Month: June 2015

gookgod:

so you may have noticed a post claiming that charleston shooter dylan roof’s bail was funded and he was released. this is wrong. 

a satirical website known as newswatch published an article claiming dylan roof received $4 million in bail money. this of course is false, but unfortunately it went “viral” and now many news outlets are claiming he was released 

dont reblog misinformation 

itsreyntimebaby:

upaa:

Me (to older brother/little sister kindergarten students): 将来に何になりたい？ / What do you want to be when you grow up?
Older Brother: やっぱりお医者さん！/ Of course I want to be a doctor!
Me: いいね！私の父もお医者さんだよ！◯◯ちゃんは？ / That’s good! My dad is also a doctor. (Name of little sister)-chan, what about you?
Little Sister: えぇ？わからん！/ Huh? I don’t know!
Older Brother: お嫁さん？/ A bride?
Me: ◯◯ちゃんもお医者さんになったら？ / How about (Little sister’s name)-chan became a doctor also?
Older Brother: えぇぇ！？（笑）Ehhh!? (Laughs)
Little Sister: 嫌だ！だって気持ち悪いもん。/ Ew! But their job is so gross!
Me: 慣れるよ！みんなも、最初気持ち悪いけど、時間経つと慣れるよ。/ You get used to it! Everyone is grossed out by it at first, but as time passes you grow accustomed to it.
Little Sister: さあ、どうかな〜 / Hmm… I wonder~

And if you think this is an isolated incident, it’s not. This is sadly an extremely common experience. I often street pass (wireless program on the Nintendo 3DS) little girls and I am often able to see what they have listed as their future aspiration. More times than I can count I have seen “将来の夢はお嫁さんになること” (My dream is to become a bride!) In fact, it is the most common future aspiration I have seen listed for young girls. I am the only girl I have ever seen list their dream as wanting to be a “boss” (将来の夢は社長になること). 

And even the teaching materials I have to use to teach my students English present women as having an expected gender role (housewife) and men are expected to work:

And it goes on to say that, “My brother likes soccer. My brother is an athlete. My brother is active.” And then about his little sister, “My little sister has long hair. My little sister is cute.” Women are valued for their appearance and when they grow up they become housewives. Men are valued for their skills and when they grow up they can become whatever they want. This is not an isolated incident; all of my teaching materials reflect these prehistoric gender roles. 

I live in very rural Japan, where I have heard husbands call their wives 家内(outdated term to refer to your wife that literally means ‘inside the house’ and is considered to be quite sexist). And, when talking to a student, they said it is still normal for men to propose to their wives by saying: “毎日俺のご飯を作って下さい” (Please make my food everyday.) 

Anime for children also reflects these ideas, and from early on teaches women that they exist to bask in the male gaze (so many idol animes), where as men are taught that they are adventurers, sports players, etc. It is really incredibly depressing to watch. 

Pornographic magazines are displayed in broad daylight – portraying the idea that women exist for men’s enjoyment 24 hours a day. If they really must have those magazines on clear display of women in very degrading positions, why is there not a male equivalent!? Children are able to see those magazines as well, and can come to their own conclusions.

Japan is the third-largest economy in the world, and yet it has the OECD’s second-highest gender pay gap. In Japan, full-time working women earn nearly 28% less than their male counterparts. And, pregnancy leave for women rarely even exists. When women take time off work to have a child, they have to reenter the company at an entry level position.

In short, I am extremely irritated at the amount of people I have seen arguing that Japan is in any way a progressive society for women. It is not. Please stop romanticizing the way this society treats women.

I hate when people say “I want to live in Japan!!!1!!”

No. You don’t. It is a very unhappy place.

divanoid:

reverseracism:

yellow—ranger:

do not let white academia fool you into thinking that

• the greatest authors that were and ever will be are white men
• every great philosopher came out of europe
• mathematics and science were at their highest point when used by white men
• the most beautiful city in the world is paris
• colonialism was a golden age
• europe is the pinnacle of civilization

Sources timmmme.

Some Written Works (That Aren’t By White Dudes)

• Iola Leroy (about a biracial Black woman in the antebellum South) – Frances E.W. Harper, who was one of the first published Black authoresses

• Black Feminist Thought – Patricia Hill Collins: bad-ass feminist, amazing writer

• The Space Traders (a very relevant short about Black life/value in less-than-utopian America) – Derrick Bell, Black sci-fi author

• The Conference of the Birds – Farid ud-Din Uttar, Persian Sufi poet

• Thiruppavai (Tamil Vaishnava verses by the 12 Alvars, or poet-saints) – Andal, the only woman among them. These are still recited in South India during Margazhi

• The Other Side of Paradise (memoir of) – Staceyann Chin, whose identity as Black-Chinese and lesbian in Jamaica is definitely worth reading about

• Brown Girl in the Ring (post-apocalyptic Toronto WHERE PoC survive, featuring voudoun!) – Nalo Hopkinson; check it all out

• The Tale of Genji (Heian literature describing court life in feudal Japan) – Murasaki Shikibu, an 11th century noblewoman who was boss as fuck

• The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison, Black American novelist, Peace Prize winner and quality human being

• Ninth Ward (children’s novel of Katrina through a black girl’s perspective) – Jewell Parker Rhodes

• The Island of a Thousand Mirrors (about two families caught in the Tamil-Sinhala divide, based on her experience during the civil war) – Nayomi Munaweera, Sri Lankan author. VERY AMAZE.

Philosophers

• Frantz Fanon, Caribbean philosopher/revolutionary who dedicated much time to decrying colonization, fighting oppression and telling white folks OFF; works include Black Skins, White Masks, Wretched of the Earth, and National Culture and the Fight for Freedom

• En Hedu’ana, Sumerian en-priestess whose poetry composed one of the first written belief systems; also an accomplished astronomer

• Paulin Hountondji, Beninese philosopher known for his work African Philosophy: Myth and Reality on ethnophilosophy, the monolithic view of African consciousness/thought and identity post-colonialism. Check out his review Knowledge of Africa, Knowledge by Africans

• Ban Zhou, 1st-century Chinese historian, author (Lessons for Women, co-published The Book of Han)  and court advisor who advocated for domestic equality and women’s education. Her Confucian ideals were present in most written works

• Kathryn T. Gines, Black philosopher who’s tenacious in her exploration of African/Continental philosophy, intersectionality, racism, and feminism; founder of the Collegium of Black Women Philosophers

Playwrights

• Zitkala-Sa, Native (Sioux) author (Old Indian Legends, American Indian Stories), musician and activist who co-wrote The Sun Dance in 1913, an opera which showcased her knowledge of Ute and Sioux harmonies and composition. It was the first of its kind, featuring many indigenous performers

• Yukio Mishima, Japanese author famous for Confessions of a Mask; also genius playwright who created Five Modern Noh Plays

• Lorraine Hansberry, Black (queer) playwright whose works SHOULD be acclaimed the world over (A Raisin in the Sun, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window)

Mathematicians/Scientists/Innovators

• Muhammad Musa al-Khwarizmi (origin of ‘algorithm’), 8th-century Persian scholar, creator of algebra and pioneer of the quadratic equation; one of the first to use zero as a placeholder, his research brought Hindu-Arabic numerals and decimals into the West

• Banu Musa [Ahmad, Muhammad and Hasan], a trio of Persian brothers/mechanics/mathematicians who wrote The Book of Ingenious Devices in 850: an illustrated guide on more than 100 tools and their use (from early feedback controllers to valves and float chambers; steampunk gods, I say)

• 15th century Korea – first “turtleboats”

• Garrett Morgan, Black inventor credited for the first traffic signal and patented gas mask in the ‘20’s

• Sarah E. Goode, inventor and the first Black woman to earn a U.S. patent, for the folding cabinet bed so prominent in the late 1800’s and early-mid 1900’s

• Madam C.J. Walker, Black entrepreneur and inventor famously known for her scalp conditioners, hair growth and beauty products; first woman millionaire in America (YAAAS)

• Mary Kenner, creative Black patenter whose contributions range from the toilet-tissue holder to the sanitary belt (thank youuu!!)

• Marie Van Brittan Brown, Black inventor of the closed circuit TV security patent (basis for modern surveillance, traffic control)

• Philip Emeagwali, Nigerian scientist/inventor that innovated a supercomputer for petroleum fields analysis

• Ileana Sanchez, Boricua graphics designer/innovator responsible for Techno Braille (on paper using epoxy)

• 7th century India – invention of chess

• Gebisa Ejeta, Ethiopian geneticist/agriculturist who invented the first drought-tolerant sorghum hybrid in Sudan; is now on the  Board for International Food and Agricultural Development

• Benjamin Banneker, Black astronomer and mathematician who made America’s first functioning clock, y’all

• David Unaipon, famous Aboriginal preacher/inventor who provided basis for modern shears and the centrifugal motor

• 12th century China – first magnetic compass

• Ellen Ochoa, Chicana scientist who invented optical analysis systems and was the world’s first Latina astronaut

• Prafulla Chandra Ray, Indian chemist and entrepreneur who made first chemical factory in the country FROM HIS HOUSE; founded Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works

• Sandrine Mubenga, Congolese engineer working on solar-powered villages and fuel-cell hybrid car (women in STEM!)

• John B. Herrington, first Native (Chickasaw) astronaut in space

• Shirley Jackson, kick-ass Black physicist, inventor and president at Rensselaer Polytechnic. She can be credited for the touch-tone telephone, the portable fax, and caller ID

• Tony Hansberry, the youngest on this list; his innovation on endo switches drastically cut the performance time for hysterectomies (open-heart surgery).

So…what’s up, white academia? Where’s the accolades for them?

kaisukes:

hroakie:

gnarlyqueer:

maza-dohta:

If anyone in California is interested in adopting a dog or a cat, Kerns County Animal Shelter ( one of the most disgraceful shelters in California ) is being shut down. Dogs are being sold for 15$ and cats for 5$ ( all are fixed with shots. )

Every animal will be put down by September 30th.

Go here for more information. 

IMPORTANT.

aliasgareth:

fyi, if you are looking for a particular post in your blog and only remember a certain word or phrase, you can always do this:

yoururl.tumblr.com/search/keyword