I spent the entire Lenten season with "Mercy in the City" swimming in my mind.

City Councilman Mike Fagan is up in arms over bikini baristas. Bikini baristas are up in arms over Fagan’s newest proposal. The Councilman representing the 1st City Council District (U-District all the way up to Hillyard) wants to require a minimum clothing regulation or move to zoned “adult business” areas.

There are some women in Spokane doing some super awesome things. In fact, there are a lot of women doing awesome things, so we’re starting a new series to let you know what the women of this city are up to. To nominate someone, email us at TheSpovangelist@Spovangelist.com

Lately, I’ve kind of been on somewhat of a learning craze (because I am that boring.) This has mostly entailed podcasts and lots of reading, but also in the next month, two really cool conferences. The first one, this weekend, is PJALS’ Peace and Economic Justice Action Conference. The second, the “Power of Our Regional Food Economy: 2013 Conference” covers a topic that desperately needs addressing, especially in Spokane: the local food economy.

An entire lifetime of angry feminism and all that time, I’ve missed a piece of truly low-hanging lady-rage fruit. How, in 28 years, has it never occurred to me to be angry about the term “Mrs.” being reserved for married women?

What do a gang rape and murder on the other side of the planet, a police investigation on prostitution at Spokane “health spas” and Lena Dunham’s Emmy outfit have in common?
Other than that they’re contributing to my current heartburn situation: What they have in common is that our, and my, reaction to all these stories is rooted in shame and fear. Shame and fear muddle the difference between what we should see as sexual perversion — non-consentual sex — and what we often regard as such: sexual decisions by others that make us feel uncomfortable.