Photoshop and the Perfect Body

I’m having trouble posting this video directly to the blog, but here’s a link.

Shameless plug again, Jessica Epstein’s video “34X25X36″ will be one of the nine awesome short videos at our upcoming Lunafest film festival from 6-8 PM April 6th in the Sophia Gordon common room. See feminist2′s previous post for more info on the film festival.  The film is a tour of the Patina V Mannequin Factory outside of Los Angeles, and a discussion of what the “perfect body” is thought to be in our culture. 

In response to the video:  Banning and censorship are not cool.  Retouching to the point that our beauty ideals are not only ludicrous but also unattainable?  Also not cool.  It will be interesting to see what comes of the debate in France.  I think it’s a pretty damn good idea to put the retoucher’s name in the credits.  At least let people know they are getting duped.  And it also gives the retoucher some credit for all their hard work.

Happy National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers!

Today is National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. Perfect timing for the Feminists for Life to come tonight and talk about the so-called feminist case against abortion, no?

Katha Pollitt at the Nation brings up several good points:

- Roe v Wade may  be protected in the Supreme Court but state legislatures don’t stop trying to increase obstacles for women trying to get abortions

- There are bills being considered in eleven states to require women seeking abortions to get ultrasounds (As Pollitt wittily notes this is “because apparently women are so stupid they might not realize they’re having an abortion because they’re pregnant”).

-  Women’s health activists at many abortion clinics are retiring and are not easy to replace especially in more conservative areas like places in the Midwest or the South.

- Doctors, nurses and technicians who perform abortions do not make a lot of money  so contrary to anti-choice rhetoric of how abortion is just a money-sucking business, these clinicians don’t profit a lot and can earn more money working elsewhere

- These medical professionals who work in abortion clinics in conservative, anti-choice regions walk through picketers (screaming “murder!!!!”) who potentially get violent on their way to work sometimes. This is not something to look forward to in the morning when you get up for work.

The ignorant comments that people left after the post are upsetting and not worth sharing. They just go to show that despite Roe v Wade being upheld, there are still many people who oppose a woman’s right to abortion and we still have a fight to continue.