Since it's time for year-end lists, Media Matters did a compilation of sexism's greatest hits from 2013.
The War on Women is already working on its own "greatest hits" for 2014, so follow me below the orange freeway map.
Media:
The Right's newest standard-bearer, Phil Robertson of "Duck Dynasty," isn't just a racist homophobe - he's got creepy misogyny covered too:
“(Women) got to where they’re getting hard to find,” Robertson remarked. “Mainly because these boys are waiting until they get to be about 20 years old before they marry ‘em. Look, you wait until they get to be 20 years old, the only picking that’s going to take place is your pocket.”
The Duck Commander company founder added: “You got to marry these girls when they are about 15 or 16, they’ll pick your ducks. You need to check with mom and dad about that of course.”
Cartoonist Alison Bechdel came up with the
Bechdel test for movies: To pass, a film has to have at least two women characters, who talk to each other about something other than a man. Memo to Hollywood, with chart: movies that pass the Bechtel test make
more money.
Violence:
Maine Senate candidate Erick Bennett denies being a batterer, but says his conviction for domestic violence proves he has "guts."
An Italian court convicted a 60-year-old man of molesting an 11-year-old girl, but the conviction has now been overturned because the lower court supposedly should have considered their "feelings of love".
A quick-thinking domestic violence victim in Kentucky saved her life by using Facebook to call for help.
A 16-year-old gang-rape victim in India was murdered, allegedly by persons close to the rapists. Major trigger warnings.
A high school girl in Texas reported being raped by a classmate on school property. The police inexplicably decided it was "consensual," and the school sent both students to disciplinary school for "public lewdness." Gee, I wonder why rape victims so rarely report?
A group of "Men's Rights Activists" - you know, the ones who are always warning of the danger of false rape accusations - are trying to drum up an "accuse-a-thon" of false accusations against an anti-rape activist, in order to prove.....I have no idea what they think that would prove.
Economics:
In China, young women are naming and shaming companies that practice illegal gender discrimination.
In the US, women hold less than 17% of corporate board seats - but companies that have women on the board significantly outperform those that don't.
Reproductive rights:
In Israel, women age 20 to 33 can get abortions paid for by the state, and there are plans to expand to all ages.
Justice Sotomayor granted a stay on the ACA's contraception coverage requirement while the litigation on that issue continues.
Intersectionality:
The Politics of Black Superwomanly Otherness:
This superwomanly otherness is learned. We go throughout our lives just dealing with everything from family life, personal life, professional life, to spiritual life and we think that its normal to go to from hell and back everyday without an inkling of complaint, exhaustion, sadness, or disappointment. Because, after all, those characteristics are for mortals/humans. They told us that we weren’t human, and we believed them and it comes at a cost (social, emotional, psychological, spiritual, economic, political). So, for many Black women who cling to the SBW name tag & for those who don’t (whether we like it or not people hold us up to this SBW paradigm), self-care does not exist.
Ani diFranco, who should know better, planned to host a "righteous songwriting retreat" for women - at a
former plantation. When she she got some really righteous criticism for that, she canceled with a
fauxppology. After taking a few days to actually listen, she issued a real
apology.
Good News:
Melissa Shang, a 10-year-old girl with a bright future, has launched a petition for an American Girl doll with a disability.
The women of Saudi Arabia have been blowing my mind lately. First defying the driving ban, then the film Wadjda - and now we have Saudi Arabia's first all-women law firm.