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Quick Hit: Population Council’s Awesomeness

20 Jun pop council

The Population Council is an organization I’ve long admired. It conducts research throughout the developing world in 50+ countries to improve policies, programs, and products in three key areas: HIV and AIDS; poverty, gender, and youth; and reproductive health. Its research unlocks solutions to challenging situations — like unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence, female genital cutting, child marriage and more — and helps give vulnerable populations a voice in the global arena.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who really digs the Population Council; Sigourney Weaver recently filmed a short video about the organization. Take a few minutes to check it out:

Now, put on your awesome hat and make a donation! Some amazing donor has promised to match all contributions made by June 30, up to $35,000 — that’s pretty amazing and will go a long way towards sparking change and improving lives.

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Happy Love Your Body Day!

19 Oct lybd

Today is national Love Your Body Day. Some may not see the value in selecting a day to celebrate our bodies, but when you consider that 80% of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance, I think it’s a fabulous idea. Every woman should take a step back and appreciate what they’ve got — if not every day, then at the very least, on this particular day.

Women and girls are constantly bombarded with images and messages of what their bodies ought to look like — from Hollywood to the fashion and cosmetic industries, to print and TV ads. Images of thin, beautiful and “unblemished” (ahem, Photoshop) women crop up virtually everywhere, sending the subliminal — if not overt — message that our bodies, faces and hair need constant improvement.

Whatever happened to focusing on what your body can do instead of how it looks?

Like many women, for years I battled with a horrifically negative body image and an eating disorder. To this day, I still struggle with accepting my body. I’ve had to literally re-train my brain to focus on the positives, instead of comparing myself to Kim Kardashian’s figure (and berating myself for not looking like her). At 30 years old, my body sure isn’t what it was at 16. I don’t have a six pack and I don’t wear a size 3 anymore. But you know what? I’m awesome — curves and all!

So in the spirit of Love Your Body Day, here are a few reasons why I love my body: My body can bring life into this world and sustain it. My body can run a 5k and do squat jumps and push ups. My body has curves that my husband loves. My body is healthy. My body has art work that ten years later, I still love. My body has imperfections, but these imperfections tell a story — MY story.

It’s high time we start focusing on our positive attributes. And while we’re at it, let’s call out advertisers and the media that enforce unrealistic beauty standards, sexual ideals and gender stereotypes. To these ends, visit NOW-NYC’s blog, FIGUREatively Speaking and their #notcool page. And if you’re on Twitter, tweet why you love your body with the hash tag #LYBD.

What do you love about your body?

 

Note: This post is part of the 2011 Love Your Body Day Blog Carnival

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10 Things I Learned From My Mother

8 May mother-daughter

As this Mother’s Day comes to a close, I’d like to thank my mother for all that she has done for — and with — me these past 29 years. She mastered the art of parenting while remaining one of my closest confidants, even during those rocky adolescent years, which is a skill I still admire to this day. She also taught me a crap load, whether I realized it at the time or not. While it would be impossible to catalog everything she has taught me, I’ve jotted down the top 10 lessons my mom passed on to her youngest child (moi!). In no particular order (well, except for #1):

1. Girls can do anything boys can do. And more often than not, they can do it better.

2. It’s ok to talk about poop. And farts.

3. You may not agree with someone’s choice(s), but you can — and should — love and support them anyways.

4. Having a period sucks, but you have to just suck it up and hope your cramps go away sooner rather than later.

5. Love and respect yourself above all else; otherwise, you open the door for others to treat you badly.

6. Treat others how you would like to be treated.

7. Honesty is the best policy. Even if/when it can get you in trouble.

8. The kids who make fun of you during childhood are really just jealous of you. (While this may or may not have been true, it sure made me feel better!)

9. Travel the world, read tons of books, go to graduate school, take that wine tasting class… In short, do everything you’ve ever wanted to do before settling down (if you so choose).

10. Do the best you can do. This applies to all facets of life — school, love, friendships, being human.

Thanks, Mom! And happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas out there!

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Senate Rejects House’s Attempt to Defund PPFA!

9 Mar capitol-hill

Hats off to the Senate, which today rejected the House’s budget proposal that aimed to defund Planned Parenthood and family planning. WOO HOO!

According to an action alert I received from NARAL Pro-Choice America, the organization is planning a national lobby day as the War on Women continues:

Believe me, this is not over – not by a mile. We have to harness that energy to stop the entire anti-choice War on Women. That’s right – we still face extreme bills in Congress that could change women’s access to abortion and birth control forever. In fact, today a key House committee scheduled a third legislative hearing on H.R.3, the extreme “Stupak on Steroids” legislation, for next week.

Our next step is organizing a 5,000-person pro-choice lobby day in Washington, D.C. on April 7. We will be joined by our partners at Planned Parenthood and other major pro-choice organizations.

Great job — and many thanks — to all the pro-woman, pro-family planning activists who spoke out against the House’s attempt to defund Title X! Let’s keep it up!!!

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Victory! NYC Passes CPC Legislation!

3 Mar New York City Council

 

New York City Council

With all the horrible, no good, very bad attempts to erode abortion rights going on, I think it’s important to highlight victories amidst the onslaught. Which brings me to today’s post.

Yesterday, New York City’s Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of regulating those pesky CPCs I’ve talked about. From now on, CPCs in NYC will be held accountable for disclosing whether or not they have a licenced medical professional on staff and if they refer women to other services (i.e., emergency contraception, abortion).

With all the lies and propaganda flying at us from every angle about abortion and women’s healthcare, this is a very welcome piece of legislation. I applaud the city council’s Chris Quinn and mayor Michael Bloomberg, who very vocally and adamantly supported this bill, and am proud that NYC remains a beacon of hope for women facing difficult decisions.

So Cheers! Way to stand up for women, NYC!

 

 

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Cheers to Tom Matlack!

8 Feb tomMatlack

Yesterday, the Huffington Post featured an article by Tom Matlack regarding Esquire’s “Women We Love.” In it, he criticized the men’s magazine for doing what men’s magazines have been doing forever: objectifying women and praising them solely on their (sexualized) appearances.

The eight all-time (since 2002) most loved women are Kate Beckinsale, Megan Fox, Katy Perry, Christina Hendricks, Anna Torv, Angelina Jolie, Beau Garrett, and Monica Bellucci. In the thumbnail preview shots, two of the women appear to be putting their fingers in their mouths, one is lying in bed seductively, one is wearing a wet T-shirt and one has her lips parted suggestively. Only Angelina’s image suggests some kind of self-respect.

I click on bustier-clad Katy Perry and skip down to the interview, trying to ignore Ms. Perry in full black lingerie (complete with garter belt). After all, this is about man at his best; there must be something serious here that we all love so much.

Ah, here it is: “I always wanted to suspend from the ceiling in a twirling banana,” Katy tells Esquire.

I’m done. I close the browser window and stare out the window.

Who are the men Esquire’s talking about? What is it that we love about these women? Their twirling-banana-swing fantasies? Their factory-fresh “breasts”? Their naughty smiles? Are those things truly what men at their best love about women?

Oh, it gets better.

In media and culture, men are increasingly caricatured as knuckle-dragging cartoon characters, particularly when it comes to how we view women and sexuality. And by whom? Men, of course. It’s not women running the strip clubs, porn websites and editing spreads in Esquire. We have an enemy, and the enemy is us.

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Yes, good men love women. But we love women in all their complexity — for the things they do, for their intelligence, their wit, their athleticism, their creativity, their power and their force of personality. We seem to have forgotten that along the way. Our brain-numbing intoxication by pornography in all its forms threatens to end us — not because it is morally wrong, but just because it distracts us from the truth and scatters our power. It’s one big acid trip fantasy with no connection to improving our lives, being good fathers and husbands and advancing our careers.

Why is this article so badass? Because it is written by a man. It is rare to see — in mainstream media, in particular — men questioning the overly sexualized, brainless portrayals of women that permeate our culture. So high five to Tom Matlack! Way to be awesome.

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