I heard about this doco ages ago, but never got a chance to see it. Rikki Lake, traumatised b her first hospital birth, went on a journey to discover more about birth options, and after the homebirth of her second child, set out to make this film. It explains a lot of the issues with medicalised birth, and looks at alternatives.
I have just found it online, and it is worth 80 minutes of your time if you have an interest in these issues.
So it was a bit ugly, but whatever, Australia has a female Prime Minister. What next? An elected head of state? Outrageousness.
But I just had to stay up to see once more a really powerful bit of TV. I’ve been watching Glee for a few weeks, just because it’s on after Masterchef, and have become a bit engaged with the characters.
Kurt is gay, and his dad is super macho guy. Burt, Kurt’s dad, loves his son, but isn’t comfortable spending time with him in a meaningful way, and this has been difficult for Kurt. In this scene, Burt overhears another character using the word “Fag”, and takes serious issue. It is the most powerful expression of love and respect for his son that Burt is capable of, and very moving.
And even after all that, he still can’t hug his son.
Sleep tight everyone.
I’m against censorship. I’m against right wing nuts telling me how to parent my child. And I’m against paying for a stupid filter that any ten year old worth their salt can circumvent in ten minutes.
Spread the word.
When I married Mark, I decided to use his last name. Not because I was now his property, but because I was building a new phase of my life, and a name change seemed appropriate at the time. One factor that influenced my decision was that my family name (Connor), was not shared by my whole family.
My mum took my dads family name when they married, and then changed back to her own family name later on. Consequently, my attitude to “family” names was shaped by this – and my real family name should have been Connor-Young, or Young-Connor. So when this question came up, my decision was not to give up my name and take on one that belonged to somebody else, it was a choice to choose my own name, rather than having one imposed on me.
So I chose between my fathers name, and my husbands name. I could have made up something else, but this way I got to avoid a lot of paperwork. A adore my dad, and would hate for him to think that this decision was a rejection of him as it wasn’t. If I had a name that reflected my whole family, I might have made a different decision, but who knows. And this way, I get to use both names, legally, without too much hassle.
So I was interested to read this article about a recent study that examined attitudes towards women based on their choice to change their names after marriage or not.
Apparently, I am perceived as more caring, more dependent, less intelligent,more emotional, less competent, less ambitious. And less likely to get a job.
Great. At least I can still use my other name.
…why MARRIAGE is so important to people who are currently denied it, please read this.
Civil unions, relationship “recognition”, or civil partnerships, whatever words you want to use (without actually using the word marriage) don’t stack up, because a two tiered system of rights is open to abuse. Granted, this horrific case was probably made worse by the fact that the gentlemen were elderly, and the younger one had some cognitive impairment. Surely the very people that our society needs to protect.
Fe and I went to the protest yesterday, armed with our cameras. Fe was determined to stay impartial and professional, I thought I would try for as long as I could. But when one lone woman was surrounded with bile spewing rednecks, I had to take a stand and join her. Sarah, whoever you are, I thought you were very brave. Sarah said, “I wasn’t worried, the racists are most likely sexist too, and would never hit a woman”.
I was disgusted that the police had been close by when the refugee supporters found an APP supporter in their midst, but stayed away when the APP turned on Susan. I wondered if the police were truly as impartial as they are supposed to be, and I was still wondering when I snapped this picture.
Notice anything? The butt of his weapon?
The rest of my pictures are here.
Edited to add a link to Fe’s amazing pics.
And “John”, a Today Tonight poll is only going to reflect the ideas and aspirations of a not very educated group that get their opinions from “Today Tonight” and the Telegraph, etc. I won’t enter into an argument about the facts of immigration, but I would be happy to listen to your views once you have spent a month on a leaky boat, trying to save the lives of your children. Then we can talk about disadvantage, selfishness, and racism.
Sydney Morning Herald coverage here.
I got this in my inbox yesterday – and though I have serious reservations about taking Inigo to a protest that has the possibility of getting violent (not that I think this will, but I need to protect him), I really think it’s important to stand up for people who have no voice of their own.
Unfortunately Mark has to work tomorrow, so does anyone want to join me? Will be at Pearl Beach overnight with limited phone signal, so text me if you’re interested 
—————————————————————————
Please forward this rally to ALL people who would be concerned about the
far-right taunting asylum seekers, many of whom have fled war and persecution,
while they are locked behind the razor wire
UNITE AGAINST RACISM
Refugees are welcome – racism is not!
The Australian Protectionist Party have called a rally attacking refugee rights for this Sunday, April 11, at 3pm outside Villawood Detention Centre.
The APP are anti-refugee, anti-immigrant & racist. They letterbox leaflets that scapegoat Africans, Muslims & immigrants for crime, unemployment & other social problems. However, the major parties are also to blame – they have given a green light to racism, by also demonising refugees & using migrants as scapegoats.
Racism kills. Refugees are still being deported to their deaths. Attacks on international students and immigrants are increasing.
We need a peaceful show of support for refugee rights, for equality and justice – and to let all racists know that their hatred is not welcome.
Rally Sun April 11, 2pm
At Villawood Detention Centre
15 Birmingham Ave, Villawood (nr Leightonfield Stn)
Please forward this message, organise your friends, bring placards and banners in support of refugees and against racism.
Supported by: Refugee Action Coalition, Latin American Social Forum, Sudanese Human Rights Assoc, Social Justice Group, Socialist Alliance, Solidarity, Socialist Alternative, Resistance.
For information, to add your support, or if you have ideas for the rally, please phone Paul 0410 629 088 or James 0438 718 348
———— —-
The racist APP’s rally call:
I got this link in my inbox the other day. I rolled my eyes, and prepared to be bombarded with misinformation, and clicked the link.
And was amazed. Finally, a mainstream parenting website “telling it like it is” about baby feeding.
Go, read. If you’re interested, of course 
Oh, and a PS. Yesterday was my first headache free day without medication. I still feel like crap, but touch wood, I’m on the mend. Thanks for all the well wishes!
Inigo just pointed to a shape, and quite clearly said “parallelogram”.
Those of you that know Mark well will know that he has taken a personal mission to stop teaching young children that a parallelogram is a “diamond”. He has even gone so far as to take the letraset machine to some of Inigo’s baby books. And I can’t really talk, because I have re-labeled baby bottles from “milk” to “artificial baby milk”.
A new ad featuring Pamela Anderson dressed in a gold bikini, rubbing herself against another woman in an office environment, and being splashed with a white liquid has been taken off air. Crazy Domains (the company being advertised) managing director Gavin Collins said the ad was “tongue in cheek” and blamed feminist bloggers for stirring up complaints.
Because of course, it’s UN-AUSTRALIAN to complain about women being objectified.
SMH article here. Can’t wait to read the Hoyden on this one!
Link here.
It is common for women to believe that there will be a problem with their milk after a natural disaster, that the stress, or lack of adequate nutrition will make their milk “bad” or somehow unsuitable for their babies. In fact, the human body will provide milk for an infant even when the mother is malnourished.
And with the influx of foreign aid comes powdered infant formula (PIF, sometimes referred to as artificial baby milk or ABM), with the inference that this is better for the baby than what the mother is already providing.
And in a disaster, where there is a lack of clean water, giving a mother powdered infant formula often means she has to make it up with dirty water, leading not only to introducing infections to the infant, but by depriving her of breastmilk, she is also deprived of a natural defence against life threatening diseases.
In normal circumstances, breastfeeding needs to be protected. In a disaster, it is vital.
So the plan was to eat some cow. But I’ve stalled, due to the lack of a dining companion, and a restaurant that is open on a day when I have no child.
Mumu is Crows Nest used to be open on a Tuesday, I’m sure, but when I went there yesterday they were closed. Fe couldn’t make it, but promises to be with me next week. But now I can’t find a restaurant that sells grass/pasture fed beef and is open on a Tuesday.
Here is an article from the SMH about the differences in producing different bits of cow. In case anyone is interested in why I insist on grass fed cow.
Apparently, the Government White Paper on airline safety has been released, and apparently they have listened to the radical crazies like me that sent submissions supporting allowing knitting needles on planes.
What’s next? Making beating children illegal?
Article from Babycenter here. It is really great that the mainstream media is tackling this issue. According to a book I read (Nurture Shock), it’s not enough to expose your kids to people from different races, you have to talk to them about it. Kids in mixed race schools who haven’t had the conversation with their parents are more likely to join social groups comprised of kids of their own race, and will reinforce racial stereotypes and divides.
But if you talk to your kids about race, about how we are all the same, despite differences of skin colour and cultural practices. Stupidly, I thought that Inigo wouldn’t have the opportunity to grow up racist if he is surrounded by kids of many different ethnicities.
I suppose it’s not just one conversation, and we’ve got all that to look forward too.
The ABA has just released a new information leaflet about alcohol and breastmilk. Contrary to most of the information that is available to mothers (and often funded by formula companies that want to scare women into artificial feeding), this leaflet acknowledges that Australian women do like a drink, and gives guidelines for how to do it without harming your baby. For example, if you are a 75 Kg woman (I wish!), it takes 3hrs and 16 mins for two standard drinks to leave your bloodstream.
Not that I would ever encourage a woman to drink and feed – but you’re often better off doing that than drinking and giving artificail milk, and this information has been hidden for so long, this publication is a bit of a victory for common sense.
Cheers!*
*That is a virtual cheers from me – self imposed booze ban will be lifted over Christmas and New Year. Then we’ll check in with the liver and see how it’s coping!
Article here.
Apparently, living with constant psychological stress makes kids perform worse at school. Who knew?
From Hoyden About Town. Which, incidentally, everyone should read.
It makes you smarter.
Or does that only work on me?
Before friday, please click hereto send a submission to the senate about your support of same sex marriage.
Marriage is about the strength of your love, not your partner’s gender!
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