The Nutritional Superiority to Pasture Raised Animals - David Kirby
This is a great article on why it is superior to eat produce raised on grass than grain. Just some "food" for thought.
Human trafficking
Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking
You can hear about an Indonesian woman who was enslaved in Jakarta and then in LA at "The Story."
Just found this group through www.thestory.org. I love NPR.
You can hear about an Indonesian woman who was enslaved in Jakarta and then in LA at "The Story."
Just found this group through www.thestory.org. I love NPR.
Making a Difference in Nigeria
Please forgive me. I've never been super wonderful at keeping up with my blogs. And being a locavore in Iowa is pretty difficult (maybe even impossible) during the winter - nothing grows here for months, and considering I am unable to grow a garden at my apartment, I couldn't store up food all winter to keep up my ambitions.
So, for now, I encourage you to check out this great article one of my students wrote for the IRIS blog: Amanda Leha and Women's Empowerment. Amanda has really impressed me this year. When she arrived and we went on our trip to Washington DC, I had to yell at her a lot because she was so headstrong. That and she lost her passport for a few hours, which really could have been a huge disaster. But I see now that her willfulness is an asset to her. She sees the world, but refuses to just be or do whatever authority tells her. That can be dangerous in some societies, but this year in Iowa has helped her form some very new ideas of what life should look like, as opposed to what she's always been told. I am no advocate for telling different cultures how to do things - especially not "our way." But I do appreciate when someone from Culture A can look at Culture B and say, "I think this would benefit us, too." If only Americans were more willing to do this, instead of running around the world like ethnocentric, hegemonic asses. Can't really think of a better way to say that.
Amanda and her host mom, Anne, at the Iowa State Fair, 2009
So, for now, I encourage you to check out this great article one of my students wrote for the IRIS blog: Amanda Leha and Women's Empowerment. Amanda has really impressed me this year. When she arrived and we went on our trip to Washington DC, I had to yell at her a lot because she was so headstrong. That and she lost her passport for a few hours, which really could have been a huge disaster. But I see now that her willfulness is an asset to her. She sees the world, but refuses to just be or do whatever authority tells her. That can be dangerous in some societies, but this year in Iowa has helped her form some very new ideas of what life should look like, as opposed to what she's always been told. I am no advocate for telling different cultures how to do things - especially not "our way." But I do appreciate when someone from Culture A can look at Culture B and say, "I think this would benefit us, too." If only Americans were more willing to do this, instead of running around the world like ethnocentric, hegemonic asses. Can't really think of a better way to say that.
Amanda and her host mom, Anne, at the Iowa State Fair, 2009
({v})
This entry isn't necessarily about living simply. But the point of the blog is to make a positive change in the world - generally I try to do this by living simply, but there are unlimited ways we can make a difference in our local and global communities.
One way I plugged myself in recently was being part of The Vagina Monologues. Please visit www.vday.org if you don't know much about The Vagina Monologues or V Day. V stands for valentine, victory, and vagina. Eve Ensler wrote TVM in 1996, and it has been translated into over 45 languages since then and been performed around the globe. Eve began by doing interviews with over 200 women, asking them about their views of sex, relationships, and violence against women. "Women's empowerment is deeply connected to their sexuality," Eve once said. "I'm obsessed with women being violated and raped, and with incest. All of these things are deeply connected to our vaginas."
The point of TVM was to showcase the idea that nobody wants women to talk about their vaginas. We aren't supposed to acknowledge our periods, historically we aren't supposed to enjoy sex, we aren't supposed to be able to do anything without the help of a man, we aren't supposed to think of ourselves as beautiful - let alone see our vaginas as a fabulous part of ourselves. But if we can't talk about it, can't welcome it and respect it and love it, we'll never be able to have an open discussion about the violence against women. If we can't talk about sex, we can't talk about rape, incest, molestation, etc. We need a place to embrace our womanhood, and this is a place to do it.
The Vagina Monologues turned into a movement called V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. Each year, V-Day raises around 50 million dollars to help find ways to fight against sexual violence against women and girls. Can you imagine that each year, 50 million dollars is put up to fight sexual violence, and each year, there is still sexual violence?
200 thousand woman in the U.S. are raped every year. And we think we have such a great country. Consider the rest of the world.
I've heard some criticism against The Vagina Monologues since I began, and I have to say that most of it came from people who stopped listening after they heard the word vagina. And most of those people were women. Can someone explain this to me?
Criticism has ranged from:
- that's feminist bullshit that I can't stand
- it's only for women, men have nothing to do with it
- there isn't a problem with rape in this country, so it's not necessary to show that
- it's vulgar
- it's amoral
- it's disgusting
- it's only for lesbians, and wants everyone to hate men
All I can say is, that's all wrong. It's about ending sexual violence against women and girls. The monologues are real women's stories. You may not agree with all different women's perceptions, you may not relate, but does it matter? The goal is to raise awareness that there IS sexual violence going on, and we need to embrace women as human beings who deserve nothing less than total respect, as all humans do. If you don't want to see the show, okay. But don't bash it, especially when you don't know anything about it. And maybe consider making a donation to www.vday.org to help us help those who have been victims of this violence. 10% of our proceeds for the performance went to the women and girls of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where women and girls are dealing with a femicide (see http://www.vday.org/drcongo/background). The rest of the proceeds went to ACCESS, http://www.assaultcarecenter.org/, where I am going to begin volunteering next week!!!
What are you passionate about? Find a way to help. You're on the internet right now anyway - educate yourself now!
This hasn't been the most coherent blog ever. But I haven't had my coffee yet today.
PLEASE read http://www.vday.org/about/more-about for more information. ({})
One way I plugged myself in recently was being part of The Vagina Monologues. Please visit www.vday.org if you don't know much about The Vagina Monologues or V Day. V stands for valentine, victory, and vagina. Eve Ensler wrote TVM in 1996, and it has been translated into over 45 languages since then and been performed around the globe. Eve began by doing interviews with over 200 women, asking them about their views of sex, relationships, and violence against women. "Women's empowerment is deeply connected to their sexuality," Eve once said. "I'm obsessed with women being violated and raped, and with incest. All of these things are deeply connected to our vaginas."
The point of TVM was to showcase the idea that nobody wants women to talk about their vaginas. We aren't supposed to acknowledge our periods, historically we aren't supposed to enjoy sex, we aren't supposed to be able to do anything without the help of a man, we aren't supposed to think of ourselves as beautiful - let alone see our vaginas as a fabulous part of ourselves. But if we can't talk about it, can't welcome it and respect it and love it, we'll never be able to have an open discussion about the violence against women. If we can't talk about sex, we can't talk about rape, incest, molestation, etc. We need a place to embrace our womanhood, and this is a place to do it.
The Vagina Monologues turned into a movement called V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. Each year, V-Day raises around 50 million dollars to help find ways to fight against sexual violence against women and girls. Can you imagine that each year, 50 million dollars is put up to fight sexual violence, and each year, there is still sexual violence?
200 thousand woman in the U.S. are raped every year. And we think we have such a great country. Consider the rest of the world.
I've heard some criticism against The Vagina Monologues since I began, and I have to say that most of it came from people who stopped listening after they heard the word vagina. And most of those people were women. Can someone explain this to me?
Criticism has ranged from:
- that's feminist bullshit that I can't stand
- it's only for women, men have nothing to do with it
- there isn't a problem with rape in this country, so it's not necessary to show that
- it's vulgar
- it's amoral
- it's disgusting
- it's only for lesbians, and wants everyone to hate men
All I can say is, that's all wrong. It's about ending sexual violence against women and girls. The monologues are real women's stories. You may not agree with all different women's perceptions, you may not relate, but does it matter? The goal is to raise awareness that there IS sexual violence going on, and we need to embrace women as human beings who deserve nothing less than total respect, as all humans do. If you don't want to see the show, okay. But don't bash it, especially when you don't know anything about it. And maybe consider making a donation to www.vday.org to help us help those who have been victims of this violence. 10% of our proceeds for the performance went to the women and girls of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where women and girls are dealing with a femicide (see http://www.vday.org/drcongo/background). The rest of the proceeds went to ACCESS, http://www.assaultcarecenter.org/, where I am going to begin volunteering next week!!!
What are you passionate about? Find a way to help. You're on the internet right now anyway - educate yourself now!
This hasn't been the most coherent blog ever. But I haven't had my coffee yet today.
PLEASE read http://www.vday.org/about/more-about for more information. ({})
Adventures with the Diva Cup
Hello, menstruation!
It's been a couple months. I missed you.
I recently finished a book which I would highly recommend to all women and any man who loves a woman. It's called "Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation" by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim. It is all about periods - everything you ever wanted to know, didn't know you didn't know, the history of menstruation, the cultural and historical attitudes, loads of interesting information about what the fem care industry and birth control companies are trying to tell us, and much more. From a literary standpoint, not the greatest (some intense bias and a lot of chapters that end with rhetorical questions); but for all those inquisitive minds like mine (hats off to you, Jeanna and Kat), a lovely read. You'll feel enlightened to be sure.
It's also been a very lovely form of method acting as I try to grasp my character in "The Vagina Monologues," which is coming up in a couple of months! All you who are able, end of Febs, M-Shop, fundraiser for ACCESS Women's Shelter in Ames -- be there.
I have lots of thoughts and fun facts I could share, but the most important thing I took away from the book is this: menstruation is beautiful; tons of blood soaked tampons and pads in landfills, not so beautiful. There are a couple of alternatives (like re-usable pads that get washed in the laundry or dead sponges), but the one that seemed the most likely for me to switch to is a new little friend called The Diva Cup.
I had already been eyeing Miss Diva at Wheatsfield, but after reading Flow, I couldn't not buy one. I had been planning on waiting to buy it until after I used up my current stash of tampons, but then my period started about the same day I finished the book (interesting), and I just couldn't wait. I rushed to Wheatsfield and purchased my first Diva Cup.
The Diva Cup is just one of many versions of menstrual cups available to Green Goddesses(-wannabees) like myself. Other brands are The Keeper, The Moon Cup, and Lunette. The menstrual cup is a reusable cup which is folded and then inserted into the vagina like a tampon (minus the applicator). It creates a suction and catches the blood, then you pull it out, empty the blood, wash the cup, and reuse. It's so simple! For me, the hardest thing (which I would have previously put my foot down about) is that you have to use your fingers to guide Miss Diva into your vag. But I've been getting acquainted with my "eccentric tulip" for the Vagina Monologues, and this was just another way to do that.
I'll be honest, it was really really weird the first time I put it in. But nobody was home, I laughed by myself a lot, and after some rotating, leg lifting, etc., I finally got it. And then... nothing. It was just like having a tampon in. And taking it out was easy, and dumping the contents out was easy, and by the time round two of insertion took place, I felt like a pro.
What can I say? It may be something that takes time to sit in with some of you, but here's what should really help you at least consider this as an option: the average woman will throw away 250 to 300 POUNDS of tampons, pads, and applicators in her lifetime (pg. 235). And don't play ignorant: that waste isn't getting recycled in any way, shape, or form; it's going into our landfills, our dumps, our earth. This is just one simple way to cut back on this bloody mess. Plus, you'll definitely save money over time with the cup - it can be reused for years, if properly maintained.
And I won't even get into the issue of some of the dioxins, bleaches, etc. found in most tampons. Maybe they haven't bothered you. But we've only been using tampons for less than 100 years - who knows if there may be longer term risks.
Anyway, I want to end on an fun note. Here are some intercultural ways to let someone know you're "on the rag."
Netherlands - "The Tomatoe Soup is Overcooked."
Brazilian - "I'm with Chico"
Chinese - "Little Sister Has come"
Latin America - "Jenny has a Red Dress on"
Australia - "I've Got the Flags Out"
Denmark - "There are Communists in the Funhouse"
Ireland - "I'm wearing a Jam Rag"
and many more, if you grab yourself a copy of Flow.
Bleed on, my ladies, bleed on.
P.S. PLEASE comment. I have had so many fun and interesting conversations with people via Facebook in regards to numerous posts I've put up. The purpose of this blog is to have a conversation HERE. If you have a thought, please post it here, and post it with confidence. Trust me - you're not the only one thinking whatever it is you are itching to say to me. So just do it - comment!
It's been a couple months. I missed you.
I recently finished a book which I would highly recommend to all women and any man who loves a woman. It's called "Flow: The Cultural Story of Menstruation" by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim. It is all about periods - everything you ever wanted to know, didn't know you didn't know, the history of menstruation, the cultural and historical attitudes, loads of interesting information about what the fem care industry and birth control companies are trying to tell us, and much more. From a literary standpoint, not the greatest (some intense bias and a lot of chapters that end with rhetorical questions); but for all those inquisitive minds like mine (hats off to you, Jeanna and Kat), a lovely read. You'll feel enlightened to be sure.
It's also been a very lovely form of method acting as I try to grasp my character in "The Vagina Monologues," which is coming up in a couple of months! All you who are able, end of Febs, M-Shop, fundraiser for ACCESS Women's Shelter in Ames -- be there.
I have lots of thoughts and fun facts I could share, but the most important thing I took away from the book is this: menstruation is beautiful; tons of blood soaked tampons and pads in landfills, not so beautiful. There are a couple of alternatives (like re-usable pads that get washed in the laundry or dead sponges), but the one that seemed the most likely for me to switch to is a new little friend called The Diva Cup.
I had already been eyeing Miss Diva at Wheatsfield, but after reading Flow, I couldn't not buy one. I had been planning on waiting to buy it until after I used up my current stash of tampons, but then my period started about the same day I finished the book (interesting), and I just couldn't wait. I rushed to Wheatsfield and purchased my first Diva Cup.
The Diva Cup is just one of many versions of menstrual cups available to Green Goddesses(-wannabees) like myself. Other brands are The Keeper, The Moon Cup, and Lunette. The menstrual cup is a reusable cup which is folded and then inserted into the vagina like a tampon (minus the applicator). It creates a suction and catches the blood, then you pull it out, empty the blood, wash the cup, and reuse. It's so simple! For me, the hardest thing (which I would have previously put my foot down about) is that you have to use your fingers to guide Miss Diva into your vag. But I've been getting acquainted with my "eccentric tulip" for the Vagina Monologues, and this was just another way to do that.
I'll be honest, it was really really weird the first time I put it in. But nobody was home, I laughed by myself a lot, and after some rotating, leg lifting, etc., I finally got it. And then... nothing. It was just like having a tampon in. And taking it out was easy, and dumping the contents out was easy, and by the time round two of insertion took place, I felt like a pro.
What can I say? It may be something that takes time to sit in with some of you, but here's what should really help you at least consider this as an option: the average woman will throw away 250 to 300 POUNDS of tampons, pads, and applicators in her lifetime (pg. 235). And don't play ignorant: that waste isn't getting recycled in any way, shape, or form; it's going into our landfills, our dumps, our earth. This is just one simple way to cut back on this bloody mess. Plus, you'll definitely save money over time with the cup - it can be reused for years, if properly maintained.
And I won't even get into the issue of some of the dioxins, bleaches, etc. found in most tampons. Maybe they haven't bothered you. But we've only been using tampons for less than 100 years - who knows if there may be longer term risks.
Anyway, I want to end on an fun note. Here are some intercultural ways to let someone know you're "on the rag."
Netherlands - "The Tomatoe Soup is Overcooked."
Brazilian - "I'm with Chico"
Chinese - "Little Sister Has come"
Latin America - "Jenny has a Red Dress on"
Australia - "I've Got the Flags Out"
Denmark - "There are Communists in the Funhouse"
Ireland - "I'm wearing a Jam Rag"
and many more, if you grab yourself a copy of Flow.
Bleed on, my ladies, bleed on.
P.S. PLEASE comment. I have had so many fun and interesting conversations with people via Facebook in regards to numerous posts I've put up. The purpose of this blog is to have a conversation HERE. If you have a thought, please post it here, and post it with confidence. Trust me - you're not the only one thinking whatever it is you are itching to say to me. So just do it - comment!
Movie Recommendation: Food, Inc.
Put this on your holiday list, folks: Food, Inc. Visit this website: http://www.takepart.com/foodinc
Kimmy P
Soup's on!