Monthly Archives: April 2005

Games Even Your Girlfriend Can Play!

Posted on April 28, 2005 by tekanji

GGA brought my attention to an article called Top Ten Girlfriend-Friendly Games on 1up.com (a site that seems to have a significant female membership). Marginalization in the gaming industry is nothing new to me. I mean, having boobs and a vagina and identifying as female is obviously enough to exclude me from that Good Ol’ Boys ClubTM. If I do venture in, it must only be through a boyfriend (since all good boys and girls are heterosexual) who will introduce me to fluffy games, like Bejeweled and Nintendogs, which are not too hardcore for my weak constitution. Do I sound bitter? Well, after spending most of my twenty-two years seeing mainstream magazines, websites, and other gaming publications catering to guys, and only guys, I think I’ve earned a bit of bitterness. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for me to not have to go to a female-oriented gaming site in order to be included. Continue reading →

Posted in For "her", Gender issues, Girlfriend Lists, Popular Culture, The Evil -ism's, Video Games | 11 Comments

Sexism, racism, and xenophobia oh my!

Posted on April 26, 2005 by tekanji

I’ve spent time discussing over at East Asia Blog the racism and xenophobia of East Asia in the context of the kerfluffle surrounding the China/Japan problems, but now I’m going to turn to something more close to home: Michael Lohman, Asian fetishism, and the xenophobia, racism, and sexism inherent in American communities.

A few months ago, feministing had a post about Michael Lohman’s assault on Asian women. On one of the feminist live journals I check out from time to time, I came across a post that linked to a forum called ModelMinority: A Guide To Asian American Empowerment. The article posted, For Asian Women, ‘Fetish’ is Less Than Benign, highlights the problems with American society at large while the comments show the problems that the Asian American community is part of. Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, Gender issues, Media and journalism, Multiculturalism, Popular Culture, Racism, Sex, sexuality, and sexual politics, The Evil -ism's | 5 Comments

Sunday Link Blogging

Posted on April 24, 2005 by tekanji

Ampersand of Alas takes on Gwen Stefani’s appropriation of Japansese “harajuku girl” culture as seen in a Salon article. Jenn at reappropriate posts a nice “can’t we all get just along?” style article on the “conscience clause” controversy: Religious Freedom, … Continue reading →

Posted in Link Blogging | 1 Comment

Midnight Ramblings of a Childfree Mind

Posted on April 22, 2005 by tekanji

When I tell people that, not only do I not want children, but that I intend to get a tubal ligation I often hear the question, “But, what if you change your mind?” There are many responses to that; “when pigs fly,” “when hell freezes over,” “I won’t change my mind,” or sometimes if I’m too weary to argue, “If that happens, I’ll adopt. But it won’t, so it’s a moot point.” The last one thankfully has never spawned a comment like, “But don’t you want to pass on your genes?” Nonetheless, it is wearying to know that no matter what I say, most people just don’t get it. Continue reading →

Posted in Childfree Issues, Personal, Reproductive Rights, Sex, sexuality, and sexual politics | 10 Comments

Religion And State = OTP?

Posted on April 20, 2005 by tekanji

So, I just got back from writing my first final (one down, two to go) where I wrote a masterful essay on “church-state” relations in Japan. In this achievement of literary prose that is sure to achieve me full marks on that section (yeah, right), I posited that, as things existed, neither religion nor the state could ever reign supreme without acknowledging the power of the other. Now, we all know that talking out of one’s ass is a time honoured university tradition, but I must confess that it made perfect sense in the context of the essay. Having had all of twenty minutes to think about it, I’ve begun to wonder: do religion and the state really need each other? Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Religion | Leave a comment

Sunday Link Blogging

Posted on April 17, 2005 by tekanji

Astare addresses some more concerns about women and their participation in traditionally male oriented areas in Politics and Video Games, Part II over at Utopian Hell. In related news, Jane and ClockworkGrue over at game girl advance talk about new … Continue reading →

Posted in Link Blogging | Leave a comment

My Body, My Morals

Posted on April 11, 2005 by tekanji

Amanda over at Pandagon takes on the “morality” of the so-called “conscience clause” pharmacists. I’ve been trying for so long to explain that someone else’s morality should in no way trump my morality when it comes to issues of my body, but I think Amanda has really hit the issue at its heart. Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative, Feminism, Religion, Reproductive Rights, Sex, sexuality, and sexual politics, USA | 3 Comments

Sticks and Stones

Posted on April 7, 2005 by tekanji

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” We’ve heard it, we’ve sung it, for some of us it has become a mantra. But, you know what? It’s not true. Any person who is a survivor of domestic violence (DV) can tell you that. An ASU school paper spreads the word about abuse in the article “Controlling Love”. Continue reading →

Posted in Abuse, rape, and domestic violence, Sex, sexuality, and sexual politics | Leave a comment

Behind Closed Doors

Posted on April 6, 2005 by tekanji

Lest we forget what can hide underneath a veneer of equality, the New York times has published this article by Lizette Alvarez that reminds us that public acceptance does not necessitate private practice. Continue reading →

Posted in Abuse, rape, and domestic violence, Feminism, Politics, World | 1 Comment

A Victory for Reproductive Rights in Illinois

Posted on April 2, 2005 by tekanji

Finally, someone realizes that pharmacists’ morals should not trump the reproductive rights of women. CNN’s article Illinois governor: No delays in birth control prescriptions is the first real victory I’ve seen on the so-called “conscience clause” pharmacists. It’s refreshing to … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Reproductive Rights, USA | 1 Comment