April 2010
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Anonymous asked: This is the standard, boring question, but seriously, how do you do so much with only 24hrs and still be able to go to bed--not alone! I'm about to graduate from college and realized that I still destructively procrastinate, don't know how to manage my time, and don't feel like my Ivy League education was worth it.
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Rethinking Virginity Pre-Conference Meet & Greet
CAN’T MAKE THE CONFERENCE? Join us the night before in Harvard Square for a “tweet-up” and meet the speakers!
Sunday, May 2nd from 8 to 10pm
Daedalus Restaurant (Roof Deck)
45 1/2 Mount Auburn Street Cambridge, MA 02138-5053 (617) 349-0071
(PLEASE CHECK THE CONFERENCE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS ON NEW LOCATION)
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Anonymous asked: I totally look up to you, Lena. I've followed your blog for really long time and let me tell you that even though I don't know you personally, I really admire and take a lot from you experiences. You are a strong-ass womyn for doing all that you do.
I've always had this question though. I know that you sometimes do Anatomy of an Outfit and stuff like that. How do you...
I've always had this question though. I know that you sometimes do Anatomy of an Outfit and stuff like that. How do you...
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Are my "fucked up views" directly related to my...
In response to my post on the reader-submitted question “Do you think you will eventually marry Patrick?”, Brooke wrote:
Please state the martial status of your parents and your relatives. Your fucked up views concerning this issue is directly related to your terrible experiences growing up. [Link]
Brooke is a troll. A persistent one at that, since ze has been chiming in with...
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Boston area Feministing fans: Don't miss the... →
The Rethinking Virginity Conference is up on Feministing, and as Chloe Angyal says, “It’s not every day you get a professor from Harvard Divinity School and the editor of Gawker’s porn site Fleshbot in a room together, but that’s exactly what’s going to happen on May 3.”
Which is totally true. Please come!
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Virginity Myths, Debunked
Virginity is a murky concept, so naturally, there are plenty of myths about it. According to the Rethinking Virginity panelists, these are some of their favorite misconceptions:
“You’ll always recognize That Defining Moment Of Virginity Losing, even if you’ve been fooling around for YEARS.” — Sady Doyle, Tiger Beatdown
“All your friends have had sex but you....
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sunnyexpectations-deactivated20 asked: Do you think you will eventually marry Patrick?
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The Feministing Five: Lena Chen →
Chloe Angyal’s Q&A with me is up on Feministing. As a long-time Feministing fan and reader, I was super flattered to be interviewed. For those of you unfamiliar with the website, it is the largest feminist blog on the Internet. According to founder Jessica Valenti:
“Feministing is a blog and online community that aims to give young women the opportunity to speak on their own...
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Sexist Beatdown: The True Meaning Of Sex →
What is “real sex” and how does this complicate the issue of virginity? Tiger Beatdown’s Sady Doyle and The Washington City Paper columnist Amanda Hess chat about cheating, virginity loss, and heteronormative sexual standards. Check out the transcript and come to Harvard on May 3rd to see Sady speak at Rethinking Virginity alongside activists, scholars, and sexual health...
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Rethinking Virginity Conference - Forward Widely! →
I have been kind of MIA, because I’ve been planning a conference that is only TEN DAYS away. I’m admittedly rather behind on publicity. So, I’d appreciate your help in getting the word out to local women’s and LGBT organizations, Boston-area student groups, and the general public. If you’re involved with one of the preceding, shoot me an email and I’ll get you...
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The Beginner's Guide To Secondhand Shopping
Yesterday, I blogged about a particularly thrifty, yet fabulous, outfit put together from various secondhand purchases. Still not convinced that you should start shopping consignment? Here’s an old receipt from one of my excursions at Boston consignment chain Second Time Around:
Ralph Lauren sandals: $7
Stuart Weitzman heels: $14
John Galliano shirt: $16
1921 jeans: $15
Escada belt:...
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Do we place too much importance on romantic...
“My Date With Lena” is currently (and inexplicably) the fourth most-read articles on The Harvard Crimson website. If you haven’t had the chance to read this article, Avishai writes a little bit about the part in our conversation where I told him that I didn’t think it was necessarily healthy for people to place so much importance on their romantic relationships....
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Canaday D-32: Heads Up
Tomorrow is Senior Champagne Brunch, when graduating seniors at Harvard are encouraged to visit their freshman year dorms and then have a final meal at Annenberg, the freshman dining hall. Usually, this occurs while very inebriated. I fully plan on fulfilling this tradition, especially since I didn’t last year, when the rest of my blockmates (and freshman year roommates) graduated. If I can...
This feels like mono all over again.
When I was a freshman, I got mono. No, not from kissing some random dude. (I wish.) I got the nasty bug from an ill-advised game of beer pong at the Harvard Sigma Chi house. It was pretty much the most horrendous illness I’ve ever had the misfortune of contracting. I was fatigued for weeks mid-semester, and I was told that my case was a rather quick recovery. (Um, lucky me!)
So, I...
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This month's Playboy: A little more feminist than... →
Excellent article from Feministing’s Chloe Angyal on the difference between naked photos taken/published with your permission and photos published without your consent. And is the later a form of sexual assault as Amanda Marcotte argues? I guess there are worst things for which my debacle of a life could act as a case study.
Also: coming up soon, my interview with Chloe for the Feministing...
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Listen Live As I Chatter Away About Sex
If you’re interested in hearing me talk about myself for an entire evening, I’ll be appearing on The Love Hangover with Neely Steinberg this Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m. We’ll be chatting about Sex And The Ivy, Louann Brizendene’s The Male Brain, feminism as it relates to love and dating, celebrity mistresses, and, um, Facebook. In other words, stuff I’m barely qualified...
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vainforwords asked: Hi lena! I've been trying to find a pair of functional and cute headphones. A while back I read you bought the skullcandy ones. How do you like them? Is the construction durable? I'm a little unsure since I've read some mixed reviews. Thanks so much!
It's because of my ass.
Me: Do I look like I belong in a rap video?!
Nan: Yes. Yes, you do.
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“Man, how did you get an Asian girl? Are you a rapper or something?”
– random guy on the street, to Patrick
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thisainttherapy asked: Hey.
I was wondering if you're gonna make your thesis online or something. I for one I am curious about what you wrote,reading your tweets about it was entertaining/amusing and sort of scary at the same time.
io'
I was wondering if you're gonna make your thesis online or something. I for one I am curious about what you wrote,reading your tweets about it was entertaining/amusing and sort of scary at the same time.
io'
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My Date With Lena →
What happens when an unorthodox feminist talks sex with an orthodox Jew? Read about my conversation with columnist Avishai Don in today’s Harvard Crimson.
Tax Day Freebies: Cupcakes, Coffee, Smoothies &...
I’m going to be working on taxes all afternoon, because yes, I am one of those people. My procrastination has been kept remarkably under control all school year, but taxes are still a huge pain. Here are some April 15th freebies to make this process a little less, ahem, taxing:
Cinnabon: Two free cupcake bites between 6 and 8pm. Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla...
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Rude awakening
Alisha Ramos, president and chief editrix of The Harvard Voice:
Today’s Sociology lecture was about the career choices made by women, and how those choices are often shaped by how/when they decide to raise children and the sort of restrictions and barriers this places on the kind of careers goals they can ultimately achieve. Basically, high career goals = no babies for you. I have high career...
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Radical Thoughts On Tiger Woods, Men, & Feminism
I’ve been biting my tongue, because celebrity gossip isn’t really my thing, but I have become increasingly irritated by the media coverage of this fiasco and the demonization of the man. So, probably for the first and last time, here are some of my not-at-all-orthodox thoughts on this mess:
1. Monogamy is not natural. Every member of the animal kingdom is non-monogamous. Even animals...
On Abstaining From Alcohol & Self-Assertion
Rachel Kramer Bussel blogged today about how drinking (or not) shouldn’t be a big fucking deal:
I despise the “You don’t drink?” question when meeting new people. It seems to come with a tinge of “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Maybe I’m projecting, but still, it definitely comes with a tinge of, “You are not like the rest of us.” I mean, really - pregnant or not, can we just drink or not...
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Slumber Party In Central Massachusetts
So, I am spending a weekend in suburbia with my friend Rob, who lives in Shrewsbury, and is assisting me with an interview project. The Priors are kind of amazing. (His mom baked cookies!!) And I am super psyched to see more of the area.
Last night, we ran around Worcester, met Rob’s high school friends at a pub called Mahoney’s, and ended the night (after much coercion on my part) at...
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viviopsis asked: What advice would you give to someone who's seriously interested in human sexuality/feminism and is about to go to college next year, in terms of the short term (college itself) and the long term (grad school, getting a job)? Also, I love reading your blog & admire your work! :)
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Kat puts it better than I can.
katoleary:
whatwillsuffice:
Maybe I just use the word wrong or something.
While I’ve occasionally seen it used to refer to ordinary male friendship, usually to me the meaning is linked to the whole “bros before hos” notion of male intragender solidarity. Which, well, is nothing new - maybe the idiom, but the sentiment is age-old.
I agree that the term is at some level meant to mock men who...
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“To bastardize the feminist idiom, bromance is the radical notion that men are...”
– Lauren Brans for Double X I never understood the argument that feminism privileges women over men. In the ideal world, no one would be subject to the expectation that they conform to a certain set of behaviors simply because of gender. As illustrated by the fact that “bromances” are...
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“Have you come to grips with whether or not you want something up your butt? The...”
– Jeff K. on anal play for The Cornell Daily Sun I still need to process/write about the totally random 24 hours I spent in Ithaca for last week’s panel.
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Sexual Health Career Panel @ Harvard Today →
Want a sexy career? Curious about how sexual health is applicable in the real world? Interested in contraceptive technology, the HIV vaccine, or sexual education? Like cupcakes?
Peer Contraceptive Counselors announce their first annual Sexual Health Career Panel
Thursday, April 8th, 2010 6:30 PM Ticknor Lounge in Boylston Hall
Featuring …
Dr. Elisa Choi, Physician Investigator...
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readersummer asked: Hi Lena,
Me again. I remember a while back you and your boyfriend took a trip to south east asia and I wanted to ask you for some recommendations. I think I might only have 2.5 weeks there and definitely want to go to Thailand...which other country did you most enjoy/ would you recommend visiting? I was thinking of Laos or Cambodia? What kinds of things do you think I could fit in...
Me again. I remember a while back you and your boyfriend took a trip to south east asia and I wanted to ask you for some recommendations. I think I might only have 2.5 weeks there and definitely want to go to Thailand...which other country did you most enjoy/ would you recommend visiting? I was thinking of Laos or Cambodia? What kinds of things do you think I could fit in...
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Should I Run The Berlin Marathon? →
Patrick and a few of his friends are doing the Berlin marathon this fall. I’ve watched him run two marathons now, and I’m not entirely up for another round of sitting by the finish line twiddling my thumbs. I feel like I should at least try this once myself!
In late 2008, I signed up for the Surf City marathon in San Diego but didn’t run it (and only ever got up to eleven...
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On the best bus ever.
Traveling via Cornell’s Campus-To-Campus Executive Coach Service. There are Doritos and granola bars and coffee, hurrah! And super comfy leather seats with huge amounts of legroom.
If I didn’t have a grant application due in four hours, I’d pass out in bliss. (Also, I am meeting the awesome feminist writer Jessica Wakeman today and would like to show up without an imprint of an...
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At least you did one thing right.
Jason: Lena, if I finish my memo early ...
Me: You have never done anything early in your life. Except get into Harvard.
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Lena Chen on Assault by Photograph →
I had the pleasure of speaking with Amanda Hess, who pens “The Sexist” for the Washington City Paper, about that semi-traumatizing incident during my junior year of college:
When Lena Chen was a sophomore at Harvard, she started “Sex and the Ivy,” a blog devoted to something that most college students do, but few are willing to talk about. On her sex blog, Chen unapologetically aired...
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WatchHamlet is bulk baggage. Here’s his crate emerging from the baggage claim. More in the “Dog In A Box” series.
Sex Columnists Bare All: TONIGHT! →
Jenna and I are meeting at Ithaca Airport in an hour! Here are details for tonight’s panel (with link to Facebook event):
You’ve read them every other week in The Cornell Daily Sun since you were freshman. Threesomes, female masturbation, stories about condoms lost … and then found days later. Jenna B had a Red Hot, Messy Night. Liana had a torso boob face. This year,...