What’s Shaking at The N.E.W Agenda
November 13, 2008
by The New Agenda
|51 Comments
Thank you, thank you to our incredible members who have given us so many terrific suggestions. Thanks to your input, here’s some new things that our group is considering and/or working on:
- Acronym for our group – best candidate so far: The N.E.W Agenda (maybe NEWA) or The National Equality for Women Agenda.
- Flyers – we are preparing flyers that we hope to post on our website in the next 24-48 hours. Member can than print them out and hang them up far and wide.
- Bring a Friend Wednesdays – we are asking each member to reach out to a friend, family member, or neighbor and help us grow our group.
- Women’s History Month – we are approaching female senators and congresswomen and asking them to sponsor a bill to mandate that March become WHM and include curriculum in every school about famous women.
- Chris Matthews – check for our action alert in the next week. We are finishing off a press release on women in Obama’s cabinet. Then, on to the winner of the Media “Butthead” Award – Chris Matthews.
- Ophelia – we are asking guests to join our show on important topics like fair pay and domestic violence. If you have someone that you think we should invite to be a guest on our show, send us an email.
Keep your thoughts and suggestions coming. We read each and every one!
A new suggestion on NEW from a member:
National Enpowerment of Women
I like NEWA and great idea about flyers. Will Chris Mutters be awarded a chastity belt and muzzle, smbolic of the intent and determination to stop the propagation of misogyny?
If members have thought on Matthews, let us know! You can check what we have done so far in our 1/4 Birthday story.
I would like to see the Governors of all the states endorse New Agenda.Starting from the bottom may be of value.
Love the flyer idea. I will put a link on my website.
I like NEWA, It is simple and to the point.
You’re doing what? I don’t understand.
Women’s History Month – we are approaching female senators and congresswomen and asking them to sponsor a bill to mandate that March become WHM and include curriculum in every school about famous women.
“http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070228-1.html
Approaching female senator and congresswomen to ask if one would bring forward the notion of making WHM a federally mandated program such that all schools would be required to teach about women’s history are part of their curriculum in March.
gbl- I didn’t even know President Bush did that? I wonder why it never got any media coverage?
Also, I like these suggestions for the anagram. Either could be N.E.W. which would send the message that we are a new and different women’s group and maybe at least spark enough curiosity for people to come check out the website. The Nonpartisan part is good too because it stresses that everyone is welcome and who can take sides against a nonpartisan group?
Zee on November 13th, 2008 12:58 am
Nonpartisan Elevation of Women Agenda
Anne-Marie on November 13th, 2008 8:35 am
How about..
Nonpartisan Empowerment of Women
http://www.nwhp.org/ready.php
Get your orders in before December 31, 2008, it says.
This is going out to the schools. I see communications docs on this (most years) in January. Schools need it by early Jan. in order to plan lessons for March. Which I said here somewhere else, a couple days ago.
Yay, your server is back up!
I like Nonpartisan Empowerment of Women … National sounds like NOW.
I have a question – What exactly is involved in joing TNA — when someone sends an email to join, what can they expect?
At this point you will receive action alerts and media alerts.
We are setting up as a 501c3 so eventually you can pay dues and become a “formal” member.
good to see 501C status pending, I’ve got some $ for you
my idea of the CM award:
a large, well done plaque
on top: “The Chris Matthews Media Misogyny Award
presented on _________ ”
just below that a pic of a muzzle
just below the muzzle a pic of a chastity belt
near the bottom of the plaque:
” Help Stop the Spread of Misogyny”
and at the very bottom, the letters: N.E.W.A.
By the way, why do we care what some stupid teenagers and immature adults think about the acronymTNA? I think it will make the point even more strongly for us that this is what we’re up against.
I think for my own entertainment if nothing else, I am going to have a Chris Matthews bobblehead made for my desk. I found a place online where they can make them to spec. I’ll have them paint a tiny zipper over his big rude mouth and it will make me laugh every time I see it. In fact I might have them put him in a caveman outfit. I haven’t collected anything in years but I may start collecting a bobblehead for all the people we give the awards to and just have little silver zippers painted over their mouths
Cynthia.
Cyn.
Do you really? Do you really wonder why it got no coverage?
gbl,
You know if I were a female journalist I would keep an eye out for things like that to report. I am so very naive
My 2 cents worth — I also prefer Nonpartisan Empowerment of Women. As votermom said, it sets us apart from NOW, and one of the most distinctive draws of The NEW Agenda for me is its inclusiveness across the partisan divide.
Cynthia, I like your idea for the bobblehead. What about diapers?
Female journalists do not get to decide what they will report on. Even Greta, who is an example of one who *seems* to have a lot of choice, has a very narrow band from which she can make her choices. Step out of line once too many, and she’s replaced.
I think Sarah has made it possible to have one hell of a bang up celebration come March. She sells copy. That’s what they’re looking for, so I say, make hay while the sun shines ladies.
I love NEWA as an acronym….anne-marie, I don’t care what the neanderthals say about us, I just think the more headaches we can dodge, the better.
And…sheesh…empowerment, of course. I’m so chagrined it was missing from my list of e words! lol….”exaltation” was on there, even tho I settled on “elevation” as the best descriptive of what the New Agenda is all about, I agree “empowerment” is much better.
I vote for nonpartisan, since that is key to why NEWA is necessary.
Non-partisan Empowerment for Women Agenda.
The NEW Agenda!
Very good Dawn
Zee- don’t feel bad I missed empowerment too and I had a Thesaurus. I like it though!
Many people associate “empowerment” with the trivialization of women’s issues, and the co-opting of feminism by the anti-feminist culture. Pink briefcases and Reeboks, Virginia Slims and Playboy for Women.
Violet,
I have no idea what that means and I read it three times. Can you explain?
Ha! Oh gee. Well, you know how advertising often uses “empowerment” as a means to sell women stuff? Or how the pornography industry has defended itself by saying that pornography “empowers” women?
And even more to the point, think of the trend away from acknowledging sexism as a social problem and towards the presentation of women’s rights as an issue of individual “empowerment.” As if a woman can overcome sexist barriers just by herself.
That’s why for so many women, the word “empowerment” has taken on some difficult connotations.
As the one who brought up the empowerment word, I want to say that it does not have negative connotations for me. I’ve always seen it as a positive thing.
I think that just because forces in society who are not friendly to women’s empowerment use that word, doesn’t mean we should cede it, does it? Let’s be strong. That’s a great word. I don’t know of any other that means to give power. And that begins with E
If it does have negative connotations, I think we need to change that. I refuse to give it up to anyone! 
But ultimately, the acronym or the title of this organization doesn’t matter as much as our actions. Most of us know what the NAACP stands for, but does that matter as much as what influence it has had in the lives of African Americans?
I still like The New Agenda just the way it is without acronymizing the “New”. TNA all the way!
Good point, Anne-Marie. And it’s true of so many words surrounding women’s issues: they become degraded. We just have to choose the words we want to reclaim.
Violet, I too was unsure of the word “empowerment”. It may actually turn off some women. I asked a friend of mine (who is scared off by the word “feminism”), and she said it seemed too forceful a term. It also seems a bit self-help to me which may diminish the message.
Anne-Marie, I like what you’re saying about taking back words that have been used against us. So maybe empowerment is exactly the word we need.
Just some thoughts to consider.
Non-partisan would be an excellent choice – very inclusive.
This word means someone giving someone else power. Ie) Men handing power to women, giving them the vote. Etc.
I rank it with all those psychobabble words and phrases, like ‘giving yourself permission’, but worse because of it’s inception in the porn industry.
also like the idea of “N” standing for “Non-Partisan”.
I’ve never had any negative connotations with the word empowerment either? But then I don’t really listen to the porn people very much.
Maybe that is another generation of feminist? You know how words get changed back and forth? Can anyone think of another good E word?
I don’t want to seem stupid but it’s driving me crazy! What in the world do Virginia Slims have to do with anything?
NEWA
N___ for Every Women’s Agenda
Amy,
Network is the only thing I can come up with for the “N”. I still like nonpartisian better but it doesn’t really fit with the rest.
What’s wrong with Equality for the E? I like it. (And it’s all about me, LOL)
Nonpartisan Equality for Women in America?
Nonpartisan Equality for/of Women’s Agenda?
Check this out! Go Army! Congratulations Gen. Dunwoody!!!!!
http://www.google.com/hostedne.....wD94ESBNO5
Thanks!
Our other Cynthia sent us that story this morning. Serendipity?
We’re going to post it soon.
Thanks Dawn! Cynthia’s are on top of things
Another suggestion for our group:
TiNA
Ok Amy I’ll be the goofy one… what does TiNA stand for?
Nucleus for Every Women’s Agenda?
That’s a tough one…
I like TiNA! Plenty of possibilities there for a personalized Everywoman icon!
The i-New Agenda?
The imperative New Agenda?
The infallible New Agenda?
The ironclad New Agenda?
The irrevocable New Agenda?
Reminds me of the incredible, edible egg campaign…but of course, a la Margaret Atwood, we don’t want edible women!
What about our own ad campaign?
“What do “i” stand for?”
And have a campaign for women, new TiNA members to state what “i” am for?
“What did you New, and when did you New it?”
lol…ok, I will stop now…
Zee-I really like that. You went off on a tear with the egg thing, and I got a little lost with the word association, but that shows what I know about how creative minds work because the end result was a very clever idea.
“What do “i” stand for?”
The i doesn’t stand for anything.
The woman who suggested just thought it would allow it would be something to brand us – like have you heard of “TiNA”.
Maybe too hookey -
I’ve been told that NEW can’t stand alone…could be NEWA possibly.
I watched the video tape of the founder and one idea for future interviews where the interviewer tries to tease apart how much women bashing is just politics as usual as compared to how we know that it’s specifically sexist would be to have some talking points prepared that compare a few issues. For example, how many times the media talked about Clinton’s and/or Palin’s clothes as compared to how often (if at all!) they discussed the attire of male candidates. Or, when giving examples of Palin’s gaffe’s, do some research to point to how often a particular gaffe was mentioned in the media as compared to a similar gaffe (for example, Obama’s 57 states) by a male candidate. It seems this would be a good way to show the difference between politics or media as usual and blatant sexism.
Glad you’re going to become a 501c(3). Check out the Nolo Press book on how to do it if you’re trying to do it on your own. They spell it out step by step and demystify the process.
I guess it’s obvious (considering my name), but I like TiNA. LOL:) I love the “What do i stand for?”!
Thanks Anna. We fortunately have a couple of founders who have done this before!
We started our paperwork today to become a corporation such that we can accept donations.
Amy – I formed a 401c(3) in the past, as well. Shout out if you need more help. Also, don’t forget to make sure folks know that once you’re approved as a non-profit, that “donations” will be tax deductible! We’ve all been giving to PUMA orgs and/or Clinton’s campaign, etc and none of that money is tax deductible. It will be great to have an organization representing our interests where, at least, the money we give can be deducted (at least in most cases).
Thanks Anna.
We might set up both a 501c3 and 501c4 as it does appear that we might need to “lobby” for some women’s issues.
Amy, I am so grateful and thankful for the way you and others at The New Agenda appear to be going about this process of organizing, conceptualizing, etc in such a thoughtful way. It will pay off! Yeah, lobbying. We will need to have an umbrella status that will allow that.
Thanks for all you’re doing. I’m so impressed with what you’ve pulled together in such a short period of time. It’s quite substantial, serious, mature, focused. Really great! I look forward to becoming a member and supporting your mission and goals in the months and years ahead.
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