Holiday consumerism...

Necklace from Made By Survivors. Click here to purchase.

As the holidays approach, here is a way to give friends and family gifts and help women in need at the same time...

Check out these sites, listed in the December issue of Glamour Magazine...

Made By Survivors

This site sells items made by survivors of sex trafficking.

Compartes Chocolatier

Purchases of African truffles benefit Relief International in Darfur, directly funding a women's center in the region.

Women's Bean Project

This non-profit aims to break the cycle of poverty by teaching life skills to women through gourmet food production.

Hope Wine

Half of profits go to further education and research of AIDS, breast cancer, and autism.

-via my Mom.

I'm a Gardasil skeptic but this may change my mind.

One of our own...

Check out this site on the 11th International Forum on Women's Rights & Development to see a familiar face!

AWID: Women's Rights

"Being a stock protestor is really funny." -Sarah Coburn

Stop the Hate.

Protests against California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage will be held in cities across the country on Saturday, November 15th.

Philadelphia's protest will take place at City Hall at 1:30pm. For more information visit: Join the Impact.

Keith Olbermann recently spoke powerfully about the ban on gay marriage. Check it out.

Uruguay

When I spent some time in Uruguay a few years ago, I was impressed by a lot. In addition to vehicles granting pedestrians the right of way more-often-than-not (in striking contrast to Buenos Aires where the cars speed up when they see you about to put a foot out onto the roadway...), Uruguay was the first (and only?) Latin American nation to have legalized same sex unions.

Today it was announced that Congress had passed a bill legalizing abortion during the first 12 weeks of gestation. Abortion is illegal in every Latin American nation with the exception of Cuba and in a few places if there are extreme circumstances. Although the President is expected to veto the bill, Congress has made a bold statement that will hopefully empower and inspire abortion rights activists throughout the region.

Here's the article.

America's First Transgender Mayor

photo from the candidate's website

Check it out!

The Associated Press

BUST Magazine's Blog

Global Gag Rule

There's already been some talk from Barack Obama's transition team of overturning the global gag rule, which Bush reinstated on his very first day of office in 2001. The rule prohibits international organizations that provide abortion counseling or services from getting tax dollars.

Read more about Obama's possible immediate actions against Bush policies:

Obama Weighs Quick Undoing of Bush Policies
Buh-Bye Global Gag Rule!

Yes We Can

THIS IS IT

IT'S NOVEMBER 4~

Women, let's vote!

An Important Reminder

Brought to you by Jezebel. Check this out.

It reminds of a great email sent around by Cecily recently.

PA Election: Attorney General

In Pennsylvania, there are three candidates running for the State Attorney General Position.

According to Wikipedia, "The state attorneys general serve as chief legal advisor to the state government and as the chief law enforcement officers. In some states, the Attorney General serves as the head of the state Department of Justice, with responsibilities similar to that of the United States Department of Justice. "

About the Candidates:


Tom Corbett. (Incumbent, Republican)

Experience:

-Current Attorney General since 2004. He also served as PA Attorney General from 1995-1997, appointed by Gov. Tom Ridge to replace Ernie Preate, who was convicted of mail fraud.

-United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania

-Assistant District Attorney in Allegheny County

-Chairman, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

-Member, Pennsylvania Army National Guard 28th Infantry Division

Education:

-1975, St. Mary's University School of Law, J.D.

-1971 Lebanon Valey College, B.A.

Priorities:

-Protecting our children from Internet sexual predators and child pornography

-Fighting drugs and gangs in our communities

-Protecting our senior citizens from financial fraud and physical abuse


John Morganelli (Democrat)
(on his website, he has a link specifically for Women's Issues)

Experience:

-Serves as the District Attorney of Northampton County, PA was elected in 1991

-President of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute 2002-2003; President of Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association
1999-2000; served as Vice-President and Secretary Treasurer of Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association and Member of the Executive Board 1995-2003

-Appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to Committee on Capital Litigation, 2003

-Testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, Sub-committee on Immigration matters, 2003

Education:

-1980 Villanova Law School, J.D.

-1977, Moravian College, B. A.

Priorities:

-Pass a gang statute that makes gang membership a crime so as to attack the gangs before they commit their next murder or drug deal

-Address the proliferation of handguns into the hands of criminals, young children and those with mental illness.

-Abolish parole for violent criminals.



Marakay Rogers ( listed as Green on my ballot, but listed as Libertarian on League of Women Voters and her own website)

Experience:

-Occupation: Attorney (private practice)

-former executive director, York City Human Relations Commission

- Director of paralegal studies, Academy of Medical Arts and Business, Harrisburg, (1989-2000);

-BPW "Women In Government" award 1985

Education:

-1984, Dickinson School of Law , J.D.

- 1981, magna cum laude, Wilson College, B.A.

Priorities:

-Stop prosecution of victimless crimes

-Put moratorium on death penalty

-Protect citizens' rights from government abuse


It was difficult finding criticism about each candidate other than Morganelli and Corbett attacking each other on this site:
http://www.politickerpa.com/tags/tom-corbett?page=4