GWOG

June 27, 2011

One More Insult

Filed under: activism,Comics,Criticism and Commentary,Fandom,Gender,Girl-Wonder,link dump,Politics,Women in comics — SeanTheSean @ 11:45 am

It’s this week’s links, and the big story is DC’s explicit confirmation that the “target audience” for their giant relaunch is “men age 18 to 34″. You’ll hear much more from Girl Wonder on this – we are still co-ordinating our response, but this is exactly the sort of problem we face in mainstream comics today. A round-up of good responses:

-thegeekifiedgirl drops some stats and backs them up with a solid argument.
-It’s interesting to look at which books CBR’s readers are actually interested in buying.
-… and Johanna at Comics Worth Reading’s personal take on the new titles from earlier this month also merit a read.
-Maid of Might highlights the fact that this relaunch (like most other relaunches?) was allegedly meant to bring in new readers rather than the same-old gradually shrinking group DC had been catering to for years. She and DC Women Kicking Ass both remember getting male friends and partners into comics.

More on this issue soon. In the mean-time, keep sending in your suggestions for links!

June 12, 2011

Linkspam!

Filed under: activism,Comics,Comics history,Creators,Criticism and Commentary,Fandom,Gender,link dump,Politics,Women in comics — SeanTheSean @ 2:00 pm

There’s been a lot of buzz recently about the decision by DC, in the upcoming reboot, to make Barbara Gordon Batgirl again instead of Oracle, taking her out of her wheelchair in the process and removing one of the only high-profile disabled superheroes. Here’s a round-up of some of the best writing on this:

-Jill Pantozzi’s personal account of her reaction really brings home how important Babs is, and her interview with Gail Simone (writing the new book) about the reboot is essential reading.
-Andy Khouri’s ComicsAlliance editorial provides a look back over what makes Barbara Gordon so iconic.
-The ever-brilliant DC Women Kicking Ass recaps previous attempts to get her walking again.
-And finally the Oracle Create-A-Thon, a tumblr set up in response to DC’s decision, collecting fanart of Oracle “to support visibility for disabled characters in mainstream comics, and comics in general”. Some amazing stuff in there.

And a couple of non-Oracle links to round you off:

-I just found this handy illustration, from last year, of a particularly irritating sexist trope.
-And I fell in love with Cliff Chiang’s rendition of Wondy as Joan Jett, with Black Canary, Zatanna and Batgirl backing her up.

I doubt this will be the last from GW on Barbara Gordon’s reboot – watch this space. And if you’ve got anything for us on this, just send it to submissions@girl-wonder.org.

May 29, 2011

Return of the Revenge of the Bride of Gwog

Filed under: activism,Comics,Criticism and Commentary,Fandom,Gender,link dump,Politics,Women in comics — SeanTheSean @ 3:12 am

Gwog rises once more from the deep! With our new Board in place, we are returning Gwog to its old status of a weekly roundup of Links Of Interest, with ad hoc guest posts by the mysterious Directors. If you have any links you want us to publicise, or anything else you’d like to contribute to Gwog, send it to us: submissions@girl-wonder.org. Our operators are waiting for your call.

This week’s links, first the comics-related:

- Colin Smith’s detailed and engaging essay on FLASHPOINT #1.
- More FLASHPOINT fail: DC should really consider how this shit looks.
- Laura Hudson, Blair Butler, Heidi MacDonald and Jill Pantozzi form a roundtable on the “Geek Girl Phenomenon”.

And the non-comics:

- A pair of insightful posts by ginmar on rape culture and the myth of false rape accusations.
- The reprehensible decision by the equally reprehensible New York Post to publicise an alleged rape victim’s alleged HIV+ status.
- An Open Letter to Nice Guys of the World.

February 17, 2008

Anti-Women: 1; Pro-Women: Ten Billion

Filed under: activism,Gender,Politics — Tags: — KPhoebe @ 6:57 pm

Referee Michelle Campbell was told not to officiate a high school basketball game in Kansas by a official of St. Mary’s Academy:

The reason given, according to the referees: Campbell, as a woman, could not be put in a position of authority over boys because of the academy’s beliefs. 

So far, so irritating religious-based sexism, of the kind that infuriates, but does not surprise. But what did surprise (and delight) me was that her male colleagues refused to cover the game:

Campbell then walked off the court along with Darin Putthoff, the referee who was to work the game with her.

Fred Shockey, who was getting ready to leave the gym after officiating two junior high games, said he was told there had been an emergency and was asked to stay and officiate two more games.

 

“When I found out what the emergency was, I said there was no way I was going to work those games,” said Shockey, who spent 12 years in the Army and became a ref about three years ago. “I have been led by some of the finest women this nation has to offer, and there was no way I was going to go along with that.” 

 

The Kansas State High School Activities Association is now considering removing St. Mary’s Academy from its list of approved schools. 

January 19, 2008

Kung-Fu Election

Filed under: Gamers,Politics — Nenena @ 6:08 pm

Now here’s something that everyone can enjoy, regardless of whether you care about U.S. politics or not:

http://www.kungfuelection.com

Obama’s “projectile attack” animation had me in stitches. BRILLIANT.

(And I also appreciate the fact that Hillary got a really, really awesome fighting outfit, too.)

September 20, 2007

Jena 6 Day of Action!

Filed under: activism,Politics — Tags: — Caribou23 @ 2:46 pm

September 20th 2007 is the Jena 6 Day of Action. Go here to find out how you can get involved and what you can do to help.  They literally have everything from flyers you can print out and post in your neighborhood, to phone numbers you can call and a list of events that could be happening in your area.

August 10, 2007

Rainbow Girl.

Filed under: activism,Comics, I love you,Politics — KPhoebe @ 4:43 am

Would you like to buy an amateur comic? Would you like to help stop domestic violence and sexual assault in Kenya?

Now you can do both at the same time!

My 38-page feminist cartoon romp, Rainbow Girl Stars in SEXY WAR, is now available for online purchase. It is an international grassroots fundraiser with all proceeds donated to Umoja Uaso Kenyan Women’s Village, a formidable group of women in Umoja, Kenya who are escaping and stopping domestic violence and sexual assault in their lives and community.

August 7, 2007

Feminism: Weirdly, Not About Men!

Filed under: activism,Politics — Tags: — KPhoebe @ 3:51 am

This wonderful post from LJ user pnkrokhockeymom articulates with clarity and passion exactly why responding to feminist critique of patriarchy by reassuring the writers that there are nice guys out there can be so very infuriating.

The thing is, it goes so far beyond any one man’s actions, good or bad. These really nice guys always show up–they’re well meaning but they don’t understand– they say, “But some of us are nice,” as if our reactions and internalized confusions are the result of irritating behavior by individual assholes, rather than institutionalized sexism we bear from all fronts simultaneously. The frustrating thing I always feel, and always want to say, is DUDE: FEMINISM IS NOT ABOUT MEN. This is not about you, individually. This is about a culture that treats me as a breeding machine whose sexuality and sexual activity is to be controlled, through any means necessary. No prince charming in feminist clothing (and believe me, I know they’re out there, I’ve loved them, I’ve fucked them, and I hope to find more of them in the future), simply by saying “Well, I like it that you are a sexual being, and I love you and respect you not despite it but for it and apart from it simultaneously,” can negate the impact of a lifetime as a member of the sex class.

July 19, 2007

Old But Great

Filed under: Criticism and Commentary,Gender,Politics — KPhoebe @ 3:20 pm

Via Daegaer.

Merle Hoffman’s “Facing the Dragon: Reflections on Female Heroism” from the On The Issues archives examines the need for female heroes, and the shameful way the media approaches real life examples:

Along with posing questions about her physiology, The Angry Corrie, a Scottish fanzine, described Hargreaves as “driven, out of control, and greedy, ” as “gobbling up summits while she could” and becoming “perhaps too good of a climber.”

As a group of British women journalists noted, every news report about her accomplishments started with the words “mother of two.” When a male climber either summited or died in the attempt, the headlines never read “father of one killed on Everest.”

July 16, 2007

FSF&FF Carnival! Yay!

Filed under: Criticism and Commentary,Fandom,Politics — Tags: , — KPhoebe @ 2:03 am

The 15th Carnival of the Feminist Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fans is up at Feminist SF – The Blog!

Dear Kirby,
I regret the delay between letters, but sometimes life gets in the way of correspondence and I had some important work-related issues to handle. We stumbled across a remarkable find in the North Centuria II site. Last month’s dig yielded evidence of a yearly festival held in this area known as “Wiscon.”

Yep, it’s the WisCon31 round-up: con reports, panel write-ups, and discussions inspired by WisCon31! But if that isn’t your bag, there’s also plenty of other great links. Fantastic as always.

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