Monday, February 4, 2008

feministing.com...and why i check it as compulsively as my inbox

Alana, I'm really glad you posted on Alternet - it's one of the sites i've been considering posting on or at least throwing up a link for. so to compliment it, here's another of my favorite alternative news blogs:

feministing.com

the blog was started up by Jessica Valenti, author of "Full Frontal Feminism," a recent book aimed at attracting young women and girls to feminism. she and a group of 5-6 other bloggers post on everything from the recent ban lifted that prohibited Saudi women from driving, to random and ludicrous sexist objects. i've met Jessica and another blogger/author, Courtney Martin, and both were extremely nice and friendly.

the bloggers are casual and funny and I think both the style of the blog and the issues the women choose to highlight, are a good reflection of the "3rd wave" feminist movement that, like it or not, heavily utilizes blogging and internet engagement. i've had lots of discussions and arguments with friends and classmates about how blogging and the internet are/are not less effective or less meaningful forms of activism, but as far as i'm concerned, if a blog can attract as many international visitors, comments and public attention as feministing does, it's more than worthwhile. not to mention the fact that most criticism of blogging is fundamentally just a criticism of "new technology" and the assumption that this alternative space is somehow less real than face to face rallies and meetings. i'd like to think there's a good place for both and that blogs only facilitate action and widen the population of activists.

abra

No comments: