In the piece below, the author expresses her opinions and conclusions.  These do not necessarily reflect opinions and conclusions of The New Agenda.
I never thought that a feminist’s understanding of rape would be a controversial issue, especially within the feminist community. However, the misguided concept that rape fantasies are “empowering” has clearly demonstrated that rape is controversial even within the feminist community.
Rape fantasies are dangerous to feminism because they validate the misogynistic beliefs that all women wish to be raped and that women deserve to be raped.
Why do women …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.

A civilian female police officer is being hailed as a heroine.  Sgt. Kimberly Munley is being credited with ending the rampage of muslim fundamentalist and military psychiatrist Major Nidal Malik Hasan.  Despite being shot herself, she managed to hit Hasan, who remains comatose, four times.
Sgt. Kimberly Munley responded within three minutes of receiving reports of shots being fired by Hasan, who according to witnesses was exclaiming “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) as he began his terrorist rampage.  Hasan killed thirteen individuals …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
I wanted to start a dialogue regarding a show that represents a media empire:  The Girls Next Door.  I have to admit, I was a fan (“was” is the operative word).  I watched that show often and used it as an opportunity to learn about a perspective that I knew very little about.
Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson intrigued me because I failed to understand what lure there was to sharing a mate …

Exciting news in California: yesterday, Carly Fiorina threw her hat in the ring as a candidate for the 2010 senate seat. Carly will face Chuck Devore in the Republican Primay – the winner of which will run against Senator Barbara Boxer.
I was fortunate to meet Carly in person when she came to my home in July 2008 as a surrogate for Sen McCain shortly after Hillary Clinton dropped out of the presidential race. Carly was simply awesome. I still recall that after Carly spoke to us, …

The New Agenda’s Amy Siskind will be speaking about the Richmond Rape on Saturday, November 7th at 5:00 p.m. EST on The Big Talker 1210 WPHT-AM, Philadelphia’s #1 Talk Radio Station.
Amy will be interviewed by RJ McKay about her Daily Beast article:  It Could Have Been Your Daughter. Amy will explain how our MSM has missed the story of what the Richmond Rape signifies: Gender-based assault has become an acceptable norm in our country.
You can listen in by clicking onto the website here and click on “Listen Live.”  …

Previously, The New Agenda honored former First Lady Laura Bush in our Women Helping Women series.
Although I’m sure we all agree that a woman President could make an enormous contribution to the future of women and girls, until that day, we can be excited about and encourage the efforts of our First Ladies.  First Ladies have a tradition of taking on important projects, from Eleanor Roosevelt’s work as Chair of the President’s Commission on the Status of Women, to Laura Bush’s work with The Ambassadors’ Girls’ Scholarship Program. While these …

The following article was written by Caren Turner, CEO of Turner Government & Public Affairs, a lobbying firm in DC. Caren attended the founding meeting of The New Agenda in August 2008 and was instrumental in our decision to be non-partisan — her revolutionary notion:  to put women’s representation and issues ahead of party.
Caren, who resides and votes in NJ, provides below a way of dissecting a man-man race from the vantage point of women’s issues.
The New Agenda does not endorse candidates, nor do we have a horse …

Hat tip to Femisex
As The New Agenda’s Amy Siskind wrote in her Daily Beast article It Could Have Been Your Daughter:
Here’s what the Richmond case signifies, plain and simple: Gender-based assault has become an acceptable norm in our country.
The The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting (our emphasis added):
The group of about a dozen boys and young men was already well into 2 gallons of vodka. After they liquored up the girl with brandy, they proposed sex, according to several accounts by friends of those who were there but asked …

This past week, a non-partisan organization called Parents Television Council produced a shocking report on violence against women and girls on television.
You can read the entire report here; but a few of the shocking findings include:

Incidents of violence against women and teenage girls are increasing on television at rates that far exceed the overall increases in violence on television. Violence, irrespective of gender, on television increased only 2% from 2004 to 2009, while incidents of violence against women increased 120% during that same period.

Every network but ABC demonstrated a …

How do Republican women fare when it comes to women’s issues? Just ask Al Franken.
Al Franken, the Democratic Junior Senator from Minnesota and former SNL comedian, recently introduced an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill that protects the rights of rape victims who work for federal contractors overseas. The amendment has recently passed, in part due to the support of our Republican women senators.
The personal story that inspired Franken to introduce this amendment is absolutely horrific. In 2005, Jamie Leigh Jones, a young …