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Monday, August 4, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
i apologize (probably again) for not keeping anarcha more updated. i've been doing some local organizing/activism, plus working full time. my access to the internet had been pretty slim, although now it's more daily. i will try to do more updates soon.
i got this idea last night for a project. i've been collecting zines on women's health & body issues for a while and i always get excited about new zines or new collectives (or finding out about older ones). i started an article a few years ago on the underground culture of zines and feminist groups and their role in educating girls/women about health and body issues. i still haven't finished the article because i feel like there's so much out there i don't have time to research. i had put together a survey, but got hardly any feedback and i can't find the survey now. anyway, last night i was thinking it would be great to do some sort of collaborative ongoing project online that perhaps could one day be shared in print- or, i had this idea to do a video project in which people would post videos of themselves talking about their experiences with these issues, and/or talking about zines or other media that had an impact on them. this could perhaps one day turn into a documentary. i think that zines like hot pants and take back your life, along with all those zines our collectives did that didn't get many copies out, to the blurbs in personal zines, even to posting info about toxic tampons or sharing books on fertility awareness, distributing the zines and fliers, the doohickey project, the born in flames conference, all this is really important feminist/radical/anarchist history. and it's still going on. many of us have been studying or have studied herbalism, midwifery, nursing, etc. inspired by the need to increase our knowledge and our service to other women in a world where we do not have all the freedoms we need regarding our bodies and health.
anyway, email me if you want to get involved. sallydarity [at] yahoo.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
3:51PM
fixing dead links. thank goodness for archive.org
Feminism and Anarchism: Towards a Politics of Engagement by Krysti Guest
Sexism in the Anarchist Movement by Angela Beallor
http://www.anarcha.org/sallydarity/critique.php
Anarchy or Patriarchy? (repeat)
Patriarchy, Civilization, and the Origins of Gender by John Zerzan
Anarcha-Feminist Manifesto Anna Quist (not sure if this is the one i was missing)
Some thoughts on Anarcha-Feminism presented on June 12, 2002 at Anarchy: The Intentional Creation of a New Movement, Eugene, OR
Anarcha-feminism in Sweden, An anarcha-feminists' subjective perspective of anarcha-feminism
Manual for trans inclusion for women's orgs- pdf file (retrieved from archive.org) (or find my copy of it)
The Radical Tea Party Radio Show
Sunny and Lani tear up the Bay Area with their anarcha-feminist radio show LOST
Guerilla Radio
Zicka wakes up Cleveland with her a-fem radio show LOST
Stichin, Bitchin, and Ending Patriarchy by Pip (pdf)
Anarcha-Feminist Renaissance Underway by Revolta Profundo and Belladonna Blackheart (pdf) -same as above
Women of Color Blog LOST
The Revolt of Adam & Eve A Green Anarcha-Feminist Perspective by Witch Hazel
Interview with Julieta Paredes of Mujeres Creando
Women's Health Specialists, self help home remedies repeat
Alternative Menstrual Products
Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health
Below the Belt LOST
Women's Choices by sallydarity - to find on server
A Radical Critique of the Liberal Pro-Choice Movement By Corie Osborn RCDC Collective
Strong Hearts and Poisoned Waters: The Exclusion of Women of Color and the Reproductive Rights Movement in the U.S. by Puck
Let's Talk About Sex by Nickie Roberts, former prostitute and stripper (from the Class War Federation)
A Green Anarchist Project on Freedom and Love by Mae Bee
The Politics of Poly Love by James Heddle
Sex Is Not The Important Thing by Michael Aluna -repeats
http://www.ainfos.ca/02/dec/ainfos00469.html -text is white on white!
Out of Sight, Out of Mind by the Class War Federation
street harassment project
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Thursday, October 12, 2006
11:09AM
Kirsten Anderberg's "Imitating Others as Control: Is Drag Sexist/Racist?" is a dangerous contribution to radical commentary. Although I have promoted her work and donated to her, I feel I cannot let this go unopposed.
Kirsten argues that racial drag and gender drag as aspects of entertainment, with the privileged imitating the oppressed, acts to control the oppressed. I can follow her points on racism and sexism in the entertainment industry up to a point. However, I think this is an example of where the parallels between racism and sexism fall short. Kirsten seems to base her entire argument on the examples of racism, but doesn't give examples of how gender drag actually negatively affects the female gender. I certainly can't see how it negatively affects me.
The article seems to demonize drag queens. She says, "When men dress in drag and supposedly imitate women, it is most often very sexist in a remarkably similar way to the whites imitating racial minorities thing. As a woman comedian performing in comedy clubs, very often I found my act sandwiched between many, as in 5 a night, drag acts of men imitating women. And to be honest, I found these acts to be offensive and sexist as hell. All the things I have shunned as part of the ancient 'cult of womanhood,' all the superficial, commercialized, and fake aspects of 'femininity' that I have fought to be freed from, these men were embracing as their 'womanhood!'" Many women embrace those things as their womanhood as well, but this is not addressed.
She does not mention how many hate crimes exist against men who dress as women, or against people with male bodies who identify as women and dress as such. While it is quite safe for a woman to dress butch (although it is quite different in terms of attempting to pass as a different gender than that which one was born), it is not nearly as safe for a man to dress femme (oh, except at drag shows). While people who do drag and people who are transgender are not the same (and Kirsten does not criticize trans people), and there's a difference between entertainment and reality, there is a relationship here, which must not be ignored. The fact is, that no matter how often male to female drag occurs in the entertainment industry, it is not acceptable in this society as anything but humor and entertainment. It is worth mentioning that for many drag queens, it is a lifestyle tied up with their sexuality and gender identity- not simply an entertainment role.
People born male who act/dress feminine are, according to our society, lesser humans because they are not performing their masculinity. This says a lot about how gender relations work in this society. Men who act properly like men are on top in the hierarchy. Others are below. So how would it follow that a man performing drag acts to control the female gender?
It is important to ask why a man in a skirt is such a threat. He can get laughs or cheers on TV or on stage, but in other contexts he could be killed. I would argue that he is a threat because he undermines the order and control that the gender dichotomy provides. We're taught that men should be one way and women should be another. This serves the power structure and the elite in a number of ways. An example is the sexism (and sometimes violence against women) perpetuated by men who seek to defend their manhood in the presence of class and/or racial oppression, thereby disempowering women within their race and class and dividing their efforts at self-determination. Women contribute to holding up capitalism by performing their gendered duty of buying the things that without, they would be lesser women (i.e. mascara, various shoes, visits to hair stylists, the latest fashions, etc.).
That supports the argument that this caricature of femininity performed by drag queens can be seen as sexist, and perhaps it is in some ways. But looked at another way, it is clear that drag queens are men peforming as women, and since they're often better at performing this caricature of womanhood, it exposes stereotypes as stereotypes, and erodes the concept of real womanhood. What is a real woman? Obviously since a drag queen can be a better woman than me (in terms of performing extreme femininity), real womanhood (and manhood) no longer really means much. Some feminists (essentialists) are very threatened by the idea that there is no real womanhood. But I would argue that to push for the unravelling of concepts of "real man" and "real woman" and breaking down the gender dichotomy is a better effort at ending sexism than reinforcing the divide (that's actually an illusory divide). Kate Bornstein wrote, "The continued oppression of women proves only that in any binary there's going to be one up and one down. The struggle for equal rights must include the struggle to dismantle the binary”.
I wrote a lengthy essay called, "Gender is a Weapon: Coercion, domination and self-determination" in which i describe my theories more in depth. I was never able to come up with specific strategies, however. I don't think that men should be drag queens in order to fight against patriarchy. I am not purporting that they are revolutionaries. But I do think it's dangerous to blame drag queens for the racial and gender terms that are set by the entertainment industry. Although Kirsten's focus is primarily on the entertainment industry, she's basically calling drag queens sexists and putting them in the position to be further attacked. Making drag queens the enemy of feminism does nothing for feminism.
http://geocities.com/sallydarity/gender.html
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
11:09PM
i still don't have access to update the site. maybe some day.
in the meantime, you can check out a blog i started at http://deletetheborder.org/blog/451
i'll try to get some new links up on here soon.
Thursday, May 4, 2006
11:14PM
Forwarding... please repost
from doohickey@riseup.net
Please read this. See if you are interested. Then, send it to anyone
you can think of who might be. Thanks so much.
The doohickey project is a few friends struggling to reclaim knowledge and control over our bodies. We are planning a cross-country tour this fall to open a forum for womyn and transgendered people to discuss menstrual cycles, abortion options, and sexual health. We will begin the tour in late September, leaving from the northwest, making our way across to the northeast, then down to the southeast before heading back west through the southern states; stopping along the way for one to a few days in cities and towns where people make contact with us.
We envision that the local folks organizing and participating in the
events will strongly influence the outcome of each stop on the tour. We would like to distribute books, zines and other related materials, as well as initiate dialogue on various topics. Workshops and discussions that we can facilitate include: sexual anatomy/physiology and self-exams, menstruation, fertility awareness and abortion options (herbal, menstrual extraction, clinical). We openly invite and encourage people in the
towns we come through to join us in presenting workshops and initiating discussions. Some more topics for people to consider are: birth control choices, helpful herbs for a healthy pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, trans health care, etc. The length and format of the events can be flexible, so if you have knowledge or experiences you would like to share, please let us know so we can collaborate. We want to be learning as much as sharing, and networking with others interested in sexual and reproductive health.
We want to do this tour because the dominant health care programs in the US function within a system of white supremacy, strict class divisions, assumed heterosexuality, enforced gender binary, capitalism and specialized knowledge. We want to do this tour because mainstream culture thrives off of our alienation from our bodies and our dependence upon doctors. We want to do this so that everyone can share experiences, knowledge and resources freely. We see reproductive struggles as linked to all other struggles.
One focus of the tour is on abortion options. Due to high cost, lack of availability and other factors, clinical abortions are already not an
option for many people. As legislation further threatens access, we
feel it is important to develop community based abortion options rather than solely depending on the state for solutions. We hope to be part of creating viable and supportive options for the present by recirculating the wisdom of past and present cultures, including the indigenous women of North American who have used herbs to create abortion for centuries, and the self-help groups of the last several decades who developed menstrual extraction. A strong desire of ours is to help provide some basic ideas and resources for local folks to form their own friendship groups-to work together in taking reproductive health and knowledge into their own hands.
We are three young white womyn coming from various class backgrounds. We have been studying through herbal school, personal experience, and among groups of friends. We are not experts on these topics, just passionate about them. We believe that sharing information and supporting each other is an empowering way to grow and learn. We would like to openly challenge the assumptions and prejudices that both directly and subtly exclude many people from these types of events by keeping some key things in mind. First, there is a difference between anatomy and gender. All people have the right to choose gender identity just as they have the right to choose when and if they wish to reproduce. We want to use language that is respectful of the differences between anatomy and gender. Secondly, people of color face particular reproductive struggles, having to simultaneously fight for access to abortions and for validation in deciding to have children within a racist society that has never taken responsibility for previous and continuing atrocities. We are struggling (and often failing) to recognize the privileges we carry and their effects on others; in recognizing our own racism and transphobia, we hope to encourage others to examine theirs as well. We each feel a strong desire to be interacting with people outside of our immediate age, class and race, and have been grappling with how to build those bridges. We are open to suggestions.
We need individuals who are interested in setting up shows in their own town that are intentionally welcoming to people of all races, classes, sexualities and gender variant identities. We would like for childcare, Spanish translation and wheel chair accessibility to be provided as often as possible. If youre interested in making that space in your town, please contact us. Were trying to figure out travel routes, event dates and locations in the next few weeks, so please get in touch as soon as possible. We also need funds (or books/gas credit) to help gather supplies to distribute and fuel a car. We would really appreciate any and all contributions of time, money or store credit. Let us know if you have any ideas or questions. We cant do this without you. Thanks so much for reading this; we look forward to hearing from you.
Here is a list of towns we either have contacts in or are looking for contacts to set up events. The towns/cities with a * are places we have heard back from people who want to organize an event. The towns/cities with *? are ones where we've heard from people that haven't entirely committed. The towns/cities with nothing by them are ones that are somewhat on our way and seem like good places to stop. If you are interested in hosting/organizing an event in a location that is listed or not, please get in touch with us so we can solidify our route, stops and dates. Even if you live somewhere where we already have a contact, please let us know you're interested and we can help get you connected. If your not on the list but would really like to be, we'll try to work something
out. Thank you so much.
Eugene, OR*
Portland,OR*
Olympia, WA*
Seattle, WA*
Missoula, MT
Rapid City, SD*
Minneapolis, MN*
Madison, WN*
Chicago, IL*
St. Louis, MO*?
Louisville, KT*
Cincinatti, OH
Athens, OH*
Akron, OH
Buffalo, NY
Ithica, NY
? Vermont*
Boston, MA*
Providence, RI*
New York, NY*
Philadelphi, PA*
Baltimore
Washington DC*
Charlotesville, VA*
Richmond, VA
Chapel Hill, NC*
Greensboro, NC*
Asheville, NC*?
Charlotte, SC
Atlanta, GA
Tampa, FL
Miami, FL
Tallassee, FL
New Orleans, LA*
Houston, TX*
San Antonio, TX*
Tuscon, AZ*
Phoenix, AZ*
Flaggstaff, Az
San Diego, CA*
Los Angeles, CA*
Santa Cruz, CA*
Oakland, CA*
San Francisco, CA*
Oakland, CA*
Sacramento, CA
Garberville, CA*
Arcata, CA*
Ashland, OR
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Friends, acquaintances and such,
We’re getting in touch with you all about a womyn’s reproductive health tour we’re planning for this fall, called the dOoHiCkEy PrOjEcT. We’ll travel down the West coast, across the southern states
to Florida, up to the Northeast and back across to Oregon, organizing events with interested folks across the country.
The plan is to:
1. Initiate group-driven discussions and skill-sharing on the following topics:
-female anatomy
-Non-invasive birth control
-Fertility awareness
-Abortion options
-clinical abortion
-Herbal abortion/reproductive herbs
-Menstruation/blood catching/PMS
-Home health care;
-Self-exams
-Menstrual extraction
2. Harvesting and processing different women’s
reproductive herbs
3. Distributing related literature.
We want these events to be versatile and dynamic. We are not experts, and want to learn as much as share. The outcome of the events will be specific to the location, desires and goals of those participating. A primary intention of this tour is to help provide basic ideas, materials and literature so folks can form their own working/(friendship) groups where they can proceed in developing the tools and processes necessary for taking reproductive/gyno health and knowledge into their own hands. We hope to
share a desire in creating a safe and open setting for these conversations to take place.
We want these events to be trans-inclusive spaces. We hope the events will be accessible for folks to bring personal experiences and knowledge surrounding sexual health in general. If the above topics do not meet people's desires, one possibility is to organize a day or weekend of skill-shares and discussions on a variety of different topics. If you have any suggestions or topic ideas, please let us know.
WHAT WE NEED:
-People who are interested in bottom-lining an event in their town.
That means:
-finding a location and being in contact with us about dates and details.
(Potential locations: universities, women’s health clinics, infoshops, homes, etc.
-Organizing child-care and food for the events (this would be a wonderful way for people who don't bleed to help out) We can send already-made flyers ahead of time...
-Suggested resources, information, or literature
-More contacts of friends who might be interested
-fundraising for literature, materials, gas money, and such costs
We would love to hear your ideas and questions. And if you're interested in helping set up an event, please let us know. Feel free to get in touch with us anytime. --doohickeyproject
doohickey@riseup.net
Do you want to BREAK THE SILENCE of rape in your community?
Take Back The News confronts the misrepresentation of rape in the media. Activists across the country are Taking Back The News in their own communities and on their campuses. How? By providing a print forum for rape survivors to publish their stories in their own words. Be a part of the movement.
To create a public space for survivors to print their stories, you can organize a Take Back The News Community Print Project.
Visit http://www.takebackthenews.org/core/cpk/introduction.htm to find out how to get started.
"There was a noticeable shift in community awareness after doing this project. It is a powerful step to addressing violence on a community level."
-Project Organizer at LaSalle University
For more information about Take Back The News, visit http://www.takebackthenews.org
Community Print Project Kit contents include:
* Take Back The News brochure
* How To Organize a Take Back The News Print Project in Your Community
* Copies of Past Print Projects
* Invitation To Submit Stories
* Sample Introduction To The Stories
* Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics
* Take Back The News stickers
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
http://larivolta.org/
La Rivolta! Anarcha-Feminist Festival
Boston, MA
March 4th, 2006
Daytime Activities
Location: Community Church of Boston
565 Boylston Streeet
Boston, MA 02116
Ph: 617 266-6710
Time: 11 am - 5:30 pm
The Day's Schedule
11-11:30 Welcome + Coffee
11:30-1:00 Workshop Block I (workshop participants, titles, and descriptions coming soon)
Indigenous Women's Rights
Women and Radical Art
1:00-2:00 Lunch Break
(food and drink provided)
2:00-3:30 Workshop Block II
TBA
Sex Work in the U.S.
4-5:30 Workshop Block III
Transgender and Patriarchy Discussion
International Sex Trafficking
5:30 - 7/8 ? Break
(you're on your own!)
Evening Schedule
Show Location: Massachusetts College of Art
621 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA Exact show time TBA
Estimated show time: 7 or 8 pm -12 midnight
Confirmed performers:
Cojoba (Puerto Rico)
Ballast (Montreal, Canada)
La Moria (Buffalo, NY)
Resistant Culture (Los Angeles, CA)
Reflect and Strengthen (Boston, MA)
Sonya Renee (Washington, D.C.)
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
7:57PM
i don't have much commentary here, but i just found out some interesting information. i'm studying herbalism, and i didn't really think there would be a lot of important history/herstory other than that of patriarchy and healthcare, but i learned some history of racism (and patriarchy) having to do with herbs.
"Several herbs can be taken in small amounts during pregnancy if there is a risk of miscarriage. The most prominent of these is black haw, which has a long history of use for preventing miscarriage as well as for menstrual problems and as a uterine tonic. In the 19th century it was used to stop miscarriage, and it is still used in Europe today, even to counteract the effect of abortion drugs. In the American South it was well known to slave owners. The slave owners would rape slave women to increase the number of slaves. These women knew of an herb that would bring on a miscarriage; but the slave owners forced the women to drink a strong decoction of black haw to prevent miscarriage." (the source of this information came originally from the Kings American Dispensary)
Monday, January 16, 2006
i'm not involved in the organizing of this, but i thought i'd let you all know how cool the line-up for this year's bookfair is, if you can make it, which i intend to.
liz highleyman writes on queer/sex/health/anarchist issues, etc (http://www.black-rose.com/writings-short.html); katya komisaruk is a kick-ass woman lawyer who wrote a really great book on knowing your rights and dealing with law enforcement(http://www.lawcollective.org/); bo brown is queer ex-political prisoner who robbed banks in drag to raise money for such groups as the black panthers (http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=03/06/15/3995434); michelle tea is an awesome radical feminist queer author and more (http://www.purpleglitter.com/michelle_tea/modules/xfsection/article.php?articleid=475). it's worth mentioning that joe biel's microcosm publishing carries some rad anarchist/feminist publications and has carried some of my zines as well.
last year i picked up a number of cool zines related to anarcha-feminism at the bookfair.
here's more info...
from http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=200512271227299
Date: Saturday, March 18
10 am to 6 pm
Place: Same as last year, the County Fair Bldg, in Golden Gate Park, right inside at 9th and Lincoln. You can't miss it. It's the place with all the anarchists hanging around out front.
Speakers this year are:
-Liz Highleyman
-Katya Komisaruk (author of Beat The Heat)
-Bo Brown (ex George Jackson Brigade)
-Ramor Ryan (author of forthcoming Clandestines: The Pirate Journals Of An Irish Exile)
-Ward Churchill (author of lots of stuff)
-Chaz Bufe (translator, and editor, of Dreams Of Freedom: Ricardo Flores Magon Reader)
-Joe Biel (Microcosm Press)
-Michelle Tea
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Sunday, August 21, 2005
7:10PM
someone emailed me saying about the page, "ohmygod... wetdream in a website." that's pretty cool.
i started studying western herbalism at a local school, so i've had a lot less time to work on the website. i fully intend to make all the updates i've said i was going to make. i actually attempted today, but for some reason all the computer labs (where i use dreamweaver to edit the page) were closed today.
i would like to add a lot more health-related resources, since that seems to be a popular area of interest. i'm trying to think of what else the page needs.
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