On November 8th, Mississippians will go to the polls to vote on three Constitutional Initiatives, among statewide elections for many representatives. One of these initiatives, Statewide Initiative Measure No. 26, has received much media attention, is being heavily debated within Mississippi and elsewhere in the US, and has seriously been stirring my insides. Briefly put, this amendment proposes that personhood be used to define all human beings, beginning at conception or fertilization. In itself this term may not sound very threatening, but it has implications for the very personhood (read rights) of women who will necessarily be carrying these ovum, embryos, fetuses (I insist on using the scientific terms for human gestation, as the 'personhood' proponents insist on using science to advocate for the amendment). More notably, it is not clear how this amendment will effectively alter law and practice in regards to women's reproductive health. In trying to understand the debate, I thought I would just take an easy route and look at what it means to be a person...

Let's start out specifically looking at the wording voters will read on the ballot for this measure:
"Should the term 'person' be defined to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the equivalent thereof?"
At first glance, this might appear as benign a question as could be and it even comes with a stipulation that "the Legislative Budget Office has concluded there is no determinable cost or revenue impact associated with this initiative" (which could be argued...). We might understand this question as asking whether a human female oocyte fertilized by a human male sperm (oovum) is a human (being). Easy enough, yes! This 'human' fertilization is 'human'. So then we might go further and say that it is a human life. If this cell is human and life is defined as any living cell, then yes, it is a human life. But the question does not ask about life; it goes straight to personhood. Before we begin to redefine the term person, we should know what it currently implies... 

• Person (Merriam-Webster): human; individual; one (as a human being, a partnership, or a corporation) that is recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties
• Individual (Merriam-Webster): being an individual or existing as an indivisible whole; existing as a distinct entity
• Rights (Merriam-Webster): the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled
• Duties (Merriam-Webster): conduct due to parents and superiors; obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position

So according to these simple, dictionary definitions, does a fertilized, embryo, fetus qualify as a person?

• Individual: before 23-24 weeks of gestation, humans are not viable outside the uterus of a woman
• Rights: in this case, the 'privilege' would be that of life
• Duties: the only function this being has is to grow and develop (which might raise questions about the dues to the parents... what about congenital anomalies. Did the embryo do something wrong?) 

If it seems unlikely that a child/adult would later be held responsible for his/her actions and consequences while in utero, why would it make sense that he/she would have rights in utero?

If the human being in utero is considered to be a person, with full rights, are these fetal rights more important in the eyes of the law than women's rights? National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) outlines concrete, American examples of women's rights being side-stepped for fetal rights. Unlike you would expect, none of these examples even mention abortion. 

Assuming that these fetal rights could take precedence over women's rights, what might be some other implications for women's reproductive rights? (List compiled from various debates from proponents and opponents, and as reported by the media + a bit of my own judgement + attempt at a little humor.)

• Most likely: banning abortions (proponents seem to be aiming for 'no exceptions') and emergency contraception (plan B, copper IUD insertion following potential fertilization before implantation), pregnant women counting as 2 in the census...
• Likely: banning of certain types of birth control (IUDs, others that prevent implantation of fertilized egg)...
• Less likely: prosecuting women who have spontaneous abortions/miscarriages, banning of all birth control, illegalizing in vitro fertilization (IVF)=advocates for that are also really powerful, pregnant women alone in a car being able to use the carpool lane because she actually counts as 2...

It never ceases to amaze me that pro-life can be understood to mean: stripping rights from a woman to ensure rights to a less-than-50%-chance-of-viable-life (estimated that approximately 50% of fertilized eggs do not make it to viability). In Canada, women fought for their right to be considered persons under the law back in 1917. I bet Emily Murphy never thought future generations of women would also fight for such rights, especially not against their own fetuses.

As a kid, I loved Barbie. I had a collection of over 30 Barbie dolls, along with her friends and family (Ken, Skipper, Kelly, even the quintuplets). Actually, I had the whole crew and everything they needed: from the clothes and accessories to the cars and motor homes. And I loved creating imaginary worlds for them: scenarios only fit for trashy soap operas. My mom still says that I went from Barbies to Boys, and she's probably right! 

As much as I loved Barbie, I now feel like I should be ashamed of being such a devout follower. Doesn't Barbie have a negative influence on women's image, self-esteem, and health? For example, the photos below that I found on wikipedia (from user CarrieBee)  show some of Barbie's accessories from 1965: a scale permanently set to 110lbs and her "How to lose weight" booklet (the answer: Don't Eat!). Over the years, Barbie has promoted an unattainable body weight and type AND unhealthy eating (Oreo, McDonald's, and Coca-Cola Barbie). 

In 1998, The Body Shop released ads in their 'Love Your Body' campaign that featured a Barbie-type image, but with a bit more weight, some images more than others. Mattel didn't like the message the campaign was trying to portray and they requested that the ads not be used. They're resurfacing now on social media, especially facebook. 

Not only is Barbie being blamed for negatively impacting generations of women and their body image. Greenpeace has also come out with 'Barbie the rain forest serial killer' campaign (based on the packaging for everything 'Barbie'). Ken has even dumped Barbie because he "doesn't date girls that are into deforestation". 

I sure loved you Barbie, but I think you need a makeover!

Il était une fois sur une autre planète, un jeune homme qui se préparait à avoir un rapport sexuel pour la première fois. Cela l'angoissait, car il n'avait jamais rencontré aucun homme qui ait réussi à faire l'amour. Il décida donc d'en parler avec ses copains pour bénéficier de leur expérience.

- J'avais vraiment envie de le faire, dit l'un d'entre eux, mais le docteur m'a dit que mon pénis était trop petit.
- Vraiment, s'exclama un autre, moi, on m'a dit que le mien était trop gros.
- Je voulais essayer, mais ça n'a pas marché, je n'arrivais pas à satisfaire ma femme, dit un troisième.
- Moi, je n'ai jamais voulu le faire. C'est tellement bestial ! Nous ne sommes quand même pas des animaux. Je sais qu'on dit que le pénis est ce qu'il y a de mieux, mais j'ai fait l'amour artificiellement à toutes mes femmes, et elles en ont toujours toutes été très satisfaites.
- Mais est-ce que tu n'as pas divorcé sept fois ? demanda le jeune homme. 
- Oui, mais ça n'a vraiment aucun rapport.
- Moi, j'ai entendu dire qu'il fallait se préparer avant pendant plusieurs mois, endurcir son pénis, le frotter régulièrement avec un tissu rugueux, ce genre de choses...
- Et puis, il ne faut pas rester plus longtemps que quelques minutes les premières fois, sinon ça fait mal.
- Mon cousin m'a raconté que ça lui avait fait abominablement mal. Il a eu des crevasses et ça saignait. Il a abandonné au bout de deux fois.
- Moi, j'ai un ami qui faisait l'amour naturellement, ça semblait vraiment être toute une affaire. Chaque fois que je le voyais, soit il avait fait récemment l'amour à sa femme, soit il allait le faire bientôt. Je lui ai dit qu'elle ne devait pas être satisfaite, sinon elle ne voudrait pas le faire aussi souvent, et qu'il devrait compléter avec un vibromasseur, mais il m'a dit qu'il ne voulait pas.
- Et bien, j'ai quand même vraiment envie d'essayer, conclut le jeune homme.
- Comme tu veux, dit l'ami qui avait un trop gros pénis. Quand même, impose dès le départ à ta femme un planning précis pour vos relations sexuelles, sinon elle va te manipuler. 

Le jeune homme se posait toujours beaucoup de questions et il décida d'en parler à son médecin.

- Oui, bien sûr, je vous comprends, lui répondit-il paternellement. Mais que voulez-vous, beaucoup d'hommes n'arrivent pas à satisfaire leurs femmes uniquement avec leur pénis. Même avec des séances d'information ou des livres et malgré tous leurs efforts, des tas d'hommes n'y arrivent tout simplement pas. On appelle ça le syndrome d'insuffisance pénienne. Je sais que vous avez envie d'essayer, et je pense que c'est très méritoire de votre part. Mais je vous conseille quand même de prendre ce vibromasseur, juste au cas où. Regardez, il faut l'insérer comme ceci, vous voyez, pour qu'il pénètre selon le bon angle, et ensuite...

Lorsque fut venu le grand moment, le jeune homme était nerveux et angoissé, mais bien déterminé à faire les choses au mieux. Il fit très attention de bien respecter toutes les consignes. Il regarda bien l'horloge et arrêta exactement au bout du temps prescrit. Le résultat fut un lamentable échec. Sa femme était très frustrée. Lui aussi. Il ne comprenait pas pourquoi ça s'était aussi mal passé. Il avait fait scrupuleusement tout ce qu'on lui avait dit de faire. Sa femme essaya de le consoler, lui dit qu'elle l'aimait, qu'ils apprendraient ensemble, que les choses s'arrangeraient avec le temps. 

Mais la fois suivante, le jeune homme se dit qu'il ne supporterait pas de la voir à nouveau aussi déçue, et il décida d'essayer le vibromasseur, juste pour cette fois. Hélas! Personne ne lui avait jamais parlé du risque de confusion pénis-vibromasseur. Très rapidement, sa femme développa une nette préférence pour le vibromasseur, et se mit à refuser le pénis. Dans un sens, il préférait le vibromasseur, lui aussi. Il savait toujours quelle stimulation sa femme avait reçue exactement, et s'il avait besoin de s'absenter pendant plusieurs jours, quelqu'un d'autre pouvait satisfaire sa femme à sa place. C'était beaucoup plus facile de la laisser avec le vibromasseur et de vaquer à ses petites affaires. 

Quand il était avec sa femme, il se sentait triste, déçu et incompétent; alors, il travaillait de plus en plus, et il passait de moins en moins de temps à la maison. Ce n'était pas du tout comme ça qu'il avait imaginé que se passeraient les choses, mais il ne voyait vraiment pas quoi faire pour que ce soit différent. Un jour, il prit son courage à deux mains, et demanda au copain qui connaissait un homme qui faisait l'amour naturellement, de lui en donner les coordonnées.

- Bonjour, lui dit-il au téléphone, j'aimerais bien avoir des informations sur les relations sexuelles naturelles. Je n'ai pas réussi avec ma femme actuelle, et j'aimerai bien savoir comment faire, pour quand je serai avec ma prochaine femme. Je voudrais vraiment y arriver. 
- Vous êtes mariés depuis combien de temps ?
- Quelques mois.
- Oh ! Mais si vous voulez faire l'amour avec votre femme, il n'est pas trop tard, vous savez. 

Il l'invita à venir à une réunion de la Cosa League (cosa : terme d'argot espagnol pour le pénis), une association qui informait et soutenait les hommes qui souhaitaient faire l'amour naturellement. À sa première réunion, le jeune homme fut tout d'abord stupéfait, il n'aurait jamais cru qu'il y avait autant d'hommes qui faisaient l'amour naturellement. C'était vraiment merveilleux de les entendre parler de leurs difficultés et expliquer comment ils avaient réussi à les surmonter. Pour la première fois, il se sentit plein d'espoir.

- À votre avis, qu'est ce que je devrais faire ? demanda-t-il à l'animateur à la fin de la réunion.
- La première chose, c'est de vous débarrasser du vibromasseur.
- Oh ! Eh bien, je... je... je ne sais pas si ... comment ma femme va-t-elle le prendre ?
- Ça, c'est sûr, ça ne va pas être facile au départ. Elle ne va pas être contente. Mais si vous êtes patient et persévérant, elle finira pas accepter de reprendre votre pénis et elle s'habituera à la sensation particulière qu'il prodigue.
- Mais ... si ne j'arrive pas à la satisfaire ?
- Il ne faut pas vous décourager si ça ne marche pas du premier coup. Il vous faudra un peu de temps pour arriver à comprendre les besoins de votre femme, mais ça viendra avec la pratique.
- Ah ! ... Et... il faut le faire à quelle fréquence, et ça doit durer combien de temps ?
- Il n'y a pas de règles. Voyez comment cela se passe, faites à la demande, regardez votre femme, pas l'horloge ni le calendrier, elle saura vous montrer ce qui lui convient le mieux.

La première fois, sa femme n'avait visiblement aucune envie d'abandonner le vibromasseur. Elle protesta énergiquement lorsqu'il lui offrit son pénis et lui tourna froidement le dos. La fois suivante, elle finit par l'accepter avec beaucoup de réticence, mais, à la grande joie du jeune homme, une fois qu'elle l'eut accepté, elle le garda longtemps et sembla satisfaite. Il était ravi ! Ca marchait ! Il avait réussi à faire l'amour naturellement ! Avec son pénis ! La fois suivante, lorsqu'elle demanda le vibromasseur, il lui offrit à nouveau son pénis avec tendresse. Elle refusa quelques minutes, puis l'accepta. Plus jamais par la suite elle ne redemanda le vibromasseur. La vie du jeune homme fut totalement transformée. Faire l'amour n'était plus du tout une corvée. Il n'avait plus du tout envie d'être loin de sa femme, ni que quelqu'un d'autre s'occupe d'elle à sa place avec un vibromasseur. C'était à chaque fois aussi merveilleux de voir sa femme heureuse et satisfaite grâce à ce qu'il lui donnait avec son propre corps. Il se sentait viril, bien dans sa peau, et avait maintenant autant envie que sa femme de faire souvent l'amour. Quand il pensait à tous ces hommes et à toutes leurs femmes qui n'avaient pas la chance de connaître une expérience aussi gratifiante, il se sentait très triste pour eux. 

Un jour, alors qu'il était avec ses copains, l'un d'eux se mit à parler des avantages du tout nouveau modèle de vibromasseur qu'il venait d'acheter; ils commencèrent à comparer les avantages et inconvénients des divers vibromasseurs existant sur le marché. Le jeune homme déclara soudain:

- Nous, nous avons jeté le nôtre !
- Vous avez quoi ?
- On l'a flanqué à la poubelle. De toutes façon, ça faisait un moment qu'on ne s'en servait plus jamais. Silence stupéfait
- Mais alors, comment vous faites ? demanda le copain " trop gros ".
- Eh bien, je fais l'amour moi-même.
- Mais pourquoi ? C'est aussi bien avec un vibromasseur!
- Ca ne te fait pas mal ?
- Tu n'en as pas marre ?
- C'est pas vrai ! Tu n'as quand même pas été voir ces fanatiques de la Cosa League ! dit le copain qui trouvait ça bestial.
- Ce ne sont pas des fanatiques, répondit calmement le jeune homme. Ils m'ont donné toutes les informations dont j'avais besoin pour réussir, et je suis très heureux de les avoir écoutés.
- Mince alors ! Vous allez voir les mecs, la prochaine chose qu'il va faire, c'est arrêter de se raser ! Tout le monde éclata de rire 
- Oh! Ou bien laisser sa femme dormir dans son lit avec lui !
- Mais comment est-ce que tu feras si tu dois partir pendant plusieurs jours ? demanda le copain qui était " trop petit " lorsque l'hilarité fut un peu calmée. Et puis, ça va finir par t'abîmer le pénis !
- Attends-toi à sacrifier à ta femme tous les plaisirs de l'existence ! clama le copain sept fois divorcé.
- Mon pauvre vieux, tu vas devenir complètement ramolli du bulbe !
- Tu ne comptes quand même pas faire ça toute ta vie ! C'est de la folie douce !

Le jeune homme écoutait sans mot dire toutes ces réflexions et moqueries.

Cela ne l'atteignait pas. Il se sentait tellement heureux, tellement sûr d'avoir fait le bon choix. Qu'importait les petits problèmes que ce choix impliquait parfois, en regard de tout ce qu'il lui apportait de bonheur et d'amour!

On another planet, a young man was preparing for his first sexual encounter. He was nervous, since he had never spoken to anyone who had ever done it successfully. He decided to ask some of his friends about their experiences. The Compleat Mother

"I really wanted to!" exclaimed one, but my doctor said my penis was too small." 

"Really!" interrupted another. "My doctor said mine was too large!" 

"I wanted to too, but it turns out I didn't have enough to satisfy her." said another. 

"I never wanted to! Its so gross! I'd feel like an animal or something. I know they say that penis is best, but all mine were artificially aroused and they were happy and satisfied," said the oldest in the group. 

"Haven't you been divorced seven times?" asked the young man. 

"Yes, but that had nothing to do with it." he said. 

"I hear you need to toughen it up before you do it. You know, scrub it with a loofah or something." said one friend. 

"And you can't let her go for any longer than a couple of minutes at first, or you'll get sore." 

"My cousin said it was incredibly painful. He penis cracked and bled. He only lasted a couple of days. Thank God we have alternatives today," said the friend who was "too small." 

"I have a friend who did it," said one, almost whispering. 

"It seemed like a lot of work to me. Every time I talked to him it seemed like he had just finished or was just about to make love to his wife. I told him surely she was not being satisfied or she wouldn't be wanting it again so soon. I told him he needed to supplement with a vibrator. He wouldn't go for it." 

"Well, I really think I want to try." said the young man. 

"Good for you!" said his "too big" friend. "But be sure you get her on a schedule or she will manipulate you." 

The young man was so confused as he left he decided to ask his physician about it. 

"I understand your concern." said his doctor, placing a hand on his shoulder. A lot of men, especially our first timers are unable to meet their women's needs with their penises. Taking classes, reading books, doesn't seem to help. Despite all their best efforts, many men just can't. Its called insufficient penis syndrome. I know you want to try, and I think that is great, but let me send you home with this vibrator just in case. Look, its bent, or angled to insure that you do her in a semi-upright position." 

The young man gratefully took the vibrator home and thought about all the things he had heard. When the time finally came he was determined to do it naturally. 

He was excited and nervous. He tried to do everything right. He watched the clock and stopped after exactly the prescribed period of time. The event was a humiliating failure. His woman was frustrated and upset. He couldn't understand it. He had done everything he was told to do. 

His honey told him she loved him and that his touch was sufficient, and together they would learn to get it right, but the next time she seemed interested he thought, "Just this once I'll use the vibrator. I can't stand the thought of her going unsatisfied. 

No one had warned him of the danger of penis confusion. Soon she developed a preference for the vibrator and rejected the penis altogether. In a way, he preferred it too. If he needed to get away sometimes, anyone could satisfy her. And though he heard he should hold her every time to promote bonding, it got easier and easier to prop her in the corner with the vibrator while he went about doing his chores. 

It was important for him to keep busy. If allowed time to feel, he always felt vaguely cheated and sad. Being a lover was not at all what he had hoped. He wanted to get away from his wife. He resented her demands and felt inadequate to meet her needs. The closeness that he longed for never developed. 

One day he got up the courage to ask his friend for the phone number of the man he knew who "did it." 

"Hi," said the young man. "I got your number from a friend. I would like some information on lovemaking. I wasn't able to with my first love and if I ever have another, I really want to make love to her myself." 

"How old is your relationship?" asked the man on the phone. 

"Just a few months," said the young man sadly. 

"Would you like to make love to your wife now? Its not too late!" said the man. 

"Do you really think I could?" asked the young man. He felt hopeful for the first time in ages. They talked for some time and the man invited him to a La Cosa League meeting. (La Cosa is Spanish for The Thing, and slang for penis.) La Cosa League was a group dedicated to providing support and information to men who wanted to make love to their women. He was amazed at how many men were doing it and was encouraged by men who had overcome many obstacles to successfully satisfy their wives. 

"What do I need to do?" the young man asked, wide-eyed and determined. 

"The first thing you need to do, is get rid of the vibrator. The young man did not know how to respond. A rock of nerves formed in the pit of his stomach. 

"I couldn't possibly..." 

"Now your woman may object a bit, but persevere. She will quickly become accustomed to the feel of your body." 

"What if I can't satisfy her?" the young man asked. 

The leader assured him that even if it took a while, with practice he should have no trouble. 

"Well, how often, and for how long?" 

"Take your cues from her," responded one of the men. "Watch your wife, not the clock." 

His mind reeled as he drove home. He thought over all the things he had heard. How come no one had ever told him this before? It seemed so radical, but somehow it felt right. 

At first his woman was not interested at all in switching. She protested when he offered her the penis. Refused it cold. But with patience and persistence she eventually accepted it. 

He was amazed that once she took it, she did not seem to want to let go. He had never been so elated in his whole life. He had done it! He had made love to his wife! With his own body! 

The next time his wife requested the vibrator he gently and lovingly offered the penis again. She fussed some but quickly accepted him. He was even more excited than the first time. He had worried then that it was a lucky fluke, but now he believed he really could do it. To his delight, his wife never asked for the vibrator again. 

The transformation in his attitude toward his wife was remarkable. He no longer resented midnight lovemaking sessions. He felt a bond with her like he had never known. He didn't want other people satisfying her, and he didn't want to get away. His attitude about himself also changed. He felt so confident and calm. He was not inadequate, and he was not replaceable. He hurt when he thought of all the men who didn't know what he knew. He felt even sorrier for their women. As he watched his wife thrive on his love alone his enthusiasm for lovemaking grew harder and harder to contain. One day while talking with his old friends someone brought up the latest advancement in vibrators. They blithely discussed the merits of the latest tool when he excitedly blurted, "We've thrown ours away."

The room fell silent. 

"What?" asked the friend with the "too small" penis. 

"We've thrown the vibrator away" he said again. 

"Well what do you use then?" asked the friend with the "too large" penis. 

"I make love to her myself," he said. 

"Why would you want to go and do something like that?" 

"Doesn't it hurt?" 

"You'll be sorry." 

"Oh No! You haven't been hanging around with those fanatics from La Cosa League, have you?" asked his friend who "could not." 

"They aren't fanatics," the young man said calmly. "They gave me a lot of good information and I'm very happy with my decision. 

The men burst out laughing. "Next thing you know, he is going to stop shaving," joked the divorced one. 

"Oh! Or letting her sleep in his bed." roared another. 

"You've really done it now," said the "too small" one, sobering up. "What are you going to do if you have to leave her for a while? And you'd better hope she doesn't start biting!" 

"Be prepared to give up your life. warned the divorced one. 

"Your brain is going to turn to oatmeal." 

The young man thought carefully about that and smiled to himself. He didn't feel like he was giving up anything, especially in the light of all he had gained. 

"You know," he said, "I think I like it as much as she does." 

"Boy, You really are a radical." 

I just arrived on this Monday morning from a weekend away (visiting a potential grad school for the fall) and it has been a bit of a rough start to the week. Maybe because I spent 20+ hours with Greyhound Buslines over the last 4 days? 

In any case, I wanted to quickly send a shout-out that the TEDxConcordia talks are online! I came across them, serendipitously,through Lenny Rachitsky's tweet. I'll be adding the links to the talks I mentioned in my previous post on the event, but in the meantime, here's where you can watch the talks. 

Hoping these talks might lead to some inspiration for you, as they did for me! 

I know, I know... what a "disappointing" title, right? I just couldn't help it, though, because I want to comment on a few "disappointments" I have come across today through fellow bloggers, tweeters, and facebookers: 

1. Anti-Breastfeeding Campaign site equates breastfeeding a baby/young child to pedophilia 
2. 'Unwanted' homosexuality? There's an app for that! 
3. Charlie Sheen's one man show to be hosted by Boston University, among other US city venues

My objective is not to rant-rant-rant in this post, but to share my confusion and lack of understanding for the topics above. Maybe some one of you will be able to point me toward more information so that these situations make more sense? Then again, maybe you'll just share in my disappointment... 

Anti-Breastfeeding Campaign site equates breastfeeding a baby/young child to pedophilia 
Although I was reticent to even share the link, to avoid publicizing this Website, I think it's important to check it out on your own: http://sites.google.com/site/antibreastfeedingcampaign. Also since it was created using google sites, you can report the site if you find the content offensive and/or inappropriate. The site seems quite radical, boasting positions not only on breastfeeding but also on "spreading viruses" and anorexia, and maybe even a little fake. If it isn't for real, great! If it is; however, I find it quite concerning to proclaim that breastfeeding a baby is pedophilia because it stimulates the breast which is a sexual organ (according to this anti-breastfeeding campaign). Yes, breasts are sexual. Yes, women can be aroused sexually through nipple stimulation. Yes, the hormone oxytocin is released during breastfeeding AND orgasm. BUT it is also released during labour , as well as moments of tenderness and love, whether these moments are with a romantic partner, a friend or between a mother - or father - and child. It will come as no surprise that this campaign is also associated to the promotion of asexual human reproduction, which its representatives have chosen to call "cloning". Do they know that IVF is not cloning? Then again, even IVF or artificial insemination require ejaculation, which is sexual... Check it out for yourselves and drop me a line! 

'Unwanted' homosexuality? There's an app for that! 
In other news, you may have seen info circulating on social networks about an app released this week to cure "being gay". Exodus, an organization with the mission to "[mobilize] the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality", released an iPhone app that "lets users access the ministry's events, blog, videos, podcasts, and Facebook page". The story caught my attention on Owning Pink in a blog post by Dr. Lissa Rankin, an OBGYN turned "Pink Medecine Woman Coach". You can read what she had to say here, which led me to the petition by Truth Wins Out, a non-profit organization that fights anti-gay religious extremism.
I won't link to the petition though, because Apple listened to the over 150,000 people who spoke out against the app: it was removed last night. Have a look at Exodus's response and Truth Wins Out's release.  Although I do understand the "oh no you didn't just take away my freedom of expression" position, I definitely don't agree with a "let's cure homosexuality" app. That said, I didn't get a chance to see the app itself and do not know Exodus. What do you think?


Charlie Sheen's one man show to be hosted by Boston University, among other US city venues
Final disappointment of the day... After his show got cancelled, Charlie Sheen decided to take his (one-man) show on the road. I won't elaborate too much on the who-what-where-why of Sheen himself, as I'm sure you've seen something about him in media lately. However, my dislike lies more in the fact that people are prepared to pay 100$+ to see him and that institutions such as Boston University are 'happily' hosting him. Oh well... 

 I'll try to balance this post with an "Inspirations of the day" in the next post!

The yoga mat is a place of reflection, discipline, vulnerability, and... each person who practices yoga regularly or has ever tried yoga could probably add their own characteristics to my short list. Usually, with the New Year, we want to start fresh and perhaps challenge ourselves with some goals. January 2011 didn't feel like a fresh start, for me. I went into this New Year with much apprehension. It was a whole new ball game, leaving me with conflicting emotions, distraction, and restlessness.

With the transformation of my romantic relationship into a long-distance "endeavor" and "too much" on my plate (as always), I just couldn't get myself to the yoga mat. At first, I attributed it to lazy-ness, which it may very well have been. But then, I tried to dig deeper to see the reasons behind my... fear of sitting cross-legged, closing my eyes, and letting my breath take over, as I do at the beginning of a yoga practice. It unfolded over a few days: I didn't want to look inside myself. I was afraid of what I would find: the restlessness and distraction that was making me unproductive in most spheres in my life and that feeling of missing. 

I tried getting motivated by the Yoga Journal's 21-day challenge... but failed and wanted even less to do with it. Then I did some meditating and reflecting with a book I found at the library (oh serendipity!) called NOW!, which you can get a glimpse of Google Books. It really helped to focus me at work and in my community involvement... for the short time that I read in it every couple days. 

So here I am again... not back a square one, because I saw that pushing myself to get passed the slump in yoga-meditation practice helps me in every aspect of my life (this even includes living fully my long-distance relationship, rather than "dealing" with it or "managing" it). But definitely needing to get over another slump. And with that thought, I'm out and getting back on the mat !

Namaste

TED describes itself as a small non profit; yet, this organization sets out to accomplish no small feat. Since its inception in 1984, TED has devoted its activities to "Ideas Worth Spreading". Starting out with a conference bringing together the worlds of Technology, Entertainment, and Design, it has grown both in scope of the topics covered and size. In addition to the annual TED Conference (US) and TEDGlobal (UK), TED encompasses special topic/place conferences, TEDPrize, TEDFellows, TEDtalks (videos of the "talks" from TED conferences on-line), as well as TEDx Events. TEDx are events organized independently but with the TED name, image, concept... it's also a way to make TED (more) accessible (and to more people)!

I had the priviledge of attending a TEDx event last week: TEDxConcordia in Montreal, Canada. From 9am to 6pm, I saw 15 live talks and 4 video TEDtalks, enjoyed the company of a former work colleague, and met two interesting people whom would never have crossed my path otherwise. Needless to say, I came out of Loyola College with my brain in mush from over-stimulation and idea sharing. It was truly a wonderful experience that I  hope to repeat at other TEDx Events and I can only dream to have the opportunity to attend a TED. Here are some of my highlights from TEDxConcordia.

FAVE TALK: Losing Serendipity? by Lenny Rachitsky
Looking back at my notes, I'm wondering why I didn't write any more down during this talk... then it hits me: I was way too into it to do much scribbling. After listening to Lenny Rachitsky speak for all of 18 minutes (oh yeah, forgot to mention all talks are 18-minutes or less... which means a lot more idea-sharing in a lot less time!), if someone now asks me about my "beliefs", I think I will answer "Serendipity". He put a word, a concept on the way I have been - and will continue to - live my life. Lenny also asked us to reflect on the fragile nature of serendipity... with Google brining us ads based on "what we already" like and news that we've identified we want to read, with our social networks on facebook and twitter getting bigger but more concentrated and focused on the same kind of people who enjoy the same kinds of things. Lenny's talk met up with Mitch Joel's presentation in my mind and I started imagining my world as smaller, less social, and lacking serendipity. Rather than scared, though, I couldn't help but be encouraged by our acknowledgement of these issues. So do go to the library and pick out a book from a random section you've never been to, read through the New York Times in skimmer customized to "serendipity", and retweet that post on that topic your friends have never heard anything about... cultivate serendipity in your life!

SCARED SHITLESS TALK: Digital Legacy by Adele MacAlear
Adele MacAlear told us at the beginning of her talk that she is referred as the "death chick" at times... great! Why? Because she questions what happens to our digital/web self after we die, but that's not what she was as TEDxConcordia to talk about. Instead, Adele tackled our digital legacy. Not what Google and other services archives here and there, but our own, personal digital legacies. How many of us have printed photos? Barely anyone, right? Why would we do such a non-environmentally friendly thing? Well... what if facebook shuts down tomorrow and jpegs are no longer supported by any program. Will we lose all our photos? What a scary thought, Adele... and now I've passed it on to you. Her suggestion: curating content and not only digital archiving, but paper archiving too. Add that to the TO-DO list! 

Tara Hunt also helped me confirm I'm not an entrepreneur and although je lève mon chapeau to all you entrepreneurs out there, I don't want to be part of your crazy club! Paul Gillett introduced me to Open Courseware and the fact that over 240 institutions world-wide offer their courses online, for free, to everyone! Check it out at: www.ocwconsortium.org. For MIT classes, which Paul specifically spoke about, check out: www.ocw.mit.edu. Although it doesn't come with a diploma, it brings a whole new meaning to online education.

And finally, for your viewing pleasure, I leave you with two TEDtalks that were featured at TEDxConcordia: Steven Johnson presenting where ideas come from and Derek Sivers on starting a movement. Enjoy!

What better way to kickstart my blogging than with a topic I've been meaning to address for months: the big money race to cure women of their sexual dysfunctions. Orgasm Inc., a documentary by Liz Canner and her wonderful team, takes us on the pharmaceutical roller coaster of developing a way to "cure" Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD). That's right: it's even got an illness-y name and acronym!

So what is FSD? It's not based on any new medical evidence, according to Dr. Susan Bennett, who teaches human sexuality at Harvard Medical School. And it doesn't seem to be associated to any general physiological issue. In fact, many commentators featured in Orgasm Inc. believe that FSD has been constructed mostly by pharmaceutical companies. After all, FDA approval necessitates that a drug specifically treat a disorder... and pharmaceutical companies just happened to be sitting at the discussion table when FSD was "found".

Currently, there are a minimum of 12 companies racing for FDA approval of their earth-shattering FSD treatments. A few ideas they are testing:
-The Orgasmatron: consisting of electrodes treaded up the spinal cord with a remote control to adjust the electrical parameters
-Viagra: using it "off-label", as it has been approved for erectile dysfunction only and even if it was shown to be ineffective in women during Pfizer's clinical trials
-Genealogical plastic surgery: giving women the "choice" to make changes to their vulva
-Intrinsa: testosterone patch (this one was refused FDA approval; however, it was approved in the European Union)
-Alista cream
-Testosterone spray

Would you be attracted to these options? From the number crunching shown in Orgasm Inc., many American women are waiting for such a miracle solution. A few interesting American "stats" from the film:
-40,000 women are affected by FSD
-43% of women suffer from female sexual dysfunction
-1/3 of women over the age of 25 have problems with orgasmic dysfunction
...could any of those be related to these:
-1 in 6 women will be a victim of sexual assault in her lifetime
-80% of women have body image issues 
-many women believe "something is wrong" if they experience any or all of the following: vaginal dryness and low libido (both potential symptoms of hormonal birth control methods, such as The Pill), difficulty reaching orgasm (especially if this difficulty is during vaginal penetration), inability to have multiple-mind-blowing orgasms on demand (ok... so maybe I exagerated that last one!!).

It makes me wonder, among other questions, about our perception of normalcy. Who gets to tell women they are abnormal or dysfunctional? Especially when it comes to our sexual intimacy and orgasm, should we base personal experiences on any norm? On the flip side, how can we ignore all the idealistic messages around us?

As you may have been able to tell, I didn't want to ruin any surprises from Orgasm Inc. I do encourage you to watch this great documentary. Find out about the latest screenings on TV or at a theater near you (being distributed in Canada and the US in 2011)! You can also stream it in Canada on CBC's The Passionate Eye. 

But before you go out and watch it, a word of caution as stated on the film's website: "ORGASM INC. will change the way you think about sex"... and from me: it will change - hopefully - the way you think about pharmaceuticals' influence on our perceptions of health, illness, and "needing to be cured"!

Seriously though, do we need a pill (spray, patch, cream) or a map of female genitalia (clitoris: you are here!)?