link dump

[anotheranon]

It's fencing night, so in lieu of original content:

Get yer Whedon feminism right heah: gender dynamics in cross-class relationships in Firefly. Whether you agree with the author or not, it's nice to see a thoughtful cultural analysis of a well written show that I enjoy (yes, I know about the book, but haven't had a chance to get a copy yet!)

Chivalry should be dead and buried - this is an example of a post that I link to because I agree with it, but the author has put it so much more eloquently than I could myself. Before anyone gets in a huff about their sweeties not getting them flowers anymore, please try and take away the main point (IMHO): "What we're saying is that politeness is fine, but treating women based on a code that means treat us as fragile glass creatures is not".

The joys of indie record shops. I know I've written about my own teenage vinyl fiending before, but I identify with SO much of what Shakespeare's Sister writes here:

My heart broke a thousand times with the thought I would never get this, never hear that, never get tickets, omigod the desire is going to kill me; I know it, and a thousand times it was healed as I finally found the grail, or walked out of the nearest TicketMaster outlet with tickets in my hand after a night of sleeping on the sidewalk outside.

Women in Fencing, old-skool style: Probably not news, but the earliest known fencing manual (ca. 1300) features a woman fencer called Walpurgis (here or better version here).

Finally, Skepchicks 2006 calendar, from Skepchicks Intl., "an organization dedicated to promoting skepticism and critical thinking among women around the world."

Comments

[hadesgirl.livejournal.com]

::::Ahem:::: I have said book. Would ye like to borrow it?

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Yes, if you're done with it!

[hadesgirl.livejournal.com]

Soitenly!!! I'll put that one and another one in the mail tomorrow!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

She beat me to offering. It's a wonderful read. :-)

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Most interesting about the fencing manual and Walpurgis. Led my mind on a wander over to Irish lore, where tradition holds that Cu Chulainn was the greatest and most skilled warrior of all time. But, after he had mastered everything male warriors could teach him, he got his final weapons training from a woman named Scathach (on the Isle of Women), who was the most sought-after and skilled combat instructor of the time. :p

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Just had a chance to do some searching on "Scathach" myself: came up with this (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/scathach.html) and this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scathach). Thanks for the heads up - another Woman (albeit mythical) In Fencing!

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Maybe not all that mythical. Old Irish histories and lore tend to take the woman warrior for granted, rather than regarding her as something unusual ... since much legend is built around a kernel of reality, 'tis entirely possible that Scathach (or a reasonable facsimile) did exist. I should mail-loan you my copies of the Tain and the Remscela (which include the tale of Cu Chulainn and Scathach) ... I think you'd enjoy them.

Now that you've got me on that train of thought, you might be interested in Gráinne Ni Mháille (who also complements your liking for Captain Sheba). A 30 minute documentary was made about Gráinne a couple of years ago, just after her existence had been proven by research through English trial records (up to that point, she was considered to be local legend). Another one is niggling at the back of my mind too ... the autobiography of a woman (17th century? Spanish?) who ran away from a convent and lived her life as a "male" soldier/mercenary ... if I can track that one down, I'll post it.

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

BINGO! The book I was thinking of was Lieutenant Nun, by Catalina de Erauso (as one one reviewer says, "Even if only half of what de Erauso claims about herself is true, it's a life well worth remembering and an utterly wonderful read.")

I always meant to get 'round to reading this one day (it was in the college collection) ... am flagging it in my Amazon account right now, so I won't forget it again. :p