Not without my breasts & other opinions

[misscam]

Man, it's been so long since I got up in the middle of the night to write down story notes. *cuddles BSG* So This Heart Is not on Loan is now being slowly written, if I can finish all this PCT National Phase blah without overtime. I didn't realise how much I've missed being inspired until I got it back.

So half my flist has already talked about the stupidness of the Open Source Boobies Project. And yeah. (Also featured here.) Most sane things have already been said, so I'm just going to make three points:

1. Female empowerment is great. Totally smashing. But here's the thing, boys, it's not for you to decide what is empowering for women. No, really. Nor is empowerment something for you to grant and feel charitable about, like giving a dog a bone. Empowerment is something for you to take part in, as a member of the opposite but equal gender. Equality. It's not just a word you use to get laid.

2. I don't give a rat's ass what the woman was wearing - if she was dancing nude on rose petals it is still not and will never be consent. If she had her 'assets' on display (oh BARF use a more frakking stupid word why don't you) IT IS STILL NOT OKAY TO ASK TO TOUCH THEM. If she wears a short skirt, it's still not a standing invite to shagging. Because here's the thing, boys, what women wear aren't necessarily a statement to you. No, really.

3. I love men. I love to watch football with them, I love to talk to them, I love having them as friends, I love flirting with them, I love ogling them, I love shagging them. Mmm, men. But here's the thing, boys, you have zilch clue what the bloody ever of how much shit being a woman can entail. (It's a bit like being white, I don't really know what it's like to live with racism, even if I can get some ways by at least trying to understand.) In large parts of the world, women are treated less. We've come ways, but we got so long to go still. We get paid less. We get objectified more. We got centuries of not being able to even vote. We get blamed for having a sexuality. We get blamed for being raped. We get Bill Napoli. In short, it can suck to be a woman. Therefore, starting a compaign to essentially get breasts treated as public property with all the focus on how great this is for men? FAIL.

Meanwhile, I'm getting behind this - Open Source Women Back Each Other Up Program. Because dude, yes.

In other things I feel like opinionating about:

- How Norway's train service manages to continuing being made of more and more fail, I'll never know. Please to be fixing!

- Just read an interesting book called How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization. Loads of interetsing historical facts, and really, goes to show that history reflects itself not just in our actions, but our culture and sport too. Book has its flaws (argh, it's FOOTBALL) and I don't agree with even half, but it has some interesting observations.

- I love that the least effed-up couple in BSG is really Helo and Sharon, and she's a machine who was programmed to seduce him. Yet somehow, it works. I like them, even if I enjoy Adama/Roslin more. Mmm, new pairing!love.

- Conversation on the train:
misscam: I'm so sick of the American election and it hasn't even started.
CamMum: Yes. It's going to be murder before the Euro [the European equivalant of the World Cup] takes over.
misscam: Do you think if the world petitioned them, they'd have a media-less election?
CamMum: No.
misscam: You're right. We're going to have to invade FOX News and destroy their Wallowing of Mass Destruction.

- Oh Odin, are you kidding me? Now I don't dislike Paris Hilton as much as some, but the mere thought of that show existing make my brain sigh.

Comments

[amathela.livejournal.com]

I love that the least effed-up couple in BSG is really Helo and Sharon, and she's a machine who was programmed to seduce him.

Eee, my OTP! Also, GIP :)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

*points to icon* I got myself one too. Because they too are awesome.

[rivrea.livejournal.com]

Most sane things have already been said, so I'm just going to make three points:

And a big fat WORD to them all!

[silvery-lass.livejournal.com]

I love that the least effed-up couple in BSG is really Helo and Sharon, and she's a machine who was programmed to seduce him. Yet somehow, it works.

They are one of the reasons I continued watching the series, strangely it was also the reason I said I wouldn't watch it when I first heard about it.

[lafemmezilla.livejournal.com]

Helo and Sharon! They're my favorite couple too.

[starsong24.livejournal.com]

Um, to make an unpopular opinion...

...I saw the original post not long after it was posted, and it came across to me as a group of good friends having a discussion and being willing to, I dunno, open themselves up to each other. Sort of extending the kind of touching that already applies to arms and hands to other parts of the body. Not my piece of cake, sure, but if a group of good friends decide that's what they want to do, then that's their business.

I half-guessed there would be some disapproval, but nothing like on the scale there has been. I just went 'hmm, interesting' and passed on by.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

We're going to have to invade FOX News and destroy their Wallowing of Mass Destruction

PLEASE!

[elvenpiratelady.livejournal.com]

Open Source Boobies might be okay among close friends, but to total strangers? Hell no. Open Source Women Back Up Each Other is win, however. And on a totally different note, I sympathise with the train problems. *shoots Melbourne train system*

[tinwetari.livejournal.com]

I don't use this word very often (never in fact...), but Amen to the 3 points you made!

[adoraheatherly.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'm in the "don't touch my boobs unless I know you really, REALLY well" camp. Dude can say all he wants about this being an innocent thing, but I don't think I could deal with multiple people feeling me up like that, knowing that my main appeal to them in that moment has nothing to do with me as a person whatsoever. I don't necessarily think that everyone involved in this had bad intentions, but promoting this kind of attitude is just a very, very bad idea. Human beings simply aren't programmed with the ability to casually grope each other with no negative repercussions whatsoever.

To me, it's disrespectful, objectifying and highly invasive, no matter what justification a person may give for it.

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

It was voluntary. No one suddenly grabbed you, people walked up--if you were wearing a green consent badge--and said, "I think you are beautiful. May I touch you?" And you know, you could still say no.

The point is that although it can be construed as a really skeevy thing, that was exactly the opposite intention that those folks had. It was intended to be, "I think your body is beautiful, and I would like to get to know your mind", not "ooh look titties". Ferrett uses incredibly bad language to describe it, but that's what other participants have said.

Also, regarding the programming thing? Not always true. synedochic explains it far better than I could.