Linkies

[zoetrope]

Have been suffering a little from the return of my old friends depression and OCD recently, mostly due to insane works hours.

As a result, I've been trawling the internet for things to occupy my mind, and thought I would share some of the more interesting and wonderful links I found with you all...

Firstly, huge hugs must go to countess7 for her podbook of my story Beyond M-Theory. It was very kind of her to make this, and I wanted to share it with you all.

What Makes Us Happy?
A series of embedded/downloadable lectures (no longer than 30mins) from some amazing people on the theme around happiness. Wonderful, honestly. Go and listen to Eve Ensler talk about having illicit ice cream with women in Afghanistan.

This kept me sane by enraging me: Flab isn't fab.
This is an irresponsible diatribe against "fatties" by a journalist who is clearly trying to be provocative, but when coupled with a lack of research, intelligence or thoughtfulness is just shown to be ignorant and cruel.

I would encourage everyone to write a letter to this woman, calmly and rationally sharing your experiences with weight - whether you're size 0 or size 30. It is up to each of us to educate this woman as to the realities of living with weight issues - or not - and how mindless pieces like this damage everyone and help no one.

Fat isn't a moral issue, it's a personal one. No one has the right to comment on someone else's issues whether they be health- or mind-related. Especially not in such a cavalier way.

Keep Calm and Carry On
Appropriately, the final link I want to share is for a series of products using the WW2 motif 'keep calm and carry on'. Beautiful stuff. Am thinking of buying the canvas duffle bag as a laundry bag.

Think that'll do for now as far as links go. However, I will ask a small favour of you if I may.

Tell me your stories. I'd love to hear any stories you have about your experiences - both positive and negative - of gender politics in your every day lives. Consider feminism dead and gone? Hate the word 'cunt'? Currently suing for workplace discrimination? Tell me about it! I'd love to hear your experiences.

Comments

[villainny.livejournal.com]

Thank you very kindly for the links.

[blythely.livejournal.com]

I have the Keep Calm and Carry On rotating on my screensaver. It always makes me smile.

Re: gender politics. No stories right now, but a general observation that the older you get, the less the fairytale "girls can do anything!" of my childhood and teenage years sounds like anything more than desperate encouragement. I know that getting older means moving into wider and more diverse circles of people and structures, but I become more and more aware of inherent gender discrimination - by both sexes - all the time. Makes me quite grrr-face.

[countess7.livejournal.com]

you are quite welcome (again!) thank you so much all the wonderful things you bring to fandom - stories, art, podfic, and lest we forget - MISSED THE SATURDAY DANCE - which reminds me - what has happend to your website? its gone.

also - that woman is horrible. horrible. she'll probably spend her whole life alone and miserable - while everyone she knows gets happy and fat with people they love.

[chibimonnie.livejournal.com]

I've recently experienced discrimination in my workplace. I'm not quiet about the fact that I'm white, bi, and not-Christian. But I don't run around waving the rainbow banner and shouting, "Buddha rocks!" I'm involved in a polyamorous relationship (and have been for over a year) with a married couple. Recently they gave me a diamond ring and we've begun discussing a commitment ceremony. We don't keep our relationship a secret, but again we're not shouting it from the rooftops.

Last week I went to our Team associate with a noise complaint. Afterward I was indirectly threatened annonymously by a co-worker who said she/he would go to HR about me. Unfortunately, when the threat was relayed to me third-hand no name was attached so I can't do much about it. My TA, our supervisor, her supervisor, and my HR rep know about the incident but there's nothing that can be done at this point. We're having seats rearranged and reviewing HR harassment policies. I do have their full support, though, should things escalate.

I've never really felt welcome on the team but this was the first time I ever felt any hostility. My TA is an open lesbian and has had problems, too, with people below management level. It's ridiculous in this day and age. Needless to say I'm looking for a new job. This place isn't worth the 3 hour roundtrip commute any more. I'm one of 4 white people on the team, the only pagan, and the only one with a college education. I grew up in the suburbs, not the city. Never before working here have I felt the disparity before. I felt more included when I lived in Korea than I do here.

[cat-77.livejournal.com]

That woman needs to face reality, preferably in a painful way. It's people like her that make me have to break down the bathroom door to stop my 10 year old son from vomitting up his breakfast because it had "too much fat and carbs". Yes, the nutritionist who gave that little bulimia inducing talk seems to have been banned from the district after numerous complaints...

Re: Gender Politics - I've been lucky and they don't come into play too much where I work. My manager is female, as is hers. I've had male managers in the past, but they have been pretty awesome and supportive as well (else their wives who work for the same company kick their asses). The only issue I've had (aside from the standard office politics) is one extreme right-wing religious nut loudly complain he "thought [he] was working for a good Christian company, but [he] ended up working next to a dyke instead." Before I even considered what he said, the rest of the office was up in arms. I do note that the female managers seem to have a tad more attitude, and seem to need it to have their opinions considered equally by the upper-upper management, but everything they say is still considered, so I guess that counts.