I must say, the response to that post about infant circumcision was...actually quite surprising. And nice. So thank you. I'm glad to increase awareness on any of the many issues I consider important - and routine infant circumcision is one of them.
To be honest, I'm just like any other teenage girl - I am just a little squeamish about talking about, y'know, down there. But I think it's important; it is, after all, just part of our bodies; and we should be proud of who we are and what we look like. Besides, should we let such a pressing medical matter pass just because it's about the nether regions? If we were routinely cutting ulnas off our elbows we'd be much more open about it.
I was inspired to write that post by this video off of Mama Natural's vlog. Mama Natural is one of the blogs I follow, and it's written by Genevieve Damascus, aka Mama Natural, about her beautiful baby boy, Griffin. Circumcision is not something that's given that much thought here, especially amongst teenagers (teens just tend to talk about peacocks in general ;)), and especially because it is not a routine medical procedure here; it's done more as a religious thing. But then I thought about it a little more; why do we modify sexual organs of infants for no apparent reason? There are some medical conditions that require circumcision; and I'm not opposed to it if there is a genuine medical reason, but are we perhaps freaking out when we say we do it for 'preventative' reasons? Should we remove breasts so that our children won't get breast cancer later on? And I don't entirely buy the premise of 'for religious reasons' either, especially because it's your religion, not necessarily your child's.
In the end, I'm not a mother, and I don't have brothers, and it's not something that's commonly discussed in an extended Asian family; so I'm not an expert. All I'm saying is that I'm opposed to the idea, especially if there's no reason for doing it - I'm opposed to parents not thinking before allowing things to happen to their children. To me it just seems excessive and barbaric and a practice of the past, one of the many things we need to leave out of modern society. If I do anything in this world, and for the people who walk this earth, let it be that I taught people not what to think, but how to think, and why.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Rolling in the Deep.
I wonder, sometimes,
If you knew
If you know now,
How much you hurt me.
With every hurt there is a wound.
You are a wound.
With every wound there is a scar.
You are a scar.
With every scar there is forget.
With every forget there is forgive.
It is not my choice,
But my hate kills me faster
Than it would ever kill you.
And so,
I am forgetfulness
And forgiveness
Personified,
Whilst your
Cruelty
Is almost a deity
In itself.
I am the honesty,
The decency,
That you never had.
I can forgive your cunning,
I can forget my foolishness,
But
I'll never forgive what you took from me.
I'll never forget that we could have had it all.
I'll never forgive that,
It is
Still
Just...
A dream.
Inspired by 'Rolling in the Deep' by Adele
If you knew
If you know now,
How much you hurt me.
With every hurt there is a wound.
You are a wound.
With every wound there is a scar.
You are a scar.
With every scar there is forget.
With every forget there is forgive.
It is not my choice,
But my hate kills me faster
Than it would ever kill you.
And so,
I am forgetfulness
And forgiveness
Personified,
Whilst your
Cruelty
Is almost a deity
In itself.
I am the honesty,
The decency,
That you never had.
I can forgive your cunning,
I can forget my foolishness,
But
I'll never forgive what you took from me.
I'll never forget that we could have had it all.
I'll never forgive that,
It is
Still
Just...
A dream.
Inspired by 'Rolling in the Deep' by Adele
Guys, Calm Down.
I am a fifteen year old girl. I never claimed to always write 100% seriously. Some things on this blog are quite obviously silly and/or badly written. Sometimes you need an outlet for inferior goods; I don't think we have enough exposure to stuff that's so bad it's good. So it's really not fair to dismiss my decent poems and throw criticism at the silly ones. I'm a blogger, not a genius.
I am an atheist feminist and one of the purposes of this blog is to advocate, promote, discuss and educate people about the feminist and atheist theories. I think that what I believe is right; but I also respect that other people are entitled to their own opinion. Many people don't know this, but I actually read this blog called Passionate Homemaking , to better understand women from all walks of life. And you know what? I actually agree with a lot of things on that blog, such as frugal living and the beautiful responsibility of motherhood. I didn't think I'd have so much in common with devout God-fearing people, but I think it's the woman in all of us that connects us. And the way of living that they advocate is a perfectly healthy way for women to live - but it's only one option. So with this thinking, I don't actually advocate one lifestyle for women over another; all I advocate is that women have the choice; the free choice of how they lead their lives. It's a basic human right.
Please know that, as a blogger, I have the right to moderate comments, and to refuse to publish comments I find to be hurtful, rude, pointless or cyberbullying. I'm a highschooler; I'm not dumb. I know what bullying is and I know that I should not have to put up with it. I also know that the bullies are the real people hurting; I know that, when people try to drag me down and make me doubt myself, it's because they're afraid of what I can do. But, as readers, you have the right to express your opinion on my writing and I respect that. Therefore, my policy is to publish all coments that are civil and are non-personal, regardless whether people agree with me or not. Because none of us have the right to expect that everyone will agree with everything you say. I believe that what I believe in is right; but there is more than one right, and more than one wrong.
I am an atheist feminist and one of the purposes of this blog is to advocate, promote, discuss and educate people about the feminist and atheist theories. I think that what I believe is right; but I also respect that other people are entitled to their own opinion. Many people don't know this, but I actually read this blog called Passionate Homemaking , to better understand women from all walks of life. And you know what? I actually agree with a lot of things on that blog, such as frugal living and the beautiful responsibility of motherhood. I didn't think I'd have so much in common with devout God-fearing people, but I think it's the woman in all of us that connects us. And the way of living that they advocate is a perfectly healthy way for women to live - but it's only one option. So with this thinking, I don't actually advocate one lifestyle for women over another; all I advocate is that women have the choice; the free choice of how they lead their lives. It's a basic human right.
Please know that, as a blogger, I have the right to moderate comments, and to refuse to publish comments I find to be hurtful, rude, pointless or cyberbullying. I'm a highschooler; I'm not dumb. I know what bullying is and I know that I should not have to put up with it. I also know that the bullies are the real people hurting; I know that, when people try to drag me down and make me doubt myself, it's because they're afraid of what I can do. But, as readers, you have the right to express your opinion on my writing and I respect that. Therefore, my policy is to publish all coments that are civil and are non-personal, regardless whether people agree with me or not. Because none of us have the right to expect that everyone will agree with everything you say. I believe that what I believe in is right; but there is more than one right, and more than one wrong.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Beauty of Secular Politics.
A religious affiliation should be a voluntary, educated decision. I made the voluntary, educated choice to be an atheist. It is my right and my responsibility.
However, religion and politics is a dangerous mix. We use politics as a tool to impose our religious beliefs on other people. There is no universal religion; but the law is universal. Why do we impose our own beliefs on people we will never know? Why is your version of right and wrong THE version of right and wrong for everyone?
Religion is a static thing; it does not change, it does not move with society. It keeps people locked in the past, with ideas so old they are virtually alien. Times have changed. Society has changed. Religion? Hardly.
It is everyone's right to have whatever religious affiliation they choose. But please, from one person to another, don't impose your views onto others. Don't deny others the gift of choice.
Politics and law are secular elements of society. Keep it secular.
This is why I do not approve of religious political parties or religious political pressure groups. It is unfair to impose religious ideology onto a fast-changing, liberal secular world. The world needs things, like gay rights and sexual liberation, that religion is not prepared to give. Religion, especially Christianity in particular, has had almost free rein to freely, openly and proudly practice their religion and lead their lives how they want; why can't they return the favour? I'm an atheist, and I deserve no less than you. If people are gay, they deserve no less than you. Women deserve no less than men. Black deserves no less than white.
I'm not anti-religion. I don't dispute our rights to choose our religion. But what I do have a problem is is when we take these religions and inflict the good and bad of them on others. It's neither fair nor right, and sometimes we have to think; how much of other people's business do we take too personally?
However, religion and politics is a dangerous mix. We use politics as a tool to impose our religious beliefs on other people. There is no universal religion; but the law is universal. Why do we impose our own beliefs on people we will never know? Why is your version of right and wrong THE version of right and wrong for everyone?
Religion is a static thing; it does not change, it does not move with society. It keeps people locked in the past, with ideas so old they are virtually alien. Times have changed. Society has changed. Religion? Hardly.
It is everyone's right to have whatever religious affiliation they choose. But please, from one person to another, don't impose your views onto others. Don't deny others the gift of choice.
Politics and law are secular elements of society. Keep it secular.
This is why I do not approve of religious political parties or religious political pressure groups. It is unfair to impose religious ideology onto a fast-changing, liberal secular world. The world needs things, like gay rights and sexual liberation, that religion is not prepared to give. Religion, especially Christianity in particular, has had almost free rein to freely, openly and proudly practice their religion and lead their lives how they want; why can't they return the favour? I'm an atheist, and I deserve no less than you. If people are gay, they deserve no less than you. Women deserve no less than men. Black deserves no less than white.
I'm not anti-religion. I don't dispute our rights to choose our religion. But what I do have a problem is is when we take these religions and inflict the good and bad of them on others. It's neither fair nor right, and sometimes we have to think; how much of other people's business do we take too personally?
Monday, August 29, 2011
Lost in Austen.
If only we danced
Two by two,
Four by four.
When young men stood and bowed
When you walked through the door.
If only we sang
And sewed the day away;
If only we knew
The innocent way.
If only we could go back to the times
Where the pianoforte forced civilities;
And the ballroom allowed for no liberties.
If only there were some kind of portal,
A paradox;
For there is a world in which I would like to get lost.
If only we lived as we did back then;
All I know is that I want to be lost in Austen.
Inspired by the hit TV series 'Lost in Austen'.
Two by two,
Four by four.
When young men stood and bowed
When you walked through the door.
If only we sang
And sewed the day away;
If only we knew
The innocent way.
If only we could go back to the times
Where the pianoforte forced civilities;
And the ballroom allowed for no liberties.
If only there were some kind of portal,
A paradox;
For there is a world in which I would like to get lost.
If only we lived as we did back then;
All I know is that I want to be lost in Austen.
Inspired by the hit TV series 'Lost in Austen'.
Can of Worms #8
Worm #17: Should euthanasia be legalised?
The long and short of it: Yes.
My say: I don't get it: if we have a bad day and jump off the roof, that's legal, but ending your life when you're extremely ill and incurable is illegal. I believe we all have the power of life and death over ourselves, and we have the right to end our lives and ask others to help end our lives in times of great pain.
I do, however, think that this should be regulated; all too often you hear of elderly people being despatched just so that greedy offspring can lay hands on the cash flow. There must be proof of illness; there must be proof that it cannot be cured, or cannot be cured without extremely invasive procedures. There must be proof of little hope of a good quality of life.
I don't really think that family members should really have any say in it; it's a personal decision. It should, however, be approved by doctors, and I think religious pressure groups have no right to say when I die.
If someone I loved was truly terminally ill and in a lot of pain and asked me to help them end their life I would do it, and I wouldn't feel bad about it regardless of the consequences. There, I said it.
Worm #18: Is it okay to go elsewhere for sex if you're not getting any at home?
The long and short of it: No.
My say: If you're married or in a relationship it is definitely not okay to contemplate going elsewhere for sex, regardless of the circumstances. We live in the sexualized world where we completel detatch sex from any emotion or sentiment, where wife and whore are interchangeable. If your spouse is pregnant, just had a baby, injured, ill...get over it. As a spouse, you should have more compassion and respect.
However, I do think that many people feel deprived in relationships where lack of communication has led to sexual problems. For example, if you're not married and your partner wants to wait until the wedding night, think about it: is there any chance for a compromise? How important is it to my partner and/or her family and their beliefs? Is one guilty night worth jeopardising a relationship? I don't think call girls are going to solve the problem in the long run; a good relationship relies on communication in all things, and so maybe you'll just have to bite the bullet and have the sex talk. It's not that hard. I don't think.
The long and short of it: Yes.
My say: I don't get it: if we have a bad day and jump off the roof, that's legal, but ending your life when you're extremely ill and incurable is illegal. I believe we all have the power of life and death over ourselves, and we have the right to end our lives and ask others to help end our lives in times of great pain.
I do, however, think that this should be regulated; all too often you hear of elderly people being despatched just so that greedy offspring can lay hands on the cash flow. There must be proof of illness; there must be proof that it cannot be cured, or cannot be cured without extremely invasive procedures. There must be proof of little hope of a good quality of life.
I don't really think that family members should really have any say in it; it's a personal decision. It should, however, be approved by doctors, and I think religious pressure groups have no right to say when I die.
If someone I loved was truly terminally ill and in a lot of pain and asked me to help them end their life I would do it, and I wouldn't feel bad about it regardless of the consequences. There, I said it.
Worm #18: Is it okay to go elsewhere for sex if you're not getting any at home?
The long and short of it: No.
My say: If you're married or in a relationship it is definitely not okay to contemplate going elsewhere for sex, regardless of the circumstances. We live in the sexualized world where we completel detatch sex from any emotion or sentiment, where wife and whore are interchangeable. If your spouse is pregnant, just had a baby, injured, ill...get over it. As a spouse, you should have more compassion and respect.
However, I do think that many people feel deprived in relationships where lack of communication has led to sexual problems. For example, if you're not married and your partner wants to wait until the wedding night, think about it: is there any chance for a compromise? How important is it to my partner and/or her family and their beliefs? Is one guilty night worth jeopardising a relationship? I don't think call girls are going to solve the problem in the long run; a good relationship relies on communication in all things, and so maybe you'll just have to bite the bullet and have the sex talk. It's not that hard. I don't think.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Coping Without God: Death.
I'm watching a little bit of Can of Worms (it was the religion!) and they're asking how you help a child cope with death and grieving without God.
Maybe it's hard, to be told that there's no heaven, no nothing, no place where you will see all that you have lost. I don't actually know, because I've never for a second believed in heaven, or hell, or all that jazz. I don't believe in reincarnation, either, mostly because I know my karma's screwed and I'll come back as a dung beetle or something. No, I'm actually frightened that I'll come back as a murderer or a psychopath or someone who has been broken or something; I mean, as much as I complain about this life, it's not that bad, so why can't we just leave it at that?
Most people don't know this, but I had a brother once, a long time ago. I don't remember him; I was two years old when he died - he essentially had all my problems, but much worse. He'd be thirteen now, and his ashes are under a beautiful liquid amber tree behind a women's hospital that's taller than daddy, and to me, that's proof that he's happy, wherever he is, and that's how I find peace in that. Of course, perhaps this doesn't really count because I don't remember him at all, I never saw him grow, never spent time with him to make his death truly heartbreakingly painful.
I don't really know what happens after death. Sometimes I feel like my brother's watching over me, but not like a God; just a child, observing, watching a world he could have been a part of. I don't think he's physically up in the clouds dancing around with angels; the idea is silly to me. I don't think I'll ever see him in a physical form when I die, or truly know what he could have been like; but I'm of the school of thought that we are not purely bound to our physical form. His spirit is somewhere, but his body is unconscious and will never come back; I've accepted that. I don't think we'll ever meet, but I don't think he'll ever truly leave. But I guess I'll never know until I'm in a state in which I can't really tell you, eh?
I'm not afraid of death; it's part of life. I'm not afraid of me dying, and I know my mother would be a seriously pissed off spirit if I had jumped off a cliff after her funeral or something. We all live and die for a reason, and whatever is after death, if there is something after death, will be what it is, whatever it is. To be honest, I'm kind of excited to find out what's after death; it's more fascinating than frightening to me. There are more things to be afraid of than death.
Maybe it's hard, to be told that there's no heaven, no nothing, no place where you will see all that you have lost. I don't actually know, because I've never for a second believed in heaven, or hell, or all that jazz. I don't believe in reincarnation, either, mostly because I know my karma's screwed and I'll come back as a dung beetle or something. No, I'm actually frightened that I'll come back as a murderer or a psychopath or someone who has been broken or something; I mean, as much as I complain about this life, it's not that bad, so why can't we just leave it at that?
Most people don't know this, but I had a brother once, a long time ago. I don't remember him; I was two years old when he died - he essentially had all my problems, but much worse. He'd be thirteen now, and his ashes are under a beautiful liquid amber tree behind a women's hospital that's taller than daddy, and to me, that's proof that he's happy, wherever he is, and that's how I find peace in that. Of course, perhaps this doesn't really count because I don't remember him at all, I never saw him grow, never spent time with him to make his death truly heartbreakingly painful.
I don't really know what happens after death. Sometimes I feel like my brother's watching over me, but not like a God; just a child, observing, watching a world he could have been a part of. I don't think he's physically up in the clouds dancing around with angels; the idea is silly to me. I don't think I'll ever see him in a physical form when I die, or truly know what he could have been like; but I'm of the school of thought that we are not purely bound to our physical form. His spirit is somewhere, but his body is unconscious and will never come back; I've accepted that. I don't think we'll ever meet, but I don't think he'll ever truly leave. But I guess I'll never know until I'm in a state in which I can't really tell you, eh?
I'm not afraid of death; it's part of life. I'm not afraid of me dying, and I know my mother would be a seriously pissed off spirit if I had jumped off a cliff after her funeral or something. We all live and die for a reason, and whatever is after death, if there is something after death, will be what it is, whatever it is. To be honest, I'm kind of excited to find out what's after death; it's more fascinating than frightening to me. There are more things to be afraid of than death.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Santa Clause Lie.
There are certain things that parents are willing to lie about: Yes, Santa's real and gets you presents wrapped in mummy's wrapping paper. Yes, the tooth fairy's real, but don't lose anymore because daddy's run out of spare change. Of course God is real, honey.
Perhaps the last isn't a lie - maybe someone more enlightened then me (or, perhaps, more deluded) who can 'see' it. But I can't. So for me, it's a lie.
And if you don't believe God is real, or if you're not definite about either God or the God-fearing lifestyle, why do we tell our children there's a man upstairs, definitely, when you don't believe that?
But there is definite proof that there is no Santa, no tooth fairy, no Easter bunny - so why do we pull wool around our children's eyes? They have to grow up, one day.
When I was younger I got into a lot of trouble for having the 'cheek' to say that God didn't exist, Santa didn't exist, etc. As time passed I grew a little more tactful, but I've never lost my sense of how ridiculous it is that we feed twisted tales to children who cannot fully process the difference between fact and fiction. You can have fun with fairytales; you can play along, make a game out of it. But it's wrong to say that it's real.
I grew up in a very pragmatic household, where I was expected to understand that there was no God, no Santa, and the like. Of course I still got money for my teeth and a roast for Christmas and chocolate at Easter, but it was more of a novelty, and it was very very clear that there was nothing paranormal about it. I don't think it's deprived me of anything; it's made me a stronger, a wiser, a more mature person. I mean, if I still believed in Santa Clause when I moved out and married my parents would have failed dismally indeed.
The primary role of a parent is not to comfort to the detriment of preparing your child for the world. The world is not going to be as indulgent, as sympathetic, as understanding towards your child as you are. There are better things you can give your children than the Santa Clause lie.
Perhaps the last isn't a lie - maybe someone more enlightened then me (or, perhaps, more deluded) who can 'see' it. But I can't. So for me, it's a lie.
And if you don't believe God is real, or if you're not definite about either God or the God-fearing lifestyle, why do we tell our children there's a man upstairs, definitely, when you don't believe that?
But there is definite proof that there is no Santa, no tooth fairy, no Easter bunny - so why do we pull wool around our children's eyes? They have to grow up, one day.
When I was younger I got into a lot of trouble for having the 'cheek' to say that God didn't exist, Santa didn't exist, etc. As time passed I grew a little more tactful, but I've never lost my sense of how ridiculous it is that we feed twisted tales to children who cannot fully process the difference between fact and fiction. You can have fun with fairytales; you can play along, make a game out of it. But it's wrong to say that it's real.
I grew up in a very pragmatic household, where I was expected to understand that there was no God, no Santa, and the like. Of course I still got money for my teeth and a roast for Christmas and chocolate at Easter, but it was more of a novelty, and it was very very clear that there was nothing paranormal about it. I don't think it's deprived me of anything; it's made me a stronger, a wiser, a more mature person. I mean, if I still believed in Santa Clause when I moved out and married my parents would have failed dismally indeed.
The primary role of a parent is not to comfort to the detriment of preparing your child for the world. The world is not going to be as indulgent, as sympathetic, as understanding towards your child as you are. There are better things you can give your children than the Santa Clause lie.
Can of Worms #7
Worm #15: Is it OK to tell your kids there is no God?
The long and short of it: Yes.
My say: I say this because, obviously, I am an atheist, and I genuinely believe that there is no God. I was raised not to believe in God by my secular Buddhist parents, and I don't think I'm traumatised or whatever because I wasn't raised by the Bible or anything. It's okay growing up without God. Really.
But then again, I do believe that religion is a very personal choice and we all have the right to religious freedom, even small children. So I would definitely explain to my children the concept of God, and how some people believe in God or a group of Gods, and how and why. I would explain to them that it's fine to believe in whatever you want, as long as you understand it thoroughly and truly believe it with all your heart. I would tell them about cults and tell them that religion can be dangerous, and religion should never make you do anything you know isn't right, or stop you from doing whatever you want to do. I would tell them that I don't believe in God, and I would explain why, and, whatever they choose, I'm not going to change and we're just going to have to agree to disagree. But most importantly, I would tell them that no matter what they chose, they'd still be my children and I'd love them still. When I am a parent, my job would be to teach my children to think, not what to think. What I would hate is to be a mother to some blind cult follower who doesn't think before he jumps.
I think believing in God has the potential to make you a better person, but it can also have an equal and opposite effect. I have heard of too much blood spilt, too many lives lost and too many souls ruined by God, and I fear the whole concept. I don't think I'd be a better person if I were God-fearing; I don't think I'm a bad person because I am atheist. And that's that.
Worm #16: Is it wrong to tell a fat person to lose weight?
The long and short of it:Yes.
The only exception to this is if it is someone near and dear to you who is morbidly obese and in danger of dropping dead at any minute. Other than that, it is not acceptable to harass random strangers you don't know and would never talk to about their weight.
There are many reasons for weight gain: thyroid problems, genetics, having children, depression etc, and it's insensitive to just assume they're just gluttons.
You have to think about why you want to have a go at someone because of their weight. Do you genuinely care about them and their health? Why? Do you just think it's disgraceful someone could show their face to the world weighing 100kg? Is it really going to affect your quality of life is someone walking down the street is a bit todgy? What if they're going through a hard time and you're adding unecessary guilt to necessary ice cream binges?
If it doesn't bother you, leave it alone.
Special Worm #1: Does pop culture and new media demean the traditional practices of journalism?
The long and short of it: No.
To be honest, I'd never really trusted the whole world of journalism - it's always been about backstabbing, scrabbling for bits of information and invading privacy. I'm no expert, but I just feel as though pop culture and journalism have forever been intertwined, and it's hard to tell one from the other. What is traditional? When journalism was climbing over walls and lurking in private residences instead of phone hacking?
The long and short of it: Yes.
My say: I say this because, obviously, I am an atheist, and I genuinely believe that there is no God. I was raised not to believe in God by my secular Buddhist parents, and I don't think I'm traumatised or whatever because I wasn't raised by the Bible or anything. It's okay growing up without God. Really.
But then again, I do believe that religion is a very personal choice and we all have the right to religious freedom, even small children. So I would definitely explain to my children the concept of God, and how some people believe in God or a group of Gods, and how and why. I would explain to them that it's fine to believe in whatever you want, as long as you understand it thoroughly and truly believe it with all your heart. I would tell them about cults and tell them that religion can be dangerous, and religion should never make you do anything you know isn't right, or stop you from doing whatever you want to do. I would tell them that I don't believe in God, and I would explain why, and, whatever they choose, I'm not going to change and we're just going to have to agree to disagree. But most importantly, I would tell them that no matter what they chose, they'd still be my children and I'd love them still. When I am a parent, my job would be to teach my children to think, not what to think. What I would hate is to be a mother to some blind cult follower who doesn't think before he jumps.
I think believing in God has the potential to make you a better person, but it can also have an equal and opposite effect. I have heard of too much blood spilt, too many lives lost and too many souls ruined by God, and I fear the whole concept. I don't think I'd be a better person if I were God-fearing; I don't think I'm a bad person because I am atheist. And that's that.
Worm #16: Is it wrong to tell a fat person to lose weight?
The long and short of it:Yes.
The only exception to this is if it is someone near and dear to you who is morbidly obese and in danger of dropping dead at any minute. Other than that, it is not acceptable to harass random strangers you don't know and would never talk to about their weight.
There are many reasons for weight gain: thyroid problems, genetics, having children, depression etc, and it's insensitive to just assume they're just gluttons.
You have to think about why you want to have a go at someone because of their weight. Do you genuinely care about them and their health? Why? Do you just think it's disgraceful someone could show their face to the world weighing 100kg? Is it really going to affect your quality of life is someone walking down the street is a bit todgy? What if they're going through a hard time and you're adding unecessary guilt to necessary ice cream binges?
If it doesn't bother you, leave it alone.
Special Worm #1: Does pop culture and new media demean the traditional practices of journalism?
The long and short of it: No.
To be honest, I'd never really trusted the whole world of journalism - it's always been about backstabbing, scrabbling for bits of information and invading privacy. I'm no expert, but I just feel as though pop culture and journalism have forever been intertwined, and it's hard to tell one from the other. What is traditional? When journalism was climbing over walls and lurking in private residences instead of phone hacking?
Thanks to Adelaide Dupont for posting some worms for me to respond to (I totally don't understand the first one! Will comment on it once I do some research). I would love to hear from anyone; please post a comment below. Can of Worms is going strong - although, to be honest, I don't really watch it ;) - I just get the questions online! The joys of the Net!)
For the love of God. Or Whatever. Please.
In English we're studying Philadelphia, which is a 1993 movie starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington about a man and his lawyer overcoming homophobia and the massive AIDS hype in the 90s by suing for unfair dismissal when Tom Hanks character, a closet homosexual, is dismissed after being diagnosed with AIDS. Then, one of my classmates had the cheek to say that the gay community have 'doomed humankind' because they are the catalyst for the spread of the AIDS epidemic.
I have been supportive of gay rights and anti-homophobia movements since I first understood the concept of homosexuality. We're all human; God or not, we're all created equal. If some of us are gay, then that is that, and we all have to move on. Besides, he's got his facts soooo wrong it's not even funny.
AIDS is an immune disease spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person - this includes blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breastmilk. And yes, you can get it from having gay sex, but people fail to mention that you can get it from straight sex, and also through culturally accepted reproductive and sexual phenomena such as pregnancy, childbearing and breastfeeding. In fact, given the circumstances, most AIDS cases are caused by lack of sexual education or contraception in underdeveloped countries, such as Africa.
As sexual beings we have primary responsibility over our sex lives, and gay or straight, promiscuity, unsafe sex and other dangerous behaviours can spread all sorts of nasty business. But sex is risky business - all of it, not that I know personally - and we can't pin diseases on one particular demographic. I mean, I know we as xenophobic assholes love to pick on the gays. But we just have to get over it.
We are afraid of the unknown. We are afraid of what we're not so sure of. We're afraid of what's hidden under wraps, cursed with taboos and social convention. But in the end, we're all different, equal, but the same. We are an enigma, a paradox, a blessing and a curse. We're all human.
I have been supportive of gay rights and anti-homophobia movements since I first understood the concept of homosexuality. We're all human; God or not, we're all created equal. If some of us are gay, then that is that, and we all have to move on. Besides, he's got his facts soooo wrong it's not even funny.
AIDS is an immune disease spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person - this includes blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breastmilk. And yes, you can get it from having gay sex, but people fail to mention that you can get it from straight sex, and also through culturally accepted reproductive and sexual phenomena such as pregnancy, childbearing and breastfeeding. In fact, given the circumstances, most AIDS cases are caused by lack of sexual education or contraception in underdeveloped countries, such as Africa.
As sexual beings we have primary responsibility over our sex lives, and gay or straight, promiscuity, unsafe sex and other dangerous behaviours can spread all sorts of nasty business. But sex is risky business - all of it, not that I know personally - and we can't pin diseases on one particular demographic. I mean, I know we as xenophobic assholes love to pick on the gays. But we just have to get over it.
We are afraid of the unknown. We are afraid of what we're not so sure of. We're afraid of what's hidden under wraps, cursed with taboos and social convention. But in the end, we're all different, equal, but the same. We are an enigma, a paradox, a blessing and a curse. We're all human.
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