Viva la Feminista

One of the best outcomes from Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In,” is that the issue of women in leadership has taken center stage in the public conversation. Concepts such as the glass ceiling, the wage gap and gender bias in the workplace have a renewed sense of purpose. What also has renewed activity is the debate over having it all and work/life balance. I got the opportunity to speak to Sheryl Connelly, Futurist for Ford Motor Company . Yes, I got to speak to a woman who is high up on the leadership ladder whose job it is to spirit the future. First thing's first, what is a futurist? Connelly says, "Well, I am not a fortune teller and I do not try to predict the future. What I try to do is pick up on trends that will be important to Ford’s long term plans." According to Connelly, any organization that does long term planning and strategy is futuring. Considering that the conversation about women's equality, especially in the workplace and elected positions is alwa...

Just a quick note to point out two pieces that I wrote for other sites that perhaps you missed... 1) I interviewed US Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius while she was in town for Blogher '13: This week a little boy was born in London . One day he will grow up to be the King of England. This week a little boy was born in Chicago. Who knows what he will grow up to be. One thing we do know is that the future king’s birth most likely cost half as much as baby boy Chicago.    The state and cost of health care in the USA is why the Affordable Care Act is an important piece of legislation. I am unsure if the cost of health care will go down under Obamacare (I hear it won’t), but we do know that everyone will be mandated to have insurance. This, hopefully, should put health care in the affordable category for most of us. But will it help minimize health disparities in the US? This is what I asked Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen...

This summer espnW is celebrating Title IX, the federal law that has provided girls and women access to athletic programs, with nine films. One film, " Let Them Wear Towels, " which premiered July 16, documented the rise of the woman sports journalist and their biggest hurdle to success -- the locker room. Today we don't bat an eye to see journalists, like NBC Chicago's Peggy Kusinski , grab an athlete right after the game and pepper them with questions. Sometimes she's in the locker room, sometimes she's on the sideline. She goes where she needs to get the story. And that is exactly why in the 1970s and '80s women sports journalists fought to gain access to the sweatiest and grossest place in sports. Earlier this year, WBEZ's Cheryl Raye Stout proclaimed her gratitude to former Chicago Bear Jim Harbaugh for questioning the policy to not let women into locker rooms. If we had to rank the feminist battles of the 20th Century, and some people like to...

Did you know that Tylan of Girlyman has a solo CD, One True Thing ? Well, you probably do because her Kickstarter was a smashing success! I was lucky to chat with Tylan about this and much more. Viva la Feminista: You were recently in Chicago to play at Space (actually in Evanson). How was the show? Tylan: The show was amazing. It was honestly one of the best shows on the tour. The place was packed with love and support. VLF : Who are your musical influences? Tylan : I like really great songwriters. Paul Simon was the first one I obsessed over. Springsteen, Patty Giffin, Indigo Girls....and a lot of my peers who are not famous, but are playing shows and writing great music. VLF : So...pick one act who most of us don't know about, but should? Tylan : Oh, don't make me choose! (long pause...Jeopardy music....). Coyote Grace is a trio, and yea, my partner is in the act. But really, they are so talented. Their songwriting is so good and performances are so exciti...

Merle Hoffman is the publisher/editor-in-chief of On The Issues Magazine and one of the most outspoken advocates for progressive and feminist issues. Merle established Choices Women's Medical Center to provide abortion services shortly after New York State legalized abortion in 1971. Today, Choices has grown to become one of the most comprehensive and nationally well respected providers of a full range of gynecological services for women, including abortion to 24 weeks of pregnancy, birth control and pre-natal care. In 1983 Merle began On the Issues Magazine as a newsletter of Choices Women's Medical Center to communicate with other health care providers, pro-choice activists and the reproductive health care community generally. Within a few years it had developed into On the Issues, the Progressive Woman's Quarterly , gaining accolades as a motivating, challenging and controversial magazine of ideas and action. After ceasing publication in 199...