Feminism & Mothering

Amy Richards (co-author of Manifesta) has written a new book Opting In: having a Child Without Losing Yourself which takes on Belkin's reporting on the 'Opt-Out revolution"-- (upper middleclass) young women who are opting out of the workforce to take of baby.
Richard's book takes on the big and small decisions of being a feminist, & being a feminist mom.

Here is an interview with her
http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/83813/?page=entire

Who can afford the American Dream???

In today's NYTimes Real Estate section (p.3) the apartment down the hall from my old one is for sale---for $745,000 (not counting the monthly charrges of $726)---for a STUDIO apartment, albeit a larger than normal one, but still....WHO can afford that????
Which brings me to the question:
The American dream: Dead or Alive or Modified? See UTNE Reader's series:
http://www.utne.com/2008-05-01/Politics/Dreaming-Across-Class-Lines.aspx

Freedom of Choice

Julie McQuain, President of UCDW wrote in an e-mail the other day that " We have some members who feel UCDW should do more to educate young women about their right to control their own decisions about reproduction, and how that right COULD BE LOST with one new appointment to the Supreme Court.
Already this right is somewhat abstract for the many women who live too far from a clinic or provider to access it in time. "

Each State provides differently for women's right to choose, and their access to abortions. See the map at http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/choice-action-center/in_your_state/who-decides/state-profiles/ Some states, such as South Dakota and Florida, are trying to ban access to abortion, other states have biased counseling--Missouri, Florida, for instance.

While New York receives high marks 40--FORTY--Counties do not have abortion providers.

Meanwhile, Pro-life groups--such as the American Life League -- are now coming out of the closet against birth control. They are running campaigns that (mis)state that the birth control pill causes abortions. ALA is planning a June 7th Protest the Pill Day! www.prolife.com/BIRTHCNT.html,
www.priestsforlife.org/articles/contraceptionwhyoppose.htm,
feministing.com/archives/009140.html
www.all.org/

This upcoming election is very important when it comes to women's rights!



And,
Millie from HealthcareSTAT forwarded this:

Dr. Wicklund's (an abortion provider from MA) book is now available, both new and used, at reduced prices. If you are interested in ordering her book and to also support WAMC Public Radio, log on to wamc.org, then scroll down on the right to the green area; under Search Amazon, type This Common Secret. Note: Eight percent of the price of any books ordered this way is donated to WAMC by Amazon.

Telling the Stories Behind the Abortions NYT 11.6.07 has an article about Dr. Wicklund
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/health/06abor.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=cornelia+Dean+Susan+Wicklund&st=nyt&oref=slogin

Backlash

There is a Feminism backlash---more like an anti-women tsunami, if you ask me. Read Katha Pollitt's piece in The Nation, which she wrote after finding out that Phyllis Schafly was receiving an honory degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080526/pollitt

Blogs & Politicians

Recently there has been a brief e-mail discussion about what Jeremy Blaber puts up on his blog--my comment is that it is his blog, and reflects his opinions re: news and commentary.

Here is an article from CQ Politics (Congressional Quarterly) on how politicians are trying to tap into the blogosphere.
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docid=news-000002710033

David Balducci's latest book --The Whole Truth (Grand Central Pub., 2008) is about "perception management" or spinning the truth in the age of the internet & multi media (this goes way beyond Wag the Dog.

The internet has a LOT potential, it holds a lot of information and misinformaiton. The object is learning to critically assess the information.

April 22

Today is both EARTH DAY and Equal Pay Day (the day when women's average wages have caught up what the average male earned in 2007!).

UCDW Annual Meeting

Come network and vote tonight 4/14/09 from 6:30 on at Rive Gauche, Fair St. Kingston (Just down from Dem Hdqtrs)....