This is One Kick-Butt Granny

Feminist Findings in Lady Gaga's Newest Album

When it comes to Lady Gaga, the biggest name in pop music (and arguably the world) today, my feelings are very much in tune with what Noelle Williams had to say in this article published on Ms. Blog:

[Lady Gaga] will say something feminist one minute and equate feminism with man-hating the next. Sometimes she seems too skinny, too blonde, too commercial — but then she explains how her Bad Romance video simulates the trafficking of women as commodities in the music industry and I swoon.

There's a huge debate over whether Lady Gaga is truly a "feminist icon" or simply another media-hound who will go to any length to make the tabloids buzz (can anybody say "meat dress"?), but I like to think that I'm on neutral ground. I'm not ready to call the woman the next [insert your favorite feminist here], but I certainly appreciate the positive messages in some of her songs, namely those that have to do with female empowerment and "just being yourself."

As much as my anti-mainstream senses are telling me to hate Ms. Gaga (the product of growing up with a musically-gifted-yet-stubborn brother who will bite the head off anyone who admits to liking a mainstream artist), I honestly think it's cool that one of the biggest celebrities in the world is an outspoken woman who unforgivingly supports LGBT rights — and sometimes feminist ideals. 

As Williams states in the conclusion of her Ms. Blog article, Gaga possesses the type of "immense popularity and youthful, outspoken image [that] could be the perfect set-up for a revolution." In other words, she has the potential to make feminism and LGBT rights fashionable in a world that has traditionally viewed both in a negative light. We can only hope that "Mother Monster" uses this power and influence to incite positive change, and leaves past mistakes behind her.

My favorite lines from select songs on Lady Gaga's new album:

I'm gonna marry the night

I won't give up on my life

I'm a warrior queen

Live passionately tonight

- Marry the Night

I will fight for, I have fought for how I love you (La-la-la-la-la-la)
I have cried for, I will die for how I care (La-la-la-la-la-la)
- Americano

I just wanna be myself,
And I want you to love me for who I am
I just wanna be myself,
And I want you to know, I am my Hair

I’ve had enough
This is my prayer
That I’ll die living just as free as my hair

I don't wanna change,
And I don't wanna be ashamed
I'm the spirit of my Hair
It's all the glory that I bare
I am my Hair!
- Hair

When I'm on a mission
I rebuke my condition.
If you're a strong female,
You don't need permission.

Love is objectified by what men say is right
Scheiße-scheiße be mine,
Bullshit be mine (Bullshit be mine)
Blonde high-heeled feminist enlisting femmes for this
Express your woman-kind
Fight for your right (Fight for your right)
- Scheiße

We are not just art for 
Michelangelo to carve.
- Bloody Mary

Don't tell me I'm less than my freedom.

I’m a twit, degenerate young rebel and I’m proud of it
Pump your fist if you would rather mess up than put up with this
- Bad Kids

She's just an American riding a dream
And she's got rainbow syrup in her heart that she bleeds
They don't care if your papers or your love is the law
She's a free soul burning roads with the flag in her bra
- Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)

Tonight I'm gonna show
Them what I'm made of, oh!
The killer queen inside me's
Coming to say "Hello!"

Whenever I start feeling strong, I'm called a bitch in the night
But I don't need these 14-carat guns to win
I am a woman, I insist it's my life

I can be
The queen that's inside of me
This is my chance to release it
Be brave for you you'll see

I can be
The queen you need me to be
This is my chance to be the dance
I've dreamed it's happening
I can be the queen
- The Queen

I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Give yourself prudence
And love your friends
Subway kid, rejoice your truth

In the religion of the insecure
I must be my self, respect my youth

A different lover is not a sin
Believe capital H-I-M (Hey hey hey)
I love my life I love this record and
Mi amore vole fe yah (Love needs faith)

Don't be a drag, just be a queen
Whether you're broke or evergreen
You're black, white, beige, chola descent
You're Lebanese, you're orient
Whether life's disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied, or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
'cause baby you were born this way

No matter gay, straight, or bi,
lesbian, transgendered life,
I'm on the right track baby,
I was born to survive.
No matter black, white or beige
Chola or orient made,
I'm on the right track baby,
I was born to be brave.
- Born This Way

Interview With Sophie Rae, the Lead Singer/Guitarist of "Care Bears on Fire" and Creator of Grrrl Beat

Photo by Jess Norton

Sophie Rae is the lead singer/guitarist of Care Bears on Fire, a pop-punk band with serious feminist undertones. But when she's not touring or rocking out for David Letterman (how cool is that?), this teen dynamo also operates her own webzine. Recently, one of my gracious associates — Stuck in the Past writer Andrew Jacobs — interviewed Sophie. Check out what she had to say!

Andrew Jacobs: How did you become a fan of rock music?

Sophie Rae: My parents always listened to a lot of rock music when I was growing up, lots of Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, and the Beatles. Eventually, my band-mates introduced me to punk and riot grrrl.

AJ: How old were you when you learned how to play the guitar?  Also, please discuss how you learned how to play.

SR: I was 9 when I started playing guitar. I took piano lessons before that, but I got bored of that pretty quickly. I started out just sort of messing around on the guitar by myself, but I started taking lessons when I was around 10. 

AJ: As a musician and as a songwriter, who/what are some of your influences and why?

SR: I’m really inspired by Le Tigre’s ability to confront really intense, difficult topics in the context of super fun, dance-y songs. I love Sleater-Kinney’s songs and the way they layer the different guitar parts and vocal melodies. And as a musician in a 3-piece band I really admire what a huge sound they can create from three instruments (and no bass!). I’m also really inspired by Bright Eyes right now. I think Conor Oberst’s songs are incredibly well-written and beautiful. 

AJ: How are you successfully able to juggle doing your band Care Bears on Fire and your personal life?

SR: Sometimes it can be tough, because doing well in school is really important to me. There have definitely been a lot of nights of studying for a math test in a dark smelly club between sound-check and our set. But I’ve found that being busy when you’re busy doing something you love makes it a lot easier.  

AJ: Would you be at all opposed to signing with a major record label at some point down the road?  Why or why not?

SR: It’s tough to say. Musicians talk about losing their musical integrity when they go major and feeling like they’ve lost their creative freedom. I think as long as the people I’m working with understand me and my musical goals I wouldn’t rule them out. It depends on the circumstance for sure.  

AJ: You may have already answered this but just in case you haven't, at this point in time in your life, how interested are you in making a living in some capacity (not necessarily as just an artist/musician either) in the music industry?

SR: I think it’s still pretty early for me to say. I have a lot of interests. I love writing, feminism, history . . . Music is just one of the things that I love to do, and I don’t want to limit myself. But I do love playing and writing music and I definitely don’t see myself stopping any time soon. 

AJ: When and why did you decide to become a feminist? 

SR: It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly I became a feminist. For as long as I’ve been playing music I’ve been subject to sexism and I always thought it was really unfair and totally sucked. I’d listened to riot grrrl music since I was about 11, but I really started to identify as a feminist this past December, when my band played a Kathleen Hanna tribute show in NYC, which was being filmed for a documentary about her. At that show I realized that sexism, especially in the music world, doesn’t have to be a given, it is something fight-able. I realized how many feminist artists and musicians there are and what a supportive community that could be. After that I started really getting in to feminism, reading feminist blogs and books and thinking more about issues of sexism and how I could combat them in my own life.

AJ: As a feminist and as a writer, who/what are some of your influences and why?

SR: I just finished Girls to the Front by Sara Marcus, which is about the riot grrrl movement. I loved how beautifully written it was while still being incredibly informative. It really made you feel like you were there — a part of the movement. I also recently read Jessica Valenti’s Full Frontal Feminism, which was amazing. It is very conversational in tone, sort of like just talking to one of your friends about feminism, but at the same time it was smart and educational. I’ve been trying to use that conversational tone in my articles for Grrrl Beat, because I think it makes difficult topics much more accessible.     

AJ: How much of an influence has the Riot Grrrl movement of the 1990s had on your feminist and political views?

SR: Huge! Listening to riot grrrl music when I was younger brought up so many issues that I’d never thought of like rape, abortion, female representation in the media, and sexism in general. Riot grrrl taught me that these issues were ones of equality and had to be confronted, both by individuals and by politicians.

AJ: Discuss your online forum, Grrrl Beat.

SR: Grrrl Beat is my online magazine, which I started in July. It’s been such an amazing experience! I write a bunch of the articles myself, but I also have a ton of submissions from other writers, mostly teenagers, on topics like feminism, music, culture, and fashion. I also post a lot of music from female musicians. I’m always looking for articles and music to post! Email me at grrrlbeat@gmail.com with any submissions/ideas for submissions.

AJ: Feel free to shamelessly plug any of your other musical or non-musical endeavors here.

For all New Yorkers: On August 13th Care Bears on Fire will be playing at the Manifesta loft, at a show put on by Permanent Wave, a super awesome feminist group I just joined. The other bands are Big Nils, Bad Credit No Credit and Shady Hawkins. To kick off the show at 8pm, I’m organizing a Q&A panel about women in music with myself, Amy Klein (of Titus Andronicus) and Mindy Abovitz (of Tom Tom Magazine) and Emmet Moeller (of Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls) as moderator. And the show is a benefit for Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls! Please come out and support! 

5 Perspectives on the Recent Birth Control Ruling

Imagine how happy I was to find this message sitting in my inbox Monday morning:

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will require all new insurance plans to cover birth control without co-pays under the new health reform law. This is one of the biggest victories for women’s health in a generation.

It feels like we're part of history here, doesn't it? This ruling is a huge, exciting deal, and it's been fun to see the feminist community alive with celebration these past few days. The fight for women's rights is a long, brutal one, but victories like these make it all worth it.

Since the "birth control conversation" is often restricted to the twenties-and-older sphere, I wanted to get some younger perspectives on this momentous ruling. Naturally, I turned to my feminist blogger friends!

Perspective #1: Talia P. (Star of Davida)

I don’t think I have to tell any American how much medical insurance stinks nowadays. Between the poor economy, unemployment rate, and increasingly expensive cost of living, among all the other blechy, costly stuff we have to deal with, most people are forced to view medication as a luxury. One of my mom’s doctors told her that he had prescribed Lipitor for another patient, and the patient told him that it was a choice between buying food and paying for the prescription. Thankfully, women will no longer have to make the Hobson’s choice between necessary items and birth control.

Birth control is an absolute staple of a truly feminist society. If women don’t have easy access to birth control (whether in the form of a diaphragm, pill, or whatever else), then they aren’t able to effectively control their bodies, the ultimate feminist goal. So if a woman has to pay some ridiculous co-pay for it (one of my mom’s meds is $180), that sort of defeats the whole purpose. That’s why this ruling is absolutely awesome — women now have a real choice. I know a lot of people think the term “birth control” is a euphemism, but I really think it’s a great description of what it really is: controlling if/when you want to try to have a child with your significant other.

No co-pay birth control is also important for women who need the Pill to treat cramps during their periods. I’m lucky, since all I need are a couple of Advils and I’m a happy camper, but a number of my friends would be climbing up the walls in pain if they weren’t on the Pill. I’m sure that it’s a relief for them, and all the other dysmenorrheal women out there, not to have to pay co-pays for it anymore.

So, I think it’s absolutely awesome that there are no longer any co-pays for birth control. Even if I didn’t, it would be too bad — the ruling was already made!

Perspective #2: Randi S. (The Radical Idea)

This ruling has truly been an amazing victory, reaffirming a woman's right to control her own fertility, something that has been battled over for 50 years. The United States, as a leader in global family planning programs, has set an important example with this decision by the Dept. of Health and Human Services. They have also struck an incredible blow against opponents of Planned Parenthood by reaffirming the immense importance that women have access to preventative healthcare.  

But moreover, this is an important step in ensuring that women all over our country continue to have access to birth control, even as the battle over the organizations that distribute the Pill are waged. Because this announcement comes from the federal level, it sends a message to the states that they need to look out for women and protect women's health.  Especially at a time when it seems like there is constant fighting over Planned Parenthood and other family planning organizations, it is reassuring to know that at least some parts of our government (HHS, the Dept of Justice) are still looking out, not for their political careers, but for the American people.

Randi is doing a similar post on her blog, The Radical Idea. If you'd like to submit your opinion about the HHS birth control ruling or the recent victory for Planned Parenthood in Kansas, please email her at radicalbutlogical@gmail.com!

Perspective #3: Becka W. (Becka Tells It All)

So the Department of Health recently announced that all insurance providers in new plans must completely cover birth control — which means that the Department of Health (and the Obama Administration) is an advocate for women’s health and freedom. Here’s why:

• Birth Control isn’t just for pregnancy prevention. Birth Control also helps regulate a woman’s period, ease crippling cramps, and prevent diseases like ovarian cancer and anemia. 
• This enables all women to feel free to live their lives the way they choose. It’s no secret that birth control can get expensive. Many women pay $50+ a month for birth control. That’s $600 a year — minimum. 
• More than half of women in the U.S. ages 18-34 say that these high costs make it difficult for them to use birth control consistently. And it’s no secret that birth control access, like health care, is unequal. Nearly 60% of young adult Latinas and more than half of African-American women have struggled to pay for prescription birth control. 
• Even abortion can carry a huge price tag or be difficult to obtain in many states thanks to changing laws, and women with unintended pregnancies may end up with less education, earn less, and their children are less likely to graduate high school. 
• It’s actually going to help balance the Federal Budget! Accidental pregnancy costs taxpayers $11 billion a year — and that’s a conservative estimate.  
• The new law doesn’t only require birth control coverage — it also covers co-pays for cervical cancer/HPV screenings, counseling/screening for HIV and STDs, and other important care. 
• This is a huge deal, and one of the biggest successes in women’s sexual health and freedom since Roe v. Wade (which has been challenged by conservative opponents more often than not in the past 30 years). Making health care for women a priority is a definite victory for us for years to come.

But — the fight isn’t over yet. The HHS is considering the inclusion of a clause that allows some religious employers to deny women access to this care. They are taking comments on the ruling for 60 days, and now is your chance to speak out and tell them you support ALL women receiving the care they need! 

Perspective #4: Sophie R. (Grrrl Beat) 

Though obviously a very happy victory, the news of the HHS’s requirement for insurance companies to provide no co-pay birth control was a surprise. From Planned Parenthood and abortion clinics closing across the country, to the much less serious premier of a pro-life horror film called The Life Zone, this year has not been so good for women’s reproductive health rights.

The HHS’s decision is a huge step forward for women’s reproductive health, and an equally huge blow to the Republicans' “War on Women." In addition to birth control, the no co-pay coverage will also include yearly preventative-care visits; STI, HPV, and HIV screenings; gestational diabetes testing; and more. Yes, women will still have to pay for insurance (unlike some countries that distribute birth control completely free of charge), but even so, this decision is a huge improvement for women’s healthcare in the U.S.

As with anything that acknowledges a woman’s right to have control over her body (god forbid!), there has been a lot of criticism. Fox News host Bill O’Reilly said in response: “Many women who get pregnant are blasted out of their minds when they have sex, they’re not going to use birth control anyways.” Beyond being completely offensive, this statement ignores the fact that insurance companies will be providing birth control pills, not just immediate-effect contraceptives like the ones O’Reilly refers to. Fox News political commentator Dana Perino added: “If you can afford a $5 frappuccino at Starbucks, you can pay your $5 co-pay.”

I don’t think that one is worth refuting.

What these misguided (and quite amusing) critics don’t acknowledge (along with facts and common sense) is that the question of no co-pay birth control is one of equality. When women are forced to pay hundreds of dollars for reproductive health care a year that men don’t have to pay, that tips the already unbalanced scale even further against women. With the HHS’s decision, that scale tips a little closer to equilibrium.

Perspective #5: Catelyn B. (Throw Back Rag)

I think this is great! every woman should have access to birth control no matter what! "It's our birth control and we want it now!"

Further Reading:

Want to know more about the HHS ruling or contraception in general? These resources were provided to me by a representative of the National Women's Law Center!

• NWLC Hails Dept. of Health And Human Services Decision On Women’s Preventive Health Care

• Big News For Women's Health: Birth Control Without Co-Pays Now A Reality (By Judy Waxman)

• Good Day for Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding Expenses Get Covered Without Co-Pay (By Melanie Ross Levin)

• "We've Got You Covered" Birth Control Blog Carnival

• Contraception Coverage (Resources from the NWLC)

Feminist TV Club: Commander in Chief

One of my feminist/blogger friends had the rather smashing idea of starting a weekly Feminist TV Club! Check out what she has to say about it; hopefully you'll feel like joining in the discussion!

Books are great, but they sure are time-consuming. And when you belong to a book club, there’s a certain anxiety that comes with finishing the book on time and reading carefully. You know what’s more fun? Watching TV. You know what’s even more fun than that? Talking about feminism in TV shows with fellow young feminists!  

Which is why I, Becka, am starting a Feminist TV Club. Simply watch one episode of a certain TV show a week (20-45 minutes), and we’ll discuss it in the comments of a blog posting on my blog. 

The Details:

• First TV Show: Commander in Chief (2005-2006)

• Available on Netflix Instant or on Sidereel. Starting with Season 1, Episode 1.

• The blog post summarizing/discussing the episodes will go up every Monday starting August 8th, 2011 on my blog, Becka Tells All.

• Any and all suggestions are welcome! Please shoot me an e-mail at: becka.e.wall@gmail.com to talk about potential TV shows to use (they can be a whole series, an episode, or one season of a long-running TV show that deals with a particular issue), how to structure this endeavor, or general tips to improve awesomeness.  

See you on Monday! 

Miss Representation (Documentary Trailer)

How do you feel about NY's same-sex marriage ruling? Submit your opinion to the online zine Grrrl Beat!

I'm guessing you've already heard the fantastic news: "[New York] lawmakers voted late Friday to legalize same-sex marriage, making New York the largest state where gay and lesbian couples will be able to wed and giving the national gay-rights movement new momentum from the state where it was born."

Sophie, the creator of the online magazine Grrrl Beat, is seeking submissions from teens about their views on this momentous ruling. If this issue is at all important to you, I highly suggest whipping up a response and sending it to grrrlbeat@gmail.com as soon as possible!

This was my response: 

Before finding feminism and identifying wholly with the movement, I wasn't too familiar with the LGBTAQ (lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, asexual, queer) community or its struggles. I certainly didn't have a problem with people who fit under the acronym's umbrella, but I knew as much about their varying lifestyles as I knew about theoretical physics (which wasn't much).

Considering I can literally count my family members on two hands (and the number of non-Christians on about three fingers), I didn't experience much diversity growing up. My parents were cool about most things and taught us to be honest, hard-working, etc., but homosexuality was something we just didn't talk about at the dinner table. (We rarely ate at the table, anyway. Most of the time we had our butts planted to watch Seinfeld. Bonding at its finest.)

Feminism introduced me to a litany of human rights issues. I'm still not as well-versed in the LGBTAQ movement as I would like to be, but I do have a child-like passion for equality. "Should two people of the same sex be allowed to get married?" seems like such a stupid question. If two people love each other, why shouldn't they be inclined to do whatever the hell they want? Love is love. It doesn't matter what form that takes.

When Sophie (from Grrrl Beat) emailed me the news — that same-sex couples can now get marriage licenses in New York — I was ecstatic. It was one of those fist-pumping "Hell yeah, equality strikes again!" sort of feelings. This may only be a small win in the grand scope of things, but this win will inspire another, and that win will inspire two more.

People are going to fight us every step of the way, but activists and feminists and allies are rising up in mighty hordes. Imagine if we (those of us who want to) go on to have kids of our own, passing on ideas like "equality" and "acceptance." Our kids will teach their kids, their kids will teach their own kids, and then those kids will go on to teach their kids (the only difference is they'll have robot butlers by then).

This world is changing for the better, and I am so damn excited.

Life Lesson: Always Love Yourself First (By Natalia K.)

This article was submitted by Natalia K., a Drama major with serious passions for "theatre, acting, films, feminism, food, traveling, and Starbucks." Check her out at This is Natalia!

Whether we like it or not, we all have to go through a long list of  "firsts" in life: first kiss, first date, first "serious" relationship, first time you have sex, and the first serious breakup (which is never, ever, an easy thing to go through). But being a feminist definitely made it easier for me to make the dreaded and life-altering decision. 

I had my first serious boyfriend right at the end of high school when I was 18. I was young, naive, sheltered, and completely confused about what I wanted in life. He was an amazing first boyfriend though; he respected me, we were very compatible, and most importantly, he was always supportive of the changes I went through (the best boyfriend a feminist could ask for). 

As you can imagine, I went through major life changes when I started university. My relationship with theatre (my life-long passion and university major) drastically changed for the better, my feminist identity became much stronger (and louder!), and I simply just became an adult. However, somewhere in the past three years, I no longer felt a strong connection to my boyfriend. I knew I had to end the relationship because I was no longer madly in love with him and I had the desperate need to be on my own and live my life with my new identity. The last time I was single I was 18 and I was a completely different person back then. 

It's been a month since I broke up with him and it hasn't been easy. At times I feel guilty because he was a great guy and an amazing boyfriend, and somehow I feel that I'm causing him suffering that he does not deserve. This is a major reason why many women don't have the courage to end a relationship, because we feel that the person we share our life with does not deserve to be broken up with. As usual, women put someone else's happiness ahead of their own because that is simply the way we are conditioned. Although I really wish there was a way I could minimize his pain, I simply can't, and I cannot get back together with him for that reason either. I know too well that I am entitled to go out there and live my life. To meet new people and keep rediscovering myself in new ways because I am only 21. 

My friends have praised me for my choice because I found the courage to end the relationship. I know that many of my friends and women in general have trouble finding this courage. Well here's my advice: this is your life and you have to do what's best for you. It is sad when a relationship comes to an end but just be thankful that you got the privilege to spend a part of your life with that person. And most importantly, you may think you're doing that person a favor by staying with them, but you are actually harming them just as much as you're harming youself. Because everyone in life deserves to be loved and be happy.

I'd like to end this post with a very wise quote from Sex and the City (I know this is kind of ironic because a lot of feminists dislike this show. I personally think that this quote is amazing).

"I'm gonna say the one thing you aren't supposed to say. I love you . . .

 but I love me more." - Samantha Jones

Words of Wisdom From Tina Fey

For Teens: Why Talking About Birth Control Matters

This post is for a blog carnival called "Birth Control: We've Got You Covered," which is being sponsored by the National Women's Law Center. Soon the Web is going to light up with who-knows-how-many bloggers, each giving their own two cents on no-cost birth control and other related issues. Personally, I want to speak to teens and younger girls about why birth control is so dang important (even if it doesn't figure into all of our lives just yet).

Those ain't no Sweet Tarts!

If you're a relatively new feminist like I am (my glorious "click" moment only came about a year ago), it's easy to get sucked up into the feminist agenda — everything from equal pay to reproductive rights — without thinking too deeply about these issues or considering why they're so pivotal to the women's liberation movement.

New feminists, especially us young'uns, seem to go through a crazed, sugar-rushed phase where we're just so excited to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We start calling out sexist jokes in the produce department, we start doodling feminist-y things in our school notebooks, and we can't help but pose like Rosie the Riveter each time we catch ourselves in a mirror.
(Tip: Don't do this in public. People will stare.)

Don't get me wrong, this "feminist awakening" phase is zealous and incredibly life-affirming, but it can also hurt us if we begin nodding our heads to every single thing our feminist role models say just for the sake of proving our "feminist-ness." (I was guilty of that when I started calling myself pro-choice just because "all the feminists were doing it." I still call myself pro-choice, but now I've got the understanding to back it up. Yea-yuh.)

Support for birth control is one of those feminist ideals that "comes with the job description," but how many times, as teens, do we sit down and actually talk about it, or think about the implications it will have for our futures?

*cricket chirps*

That's what I thought.

Support for birth control has been synonymous with the feminist movement for decades, but when many of our older feminist allies (and I don't mean "older" in a bad way, just literally "older" than those of us born in the Era of Classic Nicktoons) talk about birth control and contraception, the focus automatically shifts to women in their 20's and 30's. Like birth control doesn't also affect our lives.

If you're a young person today, you know about sex. 

Say NO to virgin-whore dichotomy.

Sex saturates every ounce of media that we soak up: it's in books, movies, video games, steamy vampire dramas, the list goes on and on. Parents need to realize that if we're not getting our information from them (via one of those mythical "sex talks"), we're getting our information from less reliable sources — and many times this misinformation is coupled with ridiculous virgin-whore dichotomy (i.e. "good girls don't do that") which makes us even more confused about what the hell is going on with our bodies, about what's acceptable and what's not.

We get it, parents.

It's weird to think about your "babies" as sexual beings (it's weird for us, too, believe me), but that's no excuse to keep us from the realities of sex, contraception, STDs, and pregnancy. And just because we're not on The Pill now, doesn't mean that someday we won't be. As feminists, teens, girls: we need to know that contraception matters.

Right now, the Department of Health and Human Services is deciding "whether or not prescription contraceptives should be available under new healthcare plans without co-pay or other out-of-pocket costs." If the DHHS comes out with a favorable opinion, that could mean no-cost birth control for countless women nationwide. Considering birth control can cost upward of $100 per month (depending on one's method), many women in today's economy have had to choose between contraception and cancer screenings, between contraception and groceries.

In the 50's and 60's, many women were hearing about their
reproductive options for the first time. (Shock!)

The average woman spends three quarters of her reproductive life trying to prevent pregnancy, so yeah, birth control is a big deal. The National Women's Law Center is hopeful that the DHHS will "see the light" on this issue, and ultimately heed the recommendations given by a non-partisan, independent panel of scientific and medical experts at the Institute of Medicine (the panel's recommendations range from providing "yearly well-woman preventative care visits" to "screening and counseling to detect and prevent interpersonal and domestic violence").

For the millions of women who rely on birth control to keep their options open, and for your future and mine, I really hope the DHHS is able to reach a favorable consensus. In teen lingo: I hope they don't screw the heck up.

But until then, let's place our hands on our chins, act cool, and ponder some random facts birth control . . .

• About the time your grandparents were growing up (assuming they were born in the 50's or earlier), birth control was taboo. Many states had laws (i.e. the Comstock Laws) that not only banned people from using contraception, but from distributing any shred of information about it whatsoever. Also in those days, women were often expected to marry at a young age and have large families, regardless of any plans they had for the future.
• Unintended pregnancies can be harmful to women who have preexisting health conditions such as hypertension or coronary artery disease. A true testament to "it's better to be safe than sorry."
• Data shows that between 1990 and 2004, U.S. pregnancy rates declined almost 40 percent among 15- to 19-year-old women. One study attributed 86 percent of the long-term decline in teen pregnancies to increased contraceptive use.
• Planned pregnancies (which, as the NWLC points out, usually require contraception) allow women time to make certain lifestyle changes that will promote healthy babies.
• When it comes to HIV, sex is 10,000 times safer with a condom than without one.
• Birth control allows women to choose whether they want to start families earlier in life, hold off to pursue other endeavors (like, you know, kicking ass in college and the working world), or not have kids at all.

Birth control gives "power to the people," or rather, it gives women the opportunity to make choices that are right for their personal, individual lives. We're all different, life is short, and we should all be given the choice of how we spend our time — raising a family, going to work, or maybe even both. 

Nothing should be off-limits to us.

Friends, Romans, feminists . . . lend me your faces!

Show the world (or maybe just a
few hundred people) what a
feminist looks like!

I hope you've all had a chance to check out my Faces of Feminism project. On November 24th (yep, Thanksgiving) I'll be publishing a special post to showcase as many  supermegafoxyawesomehot* feminists as possible! 

I want to shatter any stereotype that erroneously assumes feminists are all cranky, hairy white women with cacti shoved up their backsides (no offense to my cranky, hairy white women friends). 

Feminists come in every shape, size, color, age, nationality, gender — I shouldn't have to list anymore classifiers to make that point. Just take a look in a mirror and you'll see how truly unique and awesome a feminist can be . . .

Now that I've (hopefully) buttered you up, I desperately need your help! My goal is to collect at least 100 feminist photographs by November 17th, so I need you all to send in your most epic, badass pictures to include in the post!

You can send your pictures to teenagefeminist@gmail.com (make sure to title them "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like"). To show my thanks, I will be more than happy to link your picture to your blog/website, just make sure to include the link in your email!

If you're looking to climb up a few more rungs on my I-love-you ladder, you can help me by spreading the word about this project to all of your "feministy" friends. Feel free to re-post (and tweak) any of the following:

Facebook:

Society is stuck on a very narrow-minded image of what a feminist "should" look like, but in November Danielle B. from Experimentations of a Teenage Feminist will be publishing a special post titled "The Faces of Feminism" to show just how diverse the feminist community really is! Feminists, please help Danielle by submitting a picture of yourself for her to post! Photos can be sent to: teenagefeminist@gmail.com!

Twitter:

Attentions feminists! Submit your photos to this 

blogger's "Faces of Feminism" project! 

http://teenage-feminist.blogspot.com/p/

faces-of-feminism-submit-photo.html

Tumbler (post stolen from this cool chick):

Danielle Burch, who runs the lovely blog Experimentations of a Teenage Feminist is doing a blog post this November featuring The Faces of Feminism. To be a part of this, all you have to do is email her at teenagefeminist@gmail.com with a picture of yourself and if you’d like, a link to your blog. Go to her blog for more information! I submitted this photo [link "this photo" to a photo of yourself!] the other day because it’s basically the most badass picture of me ever. Please let all your feministy friends know!

____________________________ 

*Any A Very Potter Musical fans out there? 

20 Best Biographies for Women in Business

This article was submitted to me by Florine C. over at bachelorsdegree.org.

What do Ruth Handler, Martha Stewart, and Oprah have in common? They're all included in an article titled 20 Best Biographies for Women in Business! This article features books about influential women who have overcome many of the trials that go along with being female in the male-dominated world of business and economics. 

If you're an aspiring entrepreneur (or simply have an insatiable hunger for new reading material), you should definitely check these books out — literally, from your library!

Women From Around the World, Who've Changed the World

Susan B. Anthony reeks of awesome.

My friend Catelyn, owner of a 60's-themed blog called Throw Back Rag and a Facebook addict, suggested that I share an article called Women Who Changed the World, which was originally posted on an online biography website. If you've got a spare minute (or two!), you should check it out — it covers spectacular women from present day all the way back to 570 BC.

If you're really into this sort of thing, you can also check out a database I stumbled across called 300 Women Who Changed the World. It covers all the major names that glorify the pages of history books (i.e. Eleanor Roosevelt, Catherine the Great, Joan of Arc), plus plenty more that I guarantee you've never heard of!

While I was sifting through the site, it was extremely exciting to come across names I've never seen before or otherwise couldn't pronounce (i.e. Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sofya Kovalevskaya, and Oodgeroo Noonuccal, to name a few). I feel like we — Americans, anyway — have been programmed to associate "women in history" with American suffragettes or English queens, and fail to give women of color and other nationalities proper attention and credit. So for this post, let's check out some women from around the globe who've made an impact! 

Go ahead, click on a picture:

                  

                  

                  

                  

                  

                  

Check out Grrrl Beat, a new online magazine created by the lead singer of Care Bears on Fire!

The fierce chicks of Care Bears on Fire, a pop-punk band with a feminist twist.
(From left to right: Jena, Sophie, and Izzy)

You may have caught a glimpse of Care Bears on Fire on Nickelodeon or The David Letterman Show. Made up of high schoolers Sophie (lead vocals, guitar), Izzy (drums, back-up vocals), and Jena (bass, back-up vocals), this Brooklyn-based band appeals to a younger audience while still drawing inspiration from the underground feminist punk scene (more commonly known as the Riot Grrrl movement) of the 1990's.

Recently, the band's front-runner, Sophie, started an online forum called Grrrl Beat, a place where people can read and talk about music, culture, fashion, art, books, feminism, etc. Young artists and musicians are also encouraged to post their work so that they might receive feedback from the online community.

Grrrl Beat is just getting on its feet, so Sophie is in dire need of articles, art, music, and more! If you're interested, send your submissions to grrrlbeat@gmail.com!

• Grrrl Beat Facebook Page
• Grrrl Beat on Twitter
• Care Bears on Fire Official Website
• Care Bears on Fire Facebook Page
• Care Bears on Fire Myspace Page

And for your listening enjoyment:

P.S. If anybody cares, my favorite of their songs is Heart's Not There. *smiles*