Collie's Bestiary

I've been effectively running at a frantic pace for the past three or four months, in order to keep up with all the things happening in my life. Several things went by the wayside as I tried to be sure I completed all the reading, thinking, and writing required for my doctoral program. Keeping up [...]

I had an interesting bit of cognitive dissonance the other day, upon hearing about Slutwalks. For those who haven't yet heard of them, earlier in 2011 a male cop in Toronto was apparently giving an anti-rape class to a bunch of women. During the class he mentioned one way to avoid being raped was to [...]

Due to California law, medical cannabis dispensaries (I think that's the correct phrase) are springing up all over the place. There is, of course, quite a bit of argument still over these little storefront operations, with some people angrily declaring NIMN (Not In My Neighborhood), and others simply seeing it as another legitimate and tax-paying [...]

"A free race cannot be born of slave mothers." –Margaret Sanger My thesis was written on the Central Asian nomads of the late Bronze and early Iron Age. Since these were mounted nomadic traders and raiders, the modern assumption has been that they were a strongly patriarchal society. One of the "startling" discoveries which I [...]

Update: Same-sex marriage was legalized in the U.S. state of New York on June 24, 2011 by the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo! The law will take effect on July 24, 2011. Huzzah! I don't often post on political issues. Today, however, I found New York State Senator Roy McDonald startlingly inspiring. [...]

I was recently asked the following question: "Why is it important for feminists to study and comprehend women-centered cultures?" While I thought it a good question, I also think it can and should be fruitfully expanded, in that I do not think only feminists should study these fascinating matriarchies. Learning is good, and as the [...]

I just finished listening to an utterly fascinating interview on a blogradio with a man named Allan Johnson. I'm very interested in hearing what others think of it as well. Rarely have I heard a man with such patience and empathy so clear in his very voice, let alone his words; he actually had me [...]

Well, that was clumsy of me. Not only did I forget I had another posting scheduled, but of course, right after I get through chastising patronizing over-simplification of complex issues… I do it myself. How embarrassing. ;) A big thank-you to Velvetpage, whose critiques never fail to be both thought-provoking and courteous. With her permission, [...]

So in quick synopsis, as far as I can tell, people stick with harmful doctrines (such as religions which label you guilty simply on the basis of something completely out of your control, such as gender) because they truly believe the doctrine is correct, because they're refusing to be pushed into something they're not ready [...]

I have been asked why I put so much time and thought into my critique of WomanChrist. As one friend put it, at least the book suggests a more feminist christianity, so why do I not like it more? As I noted to the friend (in a very enjoyable and thoughtful discussion over lunch), I [...]