Been having some good, interesting thoughts and discussions lately. Just in case you were wondering.

- About what it means to be a feminist and how to wrestle with that word – making it accessible and broad and not too academic, but also radical and meaningful.

- Thinking about what it means to be a big loudmouth girl and how that makes me undesirable to many people.

- Thinking about how gender norms are detrimental to me – this one has been a big thing lately. About how men can’t express their feelings the way women can – men can’t care about each other the way women are allowed to…And furthermore, thinking about how men exert their masculinity, and how those acts fit into certain boxes. And how I hate those actions and they bother me so much, but it has a lot to do with systems and social structures and norms. Or something.

- I keep thinking about My Sluthood, Myself and how much this post moved me (as someone who believes strongly in sluthood, but has no experiences that would suggest such a belief).

- The constant and pervasive gender roles present in the music/marching band world, how certain instruments are unfit for certain genders, whatever the fuck that’s about. Because flutes are so girly. Duh.

- Thinking about vandalism, and when it’s worth the risk, and when it’s inappropriate. I have no problem with fucking shit up, but it should serve the right purpose and shouldn’t hurt anyone…There is no clear line to be drawn here.

- Saw an ad for this new show “She’s got the Look,” a model contest for women over 35. But the women in the ad looked about 20, she was photoshopped so hard. I mentioned this to someone who answered “well, models usually look 14!” Also, all the ads on the website are for products that will make you look younger, even though the tagline on the (badly organized, graphically disastrous) poster read “beauty blossoms with age.” Gah.