What I Read

from my new obsession, Texts from Hillary

Quote of the Week: Did you throw out my Imprimis this month?
(My husband, M.  Only half-joking.)

A few months ago, we started getting this ridiculously right-wing newsletters on the free market, gold standard, and the Promised Land. In other words: Imprimis is the free monthly speech digest of Hillsdale College and is dedicated to educating citizens and promoting civil and religious liberty by covering cultural, economic, political and educational issues of enduring significance.

For the record, I was not sure that it was not a fake, Onion-like newsletter that was being sent to post-college grads for kicks. It isn't fake. Also for the record, I did not throw it out.

Anyways, for some read-worthy articles, check out some of the following links.


Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation Over Her ‘Puffy’ Appearance

The Conversation about women’s bodies exists largely outside of us, while it is also directed at (and marketed to) us, and used to define and control us. The Conversation about women happens everywhere, publicly and privately. We are described and detailed, our faces and bodies analyzed and picked apart, our worth ascertained and ascribed based on the reduction of personhood to simple physical objectification. Our voices, our personhood, our potential, and our accomplishments are regularly minimized and muted.

Curly vs. Straight: Which Do Men Prefer?

Newly single in New York City, I joined a popular online dating service and posted two profiles. They were identical in every way—except one. The first profile included a picture of my hair flat-ironed straight. For the other, my hair was naturally curly. After one month showcasing the straight profile and the next month curly, more than twice as many men responded to the straight look.

Miss Representation Documentary Director on Why the Media (Still) Hates Women

Both men and women worldwide are being fed these notions of what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman, and you’re seeing it not just in make-believe reality TV, you’re seeing it in news media, you’re seeing it in radio, you’re seeing it in all forms of media — and that’s the danger.

Judging Moms May Be Good for Your Traffic, But It’s Bad For Your Feminism

But most of the attacks on these moms have been coming from other women. The stone-throwing radiates from all corners of the woman-centric blogosphere...So where’s their proof? How are they forming the opinion that these practices are oppressive or unsafe for women and children? Well, that’s the catch. Their opinions don’t actually seem to be based in any sound science or education on these topics. If they researched these practices, they might actually have to stop judging these mothers. 

Hillary Clinton Thanks 'Texts From Hillary' Guys For The 'LOLZ' 

In less than a week, the blog "Texts from Hillary" has become an online sensation, boosting Clinton's public image in the process. As Benjy Sarlin of TPM wrote, "When she was running for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton was parodied as drab and calculated, especially compared with young and vigorous Barack Obama and winking and fresh-faced Sarah Palin. Now, she’s fueling Internet jokes based on her own brand of badass cool."