What are all the connotations that spring to mind when you hear “Big Brother”? How about when you hear “Nanny State”? How do you think a newspaper cartoonist might represent these two different ideas as people? No need to edit… Read More ›
language
use, misuse and cynical manipulation of language in common and specialist speech and writing
How not to write to a blogger
I guarantee you that your jaw did not just drop as far as mine did when I first read that. Yeah, I can totally see how he’s really loving our blog and is utterly captivated by our style of writing and the subjects we choose to write about. Yay for the females!
Once again for the clue-challenged
People who make lazy/nasty rape jokes just for shock value are self-entitled insensitive jerks, it is right and proper to call them out for being self-entitled insensitive jerks, it does not infringe upon their right of expression or freedom of speech to call them self-entitled insensitive jerks. People being self-entitled insensitive jerks about rape IS rape culture.
Reclamation
I finally finished another long post for FWD/Forward (Feminists with Disabilities), a rewrite of a Hoyden post about linguistic reclamation that I made long ago. Reclamation: thoughts from a fat hairy uppity lame bitch And just for fun, I made… Read More ›
In a nutshell
zuzu sums up, because some people are still playing the “but isn’t feminism all about choice? Support my choice!” card
Fought and died “for the flag”?
One thing that leaped out at me during the media blitz on the Battle of Trafalgar flag that fetched a record price at auction is that it brought out one of my least favourite pieces of rhetoric from the anonymous flag collector who won the auction, in a radio interview, about the connection he felt to those who had “fought and died for this flag”.
Sweet FSM, that phrase raises all my hackles.
“But what do we CAAAALL them?” – the language of shackling
[This has been cross-posted at FWD/Forward.] I don’t know who David Southwell is when he’s at home, but he’s showing his arse big-time over at his “Sub in the Pub” blog at news.com.au. Following up on the story about the… Read More ›
Quickhit: Rape Culture 101
Because Melissa McEwan’s comprehensive post deserves to be read and bookmarked by absolutely everyone. Obviously, trigger warnings apply.
Can you take this feminist seriously?
While wandering around the internet yesterday I came across a comment that said something along the lines of “if you change your name when you get married, don’t expect to get taken seriously as a feminist”. Okaaay then. Now I… Read More ›
Not-so-evil internets: making kids better writers
Every few months or so, we read about some freaked out reporter/columnist/pundit/politician complaining about how the internet and texting are destroying kids’ ability to write. Yet, pretty much every study on the subject has found the opposite to be true. Study after study after study after study after study have all found that kids today are better writers than in the past.
Hoyden About Town 