sigelphoenix

This morning, I: 1) posted flyers advertising events meant to educate my campus about sexual assault, 2) played phone tag with a writer for the Seattle Times to arrange an interview about the anime club, 3) and donated blood for the very first time. All before class. :D

Once I got home, I finally got in touch with the Seattle Times writer, chatted with him a bit about the club, and set up a meeting time. Go me!

As for the bloodloss, it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd been worried about. The main reason I haven't donated before isn't pain - I don't really mind needles - but rather the worry that my body wouldn't handle it so well. (I have low blood pressure, to the point where I occasionally experienced brief blackouts when I was younger. I am just that cool.) But it was fine - I felt a bit lightheaded, but that was it; and I've been guzzling water and juice all day. The only slightly squicky bit was when they were taking samples in small containers; at that point I'd already been tubed up, so the blood flowing in the tube had built up and it sort of sprayed and splattered the inside of the container when it was released. O_o That, and it took so long for me to fill the bag that I ended up being late to class. :P

And finally, the sexual assault education flyers are for SARVA (Sexual Assault & Relationship Violence Awareness) Week, an annual series of events put on by CORE (Committee Organizing Rape Education). As some of you know, I started working with them as a volunteer peer educator last week. So far, I'm still in training and can't really *do* anything yet, but we trainees are still good for grunt work. Thus, the postering.

Here are the events for SARVA, in case you're interested. I plan on going to the Monday and/or Tuesday event.

( For the week of April 10 )

Here's a concise and perceptive debunking of the man-hating feminist myth, from my textbook for Introduction to Women Studies. I want to have it on hand for reference, since this is one of the most common criticisms tossed at feminists. I also figured it wouldn't hurt to share, in case anyone else runs into someone whose argument is based on this stereotype, and wants a quick 'n' easy way to refute it.

Of course, keep in mind that this works only on reasonable people who are just misinformed, not trolls who hold steadfastly to the belief that feminism entails cutting off men's balls and engaging in wild lesbian orgies.

( Debunking myth #14732 about feminists )

Replace "men" with "white people," "straight people," or "rich people," and you get an all-purpose argument that applies to the myths against all sorts of anti-oppression work. Nifty, isn't it?