In fact, I recently heard Obama himself crediting Hillary with inspiring “his girls” and girls like them across the country. It was ridiculously condescending and trivializing, as if Hillary’s campaign and tenacity was all for the sake of “girls” and being an inspiration rather than, say, president. (I’m pretty sure the language was carefully chosen and intentional in this instance, which just goes to show how an experienced wordsmith can wield the power.)

I get the inherent dangers of associating bravery with testicles. Sure, “you have balls,” even when applied to men, is totally figurative and not intended to “masculize.” (Why is “feminize” a verb, but “masculize” isn’t? Huh.) Anyway, I prefer other terms (guts, moxy, bravado, etc.) simply because they’re more colorful, fun to say and free of other connotations.

I just cannot believe the self-entitled, open-mouthed ignorance with which most men walk the earth. I had what I imagine is a very rare epiphany in college: it’s very very different to live life as a woman. Most men never have this realization. We think womanhood means being shaped differently and sitting down to urinate. When the reality of just day-to-day life in both its positives and negatives is vastly different on so many levels. Like you say Alix, not better or worse, but different in so many significant ways. It’s a difference so rarely appreciated. Meanwhile you’re expected to apologize for having a period, have hair just on your head, and somehow vagina is a dirty word and pussy is always a pejorative noun. It’s just not right. I really like Dan Savage’s take on the subject in his sex advice podcast.

“I don’t want you to stop being a pussy. I want you to stop being a scrotum. Pussies are fearsome and powerful and spit out human beings. …It’s scrotums that are weak and nervous, and you can’t even tap them without people screaming and falling to the floor.”

So good for you and your ovaries! You’ve got big brass ones for sure. You’re a warrior goddess on a steel flying horse and anybody, man or woman, who thinks they could casually do what you’re doing has not stopped to think about the scope of your quest or the strength of your spirit. Roar woman, roar!

I’m truly not offended per say when I hear those comments in the article. I just think a lot and like to keep my speech construction positive and balanced. Often we say things without realizing the implication.

“It isn’t so much about being offended by a comment such as “she has balls” as it is to understand the power of acknowledging that the strength of a womyn comes from her OWN biology.
(If men are so easily scared off by those implications, perhaps that makes the point even more valid.) It’s important see the risk of accepting “common colloquialisms” without at some point questioning their validity. This kind of passiveness perpetuates the thinking that womyn are in their rightful place as the weaker sex.

Clearly, this article recognizes that there are innate biological differences (inequalities as well) but while isn’t true that ALL men are stronger in their upper bodies than ALL womyn, it certainly isn’t appropriate to say that when a womyn exhibits strength, she is man-like. The idea here is that it is every bit as womn-like to be strong.”

“I rarely discuss what I am experiencing personally when things are tough; when I’m scared; when I almost pass out from dehydraton; when I receive mean comments about Peace.”

I’m curious about what has so far held you back from discussing these things? Do you feel social or personal pressure to keep the tone of the blog positive?

(PS, I linked to this post from my other site.)

Good for you, girl. We have a ghastly burden to bear what with intolerance, being undervalued and undergoing nature’s course.

Some empowered feminists might argue… women don’t need to buy anything for those monthly ‘visitors’. You can boldly waltz around naked in a towel on hard wood floors and simply clean up drips as anyone would for a dog in heat. Love the idea, but haven’t found the privacy in any of my alternative living arrangements to try it yet… and I definitely haven’t found it an option when traveling and staying with hosts.

Though… how liberating would that be?!

Yes, periods suck. And one better… plenty of dudes feel it is THEIR privilege to bitch about it. Like our being in a bad mood due to iron deficiency, lack of sympathy, and general physical discomfort are things that we are first, responsible for and second, should apologize for! A can of worms… it’s worthy of putting it out there.

Truly… what would men do? From a personal travel experience… try living off the grid in the high desert with one gallon of water/day for 2 months and make sense of a period in THAT environment. Turns out… spit is a natural cleanser. I figured that one out real quick!

I hear you on compromising situations that are only further complicated by being simply put… an ovulating woman.

You’ve got ovaries, girl!
Hang in there…

That being said, I admire you greatly, not just b/c you are chick doing this (with nasty, too-long periods), but for anyone this dedicated to peace- that is fabulously amazing. You are spreading good news, waking the world up to what kind of impact we can all have if we just try.

I have been dedicated to the idea of a Department of Peace ever since I heard Dennis Kucinich talk about it. All of us can make a difference, bring the world peace by our daily actions.

Keep up the good work! Hope you have smooth roads ahead!

peace-
heidi

Well anyway, I never said that! I said, I wish I could do it, but I also qualified it with a statement saying I could never do it the way you are! Hmm… let’s see, New Orleans the first day, Baton Rouge the next with a night at the Hilton!

No Alix, as much as anyone might believe or tell you, not everyone can do what you’re doing, I know I can’t!

Ride safe…

-Rich
“Big Guy”