Marriage for All

This YouTube video has gone viral over the past few days. A 19 year old student at the University of Iowa speaks about the importance of same sex marriage. Everyone must watch this!

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving…

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I decided to do a little bit of a different post. As I was perusing my favorite news websites, I noticed that many organizations are creating lists of talking points for the Thanksgiving dinner table. Instead of leaving American’s to come up with their own discussion topics, organizations are trying to influence people’s viewpoints even on such a cherished American holiday.

Planned Parenthood is one of these organizations. They created the “Talking Turkey: 8 Easy Steps for Discussing Reproductive Health and Justice at the Holiday Table.”  Just in case Aunt Susie brings up abortion while you’re eating those delicious mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie, you can be prepared to intelligently contribute to the conversation. Some of my favorite steps are: “Know where you stand”, “Remember the Big Picture”, and “Create a Space for the Listener.” The list even comes equipped with practice questions, so that you can be prepared for anything that comes your way. Planned Parenthood has really capitalized on the fact that families come together for this holiday and there are many families that are divided on the organization and issue of abortion. They realized that supporters can take advantage of everyone being together and try to convince their loved ones that might be opposed to the organization now, to stand behind the essential services that Planned Parenthood provides. Perhaps if they are able to educate more people, they can contact their Congress members and vocalize their support for Planned Parenthood.

But is this wishful thinking? Will people really use these “8 steps”? Do people actually talk about abortion, Planned Parenthood, or any controversial topics at the Thanksgiving table?

My answer to that is: who knows? On the one hand, some people love to stir the pot by bringing up issues that they know will start a debate. Planned Parenthood has been in the news quite frequently this year, so this could very well be a topic of contention. On the other hand, some people may stray away form politics at a holiday that is supposed to be one about giving thanks. In my opinion, debating about politics could stray away from that goal.

Planned Parenthood is not the only one who has come up with cheat sheets of talking points. I was just looking on my Twitter newsfeed and the DCCC (The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) posted a “Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet” just in case anyone has some Republican family members, or Tea Partiers, show up for dinner. They are using this cheat sheet as a tool to get their values out and spur some political debate at the table. The more that people talk about the issues, the easier it is for them to form opinions and it may even inspire people to get involved in the cause (such as volunteering for the 2012 campaigns that are now well under-way). They even have prominent Democrats promoting the cheat sheet on their own twitters (I originally saw the list on Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s twitter). Additionally they’re getting clever by making you sign up for the DCCC, which I’m sure will later bombard you with e-mails daily, in order to get the cheat sheet.

I think these two organizations have definitely caught on to a smart trend. Planned Parenthood teaches you how to eloquently respond to nay-sayers and adequately debate someone who has opposing viewpoints. While the DCCC takes a different route by laying out the facts in a “DEMS vs. GOP” bullet point list. From the tweets that I’m seeing surrounding the DCCC list, it seems to be a quick and successful hit. This is the perfect way for these organizations to get their point across and they’re hoping that some passionate people will sway their family members to support the Democrats and Planned Parenthood. Who knows if this will be successful, but it sure does make for a great Thanksgiving dinner. What could be much better than a political debate over some turkey, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie?

 

 

Bedsider: Filling in the Gap

This weekend I stumbled across a PSA different from any others that I had seen before. While usually PSAs are purely informational and maybe they have a celebrity telling you startling statistics, this one was the first one I’ve ever seen that made me laugh. The new “Bedsider” PSAs highlight funny stories and situations that arise within relationships. The message that they are trying to get out is that birth control, or any contraceptives for that matter, is extremely important when having sex.

The Bedsider campaign was created when the Ad Council and The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy came together after some startling statistics surfaced about unwanted pregnancy and young women. Did you know that nearly 1 in 10 young women (20-29) will have an unplanned pregnancy each year? This leads to 1.3 million unplanned pregnancies each year (and this is an increase from last year), which results in the United States being one of the top countries in the developed world.

One thing that I find so concerning was that in public opinion polls, a majority of young women stated how important it was for them to be prepared for a child. They wanted to finish their education and get their careers started before starting a family. So if a majority of women are saying this, why is the unplanned pregnancy rate for young women going up?

This is where the Bedsider campaign steps in. The website allows for women to gather the basic facts about birth control, dispel common myths, to locate where they can find free birth control, read funny stories about sexual encounters from peers, and they can even set reminders to take their birth control or go to see the doctor. Bedsider is trying to make it as simple as possible for women to think about contraceptives if they are sexually active.

This campaign seems to be a great idea and definitely is filling a void that’s in society. They take a completely bipartisan stance and set out just to give information to women. Many school systems only advocate for abstinence, so what happens when these men and women actually decide to be sexually active? They’re uneducated about the various contraceptive methods that are on the market since they were probably never provided with it. Unfortunately, this is the cause for many unwanted pregnancies. Even Bristol Palin said that “abstinence isn’t realistic.” If the daughter of one the United States’ most conservative politicians is saying this, along with many liberals, there must be a nugget of truth.

Luckily this new campaign seeks to fill that gap in contraceptive education. Hopefully with more information readily on the internet, women can properly inform themselves and prevent bringing a child into their lives before their ready. With school systems failing their students by not providing comprehensive sex education, someone has to pick up the slack and Bedsider does just that.

Another point to consider is the every growing population on the planet. Not more than a few weeks ago, the 7 billionth person was born. Take that in for a moment. 7 billion people on one planet. That’s quite a lot. While many people blame women in developing countries for having multitudes of children, developed countries shouldn’t just be pointing the finger. Many preach about the necessity of family planning in developing countries, and while I am one of those that thinks that it’s a good idea, I don’t think that we can forget about family planning here at home. While I like to believe that American women know more about the subject matter than say their female counterpart in Bangladesh, there still is more to learn. We need to focus on teaching teenagers about contraceptives, before they’re sexually active, so that they’re not lost when the time to put that knowledge to use comes around.

The Bedsider campaign is set to run for three years. Hopefully at the end of this time period, statistics will show an increase in contraceptive usage as well as a decrease in unplanned pregnancies. However, I don’t think this is the only solution. Reform within our schools needs to happen immediately. My friend at My Reel-Ality recently wrote a post on teen pregnancy and brought up another startling statistic: only 13 states require sex education to be medically accurate. Obviously, there are problems even when the schools have comprehensive sex education. We need to start from the ground up with lobbying at school board meetings and then taking it to the Sacramento in order to see any changes in the unplanned pregnancy statistics.

Check out this hilarious PSA brought to you by the Bedsider campaign (plus: they even use diverse women in their PSA):

http://www.youtube.com/user/bedsider#p/c/E6487FC85460BB78/0/IvKZEdxZEV8

Sweep it Under the Rug

I’m sure that everyone is tired of hearing the words, “sexual harassment” since accusations are being thrown out left and right towards Herman Cain. As of now, four women have come forth with accusations that they were inappropriately groped, receiving inappropriate comments, and many more. One of the accusers, Shannon Bialek, has said that Cain should tell the truth “so that you and the country can move forward and focus on the real issues at hand.”

While I believe that it’s important for Presidential Elections to revolve around the issues at hand (and the other Republican candidates have stressed the importance of this) accusations such as sexual harassment are not something to take lightly. Simply, sweeping the issue under the rug is contributing to the stigma that exists about reporting such acts. Many times victims of sexual harassment are embarassed to come forward because of the ridicule and lack of seriousness they think the topic receives.

Shannon Bialek- one of the women allegedly sexually harassed by Herman Cain

I commend the women who have stepped forward about the sexual harassment that they faced from Herman Cain. It takes a lot of courage to come out against someone that obviously has a lot of power, is running for President, and has a lot of support from the Republican party. A person who seems to be tainting the reputation of the once frontrunner (his polling numbers have slipped since the scandal broke) in the Republican nomination for President is automatically going to be attacked for bringing up this serious accusation. Simply wiping our hands of the accusations implies that this issue is something to be ashamed of. Women and men who are victims of sexual harassment need to speak up about it and hold their harassers accountable.

On that note, if Herman Cain did sexually harass these four women (and who knows, maybe there are more) I think that’s something that the American people should know. The voters deserve to know the truth about Cain’s personality and who

they are voting for. In my opinion, I would not want someone who is guilty of sexual harassment sitting in the Oval Office. I think that’s very indicative of the type of person someone is and I wouldn’t want White House employees, or anyone for that matter, treated in that regard. I think it’s vital to get to the bottom of these serious allegations and while Cain’s view on the issues is important, his personality and integrity are just as important.

Elizabeth Warren: One of Us

Woman? Check.

Grew up in a lower middle class family? Check.

Trying to win a seat in the United States Senate that is currently occupied by a Tea Partier? Check.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Elizabeth Warren.

Warren is currently running for the United States Senate seat in Massachusetts that was once occupied by the highly respected Ted Kennedy. After his death, the seat surprisingly went to a Tea Partier, Scott Brown.

Since Warren announced her run for Senate, the Democratic Party has placed a lot of hope and pressure on her, but many have questioned if all the hype is warranted.  In a world that has consisted of so much doom and gloom lately, Elizabeth Warren is a breath of fresh air and brings hope to citizens that feel they have been let down.

I have to admit, when I first heard about her I thought, “so what, what’s so special about her?” Then I heard her story.  She grew up in a family that just made ends meet until her father had a heart attack and medical bills dug them deep into a hole of debt. She knows what it’s like to worry about how the next meal is going to get on the table, unlike many politicians that we see today. She has kept a modest lifestyle doing what she loves, teaching. As a professor at Harvard Law School, she has taught corporate law and contracts while also being one of President Obama’s top economic advisors in between the months of November 2008 and January 2009.  Despite her deep range of expertise, she has stayed grounded and is rumored to be very down to earth.

Warren was one of the lightning rods for the Occupy Wall Street movement. She’s recognized (and helped many Americans realize) that corporations are trying to take over our country and the government is “rigging” regulations in favor of corporations. Legislation rarely gets passed to help out the 99%, but rather the 1% that can afford to pay lobbyists that convince legislators to vote their way. The 99% has very few people in Congress that are willing to stand up for them and it is time that we make this happen. A living room speech by Warren went viral in September, is what empowered the Occupy Wall Street protests. She pointed out a very valid point that no one can get rich without the help of necessary services that the government provides. Even if you build a factory yourself, the materials are transported on the infrastructure (i.e. streets) that the government funded and lower class workers built. Therefore, you should give back money to the next person so that they can be successful too. What a novel concept. This is one of the things that the DNC loves to see, and is probably one of the reasons why they love her so much; she is someone that is willing to stand up for their core values and who has a lot of support from the general population.

Overall, this leads to the larger problem today: there is a large disconnect between those in Congress and the middle class citizens. Most of them don’t know what it’s like to pump their own gas or buy their own groceries at the market anymore because it’s just done for them by staff. Elizabeth Warren does this on a weekly basis. How are they supposed to make decisions that help the middle class citizens if they were never were or moved out of that socioeconomic bracket themselves?

In a time of uncertainty in this country, we need a leader in Congress that sincerely knows what she is talking about. Everything is dependent on the economy and is therefore one of the most important issues today.  She didn’t get a briefing by an advisor on the problems with the economy; rather she is her own advisor. If she were good enough to advise the President of the United States, I would say that she has to be good enough to advocate for her constituents while in Congress.

Another point that we can’t overlook is one that I mentioned earlier. The very seat that she is fighting for once belonged to one of the Democratic Party’s stars: Ted Kennedy. Let’s be honest, the Democrats are still bitter that the seat went to a Tea Partier and many people in the party are still wondering how that happened (including myself). They’re determined to take back that seat so that Ted Kennedy can stop rolling around in his grave.

Elizabeth Warren has the potential to be the rock star of the Democratic Party. The hope and desiresthat they’ve placed on her very well warranted.  She’s someone that I want working on behalf of American citizens in the capitol building.

There is still a little over a month until Election Day in 2012. A lot can happen between then and now. For now, the popularity (and recognition) for Elizabeth Warren only seems to be growing but in the world of politics that could change in a heartbeat. I mean, who would of thought that Hermain Cain on the Republican side would become a front runner in the race. Politics is a world full of unpredictability, but one thing that I can predict is that win or lose, Elizabeth Warren will make an impact on this country.

Not for Women

Have you seen those new commercials for Dr. Pepper “10”? They’re the ones with men doing “manly” things such as going off roading, jumping off of cliffs, or sitting down to watch Monday Night Football. Maybe you’ll remember the commercials because at the end of each one, a quote in large font appears on the screen that says “it’s not for women.”

Check out one of the commercials:

10 is a diet drink that is being marketing primarily towards men. Research conducted by the company claims that men stray away from drinks that say “diet” on them because 1) they think that it’s too feminine to be seen with them and 2) they don’t like the taste. While, I can see where they’re coming from with the second point, I think that it’s a little ridiculous that men would be embarrassed to be seen with a Diet Dr. Pepper versus a Dr. Pepper. Instead of having no calories and no sugar, the drink has 10 calories and 2 grams of sugar. This way men, who apparently don’t want to look like they’re on a diet, can still have the small amount of calories. To add to this marketing campaign, the can is wrapped in a gunmetal gray sleeve with bullets instead of the usual white and red that Dr. Pepper is known for.  This design is thought to be much less attractive to women and more attractive to men.

While Dr. Pepper thinks that this campaign is harmless, I would beg to differ. I’m sure that many women will just brush off the “it’s not for women” tagline at the end of commercials and drink the soda anyways, but it still is degrading towards women. This relates back to my post last week on how the media affects women’s body image. Do women need to always drink diet soda instead of any drink with calories and sugar in it? Why is this new drink “just for men”? Despite some women brushing off the campaign, many will not and that is a big demographic that the company is losing. Women could easily drink this soda but may choose not to because of the marketing campaign.

The tagline “it’s not for women” is not my only problem with the marketing. The commercials show the men doing “manly” activities that women just simply are not a part of. Personally, I know many women that like to go off roading and/or watch Monday Night Football. Is this another attempt to suppress women and try to separate them from these activities? Or are these women just the exception and maybe they are too manly for their own good? Additionally, the main character in the commercial says that women can keep their drinks with no calories and romantic comedies while they’ll have the manly calories. This is further contributing to stereotypes about women and men that continue the divide between the genders and how each look at each other (no matter how wrong that may be).

I know that many will say that I’m taking the marketing campaign of Dr. Pepper “10” too seriously. However, ads like these are what keep women from breaking through that glass ceiling. They reinforce the idea that women cannot do everything that men can do, that we’re not on the same playing field, when in fact we are. These ads are the reason why we need a cultural revolution, to change the way that many view women’s role in society. Maybe one day, ads like these will be a thing of the past and used for humor of what the “old days” were like.

Ending Fat Talk

Here’s a video about a campaign that Delta Delta Delta started to end “Fat Talk.” It’s quite interesting and I highly suggest that everyone take the 3 minutes out of their day to watch it.

America the Beautiful

Our culture has gone through a major face lift- literally. Young children idolize celebrities and are willing to do whatever it takes to be just like them, whether that happens by going on a simple diet or having plastic surgery. Women’s body images are suffering because the media’s infatuation with being a size 0 or just as skinny as the runway models, are starting to take a toll.  Now plastic surgery is becoming a routine procedure rather than a rarity.  It is hard to come across any reality television show that has never shown one of the main characters going in for Botox or breast implants.  Basically, you name a plastic surgery procedure and I’m sure that there is at least one show that has filmed it. The prevalence of not only these procedures but also the unhealthily skinny girls showcased in the media has led everyday women to question and destroy their own body image.

Kim Kardashian got botox in her show "Keeping up with the Kardashians"

Celebrity gossip websites and tabloids are daily reads for many women, young and old alike. These publications are filled with comments about actresses or socialites who gained a few pounds, so then the tabloids broadcast that they’re pregnant. Since when did gaining a few extra pounds here and there mean that someone is with child? Not only is there the constant “baby bump watch,” but also celebrities that look like typical such as Jessica Simpson are criticized non-stop in the media. Anyone who is at a grocery store can pick up “Us Weekly” and read the negative and hurtful words being said about someone’s weight. The reader could easily be the same weight or more and therefore feel pressured to drop ten pounds, even if they do not need to.

This overall issue is highlighted by a new documentary, “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments”.  The film highlights how ridiculous it is that everyone tries to be just as skinny as her favorite movie star or super model. Whatever happened to the United States being a land filled with individuals? We’re not only a country that has a melting pot of ethnicities but also of different body types. Not everyone has the genetics that provide for a body type of a stick thin super model. Some people are meant to have more meat on their bones. So why should these people be forced to starve themselves to fit into a cookie cutter idea of what women should look like? This idea is making women develop eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia in order to look just like Heidi Klum or Miranda Kerr.

Eating disorders are not the only problem; plastic surgery is more prevalent today than it ever . Women go into the doctor and ask for the “Angelina lips” or “Kim Kardashian butt “, among many other features.  They aren’t comfortable

enough in their own skin because the media has deemed those specific actresses’ features as factors that make someone “hot” and they don’t believe that they possess those.  I think it is disgusting that people spend obscene amounts of money on these surgeries just because the media has exacerbated their insecurities regarding body image. Recently, I was told a story about someone asking a plastic surgeon to circle parts of her body that she needed to fix in order to look like Barbie. Almost every part of her body was circled. What does that show you? First, it is impossible to look like a plastic doll. Second, what has society come to that we feel the need to alter our appearance to look like a non-breathing object?

One of the celebrities that I thought was truly making a difference was Jennifer Hudson. She was plus size and boy was she proud of it. She had no problem flaunting her body type but then suddenly she was just as skinny as the rest of them. The pressure from Hollywood to be skinny took one of the only allies that us normal women had in the industry. I am sure that she was a role model for many young girls that thought they were too fat to make it in Hollywood and she showed them that it was possible. Now, who knows?

Women need strong role models to look up to. Celebrities are everywhere from billboards to commercials to magazine covers. Their prevalence in society automatically makes them a role model not only to young girls but also to women of all ages who see them everywhere. There needs to be more celebrities that embrace their body type and do not have bones protruding from their bodies to set the example for young girls.  Something needs to change in the way that media portrays women and critiques them for every part of her body that they don’t deem “Hollywood worthy.” If they don’t fit into the acceptably skinny category then they are ridiculed until they comply or they have to face an unbearable amount of criticism.  It’s unfortunate that media has this much influence on people’s lives but the ball is in the court of celebrities to stand up against the system that has been established.

Let’s get some normal looking women as role models for today’s women and children.

Check out the trailer for “America the Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments”:

Interesting Reads

This weekend while I was perusing some of my favorite newspapers, I stumbled upon some pretty interesting op-ed pieces. Here are three of my favorites:

E.J. Dionne Jr. from the Washington Post comments on the Republican Presidential candidate’s proposed solutions for the economic problems that we’re currently having. He highlights some pretty interesting flaws to their argument; this is definitely something that all Americans, as voters, should read.

Maureen Dowd, a renowned columnist for the New York Times, suggests that women should reconsider the misogynistic Ernest Hemingway as his fiftieth anniversary of his death approaches.   Maybe the need for a new woman in every book was harmless after all?

The last opinion piece that I found interesting was by Dr. H. Gilbert Welch in the Los Angeles Times. Although the issue of Medicare and it’s share of our GDP seems like it’s been talked to death, Dr. Welch approaches Medicare reform in a truly insightful way. He throws away partisan ideas and purely looks at the health care systems and pinpoints how reforms will be most successful.  This is definitely something to check out:

Enjoy!

FAFSA: An Unequal Document

While I usually choose to write solely on women’s issues, an article that I recently read about same sex couples and their children really struck me as interesting.  Children of legally wed same sex couples are having a hard time filling out the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” form (fondly known as FAFSA).  This is a form that students are required to fill out in order to 1) see if they qualify for federal financial aid and 2) how much they qualify for.  In the article, an applicant notes that there are specified spots for “mother/stepmother” and “father/stepfather”so that applicants with two fathers or two mothers cannot adequately fill out the form.  The Department of Education notes that these applicants must act as if their parents are divorced. They must chose who the legal parent who provides more support is, and many times they will ignore the second parent’s income anyways.  This could end in two ways: either the applicant gets less aid than needed or they get more.

Many times, these students end up getting less aid because in addition to the 106 questions that the FAFSA already requires they must take initiative to find out that they need to treat their parents as if they are divorced (since this is not common knowledge). This acts as a deterrent to these students and therefore adds yet another obstacle that homosexual families must face.  Unfortunately, this is the case because the forms must follow the Defense of Marriage Act, which only recognizes heterosexual marriages on a federal level. In my opinion, not only is this discriminatory towards same sex couples but this also unfairly punishes their children. Nowadays, more and more students have to forego attending their “dream school” because they are not able to get enough financial aid. Some students may not even be able to attend college at all because of financial reasons. It’s not fair that just because a form is not conducive to same sex families, that students have to be punished. Not only are their same sex parents being treated unequally but now their children (who may be homosexual or heterosexual) are discriminated against as well.

With more states legalizing same sex marriage, I propose a simple revamping of the FAFSA form. Instead of printing the form with solely “mother/stepmother” or “father/stepfather” in the spaces, they should print it with “mother/father” in both sections so that the applicant can circle the word that applies to their parent.  This way the applicant will not have to list their parent’s marital status as something that it’s not. It’s absolutely ridiculous that for decades homosexual couples were denied marriage and finally they are allowed in their state of residence to legally wed, but with this form they must deny that status. It’s denying these couples their right to be married all over again. It’s a backhanded way of showing disapproval for the marriage and the lifestyle that these citizens lead. America is the land where everyone is treated equally, yet we continue to discriminate against people (and their families) because of their sexual orientation.

Unfortunately, the FAFSA is only one form among thousands that refuse to recognize homosexual couples and only adds to the inequality that these people face. My hope is that one day, something as simple as government forms (at the very least) will be conducive to everyone in this country, not just the men/women that are heterosexual.