Homophobia Alive and Well

Uganda, Uganda, Uganda.... just a few days ago PHG was so happy with you for the progress you made to put an end to FGM. Now look at you:

The proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 currently being reviewed in Uganda carries with it serious legal consequences for anyone in favor of the freedom to choose who you schtup.

The bill includes jail sentences for consensual gay sex and even a life sentence to people in same-sex marriages! Luckily some of the more drastic measures of the bill (execution) have been removed, but the proposal is still a serious threat to homosexuals and their supporters.

Much like during the Nazi rule of Germany, the bill encourages people to turn in their fellow citizens, as it would jail anyone who does not report "gay activity" to police within 24 hours. Aside from the threat to citizens of Uganda, the country would also withdraw from any international treaties or protocols that recognize or support gay rights.


Secratary of State, Hilary Clinton has publicly lambasted the Anti-gay bill, calling it a "very serious potential violation of human rights."



Though homosexuality has been illegal in Uganda for over 100 years, this bill has the potential to shape the future of the country as it takes a much more definitive stance on the issue of gay rights. Though the majority of the country appears to back the bill, it is incredibly difficult for Ugandans to speak out against criminalizing homosexuality. Those who try to support homosexuals - or even advocate HIV/AIDS treatment and awareness - are persecuted as harshly as those who engage in gay sex or relationships.

David Bahati, author of the bill, voices the country's severe stance on homosexuality and so-called "sympathizers."

"Anybody who does not believe that homosexuality is a crime is a sympathizer," says Bahati. "Providing literature, writing books about it, standing up and saying it is OK — you should be arrested. Even if you are not in the act, you should be arrested. Anybody who tries to promote it should be arrested."

 Well, Bahati, get out your hand cuffs while you can... because PHG thinks you're a bigoted a--hole who's goin' down! Though it's taking longer than many would like, this kind of narrow-minded, cowardly thinking is not the future.

Vagina Win

The Ugandan parliament recently passed a bill unanimously banning all forms of female genital mutilation (clit high-fives all around). The law brings a ten year jail sentence to convicted offenders and a life sentence if the girl dies as a result of the practice.
                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                A COMPLETE VAGINA IS A HAPPY ONE
FGM - seen most often in African and Asian nations that consider it a traditional rite - has long been a controversial subject. While it is a cultural tradition in many nations, the frequently gruesome procedure typically involves removing the clitoris and all or parts of the labia and sometimes sewing the vaginal opening shut. FGM carries with it severe health risks including infections, infertility and death and is still performed on girls 4 to 15 years old in many countries. Often a girl's first sexual experience will be extremely painful and traumatic as the sewn labia have to be re-cut prior to intercourse and sexual stimulation is difficult or impossible to achieve.


          
While Uganda and other nations are taking steps to limit instances of FGM, it is still prevalent in many African and Asian countries. According to the United Nations, some communities have begun the practice of "lesser cuts" where fewer parts of the genitals are removed.

Unless they plan on limiting these procedures to a snip of a newborn's clitoral hood with sterile instruments (like male circumcision) then PHG's got nothin to say to them.

To learn more about FGM visit the World Health Organization.

A Rerun of Dallas and a Pint of Ice Cream

Jezebel recently posted this hilarious video from the 80s which claims to give useful advice to women looking to meet men:



Okay, lesson recap:
1. Don't be a b*** ... He doesn't need that!
2. Men love it when you talk about small stuffed animals
3. Your mother may have taught you that it's rude to stare....well she's a fucking liar!
4. Purposely spilling your drink on a man to get his number does not make you seem crazy....or desperate
5. Stop talking so much and just nod along with whatever he says..
6. If a man uses the f-word ("feel") start faking an orgasm immediately.

Now get out there and tap that shy-man goldmine!

BOOKS WOMEN SHOULD READ COMING SOON!!!

Some of you may have heard the rumor about a list of the books all women should read in their lifetime - inspired by Esquire's 75 Books Every Man Should Read - coming to Pink Hand Gun. Well, the wait will soon be over. PHG is currently hard at work concocting the ultimate literary list. But, now is your chance to have your beautifully bookish voice heard. Leave book suggestions (preferably with a brief explanation or personal anecdote) in the comment section of this post and your book pick may end up on the final list.
Remember: this list is meant to represent books that are truly worthy - not the most recent thing on your nightstand or the holiday best-seller, though such examples may fit the bill - of your time, money, brain power, etc, etc. These are must reads for every woman in her lifetime. The kind of books you would choose to take on a desert island or give a little girl who could only read a limited number of books before she went blind/died/bought a Kindle/whatever.

So think on it and choose suggestions wisely!

**Special thanks to those who have already contributed to the list :)

I'm Good at Tolerating Pain, I'm Bad at Math

Forget about being gatherers. Parks and Recreation says it's time to get outcha' guns little ladies. But not everyone is evolved enough to know that vaginas don't cause "tunnel vision" and aversion to "ickiness"

Watch Any Poehler work her magic on a sexist ranger to get out of a hunting jam - all while remaining fucking hilarious:

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

The Thought We Hate....Ignore It

Sexism pisses people off. Feminism pisses people off. Homosexuality pisses people off. Homophobia pisses people off. Get the picture? People are pissed. And these days they're using the internet to get their F-ing voices heard.

One of PHG's favorite all time quotes is from Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes:

"If there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other it is the principle of free thought—not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate."

Well, PHG certainly hates some of the crap that gets passed off as gospel these days. But, to each her own fury, right?
What with endless internet forums and comment boxes, there are a lot of people letting off vituperative steam about the world and it's flaw. One of PHG's favorites was a Jezebel comment posting by reader 5 Ft of Fury:

"I'm tired of being told that not only do I need to be a skinny, white, large breasted, tiny waisted woman girl who shaves and likes anal and gives blowjobs and has sex all the time but not on her period and is SEXXXXY while also being a virgin (otherwise, I'm a whore), on the other hand I have to also like having sex, and masturbate, and love my body for all its flaws, and not use tampons, and not shave, and think that porn is degrading to women, and be totally ok with my period, and love my womb, but use birth control and be responsible with sex until I'm finanically/emotionally ready to have kids, and be ok with having sex on my period , otherwise I'm not being a good feminist. It all just makes me want to scream."

We hear ya' sister. Being inundated with other people's crappy opinions is what it means to be living in a new-media world mostly run by one race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, whatever.

The wonderful thing about this country (excuse the patriotic tear) is that most of us have the opportunity to choose which opinions we listen to and which ones we don't. And occasionally, to vent our frustrations on that most magical of soap boxes...the comment box.


So don't let the man get you down....or do, you know, whatever. Keep on rockin' in the free world.

Yes, Drill Sargent...Ma'am

Beginning today, Commander Sgt. Maj. Teresa L. King will be the first woman ever to hold the position of top drill Sergeant (you know, the ones in the movies always yelling and spitting and telling soldiers to drop and give them fifty?)

The Army has consolidated it's drill schools to a single location (Fort Jackson, SC)... and guess who's in charge there? That's right, Sergeant Major King. Meaning? King will be in charge of drill training for the entire Army - that formative time which is make or break for a soldier.

King's ascent is a big step for female army personnel as positions of power in the Army have frequently alluded women. One reason may be the fact that women are still prohibited from serving in frontline combat (including Sgt. Maj. King). In addition to this, The New York Times reports that "Just 8 percent of the active-duty Army’s highest-ranking enlisted soldiers — sergeants major and command sergeants major — are women, though more than 13 percent of Army personnel are female."

While King's promotion is pushing gender boundaries, her own mentality may still be a bit prohibitive. She is quoted as saying that while she believes women should be allowed onto the frontline of battle, she doesn't think most women capable of meeting the standards required of male soldiers. King herself has met those standards (which include physical training tests of strength and endurance).

King has said that one of her priorities will be to recruit more women into her school. Let's hope that she has the foresight to believe her female recruits capable of achieving everything their male counterparts can achieve. Because if there's any evidence that women can do everything men can do, it's King's own journey to the top.

Shea What!?

< Let's all shealebrate


Finding an eco-friendly, socially conscious, and (don't forget) effective cosmetic product all in one bottle is a nearly impossible task. That's why PHG is psyched about Alaffia Sustainable Skin Care. Using green ingredients like Shea Butter and Virgin Coconut Oil - natural resources of Togo, Africa, where the founder, Olowo-n'djo Tchala, grew up in poverty - Alaffia offers chemical-free alternatives to your brand name hair and skin care products.

As if that wasn't enough, the folks at Alaffia never test their products on animals, are champions of recycling, and are certified as a Fair Trade organization. Another big part of Alaffia's mission is to improve the lives of those living in poverty - both in West Africa and in America. Their community programs - including the Alaffia/Agbanga Shea Butter Cooperative, scholarship programs in D.C., and the Maternal Health Project in Togo - focus on self empowerment and gender equality.

Plus, you can feel good when you buy as 10% of their sales go directly to fund their community enhancement projects. That's something to get lathered up about.



<-- Yummy, Yummy Shea Butter




          Virgin Coconut and Shea Lotion Reduces Frizz and Restores Moisture to Damaged Hair -->

A Woman of Togo Stirs the Good Stuff

A girl and her dogs

Lorraine Chittock is my hero. She travels around South America in a '78 Chevy with her two dogs writing about her adventures and her four-legged friends. Check out her blog about her travels and her two books On a Mission from Dog and Cairo Cats. Her bio (she's lived in Kenya, the US, South America and more) is enough to inspire even the most intrepid travelers.
She recently wrote of her journeys:
"Going solo [as a female] is no where as risky as you might think. It FEELS that way initially, but really it is not. Trust."

Fuck yeah!
Girls everywhere need to hear this, after all the bullshit that fills little girls heads about the dangers of the world and how vulnerable they are, it's great to see a woman who's not afraid to go it alone (with a little guidance from Dog).

Lorrainne was recently joined by her boyfriend and his dog... hey, after five-plus years of solo travel even a pro needs a little lovin ;) Besides, it's important to remember that women can still be independent even if they aren't alone.

Smart Girls at the Party

Amy Poehler's online series, which launched on On Network in November 2009 is changing the way young girls are portrayed in the media. The show is unique in that it praises everyday, ordinary girls "changing the world by being themselves."

Now if this catch phrase is too vomit inducing for you, just remember that girls (at least ones who do not conform to social gender norms) are not frequently encouraged to be themselves. Or, if they are, it is not often considered something worthy of positive attention.

Poehler (assisted by producer Meredith Walker and music coordinator Amy Miles) interviews girls in those troublesome pre-teen years who have a special talent, viewpoint or community interest. Their passions range from writing to gardening to rock music to simply being a good sister. Yet each one is made to feel special, important, and serious. Though the show has a light, silly tone to it, the adult women never mock the girls or laugh at them. There is a strong sense that all the women on set are laughing together and that the girls being interviewed are just as legitimate as the adults.

As Poehler says in a bonus interview clip "when you're that age things are pretty serious. You don't think what you do is a joke. You don't think that the stuff going on in your head is funny. It's real."

The concept of community and acceptance among women is hard to come by these days. Poehler and her crew give their guests and their audience a place where being a girl (whether your definition of girlhood is Barbies or electric guitar) means having a sense of sisterhood and being accepted and praised by your fellow femmes.

Weekend Treat

Esquire's Hot Pink Handgun Cocktail:

Personally, Pink Hand Gun isn't crazy about egg in her drink, but she appreciates the shout out.

Dear Dating a Banker Anonymous,

DABA, DABA, DABA.... what's a grrl to say to you? You've gained fame, been praised, mocked and even been labeled a fraud, all within the last month. You're more volatile than that pesky stock market. But I guess what I really want to say is this.... you hurt my feelings.
True, much of what's been said about you cannot be denied -- you're vapid, shallow, deceitful and embarrassing. But that didn't stop me from wanting to be friends. You made me laugh, whether out of comaradery, disgust or shame, I'm not quite sure. There was something about you -- a silliness, an openness, a lack of fear that you'd be labeled. You didn't seem to care what people thought, you were gonna say what was on your mind and make it okay for others to say it too. Though I didn't agree with you I appreciated your bravery to speak your mind and be who you were. Even if it was all a scam - it was a successful, intelligent one. And that gave you some points in my book.

The point is, DABA, I liked you. That is until you uttered those unforgivable words: "DABA is a safe place where women can come together – free from the scrutiny of feminists–"

Who? Moi? Surely you can't mean it? Oh, but you did. And I'm sorry to say our friendship ended then and there. I was counting you in as one of my card carrying bitches when all along you were just another flunky who avoids the F-word like she would a man who makes less than six figures. For shame, DABA. Where is your pride, your sense of sisterhood? Where is the person who was supposed to teach you that Feminists are not your enemy? You who claimed that what really irked you was the fact that your "FBF" could no longer afford to hang with his successful girlfriend. You don't believe that women and men are equals? Maybe you never looked up Feminist in the dictionary. Maybe you've never owned a dictionary. Your boyfriend wouldn't buy you one perhaps?

I'm sorry DABA, it's just hurt feelings talking. You made me feel like that skinny, pale girl with glasses and puffy black hair who doesn't get asked to stand with the popular blondies at recess (of course none of you are blond, but you could be if you wanted to). You could do anything -- you were in the NY Times for fuck's sake. So you go on and make that book deal - it'll be Candace Bushnell meets The Hills. And a part of me hopes it all turns out to have been a scam put on by savvy (still a bit shallow) women who know deep down that being a feminist ain't so bad.

Love,
Pink Hand Gun

What is Pink Hand Gun?

This site is intended to provide information, inspire discussion, and allow commentary on gender norms, roles, and issues relevant today. It is in no way anti-male (male view points are very welcome) nor is it supportive of violent acts or solutions. The symbol of the pink handgun is merely meant as a means of expressing the contrast between how males and females are categorized in today's society and what happens when citizens attempt to overlap those categories or to step outside of them entirely.

Please leave feedback, opinions, suggestions, or links and enjoy your daily dose of gender revolution.