An Afghan rapper. The founder of the first primary school for girls in a Kenyan village. A trailblazing member of Congress who fights to create an AIDS-free generation. An advocate for women’s and children’s rights and empowerment. Tonite in Los Angeles, the Feminist Majority Foundation (publisher of Ms.) will award these four women with its […]
Feminist Majority Foundation
The Feminist Majority Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to women’s equality, reproductive health and non-violence and the publisher of Ms. FMF utilizes research and action to empower women economically, socially and politically. In addition to Ms., projects of FMF include the National Clinic Access Project, Feminist Campus, the Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan: Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls and Girls Learn International.
This Group Opposes VAWA—Because It Helps Lesbians
Need another reason to support Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization? Concerned Women for America (CWA) is against it. Yes, the same group that opposes abortion and most forms of birth control [PDF], as well as all LGBT rights: marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships, adoption and hate crimes protection. For their “dubious” anti-gay statements–including equating […]
Women, Money and Power
A sterling lineup of women mixed passion and good-natured humor at yesterday’s Women Money Power forum in Washington, D.C. Organized by the Feminist Majority on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the forum, which was streamed live, brought together hundreds of women across the age spectrum–from 8th grader Isabella Gelfand, who addressed an enormous banquet hall during the celebratory lunch, to feminists in their 90s.
Does Feminism Need a James Bond?
When Daniel Craig referred to his Bond character as a “sexist pig“—and then dressed in drag for public service announcement about gender inequality (below)–it was pretty big news. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkp4t5NYzVM And when Jon Hamm, star of the hit TV show Mad Men spoke out about rape as a men’s issue, he was lauded as a feminist […]
Rape is Rape Campaign: FBI Director Predicts “Forcible” Will Drop from Rape Definition by Spring
Last week we were excited to report that victory is finally in sight in the months-long Rape is Rape campaign: An FBI Advisory Policy Board unanimously recommended that the agency update the archaic definition of rape it uses in its Uniform Crime Report (UCR). The only hurdle that remained was final approval of the change […]
In Mississippi, and in Every State, We ARE a Pro-Choice, Pro-Birth Control Nation
I just returned from the front lines in Mississippi, where students on campuses across the state united and mobilized to defeat the so-called “personhood” amendment. In the beginning, many political pundits made it sound as though Initiative 26 was a fait accompli. From the day I landed in Jackson to stay at my Aunt Patsy’s […]
How Students at Historically Black Colleges Drove the Mississippi “Personhood” Defeat
When I was asked to come to Mississippi about three weeks ago to organize students against Initiative 26, or the so-called “personhood” amendment, I honestly did not know if we even had a chance of winning. The amendment could have made abortion illegal and banned hormonal birth control, including the Pill. Because Mississippi, the bedrock […]
Race, Class and Rights in Mississippi: Save the Pill and Save the Vote
Two upcoming Mississippi ballot initiatives–Number 26, on so-called “personhood,” and Number 27, on Voter ID exclusions–may be one of the most important on-the-ground opportunities for the pro-choice and reproductive justice movements to work together. By co-joining race (Voter ID-27) with gender (so-called “Personhood”-26), we have an excellent opportunity to experience intersectionality in practice. Black women […]
NEWS BRIEF: Global Population Hits 7 Billion
Today, according to projections from the United Nations Population Fund, the global population hit 7 billion—a number that continues to grow by more than 200,000 a day. As Ms. reported in the latest issue (on newsstands now or available here), the increasingly steep climb in the Earth’s population raises serious concerns about sustainability. The Feminist […]