Follow Smart Women on Facebook

Good Monday morning to everyone! Smart Women has a new page on Facebook, so go there now and...well, you know what to do :)

Check That Label! Or, How to Detox Your Pink Ribbon Purchases

We have already spotlighted Glamour Gone Good and EcoStiletto as good sources of anti-pinkwashing product info, now check out this article from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. They provide a quick rundown of the nasty, potentially cancer-causing chemicals that many pink ribbon products contain. Use it to educate yourself and your loved ones on what to avoid. 

Pink Is SO Your Color

Ever wondered when (or why?) the color pink became associated with females in the first place? More importantly, have you ever considered the implications of gender-specific colors? I know I have, and the ubiquitous pink ribbon of this month reminded me once again. I happen to like pink, generally, and certain shades look pretty darn good on me. What I don't like, however, is the near-vilification of the color because of its direct and automatic association with girls and women. When so many males take issue with making pink part of their wardrobe or instinctively veto any products or objects bearing this particular hue, women should rightly take some offense. After all, what's so wrong with "looking like a girl?" Are females so unacceptable and subpar that men feel compelled to refuse any signifiers that may feminize them to some degree--even if that signifier is wholly socially constructed? I also find it interesting that the color blue, directly and automatically associated with boys and men, really carries no such stigma. (I also happen to like blue, by the way.) With these thoughts in mind, I came across this article from Smithsonian Magazine that traces the history of children's clothing and its relationship to gender identity.

Shop Smart for Those Pink Ribbon Products

We all know October means Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it also means pink ribbon-adorned products everywhere you look. Unfortunately, so many companies have jumped on the pink bandwagon that the market has become flooded with options, many of which are not good ones. Some are even downright counterproductive to cancer prevention. Just as "greenwashing" has become a buzzword, "pinkwashing" should be on everybody's lips this month. EcoStiletto has some wise words on this issue as well as some pink ribbon purchases you can feel good about!

Lessons Learned from Oprah, the Epitome of the Self-Made Woman

Anyone paying the slightest attention knows that the final episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" has now aired. Love her or loathe her, Oprah's incredible success story and the earth-shaking power of her influence, remains undeniable. Her final show (like all the ones before it) left us with some pretty valuable advice and maybe more importantly, a major vacancy in the television landscape left by a powerful female. Here's hoping another worthy woman will step up to fill her shoes. Have you had any "aha moments" watching Oprah over the years?

Wise Words of the Week

"If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough." (Oprah Winfrey)

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)

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)