Q: 2011 was a big year for you — you transitioned from an editor at Feministing.com to a columnist at The Daily, The Purity Myth Documentary came out, and The Guardian listed you among its Top 100 Inspiring Women. What does 2012 have in store?

JV: Well, thanks! I’ve actually just joined The Nation as a contributing writer and blogger, which I’m thrilled about. I also have a book coming out this fall about parenthood – it’s a look at the disconnect between the ideal and reality of parenting, especially mothering. So it’s set to be an exciting year!

Q: Sadly, it’s not uncommon for feminist bloggers/writers/activists to receive hateful responses from all the “anti’s” (anti-woman, anti-feminist, anti-choice, etc.) out there. How do you personally deal with this?

JV: You know, it’s something I’ve been dealing with for a long time and my strategies have changed over the years. At first I used to try to engage (with the idealistic notion that I could change minds). Then I did a lot of mocking. (See Anti-feminist mailbag on Feministing for some of the funnier ones). Now I just ignore. I’ve found that a lot of the people who are most vociferously opposed to feminism are often just looking for attention. So I think depriving them of oxygen is the best bet these days.

Q: In a similar vein, given the ridiculously anti-woman political climate we’re mired in, how do you maintain your feminist focus without getting completely exhausted and frustrated by it all?

JV: Feminist burnout is actually a really serious issue – folks who do social justice work aren’t just exhausted physically. It’s emotional work  as well. I’m a big believer in conserving your activist energy and using it strategically. I don’t talk to brick walls, I maintain a close like-minded community that I can go to for support, and I consider self-care part of my work as an activist. After all, how can you effectively do the work if you’re completely wiped out?

Q: Who are your top feminist role models?

JV: My cohorts at Feministing. My best role models have been the people I’ve had the honor of working with – they teach me new things constantly, inspire me to do more, be better, and think critically.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to young feminist bloggers and aspiring authors, what would it be?

JV: That’s a hard one! And the advice would probably depend on what their goals are…. But my most blanket advice would be to find a mentor, if at all possible. I think there’s not nearly enough feminist mentorship happening – especially in feminist writing and blogging circles, and it’s such a necessary thing! So seek people out.

It hit me that if she feels this way, many many many more women must likewise feel powerless. And this overwhelming sense of powerlessness is very easy to give in to, to truly believe that as one individual, you cannot affect change. To that, I say…wrong! There are very simple steps you can take to become active on an issue and help alter the course of politics/history/what-have-you. Mind you, I am not writing this  from a professional activist/organizer point of view, but rather as your run of the mill feminist. So if I can take these steps and feel empowered, anyone can!

Be targeted. There are, sadly, a million women’s rights issues that really ruffle my feathers. But it’s extremely difficult, not to mention overwhelming, to try and take on everything. Pick an issue (or two or three) and really dedicate yourself to it; doing so makes activism much more palatable.

Get informed and get engaged. It’s one thing to be pissed off, but it’s another thing entirely to be pissed off and armed with information. Knowledge is power. Read the news, relevant blogs and reports on the issue(s) you’re interested in. Engage in online commentary and talk about the issue(s) with your friends, colleagues and family. The more you read and talk about it, the more confident you’ll be in your ability to take action.

Don’t just talk the talk. Tweet it, Facebook it, blog it, YouTube it. You have a voice and valid opinions so don’t be afraid to blast them beyond your immediate inner circle! We live in an era in which social media reigns and if the Arab Spring taught us anything, it’s that these tools are our friends.

Walk the walk. Literally. March in protests and participate in rallies. This may sound like an outdated form of activism, but trust me, it’s not. It’s extremely empowering to be part of a crowd demanding justice and accountability for something you believe in. You can also let your fingers do some walking, so to speak. Successful activism has both verbal and visual components, including the written word. Don’t like the way your local paper is covering an issue? Write a letter to the editor. Hate that sexist billboard in your neighborhood? Email the company whose ad is offensive. Think that rapist should get the maximum sentence? Write the judge and tell him/her why.

Get involved with grassroots organizations. Find the local chapter of a women’s rights organization (like NOW, Planned Parenthood, etc.) and get involved! Not only is this a wonderful way to network with other like-minded feminists, but it will also provide you with ample opportunities to take concrete action in your community. This is particularly helpful for those of us who need some direction and guidance. If you’re not keen on physically going to meetings, sign up for action alerts!

Don’t get complacent. This one bears repeating: do NOT get complacent. You can’t depend on others to be your voice or your vote.

If you have other tips, please feel free to post them in the comments section!

The past year has borne witness to wave after wave of sexual assaults in our beloved city, from Manhattan to Brooklyn and the Bronx. As if that isn’t bad enough, an emerging pattern of mishandled cases by the NYPD and District Attorney offices sends a strong message: New York City does not take rape seriously.

First, there was the Tony Simmons case. Simmons was a juvenile justice counselor who sexually assaulted underage girls entrusted to his care, including one incident in which he raped a 15-year-old in a courthouse basement while she waited for her case to be called. One would think the justice system’s response would be to lock Simmons up and throw away the key. But, no. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Cassandra Mullen thought the proper course of action was to offer Simmons a no-jail plea deal. Thankfully, women’s rights organizations caught wind of this deal and organized protests, which resulted in Mullen revoking the plea bargain and sentencing Simmons to four years in jail.

Other black marks on Manhattan’s record include the infamous acquittal of NYPD “rape cops” Kenneth Moreno and Franklin Mata this past summer, and Cy Vance’s decision to let former sportscaster Marvell Scott serve 20 days of community service in exchange for raping a 14-year-old girl who had been forcefully prostituted. And let’s not forget the other NYPD rape cop, Michael Pena, who was literally caught with his pants down sexually assaulting a woman in Washington Heights in August.

That, in a very brief nutshell, is Manhattan’s year in review. Let’s move on to Brooklyn, which has likewise been afflicted by sexual assault and an outrageous response by authorities.

Throughout the spring, summer and fall of 2011, women in Brooklyn were targeted by a serial rapist. By September, at least nine incidents were reported. The NYPD’s response? Victim-blaming, naturally. A woman told the Wall Street Journal that she was stopped by a cop, who asked, “Don’t you think your shorts are a little short?” That same cop went on to point out other women’s outfits and said such clothing could make the suspect think he had “easy access.” Note to the NYPD: rapists cause rape, not the victims or their clothing, so please re-adjust your focus and start protecting victims, not blaming them.

Now, the latest rape-related indignation comes out of the Bronx, where the DA’s office has royally screwed up, to say the least. Two men, Brian Brockington and Rodney Howard, who are linked to a brutal 1993 rape by DNA evidence, are walking free amongst us thanks to gross mismanagement. Not only was DNA evidence from the crime not processed for over a decade (the blame for this lies at the NYPD’s feet), but prosecutors reportedly dragged their feet and failed to file charges until the day after the statute of limitation expired. As a result, charges were dropped. I should also add that Brockington was charged with two other rapes – one in 2003 and another in 1997. But thanks to District Attorney Robert Johnson’s office, this serial rapist is free to rape again.

Each of the aforementioned incidents is horrible in its own right, but collectively, they paint a very disturbing – and dangerous – picture, one in which the rape of our city’s women is not taken seriously by the justice system.  But as bleak and infuriating as this is, not all is lost. The very beauty in pursuing social justice is the ability to use our voices to affect change.  It is urgent that as members of the NYC community, we do just this. Call your District Attorneys and demand that more attention be paid to rape cases, write Letters to the Editor expressing your outrage, and get involved in grassroots campaigns, like NOW-NYC’s Take Rape Seriously Campaign.  Above all, remember that action translates to power, not only for us individually, but for those whose voices are too often marginalized.

Note: This post originally appeared on the New York Writers Coalition’s The Narrator.

But the most exhilarating moment came at the end when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took the stage. Quick witted and alternating between humor and solemnity, she very effectively addressed what it means to be a woman in the world today. While her entire speech was captivating, two points in particular struck me. First, regarding the pervasive nature of extremists’ fascination with controlling women:

“Why extremists always focus on women remains a mystery to me. But they all seem to. It doesn’t matter what country they’re in or what religion they claim. They want to control women. They want to control how we dress. They want to control how we act. They even want to control the decisions we make about our own health and bodies. Yes,it is hard to believe that even here at home, we have to stand up for women’s rights and reject efforts to marginalize any one of us, because America needs to set an example for the entire world.”

Thank. You. I find it deeply ironic that Americans repeatedly point to the people “over there” who — gasp! — deny women’s rights so blatantly. While I can drive a car and leave the house without my husband, I still fight against misogyny every single day: for control over my own body, to be paid equally for the same work someone with a penis does, to be free from institutionally condoned sexual harassment and violence. The list goes on. And Hillary is totally right: America must set an example for the rest of the world. But we obviously can’t rely on elected and aspiring politicos to do this for us; we must do this ourselves. And as Leymah Gbowee said, it’s time for us to stop being politely angry about the sad state of affairs in this country. We could all take a lesson out of her playbook.

I think we are moving in that direction, albeit still with some semblance of courtesy. From the recent Limbaugh debacle to attacks on women’s healthcare, we are flexing our collective feminist muscles and showing these jackasses that women are not to be fucked with. But this isn’t a one-and-done situation. It requires us to be tenacious, fearless, and inexhaustible because, clearly, our woman-hating nemeses aren’t giving up.

Which brings me to Hillary’s second awesome point: NEVER give up — not on ourselves, not on our potential. We need to remember that we have an awesome power, and as history has proven, perseverance serves us well. So as infuriating and frustrating as 2012 has already proven, I say bring it on, because we are awakened, we are angry and we are ready to fight for as long as it takes!

Thank you, Hillary, for that reminder not to take any more shit. **Virtual high-five**

While President Obama stood strong for women last week by requiring all insurers to cover birth control, the onslaught against contraception is far from over. Several Conservative members of Congress want to eliminate coverage for birth control entirely.  As Think Progress reports, anti-choice Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) is at the helm, introducing an extremist bill that would grant insurers the right to deny you coverage for ANY health service it deems immoral.

In response, NOW-NYC has called for a Day of Action for birth control on Valentine’s Day (February 14). Here’s what you can (and should!) do:

• Change your Facebook and Twitter profile pictures to the “iheartbc” logo (featured in this post)
• Tweet and post about why you love and need birth control using #iheartbc
• Send some love to HHS’s Kathleen Sebelius (Kathleen.Sebelius@hhs.gov), who is being brought before Congress to defend birth control
• SPREAD THE WORD!

99% of women use contraception. Don’t let the conservative, male-dominated 1% dominate the conversation — take action! Let’s show our solidarity with birth control!

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As in, holy shit, my poor vagina is going to be in shreds in 9 months, and holy shit, I’m going to be responsible for another human being. A tiny little human being who will rely on me for all of her physical and emotional needs for the foreseeable future.

And ultimately, holy shit… now I really get the importance of being a women’s rights activist: I am bringing a person into this world who deserves a level playing field and who needs to understand what it means to respect womankind. It seems to me that this will be my biggest challenge — and hopefully biggest reward — in my journey through motherhood.

As it turns out, I am having a girl, so the pressure to succeed in this realm is on. I have a wishlist for my daughter a mile long, and on top of that list is self-respect and self-esteem (quickly followed by super-human intelligence, talent and beauty, natch). As a woman, she will face uphill battles littered with obstacles that will chip away at these, from the myth that girls aren’t good at math and science, to the dangers of sexual assault, to politicians telling her she can’t be trusted to make decisions about her body, to discrimination in the workplace. And that’s just naming a few. But armed with confidence, positive feminist role models, and the understanding that her vagina is not a disability but rather a ticket to Awesomeville, I have no doubt my kid will kick ass.

I am grateful beyond words for many, many reasons to become a mother (labor and delivery notwithstanding). Chief among them is a reason to re-energize and renew my commitment to women’s rights. My daughter’s future depends on it. I plan to be that mama who totes her kid to feminist conferences, the NYC Pride parade and pro-choice rallies. What’s more beautiful is that I won’t be the only parent doing this — there is a new generation of feminists on the horizon. So look out, Romneys and Santorums of the world… we are multiplying and up to the challenge of taking you on for years to come!

Read on to learn more about her!

Q: What was your inspiration to create The Line Campaign?

I made “The Line” as a film based off of my own experiences with sexual assault—both the trauma of the experience and the difficulty in getting any kind of justice. Now, the campaign that has built itself around the movie is designed to bring the movie to college campuses and start critical dialogues on consent, sex, sexual and dating violence, and rape that is relevant to their lives—something that empowers young activists to think creatively about how to prevent sexual assault and violence in their communities.

I’m thrilled that my work with The Line Campaign, which involves hundreds of screenings and thousands of conversations with young people about their boundaries, has led to new ways to prevent violence. With a fantastic team, we developed the Circle of 6 app that won the White House Challenge. This App will be ready for download in early February and links you and 6 friends into a circle dedicated to preventing violence before it happens.

Q: As part of The Line Campaign, you ask young people to define their lines of consent. What have been some of your favorite responses?

One of my personal favorite responses was, “I am a sexual being, not a sexual object”—I think that this epitomizes the idea of consensual, positive sexuality while still combating all of the negative and damaging ways that female sexuality is portrayed in the media.

And for fun, someone wrote: “My line is between Burger King and McDonald’s where you’ll be having it your way and I’ll be loving it…”

Q: We’re seeing a lot of victim blaming in the media recently, from coverage of DSK to the NYPD rape cops and beyond. Unfortunately, this trend isn’t limited to the media, but has also permeated healthcare, justice and educational systems. How do we, as individuals, fight back against systemic, institutional victim blaming?

First, we need to not victim blame ourselves, and call out victim blaming when we see it. We need to fight and voice our discontent with rape prevention tactics that place the blame on the victim rather than the perpetrator or the system. It is necessary to educate and criticize media that blames victims, that creates a culture where rape is something that happens to a certain person and not because of a certain kind of person.

Q: If you had to give one piece of advice to sexual assault survivors, what would it be?

Believe in your own truth and trust your gut. You deserve to be heard and believed, and seek help and friends that believe in you.

Q: Who are your feminist role models?

My incredible team of bloggers and interns! They are young, sharp, and industrious dedicated to expanding definitions of feminism, and challenging the status quo at every turn.

To learn more about Nancy, go here. Follow her on Twitter @thelinecampaign and @fancynancynyc.

It doesn’t end there, either. H.R. 358 vastly expands conscience clause protections so that anyone involved in the provision of abortion services – from receptionists who make appointments to insurance company employees that process claims – can refuse to provide services on any grounds. So much for being able to make private medical decisions with your doctor; any anti-choice cog in the health care wheel can obstruct you from obtaining an abortion.

Every single Republican voted in favor of H.R. 358, as did 11 Democrats. While the bill is not likely to pass in the Senate, it serves as a stark reminder that to many elected officials, women’s health is nothing more than a political bargaining chip. This bill is not about funding or protecting life. It is about cutting abortion access so that only a small, privileged percent of Americans can afford it. These politicians are willing to do whatever it takes to keep abortion out of reach, even if it means women must forfeit their lives. Call me crazy, but I don’t see how letting women die is in any way, shape, or form “pro-life.”

Keeping true to form, the House leadership’s draft Fiscal Year 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services appropriation bill also takes a stab at abortion and family planning, in complete defiance of the thousands who protested across the country and descended on the Capitol to save family planning funding in the 2011 budget. The proposed budget rehashes a lot of what the House has already tried to accomplish through extreme bills and budget cuts. According to RH Reality Check, the new budget would prohibit federal funding for Planned Parenthood through programs such as Medicaid, which provides low-income women with preventative health care; eliminate funding for the Title X Family Planning Program, which provides access to family planning that helps millions of low-income women avoid unintended pregnancies; ban insurance coverage of abortion in the new health exchanges under the Affordable Care Act; eliminate new benefits in the Affordable Care Act that cover women’s preventative services like mammograms, cancer screenings, and birth control; and cut the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative by $65 million, stipulating that $20 million of that money must be used to provide abstinence-only education, which was proven ineffective in a Congressionally mandated nine-year study in 2007.

Once again, the House leadership defies common logic. If you want to reduce the rate of abortion, decimating access to family planning and culling resources for abstinence-only education is not going to help achieve that goal. Conservatives are finally showing their cards: it’s not just about abortion. It’s about fundamentally controlling women’s lives, from the bedroom to the doctor’s office. What else could explain the attacks on birth control (which 99% of women use at some point in their lives), comprehensive sex education, and even general preventative health care?

It is a sad and revolting time when ideological agendas trump medicine and basic human decency. If our current Congress’s record doesn’t provide a compelling example of why it’s important to vote for pro-choice and pro-women candidates, I don’t know what does. With the 2012 Presidential election on the horizon, it’s absolutely critical that we shout our demands:

We demand access to comprehensive health care, including preventive services, family planning, and abortion. We demand the best available medical care, especially if our lives are at stake. We demand that our concerns be heeded by the politicians elected to serve us. And we demand that women’s lives be at least as valued as much as the life of a fetus.

This article originally appeared in NOW-NYC’s Winter 2011 newsletter.

Despite the fact that birth control constitutes “preventive care” under the Affordable Care Act — meaning it is covered at no cost by insurance plans — it looks as though Obama may expand the religious conscience clause concerning contraceptives. Catholic Bishops have been pressuring the Administration to do just this, which would allow religiously affiliated institutions that are not churches—such as hospitals, universities, and others—to refuse to cover birth control without co-pays for their students and employees.

This is not a surprising move on behalf of Catholic Bishops. What’s more surprising is how out of touch the Catholic hierarchy is with the lay Catholic population. According to Catholics for Choice, over 98% of sexually active Catholic women use birth control. Furthermore, 63% of Catholics believe that health insurance, whether private or government-run, should cover contraception. Right on.

Not to sound like a broken record, but religion has NO place in politics or health care whatsoever — especially a religion that has such little regard for women’s health and rights.

Do women a solid and call the White House to tell him to stand strong with us. He must not cave to extremist, religious pressures. Expanding refusal clauses to allow certain institutions and universities to refuse coverage for contraception is not what we want as a part of healthcare reform.