tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31329577035625255832024-03-06T02:46:26.006-06:00The Hermeneutic of SuspicionQuestioning facts in light of feelings. Imaginatively recreating herstory from a woman's point of view. Celebrating sisterhood, naming our saints, giving birth to our own psalter.Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-14934079075857402262008-05-14T19:11:00.006-05:002008-12-08T22:43:23.652-06:00The Enemies<div style="text-align: center;">Enemy #1<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivV5RRucrC5yLT3hQMic7sjp1UlvlERsz2G5-xesu39VluJfRNjdYukcxF0L8avu4maoQzn16RYIy-iPWC40TKLVDDuwMeR66VpIEwBVIHJHPQvyzfE_cViUvpTQfLIIW_ZR10SNPZ1o/s1600-h/r429673403.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjivV5RRucrC5yLT3hQMic7sjp1UlvlERsz2G5-xesu39VluJfRNjdYukcxF0L8avu4maoQzn16RYIy-iPWC40TKLVDDuwMeR66VpIEwBVIHJHPQvyzfE_cViUvpTQfLIIW_ZR10SNPZ1o/s400/r429673403.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200391634633021138" border="0" /></a>What can possibly be said about this menace? He is an evil Nazi (German = Nazi, right?) who hates women, minorities, and probably small children. He is intent on destroying LitHERgy by insisting on outdated music, outdated (and intrinsically oppressive) languages, and look at those vestments!!!! How can you effectively communicate the spirit beHIIIIIND the belly button with vestments like that?!?! GAH! So sad that our brothers and sisters in the Episcopal Church are the only ones with good vestments (I don't join the Episcopalians because Catholicism is my faith tradition from when the Gaia Mother first breathed my spirit into me after I was born...that and I want to be a plague and an annoyance on good Catholics as much as I possibly can.)<br /><div style="text-align: center;">Enemy #2<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVTjQoWqwtwXfoZ7YombGnvnVLkznUVIFSKANtKK5qmz4X0Wd-gQgsqjdbe_yBL9u_vbJMLHWQSau15GBC_KavuBoaXsdRNi_8iUF8Rfn_LfgMNCfer8cwE5NaTq_6ZmnOojgv0N5GrU/s1600-h/brettfavre.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVTjQoWqwtwXfoZ7YombGnvnVLkznUVIFSKANtKK5qmz4X0Wd-gQgsqjdbe_yBL9u_vbJMLHWQSau15GBC_KavuBoaXsdRNi_8iUF8Rfn_LfgMNCfer8cwE5NaTq_6ZmnOojgv0N5GrU/s400/brettfavre.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200426870544717570" border="0" /></a><br /><img src="file:///Users/johngerardi/Desktop/brettfavre.jpg" alt="" />Now, Brett Favre...the man basically is pure American Man, and there are few things we hate more. Football is a plague upon our society that needs to be eradicated for its sexism and its promotion of masculinity, and nobody screams "football" as much as Brett Favre. He makes MY crawly skin crawl, if you can believe it... <br /><br />Gah I can't stand it anymore!! WOMANSPIRIT COME FORTH!!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0gUctHtmLywjXPLAnl9kJJ5avZteIxkhoAxix9btGthi6hgy5kVaF8mdJeqrlILYrw2_GCFrjkFnDVmHmPUQ4B0q7DNDUJDd1zyeHGwBV8FBUYB5SezYFyndKqwdIxUv-J-Wafv3I1Q/s1600-h/banshee.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0gUctHtmLywjXPLAnl9kJJ5avZteIxkhoAxix9btGthi6hgy5kVaF8mdJeqrlILYrw2_GCFrjkFnDVmHmPUQ4B0q7DNDUJDd1zyeHGwBV8FBUYB5SezYFyndKqwdIxUv-J-Wafv3I1Q/s400/banshee.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200427905631835922" border="0" /></a><br /></div>The Pain Trainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09085179373740023904noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-10949018208470780872008-04-27T09:16:00.003-05:002008-04-27T09:34:08.851-05:00No CommentSo Feminique and Pat and I were talking the other day about how no one's left a comment for us in ages. <span style="font-style: italic;">Why? </span>we wondered. It's certainly not the case that no one <span style="font-style: italic;">visits </span>this blog anymore, seeing as how we're really the only feminist site that completely supports and strives after the spirit of Miriam Therese Winter. Then we wondered whether possibly our posts have either resounded with so many oppressed women and/or converted so many oppressive patriarchs that no one disagrees with us by the time they're done reading (and thus, no comments).<br /><br />THEN, Pat started choking on her tofu casserole and screaming, "Men! <span style="font-style: italic;">Men! </span>MEN!" She usually does that at <span style="font-style: italic;">some </span>point each day, so Feminique and I thought little of it and continued our discussion of the comments problem. This time was different, though. "<span style="font-style: italic;">Men!</span>" Pat shouted again. "<span style="font-style: italic;">Comment</span> has the word <span style="font-style: italic;">MEN </span>in it!!!" Of course. And to think we've let that go for five months now ... our bad.<br /><br />So <span style="font-style: italic;">that's </span>why the combox is so empty. We're sorry, and due changes have been made. You may now feel free to congratulate us, encourage us, or both, by leaving a commYnt, without having to sell out to patriarchy.Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-33146588192240814352008-04-24T22:20:00.003-05:002008-12-08T22:43:23.854-06:00Three years ago today...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBGRX_yZR_cNeCUTgeX80Y27moH87Y4UqKO83riRFyWxy6DRNqM2SLlWLjs87jFquu39VgWYFw7g9o5AO4YcaWH-eqbXP2bPi9QznlEhhaAqXKxU6RFH99qZXkMeQ4WKZ1Imtj5vgC5Q/s1600-h/BenedictXVI_election.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBGRX_yZR_cNeCUTgeX80Y27moH87Y4UqKO83riRFyWxy6DRNqM2SLlWLjs87jFquu39VgWYFw7g9o5AO4YcaWH-eqbXP2bPi9QznlEhhaAqXKxU6RFH99qZXkMeQ4WKZ1Imtj5vgC5Q/s400/BenedictXVI_election.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5193018379461012274" border="0" /></a><br />We all died inside...<br /><br />GrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHThe Pain Trainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09085179373740023904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-31996623337730153232008-04-22T00:48:00.003-05:002008-12-08T22:43:24.116-06:00Damn, I hate men<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnPeqaAc0Jcu3NVpItKObTBaPKFIgN_YW5fEG_dHqytlQN4Pp0VSoPyouO0Iv4pzf6HckKGhvkfzfFvSU4UcURXtNMPzTvcy5GN9UENAeNxQL_krXvuPf2jaBjWEYTABFGOdEihVK-m4/s1600-h/g1hatemen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnPeqaAc0Jcu3NVpItKObTBaPKFIgN_YW5fEG_dHqytlQN4Pp0VSoPyouO0Iv4pzf6HckKGhvkfzfFvSU4UcURXtNMPzTvcy5GN9UENAeNxQL_krXvuPf2jaBjWEYTABFGOdEihVK-m4/s400/g1hatemen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191943095743752978" border="0" /></a><br />We've been pretty quiet around here lately, and I just felt like telling everyone how much I hate men.<br /><br />Wow, it's unbelievable how evil men are. Perhaps it would be good for us all to re-evaluate reasons why we hate them.<br /><br />1. They are patriarchal, authoritarian jerks.<br /><br />2. They hold way too many positions of authority in the Church and in government.<br /><br />3. They watch football.<br /><br />4. They kill animals and eat them.<br /><br />Sometimes I hate men so much that, in the words of Ashlee Simpson, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5YPiBx9MJs">it makes me want to scream.</a> (I'm glad in popular society, by the way, that we have talented and liberated wymyn like Ashlee who are able to eloquently and beautifully express the thoughts of her sisters through song. To think that such beautiful art just wouldn't have been allowed in the Dark Ages of the 1950's when those rotten Catholic bishops--perhaps the single most evil group of men in human history--were basically telling the American television and film industry what they couldn't broadcast. Thank God we've progressed to the point where such beautiful art as this is much more commonplace. Though notice the cretins in the crowd--from sexist places like Oklahoma, most of them--booed her. How dare they!)<br /><br />Since men are here, and, sadly, here to stay, it seems we should give a model for what our ideal man should be. This is difficult, because it's like saying what our ideal Pope would be like--it shouldn't be there in the first place, but if you had to choose the least damaging option...<br /><br />At any rate, he'd probably look something like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJCeVVccZIGWpdusUI5EQ5MsU-4dgd1IC6RcSXz2SQl4tyM_52Wu-jtR0xoNAXetNDFKa-dA1OG3ft1Z3UfN6NV-1plMX_5r6emA8B83w79o1PO5-UT5kCBpMb-ECbFyYTalQ9uwIwR8/s1600-h/Pee-Wee-Herman-Photograph-C10042164.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJCeVVccZIGWpdusUI5EQ5MsU-4dgd1IC6RcSXz2SQl4tyM_52Wu-jtR0xoNAXetNDFKa-dA1OG3ft1Z3UfN6NV-1plMX_5r6emA8B83w79o1PO5-UT5kCBpMb-ECbFyYTalQ9uwIwR8/s400/Pee-Wee-Herman-Photograph-C10042164.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191946995574057762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Well, that's all for today sisters. How have you harmed a man today?The Pain Trainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09085179373740023904noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-71367395941761459252008-01-14T13:29:00.000-06:002008-12-08T22:43:24.704-06:00QuizIn our never-ending search for ways to reach out to our culture, we here at the Herm*neutic of Suspicion have found that many popular blogs on the Other Side, such as the <a href="http://sobersophomore.blogspot.com/">Sober Sophomore</a> and <a href="http://infelixego.blogspot.com/">Infelix Ego</a>, occasionally post entertaining quiz results.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the Sober Sophomore this week, despite being on retreat, has attracted over twice as many visitors with her old-fashioned holy-picture-things as we have with our daily dose of womantruth. Discouraging? Yes. But it has always been our motto: If you can't beat 'em, join 'em; then once you've joined 'em, steal their ideas, leave 'em, and <span style="font-style: italic;">then </span>beat 'em. Thus, we too have now opened up the depths of our womanspirits in taking the online "Militant Feminist Quiz." Results follow:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">DARLENE:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MtNHEViAqMCl_zxGzsp7RJSCpdG6nefFFchorvGoYYUEmJhNZrTH42CKEPXOPhew12HWzufig4WC5vdAHRkPFuHK-yQqbrvt1m9fFuN-IipARKvIIKngJYNLb39U1f11G-WMC5vsmt0a/s1600-h/88-seriously.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MtNHEViAqMCl_zxGzsp7RJSCpdG6nefFFchorvGoYYUEmJhNZrTH42CKEPXOPhew12HWzufig4WC5vdAHRkPFuHK-yQqbrvt1m9fFuN-IipARKvIIKngJYNLb39U1f11G-WMC5vsmt0a/s400/88-seriously.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155423707543538290" border="0" /></a>Disappointing. It seems I have more of a soft spot than I'd thought. I need a good slap in the face.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">FEMINIQUE:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm3n-ZVuSJluEdyiEcOneG21EI5X3XULYI7H95QJQQ03300-O1QsIbUIdeWf2f7S2pQnPOhEI94RgqDTmYdJn4njYU7lToqHJ1CYVExCLJBDYT-MvIKOJb42s1mfOUL3LCwG2Tjey0yaV/s1600-h/63-potential.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAm3n-ZVuSJluEdyiEcOneG21EI5X3XULYI7H95QJQQ03300-O1QsIbUIdeWf2f7S2pQnPOhEI94RgqDTmYdJn4njYU7lToqHJ1CYVExCLJBDYT-MvIKOJb42s1mfOUL3LCwG2Tjey0yaV/s400/63-potential.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155422736880929362" border="0" /></a><br />Considering her relatively recent conversion to the cause (that's a story for another day), this is a promising score. The thing with 'Nique is that having been in the education business for so long, her exposure to the kids has compromised her ability to harbor high levels of violent anger. But seeing as how she's jumped 19 points in the last two months, she'll probably be in the 90s by March.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">PAT:<br /></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllfPf8EB01ZsUHgIhHfuVzqMBmfujGOJUjGJsyBpzjXW9dDqi8ITm_wDAsjZBSmKFS9G5zHBg9nQjUuS1zpYcdUJOqIzoMi3szDwX9yv7qfI11xZEi66LU9n4jyXoIQ-nSgltBEctKnkJ/s1600-h/96-hardcore.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllfPf8EB01ZsUHgIhHfuVzqMBmfujGOJUjGJsyBpzjXW9dDqi8ITm_wDAsjZBSmKFS9G5zHBg9nQjUuS1zpYcdUJOqIzoMi3szDwX9yv7qfI11xZEi66LU9n4jyXoIQ-nSgltBEctKnkJ/s400/96-hardcore.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155420267274734146" border="0" /></a>That's what we like to see!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Please note: while the Herm*neutic of Suspicion has gladly dispensed with traditional ideas of morality, we <span style="font-style: italic;">do </span>still possess a sense of decency, and thus <span style="font-style: italic;">in all honesty</span> must advise our viewers <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">not </span></span>to follow the link and take this quiz. The questions become rather offensive toward the end, and we all would have been better off not having taken the questionnaire. Unfortunately it is about the only militant feminist quiz we could find.</span>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-71190660395828634732008-01-12T10:37:00.000-06:002008-12-08T22:43:24.867-06:00Beware Bad Books: Week IIn addition to Feminique's weekly literary <a href="http://femlove.blogspot.com/2008/01/book-of-week.html">recommyndations</a>, it is also important to point out other kinds of books; namely, books that one ought <em>not </em>to read. Whether <strong>outdated, patriarchal, sexist, ugly, </strong>or<strong> just plain offensive</strong>, these books are still floating around and <em>must </em>be avoided.<br /><br />This week's dangerous tome is an innocent-looking red-and-grey volume called the <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saint-Joseph-Baltimore-Catechism-Illustrated/dp/0899422411">St. Joseph's Baltimore Catechism</a>.</em> A quick rating will explain this:<br /><br /><strong>Outdated: </strong>Yes. As if things we taught children in the '50s are still good for teaching them in today's world. <strong>Patriarchal: </strong>Yes. <strong>Sexist: </strong>Yes yes. See discussion below. <strong>Ugly: </strong>The many illustrations look far too much like real people, and use metaphors too frequently. Kids aren't ready for such things until they're at least 15. <strong>Just plain offensive: </strong>Again, yes.<br /><br />If you don't believe me, just take a look at this part of the chapter on "Holy Matrimony" (a sexist word, by the way, which we will explore in a later post). The children are supposed to come up with a list of virtues that will prepare them for a happy marriage. And ....<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154636160865307186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlnd9W1jDMzBc408HyVdZFW5nM-5DrqdIe9J3zNpxfSJfwuSn1NowK2XQD6p-Zcni-o99FJBTbpG93_ZeKFIZumXZ3uu1-2BNohYwbL_wSfRrgUpFiGLna6b6KwWjk9bGhuei-hwJdhyphenhyphen5/s400/bc.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Oh wow. Look at that -- of course, the <em>girls </em>get the unreasonable demands thrown on them. The very fact that there are two separate lists is bad enough, but then they have to go and <em>patronize </em>us by throwing in under the boys' list "respect for girls" and such. We don't need their stinking respect! </p><p>Well, enough space wasted on the Baltimore Catechism. Just don't read it, and if you meet anyone teaching from it, then please report it to us. We will take the necessary steps.</p>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-8427631637250422392008-01-10T08:53:00.001-06:002008-01-10T09:39:22.772-06:00Girlcott!Well, sisters, it's that time of year again: when patriarchy fills the television screens of North America and sexism is the entertainment in vogue. What time of year am I talking about? GOOD QUESTION. That really didn't narrow it down at all.<br /><br />I'm talking about the NFL playoffs. Everywhere you look, people are excited about football and their favorite team and the Super Bowl. Well, isn't that nice. It just so happens that football is the most sexist sport in the country, and <span style="font-style: italic;">also </span>the most popular. Of all the barriers yet to cross, this silly sport looms perhaps the largest. Basketball has the WNBA. Girls' softball is on about half the time on one of the ESPN channels. Mia Hamm and company have given much-deserved credibility to women's soccer. And that Russian tennis girl with the long name could probably beat the pants off Roger Federer if only given the chance. (Federer is likely too afraid to ever afford her that opportunity, unfortunately, and because it's a man's world, they'll let him off the hook.)<br /><br />But what about football? Is there a WNFL? Umm, no. Is there one single woman in the NFL? No again. Will there ever be? Probably not. (I must confess that for the sake of filtering old-fashioned trashy literature, I took one for the team the other day and actually read <a href="http://www.dangerousbookforboys.com/">this horrid book</a> that Feminique warned against -- there is a passage in there, though, that unwittingly sums up the inherent sexism of football. Something like, "Treat girls well, for without them, life would be one long football locker room." There you have it, from the horse's ManMouth itself.)<br /><br />If you're not convinced, think it over. What do you expect from a sport with positions like line<span style="font-style: italic;">man</span>? If you're still not convinced, then you're probably a man, so get off our blog. Once and for all, sisters, as we work towards women's ordination, let us also strive for female fullbacks. For what the Catholic Church is to religion, football is to sports. The key is to still call ourselves <span style="font-style: italic;">football fans </span>when among other people, while behind the scenes we furtively direct our womanpowers toward changing the sport's sexist rules. Kind of like we've been doing with the Church.<br /><br />If its sexism doesn't sufficiently show its utter barbarity, then just take a look at one of the NFL's games for a second. The men wear sharp cleats that tear up the turf of mother Earth beneath them. The ball reputedly is, or at least used to be, made out of pigskin; now I believe it is leather, which is <span style="font-style: italic;">still </span>an animal. And how are we ever supposed to achieve peace on earth as long as people keep hitting one another? Add to that the fact that it's 100% male, and the NFL should appear to everyone to be the evil organization that it is.<br /><br />We at H.o.S. are therefore declaring a girlcott on the NFL this season, and forever. Do NOT watch any of the games. Do NOT buy jerseys as presents. Do NOT wear any team logos. Write to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Goodell">commissioner</a> and tell Roger Bad-ell that his league is a backwards, sexist atrocity.<br /><br />And above all, pray to the WomanSpirit that the Cow<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">boys </span></span></span>don't win the Super Bowl. Or the Packers, as they are actually named after <span style="font-style: italic;">meat </span>packers, and are thus evil. Or the Colts or Giants, whose quarterbacks are named <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Man</span></span>ning. You know, just pray that <span style="font-style: italic;">no one </span>wins the Super Bowl.Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-30552367067951539222008-01-07T20:53:00.000-06:002008-01-09T08:38:03.015-06:00Book of the WeekA womanfriend shared this book with me quite a while ago, and I admit that I more or less forgot about it until recently, when a few things reminded me of it. First was <a href="http://femlove.blogspot.com/2007/12/what-were-up-against.html">Darlene's post</a> which showed the utter intolerance that some people still instill in their children. I mean, seriously sisters, what kind of person looks at such a meaningful illustration (which certainly elevates the mind to something greater), and is immediately inclined to mock it? Sick. I'll bet this child was raised on traditional, sexist tales, or perhaps (nature forbid) this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Book-Boys-Conn-Iggulden/dp/0061243582/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199761382&sr=8-1">terrible book</a>.<br /><br />Second, a recent perusal of our sitemeter shows that several readers have clicked over from *shudder* <a href="http://infelixego.blogspot.com/">this blog</a> (I won't even post the name, since I have no desire to profane this page with the language of the patriarchs). That site is just about what you'd expect from the title and self-description; however, I did find <a href="http://infelixego.blogspot.com/2007/12/o-little-town-of-birmingham.html">one item of interest</a>: a holiday hyr, cleansed of the intolerance, sexism, and religious superiority one is usually deluged with at this time of year. (For your own sakes, sisters, DO NOT read that blog, for the sake of your womanspirits; I merely wanted to point out that, well, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. Unless it's a M*nClock.)<br /><br />In any case, on to this week's recommended book: <span class="sans"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Politically-Correct-Holiday-Stories-Enlightened/dp/0028604202/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199760736&sr=8-5">Politically Correct Holiday Stories: For an Enlightened Yuletide Season</a>. In fact, check out anything in this series, as they're all worth your time. This particular volume includes refreshing tales such as "Rudolph the Nasally Empowered Reindeer" and "Frosty the Persun of Snow". Buy this book, Share it with a child in your life, and maybe, just maybe, you can reach them before the patriarchy does.<br /><br />TTFN, sisters!<br /></span>feminiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774252391131522448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-71747039614371939692008-01-07T16:53:00.001-06:002008-01-07T17:28:28.380-06:00URGENT: Blog Name CrisisIt's 5 pm on Monday, Jan 7, and I just realized that the name of our blog has the word MEN in it. That's right, scroll up to the top, and you'll see "The Her<strong>MEN</strong>eutic of Suspicion."<br /><br />Problem.<br /><br />Granted, our title also has the word HER, which is most fortunate, and also, HER comes <em>before </em>MEN, as it should. But still the question remains: why is MEN there at all?<br /><br />Feminique, Pat, we should really call a council between the three of us (we <em>are </em>pope, after all) and decide what to do about this. Readers: we owe you an explanation.<br /><br />Contrary to popular belief, the phrase "herm*neutic of suspicion" was not coined by Feminique. People assume that because she's the intellectual and the educator here, that she has developed all of our sophisticated terminology. While that is true for the most part, the phrase "H.o.S." was actually made up long ago to apply to any number of movements. (Sometimes, even Traditionalist Catholics are said to adopt a hermeneutic of suspicion toward so-called "HERetical" developments by those more liberally-minded individuals!! Aack! Wish we'd known <em>that </em>before naming this blog too.) It has been especially adopted, however, by the feminist movement, thanks to the great Miriam Therese Winter, who writes:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Women are particularly encouraged to critique the [biblical] narratives in light of their own experience, applying ... a <strong>hermeneutics of suspicion</strong>, <strong>questioning the facts in light of feelings</strong>, filling in the missing pieces by <strong>imaginatively recreating herstory</strong> from a woman's point of view. (Preface from <em>WomanWord: A Feminist Lectionary and Psalter, </em>NY: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1990)</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br />You said it, Miriam!! This, anyway, is the basis for our blog's title. Unfortunately we missed those three sexist letters weeks ago. Fear not, though -- it is only a mistake. We do not want any of you to think that this compromises our mission for equality, or worse yet, to think that we at H.o.S. are at all insincere about our real opinions.Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-10902237316987755272008-01-05T15:43:00.000-06:002008-12-08T22:43:25.257-06:00Stoke on TRENT?! *or* Pat's Psychedelic Nightmares<div style="text-align: left;">Apparently, in addition to a reader from somewhere in Ireland (a nasty country which I think is inherently sexist, there must be something in the water over there), there is also a reader of our blog from somewhere in the UK named <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Stoke-on-trent,+UK&sa=X&oi=map&ct=image">Stoke-on-Trent</a>.<br /></div><div><br /><div> </div><div>TRENT?!?!?!?!?!?</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Excuse me MR. BRITISH PERSON (of course it must be a man), but how dare you contaminate our blog with a city name so SEXIST as Stoke on Trent?!? That's only one letter away from "Stoked on Trent," which is a California way of saying that one...actually...is deeply enthusiastic for...the Ecumenical Council of...</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>*Faints*</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div>*During Pat's dream, she sees the following:</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1yxX8WaZ3V53kmwspNnyxX5BFQxQzh2vDl7wP2ebBbI5SNncW7ggF96MgRL7CI9TZAip-CuB5fkUqc_c_yKgRaMTo3LH72GNdk3obk6bHQBc_UC9NiEIlnF6oGjRt_o1wNgANqbK-co/s320/collage.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152113043446987362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></div><div><br /></div><div>"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10CxfHy05-3MbM7R2D3ZojFPafkqVXEEIUxphmPAd37zrjCDUkXE4mEONTUlhVkjqsTglPRbfgrxzViMTAUuuAlbz_tKsW6fbBFtxKe7rd92yFPLVXrBOVAYsUVMpWx8aMDyLbZFRGjY/s320/PopeBenedictXVIOrdinationDay.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152113945390119538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>"CASSOCKS!!!! LAAAAAAAACE!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20071231/i/ra1187213494.jpg?x=238&y=345&sig=HNyF9q35qs7aNFRxzteNag--" alt="Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the First Vespers and Te Deum prayers ..." id="photoMain" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">"WAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHH!!!!"</div></div><div><br /></div><div>*2 hours later*</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Oh goodness...how terrible...I can't believe someone from such a town would visit our site!! He could have had the decency to say he was from Stoke on Spirit of Vatican II!</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Oh my word...I need a nip of womanhooch...</div><div><br /></div><div>(Last picture from yahoo news)</div></div>The Pain Trainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09085179373740023904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-6050778029354654592008-01-05T10:21:00.000-06:002008-01-05T10:41:41.395-06:00Listen to this!<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwcxggrUCzcXXEqeXXfw4nKfG3B1NFNHP6u_uRY9li04YAYSQ7SNVy7GdOkDMe7oTHymziw4SStPpiaLgQ-kQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br />Just came across this online -- a recording of "We Are Not Servants," as mentioned in my last post. Good stuff. Would probably be good for your WomanMeditation today if you haven't done so already.<br /><br />Also, thanks to our old friend the <a href="http://sobersophomore.blogspot.com/">Sober Sophomore</a> for her gracious nod to us in her post yesterday. She's quite a gal -- horribly misguided, of course, don't believe ANYTHING you read on her blog -- but a good friend nonetheless.Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-62644823200937320602008-01-04T11:54:00.000-06:002008-01-04T13:11:51.305-06:00The HernalIf you don't know what that title means, then you're still to some degree being brainwashed by patriarchal western society. Some of you, no doubt, go to church/mosque/temple each week to celebrate liturgy and empower the community around you. (Some of you may not, too, and that's fine -- just to be clear, I don't want to seem judgmental here -- if church isn't for you, then it's not for you. It's really just a building after all; the important thing is the womanspirit in each of us.) Anyway, since silent prayer is really an oxymoron, and since speaking gets old after a while, I'd bet that most of your worship areas use song to praise the deity within you. Now, traditionally, spiritual songs are called "hymns." DON'T let the spelling fool you: despite what some chauvinist man-philologists might tell you, the word "hymn" comes directly from the English pronoun "him." Is it starting to click, sisters? Of <span style="font-style: italic;">course</span> we're supposed to call our songs "hymns": after all, if God is called "Father" and referred to by "He" and "Him," if only <span style="font-style: italic;">men </span>should be priests and servers, if males need not wear head coverings in church, etc. etc. etc. -- then why not just go ahead and call even our religious <span style="font-style: italic;">songs </span>"hims"?! And they thought they could get away with it, too! Well, they may have since the beginning of the English language, but no more.<br /><br />For years now, Feminique and Pat and I have refused to sing "hymns," instead calling them "hers." We don't use hymnals -- only hernals. Music is <span style="font-style: italic;">so </span>important to worship that we can't afford to let its very terminology be affected by sexism. Fortunately the last few decades have seen a marked improvement in worship music, especially through the bouncy melodies and inclusive lyrics of composers such as Marty Haugen, David Haas, Dan Schutte, Ernest Sands, Bernadette Farrell, and Michael Joncas. True, most of those are men, which is unfortunate, but it just goes to show that the Cosmic Christa can use even dirty man-pigs to achieve our great goal. The plodding strains of man-chant once made it next to impossible for the womanspirit to focus on herself, instead distracting her with that otherworldly droning in a strange language. Not only that, but even those old Fr. Faber "hymns" (for that's what they were) insisted so much on stressing Catholicism and pope-loyalty stuff that they brought out the <span style="font-style: italic;">differences </span>between religions instead of our similarities, and were totally unsuitable for responsible modern-day worship.<br /><br />I could go on and on, but instead of talking, I will soon <span style="font-style: italic;">show </span>you what I mean by good and bad music. For now, though, let me share with you a wonderful new <span style="font-style: italic;">her </span>that's just been written by a promising young feminist student. It's called "We Are Not Servants," and is sung to the tune of "Morning Has Broken":<br /><br /> We are not servants, we are creators<br /> In this great cosmos that we call life;<br /> Every woman should be the leader,<br /> Every man should bow to his wife.<br /><br /> We are not servants, we are empowered:<br /> Don't want to be a stay-at-home mom.<br /> So to our husbands, then to the bishops,<br /> Let us each cry out: <span style="font-style: italic;">non serviam.</span><br /><br />Marvelous! Look how it immediately debunks the fallacy that good Christians must be "servants" of one another. I don't know where people ever got that idea, but whatever the source, it's very repressive to the human spirit, and especially to women. We <span style="font-style: italic;">are </span>truly creators: creators of our social constructs, of our religions, of our very destinies. And look at that beautiful irony at the end of the first stanza. It's about time! A slight problem arises at the end of the second stanza -- why this young lady used a <span style="font-style: italic;">Latin </span>phrase, I will never fathom. Latin is one of the patriarchs' greatest weapons. What language is the traditional Latin mass in? Latin. Enough said. Overlooking that flaw, though, this really is quite a stirring piece of music; and the problem can easily be remedied by a loose translation of the Latin at the end, such as, "Won't serve you, Tom!" Of course, this fits in with the rhyme scheme and meter, which is a little legalistic itself, so you can feel free to substitute <span style="font-style: italic;">any </span>phrase you would like that expresses your determination <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>to serve a male. In fact, every member of the assembly can individually sing whatever the womanspirit leads her to sing at that point.<br /><br /><span style=""></span>By contrast, we must now warn you, dear readers, that the Other Side is not asleep at the switch. When they're not attending mass in Latin or blithering on about obedience to the pope, they're writing parodies of our sacred womansong. I almost refrained from posting this because it seemed tantamount to blasphemy, but these sorts of things must be exposed.<br /><br />The question is: what is it? What is its purpose? Does it just make fun of us, and leave it at that? NO!!!! Not only does this atrocity steal the beautiful music and lyrics of Miriam Therese Winter's masterpiece "Circle of Love," but it promotes some of the most dangerous and false ideologies the Other Side has at its disposal.<br /><br />First take a look at the original lyrics of Miss Winter's song, at the bottom of this <a href="http://www.shawlministry.com/reflection.htm">wonderful link</a>. Now below is the parody. Those of you with weak constitutions may want to hit the Back button now:<br /><br />1. Thrifty like you won't believe: pious women,<br />Fix a surplice sleeve: pious women,<br />No one can compare<br />To a <span style="font-style: italic;">pia mulier</span><br />In thimbles, thread, and pious womanly stuff.<br /><br />2. Skirts and hats and chapel veils: pious women,<br />Proud that they're not males: pious women,<br />But call them feminists<br />And they'll probably break your wrists,<br />'Cause that's one thing you can't accuse them of. (But ...)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Chorus:<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Speaking out, listening in, and besides that, to the men's chagrin,<br />Follow them, and you'll see how to live intrusively.<br />Other than that, they're not so bad -- our belov'd mantilla-clad!<br />For today you can't praise pious women enough.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>3. Follow Holy Church, they do: the pious women,<br />M.T.W.: a woman,<br />To Rome their hearts are stirred<br />(That's the city, not the verb),<br />And to Rome they give their pious womanly love.<br /><br />4. Know that Priesthood's not for them: pious women,<br />(Clearly they're not men): pious women,<br />They'll be splendid nuns<br />Or moms of splendid sons,<br />Our pious women, trusty, true, and tough.<br /><br />5. To a world that hates the good; pious women,<br />They show womanhood: pious women,<br />Still don't let that fool ya:<br />Don't give them hyperdulia,<br />'Cause that's reserved for the Pious Woman above.<br /><br />What a hateful song! It's almost unbelievable. They've torn down about everything we stand for -- equality, independence, women's ordination, inclusive language, you name it. They even snuck Latin AND Greek in there! How shamelessly they use the original composer's initials in the 3rd verse, and then they think they're being clever about the roam/Rome thing in the next lines. There they go, exalting their so-called "pious" women ... and of course, like any antiquarian goody two-shoes Catholic from the '50s, they just <span style="font-style: italic;">had </span>to get a reference in to Mary at the end. Well, for the thousandth time: what if we don't <span style="font-style: italic;">want </span>to be like Mary?! Unbelievable.<br /><br />More later. Between this and Pat's post, the one keyword is: watch out! Things are starting to go backwards in Rome, and now these insane little ideologues are scampering around in the homeland, desecrating our music. I hate to lose hope, but perhaps Pat said it best:<br /><br />AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-38960231129051549802008-01-02T23:29:00.001-06:002008-12-08T22:43:31.742-06:00Sexism from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Nuevo Marini<div style="text-align: left;">Well, we women have never been respected by the meanies in the hierarchy at the Vatican. John Paul II set back our movement so far when he said we couldn't become priests--but just wait sisters, we're having a big tofu-cookout over at St. Christa's Church next week where we'll be coordinating our signature-gathering efforts to overturn this oppressive policy! Well, John Paul II was bad, but his successor (He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) is even worse!!! He's rubbing his patriarchal ceremonious liturgical piety in our faces constantly now!!!! Ever since Piero Marini left (and he had such nice aesthetic taste, really he did a pretty spectacular job; in fact, I helped him choose the vestments He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named used in Austria), things have gone downhill FAST. Now the Nuevo Marini is just ruining everything, setting back the cause of womaesthetics and womiturgy by about 45 years! We were trying to fight against stuff like this:</div><div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2AT39xUVklAGa_ZcQPZEk_DdPPXV3M2Tc-dkD0ywHdKOvk0GyjPVB2_h3NWCHrBbWh3G8fT_V2u_UCd-RwvcA4q2rp60JFlne90bsQFt6gQfB2H1BhPpWRt-YtTGsDuv1ycfhtK5S8o/s320/GroupofYoungClergymen.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151140534002154018" /></div><div><br /></div><div>and THIS:</div><div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcq_L673ZahLiHfSz-kDipK5bPZza8agre1EIYg84dYzL3rqxUnBxOU9kr08Nli0ig53yfoqTkBcdi7hu3k2QhI7SCTS5P7jn-6zKw3RfzkKyGcPjL6Ekop0FYUo1iYiUNApd_WhIGJoI/s320/15.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151140804585093682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Such displays of outright liturgical sexism were too numerous to count, and were fostered by Vatican displays of sexism so outlandish that I dare not publish them here. And to think how they were fostering such hatred in the youth!!!! *sob*</div><div><br /></div><div>But look what El Nuevo Marini has been doing!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFVZQK2SWVWIouXPY2RcuQ4CaEpk8P_sjyY8_zq2-YoYk8zeM6eIX-THiwtFkKo2tzAP6lcKmyMavI7HPu1otR7P1iMln9UkUZEBWf7_GmagMhHv9y2PTaATBTCv3w7WPFVg_wBilQig/s320/BenedictXVIaa.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151141354340907586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></div><div>Traditional Sexisturgy is wildly on the upswing since He-who-must-not-be-named freed up the intrinsically sexist and authoritarian Old Mass...it's becoming frightening...<br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>I just pray to the Mother Spirit beHIND our bellybuttons (as our dear friend Edwina Gately would say) that we never see something...like...</div><div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQ3IkhThqJhiAAY1aBFZK1gwAyCZEaZXyOnTO__68KFK_eIqTb6kxKn6yP6jw4OhY4eMrqKLSe8LlOmOabpqYNx-qzSubh9aFlZTZ21JsO94Lv9dQ9OEX0DzeOkXAFE0TsHBvsETHVE4/s320/decd_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151141878326917714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; " /></div><div><br /></div><div>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!</div></div></div></div><div> </div>The Pain Trainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09085179373740023904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-45708493503628841032008-01-01T16:59:00.001-06:002008-01-01T16:59:12.697-06:002008: Year of the Woman<span xmlns=''><p>Happy New Year!<br /></p><p>I apologize for my lack of posting recently. It wasn't so much that I was scarred by my <a href='http://femlove.blogspot.com/2007/12/reminder-of-work-to-be-done.html'>previous experience</a> (though I am still troubled by the thought); rather, I am finding that the holiday vacation really isn't a vacation at all for educators. I've spent the last few weeks grading exams – for much as I would rather not define a student's spirit by a single letter, the university requires it – and writing syllabi for next semester's classes ("Literature's Hidden Patriarchy Throughout History", "Global Warming, Sexism, and Men: Problems Facing Women in Today's World", and "Down with Love: The Historical Triumph of Independence over Patriarchy"). Between all that, I have hardly had time to re-center myself, let alone share any thoughts with you.<br /></p><p>I know that many blog-hers take today to share New Year's Resolutions, but personally, I have always found lists and resolutions excessively binding and restrictive (don't even get me started on the Ten Com"man"dments). Instead, I want to encourage you all to follow your spirit through the coming year. 2008 will be a labyrinth full of challenges, obstacles, patriarchy, and repressive atmospheres, and it is only through living independent and free of established systems that we will triumph.<br /></p><p>It's a new year; be a new woman.</p></span>feminiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774252391131522448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-86297322432717557042008-01-01T13:46:00.000-06:002008-01-01T13:56:37.999-06:00New Year's WomanWishesHappy New Year, sisters!<br /><br />May you be filled with womansense and womanwisdom in the coming year. We here at the Hermeneutic of Suspicion hope that you all assert yourselves well in the next twelve months, and be filled with womanpeace and womanjoy.<br /><br />Meanwhile, we will do all we can to assist you in your struggles. I will have to give feminique a call sometime; I fear that the sudden sight of that patriarchal mantilla-rag has scarred her more than she let on at first, since she hasn't posted for a while. More likely, though, she is simply busy grading exams. Quite understandable, but you are all missing out greatly by her unfortunate silence. 'Nique, really, take a break from the grades and say hello to your friends here once in a while! Happy New Year, girl!<br /><br />On behalf of Feminique and Pat, Happy New Year to all. All women, that is.<br /><br />Fem Love,<br /><br />DarleneDarlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-16194174663425728692007-12-27T16:19:00.000-06:002008-12-08T22:43:32.357-06:00What we're up againstHello WomanWomen,<br /><br /><div><div></div><div></div><div>I wasn't going to post anything for a while -- that is, until I ran across these most disturbing photos while surfing the internet. They are what they seem to be. See for yourself:</div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148783991016125474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSSu4coVAgulXRKuCDSJ42qsxhkGkgZ1Iko6rgJi7bOcnsDrxY8RmEYm-LdWkSAGBeeQQn20dJz28ooPca2XPof0Vl0HorEtkkrBNJezW4jmKmYBk8cfITSvQ7DrDPzdkesrZqJuajdn4/s400/herm+of+susp+002.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148784158519850034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM81gQCtCkfxXlDuaB3a6ATidlZblwFAuoXdVtYaLbUPIOa_mSqDIz6d6o7TLuokT2PgiAmAOu7sdwEC8mjf7RHBwNCKXMvuvLPDPyIWKLx9dwTxMtpaCtYScTTvxnpNXWfD9KkqkQpoyY/s400/herm+of+susp+003.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148784291663836226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsjzcxo5bIRSuUCvb7qIc07ydud0DvR6gn1nyNSBLJG-vpz7ufAmG7Db0DKotyNTFd_YtRz2BLAV-wwDSEfDPUj5Ynpc11RjcW0o5ZWwrn40ctKKYwPr52Pxq6_GUw90TMVKsRNV36UH_/s400/herm+of+susp+004.jpg" border="0" /> <div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Yes, that's a CHILD -- probably no more than ten years old -- thoughtlessly mocking a feminist lectionary. <em>The </em>feminist lectionary. Look at that! Unbelievable. Forty years of renewal, and there are <em>still </em>sickos who teach their childrem from a tender age to laugh off the women's movement. How can we compete against such ... such <em>hate?</div><br /></em></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><div></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><div></div><div>I, for one, have decided to remove my last name from the public view here on the blog. Out of concern for my own safety after seeing these vicious photos, I feel that I should go simply by Darlene. I hate to be so distrusting; but sisters, there are weird people out there.</div><br /><div></div><div>Such disheartening news for this time of year -- don't let it depress you, but DO let it make you careful. First women wearing man-tillas, and now children deriding our prayerbooks! What's next?! I've already heard that some hateful Catholic group has started recording parodies of our womansong. I'll look into it, but I wouldn't doubt it.</div><br /><div></div><div>Fem Love,</div><br /><div></div><div>Darlene</div>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-49308147306581045752007-12-23T16:43:00.000-06:002008-12-08T22:43:32.515-06:00Man-tillas, Part II<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OqIU4gXkBEdiOAGUyNoxvzeGhP00DdicNe5Z8wbIEKpXOniXhBOjNhVaEbO76kuCI3bSmzR8RbK5f9gs0p06bcI5bsjolzLuQHmnabXhn0NDKY16RdH7Wh1ZdXW5IT0XlBBhzqLEh-kg/s1600-h/mantilla.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5147357439103595538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_OqIU4gXkBEdiOAGUyNoxvzeGhP00DdicNe5Z8wbIEKpXOniXhBOjNhVaEbO76kuCI3bSmzR8RbK5f9gs0p06bcI5bsjolzLuQHmnabXhn0NDKY16RdH7Wh1ZdXW5IT0XlBBhzqLEh-kg/s400/mantilla.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Was just leaving a comment on feminique's last post, and realized I couldn't contain all of the implications within a single comment. This man-tilla thing is a big deal.<br /><br />First, it drives a dagger deep into my womanheart to see our fellow women thwarting their own movement. <em>We</em> fight for an end to oppression, and <em>they</em> hide under their lacy little patriarch-helmets. It's hard enough fighting against stupid <em>men</em>. And then <em>other </em>women play the "indifferent" card -- "I sure wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of those, but if others want to, that's up to them ..." These people just don't see the problems inherent in the man-tilla:<br /><br />1) The Distinction. Women wear them; men don't. At its most basic level, then, the man-tilla perpetuates the old perception that to some degree, women are different than men. Not good.<br /><br />2) The Anti-Self Complex. Those who sport the man-tilla still buy in to the old "We're not as good as God" myth. We supposedly should cover ourselves out of "reverence" when we're in God's presence. Nice, sugar-coated word, "reverence." "Repression" is more like it. We have to teach these people. We cannot, and should not, tremble around in fear and deference; we <em>are</em> church. We should have no one to answer to except ourselves. The danger to self-esteem is astronomical.<br /><br />3) The Antiquarianism. These people are the same hopeless worms who base everything they do on what they call Tradition, instead of embracing the future and recreating herstory, as we should continually be doing. No room for feeling with these women -- just fact. Women were still predominantly wearing skirts when man-tillas were in vogue; this era, therefore, was intrinsically harmful. A vote for the man-tilla is a vote for patriarchy and a vote for evil.<br /><br />I actually have to go right now, so unfortunately I can't address problems 4-11, but I would be happy to discuss the man-tilla problem with anyone in either public or private correspondence. Happy holidays and oodles of fem love,<br /><br />Darlene</div>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-56879120349445261012007-12-22T23:05:00.000-06:002007-12-22T23:46:17.120-06:00A Reminder of the Work to Be DoneDue to traveling and other obligations, I recently needed to attend Eucharist at a different worship space than usual. Although this particular community is somewhat more traditional than I am used to (my requests to provide the reflection during the Eucharistic celebrations have been denied several times in the past), I have attended there in the past without feeling too repressed. On this last visit, however, I saw something that deeply disturbed my spirit: a woman wearing a so-called "mantilla". Even for those not familiar with this repressive, out-dated tradition, the name alone ("man"-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tilla</span>) betrays the male domination inherent in it.<br /><br />I'll be honest and say that I had thought this particular sign of male domination had died out. Maybe I was just hopeful. Maybe I was naive. In any case, it would seem that I underestimated the influence of the traditionalist hierarchy, even so many decades after the Spirit of Vatican II liberated women. After all, Veronica of the New Testament <span style="font-style: italic;">removed</span> her veil when she came in contact with Jesus.<br /><br />Needless to say, I won't be returning to Celebrate with that community anytime soon, and will instead stay within my own community, where I am comfortable and can avoid the glaring patriarchy. However, this occasion served as a jarring reminder that there is still much work to be done before we can rise to victory in the spirit of today.feminiquehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774252391131522448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-5260211467630488042007-12-22T20:21:00.000-06:002007-12-22T23:54:22.890-06:00WomanWelcomeOn behalf of this blog and women everywhere, I'd like to welcome Feminique, a good friend and as independent and empowered a woman as you'll ever meet. I hadn't talked to her for ages before recently, when we finally got a chance to catch up over lunch. She is a professor now, feeding vital energy into the women's movement by means of the education of our young ladies.<br /><br />I would also like to welcome Pat. I do not know Pat, nor do I even know whether she <em>is </em>a "she." All I can tell you is that if Pat turns out to be a man, I will drop-kick his sorry little chauvinistic behind off of this blog before he can say "Betty Friedan."<br /><br />Good to have you, Pat.<br /><br /><em>(N.B., </em>authorship of this blog is extremely selective and exclusive. I am forced to conduct hyper-detailed background checks of applicants, in order to weed out two types of bad eggs. First are satirists who are trying furtively to <em>undermine </em>the women's movement by posing as feminists on the blogosphere. Second are self-professed feminists who are unwittingly <em>still </em>somewhat brainwashed by patriarchal forces, and whose views are thus far too moderate and unrealistic to contribute any good to the blog; for example, those who think that women and men can coexist by peacefully <em>splitting </em>leadership roles, or that we can accept as true more than about 10% of what the four E-man-gelists wrote in their sexist Gospels.<br /><br />Therefore, while we here at the Hermeneutic of Suspicion are universally inclusive to <em>all </em>women when it comes to reading and commenting, we are at the same time rather--well, suspicious--in allowing new contributors. Only the strong can win this war.)<br /><br />Fem love,<br /><br />DarleneDarlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-20717530900439495082007-12-22T11:02:00.000-06:002008-12-08T22:43:32.777-06:00Darlene's Book of the WeekPeace, joy, and equality to you, sisters:<br /><br />In our continual battle against the lopsidedly sexist world of prayerbooks, we women must help each other find empowering liturgical texts. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. Fortunately, my entire existence is devoted to finding them. As a happy service to you, sisters, I'd like to share with you a wonderful lectionary and psalter for use in your church: <em>WomanWord, </em>compiled by Miriam Therese Winter, and beautifully illustrated by Meinrad Craighead.<br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146845856959034354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Gh2LjbI-BhyaBF_Etit-AOraLeUOpBo97GjMkEGkOd_418wl3Ws2rpmVbGm2kUTXvoQXEOBNzmWbVHLPtB6AxYJqi_l588f9aSlcB0yl_giFPcwrJ91O7soW9Fqn_duO8e4FZtHIFXQs/s320/ww.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><p>...and by "Look inside" I mean "Please-support-the-feminist-movement-by-actually-purchasing-this-book-and-<em>then </em>look inside." Amazon (a wonderful company named after a fierce band of womenwarriors) is offering this lectionary used at a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0824510542/ref=pd_bbs_sr_olp_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198344744&sr=8-1">pretty competitive price</a>. I could try to describe it, but I'll let the back cover give you a much better description:</p><p></p><p>"<em>WomanWord ... a rich new resource for women--and men--to celebrate the women in our New Testament heritage. WomanWord--ideal for all denominations--includes ... a Mother-in-law's Psalm, a Little Girl's Psalm, a Psalm for Women in Leadership, a WomanPsalm of Praise, a Psalm to the Cosmic Christa. Personal reflections, prayers, and exquisite illustrations by Meinrad Craighead complete each celebration."</em></p><p> </p><p><em></em></p><p>There is a vast selection of sacred womanmusic in the appendix as well. Unfortunately the above description does not do justice to the illustrations; this psalter is graced by over thirty poignant visuals such as this heartrending woodcut of Mary's sister:</p><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146853227122914306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5HTN304QBYp_xQ4BFEgzis4GzR8nqME5inrNLwJdlW7Mf-S9mcswiO3n-IxRSl0ABF2IrgcsA2QonhKkBAmtVnJjCj9SUk8AexGX7ZhbYhzMXtR5fVp0pOO-9HfrJRm_uatHyNNo6aDG/s400/herm+of+susp+001.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p></p><p>I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Get it for your readers! Buy it for the band at church! Ask your priestess to buy it in bulk!</p><p></p><p>Those of you who have either used <em>WomanWord </em>before or have just purchased this book following this recommendation, please feel free to leave your feedback and testimonials in the comment box!</p><p></p><p>Fem Love,</p><p>Darlene<br /></p>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-45175142795086956722007-12-20T20:02:00.000-06:002007-12-22T11:51:34.676-06:00A good dayShalom, Sisters:<br /><br />Today I had to cancel my high school talk entitled "Put the <em>Wo- </em>back in <em>Menorah</em>" because of an emergency wisdom teeth extraction. My dentist insisted on taking them out. Like most men, he clearly holds to the stereotype that all semblances of wisdom must be taken away from women. Not one to give in to the presumptious "advice" of oppressive patriarchs in high-paying careers, I stood my ground. I argued, and I argued, and I argued, until Dr. Discrimination finally gave in to my assertive power and settled for a compromise: if he got to remove my womanwisdom teeth, I would refuse to let him patronize me by administering anesthetics. ...As if an independent liberated woman isn't strong enough to endure a little pain. So I sat through the 45-minute procedure fully conscious, all the while humming my favorite WomanAnthem "Circle of Love" to distract myself. I think I may have distracted the dentist too, because at one point he started pulling out out a <em>fifth </em>tooth at random. When the teeth were out, I arose from the chair, walked out the door, and drove home under my own womanpower. I arrived home empowered.<br /><br />I also realized that MY MOUTH HURT. I then emptied my medicine cabinet and made myself a Vicodin smoothie. It felt like that conceited man-dentist had literally dug a scalpel into my gums. Knowing men, he probably did. So rather than <em>add </em>to the surplus of pain that women have had to endure over the centuries, I downed the entire smoothie. After a while, I felt better.<br /><br />Incindentally, it was around this time in the afternoon that my womanMuse paid me a long-overdue visit. When She visits, Her inspiration seldom lasts long, so in the spirit of the great Miriam Therese Winter, I quickly poured my feelings onto my treeless 102% biodegradable notepad. I (re)wrote this one for the children:<br /><br />Jill made Jack<br />Walk up and back<br />'Cause she was feeling thirsty;<br />Jack returned<br />And Jill him spurned<br />And recreated herst'ry.<br /><br />Sisters, we have much work to do in the field of children's literature; even "Mother" Goose was a blatant patriarch. Not only in the original is the male constantly referenced <em>first, </em>but Jack is also the one with the "crown." Crowns mean domination. If <em>Jill </em>had broken his crown, it would have been one thing, but the poet naturally arranges the syntax so that Jack breaks his <em>own </em>crown, while Jill passively tumbles down the hill. The sexism is everywhere.<br /><br />My teeth are hurting again. Let me take a quick trip to Walgreens.<br /><br />------<br /><br /><p>Ok, I'm back. I just flat-out told the man-pharmacist to give me more Vicodin. No prescription, no nothing. I'm a powerful woman. Let me get a glass of water, and I'll be back.</p><p>------</p><p>well here back i ... shalom .... thank shekinah panikillers not men to given but back now so write good to you womanwisdom can i ///^%g men cause of all pain anyway all us womyn rise against alkj should call these drugs menkillers lf;irg hmmm not feeling so hot after all bye</p><p></p><p>fem lvoe,</p><p>darlene<br /></p>Darlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132957703562525583.post-68088578541567707832007-12-18T23:50:00.000-06:002007-12-18T23:54:25.708-06:00Fem LoveWelcome to the Fem Love Zone. Fem Love is all about breaking down barriers, reaching out to our oppressed sisters, and changing the patriarchal norms of today's culture.<br /><br />Check back soon for poems, music, articles, and liturgy following the inspiration of the WomanSpirit.<br /><br />Fem Love,<br /><br />DarleneDarlenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08058215923894768253noreply@blogger.com0