Feminism

How Periods Affect Girls in Developing Countries

March 3, 2016

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If there’s one thing people don’t want to talk about, it’s periods. Trust me, I was among those who thought it was super taboo until not too long ago. But I’ve changed my mind and I’m pretty open about it now.

After all, half of the population experiences them at some point in their lives. So it’s something we need to talk about. In fact, some of my best girl friends and I (here’s looking at you, Angela) talk about them all the time.

And that’s super important, for many reasons. So this month, I’m going to be talking about how periods affect different things around the world.

Today’s topic? Periods affect girls in developing countries in a big way. Like, not just “okay, you need to start using pads and tampons and can get pregnant” kind of way. In a “you are probably going to drop out of school” way.

Seriously.

Knope-ify Your Life: How to Deal with the Jamms of the World

February 23, 2016

Leslie Knope is obviously the best character in Parks and Recreation. Followed closely by Ben Wyatt, Andy Dweyer, Ron Swanson, Chris Traeger, Ann Perkins, Tom Haverford, and April Ludgate. In no particular order.

The worst character, on the other hand, is obviously Jerry Gergich.

Kidding. It’s Jeremy Jamm. He’s lit’rally the worst.

Knope-ify Your Life: Get Out There and Vote!

February 12, 2016

Welcome to Part 2 of the Knope-ify Your Life series on And Possibly Dinosaurs! We’re discussing ways to be more like Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation, just in time for Galentine’s Day tomorrow!

If you’ve seen Parks and Recreation, you know how important government is to Leslie Knope. She’s super amped up about it.

But here’s the thing: for most of us, it’s really not that exciting. We know government is important, but we don’t necessarily see the impact it has on us day-to-day. Sure, we’ll see it when gay marriage is legalized for the entire country. Or on election day. But after that? Not much.

So, how can we fix that?

Knope-ify Your Life: Stand Up for What You Believe In

January 27, 2016

February starts next week, which is crazy on so many levels. But it’s also exciting, because it’s home to my two favorite holidays: Ash Wednesday and President’s Day!

Kidding. My birthday and Galentine’s Day!

No, that wasn’t a typo. I really mean Galentine’s Day. It’s celebrated on February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day, and it’s when you get all of your gal pals together and love on each other. Typically over some waffles. How amazing is that?!

Stop Competing. Start Celebrating.

January 14, 2016

Women tend to get screwed over a lot. The wage gap, rape culture, and sexual stereotypes put us at a disadvantage against our male counterparts. And that’s not even bringing race into the argument. And while it may take a long time to fix these problems and prevent the unfair disadvantages from occurring, we can make immediate process be changing the way we react to these disadvantages.

Growing up, I believed women were inherently catty. That it was easier to be friends with guys because there would be less drama. Well, the reason for this cattiness and drama is that we think we need to compete with each other to get by. If it’s so hard for a woman to be recognized for her work, then there’s no way two women would be recognized, right? So the obvious solution is to drag down the other women while you’re scrambling for the top.

But here’s the thing: that’s not the solution at all. (Shocker, right?)

My Favorite Stuff Mom Never Told You Episodes: Cristen + Molly Edition

December 29, 2015

With Serial back on everyone’s radar, podcasts are getting more and more attention. I wanted to really dive into one of my favorites: Stuff Mom Never Told You.

HowStuffWorks.com is an amazing resource for, well, anything. There are thousands of articles up on their website that teach you how different stuff works. I used it a lot when I started my last job at an office technology dealer to learn how copiers work and how toner works.

But one of the best parts of How Stuff Works is how many podcasts they host. Sean first introduced me to Stuff You Should Know not long after we started dating, and then I fell in love with Stuff Mom Never Told You. It’s a feminist podcast that talks about, well, stuff your mom (likely) never told you.

End-of-Year Donations? Here are My Favorite Charities to Donate To

December 4, 2015

Ah, the holiday season. The best time to get together with family and donate the remainder of the money you have set aside for tax-deductible charitable donations.

Don’t get me wrong, that’s not a bad thing. Even if you’re donating for totally selfish reasons like a tax write-off, you’re still helping people.

Well… maybe.

It depends on the charity you’re donating to. After working for several different nonprofits, I’ve learned a lot about which charities are deserving and which are… less so. Here are my favorite charities to donate to!

I Am More Than My Mental Illness

November 27, 2015

Mental illness has a crazy stigma associated with it. People don’t like talking about it, which makes it difficult to get help.

I’ve struggled with mental illness for a long time. I wasn’t willing to talk about it, though, because we couldn’t find a solution until just a few months ago.

Why Blogging and Feminism are Best Friends

November 20, 2015

While it may not always seem like it, blogging and feminism are definitely BFFs.

No, I don’t just mean when bloggers talk about feminism. And no, I don’t just mean when women make their own income from blogging.

Sure, those are two major parts of their friendship, but it goes way beyond that.

Why We Need to Be Conscious of Tone Policing

November 13, 2015

Excuse me while I white-splain something.

Back in September, I became aware of a prejudice I have. I didn’t even realize I had it until Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj got into it at the VMAs.

And people say Miley and Nicki aren’t good for anything.

This prejudice? It’s called tone policing.

Book Review: Inside Out by Anastasia Amour

November 6, 2015

I love the idea of self-help books. It’s like having the author holding your hand through whatever problem you’re having.

My problem, though, is always sticking with the book. I like the idea, but the follow-through is tough for me.

Inside Out by Anastasia Amour was completely different, though.

Not only did I love the idea of the book, but I also loved the book itself and had no problem following through on everything.

Why is “Girl” So Demeaning?

October 30, 2015

I’m a proud feminist. I love being a woman, and I call people out when they use my gender as an insult.

A few weeks ago, one of my male coworkers asked a group of male coworkers where “you girls” are going for lunch. All the while, I was helping him with something. So, without even turning to look at him, I said, “you seem to be using the world ‘girls’ as an insult, and I don’t appreciate that.”

And yet, I still find myself offended by it. Not just the use of the word, but the word itself.

A different male coworker always calls me the “marketing girl,” and it really rubs me the wrong way. So why is the word girl so demeaning?