Feminist Fare Friday: The "women are not just for nurturing" Edition
This week I feel like I basically did nothing.
In reality, I did the following:
- Folded the Laundry
- Watched the first US Presidential Debate.
- Had two house meetings
- Took the dog to get groomed
- Got groomed myself - a haircut that is.
- Went birthday shopping for the upcoming October/November B-day avalanche!
- Picked up dog food
- Got a part-time job*
- Went for a massage
- And read, A LOT!
Here are the ones that really stuck out for me and I really want you to read too.
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1. I firmly believe that as a consumer in today's world, I have a responsibility to do some due diligence with where I choose to spend my money. I am a big proponent of shopping locally as much as possible,and looking into the companies that make the clothes that my family wears. And as much as I love the cute T-shirts, low prices, the lovely new Home line at H&M, I can't in good conscience shop there anymore. Sirin Kale reports on the employment conditions for women in the H&M factories in Cambodia and India this week in Broadly.
“Structural factors make it almost impossible for people to escape their low pay and insecure conditions. Almost all the factories in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh employed people on short-term contracts of one to three months, meaning that anyone who stepped out of line (for example, by asking for sick days, refusing overtime or, god forbid, are even a little late for work one day) might not have their contract renewed.”
2. I know that a lot of people opted to NOT watch the first US Presidential debate on Monday for their own mental well-being, and if that was you - let me tell you that you made a good choice and I hope you enjoyed whatever it was that you watched on Netflix instead. I DID watch it. From the comfort of my handsome-feminist-"because it is 2016"-Justin-Trudeau-run Canada. Hillary was amazing, not just because she was HELLA prepared (TO BE PRESIDENT Y'ALL!), but also because not once did she stoop to his level. But, was it enough? Will it ever be enough? As Larry Womack at The Huffington Post points out, everyone needs to stop pretending they don't know the REAL reason people have such a hate-on for Hillz.
“It’s time to stop pretending that this is about substance. This is about an eagerness to believe that a woman who seeks power will say or do anything to get it. This is about a Lady MacBeth stereotype that, frankly, should never have existed in the first place. This is about the one thing no one wants to admit it’s about.”
3. While we are on the topic of the US presidential race and you are still an undecided voter, I highly encourage you to read this post from my friend Vikki Reich and think about what your vote means, not just for you, but for the people all around you.
“May you never wonder what will happen to your family as a result of an election.
May you never have to comfort your children in the face of such uncertainty.
May you never know the fear that comes with waiting as the majority votes on the rights of minorities, on your rights.”
4. I do love me a good clap back. Outdoor Research TOTALLY wins the shade toss this week with their response to a ridiculously sexist piece published in GQ. Ryan Flyss at TheDyrt.com did the side by side of both pieces, and I need to give all the STANDING O's to Outdoor Research for their very thorough and subtle, but IMPACTFUL response. Way to call out sexism peeps!
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Ok, that's it folks, I am off to meet my new boss*.
Have a great weekend!
N~