Feminism in News and Popular Media

[Nat]

From the "Style" section of the Washington Post:

Four years later, feminists split by Michelle Obama’s ‘work’ as first lady

By Lonnae O’Neal Parker,

Jan 18, 2013 05:09 PM EST

In the opening moments of her second turn at history, as Michelle Obama waves at celebrants along Pennsylvania Avenue, Americans will clamor to see the first lady, who remains one of the most popular public figures in the country. In the most recent poll, fully 73 percent said they approve of the way she is handling her job.

But a significant group of Americans — feminist Americans — have been vocally disappointed with her choices and feel let down by her example.
In 2008, when Obama announced her intention to be “mom-in-chief,” many feminists decried her decision to give up her career and said she had been victimized by her husband’s choices. She was regarded as one of the women feminist Linda Hirshman described as “letting down the team.”

But most black feminists and writers had a different view. Let the sister get settled, they said. Give her a minute to do a head count. And if she wanted to focus on motherhood, for black women that was more than fine. It was arguably revolutionary, because black women were long denied the right — or lacked the means — to simply care for their own.

As she begins another four years in the White House, the nation’s feminists are divided about the “work” Obama has done, and the work they’d like to see her do.

This split has bitter historic roots. It surfaced during the suffrage movement, when white women suggested their votes could counter those of “the darker races,” and again in the 1970s, when black feminists broke away over the white middle-class focus of “women’s lib.”

Now, with an African American woman in the White House, these differences have rushed back to the fore.

Last year, after Obama and Ann Romney submitted recipes for a cookie contest, Hirshman told The Washington Post that Obama’s “first mom, gardener thing” is “silly.” Now, Hirshman says, “I’ve kind of lost interest in Michelle Obama. She was trapped by assumptions about race and had limited room to maneuver. Whether that was a welcome choice or she had no choice, I will never know. It’s very difficult to envision her as running for senator from the state of Illinois as you did with Hillary Clinton running for senator from the state of New York.”

“Are fashion and body-toning tips all we can expect from one of the most highly educated First Ladies in history?” asked author Leslie Morgan Steiner in an online column last January. She said she’d “read enough bland dogma on home-grown vegetables and aerobic exercise to last me several lifetimes.”

Steiner contended Obama probably had little leeway. “I’m sure there is immense pressure — from political advisors, the black community, her husband, the watching world — to play her role as First Black Lady on the safe side.”

Feminist discontent with the first lady spiked again last summer at the Democratic National Convention, after she called her daughters “the heart of my heart and the center of my world.” She then repeated her feminist crazy-maker: “You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still ‘mom-in-chief.’ ”

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My feelings on this article are basically:

Jesus Christ! Seriously?

But I'm curious - are there those of you out there who consider yourselves feminist who are critical of Michelle Obama's job as First Lady on feminist grounds?

[Martina]

I like her a lot, but if you think that she hasn't chosen issues to get involved in that keep from being a lightening rod for controversy, you would be wrong. And she still got made fun of by the far right for the childhood obesity stuff. I think she will be able to branch out more this term if she wants. She has become someone a lot of people love and don't want to hear mean talk about.

But blaming people who would like her to take a risk is not the point. The point is the radical right who talked about the size of her ass and tried to piss on everything she did at the beginning.

I am sure she cares about military families, but I am also sure she took on that project because it's pretty much unassailable from the right.

[Soon]

Originally Posted by Nat

But I'm curious - are there those of you out there who consider yourselves feminist who are critical of Michelle Obama's job as First Lady on feminist grounds?

I think she's great. As far as feminism--it's about choice and empowerment/freedom to make those choices. If Michelle considers Mom-in-Chief to be her most important responsibility at this time, more power to her.

[Soon]

Faith Website Blocks Writer From Using That Icky Word ‘Feminism’ by Madeleine Davies

Early in January, Minnesota playwright, Presbyterian pastor and feminist Kristine Holmgren was asked to create a website for multi faith blogging network Beliefnet. "I'm negotiating 'terms' now," she announced excitedly on Facebook. Unfortunately, the negotiations have since fallen apart after Holmgren and the Beliefnet marketing analysts got in a disagreement about including the word "feminist" in the blog's title.

Holmgren received this email from Beliefnet marketing and business analyst Sharon Kirk:

We're ready to get started on the header for your blog however first we need the title of your blog and any creative direction you may have (i.e. colors you want to include, any themes, a headshot, etc.). I believe you and Jana previously tossed around a few title possibilities including "Feminist Pulpit Notes."

While I agree that title is certainly straight forward, I think it would resonate with our readers more if the title was a bit "softer." Our readers are looking for editorial that's uplifting, motivational, inspirational, etc. and I think your blog will perform better if the title speaks to that aspect of your blog. Do you have any ideas along those lines?

Holmgren then suggested "Sweet Truth — Thoughts of a Faithful Feminist." Friendly, chipper and soft as a puppy, right?

Then came the response from Beliefnet. Kirk wrote:

I love "Sweet Truth" however I would suggest changing the tag line or deleting all together as I'm concerned about the negative connotation that our readers may associate with the word feminism. In addition, we'll want this blog to focus more on Christianity/spirituality as opposed to issues related to feminism. What do you think of simply "Sweet Truths with Kristine Holmgren"?

Sure, or why not call it "Tasty Thoughtsy-Woughtsies"? Or "Blah, Blah, Blah: Unchallenging Thoughts from a Woman Who DEFINITELY Shaves Her Legs"? (Just spit ballin,' here.)

Side note: While Beliefnet is worried that the word "feminism" might offend someone, they have no issue about running ads and advice from Focus on the Family. Neat!

Holmgren posted this update on her Facebook wall Wednesday:

I spoke a few moments ago with the contact at BeliefNet. She told me — not only can I not use the word "feminist" in my title, I cannot use it on the blog..."The word offends so many people," she said. She said I should come up with a word that was "softer." I told her I didn't think there was anything "softer" than feminism; a word that denotes equality for men and women and respect for children and families. She said "I agree, but. . . " so I told her their inflexibility on this was a "deal breaker." She regretted my "feeling" on this (by the way — this isn't a "feeling." It's a "thought system." Some people's kids!!! ) and said, "We can conclude this without rancor." I said, "Oh, no we can't." I'm writing about this one.

On one hand, Beliefnet is a private company that's allowed to associate with whatever words they like. On the other, a private company that refuses to associate with an ideology that's fundamental principle is that you shouldn't treat women like garbage is a little fucking questionable.

Strangely, Beliefnet knew what Holmgren's point-of view was from the beginning. "I said to them ‘You've got to know that I'm a Presbyterian pastor, but I come to the world as a feminist.' They said, ‘That's fabulous. We want a wide range of views on the site,'" the writer said of her first interview. Later, of course, they got scared. Scared of offending people with something that isn't even offensive. Scared of offending people with women's rights. So much for faith...

[femmeInterrupted]

Far too recently in Canada, A motion brought before Parliament sought to have a committee examine whether a fetus should be considered a human being before it is born, and at what point exactly that designation should be given. Currently, the Criminal Code of Canada defines human life as beginning when a baby has completely emerged from its mother’s body.Canada’s Minister for the Status of Women (In a solid bitch slap to the women of Canada) joined nine other Conservative cabinet ministers and dozens of backbenchers in voting in favour of a motion to study the rights of the fetus.

In other news south of the Border:


http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/20...lack-genocide/

[femmeInterrupted]

"Since her death in 1979, the woman who discovered what the universe is made of has not so much as received a memorial plaque. Her newspaper obituaries do not mention her greatest discovery. […] Every high school student knows that Isaac Newton discovered gravity, that Charles Darwin discovered evolution, and that Albert Einstein discovered the relativity of time. But when it comes to the composition of our universe, the textbooks simply say that the most abundant atom in the universe is hydrogen. And no one ever wonders how we know."

~ Jeremy Knowles

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, a truly extraordinary woman.

[femmeInterrupted]

http://nwac.ca/declaration-indigenou...9Ri5c.facebook

FIFTY SEVENTH MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
From 4 to 15 March 2013, United Nations, New York

DECLARATION OF THE INDIGENOUS WOMEN OF CSW57

Reaffirming the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action Beijing, the Beijing Declaration of Indigenous Women, the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly and declarations adopted by the Commission during the tenth and fifteenth anniversaries of the Fourth World Women,

Recalling the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Article 22 paragraph 2, which states that States shall take measures, in conjunction with Indigenous Peoples, to ensure that Indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination,

Recalling that the Commission on the Status of Women plays a key role in monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the progress made and challenges encountered in implementing the Beijing Platform for Action at all levels, and in our regions, and the intergovernmental regional and sub-regional organizations to advance women, to ensure compliance with the commitments that governments adopt at the Commission on the Status of Women,

Considering the recommendations made in the report of the meeting of the international group of experts: combating violence against Indigenous women and girls: article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, where they emphasized the inadequate statistical data on the extent of violence against Indigenous women and girls that are so important for the development and implementation of evidence-based policy, legislative reform and judicial training,

Stressing the need for an intercultural and situational analysis to address violence against Indigenous women, whereas studies on various aspects of identity and systems of patriarchal and colonial domination have interacted.

WE URGE ALL STATES TO:

1. Promote public policies and inter-cultural approaches to the full and effective participation of women and young people including in political processes, to eradicate and prevent violence. This includes institutionalized mechanisms in each country, specific areas or departments responsible for designing policies, programs and legislation, taking into account the multisectoral nature of the problem of women, girls and young people, aimed primarily at providing information, tools and trained professionals in the sectors responsible for justice, education, health and employment.

2. Review education systems at all levels to review and include an education based on the recognition of diversity and cultural differences, as a basis for respect between diverse and complex societies, recognized as equal in rights. The educational content should contribute to state multiculturalism, self-esteem, dignity and respect for differences as fundamental values ​​to eradicate violence and racism.

3. Establish funds and governmental agencies for research qualified to supply culturally appropriate tools and methodologies to deal with the forms and consequences of violence against women, girls and young people, including national budgets and fiscal policies aimed at the justice system to reduce or eliminate violence against Indigenous women and girls.

4. Consider and take actions to repair the negative impact that pollution, environmental destruction and development, including the extractive industries has on the lives of Indigenous women, as a form of violence from the perspective of collective rights.

5. Create mechanisms for accessibility to justice for Indigenous women, through training and awareness of staff and to reduce incarceration of Indigenous women and their contact with the criminal justice system, and administer justice in matters of individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples and women, with a focus on multiculturalism and gender.

6. Include the variable ethnic and cultural identification in all instruments that gather quantitative and qualitative information from census surveys of all kinds, in order to overcome the lack of specific and disaggregated information relating to women, children and young people to establish the necessary policies, programs and legislation.

7. Develop national action plans which include research components focusing on intercultural violence by identifying systematic, coordinated, multi-sectoral and holistic, sustainable measures to address the underlying poverty, discrimination, overincarceration and sexism.

8. Develop mechanisms of accountability to monitor government programs to combat violence against women and girls, which identifies the damage caused by discrimination and racism and promote appropriate recommendations to remedy these facts.

9. Ensure the active participation of Indigenous women in all consultation processes during the phases of development, implementation and evaluation of all programs, policy and legislation related to responses for victims of violence to government programs and strategic policy, and for anti-violence including a holistic approach for the primary prevention of violence which ensures that the underlying causes are addressed effectively.

Declared by:

Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention Legal Service of Victoria
Adivasi Women’s Network, India
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)
Asia Indigenous Women’s Network
Chirapaq Centro de Culturas Indigenas del Peru Perú
Conservación, Investigación y Aprovechamiento de los Recursos Naturales (CIARENA)
Consejo Regional Indigena de Risaralda Colombia
Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ECMIA)
Coporwa – La Communauté des Potiers du Rwanda
Il’laramatak Community Concerns
Indigenous Women’s Forum for Northeast India, India
Indígnenos Youth Network
Indigenous Youth Network of Ayacucho - Ñuqanchik
International Forum of Indigenous Women (FIMI)
La Alianza de Mujeres Indigenas de Centroamerica y Mexico
La organization Wangki Tangi
Naga Women's Union, India
Mudgin-gal Aboriginal Corporation
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance
National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Partners of Community Organization (PACOS), Malaysia
The Sami Parliament

[femmeInterrupted]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...011042478.html