Dear Feministing.com,
Once upon a time, I posted this on my Livejournal: "One day, I will write about my numerous issues with Feministing.com."
Guess what? Today is that day! Lucky you.
Let me introduce myself: I am a feminist, an occasional blogger, a person with disabilities (fibromyalgia, cerebral palsy), and am currently getting my Master's Degree in Women & Gender Studies. I am also white, heterosexual, cisgendered, have a college degree, and am relatively economically privileged. I, at first glance, seem to embody many (stereo)typical qualities of a young, white feminist: from the type of music I enjoy, to how I dress, to the fact that I sometimes wear makeup, and, on occasion, read BUST magazine when I need a break from "serious" literature. Because I am white, I have the choice to ignore issues surrounding race, and those surrounding white privilege. Because I am heterosexual and cisgendered, I can brush off queer and trans issues if I so choose. Because I am white, economically privileged and have a college degree, I can probably rest assured that I will have a job in the future, even with my rather esoteric choice of college major and advanced degree.
One could argue that your site is pretty much made for people like me: the "fun" feminists who can wear makeup and heels [I can't wear heels, but that's for another post], go out and party like it's 1999 [I don't, but that, too, is for another post], and still fight for [their own] rights the next morning. One could argue that your contributors do, in fact, speak for folks like me, and that since they are the face of the fourth wave, I should just be thankful that feminist issues are getting any airtime or page space in the mainstream media at all, and/or that people who look like me are getting book deals.
But here's where our feminisms differ, Feministing.com: I am saddened by your numerous issues when it comes to representing people who are not like you. You all don't have the greatest track record when it comes to race and white privilege, trans issues, disability issues, economic privilege, and a ton of other things that I am probably accidentally leaving out. If someone new to feminism were to look at your website--which, not incidentally, is one of the "top" feminist websites, at least in the U.S.--they might conclude that feminism is a movement that is exclusively for young, white, heterosexual, able-bodied, sexually active, upper-middle-class women. If you know about the history of feminism in the U.S., and I assume that you do, you will see why this is so troubling.
There is more to the feminist movement than fighting for the rights of white women. Feminism is more than allowing your or your commenters' racial, economic, heterosexual, and able-bodied privilege to go totally unchecked. If you are so committed to "intersectionality," as you have claimed several times, where is it? True efforts toward inclusivity and intersectionality constitute more than simply talking about those things, or throwing around whatever blogular buzzword is currently hot, or thinking that droppin' those terms like they are on fire will suffice. There is an enormous chasm of difference between talking about doing something and actually doing it.
There is no gentle way to say this, Feministing.com: You do not speak for me, and I'm not sure that you ever will. I want to give you a chance, but until you actually start to make changes instead of alternately talking about making them and ignoring those of us who have asked you to, it is going to be difficult for me to hold out any hope.
You've already made it clear that I am not like you; apparently, neither are the people who have asked you, time and time again, to take what they have to say seriously, and to make changes accordingly.
You have also made it clear that there is no room for people like me in your version of "fun" feminism. There is no room in your world for my brothers and sisters: feminists and womanists of color, feminists with disabilities, working class feminists, fat feminists, queer and LGBTI feminists, asexual feminists, older feminists, or trans folk.
I understand. Boy, do I understand.
I will end with the following quote from the great Barbara Smith:
"Feminism is the political theory and practice that struggles to free all women: women of color, working-class women, poor women, disabled women, Jewish women, lesbians, old women--as well as white, economically privileged heterosexual women. Anything less than this vision of total freedom is not feminism, but merely female self-aggrandizement." [From "Racism and Women's Studies," 1979]
Sincerely,
Annaham
ETA, 7:27 PM PST: There's been an important update from meloukhia on this whole situation; Anna also has a lovely link roundup.
ETA II: I will be modding the shit out of both this and related posts; leaving trollish or inflammatory comments might spell D-E-L-E-T-I-O-N for you. Don't like it? Don't comment.
05 October, 2009
02 October, 2009
OFFS, Feministing.com
I don't know if I'll ever truly expect that Feministing will get it when it comes to disability and ableism issues, but some of the language in this post is simply appalling:
If having my car door opened makes me feel like lover man thinks I'm an invalid, not so feminist.
Yeah.
Therefore, I enthusiastically endorse and co-sign meloukhia's Open Letter to Feministing, because the Feministing bloggers' and commenters' fashionable ableism, along with the seemingly tacit refusal to cover disability issues (except for when, as Amandaw points out, a disability issue is connected with reproductive rights in some way), are not new things.
Feminists with disabilities are people too, bloggers and commenters of Feministing.
This is why I don't read your site, and will continue not to until you do something about this problem. I mean, really, Feministing crew--it's time to get out of your incredibly privileged bubble and acknowledge that disability and ableism ARE feminist issues, and that the current way in which you treat feminist disability issues (see what I did there?) needs improvement.
If having my car door opened makes me feel like lover man thinks I'm an invalid, not so feminist.
Yeah.
Therefore, I enthusiastically endorse and co-sign meloukhia's Open Letter to Feministing, because the Feministing bloggers' and commenters' fashionable ableism, along with the seemingly tacit refusal to cover disability issues (except for when, as Amandaw points out, a disability issue is connected with reproductive rights in some way), are not new things.
Feminists with disabilities are people too, bloggers and commenters of Feministing.
This is why I don't read your site, and will continue not to until you do something about this problem. I mean, really, Feministing crew--it's time to get out of your incredibly privileged bubble and acknowledge that disability and ableism ARE feminist issues, and that the current way in which you treat feminist disability issues (see what I did there?) needs improvement.
28 September, 2009
Objectivity: Its Uses and Abuses
A few months ago (I know it's, like, FOR-EV-ER in internet time, but bear with me, because as I have already explained, I can't update often because of various issues), Amandaw did a series of guest posts at Feministe, and--similar to what happened when she guest-posted last year--people kind of missed the point, and in some cases, did this rather spectacularly, by accusing her of not being "objective" enough in listening to criticism, among other things.
Here's the thing: Objectivity is absolutely, awesomely useful in many areas. The natural and physical sciences are just two areas where it is, understandably, required; quantitative studies in the Humanities are also useful to those of us who do scholarly work in that field.
But when you have such an e-boner for OBJECTIVITY in everything ever that you have to steamroll over peoples' experiences because you have an expert platform from which to do so, and your commentariat feels the need to pipe up about how they, too, have had similar experiences with PWDs and their goddamn bitching and why can't PWDs be more objective?!, then there is a bit of a problem. Specifically, when the entire point of someone's post is how a possible piece of legislation will impact those who need the proposed banned substance the most, being rabid about OBJECTIVITY is probably not the best strategy to take. Personal experience is subjective, and if you insist on screeching OBJECTIVITY OBJECTIVITY WHY CAN'T YOU BE REASONABLE, you are missing the entire point. The whole aim of Amandaw's post on the proposed Percoset and Vicodin ban was to demonstrate exactly why it is (and was) such a terrible idea--using her personal experience as someone with chronic pain to make her point.
If you're going to read the above-linked Skepchick post, I would suggest doing so with caution; one reason why I did not cover this when it happened was because I could not read the above thread without getting extremely upset. I'm going to get slammed for this, because it is not OBJECTIVE enough, but I still can't read through it without getting upset. Here is just a taste of the delightful comments following the post:
[Ridiculous comment by this person; macro by me, because I watched Aliens the other night for approximately the 443rd time.]
Before anyone goes all BUT THEY ARE EXAMINING IT **OBJECTIVELY**, STOP TAKING IT PERSONALLY-robotic on me, please remember: there is no way that I can not take it personally; many of the comments there are hateful toward people with chronic pain, or with disabling chronic pain. If you know anything about disability rights, or anything about social justice, or marginalized groups versus the majority, or even a very basic concept like privilege (and no, the "PWD privilege" argument in the above post is most definitely not what I am talking about here), you will see why this is not good. It does not matter if you hide your contempt for PWDs and chronically ill people behind the guise of OBJECTIVITY--you are still hiding your contempt (and just barely, I might add).
Tell me I'm wrong, skeptical people. Tell me that a (young) disabled feminist atheist like myself has a place in the movement, and not just in the young-white-cute-steamrollering-privileged-feminist subset of the skeptical movement. I wish I could see a place for myself in the movement, but right now, I really can't.
Obligatory, non-OBJECTIVE Disclaimer: This blog is a SAFE SPACE for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, including chronic pain. If you're going to leave a comment about how one of my responses makes my entire blog/opinion moot, or how people with disabilities need to accommodate non-disabled people in attitude, openness, or helping ABs process their feelings, or that I'm too angry/emotional, or that you, as an able-bodied person, can totally relate and here's a long comment detailing exactly how, please remember that such a comment might not be taken in good faith, and that I might be a jackass to you in return.
Here's the thing: Objectivity is absolutely, awesomely useful in many areas. The natural and physical sciences are just two areas where it is, understandably, required; quantitative studies in the Humanities are also useful to those of us who do scholarly work in that field.
But when you have such an e-boner for OBJECTIVITY in everything ever that you have to steamroll over peoples' experiences because you have an expert platform from which to do so, and your commentariat feels the need to pipe up about how they, too, have had similar experiences with PWDs and their goddamn bitching and why can't PWDs be more objective?!, then there is a bit of a problem. Specifically, when the entire point of someone's post is how a possible piece of legislation will impact those who need the proposed banned substance the most, being rabid about OBJECTIVITY is probably not the best strategy to take. Personal experience is subjective, and if you insist on screeching OBJECTIVITY OBJECTIVITY WHY CAN'T YOU BE REASONABLE, you are missing the entire point. The whole aim of Amandaw's post on the proposed Percoset and Vicodin ban was to demonstrate exactly why it is (and was) such a terrible idea--using her personal experience as someone with chronic pain to make her point.
If you're going to read the above-linked Skepchick post, I would suggest doing so with caution; one reason why I did not cover this when it happened was because I could not read the above thread without getting extremely upset. I'm going to get slammed for this, because it is not OBJECTIVE enough, but I still can't read through it without getting upset. Here is just a taste of the delightful comments following the post:
[Ridiculous comment by this person; macro by me, because I watched Aliens the other night for approximately the 443rd time.]
Before anyone goes all BUT THEY ARE EXAMINING IT **OBJECTIVELY**, STOP TAKING IT PERSONALLY-robotic on me, please remember: there is no way that I can not take it personally; many of the comments there are hateful toward people with chronic pain, or with disabling chronic pain. If you know anything about disability rights, or anything about social justice, or marginalized groups versus the majority, or even a very basic concept like privilege (and no, the "PWD privilege" argument in the above post is most definitely not what I am talking about here), you will see why this is not good. It does not matter if you hide your contempt for PWDs and chronically ill people behind the guise of OBJECTIVITY--you are still hiding your contempt (and just barely, I might add).
Tell me I'm wrong, skeptical people. Tell me that a (young) disabled feminist atheist like myself has a place in the movement, and not just in the young-white-cute-steamrollering-privileged-feminist subset of the skeptical movement. I wish I could see a place for myself in the movement, but right now, I really can't.
Obligatory, non-OBJECTIVE Disclaimer: This blog is a SAFE SPACE for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses, including chronic pain. If you're going to leave a comment about how one of my responses makes my entire blog/opinion moot, or how people with disabilities need to accommodate non-disabled people in attitude, openness, or helping ABs process their feelings, or that I'm too angry/emotional, or that you, as an able-bodied person, can totally relate and here's a long comment detailing exactly how, please remember that such a comment might not be taken in good faith, and that I might be a jackass to you in return.
27 September, 2009
Autism Speaks Says: People With Autism Cannot Speak For Themselves
So this Autism Speaks video, made by once-awesome director Alfonso Cuaron and talentless hack "singer-songwriter" Billy Mann, is REALLY problematic and upsetting.
Yeah, implying that autism is always dangerous and horrible and will ruin your family and bankrupt you, and that your child who has autism is not really a person, but has been "taken over" by the condition...that's a great strategy.
It's fairly telling that the children and families shown in this video do not get to speak for themselves; nope, the creepy man-voice of "autism" speaks for them--as does this "charitable" organization.
I'd heard several times that Autism Speaks was/is fucking sketchy, but this is beyond the pale. Tigtog has more on this and why it is problematic.
Yeah, implying that autism is always dangerous and horrible and will ruin your family and bankrupt you, and that your child who has autism is not really a person, but has been "taken over" by the condition...that's a great strategy.
It's fairly telling that the children and families shown in this video do not get to speak for themselves; nope, the creepy man-voice of "autism" speaks for them--as does this "charitable" organization.
I'd heard several times that Autism Speaks was/is fucking sketchy, but this is beyond the pale. Tigtog has more on this and why it is problematic.
17 September, 2009
Obligatory NIIAW Post
So, it's National Invisible Illness Awareness Week.
As with all of my disability-related posts, the following applies: This blog is a SAFE SPACE for people with disabilities. If you're going to leave a comment about how one of my responses makes my entire blog/opinion moot, or how people with disabilities need to accommodate non-disabled people in attitude, openness, or helping ABs process their feelings, or that I'm too angry/emotional or not "objective" enough, or that you, as an able-bodied person, can totally relate and here's a long comment detailing exactly how, or that you are concerned about the tone of my post, or that I should "just try" this miracle supplement that totally cured your brother's guy friend's drinking buddy's co-worker, please remember that such a comment might not be taken in good faith, and that I might be a jackass to you in return.
1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2007
3. But I have had symptoms since: 2006
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Not being so hard on myself, and also not having too many commitments.
5. Most people assume: That being young means that you cannot have serious health problems, or that I am not "really" disabled. DISABILITY POLICE! WEE OO WEE OO
6. The hardest part about mornings is: Combating joint stiffness
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My iPod
9. The hardest part about nights is: Falling asleep without tossing and turning!
10. Each day I take 1 pills & vitamins. [Cymbalta]
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried two that did not work (hypnosis, vitamins) and one that has worked (acupuncture)
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I don't know
13. Regarding working and career: Thank FSM that I got financial aid for grad school, because having a job at this point is out of the question.
14. People would be surprised to know: That I'm not as mean in real life as I sound on the internet. No, seriously.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Peoples' stupidity is harder to deal with than the actual physical pain.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Stand up for myself.
17. The commercials about my illness: Bug the SHIT out of me. Since when can someone with fibro write in perfect cursive? Also, the way that the actors in the ads pronounce "fibromyalgia" makes it sound like a vegetable, not an actual medical condition.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Playing guitar :(
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Being able to stay up past 11 PM or so
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Cooking!
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Go see a movie, go shopping, and then go out to eat, because I would be thrilled to be able to do all three in one day without getting exhausted.
22. My illness has taught me: That a lot of people are pretty stupid and subscribe to "if I can't see it, it isn't there/doesn't exist" thinking, but also that illness affects people of all gender identities, races, ethnicities, ages, sexualities, and class backgrounds.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "You should try positive thinking!" Thanks, dipshit.
24. But I love it when people: Are not afraid to admit that there are things about disability that they don't know, without also expecting that I'll play the role of Magical Disabled Person Who Teaches Them a Lesson About Life.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Tomorrow might be better."
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: It's not the end of the world
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That people say similar ridiculous things, and that some people keep suggesting "cures" even if I've rebuffed their suggestions before.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: It's the little things, mostly--asking if I need a break, need to sit down, if there's anything he/she can do, et cetera.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Awareness just isn't enough; in some cases, it breeds complacency.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Thankful that I have so many friends who will put up with me!
Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com
As with all of my disability-related posts, the following applies: This blog is a SAFE SPACE for people with disabilities. If you're going to leave a comment about how one of my responses makes my entire blog/opinion moot, or how people with disabilities need to accommodate non-disabled people in attitude, openness, or helping ABs process their feelings, or that I'm too angry/emotional or not "objective" enough, or that you, as an able-bodied person, can totally relate and here's a long comment detailing exactly how, or that you are concerned about the tone of my post, or that I should "just try" this miracle supplement that totally cured your brother's guy friend's drinking buddy's co-worker, please remember that such a comment might not be taken in good faith, and that I might be a jackass to you in return.
1. The illness I live with is: Fibromyalgia
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2007
3. But I have had symptoms since: 2006
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Not being so hard on myself, and also not having too many commitments.
5. Most people assume: That being young means that you cannot have serious health problems, or that I am not "really" disabled. DISABILITY POLICE! WEE OO WEE OO
6. The hardest part about mornings is: Combating joint stiffness
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My iPod
9. The hardest part about nights is: Falling asleep without tossing and turning!
10. Each day I take 1 pills & vitamins. [Cymbalta]
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried two that did not work (hypnosis, vitamins) and one that has worked (acupuncture)
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I don't know
13. Regarding working and career: Thank FSM that I got financial aid for grad school, because having a job at this point is out of the question.
14. People would be surprised to know: That I'm not as mean in real life as I sound on the internet. No, seriously.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Peoples' stupidity is harder to deal with than the actual physical pain.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Stand up for myself.
17. The commercials about my illness: Bug the SHIT out of me. Since when can someone with fibro write in perfect cursive? Also, the way that the actors in the ads pronounce "fibromyalgia" makes it sound like a vegetable, not an actual medical condition.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Playing guitar :(
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Being able to stay up past 11 PM or so
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Cooking!
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Go see a movie, go shopping, and then go out to eat, because I would be thrilled to be able to do all three in one day without getting exhausted.
22. My illness has taught me: That a lot of people are pretty stupid and subscribe to "if I can't see it, it isn't there/doesn't exist" thinking, but also that illness affects people of all gender identities, races, ethnicities, ages, sexualities, and class backgrounds.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "You should try positive thinking!" Thanks, dipshit.
24. But I love it when people: Are not afraid to admit that there are things about disability that they don't know, without also expecting that I'll play the role of Magical Disabled Person Who Teaches Them a Lesson About Life.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Tomorrow might be better."
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: It's not the end of the world
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That people say similar ridiculous things, and that some people keep suggesting "cures" even if I've rebuffed their suggestions before.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: It's the little things, mostly--asking if I need a break, need to sit down, if there's anything he/she can do, et cetera.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Awareness just isn't enough; in some cases, it breeds complacency.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Thankful that I have so many friends who will put up with me!
Find out more about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week and the 5-day free virtual conference with 20 speakers Sept 14-18, 2009 at www.invisibleillness.com
13 August, 2009
Not My Type of Feminism, Redux
I wrote this as part of a post I made back in May, but given current goings-on, I think it still applies, and will (unfortunately) probably still apply to certain segments of the blogosphere for quite a while:
I find it [...] difficult to understand why some are so dedicated to holding on to the last vestiges of their privilege, even as they give lip service to things like "inclusion" and "diversity." Neither term holds meaning when used by a certain type "good" mainstream liberal/feminist/et al to describe just how awesome and progressive they themselves are; oftentimes, these words are used to make those in the mainstream feel better about themselves, their privilege(s), and their biases--some of which they just cannot let go.
I want to be optimistic; I want to trust people when they say that they really do want to change, to be more inclusive, to give space to those who may be underrepresented, and that they are actively working on all of these things. There are certain things that I don't want to do, however, and most of the time, this includes being forever mega-understanding and/or fulfilling the role of Magical Invisibly Disabled Girl (I do enough of that when I'm not on the internet, to be frank) ALL OF THE DAMNED TIME. Initially, I responded to a WATRD blogger's comment on yesterday's post by being somewhat conciliatory and providing links to various disability blogs, hoping that she would actually take my suggestions--and this, after many voices have made similar suggestions to boot.
Because of the most recent WATRD post, however, I now feel even less confident that all of the voices who have (thank FSM) spoken up are, in fact, being taken seriously.
A huge part of making changes--whether personal or not--involves a willingness to actually do the work on one's own. It's not just about talking the talk, either. Saying that you will change means nothing if you do not actually make any changes.
I find it [...] difficult to understand why some are so dedicated to holding on to the last vestiges of their privilege, even as they give lip service to things like "inclusion" and "diversity." Neither term holds meaning when used by a certain type "good" mainstream liberal/feminist/et al to describe just how awesome and progressive they themselves are; oftentimes, these words are used to make those in the mainstream feel better about themselves, their privilege(s), and their biases--some of which they just cannot let go.
I want to be optimistic; I want to trust people when they say that they really do want to change, to be more inclusive, to give space to those who may be underrepresented, and that they are actively working on all of these things. There are certain things that I don't want to do, however, and most of the time, this includes being forever mega-understanding and/or fulfilling the role of Magical Invisibly Disabled Girl (I do enough of that when I'm not on the internet, to be frank) ALL OF THE DAMNED TIME. Initially, I responded to a WATRD blogger's comment on yesterday's post by being somewhat conciliatory and providing links to various disability blogs, hoping that she would actually take my suggestions--and this, after many voices have made similar suggestions to boot.
Because of the most recent WATRD post, however, I now feel even less confident that all of the voices who have (thank FSM) spoken up are, in fact, being taken seriously.
A huge part of making changes--whether personal or not--involves a willingness to actually do the work on one's own. It's not just about talking the talk, either. Saying that you will change means nothing if you do not actually make any changes.
12 August, 2009
In which I am counterproductive
06 August, 2009
I Make Things: Cupcake Edition
This is kind of late, but I did not realize until today that I neglected to share a picture of the Heaven's Gate-inspired (cult, NOT movie) cupcakes that I made some time ago after finishing my undergrad thesis on the group and its representation in the U.S. media. Blogger (like Twitter) is being disagreeable today and won't let me insert a cut (?!). So, since these basically look like dead bodies made out of cupcake material--and after reading some very sensible criticism from other blog-friends--I've spaced the image further down the page. If you are at all sensitive to images of dead bodies recreated in sugar, please feel free to skip this post.
They were delicious. The book Hello, Cupcake! was particularly useful when it came to cooking and crafting techniques.
They were delicious. The book Hello, Cupcake! was particularly useful when it came to cooking and crafting techniques.
01 July, 2009
Thanks, Feds!
Yes, because banning prescription pain pills that actually WORK for people with chronic pain/illness due to concerns surrounding "liver damage" totally makes sense.
Why not just ban acetaminophen as a whole, instead of JUST Percoset and Vicodin only because they contain that ingredient? I hate to say it, but acetaminophen/Tylenol does not do jack for me. I take Vicodin when my pain is really unbearable because of the other stuff contained in the pill.
I agree with this, however: “If you keep track of what you’re taking, none of this is an issue for you,” Dr. Jan Engle, a panel member and head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Illinois in Chicago, said in an interview after the meeting.
It's too bad that the rest of the committee apparently chose to not consider that aspect. Not everyone is going to overdose on these pills, or take a particularly high or life-threatening dose. I don't want to sound like I do not have compassion for those who do overdose accidentally, but banning these medications outright--instead of educating folks about correct dosages, and treating those who do have serious addictions--seems rather short-sighted.
Why not just ban acetaminophen as a whole, instead of JUST Percoset and Vicodin only because they contain that ingredient? I hate to say it, but acetaminophen/Tylenol does not do jack for me. I take Vicodin when my pain is really unbearable because of the other stuff contained in the pill.
I agree with this, however: “If you keep track of what you’re taking, none of this is an issue for you,” Dr. Jan Engle, a panel member and head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Illinois in Chicago, said in an interview after the meeting.
It's too bad that the rest of the committee apparently chose to not consider that aspect. Not everyone is going to overdose on these pills, or take a particularly high or life-threatening dose. I don't want to sound like I do not have compassion for those who do overdose accidentally, but banning these medications outright--instead of educating folks about correct dosages, and treating those who do have serious addictions--seems rather short-sighted.
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