I was on my Twitter account and out of curiosity I did a couple of searches for ‘lesbian’ and ‘sapphic’. There were some genuine lesbian angled posts, but most of the results for ‘sapphic’ were for porn – obviously for a heterosexual male audience. This made me mad and disgusted! The appropriation of lesbian sex, porn and erotica for male gratification. Sex between lesbians is not at all for men. It has nothing to do with men! And I loathe how lesbian porn (directed to straight men) is described – strangely admiringly, misogynistic and objectifying. I am ok with porn in a sense (I haven’t really watched it, erotica and sex in movies is more my thing), but I am for genuine lesbian porn – by lesbians, for lesbians, featuring genuine lesbians. Because lesbian sex is for lesbians, it is our sex lives, and we have sex for our own and our partner’s gratification, NOT for anyone else! And I’m for ethical porn and sex in arthouse movies where this less objectification, genuine representations of different body types and identities and it is about sex being a combination of the physical, sexual, erotic and emotional.
Archive for February, 2012
The word ‘sapphic’ and male directed porn. I’m mad!
Posted in Lesbian Identity, Lesbians, Queer Politics on February 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Alternative science chicks are so damn cool!
Posted in Female Scientists, Scientists, Women in Science on February 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Master? No Mistress!
Posted in Scientists on February 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »
I have a Master of Philosophy in Health Science. But unlike someone who has a PhD, I dont have a title, not like Dr for a PhD graduate. I only get to put letters after my name – BSc, BHSc (Hons), MPhil. I can’t even call myself Master! Although I do prefer Mistress! Even though Master denotes a strange sense of equality, I’d like to be a Mistress, because I am proud to be a woman! Mistress of Philosophy! Mistress of Science!
Lady Scientists and the question of glamour
Posted in Female Scientists, Women in Science on February 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Can lady scientists dress sexily and glamourously and not be seen soley as sex objects and be thought of only because of their style and dress sense? I believe they can. I used to dress
glamorously/flamboyantly – in long black gothic dresses, knee length skirts and retro tops and of coarse my staple – red lipstick! Although I was not aware of how other people saw me and didnt feel it detracted from my ability as a scientist or my research work. Abbey from NCIS is a perfect example of a glamorous and funky goth science chick! Awesome. I’d love to see some retro dressed, red lipstick wearing lady scientists carrying out their research and rountine tests, writing and presenting their work, and holding their own amongst male scientists (and other lady scientists).
Sexualisation of Lady Scientists – can it be positive?
Posted in Scientists on February 28, 2012| 1 Comment »
Can the sexualisation of female scientists be a positive thing? Can it be a way to introduce science (both generalised and specialised) to a lesbian audience and encourage greater engagement with science in this audience? You can’t deny that sex sells, and sex is used to sell and promote to a lesbian audience. Pick up a lesbian magazine and you will see sexualised images of women (some genuine lesbians, others actors or models, others straight women) in articles, promotions and advertising. But is it done in a different way? Can you view sexualised women as a lesbian and feminist in a different way to men? Is there the same kind of objectification? Is it purely for
gratification and speaking to the most primal instincts? As a lesbian sex positive feminist I think you can view this in a different way – a combination of desire, solidarity, respect, reading lesbian cues and relating. You view the woman with respect and solidarity as a woman. You view it admiringly/sexually, because after all you are a lesbian. And you can relate, as a lesbian, as a woman to the fashion style, sexual identity (whether identifying in the same way or being attracted to that identity). Sometimes women can be represented in a way that is clearly similar to how women are represented to the heterosexual male gaze – as sex objects. I think it is possible to present science to lesbians in a sexualised way – but in a way that presents female scientists as professional, intelligent women, who are sexy and attractive (representing the diverse identies of lesbians) and are genuine, empowered and self confident. Representation with respect.
A new chapter
Posted in Scientists on February 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »
I love my wife to be. We are getting married this year. We are reunited now after living apart for three months due to work. We are embarking on a new chapter in our lives. And now with my new job I have more time to write and blog on my long commute to and from work. Now I post to my blog almost everyday. And being amongst a research environment and being active in feminist and queer groups I am hugely inspired! And I am brainstorming three ideas for historical lesbian romance novels. I have also been reading up on the social conditions and historical events of the times in which I wish to set my novels. To stop procrastinating I have to choose one story and start writing!
Blonde hair – DOESN’T mean you are dumb!
Posted in Female Scientists, Female Scientists of the 1940's & 1950s, Feminism, Role Models, Scientists, Women in Science on February 27, 2012| 2 Comments »
Margaret Thatcher, a chemist, lawyer, politican and prime minister of Britain for 11 years, had strawberry blonde hair. So who says blondes are dumb and ditzy! I used to feel strange having long blonde hair and studying science. What did people think of me? I didn’t want to be seen as a ‘dumb blonde’. I been teased in high school about my hair colour and what that implied. I didn’t have that at uni thank god. When I was halfway through my PhD (I finished it as a MPhil – Master of Philosophy), I finally made the leap and died my hair red. I’d wanted to for a while – I liked the fiery and passionate nature it implied, my favourite actress Rita Hayworth had red hair (dyed) and I never thought being blonde was really me. And I was making a statement against all those who wanted to be blonde – I was blonde and didn’t want to be! So I have had red/strawberry blonde hair since and it suits me and its as though I should have been born a red-head with my colouring and passionate nature. I’m no longer blonde haired, but I still believe society should stop ridiculing blondes for being dumb. And isnt it rather strange and ironic that so many women want to be blonde and it is seen as a sexualised and pornographic ideal when blondes are ridiculed for being dumb, ditzy and incompetent?
Nerdy, alternative, goth to retro-rockabilly and just me!
Posted in Scientists on February 27, 2012| 2 Comments »
I have to admit that I was rather nerdy at high school. I was the ‘ugly duckling’ with neither good looks or popularity (although I never wanted to be part of the ‘popular group’ at my school) and was into books, history, different countries, weird and classic Britsh TV shows, movies, cricket and of coarse science. I entered science competitions and enjoyed science in years 8-10, and then Biology in year 11 and 12. Was this a precurser to doing research and a PhD? It was my obsession with the X-Files and being inspired by Scully that cemented my keen interest in science. Well I was still rather nerdy by the time I finished school, but I had the chance to transform into a swan at my school formal (the Australian version the American prom) when I wore a black silk halter neck dress like 1930’s movie star Jean Harlow. And at uni I wore more dresses and felt more confident in myself. And I still loved science – I was studying it after all – and I was interested in history, especially military history, terrorism and the French Revolution, film noir movies of the 1940’s, femme fatales and classic pin-up girls and writing (short stories and novels). Sometimes I felt rather different being a woman interested in military history, none of my friends were interested. I had another transformation as I was doing my honours year – study ing levels of faecal indicator bacteria in a local estuary – I embraced alternative culture and finally found my niche and had a sense of belonging in my weirdness, intellect, love of music, pin-up girls and film noir movies. And I felt I belonged and was accepted, especially amongst my friends and lab mates. And after a trip overseas I had the realisation of my sexuality, which transformed me in so many ways. And since then and especially since meeting my girl, I have felt content, embraced my retro-rockabilly side, am happy just being me and am proud to be a scientist, a writer, a vintage fan and a lesbian.
Margaret Thatcher – the Iron Lady – chemist and prime minister!
Posted in Scientists on February 26, 2012| 9 Comments »
I was watching the movie, The Iron Lady about the life of Margaret Thatcher, with my girl yesterday. And the movie, detailing Margaret’s political and personal life, accomplishments and political and personal convictions, was inspirational! I have admired Margaret Thatcher since I was about 17, for the accomplishment of being the first female prime minister of Britain – at a time (1970’s to the 1990’s) when there were terrorist attacks by the IRA, the Falklands War, race riots, high unemployment, a bad economy and disillusionment by the young (the Punk movement etc). And she herself was a chemist – a science graduate of Oxford! In her final year she specialised in X-Ray Crystallography, supervised by another lady scientist, Dorothy Hodgkin. And after graduating she worked as a research chemist, ran for parliament, got married, had twins, studied law and became a lawyer! What a remarkable woman! And she is the longest serving British prime minister. I never agreed with her political ideas and policies, especially the conservative idealogy and economic
rationalism, but there were some personal ideals she had (depicted in the movie) that I liked. She was a strong figure that faced sexism, terrorist attacks, public backlash, cold war tension and military attack. And for a woman to suceed in such a political and social climate, you would have to be tough – an IRON lady.
Source – Wikipedia entry on Margaret Thatcher
Lady Politicans I admire
Posted in Scientists on February 26, 2012| 1 Comment »
Not science related, but a traditionally masculine career path like science – politics. I admire these lady politicans – Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir and Julia Gillard – all first female prime ministers of their respective nations. Margaret Thatcher – the Iron Lady – prime minister of Britain at a turmotuous time in the late 20th Century. A chemist, lawyer, wife and mother of twins. Golda Meir – prime minister of Israel during the Yom Kippur War with surrounding Arab nations wanting to wipe Israel off the map. And Julia Gillard, the first female prime minister of Australia, my country, and a gutsy red head lady!
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