I think Obama won, & I spent the debate tweeting. You?
Lady You Can Drive That Car
An Iranian auto manufacturer has come up with a car designed specifically for women.
& While my gut says ugh there’s a part of me that finds this a good thing, acknowledging that women do most of the child-ferrying, can’t change a flat tire as easily, etc.
But then my gut says ugh again.
Thoughts?
Albanian Sworn Virgins in Decline
The tradition of Albanian Sworn Virgins is dying out, & the implication is that it’s dying out because women can now do things that women weren’t allowed to do before:
This is the last generation of sworn virgins, according to Aferdita Onuzi, a professor at Tirana’s Cultural, Anthropology and Arts Research Institute. In Albania these days, women enter parliament, government ministries, and the police force.
But I wonder if it’s as simple as that, since homosexuality became legal in Albania in the 1990s, too, and surely this was one path for a woman who didn’t want to marry the man chosen for her – either because she didn’t like him or didn’t like men.
(Much thanks to Caprice; we have a few other posts about the tradition on the MHB boards.)
Ruby Molina
The body of the transgender woman who was found in the American River in Sacramento last week has been identified by police as Ruby (nee Fernando) Molina. The police are citing it as a “suspicious” death and need more information:
Anyone who knew the victim, the victim’s recent whereabouts, or who has other information about this case is asked to contact the Sacramento Police Department at (916) 443-HELP. A $1,000 reward is currently being offered.
Please, if you know something, let the police know. She deserves to have her murderers caught, as does her family.
(thanks to Angus/Andrea Grieve-Smith for the info.)
Register to Vote
IT IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN SEVERAL STATES. IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED, GO GET REGISTERED RIGHT AWAY. ALL OF THE DEADLINES ARE COMING UP IN THE NEXT WEEKS.
& Really, how can you not listen to Dustin Hoffman when he’s got that cutey grin on his face?
Go here for all the information you need by state.
Below the break, all the voter registration deadlines by state:
No Maverick
It turns out the word maverick came from an actual person named Maverick who didn’t brand his cattle. His family is still around and has included civil rights lawyers, accused communists, & a member emeritus of the San Antonio ACLU. That is, not people who are voting for John McCain, but they also object to him calling himself one.
Ms. Terrelitta Maverick, now 82, says, about John McCain: “He’s a Republican,†she said. “He’s branded.â€
Hang Your Head
Be ashamed, Americans. This is just godawful news: a mosque in Dayton, Ohio, was sprayed with a toxic substance during Ramadan prayers. And not just that, but the shitheads that did it chose the room where the small children and babies were waiting for their moms, who were in prayer.
Religious freedom, my ass.
On behalf of the rest of us Americans, my apologies to the Dayton Muslim community.
Fidelities
The NYT publishes a column about Polyamory and specifically about Poly Pride, a celebration being held in NYC this weekend.
Alex Williams, the journalist who wrote it, seems to have come away with the main impression I’ve come away with: too much talking. I can barely manage one person in my life, but I can’t imagine more. I just don’t have the patience.
Toothbrush disputes are the least of it. In the era of safe sex and cellphones, a life that seems to promise boundless sex in fact involves lots of talking. And talking. And talking.
For one thing, they constantly have to explain the way they live.
That last line ring out to any trans people & their partners out there? One of the reasons Betty & I love the various alt.sex communities we’ve run into is that there is a shared experience: you may not be explaining the same thing, but you’re still explaining. Or, as I like to explain in my Uneven Libidos class, the further you are from the socially-condoned relationship – heterosexual marriage with something like traditional gender roles – the harder it is to find validation and support for the way you live.
If you want to know more about poly, I highly recommend Tristan Taormino’s Opening Up
Felinity
I can honestly say I’m baffled by this New York Times article, because I’ve grown up with men who like cats, from my brother to my friend Peter to many other guys I’ve known over the years, most of whom aren’t gay, if you need to know. I had a friend when I was 20 or so who always said, “Never date a man who doesn’t like cats” (which I found to be pretty good advice, actually, even if I didn’t always heed it).
So have I just been in some alternative universe? (Yes, I know I have. But still. Do people really know guys who won’t admit to liking cats?)
Marc Bolan’s Extended Family
So here’s a little factoid for you musicheads out there: the song Tainted Love, made famous by Soft Cell, was originally recorded by a woman named Gloria Jones. & Who is Gloria Jones? She was Marc Bolan’s partner.
& When did Marc Almond of Soft Cell decide to become a pop star? When he saw Marc Bolan on Top of the Pops.
There is a DVD of a live tribute show to Marc Bolan that was recorded at The Shepard’s Bush Empire last year which came out Monday- featuring Marc Almond, Gloria Jones, as well as Bolan producer Tony Visconti – which I can’t seem to find anywhere online. If anyone sees one, do let me know.