Miss Bimbo

For every concerned doctor and terrified mother who watch young women destroy their bodies for popularity, there is someone happily, and not always intentionally, perpetuating the problem.

Welcome to the land of Miss Bimbo! "Become the most famous, beautiful, sought after bimbo across the Globe!"

"Find your own cool place to live. Find a fun job to pay for your needs and all the clothes a Bimbo could possibly want. Shop for the latest fashions and become the trendsetting bimbo in town! Become a socialite and skyrocket to the top of fame and popularity. Date that famous hottie you've had your eye on and show the Bimbo world the social starlet you are! Even resort to meds or plastic surgery. Stop at nothing to become the reigning bimbo!"

Stop at nothing. Even resort to meds or plastic surgery. STOP AT NOTHING!

This is the message that we teach young women in this country. The message in and of itself is not a bad one (hear me out). When we teach them to work towards their goals and dreams, we should impart the idea of 'Stop At Nothing'. They need to learn about hard work and persistence.

However, 'Stop At Nothing' is extreme thinking which can lead to promiscuous sex, adultery, drugs and other behaviors harmful to your psyche and body, especially in the entertainment field.

For this young generation, being "Famous" is the ultimate goal. Think about YouTube: Broadcast Yourself. How often do funny, horrifying or impressive videos wind up on major websites, television shows or even referenced in movies?

But let's talk more about this game. Let's talk about how the values it sets forth are permeating our youth. Dr. TimValko, a psychologist from Toledo, cites a comparison to a real world patient. "I just had a patient. One of her friends taught her how to vomit to lose weight so they would be attractive for other boys in her class. And she's in the fourth grade.” A nine year old with bulimia, and all for the attention of boys. This is the example set by this game.

The game's web promoter, Chris Evans, argues for the positive influences: “What about loving your bimbo? What about taking care of your bimbo? Sending it to university? The quality aspects of the game have been completely ignored.” My first big problem with this statement, for there are several, is the reference to the Bimbo as an "it". I realize that the game is intended to be compared to Tamagochi's, the hand-held electronic pet, but that is hardly an excuse for that mindset. Secondly, pretending that university is an expectation, even a possibility, is ridiculous seeing as how your Bimbo starts off with an IQ of 70. For those of you who are unaware, that is one point above mental retardation. "And you can't raise your I.Q. in the game," steams Valko.

The game has received quite a bit of attention from the medical profession. "This is as lethal as pro-anorexia websites," Dee Dawson, medical director at Rhodes Farm Clinic, which treats girls aged from eight to 18 who suffer eating disorders, told The Times. 'Players compete in beauty contests and send text messages to the site to earn currency in the game, which is then used to pay for lingerie, diet pills, breast enhancement and face lifts.'

One of the scary things about this phenomenon is that parents would be almost completely in the dark about it if it weren't for their phone bill. Although it is free to play, when the contestants run out of virtual dollars they have to send cell phone text messages costing $3 each or use PayPal to top up their accounts. This shows up as a cell phone charge which Daddy pays ( seems to fit into the theme of the game, doesn't it?)

This game is one of too many bricks in the wall between our youth and a healthy self-image. We have to work not only to tear down this wall, but to prevent more building.

Great Women Gone Missing

One week after authorities found the body of Katoucha Niane, in the River Seine, Waris Dirie was reported missing. Seeing as these women are both involved in the political battle against FGM, suspicions are rising. Dirie has since been found, but the mystery behind her disappearance remains.

Both of these African-born women used to be models in the French fashion world. They have also both undergone female genital mutilation, FGM, and since written books describing their ordeals. Dirie's book, "Desert Flower", shocked the world as a best seller. Katoucha's story, "Katoucha, In My Flesh" was published very recently, and given it's practically-post-humus release it will likely make quite a splash.

The autopsy for Katoucha revealed no signs of foul-play, but her family holds their suspicions. Given their common connection it seems likely that many people will suspect the "coincidental" nature of these cases.

Whether it is a coincidence or on purpose, I believe there is a silver lining: this story will make it into many news sources, bringing awareness to an issue that has been too long in the dark. Hopefully enough light will be shed to make a difference, no matter how small.

FGM rages on in Sierra Leone

This disturbing visual hails from Sierra Leone where some 800 women paraded and protested their right to female genital mutilation. These women, ironically 185 miles east of Freetown, danced and sang a warning to outside governments and groups against "any attempt to take away our traditional ritual".

Mamie Banya, a member of the Bondo Society, claimed, "Any organisation that has accepted funds from overseas donors to wage war against FGM is fighting a losing battle. Let donors keep their money, we will keep our culture."

The ritual is regarded as "harmless" while it "promotes marital fidelity". One demonstrator even stated that "it has made us women be responsible housewives to our husbands". Women were actually using the phrase "we love FGM" during their protest. They say that if the process was outlawed in their region, as it is in many others all over Africa, they "will become uncontrollable". It is a very important part of their culture that they hold dear.

That is hard for an American to handle, especially when we hear so many stories of women who experienced it as children; women who were scared, in great pain, forced against all will to be cut by unsanitary tools. According to the July 12th issue of Women's Policy, Inc., written in 1996 mind you, in areas in the Sudan where antibiotics are not available, it is estimated that one-third of the girls undergoing FGM will die.

Another piece of this puzzle often left unmentioned is HIV. Many women, especially those who experience infibulation, the most severe and damaging form, are left with no sexual options other than anal intercourse to please their husbands. This radically increases the odds of catching and spreading the virus.

If you believe in prayer, please say one for these women. Those that are suffering from the practice against their will as well as those who fight desperately to maintain it.

Katoucha Niane

This Guinean-born model did many extraordinary things in her life. She experienced genital mutilation as a child. She ran away to Europe to be a model, where she became a muse for Yves Saint Lauren. She used her fame and status to speak out against FGM.

She was found dead in the Seine river this past week.

While some will specualte that this was an assasination for her efforts against female circumcision, the common theory is merely that she fell in the river while intoxicated. She lived in a houseboat, where her purse was found. The autopsy did not suggest foul play.

This beautiful, soulful woman experienced FGM at age nine. She later wrote a book, dedicated to her three children, that described the whole ordeal. "Katoucha, In My Flesh" was published last year.

Katoucha, like many women I deeply admire, used her pain, her suffering and her truth to help other women. Rather than hiding in pain and shame she acted out against a horrible crime. For that she deserved better than a meek ending in a watery grave. Let her story encourage you to share your pain with someone it can heal.

Fatima

Yes, this woman is skinnier than my personal opinion of beauty. This body affords her the opportunity to be on "America's Next Top Model" (one of my not-always-guilty pleasures). And that platform affords her the opportunity to spread awareness of a horrifying practice throughout the nation.
Fatima was born in Somalia, where she spent the majority of her life, up until the past seven years. When she was seven years old she was circumsized.
Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM, is extremely common in African and Middle Eastern countries, for different reasons. For some it is a rite of passage, for others a religious requirement. It is sometimes meant to prevent a woman from feeling sexual desire, therefore "protecting" her.
The process consists of the removal of the entire clitoris. Often the labia are sewn together as well.
Fatima wants to use this show as a platform to raise awareness of this horrible tradition. Girls of all young ages experience this, and the fatality rate is staggering. These procedures are often done amateurly, especially considering how many countries have now made it illegal. Even in England there is a huge subculture of this practice, given the rising percentage of Middle Eastern inhabitants.
I applaud Fatima for making her effort to change the world. Each of us has potential to do this; it is only a matter of trying.

Ciudad Juarez

The headline that accompanied this picture reads as follows:
"A group of women wearing white dresses splashed in fake blood, proclaiming themselves Miss Juarez, Miss Atenco and Miss Michoacan in reference to places in Mexico where women have been raped or killed protest beside the stage where the Miss Universe's native dress fashion show was held in Mexico City, Sunday, May 20, 2007."
As you can tell, I am quite tardy in keeping with these events. This is especially true when you take into account that these horrendous rapes, kidnappings and murders started in 1993. Or at least that is when they started getting noticed.
There is no way of knowing for sure how many women have been kidnapped, humiliated, mutilated, raped and murdered on the soil of Juarez. And no one seems to be trying very hard to stop it. Well, that statement is too blanketted; no authority or government seems to be trying very hard. There are angels working day and night to protect these women. Esther Chavez Cano, for one, has made it her life's work to keep these women from danger and help them when it is too late. She founded Casa Amiga, a sort of safe house for these women. She is a Vagina Warrior and an angel.
There are many theories surrounding these crimes, but there is one at the fore-front: many believe that the attackers are sex-offenders from El Paso. Apparently the border between the two is laughably easy to cross; from American soil onto Mexican soil, at least. We are so busy "protecting our country from them", but we have given no thought to protecting them from us. Apparently El Paso has a very large population of sex offenders. Well, what better hunting ground for these men than an unpoliced desert of impoverished women who 'would not be missed' (from a legal and societal standpoint)? If there is any merit to this theory, and I fear there is quite a bit, than we need to take action. We need to set up serious perimeter protection. What police do exist in this region are so under paid that bribery is common, understood and accepted. This region is also a huge market for drug trafficking, bringing in more bribe money, more violent characters and fewer acting police.
Ask yourself, what can I do for these women? The easiest, and perhaps the best, is prayer. The next easiest, in my opinion, is spreading awareness. Obviously, donating your time and your money would be a big help. Just think, you could change someone's life today. Hell, you could save someone's life today!
Eve Ensler, of course, has commune with these women. She introduced me to a whole world of hurt that I could learn to heal. If you are interested in donating, her website is a great place to start. You can also go to the Casa Amiga website.

"V" to the Tenth

"Where I Want to Be"

Every year, mainly in the months of February and March, colleges, communities and companies perform 'The Vagina Monologues' all across our nation in a larger event called "V-Day". These groups use the show as a means to raise funds to stop violence against women, on everything from a local to an international scale. This is the tenth anniversary for this event, and Eve Ensler herself is throwing the biggest party.

In the original article from the New Orleans Times-Picayune, one reads that New Orleans will be home to "The Big V-Easy", a weekend long soiree to celebrate women and to honor the struggles and victories of Katrina warriors. While this is all quite serious business, many aspects will be the mood light and silly. For example, the Superdome will be turned into a giant vagina. That's right, the Supergina. Eve's sense of fun and humor are part of what has made her project so contagious and world-changing.

Eve's star-studded performance will include Salma Hayek, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Hudson, Glenn Close, Julia Stiles, Ashley Judd, Marisa Tomei, Calpernia Addams, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Ellen DeGeneres, and musicians Joss Stone, Common, Eve, and Charmaine Neville. A few of these women have shown up in this very blog before for their beauty and bravery.

I would give quite a bit to be able to attend this event. Some of my fellow Vagina Warriors and I were hoping to make a road trip out of it. As it turns out, I will be unable to go but for happy reasons; I myself will be in a production of 'The Vagina Monologues' in my hometown. Of all of the reasons I could come up with, this is the best.

I hope you are as inspired by the work these women do as I am. I hope you get involved. Even if all you do is go to see a production of it, you have helped to spread awareness. To find an event near you, follow this link.