Ken vs Jo Koy in the Barbie Universe
While raising first a daughter and then a son, I soon discovered an all-encompassing destructive sexism in our culture, regardless of gender birth or identity. Since my daughter is older and female and rebelled against any ‘girly-girl’ stereotypes, I was on alert for any double standards hindering her abilities and education. But, wow, my true […]
A Toast to Jezebels
Why are so many stories in the world’s literary canon on women cheating, written by men? Why do so many of these female heroines end up jumping from trains, dying from consumption, or drowning in lakes? Simply review a few classics: Wuthering Heights, Anna Karenina, Moulin Rouge, Hamlet where heroines wear the Jezebel label. Let’s […]
Simply the Best – Memories of Tina
A miracle happened at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC in November of 2008. My teenaged daughter, throwing her hands in the air, began a syncopated clapping in time with the surrounding much older crowd. I could see the excitement in her eyes, the swaying of her new womanly hips, singing along to music written […]
The Pursuit of Pleasure – Musings on the March
“There is no biological reason for a woman to have an orgasm.” This declaration from my biology professor in 1972 filled my ears as we marched, half a century later, from the Washington Monument to the US Supreme Court for reproductive rights. Between the comical signs, such as “Blow Jobs are Cannibalism” there was one […]
A Lovely Scarf – A Marriage Story
Rod lifted his shoulder ever so slightly and shifted his eyes down the escalator.I looked around and saw it. A lovely scarf in swirling brilliant jewel-toned hues of blue and turquoise, colors I adore. It looked almost untouched and in perfect condition as I remembered. My scarf. I thought I had left it behind but […]
Shaking it With TSA
My teenaged son had marched through the security gate at the Baltimore airport. He waved and shouted, “Hey, mom, I’m going to get a pizza. Want some?” I nodded an emphatic No. “Ok, see you at the gate.” I started to wave back, but he was gone. I threw my small backpack and shoes into […]
Marketing to Men
The question of how female writers can ever market to men circled through my mind briefly as Rod told me what had happened at his job site. “So,” I said, “you’re saying my obsession to save the trees is how I shocked the construction workers and found new readers?” To step back for a moment, […]
