Contribute to WOC Speak
WOC Speak is a new blog carnival put together by the amazing Renee of Womanist Musings. It is dedicated to the voices of women of color and allies exploring and speaking out about race, class, gender, sexuality and all of those little “isms” we love so much.
The carnival is dedicated to giving women of color a voice and will be published on the 15th of every month and submissions for the carnival will be accepted until the 10th of every month. It is imperative to take notice of and discuss the issues surrounding race in our culture and society today. There is so much to teach and so much to learn and so I cannot urge you enough to write and/or submit your posts to WOC Speak and also check it out on February 15.
Submit your posts here and you have 10 more days to get your posts in so the clock is ticking.
Spot the Difference!
I was so completely moved by the following two pictures, originally posted by Jill as Feministe, that I just had to share.
These two pictures are the signings of two of the most important bill signings for women’s rights in the past few years.
The Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003
The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
These pictures really speak for themselves. It is astounding what can happen in six years, especially when it comes to women’s rights. Having a pro-woman administration really does wonders.
The SCHIP Expansion Bill has Been Approved
The Senate approved a bill to expand and reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program in a 66 to 32 vote and President Obama plans to sign this legislation into effect. The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides health insurance to children from low-income families who cannot afford private health care but do not qualify for federal Medicaid. SCHIP currently provides health insurance to more than 7 million children and passage of this legislation expands the program to cover 4 million more children, including for legal immigrants.
In the most blatant of terms, SCHIP provides health insurance to children of families who are stuck in the middle–Not poor enough to be considered for federal insurance, but too poor to even think of the possibility of purchasing insurance from private and major companies. It has been an unfortunate situation, to say the least, to exist in the middle of the spectrum as far as income goes, so often putting families in damned if you do, damned if you don’t positions.
Not surprisingly, this is a version of the same that had been vetoed twice by ex-President Bush because as well all know now, he and his administration was all about killing Americans whether it be restricting Americans access to health care, insurance, or in war. We have waited for quite some time, but we finally have an administration that works as hard for us as we do for them. We have an administration that genuinely cares about its people and is determined to ensure that every American is receiving what they deserve.
Saturday, January 31, 2009NBC Rejects CatholicVote’s $1.5 Million
About a week ago, CatholicVote launched a national media campaign titled “Life: Imagine the Potential” where they combine an ultrasound, kick-you-in-the-gut sappy music and our newly elected and inaugurated pro-choice president, Barack Obama.
CatholicVote was prepared to pay NBC $1.5 million for a commercial slot in the Superbowl and while NBC is home to MSNBC and left-wing political pundits like Keith Olbermann and my personal favorite, Rachel Maddow, it’s no surprise, really, that NBC rejected to air the controversial and in my opinion, completely out-of-left-field ad, considering it puts a pro-choice president in a pro-life campaign. However, NBC does not discriminate against distasteful ads, unluckily for us, but they do refuse to air commercials that promote political or activist agendas.
Brian Burch, President of CatholicVote.org reacted saying:
“There is nothing objectionable in this positive, life-affirming advertisement. We show a beautiful ultrasound, something NBC’s parent company GE has done for years. We congratulate Barack Obama on becoming the first African-American President. And we simply ask people to imagine the potential of every human life.”
Keep in mind that the people of CatholicVote and the Catholic and other major religious people and organizations as a whole were the same people warding the masses not to vote for Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign against John McCain based on the fact that he is pro-choice. This ad is hypocritical for the fact that they are congratulating Obama on becoming the “first African-American” president; not just for becoming president, but for becoming the first African-American president that they merely see as an opportunity to use in a campaign without a second thought that their message completely goes against their “star’s” personal beliefs in the first place.
When will “Pro-Life” Activists Start Protecting Lives?
Reproductive health clinics help women as well as men in a myriad of different ways. They provide breast and cervical cancer screenings, annual pap exams, birth control and emergency contraception services, pregnancy tests, prenatal care and free sexually transmitted disease and infection testing and treatment. These clinics save lives and without them, low income women and men especially would have nowhere to turn for health care.
However, during any given day across the country, these clinics become victims of hate and violent crimes by those claiming to be “pro-life.” But if these groups of people are pro-life, when will they actually start protecting lives?
Just a few days ago, we celebrated the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and on that day alone, anti-abortion extremists called for a “return to the streets” in the wake of their massive losses during the 2008 election.
The Feminist Majority Foundation provided legal and security assistance and worked with federal and local law enforcement to respond to extremist activities at three different clinics.
In Lincoln, Nebraska a suspicious fire caused extensive smoke damage at the only abortion clinic in the state. The clinic’s physician and his family have been the target of threats and the victims of a previous arson by these anti-abortion extremists.
In Birmingham, Alabama at the New Woman, All Women’s Health Clinic (the site of the 1998 fatal bombing by a follower of the Army of God) a local anti-abortion extremist with long-standing ties to Operation Rescue/Save America and to the violent Army of God network has intensified their activities outside of the clinic.
In Charlotte, North Carolina Operation Rescue/Save America is leading a campaign against the Family Reproductive Health Clinic. Followers of this group have been frequently disrupting clinic operations with bullhorns as well as physically blocking access to the clinic.
It is abundantly obvious who is really “pro-life” of the two different groups. The clinics who work diligently to provide women and men with health care they potentially could not receive anywhere else and save lives of the people who are in need of their care and the groups of extremists who are bombing and setting fire to clinics intently focused on causing harm and death to the people who work in these clinics as well as to the patients who are inside of these clinics when these extremists decide to bomb and set fire to the clinic.
If you are really working towards acceptance of your message of life, it is perhaps important to demonstrate that you are really pro-life. Do you support war and the killing of innocent American soldiers as well as Iraqi and Afghan civilians? Then you can’t preach about how pro-life you are. Do you support the bombing and arson of reproductive health care clinics? Then you are obviously and purposely aiming to cause harm to someone’s life so you cannot preach about how pro-life you are. This is an argument that is widely brought up by pro-choice activists in this country, but the purpose of this article is to send the clear message that if you are pro-life, you should start protecting the lives of everyone, everywhere and not simply when it is convenient for you because that is called being a hypocrite.
Sex-Positivity
I'm passionate about sex-positivity and believe every sexual being should have the freedom to explore their sexuality safely and without condemnation. I even lost my ad network after my refusal to censor myself after reviewing feminist porn.So if you're in the market for sex toys, porn, books, etc. take a look at the retailers below, all of which are feminist-friendly.
Out Campaign
The OUT Campaign allows individuals to let others know they are not alone. It can also be a nice way of opening a conversation and help to demolish the negative stereotypes of atheists. Let the world know that we are not about to go away and that we are not going to allow those that would condemn us to push us into the shadows.
