Internship Opportunity: Internship with The Line Campaign available!

Internship with The Line Campaign available!

Into film? Interested in ending violence against women? Looking for an internship?

The Line Campaign seeks an Outreach/Marketing intern. For more information, contact: thelinemovie@gmail.com

What is The Line Campaign? From their website:

"THE LINE is a film that explores the intersection of sexual identity, power and violence. How do we negotiate our boundaries as sexually liberated women? How much are we desensitized to sexual violence? Through conversations with football players, educators, survivors of violence, prostitutes, and attorneys, this personal film explores the “grey area” and the elusive line of consent."

RALLY AGAINST MONSERRATE THIS SATURDAY

Hey Guys!
 
This Saturday there is going to be a rally against Sen. Monseratte's voting on the marriage bill that was in the New York Senate. The fight for equality ISN'T over, is so far from it! Even if the bill failed, it's our duty to show that the ruling was not popular sentiment. We are NOT second class citizen and we deserve full rights. So JOIN us, and come out to protest Monserrate. Invite everyone you know, even straight alliances. It's important to know that this is not just a queer issue, this is natural right issue.
 
March to Sen. Monserrate's office 

Join religious leaders, community leaders and friends and neighbors to show your support for LGBT rights.
We need everyone to join us not just LGBT people. Please consider coming. 

Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009 

Time: 3:00 PM

Place: Assemble in front of Make The Road NY, 92 Street and Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights, Queens. March to Sen. Monserrate's office - Northern Boulevard and Junction Boulevard. 


EVERYONE IS INVITED AND NEEDED. SPEAK OUT FOR EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE. WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF BEING TREATED AS SECOND CLASS. DEMAND FAIR TREATMENT FOR ALL PEOPLE.

Two great events open to the public: NOW-NYC and Sara Benincasa!

The semester winds down with our last two and awesome events:

Maureen Shaw of NOW-NYC will come and give a presentation on
what's going on with the organization and how we can get involved.

Wednesday, December 9th
2 PM - 4 PM
Facebook Event Page

Comedian Sara Benincasa will come and talk to us,
ask generally uncomfortable questions, bring laughs, thoughts,
and her gorgeous self.

Wednesday, December 16th
1PM - 3 PM
Facebook Event Page



BOTH EVENTS will be at
Thomas Hunter Hall Room 309
on the northwest corner of 68th St. & Lexington Ave.
New York, NY 10065

New Program for Student Activists

Activist Boot Camp
A New, Free Program Offered by Planned Parenthood of New York City

Planned Parenthood of New York City is launching a new activist program that some of the members of your student organization might be interested in.

The program is called Activist Boot Camp and it trains students how to become effective activists for the reproductive rights movement. It is completely free of charge and we come to you to conduct the trainings. You simply provide 15-30 people and the space for the trainings to take place in.

These trainings are specifically for the reproductive rights movement, but touch on many points that are helpful for any activist work you might be interested in such as: recruiting and retaining new group members, organizing successful advocacy campaigns and confidently talking about tricky topics.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in or you want more information, you can email me, Camille Hartmann, at Camille.hartmann@ppnyc.org or Melissa Lee at Melissa.lee@ppnyc.org .

Also - if you know of any other students or organizations that would be interested in our boot camps, feel free to pass the information along.

We are happy to send you hard copies of the flier if helpful.

Thanks and we look forward to hearing from you! 

Camille Hartmann
Community Outreach VISTA
Planned Parenthood of New York City
26 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel: 212-274-7290
camille.hartmann@ppnyc.org

Day of Action against Stupak this Wednesday

[Image via MassArt's Feminist Majority]

Dear members of the Hunter Women's Rights Coalition (Hunter Equality),

This Wednesday we are having an important meeting (with free pizza, naturally) about our upcoming fundraiser for the Ali Forney Center as well as how to take action at home against the Stupak Amendment, which, if passed along with the health care reform bill before the Senate, could leave women worse off than before.

There will, however,be a National Day of Action THIS WEDNESDAY in Washington, D.C. -- we encourage you to attend if you can. I've included the information from Planned Parenthood below:

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
DECEMBER 2, 2009
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Washington, DC

Please join us to lobby the Senate for health care reform that ensures women's access to reproductive health care.

To rsvp click here and email hunterequality@gmail.com

From Planned Parenthood: Join thousands of others to speak with one voice and let our elected officials know that we support health care reform that protects women's health! Real health reform will respect the right of women to purchase private health insurance that covers comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion. We hope to see you there! If you can't make it to DC, stop by our Facebook page for online activities through December 2. www.facebook.com/plannedparenthood

If you can't make it to DC, we will be discussing The Hanger Project during our Wednesday meeting.

If you can't make it to the meeting either, you can help fight Stupak by calling your Senators: Look them up by state

We are incredibly proud to have worked together throughout this semester and we're very excited for the next. Whether it's in DC, in the clubroom, or online -- we hope to see you by our side in pushing for real health care reform that doesn't leave women behind.

With love and in solidarity,
Sabrina

President
Hunter Women's Rights Coalition
Hunter Equality@gmail.com

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/HunterEquality
Blog: http://hunterequality.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/happyfeminist

DMI Scholars Recruting Student Activists

www.dmischolars.org

The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy created DMI Scholars to identify progressive college activists from underrepresented communities and train them in the skills necessary to obtain and succeed in entry-level public policy positions. With DMI's network and expertise, DMI Scholars will become the future Legislative Directors, Policy Analysts and Advisors who fuel the progressive movement with new ideas and effective advocacy. We strongly encourage students of color, immigrants, members of the LGBTQ community, and students from low-income and working class backgrounds to apply. For more information visit www.dmischolars.org

Breaking: Urge House to Defeat Anti-Choice Amendment TODAY

In a matter of hours, the House of Representatives will vote on the issue of abortion in the new health system. Congress is set to vote on abortion in the new health system TODAY. We can't let the anti-choice movement win, because women could lose access to abortion care. Contact your member of Congress right now to help us stop this attack. Call Rep. Nydia Velazquez (202) 225-2361 . Women's coverage for abortion services rests in the hands of Congress – and that vote is going down to the wire.  Contact your member of Congress immediately to help us defeat this attack - call Rep. Nydia Velazquez (202) 225-2361 . This amendment would have devastating consequences for women. Right now, more than 85 percent of private-insurance plans cover abortion services. That's the status quo. The proposal we're fighting, led by Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan and Republican Rep. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania, would make it virtually impossible for private insurance companies that participate in the new system to offer abortion coverage to women. As a result, women who currently have a private plan that covers abortion care could lose that coverage. We can't let women lose access to abortion care. Contact Rep. Velazquez (202) 225-2361 right now to help us stop this attack. Rep. Stupak's proposal is dangerous and based on outright lies. Here are the facts: The health-care-reform bill maintains the system we have now. It would allow insurance companies to decide what services to cover, and it blocks federal money from paying for abortion. Yet, Rep. Stupak is jeopardizing the entire health-care reform effort by making it virtually impossible for health plans to offer abortion coverage in the new system.  Now we need you. Ask your member of Congress to oppose Rep. Stupak's anti-choice amendment.  The vote will be extremely close. One vote could make the difference. Thank you for speaking up for women's access to abortion today.       Nancy Keenan President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Sex. Consent. Power. Pleasure. "The Line" film screening & panel discussion

PARADIGM SHIFT: NYC'S FEMINIST COMMUNITY & SAFER Proudly Present
SEX. CONSENT. POWER. PLEASURE.
Film, Conversation, & Community
THE LINE, documentary screening
Facebook event page

THE LINE trailer from Nancy Schwartzman on Vimeo.

Panel discussion featuring:

NANCY SCHWARTZMAN, Filmmaker
ERIN BURROWS, Students Active For Ending Rape
JOSEPH SAMALIN, Men Can Stop Rape, Campus Strength Coordinator
IGNACIO RIVERA, Sex educator, Organizer & Performance Artist

Join our special honored guests including former Paradigm Shift event speakers, feminist authors, activists, and thought leaders

Support by Identity House, Amy Mitten Photography, NOW NYS YFTF

Attendees are welcome to discuss & document their thoughts on consent for the "Where is Your Line?" campaign

When: TUES, DEC. 1st
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: In the heart of the Feminist District; Gallery Bar
120 Orchard Street, between Delancey St. and Rivington St.
Subway: Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z), Grand St (B, D), 2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)

Cost: $7 if you RSVP before Dec. 1st, 12:00 noon / Students FREE / $10 at door
RSVP (include full name and guests): rsvp@paradigmshiftnyc.com

PARTICIPATE:
Calling all progressives! Promote this event and we’ll help promote your organization!
Email: JWeis@paradigmshiftnyc.com

THE LINE Synopsis:
http://thelinemovie.org
A one night stand far from home goes terribly wrong. As the filmmaker unravels her experience, she decides to confront her attacker. Told through a “sex-positive” lens, THE LINE is a 24 minute documentary about a young woman – the filmmaker- who is raped, but her story isn’t cut and dry. Not a “perfect victim,” the filmmaker confronts her attacker, recording the conversation with a hidden camera. Sex workers, survivors and activists discuss justice, accountability and today’s “rape culture.” The film asks the question: where is the line defining consent? THE LINE was completed in July 2009.

CUNY Internships at The Legislative Gazette

WANTED: Serious print journalists to cover the legislative process in Albany, the financial crisis and statewide elections. What better time to occupy front view seats to the drama in our state's capital?

Beginning January 3rd, CUNY is again partnering with The Legislative Gazette to offer semester-long PAID internships. The Gazette internships prepare you for work at newsgathering outlets and other meaningful communication positions. You can earn up to 15 upper division credits. To qualify, you must be a full time student. The program requires you to receive pre-approval for independent study and/or fieldwork credits from your instructor. All interns reside fulltime in Albany. You will gain invaluable "away from home" study experience.

To apply, please email a letter of interest and resume to by November 15 to:sherley.jean-pierre@mail.cuny.edu

The Homosexual Agenda

[Kind-of-well-ok-really-stereotypical-but-still-kind-of-funny-and-hot picture via John Coulthart]

In honor of Ally Week (the week for awesome straight folks that support LGBTQ rights)

I wanted to share a comment from a Feministing article by VT Idealist.

Because it is awesome beyond words.

The homosexual agenda

8:00 - Networking reception and mingling with straight people. Coffee and pastries will be provided.

8:30 - Welcome and opeing remarks

9:00 - Initiation of America's youth into Teh Gay

10:15 - Break. Oppurtunity for lusting after straight people in sex-segrated bathrooms.

10:30 - Workshop: Using anti-discrimination laws for your advantage

11:30 - Destroying the sanctity of marriage

12:00 - Lunch and awards reception. Recognition for converting others.

1:00 - Workshop: How to make children ask their parents uncomfortable questions

2:00 - Marriage cermonies involving polygamy, incest, under age children, and/or animals. Because, hey, once you allow same sex marriage, the sky's the limit.

3:00 - Break

3:15 - Workshop: Flaunting your homosexuality

4:00 - Workshop: How to raise your children to be gay, too

5:15 - Cocktail reception

Ally Week

[10/19/09] Check out our Facebook event page here!

From Monica Carr, our Coalition's Secretary:

Hey Everyone,
Hope you are as happy as I am that this week is over! We have some ambitious goals for next weeks Ally Week (October 19-23rd) and hit our first snag in the process. We were not granted permission to table the dates and times we requested (damn you!) Regardless, the week will still go on. We can still have people take the pledge, hand out pamphlets, pledge cards, stickers, etc. Think of it as a grass roots campaign :) We still need people to sign up for what I'm now calling "lobbying hours." The times we are trying to fill are:

Monday: 10/19/09
1:00-
2:00-
3:00-

Tuesday: 10/20/09
11:00-
12:00-
1:00-
2:00-
3:00-
4:00-

Wednesday: 10/21/09
3:00-
4:00-
5:00-

Thursday: 10/22/09
3:00-
4:00-
5:00-
6:00-
7:00-

Friday: 10/23/09
12:00-
1:00-
2:00-
3:00-

Lastly, considering the work load of posters, informative pamphlets (hehe), banners, etc. that still need to be made I'm having another arts and crafts meeting of the sort. I'll be having people over my place tomorrow @ 9pm. I understand this is uber last minute, and no one is obligated to attend, but if you have nothing better to do with your Friday night and feel like spending it with happy feminists and queer activists alike, come make some influential signs! Tempting, isn't it? If this interested you, please text me @ (908) 894-9472 to confirm and I'll send you my address. That's all for now. Thanks for being wonderful <3
Best,

Monica Carr
Secretary of Hunter's Women's Rights Coalition

Breaking news: Abortion ban defeated - for now

The anti-choice fringe came within inches of convincing key senators to take abortion coverage away from women who already have it. Make sure senators know they must reject ALL future attempts to ban private insurance coverage for abortion in the new health-care system. Please write the Senate NOW! We scored a critical victory in the health-care debate—but we need your help right now to make sure it sticks. The Senate Finance Committee narrowly rejected an anti-choice attempt to ban abortion coverage in the new health-care system. But we are not even close to the finish line. As the debate moves forward, Senators need to know they must continue to reject any and all attempts to take away abortion coverage from women who already have it. Help us send as many letters as possible to the Senate in the next 24 hours, urging senators to reject ALL future anti-choice attacks on the health-care bill! We know that our opponents aren't going to give up as the bill moves to a full congressional vote. In fact, the victory over the abortion ban is bittersweet: during debate on the bill, the Senate Finance Committee did adopt an amendment restoring funding for Bush's failed "abstinence-only" program. We must make sure the Senate does not make any more concessions to the anti-choice pressure they're feeling now. Write your lawmakers today! My best, Nancy Keenan President, NARAL Pro-Choice America

Reflections on a sign from the National Equality March

To those of you about to march, we salute you.

Picture via Twitter user mickjddc.

------------------

Today, in Washington, D.C., an estimated hundred thousand members of the LGBTQ community and their allies marched on our nation's Capitol to make their voices heard.

Their request is basic: full equality.

A tremendous number of pictures have been put up on Twitpic from the protesters themselves, some funny, some evidence of the incredible number of people marching today. The slogans and sign always funny and thoughtful.

Perhaps this one was the most striking. A mixed-race apparently heterosexual couple who came out in support held up a sign that read, "Our marriage was once illegal, too."

The oppression of women, blacks, and the LGBTQ community are often compared. During the primary election, people questioned who would be a more powerful symbol to put in office, a woman, or a black man?

I am done with the Oppression Olympics. No one wins. To pretend that there is no overlap, that there are no LGBTQ individuals of color, to think that any repression, harassment, and violent attacks can be treated in relative terms is not only unwise, it is hurtful.

Women's rights are human rights.
Civil rights are human rights.
Gay rights are human rights.

We believe we are all deserving of equal treatment before the law. Because we are human.

So let us not forget to stand together as we all push for human rights.

UPDATE:

The couple from the first picture have become e-famous! Congrats! You can check out Mike's blog here.

Event: THE RALPH BUNCHE FORUM

Upcoming event, via the Political Science Department of Hunter College:

THE RALPH BUNCHE FORUM

Fall 2009 Speaker Series


Sexual Violence, Peace Mediation, & UN Security Council Res.1820
Anne Marie Goetz
Chief Advisor, Governance Peace & Security
UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women)
Tues., 13 October (Room C-201, CUNY Grad. Center)
6.007.30 pm

Debate the movie, but stop pretending there aren't facts

So, I've been checking out a message board on Rudius Media, and I thought, "Whatever, internet boys at play. Big whoop." But it pissed me off that their argument against the "1 in 4 women are sexually assaulted" statistic was not counter evidence, but instead "That seems too high a number." WELL THEN, SIR. YOU MUST BE RIGHT -- how can you argue against that kind of logic, I ask you? You cannot. /sarcasm (also, LSAT reasoning FAIL)

And thus, like the little feminist troll that I am, I posted this. AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU POST THIS. EVERY FUCKING WHERE. Because you can debate an idea, but these are facts.

The following statistics are from RAINN:

1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed rape; 2.8% attempted rape).1

17.7 million American women have been victims of attempted or completed rape.1

9 of every 10 rape victims were female in 2003.2

While about 80% of all victims are white, minorities are somewhat more likely to be attacked.

Lifetime rate of rape /attempted rape for women by race:1
* All women: 17.6%
* White women: 17.7%
* Black women: 18.8%
* Asian Pacific Islander women: 6.8%
* American Indian/Alaskan women: 34.1%
* Mixed race women: 24.4%

Men
About 3% of American men — or 1 in 33 — have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.1
* In 2003, 1 in every ten rape victims were male.2
* 2.78 million men in the U.S. have been victims of sexual assault or rape.1

Children
15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12.3
* 29% are age 12-17.
* 44% are under age 18.3
* 80% are under age 30.3
* 12-34 are the highest risk years.
* Girls ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.
7% of girls in grades 5-8 and 12% of girls in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.4
* 3% of boys grades 5-8 and 5% of boys in grades 9-12 said they had been sexually abused.

In 1995, local child protection service agencies identified 126,000 children who were victims of either substantiated or indicated sexual abuse.5

* Of these, 75% were girls.
* Nearly 30% of child victims were between the age of 4 and 7.

93% of juvenile sexual assault victims know their attacker.6

* 34.2% of attackers were family members.
* 58.7% were acquaintances.
* Only 7% of the perpetrators were strangers to the victim.

Effects of Rape
Victims of sexual assault are:7
3 times more likely to suffer from depression.
6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
13 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.

Pregnancies Resulting from Rape
In 2004-2005, 64,080 women were raped.8 According to medical reports, the incidence of pregnancy for one-time unprotected sexual intercourse is 5%. By applying the pregnancy rate to 64,080 women, RAINN estimates that there were 3,204 pregnancies as a result of rape during that period.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could lower the actual number of pregnancies:

* Rape, as defined by the NCVS, is forced sexual intercourse. Forced sexual intercourse means vaginal, oral, or anal penetration by offender(s). This category includes incidents where the penetration is from a foreign object such as a bottle. Certain types of rape under this definition cannot cause pregnancy.
* Some victims of rape may be utilizing birth control methods, such as the pill, which will prevent pregnancy.
* Some rapists may wear condoms in an effort to avoid DNA detection.
* Vicims of rape may not be able to become pregnant for medical or age-related reasons.

This calculation does not account for the following factors which could raise the actual number of pregnancies:

* Medical estimates of a 5% pregnancy rate are for one-time, unprotected sexual intercourse. Some victimizations may include multiple incidents of intercourse.
* Because of methodology, NCVS does not measure the victimization of Americans age 12 or younger. Rapes of these young people could results in pregnancies not accounted for in RAINN's estimates.

References
1. National Institute of Justice & Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Prevalence, Incidence and Consequences of Violence Against Women Survey. 1998.
2. U.S. Department of Justice. 2003 National Crime Victimization Survey. 2003.
3. U.S. Department of Justice. 2004 National Crime Victimization Survey. 2004.
4. 1998 Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls. 1998.
5. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. 1995 Child Maltreatment Survey. 1995.
6. U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. 2000 Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement. 2000.
7. World Health Organization. 2002.
8. U.S. Department of Justice. 2005 National Crime Victimization Survey. 2005.

http://www.rainn.org/get-information...ssault-victims

From the Women's Center at Duke University:

Sexual assault and relationship violence is more common than we like to think. Studies show that 1 in 4 women and 3% of men will be survivors of sexual assault, and one in four women will experience relationship violence, in their lifetimes. http://wc.studentaffairs.duke.edu/sass/survivors.html

From the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault:

24% (1 in 4) of Colorado women and 6% (1 in 17) Colorado men have experienced a completed or attempted sexual assault in their lifetime. This equates to over 11,000 women and men each year experiencing a sexual assault in Colorado. (Sexual Assault in Colorado: Results of a 1998 Statewide Survey. 1998. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault) http://www.ccasa.org/statistics.cfm

This Wednesday: Audacia Ray

Audacia Ray: Sex work around the world

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
1 PM - 3 PM
Thomas Hunter Hall 309

Audacia Ray is a media maker and activist who is passionate about sexual rights. Presently, Audacia is the Program Officer for Online Communications and Campaigns at the International Women’s Health Coalition, an adjunct professor of Human Sexuality at Rutgers University, and the co-host of the monthly reading series Sex Worker Literati in New York.

http://www.audaciaray.com/

Audacia will be fresh from her trip to India. On this trip, she will be doing a media exchange between American and Indian sex workers.

She has explored this issue from many angles, and we're excited to have her come in and let us pick at her brain for a while.

The event will be open to the public -- as our doors are open, so we hope your mind will be.

View the facebook event page at facebook.com/HunterEquality

See you there!

Donation Drive for the Ali Forney Center

The Hunter Women's Rights Coalition (HWRC/"Hunter Equality") is collecting donations starting today for The Ali Forney Center. A box is available already in the club room (Thomas Hunter Hall room 309).

Items We Always Need:

* Non-perishable foods
* Toiletries
* Cleaning supplies
* Office supplies
* Twin sheet sets
* Towels and wash cloths
* Socks, underwear and T-shirts
* School supplies and bookbags.

New clothing and new or "gently" used linens are appreciated.
This list from here.

About this organization, from their website:

"New York City can be a brutal place for homeless youth and tragically, many young lives have been destroyed. At AFC, we are making a difference by rescuing kids from the dangers of the streets and placing them into our safe, homelike environments. [...]

Ali Forney was a homeless queer teen who was forced to live on the streets of New York during the 1990s. Ali was dedicated to the safety of other homeless queer youth; he was a committed HIV prevention worker, and aggressively advocated that the NYPD investigate a series of murders of the homeless queer youth he had befriended. Ali was an inspiration to those who knew him.

In December of 1997, Ali was murdered on the streets. His tragic death called attention to the atrocious conditions for homeless LGBT youth in New York. Ali's murderer has never been identified."

Here is a link to our Facebook event. Thank you for any and all donations! Your help is always appreciated!

Internship Opportunity: UN-INSTRAW 2010

UN-INSTRAW Internship Programme

The Internship Programme at UN-INSTRAW is designed to acquaint students or recent graduates with gender issues and the work of UN-INSTRAW and of the United Nations in general. Students spend anywhere from three to six months (or longer) at the Institute's headquarters in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Some internships can also be carried out "virtually" (i.e. from the intern's home base).

In line with the Institute's focus on applied research, knowledge management and capacity-building, interns assist in a variety of tasks such as preparation of policy briefs, background research, Internet searches, database development, preparation of abstracts of books and articles, organization of chats and discussion forums, and corresponding with focal points and other networks, among other activities.

The Internship Programme does not offer stipends or other financial support. Interns must cover their own travel and living expenses. Medical insurance coverage is required.
--

Available Opportunities: 2010 INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

Internships with the Gender, Migration and Development Programme:

• Information/Knowledge Management Intern (Click to download full description)

Internships with the Gender, Peace and Security Programme:

• Research and Information Intern (Click to download full description)

Internships with the Gender Training Community of Practice:

• Information and Networking Intern (Click to download full description)

Internships with the Knowledge Management Unit:

• Communications Intern (Click to download full description)
  
• Translation Intern (Click to download full description)
  
• Social Media Intern (Click to download full description)

Current INSTRAW Interns: Patricia Rivera (George Mason University, USA) Silvia Park (Universität Potsdam) Christina Duschl (University of Vienna, Austria) Celia Depommier (Westminister University, UK)

Programme Details Who is eligible? Women and men from any country; University students in graduate level (MA or equivalent) or higher programmes. What are the requirements? Academic background and/or experience in research and training on gender issues; Fluency in English is a must. Basic knowledge of Spanish is necessary. Knowledge of French is an asset. What do I need to apply? You need to send to UN-INSTRAW diroffice@un-instraw.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it the following: Completed application form (download below) CV One letter of recommendation from your university or your employer; Writing sample - no more than 5 pages (short paper or extract from a longer paper); Copy of medical insurance card. Due to the normally large number of applications, UN-INSTRAW only contacts applicants who have been short-listed. Where would I live? UN-INSTRAW headquarters is located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The majority of internships are carried out there, though the possibility for "virtual" internships does exist (to be decided on a case-by-case basis). Interns normally rent a room in a house with access to kitchen and living areas. Lodgings are the responsibility of the individual interns, though UN-INSTRAW can assist with available information and references. What is the cost of living in Santo Domingo? The cost of renting a room in a house ranges from US$250 to $400 per month. The cost of food depends on eating preferences and can range between US$300 - US$500 per month. Public transportation is available, as are taxis, which can require up to US$4.00 per ride within the city. Bus transportation is available for travel to other cities within the country. More information? For more information about the Internship Programme, please contact us at: diroffice@un-instraw.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Download application forms word format pdf format

More here: http://www.un-instraw.org/en/instraw/personnel/interns.html

Via Women News Network's Twitter feed: @WomenAdvocates

Internship Opportunity

New York Abortion Access Fund Internship (Fall 2009)

New York Access Abortion Fund (NYAAF) offers internship positions on a semester basis, with positions in winter, summer, and fall.

Our internships are unpaid and positions can fill up to two semesters in advance. Some colleges and universities may award academic credit and/or financial stipends for semester-long internships. As an all-volunteer organization, NYAAF is currently unable to provide any financial compensation.

Ideal candidates have interest in reproductive health care and justice, non-profits, and foundations.

Interns will have the opportunity to learn more about NYAAF's overall work and how funding decisions are made, participate in monthly board meetings, attend events and work on fundraising initiatives under the supervision of the board of directors.

We believe it is important to provide our interns an opportunity to feel ownership in the work they are doing, and we strive to provide work projects that allow our interns to use the skills they have, stimulate their personal interests and passions, and teach them new skills and new ways of thinking about reproductive health and justice.

Responsibilities:

Intake

- Respond to phone and e-mail requests for financial assistance, assess need based on minimal case management

- Work directly with clinics and women to fund abortions in New York State

- Coordinate funding with the board of directors

Administrative

- Retrieve mail biweekly

- Maintain database of donations

- Draft and mail thank you notes

- Work with Treasurer to make bank deposits

- Create NYAAF branded materials for events, manage mailings and produce content for www.nyaaf.org as well as third party websites.

- Attend monthly meeting and press events; represent NYAAF when asked

Qualifications

- Excellent written and oral communication skills;

- Experience and/or interest in reproductive health care, women's rights, feminism, as well as social and economic justice.

- An ability to plan and prioritize tasks to meet multiple deadlines

- Web, database and library research and writing skills

- Familiarity with Excel and/or other databases

- Interest in grassroots organizing

- Knowledge of reproductive health and justice issues

If you are interested in an internship with NYAAF, please send a cover letter and resume to NYAAF Board Chair at: nyaaf@nnaf.org

Call the Senate: Don't Let Women Lose Coverage

Dear all,

I hope you find this information useful.  Contacting your senators does not take long -- you can do this during your regular procrastination from homework.

See you at the club fair next Wednesday!

Much love,
Sabrina Caprioli
--
President
Hunter Women's Rights Coalition
HunterEquality@gmail.com

The Hunter Women's Rights Coalition (HWRC) is the leading feminist club on campus with diverse accomplishments such as helping organize the historic Freedom on Our Terms Conference with Gloria Steinem, fighting sexual violence, and getting gender-neutral bathrooms on campus.

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/HunterEquality
Blog: http://hunterequality.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/happyfeminist

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Dear Sabrina, They called their senators—will you? Sign in image paid for by the American Life League. We cannot let anti-choice politicians impose a new abortion ban through health-care reform. Dial (202) 224-3121 to tell Sen. Schumer to oppose any attempt to take away abortion coverage from women who already have it. Call your senator now! Anti-choice politicians have drawn a line in the sand: they won't be happy until women who now have private insurance coverage for abortion lose it in the new health-care system.1 The stakes for women could not be higher in the health-care debate. That's why we're meeting with key lawmakers all day today to drive the point home—and making sure that anti-choice legislators don't succeed in banning private insurance companies from covering abortion care in a reformed health-care system. But we need your phone call right now to back us up. Click here to call your senator, who is on the committee that will take up health care next, right now. If you've never called your senator before, it's a LOT easier than you might think. It takes just about one minute. Here's what to do: Call (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to Sen. Schumer's office. Tell the staff person who answers the phone where you're calling from, and that you strongly urge your senator to oppose any attempts to take away abortion coverage from women who already have it. Most calls will end right there, but if you like you can also mention that reproductive-health care should be treated like any other health-care service in the new system – not singled out for exclusion on political grounds. After you're done, click here to let us know you called. This step is so important – please don't forget! Thank you so much for your ongoing support and activism—I know we can get this done together. My best, Nancy Keenan President, NARAL Pro-Choice America P.S. Your call today, along with our meetings with lawmakers, the letters of tens of thousands of other pro-choice activists, and our earned media strategy will have a big impact on members of Congress—but keeping anti-choice politicians at bay is an ongoing struggle. Donate now to help us continue our advocacy and other efforts on behalf of women's reproductive rights. 1 "Dem: Prevent abortion funding, or I'll block healthcare," The Hill, September 9, 2009

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© Copyright 2009 NARAL Pro-Choice America & NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation. All rights reserved.

Internship opportunity

FILM MARKETING AND OUTREACH INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY

In the age of consent, how can we make safer, healthier communities?

"The Line" is a cutting edge short documentary film that explores sexual consent. It is a sponsored project of the New York Foundation of the Arts (NYFA) and our education partners are the Internet Sexuality Information Service (ISIS-Inc).

Working closely with filmmaker and activist Nancy Schwartzman, be part of an exciting, cutting edge film distribution program. Using the documentary film "The Line" catalyze and create the space for dialogue about sexual boundaries, consent and equality. Learn how to make a film make change!

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate campus visits and screenings for "The Line" documentary for Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.
  
• Develop partnerships with campus groups, women's centers, non profit organizations and prevention and education resources.
• Monitor blogs and Web sites (feminist, human rights/social change, glbt violence prevention, etc.) to identify opportunities for screenings, discussions, activism including link exchanges with other sites, mailing lists, website discussion areas, online newsletters, web press, etc.
• Develop and implement online PR strategy to amplify our reach online and to grow our e-subscriber list.
• Research and implement web-based outreach, PR and marketing activities including social networking via Facebook, MySpace etc., viral marketing, search engine marketing, text messaging, blogs, tagging and other forms of electronic communications.
• Oversee evaluation following screenings including a survey testimony gathering, and follow-up interviews.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will have:

• Enthusiasm and passion for sexual education and violence prevention for college students and teen-agers.
• Commitment to human rights, gender equality and creating independent female voices in media.
• Interest in online engagement, public interest advocacy/campaigns, and film.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), email lists, as well as Internet research skills.
• Ability to work with social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks under deadlines.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in written format.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and with a team that is far-flung geographically

Please email resume, relevant experience and references to: info@thelinemovie.org

Find out more: www.thelinemovie.org and www.nancyschwartzman.com

The Power of Words: Humor & Prostitution v. Trafficking

Posted by: Sabrina, HWRC President (HunterEquality@gmail.com)



Ah, les mots. Las palabras. WORD(s). Their etymologies clues to our culture, their use evidence of their power. There is no such thing as "just sayin'" (I'm looking at you, CNN). We all know how strong humor can be -- I remember someone asking the following at the Feminist Majority Foundation's National Young Women's Leadership conference:

How do you handle sexist humor?

Simple answer, really. In this case, fight fire with fire. Chris Brown joke?
1. Laugh along, and then finish with, "Oh, domestic violence! So funny. Abusive relationships do it to me every time!"
2. Pretend to wipe away tears.
3. Make sure everyone feels as uncomfortable as you just did.
4. Walk away.

Sarcasm is my favorite way of saying, "Bish plz."

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But what do you do when the words aren't humorous? Take it from a girl who's hoping to go to law school: Words are path-marks for a line of reasoning. You hear it all the time.

Liberals say: Health insurance reform, undocumented immigrants, pro-choice, anti-choice
Conservatives say: Obamacare, illigal immigrants, baby killers, pro-life

This is why the headlines for Fox and MSNBC vary so greatly: They are not neutral.

For these reasons I support GEMS and Transitions Global in calling out The Portland Mercury. Their front-page article (on the web, I do not know about their print edition) is entitled "Confessions of a Teenage Prostitute."

I do not believe that criminalizing prostitution has helped women in the past; in fact, I believe the opposite.

However -- forced prostitution and trafficking are different issues. The Portland Mercury article itself says,

"In many ways, Kendall's experience is typical of underage girls forced into prostitution. She had no control over her daily activities. She was afraid to leave for fear her pimp would track her and her family down. She was manipulated by a man who knew just how to charm her."

[emphasis mine]

Is this prostitution? Or is this coercion, kidnapping, and rape? How can a sixteen-year-old in Portland be a prostitute if she can't even consent to the sex she's being paid to have (the age of consent in Oregon is 18). She can't. And so I applaud GEMS and Transitions Global for having a good eye and a sharp mind.

Our calendar!

Posted by: The Happy Feminist (HappyFeminist at gmail dot com)

CLASSES START TOMORROW!! ARE YOU EXCITED!?!? Yeah, neither are we. If you want something else to look forward to, check out our brand spanking new calendar! Click here for a permanent link to it.

NOW Launches Action-Oriented Blog on Women's Equality Day

NOW Launches Action-Oriented Blog on Women's Equality Day "These splendid people are hungry, hungry. Oh, for more power to give out the truth!" — Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1875 The National Organization for Women is proud to celebrate Women's Equality Day this year by launching Say It, Sister! — a new blog designed to inform, inspire and instigate feminist activism. Women's Equality Day marks the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed women the right to vote. For more than 70 years, the foremothers of feminism campaigned for women's equality at the polls, and they finally achieved victory in 1920. Nearly a century later, the ballot box remains vital to protecting and advancing women's rights, but the way we educate voters and petition our government has changed dramatically. The Internet has brought us unprecedented organizing power, and there's little doubt that suffragists like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Sojourner Truth would have welcomed this tremendous opportunity to amplify their voices and reach out to women across the country and around the globe. In the tradition of those great feminists, Say It, Sister! will bring women's rights supporters together to motivate and strengthen each other in our mission to end all forms of sex discrimination. The blog will serve as a place where NOW leaders speak their minds, call women and men to action, encourage feedback and facilitate a lively (no doubt) dialogue. "I am thrilled to launch NOW's blog, Say It, Sister!, on Women's Equality Day," said NOW Action Vice President Erin Matson. "As Elizabeth Cady Stanton said so long ago, there are many hungry people out there. Well, now we have this incredible power to nourish them and point them in the right direction to make change, and that's just what we plan to do!" The NOW blog is located at www.now.org/blog View Online Sign Up for Emails NOW Home Support NOW's Work Unsubscribe / Edit Profile

Posted by,
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
NOW – NYS Young Feminist Task Force Chair
National Organization for Women (NOW)