Skip to content

Monthly Archives: December 2011

The Ten Objectively Best Songs of 2011

The end of the year brings, as we know, many many lists.  But you should read mine anyway. 1.  Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass” Minaj’s consummate craftsmanship as an artist—in image, flow and production choices—makes her nearly anachronistic among contemporary hiphop acts.  Originally thrown onto last year’s Pink Friday as a bonus track, “Super Bass” […]

A year in personal failures: how I didn’t single-handedly stop racism within feminism or in The Netherlands

I. “My feminism will be intersectional” redux I set myself up for failure. I know. I like big, unachievable goals that I will, all on my own, conquer. Because I am a sucker for failed end of the year balances. Because when this time of the year rolls by, I sit and ponder on what […]

Progress for Disabled Immigration Detainees

A recent legal decision has important implications for disabled immigration detainees.

Curating Safe(r) Spaces In Comments

I want to expand a bit on Flavia’s recent post discussing the Foxnewsification of the Internet and ideas about ‘all points of view being valuable’ and needing to be aired on blogs. Discussions like this inevitably bring up cries of ‘free speech’ from people who apparently don’t understand how free speech works; as was pointed […]

Europe and the politics of Neo-Obscurantism and violence

Yesterday was a tragic day in Europe. Death and violence have swept the continent in two episodes that might, at first hand, seem unrelated. In the Belgian city of Liège, a man threw hand grenades and opened fire on the crowd at the city center’s Christmas market, killing four and injuring more than 100 (of […]

GUEST POST: The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s New “Control Tonight” is Cheap Victim-Blaming

[This is a guest post from John Wenz. Trigger warning for rape culture, victim-blaming.] Last week, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board released a series of anti-binge drinking advertisements. There is one aimed at men, the background of which is an image of the flashing lights of a police car. In a descending list, you have […]

All-American Muslim: Too Dangerous for TV Advertising, Apparently

TLC has a new reality show running called All-American Muslim, following the lives of several Muslim households in Dearborn, Michigan. The critical response has mostly pointed out how bland and ordinary it is; gosh, Muslim families really are just like everyone else! In an era where reality shows are mostly about flashy displays of wealth […]

The troll is dead! Foxnewsification and the notion that all points of view are valuable

Every morning I wake up and I have a little ritual going. First I am met by the generally cheerful dog and cats. Then I pee. Then I get a cup of coffee and sit in front of my computer. I scan my inboxes (yes plural, as a long term mail user I have ten […]

Climate Change, Bullying, and Gender

This marks the second week of a conference in Durban to discuss climate change, a topic that remains contentious on the global stage. There’s considerable tension between Western nations and the Global South on the subject, and this time, African leaders came prepared, pledging to ‘speak with one voice‘ at the meeting. Many people in […]