Agaidis

Posts Written by

By Agaidis • 11 years ago

Portland, Maine stands with Planned Parenthood

On Friday, despite below-freezing temperatures, over 80 pro-choice protesters gathered in front of Portland, Maine’s Planned Parenthood clinic to stand up to the anti-choice picketers who have been gathering weekly at the clinic’s doors since last summer. It was a welcome change from most Friday mornings, when the sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood is usually occupied by a small, unchallenged group of pro-lifers who carry graphic signs of aborted fetuses in an attempt to frighten and shame patients visiting the clinic. As someone who has been harassed by the anti-choice crowd in the past, I sure appreciated the support of my friends and neighbors in calling them out on their bullshit.

Thanks to everyone who came. For more photos and info about today’s action, check out event’s Facebook page.

By Agaidis • 12 years ago

Hello, skater girl

It’s been a tough year for women’s skateboarding. With the elimination of numerous women’s divisions of major skating contests, including the X Games women’s vert competition, mainstream exposure for the growing sport is reaching a serious low point.

The cancellation of major events have been a serious disappointment to the girls and women who skate, but it certainly hasn’t slowed them down. That’s why I was super excited to hear about Julian Bleecker’s photo book project, Hello, Skater Girl, which showcases the inspiring skill and unflappable passion that so many women have for skateboarding.

In Julian’s words, “‘Hello, Skater Girl’ is a photo book that captures the spirit, determination and playfulness of girls skateboarding over a year in ...

By Agaidis • 12 years ago

Women’s Skate Vert Eliminated From X Games 17

Via ESPN.com, you can read the whole article at:

“ESPN has eliminated women’s vert skateboarding from the program at the X Games beginning July 28 in Los Angeles.

“We look for sports that have a solid year-round infrastructure, a growing participant base, an established annual competition schedule, rising youth talent pools, ample access to courses, low barriers of entry into the sport and myriad other factors,” a statement from ESPN X Games read. “After thoughtful discussions and evaluation of many of those factors, we have decided to discontinue the women’s skateboard vert competition from X Games 17.”‘

My friend and pro-skater Amelia Brodka reacted to the news in her blog (http://ameliabrodka.com/2011/05/24/no-room-for-women-in-skateboarding/), “No Pool Party, No Dew Tour, No X Games, No Maloof, ...

Via ESPN.com, you can read the whole article at:

“ESPN has eliminated women’s vert skateboarding from the program at the X Games beginning July 28 in Los Angeles.

“We look for sports that have a solid year-round infrastructure, ...

By Agaidis • 13 years ago

Maine Governor Paul LePage Threatens Workers Rights Mural

Last Friday, on the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, Maine governor Paul LePage announced plans to remove a mural from Maine’s Department of Labor building painted by artist Judy Taylor of Tremont, ME. The Portland Press Herald writes,
“The 36-foot-long, 11 panel mural depicts the state’s labor history, including a shoe worker strike in Lewiston, female shipbuilders and striking papermakers in Jay.” Gov. LePage also ordered the renaming of Department’s conference rooms, four of which are named after women including Frances Perkins, the first female Cabinet member, and Marion Martin, founder of the National Federation of Republican Women. Another one of the conference rooms is named for Cesar Chavez.
LePage says removing the mural and renaming the ...

By Agaidis • 13 years ago

Maine Governor Paul LePage Threatens Workers Rights Mural

By Agaidis • 13 years ago

Save the Auckland Women’s Suffrage Memorial!

A few days ago, I arrived in New Zealand to visit my sister who is studying abroad at the University of Auckland. As I was wandering around, getting a feel for the city, I stumbled across the Auckland Women’s Suffrage Memorial, a beautifully constructed public art piece that combines colorful tiling, a fountain and a set of stairs to commemorate the New Zealand women’s suffrage movement. This movement is especially significant to feminist history because these women were the first in the world to successfully petition their government for the right to vote, finally winning out in 1893.

As I admired the memorial, I was approached by a woman named Margaret Wilson who said that the memorial is currently being threatened ...

A few days ago, I arrived in New Zealand to visit my sister who is studying abroad at the University of Auckland. As I was wandering around, getting a feel for the city, I stumbled across the ...

By Agaidis • 14 years ago

Meghan McCain: The Follies of Abstinence-Only Education

Meghan McCain has a great column up at the Daily Beast where she airs her frustrations with the Republican party’s support of abstinence-only education. Here’s a little bit of her critique:

"Here’s what I’ve never understood about the party: its resistance to discussing better access to birth control. As a Republican, I am pro-life. But using birth control and having an abortion are not the same at all. Actually, the best way to prevent abortions is to educate people about birth control and make it widely and easily accessible. True: abstinence is the only way to fully prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Still, the problem with abstinence-only education is that it does not make teenagers and young adults more ...

Meghan McCain has a great column up at the Daily Beast where she airs her frustrations with the Republican party’s support of abstinence-only education. Here’s a little bit of her critique:

"Here’s what I’ve never understood about ...