Is the media more sexist or racist? Does it matter? June 9, 2008

So a friend e-mailed me last week to get my take on the Obama/Clinton in regards to marginalized groups.

If I remember right, you always preferred Obama to Clinton. Now that the race is over, what’s your opinion on complaints from female Dems that they were marginalized and mistreated (welcome to my world, lady) and threats to punish the party by voting for McCain?

I guess for the purposes of discussing this, I should mention that my friend is a black man (hence, the “welcome to my world” comment). We’ve had a lot of back and forth over the years about being members of groups that get marginalized in one way or another. For the most part, I think we agree that it is pointless to come up with which segment of our society is the most fucked over. Is it blacks? Is it women? Is it gays? Is it Hispanics? Honestly — how can you quantify that and what would that get us? The relevant point is that it’s wrong that anyone is discriminated against. Ever. Period. Hate is hate, no matter who’s the target of it … it’s still hate.

But it’s an interesting question that my friend, known on this blog as “Tracer Bullet,” brings up. And it’s not because he and I want to argue yet again who has it worse — women or blacks. What makes this interesting is that Hillary Clinton herself has raised this question about misogyny in our society as well as the media specifically in different ways throughout her campaign. Remember when she said that women were the last segment of our society that it is okay to openly hate during an editorial board meeting?

And the media itself has provided plenty of examples of outright sexism toward the Clinton campaign. Remember the “cleavage incident?” Or all the talk of what she wears or how she does her hair. Or, even the repugnant segment I caught on a cable news network in which one female pundit asked whether or not we want a “hysterical woman” to have her hand on the button? It’s 2008 and as a society we’re still going there.

It’s no secret that I have been for Obama for some time. Pretty much since John Edwards dropped out, truth be told. Don’t get me wrong, I loooove that we finally have a viable female candidate running for president. I am thrilled by it! But just because a woman is running doesn’t mean I have to vote for her. That’s like saying that I should only vote for white candidates because I’m white. I vote for the candidate who I think is best. And if there are no candidates I like, I vote for the lesser of two evils. But if Clinton had won the nomination, I would have voted “D.” No question. As a progressive — I prefer the term liberal, but whatever — I want to see a D in the White House, period.

Unfortunately, for these past few months Clinton has really been on a scorched-earth campaign. She has shown that she wants the White House at all costs and that she feels like this was her chance and it has been stolen by the other “first-time-ever” candidate. It’s been months of this and I’m glad the time has come when she’s put her sword down. It’s time to look at the big picture and worry about beating McCain. (And by the way, what is up with Dems who say they are going to vote for McCain out of spite?! That doesn’t make any sense! Think of the bigger picture, people!)

In some ways, even though I don’t always agree with her, I feel for Clinton. I have to figure that this whole thing was part of the plan after the Lewinsky debacle. I firmly believe that the reason Hillary didn’t dump Bill after that is that there was a conversation behind closed doors where he basically promised to support her political career and aspirations for the White House. And we all know she is one of the most strategic politicians out there. She doesn’t do anything without planning it out to the nth degree. So she probably thought she had this whole thing locked up and that there was no way the young upstart from Illinois had a chance. She probably banked on America’s ingrained and institutionalized racism to be stronger than it’s ingrained and institutionalized sexism. And historically speaking, she’d be right. A white woman in our society has traditionally had more privilege and more power than a black person of either sex.

As for the question at hand and as feminist, I am angry with Clinton. I think it’s fair to say that there is definitely racism AND sexism in the mass media. No question. But I think the way that Clinton used that issue and tried to play it was completely wrong. When she came out with that statement a few weeks ago about sexism in the media and that women are the last group that it’s okay to openly hate, that was sort of it for me.

Don’t get me wrong. It is harder to be a woman than a man sometimes. No question. Statistically, women are more likely to be attacked, paid less for the same work and receive less adequate health care than men. Certainly, men get attacked sometimes. But not nearly at the numbers of women. And this plays out in much more sublte ways in terms of how the media portrays women and how women are treated in our society in general.

The problem with how Hillary used it is that she did it the wrong way if she intended to get her message heard or to effect change. The way she used it was the opposite of how you would talk about it if you were actually trying to address a real issue and work on it (see: Obama on race issues after the reverend fall-out). Women are targeted and there is misogony in our society - no doubt. But I would say that it is far more acceptable to openly hate on gays, the homeless and the mentally ill than it is women.

One of the things I thought about when that statement came out was whether or not newsrooms were tangibly more racist or more sexist. I think it is equal in both, but that it manifests itself in different ways — just like sexism an racism in society at large. Most people in the media are at least savvy enough to know you can’t say certain things when it comes to race — even if they are thinking it. So the racism that gets put out there is more indirect (but still shitty). Meanwhile, since our society as a whole is still pretty comfortable with having women be the “second sex” to men, mass media can be more openly hostile and talk about beating her in a room so she will drop out. Both forms of hate are equally bad in my opinion. They both hurt society. I don’t think you can quantify which one is worse. And what would be the point? That doesn’t further the discussion about how to end it.

I think we are living in historic times in terms of this election, no matter who you like. I think Hillary Clinton and so many feminists are right that the media is sexist and that society as a whole is sexist. It’s true! And our society is still racist as well. There’s still the a lot that can be fixed in both arenas. I just wish that Clinton could have handled the issue with the kind of class that Obama has in regards to race. At least she has gotten the issue out there. And all of it is worth talking about.

New ‘PLAN’ for The Siren May 11, 2008

Well, it’s big news for your humble Sin City Siren founder and editor. I have been offered a job as the new Southern Nevada director of PLAN (Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada).

I am excited to start on this new path in my life (later this month)! It is a journey that began with me leaving journalism last year and stepping into grassroots activism and networking for the Fag Bug. But really it is a return to my activist roots that started in college.

For me this is a wonderful opportunity to work with amazing and passionate people on issues I care deeply (social, economic and environmental justice), be an activist and be more involved in my community.

As for The Siren … there’s a good chance it isn’t going anywhere, although I admit specifics have not been discussed. I’ll keep you posted!

For now, I’m enjoying some time with my family in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Stay tuned!

-Emmily

Happy Friday: When Elephants Fly edition May 9, 2008

Well kids, I’m heading out of town to The Last Frontier. Probably not going to have a lot of time for blogging so be patient with my lack of posts and if comments get trapped in limbo.

Until then, enjoy this scene from one of my favorite movies:

—E

New Green TV thing May 9, 2008

So I caught the sneak peak of the new Planet Green channel on TLC last night. They previewed two shows: Wa$ted and Greenovate. Overall, I’m for the concept of more shows educating the public on going green, especially in the more light-hearted way of Wa$ted, which shows participants how out of control their carbon footprint is and how to reduce it. But the other show, Greenovate, was interesting too. It seemed like an eco-version of the house flipping and remodeling shows that are popular on TLC and HGTV.

What I especially liked about both programs is that they were informative for people of different eco-levels. So if you don’t know anything, you learned a lot. And if you already know some things, there’s still more that you can take away from it. The one potential pitfall with programs like this is that people feel preached to, rather than compassionately educated. It’s important to be passionate about the environment but not smug or treating it like a fad, which is a fine line.

Shopping for charity May 8, 2008

You know how much I love it when you can do double-duty with your shopping dollars. If you are going to buy something anyway and can give a portion of that money to charity why wouldn’t you? So I’m always happy to spread the news of new ways to do just that.

At nonprofitshoppingmall. com, a portion every dollar spent online with any of their retail partners will be donated directly to the nonprofit organization of your choice. (Find out more on their blog.) Retail partners include Target, Zappos, Urban Outfitters, Gap, Old Navy, Home Depot, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and many more.

And extra bonus: RAINN is their featured organization for May! I am a champion of RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) because any organization that tackles rape and incest is doing some of the hardest work out there.

Hurray for feminist happenings! April 29, 2008

• Get GORGEOUS Wednesday, April 30. The Women’s Empowerment Network and Chocolate Mommi Mafia are collaborating to put on an evening of hip-hop and spoken word performances by local women at the Icehouse Lounge. Includes performances by The Conscious Daughters, Lady LUST and more. Starts at 7 p.m.
• And on May 1 you can combine two of my favorite things: feminism and environmentalism! There is a reception and screening of The 11th Hour as part of Movies that Matter at UNLV. The event is at CBC-A112 starting at 5:30 p.m. The Feminist Drinking Club is hosting the official after-party at Champaigne’s (on Maryland) starting around 8 p.m.

—E

You know we’ve got to find a way April 21, 2008

Here we are again at Earth Day (officially April 22). And I can’t help thinking — What a difference Al Gore has made. That little Oscar-winning movie, An Inconvenient Truth, and a little thing called a Nobel prize add a surprising amount of clout.

I seem to recall that sometime in the middle of the Bush Administration, people were still on the fence about whether or not climate change (aka global warming) existed. And Earth Day was starting to seem like a joke. The eco-conscious and environmentalist community were laughed at in the mainstream, often dismissed as crack-pot, idealistic hippies peddling a life of discomfort and living without.

Now gas is well above the $3 mark with no signs of lowering any time soon. The oil fields are nearing the end of their peak production. And oil companies are making record profits. Let’s face it, this isn’t the 1970s gas crisis that was fueled by political reasons. This is about a non-renewable resource running out.

We are such a predictable society. Even though environmentalists have been trying to get America to change its ways for decades, now that Americans are getting hit in their pocket book, we are paying attention.

But in the end, I’m just glad that people are finally paying attention. (According to a March Pew Research Center poll, 9 in 10 Americans favor better auto fuel efficiency standards, while 81% also support increased federal funding for alternative energy and mass transportation, 72%.)

Indeed, I’ve been in green heaven the past month as several television stations have put on green programming (such as local environmentalist Tara Pike-Nordstrom appearing on TLC’s What Not To Wear). At Home Depot they’re giving out “Eco Options” guides (and I noticed all of the lamps and chandeliers in their lighting section had CFLs). Target has partnered with Newsweek to take back used plastic bags (through a mail-in program) and re-purpose them into reusable shopping bags available at the stores. I even like the new ads promoting collaboration between all Americans — no matter your politics — in order to save the earth.

The truth about environmentalism is that it is far easier now than ever before to live a relatively comfortable life and do good by the earth. There are a growing number of products and services for everything these days: personal hygiene, beauty products, food, biofuels, conservation measures for the home, eco-friendly appliances and kitchen tools, clothes, shoes, reusable shopping bags, green dry cleaners, eco-friendly paints and other home improvement items, recycled, re-purposed and sustainable furniture, and on and on. And in most cases being eco-conscious will save you money (even when factoring in an initial start-up cost), make you feel healthier and is easy. Need proof? Check out The Siren’s Eco Stuff page (in the top navigation bar).

I hope that this trend continues. I hope that the tips people pick up on become habits for life. And I hope that it motivates people to become more involved in the process, as renowned climate scientist James Hansen urges. Nevada is one of the states with the greatest untapped potential for alternative energy and we have an aggressive Renewable Energy Portfolio, if anyone would ever force state legislators and the PUC to back it up.

Commit to one new earth-friendly lifestyle change this year. Get involved in the process. And of course, reduce your impact, reuse when you can and recycle in order to save precious resources and give new life to garbage.

Happy Earth Day!

—E

Spring fever April 11, 2008

So how’ve you been? Need a tissue? This is the time of year I hear the most complaints from my friends about their seasonal allergies. Believe me, I understand more than you know just how miserable you feel. And I want to help.

You see, I have terrible, life-altering, year-round and sometimes dangerous allergies. (I’ve even had more than one allergy and immune system specialist refuse to treat me because my case is so severe. You don’t know scary until you’ve had a doctor tell you to leave because he can’t do shit for you.) 

I’m not trying to get pity here, I just want you to know where I’m coming from. My allergies have grown exponentially over the past nine years. They encompass outdoor allergens (pollen, pollution, animals, bugs, etc), indoor allergens (dust, pets, etc), food allergies, topical allergies (shampoo, lotion, etc).

By necessity I’ve had to become a sort of junior detective to deconstruct the world around me in order to identify just what it is that’s giving me a rash, making my eyes water or just generally making me feel like shit. I’ve had to become a pseudo-chemist to decipher chemical-laden labels to make sure something isn’t going to make me sick or send me to the hospital. (Did you know that soy has literally hundreds of chemical names and derivations? Or that it is in 60% of the food produced in the United States?)

The fact is, unless you fit into the tidy camp of allergies where popping a pill takes care of all your troubles, a lot of times you’re on your own in the allergy world. Doctors can do a lot to help, but they can’t go to the grocery store and spend hours reading labels with you. They can’t go to restaurants with you and make sure the chef doesn’t cross-contaminate your food. And a lot of times, doctors aren’t really experts on individual allergies (like say, knowing all the chemical names for aloe) as much as they are experts in treating the overall picture of having allergies.

But there are two times a year when the rest of the world starts to understand what I go through all the time: the spring and fall. And by the looks of things, I’m not alone. According to Forbes, in the first quarter of 2005, Americans spent nearly $1 billion on antihistamines.

While I like the chance to commiserate with people, I would much rather help you out, if I can. Like I said, I’m no doctor. I’m just someone who has figured some things out with trial and error. I encourage those with helpful tips to post them in the comments.

I’m pissed! March 5, 2008

By now most locals have heard about the massive health scare stemming from the procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada. The clinic was shut down last week, and now five more related clinics have closed, because of blatant disregard for medical procedures that protect people from blood-born illness. In particular, the clinic was known to re-use syringes and other equipment. Now at least six people out of a pool of 40,000 known patients have tested positive for Hep-C. (Testing continues for Hep and HIV.)

The whole situation is appalling! And the more that comes out about this situation, the worse it gets!

First of all, they don’t even know how far back in time the doctors who owned the clinic where telling their workers to do these bad practices (which they admit they were doing to save money). The Health District has arbitrarily set dates of March 2004 - Jan. 2008. But they have said that the beginning date is based on the fact that they cannot get records dating back before then, so there could be an even greater number of people effected.

Second, one of the doctors, Vishvinder Sharma, is on the State Board of Health! In addition, the majority owner of these clinics, Dipak Desai, was a member of the governor’s transition team (it figures!) and was once on the Board of Medical Examiners, which is the board investigating the current crisis.

This is a nightmare!

I just want to wrap this up by saying that my heart goes out to the people who are impacted by this. To be honest, when the news first broke last week, I thought I might be in danger because I had a stomach procedure in 2004. Thankfully, it was not at one of these clinics. But that was one of the scariest hours of my life until I figured that out! So I have taken that fear I had for myself and I have been thinking about all the people who aren’t as lucky as me in this situation. There are people in our community right now who are without medical care that they need for serious gastrointestinal issues because of this. And there are people who are scared they could have a deadly disease just because they went to the doctor! And think about what this means for those who get these diseases. They have probably infected their spouses or other loved ones unwittingly. That is a horrible thing!

It is shameful what has happened. I can only hope that there is karma or some kind of universal justice for the people who have done this. It is depraved to value profit and money over the life of someone else. It is sick. It is evil.

— E

Update: I just saw on the news that medical syringes cost about seven cents each. So over four years and 40,000 patients, these doctors managed to save about $2,800 (give-or-take). I am deeply angry about this.

When bad journalism happens March 5, 2008

I don’t even really know where to begin or what to say exactly. Here’s what you need to know: The Sun ran a story about the shooting near Palo Verde High School. The story essentially had the thesis of “Wow, big bad crime has come out to the lily white suburbs. Is nowhere safe?” A week later there’s a book-size correction. But I really can’t do the whole thing justice. So, here’s a link to the Strip Podcast, which does. Frankly, I’m just sort of stunned at the magnitude of this fuck up (bad journalist? bad editors? bad clusterfuck?) and subsequent correction. When people get angry at the media for falling down on the job, this is exactly what they are talking about. It’s shameful, no matter who’s fault it is, that this was allowed to happen.

— E