I’ve moved through life assuming that giving birth was always a possibility. And now, at nearly 43, I have to sever that option or cling on to it. Severing would mean better physical health, the resolution of medical issues, and a life liberated from menstruation. Now that I spend more time menstruating than not, I […]
Archive for the ‘Gender’ category
Bitten
SPOILER ALERT: This post discusses the plot of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. I highly recommend reading them, rather than reading about them…but I suspect many will not. And let’s start by acknowledging Caitlin Flanagan’s excellent article on female adolescent desire in The Atlantic Monthly. She covers so much, but this is my personal experience of […]
Girls got skills
The first time I noticed her she was strutting through the gym carrying her basketball under an arm and swaggering toward the court, the one that is predominantly populated by some pretty big and aggressive-playing dudes. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, which is the way it’s been every time I’ve seen […]
Crack House Diary Entry: College Application
This is only a Crackhouse Diary entry in the sense that Susan and I would have never known the author of the following college admission essay had Susan not chosen to teach in a South Central high school. The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, approached Susan for help with her application process. Susan brought […]
Thursday Favorites: The Women’s Pages
Let’s start by talking about the dress. You know, THE dress, the Narciso Rodriguez dress Michelle Obama wore on election night. I seem to be alone among my friends in loving this dress. I agree with Anthony Dickey when he called it “odd and fantastic… like having a black family in the White House is […]
The angel and the whore
I was traveling in an extremely red area, listening to the radio, when I heard a most peculiar political ad. [Female voice]. Hi, I’m XXXX. I’m a Palin conservative, running against a Pelosi liberal. That’s right. She’s a Pelosi liberal, I’m a Palin conservative. [Repeat chorus several times]. End. Okay, so I was initially stunned […]
Hello, my name is . . .
Last weekend I went to a party at our neighbors’ house. Billed as A BBQ in the ‘burbs; the gimmick was to invite all their hip city friends out to the boondocks to enjoy a spacious backyard and fifty year-old trees. They offered great music, a keg of beer and a guest list that included […]
Fugitive at the fantasy faire
The first thing that catches my eye is everything. Sparkles, shiny silks, textured tulle and ribbons swirling from skirts, tiaras, scepters, it is a castle of dolls and clothing and pretty. We are in the Princess souvenir store at Disneyland. There are girls clustered around displays like brown rabbits in a flower garden, scruffy and […]