Monday, November 17, 2008

5 Reasons Why Jennifer Baumgardner is my Hero

1. Her book Look Both Ways: Bisexual Politics was the first I'd ever seen with the word bisexual on the cover. It is brilliant and inspired me in so many ways I cannot even begin to describe.

2. She is a kickass feminist and activist who campaigns for all the things we need: GLBT rights, women's rights creating a dialogue about abortion, creating a dialogue about rape.

3. At the lecture she gave today, she was incredibly intelligent and clever and she's coming from a place of research, not just feelings.

4. She's gorgeous. (Shallow, I know)

5. While I was waffling on about how awesome she is after the lecture as she was signing books, I mentioned that if I had the money I would buy her book. If I wasn't a fool, I'd have brought Bisexual Politics to ask her to sign. Wanna know what she did? She bought me a copy of her own book. I coudn't even manage the words to refute the gesture or thank her for her kindness. I think I stumbled out something about how awesome she is and kind and shook her hand. All I could manage, I turned to intellectual jelly in her presence.

Find something she's done: one of her amazing books, the film I Had An Abortion that she helped create, an article she's written...anything and read it. She's absolutely wonderful and more people need to read her work. She's a visionary and that is not a word I throw out all the time, believe you me. Trust me and go read her work.

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