Stop Stupak Phone Banks in the FMF's Los Angeles Office

Here in the FMF's Los Angeles office, we are ANGRY about the Stupak amendment! We can't make it to DC for the Emergency/Rally Lobby Day on Dec. 2 but that won't stop us from taking action!

If you are in the Los Angeles area, join us at the FMF Headquarters on Dec. 1 & 2 for a Stop Stupak Phone Bank! We'll be phonebanking our supporters, asking them to take 2 minutes to call key decision makers and demand that no anti-choice amendments be included in health care reform.

The Stupak Amendment is the single largest threat to abortion access in our lifetimes. We must demand that young women's lives and bodies stop being used as a political bargaining chip and make sure Congress understands that abortion is health care.

Here are the details: FMF Headquarters at 433 S. Beverly Dr. between Pico and Olympic, 90212. Tuesday, December 1 join us from 6pm - 9pm, or on Wednesday, Dec. 2 join us from 10am - 6pm for any amount of time. Spread the word!

To RSVP, email Allie at amcdonald@feminist.org or Jacqueline at jsun@feminist.org or call us at 866-471-FMLA.

See you on December 1st & 2nd!

Feminism 101: Blogroll

I was inspired by Kat's post on feminist terms to give a quick introduction to some really good blogs for new and curious feminists. Enjoy!

= Frequently Asked Questions/Concepts Blogs=

• Finally, A Feminism101 Blog: A blog created to keep feminist newbies from derailing feminist discussion with common questions. If you're an expert, it's useful as a refresher on the basics. If you're new, I recommend reading through the whole blog because it discusses concepts that are used in nearly every feminist conversation.
  
• Shakesville: This blog goes into depth on more complex feminist concepts. I really like the explanation of rape culture.
  
• Official Shrub: A blog that sadly doesn't update that often. The blog is a really good place to learn about abilism. It also has really great posts on feminism and videogames and what sex positivism means.
  

=Personal Favorites=

• Sociological Images:An all-around awesome blog that shows how people are depicted in the media.
  
• FWD/Forward: A relatively new feminist with disability blog.
  
• Racialicious: A blog focusing on race issues and anti-racism.
  
• Transgriot: "News, opinions, commentary, history and a little creative writing from an African-American transwoman about the world around her."

Happy Birthday to a feminist shero

Today would be the 85th birthday of the late Shirley Chisholm, a true role model and heroine for countless women. The first African-American woman elected to Congress (she represented New York's 12th district from 1969-1983), Chisholm entered the Democratic presidential primary race in 1972. Chisholm was the first African-American to seek a major party nomination, and the first woman to pursue a place on the Democratic ticket.

Chisholm championed the rights of women, minorities, and the poor, and inspired countless future leaders. Her historic campaign was chronicled in the excellent documentary Chisholm '72: Unbought and Unbossed, which you all should check out.

Happy birthday Shirley Chisholm!

Guest post: Smashing the gender wage gap!

Susan Logsdon, president of the Widener University FMLA in Pennsylvania, posts about the FMLA's work to raise awareness about pay equity. Happy Thanksgiving!

It is often hard for young women, especially college students, to think of ways in which feminist activism could help them. However, our FMLA has found that drawing attention to unequal pay between men and women is an effective way to inform people how relevant the feminist struggle for equal rights is to modern society.

In October, we held a pay-equity bake sale, inspired by the Feminist Majority Foundation, and we emphasized the fact that women still earn only 76 cents to every dollar that a man makes. No matter how educated a woman is or how many qualifications or skills she may have, she will still earn much less than her male counterpart simply because of the fact of her gender.

It is even harder for women in traditionally male-dominated fields such as science and engineering, as they face other discriminations and hardships due to their gender. Even fields such as nursing have unequal pay distributions; one study has shown that male nurses may earn in excess of 3,000 dollars more a year than female nurses. Both of these fields of study are highly represented and respected at our college, and the fact that these young women pursuing rigorous fields of study will still eventually earn much less than their male counterparts after graduation is deeply disturbing.

The ideas behind the bake sale also extended to another population of our college and many other colleges as well: older students who are either returning to college after an absence or who are getting their first chance at college in order to advance their careers. Many women in these situations are working while pursuing their degrees and may also have families to support as well.

They are attending college to make their job opportunities brighter or improve their current statuses in order to make things more promising for themselves. Yet, the unequal wage system does not honor such commitments; women who have had extra burdens such as a late start to education or families to support will still earn much less than their male counterparts.

Our bake sale emphasized all of these points, and we found that many people who stopped by our table were extremely receptive to the idea. They recognized the disparity between the wages of men and women and how this is unjustified. What was most encouraging was the fact that equal amounts of both genders supported the idea and recognized the faulty system that supports unequal pay as something inherently unfair; there were not any protests at the idea that one gender had to pay more than the other gender, and all seemed to realize the gravity of our message.

We felt confident that, through promoting a cause that is very real and pertinent to women of all different generations and backgrounds, we had given our college community a greater sense of what feminism is: simply the idea that women are as equal as men, not something that is meant to divide the genders.

Want to know more? Contact Susan at smlogsdon (at) mail dot widener dot edu. You too can cross post with FMF! Email campusteam@feminist.org to get on board!

Introduction to Feminism 101

I've been with FMF for about 2 months now, and I have to admit that while I've been cruising blogs, a lot of terms get thrown around that I have NO IDEA what they mean. Rather than sit around moping about my lack of feminist knowledge which I've discovered is boring by having done it for the last two months anyway I thought I'd compile a definition list of the terms that were new to me--and as fellow intern Cori in teacher-mode said, "if you have a question, someone else probably has one too."

Disclaimer: This being an attempt for me to understand previously unknown terms, its very likely I will screw up (Especially since Wikipedia is not necessarily a fool-proof source of information). If you see any mistakes or want to add anything, feel free to correct me in the comment section and I'll adjust the post and give you credit.

First-Wave Feminism: First-wave feminism refers to the feminist movement during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Feminists during this time period focused on "de jure" (legally proscribed or "official") inequalities such as gaining the right to vote and marital rape. Some of its famous leaders: Elizabeth Cady Stanton (US), Susan B. Anthony (US), Marie Carmichael Stopes (Scottland), Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells(US). [Note: Wikipedia forgot to mention Sojourner Truth and Ida B. Wells. Could it be because they were women of color? Not knowing who the editor was, its hard to say, but it reminded me of a thoughtful, well-written post at Womanist Musings]

Second-Wave Feminism: also known as the Women's Liberation Movement, refers to US feminism in the 1960's and 1970s. Focused not just on de jure inequalities, but also "de facto" (not legally perscribed or official, but real or true conditions), such as inequalities in family, the workplace, sexuality, legal inequalities and reproductive rights. Some of the victories in the movement included the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII, the Griswold v. Connecticut Supreme Court ruling, Titles IX and X, Reed v. Reed, Roe v. Wade, the criminalization of marital rape, and legalization of no-fault divorce. (PS: I highly recommend checking out all those links--I definitely learned something from them.)

Third-Wave Feminism: Feminist philosophy that origninated in the 1990s that focuses more on individual empowerment as an agent in societal change rather than political activism (though doesn't reject political activism.) It places importance on diversity, encourages traditionally "unfeminine" emotions and activities (such as anger and playing extreme sports), and reclaims traditionally insulting words such as "slut" and "bitch." Also celebrates women's sexuality and choices in forming their own identity. Some prominent third-wavers include the Guerrilla Girls and the Riot Grrrl movement

Post-Feminism:Post-Feminism is basically the idea that there is no need for feminism because women are already equal to men. According to Alternet, Post-feminism is "invention promoted most vigorously by the right, and aided and abetted all along the way by the corporate media." It argues that because women got equal pay with the Equal Pay Act of 1963 [which we here at FMF know is a completely bogus premise], are happier than they used to be (also not true, and live longer anyway (but igoring that they may live sicker), that there is no need for feminism anymore--women won! (Obviously it was difficult to keep a neutral tone on this definition.) Post-feminism also asserts that women should view the world and align themselves as human, because any exclusion of the sexes would be sexist.

Eco-Feminism:According to the Green Fuse, coming up with a precise definition of Eco-feminism is complicated because many eco-feminists disagree on the exact details. One of the main tenets is that subjugation of women and subjugation of nature are directly related. Through much of the development of human societies, women were considered closer to nature due to their ability to give birth and their monthly period that seemed to be tied to the phases of the moon; but in western ideology, humans are seen to have been "pitted against nature," or have needed to "tame nature"--and because women were considered more in tune with nature, their subjugation was also seen as important for survival. (A part of this ideology includes the concept that humans are separate from and superior to nature, rather than part of nature.) Ecofeminists argue that traditional "women's activities" have been devalued because they have been done by women--but that they are in fact, valuable to society and should be extolled and valued.

Intersectionality:[direct quote from wikipedia:]"theory which seeks to examine the ways in which various socially and culturally constructed categories interact on multiple levels to manifest themselves as inequality in society. Intersectionality holds that the classical models of oppression within society, such as those based on race/ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, class, or disability do not act independently of one another; instead, these forms of oppression interrelate creating a system of oppression that reflects the "intersection" of multiple forms of discrimination."

Womanism: is a term coined by the fantastic writer Alice Walker. Its a reaction to the denial of non-white voices within the feminist movement, (i.e. feminist racism.) Womanism fights classism and racism within the feminist movement, as well as separatist ideologies (which I'm guessing means either splintering of movements or movements that are non-inclusive). It includes the word "man" to recognize that men of color have an important part in womanists' lives. Womanism supports intersectionality and is does not directly relate to a specific political party/system/point. It values women of color's sexuality and recognizes the centuries of sexual violence directed against them. [p.s. this is an abbreviated definition; the link connected to the word "Womanism" has a much more comprehensive definition that mine. I also urge checking out the original definition because as a white woman, I probably don't have the best perspective regarding which points are most pertinent to include. I also think its really important to read this blog post regarding whether or not white women can be womanists.

Post-Colonial Feminism/Third World Feminism: Post-Colonial Feminism asserts that traditional (i.e. "Western") feminism, while claiming to be universal, actually ignores the factors of racism, colonialism, and the long-term consequences of colonialism on women's rights worldwide--in other words, that western feminists--though perhaps inadvertenty--take part in the continuation of a form of colonialism through enjoying their relative privelege. Some prominent post-colonial feminists include: Gayartri Chakravorty Spivak, Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Gloria Anzaldua.

Liberal Feminism:Liberal Feminism focuses on safeguarding the freedoms of women through political and societal reform. There are various types of Liberal feminisms:

Classical/Libertarian Liberal Feminism [which is split into the further subcategories of equity feminism and cultural libertarian feminism]: "conceives of freedom as freedom from coercive interference. It holds that women, as well as men, have a right to such freedom due to their status as self-owners. It holds that coercive state power is justified only to the extent necessary to protect the right to freedom from coercive interference."

Egalitarian Liberal Feminism: "conceives of freedom as personal autonomy — living a life of one's own choosing — and political autonomy — being co-author of the conditions under which one lives. Egalitarian liberal feminists hold that the exercise of personal autonomy depends on certain enabling conditions that are insufficiently present in women's lives, or that social arrangements often fail to respect women's personal autonomy and other elements of women's flourishing."

Radical Feminism: Radical feminism asserts that the most fundamental form of oppression is oppression against women. It proposes that patriarchy is "a system of power that organizes society into a complex of relationships based on an assumption of "male "supremacy" used to oppress women. Radical feminism aims to challenge and to overthrow patriarchy by opposing standard gender roles and what they see as male oppression of women, and calls for a radical reordering of society."

Post-Modern Feminism: asserts that gender is constructed through language

Did I leave anything out? Are there any terms you think feminists should look into and be aware of?

Photo Credit: Oberazzi on flickr.com

Letter from Eleanor Smeal: Take Action to Stop Stupak/Pitts

Sign Stop Stupak/Pitts Petition! We will deliver the petition on December 2. Tell a Friend to Sign Stop Stupak/Pitts Petition If you can, join us in DC on Wednesday December 2 for a STOP Stupak/Pitts event & Capitol Hill Visit Day! Dirksen Senate Office Building Auditorium (Dirksen G50) from 9am-4:30pm For more event information call 703.522.2214

Pro-choice activists are coming to Washington from across the nation on Wednesday, December 2 to take our message directly to Congress: Stop STUPAK/PITTS! Pass Health Care reform with a strong Public Option. If you can not come, join in by signing the Stop Stupak petition. We will deliver them on December 2.

The House of Representatives passed a health care reform bill which includes the Stupak/Pitts amendment banning abortion coverage in both the private insurance plans and the public option. Women cannot even buy coverage with their own money. This is a giant step backward for women. Millions of women will lose abortion coverage.

The Senate version currently being debated does not include Stupak/Pitts. We need to make sure that the Senate version of the bill remains free of this killer amendment.

We need your help! Millions of women across the country are at risk of losing abortion access and affordability.

Join us in DC on Dec. 2 for an Emergency Event to Stop Stupak/Pitts and Capitol Hill Visit Day! Meet at the Dirksen Senate Office Building Auditorium (Dirksen G50) on Constitution Avenue. Please make appointments with your legislators and tell them how strongly you feel about taking away from women the right to make their own health care decisions. Then, between your meetings, join the rally from 11:30 - 1:00pm on Capitol Hill.

If DC isn't an option for you, take action where you are! Schedule a visit in the local offices of your Senators and Representative. Organize a call-in day and flood the phone lines of the Members' district and national offices. Write an op-ed. Hold your own rally. Circulate a petition and flood the fax lines while you're at it! Make your voice heard!

Women's rights and lives are not negotiating tools, and we will not stand for this!

For Women's Lives,

Eleanor Smeal
President
Feminist Majority Foundation

P.S. If you're in the Los Angeles area, join us for a Stop Stupak Phone Bank at the FMF's Los Angeles Headquarters the evening of Dec. 1 and all day Dec. 2. For more information, email amcdonald@feminist.org or call 1-866-471-FMLA.

P.P.S. Please sign the Stop Stupak petition. And tell a Friend.

UCLA Bruin Feminists Join Hundreds to Protest UC Fee Hikes

Guest Post by Cindy Le, Executive Board Member of the FMF-affiliate group, the UCLA Bruin Feminists for Equality:

Last week, UCLA experienced a flurry of activity in the form of student protests. The events included two days of marching and chanting, the occupation of Campbell Hall, festivities of Crisis Fest and a tent city welcoming students from UCs all over the state, as well as a takeover of one of Los Angeles’ busiest intersections – Wilshire and Westwood. These events – some planned, and some unplanned – were in the combined effort of getting students informed about the University of California Regents meeting in which a 32% fee increase would be decided on, and how that would affect UC students.

Hundreds of students came together on Wednesday morning to join in the peaceful protest that took place in Covel Commons. Among those students were members of the Bruin Feminists for Equality, an FMF-affiliate group. We joined in with the group by holding protest signs, marching around the Commons, and chanting phrases such as “No Hikes! No Fees! Education should be Free!” Check out the video - Bruin Feminists on CNN!



Many people wonder what the effect of this fee increase will be on the student population. In general, there is expected to be a drop in attendance, because fewer students will be able to financially cope with the fee increases.

As Bruin Feminists, the ideals of our student organization are to fight for equality for all in every aspect. Though the term ‘feminism’ is associated with gender equality between men and women, feminism - and Bruin Feminism especially, is the struggle for equality on all levels – including gender, race, sexual orientation, class, socioeconomic status, and the right to education.

This is the first mid-year increase in fees that students of the University of California have faced, and rightly so, the students are angry. The source of our anger comes from the contradiction of these fee increases to the idea of a public university and education as a means of upward mobility.

The raise of UC fees is coupled with many losses to educational services. At UCLA, we have seen cuts in library hours, writing requirements, English composition tutors, faculty and staff furloughs, as well as rumored plans to decrease degree requirements, cut foreign languages and consolidate ethnic studies.

On a larger scale, these fee increases are privatizing the university. Only those who are financially able to afford college will be able to attend. Though the Regents deemed the fee increase necessary and presented it as the only alternative to the lowered financial support of the state budget to the UC, this 32% fee hike affects not only lower-income students whose families are struggling to make ends meet, but also concerns students who do not qualify for financial aid and students who are considered middle-class – well enough off on paper to afford college without financial aid, but realistically without the means to.

Ethnic minority students are straining to continue on as well. A great number of minority students are first-generation college students. Already facing a unique set of difficulties to succeed in college, the financial burden is sometimes the deciding factor in the continuation of one’s education. The majority of the members in Bruin Feminists for Equality are first-generation and/or minority students.

The participation of Bruin Feminists in the protests was to show our unity as students. Furthermore, our continued participation is in opposition to discrimination for any reason. Students should not be funneled out of the college system due to race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or lack of financial ability. It is important to voice our opposition to the fee increases - education is a right, not a privilege!

Baltimore Passes First City Regulation of CPCs

On Monday, Baltimore became the first city in the country to require crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) to post signs disclosing that they do not offer referrals for or information about abortion and contraception. The Limited Service Pregnancy Center Disclaimers Bill passed by a 12-3 vote of the Baltimore City Council and will now move to the the desk of Mayor Sheila Dixon. WJZ reports that the Mayor is expected to sign the bill, and that it will go into effect 30 days after receiving her signature.

There are an estimated 4,000 CPCs nationwide, most of which are affiliated with one or more national umbrella organizations. CPCs pose as legitimate health centers and offer "free" pregnancy tests and counseling. Some CPCs coerce and intimidate women out of considering abortion as an option, and prevent women from receiving neutral and comprehensive medical advice. Many disseminate false information about both abortion and contraception, and they are typically run by anti-abortion volunteers who are not licensed medical professionals.

City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told the Baltimore Sun that the bill is a "step towards making sure that women have the information they need to make the right decision for their health and their future." Abortion rights activists celebrated the passage of the bill. "It's about time that we have truth in advertising regulations for these fake clinics which too often mislead women," said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Attention now turns to Montgomery County, MD, where a similar "truth in advertising" bill is being considered.

Image via Daniel Y. Go

More Ideas for Giving Back this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season

Thanksgiving is traditionally a day to give thanks for the things we have and to surround ourselves with friends, family, and food. Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, this feast often marks the beginning of the holiday season. Some awesome ideas for giving back this season have already been posted by former FMF staffer Caroline Sellars on Choices Campus Blog.

Here are a few more ideas for giving back this holiday season!
+ Organize a mini food drive. Ask your friends, family and neighbors to donate non-perishable food items. Collect the donations and bring the items to a local food bank. If you do not have time to collect food, collect spare change. Although food donations are nice, money donations allow food banks to purchase the items they need.
+ Adopt a family in need! Many local and national families in need can be found through various programs online.
+ Ship a care package or letter to a soldier fighting abroad. More information can be found at http://anysoldier.com/

With the economy in the state that it is in... not everyone can afford to spend money this holiday season. Fear not fellow do gooders there are still loads of things you can do
+ Visit sick patients at a near by hospital. Call your local hospital and ask there are any patients who would like a visitor this holiday season. (Note-- Please call and ask permission first!)
+ Donate blood
+ Volunteer at a local shelter
+ Help drop off meals with your local Meals on Wheels

Photo Credit: Mr. T in DC on flickr.com

I Can Already Pee Fine, KTHNXBAI.

There's an ad that's been popping up in my feminist digest and on various feminist websites recently that has been disturbing me to an extremely high degree.

Its not the creepy reebok shoes built for instability. ("creates natural instability to make it harder to walk, just like foot binding!!") It's not the clown-shaped vibrator. (Though that one does inspire all sorts of horror and concern for the state of humankind.)

Its the "Female Urination Device," i.e. an invention that "allows women to pee standing up."

The "go-girl" website declares, "If you camp, you’ll love GoGirl. If you ski, you’ll love GoGirl. If you boat, you’ll love GoGirl. If you travel, you’ll love GoGirl. If you just want to avoid the germs you find in nasty public toilets, you’ll love GoGirl. GoGirl is for active women of all types and ages"

The "Magic Cone" website declares that it sells "a unique device which enables women to urinate from a standing up position." [Well, since Go-girl's at it too, I guess that spoils your claim of "unique-ness."] In one of the youtube instructional video instructions on the site, the comment reads, "penis for women in need."

I have two very large problems with these products: one as a backpacker, and one as a feminist.

As a backpacker, the website's assertion that these products are perfect for people going camping is sincerely insulting and uninformed. The point of going out in nature is--guess what? Being IN NATURE, and getting away from stupid extraneous technologies like "female urination devices." You have to pee? Go find a tree. Or a really large rock to hide behind. That way you can pretend you're just like all the other animals out there, I swear its not that difficult. (I assure you, it requires much less effort than taking a dump in the woods, in which case you actually need to make sure you're not within 100 feet of running water, a shovel, and a pinecone.) Besides, when you're backpacking, you have to carry all the food and supplies you need for survival with you on your back--who wants to carry an extra, generally useless item? Backpackers are not sold. And since we spend entire weeks at a time wearing the same clothes every day and make our own hand sanitizer, whether or not we can be "hygeinic" when we pee is definitely not that big of a deal.

As a Feminist, I'm concered with the underlying inferences of the comment, "a penis for women in need." I already have a fully functional excretory system. If I really wanted to pee standing up, I could do it really easily, but what's with the assumption that being able to pee standing up is superior to being able to pee sitting down? The statement that it's somehow more hygenic is a bunch of *FOUR LETTER WORD,* the assertion that its somehow easier seems unsubstantiated (Hey, at least we don't have to aim.) The real message behind the product seems to be: If you're female, your body is dirty and inadequate.

Consumerism has burdened women with enough body issues as it is! Photoshopped magazines tell us we need to have an eating disorder to be "sexy"; porn magazines telling us we need to have genital reconstruction surgery for our vaginas to be loved; advertisements tell us our cellulite (which is really just plain ol' skin) is a deadly disease of ugliness and we should fix it with products right away; other advertisements attack the size and shape of our boobs (My eyes are up here anyway, creeps). The last thing we need (other than a Stupak-Pitts amendment attacking our reproductive systems) is an attack on our excretory systems as well.

Okay, I can see how one might want to mess with gender conventions by chosing to pee in a different way than what's perscribed by society. Personally, I would prefer to mess with gender conventions in a way that would be more public, but everyone has their own comfort zones. But seriously, I already pee freely. Thanks for the body issues.

Photocredit: dmansouri on flickr.com

Gender Reassignment and Healthcare

I arrived at FMF this morning and saw this post about taxing cosmetic surgery on Feministe. Naturally, I had a "THEY'RE LIMITING TRANSGENDER RIGHTS!" freak out and spent the day researching the issue.

The Senate Healthcare bill places a 5% tax on any cosmetic surgery.

According to the the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, cosmetic surgery is "any procedure which is directed at improving the patient's appearance and does not meaningfully promote the proper function of the body or prevent or treat illness or disease."

Gender reassignment surgery could potentially be classified as cosmetic surgery since the language is vague. Who decides what "proper function of the body" means? Do transgender people treat a disease or illness when they get surgery? Can gender dysphoria be cited as a illness or disease to avoid the new tax?

I contacted the Transgender Law Center and their Legal Director told me that this provision is not an issue. Generally, cosmetic surgery is not interpreted to include gender reassignment surgery. So, the language in the Senate bill shouldn't really pose any problems.

However, there is a case in the US Tax Court that could determine whether gender reassignment surgery is interpreted as cosmetic surgery. Back in 2002, Rhiannon O'Donnabhain and GLAD challenged the IRS's "denial of [O'Donnabhain's] deduction of costs related to her sex reassignment." They're still waiting on a decision. This is the case to watch if you're interested in the issue. Read more about it here.

Anti-Choice Groups Oppose Nevada Personhood Initiative

Via FeministNews:

Four anti-choice groups released a statement last week opposing a personhood initiative petition that is currently gathering signatures in Nevada. The measure in question would extend due process rights to "everyone possessing a human genome." The statement says that the proposed "amendment will harm the Pro-Life movement by giving pro-abortion courts more power to decide all matters relating to abortion, such as parental notification, informed consent, and taxpayer funding of abortion. These matters should be decided by the elected representatives of the people--state legislatures and Congress, not the unelected courts."

Conservative group Personhood Nevada originally filed the ballot initiative with the secretary of state's office," in October. In order for the initiative to reach the ballot, petitioners must obtain the signatures of at least 10 percent of registered voters that voted in the last general election, or 97,002 signatures. According to the Las Vegas Sun, a lawsuit was filed in district court that aims to prevent the measure from being placed on the ballot. This suit claims the petition violates the "core principles of the single-subject rule by proposing multiple unrelated and sweeping changes to Nevada law, while utterly failing to give voters notice of these changes."

Abortion opponents have pushed these so-called "personhood initiatives" in several states. These measures declare that a fertilized egg is a "person" who enjoys "inalienable rights, equality of justice, and due process of the law." They would threaten not only abortion itself, but IUDs, emergency contraception, in vitro fertilization clinics, and stem cell research. In the 2008 elections, Colorado's Amendment 48 (see PDF), failed by 73 to 27 percent. In addition to failing in Montana, petition drives for similar initiatives ultimately failed in Georgia, Oregon, and Mississippi for the 2008 elections.

TONIGHT: Conference Call for Activists on Health Care Reform

If you missed this Action Alert in your inboxes this morning, please help us get the word out about this conference call! We invite all our activists to join us in this call tonight to get the 411 on Health Care Reform! - Val

We need your help! On November 7, the U.S. House took an historic step in passing its version of health care reform. Unforgivably, this major victory was achieved by selling out the health of women and passing sweeping new restrictions on abortion access.

Federal funding already cannot be used to pay for abortions. But with Stupak/Pitts, no plan in the health insurance exchange could offer abortion coverage.

Even worse, it would prevent women who receive federal subsidies for insurance from purchasing plans that cover abortion - even if they use their own money!

Confused? Get your questions answered tonight! Call 218-862-1300 at 8pm EST and use the conference code 789637. Be sure to RSVP.

Health Care Reform is not as complicated as it seems, and this is an opportunity to activate on your campuses! We welcome all feminist activists to join us for an informative conference call.

RSVP now!

The purpose of the call is to:

1. Clarify the Stupak/Pitts amendment and its impact.
2. Update you on the Senate version of health care reform.
3. Outline where we go from here - and the role each of us has to play to protect women's health and rights.
4. Share ideas about how to activate your campus and community to make sure women's ability to access abortions is not only for the wealthy.

TONIGHT (Monday, Nov. 23rd) at 8pm EST, the Feminist Majority Foundation, Advocates for Youth, and Choice USA will be hosting this call for youth activists nationwide to shed some light on the critical need for activism around the health care bill!

There's still time to stop this restriction from being included in the final health care bill! But we have to act now, and we need your help!

One more time: to join us, call 218-862-1300 at 8pm EST and use the conference code 789637. Be sure to RSVP.

We need to make sure our voices are heard on our campuses, in our communities and throughout the halls of Congress.

Guest Post: Turning Thanks Into Giving

Written by all-around awesome feminist and former FMF staffer Caroline Sellars; originally posted at her blog The Feminist Perspective.

There are so many things to be thankful for when it comes to women's equality. From the women who changed history to the people who support us in our everyday lives, feminists have many reasons to give thanks. However, there is still much work to be done to make the world a truly equitable place for all women.

With Thanksgiving coming up, it's a great time to reflect on things we have to be thankful for and to turn that gratefulness into service to others. Here are a few ideas of how to pay-it-forward on the things you may be thankful for:

• Blessed with some incredibly respectful men in your life - friends, relatives, significant others - who encourage your individuality? Volunteer or donate to your local women's shelter to assist those who aren't as fortunate.

• Grateful for modern social freedoms, like owning property and having the right to vote? Teach a girl about women's history or volunteer at a local women's history museum.

• Appreciating some incredible women in elected office? Donate to an organization that supports female candidates and encourage women leaders you know to run for office.

• Inspired by feminist writers like Gloria Steinem and Naomi Wolf? Keep their tradition alive by supporting feminist publications and writing about your own experiences.

• Received an amazing feminist education? Support the women's and gender studies department at a local college by making a donation or attending their on-campus events.

It is important to put your money where your heart is, but it's not all about cash. It's about volunteering and connecting your skills with the needs of organizations and causes from which you benefit. Being grateful is a form of activism because it is more than just an emotion. It is an everyday act of giving back.

Photo credit: JP Puerta on flickr.com

CDC ends HPV vaccination requirement for immigrant women

In July 2008, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) implemented a mandate that immigrant women ages 11 to 26 who were seeking permanent resident status, must get the HPV vaccine. The mandate was considered discriminatory because it is costly and gender specific. Also, there isn't currently any requirement that American women must get the vaccine, so why should women seeking citizenship be required?

Well the CDC decided that effective December 14th, young women who are seeking legal permanent resident status in the United States will no longer be required to be vaccinated against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The Federal Register notes,"while HPV may be an age appropriate vaccine for an immigrant applicant, HPV neither causes outbreaks nor is it associated with outbreaks...Further, HPV has not been eliminated, nor is in the process of elimination, in the United States. Therefore, because HPV does not meet the adopted criteria, it will not be a required vaccine for immigrant and adjustment of status to permanent residence applicants."

It's about time! Immigrant Rights and other social justice organizations have actively opposed the mandate and have organized against it since it became policy last year. The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, have been leaders in insisting that the HPV vaccine mandate be repealed. It was another giant barrier on the already path to legal immigration.

T-DOR 2009

Today is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. It is a day set aside to remember those who were killed by anti-transgender hatred or prejudice.

From the Transgender DOR website:

"The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence."

Here are some links from around the net to help in remembrance:
Names of Anti-Trans Violence Victims from 11/2008 to 11/2009
TDOR Events and Locations
Posts on what T-DOR means to you?

Please spread the word and remember those lost to hate.

Local Activism: NOW Events in Your Region

Local activists are holding events all across the country to fight the Stupak/Pitts Amendment. If you are planning an event, please send it our way or post a comment so we can spread the word!

Here are some great events being held by local NOW chapters in Pennsylvania and New York:

PA Activists: Protest Pitts Nov. 21!

Join NOW President Terry O'Neill, Pennsylvania NOW President Joanne Tosti-Vasey and Lois Herr, candidate for Congress in a protest outside of the Chester County Courthouse in Pennsylvania. This is Joseph Pitts' district -- as in one of the authors of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment.

Starts at 10:15 Saturday, Nov. 21 with press conference at 10:30 am. All events will take place on the courthouse steps (2 N High St, West Chester, PA 19380 -- View map) Coalition partners for this event include Pennsylvania NOW, National NOW and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

NY Activists: Join NOW NY State Dec. 4!

Demand health care reform that includes full reproductive rights for ALL women! Join with the National Organization for Women New York State chapter, local activists and prominent reproductive rights advocates to say NO to any Stupak-Pitts-like amendements in the National Health Care Reform package. Full Reproductive Rights for Women....Nothing More, Nothing Less

Location: Front of Senator Schumer's office 757 Third Avenue (at 48th Street) NYC Date: Dec. 4, 2009 Time: Noon until 2:00 pm

Health Care Debate Conference Call

ATTENTION ACTIVISTS: Whether you're feeling fired up or totally lost in the fray of this Health Care debate, we want to help. Join us for this call next Monday and we'll be breaking it down to the basics!

When: Monday November 23rd, 8PM Eastern.
Number: Call 218-862-1300, conference code 789637.
Hosted by the Feminist Majority Foundation, Advocates for Youth, and ChoiceUSA.
RSVP here!

There are already restrictions in place that guarantee that no federal funding would be used to pay for abortion. But the Stupak-Pitts Amendment on the House bill goes even further! No plan included in the insurance exchange could offer abortion coverage AND it would prevent women who receive federal subsidies from purchasing plans that cover abortion.

There’s still time to stop this harmful language from being included in the final health care bill! The Senate will likely start debating its bill over the next few days, and then both bills still need to be reconciled before they become law.

Confused? It’s a complicated process – and we’re here to help sort through it all…

On Monday, November 23rd, Advocates for Youth, Choice USA and Feminist Majority Foundation will be hosting a call for youth activists from across the country.

RSVP now!

The purpose of the call is to:

1. Clarify the Stupak-Pitts amendment and its impact
2. Update you on the Senate version of health care reform
3. Outline where we go from here – and the role each of us has to play to protect women’s health and rights
4. Share ideas about how to activate your campus and community to make sure women’s ability to access abortions is not only for the wealthy.

If there was ever a time to get angry and organized, this is it.

So mark your calendar. Monday, November 23rd, 8PM Eastern. Call 218-862-1300 and use the conference code 789637. Be sure to RSVP.

We need to make sure our voices are heard on our campuses, in our communities and through the halls of Congress.

Copenhagen Talks, Birth Control & the Environment

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) produced a report on the state of the world population as it stands in 2009. The report “urged world leaders to take into account improved access to family planning services in future discussions like next month's UN climate change summit in Copenhagen.” (earthtimes.com) It noted that there is still time to work on issues regarding reproductive health, gender equality and how thinking “creatively” about the two and its effect on population could aid in a more sustainable world in the future.

As our faithful readers know, I have been blogging about the Copenhagen talks and of the level of commitment various world leader have said they will or will not commit in reaching long term agreements in the December climate change summit. Currently as it stands, President Obama acknowledge the US would not enter in any binding agreements at Copenhagen, that it would be “impossible.” (Expect Delays—Not a Good Enough Answer) But, other world leaders have said long term commitments through agreements and legislation is possible by December. We will have to wait and see.

Despite various world leaders saying they will or will not enter into agreements…There are more equally pressing issues left that need discussing other than the depletion of natural resources and carbon omissions that affect climate change, such as the effects of an ever growing population on the environment.

UNFPA executive director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, said that in order to help mobilize women against climate change they have to be empowered. CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS EVERYONE, although the news is currently filled with stories of climate change affecting poorer populations (especially women)... they are only the first of all of us to experience the detrimental impacts.

Although there is no empirical evident in the report that explains how population control would affect climate change, one only needs common sense to realize that the more people there are in the world, the more consumption of resources, the more waste, and the more greenhouse gasses there will be. A worthwhile discussion in Copenhagen would definitely be to consider the impact of birth control and overall health education on environmental preservation.

For more information about women and climate change, check out FMF's Global Campaign website at http://feminist.org/global/womenclimatechange.html

Photo Credit: Jealously on flickr.com

FMF Organizers, Intern and Campus Leader on Feminist Magazine radio show!

FMF Campus Organizers Jacqueline Sun and Allie McDonald, FMF Intern and UC Santa Cruz student, Lindsay Frank and Pasadena City College Feminist Club leader, Marissa Anderson were featured on the KPFK/Pacifica Radio show, "Feminist Magazine" last night!

Jacqueline and Allie gave a recap of the Western Regional Feminist Leadership Conference and spoke about the next steps - specifically the STOP STUPAK Day of Action on Dec. 2! If you're in DC, go to the Lobby Day/Rally! If you're in LA, come to the FMF Headquarters for our STOP STUPAK phone banks! And if you're anywhere in between, take action on your campus, organize an on-campus call-in-day, and visit your Senators' and Representative's local office!

Marissa spoke about what inspired her to launch the PCC Feminist Club last spring and about her speaking role in the FMF's recent Western conference.

And Lindsay spoke about what it's like to intern at the FMF (we are currently accepting applications for Spring 2010) and her plans to launch a feminist club at UC Santa Cruz in January.

You can listen now! Just visit the KPFK archives, and scroll down to Feminist Magazine. Then click "play" or "download" and enjoy!

Leave a comment letting us know what you think!

Sexual Harassment Given Priority it Deserves!

Salt Water Taffy, "Dirty Watah," civil unions, the Chess Man of Harvard Square, the great debate between Mike's and Modern Pastry (Modern all the way): all things that make me proud to say I'm from Boston.

And now there's more: the city's push to get pervs off the T (that's our public transportation system or "metro," for all of you non-locals)...

With the help of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (about whom I can't say enough good things (Bostonians can volunteer with BARCC by clicking here!)) there will now be ads on the T deterring suspicious behavior, while informing the public that there is a zero tolerance for sexual harassment and how to go to reporting witnessed incidents.

Not only do the ads raise awareness for riders to pay attention to protect themselves/others, the ads also make known the new undercover cop policy. Attacking the issue on both fronts with hidden police ensures that nothing will go unnoticed. Check it out here, as shown in this clip on Boston's FOX News (yes, I went there; apologies all around.)

The fact that Boston has put this issue at high priority makes me so happy, as it happens far too often (and mostly goes unreported.) Sexual Harassment like this is not committed by socials aberrations, but by terrorists using sex as a scare tactic to oppress and maintain undeserved privilege. To see groups like BARCC and the Boston police department working together like this is great progress and a model other cities should copy.



Oh, and Yankees suck.

THIS is what a feminist looks like

Will Phillips, a 10-year-old from Arkansas, has pledged NOT to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance until there is truly liberty and justice for ALL.

Stand (or in this case, sit) strong, Will. You've certainly got the support of the Feminist Majority Foundation!

Gender, Farming, and Climate Change

A report by UN Population Fund suggested that gender relations, family planning, and reproductive health care could all have an impact on how the world adapts to climate change; “the close connection between gender, farming and climate change deserves far more analysis than it currently receives" UNFPA said in their report. Through much analysis, it is clear that the same factors that negatively affect the environment, affect women in a comparable way; this is especially true for poor women in developing countries (commondreams.org)

In the United States, much of the Climate Change debate is centered on how it will create jobs and provide for cleaner cities. However, in developing countries around the world, particularly those in South America and Africa that rely heavily on agriculture to sustain not only their families but their communities and economies,there is much more at stake. The working poor in these countries are not fighting for job creation and cleaner energy, they are fighting for their lives and their livelihood.

Women in developing countries are often sent to the farms and fields to earn wages, as agriculture is considered the only ‘suitable’ work for women outside of the home. With limited or no options to leave the home to find income-earning work, or migrate to find such opportunities, women are often locked into not only their trade but also their location. With the lack of mobility and options, it is almost impossible to escape natural disasters; women are exponentially more impacted by weather-related natural disasters than men. In a flash flood, they can lose all of their crops and thus, source of income and access to food, energy, and clean water. It is clear that climate change will have a pervasive and negative affect on the poor women in developing nations who rely on their crops for sustainability and survival; if we work to reverse climate change, we work to empower women. The opposite is true as well.

By increasing health care and access to contraceptives, women are more likely to have less children, slowing down population growth. According to UNFPA, slowing down population growth will have a dramatic affect on (cutting) greenhouse gas emissions and begin the process of slowing down climate change. Education also leads to the ability to learn about more sustainable farming practices. Outside of the obvious environmental effects, more sustainably agriculture has the opportunity to increase economic mobility, independence, and opportunity for women but also increasing their farming capabilities.

The same factors that lead to the degradation of the environment lead to the subordination and disempowerment of women. To help one, we must help the other; when we help both, the situation of the world’s population will improve dramatically.

For more information about women and climate change, check out FMF's Global Campaign website http://feminist.org/global/womenclimatechange.html

photo credit: IRRI Rice on Flickr

Hold the Applause

Finally, an anti-sweatshop movement sees results! Yesterday, CommonDreams.org headlined a story on an anti-sweatshop coalition which organized a nationwide campaign against Russell Athletic, a national sportswear company. This happened after Russell Athletic closed a factory in Honduras when its workers unionized. The company’s actions left nearly 1,200 workers unemployed.

The coalition and its web of connected groups and students were able to persuade many college administrations to suspend their licensing agreements with the company, impacting Russell’s overall sales. The impact most likely resulted in Russell altering its previously hostile attitude towards unionizing groups and adopting its current, more accepting one. However, as the article points out this victory was a long time in the making… it took nearly 10 years to get an agreement like this to occur.

In the agreement Russell agreed to rehire the dismissed workers for a new unionized plant and they also agreed to not fight unionization at the seven other factors it has in Honduras.

Campus officials and other businesses have publicly applauded the Russell company for its actions. I agree that such praise could have been deserved but its NOT. Russell Athletics was simply afraid of losing its bottom line. The company only showed concerned for the laid off workers in Honduras once it’s sales were impact. Unfortunately for some big companies their bottom line is worth more than its workers. It was alleged that in 2007 Russell fired 145 workers who supported a union; it is known that in 2009 they shut down an entire factory because it unionized.

Yes this is a huge victory, yes it is an awesome thing. But I do not agree that Russell should be receiving countless praises yet—give their promises some time. Make sure they are actually upheld... can someone say temporary contracts? Yay go anti-sweatshop coalition. Keep on the pressure!


Photo Credit:Scott Beale/Laughing Squid on flickr.com

Scheduling A Congressional Meeting

We have less than 2 weeks before hundreds of pro-choice activists descend on Washington, DC for the Stop Stupak-Pitts Lobby Day and Rally on December 2. We hope that you will be joining us if you are able!

Before you head to Capitol Hill, however, you need to schedule a meeting with your members of Congress. See below for a step-by-step guide.

Scheduling a meeting:

1. Call your representatives and senators’ offices. To call directly, find your senators’ contact information at senate.gov; and your representative’s numbers at house.gov. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the member by name.

2. When you reach the office, explain that you are a constituent and that you will be in Washington, DC on Wednesday, December 2 to discuss comprehensive healthcare reform, the Stupack-Pitts amendment, and women's reproductive healthcare. Ask to schedule a short meeting with the member of Congress, ideally, or their chief of staff, their healthcare staffer, or women’s issues staffer some time between 10 and 11:30 or 1:30 and 5.

3. If for whatever reason you cannot schedule a meeting, don't lose hope. You can drop in on members once you are on the Hill, or you may be able to join forces with a larger group day of.

Remember, if you cannot join us in Washington on December 2 there is still so much important work to do at home! Visit your local congressional office (especially during the week of Thanksgiving), hold a rally, write letters to the editor, and call, email, fax, and write your Congresspeople!

We can do this, but we need to keep the pressure on and keep fighting!

Email ekadar@feminist.org with any questions.

Girls' School Bombed in Pakistan

A Pakistani middle school for girls was bombed late last night near Peshawar, which is in the northern region bordering Afghanistan. No one was injured in the bombing, but reports indicate that the attack completely destroyed the girls' school building. According to officials, this is the third school bombing this month in the Peshawar region.

Local official Farooq Khan told Agence France Presse that "the girls' middle school was badly damaged because of the explosion, now the school building is almost out of use. The classrooms, desks and chairs were also damaged."

In Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, violence against schools that educate girls has been part of campaigns against the education of women. In Pakistan's Swat Valley, more than 130 primarily all girl schools have been destroyed in the past year, allegedly by the Taliban. In total, hundreds of schools have been destroyed in Pakistan's northwest region over the past several years. During the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which lasted until 2001, Afghan girls were forbidden to attend school. To date, approximately 1,000 girls' or co-educational schools have been bombed or burned in Afghanistan.

Source: Feminist News

Photo credit: Umair Mohsin on flickr.com

Baltimore Cracking Down on CPCs

The Baltimore City Council passed the second reading of a bill Monday that would require crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) to disclose that they do not provide information or referrals for abortion or birth control. The bill passed on a 12 to 3 vote after an amendment that would have also required disclaimers to be posted by abortion clinics was rejected, reported the Baltimore Sun. A third vote is required before the bill is submitted to the city's mayor for approval.

Currently, there are an estimated 2,593 CPCs nationwide, most of which are affiliated with one or more national umbrella organizations. CPCs pose as legitimate health centers and offer "free" pregnancy tests. Some CPCs coerce and intimidate women out of considering abortion as an option, and prevent women from receiving neutral and comprehensive medical advice. They are typically run by anti-abortion volunteers who are not licensed medical professionals.

The bill was drafted as a result of a number of complaints voiced during a public hearing on the subject. City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said, "I'm not interested in harassment -- not interested in there being an aura of burden on these centers. All I'm interested in is making sure when a women comes in, when she's in crisis, that she knows what she's getting when she walks in," according to WBAL TV Baltimore.

This legislation is the first in the country developed to create a standard requirement for information disclosure. Currently, the Montgomery County, Maryland, City Council is considering similar legislation.

US Lags in Family-Friendly Work Policies

The United States lags behind most other industrialized countries in failing to provide paid sick leave, paid paternal leave, breastfeeding breaks and other policies to support workers, according to an eight-year-long worldwide study released this week that focuses on family-friendly workplace policy. Raising the Global Floor: Dismantling the Myth that We Can't Afford Good Working Conditions for Everyone, is the most extensive study of its kind. The report compiled information from 190 of 192 United Nations countries and from 55,000 households on seven continents. The study was led by researchers at Harvard and McGill Universities.

Researchers found that US law does not guarantee paid leave for new mothers (177 countries do), paid paternal leave (74 countries do), paid leave to care for an ill child (48 countries do), paid annual leave (164 countries do), paid sick leave (163 countries do), and a day of rest each week to workers (157 countries do). The report sought to examine the economic feasibility of implementing these policies as well as the costs and benefits of providing this safety net for working families.

"The world's most successful and competitive nations are providing the supports the United States lacks, without harming their competitiveness," lead author Jody Heymann of McGill University said in a press release. "Globally, we found that none of these working conditions are linked with lower levels of economic competitiveness or employment. There simply is no negative relationship at all between decent working conditions and competitiveness or job creation. In fact, we found that a number of these guarantees are associated with increased competitiveness."

This study's release follows the publication of the Shriver Report last month, which was a comprehensive study of women becoming the majority of the American workforce. Ms. Magazine recently addressed the need for US legislation to develop women-friendly economic policies like those detailed in Raising the Global Floor, in light of women becoming more than 50 percent of US paid workers. Authors Karen Kornbluh and Rachel Homer said in Ms., "True reform of our safety net would mean that American families are assured that their income will be replaced not only as a result of retirement, disability or unemployment but also when they have to care for a new child or an ill relative."

Source: Feminist News

Image credit: EverJean on flickr.com