"The Hipster Dilemma" followed by "The Hipster Solution"

     Hi. Sorry I've been a shitty blogger lately. I'm probably only apologizing to one person because no one ever reads this, but I do sincerely apologize to you, dude. One of my new years' resolutions is to actually blog at least once every two days. My life has just been a complete and utter mess lately but I'm gonna get back on track pretty soon, I promise. I feel like the new year is going to bring a lot of good things my way and hopefully that's reflected in my blog activity. Anyway, considering the fact that my life sucks right now, this blog entry might be a little weak, but I just like writing. Especially ranting. About stupid stuff that people say. Mwahaha.

     So, this is the thing, guys. This is basically the most important issue facing us kids in the 18-22 year-old range who have good taste in clothes and teas. This is the term that we fear. And, paradoxically, the term we cannot get away from.

HIPSTER. 

     Doesn't it just scare the shit out of you? Doesn't it make you quiver in your knitted wool scarves? Are you shivering in your studded Steve Madden combat boots and your stylishly nerdy Ray-Bans? Are you spilling your Jasmine infused green tea all over your courduroy half-gloves while you shake, listening to some band I don't even know the name of? You are. I am. We all are. Because it's terrifying. Let me tell you why.

     In case you don't know the definition of a hipster, here you go: A hipster is defined as a person who keeps up with all of the latest trends in clothes, music and entertainment. That seems harmless enough, right? It shouldn't bug anyone. But it does! People are incredibly offended by the idea of other people thinking of themselves as cool! It's hilarious, really. So, these people that hate hipsters have started to use the term "hipster" as an insult, which, let's face it, is why the term was created in the first place. When one of your friends (who is definitely cooler than you, by the way) brags and brags and brags to you about his new record player, you instantly think, "Fucking hipster." Of course you do! The guy is being a jerk-off! And adding the word hipster in there just makes the insult that much more effective. There are lots of asshole hipsters and there are lots of harmless, nice hipsters, just like in every other group of humans. Basketball players, retail salesmen, hairdressers, drug addicts, etc. It's not fair to think of all hipsters as inherently bad because a few are dumb. You wouldn't do that with any other group of people, would you? There are some good ones and some bad ones and that's just how it is. But a lot of people do see ALL hipsters as being pretentious and snobby and that's what makes us stylish, smart people so scared. We don't want to be seen as rude or cocky, we just like cool stuff and we like to hear about it first, okay? Calm down.

     It sucks to live in constant fear of this label. It sucks to live in constant fear of ANY label, for that matter. So, my solution for all of you nice people who listened to Crosby Stills & Nash before they were popular, is to not worry. If people are shallow enough to judge you on your beautiful owl jewelry or your many different toques, then you shouldn't have to care what they think. They're just jealous because you're an individual, dude. You know what you like and you know how to look good while doing it, and some people just can't handle that. So, walk with your half-shaved head held high and let the world know that you don't care. You're fabulous. Whether you're a woman or a man, short or tall, gay or straight, hipster or mediocre, Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. You're a person and you're my fellow person and I love you and everyone else should too. But I loved you before all of those other people; remember that. 

P.S. The food blog will start once I move out, which will be in January sometime. 

     

Long Time, No Blog.

     Well, hey there bloggin' friends. How goes? It's been a while! Sorry about that. Well, actually, I'm not sorry. I've had a lot of time to think about a lot of things, so I think this little break has been good. Plus I don't know if anyone actually reads this. But I'm back and I am into this stuff! So let's start, shall we?
     My life has changed a little since we last spoke. I am now unemployed and this didn't happen by choice. Yep, I'm a bum. And I hate it. I really, really hate it. But I'm job searching right now and it's going okay! I just have to be patient. I've also just joined a new choir and that makes me SO happy. It's such a refreshing atmosphere.
     So I have been thinking about a lot of stuff, but what I'm going to write about today, I actually just thought of, like, five minutes ago. My opinions and thoughts on this are super underdeveloped, so please don't judge me, I'm just thinking out loud over here.
     My best friend and I talk a lot about technology. It's amazing; the way we've progressed, the things we know now that we wouldn't have, the unbelievable connection between people all over the world, etc., etc. It's great and it opens up so many doors that wouldn't have been opened otherwise.
     Now, take a second and think of homeschooled kids. We all know a few and maybe you are a homeschooled kid yourself (Hi!). I really don't want to overgeneralize and offend and say that all homeschooled kids are "weird" because that's rude. I think there's definitely a ton of benefits that come from a homeschooled environment. You have an endless amount of class options, school only takes about three hours a day, you can wear your pyjamas 24 hours a day without judgement; overall, it sounds like a pretty sweet lifestyle! But we all know that if you are homeschooled, there is a disadvantage that is pretty common throughout the population: social skills. Many (not all) homeschooled children lack social skills. When faced with this fact, I think of all of the things I've learned throughout my thirteen years in school but not in class: wrong facts about sex at the age of eight, being exposed to the cruelty of some of my peers' parents, learning that it was cool to use bad language and all the rest of that fun stuff.  When I reflect on all of those things, I almost wish that I hadn't been exposed to so much social interaction. It made me really confused and I think it made me grow up a lot faster than I should have. But, it also made me the person I am today, and I think that having those experiences really shaped my worldview.
     So! Back to technology. This is the main reason why I wrote this post at all (sorry if it seems a little scattered). More than anything, I really wanted to ask what people think about this: Is it possible, in our day and age, for homeschooled children to become socially adept with such easy access to technology? There are SO many opportunities for communication and connection with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. Can these kids grow up being confined to their homes and still have the same kind of confusing, weird, uncomfortable experiences that I had in my public school days? I really hope so. I had never thought of this aspect of technology until today and I think it might end up being one of the most helpful. If these social media websites can bring these kids out of their shells, we might have a whole new, better, more free form of education to consider. Let me know what you think guys! Again, this is really underdeveloped, but I would absolutely love to hear your opinions and broaden my horizons.        Have a nice day!

P.S. I'll be starting a food blog soon! If you like yummy vegetarian eats, it might be right up your alley.
   

"I like to say stuff!" vs "I like to hate stuff and make you feel like shit!"

     It's late but I'm not tired so I thought I'd have a short, little rant.        (Probably not a very appealing way to start this post. My apologies.)
     Lately, I've been having a lot of issues with the subject of "free speech". Free speech is the right to say whatever you want. And that's pretty cool. Without free speech, I wouldn't be able to write this post right now. ILOVEFREESPEECHYAYAYA. But just like with any other right that humans posess, there is a certain responsibility that comes along with it. And this is what I'd like to talk about right now.
     A few people that I know reeeeally hurt my feelings with their take on free speech. These people, it seems to me, have forgotten their responsibilities when it comes to speaking their minds. I've seen a couple Facebook statuses speaking of a "utopian all-Caucasian Canada", the indecency of homosexuals and the roles that women "should" be playing in the bedroom and the kitchen. I even know of a person who thinks it's A-OK that she's a self-procclaimed facist. Woohoo, right? This is exactly what free speech is all about! Yeah!
     No.
     Not ever.
     There is so much I could say about all of the things listed above, but I feel as though it isn't even worth my time. If you're reading this blog, you probably already understand my belief system and you are probably just as apalled by those hurtful comments as I am. But, if anyone out there reading this agrees with the views listed above and likes to spread hate and treat their fellow humans like dirt and all that fun stuff, I vow to personally build you a time machine so you can go back to the good ol' days and be Hitler's roomie.
     It's things like this that I toss and turn over when I'm trying to sleep. How can people in this day and age, and in their right minds, think it's okay to say things like this? It scares the shit out of me. Yes, there's free speech. Yes, you should be able to say what you wish. But give me a break. This is downright disgusting. This is why we're not moving forward. This is why Mitt Romney is even an option. This is why the KKK still exists. This is why there's a Taliban. Hell, you might as well just spit in the faces of JFK, Martin Luther, Harriet Tubman, Gandhi, David Suzuki and every other good person in the universe.
     So, here. This is me exercising my right to free speech in response to those who use theirs so fleetingly and, in doing so, completely disregard any other human being that ever existed: You are a human. I am a human. Your grandmother is a human. Your neighbor four doors down is a human. That girl who wears a hijab in your English class is a human. That boy who hides his true feelings about who he's attracted to in fear of being hated is a human. YOU are a human. So, please, for the love of Darwin, push your hate aside, remember your responsibilities and show some damn respect.

   

The Definition of Activism: Malala Yousafzai.

     On October 9, Malala Yousafzai, an activist for the rights of women and education, was shot in the head and neck by a Taliban soldier on her way home from school. She's fifteen-years old.
     There's really nothing to say except that I'm absolutely amazed. I'm so amazed that someone so young can be so strong and ready to put her life on the line for something she believes in. I've talked about Greenpeace in the past and how all of the people on the Sea Shepherd are putting their lives in danger every day for something they believe in, and it's incredible! But these people are mostly middle-aged and they've had a lot of time to develop their ideas and prepare themselves for the consequences that may come as a result of their actions. And I definitely don't mean to belittle their actions by talking about their age. They're still doing amazing things and I will always commend them for that.
     But, Malala. She's fifteen! I personally don't know any fifteen-year old that knows exactly what she believes in and puts her whole being into that purpose. I honestly don't know any fifteen-year old that believes in anything 100%. She's barely had the time to develop her beliefs (I know this because I've barely had any time to develop mine), she's just doing what she knows is right and I can't think of anything more incredible than that.I can't believe the bravery and courage it must take her every day to wake up, knowing full well that she could be attacked at any moment, and still standing tall with her head held high, fighting her cause with everything she is.
     Malala is so strong and important and rebellious that the whole entirety of the Taliban can't handle her bravery. They were scared of this fifteen-year old girl. In their eyes, this little girl was winning and they had to eliminate her. She was winning! Can you believe that? She is so strong that she made the Taliban uncomfortable. Because of their fear, the Taliban has vowed that if she makes a recovery, they won't hesitate to kill her.
     I'm ashamed of myself. I know I have a lot of time to develop my beliefs, go to school and make a change, but I feel like that's not an excuse. Maybe Malala acted so soon in her life simply because she thought she didn't have much time. Or maybe she just loved school more than anything and felt that the opportunity of education for children in her country was more important than her safety. Either way, I'm ashamed of the fact that I live in Canada, said by many to be the safest place on Earth, and I haven't done anything. I haven't sacrificed anything. I haven't exercised my rights to free speech the way I should be, I haven't written Stephen Harper a letter telling him how thoroughly I despise him, I haven't protested in front of the Legislative Building to let them know how much I disagree with the lack of transparency in our government, and the list goes on. I feel that I'm taking advantage of my situation. Like, I'm just sitting here, complaining about everything and not taking any action. And I'm ashamed.
     I hate that it's taken something so drastic happening to someone so fragile for me to realize the action I need to take. Because of Malala, I vow to do more. I vow to do as much as I possibly can. I feel that I owe it to her to stand up for what I believe in.
     This post may not seem very structured or anything, but the reason I wrote it was to simply say: Thank you, Malala for your unbelievable sacrifice. I've never been more in awe of someone than I am of you right now. You understand what it means to follow your dreams and do what you believe in. Thank you for speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. Everyone should be more like you.

The Age-Old Question of the Chicken or the Egg.

     I think existentialism is one of the most interesting philosophical ideas I've come across so far in my searches for intellectual enlightenment. The whole concept of absurdism is especially fascinating. I don't have a really good grasp on it yet, but from what I gather it's basically the idea that life has no meaning unless you give it meaning. This also includes the idea of the "absurd" being, generally, the part of life that you cannot control. Anything can happen to any person at any time and there's nothing that anyone can do about it so you might as well enjoy every little thing as much as you possibly can. Now, I really don't want to get murdered by the script of lurking critics who look for kids like me to make fun of. My understanding is really limited. Limited to the works of Albert Camus and Wikipedia, in fact. But you've gotta start somewhere, right?
     I think I'm really interested in absurdism because I cannot handle not having a plan. It drives me absolutely crazy. The fact that there's a whole philosophy based on the fact that I can never have a plan and know full-well that it will work actually makes me insane. But that's a personal issue that I have to deal with and it is also not the reason I'm writing this post.
     A big part of existentialism (from what I've gathered so far) is human nature; whether or not humans are inherently good or bad. And not only this, but whether or not they're good or bad from birth or if society has shaped their personalities along the way.
     I've written this post simply to say that I cannot decide what I believe. I can't decide if I believe people are born a certain way or if they grow up acting the way they act because of their parents, teachers, financial situation, etc. I've written this post to say that the only thing I know for sure is that humans make lines.
     Yep. Lines. This might seem completely irrelevant and maybe I'm just off my rocker because it's late or because I'm listening to Radio 2 at night, but here's what happened to me: My sister and I went to the premiere of a movie recently (always a mistake) and obviously, the bathroom was packed after it was over. And we were standing in a line. There were probably about twenty people in this line. There was no one forcing them to be in the line. No police, no government, no parents, no special bathroom authority. Just people. Willingly standing there. In a big ol' line.
     I can say that I know for sure, 100%, that people eat with utensils because of social construct. My parents forcibly put that fork in my hand and I've been eating with it ever since. The same goes for using a toilet or brushing my hair. But what about standing in a line? Part of me feels that it could very well be another instance where because of external pressures, humans feel the need to be polite and wait their turns. But another part of me feels that it may be instinctual for people to need order to some degree, or that it may be instinctual to have a certain automatic respect for others. Needless to say, there will be those people who, without thinking, will shove their way to the front. But are these people acting that way because they grew up with a lack of authority? Or because they were born with a desire to be first?
     My line analogy may be a little weak, but feel free to think about it in a way that makes the most sense to you. Some people drive huge, planet-choking trucks while others choose to ride bikes. Some people choose to live with the bare necessities while others choose to start billion-dollar TNCs. Why? What causes the differences between these people? Are the reasons for their decisions internal or external? Are they even aware of either of these options, internal or external, one or the other or both, being the driving force behind their actions? Are you aware of why you act the way you do? Am I? I don't know. But it sure gets them brain wheels turnin', don't it?
   

Give & Live.

     One of the nicest people I know recently emailed me with a question. She had a paper to write and the topic was "living simply so that others may simply live". She wanted to know if I had anything to contribute. You might notice that in almost all of my posts you can find this sentence: "I had never considered/thought about this before." Well, here we go again. I had never thought about this before. The reason I'm writing this post is not to push my ideas down your throat or to force something upon you that you disagree with; I do that enough. This is simply for the sake of pondering what could be.
     This wonderful person gave me the example of giving up coffee so that you could donate the money you usually use to buy it. What a good idea! Many people deem coffee as a necessity, but there's other ways to have more energy. Something as simple as giving up coffee to be able to give your money, or even donating your own coffee to the food bank, could make someone else's life a little bit easier.
     I had to spend a few minutes trying to figure out what to say to her. Living simply so that others may simply live. Hmmmm. And then it hit me! Well, they hit me. Two things that fit into this category quite nicely, if I do say so myself: 1. Vegetarianism and 2. WWOOFing.
     Let's start with numero uno. This reason for vegetarianism might seem a little juvenile to those more experienced in the field, but I think it deserves just as much credit as any other reason. Giving up meat is easy. Yep, I said it. Last November I decided to stop eating meat one day and I did. Completely. It's really not as hard as it seems. If you are reading this and considering vegetarianism, I believe in you! So, let's say you give up meat. On average, you alone will be saving the lives of about 5,000 animals. That's a number averaged from a few websites, but still! Can you believe that? How incredible would it be if we could all save that many lives? So, only eating vegetables will let animals live. That's pretty cool, I think.
     And WWOOFing! For those of you who aren't familiar, WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. The deal is, you are a volunteer. You travel to a farm (which can be anywhere in the whole world, by the way), you help them and they give you food and a place to stay. My best friend is in Belgium right now and he recently WWOOFed. The farm he stayed at was permaculture oriented. I don't know too many details about the farm and I don't want to give any false information, but from what I gathered, the conditions were pretty basic. There was no running water and no heating whatsoever. But! Because my fantastic friend went and stayed with these people for a few weeks, he was able to help them insulate their roof for the winter. So, he gives up showers and toilets and warmth, but these people get to be a little bit warmer when the snow starts to fall. Isn't that nice?
     Again, this isn't meant to force you into caffeine withdrawals, vegetarianism or WWOOFing (if it does, though, I would not complain), it's simply to make you think a little more. What could you give up to make someone else's life better? And how much better would the world be as a whole if everyone thought about this topic for five minutes?

La Fleur.

     This blog post is not meant to be controversial. Well, it won't be controversial. For the first time in the history of my blog, I am going to write about something NICE. Something I find refreshing and wonderful. Take note, kids.
     This last Monday, I started a new job at an independent flower shop. My boss worked for four years in Fort McMurray so he could save up enough money to start the business and get married. Cute, right? He is one of the nicest, most accepting people I've ever met. He constantly says "thank you" whenever I do any kind of job even though I'm getting paid for it, which is really nice. It makes me feel appreciated. And he's cheery! He's just plain ol' kind and joyous. But he's not why I'm writing this post.
     Whilst cutting the ends off of some very pretty roses, I got to thinking about the flower industry, which is something I'd never really thought about before. Most of our flowers come from South America or Europe, which sucks because it's so far, and they probably use tons of pesticides, but I digress. After I passed over the ususal "why this sucks" tangent of my thought process, I started to really think about the use of the flower industry and I came to the realization that the only reason it exists is for the sole purpose of celebration. We, at the store, do arrangements for weddings, birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and "just because". Flowers make people feel awesome. There's no way that something so natural and beautiful wouldn't make people feel special or just plain happy. What's greater than an industry based on the happiness of people and the celebration of love and life?
     Needless to say, I love my job. I love that I am a part of something that makes people feel good. I love knowing that when I wake up in the morning, I will be making someone's life more enjoyable, even if it is in a really small way.

My Views on Feminism Part 3

     So! Today as I was reading the Edmonton Sun (big mistake), I stumbled upon something that caused me some pretty serious inner conflict. About half way through the paper, there was an article that took up the whole entire page called "Sex Trade Pioneers". This article was obviously about pioneers and the sex trade. And I'd like to explain to you why it made me feel sort of amazed and sort of like I wanted to hit myself in the face.
     First of all, here is a little overview. The article was about a U of A student who did an exhibit on pioneer women and the sex trade. The article, again, took up the whole page, and explained to the reader the importance of the sex trade in the 1800s. It gave examples of women who owned brothels, took pornographic images, defied the RCMP, got arrested and sometimes ended up killing police officers. It also explained how when Edmonton's last brothel was shut down in the 1880s, many people deemed Edmonton to be uninhabitable. At the very end of the article, the journalist states that the student created this exhibit so that people would rethink the dehumanization of sex trade workers today.
     I'd like to tell you what I liked about this article. It was about women.
     Now, I'd like to tell you what I didn't like about this article. EVERYTHING ELSE. To start with, the article is about the freaking sex trade. Being a feminist, and an angry one, I cannot tolerate any sort of objectification of women at any time for any reason. There are definitely more opportunities for jobs today than there were in the 1880s, which is why the sex trade should be crumbling, but back then, do you really think there were many options? These women in the article who were killing police officers to save their brothels were most likely running a brothel so they could stay alive. I don't care if you own a gas station or a museum, if someone comes in and tries to take away from you what you've created, it's obvious that you will defend what is rightfully yours. Without being able to go to school or vote or make any type of decision without a husband, these women were left to do the "only thing  they're good for anyway": sex. I'm absolutely sure that they did not purposely become vigilantes. They were just trying to make a living and this is what happened. Now, I'm sure that this is what the U of A student was trying to get across. That these women were people trying to make a living and that's why they deserve some respect. I'm sure she was trying to show the strength of these women. I believe that they were strong. But, for goodness sakes, can we talk about strong women that weren't being used as objects for the pleasure of men? Where are the first wave feminists in this exhibit? If we're trying to get people to stop dehumanizing sex trade workers, maybe we should try to get them to stop dehumanizing women first.
     As I mentioned, there were women in the 1880s that were beginning the first wave of feminism. Lucy Stone was the first woman in 1884 to change her wedding vows and get rid of the word "obey". There were so many women fighting for their equality. WHY ISN'T THIS ARTICLE ABOUT  THEM? Where is Lucy Stone in the Edmonton Sun? Sadly, Lucy Stone isn't there because equality doesn't sell. Sex sells. Sex sells so well, in fact, that there was a whole page devoted to these poor women of the sex trade. Do you know how disappointing it is that this is the first article I've ever read in the Edmonton Sun about a group of women? I guess the only way that we can get in the paper at all is if we're objects. "Oh, Lucy Stone wasn't topless when she changed her marriage vows? Sorry, we can't write about that." I know for a fact that if this probably very intelligent university student did an exhibit on suffrage instead, it wouldn't have taken up half a page. Frankly, I'm disgusted.
     If we continue to focus on our sexuality being the only thing we're good for, we will not go anywhere. We are now at a point where we, as women, can freely choose to exercise our sexuality or not, but these women were not there yet! Not even close! They had to sell their bodies and other womens' bodies to men to make a living without a husband. Why is this being celebrated?  Women have had to put up with objectification since the 1800s, I now know, and they definitely had to put up with it before then too. We are still putting up with it every single day. From the time we're old enough to understand sentences, our mothers have been telling us to never go anywhere alone, always bring a trusted (male) friend just in case, never go anywhere in the dark, etc. We are familiar with objectification. Every single girl has been dealing with it her whole life. Why are we still treating it like it's okay? Why are we glorifying the objectification of the past for everyone to see? Yes. It happened, we understand that. Let's move on and make things better.

To Greenpeace or Not to Greenpeace? That is the Question.

     I wanted to write about this a while ago, but it sort of slipped my mind. Here it is now, though!
     I was chatting with a very smart person one day about Greenpeace. If you read this, smart person, I know this may not be your opinion now but I found it really interesting at the time so I'd like to offer it up to my peeps as something to think about. I hope that's okay!
     This very smart person said to me that he was "done with Greenpeace". Now, I've wanted to work for Greenpeace since I was eight, so I have to say, I was a little taken aback by this comment. When I asked him why, he said that because of things like Whale Wars and Seal Wars and their constant attack on North American oil, they're missing out on other opportunites to be activists. He said that because they draw so much attention to North American oil, they aren't at all paying attention to Middle Eastern oil. My smart friend thought that Greenpeace was too worried about being glamorous and not worried enough about being engaged in everything they could be.
     I had never considered this point of view before and found it completely fascinating, to be honest with you. I never really looked past the green, peaceful face of Greenpeace. Maybe he was right. Maybe they weren't doing as much as they should be doing. And it got me to thinking about what they could be doing instead and this is what I came up with:
     Greenpeace could be a worldwide social agitator. They could be on top of every wrong-doing across the globe: every oil spill, every Occupy protest, every clear cut, every styrofoam cup thrown out a window, etc. And this would be fantastic! It would be incredibly helpful in the fight for our right to live on a healthy, happy planet.
     Greenpeace doesn't have enough people for this. Sadly, there are not enough people who care and who are willing to be at every single tossing-of-a-cigarette-butt incident. But, the people at Greenpeace are doing what they can with the resources that they have. AND THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING.
     Even though I see my smart friend's point, here is why I am still on the Greenpeace train:
1. Without TV shows like Whale Wars and Seal Wars, thousands of people wouldn't even have known that things like that were taking place.
2. I know that everything with a camera seems like a hoax, but personally, I would not be on a ship on the coast of Antarctica saving whales' asses if I didn't care about it with all of my heart and soul. These people are hardcore.
3. Greenpeace is confronting AN oil crisis. Not all oil crises, but they are making people aware of part of the industry that will ultimately be our demise and I think that's a pretty big dealio.
4. Greenpeace is a not-for-profit organization. My strong, womanly instincts tell me that this cannot be a bad thing.
5. Greenpeace is the most well-known, most fricking inspiring activist group ever. If you are not inspired by a group of people who may live in poverty on purpose just for the sake of helping YOU live freely on your Earth, I don't know what to say.
6. Greenpeace may not be protesting and boycotting everything, but    THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING. I cannot say that enough. I can't help but think that the fact that they are out there in the public eye doing something so amazing and helpful makes others want to be helpful too. Maybe not to the same degree of crazy, but maybe they'll stop eating meat. Maybe they'll start riding their bike to school. Maybe they'll stop going to zoos.
     We, as a whole, need organizations like Greenpeace to remind us of what's important.
   

Is Being Normal Okay?

     I was talking to a good friend a few days ago about social norms. It's funny how simple everything seems until you question or ponder why it is so socially acceptable to do certain things in the first place. I brought up the idea of having one bathroom for both genders in every public setting. If you can imagine this (it IS a little odd, I'll admit), you might feel that if this were socially acceptable since the time you were born, you might not be as scared of, or as unfamiliar with, the other gender as you are now. You may feel that this situation might be unsafe, but remember, everyone would be completely accustomed to it. I can't help but feel that this might encourage a certain type of equality and brotherhood. I know personally that I would be less scared of one on one confrontations with men (I should not be scared of men, but that's a conversation for another day).
     I also brought up the idea of raising children based on gender. It seems completely normal to most parents that if they have a son, he should wear pants and play with cars and like the color blue. But who's to say that this is what the child wants? I recently listened to a radio show on gender stereotyping in young children and how harmful it can be to them in the future, especially if they turn out to be homosexual or transgender. On the show, a couple was interviewed because of the way they chose to raise their children. They have a son who chooses to wear pink, chooses to wear dresses and chooses to keep his hair fairly long. Their son identifies himself as a boy, but chooses to present himself as more "girly", some might say. The parents are completely accepting of this young boy. Can you imagine how easily confidence would come if you grew up knowing exactly who you were, you didn't have to deal with any external pressures and your parents supported this?
     When things as normal as these are questioned, we see that maybe they shouldn't be so normal at all.
     After talking with my friend, I began to think more about social norms and one popped into my head that I've thought about a few times before: the concept of having pets. I know most people who have pets are self-proclaimed "animal lovers" and would do anything for their pet, but is the idea of owning another living thing natural? I've never known of another species that takes an infant animal away from its family and raises it according to the rules of the owner species. My family has two dogs, a cat and my best friend and I share three fish. I love all of these animals very dearly and I feel that we give them a good life. BUT, there's a part of me that feels I'm doing something wrong. Every "animal lover" has had to deal with their beloved pet shitting on the carpet. This animal has no idea that they did something wrong. If they were free to be an animal instead of a pet, they could relieve themselves wherever they wanted. But no, they belong to this animal lover and although the pet is completely clueless as to why a carpet even matters, they are punished. They are punished by their owner based on human standards. Yeah, if a person pooped on my carpet, they should know that's wrong. But a dog? I'm sorry, but there's just something about having that type of control over another living species that seems corrupt. As humans, the only species who can think and question (so far), I feel we have a responsibility to look after our more vulnerable fellow animals and protect them from harm, not willingly inflict it.
     I don't plan on having children, but now that I realize gender stereotyping in children is harmful, I'll be sure to let them be who they are meant to be if they ever happen to grace me with their presence. I'm keeping my fish, but I'm aware that now I might not have made the right decision. I know that after my little marine buddies pass, I won't be acquiring another pet. I hope this caused you to think about your own actions and maybe to question some social norms that shouldn't be so norm...al.

My Views on Feminism Part 2

     The last time I wrote about feminism, I was very angry. I'm still very angry. But the more I read and the more I talk about feminism, the better I feel.
     I'm reading a book right now called "Manifesta" by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards. The second I started reading this book, I was even more proud to call myself a feminist. In  "Manifesta", these women start off with talking about what feminism is and what feminism isn't, and that's what I'd like to talk about today.
     "In the most basic sense, feminism is exactly what the dictionary says it is: the movement for social, political and economic equality of men and women." Now, to me, it seems that with this being the definition, every single person in the world should be completely gung-ho for feminism. The problem is that a lot of the time, feminism is defined incorrectly. For example: "Feminists encourage women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, become lesbians, and destroy capitalism." I can tell you right now if that's what I thought feminism was, I would be slightly less interested in the idea. Because feminists are seen as radicals in society, no one can relate to them and the idea becomes less and less desirable. We have to realize though, that the man who said this is not wrong, he's just over-exaggerating and THAT is what makes feminism unrelatable; the idea that all feminists are crazy. I dare you to tell me that you don't know one woman who is unhappy with her husband, a woman that feels she isn't fit to be a mother, a woman who disagrees with the socially acceptable tradition of being a god-fearing Christian, a woman who is confused about her sexuality or simply likes to kiss other women, or a woman who disagrees with the corrupt system that kicked her out of her house in 2008. Every one of those situations is relatable. Feminism includes every woman who has issues with society and her place in it. "In reality, feminism wants you to be whoever you are-but with a political consciousness. And vice versa: you want to be a feminist because you want to be exactly who you are." That's it.
     Before I really immersed myself into the world of feminism, I was scared of it. I was scared of it because I had been taught that feminism wasn't normal. I'm ashamed to say it, but for a long time I thought every feminist was a lesbian. I am not a lesbian. I am attracted to women, yes. Perhaps this is because of the way I was exposed to the bodies of women by boys my age when I was growing up, or maybe it's just the way I am. Either way, I am still attracted to men and I feel that there is nothing wrong with this because I am free to be who I am. It's important to recognize how harmful labels are when we speak of things like feminism, communism, anarchism, or lesbianism. There's a spectrum and seeing past what society wants you to see is incredibly important in the growth of ideas and the growth of people.
     The reason that I believed that feminism was abnormal and bad was because that's exactly what society wanted me to think. I was scared of feminism because society is scared of feminism. Society is scared of a woman who doesn't shave her armpits and refuses to wear make up and is comfortable with being fat and has something to say to men who stare at her body. This is a feminist, but this is not the only type of feminism. THERE IS A SPECTRUM. If you are a woman and you have a job, you are a feminist. If you are a man and you love your partner because she is confident, comfortable with herself and REAL, you are a feminist. If you are a woman and keep your last name when you get married, you are a feminist. If you believe that both sexes should have the right to adopt a child, whether they are a single woman, man, or homosexual couple, you are a feminist. If you understand that you have the right to say "no" to sex when you don't want it, you are a feminist.
     Many people, women and men, believe that feminism will never get past the point that it's at now. The only reason feminism will become stagnant is because of people who say it will. The only thing holding feminism back is the denial of feminism. If you are a man or a woman and you believe in equality, free yourself from society's expectations, be a freaking feminist and be proud of it.
   
   

What Improved Your Life Today?

     I've kind of been on an animal rights kick for a while, so I think it's about time to switch it up.
     When I woke up this morning, the Marilyn Denis Show was on TV and the theme was "Great Sex for Life". Now, if that doesn't catch your attention, I don't know what will. The show highlighted the importance of making time for sex, being comfortable and communicating with your partner and the animal instinct behind human sexuality. There were at least 200 women in the studio audience soaking up this information and probably millions more watching at home. Every single one of those women, or men, were learning how to improve their sex lives. I'm going to make a brave assumption that at least 75% of these people, after watching this show, either had sex or talked about having sex. And perhaps, with their new-found knowledge, they have become happier because of it.
     The media has a very powerful way of influencing the way people think and live. Hitler used the media extremely well during WWII and successfully created an army of people who agreed with exactly what he wanted them to. This type of power over the minds of citizens can be very scary but it can also be very beneficial to society if it is used correctly. To go back to my first example, hundreds of people are going to have sex today because of Marilyn Denis and they will probably be happier. This will improve the atmosphere of homes, workplaces, coffee shops, etc. And this will, by proxy, make many other people just as happy. Now imagine that Marilyn Denis has a show on composting. She provides facts about the amount of waste that is saved, the gardening benefits and the fantastic impact it has on our environment. 75% of people go home and talk about composting or, if they're feeling daring, they give it a try. Now the waste in landfills is reduced and society becomes better for everyone.
     There is so much access to so much information in our day and age. The media has opened doors for all kinds of change and progress. My friend writes a blog on anarchism and has gotten some criticism for it, but the fact that the people criticizing are thinking and learning is what matters. As long as information is readily available at the fingertips of the population, things will always be growing and changing and I believe that because of this, society will continue to improve day by day.

Moonlight and Piglets.

     I'm in the middle of a book called "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer. Judging by the title, I thought this book would be a case for vegetarianism. Foer denies this at the beginning of the book saying that it is simply a book on factory farming. When a person who is the least bit educated on the process hears the words "factory farm", a shudder due to unpleasant thoughts and guilt is not uncommon. Though there are many important educational points in this book that highlight cruelty and pain inflicted on farmed animals, these are not the parts that affect me the most. Foer does spend plenty of time talking about the way we treat animals but he also talks a fair amount about the beauty of animals. Learning about the way animals interact, play and live with each other makes me never want to eat meat again. We are so much more like animals than unlike them. Now that I have this knowledge, I can appreciate the life of the planet without feeling guilt or shame. Because I am a vegetarian, I can live side by side with any animal knowing that I am doing my part in preserving its existence.
     If you are a vegetarian, I promise you will love all of these fun facts! If you aren't a vegetarian...you'll still love them!
     In the second chapter of his book, Foer describes seahorses. Seahorses like to swim in pairs with their tails linked together, just as humans like to hold hands. They also commit their seahorse lovin' to only one other seahorse for the entireity of their lives. They have this in common with penguins and some humans. Seahorses also prefer to mate under full moons and are said, by Foer, "[to make] musical sounds while doing so". I had never before considered the majestically romantic lives of seahorses. It's amazing how easy it is to relate to these skeletal beings even though we seem so far apart. Seahorses are one of the species that end up as bycatch while trawling for shrimp.
     Further on in the book, Foer writes about pigs. Sadly, when many people think about pigs, they think about bacon and ham. Pigs are proven to be as smart or smarter than the average dog. Because of this, pigs seem to have pretty strong learning capabilities; they can learn to do things like sniff out truffles in densely forested areas. Pigs prefer to sleep communally! So cute! Pigs' social lives are one of the most important factors in their overall happiness. Foer relates the importance of pigs' companionship with other pigs to the importance of children having friends in school. Speaking of which, pigs are the closest to humans genetically and because of this, it is not uncommon for small children to be drawn to piglets.
     Animal intelligence is highly underappreciated and underrated. Here are some more examples: a lot of people see rats as dirty vermin, but not many people know that lab rats, when faced with the choice, would rather unlock a fellow rat's cage than be given a treat. Also, it is said by many biologists that whales may be more intelligent than humans and that they have a family culture with their species that runs so deep, humans cannot even begin to fathom it.
     So, my veggie friends, the next time you bite into that hot dog-shaped soy weiner, do it proudly and know that you're having an incredibly positive impact on animal life. And to my omnivorous pals, before you take another piece of bacon, please just stop and think.
     If anyone finds any other awesome animal facts, please comment! Also, please read "Eating Animals". You will not regret it!

Veggies, veggies, veggies.

     In Grade 11 English, my classmates and I were assigned a research project that included giving a five minute speech. I was terrified at the idea of this and that definitely showed when I took to the front of the classroom. My stage fright aside, many of my classmates handled the situation extremely well. One of these well-versed young people did a crazy sales pitch on becoming a vegetarian. He was so passionate and educated on the subject that he actually convinced a few people in the class to give it a try. This handsome, young man is now my best friend and a mere ten months ago, he convinced me that being a vegetarian is the right thing to do.
     Now, my friend's main reasons for being vegetarian, which he highlighted in his speech, are more environmental/economic and have to do largely with sustainability which I totally understand and admire. One of his points that really stuck with me is this: 13% of overall pollution comes from every type of transportation; cars, trains, planes, busses, you name it. 18% of overall pollution is caused by factory farming and the food industry. I began my vegetarianism with these facts and statistics about the environment from my dear friend and they served as a fantastic foundation for my journey through this lifestyle. After learning about this aspect of vegetarianism, I began to do some research on my own to find more reasons to stick with it.
     An anthropologist named Dr. Richard Leakey was quoted on PETA's website as saying, "You can't tear flesh by hand, you can't tear hide by hand. Our anterior teeth are not suited for tearing flesh or hide." Many biologists and anthropologists agree that, physically, humans are not built for the consumption of meat. Factors such as the pH of our stomach acid, having no claws to kill with and the existence of flat molars in the back of our mouths give us the impression that humans are naturally herbivorous.
     Along with these physical deficiencies comes the simple psychological reasoning as to why we should not eat meat.When the average person walks into a McDonald's to order a Big Mac meal, she is not imagining tearing apart a cow limb from limb with her bare hands and gnawing on some raw flesh. No, she is envisioning a burger. Plain and simple. Humans do not have the urge to mercilessly slaughter, so why do we accept meat (murdered animals) so lightly in our every day lives? Because we are completely detached to the reality of where this meat is coming from. The children's book "Vegan is Love" by Ruby Roth is under intense scrutiny due to its "graphic" depiction of the reality of eating animals. The book includes images of animals in crowded cages and explains to children the crimes that are being committed against many friendly species. Critics are arguing that the book is too scary for children. In an interview with "Today", Ruby Roth was quoted as saying, "If it's too scary to talk about, the reality of where those pieces of meat come from, then it's definitely too scary to eat."
     There is always more to say about this topic and I will definitely be saying more about it in the future. Through my ten months of this new lifestyle, I've learned so much about vegetarianism and I continue to learn more each day. What it comes down to for me, personally, is the fact that I am no different than a pig, a whale, a monkey, a calf, a sheep, a dog or a cat. These things are also no different than each other and they are no different than you. We are all species and no one species should see themselves as better than any other.
     That's the beginnings of my info/opinion on the subject. I'd love to hear what you have to say!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/vegan-is-love-book_n_1441699.html

http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/the-natural-human-diet.aspx

My Views On Feminism Part 1

Feminism has become incredibly important in my life in this past year. For a long time, the fact that I was a female never really meant all that much. It wasn't until about half of the way through middle school that I realized what was expected of me and the other girls my age now that my peers and I were past the childish egalitarianism of our pre-pubescent stage. I was expected to be thin. I was expected to be tall. I was expected to have a certain breast size. I was expected to show these things off to men. And, worst of all, I was expected to accept that "that's just the way it is".

     As highlighted by Naomi Wolf in her devastatingly wonderful book "The Beauty Myth", young girls go through their most important stage of development, the stage in which they are meant to find themselves intellectually and sexually, continuously thinking about how appealing their looks are to the opposite sex. This is not the fault of men, but the fault of capitalistic evil that pounces on young womens' insecurities. Women are overwhelmingly bombarded with a steady onslaught of female objectification that makes them feel as though they are insignificant in comparison. Once young girls hit this very confusing stage in their lives, they no longer think that the woman on that magazine in the grocery store is pretty. They despise her because she is the "ideal" and they are not. These young girls now understand that this is supposedly what appeals to men and if they do not look like this, they have failed. This is what leads these girls to believe that they need to buy the products that this woman uses because if they do, they will be that much closer . Advertisers are manipulating these innocent young women because of their sickening profit motive.

     It's completely heartbreaking that this time, so integral to a girls' thorough development as a person, is spent hating, envying and wanting. Where is the time for happiness and contentment when the stress and worry of not being good enough takes precedence? Girls are being cheated out of their happiness and intelligence because of the external pressures put on them by society to look a certain way.

     I should be able to eat ice cream whenever I want to and not feel guilty about it. I should be able to exercise daily because I like it, not because of how I want my body to look. I should be able to admire my fellow women and rejoice in their beauty and excellence without feeling even a hint of jealousy. This society is not built for women to be seen as equals but that doesn't mean it can't be.