Pre-Election Day Thought Jogger – Republicans Against Women and Gays

Sometimes I don’t understand how you can fuck up the rule of no religion in politics.  It seems pretty clear cut to me.  When you’re running for office, sure, you might be a [Monotheistic Belief Structure of your Choice], but when you obtain the status, you put that part of you aside.  You are the representative of the people of your country, people who have all different beliefs.

In a nation where religion is practiced freely (or should be, at least), the only way to combat the issues of religion mingling with politics is to focus on the secular concerns of the people.  For me, I understand this to mean civil liberties and rights.  Typically I don’t really go on political rampages here on the blog since I try to keep to a practical level of information, but I think you know that I am all about women’s issues, gay issues, and really, human issues.

For the last several months, it has become dishearteningly evident that the modern day Republican Party just hates women and gays, and nobody can argue with me when I say it’s because of religion.  Well, no, that’s a little too politically correct.  Let’s just cut the bullshit – radical Christianity has obliterated the rights women and gays have in this country.  And it’s a constant reminder that nobody has been penalized for using Christianity as a tool to gain power over those they perceive to be weaker, second class citizens.

I’m a Female, Raised as a Female, And I’m Alright

ADORABLE

So, this is a rant – it might not make a lot of sense because it’s not really pre-written with points I want to address.  This is all just flowing.

There is, of late, a lot of talk on the popular feminist blog Bitch (a personal favorite of mine), about the genderpocalypse, or the end of standard gender rolls.  This, as a liberal artist, makes me giddy – parents raising their kids genderless?  Holy cow!  What better way to bring up your kid; there’s nothing wrong with liking dresses AND tonka trucks, my darling offspring.  You can like whatever you want!

For as much as feminists seem to encourage either-gender activity or dress (this would be the genderful parenting), I still see a lot of negativity associated with these things when applying them to their originally perceived gender.  For instance, the Color War (which, for the record, I think is a little ridiculous) about pink and blue and how color influences your kids on a societal level.

Dressing your female-assigned-at-birth child in dresses or anything pink might pressure them into behaving feminine.  However, if my male-assigned-at-birth is put into a dress, is that not just as unfair as an escapade?  It’d be one thing if it were like the old days, when every baby wore a white frock because it was the easiest outfit for a small developing human.  Or even if the child chooses to wear this hypothetical gender bomb that is a dress.

The ultimate sexist article of clothing. Unless it’s on a boy.

I feel, lately, that in the feminist universe, raising your kids as a girl or a boy is some dreadfully mortal sin – and I can understand a little bit of the feeling.  You want your kid to be comfortable with themselves no matter what gender they are.  Don’t let the fact that you’re a girl keep you from playing football.  Or, don’t be afraid to join that dance class because you’re a boy.  That’s the whole point of gender-neutral/genderful parenting.  Gender, essentially, doesn’t determine who you are as a happenin’ human being.

But… it also makes me feel dirty.

I was raised in a fairly conventional manner.  As a girl.  I was raised on hand-me-down clothes (a lot of them boy clothes though, if that matters).  I ran around outside and helped my dad in the garden and went fishing and my stuffed animals routinely went on adventures that involved near-death booby traps and poison darts.  I was not your typical girly girl.  I got my period.  And boobs.  Those were really the two “magically female” things that I encountered growing up as a girl.   And my parents didn’t give a hoot, I was a cool little kid and that’s all that counted!

Later on in my life when I started dabbling in a lot of “typically feminine” activities — like wearing dresses and makeup — I felt really weird and uncomfortable because I was never really into all that shit.  So whatever, back to jeans and a t-shirt for this little tomboy!

Maybe it’s a little nonsensical of me to feel this way, but I almost feel like the GNP idea set demonizes conventional parenting (because everybody’s idea of parenting is completely the same, of course).

I turned out pretty okay.  Or maybe that’s the gender-reinforced brainwashing making me ignore that I might possibly not be a girl at heart.  The only way I could know who I am at all is if I was raised in such a way that I got to explore all ranges of activity and dress and options of preference!  Oh wait, that’s my whole entire life so far.

And for the record, I love the color pink.

I hope to regroup and actually make this into a logical topic, but for now, enjoy the ramble.  And as always, don’t forget to spread the work, and like our new Facebook page!

Maps of Tasmania: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love My Body Hair

And if you look to your left, you will see a giant allegory for your pubic zone!

When I was 12, a girl asked me why I didn’t shave my legs.  We had just finished a round of dodge-ball or some similar form of middle school torture.  We were sitting on the bleachers waiting for the next rotation when she asked me.  The only thing about this that is really worth mentioning is that she asked it in such a way that implied there was something wrong with me for not shaving my legs.  Of course, I knew that women shaved their legs, but I was 12…and so was this asshole asking me like I doing something gross on purpose.  So began the weird and awkward road of bodyhair hate.