This is part nine in a nine-part series on Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. A full TOC, complete with links for easy navigation, is included at the bottom of each post.

Spoiler alert: Danger ahead, oh the horra! Plot spoilers abound! If you haven’t yet read the book, consider yourself warned. In fact, back away from this blog asap, go borrow The Handmaid’s Tale from your local library, and come back when you’re done. We’ll still be on the internets, promise.

The Handmaid’s Tale, The Dramatization (BBC Radio 4, 2000)

The dramatization of The Handmaid’s Tale produced and aired by BBC Radio 4 in 2000 is more than a direct reading of the novel. Rather, it’s a full-cast performance, complete with sound effects, that puts the film version to shame.

In direct contrast to Volker Schlöndorff’s 1990 film effort, the producers of the 2000 BBC 4 radio dramatization of The Handmaid’s Tale succeed in creating a moving reenactment of the novel - without sacrificing any of Margaret Atwood’s vision. Granted, the BBC audio recording is a bit lengthier than the film; it spans three CDs, totaling no more than 4.5 hours (the film clocks in at 109 minutes), allowing extra time for Kate’s narration to unfold. Still, even the producers of the BBC dramatization had to cut several prominent sequences in order to condense the story. Unlike Schlöndorff and company, they chose wisely, and also reworked other aspects of the dramatization to compensate for the lost pieces of the novel.

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Last week, after receiving the umpteenth “Obama is a secret Muslim/chain smoker/Communist/reverse racist/serial liar/anti-Christ” from my father - all of which are easily debunked via Snopes, which he claims to do before forwarding to all - I asked him not-so-nicely to please stop with the racist/sexist/homophobic emails already; and, while we’re at it, please to stop sending me anything even remotely political, as we clearly have radically different views, and I’m not even planning to vote Obama anywho, as he’s not progressive enough for my hippie socialist ass.

A few days later, this arrived in my inbox.

—– Original Message —–
To: Kelly Garbato
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 5:03 PM
Subject: FW: VIRUS WARNING!

—– Forwarded Message —-

Email Warning! -

If you get an e-mail with ‘Nude Photos of Sarah Palin’ in the subject line, do not open it. It might contain a virus.

If you get an e-mail with ‘Nude Photos of Hillary Clinton,’ do not open it.

It might contain nude photos of Hillary Clinton.

You know, the man has two daughters. I wonder if the thought even crosses his mind that this sort of misogynist garbage - i.e., that a woman’s worth lies solely in her fuckability - applies to us just as much as it does public figures such as Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin.

Oh, but wait, it’s just Hillary Clinton he has a problem with; I’m sure he doesn’t hate all women. And clearly this was meant as a compliment to the “lovely” Mrs. Palin; in fact, she should be flattered!

Not.

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Tagged: kiss my right buttock hillary clinton sarah palin my right wing dad misogyny

Or perhaps she’s more of a Pussycat Doll, what with her sexxxay black knee-highs?

No matter. CNN’s prepubescent headline writers are at it again:

That’s U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meeting with The Women Leaders’ Working Group in NYC last Thursday.

The headline CNN chose for its coverage?

“GIRL POWER!” With, like, an exclamation point and everything. POW!

As described on the U.S. Department of State’s website,

The Women Leaders’ Working Group was created in 2006 to ensure issues such as women’s political and economic empowerment, education and access to justice are international priorities. The group’s strategic objective is to institutionalize high-level dialogue and action on women’s empowerment activities, highlight U.S. progress on the Working Group’s priorities, and showcase precise ways in which women leaders have actually made a difference. […]

Participants in the meeting include: President of the Republic of Chile, Michelle Bachelet; President of the Republic of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo; President of the Republic of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf; President of the Republic of Finland, Tarja Halonen; United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and U.S. Senior Advisor for Women’s Empowerment, Shrin Tahir-Kheli. Many other women Foreign Ministers will participate, including representatives from: Afghanistan; Iraq; Gabon; Greece; Yemen; and Pakistan.

Bravo, CNN. Way to infantalize and dismiss some the world’s most powerful women, who were in NY to discuss such “trivial” matters as combating the epidemic of violence against women. Nice. Fucking. Job.

And I have to say, anchor Kyra Phillips and correspondent Zain Verjee didn’t do much better than Prepubescent Headline Writer, what with all their chatter about fashion, clothing and cutesy empowerful nicknames such as “diplo-babe.” I doubt that they would have been trading designers had they been covering an all-male or mixed-gender conference. Yeesh.

Transcript after the jump.

(More below the fold…)

Oh, Tina Fey, you are a fooking genius! (And Amy Poehler, you’re no dubya, either.)

Seriously, Hitch, suck on this shit:

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Update, 9/27/08: Mary Martin @ Animal Person discusses Ben & Jerry’s obtuse response to the campaign, as well as The Today Show’s take on the kerfluffle. Hint: you may want to write them about their weak attempts at “journalism.” Because, like it or not, many Americans’ sole provider of mainstream media news may very well consist of inane newstainment programs such as The Today Show.

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Hey! Feminists! You want to know why PETA continues to engage in (possibly) sexist, racist, classist, sizeist and otherwise “offensive” and “controversial” campaigns?

I’ll give you a hint:

In the top screenshot, a Google search for the terms PETA + “breast milk,” which returned 51,900 hits.

In the bottom screenshot, a Google search for the terms PETA + Hormel + pigs, which returned 11,500 hits.

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This is part eight in a nine-part series on Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. A full TOC, complete with links for easy navigation, is included at the bottom of each post.

Spoiler alert: Danger ahead, oh the horra! Plot spoilers abound! If you haven’t yet read the book, consider yourself warned. In fact, back away from this blog asap, go borrow The Handmaid’s Tale from your local library, and come back when you’re done. We’ll still be on the internets, promise.

The Handmaid’s Tale, The Film (Volker Schlöndorff, 1990)

If you’ve never read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the 1990 film adaptation by Volker Schlöndorff might seem an interesting enough movie. Set in a future in which Christian fundamentalists have overthrown the government, the film paints a terrifying picture of an American theocracy. Women, homosexuals, religious minorities, people of color, political dissidents - all suffer under the oppressive thumb of The Republic of Gilead.

Those familiar with the 1985 novel will see that much of the basic story remains the same in Schlöndorff’s on-screen adaptation. The former United States is in the midst of a Civil War; The Republic of Gilead holds much of the East Coast, while dissenting religious and secular groups wage war to the South and West. Within the Republic’s borders, a strict social structure is enforced. Men are ranked according to prestige and merit (Commanders, Eyes, Angels, Guardians, and businessmen and professionals), while women are grouped according to social function, which is primarily determined by their reproductive health and racial makeup (Aunts, Wives and Daughters, Econowives, Handmaids, Marthas, and Unwomen). While no Gileadean citizen is truly free, it is the females who bear the brunt of Gilead’s religious tyranny.

It is in this context that we meet Kate (Offred), a Handmaid who has been assigned to Commander Fred (”Of Fred”) and his Wife, Serena Joy. The Handmaid’s Tale is Kate’s tale, told in her very own voice, through a disjointed series of flashbacks and present-day narrations. Through Kate’s eyes, we reflect upon “the days before”; we learn how the Sons of Jacob were able to destabilize and eventually topple the American government and institute their own patriarchal theocracy; and we get a glimpse of what daily life in the Republic is like.

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The bitches at Bitch can keep on bitching…at least through the winter:

We’re thrilled to announce that in just three short days, you’ve rallied together and propelled us beyond our $40,000 fundraising goal. In fact, by the time we looked up from our computers, you’d already donated $46,000! On top of that, you’ve spread the word far and wide, and offered powerful and inspiring words of support.

This tremendous and swift outpouring has been honoring and humbling—particularly because you’ve offered it during the worst days the U.S. economy has seen this year. Thank you. We’re deeply grateful.

And the wiener, she has a name: Winnie. She’s also super long and stretchy now, the way a happy wiener should be.

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Tagged: bitch bitch magazine save bitch independent publishing msm Andi Zeisler Debbie Rasmussen video youtube wiener feminism feminist

Oh noes! Via Female Impersonator, this bitch is distraught to hear that Bitch magazine - the very bestest of the feminist mags (Ms. is too ’70s; Bust is too fluffyfun; Bitch be just rite, yo!) - is in danger of folding. The bitches at Bitch need to raise $40k - the cost of printing one issue - by October 15…or else. I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t wanna find out what the “or else” is.

So go toss ‘em some moolah, grab a banner

and just generally spread the word. Preferably in some snarky manner befitting a proper bitch.

Still not convinced? Andi Zeisler and Debbie Rasmussen break it down:

Independent. Feminist. Bitchy. It doesn’t get any better than that, people.

Oh, and pop culture! Did I mention the pop culture?

Now go stroke the bitch’s wiener. She’s looking pitifully short today.

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Tagged: bitch bitch magazine save bitch independent publishing msm Andi Zeisler Debbie Rasmussen video youtube wiener feminism feminist

The new season of 30 Rock doesn’t begin until October 30 - that’s bad. But Tina Fey guested on SNL this weekend - that’s good. Better still, she and Amy Poehler starred as the Vagina Dream Team, otherwise known as “MILF” Sarah Palin and “flurge” Hillary Clinton. Comedic genius, I say!

Swoon. Tina Fey, will you marry me?

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Tagged: tina fey snl sarah palin hillary clinton feminism misogyny sexism msm politics 2008 elections girl crush

Megan at Jezebel identifies 19 (nine! teen!) misogynist slurs in Cintra Wilson’s piece on Sarah Palin:

1. “fuckable”

2. “Christian Stepford wife”

3. “she is their hardcore pornographic centerfold spread”

4. “Sarah Palin is a bit comical, like one of those cutthroat Texas cheerleader stage moms.”

5. The part where she compares electing Sarah Palin to allowing child-rapist Warren Jeffs to babysit her kids.

6. The part where electing Palin “is akin to ideological brain rape.”

7. “this Republican blowup doll”

8. The part where electing a Republican woman into office equals “women being downgraded to second-class, three-holed chattel.”

9. “the self-abnegating, submissive female Uncle Tommies”

10. “she has done everything but volunteer for her own circumcision.”

11. “She tacitly promises a roll backward into old-fashioned sexual roles” (despite being a breadwinner and the more powerful spouse).

12. “We must regard Sarah Palin as the Carmella Soprano of the GOP — an enabling wife of organized crime”

13. Being a female Republican is performing an “ideological lap dance” for men.

14. “Sarah Palin is the White House [Playboy] bunny.”

15. “Here’s an It Girl vice president who is easy on the eyes.”

16. “She’s like a grown-up version of Mary Ann from ‘Gilligan’s Island.’”

17. “Women, even if they are vice president, can always look pretty, worship their husbands in the fear of God and never, ever resist invasions from unwanted sperm.”

18. “Sarah Palin and her virtual burqa…”

19. “She’s such a power-mad, backwater beauty-pageant casualty…”

Meanwhile, Salon’s Tracy Clark-Flory defends the article as totally not sexist:

Wilson also describes Palin using highly sexualized imagery that’s straight out of the Hustler Hollywood sex shop: blowup dolls, centerfolds, lap dances and Playmates. I can’t speak for Wilson, of course, but what I think she was trying to argue is that Palin is being used as a blowup doll, that for the GOP she activates a reptilian excitement — the same kind of excitement offered by a centerfold. She has been pushed onstage to perform an “ideological lap dance” — in other words, to skillfully pander to baser desires (the least of which are sexual).

Well….perhaps Wilson should have taken more care in articulating her argument, then - especially given that she “describes Palin using highly sexualized imagery.” The onus is on her to make it clear that she’s not a woman-hating asshat.

And I take particular exception to item #6 on Jezebel’s list:

The part where electing Palin “is akin to ideological brain rape.”

There is no excuse for trivializing rape. None.

If I still had a paid subscription to Salon, this is when I’d be firing off an angry cancellation letter, I tell you what.

Oh, and Sarah Palin hates pups. The woman is a pup killer. Literally.

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Tagged: salon cintra wilson 2008 elections sarah palin misogyny sexism sexist rape jezebel