Women's History Month Edition: Misogyny at CPAC, Death Penalty for Women Who Get Abortions, Record Levels of Despair for Teen Girls, "Scandoval" Breaks Internet, Carole King Saves the Day, and More
Women's History Month Edition: Misogyny at CPAC, Death Penalty for Women Who Get Abortions, Record Levels of Despair for Teen Girls, "Scandoval" Breaks Internet, Carole King Saves the Day, and More
kareem.substack.com
Will this special focus edition on women attract more or fewer readers? Let's find out together.
Kareem, thank you for this, especially showing how the word feminism has been twisted from its real meaning, about young girls today being depressed to the point of considering suicide thinking about their future as they see how women are being abused by conservative lawmakers, even threatening the death penalty for women who have had an abortion. “This kind of intimidation by threat of violence is the same basic idea. Do what we say or we’ll kill you. It is thinly disguised domestic abuse.” Your blog needs reading, and rereading - so much to think about. Thank you.
Kareem, this is one of your greatest-ever columns, and vitally important. Thank you so much for getting it out there. I hope it goes viral across every platform…
PS: Back in late ‘71, I went to see James Taylor, and he brought out Carole King as a surprise guest. She performed her entire Tapestry album from start to finish. Most people in the audience had their minds blown, including me!
Kareem I'm such a huge fan, especially of your activism. Which is why I don't understand how this aligns with your recent defense of Chris Rock, an open misogynist who is touring with Chappelle, a proud TERF?
I love these newsletters and look forward to reading each one. You always find the crux of an issue and share thoughtful and important insights. Thank you and please continue.
Thank you Kareem for your understanding of & sensitivity to the issue of "feminism." Perhaps we could come up with a new word(s) that wouldn't place such an onerous burden on men so they won't feel unmasculine. Like equal rights.
I worked for many years in a business that was male dominated. Because of having a very strong father who raised his 8 daughters more like boys, I had an easier time than most women, but the battle was ALWAYS about $$$.
It is difficult, if not impossible, for me to give any time or energy to the disgusting creatures who want total control of women, & even more to the women who go along with it. Gov. Sarah Huckabee. She deserves less respect than men because she has become one of them in her ideology. Ah yes! Her father, pastor Mike. Religion again.
Those horrible men. The ones who want to knock women around. The only language they understand is retaliation. Can I be in charge? Such idiots. But they have always existed & probably always will.
We must stand strong & together in order to win the battle. Thank you for the music. Wear green today. 🍏 Peace & blessings of health to you.
Thank you as usual and a lot to unpack here. Having grown up in an era when the kindly principal asked me if I thought I would look better in a skirt than jeans, I can relate to the first f paragraphs about feminism. We burned our bras though we hardly had enough to fill one; we knew girls who got pregnant and had to “disappear” for a while and come back like nothing ever happened. All of my friends including myself, made it to college, got degrees; some of us found partners and produced children. We rejoiced when Roe v. Wade passed even if we didn’t need an abortion but at least we could and anyone we knew or didn’t know could; a lot of us got professional degrees and worked while being wives, mothers, daughters and sisters and getting paid less than our male counterparts. And NOW, the white males of this country want us to die for having the freedom to decide when, where, how and with whom we have a pregnancy...or not. The white males of this country believe they are the only ones who can decide this for the rest of us and will pass every law to prove it. Women who think they are being righteous in their criminalization of their sisters due to their religious beliefs don’t realize that the men will come for them eventually - just like the Jewish Republicans think they are safe until the Nazis come for them ....
Kareem, As a life-long conservative who loves your blog I have to take you to account in your broad use of the term “Conservatives”. There are many of us conservatives who do not support misogyny, who do support gay marriage, who never voted for Trump, who do understand systemic racism does exist in our country, and who do not support many of the issues that you ascribe to “Conservatives”. It would be great and actually helpful to solving the divisiveness in our society if you found another word to describe the crazies such as “far right” instead of denigrating a political philosophy that in no way represents the issues that you continue to pin on “conservatives”.
As an older woman, I think you hit the right tone. I can't speak for younger women because life, in many ways, is very different for them. Many of the same obstacles remain, but younger women have been burdened by so many more than we faced. I appreciate your thoughts and the reminders of Maya Angelou, Carole King, and of course, the fictional Wednesday Addams.
Kareem, your column is a wake up call. We cannot sleepwalk through this election or any others.The levels of oppression sought by the knuckledraggers and misogynists is much too close to the Handmaid's Tale, Book of Eli and Mad Max. They must be watching the videos because we know they are terrified of books.
Do they hate their own sisters, daughters, and mothers so much to sacrifice them in the name of power? I understand their lust for power prevents the Right from understanding the damage that oppressors inflict on themselves; they cannot see the misery of their own children. Have they not burned enough villages and claimed they are saved?
The best way to handle the Michael Knowleses and Andrew Klosters (etc.) of the world is to ignore them, which leaves them and their followers stewing in their own sewage, where they would unfailingly self-destruct. To do otherwise (as is the dumbass neoliberal way) is to give them exactly what they crave and the exposure they need for their nonsense to be legitimized outside of their lonely cages.
Thank you again, Kareem, for reminding my 77 year old self what a ride I’ve been on. My darling Mum encouraged my sister and me to be independent from the beginning. And I’m proud to have raised a fabulous daughter. Your musings are becoming essential to my attempt to keep up with the world now (while navigating AFib and AMD so the twisty road has become more treacherous). Your cultural update helps because I have only Netflix on my TV set and value your recommendations (Physical 100!!). And now you have schooled me on the era I lived through scrapping my way to independence.
Finally, though, I must say that I did watch the Chris Rock special and was disappointed by his bit on dating. We independent homeowners are unlikely to ask any man to fix our roof. All we ask is that they are still sexually capable--is that the threat?
JK Rowling the epitome of feminism, single mom , no money to feed her child, had to hide her first book page by page from her abusive husband before she left him , ends up being the most successful writer in history and instead of being celebrated has been denounced because of logic that women are women , it's in the sex and genes . Being labeled a terf , a made up word for a made up generation . This fiction that poor LGBT is suffering , man want to be woman and vice versa is created by advocates with an agenda of destroying this country . Communism doesn't work , it never did . Regarding abortion , don't like the law of the states that ban abortion , don't vote for the politicians who advocate for it , including the women that vote for them.
Yes! Please keep them coming ...you write so well and, you are the voice of possibility and reason in a world which seems to have abandoned both kindness and facts. I enjoy your articles and appreciate the care you put into them. Julie
Kareem, this special focus came as a welcome gift to me (a woman) and I like to think that I would as enthusiastically welcome special focus newsletter on other topics. I find that as I age, single topic reading can be more compelling as it doesn't require one's brain to hop around from issue to issue. That said, I love everything you send us. I always learn and am always grateful.
Kareem, thank you for this, especially showing how the word feminism has been twisted from its real meaning, about young girls today being depressed to the point of considering suicide thinking about their future as they see how women are being abused by conservative lawmakers, even threatening the death penalty for women who have had an abortion. “This kind of intimidation by threat of violence is the same basic idea. Do what we say or we’ll kill you. It is thinly disguised domestic abuse.” Your blog needs reading, and rereading - so much to think about. Thank you.
Carole King is a national treasure, much like you, Kareem.
Kareem, this is one of your greatest-ever columns, and vitally important. Thank you so much for getting it out there. I hope it goes viral across every platform…
PS: Back in late ‘71, I went to see James Taylor, and he brought out Carole King as a surprise guest. She performed her entire Tapestry album from start to finish. Most people in the audience had their minds blown, including me!
Kareem I'm such a huge fan, especially of your activism. Which is why I don't understand how this aligns with your recent defense of Chris Rock, an open misogynist who is touring with Chappelle, a proud TERF?
I love these newsletters and look forward to reading each one. You always find the crux of an issue and share thoughtful and important insights. Thank you and please continue.
Thank you Kareem for your understanding of & sensitivity to the issue of "feminism." Perhaps we could come up with a new word(s) that wouldn't place such an onerous burden on men so they won't feel unmasculine. Like equal rights.
I worked for many years in a business that was male dominated. Because of having a very strong father who raised his 8 daughters more like boys, I had an easier time than most women, but the battle was ALWAYS about $$$.
It is difficult, if not impossible, for me to give any time or energy to the disgusting creatures who want total control of women, & even more to the women who go along with it. Gov. Sarah Huckabee. She deserves less respect than men because she has become one of them in her ideology. Ah yes! Her father, pastor Mike. Religion again.
Those horrible men. The ones who want to knock women around. The only language they understand is retaliation. Can I be in charge? Such idiots. But they have always existed & probably always will.
We must stand strong & together in order to win the battle. Thank you for the music. Wear green today. 🍏 Peace & blessings of health to you.
Thank you as usual and a lot to unpack here. Having grown up in an era when the kindly principal asked me if I thought I would look better in a skirt than jeans, I can relate to the first f paragraphs about feminism. We burned our bras though we hardly had enough to fill one; we knew girls who got pregnant and had to “disappear” for a while and come back like nothing ever happened. All of my friends including myself, made it to college, got degrees; some of us found partners and produced children. We rejoiced when Roe v. Wade passed even if we didn’t need an abortion but at least we could and anyone we knew or didn’t know could; a lot of us got professional degrees and worked while being wives, mothers, daughters and sisters and getting paid less than our male counterparts. And NOW, the white males of this country want us to die for having the freedom to decide when, where, how and with whom we have a pregnancy...or not. The white males of this country believe they are the only ones who can decide this for the rest of us and will pass every law to prove it. Women who think they are being righteous in their criminalization of their sisters due to their religious beliefs don’t realize that the men will come for them eventually - just like the Jewish Republicans think they are safe until the Nazis come for them ....
Kareem, As a life-long conservative who loves your blog I have to take you to account in your broad use of the term “Conservatives”. There are many of us conservatives who do not support misogyny, who do support gay marriage, who never voted for Trump, who do understand systemic racism does exist in our country, and who do not support many of the issues that you ascribe to “Conservatives”. It would be great and actually helpful to solving the divisiveness in our society if you found another word to describe the crazies such as “far right” instead of denigrating a political philosophy that in no way represents the issues that you continue to pin on “conservatives”.
This was an amazing article this week. Definitely saving it. Thanks Kareem!
As an older woman, I think you hit the right tone. I can't speak for younger women because life, in many ways, is very different for them. Many of the same obstacles remain, but younger women have been burdened by so many more than we faced. I appreciate your thoughts and the reminders of Maya Angelou, Carole King, and of course, the fictional Wednesday Addams.
Kareem, your column is a wake up call. We cannot sleepwalk through this election or any others.The levels of oppression sought by the knuckledraggers and misogynists is much too close to the Handmaid's Tale, Book of Eli and Mad Max. They must be watching the videos because we know they are terrified of books.
Do they hate their own sisters, daughters, and mothers so much to sacrifice them in the name of power? I understand their lust for power prevents the Right from understanding the damage that oppressors inflict on themselves; they cannot see the misery of their own children. Have they not burned enough villages and claimed they are saved?
The best way to handle the Michael Knowleses and Andrew Klosters (etc.) of the world is to ignore them, which leaves them and their followers stewing in their own sewage, where they would unfailingly self-destruct. To do otherwise (as is the dumbass neoliberal way) is to give them exactly what they crave and the exposure they need for their nonsense to be legitimized outside of their lonely cages.
Thank you again, Kareem, for reminding my 77 year old self what a ride I’ve been on. My darling Mum encouraged my sister and me to be independent from the beginning. And I’m proud to have raised a fabulous daughter. Your musings are becoming essential to my attempt to keep up with the world now (while navigating AFib and AMD so the twisty road has become more treacherous). Your cultural update helps because I have only Netflix on my TV set and value your recommendations (Physical 100!!). And now you have schooled me on the era I lived through scrapping my way to independence.
Finally, though, I must say that I did watch the Chris Rock special and was disappointed by his bit on dating. We independent homeowners are unlikely to ask any man to fix our roof. All we ask is that they are still sexually capable--is that the threat?
JK Rowling the epitome of feminism, single mom , no money to feed her child, had to hide her first book page by page from her abusive husband before she left him , ends up being the most successful writer in history and instead of being celebrated has been denounced because of logic that women are women , it's in the sex and genes . Being labeled a terf , a made up word for a made up generation . This fiction that poor LGBT is suffering , man want to be woman and vice versa is created by advocates with an agenda of destroying this country . Communism doesn't work , it never did . Regarding abortion , don't like the law of the states that ban abortion , don't vote for the politicians who advocate for it , including the women that vote for them.
Yes! Please keep them coming ...you write so well and, you are the voice of possibility and reason in a world which seems to have abandoned both kindness and facts. I enjoy your articles and appreciate the care you put into them. Julie
Kareem, this special focus came as a welcome gift to me (a woman) and I like to think that I would as enthusiastically welcome special focus newsletter on other topics. I find that as I age, single topic reading can be more compelling as it doesn't require one's brain to hop around from issue to issue. That said, I love everything you send us. I always learn and am always grateful.