Posted in feminism, tagged Pink Ribbon Campains, Polanski, Rape on October 12, 2009| 2 Comments »
I was all jazzed up to recycle my annual anti-pink ribbon, shop for the cure lollapalooza because, darlings, it’s that time of year again and we can all use this timely reminder to Think Before You Pink ~ when I stumbled over this fine article by Kate Harding on Hollywood rape apologists.
Like I needed one more reason to hate Pedro Almodovar.
Posted in feminism, tagged lilly ledbetter on January 30, 2009| 1 Comment »
Yesterday, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, thereby correcting a Roberts Supreme Court miscarriage of justice, as well as last year’s GOP Senate filibuster that prevented earlier passage of the Act.
Following the bill signing, Ms. Ledbetter was the guest of honor at a White House luncheon hosted by the First Lady. The warmth and shared respect between these two women is obvious from the video, and Ms. Ledbetter’s remarks underscore her unshakable resolve to fight a battle that many of us could not imagine sustaining over the course of ten years’ time.
Not to diminish her accomplishment in any way, it is worth noting that most of us are never able to prove wage discrimination as clearly as it was revealed to Ms. Ledbetter. I’ve quit jobs because I’ve suspected pay inequity, been the victim of sexual harassment and/or been expected to perform tasks that my male peers would never be asked or expected to perform. I’m willing to bet that every single working woman I know has had similar experiences, and yet, I don’t personally know anyone who has filed a formal EEOC complaint.
In looking back over my long work career, it’s notable that there have been only two jobs where I felt I was treated fairly and equally as an employee. The first was a union position. The second was as part of an all-female staff in a small retail establishment.
Still think wage discrimination based on sex is a thing of the past? This study by the Economic Policy Institute released in May, 2008, shows that even among recent college graduates entering the job market, an hourly pay gap of $2.92 exists between men and women.
So, thank you, Ms. Ledbetter, for your persistence, your courage and the personal economic sacrifice you have made to bring all of us closer to equality. Lilly, we owe you big time.
Posted in feminism, politics, tagged Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign on September 30, 2008| 1 Comment »
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that means it’s “Think Before You Pink” time.
Whether by misguided, but heartfelt desire to do good, or by deliberate and misleading attempts to increase the corporate bottom line, all sorts of businesses, charities and ad hoc groups of people will be pushing pink merchandise or otherwise raising funds under the umbrella of breast cancer awareness.
If you want to be sure your purchase or outright charitable contribution goes where it will do the most good, do your homework. Not all that’s pink is rosy.
Posted in feminism, politics, tagged michelle obama on September 22, 2008| 3 Comments »
as in the erudite, smart and capable Michelle Obama who showed up in my part of the world this afternoon
and, yeah, she moves fast.
She spoke for half an hour, barely consulting her notes and getting the biggest crowd response when she talked about women’s reproductive rights and the unequal burden of the Iraq War on military families.
Hard not to make a comparison with Cindy McCain and Sarah Palin, both of whom remain tightly leashed to Daddy McCain. Just sayin’ . . .
Posted in feminism, politics, reproductive rights on September 18, 2008| 3 Comments »
Don’t you hate mixed messages?
“Thanks, but no thanks (wink, wink) to your bridge money, Congress, but be a dear and leave your $400 million on the nightstand.”
“Pork barrel spending? Earmarks? Why, no, I can’t remember when I last saw the likes of them. Oh, wait. Are you talking about those gifts of ‘progress’ that I, like, totally earned thanks to the hard work of the pimp I sent to Washington?”
Bite me.
Here’s the thing. I know everyone has their own hot button issue that leads them to outrage and eventual involvement in a political campaign. For a lot of us that issue is reproductive rights – abortion – access to contraception – sex education programs – Roe v. Wade – issues of choice when it comes to every aspect of women’s health.
I understand how it’s satisfying to make a donation to Planned Parenthood in the name of Sarah Palin, and have PP send her a thank you. It’s a diabolical knife twist. It’s a “gotcha” moment, and for those of us fighting for rights that we believe are basic human rights, “gotcha” moments are few and far between.
But.
A donation to Planned Parenthood at this critical moment in time is not aiding the Obama campaign.
If you are in a position to donate money, please consider where your funds will do the most good. If you support Planned Parenthood (and I do not, so there is my bias for the record) and believe with all your heart that sending a message to Sarah Palin is worth every penny of your hard-earned money, I hope you will also dig deep and find a few additional dollars to send directly to the Obama campaign.
If you think I’m wrong, let me know. If you think Planned Parenthood is wrong, tell them. I do. Every time they call or send a request for money.
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