continuouslyfracturedlife-blog - Tumblr blog

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Not Your Future Married Woman. Not Your Fun Single Lady.

I’m doing a GREAT job at writing one essay per year over at my other blog. Check it out. 

http://www.afracturedlife.com/blog/14140288

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

My bud Liz over at Savedbythe-bellhooks is doing some fun things. 

#fems #feminism #buds #coverphoto 

Hey! Could you please create a cover photo version of "I choose to reappropriate the term feminism" quote?

!!!!1

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Blog readers!

Just a quick note to tell you I won’t be updating this blog anymore. Thanks so much for reading and responding over the past few years. This has been an incredibly helpful project to me and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as well. I look forward to dialoging with you in the future.

But, good news!

The project I created to complete my Master’s degree is a website to promote intersectionality and Feminist and queer theology within Evangelical Christian communities. It is a direct extension of the Your Very Own Gender Studies Degree section of this blog. My hope is that it can be used by anyone who is interested in doing so, not just religious folks. I hope you’ll check it out, use it, and/or pass it around. It’s also, of course, on Facebook. I will be writing a blog for that project.

 Thanks again! You are the very best.

  Please find the project here: http://www.afracturedlife.com/home

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

"Brick separator" is code for #sexism, everyone. #mallofamerica #femstigram #pink #blue (at Mall of America)

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

We try to impose a narrative on everything where it doesn't exist, because we like narrative," she says, after I ask a general question about the arc of her career. "We love story—I particularly love story—and so we think, That was the beginning, and this is the middle, and then there's going to be the conclusion. We even talk about it! Like, in magazines, they'll say, 'This next chapter of her life...' Chapter? Like something ended, and you're beginning something new, when really there's just a continuum. The fact of the matter is, you can't impose a narrative until someone's dead, because you don't know what's going to happen. There's not an arc," she goes on, "just a line that moves forward, without being able to see past the horizon. That's my philosophy these days: I don't try to go ahead of that, because there's no sense in it. Ahead of that, you don't know what's going to happen. It's not true. It's not real. It's imagined.

 Julianne Moore, in the June issue of DuJour.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

It's Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month which, I guess, really means Shame Teenagers Into Thinking If They Get Pregnant They Can't Do Anything With Their Lives and They're All Stupid Month, and The Candies Foundation has just jumped right on board. 

This is conflicting as most of the time, we're being sold the narrative that motherhood is not only the most important job in the world, but that it's a world-changing career. But I guess that's not true if you're young and in need of empowerment and support.

Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health has compiled a list of tips for supporting teenagers who do become pregnant. Check it out. It's a far better alternative.  

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Top Three Things I Like This Week

1. The Breathe Network and all their excellent resources for connecting people who have experienced sexual trauma to supportive health care. 

 2. Synergy Drinks, namely, every kind and flavor because they are delicious and healthy and I'm going to live forever because of them.

3. Carter Heyward and everything she ever wrote about God and people.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Yee Won Chong sharing some thoughts on the gender binary and being a good ally.  

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Documentary Recommendation 28. The Imposter. I’m sure people who know things about film get super annoyed when people like me who just watch a lot of films say things like, “and the cinematography was ssooo beautiful.” But that’s what I have to say about The Imposter so I will – the cinematography was beautiful as was the editing. The story, about a child who is abducted and them seemingly returns several years after the fact, is haunting and captivating. Watch it.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Top Three Things I Like This Week

1. U CAN Chicago's LGBTQ Host Home Program.

2. The Young Clergy Women Project. A networking site for female clergy.

3. Valentea Passion at Argo. Because it is the most delicious tea of all time.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Sometimes women say they are not feminist in order to be closer to men, to side with men, to be one of the “guys,” but I think being feminist, and therefore calling yourself equal to men is the truer, more sincere way of being closer to men, because you are telling men that they don’t have to do everything anymore, that you will gladly split the burden of the earth, which weighs on us all, regardless of how our bodies are made.

Margaret Cho

Thoughts?

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Joy DeGruy in Cracking the Codes: Understanding the System (by WorldTrustTV)

A friend posted this video on Facebook. A great example of how white passing/light-skinned people of color can utilize their access to white privilege to benefit dark skinned PoC.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Your Very Own Gender Studies Degree: Standpoint Theory

But first, how can I get my Very Own Gender Studies Degree?

  "[Standpoint theory argues] that marginal lives that are not [one's] own provide better grounds for certain kinds of knowledge. Thus the claim by women that women's lives provide a better starting point for thought about gender system is not the same as the claim that their own lives are the best such starting points. They are not denying that their own lives can provide important resources for such projects, but they are arguing that other, different (and sometimes oppositional) women's lives also provide such resources. For example... Bettina Aptheker has argued that starting thought from the everyday lives of women who are holocaust survivors, Chicana cannery workers, older lesbians, African-American women in slavery, Japanese-American concentration camp survivors, and others who have had lives different from hers increases our ability to understand a great deal about the distorted ways the dominant groups conceptualize politics, resistance, community, and other key history and social science notions. Patricia Hill Collins, an African-American sociologist, has argued that starting thought from the lives of poor and in some cases illiterate African-American women reveals important truths about the lives of intellectuals, both African-American and European-American, as well as about those women."

- Sandra Harding in her essay Rethinking Standpoint Epistemology: What Is "Strong Objectivity"? 

  Things to Think About: 1. How do you see this theory being used in politics?

2. Challenge: Try and place the types of people Bettina Aptheker considers in your own life. Have you ever needed to consider them? How might they react to how you speak? What might they need, dislike, or like? Why are they not a default consideration? What type of person is absent from your life? How does that absence inform your actions?

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

On Psalms and Anxieties

This was originally written for and cross-posted over at The Far Country. Thanks to Megan for letting me write about something other than gender.

It was about three years ago the first time a doctor said she didn’t “know what to tell me” about the constant feeling of having a softball in my throat. You know, that feeling you get when you’re anxious about something – which is exactly what it ended up being, only it lasted for two months and brought with it a mental fogginess and physical apathy I couldn’t shake. I started seriously depending on the Book of Psalms then.  

Three notable times over my 29 years, around huge life events, my body has registered general anxiety in physical ways. I have found some relief only through meditation and Psalms (and some yoga). Now, I’m realizing that no matter how long I meditate or repeat prayers or share with friends, the physical anxiety might be gone for a few weeks or, usually a few years, but it will probably return.

I know that my limited experience with anxiety is nothing like experiencing it intensely, on and off throughout one’s whole life. But I do know what it’s like to fear that the lump will never leave my throat. I understand the panic that comes from experiencing one day of relief only to feel it slip away. I feel the bitter joy of reading about “the pit” in Psalm 40 for the hundredth time, and finally recognizing it as my own current state.

We’re still rowing, as Anne Sexton writes; still moving away from the pit. Like many of us, David, the writer of many Psalms, is both very joyful and very fearful; he spends most of his time asking God to please, please hear him: that God would just please be near to him.

We are all David, both coping and yet not, weaning our subconscious minds away from various lies and suspicions – constantly asking God to be present. The Psalms, and really, poetry in general, remind me that there are other people waking up in the morning to realize that they are still themselves. That we are all still chasing after a God that we suspect is somehow there, and also, just out of reach.

***********************************************

  A Psalm for the Neighborhood A Meditation on Psalm 29

Give the Lord some credit, for crying out loud. Roll your eyes less, and look for some matching socks once in awhile, unless you can’t. Then, He doesn’t care.

The voice of the Lord is across the street yelling into the kitchen about spaghetti, asking about basil. The voice of the Lord is unruffled; The voice of the Lord is like apple butter on biscuits. The voice of the Lord insists on vacuuming the carpet; And on opening up the living room to basketball shoes. He makes the block croon like a quartet, shift in between major and minor keys. The voice of the Lord hammers in a new mailbox. The voice of the Lord says something dull about the weather, The Lord covers her hair in the snow. The voice of the Lord mows the lawn, and considers buying chickens, which are a big thing now, in the city.

Everyone. Try and remember to say, “Thank you!” As you run out the door.

The Lord seems to know when to watch out the back porch. The Lord checks the lights. The Lord waits up.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Interview with Shay Kearns

As my own understanding of both gender and sexism has been expanded by talking with and reading about people who identify as transgender and because many religiously-affiliated friends have asked for my views on gender identity, I thought it wise to talk more with people coming to the table with both religious and trans identities. My thesis work revolves around resources to help progressive Christians discuss gender in ways that do not center on heterosexual romantic relationships or modesty, church leadership, or gender essentialism (the three main topics, in my religious experience).

Luckily, I had the chance to interview Shay Kearns, a trans person and current Deacon in the North American Old Catholic Church who is seeking ordination. If you’re interested in reading and learning more about any of these topics or affiliated theology, please visit Shay’s website. If you have comments or questions, please be helpful and respectful. Thanks for listening

Continuously Fractured Life: I’ve written a little bit about Trans definitions and issues on this blog before but can you please define this part of your identity for readers? Shay: Transgender is, to me, an umbrella term that applies to folks who, for whatever reason, don't feel comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth. I personally identify as a transsexual man (although I will sometimes use transgender or trans as well). My identity is male, full stop. But, my life is definitely influenced by my trans history. Continuously Fractured Life: How have people been helpful or not helpful in your religious path and in seeking ordination? Shay: Gender has played a huge role in my life especially as it relates to my call to ministry. I grew up female in a church that didn't ordain women. I felt a call to ministry in Junior High, but had no idea how that would even work because I knew there weren't any options open to me (except for teaching Sunday school, which while necessary and amazing, was not what I felt called to). So it's interesting to me to think about how gender has intersected with that path because it's always been a barrier. When I left the evangelical church, but before I came out as trans, my gender became less of an issue than my sexual orientation and again I felt called to ministry but was often told that there was no place for me. And then I transitioned and felt even more that there might not be a place for me in ministry. Thankfully the North American Old Catholic Church not only was willing to ordain me as an openly transgender person, but they really saw my trans identity as a benefit and as a blessing. I am really humbled and thankful for that. I think there are a lot of tricky things to navigate for trans folks in ministry. There is psychological testing in a lot of denominations that is punitive towards trans people, there is a lot of job insecurity; even if you get through the process there is no guarantee that a church will hire you, and there is the threat of being pigeonholed. Trans people aren't allowed to be their whole selves in ministry. They have to do a million Trans 101 talks (even if that isn't where their gifting is) or they have to advocate for themselves as they struggle for equality. It makes it so that trans ministers are constantly under the threat of being seen as one dimensional. While my trans identity is important to me and influences how I minister, it's not the only part of who I am. I am a brother and a son, I am a huge book nerd, a cat lover, a writer…All of these things influence my life and I want to be able to share them with people. Continuously Fractured Life: I'd really like to hear your opinion on navigating gender within your own religious experience. How has gender informed your religious practices? Shay: I think that my transition has definitely informed my understanding of Jesus, particularly the fact that he had a human body and that even after he was resurrected he was left with scars. To me, Jesus' whole story is a transition story; it's a story of becoming more wholly yourself and of experiencing what it means to live fully in your body and in relationship with God. My transition has allowed me to appreciate bodily spiritual practices (kneeling, fingering prayer beads, the touch and taste of bread and wine) in a way that I couldn't before I transitioned. Continuously Fractured Life: What can churches learn from the experiences of trans people and how can trans people be better included in a setting that has been largely heteronormative? Shay: I always start with recommending churches do the basic things: Are there bathrooms in your buildings that are safe and accessible [to people of all genders]? Are there gender exclusive groups that you can make accessible or open to all genders? Is your language overly binary (brothers and sisters, men sing this…women sing that)? All of these things are a good starting place to make a community safer. I also challenge churches and religious communities to do their own homework; don't make the trans person educate you, educate yourself. I think there are a lot of things that trans people can teach the church. I have learned a ton about what it means to be an embodied person through my transition, we know a bit about incarnation, some of us know a whole lot about what it means to live with scars. These conversations aren't trans specific, but they are informed by the trans experience.   Continuously Fractured Life: How have you seen God working - specific to your denomination or not - through the inclusion of trans communities? Shay: I think the inclusion of transgender people has been, and continues to be, vital for faith communities. The first reason is simply the tenacity with which so many trans people have had to fight to be included in their faith communities. Trans people have every right to be angry at and to walk away from faith and I think the fact that so many of us are sticking around, working for change, and fighting to be ordained has a lot to say about the depth of our faith and our commitment to the church. I also think that trans folks have a lot to teach people about integrity; about being yourself no matter what, about fighting for what you need. We also bring new insights into theology, liturgy, and faith practices.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

Documentary Recommendation 27. The Invisible War. The Invisible War was recently nominated for an Oscar and everyone should watch it when they have a chance (hopefully all our political friends who refuse to correctly define rape will be passed a copy). It’s incredibly brave for the people and their families in this documentary to constantly relive violence and call out our largest institution for it’s willingness to support rape and a brutal masculine construct which says men must be dominant. Oh, and it's also well done.

[continuouslyfracturedlife-blog]

A (Tumblr) Year in Review

Hey readers,

Almost 1,500 of you read my tiny little blog this year, which is nearly twice as much as last year. So I'm feeling pretty smiley right now. Further, half of you stuck around and were very loyal readers (thanks Google Analytics). Thanks for reading, responding, and generally just caring about similar things. You are the best. If you’re perhaps interested in reading the most-read posts of original content in the past year, the top five are:

1. Several Points That Wouldn't Fit on My Pride Parade Sign. (This has been the most popular post, of all types of posts, for two years, which gives me a lot of hope.)

2. On Not Being Amazing.

3. My Collected Friends: Further Thoughts on Buzzwords.

4. Your Very Own Gender Studies Degree or; Oh Wow, I am a Whiner.

5. Everything is Everything or; Church

  Also thanks to Mission Year, Oh Hello Love, and Professional Dress for letting me write for you this year.

Happy New Year.