Thursday, October 28, 2010
It Gets Better!
The It Get Better project is a response to gay bullying, specifically in high schools. The project was prompted by a recent rash of gay youth suicides. The project utilizes social networking to reach out to queer youth with a message of hope. People participate in the project by uploading videos to YouTube describing their experience as a youth and offering encouraging words.
There is no place where fitting in is more important than in a high school. It is hard to feel different in high school, especially if you are being labeled in a way that is different from how you choose to identify. Teens struggling to accept a gender or sexual identity that does not conform with mainstream definitions of "normal" are at a far greater risk for depression and suicide than other teens.
The It Gets Better project attempts to reach out to these students - and any student struggling with their identity - with a positive message of reassurance. Things do change. Yes, it may be hard now, but there are people who understand. There are people who care. There are countless other people who suffered, were harassed, and felt isolated and alone because of their sexual or gender identity - and those people went on to lead happier, better lives. As unfortunate as it is, the reality of our society is that queer people are not treated justly. Until things change, this projects intends to let youth know that even though life may never be perfect, it will get better. It's worth living.
Friends of mine at the University of Cincinnati put together a video to contribute to the project. Their video was featured on the university's homepage, various local news outlets, and the Katie Couric show.
Watch it! It's Amazing.
There is no place where fitting in is more important than in a high school. It is hard to feel different in high school, especially if you are being labeled in a way that is different from how you choose to identify. Teens struggling to accept a gender or sexual identity that does not conform with mainstream definitions of "normal" are at a far greater risk for depression and suicide than other teens.
The It Gets Better project attempts to reach out to these students - and any student struggling with their identity - with a positive message of reassurance. Things do change. Yes, it may be hard now, but there are people who understand. There are people who care. There are countless other people who suffered, were harassed, and felt isolated and alone because of their sexual or gender identity - and those people went on to lead happier, better lives. As unfortunate as it is, the reality of our society is that queer people are not treated justly. Until things change, this projects intends to let youth know that even though life may never be perfect, it will get better. It's worth living.
Friends of mine at the University of Cincinnati put together a video to contribute to the project. Their video was featured on the university's homepage, various local news outlets, and the Katie Couric show.
Watch it! It's Amazing.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Pretty Things
I bought a new 15" MacBook Pro this week. After nearly 5 years of use and abuse my previous MacBook was slowly deteriorating and I could hear Steve Jobs telling me it was time to shell out some bones and replace it with a shiny new lap top.
It feels good.
By no means do I advocate finding self-fulfillment through material possessions, but I'll admit: it feels good. Instead of copying my hard drive I am selectively transferring important files. A new hard drive is a new beginning. No more junk and wasted space. I'm turning over a new (digitalized) leaf. I am enjoying the user-friendly interface, the faster processor speed, and all the empty gigabytes that will one day be filled with new thoughts, new pictures, and new sounds. I am reconnected to the wonderful world wide web and now have no excuse to delay making progress on my graduate school application process.
Of course, I couldn't afford this computer. I bought it nearly entirely on credit. But I'm content with the debt. What's the point of working your days away to make money if you aren't going to spend it?
Here's to debt, new beginnings, and being impulsive!
It feels good.
By no means do I advocate finding self-fulfillment through material possessions, but I'll admit: it feels good. Instead of copying my hard drive I am selectively transferring important files. A new hard drive is a new beginning. No more junk and wasted space. I'm turning over a new (digitalized) leaf. I am enjoying the user-friendly interface, the faster processor speed, and all the empty gigabytes that will one day be filled with new thoughts, new pictures, and new sounds. I am reconnected to the wonderful world wide web and now have no excuse to delay making progress on my graduate school application process.
Of course, I couldn't afford this computer. I bought it nearly entirely on credit. But I'm content with the debt. What's the point of working your days away to make money if you aren't going to spend it?
Here's to debt, new beginnings, and being impulsive!
Featuring Me!
In the spring of 2010 I was featured on the University of Cincinnati's website for my involvement in a variety of on campus activities. Click on the above screen shot to read the article.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Guerrilla Queer Ball
Last year a group called Guerrilla Queer Bar formed in Cincinnati to bring awareness to the city's queer population. The group describes their method: "Every FIRST FRIDAY of the month, Cincinnati's queer community will flashmob and take over a popular straight bar, transforming it, for one night only, into queer dance-love-heaven." [From: Facebook]
Since June is National Gay Pride month the group hosted a Guerrilla Queer Ball at the Mockabee in Cincinnati's West End. The party was an absolutely fabulous time, but best of all the party was socially responsible. The struggle for queer equality is not isolated - all oppression is connected. There was a photo op tribute to Butler County Sheriff Jones (a notorious anti-immigration presence in the Greater Cincinnati Area). This display was used to promote an Immigration Reform arch that took place downtown the following day.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the march in Cincinnati, but I did attend the National Immigration Reform march on the Washington Mall in Washington D.C. in March of 2010. Here is my favorite image:
Since June is National Gay Pride month the group hosted a Guerrilla Queer Ball at the Mockabee in Cincinnati's West End. The party was an absolutely fabulous time, but best of all the party was socially responsible. The struggle for queer equality is not isolated - all oppression is connected. There was a photo op tribute to Butler County Sheriff Jones (a notorious anti-immigration presence in the Greater Cincinnati Area). This display was used to promote an Immigration Reform arch that took place downtown the following day.
Unfortunately I was unable to attend the march in Cincinnati, but I did attend the National Immigration Reform march on the Washington Mall in Washington D.C. in March of 2010. Here is my favorite image:
But I Thought Earth Day Was Last Month...
Being environmental friendly not only saves energy, it also saves money! Here are a few simple ways to "go green" without spending money or making drastic changes to your habits. I will elaborate on some of these suggestions in later posts.
Turn off the lights!
Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out.
UNPLUG! Appliances and chargers use electricity even when they are turned off. Power strips make this super simple.
Don't overfill your refrigerator.
Turn off the A/C! Open your windows instead.
Set your thermostat a few degrees lower. (It makes a HUGE difference in your bill.)
Cover your windows with plastic insulation and thick curtains during the winter to retain heat.
Keep your house shaded in the summer by closing blinds in the rooms that get a lot of direct sunlight.
Hang your clothes up to dry instead of using a dryer.
If you use a dishwasher, turn off the heated dry option.
Shower only when necessary. Shower quickly. Learn to enjoy a cool shower.
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc.
Wash your clothes only when absolutely necessary, and use cold water.
Don't wash your car or water your lawn. Seriously, is that necessary?
Aim to put less trash on your curb. Recycling, composting, and reducing the amount of single-use products you purchase are some solutions.
Minimize toilet flushes. If it's yellow, let it mellow!
Say NO to bottled water. Buy a reusable beverage container and bring it everywhere.
Make your own cleaning products.
Buy used!
Bring a reusable coffee mug to the cafe. Many places offer a discount for doing so.
Say no to one time use items such as plastic bags, styrofoam containers, straws, and plastic cutlery. Bring along reusable items.
Sign up for online billing and direct deposit to reduce the amount of paper you waste.
Grow your own food!
Use a rain barrel to collect water for your plants.
Walk or ride a bike for nearby errands. Utilize public transportation. When you must drive, combine trips and carpool.
Breastfeed (if applicable).
Use a menstrual cup instead of disposable pads or tampons.
Victoria's (Dirty) Secret
Everyone has probably heard the motto, Think Globally, Act Locally. But how does one think globally while acting locally? One way is by making responsible consumer choices. Every purchase has an impact. When you make a purchase you are choosing to support either a locally-owned business or a multinational corporation. You are choosing to support either a company that promotes human rights by using ethical labor or a company that relies on cheap - often child - labor and uses inhumane conditions such as sweatshops to manufacture goods as cheaply as possible.
Sweatshop labor is pervasive, especially in clothing chains. This reality is a huge deterrent in sustainable living. Personally, it was one of the last things I considered as I thought of ways to make my lifestyle more sustainable. When you need/want something it is a huge hassle to first sit down and research the ethical violations of the company you are considering supporting... especially if the purchase you are about to make is a sale item or an impulse my. I'll admit that a lot of the clothes in my closet were not produced ethically.
Last week I was using a Victoria's Secret gift card and wishfully hoping that just maybe Victoria's secret is that she uses organic, fair trade cotton and her products are made in Ohio, where her company's headquarters are located.
Then I saw this tag:
A glimmer of hope! Made with love, just for me!
But the cynic in my prompted me to look a little deeper. The tag on the inside of the garment revealed:
Made in China? Hmm.
So I went home and with a quick Google search determined that in the future I am going to have to look elsewhere for adorable and comfortable underwear. Shame on you, Victoria, and your dirty little secret.
The National Labor Committee’s report titled, “Sewing Victoria’s Secret: Garments in a Hidden Sweatshop,” outlines the human rights violations committed by the Mina Garments Factory, which supplies goods for Victoria’s Secret. The lack of respect for workers’ basic human rights included the following:
Human trafficking and involuntary servitude of guest workers
Confiscation of workers’ passports and denial of legally required identification cards
Routine work shifts of 14.5 to 15.5 hours, with 40 percent of guest workers kept on 19 hour all-night shifts
No sick days, paid vacations, or government holidays allowed
Wages at 8 percent below the legal minimum
Workers denied the legal 25 or 50 percent premium compensation for overtime hours
Sporadic pay
Inadequate and unsanitary working conditions
Workers subject to pay reductions, humiliation, violence, and threats if production goals not met
Forced deportation for any worker who spoke out about factory conditions
[Source: National Labor Committee] and Green America: Responsible Shopper]
The unfortunate reality is that most mass produced clothes are made overseas in low-income countries, and most often under inhumane conditions. It's hard to avoid. Some companies, such as Urban Outfitters, are starting to carry some eco-friendly and responsible items. All American Apparel clothes are made in the United States (though I have other issues with American Apparel - I'll save that for another post). My solution: by used whenever possible. And buy quality items that will outlasts trends so that you aren't replacing your wardrobe every six months.
Sweatshop labor is pervasive, especially in clothing chains. This reality is a huge deterrent in sustainable living. Personally, it was one of the last things I considered as I thought of ways to make my lifestyle more sustainable. When you need/want something it is a huge hassle to first sit down and research the ethical violations of the company you are considering supporting... especially if the purchase you are about to make is a sale item or an impulse my. I'll admit that a lot of the clothes in my closet were not produced ethically.
Last week I was using a Victoria's Secret gift card and wishfully hoping that just maybe Victoria's secret is that she uses organic, fair trade cotton and her products are made in Ohio, where her company's headquarters are located.
Then I saw this tag:
A glimmer of hope! Made with love, just for me!
But the cynic in my prompted me to look a little deeper. The tag on the inside of the garment revealed:
Made in China? Hmm.
So I went home and with a quick Google search determined that in the future I am going to have to look elsewhere for adorable and comfortable underwear. Shame on you, Victoria, and your dirty little secret.
The National Labor Committee’s report titled, “Sewing Victoria’s Secret: Garments in a Hidden Sweatshop,” outlines the human rights violations committed by the Mina Garments Factory, which supplies goods for Victoria’s Secret. The lack of respect for workers’ basic human rights included the following:
[Source: National Labor Committee] and Green America: Responsible Shopper]
The unfortunate reality is that most mass produced clothes are made overseas in low-income countries, and most often under inhumane conditions. It's hard to avoid. Some companies, such as Urban Outfitters, are starting to carry some eco-friendly and responsible items. All American Apparel clothes are made in the United States (though I have other issues with American Apparel - I'll save that for another post). My solution: by used whenever possible. And buy quality items that will outlasts trends so that you aren't replacing your wardrobe every six months.
Take Back America
So, the other day I was cycling behind a middle age white lady in a fancy car with a bumper sticker that said, Take Back America! and featured the Tea Party Movement logo. I pulled up beside her at a stoplight and asked, "are you Native American?" Of course it was a rhetorical question and of course she just starred at me blankly - but seriously, think about that bumper sticker...
Who are we taking back America from? I have seen other, less subtle, versions of the sticker:
The only people in the country now known as the United States of America that have any right to complain about immigration ruining the country are the Native Americans. The history books are so skewed toward the European male bias that we may have forgotten that we actually took this country over from the native inhabitants. We are all immigrants. Immigration is our heritage and we should embrace that.
Nothing makes me cringe more than the word illegal but I do agree that no one should have to be in this country undocumented. The solution is immigration reform, not deportation.
[Images borrowed from Zazzle]
Who are we taking back America from? I have seen other, less subtle, versions of the sticker:
The only people in the country now known as the United States of America that have any right to complain about immigration ruining the country are the Native Americans. The history books are so skewed toward the European male bias that we may have forgotten that we actually took this country over from the native inhabitants. We are all immigrants. Immigration is our heritage and we should embrace that.
Nothing makes me cringe more than the word illegal but I do agree that no one should have to be in this country undocumented. The solution is immigration reform, not deportation.
[Images borrowed from Zazzle]
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sustainable Menstruation
The average woman uses about 17000 tampons in her lifetime and uses nearly 600 pounds of paper and cotton during her menstrual cycle, according to AllNaturalMamas.
Single-use Menstrual products are destined to end up in sewers or landfills. Not only are single-use menstrual products expensive, but they require so much packaging - cardboard boxes, instructions, individual wrappings, applicators, etc. Also, the manufacturing process for menstrual products is environmentally harmful, since the cotton is bleached to pristine white perfection only to be a used to absorb bloody uterine lining and vaginal secretions.
As part of my quest to produce less waste I explored alternatives to disposable pads, tampons, and liners. Menstrual alternatives may sound weird and gross to some women, but I think filling our landfills and clogging our sewers with sanitary pads and tampons is much grosser. Get to know your body and empower yourself. Reusable menstrual products are environmentally and economically sustainable.
Menstrual Cups
Menstrual cups or keepers are made from silicon or latex. They catch rather than absorb menstrual fluid. The soft flexible cups are folded and inserted like a non-applicator tampon. The cups can be worn for up to twelve hours.
When removing the cup simply pour the blood into the toilet and rinse the cup. If you are in a public bathroom just bring a container of water in the stall with you.
Where to buy -
Moon Cup UK
Moon Cup US
Diva Cup
Price: $35-40, needs to be replaced about every five years
My experience -
Insertion was much easier than expected. The cup did not leak at all and posed no problem for bicycling or other activities. I am completely satisfied with my Moon Cup and recommend it to every woman who currently uses tampons or Instead cups.
This video does a great job explaining how to insert and remove a menstrual cup:
Sea Sponge Tampons
Sea sponge tampons are harvested from plant-like sea creatures. The natural fibers are similar in texture to the vaginal wall. They can even be worn during sex! Sea sponge tampons are inserted while wet and are reusable. They can be composted once they wear out. Since sea sponges are simple multi-cellular animals, for this reason some vegans choose not to use sea sponge tampons.
Where to buy -
Jade and Pearl
Sea Pearls UK
Price: $6-15, lasts 3-6 months
Cloth Pad & Liners
Cloth pads can be purchased at healthy living stores or made by hand. Pads typically have wings that wrap around your underwear and are secured with a snap or button. Pads can be worn until they are uncomfortably wet. They can be washed by hand or in a machine; rinsing with cold water is recommended.
Where to buy -
Lunapads
Glad Rags
Make your own!
Price: $5-20, can last 5-7 years.
Here it a template for sewing your own cloth menstrual pad.
Video instructions for LunaPad:
Single-use Menstrual products are destined to end up in sewers or landfills. Not only are single-use menstrual products expensive, but they require so much packaging - cardboard boxes, instructions, individual wrappings, applicators, etc. Also, the manufacturing process for menstrual products is environmentally harmful, since the cotton is bleached to pristine white perfection only to be a used to absorb bloody uterine lining and vaginal secretions.
As part of my quest to produce less waste I explored alternatives to disposable pads, tampons, and liners. Menstrual alternatives may sound weird and gross to some women, but I think filling our landfills and clogging our sewers with sanitary pads and tampons is much grosser. Get to know your body and empower yourself. Reusable menstrual products are environmentally and economically sustainable.
Menstrual cups or keepers are made from silicon or latex. They catch rather than absorb menstrual fluid. The soft flexible cups are folded and inserted like a non-applicator tampon. The cups can be worn for up to twelve hours.
When removing the cup simply pour the blood into the toilet and rinse the cup. If you are in a public bathroom just bring a container of water in the stall with you.
Where to buy -
Moon Cup UK
Moon Cup US
Diva Cup
Price: $35-40, needs to be replaced about every five years
My experience -
Insertion was much easier than expected. The cup did not leak at all and posed no problem for bicycling or other activities. I am completely satisfied with my Moon Cup and recommend it to every woman who currently uses tampons or Instead cups.
This video does a great job explaining how to insert and remove a menstrual cup:
Sea sponge tampons are harvested from plant-like sea creatures. The natural fibers are similar in texture to the vaginal wall. They can even be worn during sex! Sea sponge tampons are inserted while wet and are reusable. They can be composted once they wear out. Since sea sponges are simple multi-cellular animals, for this reason some vegans choose not to use sea sponge tampons.
Where to buy -
Jade and Pearl
Sea Pearls UK
Price: $6-15, lasts 3-6 months
Cloth pads can be purchased at healthy living stores or made by hand. Pads typically have wings that wrap around your underwear and are secured with a snap or button. Pads can be worn until they are uncomfortably wet. They can be washed by hand or in a machine; rinsing with cold water is recommended.
Where to buy -
Lunapads
Glad Rags
Make your own!
Price: $5-20, can last 5-7 years.
Here it a template for sewing your own cloth menstrual pad.
Video instructions for LunaPad:
Welcome.
As an ecofeminist I believe social justice and environmental sustainability are connected. We live in a complex world full of beauty, pain, and contradiction. I strive to make decisions that are best for myself and for my planet. I alone may not change the world but my smallness does not justify apathy. I adapt the second wave feminist mantra, the personal is political into my everyday life. I believe that choices such as diet and consumptions habits are political statements, with consequences far surpassing personal satisfaction and budget. I make decisions that reflect my values, though I recognize that I am only human and I live in a world of paradoxes. I still have a lot to learn about sustainable living and I have many bad habits to break. Mindless consumerism is tempting, but I strive to find happiness through living. I am doing the best I can, living with an open mind, and constantly seeking new information. This blog will follow my personal journey toward a sustainable lifestyle and provide feedback and advice to others interested in issues such as feminism, environmentalism, ecofeminism, vegetarianism/veganism, sustainability, social justice, equality, cultural studies, bicycling, eduction reform, and drug policy reform.
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