Religion is gay / Badass women

I read this article about Christian music artist Jennifer Knapp coming out of the closet and it made me so happy! As most of you know, I am a liberal christian feminist. Yikes! This really confuses people, haha. But I choose to label myself because I don't like when people go "I'm not a feminist... BUT I believe in equal rights for women." It's like, "So..... you ARE a feminist." There is something empowering about labeling myself; especially labeling myself as a liberal christian feminist, because it says "I can be all these things at once" rather than trying to squeeze into the binary, mold, or false dichotomy that you can't be a christian AND a gay rights supporter or democrat or believe that a woman can be a spiritual leader. Anyway, I always appreciate badass females who also refuse to mold to this false dichotomy, and that is why I loved reading that Jennifer Knapp came out of the closet. ESPECIALLY since she is going to have a shit storm of hate mail coming her way from fundamentalists telling her she is going to hell. She might even witness the same fate the Dixie Chicks did when they talked smack about Bush, and have her CD's rolled over by tractors.  It makes me so proud of her courage and bravery. You go girl.

There are soooo many badass electric rebel girls out there and I LOVE hearing about them, reading about them, and writing about them. I started off this blog trying to expose inequalities and point out problems in our society, but now I am finding that while I still do those things, this blog is also a celebration of really rad things that females have been and are currently doing. SO along with celebrating Jennifer Knapp today, I would also like to celebrate my awesome mother.

Ok, so background story: I was traveling europe by myself when I was 20 and my flight home from London got canceled and I was STUCK in London for 2 days with NOTHING (I had check my bags in Dublin). I had no cell phone, no cash on hand, and NO idea what to do. I have been forever sympathetic to people who get trapped at airports because it is the most stressful horrible experience ever. And I am forever grateful to the people who helped me at the airport --- the guy from Chicago who let me use his cell phone to call my parents (I am sure the 2 minute call cost him like 50 bucks), the older couple who gave me a hug and some tissues when they saw me crying in the corner by myself, and the beautiful older man from Denmark (Casper! So hot!) who paid for my taxi ride to the hotel. 

Ok, so currently there is this HUGE volcano ash cloud floating around that is effecting lots of airports around the world, and stranding people everywhere. My family always talked about going on rescue missions when stuff like this happens, because my experience was sooo shitty and we don't want other people to have to face this. I got a text from my mother this morning that said:

"Hey, I'm headed to the airport on a rescue mission....cell phone...check. Computer and power cord....check. International calling card....check. 100 dollars in 10 dollar bills....check."

And that is why my mom is a badass electric rebel girl. She is taking charge and helping people during an incredibly stressful time in their life. The people that she helps at the airport will NEVER forget her, guaranteed. So while this activism isn't necessarily "feminist" in its mission, it is feminist in that it is a badass female taking charge and helping to empower others. You go girl. Love you.

Love and Electricity,
Shelby Leanne.