I am constantly finding things on the Web that piss me off. This is another one of them:

Salon.com: A new form of BYOB

Fast-forward to 2008, and check out this latest online game soaring in popularity with British and French preteens: Miss Bimbo. Trust me when I say it's no Oregon Trail.

Instead, girls adopt their own "bimbos" (which look sort of like anime characters) and compete to become the "hottest, coolest, most famous bimbo ever!" And how does one do such things? Well, first you have to find a cool place to live and a "fun job to pay for your needs and all the clothes a bimbo could possibly want." Then you should probably "become a socialite and skyrocket to the top of fame and popularity" and date a "famous hottie." But everyone knows that hotties don't like fat girls, so make sure to keep your weight down, and even consider "resort[ing] to meds or plastic surgery" as you "stop at nothing to become the reigning bimbo!"

[...] a group of parents and healthcare experts are condemning the game, which pushes girls to provide their characters with diet pills and get boob jobs [...].

I can't believe that people actually create this stuff and market it to children. It is really sick.

To which the game's founders, Nicholas Jacquart and Chris Evans, basically say, "Lighten up!" "It is not a bad influence for children," Jacquart is quoted as saying. "They learn to take care of their bimbos. The missions and goals for the bimbos are morally sound and teach children about the real world." Wait, wait, it gets better: "If they eat too much chocolate in the game, it is bad for their bimbos' bodies and their happiness levels compared to if they eat fruit and vegetables, which reinforces positive healthy messages."

Note that the game's founders are both men. Also, if the game is meant to promote good health:

a) Why is it pro-plastic surgery?
b) Why does it say that "hotties don't like fat girls"?

Level 7: "After you broke up with your boyfriend you went on an eating binge! Now it's time to diet ... your target weight is less than 132 lbs."

Level 9: "Have a nip and tuck operation for a brand new face. You've found work as a plus-size model. To gain those vivacious curves, you need to weigh more than 154 lbs."

Level 11: "Bigger is better! Have a breast operation."

Retro Girl Talk

I was a child of the '80s and like most girls, "Girl Talk" was my favorite game. I would play with my little sister or bring it down the street to my best friend's house. We played all the time.



Recently, I was reminiscing about how much I loved the game and how I wish they still made it so I could give it to my younger sisters. But that line of thought led me to remember that the game was actually full of gender stereotypes. A quick online search brought me to this site:

Thrift Item of the Moment

...which made me realize that it was even worse than I remember! Some choice marketing phrases for the product include:

"A Game of Truth or Dare." The dares include:

* Name a boy you'd like to date
* Describe the perfect prom dress

I don't think young boys were encouraged to consider what girls they would date or what they were going to wear to their prom.

Failure to attempt a dare results in the player wearing a Zit Sticker for the rest of the game [...]

Oh my gosh, I forgot about zit stickers.

Successful completion of the dare results in points and ultimately in fortune cards in four categories:

• Career - "An interest and a flair for modeling will lead to cover layouts in five major fashion magazines"
• Marriage - "The boy who is last, alphabetically, on the roll call list at school will become your future husband"
• Children - "The total of odd numbers in your phone number indicates how many children you will have"
• Special Moments - "You will decorate your future home using your school colors"

Decorating your future home? A career in modeling? Your future husband and children? Holy crap!

My favorite childhood game aimed to breed a new generation of housewives, super models and interior decorators. I feel so violated.

*Cross-posted at the Feminist Pulse.

Trick or Treat

Before I begin this feminist rant that is cross-posted at the Feminist Pulse, let me say that the lightbulb went off today on the perfect costume. I'm not revealing it until after Halloween but it's amazing.

I never knew you could learn so much about socialized gender roles by looking through a party store circular, but apparently you can. I got one in the mail the other day and not having found a costume yet, I decided to peruse it. Well, I did, and what I found is quite interesting.

Here is a sampling of the male and female costumes in various age groups:

Toddler Boys

• Superheroes: Batman, Robin, Superman, Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear
• Male professions: Fireman, Policeman, Cowboy, Soldier

Toddler Girls

• Cheerleader, "Barbie Team Spirit," Princess, and to their credit, Supergirl.

Boys (sizes 4-14)

• Superheroes
• Male professions: same as before, now including Air Force Pilot, S.W.A.T. Team, and "Mac Daddy," which, judging by the costume, is a euphemism for pimp.
• Violent characters: Freddy, Jason, Warrior, Crypt Master, Zombie, Vampire

Girls (sizes 4-14, not teen girls, but children)

• Disney princesses
• "Pretty Bride" (though I didn't see "Handsome Groom" being sold to boys), "Runway Diva" with a very short skirt, "Major Flirt" (a sexy military costume), "Miss Behaved" (a pink striped prison outfit with broken shackles on the girl's wrist), "Devilicious" with pink hot pants and wings and - I kid you not - "French Maid."
• Female professions: Nurse, "Hollywood Starlet"

Teen Girls

• "Army Girl" with insanely short camouflage shorts and cleavage, "You Sexy Witch," "Barbarian Babe," "Fashion Police" and of course the French maid outfit.

Adult costumes are similarly divided. ALL women costumes (with the exception of the nun outfit) are skimpy and "sexy." NONE of the men's costumes are. Women are sexy cops and military babes, but never Police Women or Soldiers.

I think the most disturbing, however, is the hyper-sexualization of girl children.

*Cross-posted at the Feminist Pulse

Huge pet peeve: women who wear inappropriate clothing to the office.

Why does this make me so mad? I am certainly not jealous. It just annoys me when a teenager bounces around with cleavage hanging out in a place of business. Gloria Steinem, Andrea Dworkin... work in vain?

Yes, "it's their choice, that's what feminism is all about"... blah blah blah.

Everyone's feminism is different, and mine is about being taken seriously in the office, not men talking to my chest. I accomplish this by dressing like a professional.

I am starting to believe that perhaps young boys should take a mandatory class on how to converse with women without staring at their breasts. I realize that it is quite natural for men to do this, just as women naturally cannot help staring at a man's package while they are speaking (Oh, wait... we don't do that!), but there has to be some way to nip this thing in the bud so that by the time they grow into middle-aged and elderly men, they will perhaps have a clue.

*Cross-posted at the Feminist Pulse because the wider the audience, the better. Perhaps some chest-talkers out there will take heed!

Just when I think I have seen it all in fat woman abuse...

"Men's preference will never change."

My first instinct when I saw that picture, before reading any of the post, was, Wow, what a beautiful woman.

I refrain from commenting because this is inexcusable. Then men want to know why their girlfriends are all, "Do you think I'm fat? Do you think I'm pretty? Are you sure??"

*Cross-posted at the Feminist Pulse. They've taken me back, woot!

15 If any of your women are guilty of lewdness, take the evidence of four (reliable) witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them to houses until death do claim them, or Allah ordain for them some (other) way.

16 If two men among you are guilty of lewdness, punish them both. If they repent and amend, leave them alone; for Allah is Oft-returning, Most Merciful.

Why is God only forgiving of men?

--

I have my very first meditation class tonight. Countless times I've signed up and then not gone, but this time will be different. I am very anxious to try it. Maybe it will bring me some peace and help me de-stress. Wouldn't that be great?

I started a low-carb diet yesterday and so far it is going well. No, it's not easy, but I'm not being as strict as actual Atkins. For example, I eat fruit, which is a definite no-no on that diet, and I have had a few veggie chips and so forth. But I can still feel it working, even though I've just begun. You know that feeling you get at night when you are on Weight Watchers or Atkins or whatever, the feeling that you are burning fuel because you are having less calories and crap than your poor body is used to? I've gotten that feeling each night, and it has always been a good sign in the past.

I just overheard a conversation by my cubicle that pissed me off. Maybe I shouldn't have been listening, but when I heard "women" and "church" I couldn't resist. My boss was listening to this other big guy at the company, a really sweet guy that I like a lot, talk about his church. I just learned that this guy was a pastor (Baptist? don't remember) a few months ago; he sent me an email to talk about my article in the newspaper on faith. Anyway, like I said, great guy, but here's how it went down:

"We are now allowing women to teach classes that men are in. We've never done that before. That's seen as fairly liberal. We are allowing women to have leadership roles now... the only thing is that a woman is not allowed to preach from the pulpit, and is not allowed to serve on the core executive committee."

He glanced at me, watching, trying to disguise my horror. This, according to him, is LIBERAL. This is PROGRESS. In 2007.

Lord, have mercy.

Today is Free Doughnut Day at Krispy Kreme. So, naturally, upon hearing this, I sent out an office-wide email complete with directions to the nearest one. When lunchtime came, I hightailed it there.

It was said that it was at 'participating' locations so I wasn't entirely sure that they would have it at this one. I figured if they didn't, I would just buy a doughnut, I'm not that cheap. But free things are nice too; they taste better.

I walked in to find a young man helping a woman with her two children. He put their doughnuts in a box, handed it to them with a smile, and watched them walk off. I stepped up in their place. "Can I help you?" he asked. I looked over the doughnuts indecisively and politely said, "In a minute." He began to walk away when I stopped him and asked, "Are you doing the free doughnut thing today?" He looked at me and leaned forward against the glass showcase of doughnuts. "That depends." "Depends on what?" I asked, and he grinned. "On what you say."

I didn't like where this was going.

"What does that mean?" I asked impatiently. He was making me angry. Not about the doughnuts - who gives a fuck - but about the way he was leering at me and holding doughnuts over my head like I was some kind of pastry whore. He was young, probably my own age, and at times he looked uncomfortable, as if he wasn't quite pulling this off the way he had wanted to. He didn't answer, so I asked, "Can I get a doughnut or not?" He said, "Yes," but made no move to get it. He just kept staring and smiling, leaning over the counter that way.

I wanted to punch him in the face.

He looked at me for at least 30 seconds while I shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze, then I repeated angrily, "CAN I GET ONE OR NOT?" I don't know why I didn't just walk out, or ask to speak to someone else. I never think of these things when I'm in the moment, only afterwards. Finally he gave me the doughnut and I stormed out.

Okay, maybe you will think this was not a big deal, but I think it is a big deal. I don't like that certain men feel entitled to make women uncomfortable and nervous just because they're attractive or wearing a skirt or whatever. I doubt very many men are harassed by women in this way.

When I walked back to my car I had a knot in my stomach, and I was angry, and my mood was wrecked. That's not fair. There's no reason why this asshole should have made me feel that way. I remember being sexually harassed in an ice cream shop in Washington D.C. with a few of my friends a couple of years ago. I was angry then and I'm angry now.

It's all a fucking power trip and I'm sick of it.