Author: Feminist Newswire

The Feminist Newswire has provided a daily feminist perspective on national, global, and campus news stories since 1995. You can receive a weekly feminist news digest when you subscribe here.

Alabama Legislator Proposes Mandatory Vasectomy Bill in Response to Abortion Ban

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Last Thursday, Democratic state representative from Alabama Rep. Rolanda Hollis proposed a new law in which all men are required to have a vasectomy once they reach the age of 50, or after they have their third child – whichever comes first. They would also be required to pay for this surgery on their own.

Representative Hollis says that the measure puts the states restrictive reproductive health laws for women into perspective and was introduced with hopes to “neutralize” the Human Life Protection Act passed in Alabama last summer. The Human Life Protection Act would have made performing an abortion a Class A felony punishable by life or 10 to 99 years in prison. It was blocked by a federal judge in October. “It always takes two to tango,” Rep. Hollis was quoted saying “We can’t put all the responsibility on women. Men need to be responsible also.”

The bill has generated some high-profile criticisms, most notably from Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Cruz tweeted Sunday: “Yikes, A government big enough to give you everything is big enough to take everything . . . literally!” This, however, is the point of the bill – it takes aim at the government controlling people’s reproductive freedoms. Journalist Melissa Ryan replied to Cruz’s tweet  saying “Yes. Governments have no business controlling the reproductive systems of citizens. Glad you’ve finally come around on choice, Senator”.

“Under existing law, there are no restrictions on the reproductive rights of men,” writes Representative Hollis in the text of her controversial bill. Republican controlled Alabama has consistently attacked abortion access and women’s rights to choose – Representative Hollis hopes that this bill will provide a perspective check for her “pro-life” colleagues.

USA Today 2/18/20; NY Post 2/16/20; Alabama State Legislature 2/13/20; Twitter 2/16/20, 2/16/20.

Fiscal Policies Can Increase Female Workforce Participation

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Equitable workforce opportunities for women are beneficial to everyone, but research from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows that female workforce participation still lags greatly behind that of men.

Due to the stubborn persistence of gender gaps in wages and educational opportunities, the average female workforce participation rate is 20 percentage points behind the male rate. A study by the IMF reveals that fiscal policies that address gender equality create more opportunities for women and help to decrease poverty and inequality. Some of these policy choices include investing in education or infrastructure, developing better sanitation facilities, implementing individual-based tax regimes, and offering parental leave.

At least 80 countries since the mid-1980s have incorporated fiscal policies that promote gender equality. These countries are across all levels of development; additionally, however, the IMF has also found when advanced economies are actively promoting policies in order to increase female work force participation, more women do actually enter the labor force.

Policies specifically created to increase the number of women in the workforce end up accomplishing a variety of economic and social goals. Efforts to reduce the gap in literacy rates, for example, help increase women’s productivity which in turn increases sustainable growth. Greater access to safe water also gives women more time to pursue paid work opportunities, and changing the personal income tax structure from a family to an individual system can foster the incentive for more women to work. More diversity in workplaces will create more innovative ideas.

Gender-blind policies can exacerbate the barriers women face in gaining employment. USAID states that “If the same number of women as men participated in the global economy, global GDP would grow by $12 trillion by 2025.” According to existing research, investing in half the population will only bring about positive changes, both economically and socially.

Sources: IMF, 2/18/20; UN Women; USAID, 3/13/19.

Scholars Debate Causes of Women’s Underrepresentation in STEM

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Since the publication of a study by Psychological Science in 2018, the reasons as to why women make up a much smaller percentage than men in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields has been widely debated. According to the study, women are underrepresented in STEM, though according to performance records in these fields women are found to perform just as well or better than their male counterparts. However, the study also found that in countries with greater national gender equality, sex differences in the pursuit of careers in STEM were higher than those with lesser equality. Many scholars have debated why that is.

Utilizing the example of Finland which “excels in gender equality,” researchers hypothesized that the gender gap in STEM fields would be narrowed or even eliminated completely. The findings of the study demonstrated the opposite. Finland actually has one of the lowest ratios of women to men in STEM fields, with Sweden and Norway which also boast of high rankings in gender equality. In contrast, Algeria with generally low gender equality, actually has a higher proportion of women in STEM. Some researchers argue that in these situations, “the relatively large sex differences in occupational interests become more clearly expressed in countries where occupational choices are less constrained by the financial incentives to study a STEM subject.” Basically, in countries where women have similar salaries and benefits as men, they are “opting out” of STEM careers.

However, these findings have been challenged by others who have found the calculations made by initial researchers to be incorrect. They hold that this assumption, that women are choosing to occupy fields other than STEM, is yet another example of gender inequality and the selectiveness of narratives being told. New research, according to two Harvard scholars, actually maintains the idea that “the so-called gender equality paradox is a new entry in an old playbook of arguing that biological sex differences, not social inequalities, drive the gender disparities we see in areas such as STEM. But a little digging shows that the paradox is the product not of innate sex differences in STEM interest, but the use of contrived measures and selective data to tell a particular story.”

Women and Children Make Up Majority of 800,000 Syrians Forced to Flee

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During a Syrian military campaign backed by the Russians aimed to clear opposition in northwest Syria, more than 800,000 Syrians have been forced to flee their homes. Most of these refugees are women and children.

This mass removal of people will most likely continue to occur as entire towns and communities seek safety in areas close to the Turkish border. Thousands of people have been on the move. Since the beginning of December, villages have been assaulted by Russian jets and Syrian artillery in attempts to retake the last rebel stronghold in the country.

David Swanson, the United Nations’ regional spokesman, reported, “residents are fleeing by the thousands in open trucks or by foot; often at night to escape detection despite the bitter cold temperatures.”

According to UN officials, the region is inching closer to a major humanitarian catastrophe. In addition to the 800,000 fleeing their homes most recently, 400,000 refugees are already in camps near the border due to earlier instances of violence. There are 3 million people trapped in the northern Idlib province where the latest military campaign has approached.

People are reportedly fleeing in open trucks and on foot at night and in freezing temperatures. Families have resorted to sleeping in the streets and in olive groves and have also had to burn garbage to stay warm.

Turkey currently holds the most Syrian refugees at 3.3 million. Lebanon is hosting over one million, while Jordan has nearly 700,000 refugees from the war-torn country. Since 2011 over 5.6 million Syrians have been forced to flee the country, and millions more continue to be internally displaced.

 

Sources: Reuters, 2/13/20; The Media Line, 2/14/20; UNHCR, 4/19/18.

New Form of Birth Control Being Tested for Approval by FDA

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Ovaprene, a new form of birth control, is being tested and would be the first barrier form of contraception to be released to the market since the internal condom in 2006. In recent years, most forms of contraception created are hormonal, including the birth control pill, the shot, the ring, and the patch. Hormonal forms of birth control have been dominating the market since the debut of the birth control pill in the 1960s. The hormones estrogen and progesterone are utilized to control the menstrual cycle through preventing ovulation and thickening cervical mucus.

Ovaprene is a small device that would be inserted in one’s vagina and it produces a chemical that immobilizes sperm as well as physically blocking the sperm from entering the cervix. It also would be the first barrier method that is capable of working for an entire month. At the end of 2019, there were initial test results that signaled that the device was able to successfully block sperm.

Having new barrier methods are important because there are individuals who cannot use hormonal birth control, such as those who have high blood pressure or smoke cigarettes due to increased risk of blood clots.

There are also some providers that recommend that individuals that have diabetes, migraines, or heart conditions should avoid certain hormonal methods. Further, there are some that do not want to use hormonal birth control methods because it could affect their menstrual cycles or may have unpleasant side effects, and may struggle to find a form of birth control that works best for them.

Those who do not use hormonal methods are left to decide between other barrier methods, copper IUDs, sterilization, natural family planning, or abstinence, so Ovaprene would be a new and welcome option for many individuals.

Ovaprene needs to undergo more clinical trials before it is presented to the FDA for approval. If the trails are positive and it is approved, Ovaprene will enter the market in 2023.

 

Source: Rewire News 2/11/20; Pharmaceutical Business Review 1/14/20; Global Newswire 11/12/19; Vox 6/25/19

High School Girls Suing to Prohibit Transgender Athletes from School Sports

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On Wednesday, three female high school athletes filed a federal lawsuit to block the participation of transgender students in girls’ sports.

Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell, and Alanna Smith all of whom attend different high schools in Connecticut are being backed by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative nonprofit organization in their lawsuit against the athletic conference. The three runners argue that “allowing athletes with male anatomy to compete has deprived them of track titles and scholarship opportunities.”

The lawsuit focuses on two transgender athletes that compete against the three cisgender girls  suing the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Terry Miller and Andraya Yearwood have consistently bested their competitors sparking criticism against the state’s inclusive anti-discrimination policy. Mitchell competed against both athletes in the 2019 state championship, finishing in third place.  “Our dream is not to come in second or third place, but to win fair and square,” she stated.

Connecticut is one out of 17 states that enforce anti-discrimination policies allowing trans athletes to compete without restrictions in 2019. Miller, one of the trans athletes that has been targeted in this lawsuit, stated, “I have faced discrimination in every aspect of life and I no longer want to remain silent.” Currently there is no hearing date set.

Sources: AP News 2/12/20; NBC News 2/13/20; The Guardian 2/13/20

Oklahoma State Bill Aiming to Revoke Abortion Providers’ Licenses Under Fire

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Both abortion rights and anti-choice activists have slammed a recent Oklahoma bill that would take away licenses of physicians who perform abortions.

Last week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed Rep. Jim Olsen’s bill, H.B. 1182, which would mandate the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision to revoke a doctor’s license for a year and fine them at least $500 if they perform an abortion. It provides an exception for procedures that are “necessary to save the life of the mother.”

The bill passed 71-21 along Party lines, however, it has drawn ire from Republicans and anti-choice activists who believe the bill doesn’t go far enough. Sen. Silk recently introduced a bill that would classify abortion as a homicide, and anti-choice activists have rallied behind Silk’s bill.

Reproductive rights advocates state that Olsen’s bill goes too far. NARAL argues that the bill is a clear example of an attempt to ban abortion, despite the exception. Spokeswoman Kristin Ford stated, “Politicians have no place intimidating doctors and interfering in personal decisions about abortion, which belong to women and families.”

In an interview with ABC News, Dr. Anuj Khattar, a family medicine physician and Physicians for Reproductive Health fellow who practices in the state, stated that Olsen’s bill would be destructive for the women in Oklahoma.

Dr. Khattar emphasized that removing doctors’ licenses would force patients to travel farther for a procedure or prevent them from getting an abortion at a clinic, jeopardizing their safety.

“If a woman wants to terminate their pregnancy, they want expert care to get that procedure,” Khattar said. He added that “It’s inflammatory for politicians who don’t know these women’s stories to go and make these laws.”

[ABC News, 2/11/2020] [Oklahoma Legislature, accessed 2/12/2020] [OKlahoma News 4, 2/11/2020]

Study Finds Young People Still Hold Conservative Views on Gender Roles

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A new survey from Gallup reports that opposite-sex couples between the ages of 18 and 34 still harbor and uphold traditional views about who should do what within the home. A new study in Sociological Science also shows that high school seniors believe that the ideal family arrangement involves the man working full time while the woman stays home with the young children.

Claire Cain Miller, gender and family correspondent for the New York Times, remarked that while “young people today have become much more open-minded about gender roles,” “change has been minimal” as “they are holding on to traditional views about who does what at home.” Miller also notes that researchers find it surprising that “home life doesn’t look all that different from half a century ago” even though “there’s now almost universal support for women to pursue careers or political office,” “women get[ting] more education than men,” and “young people are much more accepting of people not identifying as either a man or a woman.”

In a national report for Ms. Magazine, Brittany Dernberger and Joanna Pepin acknowledge that “continued gender inequality at home and at work is frequently explained by a lack of “family-friendly” policies,” such as equal pay, affordable childcare, and paid family leave, but they are “not the only barrier[s] to manifesting equitable relationships.” The two also point out that “if young people desire conventional arrangements” they must also acknowledge the “consequences to maintaining the status quo.” This is due to the fact that “women who disproportionately shoulder the burden of family duties while contributing to the family budget, report lower relationship satisfaction, greater stress and exhaustion and increased drug and alcohol use.”

According to Dernberger and Pepin, these reports support the idea that “feminist advocacy goals must incorporate economic justice, advocate for family-friendly policies and champion policies that explicitly aim to promote gender equality.” And as noted by Miller, “making relationships more equal inside the home could have far-reaching effects outside of it, too.”

Sources: The New York Times 2/11; Ms. Magazine 1/28; Gallup 1/29; Sociological Science 1/21

Speaker Pelosi Holds Press Conference In Support of House ERA Vote Tomorrow

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This morning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jackie Speier, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, and a host of other members of Congress held a press conference ahead of tomorrow’s vote on H.J.Res. 79 to remove the arbitrary timeline put in the preamble to the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

Carol Jenkins spoke for the ERA Coalition as leaders of other prominent women’s groups stood behind Speaker Pelosi. These groups included the Feminist Majority, the National Organization for Women, the YWCA, VARatifyERA, the American Association of University Women, Delta Sigma Theta, the National Women’s Law Center, the National Women’s Political Caucus, and the League of Women Voters among others.

“…We will observe the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote and the ERA is still not enshrined in the Constitution. As a result women still face inequality under the law: from the wage gap, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment and again resulting in women being underrepresented at the table. With this resolution, we take a giant step toward equality for women, progress for families, and a stronger America because we know when women succeed, America succeeds,” declared Speaker Pelosi.

Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA in January. It is timely for Congress to remove the timeline that only exists in the preamble to the ERA, not in the text of the amendment which the states have voted to ratify. The last amendment was placed in the Constitution some 200 years after it was first sent to the states for ratification.

“Our message here today is quite simple,” said Rep. Speier while holding up a pocket sized copy of the U.S. Constitution. “We want in.”

“The amendment starts with these words: ‘equality of rights under the law’ which is a simple matter of justice,” stated Rep. Carolyn Maloney. “It’s that simple.”

“There can be no time limit on equality, “said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority.  “We applaud Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chief Sponsor Rep. Jackie Speier, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney for moving forward the resolution to remove the arbitrary time limit in the preamble to the Equal Rights Amendment.  Women have fought for and waited too long for full equality.  It’s time—long overdue—for the 38 states that have ratified the ERA to be recognized and for the ERA to be enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.  The days of women working twice as hard for half as much must end.”

H.J.Res. 79 is set to go to the House floor for a vote tomorrow morning, and is expected to pass. There is a bipartisan companion resolution that has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Sen. Lisa Murakowski (R-AK).

Pulitzer Winner Talks Immigration at Literacy Event

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Jose Antonio Vargas, critically-acclaimed author and winner of the Pulitzer prize, began his lecture at the Washtenaw Reads event put on by Ann Arbor District’s Library this past week by saying, “If you want to call ICE on me, please wait ‘til after the lecture.” The annual event in Michigan is designed to “promote reading and civic dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing a common book.”

Vargas has been increasingly present in the public eye since 2011, when he–against advice from 26 immigration lawyers–opened up about his immigration status on the New York Times’ front cover. Featured at the 2020 Washtenaw Reads event, his book, “Dear America, Notes of an Undocumented Citizen,” tells of Vargas’ discovery of being in the US illegally. He was brought here from the Philippines to live with his grandparents when he was 12, not realizing that his green card was fake until he applied for a driver’s permit four years later. Throughout his story, Vargas reflects on how 20+ years later, he is still living in America illegally, with no clear path to citizenship.

Vargas would not define his book as being about the “politics of immigration,” but instead the “unsettled, unmoored psychological state in which undocumented immigrant find themselves…this book is about lying and being forced to lie to get by; about passing as an American and as a contributing citizen; about families, keeping them together, and having to make new ones when you can’t. This book is about what it means to not have a home.”

During the event, Vargas spoke of his personal experience as well as the nonprofit group he started, Define American. “We are the stories we tell,” Vargas said, a mindset he keeps throughout each of his experiences. As the event came to a close, Vargas finally reflected on freedom, and what it means to undocumented immigrants in the United States.  Before ending, he left the audience with several questions: “What are you willing to do? What are you willing to risk? If the freedom that we, as human beings enjoy can’t come from this government, then in some ways it has to come from you.” His nationally acclaimed book is available online and in stores.

Sources: Washtenaw Voices 02/11/2020; Washtenaw Reads 2020; Michigan Live 01/30/2020; Amazon 2020

Trump’s New Budget Cuts Benefits for the Most Vulnerable

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President Trump released a $44.8 trillion budget on Monday which includes deep cuts to student loan assistance, affordable housing, food stamps, and Medicaid. It does however include an increase in spending for the military, national defense, border enforcement, individual income tax cuts, and even allocates money for the “Space Force” initiative.

The budget plans recommends completely eliminating subsidized federal loans and ending the public service loan program, designed to incentivize teachers, police offices, government workers and other public servants by cancelling their remaining student debt. The proposal also includes cutting funding for programs in rural and magnet schools, and funding for homeless and migrant students. The measure would overhaul the Education department reducing staff and administrative costs in the name of empowering “states and districts to decide how to best use federal funds to meet the needs of their students”.

As for the budget’s approach to healthcare, the massive cuts would be detrimental for those who rely on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. The combined cuts to both programs add up to a trillion dollars – ensuring substantial program changes and deficiencies. The budget for the first time did not include a proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act, but instead asks Congress to “develop policies that would “advance the president’s health reform vision,” with a corresponding price tag, which it says would save $844 billion over the decade”.

The budget is unlikely to pass, with Democrats dismissing the budget and have vowed to prevent the changes from happening. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called the budget and subsequent cuts “a statement of values, and once again the president is showing just how little he values the good health, financial security and well-being of hard-working American families” and a “a complete reversal of the promises he made in the campaign and a contradiction of the statements he made at the State of the Union”.

President Trump calls the budget “an attempt to put our nation on a fiscally sustainable course,” and Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY) said that “Presidents’ budgets are a reflection of administration priorities, but in the end, they are just a list of suggestions, as the power of the purse rests with Congress”.

Sources: New York Times 2/10/20, 4/14/19; Washington Times 2/10/20

Prominent Doctors’ Groups Standing for Medicare For All

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The second largest doctors’ group in the country, American College of Physicians (ACP) endorsed Medicare For All challenging other large doctor’s coalitions. This shift signifies changing ideals within the healthcare industry about a government plan.

Second only to the American Medical Association (AMA), the ACP published a position paper arguing the benefits of a single-payer system. Support for single-payer contests the AMA’s stance, publicly affirming that doctors do not have a unified political view on this issue. Senior vice president of governmental affairs and public policy for the ACP, Bob Doherty claims that Medicare For All could solve a lot of frustrations for doctors. He noted the complexities of paperwork with multiple insurers and that “they see the lack of insurance as standing in the way of their patients getting affordable care.”

Workers in the health care industry have concerns about a government run system because of potentially drastic pay cuts. Doherty addressed these concerns stating that most doctors “might be willing to receive somewhat smaller payments under Medicare for All if they made up for it if with savings on administrative costs from a simpler system.” Discussion about details of pay, new legislation, and other emerging healthcare issues have been widely discussed within the industry.

Sources: The Hill 2/11/20; The Nation 2/6/20

New Film Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Women Gaining the Right to Vote

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Set to debut on June 30, a PBS film inspired by the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment will feature a number of feminist icons and activists.

The 2020 MAKERS conference, happening today in Los Angeles, will announce the new documentary, NOT DONE, that celebrates the suffragists’ win in gaining the right to vote. The documentary will be a continuation of the PBS documentary series MAKERS: Women Who Make America that dove into how contemporary feminists are continuing the fight for true equality. MAKERS is a brand created by Verizon Media that aims to advance the women’s movement.

The film will be part of PBS’ summer-long celebration of trailblazers within the women’s movement and will investigate the multifaceted nature of the contemporary women’s movement through engaging interviews with activists, writers, celebrities, athletes, and politicians that connect the past and the present.

According to Verizon’s website, some of the featured interviewees will include founder of the Me Too Movement, Tarana Burke; attorney and professor Kimberlé Crenshaw; co-founder, Black Lives Matter Global Network, Patrisse Cullors; actress, director, and producer America Ferrera; writer Roxane Gay; teenage climate activist Tokata Iron Eyes; journalist Jodi Kantor; Olympic runner and activist Alysia Montaño; entrepreneur and parental leave advocate Alexis Ohanian.

Others include Academy Award-winning actress, director, and producer Natalie Portman; writer and executive producer Shonda Rhimes; former co-chair of The Women’s March Linda Sarsour; attorney Nina Shaw; feminist icon Gloria Steinem; president and CEO, TIME’S UP, Tina Tchen; and freshman congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL).

Dyllan McGee, MAKERS founder and NOT DONE executive producer pointed to the film’s mission to inspire of a new generation of female change makers. “We are hopeful NOT DONE will galvanize others to join them in this reignited women’s movement and continue to move the needle toward equality, as MAKERS has done since its inception,” McGee said.

This documentary is the first project funded by Verizon’s Future Fund, which commits $5 million to support female talent in the entertainment and technology industries. The purpose of the Future Fund is to ensure that women are represented in creative projects and to consistently create content that celebrates women and their achievements. According to Variety, Verizon has plans to explore a number of different options for project distribution through the Future Fund and will release them across the Verizon Media ecosystem.

Sources: Verizon, 2/11/20; Variety, 2/11/20.

U.S. House to Have First Vote on DC Statehood Since 1993

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The House Committee on Oversight and Reform will hold a meeting today for H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, which would grant the District of Columbia statehood. The committee’s chair, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY 12), stated that it would be the first markup and vote for a D.C. statehood bill since 1993.

H.R. 51 was introduced by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) in January 2019 and currently has 224 cosponsors. If enacted, it would create the state of Douglass Commonwealth, as well as give the 700,000 residents of D.C. two senators and one House representative. Today’s meeting, originally scheduled in October by the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD 7) who chaired the House Oversight Committee at the time, is the first step towards the bill hitting the House floor for a full member vote.

In September, the committee held a hearing on the bill, where D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other prominent local figures spoke about the need for statehood. Bowser said, “This is America, and Americans are entitled to equal protection under the law, and that’s why we are demanding statehood.” Bowser has been an outspoken proponent of statehood, citing how little of itself D.C. controls; Congress has the final word on its budget and can override the D.C. Council’s laws.

Despite support from the bill’s Congressional cosponsors and from all the remaining candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination, D.C. statehood faces low popular support, polling at about 64% of Americans opposing it, and a clear roadblock in the Republican-controlled Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called it “full-bore socialism” in June and promised to block it on the grounds that D.C. would elect two Democratic Senators. Holmes Norton, however, noted that, “This was certainly the time to have it. Nobody in the House says, ‘Well, unless the Senate is about to pass a bill — it looks like it’s right for the bill — maybe we should sit here and do nothing.’”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD 5) promised to bring H.R. 51 to the House floor before the summer recess.

Sources: United States House of Representatives 2/7/20; NBC Washington 2/11/20; GovTrack 2/11/20; The New York Times 9/19/19; NBC Washington 1/23/20; Gallup 7/15/19; The Hill 2/6/20; WUSA 9 2/10/20.

Documentary About Skateboarding Girls from Afghanistan Wins Oscar

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At the 92nd Annual Academy Awards, a documentary featuring young girls learning to skateboard in Afghanistan won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject.

According to Diaa Hadid, International Correspondent for NPR, Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl), features a group of young girls in the Afghan capital of Kabul “clutch[ing] their skateboards, biting their lips and fiddling with the wheels” while “learning how to make tight little turns around traffic cones.” Carol Dysinger, the documentary’s director, accepted the award, along with producer Elena Andreicheva, and said that, “this movie is [her] love letter to the brave girls of that country” and that “they teach girls courage, to raise your hand, to say I am here, I have something to say and I’m going to take that ramp, don’t try to stop me.” Hadid continues that Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl) both heartwarming and heartbreaking as it offers a “look into the lives of girls in a country considered to be one of the worst places in the world to be born female.”

The school featured in the film is run by a charity called Skateistan and even has its own skate park for the 398 students to use that teaches the students “to believe in themselves through education – and learning how to skate.” According to the official Skatistan website, the organization was founded by Australian skateboarder and researcher Oliver Percovich and is the “first international development initiative to combine skateboarding with educational outcomes.” Skatistan “empower[s] children and youth through skateboarding and education” in the hopes of “creating leaders that make a better world.”

Sources: NPR 2/10; skatistan.org 2/2020; IMDB 2/2020

Rep. Maloney Announces the Smithsonian Women’s History Act

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Today Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) introduced the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum Act, which has 293 cosponsors and is expected to go to the U.S. House floor for a vote tomorrow afternoon. This bill will establish a Smithsonian museum dedicated to women’s history on the National Mall.

“We are delighted that women’s achievements will finally be recognized, celebrated and taught to future generations with this new Smithsonian museum,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. “It is long overdue.”

Currently, only 9 out of 100 statues in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall are women, and only 5% of 2,400 national monuments depict women. Women’s history is grievously underrepresented in history textbooks used in schools. The bill will establish a national Smithsonian museum to collect, study, and establish programs related to women’s history. The bill provides a combination of federal and private funding for the construction of the museum, mirroring the successful model that brought the National Museum of African American History and Culture into being.

“We want to thank Rep. Maloney for her tireless work,” stated Smeal. “Since 1992 she has been working to make this dream a reality. This could not have happened without her diligence and vision.”

“There are so many vital and inspiring moments in women’s history that deserve to be highlighted so that present and future generations know the true scope of women’s accomplishments throughout our history,” continued Smeal. “If we do not publicly recognize and honor the women who helped shape our country, we are distorting our nation’s history.”

A final report released by a bipartisan Congressional Commission created by a bill that Rep. Maloney sponsored found that the future museum should be part of the Smithsonian, that it should include a wide array of diverse experiences and viewpoints of the women who helped mold the U.S., and that the museum deserves a prominent location on the National Mall.

“This is excellent progress in bringing women’s achievements and stories to light,” concluded Smeal. “We look forward to watching the project unfold and will be first in line when construction is completed and the museum opens to the public.”

Postpartum Recovery Ad Rejected by the Oscars for Being “Too Graphic”

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ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected an ad for postpartum recovery products that would have aired during the Oscars for being “too graphic.” The commercial depicts a new mom adjusting to her post-birth body and placing a pad in a pair of mesh underwear.

Frida Mom, the company behind the ad, sells products for postpartum personal care and claimed they were told that the ad would not air because it is “too graphic with partial nudity and product demonstration.”

“It’s not ‘violent, political’ or sexual in nature. Our ad is not ‘religious or lewd’ and does not portray “guns or ammunition,’” the company said in a statement on Instagram. “‘Feminine hygiene & hemorrhoid relief” are also banned subjects. It’s just a new mom, home with her baby and her new body for the first time.”

The ad presents a remarkably different image of motherhood than most commercials. Ads for maternity products often feature smiling, put-together women who do not reflect most women’s postpartum experiences and can make the women who see them feel worse about themselves. Frida Mom’s ad presents a more realistic portrayal of the pain that comes with postpartum recovery, a period that many call “fourth trimester” due to the significant challenges that come with it.

The ad’s rejection sparked online backlash, including from celebrities. “This is clearly an ad made by women who have been there and get it,” wrote Busy Phillips on Instagram. “The more we can NORMALIZE A WOMAN’S BODILY EXPERIENCE IN MEDIA, the better off our culture and society will be….I think this is an incredible piece of advertising that accurately represents something millions of women know intimately.”

This ad is one of many censored or blocked for portraying historically stigmatized aspects of reproductive healthcare. In October, several major TV networks rejected a commercial for menstrual product company Thinx because it included a shot of a tampon string dangling from a pair of underwear.

Sources: The Hill 2/8/20; USA Today 2/7/20; CNN 2/9/20; Glamour 2/9/20; Time 10/21/19

Rep. Ayanna Pressley Responds to Trolls After Going Public with Alopecia

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Rep. Ayanna Pressley has a message for those who called her Mr. Clean after she went public with an autoimmune disease.

Last month Representative Ayanna Pressley publicly revealed her hair loss from alopecia, which is an autoimmune disease. In the video interview, Pressley opened up about the medical condition which in her situation, resulted in total hair loss. She also detailed the loss of identity she felt about losing her signature Sengalese twists, which as she explained, “have become such a synonymous and conflated part of not only my personal identity and how I show up in the world, but my political brand. That’s why I think it’s important that I’m transparent about this new normal and living with alopecia.”

When mentioning her political brand, Pressley is referring to the work she has done on behalf of black girls and their hairstyles, introducing the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (CROWN Act) with several other Reps to ban hair discrimination. Since this Act, Senator Cory Booker has released a companion to it in the Senate, and other states have passed similar bills. To be sure, the loss of Pressley’s hair means more to her than her own identity, though that itself is a loss of which many are familiar with.

In the video released by The Root last month, Pressley allowed herself to be vulnerable in describing this great loss as well as feelings of betrayal to her culture. She explained that she needed to go public for all the little girls who come up to take “#twistnation” selfies with her, feeling that she owed them an explanation.

Since then, Rep. Pressley has experienced an outpouring of support from family, friends, and members of the public. However, internet “trolls,” as Pressley referred to them, have taken this opportunity to bully her online for her medical condition, calling her “Mr. Clean.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez immediately voiced her support for Pressley, saying, “They’re just mad because you pull off any and every look throw at you, meanwhile they can’t even put on a hat on their head without looking like baby peanut.” Pressley also had something to say, tweeting, “Dear Trolls. You really think I look like “Mr. Clean” ? Please. He never looked THIS clean. Sorry not sorry unapologetically rockin’ my crown triggers you. Proud #alopecian.”

Sources: CNN 02/09/2020, 01/16/2020; Boston Globe 12/05/2019; Pressley House of Reps. Website 12/05/2019; The Root 01/16/2020; Twitter 2020

 

Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite Makes History at the Academy Awards

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

The South Korean film Parasite made history last night at the 92nd Oscars when it was named Best Picture.

“This is very first Oscar to South Korea,” director Bong Joon-ho said in his first acceptance speech of the night, after he and fellow writer Han Jin Won won for Best Original Screenplay. The cast and crew of the film took home a total four awards, including Best Director and Best International Feature Film, the latter of which was recently renamed from Best Foreign Film. Bong stated that he “applauds and supports the new direction this change symbolizes”.

Parasite, a comedy-drama that follows a poor South Korean family that infiltrates the household of an upper-class family, has been a critical and commercial success. It won the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language at the Golden Globes, Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the Writers Guild Awards. Since its release in October, it has grossed over $163 million globally and $30 million in the United States.

The film’s major wins come in a year that saw diversity problems in the Academy’s nominee selections. Five years ago, #OscarsSoWhite pointed out the lack of racial diversity in the film industry, and since then, there has been more attention than ever on issues of inclusivity. Only one of the 20 nominations for acting this year went to Cynthia Erivo of Harriet. Female directors, like Greta Gerwig of Little Women and Lulu Wang of The Farewell, were also snubbed. Similarly, the cast of the character-driven Parasite weren’t nominated for any acting awards, making it the first movie since 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire to win Best Picture without any cast members receiving a nomination.

The film’s producer, Kwak Sin Ae, said last night that she hoped that winning the award would “signal the beginning of a different kind of change for international cinema.”

Sources: NPR 2/10/2020; REV 2/9/2020; Good Morning America 2/10/2020; The New York Times 2/7/2020; Vox 1/13/20.

Switzerland Passes Amendment Banning Homophobia

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

On Sunday, Swiss voters participated in a referendum deciding whether they wanted to extend Switzerland’s racism statutes to sexual orientation, and 63.1 percent voted in favor of it. Previously, Switzerland did not have a law protecting the LGBTQ community, but this amendment is a big step in the right direction.

Nearly two years ago lawmakers voted to include sexual orientation to discrimination laws based on race, ethnicity and religion. Because of the Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, the public has the right to call for a referendum putting a legislation to the citizens’ vote. Opposers of this movement declared that it violated freedom of speech rights. Despite the opposition’s attempt to hinder the legislation’s progress through referendum the majority voted to make homophobic comments punishable by law. Public discrimination and inciting hatred in speech, text, and images would be punishable with up to three years in prison.

Switzerland now joins other European countries like Denmark and the Netherlands making homophobia a criminal offense. Discrimination against sexual orientation is now official, but although same-sex partnerships are legal, same-sex marriage is still not. The opposition to the newly passed amendment voiced their concerns. A conservative political party, Federal Democratic Union labeled the legislation a “censorship bill” and claimed that people have the right to express unpopular opinions. An expert and researcher on preventing violence and discrimination, Caroline Dayer, clarified that the law would not restrict freedom of speech since “it would not penalize arguments held in private circles” and  “insulting and promoting hatred is not discussing.”

Sources: The New York Times 2/9/20; USA Today 2/8/20; DW 2/9/20

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