"The Ugly Truth" About the Sex Trade

Hollywood has sanitized sex work by romanticizing it, as in "Pretty Woman," to a point that many people will wave off criticism of people who pay for sex by claiming that women "choose" to do it. While the feminist debate over sex work continues, there is no debate that much is wrong with the sex trade. An organization, End Demand Illinois has launched a campaign with these outdoor signs:

"The Ugly Truth" is a multi-media advertising campaign that seeks to raise awareness of the harm inflicted on women who are trafficked or prostituted, while calling the public to clear and measurable action on their behalf. Created through a dialogue with our partners at the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), who are currently working to pass critical anti-sexual exploitation legislation in Springfield.

Lynne Johnson, leader of End Demand Illinois and a colleague in the Chicago feminist scene, wrote an eloquent op-ed about ending the policy to charge those in prostitution with a felony:

It’s time to call it off. A 13-year-old experiment of charging prostitution as a felony in Illinois has failed. People in prostitution are being cycled through the criminal justice system without access to the help they really need, and the people causing the harm are going unpunished.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of the signs around the city. And hopefully having some constructive conversations with people who may have never thought of how to address the sex trade in Illinois.

Time for Blog for Choice Day 2013!

As we take time to reflect on 2012, our wins and challenges, we should also look forward to 2013 and the work we still need to do. One great way is to participate in the 8th annual Blog for Choice Day! And don't forget it's the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade!!

It’s our personal stories that change hearts and minds about the importance of always protecting a woman’s right to choose. That’s why this year we’re asking you to share your story about why you’re pro-choice.

Sign up to let us know that you plan to write a blog post on January 22 about why you’re pro-choice. We will also promote your blog through our outreach efforts to our supporters.

• Tag your posts with "Blog for Choice" to show all your readers that you're joining in.
• Download a Blog for Choice Day graphic here to let your readers know that you're participating.

If you don't maintain a blog or personal website, you can still participate through Facebook or Twitter. Post the Blog for Choice Day graphic on your Facebook wall. Update your status with your story – it can be only a sentence or two. Tag your tweet with #Tweet4Choice.

16 Days Guest Post: A Step in the Right Direction

Thanks to BoricuaFeminist from Boston, MA for this 16 Days post. Again, this is late due to my schedule, not anything she did! You can reach her at Twitter.

Last weekend my best friend, my boyfriend and I participated in the Hot Chocolate Run in my hometown of Northampton, MA. The Hot Chocolate Run is an annual fundraising event where people run a 5k, or in my case walk 2 miles, to raise money and awareness for Safe Passage. Safe Passage provides, “shelter, peer-support, counseling, education, advocacy, legal support and community education,” to women and children who are domestic violence survivors.

It was an amazing sight to see 5,500 participating, and more community members observing, in an event to bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence. Many walkers/runners wore stickers with the names of loved ones they had lost due to domestic violence. Domestic violence is still silenced in many homes and communities. It is powerful to see women, men, children and families give voice to those who may not always have the power to speak up. It is important for organizations to raise money in order to continue to provide services, but it is also important to raise awareness and bring visibility to the issue as well. In a city with a population of less than 30,000 people, such a large turnout sends a message of support to those affected by violence in our community.

There is always more work to be done. Institutional barriers around gender, race and class are deeply intertwined with gender violence. However, the fight is vital and we must continue to bring awareness to gender violence in our communities. Gender violence is not a private issue, as demonstrated by the stickers worn by the walkers and runners, its affects are widely felt. Even though the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence ended on December 10th, I will continue to make my voice heard on this issue throughout the year. I encourage everyone to do the same.

16 Days Guest Post: Commercialization of Domestic Violence Awareness

Thanks to fellow Chicagoan, Ann Santori of Half-Way to a Mid-Life Crisis for this post in commemeration of 16 days. This is posted late due to my fault not Ann's. You can reach Ann on Twitter & Tumblr.

According to a 2005 World Health Organization study, at least one in every three women across the globe will be abused physically and/or sexually at least once in her lifetime. The UN designates November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and December 10th as International Human Rights Day. Since 1991, the intervening sixteen days have been designated for the 16 Days Campaign, which focuses on awareness of gender-based violence.

The 16 Days Campaign, by its nature, is critical in thought and tends to focus on the specific factors that create a culture of violence. This year’s theme, for example, “highlights the role militarism plays in perpetuating violence against women and girls” as the amount of small arms in private ownership rises and “research shows that having a small arm in the home increases the overall risk of someone being murdered by 41%; for women in particular this risk nearly triples.”

However, other anti-domestic violence projects are not always so evaluative. Indeed, it seems that the trend is a troublesome commercialization and sensationalism. The Avon Foundation, for all the awareness it raises around the issue, still maintains two product lines (No More and m.powerment by mark) as part of its fundraising initiative.

Much like feminist sentiment surrounding the ‘Pink-ification’ of breast cancer, Avon’s lines present a thorny moral dilemma. On the one hand, there is a benefit to being able to contribute quickly and easily on a micro level (sometimes very micro – with certain products only bestowing cents of their total retail price to the cause) to larger social campaigns. On the other, not only is the commodification of a social ill ethically questionable, it can contribute to a buyer’s sense of complacency. Why, after all, if I’ve bought an m.powerment necklace or a pink vacuum cleaner, surely these ladies will be feeling better in no time!

Likewise, while it certainly raises awareness, sensationalizing gender-based violence can both turn the viewer away and instill him or her with a false sense of reality. France’s ad agency BETC Paris recently launched its campaign, entitled “Bruises,” a combination performance art and print work. On November 25th, dozens of women painted with realistic facial bruises dropped to the floor near the Pompidou Center in Paris under a banner that read, “In a single year, 122 women die after experiencing domestic violence.” The published images of the campaign that accompanied the performance depicted close-up views of bruises captioned in imitation of formal art pieces – “Grave Green,” “Booze Brown,” and “Rape Red.”

While extremely viscerally powerful, the BETC campaign remains simplistic and devoid of the complexities that surround domestic violence prevention strategies. Where is the discussion on how to spot an abusive relationship before it turns physical, the resources to escape such a situation before it’s too late. Reducing women and their stories to fodder for a shock campaign is, again, ethically troublesome to say the least.

So, are any campaigns getting it right? While they can receive criticism (as we all know that men are not the only perpetrators and women not the only victims), the recent trend of targeting sexual violence prevention campaigns towards men (see the following campaigns: My Strength is Not For Hurting; Real Men Know The Difference; Don’t Be That Guy, etc.) is certainly a step in the right direction. Here we do have an exploration of the ‘grey areas.’ Is drunken consent actual consent? Is there such a thing as spousal/relationship rape? Can consent be withdrawn? (The answers, for all that are following along, are resounding (a) NO, (b) YES, (c) YES).

Confronting these myths by being brave enough to suggest that gender-based violence thrives on a culture of hyper-masculinity can be the beginning of a critical and crucial evaluation of the behaviors that have created a culture of placid acceptance of both the myths and realities surrounding this violence.

16 Days Guest Post: Stop blaming women for VAW!

Thanks to Erin McKelle from Ohio and Fearless Feminism for today's post.

Gender based violence is such a huge problem in communities everywhere and it infuriates me that most refuse to acknowledge it. 1 in 3 women will be victims of domestic violence in their lifetime, 1 in 3 will be the victims of sexual violence and 1 in 4 the victims of sexual assault.
Women are told by society to be careful. To not be one of these victims, to protect themselves. We are told to not dress slutty and not get too tipsy. We are constantly being blamed for our own victimization. This message is seen everywhere and is internalized to make us fearful.

I think most women would agree that there is some level of fear going out alone at night or going to a rough neighborhood by ourselves. This comes from the media telling us to always be scared. That crimes happen randomly to women and that you'd better watch your back. The consequence is that women are living in constant fear and uncertainty. Their presence is made smaller, since they don't feel the freedom men do to come and go as they please. It is almost like we in the United States do live like those in what we consider to be gender oppressive countries (taking the spotlight away from our own) where women have curfews and can't be out past a certain hour. While this may not be a formal structure put in place, isn't it an informal one? If you see a woman alone walking down the street at 1 AM, doesn't it arose some sort of curiosity? Doesn't it make you wonder, at least a little?

We need to stop doing this to women. Making them the victims of our societies aggression problem is causing the deep-seated stress and fear in women everywhere. We need to wake up and realize we don't live in a progressive gender-equal society. If we did, we wouldn't have to tell women how to behave because there would be no fear of anyone getting hurt! Women would be women and men would be men and we'd be treated with the same respect and all have the same expectations from society. It's really as simple as that.

 
If you would like to submit a post for 16 Days, please use this handy dandy form. Thank you.  

16 Days Guest Post: Home is not always a safe house

Thank you to R. Femme (mistakenly credited for yesterday's post...sorry) for this touching post about violence within one's family.

As I have never posted about such a personal topic on the internet before and this is my first involvement in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, I hope that those who read this can appreciate my attempt to tell my own story as well as take a stance against gender violence.

I grew up in a dysfunctional household; my father was extremely abusive, not only to my mother but to myself, my sister and my brother. We never knew exactly why my father was angry but when he was, we all felt his wrath; he would scream, throw things, and all to often hit one of us. My mother was brave enough to protect us for the most part; she often put herself in between us and my father when he went into his spontaneous and uncontrollable rages. I lived with my father until I was fourteen when my mother decided to finally leave him; my mother and I moved in with my grandmother, while my brother and sister decided to remain with my father.

I was happy to be in a house with hot water and heat and a sense of normalcy which I had never experienced before. When I was ten or so, my father had decided to rip the insulation out of our walls and at the same time decided not to pay the heat bill, instead spending his paychecks on marijuana and his precious motorcycle. I no longer had to wear my winter coat inside or go to the community center for a hot shower.
Unfortunately at the same time, I was suffering from kidney disease and found out that I had to have major surgery that year. I was trying to maintain a relationship with my father, hoping that he would change because at that moment I needed him. He drove me to my appointments at my mother's behest but often complained about the trip and we were almost always late. When I went into surgery, my mother waited for the six hours in the waiting room while my father decided his time was better spent elsewhere. He came to visit me a couple of times during my recovery but never stayed long.

After my surgery, I maintained a relationship with my father for almost a whole year before the whole family fell apart. Upon finding out that my mother had moved on, despite having rejected her only months ago when she had begged him for a reunion, my father had my mother arrested on false abuse charges. I was interrogated at the local station about my parents' relationship and I told them as much as I could through my tears. As I left the station with my grandmother, I saw my father and I became very angry and didn't talk to him for almost three weeks.

When I eventually did talk to him, he only insulted my mother and blamed me for not telling him and I left for good. My brother and my sister were angry at me for different reasons upon my excommunication of my father; my sister didn't understand how I could "abandon" my own father, and my brother had been manipulated into believing every lie my father told him. Despite this tension, I was able to maintain a relationship with my siblings and still do to this day.

It has been over four years since I have talked to or seen my father; I moved away with my mother and I am attending university. My sister now understands why I have chosen to leave although she still lives with my father who still demeans her, but she refuses to leave him. My brother doesn't understand me though, he acts like my father and I am sad that he is going down the wrong path. My mother is the most important thing in my life and we have been through everything together, I also have a new sister who I love very much.
I grew up a witness and victim of gender violence in my household as well as a blatant sexist for a father; someone who believed women belonged in the kitchen and that a man had an obligation to punish. I have been told that I am destined to be abusive myself by various people; that I am like my father on the inside and that I have "run away" from my problems.

It is something that has shaped who I am today; part of the reason I am where I am, a part of my feminism, and a part of my whole family. Why I try so hard to help those in similar situations, the reason I want to be a good role-model for my baby sister, and the reason I am writing this right now.

I have encountered many people who believe that domestic violence is something of the past, something that doesn't happen anymore, but I want those people to be aware of reality. I want my story to be a part of that awareness, awareness that leads to action, action that leads to justice for all victims of abuse.

 
If you would like to submit a post for 16 Days, please use this handy dandy form. Thank you.  

16 Days Guest Post: Walking a Mile in Her Shoes

Thanks to JennaMurphy47 from Ontario, Canada for this guest post.  This post is especially poignant coming so soon after the murder of Kasandra Perkins. 

I could spend days, weeks and even years discussing my outrage about acts of gender violence in my home country of Canada, as well as other countries all over the world, but I would like to talk frankly about an issue that is affecting my community right now.

I live in a small city in South Western Ontario and we are about to embark on our first annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® men’s march to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence. Over the past few years I have been an active volunteer with my local women’s emergency shelter and when they had discussed launching this event in 2013 I couldn’t have been a stronger advocate.

My first experience with gender violence in my community was in 2002 when a 21 year-old woman was stabbed to death 58 times by her ex-partner in her parking complex. I was a young, naive 15 year-old girl at the time and while I was saddened by this murder, I was also too young to be aware of the misogynistic undertones of the comments that others were making about it. The murderer was a popular young athlete who had put our unassuming little hamlet “on the map” which led many to defend and make excuses for him. Murmurs around town, to this day, harken back to victim blaming and shaming that was characteristic of our culture decades ago. I have heard respected members of the community blame the victim because she was supposedly “unfaithful”, “an addict” or even that “she hit him too, ya know!” It wasn’t until I began my sociology program in University that I discovered how detrimental these attitudes were to the community and the cause.

The second experience occurred only two months ago when a woman was murdered by her estranged partner while her two children hid upstairs. This particular tragedy touched me in a very deep way. It caused me to dive in to my volunteer role with more feverous passion than I had ever felt before. This happened to her, to us, to our community and I wasn’t going to let it be another instance of victim blaming. I decided that in order for me to contribute to ending gender violence I would have to go out in to the community and TALK about it. I would talk to anyone and everyone who would listen and was willing to talk with me. Words are power, naming things is power. I wanted to delve deeper than saying in passing, “what a tragedy about that woman and her children.” It WAS a tragedy. It was devastating. Now let’s talk about why it happened and how we can prevent it from happening again.

It is time that we take hold of community events like Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® to get people talking and get people engaged. Domestic violence and sexual assault are NOT a private problem, they are a public issue. My organizing and recruiting efforts to date have been well received but I want you to open you ears not your wallets. Put yourself in her shoes and change your attitudes, beliefs and behaviors so that we don’t pass on a sexualized, patriarchal, misogynistic view of women and subsequently domestic violence to our future generations.

If you would like to submit a post for 16 Days, please use this handy dandy form. Thank you.

16 Days: Giving Tuesday

In the spirit of 16 Days merged with "Giving Tuesday," I present a list of 16 organizations that work on behalf of eliminating violence against women, as well as one handgun control organization, that you where you can give, give, give! Some also have shops, so if you still need a gift....

If I have missed your favorite, please let me know in the comments.

• Amnesty International
• Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
• CARE
• Chicago Abortion Fund*
• Chicago Foundation for Women
• International Rescue Committee
• JASS
• National Network to End Domestic Violence
• National Women's Law Center
• Nobel Women's Initiative
• RAINN
• Say NO - UNiTE
• Stop Rape in Conflict suggests donating to members of their advisory committee 
• Women for Women 
• V-Day
• YWCA

* They don't work on VAW issues directly, but many of the women who call requesting assistance are survivors of violence.

CFP: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

Yes, it's that time of the year! Time to rally for 16 days of activism against gender violence. Although this year feels like 16 days is hardly enough time to address all the acts of gender violence happening in the USA and around the world.

The 16 Days Campaign begins on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and ends on International Human Rights Day (December 10), to emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation. This year’s Campaign theme, From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let’s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!, highlights the role that militarism plays in perpetuating violence against women and girls.

Against the backdrop of several recent mass shootings in the United States, the Campaign will seek in part to illuminate the relationship between domestic violence and small arms. With nearly 700 million small arms in the hands of private actors today, research shows that having a small arm in the home increases the overall risk of someone being murdered by 41%; for women in particular this risk nearly triples. In addition, a 2005 study by the World Health Organization estimates that at least one in every three women globally will be beaten, raped, or otherwise abused during her lifetime. Violence kills and disables as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as cancer, and its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

“The pervasiveness of small arms and the violence militarism perpetuates in our communities the world over, challenges all of us to think critically about militarism in our everyday lives, governments’ actions undertaken in the name of security, and how we can promote a truly peaceful world,” says Dr. Radhika Balakrishnan, Executive Director of CWGL, global coordinator of the 16 Days Campaign.

The 16 Days Campaign, in its 22nd year, is a testament to the commitment and struggle of women and men worldwide to cast the spotlight on gender-based violence in all its forms and demand that all of society and government bring an end to this human rights violation. Since 1991, the annual 16 Days Campaign has mobilized more than 4,100 organizations in 172 countries to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of the multiple forms of violence women face. From Angola to Japan, the 16 Days Campaign has grown into a powerful platform to educate the public and governments about violence against women and human rights.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign from the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University. For more information, visit  http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu

Due to the 16 days coming up at the end of the semester and a particularly difficult semester for me, I am turning this announcement into a call for posts!

Call for Posts: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

Do you have something to say about gender violence in your community? Still furious about the shooting of Malala Yousufzai? Fed up with the killing of our sons by gang violence? If you have something to say, I would love for you to join in on 16 Days at Viva la Feminista this year. I made a nifty submit form to make it easier!

Blog Carnival: Clean Air and Environmental Justice

Environmental justice is an important issue to many Latino communities. Our communities are often located near smoke stacks, polluted land, undrinkable water, on and on. In Chicago, the Tribune ran a story today about our polluted communities*: 

Federal and state officials have known for more than six years about hazardous levels of brain-damaging lead in a vacant lot near Walsh Elementary School in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

Yet even after field investigators raised alarms about children possibly inhaling or ingesting contaminated soil, the half-acre lot hasn't been fenced off or cleaned up. Nor have government officials posted signs warning residents in the low-income, largely Latino neighborhood that the lot is tainted with toxic lead dust.

How are we expecting our children to grow up strong and learn all they can in school if they can't even breath clean air? If you ponder this question too, why not join in on a blog carnival that is happening?

MomsRising, NAACP, Presente, American Lung Association and Consumers Union invite everyone interested in Clean Air for All to participate in a blog carnival. This online event aims to raise a chorus of voices to elevate clean air as a public health and civil rights issue – among and for all communities – and to get the message to President Obama soon after the election: Make clean air your administration’s priority!

We invite all participants to think broadly, since clean air is connected to everything. Want to write about Hurricane Sandy, climate change and fairness? Go ahead!

Here are some blog post ideas:
• Clean air in communities
• Clean air in schools
• Clean air in playgrounds
• Asthma disparities
• Asthma healthcare and health costs
• Economic impact of pollution on community businesses
• Clean air as a civil rights issue
• Response to Hurricane Sandy in different New York neighborhoods
• Climate change and communities of color
• Obama’s environmental legacy
• Personal stories about asthma, mercury poisoning or other air-related illness, with fairness angle
• Mothers as community organizers for clean air
• The daily burden on parents in protecting their kids from air pollution
• Economic impact of pollution on families
• African-American women, gender and asthma mortality
• Any idea you may come up with related to clean air and environmental justice!


How the Blog Carnival Works

When many voices talk about the same issue at the same time, it helps the issue break through all the “noise” in the information landscape and register in the public consciousness. This blog carnival organizes many voices to talk about clean air and environmental justice at the same time.

We are accepting blog post submissions from now through Monday, November 26, 2012. The blog carnival “goes live” on Thursday, November 29.

All the links to all the contributed pieces will be gathered into one umbrella blog post, with an introduction written by Vernice Miller-Travis, Vice Chair of the Maryland State Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities and Co-founder West Harlem Environmental Action. The umbrella blog post will be published across all co-organizer websites.

TWITTER CHAT: Also on November 29, co-organizers will hold a Twitter chat at hashtag #cleanair4kids to further amplify the message of clean air and environmental justice by sharing information and highlighting individual pieces in the blog carnival.


How to Submit a Post

CHOOSE YOUR MEDIUM: For this blog carnival, in addition to text posts, we welcome video, art and photography – whatever your preferred medium – to be displayed in a blog post.

Please email the following to anita@momsrising.org by Monday, 5:00 PM EST, November 26, 2012, copying gloria@momsrising.org:

• Author name and email address
• Author head shot
• Author or organization Twitter handle as appropriate
• Post title
• Post content
• If a text post, if possible, include an accompanying photo or image, with photo or image credit. Photos and images are extremely effective in encouraging people to share blog shared around the Internet.
• We do welcome previously published pieces, but ask that authors include a few new sentences about why they are submitting it for this particular blog carnival. Please include the original blog post URL to receive credit.

The more blog posts, the merrier (and the bigger the impact we’ll have overall). So in addition to submitting your own blog post, if you know anyone else who may like to participate, feel free to share this invitation with them.

If you do not have a blog or think this issue won't fit at your current blog, Viva la Feminista is happy to host your guest post here. Just email me at veronica-dot-arreola-at-gmail-dot-com.

* You have to register to read this story. No fee should be attached.

Tweet & Rally against attacks on women's health in Illinois

Attention Illinois readers!

Did you know that Illinois Republicans think that women are livestock? That must be the only reason why they continue to submit bills impacting women's health to the Agriculture Committee.

Want to learn more?


Hands Off Women’s Health Twitter Chat

Lorie Chaiten, ACLU of Illinois, Director of Reproductive Rights, is hosting a twitter chat on Thursday, February 16^th from 1-2 pm discussing the Health and Human Services Plan B decision, the Mississippi personhood amendment, the Komen/Planned Parenthood controversy, the birth control coverage compromise, the attacks on reproductive health care here in Illinois and everything in between. Please follow the hashtag #HOWH (Hands Off Women’s Health) and join in the discussion.

Women Are Still Not Livestock Rally and Lobby Day

Yet again, extremists are trying to close down access to reproductive health care under the guise of protecting women’s health – by ramming measures though the Agriculture Committee (a noted authority on the subject).

Please join Illinois Reproductive Rights Activists next week on Tuesday the 21^st for a rally and lobby day in opposition to treating women like livestock. The t-shirts are will be even more awesome this year, and you will definitely want to get one.

Things will get started at 10:30 am in Springfield, and transportation is available. 
Please RSVP: http://action.aclu.org/cows2012.

Can't wait until next week? TAKE ACTION NOW:

Today, HB 4085, the so-called Ultrasound Opportunity Act, was sent to the Agriculture Committee. It could be heard during their Tuesday, February 21 hearing scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

Like last year’s bill, HB 4085 would require that prior to an abortion, the provider must offer the woman to have and view an ultrasound. The woman’s decision must be recorded in her medical record and reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The bill contains some vague and non-medical terminology that would be problematic for physicians who try to comply with its requirements. Unlike last year’s version, HB 4085 has no waiting period between the ultrasound and the abortion.

Write/call you state representative and tell him/her to “vote NO on HB 4085”.
Contact information for House members is available at: http://www.ilga.gov/house/default.asp

Next...pass this on! 

Occupy the Pews

The past week's brouhaha over religiously affiliated entities having to provide their women employees with birth control was infuriating to watch. I agree with the original stance of the White House that churches and houses of worship are exempt. But religiously affiliated hospitals and universities are different. Especially hospitals.

According to Religion & Ethics Weekly, "Catholic hospitals have become the largest nonprofit health care provider in the US, with over 600 hospitals. This year, one in six patients will be cared for in a Catholic hospital." For those of us living in large cities, we have a choice as to which hospital to use. But families who live in rural America have little, if no choice. I believe that even suburban families are also impacted.

But during the past week's "debate" over birth control, Anthony Picarello, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops general counsel finally revealed to the world their ultimate goal - no birth control. I know, I know, some of us knew this already, but it was great to hear it from their mouths and not just feminists piecing it together from other statements. His desire for even a Taco Bell owner to refuse birth control to employees based is just the ultimate.

This Sunday a letter from Chicago's Cardinal Francis George was to be read. I'm not sure if it still will be, but I suspect there will still be some sort of lecture from the pulpit about the evil of birth control as the Church is not happy with the "accommodation" the White House issued yesterday.

The last time I was at Catholic services, I'm pretty sure it was for a funeral. I grew up Catholic, but my mom made it crystal clear that we didn't go to services because of she didn't agree that "they" could tell her what to do about birth control.

But I am asking feminists who do go to Catholic services, Catholic women who use birth control and go to church on Sundays to stand up to the men in power.


Here's where Occupy the Pews comes in:


1) Go to Church as you normally do (Or if it's been awhile, consider attending)


2) When the offering basket comes around, feel free to still donate to the Church, but include a note with your donation telling the Church that you, a donating and supporting member of the Church uses birth control. Attach your name if you are so bold or not if you want anonymity. Just tell them that the women and men sitting in their pews, loves and respects the Lord, but believes in birth control as well.


3) When the lecture happens walk out. This will tell your priest that you do not agree.

These are simple and respectful ways to protest the Church leaders wanting to tell you what to do with your body. Not only that, as the statistic shows, the Catholic Church through their acquisition of hospitals is increasingly telling families of different faiths what to do with their bodies. How's that religious liberty, eh?

The Church moved pretty darn fast to protest women having access to birth control. Imagine if they moved that fast when dealing with priests who rape and abuse children?

My rule would be if a religious entity is doing religious work, their rules. But once they enter into providing services for the masses (hospitals, health care, adoptions) then they need to abide by secular law. If they don't like it, don't do it. Recently a Catholic adoption agency changed to a Christian adoption agency in order to adhere to an anti-discrimination law and retain its lucrative state contracts. So yeah, a compromise can be lived with.

And when should you Occupy the Pews? EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY that you go to Church. A Twitter friend told me that the last time there was a lecture on abortion, she walked right out. I truly believe this statement should come from those of us raised Catholic and especially from those who still regularly attend services, send children to Catholic schools and are connected to the Church.

As I said, I was raised Catholic, but didn't attend services on a regular basis. But I still have an affinity to parts of the Church. When I was in Mexico, I made it a point to visit the Basilica of Guadalupe. It's the church for the Mexican Virgin Mary. I made it a point because my in-laws asked me to "visit and just take a picture." But I believe in the positive images of the Virgin, especially a brown Virgin. When I walked into the square I was overcome with energy. I believe it was the energy of all of those around me. The love and peace was awesome. Then I walked into the old Basilica, I almost cried. I held onto my goddess necklace in prayer. Then I saw this:

The peace and love was gone. Why do they do this? According to polling done in the USA by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, "a strong majority of Latino registered voters - 74 percent - agrees  that a woman has a right to make her own personal, private decisions about abortion without politicians interfering." A display like this just offends those who believe in a woman's right to decide her own fate. Thankfully the goddess and the Virgin (some would say she's one in the same) restored the peace in my heart, but it wasn't the same.

If you do Occupy the Pews, please report back!

ACTION: "My Planned Parenthood" Blog Carnival

From: whattamisaid.com:

Please join What Tami Said and Shakesville for “My Planned Parenthood,” a blog carnival devoted to sharing the stories of the women and men helped by Planned Parenthood of Indiana and other Planned Parenthood branches.

What
Share your personal story of being helped by Planned Parenthood of Indiana or Planned Parenthood in another state. Link your story to why it is important that the organization continue to thrive. We are particularly interested in the stories of Indiana residents, but welcome other bloggers to take part. Planned Parenthood is under attack in states throughout the country, including Kansas, North Carolina and Wisconsin. We need to hear ALL voices.

When:
All posts should be scheduled to publish by 9 a.m. Eastern, Thursday, July 7.

How:

• Spread the word about this blog carnival through your blog, word of mouth and social media. On Twitter, use hashtag #MyPP. Post the My Planned Parenthood graphic on your blog and link it to this announcement. (See code below.)
• Email whattamisaid@gmail.com or melissa.mcewan@hotmail.com with your intention to participate. Include the name of your blog and it’s URL.
• Write your post. We may ask you to include a .jpg carnival graphic with information on how to support Planned Parenthood in your post.
• Schedule your post to publish by 9 a.m. Eastern, Thursday, July 7. If you can, send a direct link to your post to one of the email addresses above before July 7. What Tami Said and Shakesville will publish the names and links to all participating blogs in a stub post on July 7.
• Continue to spread the word and direct people to blog carnival posts.

Trust Texas Women

When people ask me where I am from, I say my dad is from Mexico and my mom was from Texas. Her side of the family have been in Texas so long that they are one of those families where the border crossed them. I even went through a phase where I said I was half Texan. So when I received the press release from the Center for Reproductive Rights about Gov. Rick Perry having zero trust in the women of his state, well, I had to add CRR's campaign, Trust Texas Women, to my "current actions" box in the right side bar.

Click over to read the scoop and sign their petition to show your support for the women of Texas. 

URGENT: Call your IL State Senate on Wednesday!

Yes, another plea for my Illinois readers to please call your elected official! This is super urgent folks!

The Illinois Senate  voted on SB 1619 (Comprehensive Sex Ed). Unfortunately, we fell one short with a vote of 29 YES – 26 NO – 1 PRESENT.


The good news is that one of the YES votes was not at the capitol today. Therefore, the sponsor Senator Steans requested that SB 1619 be put on the Order of Postponed Consideration which allows bills that only fall a few votes short to have another chance for a vote.

La Raza ran a story on Latinas and sex ed. 

We are making progress on SB 1619!

Please keep generating calls into state senators asking them to vote YES on SB 1619! Capitol switchboard is 217-782-2000. A list of senators is available here: http://www.ilga.gov/senate/default.asp

URGENT: Call your IL State Representative on Wednesday!

HB 1958 - The Anti-Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners bill's amendment number 2 will be voted upon and we need this amendment to pass in order for the bill to continue to move forward.

Call state representatives and urge them to vote YES on HB 1958. http://www.ilga.gov/house/ Capitol switchboard 217-782-2000.

In 2000, Illinois became the first state in the nation to ban shackling pregnant women during labor, in legislation that passed unanimously. Corrections officials are violating the ban. Women charged with nonviolent crimes have been placed in leg irons, with their hands cuffed to chain belts, when brought to the hospital. They have been shackled by one wrist and the opposite ankle to their hospital beds, impeding labor. HB 1958 clarifies and strengthens the law to protect the lives and health of mothers and infants.

• 81% of women in Illinois prisons are mothers.
• 6% to 10% of women prisoners are pregnant while incarcerated.
• About 67% of women prisoners in Illinois are convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, property crimes such as retail theft or forgery, and prostitution.

No pregnant women have escaped in the ten years since Illinois banned the use of shackles on pregnant women in labor, according to sworn testimony from the Superintendent of the Cook County Jail’s women’s division and information from state corrections officials.

House Bill 1958 fixes gaps in the 1999 legislation banning the shackling of women in labor. Amendment 2 reflects major compromises to balance the safety of pregnant women with correctional security needs.

1. It removes the changes to the Unified Code of Corrections. Advocates will work with the Illinois Department of Corrections in the coming year to address recent violations of the 1999 act and to extend the ban on belly chains and leg irons to women in pregnancy-related medical distress and pre-term labor.

2. It allows sheriffs to handcuff pregnant women in front during transport, unless the woman is in labor or pregnancy-related medical distress. This is a compromise to prevent the use of belly chains and leg irons on pregnant women while allowing sheriff departments with small staffs to use cuffs when transporting a group of pretrial detainees to court hearings.

3. It removes the reference to the Tort Immunity Act. The section referenced is:
Neither a local public entity nor a public employee is liable for injury proximately caused by the failure of the employee to furnish or obtain medical care for a prisoner in his custody; but this Section shall not apply where the employee, acting within the scope of his employment, knows from his observation of conditions that the prisoner is in need of immediate medical care and, through willful and wanton conduct, fails to take reasonable action to summon medical care. Nothing in this Section requires the periodic inspection of prisoners.

Its inclusion or exclusion should not change how the Act applies – inmates still may not sue for denial of medical care unless wanton and willful – and it prevents the redundant reference which the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association found objectionable.

4. A simple annual reporting requirement remains in place to track instances of restraints used under the extraordinary circumstances exception. This is vitally important for transparency. It will provide the necessary information to determine whether the new framework is effective and to point the way for any future fine-tuning.

5. At the urging of the Illinois Sheriffs Association, a simple provision mandating training of correctional staff on the law has been added.

The proposed legislation:

• Protects the mother and fetus from chain belts and leg irons throughout pregnancy.
• Provides clear definitions to guide corrections officials.
• Provides exceptions for imminent risk of escape or harm, and for psychiatric restraints when medically necessary.
• Provides a simple reporting requirement for government transparency.
• Prevents trauma, violations of privacy and HIPPA violations by having officers posted outside the delivery room unless medical staff request their presence.
• Benefits from the lessons learned by ten other states and the U.S. Marshals in banning the use of shackles on pregnant prisoners.

Nationwide, lawmakers are taking a stand against this dangerous practice. Eleven states and the federal marshals have recently banned shackling and nine more states have legislation pending at present.

Thanks to CLAIM for being a leader on this issue!

Call state representatives and urge them to vote YES on HB 1958. http://www.ilga.gov/house/ Capitol switchboard 217-782-2000.

The war on women in DC and in Illinois

Another temporary spending bill has passed in the US Congress. While Planned Parenthood escaped the chopping block, the women of DC were sacrificed by Congress. If you are pissed off, please donate to the DC Abortion Fund as they will be busy! The DC Abortion Fund has no paid staff. They are all volunteers, so please give what you can. If you can't give, send lots of stamina to the volunteer board members!

Here in Illinois, we have our own issues to contend with. Here's the latest update from Planned Parenthood Illinois Action:

The Illinois General Assembly’s deadline to pass bills out of their chamber of origin is Friday, April 15. Therefore, we anticipate a great deal of activity in the next few days. There is no time to wait! Calls need to go in to state legislators’ offices starting on Monday.


HB 786 Ultrasound Mandate


HB 786 would require that, prior to an abortion, providers must offer an ultrasound, ask the woman if she wants to view it, have the woman sign a form indicating what she chooses, wait one hour before the abortion, and then report the ultrasound data to the Illinois Department of Public Health. This legislation imposes the government on the doctor-patient relationship. No other medical procedure that involves ultrasound has a similar legal requirement. This legislation is not supported by medical or health care organizations. It is supported by anti-choice groups that want to make abortion more complicated and cumbersome to obtain.


Call state representatives and urge them to vote NO on HB 786. http://www.ilga.gov/house/ Capitol switchboard 217-782-2000.


HB 3156 Expansion of ASTC Regulations


HB 3156 would require any facility that performs 50 or more abortions to become a fully licensed Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center (ASTC) which is like a mini-hospital. In Illinois, abortions have been safely performed for over 20 years under a regulatory structure established by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This new requirement would single out abortion for special heightened regulation while allowing many other surgery like liposuction, vasectomies, and oral surgery to be performed in physician offices or clinics rather than ASTC’s. HB 3156 would end up costing Planned Parenthood over $1 million to upgrade our facilities to become ASTC’s. HB 3156 is not supported by medical organizations. Rather, it is being promoted by anti-choice groups who want to make providing abortion care so expensive that it will become unavailable to most women.


Call state representatives and urge them to vote NO on HB 3156. http://www.ilga.gov/house/ Capitol switchboard 217-782-2000.



SB 1619 Comprehensive Sex Education


SB 1619 would raise the standards for sex education in Illinois. It requires sex ed to be medically accurate, age appropriate, and comprehensive (both abstinence and prevention). We need quality sex education in Illinois schools so that youth have the information they need to stay safe and healthy. SB 1619 is not an unfunded mandate. Schools have the choice whether or not to teach sex ed. If they decide to teach sex ed, they will have a choice among numerous curricula. Parents can review curricula and remove their children from a class if they don’t want them to participate.


Call state senator and urge them to vote YES on SB 1619. http://www.ilga.gov/senate/default.asp Capitol switchboard 217-782-2000.

I AM THIS LAND: Interview with Julie Zeilinger of The FBomb.org

This is cross-posted with permission from b-side chat

Breakthrough’s I AM THIS LAND contest, now calling on people to make a video on diversity to celebrate our differences and win prizes, also wants to share the important work our partners are doing to uplift diversity. Read our interview with Julie Zeilinger, founder of The FBomb.org, a blog/community created for teenage girls who care about their rights as women and want to be heard.  Julie is also a judge for the I AM THIS LAND contest. Deadline is January 7, 2011!

b-listed: What has your experience as a young feminist been with issues of diversity in America?

photo courtesy of Julie Zeilinger

Julie: Through submissions I’ve posted on the FBomb, I’ve had the opportunity to hear from teen girls (and guys!) from all across the country. While each submission has been unique, there seems to be a common thread: while there is still a lot of ignorance in our country about diversity and its importance, this ignorance isn’t an unsolvable problem. Education and raising awareness goes a long way. This is something I have found in my own life, as well. A big reason why people may discriminate against others or make disparaging jokes is often because they just don’t understand what they’re doing. When you really try to explain to somebody what diversity is and why it’s important - rather than just writing that person off as a lost cause or the “bad guy” - you can make a big impact.

b-listed: We spoke with you last in April 2010. (http://blisted.breakthrough.tv/b-side-chats-interview-with-julie-zeilinger-teenage-editor-of-top-feminist-blog-the-fbomb-8792) Have there been any specific changes at F-Bomb since our last interview?

Julie: Since that interview, the FBomb has begun to receive way more submissions. I only write once or twice a week now and the blog is primarily written by its readers, which I think is fantastic. The readership has also grown considerably.  Apart from that, though, I think everything else still stands.

b-listed: Do you think there is enough talk regarding diversity issues and race relations in the US?

Julie: I think that there is always room for more discussion on the topic of diversity, especially considering that it seems when these discussions are brought up, they’re very general and rarely result in real action. Instead of having vague conversations about how our country should be more accepting, individual institutions and groups need to start having these discussions. For example, I would love it if my school - and schools across the country - would start thinking more about diversity, even if it’s just on the level of in history class examining how a certain historical event affected both genders and people of different races and classes.

b-listed: We’ve noticed diverse writers featured on F-bomb. How do different voices contribute to your blog?

Julie: The cool thing about the submissions on the FBomb is that they come completely from the writer’s perspective and is there because of their own initiative and desire to share their opinions. I don’t seek anybody out to write and I don’t edit for content (only for clarity and grammar). Everything that you read on the FBomb is the direct experience of the person who wrote the post. I think this is so important because whereas on other blogs you may get to know one blogger or a handful of bloggers, and their opinions on certain topics, really well, on the FBomb you are able to see a much wider perspective. What you read on the FBomb is really representative of the thoughts of our generation as a whole.

b-listed: You are one of the judges for our I AM THIS LAND contest. What are your thoughts on the concept behind this initiative?

Julie: I love the fact that the I AM THIS LAND contest approaches the issues of diversity through video. It seems to me that the way we talk about diversity has become so streamlined and predictable - I’m glad that this contest has decided to shake that structure up. I think it will make people take notice. I also love that this contest is conceptually focusing on the positive aspects of diversity rather than focusing on how our country is failing. I think it’s always better to frame things positively.

b-listed: Are you going to continue F-bomb when you go to college?

Julie: I’m still not sure what my role in running the FBomb will be when I’m in college, but it will definitely continue to exist just as it does now.

b-listed: What has surprised you most since you started writing F-bomb? Good or bad.

Julie: I always suspected that there were other people my age out there who identified as feminist and yearned for a feminist community where they could share their ideas, but I think I definitely underestimated the size of such an audience. I would’ve been happy if 10 other teens decided to read the FBomb and now thousands have. I think it just shows that feminism is not dead and that there are a lot of teens out there who are passionate about the cause.

b-listed: How would you complete this: I am this land because….

Julie: I am this land because I put my heart into being the change I want to see around me and fundamentally believe that everybody has the right to live freely.

Enter your video on diversity to win at I AM THIS LAND.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada. Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. They died because they were women.

As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

Pretty much my whole career is about women in science & engineering. The murder of 14 young women who were studying to be engineers happened when I was still in high school, yet I still hear murmurs about women taking men's places in this or that. This act of terrorism was about privilege. The person who killed the women felt he was being overlooked because women were in the way. To think that some people still think that or make women feel like they are "in the way" or just there because they are women pisses me off like nothing else.

I've been busy with wrapping up my first semester in "The Great PhD Race," to write much or ask you all to remember to donate whatever you can ($10 or $100) to support the Chicago Abortion Fund. But I do hope that as you consider your end of the year giving, you will put CAF on that list. Thanks.

Guest Post:: Share this Video of John Boehner

This post is cross-posted with permission from Blog for Choice.

Rep. John Boehner of Ohio is set to become the next speaker of the House of Representatives in January. What do we know about him?

Well, for one, that he wants to take away your right to choose. Boehner thinks politicians, not you, should make the personal, private medical decisions that affect your life.

Exactly how extreme are John Boehner's views?

• He voted twice against the Family and Medical Leave Act. 
• He voted eight times against clinic protection for women and doctors. 
• He voted for the dangerous Stupak abortion-coverage ban in health reform. 
• He voted twice to deny federal funding of abortion care to survivors of rape and incest.

Boehner's plan to attack choice is no secret--it's his top priority. He just released a new working document called "Pillars of a New Majority." Pillar number one: a speech he gave last summer to the National Right to Life Committee in which he expresses his intention to repeal the health-care reform law and pass the "Stupak on Steroids" bill.

He even said that when women have the right to choose, "freedom is diminished":



Make no mistake: John Boehner's House will be relentless in its attacks on a woman's right to choose. By our counts, there will be 248 anti-choice members of the House, compared to only 154 pro-choice members. Many of these anti-choice extremists oppose legal abortion, even for women who are raped or are survivors of incest.

We must be strong starting now. Send a message to John Boehner that you are not going to sit around while he and his extreme cohorts attack our right to choose!

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