Yet another new FMF blogger!

My name is Lily Armstrong, and I'm a new intern at the Los Angeles branch of the FMF. I'm probably the youngest on the blog, as I'm not even in college yet. Actually, I'll only be a 10th grader next year, but that doesn't by any means make me unopinionated!

I must first say that in my fourteen years on this good planet, I cannot remember a time when I wasn't a feminist. I was truly raised in it, due to my wonderful parents' involvement with clinic defense. In fact, it was through clinic defense that they met in 1990.

It is difficult for me to note any certain moment when I became a feminist, as I truly feel I have always been one. I've known about feminist issues for many years now, and have always been very involved and interested in them. I consider myself to be an activist, starting when I took part in the 2004 March for Women's Lives in Washington at eight years old.

My interest became more sophisticated in middle school, when two fantastic classes (taught by one fantastic teacher) in 7th and 8th grade allowed me to argue my opinions more freely than ever before. It was in 7th grade that I first attended the FMF Global Women's Rights Awards, which were very inspiring to me. Last summer, I interned at the FMF for about a month, which further developed and reinforced my beliefs. This summer, I hope to develop them even further.

Wherever I end up for college, which for me is still a ways away, I'll probably major in Women's Studies. Most of my other interests at least tangentially involve music, writing, and 1960s culture.

Excited New FMF Intern and Blogger!

Hello fellow feminists! My name is Stephanie McClure and I’ll be working with the Feminist Majority Foundation as a Choices Campus Intern for the summer. I’m so excited to be blogging about feminist issues, activism ideas, and of course, engaging in awesome conversations with all of you this summer! Listed below are a few things about me:

• I just graduated from Oregon State University (OSU) with my B.A. in English.
• FMLA’s are awesome, and I was the President of the OSU Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance last year. Our FMLA did lots of Choices Campus Campaigning, as well as put on many events specific for our campus such as: Love Your Body Day; Inequality Bake Sale; Take Back the Night; OSU Feminist Film Festival; Smashing the Scales: Eating Disorder Awareness Project; Rise Up Speak Out: A Celebration of the Voice of Resistance Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (an open mic night).
• I worked at the OSU Women’s Center last year as well, and think that all universities need to have safe empowering permanent places on their campuses such as Women's Centers.
• The Vagina Monologues is a production that I deeply believe in and think is super important to bring to all communities, and this year I was one of the performers at OSU!
• Domestic violence and sexual assault are two issues that have affected many of my loved ones, so I’m extremely passionate about working towards ending all forms of violence against women and girls.
• I’m also an ecofeminist, and believe that there is an inherent connection between the way that women and nature are controlled and impacted by systems of oppression. (Grrrr...BP!)
  

The Feminist Majority Foundation is doing so many amazing things right now, and I’m so grateful to be here in LA with such an awesome team of feminists working together to help create a safe, equal world for all! Keep up with us on our blog, facebook page, and through twitter!

Hello Feminists!!!!!

Hello Feminists! My name is Laura Robles and this summer I will be a Choices Campus Intern for the Feminist Majority Foundation in Los Angeles! I am a senior at UCLA (will graduate this fall 2010) majoring in Political Science with a minor in Women's Studies, so the personal is very political for me! I am super excited to be here!

I grew up around strong super-women my whole life and I believe that women can change the world! I have a strong interest in protecting women's reproductive rights (specifically abortion) which are under attack at this present moment with the implementation of many restrictive policies and federal funding for CPCs (Crisis Pregnancy Centers). Women should have the protected right and access to safe and legal abortions.

I am a Chicana Feminist (see here and here) and I love to study women of color feminism! I analyze people and situations in regards to the concept of "Intersectionality" paying close attention to a person's race, gender, class, sexuality and how these factors intertwine. I am excited to be here this summer and contribute to this Blog (I have never Blogged before!!!)

New Intern on the Block

Hey there, Feminists!

My name is Sara Pressey, and I am a new Campus Choices Intern at the Feminist Majority Foundation! I am excited to share my opinion, knowledge, discoveries and questions with you!

This upcoming academic year, I will be a sophomore at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California. I am majoring in Sociology as well as minoring in Gender & Women's Studies and Psychology. At Cal Lutheran, I am very involved in extracurricular activities from clubs and volunteering to working with non-profit organizations. My main leadership roles at Cal Lutheran include being President of our Feminist Majority Foundation affiliate group, Feminism Is; Vice President of our campus' Not For Sale chapter and Secretary to the Gay-Straight Alliance.

My involvement with feminism first began about a year ago. Like many other feminists, I have always held the belief that women and men should be treated equal socially, economically and politically, but I could never really place my beliefs in a specific category. I always thought of feminism as being a movement that happened in the past and primarily focused on women's suffrage. When I took my first sociology class this past school year, my eyes were opened to the many issues that women face today. Armed with my new found knowledge, I immersed myself in feminism-- becoming involved with our campus group, reading books and internet articles, blogging, talking to feminists.

While I am interested in all areas of feminism, my main focus is on violence against women. This area is so important to me because the violence around the world (including the United States!) is often misunderstood, unnoticed, condoned or is not subject to intervention.

Introducing a New FMF Summer Intern!

Hey everybody!My name is Jennifer Halberstadter (but I go by Jen). I am so excited to be interning at the Feminist Majority Foundation in Los Angeles. Not only is this the first blog I've written for FMF, but this is the first blog I've written... ever! Don't worry, this definitely will not be the last. So you all can get to know me a little better, here are some fun facts about me:

1. I will be a senior in high school this fall (so I'm quite a bit younger than the other interns around here).
2. I hope my blogs will provide a fresh perspective from a "younger" point of view and reach out to younger feminists who haven't had as much of an opportunity to study these topics in school yet.
3. My favorite color is purple! It has been for as long as I can remember and I ALWAYS have something purple with me. (As a matter of fact, my bag is purple right now)
4. I love to cook but, more importantly, I love to eat!
5. I was born and raised right here in LA. As much as I love the sunny weather, I can't stay out too long in the sun because I burn easily (it's hard being so fair-skinned in Los Angeles!)
6. I have a passion for photography. I love digital, but I much prefer film. To me, there's nothing quite like taking pictures, processing your own film, and making the prints in a darkroom.
7. I have a tendency to make very bad puns (and find them funny).
8. I look forward to summer every year for my birthday, the beach, and nice weather, but mostly for all the yummy summer fruits (peaches are my favorites).
9. I traveled to Spain last year for a foreign exchange trip and it was amazing. I've always wanted to go to Italy so hopefully that will happen in the not to distant future.
10. Although I haven't had the opportunity to study many feminist issues in school, I am very interested by them and I hope this internship will further educate me so that when I go to college I can study women's issues more in depth.

I look forward to more blogging!
--Jen

Hearing Us Out: FMF Interns Attend Comission Public Hearings

On Friday June 11, 2010 the FMF Campus Choice interns attended a public hearing in Pasadena, California sponsored by the California Commission on the Status of Women. An independent state agency that advocates for the women and girls of the state of California, the Commission welcomed three minute testimonies from any California resident who seeks to discuss his or her position on current issues that they want the Commission to consider for their 2010/2011 public policy agenda. After the agenda is compiled, it is provided to members of Congress and the State Legislature, the Governor's office, and various other agencies.

Chair of the Commission, Elaine Suranie, opened the hearings by explaining the Commission's reputation for supporting women's issues in California. Next, Ellen Eiden presented statistics that illustrated the close correlation between poverty, race and experiencing health disparities among women in Los Angeles County.

Local champions for women's issues were present, including West Hollywood City Commissioner Abbe Land, who addressed the need for continued funding of adult day care programs. Land expressed that the program disproportionally affects women because the majority of attendees are women and the program employs mostly women. She also mentioned that a instituting a statewide Lesbian Health Bill of Rights like the one issued in West Hollywood, CA would help eliminate medical discrimination and judgment against lesbian and transgender women.

Other issues discussed include the need for translators in the California court system for survivors of domestic violence, the importance of promoting breastfeeding as a free solution to enhance women's health, and how the bureaucracy of the CalWORKS system hinders women who are under compromising financial and personal situations from recovering and flourishing.

Personally, we were moved by women coming from all walks of life to influence politicians to advocate for various causes that affect women. Because of their commitment to acting as a mouthpiece for women's needs and rights, those who testified in the hearings are true heroines in the ongoing fight for equality.

"Welcome to Feminist Summer Camp!"

Hello awesome readers! My name is Angelica Gonzalez and for the next ten weeks I will be a Choices Campus Intern here at the FMF office. In the Fall I will be starting my fourth year at the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in Gender & Women's Studies and Sociology. I am so excited to be here and know it will be an amazing experience.

10 things about me:

• I am the president of Berkeley NOW; check out our blog (sorry, had to plug)
• I have a Beatles tattoo on my back
• I am first generation Mexican-American. Or Chicana. Or Latina. Or Mexican. I still haven't decided which one.
• I am obsessed with social media: facebook, twitter, tumblr, blogs, etc.
• My favorite television show is Buffy The Vampire Slayer
• I'm interested in reproductive rights, comprehensive sex ed, and sexual assault, but definitely not limited to them. When I graduate I want to work within these fields.
• Two words: Pop culture!
• I love to knit and crochet. I once knitted a vulva for a feminist art event.
• I don't have a favorite fiction book
• I love Wonder Woman and Catwoman and other female comic book characters.

Allow me to introduce myself

10 fun facts about Bie Aweh:

1.) Senior Political Science and Women Studies double major with a minor in Race, Culture, and Power

2.) Born and raised in Boston and I am Haitian and Cameroonian

3.) I have an identical twin


4.) Huge Boston Celtics fan/Ray Allen


5.) First Concert: Prince or the "Artist formally known as Prince"

6.) Favorite movie: Kings of Comedy

7.) Favorite book: Sleep Toward Heaven

8.) My inspiration: God, my parents, Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, Francis E.W Harper, Nikki Giovanni and the list goes on!

9.) Proudest moment :Having dinner with Nikki Giovanni

10.) Sparking moment: I realized I was a feminist first semester of freshmen year.

My feminism:

I am developing my feminism every day and each day I am introduced to something new that give more meaning to being a feminist. In feminism I am interested in the progress of women of color and LGBTQ people, more specifically transgender women. These two groups have played the role of the “outsider within” in feminism, they are marginalized because they are women but further marginalized because of their gender identity and race. I am also interested in prisoner rights for women, including abortion and overall reproductive health. Lastly I have a strong interest in women in developing nations.

Summer goals with the FMF:

My goal this summer is to rally around the FMF's mission to empower women and young girls everywhere. It is important to equip these women with the knowledge and resources they need to combat the oppressive regimes that exists in the world and become agents for change.

FMF Summer Intern's First Blog (ever!)

Hi, feminists! My name is Erin Coughlin and I am interning at the Los Angeles office of the Feminist Majority Foundation for the summer. As an intern, I will be writing a weekly blog and look forward to sharing my opinions, epiphanies and various experiences that strengthen my identification as a feminist.

Here are 10 (hopefully fun) facts that will allow me to introduce myself:

1. I just finished my sophomore year at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. I am a Political Science and History double major.
2. I was born and raised in Lakeland, FL and as a lifelong Floridian, I am becoming quite spoiled by LA's constant climate of 75 and sunny with no humidity. Oh, and by Trader Joe's! I can't get enough of relatively inexpensive and delicious organic groceries.
3. Tying in with my love of TJ's, I am a serious foodie. Seemingly overnight, I shed my obsession with food texture and fear of the unknown to wanting to try (mostly) every food. My most recent food conquest was Ethiopian.
4. I love running and believe that few feelings compare to the endorphin fueled runner's high achieved after a good run.
5. Bob Dylan is, hands down, my favorite musician.
6. My parents are feminists and have inspired me to promote equality.
7. My passions as a feminist most strongly lie in the area of reproductive rights.
8. I believe that young women need comprehensive sex ed that reaches beyond abstinence only teachings, and that all women deserve access to birth control and safe and legal abortions. I look forward to advocating for this issue over the summer.
9. I was drawn to the Feminist Majority Foundation because of the extensive work they do with revealing the truth about Crisis Pregnancy Centers.
10. My goal as a summer intern is to strengthen my ability to empower women by educating them about their reproductive and personal rights.

I look forward to delving into my internship and blogging about my findings with you.

For equality,
Erin Coughlin

Day 2 of Feminist Summer Camp

Hello! My name is Emily Kunstler and as one of the brand new Feminist Majority Foundation Choices Campus interns. I am extremely excited to spend the summer at "Feminist Summer Camp." I am a queer feminist who loves reading, sports (surfing, swimming, running, basketball and horseback riding), the ocean, and activism.

A Gender and Queer Studies major, I currently attend Santa Monica College. This summer, I am particularly interested in working on the Reproductive Health, Rights & Justice, Women's Health Care, and Civil Rights for the LGBTQ community.

A few of my favorite books are Female Masculinity by J. Halberstam, Whipping Girl by Julia Serano, Feminism and Pop Culture by Andi Zeisler, The Body Project by Joan Jacobs Brumberg, Nobody Passes by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism by bell hooks, Backlash by Susan Faludi and Queers in History by Keith Stern.

This is What a Feminist Looks Like

Meet Another New FMF Intern!

Hello Internet-world! I'm Eden, a new intern for this lovely summer (despite the all too present June Gloom), and will also be a new contributor to the Choices Campus Blog!

In order to get ourselves better acquainted with one another, I present to you: Ten Random Facts About Me!

1. I am a political science major at UC Berkeley, and although I have attended a fair number of protests, I have yet to purchase a tie-dyed shirt. (Blasphemy!)
2. I am passionate about feminist concerns, particularly reproductive and LGBTQ rights.
3. I love food and probably spend most of my life preparing, consuming, and thinking about food. (The Food Network and various cooking blogs owe me a large chunk of my time!)
4. My life goals include making perfectly baked bread and teaching my parents how to use the karaoke machine.
5. But on a more serious note, my life goals also include informing the public about feminist issues and devoting my time fighting for human rights.
   
6. I am somewhat of a television snob (holding Arrested Development in high regard), but have a huge weakness for "trashy" reality shows (anything that plays on Bravo floats my boat).
7. I am a California native and love my state, though I tend to usually dislike being in the sun, sand, and traffic.
8. One of my favorite aspects of feminism is the confidence that stems from the belief! I have met so many intelligent, confident feminists who all have equally intelligent and confident outlooks on life.
   
9. Although I am passionate about various political issues, I am indecisive about little things, so my favorite color is rainbow.
   
10. I mercilessly abuse using parentheses (really?!).

I look forward to contributing more to this blog in the future!

- Eden

New FMF Intern Blogger!

Hola Choices Campus blog, me llamo Victoria! For those of you who do not understand Spanish, please forgive me, I am known for resorting to my first language, Español. My name is Victoria, and I am one of the summer interns here at the Feminist Majority Foundation.

10 Things About Me:

1. I attend a small Women's college in the District of Columbia, where I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women's Studies.
2. I was born and raised in Maryland, but my parents are from El Salvador.
   
3. I lead a feminist group on campus called The Women's Student Action Coalition.
4. I am passionate about issues regarding abortion and violence against women.
5. This summer I am working with the Campus Organizers, and Web Team at FMF.
6. I love lemon cupcakes. *mmm Georgetown Cupcakes*
7. The feminist authors that have influenced me the most are bell hooks and Gloria Steinem.
8. I first knew I was a feminist when I was: Sometime in High School after reading Full Frontal Feminism by Jessica Valenti
9. I have a twin sister, but ironically we are nothing alike.
10. On my free time I enjoy listening to Bob...Marley that is, while doing some pilates.
    

I hope you all enjoy my newbie blogging, I am open to friendly suggestions.

Until next time!
Vicky

Photo credit to clevercupcakes on Flickr.com

Current Intern to Future Interns: Some Friendly Advice

I would like to dedicate this post to the incoming summer interns.

First off, of course, congratulations on being accepted to intern with the Feminist Majority Foundation. As an intern currently approaching the end of my spring internship experience with FMF, I can tell you when you mention to people that you're with FMF, it's bound to get you quite a few nods of approval from friends and acquaintances.

And of course, (depending on the crowd you hang out with) you might get some raised eyebrows and cautious oh's. But don't let those phase you; keep in mind, many people still don't know what the word "feminist" means, or they may have a misconception of its meaning.

On that note, I'd like to share that I came here in January with very limited experience in women's studies and the feminist realm. The only education I had came from the courses I took at my university (Feminist Theory and Psychology of Women) and being a member of the newly formed Women's Studies Club on campus. The main reason I had hoped to get an FMF internship was to learn and be exposed to women's advocacy. Lucky for me, (and soon, for you, if you happen to be in my position) FMF accepted me with open arms.

I am working with the media team (Beth Soderberg, assistant to Ellie Smeal (FMF President) is my supervisor) for which I write news stories for the newswire. I am also working with the campus outreach team, and the campus organizers have all been guiding me along during this semester. The biggest event this semester for the campus team has been the National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in DC back in March. That was a pretty intense learning experience, helping prepare for and having the chance to participate in such a big event.

Since I write for the newswire, I'm constantly being exposed to the latest news that happens. Since I did not have a strong background in women's issues, this gave me the push to research and ask questions. I encourage you (if you don't already do this) to read the news every day, paying particular attention to feminist issues. If you have time, have a look through our newswire in the last few months and familiarize yourself with what is going on today.

As a member of the campus outreach team, I was assigned to write regularly for our blog. I like to uphold the integrity of this communications medium and keep my posts thought-provoking and relevant. So even though this is a more relaxed medium than the newswire, I still appreciate how lucky I am that I can share my opinion on such a major organization's blog.

I would love to know what you think about my entries, you can look them up in the search under "ilona globa." I hope that when you intern here, you will have a chance to post in the blog as well. Knowing how to use social media resources like blogs, Twitter and Facebook is essential to be successful today.

Something else you can look forward to while you intern with FMF: you will not be told to bring anyone coffee/lunch or run random errands. If you are put in charge of the phones or do administrative work, you get paid! This was a great relief to me, since there are so many organizations that make interns do menial tasks that do not teach them anything beyond how their boss takes his/her coffee. You will likely do printing, copying or cutting, but these are necessary in any office environment. (And wait 'til you see our printer! It's a bit of a beast, but I trust you'll conquer it.)

To finish up, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of your time here. Show your enthusiasm and ask your supervisors for new tasks/work whenever you finish an assignment, because the time will likely go by in a flash. If you get invited to go to special events with other FMF employees, go! This is the DC Metropolitan area, an amazing place to network and potentially find a job.

Best of luck with your summer endeavors!

FemNews: Women in the 2010 Olympics

My First FM-Effort Toward Change

Hello to all FMF Blog readers, my name is Ilona Globa. This is my first week as a spring FMF intern. I’m completing my undergraduate degree in journalism (with a research interest in feminism) at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania this May.

I’d like to share with you a relatively unique experience I had with FMF. I attended the Stop Stupak Coalition Meeting and Lobby Day on January 20. There were 2 other FMF interns in attendance, and a group of FMF staff members led the way into my first experience in the world of lobbying.

The day began with a collective meeting of a variety of women’s rights groups, including Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women and many others. There were several keynote speakers who reminded us of our goals that day.

Then everyone was released. Some went to appointments they had scheduled with state representatives, while others simply dropped by their offices in hopes of catching the politicians or their aids. I found out legislative assistants do quite a bit of work in the political process. Sure, the representatives themselves are who we see in televised meetings on C-SPAN, many of them middle-aged, white men. But their legislative assistants are the ones who do much of the “dirty work” and handle a great deal of the politics behind large, wooden, closed doors. And these people are generally in their mid to late 20s, many of them women.

I was with Government Relations Director Norma Gattsek and National Campus Organizer Danielle Geong. FMF has campus ties with schools in many districts, so we came to represent the students who could not attend to voice their ideas.

Sadly, two of the three reps we hoped to speak to (and by that, I mean the aid to the rep) were simply unavailable when we stopped by. Not to mention, lobbyists are not on many people’s list of favorites.

Finally, Danielle and I caught a few (and I do mean few) minutes of Dan Farmer’s time. He is the assistant to Ohio Representative Zack Space. We hoped to change Space’s opinion about the Stupak Amendment, which he had voted in favor of. Sadly, his aid seemed more anxious to get on with his day than to discuss any of his boss’s ideas, and we left the meeting feeling unfulfilled.

However, I will not let this phase me. I never thought I would be given the opportunity to lobby, nor do I plan to do it for a living. But I look forward to trying it again, with my mentors here at FMF. And I’m determined to accomplish more and come better prepared next time. And if you feel hesitant about trying it, my advice is not to over-think it. The idea is to demonstrate that you are informed and passionate, in a diplomatic manner. Another goal is to listen. Keep these ideas in mind and remember that every effort counts. So I encourage everyone to try it.

Greetings Feminists!

Hi y'all, I'm Mariel Kirschen, a new intern at the FMF DC office and would just like to introduce myself to all you readers out there in the blogging world. I'm brand new to blogging, so bear with me as I try to find my footing.

I'm a sophomore at American University here in DC studying Law and Society and Women and Gender Studies. I'm especially passionate about issues involving violence against women so you might find me posting a lot on related topics.

This internship is a great opportunity to take what I'm learning in the classroom and use it to take action against issues involving women in the real world.

I'm really excited for what I will learn and the experiences I will gain. Thanks for reading!

photo courtesy of nationscapital.com via flickr

Intern with FMF!

Elisette Weiss (Brandeis '10 & FMF 2009 Summer Intern) recently published a summary of her summer intern experience with the Feminist Majority Foundation in Brandeis University's Women and Gender Studies newsletter (copied below). If you're interested in interning with FMF next summer, visit our intern page.

Here's what Elisette had to say about her experiences last summer...

The Louis D. Brandeis Social Justice World of Work Fellowship enabled me to serve as an intern in the Feminist Majority Foundation’s summer internship program in Washington, D.C. I worked on the Global Health and Rights and Web Design projects.

The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) was founded in 1987 to promote the political, economic, and social equality of all people. Today, FMF works to achieve its goals through research, grassroots organizing, public policy development, and leadership training. FMF is a powerful feminist activist organization and network that reaches activists and academics around the world.

As a major in Health: Science, Society, and Policy and a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, I was drawn to this organization because of my passion for gender equality and reproductive health, both domestically and abroad. Through this internship, I put into practice the theoretical knowledge I gained from my coursework at Brandeis. I was able to analyze critically the complex interplay between social, political, and economic influences, and the benefits of promoting gender and social equality. Moreover, this summer was an opportunity for me to work alongside, interact with, observe, and learn from respected professionals in the policy field of women’s health.

Through my internship, I was directly involved in the daily operations of the non-profit with the web-design team and regularly contributed to the Choices Campus Blog. Additionally, I represented FMF at global health coalition meetings, attended congressional briefings on Capitol Hill, and researched reproductive health legislation to contribute to organizational materials.

My experience with FMF, and exposure to how Washington functions, was critically valuable in providing a useful framework for my coursework and shaping my future career goals within the field of women’s health policy. I was given opportunities to contribute to the crucial work of feminists today and to gain a glimpse into what it might be like to work in Washington in the future.

Separation of Church and...Internships? Not at Loyola

The Cardinal Newman Society, a self-appointed organization dedicated to “maintaining a catholic identity” in Catholic institutes of higher education, has declared that Loyola and nine other colleges and universities have wrongfully given credit to students completing internships with organizations whose missions “directly contradict the views of the Catholic Church” (Loyola Phoenix). The majority of internships impacted by this are those that are available to students in the Women and Gender Studies Department.

The President of Cardinal Newman Society, Patrick J. Reilly, asked “under what definition of ‘Catholic education’ do students receive academic credit to work for leading pro-abortion organizations?”

Although I can not speak for all “in question” organizations, the Feminist Majority is by no means a pro-abortion organization; we are a pro-women’s rights organization. To quote our mission statement (which apparently is in opposition to Catholic views), the Feminist Majority aims to develop “bold, new strategies and programs to advance women's equality, non-violence, economic development, and, most importantly, empowerment of women and girls in all sectors of society.”

At no point does FMF advocate, pressure, or lobby with “pro-abortion” attitudes or initiatives. We support a woman’s right to choose what is best for her body and her future, whatever that may be. Just as the Catholic Church is not defined by one aspect of their belief system or their mission, neither are we or other organizations like us.

It is important to recognize, as junior Liz Kelliher-Paz noted, these organizations “uphold a lot of other ideals that are important, and students should get to decide what they think... It’s important to allow students to make up their minds about what they believe rather than being indoctrinated.” Not all students who attend Catholic Universities are Catholic, or Christian, and for their options to be limited because of the indoctrinating actions and beliefs of their University is inappropriate and inhibits their education; the same holds true for students who are catholic, and perusing these types of opportunities.

Students at Loyola are there, first and for most “for an education,” said Senior Chris Balmaceda. A career is the final goal, yes, and an internship is the path to that. However, a catholic education does not mean a catholic career. In denying students credit for such internships, Loyola is essentially denying them opportunities to pursue the career of their choice and complete the education they seek. It is important for educational institutions to offer the most comprehensive internship and career services so as best to serve the students and their personal goals, not the goals of the university or of the church.


photo credit : David Reber http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidreber/2997213236/

DC Spring Intern Deadline Extended to November 1!

Want to contribute to the fight for political, economic, and social equality for women? INTERN with the Feminist Majority Foundation!

The DC office is currently seeking interns for the Spring (January to May). Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and brief writing sample to internship@feminist.org. Deadline to apply has been extended to November 1!

Apply your research and outreach skills to advance feminism! We are looking for interns with leadership and organizing skills, a commitment to feminism, and lots of positive energy to join our team in our DC office!

Our projects include:
• Campus Leadership Program
• Global Health and Rights
• Web and Media Team
• National Center for Women and Policing
• National Clinic Access Project
• Education Equity
• Public Policy and Government Relations

Learn more about our internship program and read the rocking testimonials from past interns at http://feminist.org/intern. Apply today!

FMF Intern's Post on Feministe

FMF 2009 Summer Intern, Thúy-Lan Võ Lite, wrote an insightful post today on Feministe. Here's what Thúy-Lan had to say, in its entirety:

I have a few updates on the case of slain anti-abortion activist James Pouillon, who was killed in front of a school on September 11 in Owassa, Michigan.

A brief post on Jezebel informed me that two Congressmen – Reps. Dave Camp and Dale Kildee – from Pouillon’s home state introduced a resolution to honor the late protestor: House Resolution 759 (available on Camp’s website), after noting that “Jim Pouillon is mourned by his family, friends, community, and fellow defenders of the First Amendment and the unborn,” offers condolences to the victim’s family and recognizes the importance of free speech.

The resolution has been introduced amid an ongoing debate over Pouillon’s posthumous martyrization. Anti-choice leaders note that he was killed on the job, or “gunned down as he stood for life” (Operation Rescue), but it’s misleading to conclude that his victimization was a direct result of his ideology. According to Flint News, “[a]uthorities have said Harlan Drake, 33, of Owosso had a grudge against Pouillon and didn’t think that children should have to look at graphic pictures of abortion on their way to school.”

The article continues: “Shiawassee County Prosecutor Randy Colbry says he doesn’t have any information that the abortion issue was the motivation for the slaying, saying that it is not his impression that the shooting was a hate crime or politically motivated.” Keep in mind that Drake had killed another man earlier in the day based on a completely unrelated “grudge.”

Dr. James M. Pouillon – the late activist’s son – had some interesting opinions of his own, which he wrote in a blog post (via Flint) a few days after the murder. Asserting that his father “really didn’t care about aborton (sic),” he noted that “He did this [protesting] to stalk, harass, terrorize, scream at, threaten, frighten, and verbally abuse women. He had a pathologic hatred of women: his mom, my mom, everyone.”

But whether or not Pouillon, Sr. was killed for his stance or for his persistent, disrespectful methods remains up in the air; it’s definitely too soon for anti-choice leaders to galvanize support in his name.

Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCaptial.com on flickr.com