Posts by Amy
IWD 2010 by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 5:41 pm / 08 March 2010
4000 > 40 by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 10:57 am / 07 March 2010
February 17th marked the beginning of the 40 Days of Life campaign, which is basically an excuse for anti-choicers to harass people outside clinics even more than usual for 40 whole days. If you need to access a Planned Parenthood or a similar clinic, be aware that the crazies will probably be on your ass.
BUT... oh, how I love reproductive rights activists. There is an excellent response campaign (hat tip to Feministe, who posted about this) called 4000 Years for Choice. This is especially great to check out in honor of Women's History Month. One need only take a look at their timeline to see that women have been finding ways to control their reproduction for thousands of years.
And guess what? 4000 trumps 40.
Categories: 91
Men and the birth control pill by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 6:08 pm / 06 March 2010
I saw this posted on The Sexist. It's a video created by Amanda Hess, where she interviewed men on birth control and how it works. Watch!
Wow. Some of the things said by the men (the birth control pill is the same as Plan B? wtf?) are just shocking. Unfortunately, a lot of men who have sex with women don't bother to learn about birth control because they see it as something only women have to deal with. Birth control is as much a man's concern as it is a woman's, and deciding on a method of contraception should be a collaborative process.
But too many men take the birth control pill for granted - there seems to be this idea that it's this simple process involving popping a pill a day with ease, and there's no need to think or talk about it. But men should know how it works, and men should understand that it's certainly not easy for a woman to take birth control. It takes awhile to find the right brand, and with every brand comes a slew of terrifying side effects. Can most men even name one side effect of the birth control pill?
I'm not blaming men for being ignorant. I know the real reason is that somewhere down the line, men got the message from society that birth control is not a man's issue. So men, it's time to unlearn what society taught you and hop on Wikipedia to learn about birth control. It'll be one of the most manly things you'll ever do.
Wow. Some of the things said by the men (the birth control pill is the same as Plan B? wtf?) are just shocking. Unfortunately, a lot of men who have sex with women don't bother to learn about birth control because they see it as something only women have to deal with. Birth control is as much a man's concern as it is a woman's, and deciding on a method of contraception should be a collaborative process.
But too many men take the birth control pill for granted - there seems to be this idea that it's this simple process involving popping a pill a day with ease, and there's no need to think or talk about it. But men should know how it works, and men should understand that it's certainly not easy for a woman to take birth control. It takes awhile to find the right brand, and with every brand comes a slew of terrifying side effects. Can most men even name one side effect of the birth control pill?
I'm not blaming men for being ignorant. I know the real reason is that somewhere down the line, men got the message from society that birth control is not a man's issue. So men, it's time to unlearn what society taught you and hop on Wikipedia to learn about birth control. It'll be one of the most manly things you'll ever do.
D.C. legalizes! by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 10:50 am / 03 March 2010
Same-sex marriage is now LEGAL in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations to all couples who are finally able to tie the knot, and thank you to the D.C. politicians who voted in favor of equality.
More commercials I can’t stand: Axe uses sophisticated humor by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 8:45 pm / 28 February 2010
Activism through theatre by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 2:03 pm / 24 February 2010
I just want to give all of you a heads up that posting might be sparse over the next week - I'm performing in The Vagina Monologues on my campus this weekend, and evidently have two exams next week, so I'm stretched pretty thin.
But I am super excited for The Vagina Monologues. This will be my fourth year in a row performing in them, and it's so wonderful every time. If you've never seen it before, I highly recommend you do. Granted, the show has its flaws, but overall it's a really empowering experience, and the proceeds always go to a wonderful cause. This year, the spotlight is women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Search for V-Day events near you to find a production. And if I didn't convince you to see the show, I bet the below video will.
But I am super excited for The Vagina Monologues. This will be my fourth year in a row performing in them, and it's so wonderful every time. If you've never seen it before, I highly recommend you do. Granted, the show has its flaws, but overall it's a really empowering experience, and the proceeds always go to a wonderful cause. This year, the spotlight is women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Search for V-Day events near you to find a production. And if I didn't convince you to see the show, I bet the below video will.
Black women breastfeeding: a multigenerational story by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 1:56 pm / 24 February 2010
National Condom Week 2010 by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 3:19 pm / 17 February 2010
I didn't get a chance to post this earlier, due to our wonderful guest post series, but this week is:
(*It doesn't just have to be limited to condoms. It's excellent to promote other methods of safer sex as well, such as female condoms and dental dams).
Planned Parenthood's Facebook page has a bunch of things you can do to celebrate Condom Week. I got 1,000 condoms to pass out on my campus, and I'm sure my fellow students will be quite appreciative. Enjoy the week and promote safer sex!
National Condom* Week
(*It doesn't just have to be limited to condoms. It's excellent to promote other methods of safer sex as well, such as female condoms and dental dams).
Planned Parenthood's Facebook page has a bunch of things you can do to celebrate Condom Week. I got 1,000 condoms to pass out on my campus, and I'm sure my fellow students will be quite appreciative. Enjoy the week and promote safer sex!
Domestic violence numbers increase in many states by Amy, at Appetite For Equal Rights 2:59 pm / 17 February 2010
There are some chilling new FBI statistics that indicate an increase in domestic violence. Interestingly enough, many cities are reporting falling crime rates:
Unfortunately, the FBI doesn't track domestic violence homicides as a separate category, so it's difficult to tell if DV cases are are on the rise.
But phone calls to state anti-violence coalitions and to the Washington, D.C.-based National Network to End Domestic Violence are revealing that in many states, domestic violence deaths rose in 2009, sometimes dramatically.
Some are speculating that the increased violence is being caused by stress related to the recession - that lost jobs, debt, and evictions may be contributing. What does everyone else think? Why the increase in domestic violence? And most important, what can we do about it?
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network
FBI figures indicate law-enforcement agencies throughout the nation reporting a decrease of 4.4 percent in the number of violent crime offenses for the first six months of 2009, compared with the same period in 2008. The violent crime category includes murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
Nationwide, FBI statistics for 2009 show a 10 percent decrease in murders.
Unfortunately, the FBI doesn't track domestic violence homicides as a separate category, so it's difficult to tell if DV cases are are on the rise.
But phone calls to state anti-violence coalitions and to the Washington, D.C.-based National Network to End Domestic Violence are revealing that in many states, domestic violence deaths rose in 2009, sometimes dramatically.
Some are speculating that the increased violence is being caused by stress related to the recession - that lost jobs, debt, and evictions may be contributing. What does everyone else think? Why the increase in domestic violence? And most important, what can we do about it?
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network
