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Straight vs Gay Slut-Shaming
In straight culture women are often shamed for having sex while men are celebrated.
But things may be reversed in gay culture. "Heather" wrote in to say:
I agree completely that straight women tend to slut-shame other straight women and that straight men congratulate other straight men for their "sexual conquests."
But in my experience that is not the case in the LBGT+ community. I'm straight myself, but among my gay and lesbian friends things seem to be the opposite: gay men slut-shame gay men, and lesbians congratulate lesbians.
She wonders if others have had similar experiences.
Well, I have. As I related,
I have a gay friend whose partner jokes that he'd thought my friend was a whore — but was happy to learn that he is not. That banter hints at slut-shaming in gay culture.
But why? Heather wondered,
Maybe no matter what sex you are, going after men is seen as slutty but going after women is seen as admirable?
Maybe. But why? What's behind that?
I sometimes talk about how sex — the verb — creates gender. And how the double standard creates a sense of male superiority.
Repressed female desire: it's harder to interest them
You don't find a sexual double standard in gender-equal societies. You find it in patriarchies, which find a number of ways to limit and demean women's sexuality, like this: use a sexual double standard to create a sense of male superiority: who is free, who is not. Who is shamed who is not.
When women's sexuality is constantly punished women learn to damp down their desire. After awhile women often lose touch with desire, which helps explain why nearly half of American women have little to no interest in sex.
And, women's sexuality is more responsive than men's to punshment — see "Related Posts" below.
Constantly punishing women's sexuality creates low desire, which means it takes much more to get them interested. Which could explain why success with women is a big deal!
Gay culture rocks the boat
But also, gay culture rocks the boat in many ways, which is why LGBT+ people are threatening to patriarchal cultures like fundamentalist Christianity or fundamentalist Islam.
Still, LGBT+ people are raised within patriarchy, with its domination mindset. When you grow up in a patriarchal culture where it comes to seem natural and normal that some people are dominated by others (in patriarchies men dominate women), everyone can take on a domination mindset.
So possibly gays and lesbians take on this shaming, but do it in the opposite way, either because:
They like rocking the boat — getting us out of our boxes.
Success with women is more congratulated because (as I said above) punishing women's sexuality creates low desire, which means it takes much more to get women interested.
Sex-Negative Societies & Non-Orgasmic Women
Repression: Not What You Think It Is
Women Are More Responsive To Repression
Posted on June 26, 2017, in LGBTQ+, psychology, sex and sexuality and tagged slut shaming, slut-shaming in straight versus gay communities. Bookmark the permalink.	55 Comments.
Katherine | December 6, 2020 at 2:59 am
Very interesting to hear that gay men are slut shamed more than lesbians in their communities. I do understand why pursuing women may be seen as more congratulatory because women are "harder to get." Although I don't know if I necessarily agree that gay men may be slut shamed more because the LGBTQ community likes "rocking the boat." That makes it sound like gays and lesbians are making the conscious decision to congratulate women for sex and shame men for the same thing. I think it would be more likely that the first reason, that men are easy targets for sex, is the reason why gay men are slut shamed more than lesbians.
Another aside, I'm not so sure that gay men even slut shame each other that much at all. I've seen a lot of standup comedians who are gay, and they always talk proudly about how much sex they're having, while the lesbian comedians don't talk that much about their sex lives. It could be just those individuals though, and not the whole community.
Zina Cisneros | March 16, 2019 at 2:21 am
I enjoyed this article, and I agree with a lot of what is being said. As a woman who is bisexual, it was always made apparent to me that if I ever brought up how many women partners I had, I was viewed as a player or a "god", but if I ever mentioned how many male partners I had I would instantly be slut-shamed. And if I talk about both I am automatically labeled a "whore". I think that If women didn't go through slut-shaming period it might be different. Because why does it matter how many people you have slept with anyway? Everyone has the choice to do whatever they want with another person as long as it is consensual and it isn't hurting anyone. I also have never really heard anyone really slut-shame gay men as well, most of the time I hear men being praised whether they have male or female partners. Hopefully, the LGBTQ+ community just takes down the patriarchy and we change all of it!
Jen S. | November 18, 2017 at 12:27 am
I think it might have to do that with women it's a huge thing to actually have sex with them. One was able to dominate her or get her out of her shell and it becomes an accomplishment. Although, in my experience, those who "succeed" tend to get into relationships, not just hook up. I have met girls who just hook up, but I know more who would rather have a relationship. So I guess the "success" of sleeping with a women is because they both have the want to be in a relationship in common. While with the gay men, I'm not very experienced, I don't know why exactly they slut shame. Being dominant or submissive isn't taboo for them. I've heard more talk about being dominated from gay men then anything. The LGBT+ community, I think, is the most accepting, but it also has its flaws just like all of society. The standards and culture carry over, it's not like being gay you enter a new world.
phph10476 | November 4, 2017 at 11:01 pm
This is something very new to me. I have never thought or known of how the gay guys were slut shamed for going many guys. It is even more surprising since they are males and, therefore, the results should be the opposite. This leads to a new perspective in me that the slut shaming itself could be created by women themselves. For example, Lesbians are being praised for their abilities to being able to get many girls. Although Lesbians are females, their mindsets are like men. It is fair to consider them to have male personalities and traits rather than females'. Gays, on the other hand, although they are males, they have female traits and characteristics. And because of this they are likely to be slut shamed for going for the guys. Because of this, I think slut shaming is hardwired in females with female characteristics and traits. It is just an assumption though.
BroadBlogs | November 6, 2017 at 8:42 pm
"I think slut shaming is hardwired in females with female characteristics and traits. It is just an assumption though."
It can't possibly be hardwired. You find differences from culture to culture. Lesbian women aren't shamed in their culture.
Umut | October 20, 2017 at 3:08 pm
This is so interesting. I'm a bisexual woman and I can relate to both of these. I once asked a guy out on a date, for me and the guy everything was fine and normal. But when I told my friends about it they were shocked and they thought I was so brave, they said they could never ask a guy out. And I don't understand why that's a weird thing to do. I don't think guys should do all the work in a relationship.
Now on the other side, I'm with a girl now. And on the first date the big question for other people is that "Who is gonna be the guy and kiss the other first?" You see the guy has to be the one who needs to go for a kiss or it would be a shameful thing to do for woman. Also there needs to be a "guy" even if you are talking about a romantic relationship between two women. I think there are so many wrong things about this. We should be just following our hearts and balancing the relationship on both of us. But that balance shouldn't be based on the sexes. Somedays I should carry more of the relationship if my partner doesn't have the energy for it, and some days it should be the opposite. Having a balance doesn't mean everything has to be equal, it means partners should support each other.
Well instead of teaching each other about this balance, we talk about what sex should do what and I think that's the main reason why we have problems.
BroadBlogs | October 21, 2017 at 12:49 pm
You make some good points.
Victorians had a strong form of patriarchy that was very hurtful to women but privileged men. Unfortunately we still have remnants of that system that harm women even today.
criceisnice | July 29, 2017 at 12:18 am
I think there's a lot going on here, and would love to dissect it more. It is true that straight women are shamed for being sexually active, while straight men are praised. However, I wonder if the shaming in the LGBTQ community comes in part from a place of lesbian relationships being more acceptable than gay? Women are allowed those close and physical relationships with other women, no matter their sexuality. Is this a continuation of that allowance? Is there internal shaming for desiring men, given the harm that the patriarchy continues to wreak on the LGBTQ community?
Another side of this to consider is that while yes, a woman is being bedded when a lesbian talks about having sex, what is missed is that the woman who is bedded is not also slut-shamed. Were it the case that the "bedder" was praised while the "bedded" shamed, I would see your point as more feasible. But that isn't the case, given the examples provided. I think there's a lot more to the culture and would love to do some sort of qualitative study to start to answer some of the questions raised.
I appreciate your theorizing on all of this. It's great brain exercise and you bring up some interesting points.
While I agree it's unlikely that a lesbian woman who is bedded is slut shamed, she still grows up in a culture that shames women's sexuality, And from an early age. Lesbians seem to be more repressed sexually than gay men.
Women's sexuality seems to be more easily repressed than men's. I wrote about a theory on why here: Women Are More Responsive To Repression
https://broadblogs.com/2016/04/18/women-are-more-responsive-to-repression/
Ivori Thomas | July 28, 2017 at 10:42 pm
I can agree that it is more socially acceptable for a man to get a women into bed, than it is for a women to try to get a man in bed. Looking at it from another angle, I would say that its easy for women to find a sexual partner than men. I do not think that slut shaming is the way to go, as I see it as a double standard. I can definitely see how in the LGBT community men of the same sex are celebrated in their choice to have sex with several men. Women do have a tolerance for sex. I don't know if I can agree that it is higher than a man's need for it. I believe that although there is hope to pursue a relationship with a female, men are more physical, whereas females or more relational. Men can get aroused by sight and females to touch. Men also put up a higher priority on sex than women do. All in all, I feel like if we are going to support one group/gender than we need to support the other gender as well. Otherwise its just the pot calling the kettle black to me.
And pretty much all of these patterns are due to social constructions like double standards, And particularly double standards that shame women's sexuality and repress it. See more here (this talks about both biological differences and social constructions):
https://broadblogs.com/2014/10/27/repression-not-what-you-think-it-is/
https://broadblogs.com/2016/01/04/sex-negative-societies-non-orgasmic-women/
Lul Kidane | July 28, 2017 at 4:58 pm
I think the most impressionable statement for me on this post is –
"LGBT+ people are raised within patriarchy, with its domination mindset".
It made me think of how societal norms create an image of everyone vs. "the other". On the topic of current news I think my friends statement on Facebook relates a lot to the quote above; she wrote, "You know, sometimes I wonder if people forget transgender people are human and do have feelings". Why I find this similar is because I believe the idea of "the other" causes people forget that people with differing sexualities come from a variety of backgrounds, and most likely someone in that community grew up in a similar environment as themselves. So the influences aren't always far off but their effects are; no matter the sex if you go for women (the 'lesser sex') you're praised and if you go after males (that which is superior) you are simply a tool, but who and how they are slut-shamed is different (straight women vs gay men).
I believe this is the point being made by this post. Male domination, female sexual repression and objectivity, as well as slut-shaming continues to prevail no matter what "other" communities you look at. Sure it's dangerous to make generalizations about global upbringings but some topics seem to be recurring without pause, so perhaps accepting this is how we can move forward to change these systems. That's what many feminists do; they tell their realities and relate them to experiences of other women, causing others to recognize patterns and influence change.
We can't change the system until we start seeing it, drop the blinders that render it invisible. In a domination culture like the one we live in people costly trying to prove that they are better than someone else, And it crosses all sorts of lines.
fred747 | August 2, 2017 at 10:19 am
And what would this imaginary "non domination culture" look like? People holding hands in circles singing kum ba ya?
BroadBlogs | August 4, 2017 at 9:35 pm
It would look a lot more like the Nordic cultures. But they are still patriarchal — just much less so than most modern societies. The Iroquois would be a good example too.
zach0410 | July 13, 2017 at 1:31 am
Great Post, thank you for addressing a topic definitely something that needs to be talked about more often.
To start, I really enjoy how you "rocked the boat" right out of the gate by beginning with someones personal account of a comparison of straight slut shaming vs slut shaming in the LGBT community, then followed with your own thoughts on it.
Next, while I do not fully agree that Patriarchic societies are wholly to blame for slut-shaming, I think that you totally have a valid point in that the systematic imbalance of power in favor of males has been a massive influence on slut-shaming in both the straight and LGBT communities.
Last, as a male I really liked that you did not shy away from talking about how men are much easier to get into bed than women. In addition, you backed this up with a logical argument on how punishment creates a lowered desire for women, making them more of a "conquest" than a man.
And keep in mind that patriarchy and men are two different things. A lot of men are against patriarchy (a system that privileges males over females).
I will be talking more about why patriarchy is tied to slut-shaming but you could take a look at a book called "Sex in History" for instance. The author looked at more and less patriarchal societies since before the Middle Ages and found a strong pattern of shaming women's sexuality as a way to help create a sense of mental superiority. Two other books look at the same issue: The Chalice the Blade + Sacred Pleasure (both by the same author, R. Eisler).
Pre-patriarchal society's don't shame women's sexuality. As with Oceana and the Americas prior to European contact. Or gender-equal forager societies that still exist today.
Interestingly, not knowing who daddy is for sure gave Women a lot of power: Family line was traced through females, clan heads were female, and property past thru females. So patriarchal cultures will want to Control women's sexuality and institute a double standard. Because to keep patriarchy in those old societies you needed to know who dad was — then clans are headed by men, Family line is traced through men and property passes through men. And we have continued that today. Even though nowadays not knowing who daddy is doesn't give women much power.
But instituting a double standard also helps to celebrate men for the same thing we shame women four. It's easier to control people with low self-esteem. And shaming something as integral as sexuality Will cause women a great deal of shame.
Frank | June 30, 2017 at 7:17 pm
I think if you consider patriarchy to be about controlling access to men's wealth through a hierarchical society and rules that promote monogamy, then gay men are just as likely to be slut-shamed for threatening the social order as women are.
BroadBlogs | June 30, 2017 at 8:09 pm
That's not patriarchy.
Patriarchy is a system of privileging men over women.
And lesbians don't seem to be shamed for getting a lot of women in gay culture, yet they are still threatening the social order.
And the choice between monogamy or non-monogamy has nothing to do with patriarchy. About half of us appeared to preferment on him he and about half prefer non-monogamy. People should be free to follow with their own interests are.
In a patriarchal society a man can be non-monogamous but his wife must be monogamous. That's privileging men over women.
The privilege of men over women was implicit in my definition – and lesbians are generally not a threat to men/women who are worried about other men/women seducing men and securing access to their wealth. But there certainly is slut-shaming amongst lesbians, because patriarchal indoctrination and misogyny are insidious.
And by monogamy in patriarchy I mean a woman's goal is to have secure and preferential access to her husband's wealth. He may or may not have mistresses, but she has the position of power. (In cultures where polygamy is practised, marriage provides only partial security.)
Monogamy isn't itself patriarchal. About half the population — men and women alike — prefer monogamy.
Lesbians are also threat to patriarchy. No male head. And the blurring of stereotypical gender lines/gender ideals.
But thanks for your thoughts on this.
Frank | July 1, 2017 at 2:51 am
Lesbians may be a threat to a patriarchy, as you say, but not in a way that inspires slut-shaming.
As for monogamy preferences: Aren't those who prefer monogamy most likely to slut-shame those who don't? What are the statistics?
BroadBlogs | July 3, 2017 at 1:46 pm
Both of your points make sense. But correlation is not causation.
A person can naturally prefer monogamy without being patriarchal. Half of both women and men prefer monogamy. I prefer monogamy and am feminist.
Most cultures prefer monogamy once people have families. They aren't all patriarchal. Like Pacific Islanders or Indians of America's east coast before contact with Europeans, or pretty much any forager society.
And you might want to take a look at this:
F- The Patriarchy. Literally?
https://broadblogs.com/2015/09/02/f-the-patriarchy-literally/
Frank | July 3, 2017 at 2:39 pm
I remember that post…
Anyway, I never said monogamists were patriarchal, but rather that a patriarchy that embraces mongamy will inspire slut-shaming.
By the way, you may find Alana Munro's book Women Behaving Badly worth reading.
Patriarchy's encourage monogamy for women in a double standard at doesn't really punishment men.
But most societies encourage monogamy once you start having families.
(Hmm, the links on that page were broken. I've updated them.)
Links to my blog post or yours? If mine can you fill me in on which ones are broken?
Mine – Alana republished her book and it's only available as a paperback now; and her blog has gone weirdly Japanese.
Okay thanks.
fred747 | July 1, 2017 at 2:33 am
However it's economically rational in a society where family courts heavily favour the woman, and women marry hypergamously. Since women marry up the financial totem pole, if a woman is faithful, she wins. If a woman is unfaithful, she wins. However a man only wins when the woman is faithful. However feminists want to hold all three bases, privilege in the courts, hypergamous marriage and sexual freedom. Pick any two, because when men are rational actors they can't let you have all three.
Men are uncomfortable marrying women with higher status than themselves.
Several famous men have been uncomfortable because their wives were more famous than them and got a divorce because of it. Like James Taylor and Ethan Hawke.
So it goes both ways. If we had gender equality this wouldn't be a problem serious.
By the way, you sometimes post things that look like they might be interesting but I really do need to rest my eyes more– Which is why I'm going down to only two posts the week.
If you want me to post your comments you're going to need to shorten them.
The length of this comment is fine, which is why I even attempted to read it.
Huggy Bear | July 1, 2017 at 7:35 am
"People should be free to follow with their own interests are."
Except if you are a white hetero or conservative male.
Thanks but no thank you. I say NO to emasculation.
I don't get this. I don't see anything wrong with being White or straight — being both myself. I don't see any problem with being male — Half of my Friends and family — the people I love — are male.
But when it comes to being conservative I do have issues because conservativism wants to keep power with those who have been traditionally powerful and many people are hurt by that, Like people who are women, Black or brown, non-straight. Why don't you think they should have equal worth and dignity and equal opportunity?
fred747 | July 3, 2017 at 6:48 pm
"Why don't you think they should have equal worth and dignity and equal opportunity?"
How is that not the moral equivalent on having Olympic marathon quotas for white people on the basis that Kenyans are too good at the marathon?
Completely different. Whether or not you can win an Olympic marathon has nothing to do with your basic worth and dignity as a human being. And everyone should have equal opportunity to try out to be on an Olympic team. Which is exactly what we do have. Yes, the sports are divided by sex because there are sex differences. But everyone has an opportunity to be an Olympic champion.
Huggy Bear | June 28, 2017 at 7:31 am
This piece is really full of falsehoods.
First, as usual you blame patriarchy for everything..As a well-educated person you full well know one factor is rarely the cause of observed phenomena. So, why do you constantly blame patriarchy for everything baffles me to no end.
Second with respect to women having sex…Here is the thing. Women want to have sex with the few percentage of men they want to have sex with. This is why the majority of men struggle to get regular sex with women. Especially when they are young men.
Also, on this slut shaming thing…today women want to be whores and and act like whores but no be called whores. Again, this is just part of this lack of responsibility and a lack of accountability you see with women today. Yes, there is such a thing as a whore and a slut. If you are a 20 year old woman and you have slept with 20-30 men, then you are a whore in my book.
Women lack discipline when it comes to sex. Men have always been blamed by women as being dogs and willing to fuck anything. Now, as things are more open and visible, we now see who the real dogs are and who is really out here fucking anything. It is really women. Just look at some of the men MOST women are willing to have sex with.
The "playing field" does not level out until men are in their late 30s and 40s. Why? Because, most women have lost their prime sexual value by this time and are now willing to seek out those men whom they routinely rejected when young. These women are now looking for lifetime partners to have family and kids. Men who marry these women are doomed to sexless marriages and unfulfilled lives by and large. Hence, we increasingly see men avoiding marriage for this very reason.
The aim of women such as yourself is to emasculate men. You want men to buy into all the wacky, decadent, and immoral behaviors of a lot of women. Women will NOT police their behavior when it comes to sex. So, you are seeking to silence anyone who calls into question the increasingly promiscuous behavior of a lot of women.
Men in general do not want a harlot for a girlfriend or wife. That is universal with most men. Even so called feminist men, unless they are cucks, will not opt for these kinds of women. Look at George Clooney. He married a conservative virginal woman, not one of the trashy women whom he had lots of sex with. Tiger Woods is another example. Look at the woman he married versus the women he was having sex with.
Women want men to accept them after they have slept with 30-40 men. Why? Don't I as a man get to set my own standards too? Where is your criticism of women who only want me over 6 feet tall or with 9 in cocks? Only an emasculated man is going to be willing to behave in the manner women are asking today. This is why so many men are really opting out, treating women like they are sluts, and just generally not caring much about women.
Your statement is full of falsehoods.
It's widely established that the more patriarchal the culture, The less interested in sex women are.
Patriarchies systematically work to demean women.
In the case here women are demeaned for doing the same thing that men are celebrated for. Women are routinely slut-shamed which lowers their desire. I have personally experienced this. And a researcher at San Francisco State was actually surprised when she found widespread loss of desire among the young women she studied, and as she talked with them she learned that the cause was women constantly damping down their desire – making it eventually go away. As I said, I have experienced this exact thing.
It is not natural for nearly half of women to have low interest in sex. Yet study after study finds this to be true. You don't find that in sex-positive cultures that aren't patriarchal.
Because of women's low desire it takes a lot to get them interested. And so men who are particularly attractive do have more luck. If you don't like the situation stop shaming women. And reform the root cause, which is patriarchy.
I fight against racism, why don't you fight against sexism?
While patriarchy isn't the root cause of all problems in the world, it is the root cause of all of the problems I discuss in this blog. That's the focus of the blog: to uncover problems caused by patriarchy.
Huggy Bear | June 29, 2017 at 11:54 pm
Please provide sources. Seriously.
You are not going to have me believe that half the women in America are uninterested in sex. That is NOT what I am seeing at all.
I do. I just don't equate fighting sexism as being the same as supporting feminism. It seems as if YOU and other feminist want men to swallow their views of fighting sexism hook, line, and sinker.
If women have such a low desire, then why are they obsessed with men and sex today. Young women are basically binging on dicks today. It is not just young women.
The fundamental problem is as I stated: women want to conduct themselves like whores and not be called out for being whores. But, this is they way women are: not responsible for nothing they do. If she decides to fuck the entire Washington Redskins football team, then ALL men should be happy. We must accept it. I call bullshit on this view of life.
You really are being disingenuous here. The message to men is we must ALWAYS accept the bullshit women dish out to us men. I say screw that! I have standards. I have a right to my standards.
I guess you don't understand the definition of feminism: the belief that women and men are of equal dignity and worth and should have equal opportunities.
As a feminist activist I not only believe this but I work for it.
Here are a few links showing that many studies have found half of American women with low interest in sex:
That article includes these words: "Previous surveys have reported similar estimates of female sexual dysfunction, including low desire and problems with orgasm. The most widely quoted figure, from the U.S. National Health and Social Life Survey, is 43 percent."
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/an-overview-of-sexual-dysfunction
I don't know whether you have any evidence that what you say above is true — some woman f'ing the entire Redskins team. But just because one woman would do that it doesn't mean that all women are like her.
And you don't even know for sure what her true motive is. Does she want sex or does she want to feel valued?
One woman who used to be a rockstar groupie said she had sex with them because they were rock gods — gods — and having sex with them made her feel like she was having intercourse with the gods. It wasn't about sexual pleasure.
And a number of my students have written papers on having sex to feel beautiful:
Sex with Men, Hoping to Feel Beautiful
https://broadblogs.com/2014/02/17/sex-with-men-hoping-to-feel-beautiful-2/
I Wallowed In Self-Pity, Yet I Was A Bombshell
https://broadblogs.com/2013/11/13/i-wallowed-in-self-pity-yet-i-was-a-bombshell/
Using Men for Money, Sex and Self-Esteem
https://broadblogs.com/2015/08/19/using-men-for-money-sex-and-self-esteem/
"The highest prevalence of sexual dysfunction was in older women, but they experienced less associated distress," Shifren said. "The most distress occurred at mid-life, and the youngest women had the lowest prevalence of problems and of associated distress."
OK. My point proven!!
Younger women and young women are not experiencing this so-called sexual dysfunction you say is the result of patriarchy.
There is no better time in human history to be man as far as the availability of sex with women than today! If you don't care about standards, then lots of sex with lots of different women IS available. You can sit in the comfort of your home, car, pool or whatever and swipe right…..In a matter of minutes or hours you can be having sex with some woman. But, the quality of said woman is likely to be very low in my book.
Hardly sounds like repressed desire/arousal to me.
Your point is not proven.
Of course with age you're going to have more problems — both men and women do — because the body starts shutting down. As you get older women start having less sex — if for no other reason than because of men's sexual dysfunction. So there's less distress for women because there is less pressure from men to have sex when they don't want to.
At young ages women are still much less likely to have an orgasm then men are — about half as likely. A large study by Indiana University asked people whether they'd had an orgasm the last time they had sex. Almost all the young men had but only half of the young women had. And they often need a vibrator — which is a sign of sexual dysfunction that they may not be aware of. Needing a mechanical assist to have an orgasm is not natural.
Other research has also found that the vast majority of women need an emotional connection in order to want to have sex. I'll be writing about that in my next post.
So you have young women who have a strong preference for sex with emotional connection, and who have less noticeable* sexual dysfunction when they find someone who fits the bill. And many of them simply aren't having sex — about 1/3 of college women don't even bother.
That is a very different situation from what you are describing, Which is something that looks like porn. And a lot of men believe what they see in porn. They think it reflects reality. It doesn't.
Men watch porn, think it's true, get angry with women because they aren't getting all this sex. And complain about it with other men.
If that's not how you are getting your ideas about women's sexuality where are you getting them? I have seen no data that fits what you describe.
If young women are having sex with young men who they are emotionally connected to, and not having sex if they don't have that, and they aren't in long term relationships that last years because they are young (so their interest in sex hasn't plummeted — see below) then they could have lower levels of sexual dysfunction compared with other women. But it's still there.
Bottom line: women need very specific situations to not have low interest, no interest, painful sex, difficulty with orgasm.
Also, saying you have desire for sex is a tricky question. People want sex for many reasons other than because it feels pleasurable. As I mentioned, several of my students wrote about having sex with men hoping to feel beautiful. So they would experience themselves as desiring sex, but not for the reason you're thinking. They want to lift their self esteem, not feel pleasure. Some of them — maybe all of them — even said that, looking back, they didn't actually enjoy the sex.
Women in the middle ages have the biggest problem. Because women's desire is repressed in our culture it takes more to get women interested. In long-term relationships men's desire dips a bit but women's tends to plummet. So women are feeling sexual dysfunction AND pressure from spouses, creating distress.
*If they need a vibrator they won't count it as dysfunction. And if it is early in a relationship or not along relationship they will probably have some desire and since they're young it will be easier to lubricate. Still, it's widely talked about that sex the first time is painful for women. That's also not natural. That is another indication of sexual dysfunction.
And keep in mind that at the younger ages not all women are having sex. As I mentioned, one third of college women in hookup culture don't bother having sex at all. And I'm guessing that this study is done on women who have had sex, who are more likely to be the interested half.
By the time you get to the middle ages women are more likely to have Partners who expect sex.
Overall, it seems that you don't see women in their multidimensionality. You just see them as sex objects who are anxious to have sex and all about sex – the way porn portrays them.
"Needing a mechanical assist to have an orgasm is not natural."
Citation?
Wearing spectacles in order to have good eyesight is, in a sense, natural. In Shanghai, for instance, 86 percent of high school students suffer from myopia and need spectacles. Should we blame the oppressive patriarchy for this?
Why do you always look at reality, and assume reality is "wrong" and the result of some conspiracy?
Women were given the ability to enjoy sexual pleasure — that's the only thing the clitoris is created for. And created way, way, way before we had technology like vibrators. And in sex-positive societies women don't need a mechanical assist — that's how we know it's not natural.
Many people have written about this but you can take a look at David Buss, "Why Women Have Sex," which comes quick to mind.
I don't agree with him on all of his evolutionary theories (I can critique them all) but he's got some really good basic survey data in that book.
Jean Claude | June 28, 2017 at 4:45 am
It's very simple. Women are valued more than men. Society place women in a higher position than men.
Remember, women and children first.
Men can go to war and kill themselves. First and second world war. Society sees men as expendables. Just part of the machine. They can go to factories and work under the surface in coal minings. They can work to death
But women are beautiful and majestic.
Those who are in power have created racism and the so-called patriarchy to divide the common people and that way it's easier to be controlled.
How about the homeless people?
The vast majority are males. So much for patriarchy.
They (the very few elite rich people) want to divide people and spread hatred among people and it's working.
Everything you described has to do with valuing children. Not women.
Women are historically protected because they give birth. Mothers are more likely to have custody of their children not because women are favored but because the court looks at the best interest of the child, and because women make more sacrifices of their careers in order to care for children, the children are usually more bonded to their mothers.
Fathers are also more likely to abandon their families than mothers are.
If you look at women outside of the childbearing role they are valued less. Women have no problem taking on male traits because they aren't seeing as demeaning themselves when they do. But when men take on feminine traits they are seeing as the meaning themselves. Women are routinely called derogatory names like slut, bitch, hoe. We don't have negative words that routinely describe only men. Women are paid less. "Household head" is usually thought of as the man. Women hold a tiny minority of power in government, business and religion. Women are shamed for being the victim of a crime like rape. In some societies they are killed for being the victim of rape. Even hear some women who are victims have been shamed into killing themselves.
I could go on …
Bob | June 26, 2017 at 11:53 am
I think there is truth or must be something to that. And it may be how people see having sex with many men, because many men are naturally "easy" that it's nothing to be proud about. So even if a woman hooks up with other women it's more of an achievement when bedding another lesbian perhaps, because the more selective and lower desire from women compared to men generally. I think this is true because I think I talked about it and here's an example. It does seem not simply how many people a girl has sex with but who, as in the gender they are. And it's probably due to society viewing a woman "slutty or easy" when having sex with a lot of men because men have low standards and always ready for sex, whereas women, it takes charm, skill, etc to lure a girl for sex. So that's why I think or what I believe like for bisexual girls.
A bisexual girl is often seen as "slutty" if she's promiscuous and the majority of the sex she's having is with men. Whereas, a bisexual girl who is promiscuous but the majority of sex she's had is with other girls, maybe she isn't so "slutty." I said this before, but I'd bet $ if people knew the number of people both bisexual girls had sex with and the sex they had with sex with. Say girl A has had 30 partners but 25 guys and 5 girls, and girl B had same number, but 25 girls she had sex with and 5 guys. I would lay $ down that girl A would be slut shamed and girl B probably not or girl A, much, much more shamed even though they had sex with the same number of people, but it"s because the first girl had sex with many men, vs girl B had sex with many girls and just a few guys. It does seem a lot of it is about men and that does seem in relation to the lesbian and gay thing here like you've said. interesting.
BroadBlogs | June 26, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Yeah it is seen as more of an accomplishment to have sex with a woman than a man. We repress and lower women's desire because patriarchy slut-shames women.
And then men complain that women won't have sex with them. But then "men" and "patriarchy" are two different things. Patriarchy is a system that both women and men can buy into — both genders do it. And both genders refuse to do it. Depends on how patriarchal you are.
But I also know plenty of patriarchal men who shame women and then complain that they can't get sex.
But you make an interesting bet. Interested to see if anyone has had this experience.
Bob | June 28, 2017 at 1:18 am
Makes me wonder in the lbgt community like this post brings up with slut shaming. If it goes based on how hot the person is too? Like it says gay men slut shaming. I wonder if it's the good looking guys in the gay community who are more often slut shamed, because by doing so, they lowered their standards if hooking up with multiple men, especially if men they hook up with are less attractive or much so. And on the other side if it's the less attractive lesbians, but one's who carry more assertiveness, thus the one's who "pursue" in the lesbian dynamic. If because lesbian women, or hot lesbian women may be picky like straight women are to men.
That perhaps some "game" is needed for the pursuing, "more mascline-minded" lesbians who are less attractive or maybe very average looking and body. So these average janes hook up with hot women out of their league or have dates, that this is an accomplishment based on the dynamic and looks scale. I wonder about that, because society can see the "hot" person as more of the catch as far sex goes, but also as a result higher expectation of their standards. Just food for thought.
In straight culture when women slut-shame women it's usually more to do with their looks than their behavior, and stems from jealousy. And gay culture does put a premium on good looks, much more so than lesbians do. So it's possible that jealousy lies behind the shaming in both, but I don't know.
Don't I have the right to demand what I want in a woman?
You consistently avoid answering very important questions. Why is it wrong for a man (or woman) to have standards of conduct?
If I don't want a slutty woman, that is my damn right! What is wrong with having standards?
You NEVER complain about the how woman have standards and requirements to have sex with men. WHY?
As I recall you hold the same standard for yourself that you hold for women. Which is fine, so long as it's not a double standard.
I'm not complaining about you. I'm complaining about patriarchy, which is a system of privileging males over females.
While I believe — as I believe you do too — that we should not shame sexuality, I also think that people should not feel pressured to behave in ways that aren't comfortable for them, whether that is pressure to have a lot of sex or no sex.
fred747 | June 26, 2017 at 2:07 am
The rule is simple, you congratulate someone for getting a woman into bed, because its so hard to pull off. Getting a man into bed = no challenge whatsoever, therefore not to be congratulated.
And patriarchy lies behind that because we punish and shame women's sexuality, leading to a loss of women's desire.


The Boards of Governors meet four times a year. There is a Strategic Committee which consists of Headteacher, Chair of Governors and Chairs of the other committees.
As part of our responsibility for ensuring that Meadow Green is a safe, secure environment for its staff and pupils, the governors take an active interest in each area of school life. By working closely with the Headteacher, the senior leadership team and listening to Staff Views and Student Voice we strive to make the right decisions when addressing the developments and challenges facing teachers and students. It is also important for us to know how parents feel about the school and we seek out parental views at every opportunity including our Parent's Forum.
Governors are always keen to seek the views of all members of our school community.
Copies of minutes from each of the Governing Body Committees are held in the school office.
Hello, I am Jarrod Marsland and was appointed as a Parent Governor in 2010, then as Chair of Governors in 2012. I am very active within the school, taking part in all of the sub committees and Main Governing Body.
I originate from Burton on Trent, moving to Birmingham in 1997. I have worked on the railway for 32 years, 10 years as a train driver and 22 years in driver management. Apart from train driving my professional attributes are People Management, Health and Safety, Investigation and Enquiry Chairing.
Hello, I am Miss Kelly Barnes, a member of the teaching staff and Phase Leader within Year 3/4 at Meadow Green as well as being the Staff Governor on the Curriculum sub-committee.
I have a BA (hons) in Sport, Psychology and Education and a PGCE. I am currently working towards a Certificate in Primary School Physical Education Specialism.
In my spare time I swim and play Netball, Rounders and Cricket. I enjoy horse-riding and playing the flute and piano.
Hello, I'm Chris Whittaker, retired GP and a long standing Community/Co-opted Governor at school. I am currently serving on the Finance & Staffing and Buildings, Health & Safety sub committees working closely with the Special Educational Need's team with the aim of enabling all children to achieve their potential and to develop life skills.
Hello. My name is Jodie Pettitt and I am an English and French teacher at Woodrush High School. I have been a Secondary School teacher since September 2016. Before that, I was a Primary School teacher in Birmingham for four years. I decided to move my career to secondary teaching because I have always had a passion for English which has stemmed from my A Level and Degree Level studies in English Literature.
I have also been Transition Coordinator at Woodrush High School since March 2017.
I am a recently appointed parent governor since 2018. For 12 years I worked in a Secondary School across a number of middle and senior leadership positions. Having left education I am now a Director for my own recruitment company. Having grown in Hollywood, I have recently returned to the local area. I am currently serving on the Curriculum sub - committee, something I'm very passionate about.
Hi, I am Priesh, serving as a Parent Governor. I am the Father of children in Years 1 and 3.
I am passionate about enabling brighter futures for our children and community. I look forward to the opportunity to serve, and to meet and listen to MGS staff and parents: your voice counts, so please come and chat to me.
Professionally, I have broad and varied work experience. Almost twenty years of exposure to leading and managing primary industries internationally, including major capital infrastructure projects and programmes, across private and public sectors: reigning in business and change management, IT, procurement, finance and HR as part of the senior leadership teams.


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Michael Aspinall
Dr Michael Aspinall
International Senior Lecturer (BJTU)
Dr Aspinall's research began during his degree in Mechatronic Engineering (2005) with contributions towards the design and implementation of an advanced neutron spectrometer funded by an EPSRC Instrumentation Development Award (GR/R38538/01). His PhD (2008) was sponsored by the Think Crime! EPSRC research project (EP/C008022/1) which formed the DISTINGUISH consortium. His work here specifically focused on real-time digital assay of mixed radiation fields with prominent developments in real-time, digital pulse-shape discrimination of neutrons and gamma rays. Further extensive work led to the embodiment of these findings into technology with a TRL 9 that has served several nuclear establishments supporting additional research in nuclear safeguards, non-proliferation, neutron imaging and fast-neutron multiplicity analysis. Most notably he oversaw the delivery of the bespoke processing hardware and software for the ADRIANA liquid scintillator array at Lancaster University as part of the National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) (EP/L025671/1). Recently, as part of a consortium of members from Manchester University and Lancaster University, he has secured a £1.6M EPSRC grant (EP/P018505/1) for the development of instrumentation and characterisation of extreme nuclear environments.
International Senior Lecturer in Digital Engineering (LUC-BJTU), May 2017 - present
Details: Lancaster University, Engineering Department.
Lancaster University College at Beijing Jiaotong University (LUC-BJTU) is a joint institute established near Weihai, Shandong province, China.
"This joint institute offers the chance to study in China for a degree designed and accredited in partnership by two leading UK and Chinese universities. Lancaster University College at Beijing Jiaotong University offers degree programmes to both Chinese and international students. Courses are taught by Lancaster University and BJTU academics and graduates receive a qualification from both universities, as well as a joint academic transcript."
I currently deliver three undergraduate modules at the LUC-BJTU institute for the Electronics and Communications Engineering degree programme. These include Computers and Control, Fundamentals in Digital Electronics and Digital Electronics.
Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering, December 2015 - April 2017
Details: Aston University started the Biomedical Engineering degree in September 2014. I started lecturing on the program in September 2015 and took a permanent position in December 2015. I was the first-year tutor, personal tutor of sixteen students across the three year-groups and supervise two third-year projects. Whilst in my position at Aston University I;
Designed and taught entirely new modules and assisted in curriculum design
Applied for and secured external funding
Conducted and disseminated research
Attended international conferences
Initiated internal Presentation of Research, Evaluation and Planning (PREP) meetings
Led introductory summer classes for sixth-form students
Established industry relations for fourth-year student placements and demonstration visits
Led innovation in teaching and learning
Acted as the Student Representative for the 2015/16 PGCert cohort
Trained as a STEM Ambassador and provided voluntary support for local events
Represented Aston University at the Big Bang Fair 2016 and the World Skills Show 2016
Contact: Prof James Wolffsohn, Pro vice chancellor, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET.
Senior Systems Engineer, January 2010 - November 2015 (reduced to 1 day per week from December 2015 - present)
Details: Hybrid Instruments Ltd. is a Lancaster University spin out company specialising in solutions for real-time digital acquisition and analysis of signals arising from radiation detectors. My PhD research has been at the core of Hybrid's technology since 2008.
Contact: Dr Frank Cave, Commercial Director, Hybrid Instruments Ltd., The Gordon Manley Building, Lancaster Environmental Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YW.
Research Associate, October 2008 - December 2009
Details: Neutron spectrometer design upgrade and characterisation
Contact: Professor Malcolm Joyce, Head of Engineering Department, Lancaster University.
Design Consultancy, April 2008 - June 2008
Details: Neutron spectrometer design and manufacture
Contact: Dr Frank Cave, Commercial Director, Hybrid Instruments Ltd.
Research Assistant, June 2004 - August 2004
Details: Neutron spectrometer development
Drawing Oce Assistant, Summer 2000, 2001, 2002
Details: Site measuring, CAD drawing
Contact: Mr Graham Wallace, Jenkins Design Services Ltd.
Support of several grant applications and awards totalling over £500k. I was the engineer responsible for the delivery of the digital analysers as part of the ADRIANA apparatus funded by an EPSRC/DECC equipment grant of £1040k.
Current research grants held
TORONE - TOtal characterisation for Remote Observation in Nuclear Environments, Co-Investigator, EPSRC (EP/P018505/1), 36 months, £1579k, commenced 1st March 2017.
HEA Fellow, Distinction in the Post Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Aston University, November 2016
PhD, Real time digital assay of mixed radiation fields, Lancaster University, November 2008
BEng, First Class Honours, Mechatronic Engineering, Lancaster University, July 2005
Thesis Title
Real time digital assay of mixed radiation fields
Supervised By
Professor Malcolm J. Joyce
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Naftogaz CEO says the Ukrainian state energy giant will be out of default soon
The CEO of Ukrainian state energy giant Naftogaz said the company is working toward resolving its debt default problems quickly.
Oleksiy Chernyshov told CNBC's Hadley Gamble at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday that he is in the final stages of getting the company back on track.
"By the end of this month, we're planning to find the consent solicitation with our bondholders to restructure," Chernyshov said. "This is happening now quite intensively. My plan within two weeks is to finalize this process."
Naftogaz was the first Ukrainian government-owned entity to default since Russia invaded the country in February.
Last year, the company said the deadline for payments to holders of Naftogaz Eurobonds expired on July 26 without payment taking place.
"As this failure to meet its Eurobond obligations effectively deprives Naftogaz of access to international capital markets, the Cabinet of Ministers as the responsible party now assumes full responsibility for raising the funds necessary for the import of natural gas for the 2022-2023 heating season," the company said.
Analysts expect this under-the-radar global carbon capture stock to soar by up to 65%
How the U.S. will generate power in 2050 and the stocks that will benefit, according to Wells Fargo
This global lithium stock is up 15% since its IPO — and one bank says it could jump 600%
Chernyshov said as CEO of Naftogaz his responsibility is to secure production of natural gas in the country, "meaning facilitation and motivation of private producers to produce more and that's what we're doing," he noted.
"Naftogaz will buy from private producers that produce gas on the market base price. Yeah, my task is to increase the production of natural gas in Ukraine."
Correction: The text of this story has been updated with the correct name of the Naftogaz CEO. The photo was also replaced.
Quick Charge Podcast: January 31, 2023
Ukraine war: NATO meets to discuss new weapons pledge
Man dies after being crushed by pop-up telescopic urinal in London's West End
Chancellor's 'Britain needs you' plea to the retired may be a tall order


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June 27, 2017 Podcast
#82 – Ardyth Johnson
Ardyth Johnson trained with mime artist Adrian Pecknold at The Manitoba Theatre School in Winnipeg and then received a scholarship with The Manitoba Theatre Centre to further her studies with Mime Unlimited School of Physical Theatre (Jacque Le Coq) in Toronto (graduate). Ardyth studied and graduated at Second City Conservatory, also master clown and buffoon with Philippe Gaulier, plus other masters of mime, corporeal mime, clown, slap stick and comedy. Ardyth she holds a B.A in theatre studies from the University of Winnipeg. Ardyth has toured throughout North America with Mime Unlimited, Theatre Beyond Words and many other companies. When Ardyth is not performing, she is busy teaching physical theatre all over Canada and Internationally.
http://www.ardythjohnson.weebly.com
http://www.ardythjohnsonhighlanddance.weebly.com
Weirder Thou Art
North American humans you think William Shakespeare wrote Mac Beth ha, ha, ha..well we'll tell you the truth (wink wink) who really wrote the play. Three bouffon women (if you want to call them that) put the weird in the Wyrd sisters. The bouffon search for humanity brings William Shakespeare on a reluctant journey from a living hell to acceptance.
https://fringetoronto.com/festivals/fringe/event/weirder-thou-art


This version of the game revolves around a new Overdrive PVP gameplay mode, where you compete against another player using a new points system where every positive move counts for specific amounts of points. While everyone is focused on the main entry of the Madden NFL series this summer, EA Sports is also working on a major update to the popular Madden NFL Mobile series. Use this 3%-off coupon to buy Cheap Madden Mobile Coins from our site: "5MMO". The game will feature a brand new game engine that brings with it new graphics, animations, and in-game presentation.
Once you play all three events for each one, you will unlock the captain and be able to equip it on your team. There is an achievement that will allow you to gain more badges and whistles for each completed match. Just doing each once allows you enough badges and whistles to upgrade the Captain and coach to level 5. This is where you will be able to play all four schemes.
Though it's certainly not the most complicated football game ever to take the field, there are a few tips and strategies to keep in mind that will make the climb to gridiron glory a little easier. If you want to make Cheap Madden Mobile Coins quickly, have enough money to go to the auction house. Find a player who is severely undervalued and snipe them. Buy them on the cheap, set filters to prevent expensive players from showing up in your search, and then sell them for more than you bought them for.
Madden NFL Overdrive transforms the way you play the game with the introduction of Player vs. Player. From every rushing and passing yard to each touchdown, all of it adds to your score. There are no kickoffs, just short drives for big points. While there are a lot of exciting changes coming to Madden NFL Overdrive, you will still find some of your favorite modes, like Live Events, the return of NFL 24/7, and our tried-and-true Leagues.
It is also important to note that it seems as though the clock is your enemy and securing a spot in the top 100 will be tough as more and more people get rolling. It is also important to remember that if you can match players schemes with your captain, you get lineup bonuses and better play.
Speed is key in this Madden NFL Overdrive game. Your clock never stops during game time, not even when you're picking plays and not even when you run out of bounds. The payment made for each order of Madden Mobile Coins will be 100% secured and guaranteed at 5mmo.com. Pick as quickly as you can, and run a route that doesn't involve a lot of sideways movement. And always go for the fourth down pass or run instead of a field goal, as a fourth down pass or run is usually worth far more points.
Properly, the Overdrive mode for which the sport is known as is as shut because the cellular model of the Madden franchise has ever gotten to stay PvP. Throughout PvP video games, you may have a meter that slowly fills when you play till you attain a most of 5 factors. Whereas there are various different new sides of Madden NFL Overdrive to debate, let's begin with probably the most primary query of all.
Not so with Overdrive, as most gamers can't have their stats boosted in any respect. For gold or higher gamers, utilizing Coaching Factors will improve their energy degree and never their attributes. One of many first belongings you're more likely to understand about Madden NFL Overdrive is that the Power system is gone.


Here is a very syncopated funky version of this groove using a combination of fretted and muted notes struck by the thumb. I picked the high notes with my index finger, the interval created is called a tenth, it is an octave above the major 3rd. So for (ex)G it would not be this B but the octave above.


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Volume > Issue > Letter to the Editor: May 1994
Even I Can See It
Regarding the various comments on relations between Roman Catholics and Anglicans in several recent issues of the NOR: I am an Anglican and intend to stay one, so perhaps I shouldn't urge the following. However, if the Roman Catholic Church is still interested in the conversion of England, there is a promising course of action: providing a genuine welcome to those disaffected Anglicans, led by Graham Leonard, who are as of this writing petitioning for admission to communion with the See of Peter.
With more people in Roman Catholic churches on a Sunday than in those of the Church of England, with a popular member of the Royal Family recently received into the Roman Catholic Church, and with Cardinal Hume being a more impressive figure than the last three Archbishops of Canterbury, there is before you Roman Catholics a golden opportunity. There would be other advantages, chief among them strengthening the Pope against disaffected (mostly secular-minded) Roman Catholics.
The Rev. Joseph P. Frary
Church of St. Philomena
Fukuoka, Japan
Don't Tell Me
I've read my first issue of the NOR (Jan.-Feb. 1994), and I wonder if this is what I'm in for, for the rest of my subscription: people peevishly commenting on who's a true Catholic and who isn't (judge not, fellas), people worked up about whether the altar faces in or out (get a life, guys), and a deceptively charming nostalgia trip back to a small town in Florida by Edmund Miller, which suddenly becomes a story about a man who has rummaged in the dumpster of an abortion clinic and brought back nine fetuses to be buried in his family cemetery. Look, if that's Miller's "thing" — dumpster diving — okay, go to it. But I don't want to hear about it. Remember, you promised (in your advertising) not to insult my intelligence!
Patricia Stoll
Precious Blood Spiritual Center
Plymouth, Wisconsin
A Non-Catholic's View of 'Smorgasbord' Catholics
As a non-Catholic who attends Mass regularly with a devout wife, I am bemused by the letters to the editor from do-it-yourself "Catholics" who cobble together a personal religion from appealing morsels of Catholicism.
Isn't a Catholic by definition one who follows the teachings of the Pope? If not, how is a Catholic defined? How would, say, a Jew who believed in the Messiah be differentiated from a Christian? Please don't misunderstand. I am a heretic, an advocate of a (nearly) do-it-yourself religion based on the Sermon on the Mount. But if it were truly as easy to be a Catholic as the smorgasbord "Catholics" think it is, I would accept the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass and call myself a Catholic.
Robert Hancock
Slouching Toward Civil War
Regarding Kenneth D. Whitehead's article (Jan.-Feb. 1994) on the state of the abortion issue in American politics today: If in fact politicians are arriving at a rough compromise that abortion will remain legal in the U.S. but government will not pay for it, I doubt that this compromise will succeed any better than the Missouri Compromise of 1820 did with respect to slavery. The Missouri Compromise may have held the Union together for some 40 years, but it did so only tenuously and in a way that made inevitable the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott decision, and finally civil war. A house divided against itself cannot stand, and compromises with the devil ultimately lead to the devil's playground of conflict, suffering, and perhaps even war.
We have been witnessing the failure of American democracy. After a brief period of acceptance of liberalized abortion laws in some states in the 1960s, it was obvious by the early 1970s that Americans did not want abortion to be unregulated — note the referenda in Michigan, North Dakota, and other states in 1972. Roe v. Wade, which came down in 1973, was clearly an anti-democratic imposition on the people by a particular philosophy of an unelected judicial elite. Hence Justice White's famous dictum about "an exercise of raw judicial power."
The inevitability of the Civil War began with a fateful compromise. As for abortion, the stage is set, all of the dramatis personae have yet to make their appearance, and the real tension has yet to rise. It remains a mystery how that tension will finally reach the crisis point and be resolved. One thing is for sure, though: It will not be through another Missouri Compromise. As Lincoln said during similar times of denial and temporizing, "I tremble when I consider that there is a just God."
The Rev. Phillip J. Brown
Glenburn, North Dakota
Name Names
I am always troubled when a writer is vague in making charges against anyone or anything. If Ann O'Connor (in her March 1994 article, "The Catholic Worker: Is It Still Catholic?") is citing fact and not rumor, why do her charges lack specificity — e.g., "a Catholic Worker house on the East Coast," "a member of a Midwest house," "a Catholic Worker paper." As the article stands, it has about as much chance of survival as the house built on sand. One suspects that one good strong blow of specificity will send it tumbling to the ground. If her charges are true, why not name the sources?
Sr. Ruthann Williams, O.P.
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Ed. Note: Because of charity. The point was not to tear down, but to be constructive.
New Shorter Oxford
This is regarding John Warwick Montgomery's "Jesus in the Dictionary" (Jan.-Feb. 1994), wherein we learned of The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary's ostensibly new and improved definition of Jesus, along with its allegedly tolerant example of usage: "Jesus! he cried, I'm glad to be here." I would like to raise a grammatical point: In the dictionary's entry, the editors have provided a figurative interjection ("Jesus!") as a usage for an entry defined as a noun. Whoops!
Andrew Donlan
To answer Jack Darragh (letter, Jan.-Feb. 1994) concerning the film The Crying Game: They certainly did have sexual contact. She performed oral sex on him before he learned she was a he. This is no platonic love story. Watch the film again — and pay attention.
Richard Trombetta
Chesterton: No Curmudgeon
It was disconcerting to see Jean Bethke Elshtain describe Chesterton as a "curmudgeon" in her article "G.K. Chesterton, a Curmudgeon for Our Time" (March 1994). My dictionary defines a curmudgeon as "a gruff or irritable person, especially an elderly man." Yes, Chesterton nobly battled the dragons of his own age while foretelling many of the monsters of our own, but he did so with a heart so cheerful and charitable that even his intellectual enemies — like Shaw and Wells — found his personality irresistible. W.R. Titterton described him thus: "His rising converted the dullest debate into a festival, his very entry into a room was like a sunburst. You see him, don't you, towering suddenly beside the chairman, his big jolly face lit with laughter and loving-kindness…?" This is not the description of a curmudgeon. Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh, and Malcolm Muggeridge were curmudgeons. Chesterton was more like the Last Knight of the West, with the soul of a wise and merry child, armed with truth, yes, but also with the gentler weapons of Charity and Hilarity, striding and singing his way through God's world.
Daniel Nichols, Editor
I Will Never Forgive
Is the essence of George Appleby's fawning review of The Strength Not to Fight: An Oral History of Conscientious Objectors of the Vietnam War (March 1994) that somehow the war protesters secured the moral high ground? I vividly remember the "special attention" given to Catholic villages in South Vietnam, composed largely of refugees from the North. Night after night they were shelled by the Communist forces. After the Communist takeover, those who could flee did so, and those who could not were either exterminated or "re-educated." I find the whimpering and whining of inconvenienced draft dodgers nauseating when I remember the 50,000-plus who died in that noble cause. Appleby quotes one draft dodger as saying, "I'll never forgive or forget what America did in Indochina." Well, I will never forgive or forget those who put the preservation of their skin above service to their country.
Norvell B. De Atkine
When Catholic Schools Aren't Catholic
Regarding the debate about Catholic schools (Jeffrey Christensen's article, Dec. 1993, and letters March 1994): My husband and I are surely not unique in sending our six Catholic children to public schools so that the doctrinal and moral teachings of the Catholic Church are not undermined by, yes, Catholic school teachers. This is not to say there are no faithful teachers in Catholic systems — much depends on what area you live in.
How my heart jumped for joy when our second grader came home thrilled that he had amazed the class by knowing the longest word — transubstantiation! How pleased I was when a daughter in high school learned about a friend's strict Ramadan fast. How touching it was when we received a postcard congratulating a son in high school on an excellent presentation against abortion. Of course, it's not all like this. I have my share of horror stories.
Catholic parents should be active in the schools, developing good relationships with the faculty (don't constantly complain!) and showing genuine interest in the other children and in what all are taught. When you excuse your children from "health education," the faculty will know you and your broader concerns, and may be open to your proposed alternatives. Teachers are often relieved to run across faithful parents who are not cranks and who are truly interested in all children.
Judith Echaniz
I applaud your editorial on the differences between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism (Jan.-Feb. 1994). Catholics should be grateful to God that in addition to the help of the Spirit from above — poured out lavishly on other Christian assemblies as well — we also have had over the many centuries, and still have, the guidance of the institutional, teaching Church, in spite of all her human failings. This has kept me in the Church, and in the priesthood!
The Rev. René DuFour
Dorothy Day & the Catholic Worker
Capital Punishment & the Death Penalty
Neoconservatism
The Theological Treachery of Partial Scientific Truths
When Thor's Oak came crashing to the ground circa A.D. 723, thanks to St. Boniface's…
Briefly: June 2001
Reviews of The Soul of a Lion: Dietrich von Hildebrand — A Biography... Two Chapels: Newman and the Case for Modern Martyrdom... The Catholic University as Promise and Project: Reflections in a Jesuit Idiom
Briefly: July-August 1992
Reviews of Interpretations of Conflict: Ethics, Pacifism, and the Just War Tradition... Catholic Bishops in American Politics... The Three Greatest Prayers: Commentaries on the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed


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Poland may not sign Rome Declaration if desired content missing
by Lauren Owens | 23 Mar 2017 | Polish news
There are four priorities that must be included in the Rome Declaration for it to make sense. There is an unwritten agreement that if there is no compromise until Friday about the text, there will be no document at all – said Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło in the "Jeden na Jeden" ("One on one") TV show.
Beata Szydło
On Friday, the Prime Minister will go to Rome for an EU summit to adopt the Rome Declaration.
In "One on One" Beata Szydło said that the Polish postulates have been consulted with the president of the PiS party Jarosław Kaczyński and President Andrzej Duda.
It is natural for me that the ruling camp, which at the moment is responsible for Poland, for our affairs, is a team game – she said.
The Prime Minister, when asked if Poland could not sign the Rome Declaration, replied:
If the postulates that are a priority for Poland are not included, we will not sign this declaration.
We have informed (Brussels) that four issues must be included for sure. They were also included in the declaration which was adopted in Warsaw by the Visegrad Group. This document was sent to Brussels and also became part of the Rome Declaration – explained the Prime Minister.
She added that it is impossible to say what the Rome Declaration final shape will be, because it is still being worked on.
The unity of the European Union, the defense of close cooperation with NATO, the strengthening of the role of national parliaments and, finally, the principles of the common market, which are not to divide but to connect. These are the four principles which are of prime importance for Poland.
As she pointed out, these four priorities must be included in the Rome Declaration so that it makes sense, and is not merely an empty document that may sound nice, but will not change the policy in the EU.
Further asked if it is possible that the Rome Declaration will not be signed at all, Szydło confirmed:
Of course, if there is no consensus, if there is no consent of all.
There is such an unwritten agreement between us that if there is no agreement by Friday on the text, there will be no document at all, because there is no discussion scheduled for Saturday.
There were very high hopes for the summit, many thought it would be a breakthrough summit, that it will be the beginning of a new Europe. It would be good if it were, but there is at the moment no such atmosphere in the European Union. In my opinion, the Union is in such a deep crisis, that it is not prepared to make brave decisions.
British PM drops in on Warsaw to talk about reducing…
Families of victims not invited to Polish movie…


For those involved with public outreach, a major challenge is often just finding other people like you, even if they are at the very same institution. Last week in Arlington, VA, the Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) hosted a convening to bring these individuals together. The goal of the two day conference, born out of the last summer's NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning PI meeting, was to facilitate collaborations both national and regional, and allow for the sharing of ideas and best practices. A majority of attendees were education and outreach directors from NSF-funded centers and facilities, including several from NSF-supported Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) and Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCIs), while others in attendance came from professional societies, national networks, and even the NSF itself.
From these discussions, a prioritized list of needs was generated in order to determine actionable next steps. A lot of interest focused on the NSF's Broader Impacts requirement for grant applications, something that will likely be a hot topic at the upcoming Broader Impacts Summit. Participants felt that it would be extremely beneficial for the community to develop resources, standardized guidelines and event trainings for Broader Impacts statements, which would not only help applicants but also reviewers and program officers.
Attendees additionally pushed for the development of a centralized repository that would allow for aggregation of all things outreach. This would include successful public engagement models and examples, resources such as evaluation tools, and potentially a map of existing networks and programs involved in any type of outreach, science communication, public engagement or informal science education. Several existing websites, including the informalscience.org website, the AAAS Trellis website and the ASBMB outreach website, are attempting to do just that.
Another area of need identified by meeting participants was the continued development of common spaces and venues that would allow for informal science professionals, STEM researchers, science communication experts and social scientists and evaluators to connect and develop activities and programs jointly. Similarly, there was much discussion of finding a way to lessen the divide between informal and formal STEM education, perhaps by working in conjunction with groups such as the National Science Teachers Association. Professional society meetings would seem to be obvious locations for such interactions, while CAISE is also looking at ways to host additional convenings.
Two of the major needs identified by participants that unfortunately lacked specific actionable items were increasing both funding resources and programmatic sustainability, common themes for those involved in the field. However, attendees felt that building of networks and personal and institutional connections could at least help the field start coming up with solutions to these issues.
ASBMB will continue to work with groups like CAISE to help improve the practice of informal science education and expand the field of those involved with the public outreach. If you have questions about how to get involved, get in touch with us at outreach@asbmb.org.
Science outreach relies on effective communication. On that point, there is widespread agreement. Unfortunately, there is otherwise little consensus on how to best make scientists effective communicators: What is the best model for science communication training? How is "effective" defined? Are scientists even that bad at communicating?
To try and bring some focus this debate, the National Academies of Science in Washington D.C. recently brought science communication experts and thought leaders together for two separate workshops focused on science communication training.
As part of their Public Interfaces of Life Sciences roundtable, the National Academies of Science hosted a workshop titled "Sustainable Infrastructures for Life Science Communication." Speakers, panelists and audience members discussed existing platforms and programs for science communication that serve as part of the broader scientific infrastructure. Some of the highlighted speakers included Nalini Nadkarni and May R. Berenbaum, both previous winners of the AAAS Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology, as well as Sonny Ramaswamy from USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture program. The discussion also featured insight from social scientist researchers, who presented research showing the professional impacts of science communication efforts. Sadly, a snowstorm caused the second day of the workshop to be cancelled, denying participants the chance to gain insight from funding organizations.
Taking a different approach, a second workshop, titled #GradSciComm, focused on identifying and (hopefully) rectifying deficiencies in existing training efforts. Hosted by COMPASS, the workshop grew out of a desire to address the unmet need for science communication training for graduate students, recognizing how this deficiency impacted professional development and career options for STEM trainees. Participants worked to map out potential pathways to help identify science communication core competencies and integrate them into STEM graduate student training, coming up with approaches to overcome significant obstacles like lack of institutional support and poorly defined evaluation metrics.
So after three full days of discussion and deliberation (with one more to come), what were the take-aways? One major outcome from the workshops was the chance for key stakeholders to finally put their heads together and collaborate on collective efforts, rather than continuing to toil in isolation. The discussions and debates that took place will springboard efforts to bring awareness to individual programs, helping to establish a national network that will help to legitimize and standardize science communication training through both bottom-up, grass-roots and institutionalized, top-down approaches.
Participants were also able to tease out several common themes related to the specifics of communicating that came up repeatedly during the workshops. These included: messaging, framing, delivery and context/understanding of the audience. More work is needed to distill these themes into specific criteria that can be used when designing, operating and evaluating current and future training programs.
Finally, the mere existence of these types of workshops demonstrates the growing attention that is being paid to the issue of science communication. The more opportunities that scientists have for practicing and training, the more willing they will be to participate in outreach activities in their local communities. ASBMB is part of that effort: in 2014, we will be launching a comprehensive science communication training program that will help imbue our members with the skills necessary to become expert communicators. We will also be hosting a science communication-themed workshop at EB2014. Stay tuned!


PBR - The Phillies enter tonight's contest against the Braves at 10 games below .500.
The time to make a move is now.
This is the first year with an extra wild card spot, so the Phillies at least have that working in their favor. However, the odds seem stacked.
Imagine if the two-team wild card system had been in place in the National League since 2000. Instead of 12 wild card teams we now have 24. The average win total of the 24 teams that qualified for the postseason via the wild card is 89.95.
To reach 90 wins the Phillies would have to go 53-25 in their remaining 78 contests. That's a .679 winning percentage.
To put that in perspective, the Nationals simply need to go 42-40 in their remaining 82 contests to reach 90 wins. That's a .525 winning percentage.
Remember, the journey of a mile begins with a single step.
The Phillies have reached a point where winning two-of-three isn't sustainable. Sweeps are necessary if they want a shot at the postseason.


BOURNEMOUTH'S all-boys grammar school plans to admit girls for the first time in its history despite objections from the girls' school next door.
It will take up to 50 girls per year in its sixth form from September 2013 although head of the girls' school Alistair Brien claims the move will narrow choice for boys in the borough.
Bournemouth School's (BS) admission policy has been changed to allow girls in years 12 and 13 to study full-time at the East Way school.
In recent years sixth form students at BS and neighbouring Bournemouth School for Girls (BSG) have mixed for some lessons on an informal basis.
But the arrangement has not been possible since BS changed its timetable, meaning it starts lessons half-an-hour earlier and has six lessons per day compared to BSG's five.
He said the school is the only secondary to be rated outstanding in Bournemouth and to offer subjects such as Latin and Electronics at A level.
But Mr Brien said: "The two schools have for many years had a very successful collaboration enabling both boys and girls to have maximum flexibility of subject choice.
There are currently no plans for boys to be admitted to Bournemouth School for Girls.
And Mr Brien claims the move to admit girls at BS "effectively narrows choice to boys – who may now not get a place".
The admission of girls is one of a number of changes taking place to admissions criteria at the school.
From next year boys from the borough of Bournemouth will get preferential treatment over those from outside the area for admission in Year 7.
The first 120 places will be allocated to those with the highest test results, regardless of where they live, with the final 30 given to Bournemouth boys in order of test score.
Admission arrangements to all grammar schools have changed, meaning eligibility tests will be carried out at Bournemouth School, Bournemouth School for Girls, Poole Grammar and Parkstone Grammar earlier than usual. Tests for 2013 entry will take place at all four on September 29 and in Poole students hoping to enter both Year 7 and Year 8 will be tested due to changes to the age of transfer in Borough of Poole. Each school will hold information evenings to explain the changes and detailed arrangements are published on the school websites.


As you may have noticed from my last update, I have spent a lot of time thinking about how to apply what we learn from studying football stats. How do you take academic knowledge and make it practical? What feedback do we get from talking to players and coaches about how to better apply these ideas in the future? What simply does not work?
I cannot stress enough that the world is just getting started in this area. What we understand and think is correct now may dramatically change over the next 20 years, but you do the best with what you have. Progress is a bumpy road.
What follows is a goofy idea I was fooling around with some time ago related to developing player skills in ways that are intuitive, especially to younger players. The concept here is that coaches could introduce this, and coach a couple of brief sessions on proper usage and technique, and then players could then use this as part of their free development time to help improve skills.
Confession: It might be dumb for reasons I have never thought about but many of the coaches out there have.
Here's the rub… that's fine!
Experimenting with concepts and ideas is one of the most important things new people can add to the game. Plenty of potentially bright ideas won't work out for , but many of those interim steps might be required for something truly brilliant.
The other thing I am fairly certain teams do not do enough of is learn from their training information and data. Game data only takes you so far. Being able to objectively evaluate your own players based on training drills from the first team right down through the academy is a hugely valuable resource that can't be replicated in any other way. The ideas below were me poking around with developing an environment where that became fairly natural.
You know the FIFA skill drills that help teach you how to perform certain drills in the game? Let's adapt those and use them for objective performance and skill tracking.
The concept is to create a pitch with different areas designated to different types of skill drills. At regular intervals, coaches/analysts track player performance in the various skills and update the skill leaderboards.
Game data only generates a very small sample of information about certain important skills.
Example: In order to find out who the best shooters in the world are, it can take from 3-5 seasons of data to tease out whether a player is good versus lucky with regard to shooting skill. For skills like long shots, free kick taking, or corner taking it could potentially take even longer to discover this information.
However, by starting to track data in training for skills we care about, we can rapidly overcome the small sample size problem and learn in a matter of months what it might take years of game data to discover. We can also tailor player roles better to personnel who actually have the skills we want. And finally we can start to track player improvement in these areas objectively.
Better evaluate our own players by creating data driven metrics that teach us more about player skills than we would learn from small sample sizes of game data.
Post regular leader boards with player rankings across all levels, so that players are incentivized to compete and improve.
Eliminate on-pitch arguments about who gets to take free kicks or corners or penalties or whatever (Note: This actually happens!). Point to the data, and that person takes it. Want to take more free kicks yourself? Get to the top of the leader board. This should help foster an environment of continued skill work and improvement at all team levels.
Increase player buy-in by creating skill "games" directly related to one of the world's favourite player past times – playing the FIFA video game.
Decay data over time so that players can move up or down the leader board by showing continuous improvement.
If this pitch gets a high amount of use, you might consider developing it on turf, because the free kick and corner locations especially will get chewed to bits.
How? For free kicks, pick 5 spots on the pitch (Example: central, 22 yds, Right 20, Left 20, Right 26, Left 26).
Add two 1-yard wide targets from top to bottom of the goal on each side (make sure they are color coded different colors, since it makes it easier to remember and for the brain to process) plus elevated wall simulations.
If you want to maintain the ability for guys to keep practicing and move up and down the leader board (and the on-pitch FK taker roster) then have data expire after a certain amount of time for leaderboard purposes or weight the newer data as more important than the old.
Also look into mixing in actual team practice with keepers and walls and tracking that at a less frequent interval to mimic in-game situations.
One of the things we might learn here is that certain guys are just better at converting from certain locations and we can use that for in-game decisions.
Do something similar to the free kicks except for corners. Set up elevated targets (or rubbish bins, if you want) at the different locations and heights you want your corners to land in and track the performances twice a week from each side.
Obviously there is some subjectivity to the evaluations – this guy hits it harder, or flatter on corners or whatever – but now coaches have actionable information on player skills, and the analysis team has more info to help evaluate the ability and importance of players in the team.
Use the same targets as the free kicks except add a large target centrally as well (Insert important game theory point about slow central penalties here). Alternatively, you can literally just recreate the target setup from the video game.
When available, you can use players and defenders here for more realistic simulations.


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Ivy League Freshman Class Size
The Ivy League has always been hard to get into. But over time, it's become astronomically more competitive. In fact, according to our estimates, the Ivy League has a combined average acceptance rate that hovers around 5 percent.
The Ivy League, a History
Back in the day, Ivies were a place for accomplished rich white men to form powerful networks. While they were still competitive, their acceptances were far higher than the single-digit numbers that make headlines today. In the 1960s, the Ivies began admitting women across the board. Around the same time, affirmative action was introduced. Down the line, more and more jobs began requiring college degrees and the population grew with nearly every generation.
While Ivies largely facilitate the same function for wealthy white men today (one third of Harvard's most recent admitted class comes from homes with a combined income of $500,000 or more and 46 percent are white), more and more people are applying to college. In an increasingly globalized world, Ivies have also become a popular destination for international students.
But the real kicker was not the inclusion of students who should have been invited to attend these universities long ago, but rather, a shift in the way marketing is done. Colleges are businesses and over the years they have come to demand exorbitantly high tuitions that, in part, go toward increased marketing budgets. The marketing teams at these schools artificially stimulate competition by targeting more and more students who will never get in. If 10,000 more people apply each year, a school's acceptance rate will go down, making them look more competitive in publications such as U.S. News & World Report. But in order for the formula to work, the number of applicants must grow at a greater rate than the number of acceptances each year. This phenomenon is not specific to the Ivy League. The trend is consistent with most major universities across the country, causing students to be exposed to more schools, and thus apply to more across the board. But, as we just mentioned, while marketing budgets and applicant pools have ballooned, class sizes have failed to keep pace.
The History of Class Sizes
At the turn of the 20th century, Harvard introduced the College Entrance Examination Boards. If you were academically-inclined, you probably passed. Because of this, around that time, according to a New Yorker article written by Malcolm Gladwell, Jewish admittance spiked at several Ivies. In an effort to limit their acceptance, information about personality and background came into the fray. They made students submit essays and resumes, and also and a mandatory disclosure for high schoolers whose parents changed their names, say to something Anglican from something Jewish-sounding.
So, for largely bigoted purposes, Ivies tamped down admissions instead of opening their doors to the increased number of students who were applying. Still today, class sizes fail to reflect the volume of applications. And it only helps a university's bottom line.
Harvard, a Case Study
Often hailed as the nation's top university, Harvard is a prime of example of the disproportionate growth between applicants and class sizes within the Ivy League.
In 2017, Harvard received 39,506 applications. That same year they accepted just 2,056 applicants.
Between 2008 and 2010, the applicant pool shot up from 19,750 to 30,000. All the while, the number of admitted students between those two years stayed relatively the same (1,948 in 2008 to 2,110 in 2010). In 2007, citing, in-part, disadvantages for low-income students, Harvard got rid of its early action option, only to bring it back in 2011. The next few years marked a steady trend in applications, hovering above 34,000. In 2013, Harvard saw a rare, small decrease in applicants. The next year, applications grew by over 3,000, but interestingly, the number of admitted students (1,990) dropped. While the applicant pool has grown and grown, the number of accepted students remains around 2,000 each year.
Actually, to make matters a little bit more disturbing, in 2018, 42,749 people applied and only 1,962 got in.
The thing to note is that the number of accepted students isn't really representative of your chances as the standard applicant. Within those approximately 2,000 spots (1,962 in 2018) there are numerous seats that will already be filled before you even apply. There are some spots reserved for athletes, some for legacies, and of course, many for students who apply early action.
Schools like Harvard have no incentive to expand their class sizes. They please boards by remaining in the upper echelons of competition and they even generate some revenue with application fees. Acceptance rates are only going to continue to fall. While this is ultimately a discouraging story, it's one we feel you should know about before considering the Ivy League. Basically, high schoolers applying to almost any university in the country must be uber-human to make it in, presenting the perfect package of scores, grades, extra-curriculars, and essays. It's not impossible, but it is a challenge.
Need help deciding where to apply? Reach out to us. We are experts at helping students match with the right schools for them.
Tagged: ivy league, ivy league schools
Newer PostCommon App Essay Requirements 2019-2020
Older PostGetting Into an Ivy League School with C's?


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The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg - #review
San Francisco, 1915. As America teeters on the brink of world war, Charmian and her husband, famed novelist Jack London, wrestle with genius and desire, politics and marital competitiveness. Charmian longs to be viewed as an equal partner who put her own career on hold to support her husband, but Jack doesn't see it that way…until Charmian is pulled from the audience during a magic show by escape artist Harry Houdini, a man enmeshed in his own complicated marriage. Suddenly, charmed by the attention Houdini pays her and entranced by his sexual magnetism, Charmian's eyes open to a world of possibilities that could be her escape.
As Charmian grapples with her urge to explore the forbidden, Jack's increasingly reckless behavior threatens her dedication. Now torn between two of history's most mysterious and charismatic figures, she must find the courage to forge her own path, even as she fears the loss of everything she holds dear.
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon AU * Barnes & Noble * IndieBound
Why is it that the more talented a person becomes in one facet of life, the less attention s/he pays to the other parts? For instance, Jack London. Ever heard of The Call of the Wild? When scads of people wanted to enjoy his fame and the status that came from knowing him, he tended to let his personal/family life slide.
It happened when he left his first wife for Charmian, and in due time it happened to her as well.
I've always said that historical fiction about real people makes history come alive, and this is quite evident in Mrs. London. Granted, these are only possible or probable ways that events actually happened. When you're reading Jack London in public school, they don't go into the personal lives of the authors. It's too bad, really, because it would help put the famous works in some context.
For instance, I never knew that Charmian was instrumental in taking Jack's abstract ideas and polishing them up into the writing that people so admired. I never knew that Jack and Harry Houdini were contemporaries. *ahem* And I certainly never knew that Mrs. London knew Houdini a little bit (excuse me while I wipe away this sarcasm) better than her husband. ;)
Both were so wrapped up in the writing and the social aspects of being a well-known author, that they started to neglect each other. They didn't really 'talk to each other' much, or rather that they talked about everything else but their relationship until it was too late. And then Jack passed on at the early age of 40 and Charmian was left to 'keep up the legacy'.
I love reading about strong female characters at any point in history and Ms. Rosenberg's works are a great source for such material.
A California native, Rebecca Rosenberg lives on a lavender farm with her family in Sonoma, the Valley of the Moon, where Jack London wrote from his Beauty Ranch. Rebecca is a long-time student of Jack London's works and an avid fan of his daring wife, Charmian London. The Secret Life of Mrs. London is her debut novel.
Rebecca and her husband, Gary, own the largest lavender product company in America, selling to 4000 resorts, spas and gift stores. The Rosenbergs believe in giving back to the Sonoma Community, supporting many causes through financial donations and board positions, including Worth Our Weight, an educational culinary program for at-risk children, YWCA shelter for abused women, Luther Burbank Performing Arts Center to provide performances for children, Sonoma Food Bank, Sonoma Boys and Girls Club, and the Valley of the Moon Children's Home.
For more information, please visit Rebecca's website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook and Goodreads. Visit the Facebook page for The Secret Life of Mrs. London.
Click on the banner above to go to the tour page, where you will find links to more reviews of this title, You can also find out how to become to blog host for future book tours while you are there!
(Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author and publishers via Historical Fiction Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.)
Posted by LuAnn @ BackPorchervations at 11:47 AM
Labels: book reviews, historical fiction virtual book tours, rebecca rosenberg, the secret life of mrs london
Stephanie Jane February 26, 2018 at 1:10 PM
I love Jack London's writing, but had never really considered the man himself or the people who helped with his books. This story of Charmian looks fascinating!
Stephanie Jane @ Literary Flits
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