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Women Almost 50% of U.S. Workforce
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Domestic Violence Is Not A Publicity Stunt, Not A Joke
Update: Yoani Sánchez Detained & Beaten
Published November 07, 2009 @ 08:10AM PT
Yoani Sánchez, the 34-year-old Cuban blogger who was not allowed to leave Cuba and go to the United States to receive the Maria Moors Cabot Prize, was detained and beaten by Cuban state security yesterday.
"No blood, but black and blues, punches, pulled hairs, blows to the head, kidneys, knee and chest,'' Sánchez told El Nuevo Herald. "In sum, professional violence.''
According to Reuters, Sánchez said that she and two fellow bloggers were detained briefly on Friday by security agents and accused of being "counter-revolutionaries" as they walked to a demonstration against violence. This video captures the peaceful demonstration from that day.
In the past, it has been reported that the Cuban government does not hide its distaste for Sanchez, who is occasionally attacked in the government-run press as an enemy of the state. Currently, Cuba is said to have about 200 political prisoners, whom the government views as traitors working with the United States to toppled the Cuban government.
Demonstrating that she will not be silenced by the Cuban government's attacks, however, Sánchez has already written about the incident on her blog Generación Y. In her post she describes how she and her friend, Claudia Cadelo, were accosted by men driving a black car and then detained by the state police while being physically and verbally abused. Her blog receives more than 14 million page views a month and thousands of comments.
Additionally, a lot of the initial coverage about the incident came from Twitter where Sánchez and her friend Cadelo tweeted about being detained by the police and soon conversation spread quickly about what was happening. Individuals are expressing their support for the two women using the hashtag #yoani on Twitter to discuss the incident.
It is clear that while Sánchez has a huge following around the world, neither Cubans nor the government appreciate her internet presence. This recent post, which has been translated into English, demonstrates some of the attitudes in Cuba toward free speech:
"What do you do?" he asks me under the streetlights of Belascoain Street. I'm a blogger, I warn him, and the lights of Carlos III Avenue show me his suspicious and fearful face. "Look, don't go and tell what I just said," he says, changing the indulgent tone he used when picking me up amid the gloom. "I don't want you to publish later some nonsense about me on the Internet," he clarifies, while grabbing his crotch in a gesture of power. My straight hair is no longer a reason to trust me, now my eyes don't seem so almond-shaped, and when I explain-through my narrow lips-the subjects I deal with in my blog, it's as if I am threatening him, razor in hand, a dangerous criminal. I confirm, then, that his spectrum of classification stigmatizes not only some shades of color, but also certain leanings of opinion, those tones which are not carried on the epidermis but that also lead, on this Island, to displays of segregation and rejection.
Roots of Hope in Miami has already spoken out against the incident and is calling "on Cuban authorities to immediately cease all acts of violence against civil society youth leaders." It is my hope that there are no more acts of censorship or violence toward Sánchez and that she is able to continue writing about her views of the Cuban government.
Friday Femme Fatale: Social Media, Book Lists & Beth Ditto
Published November 06, 2009 @ 11:22AM PT
This weekend I am taking a reprieve from the bright lights of New York City and heading to Washington, DC for a few days to do some speaking at the Pledge2Protect conference and visit old friends.
Additionally, for those who wonder what I do over at my full-time gig, Air America Media, I just published this column today in SmartBrief titled: Can social media save the radio star?
I hope you all are gearing up for some rest and relaxation this weekend as well, but before you unplug completely check out the stories you may have missed in the world of women's rights:
- Social Media Salary Report: Ladies, It's Not Pretty (Social Media Today)
- No. 1 Omission From Top 10 Book List: Women (New York Times)
- Jewish Women Lag Behind Men in Promotion and Pay (Jewish Daily Forward)
- At the UN, Criminalizing Rape as a Weapon (Women's Media Center)
- No More Women's Unhealthy Healthcare (Feminist Peace Network)
- Beyond Breast Cancer: "Awareness" Must Extend to Other Women's Cancers (RH Reality Check)
- Beth Ditto On Punk, High Heels And Breaking All Fashion's Rules (Air America Media)
- The day-care dilemma (Market Watch)
2009 Election: Winning Female Candidates & Democrat Losses
Published November 04, 2009 @ 08:50AM PT
Yesterday's election was fraught with disappointment for Democrats. Instead of continuing the wave of "change" from just one year ago when Barack Obama was elected President, the 2009 elections delivered several big victories for the GOP: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the victory by Republican challenger Chris Christie for the governorship in New Jersey and then Republican candidate Bob McDonnell who won the Virginia gubernatorial race.
Interestingly, despite these losses, Beau Friedlander at Air America says that this shouldn't be considered a referendum on Obama, but rather an example of just how low the Republicans will go to win elections:
The GOP is racing to the bottom of its own depravity. They’ve stopped at nothing, floating racist memes and lies and distorting facts to achieve goals that are so blatantly pro-business and anti-American as to be laughable--if it weren’t for the fact that their message-making, via Fox News and talk radio, seems to find a home in the hearts and minds of many Americans.
Perhaps the most disappointing news last night was from Maine where voters rescinded the Legislature's approval of same-sex marriage. According to the Associated Press, gay marriage has now lost in all 31 states in which it has been put to a popular vote — a trend that the gay-rights movement had believed it could end in Maine.
In terms of women who won, however, there are several positive stories to break through the depressing news. Here are some of the victories of Women's Campaign Forum's Endorsed Candidates and a few others who I listed last week that ran at the state and local level:
- Carolyn Comitta (Mayor - West Chester, PA)
- Stephanie Hausner (Town Council - Clarkstown, NY)
- Jessica Lappin (New York City Council)
- Stephanie Miner (Mayor - Syracuse, NY)
- Stacey Newman (State House MO-73)
- Kathleen Rice (Nassau County District Attorney, NY)
- Jill Miller Zimon (Pike Pepper Council)
Congratulations to these ladies who won their races. Now we must move onward to 2010, which will be the bigger election year as it will involve many more races and serve as a true barometer for whether or not President Obama can be re-elected in 2012.
Desperate Times Calls for Desperate Catholics
Published November 03, 2009 @ 07:34PM PT
As someone who was raised Catholic, went to 15 years of Catholic school and is still asked to rise at eight o'clock in the morning when I visit my parents to go to church, the following news is quite the shocking revelation: the Catholic Church is now accepting applications from Anglicans.
For those who are not well-versed Christianity, here's a quick definition of an Anglican: those who historically protest the Catholic Church and have been traditionally more liberal on their stances on the ordination of women bishops, gay priests and gay marriage.
But it looks like desperate times in the church call for desperate Catholics as being reported by Laura Flanders at Grit TV:
Now facing flagging attendance and shrinking contributions, some of that hard-lining is going soft. Given the chance to fill some empty pews, by allowing conservative Anglicans into the ranks, the Catholic Church is backing off. Those conservative Anglicans are disaffected by their own church's more liberal stances on contraception, gay rights and women's autonomy but they're not about to excommunicate pro choicers - not yet. So suddenly, Rome is willing to do as the Anglicans do.... and call debate over reproductive rights a difference of opinion. Heck, they're even willing to create loopholes to let married clergy stay married.
Fancy that. So what about all those fights over all those years? What about all those denied a place in their faith, and most of all, those who died due to botched and politicized abortions? All those who were forced to bear children against their will, or were infected with HIV due to lies about condoms - or no sex ed at all? Now we find out they suffered simply over a difference of opinion?
I personally believe that everyone needs a sense of spirituality and often religion can provide that. When I was growing up, the Church gave me an understanding of the concept of having faith and I gained an understanding of social justice and community service that I still appreciate to this day. However, the stances of the Catholic Church toward women definitely make even the Christmas carol hard to sing. It's a good thing to see the Catholic church opening up to other ideas about what the Bible means, but is it too little, too late?
Friday Femme Fatale: Gore Vidal, Gen Y Women & Transphobia
Published October 31, 2009 @ 09:32AM PT
Ok, so this is more like a Saturday Femme Fatale - but I didn't want to let anyone down who is looking for the most interesting links in the feminist sphere from the past week.
Without further delay, here's this week's list:
- What women's lib? 70 percent of Americans think women should take spouse's name after marriage (NY Daily News)
- Work/Life Balance Is Not a Woman's Issue (American Prospect)
- No Dignity For NBC (Ms. Magazine)
- A [Disgusting] Conversation With Gore Vidal (The Atlantic)
- Pro-Palin Book Takes on Tina Fey, Feminists (Washington Independent)
- 'Why Y Women' (Media Post)
- Is Seventeen teaching transphobia? (Salon.com)
- Dating, love and feminism: do men prefer submissive women? (The Examiner)
Friday Femme Fatale: Mammograms, Pink Taxis & Lap Dances
Published October 23, 2009 @ 02:21PM PT
I don't know about most of you, but I spent a majority of this week battling a terrible cold. No, it wasn't the "Swine Flu" - but hopefully my writing this week hasn't suffered too much under the influence of various cold medications. You'll have to tell me...
Anyways, here's the latest news in the women's rights arena, just in case anyone tells you the "battle of the sexes" is over:
- The Big Thaw: Charting a New Future for Journalism (Media Consortium)
- Why Has It Taken So Long For ACS To Change Its Tune On Mammogram Benefits? (Feminist Peace Network)
- New Grants for Women Media Entrepreneurs (McCormick Foundation)
- Women, Mothers, Families and Reform (The White House Blog)
- Lap Dances at Yahoo's Hack Days? A Lesson in Monitoring a Global Brand (Fast Company)
- Mexico's pink taxis cater to fed-up females (AP)
- A New Era for Global Women's Rights? (Campus Progress)
- Roman Polanski's rape (Boston.com)
- Demi's Sex Slave Crusade (The Daily Beast)
- 10 Facts on Female Victims of Violence (Department of Justice)
- Fight sexist attacks against women in politics (Women & Politics)
- Benefits and Risks of Cancer Screening Are Not Always Clear, Experts Say (New York Times)
- How the Media Treat Murder (Newsweek)
Cartoon credit: Peaco Todd
Friday Femme Fatale: AirAmerica.com, Airbrushing and Arms Trade
Published October 16, 2009 @ 05:35PM PT
Things were pretty calm this week around the fem-o-sphere. Apparently people were a little too caught up watching flying helium objects and making fun of the GOP.com #fail to discuss items in the realm of women's rights.
Sigh.
I, however, had a very busy week. I was not watching balloons in the sky, but rather launching a new website over at AirAmerica.com, the place where I spend most of my time when I'm not writing here at Change.org.
