Damned if you do, damned if you don't

I often cringe when I hear women say that women are not disadvantaged anymore. I want to shake them up and scream in their ears that it's ok to notice gender inequality and it's ok to be a feminist. It doesn't mean you can't shave your legs. But I would probably be seen as an angry woman...

A study by Victoria Brescoll shows that women are seen unfavorably when they express anger in the work place. While it's ok for men in power positions to express anger, women are seen as "out of control and incompetent." I get this. Showing anger is inconsistent with the female stereotype, and we don't like inconsistency. We like to confirm our stereotypes.

However, another study by Stephanie Shields also shows that women are seen more unfavorably than men when they cry in public. Crying is obviously a female stereotype consistent behavior. So why do we still dislike it? And what emotion would be appropriate for a woman to display publicly?


(...also a little disappointed by Bill Maher's sexist reaction --- at the end of "The Crying Game" article)

Fly me to Martinique...

...zice o reclama la o companie aeriana. In fiecare zi cand ma duc la scoala vad panoul cu reclama asta. Si mi se face dor de plecat, undeva, oriunde.

Anul asta o sa mi se implineasca dorintele. Iata planul:

- Decembrie: Romania
- Februarie: Albuquerque, New Mexico - la o conferinta
- Martie: Vancouver, Canada - la Cata
- Iunie/Iulie: Romania, Croatia - la o alta conferinta, Lituania si Estonia (luna de miere)

Da. Ar trebui sa jefuiesc o banca. Sau sa ma marit cu un magnat. Sau sa pariez pe cai.

AIDSwalk Atlanta 2007

I ran the 5K AIDS run today. Thanks to Raluca, Frances, Patti, Jay, and an anonymous person who donated money!

I raised $150, which will be used by AID Atlanta to provide free HIV testing, counseling and support for HIV positive people, as well as educational programs aimed at preventing HIV transmission. It's a good cause.

It was heartwarming to see all the people who participated and who are trying to do something for this cause. I also got kind of sad thinking how such an initiative would not be very successful in Romania. I thought about the great variety of reasons this walk/run would not succeed there, and most of all, I think it's because we collective lack self-efficacy. We just don't believe we can make a difference.

love love Tel Aviv

I heart The Bubble. Go see it if you can.

Out on Film

OUT ON FILM, the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is starting tomorrow. The line-up looks great and we already have chosen nine movies we want to see. We'll probably have to settle for less though.

Hai la bere. Nu. Esti autist.

Am observat ca in limba romana termenul de autist e din ce in ce mai des folosit pentru a desemna un comportament social mai retras. Esti timid? Clar, esti autist. Vrei sa fii lasat singur in seara asta? Ba, asta e autist. Ma uit la stiri din Romania, si citesc in feed-reader la Hotnews : "Cu toate ca s-au comportat autist, cei de la Muse, au strans, sambata, pe stadionul national de rugby Arcul de Triumf, peste 10.000 de oameni." Citesc mai departe si vad ca "diagnosticul" a fost dat pentru ca Muse au adresat doar cateva cuvinte publicului. Specialitatea mea nu e in psihologia dezvoltarii (autismul fiind in special o tulburare de dezvoltare) si nici psihologia clinica, astfel incat sa stiu sa dau diagnostice. Dar din cate am citit despre autism, e ceva mult mai serios si mai cuprinzator decat o simpla lipsa de socializare. Intr-adevar, cuprinde o tulburare de relationare sociala, dar si de cognitie sociala, limbaj si gandire simbolica. Are un substrat neurologic, vizibil in creierul pacientilor autisti (de exemplu, studii de imagistica a creierului au aratat ca lobul frontal e mai putin conectat cu alte structuri ale creierului in pacientii adulti care sufera de autism). Mai multe aici.

Nu stiu de ce ma deranjeaza abuzul acestui termen. Ar trebui sa ma deranjeze in egala masura abuzul termenilor "paranoic", "shizofren", "sclerozat" (de fapt asta din urma ma deranjeaza foarte mult). Poate ma deranjeaza pentru ca termenul devine asociat cu o evaluare negativa, cand de fapt este o tulburare fiziologica care nu are nimic de a face cu o judecata de valoare. Nu cred ca vom reusi sa eliminam stimgatizarea tulburarilor mentale, atata vreme cat folosim numele acestora in limbajul comun pentru a eticheta negativ anumite comportamente.

Should I stay or should I go?

I am working in my office and I am told to look at the CNN home page. Developing story: chemical spill at Georgia State. Of course nobody told us here. Of course the university homepage has no information about it. So right now we're watching images filmed from a helicopter flying over our buildings. Weird.