It's not always easy being a full-time feminist - especially as a young woman - when you're constantly being told that what you do is irrelevant. I'm on the defense all the time. Jessica Valenti constantlydefenseeasy Change image and share on social
I think that the ideal of parenting can make people unhappy. It's that this lie that they're being told by society that parenting is one thing - and when parenting is something completely different - that's what makes them unhappy. Jessica Valenti completelyideallie share on social
Whether it's repro rights, violence against women, or just plain old vanilla sexism, most issues affecting women have one thing in common - they exist to keep women 'in their place.' To make sure that we're acting 'appropriately,' whatever that means. Jessica Valenti actaffectappropriately share on social
I think day care is terrific. Kids get to be around other kids, and they're playing, and they're teaching each other. When I was in college, my summer job was being a preschool teacher. I loved it, and after that experience, I said I can't wait to put my kid in day care because I could see how much they loved it. Jessica Valenti carecollegeday share on social
One of the difficult things, especially about blogging, is that you put all of your personal out there, into the political. And what's been difficult, for me at least, is trying to keep some of the personal for myself. Jessica Valenti bloggingdifficultpersonal share on social
I've seen straight, partnered women explain their decision to stay at home by noting that childcare would have taken too much out of their paycheck - as if this cost was just theirs to bear! Jessica Valenti bearchildcarecost Change image and share on social
You come to a point where you give up on holding yourself to a perfect feminist ideal - it just feels stifling. Jessica Valenti feltfeministgive Change image and share on social
There's no one right way to parent, and there's no magic combination of genders that produces the most well-adjusted child. We all do the best we can at loving our kids and building our families. Jessica Valenti adjustbuildchild Change image and share on social
I kind of love that there's not really a feminist canon; or maybe there is, but it's being changed, that it's a constantly moving canon in the feminist blogosphere. I love that. Jessica Valenti blogospherecanonchange Change image and share on social
There's something really terrible about having your BlackBerry next to your bed or having your laptop in the living room when you're talking to someone. The biggest source of stress in my life is the screen, the blogging. Jessica Valenti bedbigblackberry share on social