These are party hats for hamsters (hamsters not included). Via LuLu Witch @ Flickr.
We already know that I’m bad about remembering anniversaries. It’s a character flaw that extends into both my professional and personal life: the Dude and I just decided on our non-iversary date a year or so back, after about 10 years together (it’s December 6th, if you wanna send a card or somethin’). So you won’t be surprised that I’ve missed another one by a few days. And it’s a pretty big one.
Last Sunday, July 26, was the sixth monthiversary of The Pursuit of Harpyness!
A few stats:
- This here post you’re reading right now is the 501st!
- We’ve received 10, 830 comments!!
- We’ve had 611,965 pageviews!!!
But it’s more than just numbers. We’ve had discussions and disagreements, jokes and jerks *waves at trolls*, lessons and… other things that start with L. And its been some damn good fun, so thank you, each one of our 93,155 discrete visitors, for being a part of it.
As with our previous celebrations, we invite lurkers to momentarily de-lurk, like little hamsters in search of party hats, and all readers to weigh in with suggestions for future posts.
I’d like to see you break down some kids shows that are ostensibly quasi-feminist (like PBS’ Word Girl) and see if they pass the Harpyness challenge.
I’d love more coverage of women’s issues/politics in other countries
Just keep doing what you people do!! I love this blog. I’d also like more international coverage and discussion of issues furthur abroad.
@rodriguez: I hear you. But speaking just for myself, I don’t feel all that qualified to write much on politics in other countries because context is everything. With the exception of obvious misogyny and human rights abuses–and hey, there’s no shortage of those!–it can be tricky to take a stand on something if you have limited knowledge of a foreign place/culture/government. I read UK newspapers and spend a few weeks a year there, for example, but when the Labour Party got hammered in the recent elections, the British commenters on this site could probably have written something much more informed than I could.
I’ve been dreaming for ages of writing a piece on ‘Why does the Daily Mail hate Women?’, so perhaps you could do that? On second thoughts, prob just too harrowing for anyone to have to engage with.
Woo, six months! I raise my Diet Coke to you.
I would love to see a post on tattoos. I have several, in visible places, and some of the reactions I get can be highly gender- or age-biased. I think there’s a lot of issues regarding bodies, individual choice, and public/private distinctions going on with tattoos (or any aesthetic body modification). It’s a relatively fluffy topic, but I’d enjoy talking about it here!
@Kari: I wrote a post about Tattoo Barbie a couple months back that touched on some of that, but I am happy to discuss/overshare at greater length. (I have two tattoos and contemplating getting a third).
Kari and Becky – I’d be interested in a post on that – if only because I notice so many more tattoos in the US and that fascinates me.
DexterHaven – ha indeed or as my article would be entitled ‘why does the whole of the UK press hate women? And is it worse if you pretend like the Guardian that you don’t?’
I would love to see more pieces where all Harpies weigh in on feminist talking points like the male gaze and male privilege. One thing that has got me going recently (especially regarding the porn discussions on Jezebel recently) is since maleness is the default, women see things through the same male gaze. Harpies can discuss this and bring in life examples and how media and advertising reflect this.
/end rant sorry
Keep up the great work, guys!
Congrats, Harpies! I’ve enjoyed being along for the ride and I thank you for your patience with my sometimes contentious posts.
I’d like to see discussions about mother/daughter relations, being the mother of a 21 year old (wonderful, beloved) daughter.
Don’t say sorry, JessMess!
That’s something I really like writing about so I will try to incorporate it more, or we can do a seminar.
Love these suggestions. Great ideas for solo pieces or seminars. More, plz.
@SarahMC: Good seminar topic! And we’ll all be in the same place this weekend!
@mischiefmanager: I’m totally up for discussing that, although I have an excellent relationship with my mother, so I have very few first-hand experiences with the difficulties inherent in mother-daughter relationships. I mention my mom a lot on this site as it is, and she just logged her first comment in that cowboy thread from Monday….
Perhaps this is too much my own personal interest, since I’m at the beginning of this journey, but I’d love to see some Harpy discussion about how (specifically) one raises/creates feminist sons/boys/brothers. @Becky, you’ve talked about it before, of course. I’m sure other Harpies or commenters have some experience with this. Since one of the tasks of a feminist is to impress upon non-feminists the need for and benefits of a feminist perspective, I believe this to be my primary feminist goal at this point in life, while I raise my one (and soon, probably two) son(s). What have other people done about it?
elibard, I think that’s an excellent suggestion.
My suggestion: posts concerning female friendships and mentor/mentee relationships that aren’t from the frenemy/underminer perspective. I know that this archetype does present itself sometimes, but I’m just sick of the notion that it governs all female relationships.
I’m just happy that you’re here doing what you do. Congratulations and many happy returns of the day.
I have to vote against internationalizing Harpyness unless you know, it comes up. I like the authentic voices of the writers’ experiences and think there are better places to go for perspectives on the lives of others.
Although I know they don’t generate the most comments, I really enjoy the Honorary Harpies series. You should have a link to all of them so we can just flip through for inspiration sometimes. Harpy hagiography.
I also like when you guys talk about the ways you struggle to be feminist in your every day lives. It’s nice to balance outrage with creative production; keeps me from getting to violent and outward-focused. Empowering I guess. In moderation of course, don’t want to get so self helpy that I depoliticize or navel gaze. It’s a hard balance but I think you guys handle it well.
Congratulations, harpies! Thanks for this site. As for requests… more radical feminism posts from Pilgrim Soul, please.
Congrats Harpies!
Though I am totally biased, I love to read about your thoughts on food, and really, how you enjoy food–it’s become such a social stigma for women to embrace delicious food because if we do, we get fat, and then we are suddenly un-fuckable and therefore irrelevant.
Perhaps it’s my tendency toward (non-creepy) voyeurism, but some of my favorite posts are the ones you Harpies write about yourselves. I find you endlessly interesting, partially because I relate to a lot of your personal stories (thank you, thank you, Ms. Harper, for your HPV overshare several months ago.) I’d love to hear more of where you came from, what your development as a feminist has been like, and what it’s like to live in your individual worlds, with your own careers and lifestyles, as feminists.
Sharper. I meant to write Ms. Sharper.
I love the ethos of this blog. It makes my soul purr like a cat.
I really like elibard’s idea. And I’d probably have ideas of my own, but it’s half two in the morning and the only brain waves I’m getting are static.
Yay you used my photo, I’m so happy.
July 26th was my birthday too.. hence the party hats =)
Thank you for giving me credit.
Lucy
I LOVE the overshares! As mentioned above, it’s interesting to read about how you all incorporate your feminism into your personal lives and everyday decisions.
Also, speaking as a brown girl (daughter of Indian immigrants) I would love to see something about how people of other backgrounds reconcile their cultural expectations of women with American standards or suggestions on how they can. I’m always defending my religion/culture to Americans – since you’re all well-traveled, maybe some observations American vs. other country’s attitudes towards women’s issues.
Sorry if that was vague! I just love hearing opinions from women representing other cultures on Jezebel.
And keep up the great work, of course!
Happy Bday, Lulu. I went back through your photoset; your hammies are adorable. And your teeny craft skills? Impressive.
Happy 6 months Harpies! I’m pretty lurky/reticent by nature, but stop by your site nearly every day. Keep up the awesome work here! It’s definitely made me a better feminist.
Happy half-anniversary! I have been pondering what I’d like to suggest for posts. Generally I enjoy the subject matter here, so instead of content I’d like to suggest a style. I think it would be interesting if the Harpies hosted debates or conversations with other bloggers (or even amongst yourselves). But, then again, I enjoy arguing as an art, so I understand that might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
In the past six months, this has become my go-to website for commentary on feminist issues. I live abroad (in Morocco), so I’ve come to depend on blogs for current events, and I’m always heartened by the thoughtful Harpy posts (and equally thoughtful comments).
I would echo the above request for more international coverage.
[...] Men on Business haven’t been bothering me lately. But JessMess’ suggestion in our anniversary thread reminded me of something [...]
I like elibard’s suggestion. I am very confident in my feminism, and I’m pretty outspoken about it. But I’m about to embark on raising a son. And I was pretty confident that if I were to have a girl I would be totally able to give her the skills to navigate all the bullshit that women face. But my son? Hmm…I’m less than confident that I’ll know how to frame my rhetoric so that he can be empowered by it.
Is there literature on this? I’ve not seen it…
Oh – also – you women are awesome. Thanks for having the motivation, courage, and time to start and maintain this website. I check a couple of times a day to see what’s being written about ‘cuz it keeps my brain from turning to mush.
Keep on keepin’ on.
You guys are great. I don’t say much simply because all the other great contributors on this site usually say it first/better, but I’m here most days and really appreciate the site and everything you guys write. Good work and happy (slightly late) anniversary!
Semi-lurker here. I usually don’t comment because I don’t have anything intelligent to say, and I don’t want to weigh in with an opinion that isn’t thought through properly.
That being said, congradulations! I use Harpyness as one of my main sources of news, because I like my news with witty commentaries.
Late to the party but stopped by to say that this blog is great! It gives me an interesting viewpoint of current events. And I’d like to request more ‘be a bitch’ posts!
[...] got so many good ideas from the comments in our Six Monthiversary post! Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us what you’d like to [...]
[...] response to our Six Monthiversary post, commenter Kari [...]