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)

Male perspective: The men who kill women - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News -

The following is a great article by a feminist male friend of mine I had the pleasure to meet at the Men Can Stop Rape Conference in DC in April 2009.

The men who kill women - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News

By Ben Atherton Zeman/Local columnist
GHS
Posted Aug 09, 2009 @ 12:20 AM

An excerpt:
We may never know why George Sodini killed three women and wounded nine others this week.

George Sodini clearly had anger and contempt for women. He objectified girls and women, seeming to see them only as potential sex partners for him. In his online blog, he called them "hoez," "hottie" and "very edible." He lamented that he was lonely and isolated.

We may never know what caused George Sodini to shoot twelve women at the LA Fitness Gym outside Pittsburg on July 4. But after reading his writings, it comes as no surprise to me. He wrote about how "a man needs a woman for confidence," and lamented that no woman would date him.

On the same day, Barack Obama celebrated his 48th birthday. It was also veteran White House journalist Helen Thomas' 89th birthday. Obama chose to celebrate his birthday by bringing cupcakes to Thomas and singing "Happy Birthday" to her, along with the rest of the White House press corps.

We may never know what caused Barack Obama to give that gift to Helen Thomas. But after reading his writings and hearing him speak, it comes as no surprise to me. Barack Obama clearly has respect, kindness and good humor for women. George Sodini clearly had hatred, self-pity and contempt for women.

Both men were in their late 40s. Both were surely influenced by how their parents raised them, and by their own choices. Both men took their actions based on a set of beliefs built up over their lives.

To my fellow men I ask: which man do you want to emulate?

...Misogyny and men's violence against women need fertile soil in which to grow. That fertile soil is sexism. By respecting women, we can dry up that soil. We can hasten the day when this kind of violence never happens again.

Posted by:
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

Survey Says: Feminists report less hostility towards men than non-feminists

Shakesville is a feminist blog, and a feminist's blog.

Man Haterz
| posted by Melissa McEwan | Monday, August 03, 2009

An excerpt from the blog:
I can't imagine the number of times I've pointed out (particularly in regard to narratives about rape) that it is anti-feminists' views of men—and, inevitably, men's allegedly intrinsic male (animalistic) nature—which are always extremely unflattering to men.

Most of these unflattering characterizations, particularly that men are brutish and that men are infantile, are blamed on feminists/womanists, but most FWs eschew such blanket stereotypes not merely on the principle that gendered stereotypes are anti-feminist/womanist, but also because FWs are keenly aware that male privilege is served by those stereotypes of men, as one (brutishness) is used to excuse intolerable behavior of men and the other (infantilization) is used to justify pathetically low expectations of men.

The survey:
http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2009/07/non-feminist_mo
An excerpt from the survey:
Some researchers at the University of Houston decided to investigate whether it’s really true that feminists hate men. They interviewed just under 500 undergraduates, using something called the ‘Ambivalence Toward Men Inventory’.

What they found was that feminists reported less hostility towards men than non-feminists. In effect, not only does this suggest the stereotype is not true, it’s actually the reverse.

Melinda Kanner, one of the researchers, has this interesting observation:

Our work finds that, indeed, non-feminists believe in traditional gender roles such as men being breadwinners and women being caregivers. At the same time, these non-feminists actually appear to resent the confines of the traditional roles they advocate, which presents a paradox for women and men in traditional heterosexual relationships.

(via Emily Kadar, Feminist Majority Foundation)

Posted by:
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

Funny Yet Smart Feminist Sitcom Idea

I just watched this, and LOVE it!

Blogulator - Sitcom Idea # 2
Sean from the Pop Culture Blogulator presents another idea for a hit sitcom. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14DZsxgP_SE

Posted by:
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
National Organization for Women (NOW)

Press about us

We (Women's Rights Coalition) were at the following event Saturday, and our work with the CUNY-wide sexual assault policy is mentioned!

http://who-will-kiss-the-pig.blogspot.com/2009/06/saturday-afternoon-in-tompkins-square.html
A serious moment about a serious subject: sexual assault among college students. Jerin Alam of the Young Feminist Task Force discusses the proposed CUNY sexual assault policy that students at the city university are trying to implement. One out of four women and one out of six men are sexually assaulted in colleges nationwide. For information and help, go to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network or call 800-621-HOPE.


Posted by:
Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
President, Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition (HWRC)