I know, this one's going to be chronic.

Yesterday, a teaser ad for an upcoming news story: "How to make your kids as fit as they can be" (about knee injuries, not fat, btw).

Today, an LJ comment about how every parent should teach their daughters self-defense instead of instilling "the culture of fear."

I can't *make* my (still potential!) kids fit. And I can't *make* 'em reject fear culture. Because you know what? I am not actually in control of all their input. (And if I tried, that would be creepy and abusive, thx.) Not even close. I am important, but I am not the determining factor of their attitudes and behaviors.

Nor is it an indication of "hard wiring" if I try to teach them one thing and they prefer another instead. You know these are autonomous beings, right? And sometimes they will choose something for other reasons than a) it's built in or b) parental or guardian unit said so?

No?

Then go away. I don't want to talk to you.

snips and snails

Two more things on my mind today...

1. I am also really over White Knights and the men who think they are one. Get off the damn horse already.

2. I am having trouble articulating my mixed feelings about things said recently in regards to consent and performative sexuality, as part of the fallout of the Open Source Boob Project. Because, you know, I'm queer, and sometimes I like holding hands with my non-normatively-heterosexual-looking partners, and people tend to get freaked out by that, and I don't really give a fuck about their consent, much less their "discomfort," thank you. You know? We're back to the need for an analysis of power, aren't we? We're back to: who's more likely to get the short end of the violence stick -- the 19-year-old Goth girl on a leash (so offensive!), or the Italian billionaire groping someone in Monaco?

Yeah. Not articulate. No position paper. Just saying, "it's more complex than 'don't frighten the horses,'" I guess.

another late, delirious thought inspired by the OSBP

I really ought to write something in defense of man-boobs. Because, you know, I kinda like. And I am not ashamed.