TresSugar

The Long-Neck Women of Thailand Live in a Zoo

CitizenSugar — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:00:03 -0700

I love finding compelling stories when I'm least expecting them - it almost seems like the tale is twice as striking given the company it keeps. Marie Claire has really oomphed up their international coverage lately, and I came across this story of the long-neck women of the Kayan tribe in Thailand.

The piece follows one woman named Zember who's removed her neck coil in protest of "Thailand’s shameful secret: that the long-neck women are Burmese refugees who are being prevented by Thai authorities from taking up asylum overseas. As a lucrative tourist attraction, the women are forced to live in a virtual human zoo."

The 500 or so Kayan women fled the brutal military regime in neighboring Burma 20 years ago to live in Thailand and have been confined in three guarded villages on the northern Thai border ever since. About 40,000 tourists every year pay about $8 each to stare at the women’s distinctive giraffe-like appearance. They're paid a meager salary of 1500 baht ($45) a month selling souvenirs and postcards.

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Zember sums up the harsh reality saying:

Some people of my mother’s generation say they are too old [to leave] now, but no one is happy. We have no freedom and life is very hard. . . The [Western] girls look so free and sexy, and their eyes shine. I stare at them and feel even more determined to fight to get out of here.

The whole piece has more pictures of the women and a place to send letters to the Thai Embassy and the UNHCR, the UN's refugee agency. Are you surprised to learn something that seems cultural is really government oppression?

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George Clooney Plays Political Pundit

LibertySugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:58:08 -0700

George Clooney, a longtime friend of the Clintons and son of a Democratic politician, recently gushed to UK Marie Claire about why he supports Barack Obama. He always thought he would help out Hillary, until . . .

A couple of years ago, at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, up stepped the most eloquent speaker I've heard since maybe Kennedy. I just thought, "Well, there are people who are great and will do fine, then there's a time in your life where you go, 'This is something spectacular.'"

Is George worried that some of his fans could be offended by his love for Obama? To find out, read more.

George worries about backlash from the voters, not backlash from the fans. His father's 2004 run for Congress taught him that his celebrity status could be a political liability. He explained:

I couldn't campaign for him because the Republicans ran a "Hollywood vs. the heartland" campaign, saying we were the immoral ones. It's enticing when someone exciting [like Obama] says, "Please do this for me." But you have to ask, 'Is this in their best interests?"

Do you think George's support helps or hurts Barack Obama? Should America anticipate another Hollywood vs. the heartland general election?

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A Generation of Male Commitmentphobes?

TresSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0800

A recent Marie Claire trend piece takes on a certain species of man: the commitment-phobe. Lest you think this is but one unavoidable type of man, the writer suggests that there's a whole generation of 30-something men having early midlife crises:

These guys are part of a cause-less generation. They didn't grow up burning their draft cards or fighting the Nazis. They weren't part of the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Movement, or any other movement. They were spoiled as kids and now they want to spoil themselves as adults. The old cliché was that a man would wake up one morning and realize that he wanted his youth back. The new version is that he never reached adulthood in the first place.

This type tends to be drawn to Type-A women who can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let him forget he's a man . . . but the writer wonders if part of what the male commitmentphobe is thinking is that this type of woman doesn't need him at all. (Hmmm. So it's her fault?)

I don't think many would argue for a return to old-school gender roles and the suffocation that went with them, but do you think there's a whole generation of young-ish men who don't know how to commit?

Grab Bag: Fun With Asian Stereotypes

TresSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:48:49 -0700

WTF, Marie Claire! Stereotypes about "Asian trophy wives." - Jezebel

Hot bald guys. - Lemondrop

Celebrity Barbie couples that would be fun to see. - Your Tango

Interspecies lovin': monkey meets bunny. - PetSugar

How do I taste better down there? - Em & Lo

41 crazy ways men think they can make us swoon. - The Frisky

Has the whole Cougar thing gone too far? - Single-ish

This squirrel has won me over. - Urlesque

Pole Dancers Reach For Olympic Gold

TresSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:58 -0700

From the stripper pole to the Olympic podium? Proponents of "pole fitness" want more respect, and perhaps a gold medal would help. In an interview with Marie Claire, dance instructor Collette Kakuk, cofounder of the Pole Fitness Association, makes a case for pole dancing as an Olympic sport.

Poles aren't just for strippers anymore. There are stripping-based fitness classes, sport poles, and even national pole-dancing competitions. The moves require no small amount of strength, flexibility, control, and balance. Kakuk argues:

But if you look at rhythmic gymnastics and figure skating, so many of the movements are similar to what we do on the pole. We have to shatter the taboo. The pole is just another fitness apparatus, like a vertical balance beam.

I don't doubt that you have to be incredibly fit to pole dance. But I can't help but think the pole dancers might be a bit overeager for Olympic glory. As Kakuk points out, "we need to unify the sport. We don't even have common names for our moves." Well, at least they have a readymade soundtrack!

Is Thinness a Matter of Envy Among Friends?

DearSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

In an article for July's issue of Marie Claire, Sarah Ivens, editor in chief of OK! magazine, chronicles her weight-loss journey's disappointing effect on many of her female friendships. After being told she was obese by a nutritionist, Ivens committed to changing her unhealthy ways, but found her friends didn't share her positive attitude. She writes:

When I fessed up to my diet plan after week one, I was surprised that, instead of offering kinship and support, a few women were upset with me. . . . My sudden decision to restrain myself at the dinning table reflected badly on their decision - or inability - not to . . . The jealousy was palpable - especially when, after four weeks of trimming fat, sugar, and useless calories, I'd lost 10 pounds.

Though jealousy among women is not uncommon, we don't expect to find it amidst friends. But as we know, the standards of contemporary society have led many women to experience deep anxieties about their bodies, and surely such insecurities breed jealousy even in the company of good friends. So tell me, have you ever encountered experiences similar to Sarah's in your own circle of friends? Have your friends' bodies or body images affected your own?

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Where I'm Clicking Now: EveryWomanCounts

CitizenSugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

In conjunction with Lifetime television, EveryWomanCounts is wholly friendly, accessible, and has tons of interactive info. I love that they've rounded up all of the political articles in mags like Marie Claire and Redbook, in one place - and the "If I were president" videos from real women are great too. Check out the Issue of the Month page - this month it's heart health. You can click on each candidate to see how they measure up. It's not nearly as guilty a pleasure as some of Lifetime's movies!

Dear Poll: Do you Get Enough Alone Time with your Husband?

DearSugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:30:00 -0700

In this month's Marie Claire magazine, Angelina Jolie talked about her busy schedule, juggling her children and her career, which leaves her with minimal room in her hectic day for "mommy/daddy time".

While spending time with your children and being a vital part of their youth is as important as it is special, there is something to be said about making time for you and your husband. So for all you mothers out there, do you give yourself enough adult alone time with your husband or do you crave more romance and intimacy -- kid free?

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