Bored at work? Check out these links of great interest! 
The Split This Rock poetry festival has a post by Katherine Howell reflecting on the murder of Dr. Tiller.
The ladies at Smart Bitches/Trashy Books talk about the historical facts NOT included in romance fiction.
Cristin at Self.com continues to model sane, healthy eating habits. Michelle of Pretty Year reflects on the nuttery of weight and BMI — she’s posted the results of her guess her weight challenge, and shows that BMI is weird and arbitrary. Gabi at Young, Fat, and Fabulous reports on the FFFashion Week, which will feature full figure designer fashions.
Center of Gravitas offers advice for LGBT-identified graduate students looking for work in the present academic climate. Jenn at Reappropriate talks about the politics of queer, focusing on Margeret Cho’s recent interviews.
Jezebel criticizes Marvel’s stupid attempt to make superheroines into the cast of Sex in the City. Is it bad I’m a little intrigued? All I’m saying is that it might be an entertaining trainwreck.
Megan Jhu at New University is all WHAT THE HECK? over the way girls are getting discouraged from being tomboys. She thinks about that in terms of the fashions getting marketed to tweens.
TroubleInChina offers some astute analysis of the role disabled characters play in the media.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
There’s the 2nd Asian Women Blog Carnival ^_^ I’m hosting the next one!
Jha(Quote) (Reply)
Well, I don’t think Marvel Divas is literally trying to turn the heroines into Sex & The City’s cast. It’s just the tagline from the pitch because hey, women watched that show so those some women might buy the comic if we can insinuate a link, right? …right?
Also, the link to little-known facts of medieval hygiene have put me off the concept of time travel.
Charles RB(Quote) (Reply)
That was a fascinating discussion of what life was like back in the 1300-1600′s, wasn’t it? Dental hygiene–didn’t exist as we know it. At all. Yech.
I have no idea what audience the comic book writers think they’re really going to get with this approach. I suppose all the covers are going to be variations of purple, pink and electric blue with Prima flowers in the background?
gategrrl(Quote) (Reply)
The second cover does have some purple on it fading to white, but is basically the four character’s heads smirking at YOU. http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/3/33806/804295-64_marvel_divas_2_super.jpg
I dunno if that’s going to appeal to the alleged target audience, but when it comes to that sort of cover, I certainly this: http://www.2000ad.org/covers/megazine/hires/230.jpg
Charles RB(Quote) (Reply)
Potentially the Divas could be good: Contrary to Jezebel, there’s a lot of fun to be had with super-heroes out of costume, hanging around (though it’s a lot more difficult to do that on a regular basis, I would think).
But I agree that with relatively few super-heroines in starring roles, it’s a shame not to give them action. And the description doesn’t sound encouraging, as if they’re going to fit them into some standardized girl-template.
But of course, the proof will be the finished product.
Fraser(Quote) (Reply)
They totally could be good. But, what I think is flipping out Jez., and is annoying me, is that you don’t really hear about proposals to talk about the “every day” lives of superheroes. For Bats, Supes, and the Green Arrow, their superhero life IS their real life. To me, that suggests that female superheroes are viewed as GIRLS first and superheroes second.
The OTHER Maria(Quote) (Reply)
Other Maria: Good point.
Fraser(Quote) (Reply)
Patrick J McGraw(Quote) (Reply)
Anybody else notice some of the adjectives used to describe Marvel Divas in that interview? “Sudsy,” “naughty,” and “hot” caught my particular attention. Sounds like they’re all going to be taking bubble baths together. Even though it’s also said the comic’s “really” about “what it truly means to be a woman in such a testosterone and guns-filled world,” (I’m paraphrasing), those descriptors still make me think it’s going to mostly be, “Sexy ladies! Being sexy! Yay for the male gaze!”
Mana G(Quote) (Reply)
Marvel Divas has a 7 page preview online: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=29023
It’s VERY VERY BORING.
Charles RB(Quote) (Reply)