Viva la Feminista

This post reflects a compensated editorial partnership with Voices for Healthy Kids , a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. My favorite class was gym or PE. Even though I got As in math & science, gym was still my favorite. I loved being able to run around, hit balls, jump, & just move. Now I know I can thank gym class & recess for my good grades. See, research shows that kids who are physically active, even for just an hour a day, do better in school. For many years my daughter’s school did not have recess and only weekly gym class. That is why I joined the Protect PE campaign as I see all physical activity as part of restoring and maintaining our children’s overall health. Sadly, when our public schools have their budgets cut, physical exercise – gym and recess - is one of the first things to go. According to the Voices for Healthy Kids , only 4% of elementary schools, 8% of middle schools, and 2% of high schools ...

Maya Schenwar's book, Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better , has been lauded around feminist and progressive media: Alice Kim at Truth Out : Deftly weaving her own personal experiences with her sister’s incarceration alongside the stories of prisoners who she has been writing to over the last eight years, Schenwar illustrates the devastating effects of prisons on those who are incarcerated, their families, and our communities. With her book, she not only offers a searing analysis of the prison industrial complex but also possibilities for creating alternatives to mass incarceration. Sarah Macaraeg from The Toast : ...Maya’s book, filled with the voices of her incarcerated pen pals—one of whom is Maya’s own beloved sister, Kayla. Woven together with her family’s experience facing the formidable hurdles likewise faced by millions as they try to remain connected to a locked-down loved one, Maya’s analysis of our “prison nation” is tha...

Monday, August 4 to Sunday, August 10, 2014 The Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice is an initiative that elevates Latina leadership, power and activism to transform the cultural narrative via a collective call to action on critical reproductive justice issues facing our community. Despite what the NYTimes thinks, reproductive justice is not a new term , rather one that comes from women of color organizing beyond the "pro-choice" box to ensure our work is not about one procedure, one action, but rather a holistic view of women's lives and how we make decisions about when, how, and why we become mothers or not. To mark this week you can: Organize an in-district visit with your elected officials Host a rally, street action, community meeting or cafecito Write a blog (VLF is open for guest posts!) Mobilize using social media using the hashtags: #WOA14 and #RJrevolution Contact Angy@latinainstitute.org to learn more ways to get involved and share ...

Oh yes, my dears, we're almost half way through #365FeministSelfie! Can you believe it? To mark the occasion of the half way point on July 1, I wanted to ask everyone to post a half-selfie or maybe a selfie with "your better half." Just play up the half theme...Then a bunch of #365FeministSelfie'ers started asking... "How can we all get together and take a mega-#365FeministSelfie?" And of course, this came to mind: Thus OPERATION ELLEN came into being. For those of you who want to (no pressure), on July 1st - our half way point - include Ellen in your #365FeministSelfie: Instagram Twitter: @TheEllenShow Facebook Vine Tumblr Pinterest YouTube Her show even is looking for people to send in funny photos including baby selfies , selfie fails , and most creative selfies . But know that once you send it in to the Ellen Show, they can use it however they want. SAMPLE TWEET: #365FeministSelfie is at the half-way point, @TheEllenShow! Let...

I reported last summer that Illinois now has a parental notification law being enforced and on my sidebar is a link to resources for minors who need a judicial bypass. But we know that a bypass is not the solution for every minor who is need of abortion care. That is why the ACLU of Illinois and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health are heading down to Springfield to call for a repeal of this harmful law. #STOPPNA Advocacy Day  Thursday, April 3, 2014 Buses leave Chicago at 6am Buses then leave Springfield at 3 pm Register for the day!    Of course, if you are not in Chicago, get to Springfield anyway you can. You can join the campaign, even if you can't make it to Springfield (I can't) by submitting your story and/or taking a selfie of your shadow and tagging it with #StopPNA on Instagram or Twitter . I am asking all #365FeministSelfie participants, especially those in Illinois to submit a shadow selfie on April 3rd. Share your thoughts on the paren...

2015 UPDATE: This challenge will continue on into 2015. I started something that can't go back into the bottle, so let's do this! Read more at my EOY post.  When Jezebel posted a ridiculous piece about selfies being a "call for help," I was well aware that the selfie was under attack from other parts to society. A few days ago the amazing Nina Garcia , of Marie Claire & Project Runway, shared an infographic over Twitter about selfies making us more narcissistic. President Obama looked like he got in trouble over a selfie. Selfie is the word of the year. The funeral selfie apparently is the worst we can get.  But what about positive selfies? Yesterday I saw a mom and her maybe-5yo-daughter taking a selfie. They were making silly faces and snapping pics. Those were memories being made, moments of love that both will likely remember forever. I take those with Ella for the same reason - we are marking a moment in time. Then there are the countless pieces ...

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 a n eloquent op-ed about ending the policy to ...

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 f...

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 g...

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 r...

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. ...

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 ...

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 youn...

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.

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 a...

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? Moms...

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 a mendment, 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 Agricultu...

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 ...

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 ...

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.