Flying Shortbread

To be a man means not to be a girl Being a girl is so powerful, that we have to train... everyone... not to be that. My father asked me not to cry while he was beating me, because somehow it exposed to him his own brutality Bullets are hardened tears Get girls to change the verb from 'to please' to 'to create', 'to defy',  'to change'... ' to anything'. By doing this we can get her to change the girl inside her. "I know when the coconut is about to fall" "I love, love, love, being a girl"

There's an expiry date on blaming your parents on sending you in the wrong direction. When you are old enough to take the wheel, the responsibility lies with you. Failure strips you of pretence, and you can see yourself clearly. This is a kind of freedom. You can count your blessings. You find your have friends, and you appreciate their value  Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia. We collude with violence with our apathy.

How lucky am I? My mother, Marion Pretorius, was my mentor. She taught me to say "No", and she taught me to say "Yes". To say "No" when people wanted to take advantage of me, and to create opportunity for good things to enter my life by saying "Yes". "Yes" makes room for you to have all sorts of experiences, to learn, and to grow your confidence. All sorts of confidence count as tickmarks. Confidence answering the phone. Confidence organising a function. Confidence using an email program. Confidence using... confidence doing... confidence making... confidence speaking... confidence in action. And as the pile of tickmarks grows, so does confidence. Erick Mulaudzi Humbulani asked.

A repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will only allow those gays and lesbians who are already in the military to quit hiding. The (guys) in the military are already showering with gay (men). This is not about ALLOWING gays into the military, if you make a law that says 'you may not' then people will just find a more ingenious way of doing it secretly.

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Flashback Friday, a column on feminist notions... When women-haters die, not a peep, but when a woman who defended the right of women to have man-free spaces dies (translation in women-hater speak - man-hater), then there's a big hooha. At least Mary Daly didn't exploit men as sex slaves, as work slaves, rape, abuse and snuff them. And if you look closely, you will find she pointed at women too, the ones who were used to uphold and disseminate the patriarchy in families - she tried to make women aware that they were being used to enact the patriarchal exploitation tools - footbinding, infibulation, so many. Like you. Who are 'infibulating' her. ... Cinnamon Gurl sparked this off. Thanks. Each week the Flashback Friday: Feminist Edition will feature a story that has something to do with being or becoming a woman or feminist. This series will continue until I run out of stories. I love having guest bloggers. If you have a story you want to tell and you want to...