kill spectators

[bossymarmalade]

Either lj or my e-mail is refusing to send me notification mails, so if I have not replied to a comment I apologize! I keep scrolling back to keep tabs on comments I've left, but I might forget some.

Anyhow, for anybody who hasn't seen it: the Wee Sister betook herself to see Jared & Jensen at the soap-box derby this weekend, for those who are interested in that kind of thing. She took pictures!

Also, I hear Jordin Sparks lost her shit at the VMAs and implied that anybody who doesn't wear a purity ring is a slut? Well, guess what, honey -- I'm contentedly close to being asexual and I STILL think purity rings are fucking nonsense. ESPECIALLY if your parents give you one at 13 (along with your betrothal papers to a nice young person from a wealthy family that daddy picked out, I'm supposing). They're not some magical barrier against pre-marital sex; in fact, all they do is provide a visible, tangible way for their wearers to lord it over everybody else for having superior "Christian values" and being heterosexual future breeders.

Then again, Jordin Sparks is what, seventeen? And there's no better time to act like a jackhole than when you're seventeen; it means there's still time to grow out of it. heh.

Comments

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Seventeen = just a kid and thank God there wasn't anyone recording my vast "wisdom" at that age, but purity rings are the creepiest shit EVER. "Look at my physical hymen symbol! See how it's perfectly UNBROKEN? My daddy gave me that! He spends a LOT of time thinking about my hymen and my private parts and how horrible it would be if some OTHER MAN ever got near them!" Brrrrr.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

It's like A Date With Dad (http://www.family.org/parenting/A000001229.cfm) all over again!!

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

.......am I weird that when I was that age, I so did NOT want or need my father "affirming my femininity"? I keep thinking about the horrible dad in It: "I worry about you, Bev. I WORRY ABOUT YOU A LOT."

ETA: " 'The research clearly says that daddies make all the difference in the world,' says Kevin Leman, national speaker and author of What a Difference Daddy Makes. 'I have tremendously more impact on my daughter than my wife does.' " Yeah, because Jesus forbid a mere woman have any importance or relevance in any aspect of family life beyond the royal privilege of birthin' YOUR babies, right? God, these people get more fucking twisted by the hour.

[indirajames.livejournal.com]

The repetition of the word 'daddy' is really grossing me out. I mean, in addition to the other gross parts.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Yes. My "dad" stopped being my "daddy" long before I hit my teens, which they'd probably point to and go, "Ahh, now THAT'S why you're gay! See? See?!"

[indirajames.livejournal.com]

There is only one Godly word to use for your father! Anything else is endorsed by Satan.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

I like how they fuck up and accidentally paste in a part near the end where they talk about taking your SON out for pizza and slipping him tickets for "a game". So I guess gay dates with Daddy are okay too!

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

My brain just broke trying to picture a father-son "purity ball." I hope you're happy.

[indirajames.livejournal.com]

There'd be a lot of those shoulder-punch manhugs, right??

[kittehkat.livejournal.com]

That... is seriously the creepiest thing, ever. I think it's the pet name in the narrative, mostly. Sugar? Omg. Omg, I can't handle it or the idea that a metal band is supposed to stop kids from fucking.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

IS IT NOT SO GROSS. I mean, I am all for fathers taking a more active role in parenting, but do they have to frame it as a "date"?!? That is SERIOUSLY messed up. As much as your dad having that much interest in your hymen.

[lilysaid.livejournal.com]

I was telling a friend about Jordin Sparks' outburst this morning, and we both agreed that while they might seem like a good idea, purity rings do nothing but ultimately put you in a position of being a liar, a hypocrite, or an OMG WHORE, so why bother?

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Exactly! They're just so fruitless when it comes to actually DOING anything, and instead carry a whole lot of social baggage. Absolutely useless.

[indirajames.livejournal.com]

in fact, all they do is provide a visible, tangible way for their wearers to lord it over everybody else for having superior "Christian values" and being heterosexual future breeders.

Pretty much! Oh, professional virgins. Never change.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

It's the snotty superiority that does me in! Hey, "humility" is a Christian value too, kids. LOOK IT UP.

[indirajames.livejournal.com]

Why do you HATE Christians, Maggie?

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

It must be because I don't call my father "daddy"! That's where it all went wrong.

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

I had a great idea to respond to this post of the clip from Arrested Development when Ann is putting up the campaign posters for George Michael, but youtube failed me. SIGH.

so here:

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

AHAAHHAAHH BRILLIANCE! My favourite will always be the group chicken dance; not only for its awesomeness on its own merits, but also because of the fond memories. *g*

[cathybites.livejournal.com]

because of the fond memories.

I have no idea what you're talking about. :D

CHICKENS DON'T CLAP.

[tammylee.livejournal.com]

This was posted to my flist (http://maureenjohnson.blogspot.com/2008/09/free-bristol-palin.html) this afternoon. Thought you might find it (and the comments) interesting.

I'm still astonished sex ed isn't taught til high school (or not at all) in the USA. BUT I am woefully ignorant of other school districts in Canada as well. We had our first sex ed class in grade five, mostly to prep the girls for menses and to let them know if you bleed you can breed. Then there were classes in jr. high and again in sr. high.

Purity rings? Sure, keep your body 'pure' if you want but try not to keep the mind ignorant.

Ugh, purity rings. What fresh loads of shit. *spits in the dirt*

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Thank you for that link; I did indeed spend some time perusing the comments.

I only experienced the jr. high sex ed, in our co-ed Grade 9 science class -- I moved back here in grade 6 and we didn't get anything in sr. high! But this idea of teaching NOTHING BUT ABSTINENCE is crazy to me. Like *that* would ever be realistic.

[twinklepug.livejournal.com]

*shrugs*

I have a purity ring. No my daddy didn't buy it for me. I bought it for myself as a symbol of my covenant with God. No I don't lord it over others if they don't have one. Other people's sex lives are none of my business. It's a personal decision and it wasn't made lightly. Yes I'm serious about it and it's tough sometimes. No I don't agree with all of the reasons as to why others wear them. Yes I am completely in love with God. And no I'm not trying to rub that in anybody's face.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

I am always glad to hear the other side of things, as it were. Thanks for commenting. *g*

I guess what perplexes me about purity rings (which are not something I grew up with, and which I see as being something for These Kids Today) is their ultimate purpose. I don't see why a personal-faith decision about your own body needs to be externalized like that, condensed into one single piece of jewelry. Like, more than dissuading sexual assumptions, it seems like it draws attention to your sexual availability/unavailability.

Plus the weird mixed messages that come with celebrities wearing them -- skimpy clothes, racy lyrics, PLUS PURITY RINGS SO YOU CAN'T TOUCH -- it's like the whole Britney Spears thing to the nth degree.

So while I understand that for an (unfamous) individual the ring is a symbol of your covenant with God (and I am a huge supporter of personal faith practices), the general culture around purity rings and purity pledges and all that abstinence stuff in the place of of information & discussion about sexual health and responsibility leaves me cold. Like I said, though, this could be very much a generational thing, and it's quite possible that our perceptions of purity rings come from extremely different angles!

[twinklepug.livejournal.com]

oh totally! No I completely understand where you're coming from. I too disagree with the way that it's treated so....nonchalantly. It's a commitment/deal/contract/agreement with GOD. Not just some person who may or may not be disappointed if the pledge is broken. It's serious and I don't like the way it's been made into a fad or fashion statement or whatever. I agree. It's not a fix-all and although abstinence can be encouraged, it shouldn't be touted as the only way and people need to be educated on all levels of sexual responsibility.

I was wondering, have the Jonas Brothers, like, came out and yelled YAH HAI WE'RE WEARING PURITY RINGS. WE'RE PUUUURE. or whatevers? Or is it the media that's making such a big deal about it?

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm not quite sure just how the Jonas Brothers' rings became so well-publicized! Although since they're owned by Disney and Disney is HUGE with this whole "we're sexy! fantasize about us! but we're VIRGINS!!" dynamic, I wouldn't be surprised if they were instructed to play up the purity rings in interviews/photoshoots.

It's serious and I don't like the way it's been made into a fad or fashion statement or whatever.

This statement in particular helps me understand more where you're coming from, because it really disturbs me when Hindu religious items/iconography is used in a faddy way by people who don't GET IT.

Seriously, I am so thankful that you took the time to engage me in dialogue on this; it couldn't have been comfortable to make that first comment, so I very much admire you for doing it!!

[twinklepug.livejournal.com]

:)

♥!

[mumblemutter.livejournal.com]

girl needs justin timberlake to give her some lovin', is all i'm going to say.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

NO WAI! That ring on Jordin's finger sets her apart from sluts like that. Apart and *above*, it seems!

[epicflailer.livejournal.com]

I'm contentedly close to being asexual

i was going to say more, but then i read that and i was all. \o/!!!!!!!!!

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

ahahahaah! Seriously, I like thinking about and reading about and writing about sex, but I just don't care to do it myself. And I sure don't need a purity ring to remind me of that. But then, I dunno? Maybe not having sex is only virtuous if you REALLY WANT to have sex!!

[glockgal.livejournal.com]

OH HAI Starbucks has its Punkin Spice Latte out now. :D :D :D :D

[kittehkat.livejournal.com]

OH HAI I SAW THIS AND IT BRIGHTENED MY DAY. NEEEEEEEEED. KTHX. OH AND ALSO JARED. YOU ARE FANTASTIC.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

O SWEET!! I am totally gonna get one tomorrow. I still have that bank-bribe Starsucks card!!

[jcalanthe]

It occurred to me as I was reading this to wonder, is the problem with all lj emails, or just "email me when someone responds to my comments"? I'm wondering if the codebase for "email me when something happens in this thread I'm interested in" might be separate enough that it might still work while the former isn't. I don't get enough comment traffic to know when there's a problem or I'd try it myself.

Still glad to be no longer 17...

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Oooh, you mean the "track this" button on comments? I shall try that out, thank you for the suggestion!!

[jcalanthe]

That is indeed what I meant. I'm definitely interested to know if it works!

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Sadly, no. BOO-URNS to you, lj and/or yahoo mail! But thank *you* for the suggestion. *g*

[jcalanthe]

Alas, though I think it says good things about ljs codebase. Thanks for trying & letting me know how it worked out!

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

The problem was solved! It was the particular redirectional email that I had as my contact info. I changed it and now everything's good! O lj, I am sorry for having doubted you. *g*

[kira-j.livejournal.com]

that jordin ain't all that pure in my books. girl could give a phonetics major an aneurysm. since when did "air" have 4 syllables??!? jesus would NOT approve.

[bossymarmalade.livejournal.com]

Jesus enjoys more stringent pronunciation! You can't be a successful wandering orator without it. *g*