Monday, April 18, 2011

Wise Words of the Week

“There are two ways of spreading light...To be the candle, or to be the mirror that reflects it.” (Edith Wharton)

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Blog for Fair Pay Today!

Today is "Blog for Fair Pay Day," a project of the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) and the blog MomsRising. Bloggers all over are posting on the Equal Pay issue because, sadly, this is still an issue in 2011. The Paycheck Fairness Act was reintroduced today by Senator Barbara Mikulski and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. A statement issued by the NWLC conveys the importance of this Act: "It's shameful that nearly 50 years after President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, women still earn, on average, only 77 cents for every dollar paid to men—a pay gap that translates to more than $10,000 in lost wages per year for the average woman worker. The Paycheck Fairness Act will strengthen and update the Equal Pay Act in critical ways. It will bar retaliation against workers for discussing salary information and facilitate class action equal pay act claims—essential steps in closing the wage gap." This issue affects every female employee in our country, so please re-post, change your Facebook status, and re-tweet in honor of Equal Pay Day!

Wise Words of the Week

"When faced with sexism or ageism or lookism or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question, 'Is this person between me and what I want to do?' If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. If the answer is yes, you have a more difficult road ahead of you. I suggest you model your strategy after the old Sesame Street film piece, 'Over! Under! Through!' Do your thing and don’t care if they like it." (Tina Fey)

Friday, April 8, 2011

Altered Images, Altered Perceptions

This eye-opening article from the Smart Women behind Beauty Redefined should be required reading! The degree to which image manipulation has changed the way men and women perceive one another cannot be overstated. More importantly, the way women see themselves has been irreversibly altered due to this widespread practice. Tools such as Photoshop have raised expectations of personal appearance to impossible levels, and therefore, our perceptions have become falsely distorted. Please take a moment for this article and the incredible examples of image manipulation included here.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

You Should Get to Know SAAM.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The goal of SAAM is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and to educate communities and individuals on how to prevent it in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools. This year's campaign explores common, everyday behaviors and offers individuals viable and responsible ways to intervene.Visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center website for more information on events scheduled across the country.

Wise Words of the Week

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." (Eleanor Roosevelt)