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Women's Inequality Day

Feminism, Feminist, Gender Equality, Media, Uncategorized, Women's Equality Day Comments Off

Aug 252010

August 26th is Women’s Equality Day. If we were being honest, we would call it Women’s Inequality Day. Yes indeed, we did win the right to vote 90 years ago, but that does not equal equality. In that regard, we’ve still got a long way to go. As Catalyst notes,

Women hold 16.8% of seats in the U.S. Congress, while less than 20 female world leaders are in power. Women hold only 3% of positions of clout in mainstream media. Less than 10% of TV sports coverage in the United States is devoted to female athletes. And of the 250 top-grossing movies produced last year, 7% were directed by women.

Hell, we’re even discriminated against when it comes to naming streets–turns out that only 7% of the traffic circles in our nation’s capitol are named after women and when it comes to economics, that the faces on our paper money are all male should tell you something.

Bella Abzug

While Women’s Equality Day represents more of a wish than reality, I decided I wanted to learn more about it, and found this on Wikipedia,

Every president has published a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day since 1971 when legislation was first introduced in Congress by Bella Abzug. This resolution was passed designating August 26 of each year as Women’s Equality Day.

In a section on the modern observance of the event, there is also this informative tidbit:

GoTopless.org, a US organization, claims that women have the same constitutional right to be bare chested in public places as men. They further claim constitutional equality between men and women on being topless in public. In 2009, they used August 26, (Women’s Equality Day) as a day of national protest.

That this is the best example the authors of this page could find to illustrate the impact of Women’s Equality Day certainly lends credence to the fact that we’re just not there yet.

But it isn’t just Wikipedia that doesn’t get it. Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a profile of political hopeful Reshma Saujani, or more accurately, they ran a profile about her shoes,

Finally, as we returned to her office, I asked: About those shoes?

“They’re the Kate Spade wedges,” she said, sagging slightly, as if she had only just then been reminded that she had feet. “They’re these politician-woman shoes.”

I’m not a big fan of high heels, so I might be inclined to vote against Ms. Saujani if such things mattered. But actually, I’d rather know where she stands on issues such as climate change, education and oh yeah, women’s rights. Long time political activist and writer Jill Miller Zimon sums it up nicely,

Women politicians should be covered by the media for their issues and character and leadership abilities, based on their experiences, accomplishments and vision for how they’ll fulfill expectations in public office should they win. Exactly as men politicians.

It’s beyond the pale now: there is NO QUESTION that the NYT did this story to get up hackles and in the end, throw serious political reportage of women candidates under the bus. It’s an inexcusable dog and pony show for readers and frankly, if I were that candidate, I would have demanded a different article.

Now – lest I be picked on for saying that a woman politician should be able to choose being portrayed anyway she wants, fine.

BUT I would then ask: WAS SHE GIVEN A CHOICE? Did the Times say to her: we can either do a fashion piece on you and connect shoes to women running for office, or we can do a piece on how you and Maloney differ and what you bring to the table that she doesn’t.

Let’s celebrate all that we’ve accomplished, and honor our foremothers for all of their hard work. And then let’s get back to work, because when it comes to equality for women, we’re not there yet.

———-

To learn more about Women’s Equality Day, click here.

Forked Tongues Abounding On The Topic Of Women And Peace

Afghanistan, Gender Equality, Gender-Based Violence, Human Rights, Iraq, Peace, U.S. Politics, Uncategorized, Violence Against Women Comments Off

Aug 102010

Pretty statement, too bad it is a crock of window dressing–from Critical Role of Women in Peace and Security, an address given by Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues on July 27, 2010:

President Obama’s National Security Strategy recognizes that “…countries are more peaceful and prosperous when women are accorded full and equal rights and opportunity. When those rights and opportunities are denied, countries often lag behind. Furthermore, women and girls often disproportionately bear the burden of crises and conflict. Therefore the United States is working with regional and international organizations to prevent violence against women and girls, especially in conflict zones. We are supporting women’s equal access to justice and their participation in the political process…”

And, Secretary Clinton has often said: “Women’s rights and women’s issues cannot be an afterthought in our foreign policy; they must factor centrally in how we look at the world. We have made women a cornerstone of our foreign policy not only because we think it’s the right thing to do, but also because it’s the smart thing to do.”

Well yes, it is the right thing and the smart thing to do, but a cornerstone of our foreign policy? Who knew. Seems to me that is only true when it is expedient.

The President’s and Secretary’s words are matched by actions.

Really, do tell:

Let me focus on Afghanistan. I want to welcome and recognize Palwasha Hassan, who is here from Afghanistan and who has been a leader in her country. She participated in the Kabul Conference, and we look forward to hearing from her.

At the International Conference on Afghanistan, in London earlier this year, Secretary Clinton emphasized that women need to be involved at every step of the way in the process of building Afghanistan’s future; and she introduced the Women’s Action Plan, which is incorporated into our U.S. Afghanistan and Pakistan Regional Stabilization Strategy. As Secretary Clinton said, “the plan includes initiatives focused on women’s security, women’s leadership in the public and private sector; women’s access to judicial institutions, education, and health services; and women’s ability to take advantage of economic opportunities, especially in the agricultural sector.” This is a comprehensive, forward-looking agenda. She also emphasized the role that women must play in the reintegration and reconciliation process as it goes forward.

That’s nice that Clinton said that, but,

Afghan women were not included in the Afghan Government’s official delegation to the London conference and only one Afghan woman was permitted to speak on behalf of civil society as part of the official conference program.

Meanwhile in the U.S. peace movement…David Swanson has a lengthy summary of the recent peace strategy conference held in Albany, NY. There are 24 points in the summary but the one that caught my eye was this,

21.We call for the equal participation of women in all aspects of the antiwar movement. We propose nonviolent direct actions either in Congressional offices or other appropriate and strategic locations, possibly defense contractors, Federal Buildings, or military bases in the U.S. These actions would be local and coordinated nationally, i.e., the same day for everyone (times may vary). The actions would probably result in arrests for sitting in after offices close. Entering certain facilities could also result in arrests. Participants would be prepared for that possible outcome before joining the action. Nonviolence training would be offered locally, with lists of trainers being made available. The message/demand would be a vote, a congressional action to end the wars: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. Close U.S. bases. Costs of war and financial issues related to social needs neglected because of war spending would need to be studied and statements regarding same be prepared before the actions. Press release would encourage coverage because of the actions being local and nationally coordinated.

One line that doesn’t seem to have any connection whatsoever with the rest of the item somehow doesn’t speak equality or an understanding of of the issue to me. As those of you who were here when this network began know, my motivation for starting this forum was to provide women with a safe and nuanced space to fully empower their voices in the peace movement. If this summary of the Albany conference is indicative of where the peace movement is, devoting one disconnected afterthought of a line to the role of women in the peace movement should tell us that spaces such as the Feminist Peace Network are still badly needed and that we have a long way to go in truly critiquing the peace movement from a gendered lens.

The Glass Ceiling Is Carpeted With Poopy Diapers And It Is All The Fault Of Feminists

Children, Economics, Gender Equality, Misogyny, Patriarchy, U.S. Politics, Uncategorized 4 Responses »

Aug 042010

So it turns out that Mommies are still underpaid and guess what? It’s all the fault of feminists! Yup no doubt about it, couldn’t possibly be due to discrimination dating back to the dawn of patriarchy. According to The Atlantic,

New data shows that, despite feminists’ best efforts, women have still failed to reach equality in the job market.

Wow, like I feel so inadequate. The NYT continues the bashing here:

Women and men with similar qualifications — age, education, experience — are much more likely to be treated similarly today than in the past. The pay gap between them, while still not zero, has shrunk to just a few percentage points.Yet once you look beyond the tidy comparisons of supposedly identical men and women, the picture is much less sunny. There are still only 15 Fortune 500 companies with a female chief executive. Men dominate the next rungs of management in most fields, too. Over all, full-time female workers make a whopping 23 percent less on average than full-time male workers…

…The fact that the job market has evolved in this way is no accident. It’s a result of policy choices. As Jane Waldfogel, a Columbia University professor who studies families and work, says, “American feminists made a conscious choice to emphasize equal rights and equal opportunities, but not to talk about policies that would address family responsibilities.”

In many ways, the choice was shrewd. The feminist movement has been fabulously successful fighting for antidiscrimination laws that require men and women to be treated equally. These laws have not eliminated the blatant sexism of past decades — think “Mad Men” — but they have beaten back much of it.

As a result, outright sexism is no longer the main barrier to gender equality. The main barrier is the harsh price most workers pay for pursuing anything other than the old-fashioned career path.

“Women do almost as well as men today,” Ms. Waldfogel said, “as long as they don’t have children.”

And just how problematic is that? According to Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Moms Rising,

The wrinkle here is that according to the U.S. Census over 80% of US women have kids by the time they’re 44, which means the majority of women hit an economic Maternal Wall and don’t “do almost as well as men.”

Blame it on the feminists? What a load of poop.

Disclaimer: I wrote this post while making dinner for my family, go on, try to pull off that trick you male CEO’s!

There Is NO Excuse For Not Ratifying CEDAW--The Time Is Now

Action Alerts, CEDAW, Gender Equality, Human Rights Comments Off

Jul 072010

From its inception, the Feminist Peace Network has been a strong supporter of CEDAW, the Convention on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which defines violence against women as a violation of women’s human rights and is often described as an international bill of rights for women. It is a travesty that belies the U.S.’s rhetoric on human rights that this convention has yet to be ratified by the U.S., one of only a small handful of nations that have not. Hopefully this new campaign to raise awareness about CEDAW will move that process along. Cross-posted with kind permission from the National Council for Research on Women:

The United States remains one of only seven countries that have not ratified CEDAW (the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women). CEDAW is an international agreement on basic human rights for women and the most broadly endorsed human rights treaty within the United Nations, having been ratified by over 90% of UN member states. CEDAW outlines human rights such as the right to live free from violence, the ability to go to school, and access to the political system. It is clear that CEDAW is working in countries such as Australia, South Africa and Uganda who have incorporated CEDAW provisions into their constitution and domestic legal codes, and Egypt, Jordan and Pakistan, who have seen increased literacy rates amongst women in their countries after ratifying CEDAW. And yet, CEDAW has failed to make progress in the United States. Despite the fact that CEDAW was adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly and has been voted on favorably twice since then on a bipartisan basis by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, CEDAW has never been brought to the Senate floor for a vote. It is time to act, as our window of opportunity is rapidly closing.

In the spirit of action, the CEDAW Task Force of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, co-sponsored by Citizens for Global Solutions, the National Women’s Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the YWCA , has declared this week a Week of Action on CEDAW to push for ratification. In its call for action, the Task Force released the following statement:

Time and time again President Obama has declared his support for women worldwide and announced that the ratification of the CEDAW Treaty was an important priority. Now we need him to show leadership in advancing women and girls’ rights around the world. As women and men who believe in the basic rights of women and girls worldwide – the right to live free from violence, the ability to go to school, and access to the political system – we need President Obama to send a strong and urgent signal to the Senate that ratification of CEDAW is vital.

Envisioning Gender Equality

Gender Equality, Maternal Health, Matridynamics, Reproductive Justice, Women's Health Comments Off

Jun 022010

FPN member and Co-Founder of 34 Million Friends of the United Nations Population Fund Jane Roberts has penned an excellent piece on envisioning gender equality. Here is an excerpt,

Envision a world where all female babies were welcomed as much as their male counterparts. This would mean an end to sex-selective abortion, female infanticide, and neglect of the girl child. This cultural shift would have enormous implications for both people and planet.

Envision a world where the education of all their citizens might be the first priority of governments. Universal education as encompassed by Millennium Development Goals two and three would affect many more girls and women than men and boys. The whole world is saying that girls’ education is crucial. Educated, literate girls value themselves, marry later, marry “better,” have fewer children, educate their children, and keep them healthy. They become educated women who participate in their communities and are empowered to earn both income and respect. Country-specific budgets must prioritize quality education for girls. If this is done for girls, boys will benefit, too.

She also includes this quote from,

the late Dr. Allan Rosenfield, a world-renowned champion of women: “It is not enough to know for the sake of knowing. We have the responsibility to act on what we know. Acting on knowledge is an imperative. And that imperative we can truly delight in.”

Many thanks to Jane for her wise vision and enabling call to action.

Older Entries

Women's Inequality Day

Forked Tongues Abounding On The Topic Of Women And Peace

The Glass Ceiling Is Carpeted With Poopy Diapers And It Is All The Fault Of Feminists

There Is NO Excuse For Not Ratifying CEDAW--The Time Is Now

Envisioning Gender Equality

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