My "G" Spot

Last night was our last meeting in Pop Culture...

The class was great! The discussions and the video shots, music the professor showed I really enjoyed. Our class was small (Ashley, Shawna, Melissa who must have dropped out earlier in the class, Patty, Sharon, Professor Brinck-Johnsen) and myself. I plan to use some of the Response Papers for my application for Simmons’ College this Fall 2008. Thanks everyone for a great summer program!

See more progress on: Apply to Simmons College for a Master's in Arts in Gender/Cultural Studies

OPI's Web Blog "Suzi Weiss-Fischmann's Web Blog"

“Toe Be or Not Toe Be”

Article from Suzi Beauty Blog

”...Rockers do it. Athletes do it. Even the guy in the next cubicle might do it… We’re talking men wearing nail color on their toes – and you’d be surprised at how popular the trend is. Think if it as “ink” for your toes, guys – choose from super-bright shades (including blue, green, yellow) and dark tones, especially black (OPI Black Onyx Nail Lacquer is a favorite among the male-nail set). Maybe it’s just one toe, maybe all ten – but isn’t it time you strutted your stuff?...”

”...Suzi Weiss-Fischmann is the Executive VP & Artistic Director of OPI Products Inc., the world leader in professional nail care. Suzi is known as the First Lady of Nails, because she single-handedly selects every OPI Nail Lacquer shade based on each season’s fashion and beauty forecasts. Suzi knows the trends because she sets the trends. Her passion for fashion and instinct for color are part of what make her style sense so special – and on this blog she shares tips for fashion, beauty, wellness and more!...”

This article from Suzibeautyblog.com is very interesting and hits so close to home. I have written to OPI.com about having a men’s line of nail colors and I think her web blog is the first one I have seen that even mentions men and nail color.

Why? Well, I am a man who loves to paint his toenails and I use OPI’s products as some of you on 43 things know but now I am going to post this on “My G Spot” as well. In case your wondering I am not gay, (although there is nothing wrong with that, I am all in support of the LGBT community, it’s just I am straight) nevertheless, I have heard that when some people see men wearing nail color there immediate reaction is unkind and sometimes unsupportive although I have never come across this myself…if you want to know why I got involved doing this it’s because I love doing it and it makes me feel happier with myself. But if you want to know when this started, send me an email to gstamas@aol.com and I will explain this further. Peace.

See more progress on: George's Manifesta

Friday June 13, 2008 Boston's Annual "Dyke March"

From L-R: Becky, George, Summer intern Chris and New NARAL Organizer Marina

Every Friday before “Boston Pride” Day, the city of Boston hosts “an event for the ladies, as Marina Barcelo, Organizer from NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts explained. I worked as a volunteer tabling for the event. Lively music from an “all girl band” and an awesome woman MC, made the activities for a incredible evening.

Women (and men) from the LGBT community came to our table and signed our petition to “vote Pro-Choice” at the next election. Many women (and some men) marched all thru downtown Boston declaring their sexual freedom by carrying signs with slogans that the MC announced as they went by. She also played a “dating game” with audience members upon there return and the pictures of the event can be seen here on Flickr

What made the events even more special was the timely announcement from Governor Patrick’s beautiful daughter Katherine, who told her parents she was gay. Bay Windows and how much love and support she received from everyone around her.

The participants in these events were having a great time as I was leaving, singing and dancing to the music, it was awesome.

See more progress on: Support NARAL Pro-Choice by hosting a "House Party" or similar event and get more involved with them!

Jennifer Fox "Flying: Confessions of a Free Women April 17-19, 2008

On Thursday and Friday evenings, at the Museum of Fine Arts I had a chance to meet a very gifted film producer Jennifer Fox who made this film, “Flying: Confessions of a Free Women.” This autobiographical film depicts the life of Jennifer herself as she travels all over the world, meeting her many girlfriends in many different countries and “passing the camera,” which is a small video camera she holds and films the conversions of her adult life.

Film Producer and star Jennifer Fox

Jennifer has lived a great life, she has the two boyfriends, one who is a married man and we never see his face. The other man in her life, Patrick, she is not sure about where her romance will go. She tries to answer the questions, “What does it mean to be a free woman in today’s society?”

The major highlights of her 5 1/2 hour film, which is shown in two days, are the conversations with her women friends. The actual film took over five years to make and numerous hours of editing to produce this wonderful masterpiece. They discuss all the intimate details of sexually, pleasure, adultery, rape, violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and pregnancy and miscarriages. It’s raw, awesome and amazing because the people in the film is not real actors, she travels from country to country and the camera is always rolling.

It’s a beautiful film and after seeing Chapters 1-3 and Chapters 4-6, Jennifer Fox came out to the audience and “passed the camera” and answered questions. She is very down-to-earth and you could see her passion for making this film, I loved it and bought a copy which she signed the back of the insert inside. The movie is set for release on May 1, 2008. Every women (and man) should see this film, it’s that good)

Her interactive web site is something to see at FlyingConfessions.com

See more progress on: create a world where women can walk ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, EVERYWHERE

NARAL Pro Choice Boston Common Event, "What is Change? Project Think Different

Clockwise from left: Marina, Lysa, Becky and George(not pictured Mike from NARAL Pro Choice)

Saturday morning April 19, 2008, I volunteered to “table an event” NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts with Marina and Mike, who is are Interns at NARAL Pro Choice, and volunteers Lysa and Becky. We were part of the Project Think Different: What is Change? in the Boston Common which featured hundreds of people, live bands playing lively music, dancing/signing exhibitions, along with many guests speakers.

NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts mission was to make themselves more visible to the public, we collected signatures for the Health Education Bill
which would provide comprehensive and age appropriate health education for children and young adults in grades K-12; helped to sign up more volunteers and provide more information including Chocolate Madness 25 NARAL’s 25 th anniversary of the “all you can eat” annual chocolate feast. For more information on NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts and their wonderful programs for women’s reproductive rights please use this link. NARAL Pro Choice Massachusetts

See more progress on: create a world where women can walk ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, EVERYWHERE

Tenth Annivesary of the Vagina Monologues Saturday April 19, 2008

“Bra Ball”

I have seen the Eve Ensler play, “The Vagina Monologues” three times now, including one where my dear friend who recently graduated fromm college, was cast in the play on BU campus.

Crowds of Women and men at the “Super Dome of Love”

I remember Amanda our Code Pink Boston Organizer at a recent meeting asking if people wanted to go to New Orleans, LA to see this celebration of women who want to stop rape and sexual abuse forever. Marina’s theatre troop at the very end of the play invited people to go to New Orleans ato see this play being preformed by “big name” actresses so I decided to go and see this once-in-life time event.

>>Ali Larter

I stayed in a Hotel very close to the “Super Dome of Love,” and was awe-inspired by all the love and caring atmosphere of the “rock concert” of 30,000 plus women (and men) supporting the awareness of rape and sexual abuse all over the world. The numbers were alarming and the descriptions of the monologues being perfomed by Jane Fonda ^{who I saw 20 ft. being driven away in a small golf cart waving at everyone} Rosario Dawson, Shriley Knight, Amber Tamblyn, Monique Wilson and Jennifer Beals ^{The L Word} and Doris Roberts. Faith Hill brought the house down along with Eve Ensler with their singing and dancing on stage. I laughed, was sad and felt empowered after it was over and proud to be part of all of this.

Dr. Denis Mukwege, Domocratic Republic of Congo, receiving the first annual Dr. Denis Mukwege Award at V-10

The event raised over $ 700,000 for public support, 125 speakers, 40 “big name” stars and over 800 volunteers. including over 30,000 attendees.

More information can be found on V-10

See more progress on: create a world where women can walk ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, EVERYWHERE

NOW "Women in Art" Monday March 31, 2008

Tonight I had the opportunity to meet the women of the National Organization of Women
(NOW) at their Cambridge, MA office. I recognized most of them because of a past event where they showed the movie, “Iron Jawed Angels” with Hillary Swank and
I liked the movie so much I even purchased a copy for myself. The movie depicts how women won the right to vote and how they were arrested, and mistreated and abused all to put pressure and win their “right to vote.”

Artwork from Kaetlyn Wilcox’s collection.

Artwork from Kaetlyn Wilcox Collection

Artwork from Andria Arch Broomfield Collection

Artwork from Andria Arch’s collection.

Anyway, tonight two gifted artists, Kaetlyn Wilcox and Andria Arch
Both lovely young and very talented artists have a unique and personal style and I loved their pieces. Kaetlyn has a whimsical, highly detailed and very expressive style which uses fantasy images, wildlife, birds and nature while Andria has a abstract and creative imaginary style, using inkblots, micro-organisms and color combinations which make her artwork come alive! But what do I know about artwork. I am just in awe of these two gifted artists and how they seem to create a life of their own on their canvasses and whatever else they can find. Thanks to NOW I had this opportunity to hear their stories and see where they received their inspiration from.

It is good to see NOW honor these women artists as a celebration of art made by women artists and hopefully it will serve in the future as inspiration for young girls and young woman “artistic” students. Kudos and many thanks to Katyln and Andria for sharing their artwork with others. Thank you.

See more progress on: create a world where women can walk ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE

Teen Parent Lobby Day, Thursday April 3, 2008

Held at the Boston State House and attended by over 500 women (and men) the event was hosted by a number of women’s group and organizations including: Massachusetts Teen PregnancyPromise the ChildrenPlanned Parenthood

I was happy to volunteer that day serving refreshments because my dear friend Alison from Mass Ten Pregnancy asked for help, so I did and so glad I had the chance to see this wonderful event and the many inspirational stories from young teen mothers who sacrificed there freedoms to have their children and go back to school to finish their education, work and support their families. The hundreds of teen parents lobbied throughout the State House so they could promote the bill going through Senate and finally towards to Governor to sign. It was a very emotional and inspirational experience to behold indeed.

See more progress on: create a world where women can walk ANYWHERE, EVERYWHERE

WAM 2008 Weekend of March 28-30, 2008

I only went on Saturday but it was well worth the trip. The Women’s Action & Media Conference (WAM 2008) is an annual event where women (and men) come from all over to discuss women’s issues, feminism in news and media. Some of the finest women’s authors and web bloggers come to present workshops and lectures on how feminism has changed the lives of women in media, how the media has portrayed women, and how women web bloggers are attacked and harassed on their web blog sites.

The three day conference is hosted by the Center of New Words (CNW) located in Cambridge, MA. This is my second year at the event and it was even more organized and included over 600 people at this year’s event.

Jaclyn Friedman, Program Director of CNW, performer and poet ming out with a new book in early 2009, hosts many of the workshops including the “Feminism & Desert” events and is assisted by new

Event Coordinator KL Periera, who is a poet and writer, through all their hard work and the volunteers made this years WAM even better. Every person who registered for the event received a WAM 2008 messenger bag (pictured above) full of information, the WAM 2008 booklet with schedules of workshops, maps and other information on the wonderful speakers and presenters. WAM had many sponsors including AlternetBitch MagazineFeminist.com and Feministing.com
If you ever in the Boston/Cambridge MA area please check out the CNW for the best in feminism, poetry, women’s stories and a host for the LGBT community. Their motta is “Where Women’s Words Matter.”

See more progress on: Teach people what feminism really means

This coming weekend, Friday March 28-Sunday March 30, 2008 I will at WAM 2008

The Center of New Words (CNW) runs a special program each year entitled Women’s Action & Media (WAM 2008) This three day Conference held at MIT,”... allows the
sharing of facts and ideas, develop skills, build collaborations, and create action plans to amplify progressive women’s public voices in society. We’re excited to hear your ideas whether you’re a media producer or a PR strategist, a journalist, an activist, an academic, a community organizer, a funder or philanthropist, a “citizen” media watchdog, a media policy advocate, an alternative-network-builder, a blogger, writer, teacher, artist, technology trainer, cartoonist, deejay, (etc!) we especially encourage women of color, women under 25 and over 65, low-income women, professionals/producers working in broadcast and online media, and students to join us!”

”...This year we’re bringing together more than 400 participants to exchange observations, ideas, experiences, opinions, and tools for change—and plan together for action…”

I attended last year’s WAM 2007 and it was a great bonding experience for my and allowed me to start web blogging. My G Spot is a feminist web blog dealing with issues that face women today. If you are in the Boston and Cambridge, MA area I encourage you to particiate in live workshops on building women’s self esteem, meet with women authors, cartoonists, we bloggers and many many more surprises.

See more progress on: express my feminist ideals more