Quote of the Day

"We try to look at child care as more of a form of work support."—Lynda Laughlin of the US Census Bureau's Fertility and Family Statistics Branch, explaining why is it that the Census Bureau assumes mothers to be the "designated parent" in a two-parent household, and why further it considers a father providing childcare while mother is at work/school to be a "child care arrangement" but a mother providing childcare while father is at work/school to be designated parenting.

That is to say that the US government is engaging in that most infuriating of parenting tropes: Moms parent and dads babysit.

(Not to mention that they evidently do not consider childcare "work," no matter who is doing it.)

I don't even know what the Census Bureau does with two-parent households in which the parents are the same sex. Curl up in the fetal position, cover its ears, and pitiably whine "No no no no I can't hear you!", presumably.

[H/T to Shaker Rachel.]

This Story Is Too Bootylicious for Me

The fascination/fetishization of black women's backsides... will it never end???

From the Associated Press:

A newly discovered horse fly in Australia was so "bootylicious" with its golden-haired bum, there was only one name worthy of its beauty: Beyonce.

Australian researcher Bryan Lessard, 24, says he wanted to pay respect to the insect's beauty by naming it Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae. Lessard said Beyonce would be "in the nature history books forever" and that the fly now bearing her name is "pretty bootylicious" with its golden backside.

This is not an honor. He is not doing her a favor. In fact, Lessard is evidencing an ongoing, problematic fascination with black women's bottoms. Dr. Janell Hobson, in an essay in which she analyzes "the prevalent treatment of black female bodies as grotesque figures, due to the problematic fetishism of their rear ends," (88) on the history of this bullshit:*

[A] history of enslavement, colonial conquest and ethnographic exhibition-variously labeled the black female body "grotesque," "strange," unfeminine," "lascivious," and "obscene." This negative attitude toward the black female body targets one aspect of the body in particular: the buttocks (87).

Dr. Hobson delves into the longstanding fascination with/assumptions about black women's alleged hypersexuality, a hypersexuality symbolized by our deviant bodies and an "emphasis on the black female rear end, with its historic and cultural tropes of rawness, lasciviousness, and 'nastiness'," (97). And though this history extends much farther than two centuries into the past, she highlights the heartbreaking and dehumanizing display of Saartje Baartman, arguing that "perhaps no other figure epitomizes the connections between grotesquerie, sexual deviance, and posteriors than the 'Hottentot Venus'," (89), put on display primarily for the " 'strange,' singular attraction" of her rear end (88). As crunktastic noted over at the Crunk Feminist Collective, about Lessard's naming of the fly in Beyonce's "honor," "The legacy of Saartjie Bartmann lives."

Lest you think this is purely a compliment (I say purely because I am sure, in some strange way, Lessard meant it as such), ponder Dr. Hobson's words on Sir MixALot's Baby Got Back:

This so-called "appreciation" of black women's bodies does not necessarily challenge ideas of grotesque and deviant black female sexuality. Interestingly, both the song and video uphold and celebrate the black body precisely because it differs from the standard models of beauty in white culture, (96).

Substitute "the naming of the fly" for "both the song and video."

If you're still leaning towards, "compliment," think of this: The recent "global desirability of a Black girl's ass" is not complimentary; it grows out of a history of othering and "exotifying" black women's bodies and "excuses her allegedly less desirable dark complexion, full lips, and kinky hair," you know, the still grotesque and "ugly" parts of us.** But the appeal of black women's butts is not always enough to "excuse" our deficiencies/lack of beauty in other categories. In fact, a curvy backside becomes even more desirable when it is not attached to a black woman. As Dr. Hobson notes,

[P]erformer Jennifer Lopez offers a slightly different take on rear-end aesthetics. Her Latina body, already colored as "exotic" in a so-called changing American racial landscape, bridges the desires of black and white men, because she can serve as the "racial other" for both. More importantly Lopez's derriere does not carry the burden of Baartman's legacy.

[snip]

Dominant culture came to celebrate Lopez's behind as part of a recognition of "exotic" and "hot" Latinas, women perceived as "more sexual" than white women but "less obscene" than black women. In this way, Lopez's body avoids the specific racial stigma that clings to black women's bodies (97).

Or, as I read in my Facebook feed the other day,*** part of the adoration/fascination with Kim Kardashian is the desirability of having physical features typically associated with a black woman unencumbered by the history of racism, colonization, and devaluation.

I guess what it boils down to is the naming of this fly as symbolic of a culture of what crunktastic calls "disrespectability politics":

This is a world where disrespectability politics reign, a world where black women's bodies and lives become the load-bearing wall, in the house that race built, a world where the tacit disrespect of Black womanhood is as American as apple pie, as global as Nike. (Just do it. Everybody else is. ) In this world, Black women have moved from "fly-girls to bitches and hoes" and back again to just, well, flies. Insects. Pests.

Please spare us honors like these, Mr. Lessard.
_______________

* Janell Hobson, "The 'Batty' Politic: Toward an Aesthetic of the Black Female Body," Hypatia 18, no. 4, Women, Art, and Aesthetics (Autumn - Winter, 2003): 87-105.

** From this sentence by crunktastic: "In this world, the global desirability of a Black girl’s ass excuses her allegedly less desirable dark complexion, full lips, and kinky hair." I know, I know; someone might argue that full lips are all the rage, but remember they can't be too full and they are much "better" on a non-black woman--hello, world's fascination with Angelina Jolie!

***paraphrased from a note or article posted by one of my friends for which I have searched desperately and cannot find. Please let me know if you know the citation. Update: Here it is! Thank you, checarina!

Reproductive Rights Updates: New Hampshire, Ohio, Kansas, Texas

First up we have New Hampshire. Last year the state made news because it denied contract with Planned Parenthood (and thus, clinics couldn't dispense contraception). The federal government stepped in on that one. Well, enter round two of this.

A bill banning public funding of Planned Parenthood and other groups that provide elective abortions passed out of the New Hampshire House yesterday with a 60-vote majority, as Republicans rejected a report by the committee assigned to study the issue but fell short of the support needed to override a potential veto by the governor.

[...]

"For many New Hampshire women, Planned Parenthood is the only affordable option for health care. This legislation puts at risk basic access to cost-effective, preventive services such as cancer screenings, breast exams, access to birth control and other disease prevention services," said Jennifer Frizzell, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England's senior policy adviser, in a statement after the vote.[...]

Republican Rep. Susan DeLemus of Rochester was first to speak on the floor in support of the bill.

"As a sovereign citizen, I do not ever want to contribute to the stopping of a baby's heart with my tax dollars," she said.

First, "sovereign citizen"? What? Who talks like that? Second: problem! See, Medicaid covers abortion in very, very, very limited cases. Your legislation?

The bill prevents the Department of Health and Human Services from entering into a contract with any organization that provides abortions not funded by Medicaid, which covers the procedure in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger.

So your tax dollars? Never funded any abortion at Planned Parenthood (or other clinic, office, or hospital) that wasn't already covered--and still covered & paid for--by Medicaid. Your "tax dollars", oh Sovereign Citizen, are STILL paying for abortion in the limited cases that they were already. Whooops! You don't know what you're talking about are supporting legislation that you appear to be ignorant of!

The House, in passing this bill, blew off its own committee (made up of a 2:1 republican majority) report that recommended killing it. The bill now goes to the Senate. Governor John Lynch is outright opposed to the legislation and the House did not provide a veto-proof vote.

***

In Ohio, the asinine "heartbeat" legislation is going to get another hearing in the state senate after the primaries:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The leader of the Ohio Senate says hearings on a bill that would impose the nation's strictest abortion limit will resume after the state's March 6 primary.

Senate President Tom Niehaus (NEE'-hows) told reporters on Wednesday that his chamber would take up the measure after the primary contests. He did not further explain the timing or decision.

So now you know what I will be writing about come March!

***

In Kansas, where abortion and draining the state of funds via lawsuits over legislation appear to be an obsession with certain legislators, the state House is moving forward with the odious "personhood" nonsense.

More than two dozen members of the Kansas House of Representatives have endorsed an amendment to the state constitution that would make abortion illegal in the state, potentially posing a constitutional challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court precedent set by Roe v. Wade.

The proposed amendment, which is expected to be introduced in the House this session, is the latest set of "personhood" legislation being weighed by state lawmakers. If passed by voters in November, the amendment would guarantee the rights of "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" to individuals of all ages -- including the unborn -- by declaring that life begins the moment a woman's egg is fertilized.

Same tired stuff there. BUT! Check out what they're putting ON THE BALLOT (emphasis mine):

An explanation of the measure that would printed on the ballot in November emphasizes that a vote against it would not amend the state constitution, meaning "the current federally mandated legal status of preborn humans would remain that of a class of human beings that can intentionally be killed."

ON. THE. BALLOT. Gee, that's NOT AT ALL misleading, biased bullshit now it it?

The bill, however, has to pass by 2/3 majority before voters get to see that garbage nightmare of leading, emotionally-charged bullshit.

The article ends with noting:

Personhood efforts have recently been introduced in Virginia, Nevada, and Ohio. Similar efforts are also underway in California, Montana, Arkansas, Florida and Colorado.

***

Deep in the heart of Texas, poor, un- and under-insured people are SOL. This is according to a report released by the Dept. of State Health Services.

Following a legislative session where lawmakers slashed funding for family planning and targeted Planned Parenthood, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has released a much-reduced list of organizations that will receive state dollars to provide birth control, STD testing and cervical and breast cancer screenings for the state's poorest women.

Between now and March 31, 2013, 41 womens' health providers will receive a total of $12.4 million, down from 71 agencies in the last biennium.

[...]

In the last legislative session, lawmakers gutted family planning funding for all providers by two-thirds, from $111.5 million during the 2010-2011 biennium to $37.9 million over the next two years.

[...]

DSHS reported that 12 women's health applicants were denied funding because their regions were already covered by “tier one” providers. For instance, the Lone Star Community Health Center clinics in Montgomery County didn’t receive funding because their area is already covered by clinics associated with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Williams said even though Planned Parenthood clinics are not on the list of the agency's 41 official contractors, three Planned Parenthood chapters are receiving some temporary funding over the next few months. In those cases, either no one else from their regions applied, or other applicants didn't meet the criteria for funding. Williams said the state still has about $2 million available in its family planning budget, and has posted a request for additional applicants for that money.

“We want to make sure that we are adhering to legislative intent and that women are able to get care seamlessly,” Williams said. “The re-compete is to make sure other entities, such as associations, were aware of the opportunity to apply for these funds.”

[...]

Even among those who received a grant, there are concerns that the state cut too deeply into a program that used to serve 220,000 women every year. Under the current budget, DSHS estimates about 60,000 people will be able to continue to receive birth control and disease testing.

Lone Star Circle of Care, an FQHC with clinics throughout Central Texas, will receive $322,488 over the next 14 months — enough to cover only 20 percent of the family planning costs the clinic incurred in 2011. The state used to provide enough funding to cover between 70 to 80 percent of the clinic's services.

“It’s not enough compared to the demand we have for these services, so we’re seeking alternative sources of funding to cover the shortfall,” said Rebekah Haynes, Lone Star’s spokeswoman.

But at least Planned Parenthood is barely getting any money, amirite?!?!

***

In related news, a new study that was published today in the Lancet shows that abortion rates--particularly unsafe abortions--are higher where contraception is hard to come by and where abortion has been made illegal.

Abortion rates are higher in countries where the procedure is illegal and nearly half of all abortions worldwide are unsafe, with the vast majority in developing countries, a new study concludes.

Experts couldn't say whether more liberal laws led to fewer procedures, but said good access to birth control in those countries resulted in fewer unwanted pregnancies.

The global abortion rate remained virtually unchanged from 2003 to 2008, at about 28 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, a total of about 43.8 million abortions, according to the study. The rate had previously been dropping since 1995.

About 47,000 women died from unsafe abortions in 2008, and another 8.5 million women had serious medical complications. Almost all unsafe abortions were in developing countries, where family planning and contraceptive programs have mostly levelled off.

[...]

Abortion rates were lowest in Western Europe 12 per 1,000 and highest in Eastern Europe 43 per 1,000. The rate in North America was 19 per 1,000. Sedgh [Gilda, senior researcher at the Guttmacher Institute] said she and colleagues found a link between higher abortion rates and regions with more restrictive legislation, such as in Latin America and Africa. They also found that 95 to 97 per cent of abortions in those regions were unsafe.

The authors defined unsafe abortion as any procedure done by people lacking needed skills or in places that don't meet minimal medical standards. Sedgh said some women in Africa resort to using broken soda bottles or taking strong doses of medicines or herbal drugs to induce abortions.

"It is precisely where abortion is illegal that it must become safer," wrote Beverly Winikoff and Wendy R. Sheldon of the Gynuity Health Projects in New York, in an accompanying commentary.

Experts said increasing birth control options for women in poor countries, like providing long-acting implants, would make a big difference.

"Wherever we have made better contraception available in the countries where we work, hundreds of women will walk hours to get it," said Dana Hovig, CEO of Marie Stopes International, a family planning organization. He was not connected to the study.

All across this country, legislators are attempting to reduce access to contraception and eliminate abortion entirely (as a legal and safe procedure). They defy logic and science and general humanity. And they do not care.


As an aside, none of these posts would exist if SOPA and PIPA were to pass. None.

Are You Sitting Down, Ladies?

I have some shocking news for you: New research has found, and I know this will come as a very big surprise to all you working ladies out there, so I really hope you are sitting down, possibly even at your desk at your job for which you are underpaid and overqualified even though you have asked for raises and promotions, that it is, in fact, NOT TRUE that women don't get raises and promotions because they are shrinking violets who fail to ask for them.

It TURNS OUT that women actually do ask to be appropriately compensated and promoted, but FOR SOME REASON we just don't get that for which we're asking—and, not only that, but "the gender gap in level and pay gets even wider" as the careers of men and women on the same track progress.

HOLY SHIT! This is some really shocking news, amirite, ladies? I never would have guessed that we were asking for things all these years that we weren't getting.

I can't even imagine what the perplexing reason is that we're not getting promotions and raises if we're asking for them after all. Oh well. Life is full of mysteries!

Working My Last Nerve

[Content Note: This post contains a discussion of ABC's new sitcom "Work It," which is profoundly misogynist, transphobic, racist, and classist, and also uses rape jokes.]

Last month, Eastsidekate wrote about a new sitcom coming to ABC called "Work It," about, in Kate's words, "dudes who pretend to be chicks so they can get a job, because that's totally how things work in the world."

"Work It" premiered this week, to rave reviews. And by "rave reviews," I mean Deeky and me ranting and raving about what an absolute fuckshite garbage nightmare disaster it is.

LAST NIGHT:

Deeky: I am watching "Work It."

Liss: I am watching a re-run of "Big Bang Theory."

Deeky: Holy fucking god! This is soooo terrible! You MUST watch it! Really. Watch it before it disappears down the memory hole. It's fucking amazing.

Liss: LOL! Okay. I'll put it on when this is over.

Deeky: It is just soooooooo fucking misogynist. Who thinks women behave like that?

Liss: Is it OnDemand?

Deeky: Yes. That's how I'm watching it.

Liss: Ah, found it. Starting it now…

Deeky: Enjoy!

Liss: Thirty seconds in and there's a rape joke. Awesome. "Stop comparing prostate exams to the pinball scene in The Accused." Wow.

Deeky: I know, right?!

Liss: Mancession. Oh dear.

Deeky: LOL!

Liss: "When the women take over, they'll just keep a few men as sex slaves."

Deeky: For cuddling and kissing and talking.

Liss: Not talking. Listening. Even worse!

Deeky: LOL!

Liss: "I'll just go out with my friends and wake you up for sex later." OMG.

Deeky: Oh god. Then how he says "you seem mad"?

Liss: This is so misogynistic.

Deeky: I don't think I've seen such a misogynistic TV show ever.

Liss: I don't think I have, either. And it's so transphobic. Like, it manages to make fun of trans women by playing on the dude-in-the-dress stereotypes (and have you seen the poster for the show? it straight-up plays on trans bathroom panic) while simultaneously disappearing trans people and their experiences by having every woman just axiomatically receive these guys as cis women.

Deeky: Totes. And I refuse to believe that there are people who think women actually behave like this! "All women are saintly wives, annoying dipshits, or sinister cunts. That's the whole spectrum of womanhood for ya!" Who thinks that?!

Liss: And who is this show for?! Men who hate women but love men who dress up like women to get one over on women? Women who hate women and love men who trick women? Men who hate men and love watching shows that make men look like complete fuckos? Who is the audience for this show? WHAT IS GOING ON.

Deeky: I know. And who are we supposed to be rooting for? Everyone on this show is terrible!

Liss: Very terrible and very stupid.

Deeky: Did you like the scene where the boss-lady, who only hires women like the law totally says you're allowed to do, tells the man in the dress that "she's" the smartest person she's interviewed?

Liss: Uh-huh. And all the other (actual) women are stupid. It's like this show is an MRA wank-fantasy of anti-feminism, but all the female solidarity on the show is inexplicably built on hatred of other women? Whut.

Deeky: It's a mess.

Liss: The only thing that is clear is that this show is the worst.

Deeky: LOL!

Liss: And now for the racism: "I'm Puerto Rican—I'd be great at selling drugs."

Deeky: LOL! Yup!

Liss: Plus I love how it's "shameful" to be employed at a fast food place.

Deeky: I know, right?

Liss: This is actually shocking. I am actually shocked.

Deeky: LOL! This show is so unbelievable, isn't it?

Liss: It's gobsmacking. Iain just said it's the best show he's ever seen, lol.

Deeky: It's 2012. How did this get made?!

Liss: Me: "This is the most misogynistic show I've ever seen." Iain: "I dunno. I think the jury's still out on that one." Me: "Nope! I am the jury, the judge, AND the executioner, and I am MURDERING THIS SHOW!" Iain (trying not to laugh): "Well, I think it's interesting on a number of sociological levels." Me: "So is divorce."

Deeky: Tell him his b-hole is interesting on a number of sociological levels.

Liss: He says he's very flattered, lol.

[In case there's any confusion about whether Iain actually enjoyed this plop of dogshit, he did not. He was, in fact, quoting statistics at the show about workplace gender inequality and informing it tersely that the "mancession" is misogynist folklore and 2/3 of all new jobs created are filled by men.]

Deeky: I am kind of in awe that this show exists.

Liss: This show hates women more than Bill Maher.

Deeky: LOLOLOL! I almost made the same joke, braintwinz!

Liss: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL! I love how he's the benchmark for woman-hating.

Deeky: Well he is!

Liss: He really is!

[See also: Work It Doesn't Work.]