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    Bes

    Washington State has an effective Reproductive rights group who proposes legislation at the STATE LEVEL.
    Reproductive Parity Act. http://www.prochoicewashington.org/

    January 30, 2012 at 2:36 pm

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    Bes

    Report sheds light on the ways in which the media profits from elections while polluting political discourse and failing to cover issues. http://www.freepress.net/press.....1&t=3

    January 26, 2012 at 4:38 pm

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    Bes

    Two studies show Media sexism in 2008 was responsible for Hillary being pushed from the race. Democrats allowed the situation. http://www.usnews.com/news/blo.....s-2008-bid

    January 23, 2012 at 1:04 pm

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    BevWKY

    Interesting comparisons to the 2008 campaigns:
    http://conservatives4palin.com.....d-one.html

    January 15, 2012 at 11:37 am

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    Bes

    Washington State introduces legislation requiring all insurance sold in state which covers maternity to cover abortion http://blog.seattlepi.com/seat.....insurance/

    January 9, 2012 at 6:36 pm

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    Bes

    Top 10 Youtube 2011 videos. None misogynist. This is what free market content looks like. Corp Media does NOT reflect our culture. http://www.gossipcop.com/youtu.....11-rewind/

    January 7, 2012 at 10:10 pm

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    Bes

    A feminist postscript on Michelle Bachmann. Not from the Democrat Ladies Auxiliary at NOW.

    http://womenwintoo.blogspot.co.....hmann.html

    January 5, 2012 at 9:31 am

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    Bes

    Don’t watch TV sports? Then you are being screwed by Corporate Media and you are subsidizing media sexism.
    http://nymag.com/daily/enterta.....carte.html

    December 16, 2011 at 10:59 am

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    • Bes: The Tyranny of Perfection
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    • The Tyranny of Perfection
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The New Agenda Blog

The Tyranny of Perfection

February 3, 2012

by Lara Brown PhDcloseAuthor: Lara Brown PhD Name: Lara Brown
Email: larambrown@aol.com
Site:
About: See Authors Posts (15)

As a political scientist, I think a lot about power: how it is allocated, how one acquires it, and who possesses the authority to wield it. In our image-soaked and media-infused world, the message constantly conveyed is that the only women who are powerful are beautiful women. From magazines to movies, the women who get the good jobs, the great guys, and the happy lives are only those women who are beautiful. More than pretty, they are perfect. Perfect hair. Perfect bodies. Perfect smile. Perfect skin. Perfect clothes. Perfect mix of sass and smarts. These airbrushed, spray-tanned, retouched, and overly-scripted women haunt my movements and invade most moments. Their mannequin-like “perfectness” is oppressive. It is also powerful. It is, in fact, a tyranny, which is defined in politics as a state characterized by “oppressive power.”

As a woman, I often wrestle with this conception of perfection. In the middle of a sleepless night, in the department store dressing room, in the aisle of a grocery store, I wonder whether I am “enough.” Blond enough. Tall enough. Thin enough. Smart enough. Funny enough. Pretty enough. I compare myself to these perfect images time and again. And I find myself wanting. Not perfect enough.

On the eve of my forty-second birthday, I’ve decided that it’s enough. Enough criticizing. Enough comparing. Enough of living under some delusional belief that perfection is attainable. Only statues — ivory, bronze, or plastic — can be perfect. And they’re perfect because they’re not alive. Not breathing, they miss both the joy and the tears that come with life. They touch nothing and nothing touches them.

Paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson, it’s high time “to throw off” this tyranny of perfection and declare my independence. The video linked to below talks about how and why this tyranny of perfection is damaging to girls and women. I hope you’ll watch and then decide to join me in founding a “new republic,” where women help each other accept ourselves and compliment – rather than criticize – ourselves and each other!

Posted by Lara Brown PhD | Filed under Opportunity, Safety  | Leave a comment | 3 Comments

Is “A League of Their Own” Truly Achievable?

February 2, 2012

by Whitney ZahndcloseAuthor: Whitney Zahnd Name: Whitney Zahnd
Email: whitneyz@gmail.com
Site: http://www.twitter.com/whitneypitcher
About: See Authors Posts (6)

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

Earlier this week, just a day after the US Women’s National Soccer team won their Olympic qualifying tournament, a devastating blow hit the women’s sports world. Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) announced it was canceling its 2012 season due to a legal dispute with one of the teams’ owner, Dan Borislow. This decision came just a few weeks after the league has received approval from the U.S. Soccer Federation to play their season with only five teams rather than the usually require eight to be considered a first division professional league provided that they increase the number of teams to 8 by the 2014 season. The league has essentially become a regional league with all teams based on the east coast after teams in the Midwest and west coast had folded in earlier seasons. The 2012 season would have followed the American team’s second place finish in the 2011 World Cup and in the midst of the 2012 Summer Olympics—which many of the league’s stars would be participating in. In other words, this 2012 season would have come when interest in women’s soccer is at its peak. As ESPN commentator and former women’s national team player, Julie Foudy, writes:

The thing that saddens me most is the league was coming off such a high from the summer. It was entertaining, competitive and showing signs of a potential fan base post-Women’s World Cup. Sure, sustaining a league at a local level is a much different task than supporting quadrennial international tournaments, but I argue there is a loyal women’s soccer fan base that could support a pro league. And there are owners out there who could sustain losses for longer stretches and watch it turn a corner. There is a business model that could work.

Some attribute the season’s cancelation to the aforementioned team owner, Dan Borislow’s renegade actions and brash persona and league leadership’s reaction to his action. Wherever the blame ultimately lies, the cancelation of the season begs women’s professional sports to be looked at in a broader context. Had a similar situation happened in an established men’s league, would it cause the season to be canceled? Would it put the league’s future in potential jeopardy? Likely not on both accounts. This is not an explicitly an issue of gender disparities, although, it wasn’t until forty years ago that girls had equal opportunity in athletics in high school and college through Title IX legislation. The success of women’s professional athletics, especially among team sports, may be a lagging indicator of the additional opportunities in sports afforded to women at an amateur level. The question remains as to if and when women’s professional sports will become a sustainable endeavor. Will the right combination of business savvy, initial investment, creativity, team location, and fan interest ever be achieved to make women’s sports leagues sustainable over the long haul? (more…)

Posted by Whitney Zahnd | Filed under Opportunity, Women's History  | Leave a comment | No Comments

Rutgers Student Newspaper highlight TNA-on-Campus Event

February 1, 2012

by The New AgendacloseAuthor: The New Agenda Name: agenda
Email: editor@thenewagenda.net
Site: http://thenewagenda.net
About: See Authors Posts (434)

Our event at Rutgers University this past Monday was a huge success.  More than 100 college women showed up to an event co-hosted by TNA-on-Campus and Rutgers Career Services to hear Amy’s presentation about economic empowerment and navigating success as a woman in the real world.

If you would like host an event at your college or alma mater, please contact us at editor@thenewagenda.net.

Read the full article here:

Posted by The New Agenda | Filed under Opportunity  | Leave a comment | No Comments

Come join Amy Siskind at a New Agenda event at Rutgers University!!

January 30, 2012

by The New AgendacloseAuthor: The New Agenda Name: The New Agenda
Email: manager@thenewagenda.net
Site:
About: See Authors Posts (81)

Posted by The New Agenda | Filed under Opportunity  | Leave a comment | No Comments

Check out our upcoming events!!!

January 28, 2012

by The New AgendacloseAuthor: The New Agenda Name: The New Agenda
Email: manager@thenewagenda.net
Site:
About: See Authors Posts (81)

Ready for some empowering events this quarter?  Meet us here:

Rutgers College - January 30th – Trayes Hall (see details)
TNA on Campus and Rutgers Career Services present:  A Girlfriends’ Guide to Making it in the Real World

Athena Film Festival - February 9-12 - Barnard College
The New Agenda is a sponsoring organization.  See the film schedule and trailer.

Cornell University - March 3 – TBD
TNA on Campus and Cornell Career Services present:  A Girlfriends’ Guide to Making it in the Real World.

Want a free ticket to Athena?
We are offering free tix to the Athena Film Festival to the first 5 members who respond!  Email us at editor@thenewagenda.net.

GIRLFRIEND, BUILD YOUR NETWORK!
Have you started to build your network at The Mentor Exchange?
No?  Sign up here right away!
Yes?  Tweet that you did with hashtags #MentorUp #WomanUp !

Watch our launch on Fox & Friends with Pioneer Mentor Gretchen Carlson:

Posted by The New Agenda | Filed under Opportunity  | Leave a comment | No Comments

Athena Film Festival – Join us Again for the 2012 Festival!

January 27, 2012

by The New AgendacloseAuthor: The New Agenda Name: The New Agenda
Email: manager@thenewagenda.net
Site:
About: See Authors Posts (81)

The New Agenda is proud to once again be a partner of the Athena Film Festival, which will be held from Thursday, February 9 through Sunday, February 12 on the Barnard College campus in Morningside Heights.  Please visit http://athenafilmfestival.com/program/schedule/ for more information and to purchase tickets.

Here is the trailer for the Film Festival.

Films have power: the power to create conversation, to reveal truths and to inspire. But for too many generations, women’s voices and women’s stories have not been appropriately represented in mainstream films. The stories of women as change agents and heroes who have made a difference in their countries and communities have the power to spur social change. When young women see role models on screen, they better understand their own potential to bring freedom and justice to their communities. When women activists witness remarkable women in action, they better understand that they too can change the world for the better. (more…)

Posted by The New Agenda | Filed under Opportunity  | Leave a comment | No Comments

Do We Need More Sexists in the Senate?

January 26, 2012

by Anita Finlay ("Ani")closeAuthor: Anita Finlay ("Ani") Name: Anita Finlay
Email: anifin@pacbell.net
Site:
About: See Authors Posts (20)

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

Should a man who owns a blog that publishes posts such as “Sexy vs. Skanky,” “Dating Advice for Girly Girls,” “He Stole My Weed” and “High Quality Dope” run for U.S. Senate?

According to the New York Times, Marc Cenedella, “a Republican businessman laying the groundwork for a possible run for a United States Senate seat in New York” against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, just took responsibility for publishing a blog with these kinds of offensive entries. Hernandez also shares that:

The interview was the first time that Mr. Cenedella commented publicly on the matter since The New York Times reported on Monday that until recently, entries containing random observations about sex, women and drugs were on a Web site that bore his photograph and the title “The personal blog of Marc Cenedella.”

In an entry titled “A New Holiday for Men,” there was a link to a separate site that designates March 14 as a special occasion on which women are encouraged to offer steak and oral sex “to show your man how much you care for him.” Another entry linked to a site that purports to provide biblical justification for a man’s having more than one wife. “I wasn’t so sure about all this Bible stuff,” the entry accompanying the link said, “but I’m starting to cotton to it.”

(more…)

Posted by Anita Finlay ("Ani") | Filed under Opportunity  | Leave a comment | 4 Comments

Press Release: ‘Girlfriend, Build that Network!’ – A New Vision for Mentoring on National Mentor Month

January 25, 2012

by The New AgendacloseAuthor: The New Agenda Name: agenda
Email: editor@thenewagenda.net
Site: http://thenewagenda.net
About: See Authors Posts (434)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘GIRLFRIEND, BUILD THAT NETWORK!’ -  A NEW VISION FOR MENTORING ON NATIONAL MENTOR MONTH 
Women’s org resolves to close wage and promotion gaps by harnessing social media

To view the full press release, please visit here.

NEW YORK, NY –The New Agenda, a national pro-women advocacy group, today announced a new “Mentor Exchange” spearheaded by 20 standout women in their careers. Young women professionals logging onto the new online social media hub (http://www.thementorexchange.org) will benefit from the experience and savvy of “Pioneer Mentors” such as Fox & Friends Co-Host Gretchen Carlson, New Jersey’s first woman Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono, Gurwitch Product’s CEO Claudia Poccia, former Goldman Sachs partner and philanthropic leader Jacki Zehner, internationally recognized author-filmmaker Jean Kilbourne, Washington Supreme Court Justice Faith Ireland (Ret.), former White House domestic policy advisor Terrell Halaska, and award-winning journalist and television host Bonnie Erbe. (For a full list of Pioneer Mentors:http://www.thenewagenda.net/pioneer-mentors/). Watch this introductory video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PO0b_Zo_JQ

Click to Watch“When I was a young reporter just getting into the news business, I relied heavily on the wisdom and advice of those who were much more experienced,” said Fox & Friends Co-Host Gretchen Carlson. “Because of their generosity, I have always been willing to give back as well.” “Mentorship matters, because behind every great woman is another woman who took the time to care,” said State Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono of New Jersey.  Journalist and television host Bonnie Erbe added, “Mentoring is critical to women. Men do it naturally which accounts for their success in the corporate world.  Women often need to make an extra effort …, but that’s the way to create the next generation of female leaders.” (more…)

Posted by The New Agenda | Filed under Opportunity  | Leave a comment | One Comment

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The New Agenda is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home. More...

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