Items of interest found recently in my RSS feed. Please share what you've been reading (and writing!) in the comments.

• Teens and Transgendered Women: Threats to Society UPDATE

– fascinating images and analysis

• Uppity Bitch

– “Ultimately, the exchange was nothing more than a woman politely asking a man to treat her respectfully, and that man politely agreeing to do so. There’s absolutely nothing controversial about it, aside from the fact that it still drives lots of people bonkers to see a woman stand up for herself in public and demand the respect she’s earned.”

• Moments of Fail

– “We all have our Fail moments. People fuck up. Even I fail sometimes. It’s what you do when you fail that counts.”

• Sex & humiliation (by Suzie)

– “half of the reported [school bullying] cases involve sexual assault. The reporter adds: “That’s because anal penetration is the ultimate form of humiliation.”

Because it’s associated with gays? Yes, in part, but I’m sure the boys accused of using a broom handle and hockey stick don’t consider themselves gay. Apparently, penetrating isn’t humiliating; being penetrated is. Being penetrated makes you someone’s bitch, someone’s woman.”

• The word fetus causes infanticide?

– “In [Saletan’s] latest column, the king of contrarians argues that it’s dangerous for pregnant women to avoid using the word “baby” when talking about what’s inside their uterus.”

• accessibility | cripchick's weblog

– An awesome checklist for event planning, with extra awesome additions from commentors

• What We Missed

– some linkage from Feministing

• When the hell did parenting as soft fascism become so acceptable?

– The decline of free-range parenting – how much did you roam in packs as a kid? How much do the kids around you now do it?

• Fat and fashionable AND happy? Impossible!

– “In the comment section to the Times article, there are the predictable arguments that we shouldn’t cater to an “unhealthy” fat lifestyle, and that maybe if we don’t sell plus-sized clothes, people will just stop being fat. […] Telling fat people that they’re so unworthy of participating in society that they don’t even deserve clothes that fit is pretty fucked up, and certainly not intended to promote physical or mental well-being.”

• You think you have self-esteem? That’s so cute, you poor thing.

– “either the paper of record, or an expert in adolescent medicine, or both, can’t quite wrap their heads around the idea of a fat adolescent girl who likes herself. “That’s cute, dearie,” they say, patting you on the head in response to your adorable little act where you stand up for yourself, “but you can’t REALLY think you’re worth anything, and deep down inside you know this. That veneer of confidence is really just defiance and resignation.” “

• Safer Sex PSAs Conflate The Penis With A Firearm (NSFW)

– The third photo made me gasp out loud potentially triggering

• Shopping For A Birthday Gift? Consider Having Your Vagina Re-Tooled

– depressing

• Zack at 16

– Caitiecat analyses a bewildering tampon ad

• Thank You Thursdays: Filmmaker Ela Thier

– Some thoughts on women in film that tie in with Pavlov Cat’s post on the Miles Franklin award

• Biblical world view legitimised: Australian feminist icon turns in grave

– “It’s completely incredible to me that in 2009 there are still people who don’t get this, but looking at comments around the blog and MSM literary traps there clearly are, so let me spell it out once more:”

• What Not To Wear, Religious Edition: Supreme Court of Michigan Adopts Rule Allowing Judges to Exercise “Reasonable Control Over the Appearance of Parties and Witnesses” Based Upon Niqab Case

– link-heavy discussion on the issue of religious dress in courtrooms

Categories: linkfest

Tags: australia, blogging, Read-ems, trans*