Apparently Being a Woman Means Always Being on a Diet

Watch Hot Fudge Sundae for Only in A Woman's World.

You'll laugh out loud when you watch this for the new series Only in a Woman's World.
View Now

After seeing the ad above, I was really pissed off. So, if we eat something that's delicious and decedent, it's understandable if we work out for four hours to counter the calories. Not only is it understandable, it's expected. I don't know about you, but if my friend told me that s/he worked out that long because they ate a sundae, I wouldn't find it understandable or humorous, I'd be concerned. The rest of the site seems to have the same message- women's #1 concern is their bodies and losing weight. The four characters bond over concerns about exercising and food consumption, but not in a way that emphasizes healthfulness, but rather with the motivation of being able to fit into a dress by Friday (as in webisode 9). I understand the website is for lower calorie snacks, so of course that is their emphasis, but I think the way it normalizes an unhealthy relationship with food is concerning. Food intake should not be the center of women's (or men's) lives, yet according to "A Woman's World," that is what being a woman entitles.

Mike Huckabee Discusses Abortion on the Daily Show

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mike Huckabee
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

A very respectful discussion on abortion by two people who quite obviously disagree. I was actually impressed by both of them, as abortion discussions are so often heated and each side demonized by the other. Jon Stewart did make a good point at the beginning, though: neither Jon Stewart nor Mike Huckabee will ever be in the situation of having to decide to get an abortion or not. I have always had an issue with men having huge opinions on abortion and wanting to limit reproductive rights. It's like straight people deciding on gay marriage-- it doesn't affect their personal rights, so why do they care? It just strikes me as majorly off. Anyway, I think this discussion really comes down to treating the fetus as a person and treating the woman as a person. But maybe I'm being too harsh...

Marriage is Overrated

I just read an article over at thefrisky about women not wanting to get married. As I mentioned in a previous post, I personally have never really felt a desire to don a white dress and walk down the aisle myself. I know I could do something less traditional or whatever, but the idea of having a wedding and being married really has just never appealed to me. Like the author of the article, I have encountered surprise when I tell people (especially family members) that I don't want to get married. I have been told that I'll grow out of it or that I haven't met the right person, but the gist is that I'll definately change my mind. On the other hand, I had someone once ask me if I wanted to end up alone. I don't think it's a phase and I don't think it's something to grow out of, and that line of thinking really irritates me. It assumes I don't know myself or my goals. It also assumes that my own conscious decision isn't valid and that I just don't know any better. Any time anyone brings up any of the previous statements, I feel like I'm a little kid who has just been told "you'll understand when you're older." I also don't believe not wanting to get married means I don't want a long-term partner. Marriage to me does not even necessarily equate love. I believe that when people fall in love, they should be able to find a relationship that works for them, but their options should certainly not be limited to marriage. To be honest, I don't know what form any of my future relationships will take. If it was really important to my partner, I would even concider getting married. But for me, marriage isn't important, and, despite what our wedding-obsessed culture would have us believe, there is nothing wrong with that.

Taking Care of Yourself Is Harder Than It Seems

The past few weeks I've been plagued with headaches (and the occasional migraine) almost every day (hence the lack of posting). Although I don't know what exactly is causing the headaches, I'm pretty sure at least one of the factors is stress- after all, I just graduated college, am job hunting and trying to find a place to live all at the same time. To be honest, I'm having a really hard time battling the stress. I know that exercising, eating well and taking time out for myself are all things I should be doing to keep balanced and healthy, but why is that so hard? I know I'm feeling the pressure (self-inflicted, mostly) to do it all at once: find a job, find an apartment and set up my post-college adult life. Clearly, however, the pressure is taking a toll on my health and well-being. How does one strike a balance between achieving one's goals and mentally and physically taking care of oneself? Is it ok to slacken standards? Being a perfectionist and wanting to be the best at everything are aspects of myself I've struggled with all of my life, and even though I'm aware of these tendencies I'm not sure how to effectively combat them. Perhaps I need to start being more conscious in my efforts to start reducing my stress and begin making that a priority in my life.

Empowerment: Awesome Friends Edition

Women are often portrayed in TV, magazines and celebrity gossip blogs as bitchy and conniving towards each other. Face it, America loves a good cat fight. We're encouraged to be competitive with one another over fashion, friendships, and, of course, men. I have to say I am so thankful that my life and the women in it don't reflect the TV screen. Yesterday I got to spend some time with some of the amazing women in my life, and it reminded me of how wonderful it is to have loving, supporting and fun people in my life. When things are going wrong, I know I can turn to them for advice or sympathy or an opportunity to rant. When something good happens, I know they will be there to congratulate and celebrate with me, and I can count on them to be excited for me. No one can do everything by themselves, and I am glad that I have found such amazing people to share my life with.

Spread of the DivaCup

My local grocery store, in addition to organic menstruation products, is now carrying DivaCups. I was surprised but totally thrilled. I've used a MoonCup now for the past 5 cycles or so and absolutely love it. Menstruation cups are not only better for the environment, by reducing the monthly waste pads and tampons create, but are also better for your body, since they do not absorb vaginal fluids, like tampons do. Menstrual cups are not as well known as disposable pads and tampons, but the more people are exposed to alternative medical products, whether because they know someone who uses them or by seeing them on the shelf in the grocery store, the more they will be normalized and, hopefully, used.