Glenn Beck’s  rally which hijacked Martin Luther King’s speech anniversary – a fact which he called “divine providence” (the poor man doesn’t know how to read a calendar) – creates a convenient excuses for me to criticize something that has long been a peeve of mine: the way that people, especially conservatives, only talk about “returning to values” that arbitrarily privilege them.  (If certain obnoxious men hadn’t used this for centuries to explain why women should stay disempowered, it would bother me less.)       

Of course it’s obvious they would do this, I just want them to admit that their time-machine-trek might not be so great for everyone involved.  I, for instance, would hate to go all the way back to, say…2009 in Saudi Arabia, where I couldn’t vote, drive or leave the country.  I’d much prefer to step back to a nice village in Turkey 10,000 years ago when it seems women were at least equally empowered as men (Stanford Magazine said it, not me) and where, in all probability, we lived to ripe old ages.  Or take me to live with the Lakota (aka Sioux Indians).  I really like the way the teepee and everything else belonged to the women.  Of course I’d want to be there a few centuries before white people came and killed them off.  (more…)

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When Opinion Masquerades as “Science” (ahem, your cultural prejudices are showing)

I just read a book called Sex, Time and Power by Leonard Schlain ( http://www.sextimeandpower.com/). In it he tries to explain how women originally “talked” men into being monogamous. I was very disappointed because I quite liked the first half of the book which had some decent science in it. But this idea (about who initiated monogamy) has got to be one of the dumber things I have ever read. Although for the record, the author clearly isn’t stupid. He’s just sadly mistaken. (more…)

Here’s an article to forward to every creepy married man who hits on single women, if you want to save yourself some time and maybe some breath. I thought I may as well write it directly to them so they wouldn’t miss the point.

Married Men Who Hit on Single Women

Craigslist has a ridiculous number of this sort of ad in the “men seeking women” section:

“MWM (Married White Male) seeking attractive, fit, single mom to restore passion lost over the years. If you too are missing this dimension of life, please respond. Discretion a must.” (more…)

Dating tip: If you’re serious about seeing someone again, stay away from discussions about religion. Bashing another person’s belief system should really wait for at least the third date. (more…)