2012 January Archive | Feministing

What We Missed

Samhita and I went to a panel on Friday for Planned Parenthood’s new 2012 elections campaign (which I’m doing some work with them on) where amazing pro-choice celebs Julianne Moore, Gabrielle Union, America Ferrera and Maggie Gyllenhaal told us why they support Planned Parenthood. And naturally, they were all very swoon-worthy.

In case you didn’t catch the debate last week, Gingrich and Romney both supported getting rid of bilingual ballots.

An anonymous former associate of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul told WaPo that — surprise, surprise — Paul did indeed sign off on the ridiculously bigoted newsletters back in the day, to build the business further ...

By Vanessa • 12 years ago

Florida bill would give citizenship to undocumented youth – so long as they enter the military

“If somebody is willing to die for America, then certainly they deserve a chance at life in America.”

No joke, this is what Rep. David Rivera (R-Miami) said when he proposed a bill last week that takes the “DREAM” out of the DREAM Act and replace it as the ARMS (Adjusted Residency for Military Service) Act. The bill would essentially grant legal status to undocumented youth, though not for pursuing their dreams through higher education, but solely under the condition that they enter the military. What’s worse is where Rivera got the idea to push the bill — from the GOP candidates:

“With the presidential debate…and with Romney’s support, that means the two front-running candidates are supportive ...

“If somebody is willing to die for America, then certainly they deserve a chance at life in America.”

No joke, this is what Rep. David Rivera (R-Miami) said when he proposed a bill last week that takes ...

By Vanessa • 12 years ago

Today Yesterday in Feminist History: The Lilly Ledbetter Act

Three years ago yesterday, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act — the first legislation he signed as president (which you have to admit is kinda awesome).

What really inspired me about this legislation and Ledbetter’s fight was that it reminds us of the importance of storytelling and putting real stories to a cause — because that often best exposes the outrageousness of policies that hinder our rights. The legislation wasn’t named after a Congressmember, it wasn’t created around crappy talking points, but was named after a woman whose story resonated with so many other people because, well, they lived it too (and continue to). Ledbetter said in an interview back then:

It really gives ...

Three years ago yesterday, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act — the first legislation he signed as president (which you have to admit is kinda awesome).

What really inspired me about this ...

By Eesha Pandit • 12 years ago

Housing Department introduces new LGBT protections

On Saturday, at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced a new HUD policy to fight discrimination against LGBT people in federally supported housing programs.

Under the new guidelines, any program that receives funding or insurance through HUD will be prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This includes Section 8 housing, emergency shelters, and other social services, as well as mortgage lending through the Federal Housing Administration. Importantly, all of these programs will now be required to recognize same-sex and otherwise LGBT families — regardless of their marital status or the adoption status of their children — to ensure they ...

By Eesha Pandit • 12 years ago

Invest in women, it pays

Pic via.

With just one caveat: Let’s also be critical of unbridled capitalism.

Sometimes, in a rare and surreptitious confluence, what’s good for global economies is also good for women. Generally, capitalist practices put profits over human rights, but as economies are interconnected and the global workforce expands and changes there can even be an economic argument to be made in support of human rights.

A few days ago, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon made just such an argument. He asked business leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to increase their investment in women’s education and health to ensure their well-being and encourage their participation in the world economy.

“Investing in ...

Pic via.

With just one caveat: Let’s also be critical of unbridled capitalism.

Sometimes, in a rare and surreptitious confluence, what’s good for global economies is also good for women. Generally, capitalist practices ...

By Eesha Pandit • 12 years ago

Lizzie Procter lives! Young women and hysteria

Generally, I’m not in the business of debunking inane articles by folks who seemingly keep their notoriety alive by pissing off feminists. It’s a rather tedious and thankless job, especially given that there are more important and interesting feminist issues to tackle. But somehow I feel compelled to suspend my usual position on inanity to take up Caitlin Flanagan’s recent op-ed in the New York Times.

Flanagan addresses the phenomenon of mass hysteria amongst teenage girls, and deduces from it that adolescence is a difficult time for young women. Groundbreaking stuff, indeed. Alas, there’s more. She determines through an astute research regimen of googling and pondering followed more pondering and googling that what hysterical young women really need is protection from ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 12 years ago

Weekly Feminist Reader

Yep, this is basically the wet dream of every feminist I know.

The state of reproductive rights since Roe v. Wade in 9 graphs.

A powerful piece by Melissa Chadburn on growing up in foster care, being accountable to your community, and the importance of taxes.

Santorum says Obama defunded abstinence-only programs not because they don’t work but because he wants “people to be in poverty.”

An important piece about male victims of rape. “We have a cultural blind spot about this.”

A call to retire the phrase “real women” for good.

A couple of good rebuttals at Postbourgie and Racialicious to this post at Very Smart Brothas responding to Zerlina’s post ...

Yep, this is basically the wet dream of every feminist I know.

The state of reproductive rights since Roe v. Wade in 9 graphs.

A powerful piece by Melissa Chadburn on growing up ...

By Jos Truitt • 12 years ago

What We Missed

Anna Holmes on female anger.

New Hampshire Republicans proposed a bill that would require police officers to actually witness domestic violence in action before they could make an arrest.

Seriously, can we stop with the slavery games and slavery math problems?

Cory Booker responds to Chris Christie’s suggestion that civil rights should have been decided through voting.

Anna Holmes on female anger.

New Hampshire Republicans proposed a bill that would require police officers to actually witness domestic violence in action before they could make an arrest.

Seriously, can we stop with the ...