Hardly a week goes by without a Facebook friend posting one of those messages about the love they have for their daughters.  While I’m typically not one to repost these updates, they now strike me less as genuine – if somewhat sentimental – proclamations than as unwitting political statements.  They assert that regardless of what we read, what we hear, or how many times we are forced to listen to some ridiculous riposte about “mean girls”, we love our daughters. And we want to let the world – or at least our Facebook …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
A recent study published by the Walter Annenberg Communications Institute at USC (researchers Stacy Smith, Marc Chouetti and Stephanie Gall) was recently released.  The study surveyed the top 100 grossing films for the year 2009. The results are revealing. The researchers examined 4,342 speaking roles. Of these roles,  32.8% were female and 67.2% were men (evidencing the ratios of genders in films – a topic for another article) or approximately a 2.5/1  male -female …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
Anything but weak: Athletes, Leaders, Soldiers, Mothers
Recently, Glen Beck had more than just a few words for Jimmy Fallon over his band’s use of a song called “Lyin’ Ass Bitch” as Michele Bachmann was walking onstage for an interview. Mr. Beck pulled no punches, calling Mr. Fallon “despicable” and “reprehensible”, saying Mr. Fallon should be ashamed of himself. Mr. Beck told his co-host, “If you ever did that, I’d fire your ass so fast your …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
A portrait of a young Amy Beach.This weekend the National Symphony invited me to an evening at Strathmore (Washington area) entitled “Women Pioneers.”
The host was Madeleine Albright.
The program included
Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the common man”
Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the uncommon women”
Saint-Saëns “Introduction and Rondo capriccioso”
Amy Beach’s “Grand Mass in e flat major”
Violinist Chee-Yun performed the solo part of Saint-Saëns “Introduction and Rondo capriccioso,” originally composed for Pablo de Sarrasate, the Spanish virtuoso …

On Tuesday, Bill Maher was politely confronted by Elizabeth Hasselbeck on ABC’s The View over his comments regarding reporter Lara Logan the year before.:
“…he [suggested] that after the horrendous sexual assault of a CBS News reporter, we should send Hasselbeck to Egypt.”
Though Hasselbeck is the token conservative on the show, I found it horrific that her sister cast members would not make any kind of a stand against this kind of despicable and violent rhetoric, whether or not these other women agreed with her politics. Maher basically suggested that …

Thank you to all our members and friends who signed and shared our online petition: Time Warner Board and HBO Management: Fire Bill Maher.
On Friday, September 23rd, Bill Maher said this during his HBO show:
“Sarah Palin Would ‘F–k’ Rick Perry If He Was Black.”
This statement is yet another example of Bill Maher’s misogyny. Maher has employed terms such as: ‘dumb twat’, ‘bimbos’, and ‘cunt’ in reference to women leaders including Sec. Hillary Clinton, Rep. Michele Bachmann and Gov. Sarah Palin (read here)….
The petition received close to 1,000 …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, filmmaker Olivia Klaus (biography), and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
I remember the first time I visited prison. I was nervous that night and my mind was racing with scenes from movies movies of barbed wire and hardened criminals. As the guard slammed and locked the gate behind me, I really had to wonder if I had made the right decision. I was going to begin volunteering for the group Convicted Women Against Abuse (CWAA) – a …

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

Montana Mann on set of "Dangerously Close"Even though I was originally born in Los Angeles, I spent the majority of my life in rural Virginia and it was not until high school that I decided to move in with my father back in Los Angeles.
Whenever I would visit my father throughout my childhood, I would also visit his sets. It was definitely the type of environment that gets your heart beating, but it was …

The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
It was a joy to see the magnificent Margo Martindale receive an Emmy for her work as the villainous backwoods matriarch Mags Bennett on FX’s “Justified” this season. But as heartening as it was to see a 60 year old character actress being recognized for her portrayal of a complex, distinctly non-cookie cutter character — and one originally written for a man — she is something of an anomaly in a world where actresses …

This September, the question is not what’s in Vogue, but who’s in Vogue – and Elle and Glamour. The answer: powerful female politicians and activists talking policy from all across the ideological spectrum.
Vogue interviewed Christine Lagarde, the recently appointed managing director of the International Monetary Fund. Although the profile centered on her “oatmeal-hued suit,” “bandbox-neat” appearance, and overall “elegance,” it also discussed her “classically liberal” leanings towards Adam Smith’s economic thought, meaning her preferences for “free trade and minimal government intervention, positions usually associated with conservatism.” Further, it quoted her …