The Sunday New York Times had an article (free registration required) about women and the American presidency. Like most long-ish Times articles, it hits a lot of points you’ve probably heard before but executes them better than the rest of the mainstream media. There’s a good bit about the way the American political system makes it difficult to get women elected. But it’s shoved into the “Sunday Styles” section (which I may love, but only in a guilty-pleasure-horrible-fluff kind of way) and illustrated with… a presidential seal pink leather purse? Though there are 1500+ words, “sexism” isn’t used once. Congratulations?
All posts published in June 2006
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Hillary Clinton As Fashion Feature
June 12, 2006 • Allison Martell
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The Fat Femme Mafia Strikes Again
June 12, 2006 • Nicole Cohen
Further to Anna’s post on Big Moves below, the two wonderful women behind the Fat Femme Mafia will be performing on Wednesday night (June 14) in Toronto. It’s an all-ages, pay-what-you-can-show so if you’re not working you should go check it out.
Their performance is part of Queer Cab, a Pride-related event for youth at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander St.). Queer Cab is a monthly open mic night, so if you identify as a queer youth and are feeling bold and sassy, you too can be part of the show. This month’s theme: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Sex.
The show starts at 8.
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Big Moves - Because Every Body Can Dance
June 8, 2006 • Anna Leventhal
Okay, maybe some of you readers — like me — have been or are currently involved in a little something known as dance classes. And maybe some of you have been or are currently a wee bit put off by what appears to be a cult of the willowy and emaciated. Well, Big Moves is here to put an end to that clichee of the dance world. For those of you in Montreal, check out their show at the Fringe Fest this week! They’re performing in NYC as well, but there don’t seem to be any other Canadian tour dates (hint hint: Torontonians, get on the ball! Bring these ladies to you!). Heck, why not go visit them in NYC? More info about the show below:
Big Moves presents
THE BIG SPENDER TOUR
Fresh, fat, and freaky in Montreal!
St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival
Sunday, June 11, through Sunday, June 18
shows at various times
Theatre La Chapelle, 3700 rue-St. Dominique, Montreal
Tickets: $9 at the door (that’s Canadian money!),
festival passes available onlineLike other Big Moves shows, Big Spender in Montreal is a masterful mix of audience favorites and brand-new numbers, led by Filling the Stage, Big Moves’ musical theater company, which returns with three hot new numbers, including one collaboration with the Phat Fly Girls for a super-fly twist on a stripper classic. We’re recruiting local big performers for some grand guest turns, and we may even trot out the big guns with “Big Fat Lesbians Doing Dildo Humor”, a post-modern movement theater piece that is guaranteed to make audience members giggle nervously.
In Montreal we’ll adding to our usual amazing dance revue such classics as Guess our cast’s collective weight, the Booty-lympics and live, on-stage tit- and ass-print paintings, which audiences will be able to buy at bargain prices. The mondo merch table and snack bar will be open, of course, with our usual full-fat guarantee: no diet snacks, or your money back!
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it’s not easy being green
June 8, 2006 • Thea Lim
I recently saw An Inconvenient Truth, and as a bicycle-riding, dirt-eating, fruit-juice-drinker, its a relief to see the rise of green politics in mainstream media. Even before the movie was released, the buzz around it had publications tripping over themselves to be the first to report on the environmental revolution. Vanity Fairs much publicised first green issue featured Julia Roberts talking about the chlorine-free diapers she buys for her twins and the eco-friendly policies of Arnold Schwarzenegger the politician.
Its now official that green products have been unleashed on every aisle of the grocery store. We can buy countless organic products at Loblaws, and even Starbucks sells shade-grown coffee. The internet is well stocked with websites to feed the new green addiction. One of the biggest of these is treehugger.com, started by Canadian Graham Hill. Its a massive directory of sleek yet sustainable products, from companies like Terra Pass that help you to neutralise your cars carbon emissions, to reviews of the latest ecologically-correct loft communities to be built. The websites slogans include Do the right thing. We wont tell anyone.
But theres something about this re-packaging of healthy living that is distressing. The deluge of eco-friendly versions of everything seems to be a response to the perception that though the public is fearful that were annihilating our planet, at the same time were pretty sure that theres something distinctly un-hip about caring for the environment. These products seem to be crying out, Hey! Our aesthetically pleasing packaging makes it okay to buy us! But whats so wrong with trying to preserve our only source of life?Last years craze was the naming of the metrosexual, which made it okay for straight men to use moisturiser. On the one hand we can be glad that life is now a little bit less restricted by prejudice. On the other hand we have to ask, why are straight men so afraid to labelled queer? If the term metrosexual is implicitly homophobic, then the new and fervent marketing of green is paradoxically eco-phobic.
If things are in as bad a state as Al Gore says they are, it seems like its going to take more than being better recyclers, and keeping our tires properly inflated, to halt the melting of the ice caps. Yet even Al Gore seems hesitant to entreat his viewers to make real sacrifices for the sake of our imperilled ecosystem. After his persuasive and cogent presentation of the facts, the action he asks us to take use your dishwasher less and car pool is a definite anticlimax.
Its difficult to be happy about the so-called new green revolution, when ultimately it just seems to be a marketing ploy. As well, its inaccessibility to the vast majority of the world who cant possibly afford these products, highlights its biggest flaw its not willing to confront the painful fact that our way of life, particularly in the affluent West, makes life for the rest of the biosphere basically unliveable, and completely unsustainable. Green consumerism, the medias swarming of sustainability, and Al Gores soft-ish sell all assure us that its easy to be green. But it isnt. Our way of life needs to undergo massive upheaval, if we want there to be a planet like this one in forty years and were should start by shaking that fear of being unfashionable.
Now am I just being pessimistic, or do you agree with me? Please, comment!
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Join Team Shameless!
June 8, 2006 • Nicole Cohen
We are very happy to announce that Holland Gidney, our super subscription manager, is going to be taking over publishing duties here at Shameless HQ. That means that we’re looking for someone great to fill her shoes. Please pass this posting along to any qualified folks who are committed to our cause.
SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER - VOLUNTEER POSITION
Do you love data entry? Do you get your kicks out of organizing addresses and dreaming up ways to increase circulation? Then we want you to join Team Shameless.
Shameless, Canada’s independent voice for smart, strong, sassy, young women, is hiring a subscription manager.
We are looking for someone who is extremely organized, reliable and can work independently. Experience with spreadsheets and databases is required. We would love you to have knowledge and experience with small magazines, good communication skills and interest in helping a small magazine grow.
Like every job on this start-up magazine, this is an unpaid, volunteer position. It requires about five hours of work a week. Must be able to work at home, be able to access e-mail and attend regular meetings held at least biweekly in downtown Toronto.
Shameless is an equal-opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications by women of colour and First Nations women.
NOTE: enthusiasm and a willingness to learn new things may be given preference over previous magazine/circulation experience.
If you’re interested, please e-mail a resume and a cover note to submit@shamelessmag.com by Friday, June 30, 2006. We thank all interested applicants but will only contact those who we would like to interview.
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More harping on Harper
June 8, 2006 • Nicole Cohen
Torontos Centre For Social Justice is organizing a pre-election campaign to educate young Canadians about the need for progressive alternatives to the scary policies of our current prime minister, Stephen Harper (recall his anti-gay marriage, anti-Kyoto, anti-daycare take on things). The group wants to know what issues youth are concerned about and what messages would get young peoples attention and encourage them to vote for change.
The meeting is free and there will be refreshments — always a draw, in my opinion.
What: Harping on Harper: Developing a Progressive Agenda for young Canadians
Where: Centre for Social Justice, 3rd floor Boardroom, 489 College St. (Toronto)
Date: Tuesday, June 20
Time: 6:30-8:30 pmRSVP by June 19 to Rose@socialjustice.org or lefty4life@hotmail.com. Dont forget to report back and let us know how it went.
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Calling all musicians and DJs for Growing Up XX
June 6, 2006 • Liz McDonnell
You may have noticed that I am a huge fan of Growing Up XX… Real Girls… Real Stories… The Emancipation Tour. Well this time around, I am not telling you about an upcoming show, but rather I am calling all musicians and DJs interested in joining this fabulous group of young women bring their stories to the world.
Tanya Lee, creator and director of Growing Up XX is looking for two female guitarists, a bass guitarist, a keyboardist, and as she says “a mind-blowing ‘Spinderella’ that can scratch, has complete mastery of the turntables that can keep a beat and has showmanship”. Musicians must be 18 to 24 years old.
If you are interested, please e-mail Tanya Lee by June 30, 2006 by 5pm at growingupxx@yahoo.com. Auditions will be scheduled for the first week of July, and all rehearsals will take place in Brampton, Ontario.
Why not check out the site for the show? www.growingupxx.com
Go girls!
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911
June 6, 2006 • Nicole Cohen
Shameless contributor Zoe Cormier (whose piece “Making The Cut” was nominated for National Magazine Award!) forwarded us this link to Not2Late.com, the emergency contraception website.
Run by the Office of Population Research at Princeton University and by the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the site is chock full of resources (in English, Spanish, French and Arabic to boot) on emergency contraception. It lists providers (in Canada this is limited to British Columbia and the Yukon), news items about EC and educational info about what EC is.
Best of all, Zoe points out, the site lists the equivalent of the emergency contraception in regular birth control pills, even by brand. This is important information for those who — for political or economic reasons — can’t access EC.
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More juicy Shameless goodness
June 4, 2006 • Wesley Fok
We’ve just put up on the website a couple of articles from last year’s summer and fall issues. Check ‘em out:
Making The Cut (Fall 2005): Zoe Cormier explores a disquieting new trend in cosmetic surgery: the designer vagina. Nominated for a National Magazine Award!
Broads On Boards (Summer 2005): Anna Leventhal meets the Skirtboarders, the all-female skate crew grinding rails and storming quarter pipes in Montreal.
Sporting Goods (Fall 2005): Jennifer Besner gets a crash course in surfing.
DIY (Fall 2005): From the turntable to the kitchen table—Amanda Rataj turns your old records into retro chic bowls.
And In This Corner… (Summer 2005): From the pen of Zoe Whittall comes the Hot Fat Girl Manifesto.
Sporting Goods (Summer 2005): Tori Allen profiles Camille Surovy, a competitive shredder who can pull off some mean moves with a footbag.
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PORNOGRAPHY FOR FEMINISTS? IS IT POSSIBLE?
June 3, 2006 • piKe krpan
Over the past few weeks, I have been helping out a friend whose girlfriend broke up with him because she feels that he has an unhealthy relationship with porn. (Well, there were other reasons too, but this was big for her.) She has been sending him anti-porn links about how addictive and dangerous porn is, how relationships are weakened by unrealistic sexual expectations created by watching porn, and of course, the mainstay: that porn is harmful to women.
Of course, I read all these articles with interest, and also noticed that one of them was written by George W. Bush’s former speechwriter. Is there a link? I think so.
While I believe there is a lot of bad, anti-woman porn out there, anti-porn advocates who unflailingly say that all pornography is BAD, are also, in many cases, those same people who seek to control women’s bodies through anti-abortion initiatives and anti-gay legislation. For me, it boils down to the fact that we have to combat the age-old stereotype of the slutty girl as out of control, asking for trouble, and of course, worthy of gossip - although men can prowl around and everyone celebrates it.
I want to know - how can I learn about sex if I don’t get a chance to see it, and to see positive and real and sexy representations of it? Yes, I can read books, experiment alone and with partners, but sometimes I gotta see to learn, no? There must be some way in porn to celebrate women’s sexuality with honor and respect.
Now, the usual porn star schtick of busty schoolgirls and fake Os (if any) is by far the mainstream, but there are alternatives. Believe it or not, there are many many many feminists who are making great porn: people like Abiola Adams, Jen Bowers, Tristan Taormino, and Candida Royalle. I got to see these women chatting it up last week at the first-ever Feminist Porn Awards. They discussed real topics, like what makes their porn feminist, how they treat their actors and workers with respect and empowerment, how they ethically distribute their work, and what it’s like to work in an industry with such a bad name, making films that aim to make women feel good about sex, about their bodies, and to feel pleasure.
What do you think? Thanks in advance for your thoughts…
