I just found a Youtube clip of my favorite comedy group, Kids In The Hall, discussing women’s issues. Or rather, wymyn’s issues. Enjoy!
Love, Alison
Archive for March, 2008
veganism and women’s bodies
More PETA tactics.
There’s an article in the New York Times that covers a lot of the points we’ve talked about at Chattin’ meetings and just around the house/on the blog. There’s not too much new info, but I thought it was cool that it’s being brought up in mainstream media.
What do you think of the quote “I don’t want to be a piece of meat. I’m not going to eat a piece of meat”? What about the idea that these tactics work to attract men to becoming vegetarians or vegans? And how about the claim that groups like Ink not Mink or the the Lettuce Ladies mentioned before are “redefining beauty”?
i’m gonna eat you up
I have been frequently reading the gossip blog jezebel.com which is mostly entertaining and actually often thought-provoking (I recommend a check-out) and have come across a phrase used by commenters to indicate attractiveness: “nom nom” (or sometimes “nom nom nom”). It’s my understanding that it’s supposed to imitate lip-smacking and thus convey that someone is so good-looking they are edible. I think it’s kinda cute. But the idea of edibility is also featured in two pretty ridiculously sexist ads that air often in Ireland (or I often see them as I watch an obscene amount of television here). One is for microwavable hamburgers “nought to tasty in 70 seconds” and the other is for male body spray “the chocolate man effect”: Rustlers BurgerLynx Body Spray There’s a pretty blatant double standard. What do you guys think?* I have to say I love the part where the girl on the subway just takes a chunk out of his ass *- Liz
In honor of the Batten library…
One of Batten’s projects this semester is its own activist library. The library is currently located in the living room and in the foyer, and it is comprised of books and zines on a variety of topics including feminism, women’s health, bicycles, trans, capitalism and anarchism, animal rights, prisons, and more! If you have any suggestions for titles, feel free to post them here. And to celebrate this wonderful addition to the house, I thought I’d post a hilarious video that I think Amy must have showed me sometime forever ago…
-Jenny
Support the troops, end the war!
IVAW conference, “Winter Soldiers” happening this weekend, and you can watch it all online here:
fooodie
i haven’t been vegan here, though i try to buy vegan at the grocery store, but one of the best vegan eating out dishes i’ve come across has been a hummus sandwich: on a french-bread type sub they put hummus, carrots, pickles, olives, cabbage, corn, sundried tomatoes and panini grilled it. mmmmm. on my own, baked beans with couscous is a student budget fave. and the veggie club here at nui galway put up a website where they’re posting recipes and such if you want to check it out 
<3 liz
More Batten Love from Abroad!
Amy’s and Steph’s lovely posts inspired me to leave a short smattering of thoughts why I love Batten from abroad too.
1. Environmentalism! In my host mother’s apartment, the faucets are always left on. Not full blast, but a constant trickle. Dripping, dripping, always dripping. I’ve taken the liberty of turning them off a few times but I realized that such a thing would be blasphemy in Batten and that’s a fond thought.
2. Interesting vegan food! I’m keeping pretty close to vegetarian here and believe me, ain’t nothing but salad. You Batteniks can do wonders with some chickpeas and lemon juice and the Argentines could learn a few lessons.
3. You lovely ladies! I’ve met a lot of people but you guys are great.
Yours in sappiness, Alison
Mawrtyrs Abroad
Hi Batteniks! I’m in Jerusalem right now, and I have to tell you that I’ve had at least a dozen dreams about being in Batten with all of you. Since it’s around midterm time at BMC, high time to be raggin on the place, I thought I’d give a few reasons why Bryn Mawr is better than any college ever, even the ones abroad. Jerusalem is great, but Bryn Mawr it ain’t. Why?
1. Laundry is free at BMC! Here, it costs me $5/load.
2. Whether you realize it or not, Bryn Mawr is pretty free of sexism. The “real” world is totally shit, and I’m constantly called a “violent feminist” for expressing any kind of opinion.
3. Batten is the coolest place in the world, for many reasons, including not having to cook every night AND having other people spontaneously make delicious desserts. Plus, nutrious food on a budget! That is really difficult abroad.
4. As difficult and rigorous as they are, Bryn Mawr classes (for the most part) keep you on your toes. I could fall asleep in all of my classes here and it wouldn’t matter, I could still pass them (well, here’s hoping). ALSO! To be compeltely snobby, people who don’t go to Bryn Mawr or some place like it are kind of…stupid. Remember high school? Yeah, it’s like that.
5. At BMC it’s acceptable to dress any way you want – PJs or Gucci or thrift store hipster to class. Here, it’s mostly girls in their north face and spandex, plus me in my “use the f-word: feminist” t-shirt. Stereotypes abound!
6. NO ONE IS QUEER IN JERUSALEM. Seriously, I’m suffocating in a hetero-only city. I miss my womyn-lovin womyn.
Ok, that’s all for now, but seriously, I could go on forever. I think of new ones every day. I miss the Mawr more than I ever thought I would. So soak it up while you’re there, even if it’s kicking your ass right now.
love
steph
ps I promise admissions didn’t pay me to do this : )
