Sita Sings the Blues and Cultural Appropriation
Thursday June 4th, 6pm Location TBA
Please read at least 2-3 of the articles below
Cultural Appropriation
Controversy over Sita Sings the Blues
Body Modification Encyclopedia: Body Mods as Cultural Appropriation
Ironic Appropriation (Kill Whitie)
Cultural Appropriation: Reckless Borrowing or Appropriate Cultural Sharing?
Music appropriation or approbation?
Stuff White People Like
Black music that black people don't listen to anymore
Being an Expert on your culture
Take Back Halloween
Keffiyehs
Political Tragedy is the New Black
More than just a chic checkered scarf
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Legal Justice for Rape Victims: Discussion Questions
Hi everyone,
Just a reminder that we have a Just Read meeting tonight at 7pm in Kaldi's Cafe. The topic is Legal Justice for Rape Victims, and hopefully you've all had an opportunity to look at the articles. If not, they are posted here on the blog (secret hint: scroll down). Since the discussion questions were a little lengthy this week, we decided to email them out so you would have a chance to look over them.
Also, we are still looking for people to sign up for a week to run the discussion. This is a great way to raise awareness on an issue you care about! Alternatively, it can be a great excuse to do a bit of digging and learn more about a topic you've been curious about. Please email me or Amy if you're interested.
See you tomorrow!
Legal Justice for Rape Victim discussion questions:
In what ways are rape survivors re-victimized by the legal system? How can we reduced this victimization?
Is the victims' duty to their own recovery paramount (especially given the frustrations the articles illuminated that often arise in dealings with the legal system), or does responsibility to society (i.e. to do the utmost to prosecute a rape) override that duty?
The incidence of victims being charged medical expenses, the under-funding and under-development of community-level rape prosecution organs, the under-processing of rape kits, and the chronic dubiousness law enforcement officials treat victims with all coallese into a perception of rape cases not as being not unlike civil suits for limited wrongs, and prosecution by the state as a favor or service rendered. Yet the threat of re-occurrence, a feminist reading of the rape act, forcing witnesses to testify, and indeed some historical/cultural perspectives (Lucretia vs. King of Rome) read rape as a crime against society as a whole. How do we reconcile our responsabiliy to a victim's recovery with an urge to promote an understanding of rape as a public outrage that cannot be trivialized, or indeed, remain private?
With juries, there is an unwillingness to convict in rape cases if they think the punishment does not match the crime. This means that victims who do not experience a socially accepted 'real rape' are less likely to get legal justice. There are various ways to approach this problem, including creating gradations of rape (which could devalue a victim's experience and further the real rape myth) or working on a grassroots level to change minds (a much longer process). What might be an effective compromise? (Again, this is in some ways a question of society vs victims rights.)
What can be done to change public opinion about 'real rape?' In a real way, how can we go about promoting awareness of the reality of rape, to deconstruct the myth of 'Real Rape?'
Just a reminder that we have a Just Read meeting tonight at 7pm in Kaldi's Cafe. The topic is Legal Justice for Rape Victims, and hopefully you've all had an opportunity to look at the articles. If not, they are posted here on the blog (secret hint: scroll down). Since the discussion questions were a little lengthy this week, we decided to email them out so you would have a chance to look over them.
Also, we are still looking for people to sign up for a week to run the discussion. This is a great way to raise awareness on an issue you care about! Alternatively, it can be a great excuse to do a bit of digging and learn more about a topic you've been curious about. Please email me or Amy if you're interested.
See you tomorrow!
Legal Justice for Rape Victim discussion questions:
In what ways are rape survivors re-victimized by the legal system? How can we reduced this victimization?
Is the victims' duty to their own recovery paramount (especially given the frustrations the articles illuminated that often arise in dealings with the legal system), or does responsibility to society (i.e. to do the utmost to prosecute a rape) override that duty?
With juries, there is an unwillingness to convict in rape cases if they think the punishment does not match the crime. This means that victims who do not experience a socially accepted 'real rape' are less likely to get legal justice. There are various ways to approach this problem, including creating gradations of rape (which could devalue a victim's experience and further the real rape myth) or working on a grassroots level to change minds (a much longer process). What might be an effective compromise? (Again, this is in some ways a question of society vs victims rights.)
What can be done to change public opinion about 'real rape?' In a real way, how can we go about promoting awareness of the reality of rape, to deconstruct the myth of 'Real Rape?'
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Review: Women Respond to the Men's Movement
Women Respond to the Men's Movement
edited by: Key Leigh Hagan
1992
I found this book in the used books section of a feminist book store in Madison, WI. It was a magical place, and I recommend A Room of One's Own to anyone visiting the area.
To give some context to the book: it is a collection of essays on the mythopoetic men's movement (M^3) of the early 90s. In the end, M3 was largely a fad that gained attention through some bestsellers, and then died out. The tenets of M3 are still around and woven into our modern patriarchy, although perhaps in more subtle forms. Because the book was published 17 years ago, some of the statistics and facts are incorrect and some of the views are very 2nd wave, but the essays are still extremely relevant to the current feminist struggle. Women's place in the world has change significantly in 17 years, but it is disturbing just how much has remained the same.
With any collection, some of the pieces are great and some are less than enlightening. Occasionally the various authors contradict one another. But as whole, this book does a wonderful job of exploring the meaning of male privilege and what that means to “men's movements”. Privilege is dangerous to the oppressed and poisonous to the oppressors. Addressing the poison is essential to creating lasting change and challenging the patriarchy, but it must be kept in perspective. “The men's movement and the women's movement aren't salt and pepper; they are hangnail and hand grenade.” - Barbara Kingsolver
The book explores the question of whether there is a need for a separate men's movement or if it is something that should be integrated into the feminist movement. Do men's movements challenge patriarchy or reenforce it? What should be men's role in the feminist movement? Both/And.
edited by: Key Leigh Hagan
1992
I found this book in the used books section of a feminist book store in Madison, WI. It was a magical place, and I recommend A Room of One's Own to anyone visiting the area.
To give some context to the book: it is a collection of essays on the mythopoetic men's movement (M^3) of the early 90s. In the end, M3 was largely a fad that gained attention through some bestsellers, and then died out. The tenets of M3 are still around and woven into our modern patriarchy, although perhaps in more subtle forms. Because the book was published 17 years ago, some of the statistics and facts are incorrect and some of the views are very 2nd wave, but the essays are still extremely relevant to the current feminist struggle. Women's place in the world has change significantly in 17 years, but it is disturbing just how much has remained the same.
With any collection, some of the pieces are great and some are less than enlightening. Occasionally the various authors contradict one another. But as whole, this book does a wonderful job of exploring the meaning of male privilege and what that means to “men's movements”. Privilege is dangerous to the oppressed and poisonous to the oppressors. Addressing the poison is essential to creating lasting change and challenging the patriarchy, but it must be kept in perspective. “The men's movement and the women's movement aren't salt and pepper; they are hangnail and hand grenade.” - Barbara Kingsolver
The book explores the question of whether there is a need for a separate men's movement or if it is something that should be integrated into the feminist movement. Do men's movements challenge patriarchy or reenforce it? What should be men's role in the feminist movement? Both/And.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
5/28 Legal Justice for Rape Survivors
Meeting: Thursday 5/28, 7pm, Kaldi's Cafe on 9th St
Topic: Legal Justice for Rape Survivors
Please read the first two articles and one article from each category.
Rape Reporting Rates
Is Rape Serious?
Evidence Collection
Missouri State Funding for Rape Evidence Collection
MS Magazine Rape Kit Backlog
Texas: Rape Victims Billed for Evidence Costs
Law Enforcement
CoMO's DOVE unit
Rape Victim Jailed for False Report
Curvature commentary
NYPD Officers Accused of Rape
Legal
California: Rape victims can be forced to take witness stand
False Reports (PDF)
Other Voice Publications
Secondary Victimization of Rape Victims
Topic: Legal Justice for Rape Survivors
Please read the first two articles and one article from each category.
Rape Reporting Rates
Is Rape Serious?
Evidence Collection
Missouri State Funding for Rape Evidence Collection
MS Magazine Rape Kit Backlog
Texas: Rape Victims Billed for Evidence Costs
Law Enforcement
CoMO's DOVE unit
Rape Victim Jailed for False Report
Curvature commentary
NYPD Officers Accused of Rape
Legal
California: Rape victims can be forced to take witness stand
False Reports (PDF)
Other Voice Publications
Secondary Victimization of Rape Victims
Monday, May 18, 2009
5/21: Language as a Mechanism of Social Control and Resistance
Thursday, May 21st, 7pm @ Kaldi's Cafe
Topic: Language as a Mechanism of Social Control and Resistance
Please pick at least 2-3 of these to read/watch. We might be posting more articles throughout the week, and please feel free to share anything you think is relevant!
Elderspeak
Importance of Gender Neutral Language
Language of Race in Media
Disembodied
Is bitch a bad word?
Rape Language (couldn't find the original article, but this sums it up)
Euphemisms for Lady Parts (Video)
Politically Correct Labels and Schizophrenia
No More No Homo (Video)
Topic: Language as a Mechanism of Social Control and Resistance
Please pick at least 2-3 of these to read/watch. We might be posting more articles throughout the week, and please feel free to share anything you think is relevant!
Elderspeak
Importance of Gender Neutral Language
Language of Race in Media
Disembodied
Is bitch a bad word?
Rape Language (couldn't find the original article, but this sums it up)
Euphemisms for Lady Parts (Video)
Politically Correct Labels and Schizophrenia
No More No Homo (Video)
Intro to Just Read
Just Read is Columbia's social justice reading group. This blog is a way to post resources and discuss social justice topics.
We want to encourage a safe space where everyone feels comfortable speaking. We recognize and value the different perspectives everyone bring to the group and want to promote open dialogue. To do this, we need to foster a respectful environment. The place to bring up issues with another's perspective is in discussion so we can have productive conversations. Play nice!
We want to encourage a safe space where everyone feels comfortable speaking. We recognize and value the different perspectives everyone bring to the group and want to promote open dialogue. To do this, we need to foster a respectful environment. The place to bring up issues with another's perspective is in discussion so we can have productive conversations. Play nice!
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