Half the Church

Here is a link to a podcast interview with several young women in the Churches of Christ who are called to ministry. The podcast was played in one of this year's Summit (Lectureship) sessions. One of the women interviewed is a new friend of mine. She's in our class at church and she finished her Master's of Divinity at ACU this past spring, worked as a Chaplain at a local hospital this summer, and is now teaching full time in the Bible Department at ACU. What the women have to say about their journey to ministry in a faith tradition that excludes women from visible ministry roles is both hearbreaking and inspiring.

Ranting Pays Off!

Thanks to Kara, who I've actually never met, I have a new favorite store!

http://www.kiyonna.com/plus-size-clothing.htm

Oh where oh where was this store when I was working full time and both needed and could afford nice clothes?

I haven't ordered anything yet, but I am so trying to think of a reason why I need this dress:

Do you recognize the model? I told you she is everywhere!

So, thank you Marcus' friend Kara! Ranting works!

Plus Size Feminist Rant

So I’ve been looking online for some clothes for the cruises in May. Today I was browsing Nordstrom's website, not because I’m hoity toity, but because they have a great selection of plus size clothes and $5 shipping on every order. If it wasn’t for Nordstrom and Lane Bryant I’d probably be sporting a paper sack most of the time.

Anyway, when you shop at plus size clothing stores you see models that look like this:

If you’re a plus size woman then you're probably very familiar with that model. I think she models for every single plus size clothing manufacturer. After looking at pages and pages of models who look more like typical women (albeit really fit, tall, and gorgeous ones), It is really jarring to come across the more traditional model like this one:

When did we as a culture decide that that woman’s body is closer to the ideal than this woman’s?

One thing that really bugs me about shopping online at websites that sell women’s clothing in a variety of sizes; misses, petites, plus, etc, is that they often show the clothing available in plus sizes only on the size 0 women (that's how I found that model in the striped sweater). They might as well put the clothing on a male model. I find that when they show clothing in my size on a size 0 model that I actually overlook that outfit and go on to the next one with a plus size model. Talbots is the worst about this. Someone really needs to tell them that there are plus size models available.

Ok plus size feminist rant over.

Join me in the 21st century, won’t you….

I recently registered my eBay business with the state comptroller’s office so that I can collect sales tax in Texas. Since then I’ve gotten about a million pieces of junk business mail. That is annoying in and of itself, but today I got this letter from a local insurance agent:

He sent that to the wrong West Texas woman. That’s right I am a woman and not a “gentlemen”. (I am also one person) Seriously, when this insurer got my company name it would have been impossible to miss that the company is a sole proprietorship in my name. Amanda is not a gender neutral name.

I don’t know what it is with insurance adjustors in this city, but it is hard to find one who isn’t sexist. The first insurance adjustor we talked to several years ago about term life insurance was the worst. I do the finances in our family, so when Marcus and I were talking with him about our options I was the one asking questions. I would ask him a specific question about the policy and he literally would turn to Marcus and answer the question I asked. Seriously. It was like I was some kind of invisible talking head in the room or something. Unfortunately, there is a lot of this kind of stuff in Abilene.

It is actually more surprising when we don’t encounter this mentality. Marcus and I are repeat buyers from a local Mazda salesman simply because when we were looking at buying our first car, we told him the car was for me and he actually focused on me throughout the rest of the sale. Imagine that. Incidentally when we bought the second car for Marcus, he focused on Marcus (except during the price haggling part because I do that).

Anyway I digress. Since this sexist moron provided me his email address I am working on an email response to him. I’m thinking of including something like “ If I should need insurance for my business, I will choose an insurance adjustor who is aware that we are in the 21st century; you know, a time when a woman can own a business.” What do you think?

I take back my prediction…

Governor Palin did incredibly, astronomically, WAY better than anyone expected her to do in last night’s debate. She did not set back women in politics by at least a decade as I had feared. As a friend of mine said, who is also a democrat, “as a woman I breathed a sigh of relief.”

I don’t know how many of you watched Governor Palin’s interviews with Charles Gibson and Katie Couric, but those interviews scared a lot of Americans, including myself, and led to several conservative republican commentators to call for her to step down. Polls taken before the VP debate also showed that 60% of Americans do not believe she is ready for the presidency. So, the stakes were very high for her last night.

I agree with Andrew Romano from Newsweek when he said “For accuracy's sake, we should probably consider referring to tonight's "Showdown in St. Louis" as the "Showdowns in St. Louis." Call it the Tale of Two Debates. In one ring we watched Sarah Palin battling Tina Fey's impression of Sarah Palin. In the other we saw Joe Biden battling John McCain. They both delivered somewhat uneven performances--but both "won" their individual bouts.”

I doubt that many people who were leaning toward John McCain will be more likely to vote for him based on her performance last night, but I also think those same people won’t be less likely to vote for him either. McCain’s campaign staff has to be feeling pretty good today.

On the other hand, Obama’s campaign staff probably feels good about Biden’s performance too. He was respectful, succinct (for him), refrained from sticking his foot in his mouth (as he is prone to do), and he linked McCain/Palin to Bush/Cheney more times than I can count.

So, in short I was wrong. Her position on the ticket is safe (for now). I will take comfort in my wrongness with the fact that almost every single political pundit, including the very conservatve, were also wrong.

Sexist?

I am a feminist, and as such I have no problem calling something or someone sexist. In fact as a sociologist, sexism is one of those things that I just notice, without even trying to, all the time. With that said, I am getting more than a little bit tired of the McCain campaign referring to every single criticism and/or critic of Governor Palin as sexist.

There has been sexism in this presidential campaign no doubt. Senator Clinton experienced a whole lot of it. Governor Palin has experienced some already. I agree with commentators that in portions of her interview with Charles Gibson, it is fair to call him sexist.

But……today a McCain campaign spokesperson said that Tina Fey’s impersonation of Governor Palin was sexist. Seriously!?! The skit was not exactly flattering, but neither was it sexist.

Governor Palin, as the first female vice presidential candidate on the republican ticket, and perhaps the first female vice president, is going to encounter her fair share of sexism. If the campaign insists on calling every legitimate question about her qualifications and record, every impersonation, and every criticism sexist, the American people are going to miss it when she inevitably encounters actual sexism. They simply won’t care about it anymore.

If the McCain campaign keeps this up, I am afraid that the American people are going to miss out on a great opportunity for a serious public discussion about the realities of sexism in the United States.

SNL Palin and Clinton Skit

Oh my goodness! I just watched the opening skit from last night's Saturday Night Live, and it was very well written and H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S! Check it out.

Governor Palin and I Have Something in Common

I haven’t decided yet if picking Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate was a good choice for Senator McCain or not. I’m leaning toward not. It is starting to remind me of the whole Harriet Myers thing a few years ago. But that is not the point of this post….

The point is that Governor Palin and I are both members of the group Feminists For Life. It is a pro-life feminist organization. Taken from their website: "Feminists for Life recognizes that abortion is a reflection that our society has failed to meet the needs of women. We are dedicated to systematically eliminating the root causes that drive women to abortion—primarily lack of practical resources and support—through holistic, woman-centered solutions."

I really hope Governor Palin’s nomination will focus some attention on this awesome organization.

This is what happens when women enter the business world….

So I was reading an article about money saving tips on msnbc.com the other day, and it had a link for an article on money saving tips for new parents. Since I have some friends who are new parents, and some day Marcus and I will be new parents (no, not yet, Mom, Jeanette), I decided to check it out.

The second tip was about using cloth diapers instead of disposable ones. I thought “Ya right, who uses cloth diapers anymore, at least in this country?” The writer suggested just researching cloth diapers a little bit before rejecting them on the spot, since there have been a lot of improvements in them. Well, that piqued my curiosity.

Oh my goodness! Have you seen cloth diapers today? Seriously. They are totally different than the old fashioned safety pin kind. There are all in one diapers, which are a lot like disposable diapers, pocket diapers with absorbent inserts, size adjustable diapers, etc. They have elastic on the legs and back, Velcro or snap closures, adjust for a snugger fit, and come in lots of different colors. Who knew?

Most of the improvements and recent redesigns of cloth diapers have been made by mothers whose infants could not use disposable diapers due to persistent diaper rash. These were mothers who were busy, many worked outside of the home, and so they wanted cloth diapers that were as convenient as disposable diapers. I am totally impressed with what these women did with cloth diapers.

Marcus and I may use these when we do have a baby (still not yet, Mom, Jeanette). After all, they are quite a bit cheaper than disposable diapers and are much better for the environment. I just wish I knew somebody who was using them now. Maybe I should buy some for Christopher and Landry and let the Delcambres and Duggans try them out first!

Barbie was wrong, math isn't tough

A recent study comparing standardized test scores of boys and girls from elementary school to 11th grade found no statistically significant difference in math test scores between the two genders. Previous studies going back 20 years indicated that girls and boys showed no difference in mathmatical ability until high schoool, at which point boys consistently outperformed girls. Leading many (including the former president of Harvard University) to conclude that boys are just naturally better at math and the type of thinking skills associated with it than girls. This recent study, among others, challenges that idea.

I'm sure this will be less than surprising news to two of my BFFs from high school, Anitra and Irene, one an OBGYN and the other a computer software developer, my college friend Rachel who has a degree in biology, my cousin Meredith who has a degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A & M, my female colleaugues and students in the math and science departments at ACU, or my little sister who recently got a perfect score on the 5th grade TAKS science test.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25836419/

One small step for woman....

So far, this has been a pretty good year to be a feminist. Although Senator Clinton didn’t win the democratic nomination, everyone took her campaign seriously, Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an Indie race, and now Ann Dunwoody has become the first female four star general in the U.S. Army. Hopefully this is one more step towards greater gender equality in the military.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25339768

One irritated feminist

I found out something this evening that got my feminist sensibilities all riled, former Texas gubernatorial candidate, and all around good ole' boy misogynist, Clayton Williams, has been fundraising for Senator McCain. Williams ran against Ann Richards in 1990 and was sure to win until he demonstrated his incredible sleaziness and stupidity with his now infamous statement comparing rape with the weather "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it." It made national news, and of course Richards won the election.

McCain's campaign said they were unaware of Mr. Williams' comments in 1990. Today, McCain's campaign cancelled a scheduled fundraiser with Williams but they plan to keep the $300,000 Williams already raised for the campaign.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25166151/

I am once again very disappointed in Senator McCain. You would think a man who has experienced being held against his will and tortured would be more sensitive to any “joke” belittling violence, and would not want any connection to Williams. Not to mention this association is not going to help him win over women voters, which his campaign is very eager to do. I also find it very hard to believe that his campaign staff did not know about this incident. (Although it's possible McCain himself did not know about it). I was 12 years old in 1990 and I remember it very well.

I'll definitely be buying that anti McCain sticker now. (Assuming he wins the election and doesn't do the right thing and return the money).