Really, Cafepress, really?!?

I have just become aware via it's facebook fanpage that this year's calendar by Adipositivity has been pulled by cafepress from it's online store.

Here's some background: The Adipositivity Project is a site that wants to promote size acceptance through a display of (IMHO absolutely stunning and beautiful) pictures of fat people. The photographer behind the pictures is Substantia Jones and her gorgeous and stunning photos have gained her and her site quite a following (just check out her facebook fanpage). 

Here's her Mission Statement:

"The Adipositivity Project aims to promote size acceptance, not by listing the merits of big people, or detailing examples of excellence (these things are easily seen all around us), but rather, through a visual display of fat physicality. The sort that's normally unseen.

The hope is to widen definitions of physical beauty. Literally.

The photographs here are close details of the fat female form, without the inclusion of faces. One reason for this is to coax observers into imagining they're looking at the fat women in their own lives, ideally then accepting them as having aesthetic appeal which, for better or worse, often translates into more complete forms of acceptance.

The women you see in these images are educators, executives, mothers, musicians, professionals, performers, artists, activists, clerks, and writers. They are perhaps even the women you've clucked at on the subway, rolled your eyes at in the market, or joked about with your friends.

This is what they look like with their clothes off.

Some are showing you their bodies proudly. Others timidly. And some quite reluctantly. But they all share a determination in altering commonly accepted notions of a narrow and specific beauty ideal." (source)

In order to spread fat acceptance further and because those pictures are just effing great there is a calendar that comes out every year. And it's sold via Cafepress or rather not.

Here's what cafepress had to say about the removal:

"We recently learned that your CafePress.com account contains material which may not be in compliance with our policies. Specifically, we prohibit the display or sale of products which may be sexually suggestive or contain explicit sexual content (including full body nudity and genitalia)." (as posted on the Adipositivity facebook fanpage )

 Sexually suggestive? My a...! Take a look at the offending pics. But even if someone thought that the mere presence of nipples and poons is sexually suggestive to him/her (and from my view that says a lot more about his/her sexuality than the content of the pics...) but even so, take a look what other calenders cafepress sells, which apparently do not fall under the sexually suggestive rule! 

Yeah, you got that right! A woman in a flimsy bikini, kneeling on the floor with the bikini bottoms around her ankles is absofuckinglutely not sexually suggestive!! That's right! It's WTF Wednesday!!

Wanna do something about it??? Send an email to info@cafepress.com  and tell them you'll not buy anything from their site anymore if they don't get a grip on their standards. I will! Oh, and if you want to spread the fat acceptance further, share the news about The Adipositivity Project! 

Happy Wednesday!

the story of man candy monday

If you've been reading more than one post of my  blog you will probably know that my tastes are somewhat ecclectic. And that I lurrrrrrve Romance. And that I frequent some strange places in the internet. One thing I love about the world wide web, it lets me boldly go where likeminded freaks have gone before me. 

 It was not long before I began cruising the sites of Romancelandia and specifically those devoted to its subgenre erotic romance that I happened upon the institute of "man candy monday". Needless to say being a heterosexual woman with a deep appreciation for the male form I took an instant liking to the concept. The gals from (the now defunct) Erotica Cover Watch who first introduced me to the art of man candy monday started the the tradition of posting a sexy picture of men every monday on their blog because they were fed up with a reality in which the covers of erotica for women usually featured a picture of a woman in variuos states of dress and/or "sexy" postures but no men...

Yep, that's right. The books were specifically written for (heterosexual) women. Yet, when it came to the cover what did we see? A (half)naked woman! I mean come on, while I have no problem with naked women, that's not what I'm looking for when I get my dose of smut...After all, if I wanted to see one, I can just look into the mirror, ya know...or into any fashion mag for that matter. Apparently a lot of publishers had decided that a picture of a naked woman was more pleasing to the eye than that of a naked man. Really! I mean puh-lease...what's not to like about a nice studmuffin without his clothes...Really!

So, in order to prove them wrong the man candy monday was born. There are other sites posting pictures of man/eye candy quite regularly, proving the idea that women don't find a picture of a naked man pleasing ad absurdum. Now, some time and loads of nekkid guys later...publishers have apparently got it and men have made quite an appearance on the covers of women's erotica. Yay! But no reason to stop such an honored tradition, is it now?

So, here's what you've been waiting for. This time even a video. Yay!

And if you're looking for an appropriate birthday gift for me. Well I've always been partial to a gift that supports charity. (Yes, I know I'm sooooo selfless)

Thoughtful Thursday: Feminist or not?

I have both been accused of being a Feminist and not being one. Both were not meant as a compliment. Those who called me Feminist and meant it to be a put down, considered Feminism to be outdated at best and harmful at worst. Those who considered me not to be a Feminist thought my passion for romance to be some sort of betrayal to the Feminist cause. I call myself a Feminist. Proudly so. A Feminist who reads romance and considers that genre to be Feminist, too. (Another subject for yet another post, but if you want to dive into the depths of what romance is, I can point you to the book "Beyond heaving bosoms"). 

Sadly, a lot of people seem to think that Feminism has outlived itself and is no longer necessary. There seems to be some sort of unspoken consensus among quite a few women (mind you, you don't have to be a woman to be a Feminist) that Feminism had been a necessary phase to achieve what we have today but that we do not need it any longer or even that it is something negative in this day and age. While I agree that we have achieved a lot in our fight for Equality and that we have generations of Feminists before us to thank for that, and while I also think that there is a negative side to some Feminists (be they of my generation or before that) and I do not necessarily agree with them, I also happen to believe that Feminism today is as relevant and important as it has always been.

Of course if you mainly define Feminism as being against something, i.e. patriarchal structures, oppression and so on, than you might argue that, as we overcome those things, Feminism becomes obsolete. (Even so, I don't think we have overcome those things by a long shot yet). But in my definition Feminism is not purely being against something. That is easy. Everybody can be against something. No, the hard part is being for something. That's were commitment is needed. A commitment to Equality, to wanting to be seen and treated on eye-level and a commitment to include all genders into Feminism and not advance one gender at the exclusion of another. Not an easy task but a  rewarding one I believe. And necessary, especially in this day and age.

Happy Thoughtful Thursday.

WTF Wednesday: Hysteria, doctors and vibrators....

Apparently there is a new film with one of my all-time favorite actresses, Maggie Gyllenhaal,  in the making: Hysteria. It's a "romantic comedy about the invention of the vibrator". WTF?! Must-see-that-movie! And not only because the divine Maggie is in it (I absolutely adored her in "Secretary", such a lovely film). And Rupert Everett. And Hugh Dancy. 

As an avid reader of Victorian and other historical smut (one day I'll get my little hands on a copy of "The Lustful Turk") the whole concept of vibrators being invented as "medical" instruments isn't really new to me. And of course having friends who write extensive papers on female sexuality in the Victorian era (and proof-reading said papers) significantly expanded my horizon on such matters. And there people say my tastes in reading do not benefit my education. Oh, the things I know....  (thank you D., for my extensive education on venereal diseases....)

For all of you who didn't know, vibrators were invented in the late 19th century to help doctors treating a female "ailment" called hysteria, which would nowadays just be called what it is: sexual frustration. But since women weren't allowed to have sexual desire in those days, symptoms of such could only be  seen as an abberation that must be treated. Hence those noble doctors devoted a lot of time in helping these poor women by manually giving them "hysterical paroxisms" in order to relieve the symptoms. Apparently a lot of business was generated that way for doctors (of course mostly for women who could afford it (or rather their husbands)). And a tedious work it must have been, I mean, gee, the treatment was so frequent and must have bored doctors so much that they invented fricking machines to do the "work" for them! (I guess we can call them sexworkers, now that I actually find hilarious. And ironic.)    

Well, while the comedy sure isn't hard to find in the subject (doctors massaging female patients' genitalia until the achieve "hysterical paroxisms" i.e. orgasms, well, yeah, I can see how that can be hilarious)...I'm still glad I'm not living in those times. Imagine everytime your magic hoo-hoo gets tingly your hubby sends you to a doctor...  

No, I'm glad that I am living in times in which sexual frustration isn't called hysteria (literally "illness of the womb") and in which relief doesn't have to be sought in the form of a medical treatment. I'm sure glad that when the need arises I don't have to get a doctor's appointment...

Anyway, I'm sure looking forward to the movie (it's supposedly coming out sometime in 2011), hopefully it'll be funny but not tasteless.  

Meh...Monday: Another month gone...

Whew, this has been a busy week. Last Tuesday I was offered to teach a class at University, basically starting as soon as the administration gives the green light. Which means I've been scrambling to find a subject, put a curriculum together and find reading material. Meanwhile, I'm still churning out applications. Because teaching a course at University might sound all posh and all, and it might improve my standing and give me street cred, but it is abominably paid. Really. I wouldn't be able to live a month off the money they'll give me for the whole semester. It's a joke. Thank goodness I enjoy teaching so much. Otherwise it would be quite depressing.

This week, no this month, just flew by. It's kinda weird, but being essentially jobless, I'm busier than ever, or so it feels like. There seem to be new opportunities around every corner I turn. Makes me quite optimistic, that among these opportunities there will be a real job soon. It's a very exciting time. And scary. And exhilerating. And frustrating. But mostly exciting.

On the homefront I managed to hang a new rail and curtains in front of our drafty french doors in the living room. Not overly pretty but hopefully they keep the cold out. My next project is to renovate my old doll house to give to my niece for her birthday. I'll document it with pictures and post them when I'm done.

On sunday I cooked Szegedinger Goulash with bread dumplings. No pics though, my camera ran out of batteries. The Goulash turned out great, the bread dumplings weren't bad as a first try, but definetely can use some work. Here's a picture, I used a different recipe though, with beef instead of pork, and white instead of red wine, and I added tomato puree for color. It was very yummy.

So, enough ramblings for today. Happy November! And enjoy your monday eye candy.