June 5, 2013
I first encountered Trista Hendren’s name in an article by Elizabeth Plank that described Trista’s work with Rapebook, a page that cataloged and attempted to stop the proliferation of materials promoting rape and violence against women on Facebook. I wrote a blog post about Facebook and misogyny, and Trista and I found one another on Twitter. Imagine my joy when I learned that Trista is also the author of The Girl God, a children’s book about the divine feminine. I immediately ordered the book, and when it arrived, I knew I’d made not just a new virtual connection, but a friend. The more I learn about Trista’s life and work, the more she inspires me. She’s in Oregon and I’m in Virginia, so our paths aren’t likely to cross soon, but I feel sure we will meet in person one day. And when we do, we’ll begin talking as if we’d picked up a long-lost conversation. That, my friends, is the Goddess at work. And so is this—you might want to grab a cup of coffee or tea, because Trista’s answers to my questions will give you plenty to ponder, and plenty to savor.
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May 29, 2013
I am posting today as part of a global initiative in protest of Facebook’s approach to the violent, misogynistic, and often illegal content that it has allowed to exist on its pages for too long. You might have read the open letter that a group of activists recently sent to Facebook asking them to address rape culture on the social networking site; you might also have read that Facebook has acknowledged that they’ve tolerated hate speech toward girls and women, and will take some steps to address it. Despite Facebook’s acknowledgement, this global protest is taking place as planned. Here are the words of Trista Hendren, one of the movement’s leaders, explaining why we are moving forward:
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