Jessica Valenti

Off to Arizona…

Jessica — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:23:27 +0000

If you’re in the area tomorrow night, I’m giving a talk and doing a screening of my film. Come say hello!

Great piece from Zerlina Maxwell (also of Feministing!) at The Grio on Trayvon Martin, victim blaming, and the “strategic manipulation of public perception” by the media.

Jessica — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:56:13 +0000

The thug-ification of Trayvon Martin: smear campaign distracts from the case

A must-read from Katha Pollitt.

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:55:08 +0000

Wisconsin GOP Legislators Go After Single Mothers

sparkamovement: If you are 17 or older, you can get Plan B without a prescription. If the pharmacist or pharmacy tech says you can’t, they are wrong. If you live in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Vermont, or Washington, pharmacists can…

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:09:54 +0000

fuck yeah sex education: PSA ON EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

Salt to the wound. Via.

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:33:49 +0000

VA wants you to pay for your unnecessary ultrasound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DApjHZq9o7M Rick Santorum presents the apocalypse.

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:22:54 +0000

Rick Santorum presents the apocalypse.

Reminder: Health care reform is good for women

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:09:27 +0000

Reminder: Health care reform is good for women

So it appears that there are a lot of WoC that were pretty put off about your tweet comparing the victim blaming of Trayvon Martin to the victim blaming of rape victims. I must admit that I am pretty nervous to confront a prominent feminist that I look up to greatly, but I will also have to admit that the comparison somewhat disappointed me. I don't disagree with you entirely – there are definitely parallels, but white feminists comparing their struggles to PoCs has always seemed inappropriate.

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:55:17 +0000

I’m unsure why you believe that victim-blaming in sexual assault is a “white” feminist issue – women who aren’t white, cis, straight are disportionately victim-blamed, but that’s a point for another conversation.

By tweeting that discussing Trayvon Martin’s possible marijuana use was as relevant as discussing whether a rape victim ever had a beer, I wasn’t conflating rape with Martin’s murder – I was making an analogy about victim-blaming. It’s a similar analogy that was made by many, many others re: blaming Trayvon for wearing a hoodie.

The point of the tweet was to point out the shamelessness with which the media is attempting to blame Trayvon Martin. Creating an analogy to make that point doesn’t shift focus away from Martin, or “compare struggles” – it highlights the ridiculousness and unjustness of the situation. I hope that clarifies the tweet a bit for you. Thanks for taking the time to ask.

wtfrepublicans: The entire email thread between a female Arizona constituent and Representative Jack

Jessica — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:06:03 +0000

wtfrepublicans:

The entire email thread between a female Arizona constituent and Representative Jack Harper. More here.

AZ Rep. Jack Harper calls a constituent a “baby killer” and tells her to “move back to China.”

Life = made.

Jessica — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:26:55 +0000

jillfilipovic:

So not to get all Tumblr-braggy (see what I did there?), but um THIS JUST HAPPENED.

This is the best moment of my life and I’m wearing oversized stained sweatpants.