The internet allows an amount of anonymous hate that I find very unsettling- and I wonder about my decision to venture out into the cyber world, exposing my face and opinions for everyone to see, especially regarding See Candy Bleed.

Although this blog isn't popular enough to have people troll it or post viscous comments, I've seen it in other places, and you have to wonder: "what the heck is going on in other people's heads?" I'm talking about the people who not only revealed the name of the accuser in the Duke rape case, but blasted it all over the internet, mocking her. The people who go to craigslist.org to post in the "rants and raves" about how much they hate immigrants.

The thing that really gets to me is that these people would never speak like this if people knew who they were. They know that this part of them is ugly- yet they still feel the need to express it. They've found the perfect venue for it.

In real life people say that I'm very blunt. That with me, what you see is what you get. I offend people sometimes, but I think it's a good characteristic to have, if you think about the alternatives.

P.S. Want to see an example of what I'm talking about? Go here.

Signing off,

Candy.


Photography by Domenic. January, 2006.

One of my roommates pointed out this wonderful article in the Washington Post about a play called "Hakeh Niswan," or, in Arabic, "Women's Talk." Inspired by the Vagina Monologues (which, by the way, is a wonderful experience that everyone, vagina or no, should see), a Lebanese woman decided to write her own play about issue surrounding women in the Arab world. It took five tries to make it past the censors, but it finally did, playing to sold-out audiences in Beirut, my father's birthplace. Awesome.


Photography by Al. Taken in April, 2006.

Attention:

This is for anyone and everyone out there who complains incessantly about illegal immigrants but has never had their job threatened by them. This is for everyone out there who says "Why don't they learn to speak English?" This is for everyone who complained when the "Star Spangled Banner" was translated into Spanish.

You are bigots. If these people looked and talked like you, you would welcome them with open arms. I don't care what you're saying- but if you have no sympathy whatsoever for "illegals" (god forbid we should think of them as people!), you're not seeing them as humans. You're a racist. You're classist. I don't know who did this to you- who filled you up with this hate, the self-righteous rage, this blind anger- but it needs to stop. You need to remember who you Americans are: the children of dirt poor immigrants yourself.

Signed,

Candy, the feminist without clothes. As well as the child of an immigrant- as are you, whether you choose to recognize it or not.


Photography by Domenic. January, 2006.

So, I've got some great news in the online world of Candy.

First thing: my online set at ishotmyself.com won the April I Shot Myself Prize! I'm looking forward to doing another set for that site- I highly recommend it, and not just because it features me naked on it(although that's certainly a valid reason to join).

Second thing: Jane's Guide recently review this blog, and gave it an amazing review. Not only was it rated at "Quality" and "Original," it was also the reviewer's pick! Part of his review:

In this blog Candy is also the model, as the title intimates, and the photography by both herself and by several photographers is all quite well done; far above most amateur porn sites. Her writing is what I ended up enjoying [although she is a very sexy and attractive model, and I enjoyed them very much as well]. Her musings on current events, feminism, and other things are interesting, intelligent, and worth reading.

That review completely made my day.

In addition to these two great things, I've also been reading up on other feminist blogs. You can read my picks by clicking the links to the left entitled "Other Sexy and Feminist Blogs." I also recommend going to this site for an official list of "The Top Ten Blogs on Feminism and Women's Rights."

The cherry on top of this huge prize-winning, nicely-reviewed, blog-reading sundae is that I finally got a job! In conclusion, it's a good day.


Photography by Al. Taken in April, 2006.

I find myself wondering where this blog, and I, myself, fit in. There seems to be a whole sphere of feminist blogs- and then an entirely different one in which sex blogs live. There are very, very few blogs that intersect both those worlds. I think that Susie Bright's blog is a perfect example.

Should I continue to put the effort that I have previously in my articles. How many people really read them? I'd like to get more exposure, but can I really expect porn blogs or feminist blogs to feel comfortable linking to a spot like this?

Ah, forget about it. Whether you've come to read up on current feminist theory, appreciate nude art photography, jerk off, or any combination of the above, you've come to the right place. Enjoy your stay.


Photograph by Gary. November 2005.

So, I'm reading the Washington Post, and I happen upon this article. According to a new study, "Poor women in America are increasingly likely to have unwanted pregnancies, whereas relatively affluent women are succeeding more and more in getting pregnant only when they want to, according to a study analyzing federal statistics."

How wonderful. Yet another result of the Bush abstinence-only sex ed policy. And then, I read this:

"Leslee Unruh, president and founder of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, a South Dakota-based nonprofit that seeks to educate about abstinence programs, said the growing number of unintended pregnancies among poorer women shows that traditional sex education programs are failing.

"'Programs for poor women are often so condescending, even degrading,' she said. "They teach how to put on a condom rather than how to take control of their lives.'"

What the hell? You know what's really, really degrading to poor women? Thinking that the best way to help them "take control of their lives" is to focus on not having sex. Not on how to make the decision to have sex, and how to be sexually active in a responsible manner, if they should so choose. How is denying anyone information about anything- including how to put on a condom- teaching them to take control of their lives? Am I living in bizarro world here?

How appropriate that the abstinence Clearinghouse is located in South Dakota, the only state in the country where a woman can't get an abortion unless her life is in danger.


Photography by Al. Taken in April, 2006.

Welcome to my belated blog entry against disablism!

This one's for you, Silvio.

I had a friend, Silvio, who died of Cystic Fibrosis at age 19. He was an amazing person- I won't even try to describe him, because it wouldn't do him justice.
As you may or may not know, Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease.

Stem cell research could do a lot of good- a chance of a cure- not treatment, but cure- for a lot of things.

Are people just supposed to be content when they are shoved aside for the sake of the hypothetical unborn?

Listen, I know you "Christian Conservatives" are all about the innocent. You accuse women who choose to abort as having blood on their hands- maybe they killed the baby who would one day grow up to cure cancer or AIDs!

It's the kind of thing you don't understand until someone you know or yourself is put in that situation- the kind of situation where they know that something out there could possibly help them- and isn't being explored because they, somehow, are less important then already aborted fetuses. As long as abortion and invitro fertilization are legal, it is unethical to ignore that these things could aid in saving and improving the lives of people.

Why are potential humans put above actual humans? Are people so blinded by there own "pro-life" status that they can't see what good they could do for actual living, breathing, human beings? Wouldn't helping those people be truly pro-life?

"Pro-lifers" are always talking in hypotheticals. Well, I'm not. I know a real person with a disability. Actually, that's not the case. I knew a real person with a disability.

And that, folks, is disablism. The inability to relate to people with disabilities.


Me and Silvio, taken god knows when by god knows who.