In response to Julien's question about the Kansas conference -- which is
in Manhattan, not Wichita -- it's subtitled "Violence Incorporated" and is
being held from March 12-14, 1998. I think the conference has a website,
but I don't know the URL.
Those of you out there debating the oppression of women in religion: what
does anyone think of the work of Matthew Fox? I discovered his books a
few years ago and felt as if FINALLY someone was describing my own
spiritual beliefs -- beliefs I'd held for a long time but had never found
written down in one place. For those of you who don't know his work, I
recommend "A Spirituality Named Compassion" and "The Reinvention of Work."
Now I'm going to go into Devil's Advocate mode. To the folks who are
complaining about the Leia-in-bondage doll: yeah, it's a pretty silly
outfit, but please remember that in the movie, that's what she's wearing
when she strangles what's-his-face with the chain and manages to get away.
She needs a bit of help to do it, but the silly outfit doesn't remove any
of her spunk. Please, let's not judge the character even of so 2D a
persona as Leia by what she's wearing: that's a bit anti-feminist in
itself, no? To me, one of the things feminism is about is realizing that
women have brains even when they're wearing skimpy outfits . . . and even
(*gasp!*) when they may have *chosen,* unlike Leia, to wear those outfits,
for whatever reason. Granted, this may not have been the rationale of the
people doing the marketing. *Sigh*
And to Barbara Benesch, who writes of "Starship Troopers," "both the 'war'
storyline, as well as the violence on the screen . . . will make most
women avoid it altogether," please watch your assumptions. :) I know
*plenty* of women who enjoy the occasional shlock gore-fest, and who
aren't inherently opposed to militarism. Heck, I know women who've been
in the armed services. I'll probably be seeing the movie myself this
weekend, and I cheerfully expect to hate it on a number of grounds (not
least the fact that it's based on a Heinlein novel, and most of the women
*I* know DO object to his misogyny). Still, there have been plenty of
violent movies I've enjoyed (the work of Quentin Tarantino springs to
mind). Again, for me, feminism means being able to define my *own*
preferences and priorities, rather than having to accept the labels either
of patriarchal men or of other feminists.
Oh, one last thing -- although this may be off-topic (moderator, please
squelch me if it is): what do folks here think about the SUNY
controversy? (Seems to me that sexual imagination falls into the realm of
fantasy, but maybe that's too broad an interpretation.)
Okay, I'm done playing Devil's Advocate for the moment. <g>
Peace to all,
Susan
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