IntenseDebate - Wendy

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - Sunday Shame: Literary... · 0 replies · +1 points

Heh. Another V.C. Andrews reader here. I read bunches of them, until I got to "My Sweet Audrina," after which even my teenage mind couldn't stomach the content any more. :D I also loved the Dragonlance series, although never thought of it as shame reading at the time. I thought they were fantastic. Then, a few years ago, I thought I'd re-read them, since I'd loved them so . . . and discovered they were complete crap. They read like bad transcripts of someone's D&D gaming sessions (which is what I think they were, originally).

My current "brain candy" is Janet Evanovich. They're not too shameful, but they're definitely fluffy. I also read "Twilight," just because everyone else was reading it, and I have to admit that I enjoyed it, even thought it was gawd-awful. :D

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - To My Darling · 0 replies · +1 points

Happy Birthday, Destruction! And happy giving birth day to you, Renee! May this be the first day of a wonderful year for your beautiful son (and your entire family). :) Eight is so much fun.

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - This Is A Cougar · 0 replies · +1 points

Thanks for this, Renee. I only heard the term for the first time fairly recently, and I knew that I didn't like it, and you've done a great job of articulating why. My sister actually called me a cougar a couple of weeks ago (jokingly, and she considers herself one, too, since her boyfriend is quite a bit younger than she is). She said it because my partner is 14 years younger than I am, but since she's a woman, that kind of goes against the "boy flesh" aspect of the comment. In any case, I knew that it bothered me when my sister said it; next time, I'll be able to explain to her why it's such an insulting term (and that she should probably stop using it to refer to herself, as well).

One more thing is that I agree with those who feel cougars (the animals) are amazing. They're beautiful and powerful - so, from that standpoint, I wouldn't mind being likened to one. In fact, there have been times that I've thought of myself as "cougarish" in an entirely different context - as a fierce protector of my offspring (don't get between a cougar and her cubs). How this animal can be turned into an insulting slur against women is wrong in so very many ways.

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - It's A Post Racial and... · 0 replies · +1 points

Well...I have to say, you must be doing/saying something right then I guess?

Yes. This. Renee is definitely doing something right. :)

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - The Other Half Of The ... · 0 replies · +1 points

This is a beautiful post, Renee. Thank you. :)

I can completely relate to what you said about being a parent. Few things in life have brought me more joy than my son, and I know that, even as a feminist, there is nothing "wrong" with the fact of my motherhood being a huge part of who I am. And there have been times when I felt others saw me as less for my decision to be a parent (in particular, the fact that I stayed home with my son rather than going back to work). Sometimes I even bought into that "less"ness, and felt a bit ashamed of being "just" a mom. Over the years, though, I have learned to take pride in being a mother.

It's funny because lately I've been getting a lot of kudos for being a parent (a single parent, at that). I'm a full-time student, and I've had several people tell me how much they respect what I'm doing - going to school and getting high grades, and doing it while parenting my son. It doesn't really seem that remarkable to me. I work hard, but so do the vast majority of other people. It is nice, though, for people to notice, and apparently appreciate, that parenting is a worthwhile thing to be doing. It's so taken for granted in society most of the time.

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - On the Passing of Jett... · 0 replies · +1 points

Oh, ouch.Like Nia said, cleverly done. Thanks for that link.

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - Anne Coulter Bashes Mi... · 1 reply · +1 points

I often wonder if she actually believes this stuff herself or if she has just found her cash cow market and so goes with it.

That's what I suspect. It is really hard for me to believe that Coulter actually believes the shit that comes out of her mouth (or out of her books). She's really so over-the-top as to be a caricature of herself. Her bullshit is too rabid to be believed. Then again, I guess there are plenty of people who eat it up, so maybe I'm naive in thinking a person couldn't really be as awful as she is.

In any case, she is one of my least favorite people in all the world (which is saying something, when compared with the likes of GWB and my abusive alcoholic ex-father-in-law). I think maybe the only silver lining here is that I do believe a lot of people - even those who are otherwise conservative - realize that she is completely full of shit, and discount the things that she says. Then again, one of my friends tried to get me to read one of her books (I tried, but I simply couldn't do it). *sigh*

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - Racism From Generation... · 0 replies · +2 points

I saw that video yesterday, and am still fuming over it. Those parents are sorry excuses for human beings. The whole thing makes me so freaking mad, and the fact that anyone, anywhere could find that funny makes me feel like my head is going to explode.

It starts the first time a child views a cartoonish image of a person of colour and it is not deconstructed, and explained as wrong by a parent . . . On an average day just in media viewing alone a child will see many negative examples of POC, and if a parent does not explain the historic inequalities between the races and how they came into existence, what is a child to think but that this is the natural course of events?

This is so important, Renee. And, looking back at the way I've been raising my son, I've tried to do this, but haven't taken it far enough. There are things I've kept my son from watching because of negative stereotypes (the original Disney "Peter Pan," for example), and other times I've explained to him why something in a movie was really wrong (we had a lot of discussion after "Kung Fu Panda," about all the fat "humor"). But I know I haven't addressed all the times he's seen negative portrayals, not even close. This is a good reminder to me to be more diligent about that, especially now that he's getting older and being exposed to more things both at home and outside.

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - Stop Minding Anderson ... · 0 replies · +1 points

Well, it would be nice if he came out because it would be another out prominent figure, kids need role models.

I do agree with this, but I agree even more with the next part of your statement - that it's important for people to realize that gays and lesbians are regular every day people. I think, though, that celebrities coming out doesn't actually do much work towards that goal. That's up to those of us who *are* regular people, and choose to be out in at least some areas of our lives. I don't think my mother's opinion will be swayed if she finds out that someone on TV is gay, for example. She doesn't really have to stop and think how that makes her feel; she doesn't have a relationship with a newscaster that forces her to confront her prejudices. On the other hand, learning that her own daughter is a lesbian will most certainly have that effect. The more we are able to be open with the people who are actually in our lives, the more we can help those people understand that we really are just like everyone else. I think that's what will bring about true acceptance, slowly but surely. I hope so, anyway.

15 years ago @ Womanist Musings - Happy New Year · 0 replies · +1 points

Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year, Renee!

Thank you so much for writing this blog. This is my very favorite blog, and I learn something every time I come here. I look forward to reading everything you write here in 2009, and I'm planning to comment a bit more often. :) You have created a truly remarkable and wonderful space here.

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