Post Secret Sunday

New Mormon Post Secret (if you really think about it)

While this may not strike you immediately as a Mormon Post Secret (and it very well may not be), Orson Scott Card is a Mormon, and that qualifies enough for the me post this secret.

To view my collection of Mormon Secrets click here.

New Post Secret (Mormon)

From this Sunday

Sunday Secret of the Mormon variety

From Post Secret, a new Mormon secret was posted this Sunday.  I was going to post it on the blog, but it seems somewhat irreverent.  I remember at my baptism, we were told no picture during the actual ordinance.  I don't know if that is an actual rule or not, but whatever.  I figure I won't make people any more uncomfortable than I already do, so if you choose to, you can view the secret here.  However, know in advance it is a picture of a baptism.

Tidbits from the week

This week has been hard for me, so there is no real put together topic for this post-  it's going to be a little of this, a little of that.  I started my week seeing another feminist secret this week on the Post Secret Blog.  It served as a reminder to me that we are all hypocrites until we're perfect (which I don't really believe to be attainable in this life), so we need to cut others and ourselves some slack.    To the author of this secret:  You are not a failure-  you need help and support.  Don't we all?

I started my book review for Cinderella Ate My Daughter, by Peggy Orenstein.  Get excited for that because it was excellent book, and I have so much to say about it that it is turning into a huge project simply organizing my thoughts about it.  I feel like I am back in college writing a paper.  Anyone with a daughter-Heck, anyone with a kid or who has been a kid- I think you should read this book.  But more on that whenever I have the time to post my book review.

Last week while shopping for some kiddo stuff, I saw this little number in the infant section.  I haven't worked out the details in my mind, but I would rather my little swim naked than swim in this.  I think it has to do with naked being chalked up to her being a baby, but this swimsuit begin sexualization in infancy.  But how?  I need help identifying what it is that makes it so, but I truly believe naked would be more appropriate.  Please leave your ideas in the comments below.  Or if you feel like being more private about it, email me.

Here's another random:  I have noticed recently that it would seem I am more drawn to music from male musicians.  It's weird.  I noticed this because in trying to update my current listening enjoyment, I was trying to balance the female/ male contributions, but overwhelmingly, my musical taste leans towards male voices, with the exception of the Broadway genre.  In Broadway, I think I like female voices because then the range is good for me to rock out along with them.  I would be really interested in finding some statistics or readings on male versus female musicians.  Is this merely my taste in music or there a reason I lean towards male musicians?

While staying at my mom's over the holiday, Baby had the chance to play with both his toys and some of my childhood toys.  I have to admit, when I saw him playing with both his toy truck and my (now his) dollhouse, it warmed my heart and made me smile.  I've seen this meme going around in which a picture showing matchbox cars tucked into doll furniture is accompanied with the caption that this is what happens when you trying to disprove gender stereotypes.  To that I respond that trying to break gender stereotypes after a child has learned them is hard.  Starting from the get-go is another thing entirely.

Lastly, I have been debating whether or not to march in the Charleston Pride Parade this Saturday.  I really want to, but I'm sure there will be repercussions associated with it.  Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?  I would really love ya'll's feedback this week!

Post Secret Mormons

There have been several people who have told me this post is not uplifting and inappropriate.  They report that they do not understand why I would post such things or what my goals are.  To them I say:

Postsecret is not a tiny project; it is huge. It has many followers, and the project itself has no agenda. I think one of the reasons I love the post secret project so much is because of uncensored ideas and feelings of a person without ordering a public flogging- it's more three-dimensional than that. I don't know that I had a goal per se in posting this blog, more of a chance to share secrets- particularly ones that could be uplifting from new people.

With that, enjoy it or don't, but I think general message here is that there is good and bad to everything.  Perspective is huge.

Post Secret Feminists

 I love Post Secret.  If you have not heard of Post Secret, it started out as an art project in which homemade postcards with an anonymous secret were sent to a man named Frank.  Now, millions of secrets have been shared and Frank posts a new batch of secrets every Sunday.  I have come across a few feminists ones.   Check it out at PostSecret.

This was my favorite to come across.  Women need support-  support from men, support from other women-  We need support.  And I truly do believe that we can change the world for the better.

I particularly like this one because I think every feminist has something she does that makes her feel like a fraud.  I wear make-up on occasion because it makes me feel prettier, and I feel like a bad feminist for so doing.  It's just not true, though.  As I have posted before, Jessica Valenti states, "It's about the consciousness behind your decisions."  Am I doing it for me or do I feel like my self-worth is determined by this action?  More on this to come.

This is so painstakingly honest and raw.  Simply believing in a cause doesn't mean that one is immune to the that which she fights against.  I constantly try to push the idea that our worth as women is not determined because of our weights, and yet when I stand in front of the mirror, there are times I wish different things for my body.  

This makes me want to invest in a whole bunch of bumper stickers to stick on misogynists' cars... though, of course, it's illegal, and a very bad idea.  Tee-hee.

I don't know that I have the right to comment on these because they are other people's secrets, but I love the idea that there are others out there, imperfect as we all may be who are working and hoping for a better tomorrow.  The diversity makes it all the better.