The kittens continue to grow like weeds. Looking more like young cats than kittens each day. They are now coming up into bed with us, because laying between and on sleeping people is apparently fun. Only laying also includes wrestling, walking on heads, and nibbling toes. I had this dream Sunday morning that was seriously out of a Japanese horror film (which, really, I will have to relate here because it was SO detailed and disturbing) and it ended with this demon-spirit eating someone starting with his feet-- I swear, I even felt prickly little teeth on my feet, and then I woke up to realize that Squeak had gotten one paw stuck in the blanket and was using his other clawed paw to push against my foot for leverage. Also, Olive is particularly vocal and attention-needy in the morning. She wanted to be all up on me for about two hours today. Which is fine, except she's a wiggleworm. Settle down, purr for five seconds, change positions, purr for five seconds... seriously, ADD kitty.



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This weekend, we went out to Catoctin again, like we did last June. We hiked the relatively simple Wolf Rock and Chimney Rock circuit, and then did a little bit of rock climbing. These pics absolutely do not give you a sense of scale, man. They were about 10 feet apiece. Afterwards, we went to a crabhouse for a seafood extravaganza: cream of crab soup, freshly steamed shrimp with Old Bay, and a dozen large male Maryland blue crabs.


The leftmost rock is Chimney rock.

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Today, I've been reading up on the situation in Iran. Mostly quietly, because I needed to educate myself better and don't want to talk about it until I know what it is I am talking about. Luckily for me, many of my flisters have already gotten this square covered.

I am also doing research-- compiling lists of herbs and oils I am using in upcoming pieces. Researching both magical and health properties. As I am selling these for both jewelry and topical uses, I don't want to use anything that is harmful to say, pregnant women, without all appropriate disclaimers and notes. I have a stack 'o books I am going through, and they are quite helpful. Back to work I go.

And they are so basic and well, DUH, that I can't believe I have to spell it out like this.

1. Feminism is the belief that men and women are inherently equal. It's the radical idea that women are people too, and our voices deserve equal consideration by our male counterparts. It is about our rights to make decisions about our lives: whether to work inside or outside of the home, or both. It's the idea that we have bodily sovereignty and the right to make choices about our reproductive health. It's about the right to deserve equal pay.

What feminism is not:
-- The belief that women deserve special rights or that we think we are inherently better due to our gender.
-- The belief that all men are evil. (And if you've heard that, please take it on good authority that those women are just as fucking crazy as any group's extremists and that they do NOT speak for the Feminist movement.)

This is boiling it down to the few key things that feminism IS and IS NOT. The reason why feminists are so vocal is because our system and culture has not yet reached that ideal. If you honestly think that "feminism" means women want special rights, please explore why it is you have come to that conclusion, because I am here to tell you that it is patently false. Like, seriously. If you honestly believe that, your ass is showing and you should go cover it, because it sounds to me that you are using these false notions as a reason to not listen to what is actually being said. In the text. Which is right in front of your face.

IF you are someone who looks at that and says, "well why isn't it just called Equalism?" I will then say to you "because you do not get to define what we call ourselves. You can define what you call yourself, but not someone else's group. Which is about womens' equality. Hence 'feminism.'" If a reason why you dismiss feminism is due to its name alone... you probably didn't want to listen anyway. That's pretty much one of the biggest cop-outs I have ever seen.


2. Mens' voices are not routinely silenced or shouted down in this journal.

In all of the time I have been here (seven years), I have banninated TWO people, and yes, they were both men. One was someone who routinely derailed conversations of sexism but was ultimately banned for making a racist joke and then trying to pass it off as okay, saying that I needed to lighten up. Two was more recent, and there's a whole post on that, so I'll let it go. But suffice it to say that if it had been a woman making jokes about Mexicans or diligently misinterpreting text despite routine correction, she would have been banhammered just as fast because that shit don't fly on this here journal.

Here be the ground rules: sexist, racist, and just about any other kind of "ist" comments are not tolerated. If you make one or two, it is highly likely you will be called on them. If you make several, or persist in derailing or misrepresenting, you will be banninated. And trust me, those offenses will be spelled out before it happens. If you are not okay with this policy, you know where the defriend button is. Sayonara.

If I (or my posters) take/took you to task for saying something offensive or off-base, think about it and respond once you have processed what they or I have said. If many of us are angry because you said something blatantly sexist or ___[ist]... well, what are we supposed to do, ignore your blatant offensive comment? Sorry, but no. You are not a special snowflake, and if you say something offensive, you will likely get called out for that. If that, to you, is "shouting down," feel free to take your commentary elsewhere where you will not be held to account for your own words.

In any case, there have been many many men and/or people with dissenting opinions who are still here, and commenting, and part of the discussion.

NO ONE is banned simply for having a dissenting opinion, and if THAT is the argument you are using about why this space is not a safe one for your voice, I just don't know what to tell you. Perhaps you should abstain from having adult conversations until you figure it out. 'Cause really, all you are actually saying is "I am not comfortable having my opinions challenged in this forum." So, y'know, own that and quit acting like there is some conspiracy here to silence mens' voices where there is all evidence to the contrary. Again, your ass, it is showing.

Furthermore, dude. I am not at my computer 24/7. If I don't unscreen your comment on one of my rare screened posts within 10 minutes or so, it's 'cause I'm busy. Yes, really. It will get unlocked at my earliest convenience, and it's absolutely nothing personal. Nobody is forbidding you anything, nor is there any evidence to suggest that that would be the case. So, in other words, quit acting like a teenager.


This post is sort of a watershed for several conversations I seem to be having right now. It is not about just one person. But if you feel like it might be about you-- well, then that's worth thinking about, I suppose.

Except wait, please do.

So, if you read Neil Gaiman's twitter, a bunch of you might have also heard this ludicrous case coming out out of Wisconsin. A Christian group is suing for the right to burn the library's copy of Francesca Lia Block's Baby Be-Bop. They are also seeking $120,000 in damages because "their mental and emotional well-being was damaged by this book at the library." They furthermore claim that the YA book, which features a gay teen protagonist, contains derogatory language that could "put one's life in possible jeopardy" and is a hate crime.

Um.

Yeah.

I seriously got nothin'.