Real Women Have Curves?

No-

Real women come in all shapes and sizes.

We touched upon this issue in the "Eating and Exercise" discussion during the Women's Health Workshop series. The following comes from Community Feministing:

Aren't I A Real Woman?

Women Speak Out

CNN's Campbell Brown on the McCain Campaign's sexist treatment of its VP nominee:


And a woman who never gets the attention she deserves in the male-dominated field of comedy, Wanda Sykes:

The New Eugenics

Not to be all Negative Nancy on the women's health front but I just found out about an absolutely appalling plan being proposed by a Louisiana State Rep. He is exploring the idea of creating an incentive program that would give $1000 to poor women who agree to have their tubes tied. As if that isn't offensive enough, the plan would also include tax incentives for college-educated, high-income people willing to have more children.

Read about it here and here.

This reminds me a lot of the Project C.R.A.C.K. controversy.

So You Want to Get Married, Do You?

I personally don't see myself ever getting married, but if I did, I would definitely read this statement as part of the ceremony- not only because I believe in it, but also in honor of Lucy Stone.


The following was signed by Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell prior to their May 1, 1855 marriage. The Rev. Thomas Wentworth Higginson, who performed the marriage, not only read the statement at the ceremony, but also distributed it to other ministers as a model that he urged other couples to follow.

While acknowledging our mutual affection by publicly assuming the relationship of husband and wife, yet in justice to ourselves and a great principle, we deem it a duty to declare that this act on our part implies no sanction of, nor promise of voluntary obedience to such of the present laws of marriage, as refuse to recognize the wife as an independent, rational being, while they confer upon the husband an injurious and unnatural superiority, investing him with legal powers which no honorable man would exercise, and which no man should possess. We protest especially against the laws which give to the husband:

1. The custody of the wife's person.

2. The exclusive control and guardianship of their children.

3. The sole ownership of her personal, and use of her real estate, unless previously settled upon her, or placed in the hands of trustees, as in the case of minors, lunatics, and idiots.

4. The absolute right to the product of her industry.

5. Also against laws which give to the widower so much larger and more permanent interest in the property of his deceased wife, than they give to the widow in that of the deceased husband.

6. Finally, against the whole system by which "the legal existence of the wife is suspended during marriage," so that in most States, she neither has a legal part in the choice of her residence, nor can she make a will, nor sue or be sued in her own name, nor inherit property.

We believe that personal independence and equal human rights can never be forfeited, except for crime; that marriage should be an equal and permanent partnership, and so recognized by law; that until it is so recognized, married partners should provide against the radical injustice of present laws, by every means in their power...

HPV Required for Immigrant Women

The debate over mandatory vaccination for the controversial HPV vaccine has taken an interesting twist. As it turns out, the US Department of Homeland Security is requiring girls and young women who immigrate to the US to get the Gardasil jab, TheStreet.com reports.

Read the whole article here. This is clearly a problem. Aside from the alleged health risk associated with the vaccine (and the gold coating the insides of Merck's pockets), this clearly stands as yet another concerning barrier to immigration.

What's that word....???

Lunch Time Film Series at Temple Law

I know everyone is working/busy but if you happen to be unemployed or have a long lunch break, the National Lawyer's Guild Reproductive Rights Committee will be hosting a viewing of "Rosita". Q & A with the director will follow (she happens to work at Temple!). It will be held at noon on September 30th. I'd be happy to provide more explicit information to anyone who is interested.

ROSITA, an hour-long documentary by award-winning filmmakers Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater, traces a young girl's journey from innocent victim to unwitting victor. When a nine-year-old Nicaraguan girl becomes pregnant as a result of a rape, her parents — illiterate campesinos working in Costa Rica — seek a legal "therapeutic" abortion to save their only child's life. Their quest pits them against the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the medical establishment, and the Catholic Church. When their story gains international media attention the repercussions ripple across Latin America and Europe.

If people can't make it and are interested in viewing the film I would be happy to host a screening and discussion some time in the future.

Also, for those who were asking, here is my favorite zucchini bread recipe!

3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 yogurt (soy or regular)
2 cups sugar (white will dissolve better)
2 cups grated zucchini (I use closer to 2 1/2 or 3)
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly butter and flour two loaf pans.
In a bowl, beat eggs. Mix in oil, yogurt and sugar. Mix in zucchini and vanilla. Combine the rest of the ingredients before stirring into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 60 minutes.
Share with friends, or if you don't like to share this bread freezes well.

If you want to make it vegan, egg replacer will work! But make sure you double up (6 "eggs") and mix while the water is still warm.