Who Will Be the Next Gloria Steinem?

It is an accepted fact that Gloria Steinem has been the face of women's issues since the 1970s. But, Steinem turns 78 this month and we need another leader (or leaders) for upcoming generations. As this New York Times article points out, Steinem has remained at the forefront because her "combination of conviction, wit, smarts and grace under fire doesn’t come along every day." In addition, the women's movement is such a fragmented thing that it would have difficulty functioning with a singular figurehead. True as this may be, wouldn't we be well served with a group of strong leaders to counteract all the anti-woman rhetoric permeating the political and cultural realms today?     

Skewering the New State-Mandated Ultrasounds Through Humor

Garry Trudeau, author of the long-running "Doonesbury" comic strip, has stirred the proverbial pot of late with strips poking fun at the mandatory ultrasound laws recently passed in Idaho, Texas, and Virginia. It has caused such a stir that some newspapers have refused to run them. You can read an interview on the controversy with Trudeau here and see six other banned strips specifically targeting the Texas law here.

Wise Words of the Week

"It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret." (Jackie Joyner-Kersee)

Good Advice

A Great Idea for Every Bathroom Mirror

No Women's Sports? That Was a Reality 40 Years Ago

Until 1972, U.S. schools weren't required to support, financially and otherwise, any women's sports teams. That seems like a pretty strange concept at this point. Can you imagine not having the opportunity to participate in any athletic activity other than cheerleading if you were so inclined? Things began to change after Title IX legislation was passed 40 years ago, guaranteeing gender equality in education programs receiving federal funding. Read the story of Missy Parks, who grew up during this transitional time in our nation's educational system. Parks went on to a successful athletic career and started a company called Title Nine because of the significance of that legislation in her life. 

Thought-Provoking Comments On the Sexualization of Girls

The sexualization of girls of all ages is nowhere near new. We all know this. But just knowing it, accepting it as fact, is not enough! We need to read more insightful (and at times frightful) commentaries like this one from The Guardian. The stories shared by these four British women could have been written by almost any woman, almost anywhere in the world. And that's precisely what makes it so important. This column comes on the heels of the report that the French government has called for a ban on beauty contests for young girls after outrage over a 10-year-old in French Vogue. I firmly believe that beauty pageants are just one of the many, many ways we perpetuate this terrible trend of stealing childhood innocence from our girls. We need to pay attention to our words and our actions about and toward little girls. Think about what you're praising them for because that will be the source of their worth. Use words and behaviors that reinforce concepts aside from their appearance. It all starts with being mindful of how we construct the world around our girls and how we portray girls to our boys. That is just as crucial! So, please, read and discuss...here, with each other, with your girls and boys.    

Completely Visible Baby Bump

What do you think of nude pregnancy photos? Beautiful? In bad taste? A celebration of womanhood? Or just another form of objectification? One thing is for certain, her comment that she "will croak" if her daughter asks her "for a pair of Nikes instead of Christian Louboutins" is not exactly progressive...

A Pair of Pantyhose and a Dream = A Billion Dollars

It's amazing to see a woman on the cover of the Forbes "Billionaires" issue! Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, has such an inspiring story to tell. Watch this video and get motivated to follow your own dream!