and the letters written in have not encouraged me in the slightest to vote for Obama. Will I vote for McCain, uh, NO, but will I be voting Green and pretty much walking away from the Democrat party- you bet. Why should I join you because you seem to think that your way is the only way? Women are not heard in this culture. Western or not. I'd rather move to a smaller party where I feel there is some chance that my needs will be represented and respected instead of dismissed out of hand.

That said, if Obama looks like he's going to lock down equal marriage, I might just vote for him for that one issue. Or vote for him next term if he makes headway in a positive direction. Just not sold on him now. *shrugs* and since I do vote, and live in America (and it's past 1920) that is my right.

"members of a progressive party that doesn't seem particularly interested in their progress."

Thank you :) I don't think it could be put more succinctly

and funny. I suppose you had to be gay to get it?

Racism is as important as sexism! How could any woman (regardless of culture) not think so? Anything that makes someone different and seen as 'other' should be an open talking point and you should listen to how people feel, and what their experience is. That's not placating, that's called relating. Not everyone's experience is the same- not even people with the same culture. What is so wrong about listening to someone else's point of view without trying to judge whether or not they have the right to have one?

She's not enough to make me vote for her husband :) but I do love seeing her- it makes my heart glad to see someone so obviously different out there in the mainstream. Gives me hope.

for giving us a voice

Half of this population has never had president that was of our gender- EVER. How is this fair representation? Would you be happy if you were part of a majority that never got represented because they were seen as less?

"shrill, nagging, hysterical, over-emotional, bitchy, emasculating" non of these are positive descriptors, and all were used to describe Hillary as an attempt to get people to see her as her negative woman stereotype and not as a person.

I most certainly do not deny racism. It's there every day, and I would have to be blind and cruel to say it doesn't exist. Why can't you have the same view towards sexism?

hm, we are being taught to call them clients instead of patients, and yet at the same time there is an element of martyrdom that is expected and encouraged in nursing (not sure about medicine, but I doubt the rules are much different) It's a weird combination that I haven't fully integrated.

I think word of mouth is the most honest way to build a business! Besides, any doctor who is willing to document the surgery and then hand it over to the patient (or who's insurance is willing to risk that) can work on my boobs any day. Can you imagine being the patient that walks out the door without one? Laugh, I mean, it's not like they could say, 'oh sorry, we ran out of disks' for every screw up.

and wonder if we (as women) will be able to shift our perceptions around enough for it to occur?

I only say that because yesterday I was writing a letter to another broadsheet article and used the pronoun 'his' twice in referring to the doctor. Now I'm married to a female clinical psychologist, & am in a female dominated profession- and my automatic choice for a pronoun for a doctor was 'him'?! I could not have been more angry at myself. We are 1/2 the population, which is not the majority, but it's one of the majorities. If we don't stand up for ourselves, really, who can we blame?

Hope to see more like this.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oh my god I just had the stupidest dream. Some self-absorbed whiner was getting paid to write articles for Salon.com.

-- Jason G."

...and then there were the self absorbed whiners who weren't getting paid :) If you have a story, by all means, write it up and submit it. If you're lucky, you'll get published- make 50 bucks and get showered by all the love, too. Almost sounds worth it, huh?

I personally don't want to die- the thought terrifies me, but aging *shrug* don't know, I seem to like it. I was never all that fond of being looked at like a piece of meat and now I'm too fat and too old :D it's all good. People see ME now. They actually look at me and see beyond their own plans for me. I consider it a beautiful gift.

That said- I am taking diet pills. How's that for hypocrisy?

My spouse on the other hand is devastated with turning 40. She wants eye surgery, botox, a boob lift- has already had labial surgery (to make them pretty- honestly, I'm not lying). It's ridiculous to me, because she's naturally beautiful. I find it laughable every time she starts on a rant, but I'm not her and not going through the loss of any identity I wanted to keep. It makes me sad though to watch her running a losing race. And yes, I do tell her she's beautiful- all the time- like most women she only believes the negative that comes out of my mouth and rarely the positive.

"Yeah, but the market that is avidly following these stories is like 95% female. It makes you sad, but one of the foundations of sexism is the enthusiastic female participation in and support for exactly that, warning and punishing other women for ambition and success (and promiscuity)."