New Wave Grrrl...

Tomorrow is National Comprehensive Sex Ed Call-In Day!

2009-10-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, Oct. 28th is National Comprehensive Sex Ed Call-In Day!

Make the call - tell Congress no more Abstinence-Only funding that doesn't work for our teens and youth!

For all the details, check out Choice USA's special Call-In Day page by clicking here and read on below to find out more from Choice USA and other organizations on what you can do!

Join the National Comprehensive Sex Education Call-In Day on October 28th!

The healthcare reform debate is dominating the news right now. One thing we’re not hearing about is the Hatch Amendment, an amendment that would have a serious impact on sex education in our classrooms. Voted into the Senate Finance Committee’s version of healthcare reform 12-11, the Hatch Amendment lays out a $50 million funding plan to get failed abstinence-only programs back into our classrooms.

We need to speak up! This piece of healthcare reform will directly impact our everyday lives and its key we show our legislators we want sex education grounded in fact that teaches us what we need to know.

Abstinence-only programs don’t work. President Obama has called for the end of them in his budget and Members of Congress in the House and Senate have held firm by letting ab-only funding streams expire. Let’s make sure 12 Senators don’t successfully get bad sex education back into our classrooms!

Join Choice USA, SIECUS, SYRF, Advocates for Youth, and Catholics for Choice in our National Call-In Day on Wednesday, October 28th. Call 1-888-423-5983 to reach your Senators’ office.

Women’s Health is a Community Issue: Review of Where Women Have No Doctor

2009-10-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to read a wonderful book published by the Hesperian Foundation, a change-making organization which New Wave Grrrl has profiled before, entitled Where Women Have No Doctor. To many people in the United States, this title is inconceivable, however its message is universal in its appeal to communities to care for and respect women and girls. The book itself is practical, meaningful and written for all people who see the healthcare of women and girls as being critical to the health, survival and prosperity of their communities.

Where Women Have No Doctor is a how-to for communities located in poverty-stricken urban and rural areas, or those without strong public health infrastructure, where quick access to trained medical professionals is often impossible, especially in the event of emergencies. Its practicality as a field manual is undeniable, as it contains extensive diagrams, glossaries, explanations, and guides on medicines, examinations and a whole host of other useful information for individuals who are putting these instructions to use on the ground. The book is much more than a “Do It Yourself” on healthcare however, and is a fantastic read for anyone interested in the ways in which women’s health is woven into the fabric of communities worldwide.

The beauty of Where Women Have No Doctor is that it provides keys to understanding health disparities around the world, which are often deeply rooted in vastly unequal power dynamics among women and men, with men typically making all family healthcare decisions in many regions. These decisions, as we are told by the book, can include access to care, the management of funds, determinations about the type of care received, the critical entry points for individuals to receive care, and the timing of the healthcare sought. In many cases, as demonstrated by some of the true-story testimonials contained in the book, the inequities in health literacy and healthcare decision making-power costs women their livelihood, and sometimes their very lives.

Through case studies of women and families, Where Women Have No Doctor demonstrates how inextricably linked issues of food, poverty, war, community supports, family status, forced and early marriages, and too frequent childbirths often lead to dramatically adverse health outcomes for women and girls across a lifetime. In Where Women Have No Doctor, the writers have creatively and effectively managed to intertwine both a practical field manual for providing basic first aid, emergency response and certain medical procedures with a critical look at how societies are organized. The authors seamlessly move from providing community healthcare information, to in-depth examinations of why women and girls are undervalued the world over, and how deep inequalities, including poverty and lack of education, have tremendous adverse affects on women’s health, wellbeing and overall survival.

The book also offers information on family planning and spacing of children, safer sex and ways to end the cycle of violence, which in many cases must be addressed by the entire community as a whole. One of the recurrent tools, which is highly applicable and cost-free in many cases, is the formation of support groups among women, as a vehicle for greater protection, awareness and change. The book also stresses the importance of making enough food and milk available for women and girls, as this proves to be a major health indicator and can help women fight disease, prevent exhaustion and lead to better outcomes for themselves and their families. Often, due to women and girls’ lower status in families, overwork in low-skilled demanding labor and frequent pregnancies within short periods of time, women suffer exhaustion and depression at extremely high rates, and when they do not receive adequate nutrition, they are made increasingly vulnerable to disease and death as a result.

In addition to the quality of in-depth information that this book provides, I was also particularly impressed by the section on women with disabilities and their special health needs, to which an entire chapter is dedicated. This section includes information on skin care, such as prevention and treatment of pressure sores, which is a huge health issue for individuals with physical or other movement-inhibiting disabilities. The chapter also stresses the importance of exercise and shows examples of movements to keep joints and muscles working and prevention of further injury, sores, etc. due to limited mobility. Unfortunately, low mobility even for those without physical limitations is a major issue for people with disabilities, as they do not typically have as much access to their communities and social opportunities as do their non-disabled peers.

The chapter is sex and self-positive in tone, and recognizes the importance of women with disabilities having access to information on sexuality, family planning and abuse and assault prevention tools. These are all critical aspects of healthcare for women, especially those with varying ability levels, as many people do not think that these issues need to be discussed with the disability population, so they usually go unaddressed. This reality is even further confounded in rural or remote areas, where access to information and resources is less easily achieved.

Another great attribute of Where Women Have No Doctor is that within this chapter on women and disability, as well as throughout the book, mental health issues and illnesses such as depression are not only mentioned, but the book helps to de-stigmatize them, and discuss the cultural origins of stereotypes about women with disabilities and/or mental illness. The book encourages women with disabilities to find others to talk to, pursue their dreams and form support groups and networks. Perhaps most importantly, the book discusses how to get others on board in order to educate and modify communities so that they will be more accessible to women with disabilities. In keeping with the book’s overall theme, the reader is offered positive images of women with disabilities, which are essential to changing perceptions about people with disabilities and increasing integration within society.

As a field manual on community health, or just as a guide to knowledge about women’s status in the world, Where Women Have No Doctor is truly comprehensive, in that for every example it highlights of the inequalities and challenges that women face all over the world, the book provides positive reinforcement for communities that seek to make changes in the lives of women. In addition, it offers a multitude of advice and action steps towards positive changes that will hopefully ease poverty, improve health and transform the way in which communities view and value women and girls.

(This book is also available in Spanish.)

A Message from Halle Berry (!) and Girls Mentoring and Education Services

2009-10-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

A while back, guest blogger Thomael Joannidis posted on child sex trafficking and the need for more awareness about how this is affecting so many girls in America and around the world. Below is a letter from Halle Berry, on behalf of the Council of Daughters and Girls Education and Mentoring Services (G.E.M.S.) on why YOU need to get involved...

Dear Daughters,

Being a girl isn't easy.

Today in New York City, a girl will flee an abusive home, only to be approached by a pimp-trafficker who will promise her love and protection. He will not deliver on these promises. Instead, he will assault and degrade her, and later sell her repeatedly to johns.

I have never met this girl, but she is my daughter.

In Houston, a girl trafficked and sold by a pimp will be arrested. Most likely, she will not be viewed as a victim of child sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. She will be deemed a 'teen prostitute' and sent to jail. It will devastate her but she will have no one to tell her she is loved, that she will be okay, that she is not to blame.

She is my daughter.

In Chicago, a girl will have her picture taken and posted on a popular social networking site, a virtual marketplace for johns interested in buying very young girls. Her pimp will force her to meet these johns in motels and brothels and apartments around the city, and will punish her mercilessly if she refuses.

She is my daughter.

And in my hometown of Cleveland, a girl will arrive in an emergency room with extensive injuries resulting from a brutal assault by a john. The doctors may treat her, but it's possible they will not have the training to identify her as a victim and connect her with services that can help her heal from her physical and emotional trauma.

She is my daughter.

Across the nation, between 100,000 and 300,000 American children are at risk for child sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. In most cases, resources do not exist to care for them, help them heal, advocate for them in the courts, and empower them to reach their full potential. That's why I too am a member of The Council of Daughters, working with you to mobilize women and girls to encourage stronger legislation, better services, increased community awareness, and real social change to protect and empower girls who have been trafficked as they fight to recover from their exploitation.

Imagine what we can accomplish if millions of women band together to fight for the needs of girls at the national and local level. Imagine the power we can wield if we all agree that every girl in America deserves the right to grow up and live her dreams. Imagine the enormous change that is possible if we each commit to a simple pledge: Every girl is my daughter and I will do whatever I can, whenever I can, to protect the girls I know and the girls I may never meet.

Together, we can ensure that girls are educated and empowered to know their self-worth and beauty. We can demand that service providers, doctors, educators and police officers are informed and prepared to respond to the needs of children who have been victimized. We can ensure that comprehensive recovery services are available in all 50 states. We can help young survivors rise to the forefront of a nation-wide movement to end child sex trafficking in America. We can build a nation where girls are celebrated, not sold.

I need you to do three things for me today. First, if you haven't seen it yet, I want you to watch the GEMS film Very Young Girls to learn just how much girls in recovery need our support. The film is available online and on DVD at Netflix. Watch it this week or accept GEMS' One2One Challenge and share it with a friend on our National Viewing Night on October 17th.

Click to accept the One2One Challenge on October 17th.

Second, I encourage you to donate $10, $25, $50 or any amount to support the GEMS Girls Fund. Inspire a friend by inviting them over to watch the film with you on October 17th and make a donation to GEMS in honor of this friend. Any amount is a gift.

And finally, I want you to invite someone new to join the Council by clicking the link below to forward this email.

I know we can do this. I know we can change the world for girls.

Love Always,
Halle

Chilling Developments on "Fetal Personhood"...

2009-09-25T04:14:00.001-07:00

With all of the excitement leading up to the historic 2008 Presidential Election, it is difficult to believe that mid-term election season will soon be in full swing for 2010.

With that said, many special interest groups (SIGs) that operate on the fringe in America are already gearing up to ensure that their candidates sweep the elections next year and that their issues of things like strict marriage definitions, limits on choice, etc. appear on state ballots. One such group is the "Fetal Personhood" supporters, who have been trying in states like Colorado to establish full rights for unborn fetuses equal to that of all adult American citizens.

The National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association recently reported on the issue, and it is truly disturbing:

"Fetal Personhood" Advocates Eye 2010 Elections

Personhood USA is once again on the offensive, pushing for the rights of fertilized eggs over the rights and health of women. The group claims to have campaigns active in 29 states, but efforts in Montana, Colorado, and Florida are currently making headlines. In each of these states, Personhood USA is seeking signatures for a petition to put a state constitutional amendment on the 2010 ballot that would define "person" from "the beginning of biological development."

Nearly identical endeavors failed in Montana and Colorado in 2008. In Montana, "personhood" advocates failed to obtain half of the required signatures to put the measure on the ballot. The citizens of Colorado voted down the amendment nearly three-to-one. These defeats have not discouraged the group, and organizers in both states have until July 2010 to gather the required number of signatures to qualify for the state's ballot.

Fofi Mendez, chief coordinator of the Protect Families, Protect Choices Coalition in Colorado, told the Rocky Mountain Independent, "The true goal of this initiative is to criminalize all abortions... This has very far-reaching consequences for important life decisions, such as in vitro fertilization, birth control, and has impacts on women and their families."

According to Associated Press reports, there are similar petitions circulating in Mississippi and Nevada, and amendment language will be filed later this month in California.

Come to Women Who Health!

2009-09-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Younger Women's Task Force of New Jersey (YWTF-NJ) will be holding its fall kickoff event "Women who Health" next week on Thursday, October 1st from 6-8pm at the Hickory Corner Library in East Windsor, NJ. This event will consist of refreshments, panel discussion on women's health issues by experts around the state, and time for question and answers.

For information and to register, please see the information below:

Women Who Health:
Women’s Preventative Health Panel

Thursday, October 1
6:00-8:00 PM
at
Hickory Corner Library
138 Hickory Corner Rd., East Windsor, NJ

Participate in a panel discussion where women discuss ways to ensure and promote healthy lifestyles through education and awareness. Panelists include a personal trainer, representative from the Sierra Club, and more!

Enjoy light refreshments, door prizes, and take-aways at this free event.

RSVP by September 28th via email at ywtf.nj@gmail.com.

Will you be at the PA Gov's Conference for Women on Thursday?

2009-09-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

NWG will! Go Philly!

More info below on the conference:

Hosted By

Governor Edward G. Rendell &
The Pennsylvania Commission for Women
The Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia
Thursday, September 17, 2009

http://www.pagovernorsconferenceforwomen.org/

Read "Saving the World's Women"...

2009-09-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

The new book Half the Sky, with it's name taken from an ancient Chinese proverb which says that women hold up half the sky, will be published in September.

"1% of the entire world's landowners are women.

21% of women surveyed in Ghana reported that their sexual initiation was by rape.

98% of people in Egypt believe that girls have the same right to education as boys.

130 million women around the world have been subject to genital cutting.

The U.N. estimates that there are 5,000 honor killings of women conducted each year around the world."

All of these statistics were taken from NY Times writers Nick Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn's latest article on why it is so critical that we invest in the lives of women and girls around the globe. The article is a precursor to their new book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity Worldwide.

In "Saving the World's Women," which was published the week prior to Women's Equality Day in a special issue of the NY Times Magazine, the pair take on why blindly throwing foreign aid is not working, and how effective it is to fund women and girls' education, health, and economic empowerment in the fight against poverty, extremism, and pandemics.

They also remind us that prominent policymakers have been aware for almost 20 years of just how important women and girls are to solving some of the world's most dire problems, and yet relatively little has been done to affect a paradigm shift away from old foreign aid and thinking models and towards real progress.

What else can I say? Read it! Read it! Read it!

Happy Women's Equality Day!

2009-08-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

More tomorrow debriefing on today, Women's Equality Day...for now, well, the photo says it all. I know, I know, I trot this pic out at least twice a year, but I still think it is the best thing that ever came out of Woodstock, NY (its posted outside the Town Hall).

NWG Away This Week....

2009-08-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

We are out of town this week, and will return to blogging over the weekend with many updates on healthcare reform, upcoming opportunities for young women, and other good stuff!

In the meantime, check out some great pieces of coverage and commentary on recent healthcare controversies, myths, and strategies to get back on track towards better healthcare for all at the links below:

SC Congressman Clyburn on Intimidation and Reform
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111801758

A Special Needs Mom Responds to Sarah Palin
http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2009/08/a-response-to-sarah-palins-death-panel-comment-from-a-parent-of-a-child-with-special-needs.html

Ezra Klein Interviews Sen. Johnny Isakson on End-of-Life Decisions and Healthcare
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/08/is_the_government_going_to_eut.html#more

Joseph Palermo at HuffPo on What Happened to the Biggest Issue of the 2008 Election
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/health-care-reform-was-th_b_256615.html

Tribute to Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Tireless Advocate for People with Disabilities...

2009-08-11T17:41:00.001-07:00

(Original photo from Sports Illustrated, December 2008)

Today, Eunice Kennedy Shriver passed away at age 88, in Massahcusetts. Mrs. Shriver was one of the most prominent public advocates on behalf of people with disabilities, and founded the Special Olympics in 1968, in order to expand opportunities and possibilities for children and adults to live fuller, richer lives in their communities.

Over the last thirty years, many social and institutional changes have taken place, due to the advocacy work of people like Eunice Kennedy Shriver, self-advocates, and families within the developmental disabilities community, to advance the civil rights of people with disabilities. Many individuals and families remember the distinct periods of time before the beginning of our social evolution, even up until the 1960's and 70's, when individuals with disabilities were often excluded, warehoused, and even hidden from public life and community living.

During this period prior to what is generally regarded as the Modern Disability Rights Movement, people with physical, cognitive, behavioral, intellectual, and multiple disabilities were not able to access opportunities to interact with their counterparts outside of state institutions, let alone have the agency and independence to make choices for themselves and pursue their personal hopes and dreams.

Angered and deeply saddened by the treatment that her sister Rosemary Kennedy received, due to her own family's and society's ignorance and lack of acceptance of her moderate case of mental retardation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver dedicated her life and work to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. By creating learning and leadership opportunities for people with disabilities through the Special Olympics and other programs, Mrs. Kennedy Shriver discouraged the practice of hiding people with varied ability levels in the shadows of society, and instead helped to raise consciousness and bring light to these issues.

To learn more about her life's work, and read other tributes, visit Eunice Kennedy Shriver: One Woman's Vision.

The Time is Now! Tell Washington to Get Serious About Protecting Women's Rights in Health Reform...

2009-08-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

March for Women's Lives, May 2004

In a follow up to our last posting on healthcare, today its time to discuss one of the most important aspects of healthcare reform, reproductive rights and health, and in the words of Jodi Jacobson over at RH Reality Check, "bring it"!

Family planning and reproductive rights have been pummeled about in recent Congressional activities on reform as if they are mere outlying circumstances in health, while in reality they affect EVERY SINGLE citizen in this country. In fact, what could be more mainstream and uniform in its impact than reproduction? Our ability to make healthy and safe choices about reproduction affects every man, woman, child, and family. This is not just a women's issue, yet we are being relegated to the margins of reform, and as political footballs, we are passed back and forth in order to reach a "deal."

Listen up Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who care about choice in reform (which includes reproductive choice and health): did we elect these jokers to wheel and deal on behalf of the few, or did we elect them to reform on behalf of the many?

I received an email from whitehouse.gov recently, entitled "What Healthcare Reform Means to You," laying out the issues below that indeed matter to me. Given how important these are, we must hold our elected officials accountable, and not let them use women's bodies as a bargaining tool to leverage what they consider to be victories in reform:

-No discrimination for pre-existing conditions
-No exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays
-No cost-sharing for preventive care
-No dropping of coverage if you become seriously ill
-No gender discrimination
-No annual or lifetime caps on coverage
-Extended coverage for young adults
-Guaranteed insurance renewal so long as premiums are paid

Correct me if I am wrong, but that fifth bullet does say "no gender discrimination." On the actual White House website, this bullet is followed by a short description which reads:

"No Gender Discrimination
Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender."

Is this all that is meant by no gender discrimination in reform? I think not, especially given that if women did not as often bear the sole responsibility of family planning, pregnancy prevention, childrearing, and caregiving, our overwhelmingly male-comprised Congress would not be so willing to sell out on these issues.

Read Jodi Jacobson's recent article on insurance coverage for women and families' reproductive healthcare, including well-woman care, HIV/ AIDS care, contraception, and abortion:

Want Insurance to Cover Your Reproductive Health Care? White House Advisor Tells Grassroots "It's Time to Bring It."
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/07/22/want-insurance-cover-your-reproductive-health-care-white-house-advisor-tells-grassroots-its-time-bring-it

Also, check out the August Recess Action Center which Campus Progress/ The Center for American Progress has put together to let your rep's know where you stand, including a toolkit for meeting with elected officials. Visit today to sign up and let us be heard loud and clear that women's health must be championed in reform.

NWG Jumpin' Into Healthcare...

2009-07-31T12:00:00.000-07:00

OK, so it's been a packed summer for me, and I cannot believe 1) that tomorrow August begins, and 2) so many are predicting that healthcare reform is already DOA with members of Congress going on recess next month. Seriously, what is up?

These are the highlights of where we are and what has been written about this week, and whatever happens next, you should know about them, because when it comes to healthcare reform, everyone knew it would not be easy, but that doesn't mean we can sleep through it (myself included). If you'll be around in August, why not make an appointment with your representative, and let them know you care? And that we cannot let this get away from us again, 15 years after reform was attempted last under the Clinton Admin. Read below, and then find out how to set up a meeting from the ACLU here and click here for contacts to legislative offices from Project Vote Smart, which is the TOPS in NWG's humble opinion.

Five Minutes with Ezra Klein, by Jake Blumgart at Campus Progress

Healthcare as a Human Right, by Natasha Bowens at Campus Progress
Blue Dog Compromises: A War on the Middle Class?, by RJ Eskow at Huff Po

Ezra Klein's blog at the Wash Po(did I mention we should all be reading him like everyday?)

Healthcare Realities, by Paul Krugman at the NY Times

The Stakes of Healthcare Reform, by Chris Hayes at The Nation
And, check out this less than uplifting news from NOW, not that this comes as a total surprise, but who thought women's reproductive health would still be a bargaining chip after all that talk about hope and change? I guess Congress didn't get the hope and change memo:

NOW Outraged at House Vote on Abortion Coverage -- Women's Rights Traded Away

July 31, 2009

NOW is outraged to learn that the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed an amendment excluding abortion services from the "essential" health benefits package as defined by the government. Under this amendment, subsidies used to help pay insurance premiums for low-income people could not be used for abortion services. The New York Times reports that "insurers must use money from private sources to pay for any abortions."

"Reproductive health care is a fundamental right. Any health care plan that does not cover the full range of reproductive services, including abortion, discriminates against women," said NOW President Terry O'Neill. "Once again, our representatives are giving in to the right wing by trading away women's rights. Well, I have a message for them, our reproductive rights are not theirs to give away."

O'Neill noted that a majority of voters support coverage for abortion services, with only about a quarter opposed to using tax dollars to pay for abortion. In addition, a recent study found that most people in the U.S. with employer-based insurance currently have coverage for abortion. "Don't low-income people deserve the same level of coverage as other people in this country?" asked O'Neill. "Our lawmakers should be ashamed of themselves for perpetuating class-based and gender-based biases as they attempt to 'reform' our broken health care system."

Props to Port Chester Schools...

2009-07-29T08:32:00.001-07:00

The American School Health Association recently circulated an article detailing how Port Chester schools in West Chester County, NY will now offer STI and pregnancy-testing as part of a new school health initiative to provide quick and critical services for elementary, middle, and high school students, most of whom are girls and young women. The Port Chester School Board, which recently moved to approve the initiative with only one dissenting vote, has come under fire not surprisingly from groups like Focus on the Family. The Port Chester School Board and School District should be applauded for their progressive and proactive action on the important reproductive and public health issues that are impacting students at Port Chester in high numbers. Read on to find out more:

NEW YORK: Port Chester Schools to Offer Pregnancy, STD Tests

Journal News (White Plains) (07.26.09)::Theresa Juva

Under a measure recently approved by the Port Chester School Board, Open Door Family Medical Centers will expand the services it provides in elementary, middle, and high schools to include STD and pregnancy testing. Students who test positive for pregnancy or infection can receive counseling and are referred for treatment to the Open Door facility nearby. Board member Jim Dreves said the expanded services meet a growing need. In 2008, Open Door's director of clinical services said 19 of the 525 girls at Port Chester High School were either pregnant or parenting. "If a kid comes in and says 'I think I have a problem,' to be able to do the test is important," Dreves said. Port Chester is the only school district in Westchester County to house school-based clinics operated by Open Door. The program was created in 2004 for students with no health coverage, though any student can be seen. The federally funded program administers immunizations and physicals and offers mental, vision, and hearing screenings.

Click here to read the rest of the article at the LoHud Journal News.

New Women's Resource Launched by the Alice Paul Institute in New Jersey...

2009-07-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Recently from the Alice Paul Institute:

WOMENS INFORMATION NETWORK OF NEW JERSEY (WIN-NJ)

The Alice Paul Institute (API) announces the online premiere of the Women’s Information Network of New Jersey (WIN-NJ). This project was made possible through a grant from the Women’s Agenda of New Jersey.

WIN-NJ provides an online database of women’s organizations within the state that deal with issues of particular relevance to women’s social, political, economic, educational, and legal advancement. This project was developed to help promote and facilitate effective communication within the women’s organizational community on these issues.

The database is accessible through API’s website (www.alicepaul.org), and provides links to each organization’s website. It is available in three formats: by area of subject expertise, alphabetically as a .pdf file, and alphabetically as an Excel spreadsheet that can be sorted by various fields.

Information provided for each organization includes, where available, the organization’s name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, website, principal contact and title, and up to three areas of subject expertise.

Maintenance of the database will be performed by Valerie Buickerood, Director of Major Gifts, at API. For changes to database information or recommendations for adding organizations, please contact her at (856) 231-1885 or at valerieb@alicepaul.org.

New Resource for Girls with ASD...

2009-07-09T10:40:00.000-07:00

We just heard about a new resource for parents that relates to teen girls with autism and other Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), called "Girls Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum: What Parents and Professionals Should Know About the Pre-teen and Teenage Years," by Shana Nichols, Gina Marie Moravcik, and Samara Pulver Tetenbaum.

Typically, it is difficult to find information on the individual social and health needs of girls with autism because ASD's generally present in boys at such a higher rate than their female counterparts. Nevertheless, the availability of appropriate resources for all families dealing with autism are critical, and this book specifically addresses the issues that girls face while approaching and during adolescence and teenhood.

NWG has not yet read the book, so this is not a review, just a shout-out to some resources for families with girls and autism. Two of the authors, Nichols and Tetenbaum, are affiliated with the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism in Nassau County, NY. To learn more about the book, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, click here.

Update to API Post...

2009-07-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to the API posting below from last week: the Alice Paul Institute is now looking for interns and volunteers, especially on its various Committees!

Check out more information about opportunities to get involved by clicking here, or visiting www.alicepaul.org.

In Honor of a True Patriot...Happy Fourth of July!

2009-06-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

With the Fourth of July festivities fast approaching this weekend, and the dismal mood that has settled upon many American communities hard-hit by the current economic times, I thought we were long overdue at NWG for a post about a true patriot and countrywoman, Alice Stokes Paul, and a film recommendation for all who need something to believe in this Independence Day.

Reports have been surfacing over the past several weeks of towns and cities nationwide that are unable to celebrate Independence Day this year with traditional fireworks and fanfare due to budgetary crises. My city of Philadelphia, which many call "the birthplace of America," is still able to hold their fireworks display this year, despite major financial woes. However, for those folks that may not have a local venue in which to celebrate the upcoming holiday this time around, some good-old-fashioned American storytelling may have to do...and may just change the way you think about our American heritage. If you are looking for a holiday flick worthy of your inspiration and moral imagination, I urge you to check out Iron Jawed Angels, starring Hilary Swank as American Suffragist and political leader Alice Paul.

Born in 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Alice Paul dedicated her entire life, which ended in 1977, to fighting an enormously brave battle for women's rights and equal participation in American society and politics. Among her extensive achievements when she passed away were the successful passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution which guaranteed women the right to vote, and developing and advancing the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the US Congress. Although the ERA has not yet been ratified, many believe that Alice Paul's legacy in the ERA, which would essentially codify gender equality under federal law, will someday come to pass, as it has been introduced before Congress every year since 1982, and at one point, was included within the official Party Platforms of both the Republicans and the Democrats.

Today, the story of Alice Paul's life and legacy is preserved within the very walls of her original home, Historic Paulsdale, located in Mount Laurel, NJ, and registered as a State and National Historic Landmark. Paulsdale is run and maintained by the Alice Paul Institute (API), a non-profit organization committed to celebrating the life of Alice Paul through a wide range of heritage programs, and empowering future leaders of women's enfranchisement by offering leadership programs to girls and young women. API serves girls from nearby cities of Cherry Hill, Camden, and other local communities, and plans to expand its reach to benefit children and youth throughout more of New Jersey and the Delaware Valley Region. Featured below, the API staff helps to unveil the new Capital Grille restaurant in Cherry Hill, NJ, as they pose before a sepia-colored portrait of Alice Paul.

(From left, API staff members: API President Rhonda DiMascio, Director of Leadership Programs Dana Dabek-Milstein, Director of Heritage and Outreach Kristina Myers, Director of Major Gifts Valerie Buickerood, and Administrative Director Debra Hojsak.)

Thanks to the dedicated API staff and volunteers, Paulsdale is a warm and welcoming place that succeeds in reminding its visitors of where American women have been, and where we have the ability to go in the future. Although it is easy to revel in gratification while studying the collection of historical photographs and artifacts that adorn the halls of Paulsdale and commemorate the momentous Women's Suffrage Movement of the early 20th Century, these also must serve as a reminder of our path toward equality that still lies ahead, finishing the work that Alice Paul began over one hundred years ago.

So, this coming Fourth of July, when ringing in what might have been just another excuse to barbeque or possibly a bleak reminder of the challenging economic horizon that so many face this year, let a true patriot of the past guide your holiday hoopla and ring in something worth celebrating which can be appreciated by all - freedom!

For more information on Alice Paul, the critical community impact of the Alice Paul Institute, and how you can get involved, visit www.alicepaul.org

NWG Goes to Arizona...

2009-06-25T14:16:00.000-07:00

Well not really physically to AZ, but certainly in spirit. In the May addition of the Pima County Women's Commission newsletter, we published a piece on women with disabilities and hopes for better health policies under the Obama Administration! The Women's Commission of Pima County/ Tucson is an organization dedicated to helping women achieve equality and eliminate racism. Check out the lead in and click the link for more...

Women with Disabilities Look toward a Promise of Hope and Change for the Future

By: Emily Kronenberger

Over the past four decades, people with disabilities, their families, and those who advocate on their behalf have worked closely and collaboratively to succeed in making significant changes in the lives of people with disabilities and their opportunities in society. Advancements in education, relationships, leadership and social opportunities, and greater independence have all come in increased numbers as a result of the modern Disability Rights Movement in the United States. Despite some gains however, members of this population continue to go without the supports and services that would enhance their ability to lead fuller, richer lives...

Full article available by clicking here.

Also, click on the logo above to visit the Center for Research on Women with Disabilities (CROWD) to learn about how we can better address the specific health needs of women and girls with varied abilities.

Thoughts on the "F-Word" from Campus Progress...

2009-06-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

(“Women’s Liberation Party” march, Convention Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, Sept. 7, 1968. (AP PHOTO)

Elizabeth Stannard Gromisch over at Campus Progress recently published this piece on how many young women do not self-identify as feminists, yet tend to articulate a very feminist framework for how they live their lives and see the world. While interviewing them on the issue, Gromisch found that many young women are uncomfortable with the feminist label because they have found and felt that the movement has not always been extremely welcoming of diverse views and backgrounds...read on to find out more:

"I'm Not a Feminist, But..."
Why some young women are shying away from the f-word

What is your take on this issue, do you call yourself a feminist?

Chicago School Needs a Time Out...

2009-06-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

Having grown up in New Jersey, I take a lot of flak for being a former resident of the Garden State. Often known as citizens dwelling within the "Armpit of America," New Jerseyeans get a bad rep for having big hair, big attitudes, and big environmental problems.

Nevertheless, one thing I do have to say for New Jersey is that compared to alot of other states, we get the need for comprehensive sex education and helping teens and youth make healthy decisions about their bodies and sexuality. New Jersey was one in the first round of states to reject federal Abstinence-Only funding from the former Bush Administration, citing that the Abstinence-Only curricula offered in many programs funded by the feds did not meet the Core Curriculum Standards for science and health subjects in New Jersey's State Education Policy. Imagine that? We said no to them, because their curricula was not up to our little old state's standards, hmmm...

Anyway, when I recently read a Chicago Tribune article on how the film "Time-Out: the Truth about HIV, AIDS, and You," had caused a stir after a teacher showed the film to his health class in a Catholic Chicago school, I had to give Jersey its props. One of my foremost memories of learning about HIV/ AIDS as a child in the early 90's was through watching Time Out, and its many stars including Mayim Bialik (Blossom, anyone?) and Paula Abdul (yes, my idol at the time), talk about HIV/ AIDS in a candid way that made me less anxious about having family members who were HIV-positive. HIV/ AIDS was just beginning to be talked about in the mainstream at the time, and this film helped to calm fears of something that kids who were being educated on it, and more importantly and noticeably adults, were terrified of.

Many other elementary-school aged students besides myself in New Jersey saw this video and started having conversations with their teachers, parents, and even friends about HIV/ AIDS, and many of these conversations led to the better awareness and consciousness that we have today about HIV/ AIDS, although it is still a huge public health issue that faces our society. Some of my family members have lived with HIV since before this film was made, and some of them have not survived. I credit this movie with educating young people and steering the dialogue away from shame and blame, and more towards health, safety, and most importantly, love.

That message may never be heard by all of the kids in that Chicago school due to the irrational (and irresponsible) fears of the Chicago Archdiocese, but thanks to that teacher, some young people did hear what Time Out had to say, and some of them will be better off because of it.

Follow up on Dr. Tiller's Murder...

2009-06-05T09:58:00.001-07:00

This week, some interesting posts, stories, and analysis have circulated the web on the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Nevertheless, the in-depth story of his life of service to women and families, and his tragic death, have all but been widely ignored by the greater media this week (save some short news tid-bits or the ridiculous rantings of Bill O'Reilly and his gang of thugs) and a broader discourse has yet to take place.

Personally, I feel that Congress should hold hearings on this pattern (yes, this is certainly pathological and highly organized) of violence that is allowed to surround and endanger abortion providers and caregivers, and leads to the barring of women from accessing their Constitutional right to seek the best healthcare possible for themselves and their own families. In addition, I believe President Obama needs to augment the original statement he made earlier this week condemning the violence that killed Dr. Tiller, and reinforce his commitment to women's rights and freedom.

The level of outrage needed though has sadly not reached a fever pitch among the American public for this to happen, really because a lot of people are just not aware of this latest violent attack on choice and the threat it poses to all Americans and their individual rights.

Below are just some of the highlights of commentary on Dr. Tiller's murder from this week:

Black Silence and the Abortion Debate, Salamishah Tillet

Religious Leaders Respond to the Murder of Dr. George Tiller, Rev. Deborah Haffner

Special Needs and Choice, Realist Mom's reader diary at RH Reality check

DC Vigil for Dr. Tiller Held in DC this Week, from Choice USA

Late-Term Abortions: The Facts, The Stories, and How to Help, Jodi Jacobsen at RH Reality Check

Also, check out I Am Dr. Tiller.com, at http://iamdrtiller.com/, a website in memorial to Dr. Tiller.

Few Words...

2009-06-01T13:14:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Kansan and reproductive health champion Dr. George Tiller was killed...

Dr. Tiller was brutally murdered, in his church, with his wife and friends in the community present. Dr. Tiller was only one of three abortion clinic-based providers left IN THE COUNTRY that offered late-term abortion services to women and families who were seeking the procedure based upon dire medical need. The story is so short, and so sad, that there are not many words to describe it beyond what has already been written in the last day or so since his killer was apprehended by Kansas authorities.

Here, in a statement from Sharon Camp of the Guttmacher Institute, the importance of his work, life, and death is put in the best way that I have seen yet:
____________________________________________________
Statement from Sharon Camp, Guttmacher Institute president and CEO, on the murder of Dr. George Tiller

The Guttmacher Institute joins the reproductive health community in expressing our shock and sadness at the murder of Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas physician who dedicated his life to providing abortion care to women in need—including later-term abortions to women in the most difficult of circumstances. Dr. Tiller did so despite decades of harassment, vandalism, threats and violent attacks by antiabortion activists.

The number of U.S. abortion providers has been declining for many years; as a result, a growing number of women have difficulty obtaining abortion services in a timely manner. The overwhelming majority of abortion providers offer services in the first trimester, when nearly 90% of abortions occur. But at later gestations—when abortions due to fetal anomalies and threats to a woman’s health or life are more common—only 2% of all abortion providers offer the procedure, leaving women in need of later term abortions with very few safe, legal options.

The death of Dr. Tiller is a senseless tragedy. Dr. Tiller risked his life on a daily basis to ensure that women had access to safe, legal reproductive health services. For the women he helped over the years, as well as those who will now have nowhere else to turn, this is an incalculable loss.

Dr. Sharon Camp
President and CEO
Guttmacher Institute

PA to Introduce New Marriage Equality Bill...

2009-05-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest on the talk of proposed Marriage Equality legislation in the State of Pennsylvania, from Equality Advocates PA (yeah Pennsy!)

Contact: Jake Kaskey, Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, (215) 731-1447 x14
Andy Hoover, ACLU-PA, (717) 236-6827 x13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 27, 2009

Civil Rights Coalition Commends State Senator’s Marriage Proposal

(Harrisburg) Civil rights organizations across Pennsylvania today commended Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach for his intention to introduce legislation that would grant full marriage equality to same-sex couples. The Value All Families Coalition praised Senator Leach’s longstanding dedication to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, calling the proposed legislation an inspiring glimpse into the future of equality for all Pennsylvania couples.

“We absolutely look forward to the day when all Pennsylvania families can enjoy the same benefits and protections under the law that heterosexual couples currently have,” said Jake Kaskey, policy and outreach coordinator of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania. “We are grateful for all of the work that Senator Leach has done on behalf of the LGBT community over the years and look forward to seeing full equality reached for all LGBT people.”

Senator Leach’s decision to introduce an inclusive marriage bill comes as other states, including Iowa and Maine, pass same-sex marriage legislation and one day after California’s Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, an amendment to California’s constitution prohibiting marriage between same-sex couples. It also comes at a time when the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is debating House Bill 300, legislation to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.

“Gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights and responsibilities as all other married couples across Pennsylvania,” said Andy Hoover, legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. “We look forward to demonstrating the need to recognize every relationship across Pennsylvania.”

Senator Leach’s proposed legislation, which is currently circulating for co-sponsorship, was announced just days after another state senator, John Eichelberger (R-Blair), announced his intent to introduce a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania.

Numerous studies have shown that states that grant marriage equality to all couples receive significant economic benefits. The New York City Comptroller issued a report this week declaring that marriage equality for LGBT couples in New York would garner the state an additional $210 million in revenue in the first three years.

The Value All Families Coalition is comprised of diverse statewide, regional, and local organizations that support equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Pennsylvanians.

###

New Resources on Health Disparities...

2009-05-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

The federal Centers for Disease Control's Division on Adolescent and School Health recently announced the release of its newest resource on health disparities among African-American youth in the United States, which is available online here.

Another report released just a few days ago by a separate federal agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, which is now headed by former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, detailed the health disparities women in the US face when attempting to access care, especially those with lower incomes. The brief can be found by clicking here.

Although we know that health disparities among various social and ethnic groups of women and girls exist, more analysis is needed on the intersection of these disparities among women and girls.

Calling all Teens: Become a Writer for Answer this Year!

2009-05-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

Are you a young person under age 20 with something to say about sexual health? Do you want to share your views and empower other young people to make informed choices about their health? Do you want to gain writing and editing skills for college or a career?

If you answered "Yes!" to these questions, you need to check out Answer's Magazine, Sex, Etc., written by teens for teens, and consider becoming a writer or editor. Members of the Sex, Etc. team are paid staff that contribute content, articles, and advisement on issues impacting them and their peers...oh and did I mention you get PAID?

For more information on how to apply, or if you are an educator or other professional that works with teens and would like to refer them to this opportunity, check out the description below, and click here to visit their website:

We’re looking for teens in New Jersey and New York City for our 2009-2010 teen editorial staff.

These teens determine the editorial direction of the magazine and Web site, write stories and take photographs. Teens get writing and sexual health training during an orientation in August, and then meet one Saturday a month during the school year.

If you have teens you work with who are committed to providing honest, accurate sexual health information to their peers, please send them to Sexetc.org and have them click on “Join Our Staff” to complete an online application. If you have any questions about applying, please don’t hesitate to e-mail Sex, Etc.’s managing editor, Lucinda Holt, at lucindah@rci.rutgers.edu.