Archives for 2010

Our very own Andrea Mrozek made a fine comment at a conference in Ottawa today:

When a member of the audience asked about women in politics being treated differently, Ms. Grey responded that even so, it didn’t give them licence to “throw hissy fits at airports.”

“Women are judged differently. We can like it, we can harangue about it, we can hate it, we can do all kinds of things, but that’s the way it is. That’s life,” Ms. Grey, one of the best-known Conservative women, later told The Canadian Press.

“We can’t give ourselves permission to lose control and have a hissy fit at an airport or wherever, in the House of Commons, because it will come back to bite us.”

Ms. Mrozek also waded in.

“Is it because someone’s a woman or that they’re just being an idiot in the public square?” she said.

For the record, I do think women are treated differently than men, in politics and most everywhere else (sometimes women get an undeserved break, other times it’s men). That’s because women and men are different. It’s just one of those things.

_____________________

Andrea updates: When I said that it was not in reference to Helena at all. It was in response to a student who asked whether I thought men and women were treated differently (and she was not covertly asking about Helena either) and I blabbed on about different factors that could play into the equation, concluding with the comment that was picked up. Anyhoo, there ya go. That’s my perspective on the whole thing. Someday I’m bound to be an idiot in the public square myself, and at that point, this comment will come back to haunt me!

LiveAction just released new pro-life posters. I especially like this one:

I am sure many of you were following the story of Baby Isaiah May. I’m sorry to say he died today, shortly after being taken off life support.

Rest in peace, little one.

Smart Girls Know Better. It’s a new blog in infancy, but with much promise. Check it out!

The Economist takes note of the world’s missing women in a manner not unlike my story called Canada’s Lost Daughters.

Must say I never expected this from the Economist. Neither would I expect their insertion of a poignant picture of little pink shoes.

Watching CBC. At 9 pm. Kids in the Hall. Just had a longish segment showing a man playing a woman having an abortion. But the baby lives, and the abortionist raises the baby.

Even if it wasn’t crass and vulgar on a topic near and dear to my heart, I would still say, this is one not funny show.

We really mean it.

Have a look at this – from a 1952 Planned Parenthood pamphlet:

My, how things change…

I should start this post by saying I’m not advocating for teen motherhood.

But I will say that this article about how timing in our culture for mothers is all wrong struck a chord with me. And I’ve recently been having lots of thoughts about how this extended childhood we sanction in our society is ridiculous. People turn 40 and still live as if they were 14, albeit playing video games in their own basement instead of their parents.

Teens can be very capable. We coddle them in our culture. They could be out and about contributing much earlier than we let them. Or than I did, to be very blunt, by pursuing many multiple very important degrees.

Now I can see how one would not win big on the lecture circuit with this point, highlighted by the Globe’s Leah Maclaren of all people, but based on the ideas of one Hilary Mantel who I know not. But not wanting to be outdone on the unpopularity file, I will say this. If teens are going to be moms and dads, they should get married first.

(This moment of political incorrectness was brought to you courtesy of the one who thinks Sarah Palin actually is an advocate for women. Know your source, they say, know your source.)