Madame Astronomer Noire

Two Best Friends.

2012-01-19T21:43:00.000+02:00

"Where my ASTROnauts in the building?"

2012-01-19T19:50:00.002+02:00

I really like this kid. He is very cool, indeed.

Ms Pillay on Point

2012-01-15T12:52:00.000+02:00

Adapted from a racialicious article, Verashni Pillay speaks about her aversion to Cape Town and its subtle racial tensions.

What drove me slowly mad was how racism was an elephant in the room that you could not talk about. How white Capetonians would cringe and turn away when the topic came up, or look at you in blank confusion and ask why you were so obsessed with race. It was how, yes, there is racism everywhere in South Africa but in Cape Town it is not possible to even discuss it. And how Cape Town, with its pristine beaches, its lofty Parliament buildings and history of activism, was somehow supposed to be better than that.

Memory Lane

2012-01-15T12:15:00.001+02:00

Reflexion: 2011

2011-12-31T20:08:00.000+02:00

One of my greatest lessons this year has been one about forgiveness. Holding onto offenses is such a bad idea and a time-sapper too. The moment you let go, is when you liberate yourself and free your mind to creative thoughts and the wisdom you gain from adverse circumstances.
Discipline is another thing. I really need to stop being lazy and get a little more serious about things, academic and work-related things.
As for music, haven't really been in tune with the goings on and to be honest, music has been a bore ever since M.I.A. stopped making those bizarre dance tunes that made my life but at least we have a female rapper doing big things.

This year, these two song releases just did it for me.

Kind of reminds me of myself when I was 18/9.

I disliked this song when I first saw the video but when I heard the bass properly and the line "Mack the dudes up", I immediately took a liking for it. That was Nicki's feminist moment, she got me there. Her voice is still quite an annoyance however and the Barbie thing is disgraceful but good for her for being subversive.

My Woman of the Year: Issa Rae

2011-12-26T19:27:00.002+02:00

For starting a show that millions can relate to...

Girls and the Numbers

2011-12-04T16:03:00.001+02:00

Found at Gender Across Borders this article deals with the issue of the so-called "math"-gap which seems to prevail at the majority of higher learning institutions all over the globe. The numbers of women achieving highly in college math are far lower than they are for men and the reasons are probably more social than they are biological. The position is that female ability in math is simply inferior and all arguments that attempt to explain the matter noting the patriarchal ways in which the world and history have been structured are ignored.

It seems to me that there are problems with the male attitudes toward women attempting to build careers in science and math related fields. Maintaining a patriarchal attitude, males have a tendency to underestimate the ability, logic and thinking skills of their female counterparts instead of observing them as equals they instead see them as inferior in some way. The reasons for doing this may be far more complex than simply stating the prevailing sexist belief system but this sort of behaviour only seems to fall under this umbrella of gendered discrimination.

For instance, this year I had to deal with the annoyance of a male colleague who pestered me with insinuations that I am sad or that there was something wrong (emotionally) because I often chose to maintain a serious expression when during lecture times. Though there were others in our classes, boys, who spent most of their time quietly pondering to themselves, unsmiling and stern, he did not bother hector any of these individuals with the same meaningless assumptions. I was one of the few female students in the class. Was his choice to bother asking such foolish questions a result of my gender. Does he assume that a woman wearing a serious expression is suffering emotional turmoil rather than going through the motions of thinking about stuff? It could very well be that this person was suffering some sort of depression of their own and may have chosen to project them as a defense mechanism. Women being as unable to control one's own emotions as he probably imagines them are a great target for this projection. Makes sense in the patriarchal mind doesn't it? Then again, the dude was short too so there could also be another round of insecurities as a result of that.

I also had a tutor who seemed to be much more adamant to question the actions of female students in our physics computational tutorial class than the male student's as if to say: "You're female, good chance you may not have a clue what you're doing you need guidance." There have been male students in my vicinity that have joked about race and gender issues and the one thing they all have in common is neither of them occupy positions in society that would accord them any form of discrimination. In other words, they are privileged and male - CLUELESS of the ways in which society discriminates against, punishes and oppresses those that do not act in accordance with their gender-related and racial roles.

Concern about Dress

2011-11-17T16:26:00.000+02:00

Taken from this article at Brainmind.com

As based on popular literature, the mass media, advertisements, experience in general, as well as from a perusal of the above responses, there certainly seems to be sound reasons for at least suspecting that many women do not like each other. However, it seems that a primary motive is competitive. Thus, many women express their dislike by finding fault with "other" women so as to presumably bolster their own self-image.

This is something I have always found quite peculiar because I have see women size each other up much more often than men do. It seems as a gender, women are far more critical of the way others dress and look than the people we imagine these rituals of beauty are carried for are. The article offers up somewhat of a plausible explanation for it. Quite honestly, it baffled me for some time. I couldn't understand what deep interest another person would have in the sneakers that I am wearing, or the bra that I did not decide to put on, or the fact that I may not be wearing a belt when you think I should. How on Earth do these things become someone else's business. Well, if that individual perceives other women as competition for the sights of men in general, what you are wearing or not wearing will almost certainly become a part of their agenda.

RIP Mr D

2011-11-16T13:36:00.002+02:00

This is one of my favourite jams from the 90's

Good White People?

2011-11-16T08:02:00.000+02:00

For a race that seems to hold most of the social and economic power in the world, Sistah Souljah asked a very pertinent question here. If you really believe and stand for a cause, you will raise you arms and fight for it no matter the cost.

AWKWARD BLACK GIRL

2011-11-14T22:18:00.000+02:00

I just discovered this web-based series and am already in love with it! We need more shows like this on TV to break down the stereotypes. As a black girl with slightly different and what some may define as quirky tendencies, I have largely been misunderstood by ignorant people who fail to understand that people are far more complex than stereotyped images show for. This just reminded me that I am not alone.

This Poem was So Good

2011-11-14T21:53:00.000+02:00

I had to re-post some lines from it on my blog
The rest of the poem is found here

i am self-conscious of the image i see in the mirror facing me.

a seeming fraud, a scam artist

a black girl docta

holding all these damn credentials

in my hands

& a ringless second finger

pushing away doubt and doubters because I can do this, be this

Very Cute Commercial

2011-11-13T14:55:00.000+02:00

I only saw this now. Very sweet.

Looking Forward not Behind

2011-11-08T21:22:00.000+02:00

Striving harder and being better.
Not settling for a mediocrity that my environment has dictated to me.

Bonne Anniversaire Marie!!

2011-11-07T16:11:00.000+02:00

This day marks the birth of one of the greatest minds that ever lived. Marie Curie was the only woman to receive a Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry, the only woman to receive these honours on two occasions. She remains an inspiration to all the female scientists the world over.
When doubt begins to seep in, ladies, just think of Marie Curie. Let her allow you to know that it is possible to work hard and excel in your own right whether you are receive accolades or not. Your gender says nothing of your intellectual ability.

The Grade Factor: the figures that DO matter

2011-11-07T14:53:00.000+02:00

Ever since I caught-up call this semester and started to realise that grades are not the meaningless digits I used to think they were, I have taken a different perspective toward my academic life. Earlier on in my life, these figures were as important as the food I ate and would work in all my power to obtain the straight A's I wanted to achieve.

This year, I took a rebellious approach and decided to experiment with the idea of not thinking too highly of grades. Of course, the direct result was somewhat of a slack-off which led to undesirable test grades and a whole lot of terrible other things that had to do with the...grades and started to notice that although one should not stress themselves out too far, it is essential to take some care when it comes to school work. Neither extreme is good for a person's health but a middle ground, where one is able to have the discipline needed to complete all tasks as well as they possibly can while still taking the time out to relax and have time for enjoyable activities.

Denzel Washington has a word of advice that he gave to his children and that is "Do the things you have to do so that you can do the things you want to do." It's all about sacrificing what is enjoyable to you for the time being so that you can get the essentials done because it's obvious that pleasurable activities keep you occupied for hours on end leaving no time left over for what really needs to be done and that is the work that more often than not has a deadline of some sort.

Mr Washington kind of reminds me of my parents, mother especially who instilled a great deal of discipline and a great work ethic. By forcing us to keep the kitchen and our rooms and bathrooms spotless and neat, she was conditioning us into having a sense of responsibility for the state of our surroundings i.e. what goes on in our lives. That what we get out of life is a direct result of the work that we put into it and that we are victims to nothing but carve out our own existences based on the choices that we make. A "You made your bed, now lay in it" approach to the repercussions of things.

"Consequence is no co-incidence," one of my favourite quotes from Lauryn Hill.

Wisdom begins when you understand that you are a factor, a fundamental one to the events of your life. For a while, I may have forgotten this when I was slacking off and blaming fatigue. Hell, coffee was made for a reason right and there is no better motivation than imagining the good results of your perseverance tomorrow today.

As a true scientist, I ran an experiment, testing a hypothesis and the result was quite close to what I expected. A lax attitude yields mediocrity. It is only a winning, focused and serious attitude that yields excellence. If you're reading this, at whatever level you are in your academic life, know that although grades are not a reflection of your intelligence what they do display is commitment, loyalty, hard-work and determination. And these are all attributes that will make you a pleasure to work with.

This Messed-Up World

2011-11-05T17:33:00.000+02:00

Now, this dude seriously needs some religion in his life. What kind of messed-up head concocts this modicum of death, sex and violence.

http://www.tylershields.com/portfolio/portraits/

But on a topic akin to this:

he concept of Sixth Sense appeals to the shutting down of intellectual and cognitive functions to “surrender” to the mesmerizing effect of lust in mass media. It is during this somewhat hypnotized and slightly aroused state that messages can effectively reach the viewer’s brains with maximum effectiveness.

Taken from an article on Vigilant Citizen website

Major Overhaul

2011-11-05T11:36:00.000+02:00

When I started writing this blog in 2008, I was a young woman trying desperately to grapple onto a sense of her place in society. I was fresh out of high-school - a very enclosed and sheltered world where the staff members were predominantly female and most of those who accomplished academic success were females. I lived in a world where women ruled and women were on top and that was a comfort to my identity as a woman. In my own family, women were strong opinionated, working for their own and making it on their own without any need for a man. This inspired me to dream of an independent life and thing first about my career aspirations above my romantic pursuits, which I did until the world held me by the chin and slapped me in the face with some news.

The world does not take kindly to the idea of female strength nor does it take kindly to the notion of an independent woman trying to make it on her own. This woman is not liked, may be perceived as an ice-cold, heartless and conniving b**** and is criticized for her character and sometimes her looks. Women, in the real world are objects upon which the male gaze is projected, they are made to be looked at and worse yet f***ed only. They are not meant to have thoughts of their own, aspirations, dreams and goals. They are viewed as strange or crazy when they pursue artistic, intellectual, political goals because a go-getting woman is violating the fundamental premise of the feminine by not being a passive, weak and fragile thing that seeks the protection and validation of a man.

I was taught these concepts by males who are essentially insecure about their own manhood and seek to conceal these flaws by suppressing and oppressing women into neat, predictable little corners where they can be monitored so as not to let them get out of hand you know, by having too much influence and power.

The limiting roles, the chauvinistic gender binary caused me to become a radical feminist at 19 and much of my blog at the time was filled with rants about the experiences and encounters with sexist-minded females and males and how I always knew that if I were a male, none of this grief would be handed to me.

So, as an undergraduate astrophysics student caught in the middle of a male-dominated career field, I have much experience in the league of dealing with chauvinists and therefore plenty of wisdom to hand down to young women who, like most of us, have normalized these inhibiting ideas and absorbed them to the point of dumbing themselves down for the sake of being socially acceptable. Truly gifted young women are wasting their minds on frivolous and trivial garbage all because they are afraid to cross the line on what society makes clear is the right way to be a woman. It's a tremendous waste and I am on a mission to do my bit in reducing this phenomenon in my direct vicinity.

The lack of female scientific pursuit is more a case of discouragement than it is a factor of men being more gifted at these fields. We are told and therefore we believe. If there were more female scientists in the world or had many of the great scientific breakthroughs been made by women, the converse would be true. So, we can easily conclude that this is more of a psychological issue than it is a result of genetic predisposition.

Or perhaps, for those chauvinists that believe women have no place in science, it could very easily be more a matter of genetics than just the odd Napoleon Complex which bears no physical justification. Know what I mean... ;)

What I Have Seen of It So Far

2011-10-23T11:50:00.002+02:00

visited 5 states (2.22%)
Create your own visited map of The World or jurisdische veraling duits?

Not much but when the employment provides a serious income, it shall get better!

Why Call Yourself a "King"

2011-10-21T14:43:00.000+02:00

It's foolishness how Nicki Minaj and Beyonce find it cool to call themselves "kings" as a way of reinforcing their dominance. Doesn't this just come right back to the patriarchal notion which tells us that to have power is to be male or masculine. This is just positive reinforcement of the gender binary. These two could not do anymore to disappoint me in my books.
MASSIVE FAIL, Nicki Massive Fail and for Beyonce, what else would you expect from someone married to Jay-Z?

The Dark Skin Thing

2011-10-11T05:51:00.000+02:00

Alright, wow! I could not actually watch this video from start to finish without pausing and taking the time to digest some of the things these women were saying. They are all my kindred souls and I can relate to them so well. This is certainly a movie I would love to watch!

Bottom-Up Scenario

2011-10-09T07:26:00.000+02:00

In the white-dominated academia, it seems that success is predominantly owned by those that own the school themselves white males. I try and google African female graduate and what do I see, pictures of white women in graduation garb. What madness is this? Not even google algorithms can stand the thought of a smart black woman finishing college.

Personally, I can't stand these insecure losers. That is essentially what they are. Secure white men have no problem with others rising up but there are so many weak pathetic losers out there and some of them happen to be in the academia. I will name no names. The point is, they need a foundation upon which to believe themselves smart, good, great. That foundation is anyone they believe inferior, often times, a person who is female and a person with darker skin. So, they keep you down in order to stop themselves from falling. It's a typical bottom-up scenario. But one has to be aware of it and counteract it by acknowledging the fundamental weakness in character that exists in people that put others down for their own gain.

Proscovia Njuki, Engineering Graduate and the first of her kind in East Africa

Time-Wasters, this one is dedicated to you.

2011-10-04T00:30:00.001+02:00

What irritates me? People that cannot seem to make up their minds. What irritates me even more? People that cannot make up their minds and leave you hanging in limbo about where they stand with you. Some months ago, this dude kept agreeing to meet with me but would postpone at the last minute. I was interested in meeting him but he would text to cancel at the last minute. Now how is that for inconsiderate? Why not just say "No, thank you." A person who doesn't have as good an intuition can continue being strung along by that foolishness but I caught the game quickly and dismissed him but for the time he wasted with me, boy was I irritated.
Sometimes, all a person wants is someone to stroke their ego! Now, that's what I call insecure.

The Unsung Hero of Quantum Physics

2011-09-15T22:32:00.001+02:00

Tomonaga Shin’ichirō

Spent much of his working life as a theoretical physicist working quantum electrodynamic theory and won the Nobel Prize in 1965. Unlike the Einsteins, Paulis, Rutherfords, Feynmans and the like, Shini'chiro has not been hailed to the point of immortality. Nevertheless, his legacy still stands.

Dear Gareth "Douchebag Motherf****er" Cliff

2011-09-12T19:54:00.000+02:00

Listen Mate,

So you think that all or the majority of the 22-year-old women out there are only interested in lying on their backs with their legs open. Listen here, you nutter I am a 22-year-old woman myself and I can tell you that there is a lot more going on in my mind-space than the thoughts of having sex. You loser! In your wretched porn-infested mind, all you see is young women with their legs open anyway to the point where all you are really capable of seeing (or perceiving) when you catch the sight of a young lady is her lying back with her legs open. We are not the ones with the problem, it's you you diabolical beastly idiot!

This brings me to another point, about how foolish people (like yourself), fail to view women and girls as complex beings with deep minds, souls, hearts and intellects. You fail to see women as people and reduce them to nothing more than their genitalia. In other words, a woman is either a chaste virgin or the whore that you imagine 22-year-old women like myself are. Well guess what bozo, many of us are not whores. We are gifted, intelligent, hard-working colleges students, career women and for those of us that are mature and strong enough, mothers too. So back off with your unilateral one-dimensional thinking and bite your tongue before you say something you will regret.

You should count your lucky stars too Gareth, because your white privilege will probably help you keep your job unlike the unfortunate Khuli Roberts lost her job entirely.

Love, peace and happiness.

But honestly, get a life. You're utterly pathetic and a complete bore in any case.

Sincerely,

the Unspoken Word

Black Leather Jacket

2011-09-10T14:41:00.001+02:00

Gossip Withdrawal

2011-09-10T07:57:00.000+02:00

I love the feeling of not being in the know-how about what celebs are up to which is why I avoid radio and TV like the plague for the majority of the year. Our culture is so obsessed and fixated on the things these so called famous people say and do. I will not for a second say that I am not one of these people. I too have spent hours of my life watching E! Entertainment Channel and following up on the latest gossip being dished up by Sal Masekela but you come to a point of realization where you begin to wonder why you care so much about the lives of these people who care little for your own existence. It's quite silly actually.

For this reason, I vow to take a serious break from all celeb-related news, gossip and fanfare. We'll see how long this one lasts!

Understanding lies at the Root of Healing

2011-09-05T19:46:00.000+02:00

What I have come to know for sure is that all people want and yearn to be loved. That is fact and not speculation. When that thirst is not quenched it turns people angry, butter, spiteful, aggressive, tyrannical and always willing to hurt someone else to transfer the pain. To hurt the way they have been hurt. It's true "misery loves company", rather I cry with you than alone and my injury provides certainty of that.

As much as understanding and having empathy for your fellow human being heals. Not understanding or trying to understand destroys even more. One reason why I believe empathy should be at the cornerstone of every person on this planet's principles.

Friday Throwback: Ladies Night 1996

2011-09-02T17:14:00.000+02:00

I may have watched this video a total of 200 times between the years '96 and '99.

Policing Women's Attire in Rape Society

2011-08-23T21:39:00.001+02:00

WE recently had our very own SlutWalk at Greenpoint here in Cape Town on Saturday the 20th and it had a good turnout which I am very happy to see. Rape is still an issue in this culture that seems to adamnat to condone it and women are still being blamed for crimes involving forced penetration and violent assault that are committed against them. But some reactions from some individuals today made me think about the way in which a protest like this is received in this Rape Culture Society of ours.

"I disagree with the whole SlutWalk thing because it is degrading to women":
In the same manner that the idiot officer from Toronto sought to blame victims of rape based on their manner of dress, this individual missed the entire point of the protest and aimed to focus more on how wrong the protest was and not how wrong rape itself actually is. Instead of showing some smidgen of sympathy for the victims and complaining about how awful rapists themselves are for violating the physical boundaries and private spaces of women.
So, how does the protest itself become degrading. Well these women are calling themselves "sluts". NO! They are making the point that a woman's clothes should not in any way be a precursor to a sexual assault committed against her. It is extreme but of course it should be bold. Perhaps that is the issue this young man has with it. That it is bold, blazing and brazen and therefore a massive hit to the male ego. No woman in her right mind could possibly claim that an anti-rape protest is wrong in anyway.

"The word slut is degrading":
Yes it is. It is a word among several that was created to shame women for expressing sexuality. It is a word that sought to weaken and silence women in sex thus giving men a sense of domination of the so called "weaker sex". These words are simply a kind of verbal genital mutilation. An attack against a woman who feels no shame about her vagina, her clitoris, her vulva and the pleasure that she feels during the act of coitus. Women in more civilized society's may not have their genitals mutilated like the many unfortunate one's living in primitive states and following primitive religions but we have a kind of mutilation of our own going on and it is called slut-shaming.

One of the most prominent tools for slut-shaming is of course the media where the perpetuation of this practice is simply overwhelming. No wonder these attitudes filter through into uncritical and unthinking minds.

The word "slut" and its many variations should not even feature in the English language. A woman expressing desire is not a thing to marvel at, be ashamed of, stone to death, hate or assign a name to especially one that has negative connotations.

Its roots lie deep in patriarchy which asserts male dominance in every form and sex is just one of the ways in which men define their power and identity so that in the act of raping, objectifying, they reinforce what they have been told by patriarchy they are entitled to: dominance and complete control over the female gender. That's all it is about: power. The moment a woman begins to apply a power that is on par with this, she is attacked and weakened by those who believe strongly in the male order of things. And that is why the word "slut" is degrading, because of the very same system of thinking that encourages rape: patriarchy.

"What would Christ say about this?":
Well, of course, I have no idea but if this individual was trying to assert that Christ would frown upon the protest then that means Christ would have a problem with people who have a problem with injustice. The Christ I know from my readings of the word. The Jesus who's good friend was a former prostitute, the Jesus who healed the woman with the issue of blood, the Jesus who sat down and had a sincere conversation with the woman at the well who had a history with men i.e. a run-of-the-mill slut would probably grab a banner and join right in with the protest because He would, more than anything frown upon the abuse, misuse and maltreatment of God's children that is all the women and girls who have been forced against their will by selfish, malevolent, egocentric, megalomaniacs of men who have zero empathy. Christ, in my mind, was no one to disgrace a slut in any way but sought to love, heal, empower, forgive and help those in need spiritually and mentally. This would be a girl or woman who has had her spirit broken by the forced entry into her sacred temple by a man she may have trusted or been related to.

Religions are not exempt from scrutiny when it comes to matters of gender inequality is because the Church has been built on the same system of male domination that most societies and cultures in the world has.

A while back I heard some young man defend the fact that a man should head the household because it said so in the Bible. I told him that that attitude is also used to justify abuse of women and he responded by saying that believers should follow Biblical standards and not those of the world. He is blind, totally blind to the fact that those so called holy standards are in complete alignment with the world's. Males rule, females submit. That is patriarchy and yes it is found in the Bible, pity, but it is there. The fact that so few women are excluded from positions of authority in churches. (The Vatican has stringent rules on this, clergy have their genitals examined before being ordained). Female subordination happens in religions too and men use these tools well because many women seek to be loyal to their God not realizing that all their being loyal to is patriarchy.

The SlutWalk was a brilliant idea and if I had known about it ahead of time, I probably would have been there. Being nothing but big ole slut.

The Exceptional Kola Boof

2011-08-23T09:12:00.000+02:00

”Anger comes from hurt and that is why nobody likes an angry woman, because she’s hurting inside.

An angry woman is dismissed as ‘bitter’—which is just people’s way of excusing themselves from having to heal that angry woman or to care about or understand her.

And whereas Roman Polanski can be known worldwide as a child molester and still manage to win an Academy Award in the year 2003, and whereas angry black men can rap and hip-hop their age, uncut and completely raw, into the public consciousness and become celebrated, well-respected millionaires from defiling their own mothers and poisoning their own communities…a woman being angry and exploring that ager…even in art…is still not acceptable, understandable or even pitiable by most of the people who order the society and think of themselves as fair judges of ‘rational behavior.’”

--Kola Boof, Diary

of a Lost Girl

Women's Day South Africa

2011-08-09T22:56:00.000+02:00

Wathint' Abafazi Wathint' Imbogoto!

The Obsessed

2011-07-18T14:56:00.000+02:00

I have never been stalked before but what do you do about someone who continues to contact you long after you have said goodbye to them more than once? It is guilt-inducing but at the same time very frightening. Akin to attempting to get a message across to a brick wall.

Obsessions smack of not having self-control and being terribly insecure. Why should one person be your only hope at having your desires fulfilled. There are so many more opportunities to find joy and satisfaction.

Its pitiful watching someone deteriorate in this way. Unable to simply let go. You want so desperately to tell them to sod off but you pity them knowing that at the centre of all that insane behaviour is someone desperate for validation.

Wisdom tells me that for the sake of not fanning flames, all communication must be shut off. I will only be rewarding this individual by contacting them.

Sex Appeal: Not Woman Enough

2011-07-15T14:30:00.000+02:00

In this patriarchal world, it seems that any woman who hones and focuses on anything more than having sex appeal is dismissed as immature, boring, less female and unattractive. The very basis of this form of female subjugation demands the display of skin for the purpose of enticing a male gaze.

This kind of attitude is not hard to miss and I see poor teenage girls falling prey to this shoddy ideology, dressing in ways that do not fit their age and spending more time being attractive for boys than channeling energy into excelling at sports and academics, thinking about what potential career paths are fitting for their particular personality types.

The world we inhabit encourages girls to grow believing that their worth is measured by their appearance and, of course, ideological state apparatus' such as the media, family, and even religion has women thinking that they should work over-time at improving their looks. Once for wearing loose jeans, I had someone inform me that I was "selling myself short". Imagine that. Really? Not reaching my full potential is not achieving my goals. The last time I checked. My goals did not include wearing life-sapping skinny jeans that cause itching, sweat and blocked follicles that may result in rash for the sake of looking good.

These pressures put on women is one reason I was compelled to read 'The Beauty Myth' by Naomi Wolf last year which, though exaggerated and focused more on the plight of white, middle-class women in North America, struck a major chord in my mind.

The lack of coverage of female sports is, without surprise, also a consequence of this line of thinking. Without a sexist gender binary in place, women's sports would be taken just as seriously as males. This article at Gender Across Borders explains the link between this phenomenon and sexism quite well.

Tim Wise Delivers

2011-07-03T16:22:00.000+02:00

Eloquently done and full of wisdom. Tim Wise's lecture on "white privilege" gives you insight into the workings of race construction, white privilege and systems of racial domination in the U.S. not dissimilar to other society's upon which apartheid has wreaked mighty havoc.

2011-06-22T02:24:00.000+02:00

"I am an invisible man, I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids—and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me."

-Ralph Ellison

She is (on her way to being) an Astronomer

2011-06-22T01:38:00.000+02:00

The Dearth of Female Scientists: is there a non-sexist reason for this?

2011-06-22T01:22:00.003+02:00

Reading an article which depicts an exercise that debunks a common myth that women and girls are incapable of scientific thought and success in science-related fields.

Looking at how minimal the numbers of female graduates and tenured professors in science-related professions may be a discouraging factor for girls who display interest in the field. But there is also a level of socialisation that comes into play. Gender performance expectations sway some women away from fields that encourage the advancement of logical thinking skils such as engineering and the sciences.

The discrimination that women face through micro-aggressions delivered by male colleagues and superiors in the process of climbing the academic ladder sometimes also proves too much for some women and they crack under pressure.

I have to say that I can give personal accounts of shady behaviour from a tenured professor who is being considered for the Head of the Physics department making outright chauvinist remarks in a physics class where men outnumber women to even getting too friendly with female students. Now, there are boundaries that need to be maintained in the academic arena and to me, efforts to point out gender difference in a way that knowingly undermines female ability within a specific course of study is undoubtedly sexist. But this same professor claims that he will "not change" which brings to light another element of why women and girls could find themselves giving up on the pursuit of scientific excellence: run-of-the-mill douchebags that seem to have personal issues with members of the opposite gender.

These attitudes may stem from the common tendency in society to devalue all female qualities that remain disjointed from her physical appearance. Female intelligence is non-physical and for reasons that operate in the interests of a patriarchal value system must be dismissed without further discussion.

In a professor who makes passes at his female students, there is a chauvinist who seeks to strip a woman of any pride she may have at pressing hard at academic pursuits to nothing more than a female body that is or should be desired.

This also leads to the notion of expectations. It's beel long proven that the child that succeeds is most often the child who is expected to succeed. I saw this in my own life. Teachers at my high school, female of course, saw potential in me and on a deeper level, I made it my mission to live up to that greatness that they believed I could reach. When those around you anticipate your inability or failure, you, depending on how thick your skin and how firm your character, may easily lose sight of your goals and slip into the role those around you expect you to play. It takes a conscious reminder to oneself that external expectations are not the ultimate definer. A person incapable of defining themselves will give way to the opinions of others and become a product of their environment. This dynamic may occur with female students in science-related fields. You come into the game as a pariah and get treated as such. Without proper guard, self-doubt can seep in as a result and a downward spiral begins which would not have started had the work environment not been so exclusionary and pessimistic to the presence of a woman in the first place.

Women have made outstanding contrubitions to the science over the span of decades but the dismissal and sexism of our male counterparts has held us back in tremendous ways. Patriarchy breaks down at the point when men acknowledge the fact that their dominance over the lives and bodies of women does not define their worth or power. Until this fallacy breaks, the struggle to recognise female intelligence in male-dominated academic fields will continue.

(Unnatural) Blonde Ambition

2011-06-21T20:06:00.000+02:00

Tweak it, cramp it, flatten it but go blonde and it could be the best thing you ever do for your career*.

*spoken with a true note of sarcasm.

A Thousand Sisters against Violence in Congo

2011-06-13T00:59:00.001+02:00

A fact for you to digest but only digest because you may not ever be able to fully empathise.

Since 1998, 5.4 million people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The death toll is the equivalent of an Asian Tsunami every 6.5 months. A September 11 every 2.5 days. And nearly half of the deaths in the Congo are of children under the age of five.

A Thousand Sister's Official Website can be found at this link.

Going Large with this: Cape Town harassers fall back!

2011-06-07T22:07:00.000+02:00

Have this Tee-Shart

2011-06-05T20:05:00.000+02:00

Paying homage to the lovely Grace Jones...as I do!

2011's Biggest Biter: Beyonce's Choreographer

2011-05-28T14:12:00.001+02:00

The individual who "choreographed" the 'Run the World' dance decided to take some footage from round here and copy and paste it onto the routine. Watch this and you will know. This is for that troll, hutton, that came onto the blog a while ago and decided to make some unjustified remarks. Here you go.

Venomous Trolling: my response

2011-05-26T14:02:00.000+02:00

As much as I appreciate the comments that have been flowing into my blog, there is a limit to what I am able to read. I question the sanity of any individual obsessed with coming to my blog and making hateful remarks such as the following:

"For those with the luxury of attending 95% white private schools, then proclaiming their blackness behind a computer screen at the University of Cape Town or Chicago, I truly envy you. Instead of feeling sorry for myself in solitude, I plan to move beyond your unbearbly condescending, self-serving bullshit and spend time with people who are actually proud to be black South Africans. One more thing for those who think every person with a white parent thinks alike. We don't fuckers, we don't. I hope in due time the scales will be removed from your eyes."

May I begin by stating that I find it hard to understand how you would know this much about my history and background of which I speak very little of to those I am not familiar with? This is surprising.

It's a lot of venom to have to stomach. Such strong hatred is abnormal. That you would come to this blog for a second times even after recommended readings that might help you understand why you are acting out this way is just amazing to me. There should be something more worth your while to invest your time in than shaming me with notions that are false.

Firstly, blackness is not defined by a state of lack or poverty. In trying to nullify my proclamation of blackness by stating that I went to "white private schools" you make a negative remark about what this so called blackness really is and how it is defined on a social scale.

To whom am I being condescending? There was never any individual that I addressed when making my posts. You are entitled to your own opinion but if you want to read this blog there is a certain protocol required and that is that you maintain respect for the writer of this blog. I have allowed your first two comments to be published. Any further vitriol will be blocked and you will no longer be permitted to voice your opinion on the 'Unspoken Word'.

There will be things written in this blog that do not please you so I advise you, open at your own risk. If there is something here you find offensive, I cannot be responsible for your response. This is my domain where I am free to spit my own opinions and vent as honestly as I can. If it strikes a nerve then I suggest you don't read it at all.

I am a pacifist and do not believe in making others feel small. If you wish to do so please divert your attention to some other individual or perhaps blog.

Destiny's Child and Beyonce

2011-05-25T21:15:00.001+02:00

It's official, this is my anthem of the moment. Just can't seem to stop listening to it. It sounds great, the lyrics are empowering to me as I'm sure plenty of women and girls around the world find it.

My own childhood was filled with Destiny's Child's music. 'The Writings on the Wall' album was a permanent fixture in the conversations I used to share with friends at school during 5th and 6th grade. At the ages of 10 and 11, I was learning assertiveness and not submissiveness, strength and not weakness and Kelly, Beyonce, Michelle, LaTavia and LeToya had plenty to do with this.

While there seems to be a lot of feminist backlash about the song being an inaccurate portrayal of the gender structure in society, I find the song favourable because as many of these types of songs, it is encouraging and empowering. Women may not occupy equal power positions as it is but with enough work, we could well be on our way to sharing equal footing. The debate is about whether empowering songs of this nature do more harm than good. I would have to argue that they play a positive role in fostering a healthy sense of self which is what most women and girls need anyway given the circumstances of being part of a marginalized group.

Girls running the world may not be the reality now but it sure as hell does not hurt to dream. When I listen to this song, I see images of all the powerful women I know who have made their mark. Though they have had to struggle and found themselves exploited at times, they have given as hard as they could give and that is an accomplishment in itself.

Africa Day Today

2011-05-25T20:20:00.000+02:00

Well, I had no idea but kudos to "google" for making me aware!

Mama Africa, though your adversity is steep, you are still loved. How beautiful you are! How lovely your people.

Mah Dawgs at the Merridienne Cypha, elke Woensdag

2011-05-23T19:38:00.002+02:00

Shout out to Jay-Tip, Green Pantha and that dude who sounds like that dude who isn't Q-Tip in a Tribe Called Quest.

Silenced in Solitude: the sustenance of hegemony

2011-05-21T17:39:00.002+02:00

This song strikes a deep chord that resonates in my mind, compelling all the thoughts that lurk in the shadows to elude their fear and bring themselves to light. Fear is a crippler, a useless emotion that I must rid myself of.

Fear of speaking the unspoken and sometimes, just giving rude motherfuckers a solid piece of my mind sans profanity or anger but full of dignity and sensibility.

Again, I thank you Lupe.

@Home_UCT_Res

2011-05-21T17:35:00.000+02:00

I commend the photographer for making this desert-place look so cool! Ah, photography...what an art!

Beyonce Backlash: Trollers, How I Love Thee!

2011-05-21T17:21:00.002+02:00

So all of a sudden, the 'Unspoken Word' came to life after I made that post about Beyonce. Since then I have:

1. Rejoiced about the fact that I have trolls. Wow, the 'Unpoken Word' finally has some real blogosphere action.

2. Responded to the individuals that do not get my drifted and posted serious-sounding comments about me being a hater.

3. Downloaded the song (yes, I'm a pirate...aaaaargh) and listened to it over at least 30 times.

4. Had my inner-Destiny's-child-loving girl self rejoice about the fact that Beyonce is singing real female empowerment songs again that are not overly sexualized like some of the work she has delivered as a solo artist.

5. Danced around to this song pumping hard through my earphones.

6. Loved the hell out of the song, how she incorporates a South African dance style in the song for all the world to see and appreciate.

7. Had parts of the video play in my head in joyous recollection of how dope it is.

Now, I don't know where the trolls discovered something in my words to attack. It's just a case of subtle misunderstanding because this is quite obviously my new feminist chant.

But trolls, I love you. Reading your comments has brought back a new enthusiasm for blogging that died with along with my reader count.

All I have to say is, "Thank You" and please by all means, keep on trolling. What would the blogosphere be without you entertaining individuals?

Back to Bey....

WHO RUNS THE WORLD...GIRLS BEEEATCHES!!! YEAH!!

Next up: my discussions will revolve around an analysis of women's role in science and the general male response to their presence at all levels of the academia from Undergraduate, Graduate ("Toast to the college grads" - Beyonce) to Doctorate and Professorship level.

Beyonce Dancing Pantsula

2011-05-19T13:58:00.002+02:00

Oh, boy. We have to deal with another carbon-copy of an African-dance style from some artist in the states. First it was that teach me how to dougie which was a straight-up 'Twalatsa' done by Arthur and 999 about 12 years ago over here in South Africa.

Now, it's Beyonce doing semi-awkward pantsula in this:

Can't say which one is worse. But I'm glad the song seems to have feminist undertones.

Psychobabble Bullshit at Psychology Today

2011-05-18T18:01:00.001+02:00

Whoah, I did not know that this piss-ass publication even existed. Here's a post from Angry Black Woman's website explaining the whole mess.

More from the loon who writes this shit at the Psychology Today Website Satoshi Kanazawa

Excerpt:

Satoshi Kanazawa is an evolutionary psychologist, Reader in Management at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Psychology at University College London, and in the Department of Psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is the coauthor (with the late Alan S. Miller) of Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters (Perigee, 2007).

Now here's my take on it. A qualification does not nullify the fact that you could very well be insane. Even after studying psychology. Clearly this must be the case. This is yet another example of the perpetuation of scientific racism.

Can racists just give the Black race a break already? Geesh!

Darkie Conceptions within the Western Mind

2011-05-11T08:15:00.001+02:00

"I am talking about a book which parades in the most vulgar fashion prejudices and insults from which a section of mankind has suffered untold agonies and atrocities in the past and continues to do so in many ways and many places today. I am talking about a story in which the very humanity of black people is called in question."

Chinua Achebe on 'Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad

A very subtle form of this is in stereotyping. I want to share this experience because not only has it scraped against my soul in an annoying way, it has illuminated a fact to me. One particular individual has been open enough to voice his percption of me on more occasions than even I can bear. But perhaps these have been good in showing me what thoughts could be lurking in people that think white and think European.

The black female sterotype returns to haunt me in the form of "you look angry", "OMG, you looked so pissed in that picture", "are you mad?", "why are you angry?"

Now I ask, has there ever been any offense in not smiling. Should I smile for every waking moment I expel air. For those who are not black and female and are allowed to contemplate serious things every now and then, I envy you. That you are not bombarded with a reminder of how angry the world thinks you are. Just because, you know, you are a black woman and that's what is expected right.

These questions along with "What's wrong?" when it's clear that nothing could be wrong irritate me on several levels. For me it does not imply concern, though the speaker may try to bring this across. Rather it is a sinister way of elevating themselves above you. Thinking that you are "sad" or "angry" "all the time" (real quotes from the same dude) reveals a firm belief in these status quo ideas that society has constructed. So deep, they defy the logic of what is in front of you. I could smile all day but it wouldn't change the thing deeply embedded in your mind and that things spells "angry black woman". Wonder where you heard that one.

Also, about thinking people of colour look the same. We don't fuckers, we don't.

Brilliant Mind: Fanon

2011-05-11T04:38:00.000+02:00

"Sometimes people hold a core belief that is very strong. When they are
presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new
evidence cannot be accepted. It would create a feeling that is
extremely uncomfortable, called cognitive dissonance. And because it
is so important to protect the core belief, they will rationalize,
ignore and even deny anything that doesn't fit in with the core belief."

"Imperialism leaves behind germs of rot which we must clinically detect and remove from our land but from our minds as well."
— Frantz Fanon

Both quotes taken from "Black Skin, White Masks", an absolute must-read for anyone interested in the psychology of colonialism.

Protests Proliferate: Police Brutality in "post-apartheid" South Africa

2011-05-04T10:12:00.000+02:00

After the killing of Andries Tatane during a peaceful march on 13th April and another brutal assault from officers at a nightclub in Woodstock, UCT has organized a protest scheduled for the 5th May.

So, this is meant to be our post-apartheid South Africa. What's changed then?

Easter Weekend Woodstock "pig"brutality.

Scene from Andries Tatane's burial during April.

Unlikely Trip-Hop 90's

2011-05-03T01:53:00.001+02:00

Used to love this song when I was 9. My brother borrowed this 5fm compilation disc and out of all the commercial pop-sounding rock songs on the CD, this one caught my attention. This eeries vibe mixed with indie acoustics. Perfect blend. In true youngin in the 90's style, I wrote down the lyrics from listening to the song line by line. The trip-hop downtempo spirit had me years ago. See this now in my love for 'Drowned World' taken off of the 'Ray of Light' album of 1998. Produced by William Orbit, the song takes on the trip-hop influences of Bristol in a bittersweet gem of a song I cannot get enough of.

New Favourite Wiggaz

2011-05-02T22:15:00.000+02:00

!She-Devil?

2011-04-08T04:32:00.002+02:00

Primitive?

2011-04-06T13:48:00.000+02:00

I found this racist image at wikipedia:

Attacking Power in an Unlikely/Unlikeable Form

2011-03-26T17:33:00.001+02:00

The Williams sisters dominant tennis. They come from a poor background and did not follow the traditional path to professional success. When you combine that, with the fact that they are Black women, that is more than enough reason to send people on the attack.

This is just one example taken from "Womanist Musings"

How many times have I been subject to a cross-sectional analysis of Oprah, Venus and Serena and countless other powerful, accomplished and successful Black women who do not conform to traditional standards of beauty. It can only be classified as plain simple "hating". These women have more than enough going for them - plenty of dosh, accolades, fame and the loving of a good man so what's left to use as ammunition: relegating them to the bottom of the so-called beauty heirarchy used against women only. A rich man can continue being rich without any critique of his external appearance. But a woman violating patriarchal codes of dominance as measured by wealth must be attacked.

Perfect Songs for International Anti-Street Harassment Day

2011-03-20T12:23:00.001+02:00

Boobs

2011-03-11T14:26:00.002+02:00

Sitting in physics class this morning and a young woman wearing a royal blue flowered strapless sundress decides to adjust its top while she is walking past the entrance of the lecture hall. While she does, her girlies accidently pop out for three seconds with only a few of us in the class noticing. Quick escape for her. But hilarious to watch for those of us that did see. Can I hear a wardrobe mash-up. This one goes out to you Janet, Tara and others...

A young guy in my class who saw the event said that he believes women should keep their ta-tas in bras obviously motivated by the thing he saw. So, it made me think about bras: their actual purpose and how they intertwine with aspects of gender conceptions. He, as a young man, wants women to wear bras as a means of keeping that which he views as erotic out of his sight. The bra in this sense is not for support is rather a cover up or concealment. In extreme cases in society, women wear burqas to conceal that which men find erotic which happens to be their entire body. So perhaps the reason why first wave feministas starting burning bras in the first place was because they saw these items of clothing as a means by which the sexualization of the female form propagates. But men have nipples too yes? But theirs have not been made sexual in a common sense.

Bras are bloody uncomfortable. Going without always feels amazing. Who cares about the sag or the nipple, it's about freedom. The freedom to roam, reach, explore, investigate, learn, discover and walk the journey of life with ease not hiding.

This ties right into a recent event. The Rio Carnival which took place this month. Astounding! The kind of show one has to try their darndest to see at least once in their lives. Some of the women performing had their breasts out. Some cultures in Southern Africa also have women bearing their breasts during cultural dances. Neither are ashamed. Shame about boobs is a social construct but more importantly a Western social construct. Stating obvious stuff of course.

Anticipating: 'Lasers' by Lupe

2011-02-13T13:13:00.001+02:00

Coming up with new and inovative ways of promoting upcoming releases - interessant!

Taking Sexy Away

2011-02-07T20:48:00.000+02:00

First saw Gail Dines who is the author and promoter of several books on the following topic state her piece on SkyNews and I was immediately drawn to this. It's great that her website and reading materials have been given this much coverage by global news networks.

Packaged in a concise 47 minute video presentation is a full discussion on why pornography is so damaging to the mind's and attitudes of people the world over. Whether you are an active user or someone who couldn't care, this is some information that you most certainly need to have at your disposal. For standing in opposition to this profitable yet seedy and destructive industry the word "prude" should not even come to mind when considering popular opinions but rather "dignified" and mindful of the humanness of not only girls and women but all of us. Something strong should be said about this beast. It may not change the minds of millions over night but one step at a time, society may start to acknowledge the ugly that it has amalgamated and like those powerful lyrics in 'Man in the Mirror' - "make that change..."

The sadness of it all is that there seems to be a culture of dismissing and excusing misogyny as a "boys will be boys" trope. They can't help themselves. They need an outlet for their voracious appetites for human flesh. Where better than to see this subtely portrayed in a current obsession for movies and TV shows that carry 'vampire' themes.

Even videos where models are used as embellishments for the set design just make you sick to your core when you come to see what's really going on here. These women are not people with voices, opinions, histories, background and rights. They're voiceless, ornamentalised objects. That's some sad isht going on there I'm telling you.

Not to mention how this kind of material and messages such as these reduce boys and men to view intercourse as a kind of sport without any non-physical meaning. It's just plain old 'fucking' to them. Nothing intimate. Nothing that has to do with a mental, psychological, spiritual connection to another human being no. Just plain ole fucking.

Clearly remember English teacher from 12th grade who lead us through a length analysis of 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' by George Orwell - what led me to find love for the book in the first-place (shout out to Ms Gardyne!). Something interesting about the fact that the 'Ministry of Truth' supplied pornographic material to the Proles in the novel - a population the government saw little use for and ignored for the most part. The dregs of humanity were fed the worst kind of media for entertainment - porn. Because "porn is boring" as I vividly recall Ms Gardyne uttering that afternoon in English class. And hey, you know what it just is.

When leave out the meat (and not talking about that meat) of it. What really makes this level of intimacy so powerful. Subtle nuances that almost often have zero to do with anything on a physical level. The brain is the most potent factor in all this being the source of all physiological activity. Why skip all that. Why trash all the meat and just suck on bones. Literally. It's wack. Just straight up wack.

Notwithstanding the effects that it has on the psyche. Subliminally. The video goes in depth into every aspect of this.

Know someone personally who is a regular user of porn. Even aspired to be a porn star at some point in his life. Knowing this it's no surprise to hear anti-feminist statements come out of his mouth. That he found the 'Tip Drill' video "cool", you know the part where that foolish Nelly swipes a credit card between a woman's convulsing butt cheeks. That same foolish Nelly when being confronted about having released such a debauched and lewd video asked a member of the audience whether he should "put white girls in there" as a substitute to prevent the vitriol that 'Tip Drill' caused. See that attitude. That's the misogyny. Instead of inspecting his actions and seeing the wrong. He sees as a solution, replacing the black "ho's" with a new set in a brand new hue. Reflective of an attitude that regards women as yup...disposable, replaceable, movable and interchangeable objects. What a dumb dumb.

Back to my young friend who also views erotic literature as a product for "girls" since they probably don't have that same insatiable sexual appetite for 'fresh meat' as their male counterparts do. They are soft, unassuming and not interesting in sex - prudish and innocent. Which again, as was explained in the video is a myth that often needs to be acknowledged in porn that fetishizes innocence and virginity. So, the erotic books that explore the psychological complexities of characters both male and female are demonized and dismissed as stuff for "girls" and instead the hardcore pornographic images that degrade, debase, humiliate and remove all possibility of interaction between male and female that does not involve violence, aggression, intimidation and violation are favoured. Favoured first and then absorbed as a representation of how intercourse should be (as the video clarifies).

This is also someone that believed that C.Brown's abuse had justification because RiRi allegedly gave him an STD and shoves off any discussion of gender inequality in favour of a false belief in an idea that "women are powerful" anyway. This sounds like that "punnany-power" thing again. Perhaps in possessing appetites that are difficult to control. The objects upon which these very appetites are satiated hold power, an overwhelming power which matches an overwhelming need to 'get pussy' no matter the cost or the stakes involved. So they bestow a false sense of power on them which helps them to easily ignore the actual non-power that girls and women have in environments where their rights are continually violated. In the forced marriages, the genital cutting, the honour killings etc. Hey, they still have "punnany-power" right so it really doesn't matter what you do them because they deserve it. That's what you call misogyny.

Have yet to comment about Kanye's dumb dumb 'Monster' video because just had enough of his attention-seeking ways. Watched 30 seconds of it and ignored the rest. Now, someone like that would defend their actions by reciting a monologue about record sales and money and the music business. Ya know how it is. Yep. There's the proof you need to realise how much of a big business misogyny is in the world. That images of women hanging dead from a ceilings, lying around dead fit with imagery reminiscent of depictions of demonic possessions in videos is sending out the message 'they're better of dead', 'they're evil' and if that's not hate speech against an entire gender then don't know what is.

Sunday Quote: on savagery

2011-02-06T14:38:00.002+02:00

Courtesy of 'Womanist Musings'

"I absolutely promise, that if you look at the evils committed by Blacks honestly, it will pale in comparison to the history of violence and oppression committed by Whiteness and yet it is Blacks who are told that we are savage. There is nothing to be ashamed of. People are trying to survive in a world that exploits them at every turn."

Read the full post. It's riveting.

One can only listen in absolute horror at the sound of someone that has internalized colonialist belief systems. An individual who not only attempts to defend the evils of white supremacist domination by deflecting attention away from the cause of these measures - racism by making generalized and false statements about how we are all akin to savagery and in that nothing should be said about the damage done by European Imperialism and then goes on to side with those that have done this damage in an act of blatant self-loathing that shows up in a number of ways. Strong beliefs in racial stereotypes about one's own race which is somewhat pathological. It's as if one takes on the internal eyes of the oppressor, assuming a subliminally racist mindset that hinders them from seeing their own in an individualistic manner. Strange.

Adamant Game-Changers

2011-02-04T20:37:00.001+02:00

After uttering the concluding "God's peace and blessings be upon you" of the prayer, they began the chant: "Leave! Leave! Leave!"

Cairo Protests Continue

bell hooks on rap music, new caste system and commodified blackness

2011-02-04T00:05:00.000+02:00

She really hit the nail on the head with this one. I have always looked upon young white males that consume rap culture with a hint of suspicion. Though some may try to explain it away as an authentic interest in the music what she said seemed more profound and fitting to me. That these very consumers see 'rap' as a kind of "third world country" and the performers of this art a mere trasngression from the norm thus making them exciting, radical, different, cool and unique. In this sense, the act of exociticizing and othering takes place. Something distinctly different from perhaps the ability to engage with another's culture on a level where you become one with it.

Again, my mind is drawn to episodes of 'Jersey Shore' which I watch in a mixture of horror, amusement, surprise and sadness. Mike 'The Situation' and his pals often refer to women they perceive as unfitting to their tastes in animalistic and onjectifying terms. They will be referred to as "grenades" or "gorillas". It's not surprising to see the same individual using colloquial terms derived from hip-hop culture. He likes to "creep", he says in reference to his player persona. This seems to me a lucid example of what bell hooks refers to in her explanation of the otherizing and commodifying nature of a capitalist society when it comes to hip-hop culture in the US. They will readily absorb and buy the fruits of these artist's labour while never fully closing the gap, always standing at a distance looking into fields the way a slave owner would watch his slaves toil in the sweltering sun, profit from the fruits of their labour while continuing to otherize them to the point where their humanness would cease to exist in his mind.

Quote for the Day

2011-02-03T22:33:00.000+02:00

"The worst that you can call somebody is crazy, it's dismissive. I don't understand this person so they're crazy. That's bullshit, people are not crazy, they're strong people. Maybe their environment is a little sick."

- Dave Chappelle

When You Know Someone Fucked Around With You

2011-01-21T22:40:00.002+02:00

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

I’m through with doubt
There’s nothing left for me to figure out
I’ve paid a price
And I’ll keep paying

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I know you said
Can’t you just get over it
It turned my whole world around
And I kind of like it

I made my bed and I sleep like a baby
With no regrets and I don’t mind sayin’
It’s a sad sad story when a mother will teach her
Daughter that she ought to hate a perfect stranger
And how in the world can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they’d write me a letter
Sayin’ that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

I’m not ready to make nice
I’m not ready to back down
I’m still mad as hell and
I don’t have time to go round and round and round
It’s too late to make it right
I probably wouldn’t if I could
‘Cause I’m mad as hell
Can’t bring myself to do what it is you think I should

What it is you think I should

Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting

One of my GOATs

2010-12-21T03:56:00.000+02:00

Once More...

2010-12-21T03:51:00.000+02:00

found increasingly solitary
ever present in this very moment
yet incapable of making the connection

and i find that...
there's never been a better time
than this

Sous Sol - Classic Werrason

2010-12-21T00:07:00.001+02:00

May the Truth Be Told

2010-12-13T22:55:00.000+02:00

All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome.
George Orwell

Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/g/george_orwell.html#ixzz181kIJXra

http://88.80.13.160

Interracial Sleb Couples

2010-12-11T23:43:00.002+02:00

I must admit, I did not realise some of these men were into chocolatey cocoa!

http://opentotheidea.com/2010/05/20-black-women-white-men-celebrity-couples/

http://smokiesays.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

http://www.flyguychronicles.com/2010/02/black-woman-dating-double-standard/

shout out to Mountain View, Cali

2010-12-01T16:01:00.000+02:00

To My One and Only Faithful Reader,

Thank you for taking interest in the rants, opinions and grievances of a socially-frustrated "like" person like me. Please feel free to drop comments even if its only a word. The Unspoken Word is feeling quite solitary and would not mind creeping up from under the vegetation for a little conversation.

Yours faithfully,
Ms Sheeba

prodigy - omen (2008)

2010-12-01T15:49:00.000+02:00

I would love to go to a 'Prodigy' concert. Only I'm worried I might come back with broken limbs.

my ugly boy

2010-12-01T15:37:00.000+02:00

Her vocals are simply dope.

why i love kelis

2010-12-01T14:27:00.002+02:00

And my appreciation for David Guetta's music-making abilities grows and grows.

"I am Going to Show you, you are a Woman."

2010-11-12T14:30:00.000+02:00

Taken from this article on the 'Lezget Real' website - definitely worth a read.

"Her attacker acted like an animal who wanted to kill, strangling her with barbed wire; “I thought he was going to kill me; he was like an animal. And he kept saying: ‘I know you are a lesbian. You are not a man, you think you are, but I am going to show you, you are a woman. I am going to make you pregnant. I am going to kill you.” The attacker was known To Gaika, a neighbor."

These words spoken to a young lesbian woman while she is being brutally raped by a man who has beef with the fact that she is a woman who is not heterosexual, who does not conform to the so-called prescribed gender roles that society dictates and who is simply expressing the person she truly is. For this she must suffer.

It's obvious, I don't have to call out the blatant misogyny here. This is about power, it's about reifying male dominance in a patriarchal society. Nothing more, nothing less. South Africa and much of Africa is still very far behind when it comes to embracing progressive notions on gender, gender identification and sexual orientation. Most of this nation's citizens still seem to be under the impression that there are set roles that men and women should play which under no circumstances should be violated. Stuck in the Dark Ages and failing to rise to a new level.

Rock Star - Rihanna

2010-11-03T18:28:00.000+02:00

Slash made this one sound good. Maybe a better vocalist and this would have been really one to have on repeat.

Brazil's First Lady...President

2010-11-01T10:36:00.000+02:00

Yes, I am biased. This world may very well be better off with women in charge!

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/31/brazil.winner.profile/

“We’ll care for our economy with complete responsibility,” Rousseff, 62, told supporters in Brasilia. “The Brazilian people don’t accept governments that spend at unsustainable levels and for that reason we will make every effort to improve public spending.”

and this is for colored girls who considered suicide..

2010-10-25T15:53:00.002+02:00

...and are moving toward the ends of their own rainbows...

Looking forward to this one.

Willow Has Arrived

2010-10-21T20:32:00.001+02:00

We waited for it and now here it is and at a view rate of approximately 1 million viewers a day so far...

Quiety Disrupting the Equilbrium

2010-10-18T09:59:00.000+02:00

On Sally Gross: an intersexed woman who I had the pleasure of hearing speak at the "LGBTI: Who are 'We'" Panel Discussion for UCT's HUMA two-week long series of talks and discussions around various topics addressing society, politics, philosophy, medicine and science. Her words were wise and she spoke of the importance of embracing gender diversity. One or two others also raised the point that disdain for the LGBTI community is linked to patriarchal and heteronormative ideas that sustain the myth that a gender binary must exist in order to maintain structure and avert a kind of confusion or restructuring of the status quo that may be required upon acknowledgement of a multiple gendered people.

Citing the American scholar Susan Kessler, Gross observes that such interventionist surgery at birth is carried out not because the failure of the body to conform "is threatening to the infant's life but because it is threatening to the infant's culture".

From a biophysical standpoint, its plain to see how easily the gender binary breaks down yet society continues to fervently push forth the concept of male and female and no other.

Gross points out that the way biological sex develops is complex, and cannot always be regimented into a straightforward classification of a person as either male or female. At least five variables come into play: external genitals, chromosomal patterns, dominant sex-hormones, the nature of the person's sex-glands and the internal structures of reproduction - these jointly result in the person's physical sexual type. "But none of these are absolutes," says Gross. "You get in-betweens, even within the single variables. All sorts of permutations occur. What's needed to yield unambiguous male or female is for all five of these variables to be completely congruent with one another and unambiguous in themselves. Nature and the mathematics of it all ensure that many other types of outcomes are in fact possible."

Reading her story and bearing in mind women like Caster Semenya has allowed me to dispel my own mistaken beliefs on gender and its identification. I hope that the same can be said for others who have become aware of the prevalence of intersexed peoples in South Africa and throughout the world.

Another Day, Another Dollar

2010-10-12T13:40:00.000+02:00

I've never been someone who revels in talking down on others. Being on power-trips at the expense of others is not something I fancy. Though it delights others, the mere thought of bringing another some sort of emotional pain makes me want to lose it because I can empathize - having been in that position - and I simply refuse to be a perpetrator. But today, I gave someone a serious lecture, an almost maternalistic lecture which I did not intend to do but ended up doing instinctively. We had a group project to complete for Applied Math and you know how it goes, some people get lazy and rely too much on others. But there was one, who was truly special. The guy did not show up for a single meeting or contribute anything to the project and claimed to be part of the group a day before the deadline submission. So, I gave him a little chat about responsibility and what your task is as a college student - taking full accountability for your studies and not relying on anyone. These words must've really struck him because he seemed to be on the verge of tears. And being me, I started to feel really bad.

Man, I find it so hard to be stern. But what kind of surprised me is how seriously he took my words. I have never had that experience. Being the youngest member of the family, I am so used to being lectured to, having others instruct me or at least try to! The tables turned today, I was the one giving stern instruction and it scared me a little. I shook and my heart palpitated. At that point I realised how used to being powerless I am. How conditioned I have been to falling under the authority of others. It was such a significant moment. An epiphany and it woke me up to something I hadn't noticed about myself for so long...I am a bloody coward who needs to grow a spine.

But experiences are there to teach us and today has taught me something profound!

Yeeah, You a Bad-Ass Bitch!

2010-10-09T12:59:00.002+02:00

This is an important read for all who believe in the "illusion of race" and think that racism is still not an issue.

This comes from the black brute stereotype – blacks as having a violent, savage, immoral nature that they have a hard time controlling. Particularly true for big black men. A fear whites have had since the 1870s shortly after blacks were freed from being slaves. In fact, though, most crime against whites comes not from blacks but from other whites and is done for all the ancient, all-too-human reasons.

From personal experience, remembering all the pathological people who were not black and suspected me of having evil intent, being dishonest, angry or malicious when I was not even close to any of these, I know that the black equates all which is bad stereotype still lives and breathes in our society. Racism is still going strong unfortunately.

Taken from a blog that addresses the Black Female Attitude Myth

Ayn Rand

2010-09-10T17:47:00.000+02:00

Rather than considering sexual desire a debasing animal instinct, Rand portrays it as the highest celebration of human values, a physical response to intellectual and spiritual values that gives concrete expression to what could otherwise be experienced only in the abstract.

wikipedia on Atlas Shurgged by Ayn Rand

Whip Yo Hurr Real Hard...

2010-09-09T13:59:00.000+02:00

So they have a son that just made mega millions starring in a remake of Karate Kid and now their daughter Willow is tearing up people's lives with this DOPE track and she is only nine years old.

People are comparing her to Rihanna but boy, she this girl's swag tops Rihanna's nine times out of ten - Rihanna wished she had this much swag on a good day. Ah, Willow. Too much. Too much.

Broken Open - Adam Lambert

2010-09-07T12:31:00.000+02:00

Can't decide which version I prefer - the acoustic unplugged, the piano-backed unplugged or the album version. Either way, it is an absolutely ethereal, otherworldly, beautifully transcendent song. The lyrics are so deeply touching. This is by far one of the most incredible songs I have ever heard. This man is amazing. God bless him. My new favourite artist.

Fierce!

2010-09-07T12:08:00.000+02:00

I aspire to walk into a place looking that fierce! Why has it taken me this long to find out how cool this video is? Gosh.

The Problem with Not Believing in Anything

2010-09-03T13:59:00.000+02:00

So everybody's favourite physcists, Stephen Hawking, has a book coming out on the 7th of September called The Grand Design in which he argues that invoking a Creator or Higher Power to explain the existence of the Universe is not necessary. Fair enough. There are plenty who believe that science alone is enough to help us make sense of it all but the implications of finally acknowledging the "death of God" as Nietzsche attempted to do are far worse than anyone can imagine.

Reading an article like this helps clarify why not believing in a Higher Power is so dangerous for humanity.

Hawking’s theory means that there is no morality as life is a merely meaningless materialistic mass – a body of matter with no definite distinctive significance and no perspicuous precious value. So, why have ethics and laws? Everyone should just go for the pursuit of pleasure, sensual self-indulgence, and do whatever he likes, including killing each other, since human life is merely a mass of matter that comes together by chance.

It seems that our acknowldgement of a Diving Creator (however imaginary it may sound), forms the very basis for order in terms of our morality and value systems. Disbelieving in God dismisses the dichotomy of good and evil - creating in one a sense of irresponsibility for harm committed against oneself and to others. Having an "anything goes" attitude is exactly what motivates some to kill and harm their fellow humans without guilt or remorse. It's an attitude that stems from refusing to believe that there is essentially a purpose to life and creation. If anything, it is for these reasons I cannot stop believing in God.

A Flurry of Readers

2010-08-28T17:48:00.000+02:00

Thanks to that Feedjit to the right>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I happen to know who is looking at this here page, what they're looking at and what country their radio has been detected. 'Bout two months ago, traffic was slow - pathetic to say the least since I seemed to be the only person looking at my bloody page. Which is cool with me.

But bada boom bada bing - what do we have here? Humans from across the globe. Wow. No, this is not another one of my narcissistic trips. But I'm a little surprised and wonder how this might have occured. Perhaps google image searches are leading people into the realms of my Unspoken Word. Ah don' know but it's nice of you to pop in. Whoever you are. Enjoy my blog, add it to your feeds, subscribe PUBLICLY if you like because the only two people following me is me and ole boy Lenny who introduced me to blogger.

Freddie Catches a Fire

2010-08-28T17:17:00.000+02:00

Have my prayer's been answered oh Lord...can it be true?

Freddie now plays for the Chicago Fire. Wow.

Fredrik Ljungberg - Chicago Fire Designated Player from Chicago Fire Soccer on Vimeo.

Okay, those commentators need some tutoring...who on Earth is "LOONBERG"? Can somebody please explain the silent consonant rule to 'em, seriously. It's good for a laugh though, have to say that.

Otherwise, you know I'm just glad to know that I might get a chance to get closer to that sexiness called Freddie. Maybe even find out where he lives, shops, eats, gets his takeaway, buys his sneakers, purchases his suits and ties...you know? Just for knowledge's sake.

Zimbabwean on the X Factor

2010-08-25T11:11:00.000+02:00

Even Simon Cowell was impressed "a million percent". Let's see how far she goes...all the way to the end maybe. To make history for Zim.

Some Femist Critique on "Inception"

2010-08-13T09:37:00.000+02:00

Reading
Feminist Music Geek's review on Inception brought to light a slight issue I grappled with whilst watching the movie. The way in which the wife was represented. It smacks off that quintessential crazy male author's and directors tend to create within their female characters. Note: Laura's mother in The Glass Menagerie. Friend of mine thinks Tennessee Williams might have had some "mummy issues" - I think so. I always hear statements uttered by chauvinists around the order of "Women are crazy." Well, I wonder where they've been getting these thoughts from. Back to the Inception commentary:

Rather, she plays as a manifestation of feminist film theory’s complaints against cinema’s conception of women and its applications of psychoanalytic thought via the scopophilic gaze. Cotillard does what she can with the role, but it feels like she’s representing, say, Tania Modeleski’s criticisms in The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory. This may have been Nolan’s intention, but by rendering Mal as an archetypical femme fatale who Cobb must overcome, he only enforces the notion that female movie characters are not fully realized as complex people but instead mere ideations from the auteur’s mind.

My thoughts exactly. Well almost exactly.

XXXO

2010-08-12T11:25:00.001+02:00

Obamas Living Lavish

2010-08-09T17:52:00.000+02:00

Royalty Recognises Royalty

That's what I like to see!

In Simplicity...

2010-08-09T17:42:00.000+02:00

One can find true beauty. I could feel exactly where she was coming from with this song before there even was a video

So you think I'm alone?
But being alone's the only way to be
When you step outside
You spend life fighting for your sanity

I'll let the song speak for itself.

Inception

2010-08-02T20:46:00.000+02:00

Yes, quite a few people have been raving about Inception which is incredibly imaginative, smart and visually mind-blowing. A feast for the intellect. Highly recommended.

Scored a Free Blackberry Today

2010-07-29T18:08:00.000+02:00

Proabably the most exciting and fortunate thing that has happened to me in a very long time. I won a brand new blackberry 8250 through a rapping contest. Yes, it's time to start taking this thing seriously. Lol, maybe not. But hey it got me a new phone. Life is dope right now. Ooooh! Oui, oui!