I never had a problem with the pie ad. I think the reason is that I’ve become so used to living in a society that equates women with their bodies that I literally didn’t see it.
I also had the experience of posting on CultureKitchen about issues of choice and having an anti-choice company place banner ads with my diary. Liza Sabater figured out very quickly that the more people who clicked through to the site, the more CultureKitchen made, which would allow her to continue to pay for the space that allowed she and I to post our views on the very issue of abortion, among others. So, sometimes, you wind up making money off people in this world who are doing their damndest to defeat you. I kinda liked that.
But, the response from Kos to the pie ad has caused me to opt out of the DailyKos community. As someone who writes primarily about the connection between the personal and the political, I have no choice but to be a feminist. I care about gender issues, sexuality issues, surveillance issues, sex education issues, marriage issues, etc., etc., etc. And what bothers me more than anything about the tone of the debate is that CERTAIN (not all) heterosexual males don’t seem to get that what they deem women’s issues or gay issues are one step away from being their issues. Anyone rememeber Neimoller’s famous quotation?
I have also been called a whore for writing about sexual issues as explicitly as I do, so I can hardly be considered a sexless harridan. I love certain men. I want to live in a world where no one has to contest their rights as human beings because of gender or sexuality.
I know that some people don’t understand why some of us are so fucking angry at Kos right now that we can’t see straight.
It’s not about the fucking ad. It’s about the fact that those of us who think that there will be no politics to fight about if we don’t protect the right to privacy have been told repeatedly that our issues don’t matter. That we should be patient, get in line, wait our turn.
HOW MANY MORE YEARS ARE WE SUPPOSED TO WAIT?
Update [2005-6-7 6:19:0 by lorraine]: I am dead chuffed to see the responses to this diary, and even more thrilled by the amazing women (and men) who have come over from DailyKos to say “hi.” This could be the start (or continuation) of a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Update [2005-6-7 12:58:36 by lorraine]:One of the bright bulbs over at Kos referred to women upset with Markos as “menstruating she devils.” So, I’ve run with it.
Teehee. Laughing through my rage…
Who says that feminists don’t have a sense of humour?
[Final UPDATE] I can’t get into the comments section of this diary. I’ve started another gender diary if people want to move the discussion to a less-cluttered thread–the discussion has been fantastic!
