Blogging While Female

posted by Peter Rothberg on 08/04/2007 @ 10:11pm

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So far today I've watched Hillary Clinton take unscripted questions in a small room, seen Barack Obama wow a separate crowd of inquisitors, had Mike Gravel smartly answer something I asked him about eminent domain and was among a crowd of about 1,500 who witnessed an entertaining debate among the Democratic contenders (minus Joe Biden).

But, by far the most interesting and worthwhile thing I saw today at the Yearly Kos Convention, the largest gathering of political bloggers to date taking place this weekend in Chicago, was a panel on blogging while female organized and moderated by The American Prospect's Garance Franke-Ruta. Featuring Jessica Valenti, Amanda Marcotte and Gina Cooper, the panel asked what happened to the long-lost idea that gender was of no consequence on the Internet--that voice and content were all that mattered. The ensuing conversation cut to the heart of critical issues facing users (and abusers) of the Internet, especially, but not only, women. It was also funny, entertaining, inspiring and, most importantly, intent on continuing to build on the strong foundation these pioneers have laid for the coming generation of female political bloggers.

There was relief that the debate has moved beyond the silly question, "Where are the women bloggers?" The answer is that they've been around as long as blogs, it just took their male counterparts a little while to recognize and start linking to them. And, now, as Cooper, the lead organizer for the convention explained, women are well-represented in leadership positions at Yearly Kos as well as at many A-List blogs.

So the issue currently is how to best band together to thwart the obstacles to the continued deployment of the promise of the medium for empowerment. The detailing of countless efforts by unnamed cyber-idiots to try to silence these voices was sobering--Valenti even made the point that online harassment, in important respects, can be more threatening than the off-line variety as you can't gauge its seriousness--but their stories of push-back were transcendent.

I wish I had more time to recount all the many insights of the panel but the Teamsters are hosting a BBQ and I'm late. (Parties are paramount here at Yearly Kos, as at most political conventions!) Those of you well-versed with the liberal blogosphere will be familiar with the online exploits of the panelists. But many Nation readers probably don't regularly read Marcotte on Pandagon, Valenti on Feministing, Cooper at her eponymous blog as well as at Daily Kos and Franke-Ruta at Tapped and TheGarance.com. Check them out if you don't already. Their sites are a great place to steer anyone still inexplicably wondering about the supposed dearth of females in the blogosphere.

Comments (54)

one

Posted by Will C. at 08/05/2007 @ 12:27am
thing mask knows all about

Posted by Will C. at 08/05/2007 @ 12:27am
Posted by WILL C. 08/05/2007 @ 12:27am

Thanks WILL, try to keep up with the female bloggers. Think it's important for promoting a feminist agenda. Just as I'm sure you do for th LGBT community.

Posted by Mask at 08/05/2007 @ 07:15am
Point of information: It's "Pandagon," not "Pandragon." The word is to be parsed not as "Pan-dragon," but as "Panda-gon." There's even a picture of a panda at the top of the page.

I've never looked into this blog before, but I enjoyed A. Marcotte's entry "Study shows that egg preceded chicken."

Posted by JakobFabian at 08/05/2007 @ 08:54am
Anyone care to offer other sites they read? I'd like to know more that offer a thought out perspective, such as:

http://feministing.com/archives/007496.html

And less about those that involve live-blogging an event or providing four updates on a topic that could have been made into an interesting article but became a moment by moment illustration of what bad reporting looks like.

http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/08/04/yearly-kos-update-2/ http://thegarance.com/archives/595

P.S. I just looked at the first few articles of these blogs he recommended, I have no idea whether they are representative of the writing on these blogs or not.

Posted by srjenkins at 08/05/2007 @ 10:24am
Thanks WILL, try to keep up with the female bloggers. Think it's important for promoting a feminist agenda. Just as I'm sure you do for th LGBT community.

Posted by MASK 08/05/2007 @ 07:15am

so baby buckets. With your intimate knowledge of prostitution and how things work at the gatherings of "high officials", how much cock have you sucked. Are we talking thousands...

tens of thousands?

Posted by Will C. at 08/05/2007 @ 12:03pm
Posted by ZERO 08/05/2007 @ 11:01am

Counter-example: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/27/174231

Can you name a male blogger that has recieved threats of sexual harm? I can't.

One link in that thread that sums it up: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19

Posted by srjenkins at 08/05/2007 @ 12:05pm
Posted by WILL C. 08/05/2007 @ 12:03pm

WILL, what are you so mad about? I said "thanks" in my 7:15am post. Can't even take some gratitude, now? "Adam" must have a heart of gold!

Posted by Mask at 08/05/2007 @ 1:17pm
WILL, what are you so mad about? I said "thanks" in my 7:15am post. Can't even take some gratitude, now? "Adam" must have a heart of gold!

Posted by MASK 08/05/2007 @ 1:17pm

sorry, don't have any twenties on me mask. but you didn't answer my question sperm bucket. With your intimate knowledge of prostitution and how things work at the gatherings of "high officials", how much cock have you sucked. Are we talking thousands...

tens of thousands?

Posted by Will C. at 08/05/2007 @ 1:19pm
Posted by WILL C. 08/05/2007 @ 1:19pm

WILL, you know, by acting so homophobic, it really doesn't do you much good to stay in the closet here on this blog...since homophobes have been shown to be the ones most aroused by images of gay men having sex.

So if you're trying to NOT come out...acting like a gay-basher is the WORST thing you can do.

And seriously, your partner (whatever his name is) must be a real saint to put up with your anger (not just here, but all your "hamster" this and "hamster" that rants.)

BTW, I'd drop that "hamster" stuff too....too easy for one of the local homophobes to turn it into a "gerbil" joke back on you!

Posted by Mask at 08/05/2007 @ 1:34pm
Posted by ZERO 08/05/2007 @ 1:16pm

I agree with many of your comments. One example that comes immediately to mind is in the ideas of misogyny and misandry. I don't think I've ever seen use of, much less discussion of the latter in a periodical - here or elsewhere.

But, I also think you need to be careful. Personally, I think masculism and feminism are two sides of the same coin looking for equitable treatment of both sexes. While being critical is important in this dialogue, it is also important that we don't reach equitable treatment via the route of cutting everyone down.

Posted by srjenkins at 08/05/2007 @ 1:59pm
My god Will is sick...

Posted by john maasch at 08/05/2007 @ 2:58pm
"The daily Kos, Hillary, Obama...to be an observer in the corner would have been hilarious to watch the candidates all pandering to the kook fringe for a few hours.. and then ignore them the rest of the year up until election time...they must be worried that the kook sections might head out the door and vote for Nader or some other loon..this plus a 3% approval for the Dem congress, even as they pass tax increases to oil companies, which will raise the price of a gallon of gas for us and produce not so much as a watt of energy, green or otherwise..looks like congress is "gonna take those profits and give them to.."

Does this meam Hillary is the winner in congress? And is going to run on this type of legislation and listen to the kooks? I hope so..

Posted by john maasch at 08/05/2007 @ 3:03pm
Posted by JOHN MAASCH 08/05/2007 @ 2:58pm

No, MAASCH, fear of being outed, even today, is pretty strong. I figured out the gender of WILL's partner the same way he figured out my gender (plus his posts) and it was obviously something he wanted kept under wraps.

I TOLD him I wouldn't cotton anybody throwing gay slurs at him...and you'd figure on a progressive blog, he'd feel more comfortable in telling people his true orientation.

Guess not.

Posted by Mask at 08/05/2007 @ 3:45pm
he'd feel more comfortable in telling people his true orientation.

Guess not.

Posted by MASK 08/05/2007 @ 3:45pm | ignore this person

I can't imagine him being comfortable anywhere..muchless his own skin..he is so...strange.....and you are right about his fixation on hamsters....very disturbed and disturbing.

Think PETA knows what he does with his little pets?

Posted by john maasch at 08/05/2007 @ 5:22pm
My god Will is sick...

Posted by JOHN MAASCH 08/05/2007 @ 2:58pm

sick? I feel sorry for mask john boy. it's terrible that she has to suck cock for a living.

though it does free up a lot of blog time for her

Posted by Will C. at 08/05/2007 @ 6:52pm
Posted by RIO BRAVO 08/05/2007 @ 7:10pm

RIO, I told WILL...and I promised him....and I keep my promises.

I WILL NOT tolerate you gay-bashing him or anybody!

Posted by Mask at 08/05/2007 @ 8:24pm
Posted by WILL C. 08/05/2007 @ 6:50pm

WILL, I don't "need you to be gay", anymore than YOU "need me to be a woman"...they're just facts based on posts and the other information we both have gleaned.

Okay?

Posted by Mask at 08/05/2007 @ 8:25pm
WILL, I don't "need you to be gay", anymore than YOU "need me to be a woman"...they're just facts based on posts and the other information we both have gleaned.

Okay?

Posted by MASK 08/05/2007 @ 8:25pm

mask you were a girl when you were born, but this crazy need you have for me to be gay is hilarious. No wonder you got all excited when we were laughing about scoota takin it in the poopa.

Posted by Will C. at 08/05/2007 @ 11:07pm
Posted by WILL C. 08/05/2007 @ 11:07pm

Uh, WILL....YOU were the only one laughing. And the only one who continually was bringing up male prison rape.

Just one of the indicators I went by.

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 07:23am
will, you must really get a hold of yourself, with these shameful disgusting posts. where do you think you are?

you are a guest in The Nation's house and you are expected to act like a grown up.

Posted by johannesrolf at 08/06/2007 @ 08:23am
Posted by ZERO 08/05/2007 @ 1:16pm | ignore this person

whatsamatter, can't get a date, sourpuss? yes, girls can be so cruel.

Posted by johannesrolf at 08/06/2007 @ 08:40am
JR,

"...you are expected to act like a grown up."

Posted by JOHANNESROLF 08/06/2007 @ 08:23am

What if anythiong from WILLs past posting would give you evidence of this being possible?

Posted by john maasch at 08/06/2007 @ 10:32am
Posted by JOHN MAASCH 08/06/2007 @ 10:32am

JOHN, gotta cut young WILLIAM some slack. Using his same method of determining my gender, plus his posts, I determined that his lover was a male.

For some reason, he wanted to stay in the closet (odd, given this is a progressive blog) and it pissed him off. Despite the fact, I said I wouldn't tolerate any homophobic attacks on him. As expected, RIO BRAVO did...and (as promised) I chastised him for it.

Still...WILL is mad. (in several defitions of that word...heheh).

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 10:38am
FireDogLake [firedoglake.com] is a must read for insightful political and law commentary and analysis. Universal Health [universalhealth.wordpress.com] for health policy, news and analysis, and Brilliant at Breakfast [brilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com] for current events and political commentary are two others to check.

Posted by Nequals1 at 08/06/2007 @ 10:41am
I think it's time to re-think my ignore button policy.

While I would hate to miss all the valuable insights Will and Mask have to offer, wading through this middle-school pissing contest is becoming increasingly tedious.

Posted by drhammer at 08/06/2007 @ 11:58am
MY RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE AND TO MOST OF THE POSTS ON THIS THREAD IS...

Oh, puh-lease. The Internet has been rudeness personified (present company NOT excepted!) pratically since the get-go. We're talkin' Troll City here. If guys (especially) talked to each other in person the way they do online, they be punching one another out to beat the band. (Case in point, this thread's exchange between Will C and Mask, plus all of John Maasch's and most of Rio Bravo's posts.) Definitely a fun free-for-all as far as I'm concerned but probably not to everyone's taste. For example, see Katha Pollitt's note about why she disabled Comments on her Nation blog.

Which example brings me to my next point. I think women in general MAY be a bit more repelled by the trollish aspects of the whole scene than many men (although I've seen some doozers when it comes to female trolls!) All I can say is, get used to it, deal with it, etc., etc., etc.

Posted by w_m_bear at 08/06/2007 @ 12:04pm
Dr, it's not just a matter of the ignore button. this kind of childishness drives out intelligent discourse. Imagine a newbie stumbling on this thread. would you wish to wade into that morass?

I think it is up to our friends to get their act together, whether they be ignored or not.

Posted by johannesrolf at 08/06/2007 @ 12:05pm
It's really a simple matter for blog commenters: advance an argument on the strength of its merits (via evidence, logic and critical thinking) versus sinking to ad hominem attacks and using vitriol and shouting - to everyone's detriment. I vote for the former, and I hope that the latter fades quickly.

Posted by Nequals1 at 08/06/2007 @ 12:55pm
Sorry if the message was too subtle, DRHAMMER, BEAR, etc.

It WAS about the rudeness of the Internet and the sexual identification of bloggers on the Internet.

WILL (somehow, by a process he can't or won't explain) got it into his head that I am a female...incorrectly. And started this thread with a jab at me, on that basis. In turn (in a previous thread) I have used his same method (or lack of) to determine that his live-in lover was a "male", thus exciting WILL's innate homophobia (despite claims of being a "liberal") and setting off his own tirades.

Thus is the world of blogging. Thus it always will be. As long as it's relatively anonymous and relatively free of any kind of personal effect (except for banning by the local administrator), it will inspire the worst in human discourse.

WILL's just the extreme example. Our beloved JOHANNESROLF is not THAT much better, with his faux "I'm so beyond such childishness" (and then he'll engage in the same name-calling and ad hominem attacks...all the while having the blogger he's attacking on Ignore, so he doesn't see their response...atleast WILL isn't a coward).

And as far as PETER's main point, look at WILL's attacks on me. He THINKS I am a woman...and look what he resorts to. Attacks on my sexuality (female hetero in his mind) as a means of attack. Earlier he even commented on my "bubble butt".

So ultimately, female bloggers (even ASSUMED ones, such as myself) get attacked for their sexuality and their appearance....even by those who CLAIM the mantle of "liberal" or "progressive".

Interesting, huh?

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 1:24pm
Can somebody give mary a tissue?

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/06/2007 @ 2:05pm
Posted by MTSPENCE05 08/06/2007 @ 2:05pm

Of course the same thing applies to ANY homophobe who claims to be a "progressive" and excuses his homophobia with "I don't care about the speech police" (sounding like Rush Limbaugh).

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 2:14pm
And there you go calling me a homophobe. Calling you names doesn't make me a homophobe, mary.

You, on the other hand, support a party that openly advocates discriminating agains gays and lesbians.

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/06/2007 @ 2:21pm
Posted by MTSPENCE05 08/06/2007 @ 2:21pm

Once again, Empty...I'm voting Democratic next year, so that's who I'm supporting.

You are not voting (supposedly) so guess you're "neutral" as to gay rights, huh?

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 2:30pm
"Interesting, huh?"

Posted by MASK 08/06/2007 @ 1:24pm

No.

Posted by drhammer at 08/06/2007 @ 2:30pm
Calling you names doesn't make me a homophobe, mary.

You sure about that? Take a closer look at that sentence. "Mary" is a common derogatory term for "homosexual."

Posted by BlueSpark at 08/06/2007 @ 2:35pm
Posted by BLUESPARK 08/06/2007 @ 2:35pm

Unfortunately, not the limite of Empty SPENCE's slurs....

His explanation?--

But this constant barrage of "little fruit" or other gay allusions or epithets as insults or put-downs....is rather strange from someone who purportedly is a "progressive"?!?!? Posted by MASK

Says you. I'm not all that concerned with the speech police.

And fruit is not something I would call a gay man. Fruit, faggot, butt pirate, sucker of cocks--these are epiteths for people like you. You intentionally distort, fabricate, play little games that are not characteristic of what I consider a man.

Posted by MTSPENCE05 05/25/2007 @ 11:16am

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 2:38pm
Posted by NEQUALS1 08/06/2007 @ 10:41am

Thanks for the good recommendations. Much appreciated.

Posted by srjenkins at 08/06/2007 @ 2:38pm
Posted by DRHAMMER 08/06/2007 @ 2:30pm

Put us both on Ignore then, Doc. Or just me and not WILL for purely political reasons.

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 2:39pm
Posted by MTSPENCE05 08/06/2007 @ 2:21pm

Once again, Empty...I'm voting Democratic next year, so that's who I'm supporting.

You are not voting (supposedly) so guess you're "neutral" as to gay rights, huh?

Posted by MASK

So you say. You say a lot of things that are untrue. You'll resort to whatever means necessary to try and get your way. It's just your nature, mary.

You sure about that? Take a closer look at that sentence. "Mary" is a common derogatory term for "homosexual."

Posted by BLUESPARK

I'm not insulting homosexuals, I'm insulting a sniveling little liar. A liar that cries "homophobe" while he supports a party that openly discriminates against gays and lesbians. A lying hypocrite.

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/06/2007 @ 2:58pm
Of course the same thing applies to ANY homophobe who claims to be a "progressive" and excuses his homophobia with "I don't care about the speech police" (sounding like Rush Limbaugh).

Posted by MASK

And there you go stereotyping again.

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/06/2007 @ 2:59pm
I'm not insulting homosexuals, I'm insulting a sniveling little liar.

By calling him a homosexual.

Posted by BlueSpark at 08/06/2007 @ 3:54pm
"I'm not insulting homosexuals, I'm insulting a sniveling little liar. A liar that cries "homophobe" while he supports a party that openly discriminates against gays and lesbians. A lying hypocrite.

Posted by MTSPENCE05 08/06/2007 @ 2:58pm

No,you think you may not be insulting "those who suck cocks and have no estrogen",but you don't really know, howe3ver, you are a bank robber...which besides a convict with a paper trail, it also makes you a hypocrit..

The rest of your posts are pure entertainment.

Posted by john maasch at 08/06/2007 @ 4:11pm
No,you think you may not be insulting "those who suck cocks and have no estrogen",but you don't really know, howe3ver, you are a bank robber...which besides a convict with a paper trail, it also makes you a hypocrit..

The rest of your posts are pure entertainment.

Posted by JOHN MAASCH

Shut you ignorant mouth, old man. A war dodging coward tool should speak when spoken to. And you, too, support the party that openly discriminates against gays and lesbians.

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/06/2007 @ 5:12pm
See, guys, Empty SPENCE's theory is....

It's "okay" to call somebody the N-word, if he's not African-American. Or to call them a "greaser", if not Latino. Or a "gook", if not Asian. Or a "fag", if not gay.

Doesn't mean he's a bigot in his mind.

Just like robbing banks for a "subsistance living" isn't "right or wrong".

Posted by Mask at 08/06/2007 @ 7:28pm
Posted by MASK 08/06/2007 @ 1:24pm

I didn't miss any subtlety, Mask. It's just that I tend to be highly skeptical of political correctness, especially when (as all too often) it tends to accrete around so-called "sexism." Now this IS going to sound "sexist" but, in my experience, women -- especially intelligent women or those who pass for them -- can get away with saying pretty much what they damn well please, where the same thing is assuredly not true of men (unless they happen to be screaming reactionaries like Rush Limbaugh).

I say all this as someone who's been (unsuccessfully) married twice and has finally smacked himself upside the head in the realization that -- hey! -- Instead of taking what either one of my wives said so seriously, all I ever needed to do was say, "OK, honey, you're right. Whatever you say." This is, evidently, the Great Secret to marital (and probably ultimately political) bliss.

Posted by w_m_bear at 08/06/2007 @ 7:43pm
Posted by W_M_BEAR 08/06/2007 @ 7:43pm

According to marriage researcher John Gottman, having a ratio to positive-to-negative interactions that sits around 5-to-1 is the Great Secret to marital success. And no, saying ""OK, honey, you're right. Whatever you say," isn't a positive interaction, it sounds more like stonewalling - another behavior Gottman explains at length.

Gottman provides a few key insights that can really change how you approach relationships. I'd recommend him to anyone.

Posted by srjenkins at 08/06/2007 @ 8:15pm
See, guys, Empty SPENCE's theory is....

It's "okay" to call somebody the N-word, if he's not African-American. Or to call them a "greaser", if not Latino. Or a "gook", if not Asian. Or a "fag", if not gay.

Doesn't mean he's a bigot in his mind.

Hmmm. I don't recall ever posting anything like that.

And, once again, I don't support the party that openly discriminates against gays and lesbians.

Go cry to mommie, mary, if you must whine.

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/07/2007 @ 09:45am
Posted by MTSPENCE05 08/07/2007 @ 09:45am

Again, apologies, Empty.

Didn't realize opposing bigotry was "whining"....my bad.

Posted by Mask at 08/07/2007 @ 12:18pm
Didn't realize opposing bigotry was "whining"....my bad.

Posted by MASK 08/07/2007 @ 12:18pm

FOR NEOCONS AND THEIR ILK...

Everything anyone who doesn't agree with them says is "whining." Evidently, the logic is this. When children protest parental authority, they whine. Ergo, when ANYONE protests neoconservative cryptofacism, THEY'RE whining because, hey, we're the Deciders, we're the Commander Guys.

Posted by w_m_bear at 08/07/2007 @ 2:17pm
Posted by SRJENKINS 08/06/2007 @ 8:15pm

After a year of sessions with a marriage counselor who consistently sided with my (2nd) wife, I'm not inclined credit "marriage researchers" with much insight. In our sessions, a "positive interaction" was me admitting that yes, after all, one or another of my wife's myriad accusations did have SOME validity. If that isn't basically saying "OK, honey. You're right, whatever you say," then I don't know what is. I don't think I've ever been angrier than at the end of some of those sessions. So please, spare me the marital advice except to kidnap me and talk some sense into me if I ever make the mistake of proposing to another woman again.

Posted by w_m_bear at 08/07/2007 @ 2:24pm
Posted by W_M_BEAR 08/07/2007 @ 2:24pm

Marriage isn't for everybody. I'd still recommend checking out Gottman's The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. It might be useful even if you plan on dating.

I don't know your particular situation, but I do know good women and good marriage counselors can be hard to find. It doesn't hurt to have good strategies for keeping the good one's once you find them.

Posted by srjenkins at 08/07/2007 @ 3:37pm
FOR NEOCONS AND THEIR ILK... Everything anyone who doesn't agree with them says is "whining." ----Posted by W_M_BEAR 08/07/2007 @ 2:17pm

Never thought Empty would be called a "neo-con or their ilk", but.....okay, if you say so BEAR.

Go cry to mommie, mary, if you must whine.----Posted by MTSPENCE05 08/07/2007 @ 09:45am

Posted by Mask at 08/07/2007 @ 4:04pm
big·ot·ry /ˈbɪgətri/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[big-uh-tree] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun, plural -ries. 1. stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own. 2. the actions, beliefs, prejudices, etc., of a bigot.

Bigotry, mary? Do I support a party that proudly discriminates against gays and lesbians? No. But you do.

Posted by mtspence05 at 08/07/2007 @ 5:01pm