Red Alert: Egg-as-Person Initiatives on Ballots this Fall

So-called "personhood initiatives", like the one we saw soundly defeated in the Colorado 2008 election, are trying to make a comeback in the 2010 election.

Personhood initiatives define a human life as beginning at the moment of fertilization. If passed, fertilized eggs would legally be considered people who are guaranteed constitutional rights, like you, I, or the woman with the fertilized egg in her uterus.

Anti-choicers hope that their egg-as-person laws would effectively ban abortion in the state in which the law was passed and subsequently challenge Roe v. Wade. Oh brother.

Not only that, but if passed, an egg-as-person law would attack women's rights to use certain forms of birth control, including the IUD and emergency contraception. Stem cell research and alternative reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization would be hugely impacted as well.

While the 2008 Colorado Personhood Initiative was defeated with 73% of voters saying "hell no", don't underestimate these things. They are back and the anti-choice forces behind them are as well-financed and fanatical as ever.

Egg-as-person amendments have been approved to be on the ballot this fall in Mississippi and Colorado. Efforts are still under way in California (the anti-choicers need 700,000 signatures by April 29th), and while an attempt in Nevada failed, Personhood NV (the initiative's backers) have appealed the decision to the NV Supreme Court, which is expected to make a decision by May 18.

Not only are we seeing egg-as-person initiatives pop up on ballots, but state legislators have introduced bills that would do the same thing. In North Dakota, the House actually passed an egg-as-person bill last spring and the state Senate luckily knocked it out.

Furthermore, on a global scale, fertilized eggs are being granted constitutional rights at some countries' national levels - case in point: the Dominican Republic - entirely banning abortion throughout the country.

The language they use - equating a fertilized egg with a person - gives us a big clue about what they are trying to do. While the anti-choicers may know that their initiatives don't stand a huge chance of passing in most states, they know that if you tell people an egg is a person and should enjoy constitutional rights, enough times, people will start to believe it. That messaging, just like any of the other commercial messages we hear day in and day out, will start to be viewed not as a crazy idea, but as the truth - or at least something to pay attention to. And we can't let it get to that. We must shut these attacks down before they ever see that day.

Personhood initiatives are the anti-choicers' newest tactic and we are just seeing the beginning of them unless we can mobilize our pro-choice majority to, well first, have a good chuckle at the ludicrousness of these things, but then, seriously, VOTE NO. And tell others to vote no. And tell them to tell others to vote no. And so forth...you get the idea. VOTE NO AND MOBILIZE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.

Anti-choicers want this to be an expensive fight for us. They want us to use all of our time and resources fighting something that probably doesn't stand much of a chance at this point anyway. This fight does not have to be expensive. We're grassroots organizers and we have the majority on our side. On your campus, there is an extremely good chance that the majority of the students are pro-choice.

So, if you are in Colorado or Mississippi don't waste any time! Get the word out now! Set the stage for major defeat come fall.

And if you're anywhere else, start talking now. Let's make sure these so-called "personhood initiatives" don't stand a chance.

This article was featured in our April 2010 monthly Choices eZine. Sign up for our alerts to stay up-to-date with the latest feminist news and to receive the monthly eZine!

Case Western FMLA changes mind, chooses life

Just kidding. The FMLA at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is decidedly not pregnant. April Fool's!

We're encouraging feminist students groups to raise awareness about CPCs throughout April. So to commemorate April Fool's Day, CWRU FMLA distributed fliers on campus encouraging students facing unintended pregnancies not to be deceived anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers offering free health care. The FMLA suggested nearby comprehensive women's health clinics students could visit instead.

Check out the fliers they handed out, using tips FMF organizer Jacqueline posted:













and

Students who may be pregnant need to see professional health care providers, whether or not they plan to carry a pregnancy to term. CPCs just offer anti-abortion volunteers in lab coats waving an ultrasound wand at you and dispensing quack medical advice. Which would you choose?

Even worse, the thousands of CPCs across the country vastly outnumber real women's clinics, and they receive thousands of dollars in state and federal funding. College health centers include local crisis pregnancy center information in their pregnancy referrals.

If there are CPCs in your area and/or advertising on campus, check out FMF's Campaign to Expose Fake Clinics. It's easy to get on board, and you can contact an FMF campus organizer for more tips and suggestions. Our goal is to ensure women around the country know CPCs do not provide factual medical information, petition health centers to list CPCs as anti-abortion organizations in their referral resources, and to cut off government funding for these fake clinics.

To the Case FMLA and all the feminist groups working to expose fake clinics: keep up the great prochoice work and let us know how you're supporting comprehensive clinics!

This article was featured in our April 2010 monthly Choices eZine. Sign up for our alerts to stay up-to-date with the latest feminist news and to receive the monthly eZine!

All Good Things Must Come to an End: Leadership Transition

The story is a common one, and we see it all the time: a campus group flourishes, holds tons of great events, and builds a reputation as a great organization and a force to be reckoned with. But then, the awesome leadership graduates, and one or two underclassmen struggle to get the group up and running the next semester.

Amazing FMLAs and feminist campus organizations have fallen into this trap. It is remarkable to see how much can be lost in just one weak semester. BUT your group does not have to follow this pattern. Some tips and tricks to make sure your leadership transition runs smoothly:

• If you have not already done so, hold elections as soon as possible. Set the ground rules for the election meeting ahead of time. These guidelines should be in your constitution. But in case they aren't, consider who is allowed to run, and who is allowed to vote. Should people have attended a certain number of meetings in order to cast a ballot? Setting the rules ahead of time and publicizing them well will minimize the drama later.
  
• Once officers are elected, have each outgoing officer meet with the person taking over his/her/hir position. Have an executive meeting between both the outgoing board and the incoming leadership, and consider holding a fun, casual event like a potluck, so everyone can get to know each other a little better.
  
• If you are an outgoing group leader with a lot of good contacts, make sure you give them all to new leadership. For instance, introduce your new president to the student activities staff member who always helps you expedite your room request forms, or the finance board chair who is also a total feminist at heart. Encourage new group leaders to cultivate these relationships and seek out new connections as well.
• Create a binder with all the advice you can think of. So much institutional memory gets lost when people graduate. Consider including lists of old events and how you pulled them off; guides to navigating the bureaucratic procedures at your school, including funding deadlines; conferences and national organizations of which to be aware; and everything you wish you knew when you were starting out.
• Keep in contact with each other. While new leaders need to do their own thing, and recent graduates are moving on, it is important that you feel comfortable calling each other. New leaders shouldn't be afraid to ask for advice, and the veterans should be happy to give it.

And last but certainly not least, contact your national campus organizer at FMF and introduce her to the new leaders of your group. We are here to be a resource to you! Organizers can be reached at 703-522-2214 (East Coast) and 310-556-2500 (West Coast).

Keeping all these tips in mind should help you have a smooth transition into the next year. Good luck!

This article was featured in our April 2010 monthly Choices eZine. Sign up for our alerts to stay up-to-date with the latest feminist news and to receive the monthly eZine!

Masculinity, Redefined (Successfully)

There has been an intensifying discussion forming around masculinity as it stands today, particularly with feminism in mind. Some have deemed this the Post-Feminism Era, but others see that, in fact, feminism is not disappearing, it is simply expanding its focus from where it began in the '60s.

However, as the definition of feminism fluctuates, we must realize that masculinity is also affected. I believe a Feministing blogger, Marc, said it best: "If feminism is about empowering women with choices, the new masculinity, (and it should be included within feminis[m]), must be about equipping men with the emotional tools to honor women's choices."

For this reason, I was inspired by the ideas expressed in Details magazine's article, "Gentlemen of the World, Unite!" This article uncovered the new definition of masculinity as being a modern gentleman. My other source of interest is the Philadelphia Inquirer's "Manning Up." I was glad to find this article did not involve masculinity advice from football star Peyton Manning.

I'll start by clarifying a few key points about the enlightened masculinity I hope will solidify itself in our culture. The Inquirer has come up with the title of "retrosexual" (not to be confused with Facebook's completely unrelated definition of this word). This is far departed from the "metrosexual," the manicured, pampered guy that continues to make men today uncomfortable.

Moreover, retrosexual applies both to the man's fashion sense and his state of mind.

Since fashion is cyclical in nature, it is not surprising that the retrosexual dresses much like the men of the '50s and '60s. The AMC series Mad Men's protagonist, Don Draper, comes to mind. But worry not, feminists. Only the fashion sense is coming back, not Don's alcoholic tendencies or his "womanizing ways," the Inquirer explains. The sexism, homophobia and lack of emotional expression of that era's gentleman is not part of the package now, nor is the patriarchal attitude.

Co-writer of The Modern Gentleman: A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy & Vice Jason Tesauro told Details, “You carry yourself a little differently when you’re wearing pinstripes as opposed to sweatpants.” So we are looking at a man who takes pride in his appearance. He has moved on from the "jeans and a button-down" to something more sophisticated.

Moreover, the retrosexual, or modern gentleman, manages to be rugged and strong while also remaining a caretaker for his family. As Jennifer Sey, vice president of global marketing at Dockers, said in the Inquirer, this movement "celebrates men who can change a tire and a diaper." After all, the women of today are career-oriented while fullfilling their roles as mothers. No reason men cannot perform both roles.

In the context of behavior and self-image, a thought from Nashville writer and columnist John Bridges in Details: "I have found that the boor, the person who tries to barge through everything and get his way, is someone people don’t like. If you try to be civil, it puts you in a negotiating stance with people, and you get places a lot more easily. Being a gentleman gives you the tools to know how to get your way without everybody hating you.” Now that's a man that will command respect without having to demand it.

For a few more references, Details named actors Edward Norton, George Clooney and John Legend as "guys anachronistically committed to upholding high standards in their work and in their personal conduct." But being a gentleman does not demand that you be of a particular social or financial standing. Although a suit can do great things for one's image, this new masculinity is not about owning the most expensive anything.

Instead, it is about a man's ability to appear polished, intelligent and strong without feeling the need to throw it in anyone's face. He is in no way downtrodden; instead, he confidently accepts the changing tides of culture. In his enlightened masculinity, he accepts (and possibly even joins) the feminist movement, rather than attempting to discredit it.

So here's to the modern gentleman. We would be proud to have you by our side.

Photo credits: Rebekah Roy @ fashion-stylist.net, Mad Men Shrugged blog

This is what 422 FEMINISTS look like!

The Feminist Majority Foundation's Sixth Annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference, March 20-22 in Washington, DC, brought together over 400 hundred young feminist activists from 101 schools and over 30 states plus the District of Columbia and Canada to discuss and strategize current domestic and global feminist issues. Members of Congress, national leaders, and student organizers from across the country inspired young leaders to organize their communities and take action.

Students learned about the dangers of fake clinics, how to support their comprehensive clinics against anti-abortion harassment, the critical need to increase international family planning money, the importance of ratifying CEDAW and much more. Over a hundred students pledged to take action on these issues when they return to campus with our first ever Feminist Activism Pledge. Groups pledged to host a die-in to raise awareness about maternal mortality, students plan to run for office with their Student Government, and many committed to joining the largest pro-choice network in the country by starting a feminist group on their campus or affiliating with FMF's Choices Campus Leadership Program!

After two days of informational and organizing sessions young feminists braved the rain to visit Capitol Hill to meet with their elected officials. Attendees heard from an incredible line up of inspiring speakers, including Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland, and learned about the importance of educating their elected officials and the opportunities to impact policy on their campus and in their state.

With opportunities comes work. Lots of work. Already students have returned to campus to take action on many of the issues discussed at the conference. Groups are staying connected with each other from across the country to share organizing strategies and ideas for creative activism on their campus. The FMF Campus Team is working with groups across the country to strengthen their activism through our resources and support.

With over 100 groups at this year's conference and a laundry list of opportunities we're excited to see what new ideas and new faces we'll discover next year! Mark your calendars for next March and be sure to include the NYFLC in your group's budget. Contact your campus organizer today or email the Campus Team at campusteam@feminist.org to connect your group to the largest pro-choice network or learn how to launch a feminist group and show your campus just what a feminist looks like!

This article was featured in our April 2010 monthly Choices eZine. Sign up for our alerts to stay up-to-date with the latest feminist news and to receive the monthly eZine!

Students Fight CPC on Public Campus

This article is cross-posted from the Ms. magazine blog and was written by Alexandra Tweten.

A religious, anti-choice crisis pregnancy center (CPC) has set up shop on the publicly-owned property of Cal Poly Pomona university in California, directly across from a student apartment building. Misleadingly named the “Women’s Pregnancy Center,” the CPC has been there since November, says Jaclyn Lara of student feminist group Female Sexuality Society (FSS), which has pledged to evict the CPC.

According to Lara, the CPC is extremely deceptive about its services, failing to advertise that they do not offer or refer for abortion or birth control, and promoting itself as being aligned with the campus’ student health services when it is not.

“We have students saying it’s confusing. They say, ‘What’s the difference?’” Lara said. “I just tell them, ‘usually they’re run by religious anti-choice organizations, but they won’t tell you.’”

Lara became aware of the CPC when one of its representatives came to an event where FSS was tabling. “[She told me] the ‘truth’ about abortion and the various complications which are ‘always’ associated with them,” Lara said. “I am horrified at how intent this woman was at insisting abortion was one of the most dangerous procedures a woman can get and how her views are biased based on her moral beliefs.”

FSS sent a member to the CPC to find out how they deal with students seeking an abortion. Before ascertaining whether or not the FSS member was pregnant, the woman at the CPC began referring to “your baby” and predicting an October due date. The FSS member said she couldn’t have a baby and the worker replied, “If not now, when?”

“I don’t know if I ever want to have a baby,” replied the FSS member, and the worker told her she should consider sterilization.

“A student who went in seeking an abortion would leave covered in guilt and shame,” says Lara. “The women of Cal Poly are really important…I take it very personally that they’re lying to my sisters.”

FSS is planning to lobby the university to evict the CPC, but Lara is concerned that the university won’t listen if they are receiving rental money from the CPC at a time when money is tight. “I’m hoping that they’ll see that money is not worth the harm to our students,” says Lara.

You can help by writing messages to the university and sending them to femalesexualitysociety@gmail.com. The group will deliver them to the administration.

Perpetrator blaming? What a concept!

In honor of sexual assault awareness month, here is a satirical video (note: features robots) from Sociological Images that pokes fun at the way we tell women how not to be sexually assaulted. Instead, it outlines a way we can tell men how not to sexually assault:

Top Ten Strategies That Are Guaranteed To Stop Rape Every Time

1. When you see a woman walking alone after dark do not assault her.

2. As a general rule do not have sex with someone unless they are awake and agree to what is happening

3. Always use the buddy system. If you do not think you can resist the urge to sexually assault someone, ask a friend to accompany you when you go out in public or to parties.

4. When buying someone a drink, deliver the beverage to them without adding a roofie or any other drug.

5. If your date or anyone else falls asleep on your couch while walking a movie, remember to not assault them.

6. The best course of actions when entering a woman's house is to wait for her to invite you in through the front door. Try to resist the urge to crawl through an open window or an unlocked rear door.

7. Always carry a rape whistle and pepper spray. When you feel the urge to rape someone blow the whistle so that your buddy from strategy number 3 can call for help. If help does not arrive fast enough, spray the pepper spray directly into your eyes.

8. If you are hired by a woman to perform a service at her house, be sure to provide the requested service and then exit the house without raping her.

9. If you find yourself following a woman in her car, immediately turn your car in the direction of the nearest police or fire station station and notify authorities about your desire to rape. Also before you leave a parking lot, be sure to check your back seat for any one who you might be trying to abduct and sexually assault. Set any unwilling passengers free without assaulting them before driving away.

10. Watch for signs of miscommunication with friends. If somebody asks to spend the night at your house or asks them to walk you across campus at night it is probably an indication that they think you will not rape them. Clearly state your intentions so they know what to expect. Also be sure to send clear signals about your desires before going on a date. Let the other person know that you expect the evening to end with a sexual assault. If you do not clearly indicate your intentions, the other person may misinterpret it as a sign that you do not intend to sexually assault them.

Instead of constantly victim blaming, we need to realize that "the only person who can prevent a sexual assault is the person who is going to commit it." We tell people not murder rather than not to get murdered. Why can't we use this same principal when it comes to rape?

While, these rules are intended as jokes, at the same time they should be taken seriously. Although you assume these principles to be common sense, obviously they are not as widely understood taking into account the amount of sexual assault that happens. We need to encourage potential rapists to stop and think about these principles before they act.

photos courtesy of padraicyclops via Flickr and amazon.com.

Fem News: Some Clarification About New Health Care Reform

13 year-old Yemeni Girl Dies of Bleeding from Sex After Arranged Marriage

It was reported today that a 13 year-old in Yemen died from post-coital injuries, four days after her arranged marriage to a 23 year-old man. She suffered from tears in her genitals and rectum, and severe bleeding.

Last September, a 12 year-old Yemeni bride died after being in labor for 3 days.

Marrying young girls is a common practice in Yemen where a quarter of females are married before they are 15. There have been attempts to make it unlawful for children under 17 to get married, but efforts to pass such a law have so far been thwarted by influential Islamic leaders.

Check out this video for the story of Arwa who was divorced by the age of 10. Arwa’s lawyer has been long time advocate for having a minimum age requirement for marriage, “According to my opinion…it is not a marriage, it is the rape of children.”

Not everyone shares her views, however. Law to set a minimum age for marriage are seen as un-Islamic. Even the doctor who helped Arwa escape from her husband is quoted saying, “Islam determines the age of marriage to be when the girl is ready for intercourse, not a specific age.”

Decisions on whether there will be a minimum age of 17 for marriages will be determined in the upcoming month. Hopefully the tragic death will serve to help leaders make a responsible decision about child marriages.

image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/richardmessenger

20 years and still going strong

As most of you probably do not know, 2010 marks the 20th year of Gender, Women (and now Sexuality) Studies at Grinnell College. We are having a celebration of sorts with speakers and student presentations (including one by yours truly), and I'm just feeling a little sentimental about the whole thing.

I know that our schools are all in various stages of GWS programs, but in the spirit of my own celebration, I'd just like to suggest that we all take a little time to reflect on how lucky we are that studying what we are passionate about is something that we can do. There are places in the world where we, as women, would be denied education, and here we are in a place where we can not only pursue what we choose, but we can study contentious topics like gender construction and sexuality that challenge the very structure of our society.

A Message to Certain BSU Students: Keep Your Hands Off Girls' Back Ends

All the controversy spawned from one asinine male on his bike on the campus of Ball State University. According to a campus police report, at approximately 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, a white male rode by and slapped at least three different women on the buttocks. Two of these women chose to report the incident to campus police, and the department issued a public safety notice via email to BSU students and faculty.

This spurred a whole succession of events, most notably the creation of a Facebook page titled "The Ball State Ass Slapper," which got in excess of 5,000 fans in one day. In the Info section of the page, the creator wrote the following:

"The author of this page in NO WAY condones the objectification of or violence towards women or men. Jokes about rape will NOT be tolerated. The purpose of this page is simply to mock the fact that the University is considering this an 'Emergency Situation.'"

Allow me to clarify several points:

First, the creator of the page did not identify him/herself as anything beyond NOT being "the infamous ass slapper." The only contact information given is an email address: bsuslapperfounder@yahoo.com. This person must feel great being able to start such a movement. Why are you hiding behind the internet? Why not identify yourself?

Also, as you can see in this copy of the police's public safety notice (it is from a collegehumor.com post, though it is far from humorous), there is NO mention of it being an "Emergency Situation," which trumps the whole basis for the creation of the Facebook page, does it not? The fact that the sending address is "Emergency Broadcast" simply means the police sent the message to their "public safety notice" list of faculty and students. Get it right.

The Ball State Daily News wrote that "case reports indicate the man will be charged with battery" in an opinion column article titled "Our View: Campus battery is nothing to laugh about," which gives a good idea of how they feel. There has also been a Facebook group created in opposition of the original group.

If it had stopped there, this would be just another pestilence at which we can shake our heads and hope does not happen again. However, what we have now is the discussion of a so-called "Ass Slapping Game." There are 45 comments so far, from the creator of the page and BSU students, male and female alike. There are talks of a points system, where people earn 1 point if a girl shows appreciation for having been slapped, 2 points if she is disgusted, and 10 points if BSU puts out another "emergency email," as one imbicile suggested.

Hm...so how many points do you get if, after you ride by and slap the girl, you or she get hit by a car and suffer serious injuries? Are you the winner?? Ever consider that scenario?

But it doesn't stop there, folks. These people are planning on making t-shirts to sell at $10 a pop (so girls can indicate their compliance to have a guarantee of being sexually harrased), and the latest suggestions say they should give proceeds to a sexual assault center. Though the charity would be appreciated, the way in which the money is collected and the potential harm it can cause is not remotely close to appropriate.

And whatever happened to the idea that women are entitled to decide what will happen to their bodies? Be alert, ladies of BSU. That may not be your choice. In all this discussion, it seems females will be the victims of males' actions. After all, none of the females who have commented have volunteered to join the ranks of the harrassers.

So here are suggested actions YOU can take to put an end to this obnoxiousness:

1). Visit "The Ball State Ass Slapper" Facebook Page, scroll down to middle of it, and click "Report Page." At least this way, the developers of Facebook will simply remove the page altogether.

2). Contact the campus police to inform them if you see any more of these incidents. No one should have the right to commit this act and simply ride off with a smile.

3). Encourage your friends NOT to join this ridiculous parade of the mindless: do NOT join the group, and do NOT purchase any t-shirts. If you wish to donate to a sexual abuse victims group, do so in a way that does not contradict their goals.

And finally, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Spread the word about this and the true meaning of feminism, instead of encouraging further discussion of this violation of women's lives.

Photo Credit: Facebook Group: We Oppose Members if The Ball State Ass Slapper Group. It is Not A Joke!

The Connection Between Women, Water, Climate Change and You

Whether or not you believe the human population is affecting climate change, the recent and frequent changes in climate are definitely affecting the human population. This year alone, we have seen earthquakes destroy entire cities and take millions of human lives. And on a less serious but still pertinent note, the snowstorm that swept over the northeastern section of the United States this winter buried us in several feet of snow, the likes of which we had not seen before.

And while there is excessive rain in some areas (like Rhode Island saw in the recent week), the air is dangerously dry in states ranging from Alabama to Florida to Texas, where there are now warnings of potential wildfires.

Global warming might not be the title you prefer for it, but climate change is happening. So you might ask, how is this a feminist issue?

Well, you see, women and water, and therefore climate change, are closely connected, particularly in developing nations and in areas where physical labor is the primary source of income for families. It is like a vicious cycle, with many functioning parts contributing to an overwhelming problem.

We can begin with a report released in 2009 by the United Nations Population Fund, stating that climate change will put the heaviest burden on women in developing nations. After all, women take care of the family, which means doing the cooking, cleaning and caring for the health of their family members, all processes that require water.

As a western nation, we do not think twice about the availability of water because it flows from our faucets, and we can ask for a glass of it for free (even iced) at almost any establishment. But imagine having to walk an average of six to nine miles to get water, and even then, it may not be in drinkable condition. You would have to bring it back in a large container, possibly filter it if you had the tools or the time, and be sure to use what you have for all your household responsibilities. You would view water differently then.

I hope it is clearer for you now how women and water are related. As I mentioned above, while some places might be flooded from climate change, other places experience droughts. This means women must walk even further to find a source of water. It is a painstaking process that slows down the efficiency of households. Of course, it also deprives women of even the thought of education and furthering themselves; their focus is to care for their family and their home.

Perhaps you feel distanced from the problem, since many of these women live in places so far from you. But there is a lot you can do to help, on your very college campus.

Please follow this link and read the Feminist Majority Foundation's Women and Climate Change materials. It provides ideas for activities that will raise student activists' understanding of these women's daily lives. The material also provides ideas about how to conserve water, and every individual effort counts toward our bigger goal of lightening the burden on women who seem so far away.


Photo credits: Flickr and Feminist Campus Team Website

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

According to the Department of Justice, 1 in 6 women will face some type of sexual violence in their lifetime. One of the ways to work to eliminate this violence is to raise awareness.
Don't know how to raise awareness for sexual assault on your campus?

The blog Stop Street Harrassment has a list of great ideas for events you can have on campus and ways you can help out.

Included on the list are some of the events my school's Women's Initiative is putting on in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month:

• From April 5-11, the campus will be hosting a Clothesline Project. We will hang t-shirts decorated with statistics, personal stories, and statements against sexual assault around one of our buildings on campus.

• On April 12th, we are holding our 7th annual Take Back The Night. The event gives advocates and survivors of sexual and domestic violence a voice to speak out against violence against women. Students will march around campus and convene in a safe space to share their stories. Thousands of marches are held around the world every year, click here to find an event near you.

Use this month to make a difference in your campus community.


photo courtesy of bex011087 via flickr

Do You Feel Lucky? What Unwanted Pregnancy Meant In the 1960s

The battle between pro-choice and pro-life (or anti-choice) protesters seems to be waging at overwhelming extremes lately. And as an intern here at FMF, I have taken part in writing updates dealing with abortion bills being passed state by state, on a weekly basis. However, of all the writing I have read about abortion and the argument for pro-choice, this article stands in a category of its own.

Guernica, a magazine of art and politics, featured a piece titled "Lucky Girl" by Bridget Potter. Ms. Potter wrote a historical memoir about what life was like in the 1960s, and the segment featured here is about her experience with an unwanted pregnancy at age 19.

Disclaimer: This piece of writing is not for the faint of heart. Some of the descriptions are rather shocking, if not grotesque. But I believe being shocked into reality can be a very effective way to learn and appreciate what we have.

The reason this story stood out to me was because it is a personal account. A stark, honest description of the measures this young woman went to for a solution to her problem. There are plenty of people, especially women, who do not understand why Roe vs. Wade was as monumental as it was, and why so many fight to protect it. This true story might help clarify that.

Because, you see, Ms. Potter's circumstances were not uncommon for her day. She was not irresponsible about contraception, simply misinformed. Sadly, one mistake led to her unwanted pregnancy, at a time in her life when she did not have the time, living conditions or finances to support a child.

Ms. Potter explains: "There was also an acute social stigma attached to an unwed mother with an illegitimate child; maternity homes were frequently frightening and far away. All counseled adoption. The only alternatives were a shotgun wedding or an illegal abortion.

According to a 1958 Kinsey study, illegal abortion was the option chosen by 80 percent of single women with unwanted pregnancies. Statistics on illegal abortion are notoriously unreliable, but the Guttmacher Institute, a respected international organization dedicated to sexual and reproductive health, estimates that during the pre-Roe vs. Wade years there were up to one million illegal abortions performed in the United States each year."

Today, single motherhood is much more common (although often still not desired) and not nearly as frowned upon as it used to be. We are also far better informed about contraception, and have many more options aside from diaphragms (which were only given out by pharmacists to married women at the time) and the suspicious "pink foam" that Ms. Potter used.

However, it is not the facts that got my attention. It was the dangerous, expensive and seemingly hopeless struggle Ms. Potter endured to attain an illegal abortion. How isolated she felt in her predicament, and the countless other women who experienced the same situation then and are experiencing it today.

This story will bring out emotions in you that may contradict each other. And if nothing else, it will make you realize who was considered a lucky girl back then, how lucky we are as women today...and how quickly it can all be taken away.

Photo credit: lilyana at deviantART

Not an April Fools Joke: Lilith Fair to Give $$ to CPCs?

The woman-centric music tour, Lilith Fair, is making a comeback and this year, they are donating one dollar from every ticket sold in each of the tour's 36 stops to a women's charity in that city. Right on.

Once you become a fan on the tour's official facebook page, you can then vote for the local organization you'd like to see receive the dough.

But wait...WHY ARE CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTERS ON THE LIST?!?

Lilith Fair prides itself on being pro-choice and all for women's empowerment, so why would they include anti-choice centers that purposefully misinform women about abortion, birth control, and their pregnancy options, on the list of charities to donate to? A spokesperson for the tour claims that a simple online search for women's charities in the local areas turned the CPCs up, and they were added to the list without question or further investigation. Just goes to show you how deceptive these fake clinics really are!

Well, now the lack of attention on the part of the tour organizers is backfiring. Lilith fans are, not surprisingly, causing an uproar, both online and with questions for the tour's organizers. A facebook page called "Lilth Fair: No Money for Crisis Pregnancy Centers" already has over 985 fans.

Tour organizers have essentially stated that the CPCs will remain on the list and it will be up to local residents to vote and decide what they want their money going to. However, the tour founders (Sarah McLachlan, Terry McBride, Dan Fraser and Marty Diamond) will make the final call between the top three charities in each city.

While I can't imagine the CPCs stand a chance at winning (though you never know - they do have an army of supporters behind them), the fact that the tour will not remove them from the list of possible charities is outrageous. Including these bogus centers that deceive and misinform women among the list of credible, honest and effective organizations that promote women's health and empowerment only serves to legitimize the fake clinics and give them credit where none is due.

The facebook page has a new update that makes it seem like the tour organizers may be realizing what a mess they've gotten themselves into and may be changing their stance, but we'll have to wait and see. We'll keep you updated!

And don't forget! April is the month to Expose Fake Clinics! CPCs often target college campuses with their deceptive advertisements and false information, so be sure to educate students on your campus about their harmful practices. Join the campaign!