'D' is for Disorder: Femiwha?

I was having a discussion with my partner today about why I consider myself to be a feminist. He wanted to know why, if what I wanted was equal rights for women, I didn't consider myself a humanist instead, and I thought I better spend some time chewing on that.

I recently listened to an audiobook by Caitlin Moran called How to Be a Woman (which I highly recommend, by the way... Hilarious!). At one point she poses this question to any woman who doesn't consider herself a feminist:
"What part of liberation for women is not for you? Is it the freedom to vote? Is it the right to not be owned by the man you marry? The campaign for equal pay? Vogue by Madonna? Jeans?"
Although I don't necessarily agree with everything that Ms. Moran wrote in her book - I don't recommend tasting menstrual blood. NOT because I think menstrual secretions are particularly nasty, but because it's a bodily secretion. I also don't think it's a good idea to taste urine, nasal secretions, pus, or earwax - I did really enjoy her writing and think everyone who cares about women (or is a woman or likes to laugh) should read it.

Anyhow, I'm going continue to call myself a feminist until women around the world don't need to be afraid of being gang-raped if they take the bus after dark, and girls don't get shot for going to school.

BTW, Plan Canada runs a project called Because I Am a Girl that supports communities and families in developing parts of the world by empowering girls and women. Did you know that If 10% more girls attend school, a country’s GDP increases by an average of 3%? I just learned that on their website :)

Weeks in Review

Unfortunately, my last couple of weeks have been relatively unproductive. I've been at work, and I've spent lots of free time wishing winter would end, but otherwise things have been a bit dull.

The highlight of my knitting life is that I finished my Owls!! It turned out great and it's soft and comfy and very warm :) I also finished the fine mittens I was working on for the KAL, which have been very well received, and I enjoyed the experience so much, I cast on a pair of socks and finished those too! I'm still working on my mum's sweater, but I'll talk more about that in a minute.

I'm so very ashamed to admit to the world that I haven't done any studying, but there it is . I haven't picked up my course materials once... Not even with my shiny new iPad. I now have about one month to double the amount of work I did in the last year to be able to register to write the IBCLCE this summer. Oops?

WIPs

My only knitting work in progress right now is my mum's sweater, and unfortunately I've had to rip it back again. I was about to start the ribbing for the waist but when I had my mum try it on she felt it was a bit snug around the middle. I want this to be a comfortable sweater that she can throw on and lounge in, so I decided to rip it back to the underarms and do the body over again without the waist shaping. It was sad and frustrating to rip back, but I know my mum and I will both be happier with the finished product.

I'm still picking away on my Light My Fire spindling project and still really enjoying that. There's something so peaceful and zennish about spindling. It makes my toes curl a bit in pleasure, feeling the soft fluffy fibre pass through my fingers and become a sturdy yarn.