feminatheist

[feminatheist]

My message to all men is that you have to kill pride. You’ve been taught that pride is a manly thing, that pride is a good thing. But the problem with pride is that it stops you from growth. When you’re so proud that you won’t change, you’ve got problems. … When you kill that pride, instantly, you become a better person, because now you’re listening. Now you don’t know it all. Now you’re humble. Now you can grow and get smarter.

Terry Crews, the Feminist: “Millions Have Died Because of Male Pride” [x]

In which Crews, a big strong male (also Brookyn Nine-Nine actor, former 6-season NFL player, and supporter of the Polaris Project) breaks down how to be a male ally.

(via bastianpagez)

#feminism #Terry Crews #men changing behavior #Polaris Project

[feminatheist]

Quick advice to make your first time NOT hurt (note this is for Penis-in-Vagina sex bc this is where the first time hurting myth is most prevalent): - Use lube! 2-3 pumps should be pretty good. There is not enough on your standard condom (you should absolutely use a condom unless you're on alternate birth control and you know you're both STI-free) -GO SLOW! And focus on making sure the person with the vagina is relaxed and turned on and has natural lubrication in their vag -Use fingers first! Test what is comfortable, and if its ok, go for more fingers and stretch slowly until relaxed and stretched and aroused enough to take on a well lubed penis. -Have fun! if anyone involved is not having a good time, STOP and reassess. Think about different positions that may be more comfortable, or doing some more finger action, or adding more lube, or stopping completely.

Your first time is NOT supposed to hurt

You are NOT supposed to bleed

If you bleed, that is NOT your hymen being ‘popped’, it is a tear due to lack of sexual arousal and natural lubrication.

This is all a MYTH perpetrated by men so they don’t have to make sure you are comfortable and sufficiently aroused enough before you have sex with them. It is an excuse to disregard and hurt you.

I just really want women to know this.

#sex #graphic #first time #p-in-v sex #feminism #sex ed #nsfw

[feminatheist]

#Feminism #misogyny #women in the workplace #Peggy Carter

[feminatheist]

The thing that people were chasing was to be not an object, but the five wives. I needed a warrior. But it couldn’t be a man taking five wives from another man. That’s an entirely different story. So everything grew out of that.

“Initially, there wasn’t a feminist agenda,” director George Miller insisted.

This quote about Mad Max: Fury Road made me want to gnaw on my own knuckle in cartoonish excitement because DO YOU SEE WHAT HIS LOGIC DOES THERE? Too many directors and writers would stop at “I needed a warrior.” They never take that next step to understand that it couldn’t be a man taking five wives from another man. 

For most action movies, the first half of this quote is enough. It’s enough to be Liam Neeson or Jason Statham or Clive Owen as a good man rescuing the poor women from the bad man. Easy money, right?  But Miller had the instinct to realize that a woman helping other women is not only a more interesting story to tell–it’s the story we should be telling all along.

(via bethanyactually)

#feminism #mad max: fury road #women in film #representation matters

[feminatheist]

vaginal hygiene & health - an introductory crash course

pass this on to spread knowledge whether you have one or not, #save-a-coochie

- the vagina is the tubular ‘internal’ sex organ that some people have. - the ‘vulva’ is the set of external sex organs that people with vaginas have. it includes (but not only):

pubic mound 

labia minora and majora (inner/outer ‘lips’)

clitoris and clitoral hood 

vulval vestibule (found in between your labia minora)

urethra (where you urinate from)

vaginal opening

-vaginas naturally contain a balance of different bacterias. this bacteria protects the vagina from external bacteria and fungus, provides natural disinfectants and maintains a healthy vaginal pH of 3.5-4.5.

-vaginal pH varies from person to person, day to day, depending on your cycle, your diet and many other external factors,

-all vaginas have a scent. all of them. no two people smell exactly the same, and you shouldn’t expect your vagina (or anyone else’s) to smell fruity or floral.

- if your worried about your scent, you can place perfume or an essential oil to an area around your vulva but not on it. some places like between your thighs or on your lower stomach, for example,

-your body secretes natural fluids called discharge. discharge is how your vagina self cleanses. it is completely normal and vital to healthy vaginal function.

-discharge can vary in amount, color, texture and scent depending on your cycle. each person is different. if your discharge is unusual or abnormal to you and your unique body - visit a doctor if possible.

-abnormal discharge can be green, grey, very yellow, smelly, itchy, chunky, etc.

-abundant discharge can be annoying. you can remove excess discharge in your shower by inserting one clean finger into your vagina, moving it from one side to another and ‘scooping’ the discharge out. repeat as needed. this reduces the amount of discharge found on your panties and in turn, reduces vaginal scent.

- dead skin cells and oil can build up between your clitoris and your clitoral hood, so it’s important to lift your hood up and rinse thoroughly so it doesnt harden. 

-washing your “external” vulvar areas such as your public mound and outer lips is okay, though some may find skin here more sensitive.

-don’t douche. you may think it helps but it only masks any problems while causing more. douching throws of your flora, alters your PH and forces bacteria into your cervix.

-water and a soft, clean wash cloth is all you need to clean your vulvar areas that contain a mucous membrane. you do not need to wash these areas. applying soaps or cleaners to these areas removes of natural necessary lubricants and bacteria. this may cause irritation, inflammation, major discomfort and dryness. some amount of moistness should always be present.

-a vast majority of vaginal washes, even those touted as hypoallergenic, still contain dyes and fragrances which are known irritants. read the label.

-while Summer’s eve is a lesser of evils with a PH of 3.0 - 3.5 (still not quite correct), it is still a cleanser. vaginal washes are used to cleanse “bad” bacteria from your vulva. they also wash away the “good” bacteria needed to maintain a healthy balance.

-castile soaps (like Dr. Bronner’s) has a pH of about 8.9. these are not suggested.

-never insert any cleansing agents into your vagina.

-the information above applies to any gels, deodorants, perfumed products and wipes, too. these can all disturb your natural balance.

-while they still pose a possible risk of irritation, unscented baby wipes are the lesser of evils regarding “freshening up”.

-pay attention to your irritants and triggers. different people, different reactions

-everyone has different stances and different methods that work for them. if you aren’t experiencing vaginal discomfort or odd changes, you don’t have to discontinue certain product use. i do, however, recommend a trial period of leaving these products alone due to their effects on your vagina.

-allow your vagina to breathe. keep too-tight clothing to a minimum. cotton panties are the best option next to not wearing any at all. rotate the washcloth and towels you use to clean and dry your vagina.

-urinating after masturbation or sex reduces the amount of bacteria in your urethra wiping ‘front to back’ keeps rectal bacterial away from your vagina.

-naturally, food alters your vagina. balancing your diet in general and including things like pineapples, strawberries, yogurt, soy (the list goes on!) can influence your pH.

-beverages like water, cranberry juice and pineapple juice are also proven to improve vaginal health, and may even improve taste.

-adding a probiotic supplement can increase the amount of “good” bacteria called lactobacillus-your vagina.

-the less ideal your vaginal balance/pH is, the more vulnerable you are to infections and STDs.

-when it comes to internet home remedies, your mileage my vary. try everything with caution and research thoroughly.

cheers! your vagina will thank you.

#vagina #genitals #hygiene #info #learn your anatomy

[feminatheist]

well see, the tiddy armor is empowering because this fictional character who has no autonomy was given this made up reason for having her tiddies out,

#feminism #women in media #women in fantasy #bikini mail

[feminatheist]

if a girl!! is nice to you!! because she’s at work!! it does not!! give you permission!! to talk to her for half an hour!! while she is effectively TRAPPED in once place!! and ask personal questions!! and ask about her relationship status!! ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE TEN+ YEARS OLDER THAN HER!! SHE’S WORKING!! IT’S HER FUCKING JOB TO BE NICE TO PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#This is the literal worst #feminism #capitalism #women at work #smiles and politeness do not mean flirting

[feminatheist]

In other news…

Reviewer From The Guardian Says Jurassic World Passes Bechdel Test Because of Female Dinosaurs

#feminism #women in film #Jurassic World #Bechdel Test #ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[feminatheist]

A Tasting Menu of Female Representation:

The Bechdel:

two or more women talking to each other about something other than a man

The Mako Mori:

at least one female character with her own narrative arc that is not about supporting a man’s story

The Sexy Lamp:

a female character that cannot be removed from the plot and replaced with a sexy lamp without destroying the story.

Chef’s Specials:

The Anti-Freeze:

no woman assaulted, injured or killed to further the story of another character.

The “Strength is Relative”:

complex women defined by solid characterization rather than a handful of underdeveloped masculine-coded stereotypes.

#feminism #film #women in media

[feminatheist]

The only dating advice I have to offer is: Expect the guys in your life to be kind and respectful. Don’t make excuses for garbagey behavior—"Oh, that’s just what guys are like.“ It isn’t true. Expect them to be good, treat them like they’re good. And if they’re garbagey, move on. Don’t let your world get cluttered up with people who think they have some gender-based right to be awful.

Rainbow Rowell (via bethanyactually)

#Expect men to be better #don't give cookies for it #but hold them to a high standard #and hold them accountable #feminism

[feminatheist]

Telling other girls that they look pretty is like cracking a glow stick full of positivity and female friendship

#Girls complimenting girls #feminism #girls supporting girls

[feminatheist]

“we’ll stop you”

#This movie looks good #but extremely white #feminism #suffragette #women in film #women in media

[feminatheist]

not a day goes by where i do not give thanks for Nicki Minaj

#Feminism #Nicki Minaj #sex #orgasm #sexism

[feminatheist]

EA Sports announced that their new FIFA game will give players the option to include women players and as we all know optional choices are the literal worst thing feminniminists can inflict on poor innocent gamers

#Feminism #FIFA 16 #misogyny #equality #choice #women in sports

[feminatheist]

Why Fury Road is most certainly feminist

this is a response to Feminist Frequency’s (Anita Sarkeesian) slew of tweets about Mad Max: Fury Road, which I first saw here on rubycue‘s blog (tweet photo credit to rubycue, I tried to reblog this traditionally as a response but either i am ignorant or you just can’t do it, so I am creating my own post)

from the top 

#2 adoring your setting is somehow misogynist? if I am watching a space drama and I admire the sleek design of a spaceship then I am being a misogynist? this reasoning makes no sense, and I believe George Miller very effectively addresses sexism and misogyny in this setting

“the camera […] caresses the brides’ bodies” this happens all of 5 seconds, literally 5 seconds. after a sand storm the brides and Furiosa stop, Max catches up with them, and when Max (and the audience) see them for the first time they are washing (clothed) after spending the better part of the day in a steel tank in the desert. Max demands that they give him the hose so that he can drink, he proceeds to drown himself (almost) and that’s it. it’s a wide angle shot that could, in all fairness, be taken as objectification, but the flow of the film doesn’t seem to agree with that

(source)

#3 camera and plot treats the brides as things:

let me re-address the camera objectification thing. the above shot could be taken as objectification, that is a fair criticism, but it never happens again. literally, in no other sequence in the film is there even the slightest room for interpretation as the brides being objectified. do not take my word for this though, go see the movie! 

plot: there is a sequence in the film where Immortan Joe (the sex slaver/master) is firing at Furiosa, and Splendid shields Furiosa with her pregnant body. Joe yells “that’s my property!” 

(source) Splendid uses her body to shield her female savior in a show of compassion and bravery, very aware of the value placed on her body as a thing by the patriarchy she was used by. she uses this against the patriarchy, becoming a savior herself in the process. if her defiance isn’t enough for you then i can give you Dag’s questioning of the desert women and her receiving life from them symbolically, Capable’s empathy and forgiveness of Nux (once a part of the patriarchy), and Cheedo’s fear turned to devious determination. all very interesting, and most definitely humanizing 

#4 “Mad Max’s villains as caricatures of misogyny” that might be true for some american women, but this is a very real thing for many women around the world. I have in fact encountered college educated americans who say that a woman refusing to have sex with her husband is immoral because it is his right to be able to sleep with his wife, even if she doesn’t want to… so is the sex slaver/master motif really all that far fetched in american society? no 

“doesn’t challenge more prevalent forms of sexism”  George Miller does in fact take on more common forms of sexism in american society: 

(source  source)  in this sequence Max has a limited amount of ammunition, but he repeatedly fails to hit his target, and so he puts lives at risk. he fails traditional hero, protector, and skill roles that are associated with males. with only one shot left Max gives Furiosa the gun and she makes the shot. a female is better at skill and protector roles than a male! this is somewhat similar to the ‘boys and their toys’ comment in the STEM community that prompted this. both Furiosa and the women of science show that females can thrive in traditionally male skill roles 

#5 men questioning themselves and how sexism works in society: men are in fact forced to question themselves. it may seem a caricature to some, but Nux is a male who has been fooled by the patriarchy, and throughout the film he fails to meet the unrealistic expectations placed on him by said patriarchy. when all seems lost and he is depressed, who saves him? Capable does, she shows compassion and empathy, and so in time he turns his back on the patriarchy to fight for the freedom of the people he has come to love

#6 feminism as “women can drive and kill too!” except that the brides very specifically state to Furiosa when she starts killing people “you said no killing!” and when Dag first meets the women of the desert and confronts them about violence she says “and i somehow thought you all were different”. the brides are very clearly non violent pacifists 

#7 “concepts of power and glorification of violence”  in the still below Dag is taking a bag of rare seeds from a dying desert woman. 

(source)  look at the symbolism here! a young pacifist is being handed the torch bag of seeds from the older violent generation. this is the same girl who left her home where she was a sex slave under a patriarchal system, she went into the desert where she questioned the violent tendencies of past generations, she learned about the creation of life, and now she is returning home to build a new society from the ashes of the patriarchy, a society that is based on the power of freely given not forcefully taken fertility. i don’t know of a more efficient or beautiful way to deconstruct power structures 

I have in the past agreed with Anita about certain things (video games) but I most definitely do not agree with her about this

[credit for all photos to the respective sites, Mad Max: Fury Road is the property of Village Roadshow Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures]

#feminism #mad max: fury road #anita sarkeesian #feminist frequency #critical analysis

[feminatheist]

Assassin’s Creed fail reveals how sexist animation standards are failing real women,

This is the same gorgeously animated, acclaimed franchise that devotes an entire subset of game play to tree-climbing. Swinging from limb to limb high above the incredibly detailed world? High on the priority list of Assassin’s Creed features. Putting a single woman into an active role in the game? Nah.

Earlier this year, the lead animator of Frozen protested that Disney’s 3-D animation software literally didn’t possess the ability to make women’s faces look distinguishable from one another.

This is the same studio that employed a visual effects team of over 40 people in order to design the unique properties of snowflakes. Literally, the women of Tangled and Frozen were less distinguishable to Disney animation software than a pile of snow.

The tangle of issues and layers of sexism that contribute to this situation is overwhelming, but at the core is the fundamentally flawed way women are portrayed in comics, animation, and gaming: a feedback loop of sexual objectification and industry complacence.  

When you perpetuate the idea, across various art-based mediums, that women in drawn art, comics, and animation must and should look and move with flowy, exaggerated gestures, graceful movements, and hips, chest, and ass thrust forward in order to pander to the male gaze at all times, then you make it easier, later on, to use your own sexist animation and art standards as an excuse for why you don’t have more women.

[READ MORE]

We take you on a visual walk-through of the gaming industry and animation culture’s resistance to making women look, act, and move like human beings.

#sexism #misogyny #women in media #feminism #animation

[feminatheist]

TOM HARDY SETTING THE STANDARD FOR HOW TO REACT TO THIS KIND OF STUPID QUESTION TBH (x)

#feminism #mad max: fury road #women in media #representation matters