Why Do Lions Have Manes?
For women, getting angry is socially unacceptable, even when the anger is over violence, discrimination, misogyny, and other forms of oppression. Anger is unacceptable because angry women are women in touch with their passion and power, especially in relation to men, which threatens the entire patriarchal order. It’s unacceptable because it forces men to confront the reality of male privilege and women’s oppression and their involvement in it, even if only as passive beneficiaries. Women’s anger challenges men to acknowledge attempts to trivialize oppression with “I was only kidding.” And women’s anger is unacceptable to men who look to women to take care of them, to prop up their need to feel in control, and to support them in their competition with other men. When women are less than gracious and good-humored about their own oppression, men often feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, at a loss, and therefore vulnerable.
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| — | Allan G. Johnson (via avengered) |
I’ve been seeing this image pop up now for awhile and it irritates the shit out of me. I’ve never received food stamps, but this image is just stupid for a few reasons:
1. The iPhone. A pretty nice phone and it can be pretty expensive. However, it is a one-time purchase. Some people get them at pretty low cost for renewing a contract. AT&T sold 3GS models for $50. (I’m not sure if they still are.) Secondhand iPhones can be purchased for dirt cheap via craigslist. Monthly contract prices vary with the type of plan you have, but it can also be reduced to a fairly reasonable price. Finally, the iPhone could have been purchased prior to a food stamp recipient having the need to use food stamps. But did you think of any of that? No, because you’re too busy thinking of ways to fucking judge people. As an addendum, I’ve heard people say that the poor “shouldn’t even have a cell phone.” Are you fucking kidding me? How is an unemployed or underemployed person supposed TO FIND A JOB WITHOUT A PHONE?
2. Multiple tattoos. Again, one-time cost for tattoos. Could have been done before a person lost their job. Maybe it was a gift. But no, poor people shouldn’t have tattoos, piercings, or nice clothes. The clothes weren’t mentioned here, but that’s another stupid thing people say. I have a pretty nice closet of clothes I’ve built up over the last six years (since I stopped dressing grunge shortly after high school). Purchased a little bit at a time. So if you see someone wearing a decent outfit using food stamps maybe you should keep that in mind. Also, one can find pretty nice clothes at Goodwill for really, really cheap. I’ve found sweaters that would normally retail for $40 for $2.
3. Seriously, a mani and pedi? I had that done for my brother’s wedding last summer and it cost less than $20. Granted, I didn’t go to the most fabulous salon, but…really…you’re going to bitch about that?
In conclusion, fuck you for judging someone when you don’t know what circumstances led to their need for assistance. I’m sure there are people out there that abuse the system, but you don’t fucking know that just because they’re wearing a nice sweater. May you never have the misfortune of losing your job and not knowing how you’re going to make rent or feed yourself.
and the reagan legacy of the demonization of the symbolic welfare queen lives on!
For context: the stars of The Hangover were each paid $5 million for the sequel and are demanding $15 million each for the third movie in the franchise. (x)
However fierce our band was in the past, imagine me, six-foot-two, in heels, fucking screaming into someone’s face.
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| — | Tom Gabel (Laura Jane Grace) of Against Me! on continuing the band after becoming a woman (via screamingfemale) |
I am re-reading Shock Value and hilighting what I consider the most important parts. (Taken with instagram)
