My New Blog, Where To Find Me, And How To Contact Me

If you read this blog or if you liked this blog, when it was alive, then I think you’ll like my new blog.
Check out my new blog: Forwrrrd
Forwrrrd is an activism, DIY, equal rights, feminism, human rights, riot grrrl, and women’s rights blog. If anybody wants to contribute something to the blog, email me: grrrlsvomitcandy@hotmail.com with the subject “blog” or “contribute”. Contributions must be activism, diy, equal rights, feminism, human rights, riot grrrl, and/or women’s rights focused. Any and all contributions will be appreciated and credited. Thanks!

Here are some websites I can be found on:
Riot Grrrl Online Website (RGO) link #1 or RGO link #2 or RGO link #3
Riot Grrrl Online News/Updates Page
Riot Grrrl Online Forum
Riot Grrrl Online Social Network
Free @riotgrrrl.co.uk Email Address
Riot Grrrl Chat
Riot Grrrl Online Updates and Other Riot Grrrl/Feminism Stuff
Riot Grrrl Online LiveJournal Community
Riot Grrrl Online Last.fm Group
Riot Grrrl Online on Myspace
Riot Grrrl Online Group on Myspace
Riot Grrrl Online Mailing List
Riot Grrrl Online on MyBlogLog

Here are some social networks I can be found on:
Care2
Delicious
DeviantArt
Digg
Last.fm
LiveJournal
Myspace
TakingItGlobal
Technorati
Twitter
Wikipedia
Windows Live Spaces

You can also email me, but just remove the NOSPAM part of the email address.

Feel free to email me: links, riot grrrl chapters, information, articles, submissions, contributions, etc. for the Riot Grrrl Online website or for the Forwrrrd Blog. Thanks!

Changing Hearts And Minds On Gay Marriage

Changing Hearts and Minds on Gay Marriage

This story comes from Alternet.
Young activists are trying to reach out to conservative voters.

A famous Chinese proverb teaches that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

For Meg Sneed, a 25-year-old Arizona lesbian, journeys to change a thousand hearts begin with a single thought: There’s power in sharing personal stories.

In 2006, she and other young activists in Soulforce, a gay-rights group devoted to the kind of peaceful confrontation practiced by Gandhi and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, traveled eight weeks by bus to evangelical colleges to share what it’s like to be gay.

The next year, Sneed, who was fighting cancer, was weak from chemotherapy but walked 60 miles to help raise money for breast cancer research.

Now, with her home state set to vote on banning same-sex couples from marrying, Sneed is back on the move: Starting Aug. 8, she and other young Soulforce activists will walk 96 miles to the state capitol to share touching accounts of how the amendment would hurt real people.

She picked 96 miles for the six-day trek through egg-frying heat because that’s the number of years gay Arizonans haven’t had equal rights. (Arizona became a state in 1912.)

“Walking 96 miles,” Sneed says of her bold adventure, “is nothing compared to a gay or lesbian person being told they can’t see their partner in their dying moments at a hospital because they don’t have full marriage rights.”

Unable To ‘Express’ Any ‘Straight Talk,’ McCain Stumbles Over Viagra, Birth Control Question

The following news story was taken from here.

Unable to ‘Express’ Any ‘Straight Talk,’ McCain Stumbles Over Viagra, Birth Control Question

Thursday July 10, 2008
John McCain’s Straight Talk Express stalled yesterday when a reporter asked him about insurance companies that cover Viagra but not birth control. The Republican presidential candidate refused to give a straight answer. The exchange, which happened aboard McCain’s famously-named campaign bus, can be seen at MSNBC.com.

Also on that bus – according to the Associated Press – was Carly Fiorina, a McCain supporter and trusted female advisor, sitting just a few seats away:

The former Hewlett-Packard chief executive, discussing consumer-driven health insurance, mentioned something “I’ve been hearing a lot about from women: There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won’t cover birth-control medication. Those women would like a choice.”

Women voters have another choice, and it’s spelled O-B-A-M-A.
Time for McCain to go back to the books and learn the alternate meanings of the word ‘express.’ Because he’s not doing a very good job of expressing himself, or impressing those of us who believe that BC (birth control) is as important an issue as ED (erectile dysfunction). If he doesn’t follow up with any real straight talk on his position, as far as we’re concerned he and his bus are on the road to nowhere.

Pakistan: Abolish the Death Penalty

Pakistan: Abolish the Death Penalty
Immediate Moratorium Should Precede Abolition

(New York, June 17, 2008) – The newly elected government in Pakistan should abolish the death penalty, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani.

Until the death penalty is abolished by an act of Parliament, Pakistan should announce an immediate moratorium while the government establishes a commission to review the application of the death penalty, the offenses for which it can be applied, and implements reforms to ensure that international fair trial standards are met.

Human Rights Watch stated in its letter that crimes carrying the death penalty have significantly increased in recent years under the government of Pervez Musharraf, resulting in a much higher number of death sentences and executions. Out of the more than 31,400 convicts in the country, nearly a quarter – more than 7,000 individuals, including almost 40 women – have been sentenced to death, and are either involved in lengthy appeals processes or awaiting execution. In 2007, 309 prisoners were sentenced to death and 134 were hanged. Most of those sentenced to death are poor and illiterate. Some face discrimination as members of religious minority communities. Many were held without due process of law and faced trials that did not meet international fair trial standards.

“The number of persons sentenced to death and executed every year in Pakistan is among the highest in the world,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “If the new government is really interested in justice, it would end this unacceptable state of affairs.”

Human Rights Watch said that torture is endemic in Pakistan and can lead to wrongful convictions and the execution of innocent people. Lawyers and human rights activists believe that there are many cases where the person executed was innocent or where capital punishment was used to settle political scores.

Human Rights Watch also expressed concern at the use of the death penalty by special courts like the anti-terrorism, narcotics and military courts, all of which fail to deliver fair trials, not least because these courts are not independent of the executive.

So long as the death penalty remains in force, Human Rights Watch urged the Pakistani government to ensure reforms are put in place before any death sentence is handed down or carried out. These include ensuring that defendants in death penalty cases have prompt access to competent counsel; that torture and other ill-treatment is not used to obtain confessions or evidence; and that all trials meet international fair trial standards and other relevant provisions of Pakistani and international law.

“There are serious weaknesses in the legal system that lead to unjust executions,” said Adams. “The new government should place reform at the center of its agenda.”

On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution by a wide margin calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions. In September 2008, the General Assembly will reopen discussion on the death penalty.

“The new Pakistani government can distinguish itself from Pervez Musharraf’s military rule by telling the General Assembly in September that it has put a stop to the death penalty,” said Adams.

Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances because it is a punishment of an inherently cruel, inhuman and final nature.

This story can be found here.

New UN-Built Safe House To Boost Assistance For Abused Girls And Women

New UN-built Safe House To Boost Assistance For Abused Girls and Women
13 June 2008 | UNMIL | PR 55

Monrovia, Liberia – A new safe house, built by the United Nations Mission in Liberia, (UNMIL) for survivors and victims of sexual and gender-based violence has been handed over to the Liberian non-governmental organisation, THINK, (Touching Humanity In Need of Kindness).

The safe houses, which are also supported by the UN Children’s agency, UNICEF, are run by THINK.

“Safe houses provide a very important service to survivors. And sexual and gender-based violence, especially rape, must be stopped if Liberia is to develop fully,” said the UN Envoy in Liberia, Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj, as she handed over the keys of the completed US$24,000-project to the Executive Director of THINK, Ms. Rosana Schaack.

“Any woman or girl who falls victim to this sort of violence, especially rape, is really having her possibilities for contributing to society greatly diminished,” the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, SRSG, added, as she called for a greater involvement of elders and community leaders in preventing violence against women.

The Deputy Minister of Health for Administration, Ms. Vivian Cheru, thanked UNMIL for providing funds for the construction of the new safe house and commended THINK for their work in assisting abused and battered women and children. “Our gathering is very very important because rape has increased in our society so we definitely need more safe houses,” she noted.

This story can be found here.

U.K. Anti-Choice Activism Embraces U.S. Tactics

U.K. Anti-Choice Activism Embraces U.S. Tactics
Run Date: 06/01/08
By Laura J. Winter
WeNews correspondent

A loss by Britain’s Labour Party earlier this month is emboldening anti-choice activists to study their U.S. counterparts’ playbook in earnest. They hope to make abortion a major issue in the next general election.

LONDON (WOMENSENEWS)–Less than 48 hours after Labour’s parliamentary majority voted May 20 to reject amendments that would have reduced the 24-week time limit for a woman to receive an abortion in Britain, the party suffered a stunning political defeat by losing a seat in their majority.

Following the political playbook of U.S. counterparts, anti-choice activists took it as a sign they could ratchet up the relatively low-key issue of abortion in the next general election, which must be called sometime in the next two years.

This story was taken from Women’s eNews and you can read more of this story here.

Thyroid Problems

Since the end of March, when I had my UTI (urinary tract infection) and went to the hospital because it was so bad, They ran all kinds of tests on me. They seen something in my thyroid. (The thyroid is located in your neck.) They couldn’t tell much about it because I was there for a UTI and not for my thyroid. I’m just 25 years old and I’m young to have health problems already. My regular doctor, had an ultrasound done on my neck and he took blood. He told me I had one thyroid nodule in the left side of my neck and I have a thyroid goiter/mass and a thyroid nodule in the right side of my neck. He also told me all of my thyroid horomones seem to be fine, except my T4 level, which is low, also, my sodium level was low as well. (most likely due to my thyroid) He referred me to someone who specializes in neck conditions. (and head, ears, and throat) The specialist wanted me to take a 24 hour thyroid test. I was told by the specialist that one of my nodules came up as a “suspicious/cold nodule”, which I knew might not be a good thing. The specialist decided to get a biopsy of it. It turned out to be benign, so I was glad of that. Now, My diagnosis is a thyroid goiter and 2 thyroid nodules. The specialist said it’s usually from a lack of iodine in the diet or it’s inherited. I told him my mother has thyroid problems and that her thyroid is low. She takes a pill for it. My regular doctor just put me on a thyroid pill, called Levothyroxine. It helps replace my T4 level that I have a lack of. I noticed that I have been feeling a few thyroid symptoms, such as: tiredness (and I’ve been sleepy too), constipation, feeling cold most of the time, and I’ve been having heavy menstrual cycles. These are also the symptoms of hypothyroidism and a goiter is also a symptom of hypothyroidism. I haven’t been told I have hypothyroidism, but I have the symptoms and my T4 level is low. I have also been experiencing these symptoms: pains in my neck, stiff neck, and fullness in my neck. However, My neck doesn’t bother me to talk or to swallow, but the doctors say that it can if the goiter keeps growing. They also said that they might have to remove it, if it does keep growing. They want me to have an ultrasound on my neck every 6 months to see if it has grown or not. When I feel of my neck, I can feel a lump in the right side of my neck.

If you want to learn more about thyroid issues, visit the websites listed below.
Wikipedia: Thyroid
American Thyroid Association
The Thyroid Foundation of America
Thyroid Goiter
Thyroid Nodules
Hypothyroidism

Taking It Global

Taking It Global is a social networking website. It is aimed at youth, but adults are also on the website. (such as myself) Taking It Global is an international non-profit organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In alot of ways, It is like Care2, but it has more members than Care2.

I have a profile on there as grrrlriot. Feel free to add me on TakingItGlobal.

Here is some information about the website, taken from takingitglobal.org.

We’re an international non-profit organization headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, yet we connect youth around the world. TakingITGlobal provides a portal for young people to find inspiration, access information and get involved in improving their local and global communities.

Inspire
Young people have the energy, the desire and the skills to make a difference in the world. All that’s needed is a way of connecting with one another. TakingITGlobal’s position at the intersection of key global trends enables us to support young people in acting as a force for change today and into the future. Our Vision is of a world where young people are more engaged in their communities on local, national, and international levels. We provide the tools and the space for young people around the world to be heard. And those voices will, in turn, inspire more to speak.

Inform
Our world is increasingly global and interconnected. Many threats face our common humanity, such as global poverty, war and conflict, HIV/AIDS, and environmental degradation. TakingITGlobal provides access to the information required to understand and act on global issues. Our mission is to provide opportunities for learning, capacity-building, cross-cultural awareness and self-development through the use of Information and Communication Technologies. Because once you have the information, you can share it.

Involve
Young people are most powerful as co-owners in our own development process. That’s why TakingITGlobal is focused on encouraging involvement. By leveraging the power of social networks and digital media, we’ve created a tool for learning, collaboration, dialogue and action that is completely interactive.

Our flagship program, TakingITGlobal.org, has become the most popular online community for young people interested in connecting across cultures and making a difference. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the site each month to share their unique knowledge, perspectives and experiences.

Turkey: Homophobic Violence Points to Rights Crisis

This was taken from Human Rights Watch and you can read more on this story here.

Turkey: Homophobic Violence Points to Rights Crisis

EU Should Insist on Reforms to Counter Persisting Inequality and Abuses

(Istanbul, May 22, 2008) – Turkey should urgently change law and policy to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people from extensive harassment and brutality on the streets, in homes, and in state-run institutions, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch also called on the European Union to make Turkey’s membership aspirations contingent on ending endemic abuses and guaranteeing equal rights and protection for LGBT people.

The 123-page report, “‘We Need a Law for Liberation’: Gender, Sexuality, and Human Rights in a Changing Turkey,” documents a long and continuing history of violence and abuse based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Human Rights Watch conducted more than 70 interviews over a three-year period, documenting how gay men and transgender people face beatings, robberies, police harassment, and the threat of murder. The interviews also exposed the physical and psychological violence lesbian and bisexual women and girls confront within their families. Human Rights Watch found that, in most cases, the response by the authorities is inadequate if not nonexistent.

“Democracy means defending all people’s basic rights against the dictatorship of custom and the tyranny of hate,” said Scott Long, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. “Where lives are at stake, Turkey needs to take concrete action and pass comprehensive legislation to protect them.”

In recent years, Turkish authorities have repeatedly harassed human rights defenders and civil society groups working on issues of gender and sexuality. Most recently, on April 7, 2008, police raided the offices of Lambda Istanbul, a nongovernmental organization that has advocated for LGBT people’s rights for over 10 years. The police justified the incursion by claiming the organization “encourages” and “facilitates” prostitution. The Istanbul Governor’s Office has also filed a lawsuit trying to close down Lambda, arguing its name and objectives are “against the law and morality.” Lambda will once again have to defend its right to exist before the Beyoðlu 3rd Civil Court of First Instance on May 29, 2008.

44 Writings I Need For This Blog

I am in need of some articles and writings for this blog. I will add to this list as I see fit. The ones listed below are ideas for articles and writings and are some writings/articles I need for the blog. By writing the article (or articles), You will be emailed an invite to join this blog and will be able to post up your writing on the blog. Be sure to let others know that you wrote the article (or articles).

ARTICLES AND WRITINGS NEEDED:

1-History of riot grrrl: how, why, where, when, and who started it. (about the music and the movement)
2-History of feminism: how, why, where, when, and who started it.
3-The 3 waves of feminism.
4-The many different types of feminism such as: anarcha-feminism, individual feminism, radical feminism, and all the others.
5-Write about your favorite feminism/riot grrrl website or write a review of your favorite feminism/riot grrrl website. (can be blogs, websites, forums, etc.)
6-Write your own definition of what feminism means to you.
7-What does riot grrrl mean to you? (Write as much or as little as you want.) Describe riot grrrl in your own words.
8-Write about being a riot grrrl in another country. What’s the riot grrrl scene like where you live? Is there a chapter where you live? Any riot grrrl bands where you live? How did you get into riot grrrl? How long have you been into riot grrrl?
9-Write about how you got into riot grrrl. What, how, when, who, and where made you get into riot grrrl?
10-Write about being a riot boy: how, when, who, what, and where did you get into riot grrrl?
11-Write your own riot boy manifesto. (I already have a version on my website.)
12-Write about being a male feminist: how, when, who, what, and where did you get into riot grrrl?
13-Write some feminism questions that you would like answered or start a feminism FAQ (frequently asked questions) of your own and the answers to them.
14-Write some riot grrrl/boy questions that you would like answered or start a riot grrrl FAQ (frequently asked questions) of your own and the answers to them.
15-Write about women’s issues important to you.
16-Write about feminism and what it means to you.
17-Write how you got into feminism and why.
18-Make a list of reasons on why your a feminist. Try to think of 50 or more reasons, if you can. 10-20 reasons will do too.
19-Make a list of reasons on why your a riot grrrl. Try to think of 50 or more reasons, if you can. 10-20 reasons will do too.
20-Write some DIY tips or share yours. Share your own DIY stuff.
21-Write something about being an activist/ or about activism.
22-Write something about zines or your life as a zinester.
23-Write about your ladyfest or a ladyfest you attended.
24-Write about a riot grrrl chapter or your own riot grrrl chapter.
25-Write about being pro-choice, why your pro-choice, or what it means to you.
26-Write something about how riot grrrl and queercore music are connected.
27-Write something about how riot grrrl and grunge music are connected.
28-Write something about how riot grrrl and punk music are connected.
29-Write something about feminism in other countries. What’s feminism like in your country or other countries?
30-Write something about human rights in your country or another country.
31-Write something about equal rights.
32-Write about why is feminism important today.
33-Write your own definition of what a riot boy is to you. Give your own definition of riot boy.
34-Write your own Zine DIY guide.
35-Write how to start a riot grrrl chapter DIY guide.
36-Write your own list of ways to be an activist.
37-Write a review of a zine or your favorite zine.
38-Write about your experience with the Riot Grrrl Online website.
39-Write about the Riot Grrrl Online website or do a review of the website. If you write about the website, write how you found the website, how you got active in the website and why. I’m sure there are more things you can write about the website, as long as your a reader or fan of the website, your input is appreciated.
40-A review of your riot grrrl or feminist website.
41-Write a news story. Write about an issue or topic important to you or an issue/topic you think would be important to others that is happening in the news.
42-Write your own women’s issue story. If you are a survivor (of anything from rape to cancer, etc.), I’d like to hear your story and what you went through.
43-Write how to start a ladyfest.
44-Write how to start your own record label and/or band.

If your interested in writing one of these articles, Feel free to read the “contribute” page and reply to the “contribute” page or email me. If you comment on the “contribute” page or email me, Please specify which article (or articles) you want to write about by letting me know which number or numbers (# or #’s) your interested in writing. If you have your own ideas for writings or whatever, feel free to email me some of yours.

*This is also posted on the “Ideas” page.

Feminism Friday: Being a Fat Grrrl

This article was written by Karo from Riot Grrrl Europe.

Being A Fat Grrrl

So I’m fat. It started when my eating disorder, hyperorexia, and my clinical depression began to develop. I was four years old then. My father had hardly survived the nazis, my mother was an incest survivor. The three of us would have needed to undergo therapy when I still was a child. But nobody noticed I was ill. The adults labeled my depression as “lazy”.

I’m not able to put into words how I have been humilated all my life because of my fatness. And neither am I able to describe how much I have hated myself, and sometimes still do. When I was a teenager, I was so ashamed of myself I didn’t dare to leave the house for days. I didn’t even try to get cool clothes. What for? I was fat and ugly anyway. I wore my father’s shirts and my mother’s jeans. I never took those off, not even in the hottest summer and not even at a swimming pool. I was a good guitarist, but I would never have dared to join a band. Fat ugly me on a stage? Never! My girlfirends treated me like crap, and that was all I knew.

I started to become interested in men with the age of 11. I longed for a boyfriend, but at the same time I didn’t want one. I would have loved to touch men, but how could I? They would touch me too, and feel my fat. Impossible! With 16, I was in love for the first time. He didn’t love me back. Who would want a fat teenager with a clinical depression and the rage of a feminist? He wasn’t the only one who I fell in love with, and who rejected me. There came one after another, and I’ve never experienced a happy relationship.

When I moved into my own flat, I decided that I finally wanted to have a band and a boyfriend. To achieve that I had to be slim. So I starved myself to a normal weight, and abused drugs and alcohol to stay that way. I ignored the panic attacks that where the results of starving. Better slim and dead than fat and alive. It didn’t get me a boyfriend, but at least I had sex. It sucked. I didn’t love those alcoholics and drug addicts of the Metal scene. And I was an angry feminist who refused to be cute and submissive, so they didn’t love me either.

Today the starving, booze, drugs, abusive men and mean girlfriens are history. Thanks to Feminism, Riot Grrrl, 12 Steps, a lot of therapy and fluoxetine. I have no problem to enter a stage and scream my rage out. I’m not ashamed to go swimming any more. I love my body enough to work out. I care for my health, even if that means I have to see a gynaecologist or an urologist.

I still have body issues, like any other woman who lives in a patriachal system. I can’t go swimming, or wear shorts, before shaving. And since I’m quite hairy, shaving is rather time consuming. But if I don’t, I feel ashamed. You know – fat AND hairy….

I’m still afraid I could look square, even though I’m a freak in combat gear with piercings and a shaved head. I’m still paranoid my cunt may stink. But when I perfume my undies too much, I’m also afraid. What if anyone detected the origin of the perfume? What if they would think “She’s covering her undies in perfume cause her cunt stinks so bad”? And nobody must see the few white hairs on my head! I’ve made the experience that you are allowed ONE beauty flaw as a woman. You can be fat and considered good looking. But only if you are perfectly shaved, have a perfect tan, good make-up, shiny long hair, an interrsting hair-colour, and wear sexy dresses. And high heels. And long polished fingernails of course.

That’s why I style in a look that I call Grrrl Guerilla. To protest against this beauty terror. And when I stomp around in my steeltoe boots, I hope that I’ll manage to not give a shit about my appearence one day. Cause I’m so fucking beautiful the way I am.

What Riot Grrrl Means To Me

The following was written by Greta/grrrlriot. (me) Do not copy without permission.

What Riot Grrrl Means To Me…What Does It Mean To You?

There are no right or wrong definitions of riot grrrl, in fact, everyone has their own definition of what a riot grrrl is. Here goes my definiton of what riot grrrl is and what it means to me.

Riot grrrl doesn’t ‘man-hate’.
Riot grrrl doesn’t discriminate against age, race, sex, or sexual preference.
Riot grrrl is a movement for girls that want to be equal to men and want equal rights for everyone.
Riot grrrl is being a nonconformist and not meeting society’s standards.
Riot grrrl is DIY. (doing it yourself)
Riot grrrl is about making zines, websites, blogs, and being active online.
Riot grrrl is all about not fitting into a mold.
Riot grrrl is all about rebelling against society.
Riot grrrl is about being yourself, being unique, being different, and loving yourself.
Riot grrrl is about your rights as a human being.
Riot grrrls want to be seen and heard.
Riot grrrls want to speak out against various issues in today’s society, including women’s issues.
Riot grrrls want to smash patriarchy.
Riot grrrls want to make a stand and want to make a difference.
Riot grrrls want to be globally aware of issues affecting the world.
Riot grrrls want freedom to be themselves without being judged.
Riot grrrls believe in grrrl love, respect, feminism, and equality.
Riot grrrls believe in women’s rights.
Riot grrrls believe in feminism and human rights.
Riot grrrls believe that women should have rights in ALL countries.
Riot grrrls are activists and want to change the world.

Grrrl love, respect, feminism, and equality are the main aspects of what a riot grrrl is to me. You can be male or female to believe in the movement. Males can be riot grrrls, but sometimes call themselves ‘riot boys’ or ‘riot guys’, even though gender doesn’t matter.
To be a riot grrrl, You don’t have to listen to riot grrrl bands, even though it helps to understand the riot grrrl movement better. You just have to believe in the riot grrrl philosophy.
Riot grrrl doesn’t discriminate. To be a riot grrrl, You have to believe in the riot grrrl manifesto.
I know there are people that say the movement isn’t around anymore, but I think it is coming back. I want a riot grrrl revival. There are people that still believe in riot grrrl today. There are ex-riot grrrls around as well that used to be into the movement, but they no longer consider themselves a riot grrrl anymore or they think the movement died.
Can you be a riot grrrl? Sure, You just have to believe in the philosophy and what its all about. You can even start up your own riot grrrl chapter in your area/town/country/state to get the word out about riot grrrl and to meet other riot grrrls.
DIY, meetings, zines, and music are a big part of the riot grrrl movement.

20 Reasons Why I Chose Riot Grrrl

The following was written by Greta/grrrlriot. (me) Do not steal without permission. The reasons are not in any certain order. If you want to add to my list or start a new list, Feel free to comment on this post. If you can think of 50-100 or more reasons to choose riot grrrl, feel free to make a list and email me your list. I will post it up in this blog.

Why Did I Choose Riot Grrrl? 20 Reasons I Chose Riot Grrrl:

Because I want equality.
Because I want freedom to be myself and not be judged.
Because I want to smash patriarchy.
Because I want a revolution.
Because I want bigots to be nonexistant.
Because I want racism and sexism to stop.
Because I want homophobia to end.
Because I want everyone to be globally aware of women’s issues all over the world.
Because I believe in feminism.
Because I believe girls can change the world.
Because I believe women are people too.
Because I believe in women’s rights.
Because I believe women’s issues should be addressed.
Because I believe in activism and getting involved.
Because I believe women in other countries should have rights.
Because I believe I have the power to be seen and heard.
Because I believe in the riot grrrl manifesto and philosophy of riot grrrl.
Because I believe in human rights.
Because I believe everyone should have equal rights.
Because I believe that we can change the world.

Stalking Facts And Information

I thought this might be interesting to read about. It is a women’s issue and it seems to be a problem. I got the information below from here.

Stalking Facts and Information

10 Things You Need to Know About Stalking

1. Stalking is a crime.
Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that places a reasonable person in fear for her or his safety. It is against the law in every state. Stalking across state lines or in federal territories is illegal under federal law.

2. Many people are stalked.
1 in 12 twelve women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetimes. 1.4 million people are stalked every year in the United States.

3. Stalking can be very dangerous.
76 percent of women killed by their intimate partners were stalked by these partners before they were killed. All stalkers should be considered unpredictable and very dangerous.

4. Stalking is harmful and intrusive.
Stalking victims often lose time from work or never return to work, and some even relocate to regain a sense of safety. Many suffer from anxiety, insomnia, and severe depression as a result of being stalked.

5. Anyone can be stalked— not just celebrities.
The vast majority of stalking victims are ordinary people. Furthermore, most stalkers are not strangers, but are known by their victim.

6. Stalking can occur during a relationship, after a relationship, or in the absence of a relationship.
Stalking often begins during a relationship. Stalkers may keep the victim under surveillance or threaten her or him. Others begin stalking after the victim has ended the relationship, and the stalker feels desperate to maintain or regain control. Still others become fixated on a victim without ever having had any relationship with the person. All forms of stalking are unpredictable, and all should be considered dangerous.

7. Technology can be used to stalk.
Although newly-developed technology enhances our lives, it can also empower criminals. Cell phones, computers, and surveillance equipment are just some of the technologies stalkers now use.

8. An effective response to stalking includes the entire community.
Police, prosecutors, advocates, educators, reporters, neighbors … everyone can and should play a part in stopping stalking. Working together, we can make victims safer.

9. You can make a difference.
Visit http://www.ncvc.org/src to learn more about stalking and how to fight it.

10. Help is available.
If you or someone you know is being stalked, call 1-800-FYI-CALL for assistance.000 M Street, NW Suite 480, Washington, DC 20036, Tel. 202-467-8700, 1-800-FYI-CALL / TTY: 1-800-211-7996, http://www.ncvc.org,

All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002 by the National Center for Victims of Crime. This information may be freely distributed, provided that it is distributed free of charge, in its entirety and includes this copyright notice.

If Your Or Someone You Know Is Being Stalked

If You Are Stalked
These are common reactions to being stalked. You are not to blame for a stalker’s behavior. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. These are common reactions to being stalked. Stalking is a crime.

These are common reactions to being stalked. You might:

• Feel fear of what the stalker will do.
• Feel vulnerable, unsafe, and not know who to trust.
• Feel nervous, irritable, impatient, or on edge.
• Feel depressed, hopeless, overwhelmed, tearful, or angry.
• Feel stressed, including having trouble concentrating, sleeping, or remembering things.
• Have eating problems, such as appetite loss, forgetting to eat, or overeating.
• Have flashbacks, disturbing thoughts, feelings, or memories.
• Feel confused, frustrated, or isolated because other people don’t understand why you are afraid.

If Someone You Know is Being Stalked, You Can Help
Listen. Show support. Don’t blame the victim for the crime. Remember that every situation is different, and allow the person being stalked to make choices about how to handle it. Find someone you can talk to about the situation. Take steps to ensure your own safety. For more ideas on how you can help, call 1-800-FYI-CALL.
Stalking is unpredictable and dangerous. No two stalking situations are alike. There are no guarantees that what works for one person will work for another, yet you can take steps to increase your safety.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Trust your instincts. Don’t downplay the danger. If you feel you are unsafe, you probably are. Take threats seriously. Danger generally is higher when the stalker talks about suicide or murder, or when a victim tries to leave or end the relationship.

Contact a crisis hotline, victim services agency, or a domestic violence or rape crisis program. They can help you devise a safety plan, give you information about local laws, refer you to other services, and weigh options such as seeking a protection order. Develop a safety plan, including things like changing your routine, arranging a place to stay, and having a friend or relative go places with you. Also, decide in advance what to do if the stalker shows up at your home, work, school, or somewhere else. Tell people how they can help you.

Don’t communicate with the stalker or respond to attempts to contact you. Keep evidence of the stalking. When the stalker follows you or contacts you, write down the time, date, and place. Keep e-mails, phone messages, letters, or notes. Photograph anything of yours the stalker damages and any injuries the stalker causes.

Ask witnesses to write down what they saw. Contact the police. Every state has stalking laws. The stalker may also have broken other laws by doing things like assaulting you or stealing or destroying your property. Consider getting a court order that tells the stalker to stay away from you.

Tell family, friends, roommates, and co-workers about the stalking and seek their support. Tell security staff at your job or school. Ask them to help watch out for your safety. Stalking is a series of actions that make you feel afraid or in danger. Stalking is serious, often violent, and can
escalate over time.

A stalker can be someone you know well or not at all. Most have dated or been involved with the people they stalk. About 75 percent of stalking cases are men stalking women, but men do stalk men, women do stalk women, and women do stalk men.

All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002 by the National Center for Victims of Crime. This information may be freely distributed, provided that it is distributed free of charge, in its entirety and includes this copyright notice.

Care2.com

Care2 is a social networking website for activists of all sorts. It’s sorta like myspace, but better and different. I just had to share the link to care2 and my profile on care2. The website is one of my favorites and I login there on an almost daily basis. I think it’s great that activists have their own social networking website. I figured I’d get the word out about care2 because I feel like alot of people don’t know about the website. (or how good it is!) Also, I figured that alot of people would be interested in care2. (or joining care2)

Feel free to add me as a friend on Care2. Currently, I have no friends on Care2.
My Care2 Profile: http://my.care2.com/grrrlriot

The following information was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Care2.

What Is Care2.com All About? Care2 is a social network website that was founded by Randy Paynter in 1998 to help connect activists from around the world. It has a membership of approximately 8 million people.

Care2′s stated mission is to help people make the world a better place by connecting them with the individuals, organizations and responsible businesses making an impact.

Overview
Care2 members create an online identity by filling out a profile with personal information, as in most social networking sites, but Care2 also asks for information about its members’ involvement in activism. The social interactions on Care2 revolve around groups that connect people who care about similar issues. Internet petitions and news articles posted by members are also frequently used.

Features
-Member profiles and groups to facilitate social networking
-Petitions that any citizen can create and distribute
-Petitions created and promoted by Care2 in partnership with nonprofit organizations
-”Click-to-Donate Races” to generate donations to charities (from ad sponsors), just by clicking
-Free E-Cards (which also generate free donations)
-Citizen News Network–members post news stories themselves and vote on which ones should be displayed
-Blogs
-Free Webmail Accounts
-Free photo-sharing with unlimited upload space
-Email newsletters and “e-alerts” about various issues like the environment and human rights
-”Care2 JobFinder,” which lists jobs with progressive companies
-A “Green Living” channel with tips on living healthier, more sustainable lives
-Various content channels on topics such as Global Warming, Women’s Issues and the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election

Feminism Friday: A Brief History Of Riot Grrrl

Here is a brief history of riot grrrl. Later, I might write my own more detailed version. Here is the version from the Riot Grrrl Online website.

Riot Grrrl began in 1991 at Olympia Washington, when a few girls (mostly from Bikini Kill and Bratmobile) decided to get together and talk about their main interests..feminism and punk rock. The first time they met it was all fun, they put up posters to get attention of other open minded girls. Then they found out they had other things in common: they were all vegetarians; against drugs; and had been molested as children. At one meeting a very smart girl took notes, photocopied them and turned them into a cool fanzine. That’s how it all began. Some people think that Bikini Kill started it all, in my eyes they did. Bikini Kill, however does not think of themselves as starting the riot grrrl movement. In Bikini Kill’s songs, they sing about different women issues such as: rape, incest, and other issues that some women face. Some people think that bikini kill, riot grrrls, and feminists are ‘man-haters’. They’re not. They just want to be equal to men, not better to them. Zines are a BIG part of the riot grrrl scene. Most riot grrrls believe in DIY. (do it yourself) That means that they start riot grrrl chapters, zines, etc. of their own around the riot grrrl movement.