c a t g u t

News on the Collective

Relocations!  Movements!  Excitement!

Here's what's happening: Our Istanbul bureau closed but not, I assure you, because of budgetary constraints; we rather decided that the "American studies" portion of our newsfeed needed deepening.  To that end, we have posted three members of Catgut in New York, New York; one in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and, of course, retain our founding office, not only for purposes of nostalgia, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  All the moving and observing of moving took as much attention as you might imagine, and so now that that's over, with just a few encouraging emails from you, devoted, endlessly patient site visitor, we'll soon be operating at full steam once again.

what's new on catgut

The Catgut Collective is a porous blogging entity authored by young people who met awhile ago in Massachusetts and continue to write blogs wherever they are.  If it is true, as Wikipedia claims, that "lean and ill-fed animals yield the toughest gut," then we are perhaps more sensitive than tough. But we are just as tightly wound, hard-boiled and bent on stringing things together.

What's new on catgut?   

Giuleah writes about the anniversary of her father's death and the kitchen timer of grieving.  I held my breath the whole way through.

Airplane offers a meditation on rejection from famous women, or what she thought was rejection.  It's called Real Handwriting.

Because you're not satiated, Melfenblog says Don't Blame the State! when it comes to sex work.  Arrrrrr.

Stay with her as Bixi was a hunter unleashes her vicious em-dash with a dashing post about the curious freedom that comes from having  excellent grammar. 

And finally, Angry Candy bemoans the fall of Arrested Development.  Which isn't new, but the pain is still fresh. 

What's new on CATGUT

The Catgut Collective is a porous blogging entity authored by young people who met awhile ago in Massachusetts and continue to write blogs wherever they are.  If it is true, as Wikipedia claims, that "lean and ill-fed animals yield the toughest gut," then we are perhaps more sensitive than tough. But we are just as tightly wound, hard-boiled and bent on stringing things together.

What's new on CATGUT?   First of all, Bixi was a hunter explores whether women-only gyms can be a feminist center for our new age.  Read bixi's first installment on this issue here.   

Next, try a brilliant crowd-pleaser on chick bashing, the tranny way from the salacious Giuleah.

And if you like gadgets, Airplane has a new piece on fixing things and how she's glad she was born vaginal.

Because you're not yet satiated, Melfenblog tells about how Southwest Airlines got rich on the patriarchy.  Check it out here.

And finally, Angry Candy bemoans the fall of Arrested Development.  Which isn't new, but the pain is still fresh. 

Woooo WAM!

Beccah and I just spent a whirlwind two and a half days at the Center for New Words's annual conference, entitled "Women, Action, & the Media."  It was so great!  We met lots of rock stars in the feminist media world, and they all seemed eager to meet us. We signed up for list-servs, bought subscriptions, bought t-shirts, bought feminist coloring books. We went to panels on women and war, community support for print media, feminists in the mainstream media, and launching a new feminist publication. (Did we go to all the panels together? Yes. Not on purpose.) We watched films on zine culture and on the 1971 women's takeover of 888 Memorial Drive. We listened to some inspirational keynotes that are actually applicable to real life. We heard, frankly, a minimum of wet-blanket responses to our biggest, most speculative dreams. And we directed lots of our conference buddies to this very homepage, so, hello, conference buddies!  I'm sure Beccah and I will each write lots more about the conference soon enough, but this can stand as a temporary outlet for our excitement and delight.

I'm gonna lay my boss. Is that alright?

We welcome our newest Catgutter, Julia Claire, pioneer of the short-hair movement (while still in high school!), wordsmith to the stars, a writer who has cut her teeth in community-based newspaper outfits writing articles about things like "Baby Safe Haven" and the revolution in electronic checking, famed hater of the cat Catzilla, and all-around post-orgasmic, post-organic poster girl.

Julia is moving to Florida to be a features writer at a Fort Lauderdale alternative weekly. She's landed our collective dream job. Congratulations on becoming a grownup, Julia! Well, some of us here have already achieved somewhat adult status -- moving to a godforsaken locale for career advancement. Still, Turkey ain't no Fort Lauderdale.

In order to sabatoge her bold career move and lure her back home (before she's gone, nonetheless!), we've decided to siphon off her talents to our very own Catgut. Check out her maiden posts at "Giuleah."

Flush with post-coital re-formatting glow, Catgut is staging a photoshoot so elaborate it verges on the operatic. Julia, however, is noticeably absent due to her choice to forsake her new community ("those who will foster her" says Em). No, Julia, that's not alright.