tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-303486512024-03-13T11:54:29.827-07:00Younger Women's Task Force"Founded in January of 2005, the Younger Women’s Task Force, a project of the National Council of Women’s Organizations, is a nationwide, diverse, and inclusive grassroots movement dedicated to organizing younger women and their allies to take action on issues that matter most to them. By and for younger women, YWTF works both within and beyond the women’s movement, engaging all who are invested in advancing the rights of younger women."Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-22351128940189104112009-10-02T17:55:00.000-07:002009-10-04T18:30:32.926-07:00Promote Healthy Life-Long Lifestyles: Top 10 Tips<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/Ssaj32VE4CI/AAAAAAAAAX8/rE89HfpI2JA/s1600-h/exercise+nutrition.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 199px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/Ssaj32VE4CI/AAAAAAAAAX8/rE89HfpI2JA/s400/exercise+nutrition.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388174184067424290" /></a><br />Last night I learned what the acronym BPA (Bisphenol A, a chemical compound commonly found in plastic drink and food containers) means. I also found out that Himalayan rocks combat negative computer-generated ions! These are just a few of the facts I learned during the "Women’s Preventative Health Panel: Women Who Health" conference sponsored by the Younger Women’s Task Force-New Jersey Chapter. <br /><br />Speakers included Joan Denzer, <a href="http://www.sierraclub.org/">Sierra Club</a>; Founder Kathy Morris, <a href="http://www.innerjourneys-heals.com">Inner Journeys</a>; Program Director Sheila Quarles, Inner Journeys; Certified Personal Trainer <a href="mailto:esp-fitness@hotmail.com">Gretchen Vogel</a>; and YWTF-NJ Board Member and Field Director Jackie Cornell-Bechelli, <a href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/">Planned Parenthood</a>. <br /><br />We discussed ways to ensure and promote healthy lifestyles through education and awareness. The strategies that the presenters shared to promote healthy life-long lifestyles were relevant, useful, and attainable. Here are my top 10 tips, which I plan to incorporate into my daily life:<br /><br />1. Use glass bottles instead of plastic bottles to avoid BPA.<br /><br />2. Eat the bigger-sized fish sparingly (if at all) to avoid high levels of mercury (the bigger the fish the more mercury it contains).<br /><br />3. Visit <a href="http://www.foodnews.org/">Shopper's Guide to Pesticides</a> and <a href="http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/">What's On My Food?</a> to learn which foods contain the most pesticides.<br /><br />4. Eat organic foods and fruits whenever possible (less pesticides and synthetic chemicals).<br /><br />5. Stop worrying about weight and the numbers on the scale and instead strive for a body fat of 22% (body fat below 29% is average; 22% is optimal).<br /><br />6. Reduce intakes of white flour, sugar, and rice (low nutrients, high glycemic foods).<br /><br />7. Stay hydrated to stay healthy (healthier heart, skin, and water's an appetite suppressant - sometimes you think you're hungry but you're really thirsty) by drinking ½ my body weight in ounces daily.<br /><br />8. Exercise more effectively: three times a week strength training and three times a week movement/cardio.<br /><br />9. Get massages regularly. Massages are not a luxury, but a necessity.<br /><br />10. Research and use natural remedies to alleviate stress and anxiety (burning lavender oil eases stress and reduces anxiety).<br /><br />Hope you find these strategies just as useful as I did!eskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05500578707910599297noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-77291495495424441862009-06-16T17:11:00.000-07:002009-06-16T17:15:48.041-07:00MURDER is MurderI am sure that I am not the only one who is still saddened and angry about the murder of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Tiller">Dr. Tiller</a>. As a feminist, I feel morally obligated to support the men and women who are in the position of risking their lives to provide women with safe, legal medical procedures.<br /><br />Sue Wicklund, who wrote <a href="http://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/publicaffairsbooks-cgi-bin/display?book=9781586484804"><span style="font-style:italic;">This Common Secret</span></a> about her experiences as an abortion provider, is one of the few doctors providing abortions in western states (Montana, Wyoming, Idaho). Over the many years of her practice, she has been harassed and threatened. When she looked into adding more security precautions to her clinic last month, she realized it would take her six months to raise the needed funds. You can shorten that period of time if you donate <a href="http://www.mountaincountrywomensclinic.com/Homepage.html">here</a>. <br /><br />I am sure there are other clinics that we can support--Sue is one of my heroes, but if you have another one who needs our help, please list them in the comments. <br /><br />When the religious fanatics don't have one of their own in office, they will go to extreme lengths to "protect the rights" of a fetus. When I was a teenager (in the mid-90s--Clinton years), I wanted to volunteer at the local abortion clinic and my mom supported me--until she heard the words "bulletproof vest." With pro-choice supporters in top levels of our federal government, I’m not scared of losing my rights--I'm scared that more doctors will lose their lives.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Rebecca Andruszka is Director of Communications at Younger Women’s Task Force—NYC Metro Chapter. This post represents her personal view and opinion, which is not necessarily endorsed by YWTF or its affiliates. <span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cross posted at Feministing Community</span>Rebecca Andruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973677768522934951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-63805820977647327312009-01-25T13:34:00.000-08:002009-01-25T13:36:40.917-08:00Sexing up Children's MoviesI just came back from watching <span style="font-style:italic;">Bedtime Stories</span>. While I thought the movie was okay overall, it really annoyed me that the female character Adam Sandler attempts to save in all of his fantasy stories was a Barbie-doll type blonde heiress who looks young enough to be his daughter. Her sole purpose seemed to be to appear in every scene in an extremely sexy outfit in slow motion for male satisfaction. This might not have struck me as surprising if it weren't for the fact that this was a children's movie and they could have still kept her character virtually the same (pretty, princess type) without the overt sexualization. It's as if the men taking their children/nieces/nephews to the movie, need some type of reward. It's telling that there's no male equivalent. In fact, all of the male characters are buffoons (but they all get the pretty women). At the end of the film, Sandler amazingly discovers that the slightly older, bookish brunnette type is the "fairest of them all."<br /><br />What also annoyed me about this (besides the fact that the whole idea centered around who was prettiest even though what was considered pretty might have changed a tiny bit) was that it gave into the sexy, dumb blonde vixen versus the nice, s<span style="font-style:italic;">mart, pretty-but-not-very-sexy brunette dichotomy. It reminded me of when I first saw Beauty and the Beast</span> as a kid. The three blondes were overtly sexy but dumb and shallow while Belle was modest but smart and kind. And the effects aren't lost on children. The two girls I took (one seven, the other ten) were arguing after the movie over who could "be" the pretty, blonde girl, with the seven year old brunette remarking that she's was actually blonde initially but her hair was dyed in the womb. Neither cared much about anything except the fact that one was more fashionable, "prettier" and therefore cooler. This in comparison with the seven year old boy in the film calling his fourth grade crush "hot" and the way the girls I work with constantly discuss the levels of prettiness of every female possible while totally ignoring the physical appearance of all males, makes me want to bang my head against a wall. A children's film should be about entertaining children, not giving men erections or depicting women in limited ways that will begin psychologically damaging them before they hit puberty.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Francesca Casamento is an active member of Younger Women's Taskforce (NYC Metro Chapter).</span>Rebecca Andruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973677768522934951noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-34874512119741397542009-01-25T13:31:00.000-08:002009-01-25T13:36:09.518-08:00Doubt and Gender<span style="font-style:italic;">Doubt</span> is an excellent film that portrays complex characters handeling a crisis during a time of change in one of the most male-dominated, sexist institutions in history--the Catholic Church. This film takes place during the 1960s when liberal Catholics were making progress by creating a Church that was modern in its outlook. The film portrays the different ways men and women use their power in the Church and how a conflict between a man and woman is resolved with the imbalance of power.<br /><br />The priest, Father Flynn, is the character who thinks the Church needs to be more open and welcoming. The priest is the one who tries to make the sermons relevant to modern life and it is he who avoids simplistic black and white views of morality and faith. The priest is the only one who goes out of his way to build a relationship with the first black boy in school (who is gay).<br /><br />The priest protects the young man from being displaced as an altar boy when he is caught drinking wine, an act of kindness and forgiveness that the tradition-favoring Sister Aloysius Beauvier does not find acceptable. The priest wants to redefine the roles of the clergy in the community and attempts to bridge the gap between the secular, modern world and the Catholic faith community. The priest passionately advocates for a church that is built on a love for humanity over one that sees itself primarily as an institution about control and discipline.<br /><br />Father Flynn's demeanor and methods give credibility to the idea that men in power can be kind and understanding and still be effective leaders. He also defies stereotypical behavior for men and is not at all apologetic for it. Sister Beuvier, and others, thinks it is strange that he keeps his nails long (because it is "womanly") and for keeping pastel-colored flowers in his bible. There is definitely a fear of homosexuality present, which to some automatically implies pedophilia.<br /><br />Most of his personality traits challenge the rigid way we think about gender; tellingly, this is one of the reasons he is accused of abusing the young boy. And he admirably encourages the young nun to not stop caring so much for her students, even though others may misinterpret things. But the priest is no feminist. It is he who takes the nun's seat in HER office when she invites him to a meeting to interrogate him. And he is the one who chastises her for going against the Church hierarchy by contacting a fellow nun in his previous parish instead of the parish's priest.<br /><br />The movie also depicts the ways women use their roles in the Church and it is interesting to note how this could influence society's perception of women in positions of power. My father often rehashes the ways in which the nuns in his Catholic school in the 1960s would use humiliation in front of peers as a method of controlling students. Great films like <span style="font-style:italic;">The Magdalene Sisters </span>showcase the way many nuns unfairly treated those they were given control of, often resorting to all kinds of abuse and manipulation. It is easy to stereotype them, and for some, to draw conclusions about what their behavior means about giving any power to women in general. Doubt effectively avoided playing into that stereotype by having different sisters with different personalities.<br /><br />Meryl Streep gives a phenomenal performance playing an authoritarian nun who values order and tradition while simultaneously defying the Church hierarchy by independently investigating her suspicions of a priest abusing power. And while one may find flaws with Streep's unflinching character, she is still portrayed as a strong woman who isn't afraid to follow her convictions to the right thing and protect innocent children from what she perceives to be a threat.<br /><br />Her strong will may ultimately be a weakness, but it is a trait that is most often associated positively with powerful men and she never attempts to abuse that power. However, it is important to question whether or not she would have been less hell-bent on being one hundred percent sure of her suspicions and may have been open to a more effective approach to dealing with every one involved in the scandal if she had more official power and room for maneuvering to begin with. She knowingly makes a comment in the beginning that she is unable to do things another way because she is a woman and will not be taken seriously.<br /><br />For the vast majority of the movie she does not even admit to having the smallest doubt about what she believes because she knows that any sing of supposed weakness on her part would be used to discredit her all together. Father Flynn delivers the powerful sermon in which he declares that doubt is as strong of a bond with the divine as unflinching faith is. He is also continuously willing to take more risks with his clerical functions but his sex has given him the freedom to do so, while Beuvier must be careful out of necessity. One leaves the theatre wondering how things may change if women are given more power in the Church and society overall. Although the film was set in the 1960s, the issues it presents regarding gender and institutional power is just as relevant today as it was over forty years ago. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Francesca Casamento is an active member of Younger Women's Taskforce (NYC Metro Chapter).</span>Rebecca Andruszkahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00973677768522934951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-83774669359159981632008-12-18T08:45:00.000-08:002008-12-18T08:48:13.298-08:00<p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Younger Women’s Task Force-NYC Metro Chapter hosts monthly book club meetings. See the end of this post for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>Let’s begin with some statistics and facts:</span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; font-family: times new roman;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">After implementing changes in their sexual education programs (removing abstinence and supporting contraception), Sweden managed to significantly reduce their teenage birthrate. (They now have half the teen abortion rate that that of the United States) (80-81).</span></li></ul> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; font-family: times new roman;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">The Netherlands reduced their teenage birthrate by 72% using similar methods to Sweden. They also maintain the lowest teenage abortion rates in the industrialized world (80).</span></li></ul> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; font-family: times new roman;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">In a 2001 survey conducted by UNICEF, the United States had the highest number of teenage pregnancy compared to the rest of the industrialized world (60% higher than the rate in the United Kingdom, which placed second) (79).</span></li></ul> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>Summary: The United States, a country that is and has been on the forefront of so much progress and improvement the past few decades, is profoundly terrible at sexual education. The reason for this is the premise for Cristina Page’s book, <i style="">How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America</i>. </span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>In it, she analyzes the pro-life movement and brings to light much of the rhetoric that they use to further their agenda. And what exactly is their agenda? Well, anti-abortion, of course! Scratch under the surface a bit, and you will see differently. As Page writes, “In recent years, [the pro-life movement] has turned itself into the anti-birth control movement – and indeed, the antisex movement-whether it avows it or not” (xii). But that really isn’t logical at all, is it? Why, or more importantly <i style="">how, </i>could a movement against abortion also be against birth control, something that is an extremely successful method of preventing abortions? The answer is because the pro-life movement is ultimately against our modern day sex lives: “Indeed to be pro-life today means to be inside a movement that finds fault with every kind of birth control, from the Pill…to the condom…To be pro-life means to favor abstinence until marriage, in part because they believe that sex is supposed to be for one purpose only: to procreate” (3). </span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>It is the small elite of the pro-life movement that is furthering this agenda, and it is incredibly astounding how much influence they have exerted in this country thus far. Page recounts the chain of events in 2004 that resulted in the Bush Administration pulling funding for an essential UN program called UNFPA. This program provides “life-saving interventions in the reproductive field: delivering babies, creating healthy births…dispensing emergency contraception to women who have been raped during military conflicts” and much more to the people in many third world countries (124). Also important to note, this organization does not perform abortions.<span style=""> </span>However, one pro-life group, Population Research Institute, took up issue with the emergency contraception UNFPA provides, and through fact-spinning, rhetoric, and sympathy from other pro-life lawmakers in Washington, they were able to see President Bush pull the plug on United State funding for UNFPA. This made “the United States the only donor country to deny funding to UNFPA for non-budgetary reasons” (128). Yet another reason why the world has not been too thrilled with <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> all these years.</span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p>Additionally, the reason Plan B took so long to become available over-the-counter was because of well-placed pro-lifers within the Reproductive Health Drugs Committee, a division of the FDA, who stalled the approval process with objections that ignored science and that were comprised of fabricated consequences. The list of these types of incidents goes on and on. </span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>But we are now about to begin a new age in the United States, an age that once again involves a pro-choice president. Cristina Page herself has said that had McCain won, we would most certainly be preparing for an overturn of the keystone that our modern day women’s reproductive rights rest on: <i style="">Roe v. Wade</i>. Luckily, that bleak future is not so near anymore, but that still does not mean we can sit back and relax. There is still much more work to be done on this front. If this book has taught me anything, it is how much goes on behind the scenes in Washington, how much we as citizens do have at stake, and thus, how important it is to be <i style="">active, involved,</i> and <i style="">educated</i>.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>To get more involved in the pro-choice movement, please visit:<br /><o:p></o:p>Naral Pro-Choice America:<span style=""> </span>www.naral.org/<br />Planned Parenthood Federation of America: www.plannedparenthood.org/<br />The Pro-Choice Public Education Project: www.protectchoice.org/</span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>For more information about the book and Cristina Page:<br /><o:p></o:p>Birth Control Watch and Cristina Page’s Blog:<br />www.birthcontrolwatch.org/blog</span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>Pro-Choice Movement: www.prochoicemovement.com</span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>YWTF-NYC’s December book club meeting will be feature Birds of America by Lorrie Moore. Check out our Meetup site for more info on upcoming meetings.</span></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p>Jessica Perl is an active member of YWTF-NYC.</span></p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-80024623617387147722008-12-12T09:17:00.000-08:002008-12-12T09:22:23.743-08:00Stand Up For DC Women!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;" ><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">By Shannon Lynberg<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">Each year an estimated 1,735 women living in D.C. will be raped (U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 American Community Survey and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and according to the National Institute of Justice, 1 in 5 women will be raped during their lifetime. Thus, more than 61,000 of the 300,000 women living in D.C. will likely experience rape at some time during their lives.</span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">The only person who can prevent a rape is the perpetrator. Yet, it is often the victim, usually a woman, who receives the blame for her sexual assault. Sexual assault victims are re-victimized when they are denied proper treatment and the justice they deserve.</span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In Washington, D.C. and across the United States rape victims have been reporting that they have been ignored by law enforcement officials, turned away by hospitals and denied the forensic medical exams (rape kits). These essential steps are required to confirm that a sexual assault took place and subsequently press charges against the attacker.</span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Due to systemic problems concerning how sexual assaults are handled and lack of media attention, it is impossible to know just how many women have not received the support and resources they deserve.</span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">Beginning in 2009, new legislation will go into effect that will better protect the rights of sexual assault victims. However, many women are unaware of these laws. In an attempt to fight these injustices, YWTF created <i>Stand Up for DC Women! </i></span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">It is our hope that through this campaign, YWTF will educate the community on the legislation that protects the rights of sexual assault victims as well as what to do if your rights are denied.</span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">Through collaborative partnerships and educational outreach, <i>Stand Up for DC Women! </i>will raise awareness about injustices in the treatment of sexual assault victims and ensure that they receive adequate care.</span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In January 2009, YWTF will begin distributing bi-lingual wallet sized cards that will explain the new legislation, victims' rights and what to do if your rights are denied. This information will also be made available on our website at <a href="http://www.ywtf.org/" rel="nofollow">www.ywtf.org.</a></span> </span></p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><p> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> This is a nationwide problem and upon successful completion in D.C. , the <i>Stand Up for DC Women</i>! model will be implemented in communities across the U.S.</span></p></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><p style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> If you are interested in learning more about <i>Stand Up For DC Women</i>!, email standup@ywtf.org.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><br /> </span></p></span>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-48429022883726707932008-11-21T12:39:00.000-08:002008-11-21T12:56:12.725-08:00<a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27825997/">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27825997/</a><br /><br />This is an article on MSNBC on 11.21.08. An article like this sooo disturbing on so many levels. I feel like it produces outrage, sadness, disbelief and just a general sense of rage. In case you haven't read it, the article details the case of man who had a case brought against him by over 10 women claiming he date raped them. The first time he was tryed it was for 3 cases and he was acquitted and the second time he was tryed was for all 10 and he was basically given a slap on the wrist. There were a lot of factors and the article is actually great becuase they have experts talk about how juries often don't sympathize with rape victims and why. Though the article is disturbing, I am so glad they posted it. I was almost surprised that they chose to. It is just so disturbing to know that it is so easy for men to get away with a crime like date rape and that we are still today fighting so hard to be taken seriously after we are victimized. I had a lot of reaction to the article after putting it up in my gmail box and on Facebook, one male friend even said he wanted to find the guy and sodomize him and see how they guy took it.<br /><br />Rape is I believe now considered a war crime when it's purpotrated against hundreds or thousands, but if it is just against a few women then it is considered some kind of joke. The defense (sickening I know that human beings could event defend this man's behavior) basically used the argument that he is a "playboy" and because they were at restaurants with alcohol it becuame all about the women wanting to go out and get drunk. Although I know this isn't an uncommon story, it is still horrifying, especially when you learn that the man had over 50 women listed in a "Calender of Women" on his computer. It is simply outrageous that these women were treated so poorly and that a man was basically treated as an innocent because he was considered a man with a raging libido. You can of course draw your own conclusions, but this was simply too upsetting for me to read and forget about. I tried to post it everywhere I could. I can only hope that when people read it they are more sympathetic to the cases of rape vicitms.Ana Kayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15786209824354981590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-84464525517211941932008-11-19T13:26:00.000-08:002008-11-19T13:27:12.240-08:00Effective Networking Tips from Missy Quinn<p class="MsoNormal">Missy Quinn, Director of Recruitment for Contemporary Staffing Solutions, spoke at the October YWTF Philly networking panel. She shared her wealth of expertise with those in attendance. Among the key tips she offered were:<br /><br />1. Begin with a plan...Why are you attending?<br /><br />2. Have your 30 second commercial prepared about yourself/your business. Make sure you've practiced so you come off confident.<br /><br />3. Bring your business cards. Nothing should be crossed off on your card.<br /><br />4. Wear a watch so you can keep track of time. Get what you can and the move on.<br /><br />5. Try to get a list of the people who will be attending, then make a plan to meet them. Make sure you know something about their company/business.<br /><br />6. Pass leads first. If you do, you will have it come back to you tenfold.<br /><br />7. Name tags should be worn on the right side of your suit jacket so they're easily read when you shake hands.<br /><br />8. Wear a suit jacket with two pockets or carry a business card case with two sections. Put their cards in the left pocket and your own cards in the right pocket.<br /><br />9. Bring a small hand bag with a pen to give/get referrals.<br /><br />10. If you go with a co-worker, spread out so you'll be able to make more contacts.<br /><br />11. Make sure you keep your contact list updated.<br /><br />12. Follow up by e-mail, phone, interest, coffee or lunch and have fun! </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-75520515224400310392008-11-13T11:01:00.001-08:002008-11-13T12:13:27.068-08:00National Protest Against the Passage of Proposition 8On Saturday, November 15th, progressive folks of all sexual orientations across the U.S. will be organizing locally at their respective city halls. In excess of 250,00 people have already committed to participate in these protests across the country. The arrangements for the D.C. protest are as follows:<div><br /></div><div><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The rally in the District of Colombia will start at 1:30 PM EST at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, on the eastern edge of the National Mall between 3rd and 1st Streets. We will tally there before proceeding up Constitution Avenue in the direction of the White House, and the event will conclude at the northeast corner of Lafayette Square.</span></blockquote>For more info, email local organizer kellan.baker@gmail.com. The current estimated attendance for this event is 2,000 or more protesters.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>- Nikki</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-90526540667446770102008-11-05T12:57:00.000-08:002008-11-05T17:19:18.221-08:00To Be or Not to Be...YourselfBy: Erika Kelley<br /><br /><a href="http://www.anonymousspace.com/albums/userpics/112625/Be_Yourself.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.anonymousspace.com/albums/userpics/112625/Be_Yourself.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Pink’s new song, “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNDr1A6dTU ">So What</a>,” where she says she’s still a rock star, has infiltrated the air waves and has me hooked on its singsongy intro and exorbitant amounts of energy. As I sang the lyrics in the car on my way home the other day, I sat back and tried to remember exactly <em>when </em>did she become a rock star? If my memory serves me correctly, she initially exploded on the scene as an R&B/Pop artist with the release of her album, <em>Can’t Take Me Home</em>. But, with her follow-up effort, <em>M!ssundaztood</em>, she changed her style, image, and sound. “Don’t Let Me Get Me,” shed some light on reasons behind her initial image: manufactured. Today, she’s an entirely different artist, with control of her career, devoid of feelings of puppetry. <br /><br />I can’t help but ask myself why did Pink feel she had to succumb to her producers’ whims and demands in the first place…and as others might call it: sell out? In an article by Robert Hillburn, “<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2003/nov/09/entertainment/ca-hilburn9">Her Colors Don’t Run</a>,” he explains that countless young pop stars share Pink’s feelings of puppetry in an age when record companies carefully shape their images and big-name producers make the creative decisions for them. Most go along because they are more interested in being stars than artists. Hillburn quotes Pink, “They know people are so hungry for stardom that they’ll just follow the record industry game. I know because I was ready to do anything when I started out.” <br /><br />I found myself wondering is this the norm for females? Have I ever “sold out”…even temporarily? Not me. I’m too strong-willed and possess strong convictions. Well…there was that one time…I mean, there were those two times a few years back…<br /><br />As I prepared for a nerve-racking interview, I struggled with what to wear. I decided to wear my hair in a tight bun complemented by glasses and simple jewelry. I fashioned a black pants suit with a white shirt and black heels. I distinctly remember feeling that this style of dress wasn’t reflective of my personality or fashion sense. However, I dressed this way because I was told it was “professional” and would help land me the position. Surely enough, management offered me the position. Once I was hired, I immediately abandoned the “interview look,” and opted for my typical “Erika look,” which generally consisted of the following:<br /><br />A-line knee-length skirts with tights; <br />knee high-boots or 2-3 inch heels; <br />blazers matched with brightly-colored shirts;<br />spiral curls or sleek, straight hair; and<br />accessories, accessories, accessories (no glasses – only wear them when I’m driving).<br /><br />Years later, I resorted to the same tactics to secure my current position. Like Pink, I had one goal in mind and resorted to compromising my style of dress and actually misleading the interview panel into thinking I was someone else (more conservative and serious versus contemporary and effervescent). However, once I got my foot in the door, I transformed to what was more appealing to me. <br /><br />Is this right or wrong or simply the way of the world, and do men encounter the same issues?eskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05500578707910599297noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-60518175892437333862008-10-27T08:52:00.000-07:002008-10-27T08:54:46.272-07:00When God was a Woman<p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Younger Women’s Task Force-NYC Metro Chapter hosts monthly book club meetings. See the end of this post for more information.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p>by Jessica Perl<br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p><br />I’m always proud to display the books I’m reading on the subway, particularly when they have provocative titles or covers. <i style="">When God was a Woman </i>was certainly no different; I imagined some people might be intrigued by this title. One day, I was standing in a crowded subway, holding on to the overhead bar. There was a woman sitting directly in front of me, and the cover of the book was practically in her face. I could see her eyeing the book and reading the blurb on the back. I immediately felt a rush of excitement – here’s the moment I live for! I’m inspiring someone to think differently, to see an alternative side to the predominant ideologies we are taught today. Just then, however, I noticed her shaking her head and glaring at the book with unmistakable disdain. I noticed she had a book in her hands as well. My gaze shifted downward to see what it was, and I could only chuckle when I did. It was the Bible. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Clearly, not everyone is open to the idea that before God and Jesus, many inhabitants of the Earth believed a being with breasts ruled the Heavens above. But honestly, why shouldn’t this idea be a shock to people? It’s not something highly publicized, this part of our history really isn’t fodder for any major motion pictures. In fact, it doesn’t even get much play time in high school social studies classes! And even if you go searching for more information on this topic, you’ll find, as Stone herself did, that not much has been written about the civilizations where women held the dominant positions. Additionally, the material that Stone was able to dredge up, she found much of it to have been written by male scholars who, more often than not, injected their religious and social biases into their findings. In response to one scholar’s research that provided a quick dismissal of the idea that skulls of animals were hunting trophies of a prehistoric tribe simply because they were found in the grave of a woman, Stone questions, “Might these authors be judging the inherent physical nature of women by the fragile, willowy ideals of today’s western fashions?” (Intro, xxi). (As this book was published in 1976, we can only hope more objective and valuable resources have since emerged.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Despite efforts to minimize or erase it from the dominant discourse of our history, existence of female dominated civilizations cannot be denied. There have been numerous excavations of ancient temples and artifacts, as well as accounts of travelers passing through the regions way back when, that exist today to clue us in to the truth of the past. One account from a traveler describes how women, and only women, were involved in the public affairs of daily life – they held public office, fought wars, and engaged in trade. It was the men who were relegated to taking care of the children, the home, and other domestic efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Stone gives a great overview of the violent and forced transition from the goddess-worshiping practices to the current male-dominated religions of today. Some of the events will really leave you horrified. In writing this book, though, Stone does not call for women of the world to rise up in arms and wage a war to take back what is rightfully ours. Rather, she states her purpose for women as this, “With [the understanding of these civilizations], we may be able to regard ourselves not as permanent helpers but as doers, not as decorative and convenient assistants to men but as responsible and competent individuals in our own right. The image of Eve is not <i style="">our </i>image of woman” (Intro, xxvi).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">For anyone who wants to delve further into a more shielded facet of history, for anyone who wants to know what it was like when women were on top, <i style="">When God was a Woman </i>is a great place to start.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">YWTF-NYC’s November book club meeting will be about Christina Page’s <i style="">How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America</i>. Check out our Meetup site for more info on upcoming meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Jessica Perl is an active member of YWTF-NYC.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-37155231176539934602008-09-14T09:20:00.000-07:002008-09-14T14:05:19.651-07:00For the Love of CatsBy: Erika Kelley<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SM06ar_fvXI/AAAAAAAAAM0/K0XM0uITe2E/s1600-h/cat+fight.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SM06ar_fvXI/AAAAAAAAAM0/K0XM0uITe2E/s320/cat+fight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245913371116551538" /></a><br />Women and cats. What do we have in common? It has to be something because women are frequently dubbed “catty.” I would like to think it’s because we’re:<br /><br />· Protective -- like a mother cat is protective of her kittens; <br /><br />· Teachers -- able to teach our children the way cats teach their kits -- to survive in the world, fix their own meals, share it (there's usually always room for one more in the heap), and to clean up afterwards; <br /><br />· Able to live balanced lives -- like cats -- every day needs some down time for a stretch and a purr session and we understand that play time is valuable;<br /><br />· Gardeners -- like cats, we realize that gardening is a great stress-reducer; <br /><br />· Respectful -- like cats, we have respect for our elders; and<br /><br />· Successful -- like cats, we’re able to climb to new heights!<br /><br />No doubt about it, this is all true; however, we’ve been dubbed, “catty” for reasons more closely aligned with Marcia Ellet, J. Andy Murphy, and Terri Laforest’s book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Catty-Ways-Women-Workplace/dp/0790613565">The Catty, Catty Ways of Women in the Workplace</a>,” where they explore the way women treat one another in the workplace focusing on gossiping, backstabbing, manipulation, and other situations that cause the claws to come out and the fur to fly.<br /><br />I would argue, however, that this common stereotype, that women are “catty,” is unfair, untrue, and an unfortunate generalization. Of course, we’ve all had our fair share of “catty” interactions. But in comparison to the number of kind and caring acts that we experience from women (family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers), I think it’s safe to say that "catty" behavior is few, far, and in between. <br /><br />My thought: the negative interactions typically overshadow the positive. It’s like driving. No one really thinks about the number of polite drivers that adhere to the speed limit, allow us to merge with ease, etc. It’s the few drivers with road rage and the ones that don’t wave to us (to say thank you) when we allow them to get in front us that we remember. <br /><br />Case and point…<br /><br />I broke down on a major highway earlier this week. While sitting in the car, with the windows up, waiting for my husband to rescue me, I heard a woman yell: <em>Oh (insert explicative) no! Better get to pushing! </em> I found myself thinking: you “catty” chick! I’m sure if she found herself broken down on the highway, she wouldn’t appreciate someone barfing out trash to her under the most vulnerable of circumstances. I sent my husband and a few of my girlfriends a text message describing this incident. <br /><br />Rewind…<br /><br />I broke down on a major highway earlier this week. While sitting in the car, with the windows up, waiting for my husband to rescue me, a woman pulled up alongside of me and pointed to her cell phone and mouthed the words: <em>are you okay? Do you have a cell phone? </em> I couldn’t roll down my windows because the battery completely died; so, I held up my cell phone to her and smiled. She returned the smile, nodded, and continued on her way. Shortly thereafter, another woman passed by. I heard her yell: <em>Oh (insert explicative) no! Better get to pushing!</em> <br /><br />As you noticed, there was no mention of the first incident in my text message to my husband or girlfriends. The kindness that I experienced from this female stranger was not out of the norm. In fact, the majority of female strangers with which I have interacted have been kind and respectful as opposed to rude and obnoxious like the woman on the highway. Yet, the negative woman on the highway completely overshadowed the kind gesture displayed by the other woman on the highway! <br /><br />Shame on me for reinforcing this negative behavior and terms, like “catty,” that are used to impart negative attitudes towards women. What’s worse is that I’m not alone. Negative female stereotypes have been exploited and perpetrated in films (<a href="http://www.meangirls.com/indexflash.html">Mean Girls</a>) and on TV (<a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/gossip-girl/about">Gossip Girl</a>). The mass media projects images of girls’ meanness and fighting that reinforces long-standing stereotypes of catty, untrustworthy, manipulative, and gossipy behavior. <br /><br />But there is hope…we can all do our part to counter these stereotypes. I am convinced that positive action will counter negative images!<br /><br />Supportive, caring, and loving women who I have grown to love and adore, surround me. So, I plan to constantly remind myself of these positive women as opposed to allowing the negative female interactions to consume me. I also plan to share more of these positive female relationships, instead of the negative, in hopes of slowly, but assuredly, changing negative female stereotypes into positive ones. <br /><br />So, what will you do (or continue to do) to contribute towards countering negative female stereotyping?eskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05500578707910599297noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-50178982980382639262008-09-12T10:46:00.000-07:002008-09-12T11:08:53.998-07:00Hey Guys! <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ckmurphy%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Ckmurphy%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" 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{mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Although I hate to admit it I have not been a feminist my whole life, preferring an imagined life as a radical flower child.<span style=""> </span>Not for any particular reason other than I was uneducated about the movement and did not take my first class until I was in college.<span style=""> </span>*Quick side-note: this has made me passionate about bringing women’s issues education to K-12 institutions.*<span style=""> </span>Before that life-changing course, feminism was something I knew about and although I always "wanted women’s rights," I never identified as a feminist.<span style=""> </span>Needless to say, that has all changed.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">When I think back on my non-feminist life, I see sexist instances that I ignored, or places I could have spoken out that will be forever out of my grasp to change – after all, they are in the past.<span style=""> </span>Then I get e-mails like the one I received today from my college service fraternity and I am reminded that there are things I can fight to change now:<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in;">“<span style="color:black;">This e-newsletter is in addition to the communications you are already receiving from the Fraternity -- not a replacement. The <b style="">brothers</b> who receive this e-newsletter have an updated e-mail address on file with the National Office.” (emphasis mine)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";color:black;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Brother?<span style=""> </span>Fraternity?<span style=""> </span>How can I identify with something that completely ignores that my gender exists within the framework of the organization?<span style=""> </span>I am not the only female within this organization; this e-mail comes from a community service group made up of <b style="">both</b> men and women.<span style=""> </span>Attendance for women at universities is on the rise, and mine in particular had more women than men, but still we are labeled as FreshMEN during our first year.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Once you start looking into it these examples are all over the place: congressman, policeman, fireman, history, etc.<span style=""> </span>A favorite of mine is the “you guys” statement that I have been known to get into arguments about, especially when it is said to a group of all women. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I understand why people tell me these are “just things we say,” but I truly believe that it is harmful to women’s issues to use sexist language.<span style=""> </span>By using exclusionary language we undermine women’s power and significance in our daily lives and I would rather be seen as a complainer than stand by and let it happen.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">*For more reading, please read the sexist language paper my Sociology Professor gave us on the first day: <a href="http://www.hnhsoakland.org/faculty/mdupree/Sites/documents/WhySexistLanguageMatters.pdf">Why Sexist Language Matters</a></p> Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11056338237567117339noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-1159651894558506522008-09-09T14:08:00.000-07:002008-09-09T14:20:59.167-07:00<span style="font-family:georgia;">Hello Everyone. I just wanted to introduce myself as the newest Younger Women's Task Force blogger. Originally from the midwest, I attended college in North Carolina and now live in Washington, D.C., that being said, I have had a range of feminist experiences (and thus opinions). I am exited to share thoughts with you and receive thoughts back and it is my hope to start more conversations on feminism in our daily lives. I look forward to being a part of this vibrant community and I will be posting in no time...<br /></span>Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11056338237567117339noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-75735157255525840352008-08-24T11:13:00.000-07:002008-09-14T09:58:12.745-07:00These Heels are made for WorkingBy: Erika Kelley<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SLGp-4DnXjI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5D9qJng_-p8/s1600-h/high+heels,jpg.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SLGp-4DnXjI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5D9qJng_-p8/s320/high+heels,jpg.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238154739273129522" /></a><br />A few months ago, I found myself in the mall again. This time, however, I was actually accompanying my husband. He was shopping for a pair of shoes. While he was perusing, I decided to do a little perusing, too. And guess what? I stumbled upon a pair of fierce Nine West high heel shoes. The first feature I noticed was the price: $9.99. The second element I noticed was the color: gold (gold matches with most of my earth-tone-colored clothes). The third detail I noticed was the heel: quite a bit higher than the heels I normally purchase (typically 3-4 inches). I glanced at the price again and then ran my fingers over the heels. $9.99 for a pair of gold Nine West shoes, who’s measuring the height of heels?<br /><br />After purchasing our new shoes, we ventured home. I commenced my new-purchase-routine: matching new shoes with existing attire. I decided to try on a few outfits and parade around in my new shoes. Because the heels were so high, I decided I would match them with my extra-long Ann Taylor slacks -- pants I never bothered taking to the cleaners for hemming because most of my heels were high enough that the pants never brushed up against the floor. <br /><br />The next day I headed off to work with my new fierce, gold, Nine West shoes. First stop, a quick visit to see my friend and co-worker. I strutted into her office and sang: Gooood Morrrnninnng. She smiled and gave me that, you-are-so-crazy-look. Crazy for my new shoes, I thought. She spotted them instantly and we took a few moments to admire them for the star-quality-appearance and for its I-have-a-family-and-lots-of-bills-affordable-price.<br /><br />By lunch time, I realized I needed to take these shoes to the shoe repairman to get the heels shortened because my toes hurt! I ascertained something else: not everyone appreciated the shoes as much as my friend and me. While assembling folders for our training the following day, a few of my co-workers (four females and one male) decided to share their opinions about my shoes. There were no ooohhhs and ahhhs and no talks of fierceness. Instead, a female co-worker jokingly asked where was my pole. It took me a second to realize that she was insinuating that I was a stripper because I had on high heels (and extra-long Ann Taylor slacks). A few of my other co-workers agreed that my shoes were extremely high and questioned me about the height. I admitted I wasn’t too sure and stated I felt I was dressed appropriately. To that riposte, the co-worker that made the stripper comment, asked her friend to get a ruler. Her friend obeyed and they fittingly measured the height of my heels. In unison, they revealed the height to the group: 4 ¾ inches. <br /><br />After that revealing conversation with my co-workers, I found myself pondering over the appropriateness of shoes in the workplace. <br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SLGqOkKjrHI/AAAAAAAAAKs/CUO_sxQvkjI/s1600-h/shoesOMG2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SLGqOkKjrHI/AAAAAAAAAKs/CUO_sxQvkjI/s200/shoesOMG2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238155008811445362" /></a> I did some research and learned that heels that are between 2 ¾ and 4 inches are most appropriate for the workplace (2-3 inches for work environments with strict dress codes). In an article by Desiree Stimpert, “<a href="http://shoes.about.com/od/womens_shoes/tp/high_heel_shoes.htm ">Work Shoes with High Heels</a>,” she provided a list of appropriate and stylish shoes, acceptable for the workplace. Interestingly enough, in addition to Steve Madden, Calvin Kline, and Ralph Lauren, Nine West made the cut. <br /><br />What’s also astonishing is that experts have found that high heels tone women’s legs and strengthen pelvic muscles. In tests, <a href="http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23157982-5013016,00.html">Dr. Maria Cerruto</a>, of the University of Verona, Italy, discovered, ‘‘Wearing heels during daily activity may reduce the need for the pelvic floor exercises necessary to keep that part of a woman’s anatomy toned and elastic.’’ Enough said. <br /><br />I eventually had my gold Nine West shoes shortened to about 4 ¼ inches (much better for my toes!). But, like the women polled in the article “<a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/07092008/entertainment/heel_thyself_119060.htm">Heel Thyself</a>,” by Jennifer Memolo, I continue to wear my heels daily (and change into flip flops or sneakers when walking to the parking lot and driving) and advocate: here’s to maintaining “professional chicness” in the workplace, toned legs, and strengthened pelvic muslces!eskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05500578707910599297noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-33237151616409707532008-08-17T16:36:00.000-07:002008-08-17T16:38:00.294-07:00Jane Sexes It Up: Real Live Nude FeministsYounger Women’s Task Force-NYC Metro Chapter hosts monthly book club meetings. See the end of this post for more information.<br /><br />Many people see a contradiction between feminism and sexual desire. Even feminists sometime have trouble harmonizing their personal sexuality with their political values. The authors of Jane Sexes It Up are smack in the middle of this contradiction, trying to sort out what it means to be a woman, a feminist, an academic, and a sexual being. However, the debate about feminism, sex work, and public sexuality has changed drastically in the past few years.<br /><br />We are now living in what Ariel Levy calls “raunch culture,” in which feminist sexual desire is rarely represented. Women of all ages are trying to express themselves sexually in a split culture where you are either making out with your girlfriend for the Girls Gone Wild camera or pledging your virginity to daddy. Feminist debates have raged for decades about the possibility of feminist sex work, but today, “reality” sex workers are paid in t-shirts and “(over)exposure,” not hard cash. They have no say in the image they present, and are edited to fit into misogynist roles. There might be young women who are positively exploring their sexuality on Girls Gone Wild, but (to state the obvious) it is not a safe space where women can assert themselves or ask for a share of the profits.<br /><br />You may not always agree with the authors of Jane Sexes It Up, but there are no whores (even when there are sex workers) and no virgins. The authors are much more nuanced in their analysis of women’s—and men’s—sexuality and the possibilities of a feminist sexuality for both genders.<br /><br />There are few simple answers in this book. There is a general agreement that a feminist’s sexuality must be reflected upon and examined (by the feminist herself, not by others). But what constitutes feminist desire or what doesn’t is a bit of a false question. It isn’t about what is or isn’t feminism, but rather, what feminists will make of their current realities. What does it mean that we are turned on by sexual power differences but fight power inequity as feminists? How do issues like abuse, anorexia, and cutting affect our decisions in sexual relationships and sex work? And that old question, what does it mean to be a feminist wife?<br /><br />The authors vividly (sometimes pornographically) describe their sex acts, sex partners, and the mundane details of their sex work. In this way, they aren’t so different from more recent phenomena like the anonymous blogging celebrity Belle de Jour or the memoir The Sexual Life of Catherine M. But honestly, in our current culture, I don’t care much to read about the details of other people’s sex lives. The most liberating moment for me was when Lisa Z. Sigel, a pornography scholar, answers the question of whether or not she is turned on by porn: “I am not the object of study, so it’s none of your business.” (257)<br /><br />Yes, my sexuality is none of your business. I will not be examined by you. I am not hiding anything; I am not in the closet. You are simply not allowed to take ownership of me, or my sexuality. Although normally I advocate for a sexually-open culture, after reading Jane Sexes It Up, the right to privacy is my biggest turn-on.<br /><br />YWTF-NYC’s next book club meeting will be on August 20 at 7:00 PM at Tea Spot (127 Macdougal Street, NYC). Check out our Meetup site for more info on upcoming meetings.<br /><br />Rebecca Andruszka is Director of Communications and co-chair of the Book Club Committee at YWTF-NYC. All opinions express are those of the individual, not of Younger Women’s Task Force.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-55236019415603529132008-08-09T18:50:00.000-07:002008-09-14T09:58:35.677-07:00Female Bullies…as Children and AdultsBy: Erika Kelley<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SJ5QlF6tNQI/AAAAAAAAAKc/6ngInZ1JFsQ/s1600-h/female+bully.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mAAxp6mz5qc/SJ5QlF6tNQI/AAAAAAAAAKc/6ngInZ1JFsQ/s320/female+bully.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232708415224886530" /></a><br /><br />Lets face it, we’ve all had our encounter with the female bully, whether your role was that of the victim, aggressor, or bystander. I experienced female bullying for the first time in elementary school…<br /><br />I walked into the lavatory (I haven’t used that word since elementary school!) and witnessed four girls applying make-up on another girl: different color eye shadows, blush, and lipstick…the makings of a hideous clown. The girls kept eyeing one another, giggling, and saying, “You look really beautiful. The boys will love you.” The clown-faced girl was beaming from ear to ear. I didn’t understand how she didn’t know that these girls were ridiculing her. I also didn’t understand why the so-called aggressors would <em>want </em>to do such a thing.<br /><br />So, whatever happens to the mean school girls? Well…they typically grow up to be mean women. <br /><br />Dawn Olsen, writer for an online magazine, Blogcritics, has some vivid (and disturbing) depictions of female bullies... <br /><br /><em>Women are territorial with teeth, passionately protective, fiercely jealous and deeply mistrustful due to strong instinctual drives.<br /><br />Women like wolves, attack in packs, rarely ever confronting without some back up from their peers. Knowing the full value in the power of numbers they encircle their victim and take little chunks from all sides, whittling away at the self-esteem of the victim, and their desire to be included, a drive most women so feverishly have.<br /><br />Some women are extremely adept at "silent aggression" and derive the most perverse pleasure watching their object of ridicule squirm, cry, and otherwise become unhinged. The more signs of weakness from the victim, the more vicious the attack, making the alternatives for the "odd girl out" less and less apparent. </em><br /><br />What I have found is that these individuals…bullies…are easier to deal with when you understand them.<br /><br />According to Professional Life Coach Heidi Costas, despite the façade that such people put up, bullies have low self-confidence and low self-esteem, and thus feel insecure. Low self-esteem is a factor highlighted by all studies of bullying. Bullies are seething with resentment, bitterness, hatred and anger, and often have wide-ranging prejudices as a vehicle for dumping their anger onto others. Bullies are driven by jealousy and envy. <br /><br />As a child, I wasn’t equipped to deal with the toxic behaviors of female bullies. As an adult, however, things have changed. With guidance from wise female friends, family, and professionals (and as a result of past experiences!), when dealing with female bullies, my approach has been to…<br /><br />1. Maintain my confidence. I refuse to let anyone intimidate me.<br /><br />2. Ignore the gossip or confront the individual(s) responsible for starting the rumor in the first place, depending on the situation. (If the rumor affects my family or career, I can’t afford to ignore it!)<br /><br />3. Do not pledge allegiance to backstabbing cliques or groups. <br /><br />4. Aim to embrace a spirit of cooperation in my interactions with others.<br /><br />And I must say, in <em>most </em>instances, I have been successful…yet the fight to end relational aggression continues! <br /><br />Interested in hearing other strategies for dealing with relational aggression (female bullying)? Check out Cheryl Dellasega’s book, <a href="http://www.boonebridgebooks.com/Mean_Girls_Grown_Up_Adult_Women_Who_Are_Still_Queen_Bees_Middle_Bees_Afraid-To-Bees_Cheryl_Dellasega-i-0471655171">Mean Girls Growing Up: Adult Women Who Are Still Queen Bees, Middle Bees, and Afraid-to-Bees</a>. She explores why women are often their own worst enemies, offering practical advice for a variety of situations. Drawing upon extensive research and interviews, she shares real-life stories from women as well as the knowledge of experts who have helped women overcome the negative effects of aggression. Readers will hear how adult women can be just as vicious as their younger counterparts, learn strategies for dealing with adult bullies, how to avoid being involved in relational aggression, and more. <br /><br />And since research has shown that girls between the ages of 8 and 17 need a little extra protection against the emotional and social hazards of growing up…Rachel Simmons, in her books, <a href="http://www.harcourtbooks.com/BookCatalogs/bookpages/9780156027342.asp">Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Girls </a>and <a href="http://www.harcourtbooks.com/bookcatalogs/bookpages/9780156028158.asp">Odd Girl Speaks Out: Girls Write about Bullies, Cliques, Popularity, and Jealousy</a>, prescribes clear-cut strategies for parents, teachers, and girls to resist bullies and their acts of aggression. She also has great resources on her <a href="http://www.rachelsimmons.com/index.htm">website</a>.eskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05500578707910599297noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-34656727618590365332008-07-27T19:40:00.000-07:002008-07-27T19:41:43.520-07:00Women in the Workplace: Assertive vs. AggressiveBy: Erika Kelley<br /><br />I have been working since I was 16. And throughout the years I learned that the roles of men and women in the social and corporate world have evolved. However, early on, I also discovered that workplace stereotypes still exist. For women, it is often expected that we are to be submissive, eager-to-please, and supportive. However, if we're too nice and understanding -- we're considered emotional and soft. But, if we're a bit assertive and outspoken -- we're ice queens. <br /><br />Men on the other hand are expected to be strong, forceful, and direct. What’s interesting is that in leadership and management courses, I ascertained that a “good” employee is one that exhibits directness with simplicity. A “good” employee is assertive, a trait very often exhibited by men; one that is accepted…expected. <br /><br />So, the age-old question still exists: What's the appropriate stance or attitude women should have in the workplace? <br /><br />My stance has been to follow the path of a “good” employee and break the “passive” female stereotype. However, instead of affirmation and recognition, I have often encountered negativity, more often from my female counterparts, and have occasionally been referred to as “aggressive.” <br /><br />Here’s my story…<br /><br />Over six summers ago, I decided to participate in flex-time at work. Instead of working the standard hours, 8:15 AM to 4:15 PM, I decided to change my hours to 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. I’d miss traffic, get home in time to watch Dr. Phil with the hubby, and even have time to exercise! Sweet.<br /><br />About half of the people in my office took advantage of flex-time; however, only a handful worked the early hours like me. The inconsistency between work schedules never posed a problem…until…well, allow me to explain.<br /><br />With a project that surpassed its deadline and extension, my co-workers and I met frequently to consummate the project. A few times, the meetings were scheduled in the afternoon, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. And like typical meetings in our office, they tarried and often exceeded the allotted time. No matter, an older (50+) Caucasian male, Michael (my former colleague’s has been changed to protect his confidentiality), that worked 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM (half hour lunch instead of an hour), would politely alert everyone that we should start wrapping-up, promptly at 2:45 PM. And that’s exactly what we did – wrap up – so that he would be able to leave at his scheduled time, 3:00 PM. What a considerate bunch, right?<br /><br />Well the following week, Michael went on vacation. Like last week, we had another afternoon meeting, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM. We started at approximately 2:15 PM and the meeting was still in session at 3:15 PM. Like Michael, I alerted the group that I would need to excuse myself in a few minutes, so it might be a good time to start wrapping-up. I expected everyone to concede, like they did normally. This time, however, was different. No one began to wrap-up. Instead, a female colleague asked me: do you mind staying a little bit longer? Being the team player that I aspire to be, I agreed to stay. The meeting ended at about 3:35 PM. Not a big deal, a five-minute delay.<br /><br />Two days later, the same thing happened. A meeting that was supposed to begin at 2:00 PM started about 10 minutes late and was still in session at 3:15 PM. This time, I found myself thinking: Where is Michael? Things were so different when he was present at meetings. No one ever asked him if he could stay longer. Again, like Michael, I mentioned that we had exceeded the time allotted for the meeting, and now would probably be a good time to wrap-up. I was met with sighs and rolling eyes. A female colleague even said to me: We know you leave at 3:30, Erika. There was extra emphasis on the word “know” and my name!<br /><br />I digress…Have you ever watched a movie where there’s complete silence and then a brass cymbal hits the floor? This is where the cymbal hit the floor in the midst of deliberate silence.<br /><br />May I make a suggestion? Can we start our meetings on time, to avoid running over the allotted time scheduled for the meeting? I was met with blank stares. A female colleague spoke up: Most of us work 8:15 AM to 4:15 PM; have you ever considered working the core hours so that you’re available for afternoon meetings? I was ready to scream, kick, and yank my hair out. I felt somewhat attacked and felt this situation was very unfair. I knew for a fact, they, who happened to be all females – Caucasian, Hispanic, and African-American, would have never asked this of Michael, but I wasn’t sure why. <br /><br />So, I looked at the differences: Michael was Caucasian, a male, and over 50. I was African-American, a female, and in my late 20s. But so what? Which is exactly why I said: Yes, I have considered working the core hours; however, my current hours better accommodate my lifestyle. I was then told: Well, you’re free to go. With that, I gathered up my belongings and said to the group: Enjoy the rest of your day; I’ll follow-up with you regarding what I missed tomorrow.<br /><br />The office informant later told me that I had been dubbed: aggressive. Nonetheless, the meetings for the remainder of the week started and ended and time, as scheduled. And the week thereafter, Michael returned. <br /><br />To be or not to be assertive? That is the question.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-43725554976262759722008-07-16T14:23:00.000-07:002008-07-16T14:26:43.602-07:00“The Meaning of Wife”: When Nothing that was Actually Old is New AgainBy: Caitlin Murphy<br /><br />While walking through the insanity that is Penn Station early on a Tuesday morning, I was in a different state than the normal look-straight-ahead-and-maintain-efficient-steps routine I usually maintain: I was actually hyper-aware of marital imagery.<br /><br />After finishing another chapter from Anne Kingston’s “The Meaning of Wife”, I almost laughed out loud to really see an advertisement for “Bridezillas” on WeTV at the exit of my train. I’d passed by the advertisement for several months without ever truly pausing to think about the implications of the entrenched message it sends about brides-- women who are getting married turn into emotionally unstable, child-like beasts that act on primal, deep-seated urges. These urges, we’re told, “naturally” affect us all, but certain women get more “passionate” than others about it. Not more than a minute later, I noticed a young woman carrying chocolate-brown bag that had pink dots and big, swirling letters that read “Bridesmaid” on the side. Once again, this revealed another entrenched message I had never quite reflected on before-- that the actual wedding day is a kind of fashion statement that is far more important than the actual marriage.<br /><br />Both of these seemingly innocent encounters with bride/wife imagery shocked me into the realization that there is a steady flow of marital images that we subconsciously gloss over daily. However, no matter how little attention we may pay to these details, they play an important role in filling in the “gap” that has developed in defining brides and wives since the 1960s.<br /><br />As Kingston posits, a “wife chasm” opened up following the slew of new legislative rights women won for their bodies, their finances, their career choices, their property, and their self. While there was a positive re-definition in what a woman legally could or could not do, there was a non-existent “catch up” in terms of what a woman socially and culturally could do, be, act like, and want. Since no new script was provided for women that found themselves with these new rights, there was a glaring “gap” in what the new definition of what a woman, and a wife, would be. Commercial, corporate, and political forces, while initially met with the “wife-lash” that followed the 1960s, found the huge niche easy to fill with a variety of messages that were generally accepted by the 1990s, which heralded a very deliberate shift from “wife-lash” to “wife-lust”.<br /><br />The kinds of marital messages that I’ve been taking in and accepting subconsciously (such as that brides innately go off the deep-end during the wedding process-- itself a showy, elaborate affair) are purposefully packaged to appear as if they are timeless pearls of wisdom. However, if looked at closer, the over-the-top, “traditional” weddings that are expected today were never truly “traditional”, as only royalty could actually afford them. One of the most damaging messages, Kingston points out, is that the frustrated, burnt-out wife that can’t “do it all” is a new character in modern society that needs to deal with her own personal issues. (When in reality, she has been around for centuries, in any society that attributes more rights and responsibilities to wives outside the home and expects her to take on many new, extra roles without any additional government, societal, or corporate support.) Kingston points out that the attempt of women to “do it all” has ironically left many women in the kind of robotic, “Stepford Wives” state that the original film was tongue-in-cheekily suggesting as the solution for independent, feminist-prone women. Worse, there is a complimentary message that even if a wife can “do it all”, she must love keeping a blissed-out, warm, loving home through the fruits of her domestic labor, no matter how banal or arduous the chore. Kingston puts it bluntly: “A chore is a chore.”<br /><br /> So what is the solution in a society in which chores are weighted with emotional love, titles like “Bridesmaid” are weighed as fashion labels, and brides are weighed as “naturally” unstable, irrational beasts? We have to un-do exactly what is keeping these martial images entrenched in the “wife gap”– we have to strip the subconscious weight that is holding their place and make way for the kind of definition “wife” has needed for decades. This new definition would suggest something that at this point in our “wife-lust” culture would seem quite radical: that “wife” must become a gender-neutral term, as it captures all of the domestic duties and emotional support that two partners must be willing to share. As Kingston points out, this kind of re-definition requires an admittance on the part of the government and corporations that they must step in provide the kind of aid and support the modern family necessitates, but just as importantly, it involves finally looking at women and men as human beings who can only handle a certain amount of responsibility and emotional pressure. Perhaps then, the battle cry of “the feminist movement screwed me over” can be restated in the next generation of young women and wives as “we still have a way to go”.<br /><br /> The Younger Women’s Task Force–New York Chapter holds a monthly book club that discusses issues such as those brought up by Kingston with a group of intelligent and fiery young New York women that care. The book club will be meeting this month to discuss Kingston’s “The Meaning of Wife” at 7pm, July 16th, at Tea Spot, located at 127 Macdougal St.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-758434190310315132008-04-09T13:58:00.001-07:002008-04-09T14:11:00.172-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QwSM4Nhel5A/R_0vH86XuNI/AAAAAAAAAAU/tTQralHppJQ/s1600-h/baze_0805_two_sm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QwSM4Nhel5A/R_0vH86XuNI/AAAAAAAAAAU/tTQralHppJQ/s200/baze_0805_two_sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187354159457220818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Interview with Christine Baze, Founder of the Yellow Umbrella Organization</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:115.5pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kristen\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.png" title=""> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=""><br /><!--[endif]--></span></div><p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;color:black;" ><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style="'width:115.5pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Kristen\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.png" title=""> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->How old were you and what was your life like when you were diagnosed with cervical cancer?</span><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >I never thought about cancer when I was 31. I was happy, healthy, married and totally excited about my future - I was pursing my dream of being a full time Rock Star. It was going well. Really well, until I went in for my pap. After 13 consecutive normal yearly paps, this one came back abnormal. Within a week after further tests, I got the news - invasive cervical cancer with extensive lymphatic invasion. Impossible. Me? Cervical Cancer? Ten days after my diagnosis I had a radical hysterectomy, then laproscopic surgery, then 5 weeks of daily pelvic radiation concurrent with 4 rounds of chemo and then 3 rounds of internal radiation. Then came the depression. I felt like I lost everything. Eventually I realized I did NOT lose EVERYthing, just some bits and pieces. So I put myself together with the pieces that were left, and decided to use my story, my experience, my music and my voice to get the message of cervical cancer prevention out there - I wanted to educate and empower other women. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;color:black;" >How has the experience of being a cancer survivor shaped your thinking? (If at all).</span><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >Cancer changed my life, there's no way of getting around that. I became acutely aware of how precious each and every moment is and the power we all have as individuals to make choices and to live every day intentionally For me, that means doing what I love, making music, and making a difference through my work as an activist. The "gift" of cancer has been this incredible clarity in my heart and in my head about what REALLY matters. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;color:black;" >Tell me about your organization, especially what inspired you to start an organization and what you're most excited about for the future of your organization. What motivates you to keep sharing your stories and what achievement are you most proud of?</span><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >The Yellow Umbrella Organization started out as PopSmear.org (pop music and pap smears, get it?!?) in 2002, and the message was simple: "Ladies, don't blow off your yearly pap. Have a conversation with your doctor and make sure you are getting the BEST pap out there. And if you are 30+, ask for an HPV test with your pap. And men, go tell the women you love." It's that simple to keep your cervix smiling! And what happened at the first concert and the 88 to follow is that people listened! The more I sang and talked about my story and how we can DO something about this cancer, the more people talked about it - in the papers, magazines, on the TV and the radio. When I did the first show I never dreamed that I would be running an organization, traveling around the country and still talking about it over 5 years later, but that is what happened and I feel just as passionately as I did at the first show. The Yellow Umbrella Org is excited about continuing the message through music and collaboration (say- something.org), as well as expanding our sites to include a network of organizations who are all working in the fight against cervical cancer. As for the achievement I'm most proud of, I have to say kicking cancer's ass!!! = ) Cancer helped me see how strong I really am. I never knew, but now I see the power an individual has to get from the dark into the light, and I will never forget that. And also, I have to say, I have the most incredible opportunity coming up next month when I get to open for Sheryl Crow at the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults fundraiser!!! Now THAT is a dream come true, and something I think I will be proud of for the rest of my life. FOR SURE!!! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;color:black;" >In the past couple of years, the story of HPV and its prevalence has really emerged, partially due to the emergence of the HPV vaccine and likely a variety of other factors, including the work of organizations such as your own. Did you know anything about HPV before your diagnosis? If not, what information did you learn about it after?</span><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >I had never heard about HPV before I was diagnosed and I considered myself an educated, proactive young woman because I never missed a pap or physical or anything like that. So when I was told that it was from sex, at first I was horrified and embarrassed. But then, as I learned more, I realized that it was nothing to be ashamed about at all. I learned that it is virtually ubiquitous, that it's not a sign of promiscuity or infidelity, that it is usually a transient virus and that the danger mainly exists when you have a persistent infection. And then I learned about the different screening tools - the pap and the HPV test. I never knew that the pap was measuring for cellular changes (dysplasia) caused by HPV, I only knew that I had to go every year. I also did now know that the pap can have a false negative rate of up to 50%, which means it tells you you are "fine" when you are not. My docs think this is what happened to me, that the pap missed me year after year, and it wasn't until the office switched to a liquid (more sensitive) pap that it caught what was happening. At this time, 2002, the HPV test had just come out. It is a DNA test that tells you if you have HPV and are at risk for cervical cancer. When I wrapped my head around all this information, I just knew I had to share with as many people that would listen because it could help save women's fertility and women's lives. With the vaccine, there's just more and more to talk about and more we can do. It's a very exciting time. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;color:black;" >Many of our readers may be thinking of getting the "catch-up" HPV vaccine for women aged 19- 26. Do you know if you need to be screened for HPV before you get the vaccine? And more generally, what would be your personal advice to a younger woman who is not sure about whether or not to get the vaccine?</span><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" > <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >My understanding (and every woman should talk directly to their doc about this) is that one does not need to be screened for HPV prior to getting the vaccine. Even if you've been exposed to one strand of HPV, Gardasil covers 4 strands, and therefore you will have protection against the others. Soon there will be another vaccine available, Cervarix, so there will be more choices for young women. As far as my personal advice, it's a no brainier. 3 shots are better than a hysterectomy. Trust me! I think women need to use EVERY tool and do EVERYthing they can, because remember, I did go for my pap every year and it still missed me. It wasn't enough. So I say, use everything we've got. Shots are better than chemo. No joke. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">How can we all help to spread the word about HPV, cervical cancer, and women's sexual health? Are there additional resources that your organization offers that you'd like us to know about?</span> </span><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >SAY SOMETHING!!! Honestly, that is the way we are going to beat this disease, by talking about it. By women educating one another. By men telling the women they love, by roommates telling each other not to blow off their pap, by sisters telling sisters to get the HPV vaccine. That is what you can do to help! The stigma attached to HPV and women's sexual health is very real and we are the only ones who can break down the misconceptions. We have the power. We have the technology to prevent a cancer. Let's do it. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;"><span style=";font-size:85%;color:black;" >This interview was originally featured in YWTF’s bi-weekly e-newsletter, <i style="">Younger Women’s Movement</i>, on February 20, 2008. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style=";font-size:11;color:black;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >You can sign up to receive the <i>Younger Women’s Movement</i> at <a href="http://www.ywtf.org/">www.ywtf.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-79170086542096895852008-03-04T08:46:00.000-08:002010-04-10T23:13:01.527-07:00Ayo I'm Tired of This Misogyny: Ayo Technology Video<p><br /></p><p><br />The <a title="blocked::http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53GF29oCYkQ" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53GF29oCYkQ">Ayo Technology video</a> staring 50 Cent, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland takes sexist objectification in music videos to the next level. The video incorporates the main message of the song, "I'm tired of using technology," by showing the musicians using super high tech telescopes, binoculars and computers to stalk women. 50 Cent looks like a sniper or deer hunter on a roof, and then he is featured following a woman in her car. Timberlake is parked outside another woman's home watching her undress. Is he trying to bring stalking back too? Their technology allows them to see through women's clothes and control their bodies from afar. In addition, the video is spliced with images of strippers and women having sex night vision style.</p> <p>It is disgusting that they are bringing stalking to a mainstream "sexy" level. More than a million women are stalked annually. Stalking is a terrifying experience for victims, causing them psychological trauma, and possible physical harm. Some affects on the victim include panic attacks, isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal feelings and decreased ability to perform daily tasks. According to CFW.org, stalking is one of the most common predictors of more violence such as physical abuse, rape and/or murder. More information can be found in the Full Report of the Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women from the U.S. Department of Justice.</p> <p>It is absolutely pathetic that those involved with this project are so creatively limited that sexual objectification of women was the chosen way to display the song. Their total disregard for the dignity of women is beyond disappointing. Thankfully the documentary <a title="blocked::http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2020029531334253002&q=%22hip-hop%3A+beyond+beats+and+rhymes%22&total=13&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0" href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2020029531334253002&q=%2522hip-hop%253A+beyond+beats+and+rhymes%2522&total=13&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0">"Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes"</a> explores sexism in hip-hop. The film pays tribute to hip-hop while challenging the industry to take responsibility for glamorizing stereotypes of manhood.</p><br />This blog was originally posted on August 27, 2007 on <a title="blocked::http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/1255" href="http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/1255">http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/1255</a>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-62637340119678553932008-02-27T19:00:00.000-08:002010-04-10T23:12:36.332-07:00Glamorizing Misogyny<p><br /></p><p>Last year, America's Next Top Model glorified violence against women. Their <a title="blocked::http://tv.yahoo.com/americas-next-top-model/show/35130/photos/1#goto_1" href="http://tv.yahoo.com/americas-next-top-model/show/35130/photos/1#goto_1">crime scene victim photo shoot</a> provides us with visions of undressed murdered female bodies. The shoot included vivid images of women in situations such as (but not limited to)- wearing lingerie with organs stolen, almost naked in a bed (legs spread) strangled, drowned and abandoned, severely beaten and thrown down a flight of stairs, and electrocuted in underwear. </p> <p>The focus was on the <strong>sexiness of the corpses</strong>, instead of the humanity of female victims. In the photo that depicted a model shot in the head, one of the judges stated, <em>"I love the broken down leg. It's absolute genius."</em></p> <p>Sadly, torturing, raping and murdering women seems to be entertaining in our <a title="blocked::http://www.about-face.org/goo/archive/categories/violencewomen/" href="http://www.about-face.org/goo/archive/categories/violencewomen/">"bitch slapping" culture</a>. Images of sexually objectified women lead to violence against women. The abuse of women has reached <a title="blocked::http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/ipv_cost/01_executive.htm" href="http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/ipv_cost/01_executive.htm">epidemic proportions</a> in the United States. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, <strong>battery is the leading cause of injury to women.</strong> Erotized violence <a title="blocked::http://www.mediaed.org/news/articles/svp" href="http://www.mediaed.org/news/articles/svp">conditions boys and men</a> to be desensitized to the suffering of women. The mainstream media plays a critical role in connecting masculinity with control and dominance over the female body. </p> <p>Even though more then 3 women are murdered by their male partners in the U.S. everyday (Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001), <a title="blocked::http://www.endabuse.org/programs/display.php3?DocID=9902" href="http://www.endabuse.org/programs/display.php3?DocID=9902">amazing feministy boys</a> give me hope. </p> <p>Let Tyra (<a title="blocked::mailto:tyrabanks@studiofanmail.com" href="mailto:tyrabanks@studiofanmail.com">tyrabanks@studiofanmail.com</a>) know that America's Next Top Model's toxic actions are beyond unacceptable (<a title="blocked::mailto:feedback@CWTV.com" href="mailto:feedback@CWTV.com">feedback@CWTV.com</a>).</p> <p><em>If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, give them this number: U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).</em> It could save their life.</p>This blog was originally posted on March 30, 2007 on <a title="blocked::http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/930" href="http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/930">http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/930</a><p><br /></p>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00388945191645148063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-60777958684512735332007-11-01T08:10:00.000-07:002007-11-01T10:26:41.473-07:00Gender Issues and the Vietnam Women’s MemorialBY: Caitlin Jennings<br /><br /><br />This Veteran’s Day marks the 14th anniversary of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. I always felt the statue, representing three women near a fallen soldier, worked harmoniously with the rest of the memorial. Unlike some critics, I see it as a safe haven, set aside, quietly complimenting the wall and encouraging additional contemplation. As Cindy Gurney, Executive Director of the Vietnam Women's Memorial Foundation put it, “it provides balance…it completes the memorial; it completes the wall.” In recalling the first time she saw the addition of the women’s memorial, she said, “I though it was wonderful the way those three pieces came together…the men who survived, the women who survived, and those who died.”<br />Diane Carlson Evans, Founder and President of the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation, first had the idea for the memorial in 1983 after seeing an image of the proposed addition to the wall—a statue of three soldiers designed by Frederick Hart. In a case study entitled Why was the Vietnam Women’s Memorial added to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial? she recalled that the image raised “painful personal awareness that our country did not and might not ever know the women who served alongside those depicted.” She also noted, “Historically, women who have served humanity during America's struggles and wars are not included in the artistic portrayals. They slip into history unrecognized and forgotten; compounding the myth that either they did not serve or their service was not noteworthy.”<br />Cindy explained that many women felt the wall, by itself, was inclusive. The eight women who died are listed with the men. However, when the controversial statue of the three soldiers was added “then you’ve got a monument to the men who served. Then there are 10-11,000 women who say ‘but what about me, that doesn’t include me.’” <br />While many veterans and other related groups supported Diane’s effort to rectify the exclusionary nature of the memorial by adding a statue depicting women, others fought the idea. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think people of such great numbers would be so against honoring the women of Vietnam,” Diane told me in a recent interview. “This was definitely a gender issue.” Diane believed opponents were uneasy with the idea of a figure depicting women. She noted in the case study, “Many people were comfortable with the popular stereotype of the all-male American military. For adversaries we were providing a new emblematic definition of women they were eager to impugn.” <br />Diane felt much of the gender related opposition was due to false stereotypes about the role women served during the war. Therefore, the success of the memorial hinged on “our ability…to educate the nation about who these women really were, what their contributions were, and getting those stories out there so people could make decisions for themselves on the merits for the memorial and not listen to those who were trying to impede the whole idea because of their misgivings or their misogyny.”<br />Fewer women served in the military than men. Therefore, one of the main arguments against the memorial concerned numbers; only 11,000 women served in Vietnam and only eight gave their lives. Was their contribution enough to merit a memorial? Diane said she replied to that argument by saying, “This memorial is not about the numbers…but if you want to go into numbers…lets talk about the fact that these women helped to save the lives of 350,000 men and women.” <br />The stereotype that women in Vietnam only served as nurses also hurt the cause. Cindy remembered there was a misconception, even among women, that the memorial would only represent nurses. In fact it represents all American women, both civilian and military, who served in Vietnam including air traffic controllers, USO volunteers, and journalists. It also represents the over 250,000 women who aided the effort at bases around the world. These women suffered from war related injuries and post traumatic stress disorder just like their male counterparts. <br />While the ability to persevere was needed for both their service and to push forward with plans for a memorial to honor that service, some people negatively viewed the female veterans’ determination. George F. Will said in an August 26, 1991 Newsweek article that the Mall should not become a monument to “irritable factions.” He also sarcastically noted that women were trying to “enrich” the memorial. On November 11, 1987 in the Washington Times, J. Carter Brown, Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, said that any statue of women would “detract from the enormous power of the memorial.” <br />“What Brown neglects to specify, however, is precisely how much the [women’s memorial] might dilute the power of the Wall as compared to how much the existing statue on the site—Three Fighting Men—already compromises the Wall's inclusive embrace by its omission of women,” responded K.A. Marling and J. Wetenhall in The Sexual Politics of Memory: The Vietnam Women's Memorial Project and “The Wall.” <br />The gender issue also affected the ability to raise money and quickly garner support from powerful people. They lacked the resources the men had when proposing the addition of the three soldiers. As Cindy noted, in addition to the fact that the majority of veterans were males, these veterans also “went into fortune 500 companies or they became successful lawyers or politicians…and they were able to put together a lot of money and they deal[t] with money at very high levels. [Women] did not rise to those levels in the corporations.”<br />When reflecting on the long and arduous process, Diane said it “seemed like it took forever, especially because I kept comparing what we were doing to what the male veterans had done.” While the Hart statue met similar opposition concerning its possible negative effect on the impact of the wall, it was erected about three years after the idea was proposed and did not require separate legislation. In contrast, the proposal for the women’s memorial took ten years and required two pieces of additional legislation. Diane believes that if not for the gender issues “we would have had our memorial up within two or three years. But why did we have to go to congress and go through all these hoops…that the three servicemen statue didn’t have to go through?” <br />“The opposition tried to beat us down and throw obstacles in our way and they did it through a variety of methods and activities, some very public some very behind the scenes, but we just really felt that we were doing the right thing.” Diane’s voice resounded with determination when she added, “The reason that we have the memorial…is because we would not give up.”<br /><br /><br />“Let's all resolve that this memorial serve as a vehicle for healing our nation's wounds. Let's never again take so long in honoring a debt,” Al Gore said during the Dedication Ceremony on November 11, 1993. Today the monument and foundation serve an ongoing purpose. Cindy hopes that “some of our experiences…can also be helpful to the new generation of women who are serving.” Diane is currently serving on the advisory board for the National Vietnam War Museum. When discussing the project she assured me, “Women will be included.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-30244420593524803932007-07-24T18:42:00.000-07:002007-07-24T18:46:34.266-07:00The Green in You: Making Conscious Decisions to Help Our EnvironmentBy: Chantelle Britton<br /><br />Many of us want to be environmentally responsible, but few of us are willing to make commitments of major lifestyle changes. Luckily, there are simple and effective ways to help our planet and maintain our health and quality of life. If you are not sure where to start, consider the following suggestions. <br /><br />Bear in mind that the approaches listed below do not in any way encompass all of the practices that you could take to become environmentally conscious. There are many more ways. Visit the websites and resources embedded in this article for more information on how you can play a role in protecting our environment. <br /><br />1. Start by Educating Yourself<br />There are numerous resources via the Internet that will give you great and valuable tips on becoming and staying green. Check out Treehugger.com, a web-based magazine dedicated to modern aesthetic environmental practices. Treehugger has “going green guides” that cover everything from personal hygiene to weddings. <br /><br />Idealbite <http://www.idealbite.com/> offers daily doses of sassy and modern tips on eco-friendly living. They send daily e-mails on products and services that not only impact our enviornment, but will impact our lives.<br /><br />The Center for a New American Dream has valuable information and resources available to help people shop smart and responsibly for the health of all beings. <br /><br />2. Choose Your Mode of Transportation<br />Truly consider the amount of fuel consumed through our different modes of transportation. There are a variety of options to think about when choosing your mode of transportation. Some options include walking, cycling, public transportation, car pooling, or if your job allows—work from home (telecommute). <br /><br />Also, when purchasing a vehicle, consider those that consume the least amount of fuels, such as hybrids, bio-diesel and reduced emission vehicles. <br /><br />3. Conserve More Water<br />Water that we use through our taps goes through a energy intensive process of filtering, purifying and transporting, which means that fossil fuel are being emitted each time we turn on the water faucet. Some simple water saving tips include installing water saving shower heads, fixing dripping water faucets, and not letting the water run while you brush your teeth. If you garden, collect rain water instead of using a hose to water your plants. <br /><br />One other tip to consider is to avoid bottled water. Bottled water is not only a billion dollar industry; its production is affecting our environment in so many ways. Consider this: The US leads the world in consuming bottled water. In 2004, 26 billion liters were consumed and the demand for bottle water is so high that the manufacturing of bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, more than enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year (See: Center for a New American Dream).<br /><br />4. Consider Your Food Habits<br />According to Treehugger’s website, there are four basic guidelines to follow to have greener meals. The first guideline is to eat locally. Since most foods travel long distances before you have the chance to enjoy it, locally grown food reduces transportation impacts on our environment. In addition, local growers also spend less energy on packaging processing and shipping their products. <br /><br />The second guideline is to eat more organically grown foods, such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, and meat products. Organic products are produced in ways that support healthy people and an eco-friendly environment. Check out the US Department of Agriculture’s website for more organic information. <br /><br />A third guideline is to consume less meat. Meat stricken diets may not be the best approach for everyone, but lessening the amount of meat you consume can be beneficial to the environment. Many resources are used up to produce meat and meat products. The production process puts strains on our water resources, land and grain resources, not to mention the potential for pollution to soil, air and water. <br /><br />5. Start Recycling<br />The common phrase of “reduce, reuse, recycle” comes to mind when you think of recycling, but recycling has become one of the easiest ways of protecting our environment. Most local governments—cities, counties and towns, have some form of recycling program through their trash collecting systems. <br /><br />Recycling involves breaking down used items into raw materials to make new items. It reduces toxic greenhouse gas emissions and conserves energy. Try, whenever possible, to recycle items such as plastic, paper, aluminum, and glass products. Also consider buying recycled items, such as paper products and even clothes. Contact your local government’s trash collecting system for more information on recycling. Visit Earth911 to find out more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30348651.post-60705858727062745702007-07-19T13:59:00.000-07:002007-07-19T14:11:32.057-07:00"The Neck of the Flower: STEM, an Importnat Aspect of Women's Choices in Careers"By Christina Stevens-Payne and Martha Young<br /><br />On July 18, 2007 we went to a briefing, “STEM Education, Girls, and the Challenges that Follow: From the Classroom to STEM Careers,” with speakers Dr. Jacquelynne S. Eccles, Ph.D. and Dr. Laurel L. Haak, Ph.D. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and for those who may not understand the severity of this topic, understand that there is a huge disparity between men and women in these fields. This briefing discussed the lack of women engagement in STEM careers. According to information reported by Girls Inc., a youth organization that motivates girls at high risk in their academics, there is a misconception that females have a lower aptitude than males in STEM. They stated, “The 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress in math and science for grades 4, 8 and 12, found the largest gap between boys’ and girls’ scale scores to be a mere four points.” Additionally, half of the finalists in the 2007 Intel Science Talent Search were comprised of girls. While these numbers are very positive, they are not high enough. Girls Inc. also stated that, “Girls continue to lag behind boys in computer science and physics, comprising only 31% of AP Physics test takers and just 16% in AP Computer Science test takers in 2006.”<br />What really stood out to us was that according to The College Board 2005 Total Profile Report out of all the college-bound seniors in 2005, 15% of the young women planned to major in computer science, 15% planned to major in engineering and 40% planned to major in math. Fast forward to college graduation and according to the National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering you learn that women only account for 20% of the bachelor’s degrees in math and computer science. This is shocking to learn considering that women make up 60% of the undergraduate college population. Eccles’ presentation discussed this issue in-depth through her research from over the past 25-30 years, however, there were some key components within the study that didn’t sit well with us and we felt the need to discuss these further, point by point:<br /><br />She Said….<br /><br />Eccles said she focused specifically on communities where the participants were more “likely” to achieve higher education. Most of her participants were from the southeast Michigan area and did not include Detroit. (See our rebuttal #1 below)<br />Eccles said the study was based only on gender and not race, sexuality, gender, and ethnicity. (See our rebuttal #2 below)<br />Eccles’ study focused on primarily undergraduate and graduate women and their work while only skimming the surface of middle school and high school young teenage women. (See our rebuttal #3 below)<br />Eccles discussed how dangerous it was that the minority women are not able to get interested in STEM. (See our rebuttal #4 below)<br /><br /><br />We Said…<br /><br />First off, it was hard for us to really get a full understanding of this issue without regards to urban and rural lower income young women. We felt the study was biased towards a specific group of participants. Southeastern Michigan is seen as a more affluent and middle class area. Only using those participants, pigeon-holed Eccles’ arguments. She couldn’t make a generalization because she didn’t use a wider range of young women.<br />You can’t look at women, without taking into consideration ethnicity. You can’t look at women, without taking into consideration poverty. Basically, when you talk about women, you need to include all of these factors.<br />Generally, since we are in the age bracket of undergraduate and graduate students, we believe young women tend to already have an idea of what they are interested in whether it be math or liberal arts. However, middle and high school students tend to not have an idea of their interests. Consequently, this is the age range where interests are developed and should be were we focus our efforts.<br />Frankly, it is not an interest issue, but a resource issue. If you have young women who are from a more affluent area they have access to resources in their schools, therefore, becoming interested in STEM. However, if a young woman comes from an area such as the urban or rural locations mentioned earlier, the resources are not always readily available, perpetuating further disengagement and an everlasting and widening gap between the social classes.<br /><br /><br />After all is said and done, we believe that the original context of the briefing was important and necessary, however, it is important that when researching such a colossal topic, a researcher really must make sure they have dotted all their i’s and crossed all their t’s. Eccles did not do that and we were disappointed at her study and findings, as well as her evidentiary support. Hopefully in the future, other researchers can be more aware of this factor when conducting their studies. We would never want to dissuade or discourage research studies in this field because as we all know, there is a women’s movement and these studies only help it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0