from home. Though I opted for a D.C. job more for the city and the people than the job, I wonder if I'm selling out or something. I think this job will be great, the office seems like a very positive and relaxed environment, the people are very nice. Post-graduation, life planning and responsible decision-making are generally panic-inducing. I guess I just expected to be more at ease once the job and house business was set up.
Luckily, I am calming my nerves with love of my parents new puppy, UEFA cup soccer games and more than enough sleep. And a return to running, something that I've desperately been needing to do.
I'm moving to Washington! I'm a real person now, didn't you hear? So, anyhow, I have a job with communications/pr for a publishers trade organization.
Having a plan leads to the inevitable doubts as to whether or not I'm doing the best thing, the "right" thing. One job leads to the next, one move precipitates all the rest, in a chain of events you cannot really prevent or change. Needless to say, I feel intimidated. I turned down a job with a small newspaper in upstate New York, about a half hour from home. Though I opted for a D.C. job more for the city and the people than the job, I wonder if I'm selling out or something. I think this job will be great, the office seems like a very positive and relaxed environment, the people are very nice. Post-graduation, life planning and responsible decision-making are generally panic-inducing. I guess I just expected to be more at ease once the job and house business was set up.
Luckily, I am calming my nerves with love of my parents new puppy, UEFA cup soccer games and more than enough sleep. And a return to running, something that I've desperately been needing to do.
Friday, June 13, 2008
News Bites: Because there's so much good news out there
Alright, let's try this again. In an ideal world, I'd be posting these alone and not in a lump sum, with more ample time to comment on them. Apparently, I am either too busy, too lazy or both. More on that in a second.
1. Is google why can't I concentrate anymore?
After Morgan's article, this was extremely appropriate. The phenomenon Carr talks about in this Atlantic Monthly article regarding reading was very familiar. Those glory days of reading in my bed all day and all night have turned into schizophrenic bopping from book to e-mail to facebook to a crossword puzzle or Scrabulous game. I miss my focus, to be honest.
2. Techno Toddlers
Also appropriate, So Young, and So Gadgeted and the topic of much discussion among my friends and I of late, I feel. Today kids are entering adolescence with a mastery and intimate knowledge of the internet, cell phones and texting.
We twenty-somethings were among the last high schoolers to go through much of our childhoods without cell phones and e-mail addresses. I didn't get a cell phone until right before I left for Vassar, and it was a prepaid virgin mobile model. As is typical, I tend to think its better to be introduced to technology later, and can't really fathom buying my toddler a cell phone (who the hell do 3rd graders need to call? Go play some fore square or something.)
3. From Babies to Equal Parenting
Though I have less than zero marriage and parenting plans, I am fascinated by Americans' approaches to both -- probably because there is no sure way to do either successfully, it seems so hit or miss. This sunday's Times Magazine cover is about splitting parenting duties equally, going beyond gender norms where the woman is the care provider.
Despite it being the 21st century, that Title IX is a quarter of a century old and working moms are commonplace, in couples where both parents work the amount of housework done by wives outpaces that done by husbands by almost 2:1. Even when each partner is working, the gender disparity remains.
"Where the housework ratio is two to one, the wife-to-husband ratio for child care in the United States is close to five to one."
Social norms apparently work against parents who wish to engage in equal parenting. (Really, you don't say? Social norms reinforcing gender stereotypes? Nawwww) Women's jobs also, strangely, are always more "flexible" than men's.
"By way of example she describes two actual couples, one in which he is a college professor and she is a physician and one in which she is a college professor and he is a physician. In either case, Deutsch says “both the husband and wife claimed the man’s job was less flexible.” "
Even the success stories make me skeptical of the potentiality of marriage, but I guess thats 22 for you.
4. Speaking of Gender Normatives...
If you haven't overheard the media's self-reflexive conversation about its sexist tendencies, you clearly aren't reading this blog. Or any blog. Anywhere. Ever. Today's Times had the latest installment of this discussion.
I shall now defer to Katie Couric.
Hell yea.
1. Is google why can't I concentrate anymore?
After Morgan's article, this was extremely appropriate. The phenomenon Carr talks about in this Atlantic Monthly article regarding reading was very familiar. Those glory days of reading in my bed all day and all night have turned into schizophrenic bopping from book to e-mail to facebook to a crossword puzzle or Scrabulous game. I miss my focus, to be honest.
2. Techno Toddlers
Also appropriate, So Young, and So Gadgeted and the topic of much discussion among my friends and I of late, I feel. Today kids are entering adolescence with a mastery and intimate knowledge of the internet, cell phones and texting.
We twenty-somethings were among the last high schoolers to go through much of our childhoods without cell phones and e-mail addresses. I didn't get a cell phone until right before I left for Vassar, and it was a prepaid virgin mobile model. As is typical, I tend to think its better to be introduced to technology later, and can't really fathom buying my toddler a cell phone (who the hell do 3rd graders need to call? Go play some fore square or something.)
3. From Babies to Equal Parenting
Though I have less than zero marriage and parenting plans, I am fascinated by Americans' approaches to both -- probably because there is no sure way to do either successfully, it seems so hit or miss. This sunday's Times Magazine cover is about splitting parenting duties equally, going beyond gender norms where the woman is the care provider.
Despite it being the 21st century, that Title IX is a quarter of a century old and working moms are commonplace, in couples where both parents work the amount of housework done by wives outpaces that done by husbands by almost 2:1. Even when each partner is working, the gender disparity remains.
"Where the housework ratio is two to one, the wife-to-husband ratio for child care in the United States is close to five to one."
Social norms apparently work against parents who wish to engage in equal parenting. (Really, you don't say? Social norms reinforcing gender stereotypes? Nawwww) Women's jobs also, strangely, are always more "flexible" than men's.
"By way of example she describes two actual couples, one in which he is a college professor and she is a physician and one in which she is a college professor and he is a physician. In either case, Deutsch says “both the husband and wife claimed the man’s job was less flexible.” "
Even the success stories make me skeptical of the potentiality of marriage, but I guess thats 22 for you.
4. Speaking of Gender Normatives...
If you haven't overheard the media's self-reflexive conversation about its sexist tendencies, you clearly aren't reading this blog. Or any blog. Anywhere. Ever. Today's Times had the latest installment of this discussion.
I shall now defer to Katie Couric.
Hell yea.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Vassar Huff blogger
Former VSA VP Morgan Warners, and fellow Vassar grad, is now a blogger for The Huffington Post. (Who is jealous other than me?) He wrote his first post on Monday on the dangers of being at once hyperconnected and socially and physically disconnected.
His post also reminded me of something I had forgotten to post: my senior reflection and article for The Miscellany News' graduation issue.
* * * * * * * * *
The Days Before Facebook
Fall Semester 2005 – those were simpler times. The brief, fleeting golden days before blogging, poking, posting and Facebook stalking became standards of the virtual lives of Vassar College students.
The Class of 2008 marks the last graduating class to have matriculated at a Facebook-free Vassar. Even for those who lived it, the time without Facebook, like the times when the Library had just four printers, seems a distant past.
How did we ever make friends before Facebook? Sustain classmate crushes? Plan parties? Learning about our freshmen year roommates required us to be pen pals with them. Before coming to campus, we chatted over Instant Messenger, made phone calls, e-mailed or used the forum set up by the College. Compare this to the incoming freshman class, the Class of 2012, who started a Facebook group proclaiming their status in December 2007.
Because the Vassar pre-Facebook era (P.F.?) was so short-lived, I’ll try to resist using the phrase “back in our day,” tempting as it may be. But the more ingrained in our daily lives the social networking site becomes, the more difficult it is to imagine how we once made do without it.
During freshman week 2004, the Class of 2008 resorted to an actual physical book of photos of our classmate’s faces. If you wanted to know who your friend’s boyfriend’s roommate was, you could look up their name and see their high school senior photo and that is about it. Topics such as favorite music and movies were reserved for second dates, not basic given knowledge or standards of evaluation.
Even after many of us signed on to the virtual Facebook, information was pretty sparse. Our first profiles consisted of little more than a representative photo and contact information. No photos, no events, no status, no gifts, and definately no jetman.
In fact, what first attracted me about Facebook, versus then-favorite social networking site MySpace was how calm it was. There weren’t any advertisements, no messages from anonymous sketchy people hitting on you. It was a closed environment—reserved for liberal arts students. It was almost utopic; we felt safe.
Which explains, perhaps, why successive changes to Facebook have caused near-revolts from students at Vassar and nationwide. After about a year, the Web site opened to high school students, giving rise to the formation of groups such as “It was dumb to open facebook to high school students” and “Facebook ain’t no fun no more cuz High School Students can get on!” In September 2006 the site opened to all internet users and added the controversial news feed. Nearly half a million student users have joined or formed groups protesting the feed.
We signed on because we want to share information, but just how much information we should share and with whom has always been a point of contention. How many of us students have been “friended” by a parent or other adult and felt a level of discomfort? It’s almost as though that person had shown up at a TH party and asked to do a tequila shot. Seniors might want to reconsider their possessiveness, however, since we too are now entering the pool of adult Facebook users.
Facebook dependency is akin to the many other technological addictions these years have brought. It seems odd to imagine locating friends in the library or mall, for example, without texting them. We find the concept of procrastination without YouTube confusing. Many of us have rarely opened an encyclopedia, but we rely on Wikipedia as an infallible source of information. Gone are the days of the whiny livejournal—but blogs have established themselves as news sources.
There are positive and negative effects, of course, to the amplification of our virtual lives. Many argue that it distances us to what has up until now been considered true human interaction. Because we are constantly interconnected, we are rarely ever alone with ourselves. However, our best friends are never farther away than a text, e-mail or instant message, something that will be a comfort as we disperse.
We are the multi-tasking generation, aptly streamlining and prioritizing our tasks, but focusing on a single thing can be a challenge. If we cannot see our best friend once a day, that’s probably okay. If we cannot check our e-mail once a day, it may cause an emotional breakdown.
Each incoming group of Vassar students will see their own changes and have their “remember-when” moments. Facebook did not make our college experiences good or bad, just different from those that came before. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go change my status to “graduated.”
His post also reminded me of something I had forgotten to post: my senior reflection and article for The Miscellany News' graduation issue.
* * * * * * * * *
The Days Before Facebook
Fall Semester 2005 – those were simpler times. The brief, fleeting golden days before blogging, poking, posting and Facebook stalking became standards of the virtual lives of Vassar College students.
The Class of 2008 marks the last graduating class to have matriculated at a Facebook-free Vassar. Even for those who lived it, the time without Facebook, like the times when the Library had just four printers, seems a distant past.
How did we ever make friends before Facebook? Sustain classmate crushes? Plan parties? Learning about our freshmen year roommates required us to be pen pals with them. Before coming to campus, we chatted over Instant Messenger, made phone calls, e-mailed or used the forum set up by the College. Compare this to the incoming freshman class, the Class of 2012, who started a Facebook group proclaiming their status in December 2007.
Because the Vassar pre-Facebook era (P.F.?) was so short-lived, I’ll try to resist using the phrase “back in our day,” tempting as it may be. But the more ingrained in our daily lives the social networking site becomes, the more difficult it is to imagine how we once made do without it.
During freshman week 2004, the Class of 2008 resorted to an actual physical book of photos of our classmate’s faces. If you wanted to know who your friend’s boyfriend’s roommate was, you could look up their name and see their high school senior photo and that is about it. Topics such as favorite music and movies were reserved for second dates, not basic given knowledge or standards of evaluation.
Even after many of us signed on to the virtual Facebook, information was pretty sparse. Our first profiles consisted of little more than a representative photo and contact information. No photos, no events, no status, no gifts, and definately no jetman.
In fact, what first attracted me about Facebook, versus then-favorite social networking site MySpace was how calm it was. There weren’t any advertisements, no messages from anonymous sketchy people hitting on you. It was a closed environment—reserved for liberal arts students. It was almost utopic; we felt safe.
Which explains, perhaps, why successive changes to Facebook have caused near-revolts from students at Vassar and nationwide. After about a year, the Web site opened to high school students, giving rise to the formation of groups such as “It was dumb to open facebook to high school students” and “Facebook ain’t no fun no more cuz High School Students can get on!” In September 2006 the site opened to all internet users and added the controversial news feed. Nearly half a million student users have joined or formed groups protesting the feed.
We signed on because we want to share information, but just how much information we should share and with whom has always been a point of contention. How many of us students have been “friended” by a parent or other adult and felt a level of discomfort? It’s almost as though that person had shown up at a TH party and asked to do a tequila shot. Seniors might want to reconsider their possessiveness, however, since we too are now entering the pool of adult Facebook users.
Facebook dependency is akin to the many other technological addictions these years have brought. It seems odd to imagine locating friends in the library or mall, for example, without texting them. We find the concept of procrastination without YouTube confusing. Many of us have rarely opened an encyclopedia, but we rely on Wikipedia as an infallible source of information. Gone are the days of the whiny livejournal—but blogs have established themselves as news sources.
There are positive and negative effects, of course, to the amplification of our virtual lives. Many argue that it distances us to what has up until now been considered true human interaction. Because we are constantly interconnected, we are rarely ever alone with ourselves. However, our best friends are never farther away than a text, e-mail or instant message, something that will be a comfort as we disperse.
We are the multi-tasking generation, aptly streamlining and prioritizing our tasks, but focusing on a single thing can be a challenge. If we cannot see our best friend once a day, that’s probably okay. If we cannot check our e-mail once a day, it may cause an emotional breakdown.
Each incoming group of Vassar students will see their own changes and have their “remember-when” moments. Facebook did not make our college experiences good or bad, just different from those that came before. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go change my status to “graduated.”
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Electric Six - Danger! High Voltage
Another recent guiltless joy: youtube in the morning. youtube in the evening. youtube all day long...
News snacks. Yum.
Post-graduation and pre-employment, the summer has granted me one great thing: a renaissance of newspaper reading, something I've been missing since the Eliot Spitzer and Bear Stearns newsweek over Spring Break in March.
1. "Sisters" school recruiting: Who wants an all-girls education?
The NYTimes today had an interesting article about the remaining all-female Seven Sisters schools (Vassar, which went Co-Ed in 1969, was once one of their number) sending their admissions deans to international schools in the Middle East to recruit.
I particularly liked Tamar Lewin's description of the sisters schools: "The American colleges, for all their white-glove history and academic prominence, are liberal strongholds where students fiercely debate political action, gender identity and issues like “heteronormativity,” the marginalizing of standards that are other than heterosexual." Oh heteronormativity, I miss discussing you already... Read it here.
2. Let's not return to a pre-Roe world
Waldo L. Fielding, a practicing gynocologist for the past forty-someodd years, contributed an essay about the realities of self-induced abortions to today's Science Times. I think anyone arguing against a woman's right to choose would have a difficult time supporting their viewpoint when faced with the scenarios Fielding describes. His words also made me think about Yale senior Aliza Shvarts miscarriage art project in a different light, too. Not quite for the shttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/health/views/03essa.html?ref=sciencequeemish, just fyi.
3. There's a biological reason for the sarcasm that binds us
And I thought that sarcasm was just one of those inexplicable miracles of life. Kind of a dry article, but still cool. A University of California San Fran professor did a study asserting that the ability to detect sarcasm resides in the right parahippocampal gyrus. Sweet, Professor Rankin, good to know. Read it here.
1. "Sisters" school recruiting: Who wants an all-girls education?
The NYTimes today had an interesting article about the remaining all-female Seven Sisters schools (Vassar, which went Co-Ed in 1969, was once one of their number) sending their admissions deans to international schools in the Middle East to recruit.
I particularly liked Tamar Lewin's description of the sisters schools: "The American colleges, for all their white-glove history and academic prominence, are liberal strongholds where students fiercely debate political action, gender identity and issues like “heteronormativity,” the marginalizing of standards that are other than heterosexual." Oh heteronormativity, I miss discussing you already... Read it here.
2. Let's not return to a pre-Roe world
Waldo L. Fielding, a practicing gynocologist for the past forty-someodd years, contributed an essay about the realities of self-induced abortions to today's Science Times. I think anyone arguing against a woman's right to choose would have a difficult time supporting their viewpoint when faced with the scenarios Fielding describes. His words also made me think about Yale senior Aliza Shvarts miscarriage art project in a different light, too. Not quite for the shttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/health/views/03essa.html?ref=sciencequeemish, just fyi.
3. There's a biological reason for the sarcasm that binds us
And I thought that sarcasm was just one of those inexplicable miracles of life. Kind of a dry article, but still cool. A University of California San Fran professor did a study asserting that the ability to detect sarcasm resides in the right parahippocampal gyrus. Sweet, Professor Rankin, good to know. Read it here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
