The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
The conventional “wisdom” tells society that males are better at math and science than females. However, these myths are being debunked. As we at The New Agenda shared in September, the difference in male and female brain function, when it comes to performing mathematical or scientific tasks, is non-existent. Why is this stereotype perpetuated? Even though great strides have been made in gender equity and gender perception, our society has not been without its …

Chris Allen, founder of the Innocence Atlanta campaign, defines sex trafficking as “Fraud, Force, and Coercion” (Spornhauer, 2011). This definition aptly places the blame of sex trafficking upon the johns and pimps who profit from the use of girls for sex. In most cases, however, the girls being trafficked are looked upon as the vermin of society. They are shunned and arrested and used up and tossed aside without regard to their humanity or rights, while the johns and pimps who degrade them get, not only anonymity, but also leniency for the …

Conflict with police has become a staple at Occupy Wall Street protests across the land. So why is one woman being singled out to take the blame, being asked to resign, and targeted for ouster?
For those not in the know, Linda Katehi is the Chancellor of UC Davis, where a viral video of police pepper-spraying sitting protesters was filmed on Friday, November 19th. Here’s the film, for those who haven’t seen it.

This incident started when alleged police brutality erupted on the UC Berkeley campus, where another viral video was filmed, …

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

Mary Johnson will discuss her memoir, Mother Teresa in Search of Love, Service, and an Authentic Life, at the Brooklyn Museum this Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. (Travel directions.)

My new book has a very girly cover. There’s nothing inherently wrong about a book cover on which red and white petals fall on a panel of dark wood—but my book is about having been a nun for twenty years with Mother Teresa …

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

Secretary Clinton (Sept. 16, APEC’s Women and the Economy Summit):
   ”To make it real, to achieve the economic expansion we all seek, we need to unlock a vital source of growth that can power our economies in the decades to come. And that vital source of growth is women.“

It is unfortunately rare that the media feature Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speeches in her leadership role as the United States’ chief representative and negotiator with …

Reprinted from The Huffington Post with the express permission of the author and The Huffington Post.
The above is one of several images in the information section of Merck's Web site for its product Gardasil. Click the image to browse the site, or enter this URL: gardasil.com. During the CNN Tea Party Debate this past Monday, sparks flew over an executive order issued by Governor Rick Perry in 2007 mandating an HPV vaccination for all sixth-grade girls. At that time, Perry was the first (and only) governor to issue such an …

The parents of slain Yale student Annie Le – who filed suit this week against the University for failing to adequately protect their daughter — don’t have a legal leg to stand on.  That’s the assessment of some bloggers – and Yale — who contend that as horrible a crime as this was, the University cannot be held accountable.
The parents contend – among other charges — that the University fostered an atmosphere of misogyny that “emboldened” Annie’s killer. The suit references a Title IX sexual discrimination complaint filed by students …

Republished from MORE magazine, September 10, 2011.
We go behind enemy lines for the real story.
It’s back-to-school time, which is exciting for the kids except for, oh yeah, all their anxiety over schedules, books, classes and clothing.  Yet those pale in comparison to what moms face coming back this week—another year on the PTA battlefield.

I’m a PTA mom in transition. I spent 19 years working on Wall Street. Three years ago, I left to raise my kids and became more involved with the PTA. Wall Street was easier. Hands down.

Having been …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
image from www1.cyfernet.com
According to Jane Hyde, a psychologist from the University of Wisconsin, “the stereotype that boys are better at math is alive and strong…Parents still believe it, and teachers still believe it” (Alice Park, Time Science). But based on the research she and other researchers from University of California, Berkeley, are conducting, this stereotype is just that: a stereotype and a myth, and girls are shutting it down with irrevocable force.
Funded by the …

Reprinted with the express permission of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the author. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
Next Thursday, September 8, President Barack Obama will give what’s being touted as a major speech that will pressure the so-called debt “super committee” to focus on job creation and tackling the nation’s high unemployment rate, which stood at 9.1 percent in July 2011.
While the speech is of interest to all Americans, it’s particularly important to …