Am I the Only Feminist Who Doesn't Have a Problem with This?

UPDATE: Upon learning of this from AH, I officially reverse my position. Pull the damn thing. Or open up the ad space to everyone, though AH also makes a good point about the public health implications of this specific ad (see comments.)

ORIGINAL: I...just don't have a problem with this. I'm a self-identified feminist and I'm pretty damn left, but part of my hippie liberal beliefs is that everyone has the right to say whatever the hell they want. I don't think it will come as any surprise to people that there are two sides of the abortion debate. In fact, I think everyone knows what the two sides are, what their arguments are, and that they're trying to persuade people to agree with them.

All ads are opinion pieces. "You should buy this." "You should believe that." Granted CBS screwed up in the past by denying other "advocacy" ads--that was wrong. But what I would prefer is for everyone to have the opportunity to express their opinion if they can raise the cash to do so (as long as everyone is charged the same amount.) What's the old saying? "I don't agree with what you're saying, but I'd defend with my life your right to say it."

I'm well aware of the argument that pay-to-speak situations like commercials gives rich folks more rights to free speech than the rest of us, but here's the thing--I'd rather rich people decide with their money what messages they pay to deliver than a huge entertainment network deciding what we can and cannot discuss. The latter seems to have much more insidious possibilities to me.

Why are pro-choice groups giving the ad's storyline free media instead of working together to collect enough donations to buy an ad of their own? (That said, Focus on the Family, you didn't think that $2.5 to $2.8 million would be better spent in, say, Haiti?)

Can Sports Bras Rightly Be Called Lingerie?

I don't have a big feministy problem with this, but I don't really get why it's a big deal. Guys play football "shirts and skins" all the time. I used to practice soccer in attire that wasn't much different. The chicks in the pictures with bellybutton rings worry me a little...that doesn't seem safe.

Overall, I'm for it. I'm for women having the choice to play whatever sport they want wearing whatever they want. But seriously, take out your bellybutton ring.

Just to Prove We're Not Feminists...

OK, I actually consider myself a feminist (and don't totally understand why the term gets such a bad rep, but that's a topic for another post...in which I explain that I'm a post-third wave sex-positive feminist and scare off everyone who reads this blog. Except maybe not because I said sex. Anyways.) But I thought this bit from Maxim (thx MD) was pretty funny...and I've often observed it to be true...on other people...not on me of course.

Actually, if I do a thorough self-analysis (in 2 minutes time), I find that I argue "like a man" with my girlfriends who argue "like chicks." (Don't get too ready to masturbate gents, it almost never ends with sex.) And I think I argue "like a man" on the rare occasion that boyfriend and I disagree, and he too is lovely and rational and argues "like a man." (This may be wishful thinking on my part...after all, who wants to admit that they fight like the irrational crazy one in a relationship? But I think we do pretty well.) I do have to admit though, in the past, I have argued like a chick. It was generally in bad relationships when the guy argued that way too. Both of us crying and screaming irrationally? Ugh, not pretty.

How do you argue?

I'm Sorry, What Year Is It?

I am not a feminist, but I have mixed feelings about changing my name when I get married. This makes me throw up a little, in my mouth:

http://www.feministing.com/archives/017214.html