Virginity is Sexy (Or, How to be Good By Doing Nothing)
In my Sex, Violence & Christianity course this past semester, I used Jessica Valenti’s The Purity Myth in order to develop some interesting connections between our culture’s fetishizing of female virginity and the patriarchally-driven dogma of purity. It’s an ideology, Valenti argues, that serves men as it condemns women to be judged by one action alone: whether or not they’ve had sex. Women are not deemed ‘good’ or ‘moral’ based on their intellect, concern for others, what they’ve accomplished, what they think or what they care about, only whether or not they’ve had sex.
And just like your Father in heaven, daddy gets real jealous--especially over his 'property'.
Valenti suggests that this purposefully promotes an ethic of passivity. Women are solely judged on what they don’t do. As Valenti argues, “[V]irginity has become the easy answer–the... Read More
Peter Maurin and Daniel Berrigan’s ‘Bad Birthday Bash’ (We just wanted the band to play our favorite song)
First of all, only the most malevolent of creatures dislike The Vandals. My deepest gratitude is extended to those witty punkers for writing two songs I scream along with every May 9th (“Bad Birthday Bash“ and “Happy Birthday to Me”). Second, my humblest apologies for being born on the same day as Peter Maurin and Daniel Berrigan. I’m inspired, and embarrassed, by that fact. Those guys make people like Henry Rollins,... Read More
Not So New Cure for Homosexuality: Beat It Out of Them
Things are getting rowdy in my lovely home state of North Carolina. May 8th is coming. The date when NC will put into place (if the vote determines it) a law that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, and will ban any other type of “domestic legal union” such as civil unions and domestic partnerships–gay or straight. The consequences of such a move could be devastating. On a related note, check out this sermon clip... Read More
‘Nobody Puts May Day in a Corner’
Today should be ‘Hug Your Local Anarchist‘ day (or other labor activists of numerous political persuasions). If you appreciate the fact that employers cannot work 11-year-olds to death, are legally required to provide breaks, and must exercise at least some limitations on taking advantage of people in desperate need of work, then find that sweet little gutter-punk with a ‘circled A’ tattooed on his or her face and kiss it. Unless,... Read More
Mad Farmers Unite!
The one good thing about teaching (I’ve heard there are others–vicious rumors, I contend) is I get to introduce my students to the work of Wendell Berry. Berry is an academic, but he is also a farmer. He is a cultural critic, yet also an agriculturalist who creates rather than just deconstructs. He is neither a liberal nor a conservative (though he is often misread as being one or the other by, well, one or the other), and he is the author... Read More