Forty-Fifth Down Under Feminists Carnival

Hello! I've finally finished compiling the Forty-Fifth edition of the Down Under Feminists Carnival! This edition contains 57 feminist posts from bloggers living Australia and New Zealand, written and submitted to me in January 2012.

Thank you all for the submissions - it's been really good getting submissions on blogs I haven't read. It's  been very hard to decide on two posts per blogger - there are so many excellent writers out there! My apologies for being slow - in addition to having a bunch of work commitments show up at the last minute, I've been having a few issues with blogger. Also I did this gradually and may have forgotten to make notes of which links should have content notes/trigger warnings. I've also tried to categorise everything, but of course many pieces don't fit nicely in boxes. Please let me know anything I've missed/got wrong in the comments.

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Media
Good Gravey takes apart a panicky NZ Herald article about how many takeaways women eat.
http://goodgravey.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/get-back-in-the-kitchen-huh/

You are doing that wrong compares the movie posters for the American and Swedish versions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
http://youaredoingthatwrong.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-movie-posters-are-you-serious/

Blue Milk writes a detailed analysis of the 2011 and 1971 versions Straw Dogs, centering around the rape scene. 

[Content note for discussion of sexual violence]

http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/rape-scenes-and-how-i-watched-straw-dogs-2011-and-1971/

Anna at Larvatus Prodeo talks about the Melinda Tankard Reist debate.

http://larvatusprodeo.net/2012/01/18/its-complicated/

Melinda Tankard Reist doesn't speak for Helen at the Cast Iron Balcony either.

http://www.castironbalcony.com/2012/01/16/melinda-tankard-reist-doesnt-speak-for-me/

Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear writes a satiric argument in favour of exorcisms in response to an article against homosexuals and same-sex marriage.
http://thatsmyphilosophy.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/an-argument-in-favour-of-exorcisms-in-the-spirit-of-margaret-court/

Bodies

Jo talks about the effects of "The Biggest Loser"s "Learn to Love Yourself" slogan.

http://alifeunexamined.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/love-yourself-but-only-if/

Megan Wegan at Craft is the New Black is angry and articulate about a Slate article claiming that "small breasts could make a comeback".

http://meganwegan.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/rage-inducing-discussions-of-breasts/

Elizabeth at My Spilt Milk talks about motherhood and breastfeeding, and recent media representations thereof.

http://mymilkspilt.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/breastfeeding-support-less-is-not-more/

Jo at A Life Unexamined would like people to stop thinking her body is about them.
http://alifeunexamined.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/my-body-is-not-there-for-your-entertainment/

Julie Goodwin responds to predictable commentary on her health after wearing swimmers on a cover of New Idea magazine.
http://www.juliegoodwin.com.au/blog/?p=1028

Sleepy Dumpling at Fat Heffalump talks about talking to Target Australia about their plus-size clothing range.
http://fatheffalump.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/talking-to-target-australia/

Sleepy Dumpling at Fat Heffalump is here to let everyone know that nobody needs to explain their body to anyone. (by the way, Fat Heffalump is awesome. I highly recommend reading)

http://fatheffalump.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/its-over-no-more-flogging-the-dead-horse/

Kelly guest posts at My Spilt Milk writes about how disappointing the dominant discourse on obesity and "eating healthily" is.

http://mymilkspilt.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/guest-post-missing-the-mark/

Parenting
The News with Nipples is disappointed by the media misrepresenting the Teenage Parent Trial as for teenage mothers only.
http://newswithnipples.com/2012/01/04/parenting-fun-for-the-whole-family-unless-youre-a-journalist/

Penni Russon wrote a poem about breastfeeding.
http://eglantinescake.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/breastfeeding.html

Blue Milk writes about her daughter and how girls learn to live in a sexist culture.
http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/learning-to-live-as-a-girl-in-a-very-sexist-culture/

Elizabeth at My Spilt Milk writes about how she finds solace in giving and receiving kindness from and to her mother and daughter.
http://mymilkspilt.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/mother-daughter/

Disability

WillowDove writes a call for action for the International Day of People with Disability.

http://willowdove.com/blog/2012/01/02/the-email-i-wrote-for-international-day-last-year/

Lauredhel raises a resounding "what?" to a legal ruling that let Jetstar off the hook after refusing to allow Sheila King on a flight because there were already two people requiring wheelchair assistance on it.

http://lauredhel.dreamwidth.org/674372.html

Trans*

Good Gravey has things to say about the Libra fail and how to give apologies.
http://goodgravey.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/apologies-apologies/

Anthea at The Hand Mirror points out how dangerous the common failtastic trans* narrative in the media is.
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/deceit.html

Kassie Hartendorp guest posts about Libra's transphobic ad at The Hand Mirror.
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/guest-post-transphobictampons-its-not.html


Books
TigTog at Hoyden About Town links to an article which reflects a little on how the privileging of male narratives over female starts at school.
http://hoydenabouttown.com/20120117.11182/the-reading-iceberg-promoting-serious-male-narratives-over-trivial-female-narratives-starts-at-school/
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/books/a-womans-place-20120113-1pyoa.html#ixzz1jaf7BXw6

Kerryn at Still Life With Cat has put together a list of ten random legendary bad girls of literature. There are even more good examples in the comments.
http://stilllifewithcat.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/ten-legendary-bad-girls-of-literature.html


Sexuality

Chally at Zero at the Bone discusses how we disappear children's sexualities, and what that means for queer sexualities.

http://zeroatthebone.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/sexuality-queerness-and-childrens-knowledge-about-themselves/

Max Rose guest posts at The Lady Garden about his experiences with non-monogamous relationships.
http://theladygarden.org/2012/01/06/guest-post-polywhaterous/

Race

Queen Emily talks about the racism embedded in Australia Day celebrations.

http://hoydenabouttown.com/20120126.11237/hating-australia-day-from-afar/

Kim at He Hōaka is bemused by what sort of things the New Zealand government says it can afford.

http://starspangledrodeo.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/cant-afford-justice.html

Chally at Zero at the Bone writes about reading about race from white and non-white authors as a non-white reader, and her responses to such texts. (yes, this is the third one, but I really couldn't pick two lol)

http://zeroatthebone.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/race-and-the-non-white-reader/

stargazer talks about national days and how they promote racism and discourage global thinking.
http://kiwistargazer.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/26-january.html

A guest poster at The Hand Mirror reviews Colonising Myths—Māori Realities: He Rukuruku Whakaaro.
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/guest-post-review-colonising-mythsmaori.html

Reproductive Rights

Captiver at the ALRANZ blog takes on the idea that abortion is the cause of moral decline.
http://alranz.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/from-our-files-moral-decline-still-just-around-the-corner/

[Trigger warning: sexual violence] Queen of Thorns points out the big difference in the meaning of a headline when one word is removed.
http://ideologicallyimpure.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/the-power-of-a-missing-word-texas-forced-pregnancy-edition/

[Content note: discussions of theoretical rape scenarios] LudditeJourno writes about using the terms unwanted, coerced and forced sex when exploring how how somebody understands an experience.

http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/rape-by-any-other-name.html

bluebec boggles at the statistics quoted by Melinda Tankard Reist, and investigates the study she got them from.
http://blogs.bluebec.com/lies-damn-lies-and-statistics/

Blue Milk talks about why "pro-life"is anti-feminist.
http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/lets-cut-to-the-chase-why-pro-life-is-anti-feminist/

Sex Work

Jane at Because I'm a Whore explains her choice to use the word "whore" for herself.
http://becauseimawhore.com/2012/01/05/i-am-a-whore/

QoT writes about the panic over residential brothels.
http://ideologicallyimpure.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/residential-brothels-the-hint-is-in-the-name/

Dorothy Dentata guest posts at The Lady Garden in response to a Dominion Post article shaming sex work.
http://theladygarden.org/2012/01/29/guest-post-dear-rosemary/


Society
Ms Eloise talks about being the "Feminist Friend" in a group.
http://feminaust.org/2012/01/11/the-feminist-friend/

Chally at Zero at the Bone writes about feeling like a failure when she didn't call out someone's sexist behaviour and how that guilt is part of the same coin that blames women for existing.
http://zeroatthebone.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/youre-never-to-blame-for-someone-doing-wrong-to-you/

Scuba Nurse at The Hand Mirror writes about how it's sometimes intimidating for a newbie feminist to comment in a feminist space.
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/lurking.html

bluebec rebuts the trope that people choose to be offended about things.
http://blogs.bluebec.com/responsibility/

Rachel Rayner guest posts at The Hand Mirror about cupcakes, and how they seem to be becoming obligatory at feminist events.
http://thehandmirror.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/guestie-of-cupcakes-and-feminism.html

Emma at The Lady Garden writes about how we commodify "love" and "sex".
http://theladygarden.org/2012/01/05/not-just-cause-you-insisted/

(A late addition!) Not big on dignity writes a personal account explaining why living as a woman means being a warrior.
http://notbigondignity.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/all-our-lives/


Guides and 101s
Mary at Hoyden About Town writes a helpful guide to soliciting research participants.
http://hoydenabouttown.com/20120108.10701/marys-helpful-guide-to-soliciting-research-participation-on-the-net/

Tammi Jonas talks about responses to responses to disagreement, and the comments talk about the above twitter exchange.

http://www.tammijonas.com/2012/01/04/on-dissent-and-intellectual-honesty/

Scubanurse talks about the concept of spoon theory in relation to feminism.
http://history-herstory-scubanurse.blogspot.com/2012/01/feminism-101-spoons-as-concept.html

tallulahspankhead writes about sluts at The Lady Garden.
http://theladygarden.org/2012/01/04/yet-another-fucking-101/

Ada Camp

Danielle at Scrambled Tofu reviews her experiences at Ada Camp and Haecksen.

http://blogs.gnome.org/danni/2012/01/17/adacamp-and-haecksen/

Scmaltz on Wry attended Ada Camp and was inspired.

http://naomieve.tumblr.com/post/15979150280/adacamp-2012

Unsorted

Tammiois at Raw/Roar talks about morality and how it relates to our bodies and political views.

http://rawroar.net/2012/01/18/a-cosmopolitan-morality/

Imogen at Raw/Roar writes a moving account of her father's life and death, and the suffering of everyone involved.

[Content note - deals with the death of her father by suicide and family violence]

http://rawroar.net/2012/01/21/one-year-on/

Sue Conde is the 20th of January's Friday Feminaust.
http://feminaust.org/2012/01/20/friday-feminaust-sue-conde/

stargazer ponders the working conditions of a manicurist.
http://kiwistargazer.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/soft-hands.html

Some really interesting links at The Lady Garden.
http://theladygarden.org/2012/01/21/sharing-the-love-25/