California NOW

Lecture: "The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry: Toxins in Personal Care Products and Safer Alternatives" - November 28

Lead in lipstick ... Carcinogens in baby shampoo ... How is this possible? Simple. The $50 billion cosmetics industry has kept itself unregulated for decades. The result: Toxic chemicals are widespread in beauty products, and in our bodies. It's not just women who are affected by this chemists' brew. Shampoo, deodorant, face lotion and other products used daily by men, women and children contain hazardous chemicals that the industry claims are "within acceptable limits." But there's nothing acceptable about daily multiple exposures to carcinogenic and hormone-disrupting chemicals — from products that are supposed to make us feel healthy and beautiful.

Stacy Malkan is a media strategist for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry (New Society, 2007). The book delves deeply into the dark side of the beauty industry, and looks to hopeful solutions for a healthier future.

       

Date: Wednesday, November 28
            Time: Noon to 1 p.m. (Feel free to bring your lunch)
            Place: Herbst Hall at Mt. Zion, 1600 Divisadero Street, 2nd floor
            Presenter: Stacy Malkin is communications director for Health Care Without Harm, a global coalition working to green the health care industry. Stacy is also a media strategist for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Her new book, entitled "Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry" (New Society) will be released in September 2007.

"What's So Wrong with Being a Peace-Loving, Tree-Hugging, Red Feminist Lawyer?"

Exerp from The Huffington Post article by Michael Gene Sullivan

Feminism:
"Feminism is the radical notion that women are people." No special rights, no unisex bathrooms, no enforced Goddess worship - just equality before the law and in the workplace. And yet when Reactionaries like Rush Limbaugh shouted into a microphone that fiery Feminists wanted to turn our pie cooking, God-Fearing womenfolk into a pack of hairy armpitted, ball-busting lesbian FemiNazis, Democrats ran for cover.

Feminazism? The Uber-estrogen fueled Corporate/Military totalitarian philosophy, combining the hatred of men, with the insatiable lust for lesbian Lebensraum. Is that what Feminists were, and are, struggling for? Because if not, if Equality is what it's always been about, why do the Democrats still shun the word? (Oh, it was also around this time - after Liberals abandoned their own name - that the whole "I don't believe in "isms" weasalosity was born - the idea that if you actually stood for something you were weak. Another successful mindfuck brought to you by People Who Want You to Shut Up.)

Say No to Violence Against Women Campaign

The U.N. Development Fund for Women has launched a new advocacy campaign to end violence against women. The fund has recruited Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman to help promote the campaign, which is an internet-based initiative that asks people to sign a "virtual book" that promotes women's rights.

The U.N Fund says violence against women is the most pervasive human rights violation around the world. They estimate that one in three women will be a victim of violence in her lifetime.

16 Days of Activism were celebrated world wide this weekend under the global theme "Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women". Check out a few celebrations: Liberia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Zimbabwe, and even here in the USA.

Presidential Politics: Sport of the Tongue

Wow. Presidential politics are sure interesting. Such a sport of the tongue. Do you know Oprah is going on the campaign trail with Obama? The media is questioning if that will help his campaign. Strangely, most agree it won't.

I am a little disappointed that Obama would take such a disrespecting tactic against Hillary Clinton's service to this country as the First Lady. Reminds me of the men that forget to say Thank You to the women who prepared their Thanksgiving Dinners.

I like to think Oprah & Hillary are laughing in this pic when hearing Obama say: "There is no doubt that Bill Clinton had faith in her and consulted with her on issues, in the same way that I would consult with Michelle, if there were issues. On the other had, I don't think Michelle would claim that she is the best qualified person to be a United States senator by virtue of me talking to her on occasion about the work I've done."

On occasion? Barack Obama only consults his wife on occasion?

Writer Boi WGA

Where Were You Born?

Posted at OnLineWithZoe.com Zoe: Thanks for letting me repost it here!

A week ago I attended a NOW event, the Women of Color and Allies Summit.  It was interesting though I was mostly focused on membership and facilitating a World Café Conversation.  The next day at lunch, a woman told me she had learned something interesting at the WOCA Summit ~ that asking someone where they are from ~ is racist.  Surviving my torrent of questions, she went on to explain that the question comes from a place of privilege.  No matter how I asked, she was unrelenting.

It has been a week and I am still turning it over in my head.  I have no idea who told her that idea, but I believe it is representative of the very root of racism ~ making curiosity, questions, difference, inquiry ~ taboo or even insulting.  How will I ever bridge the separation if I cannot ask how we are both different and alike?  How will we all get along if we cannot say – Wow, that is new to me, that is different than me, tell me all about it. 

We are all Harijan, as Gandhi named the “untouchables,” we are all children of god.  Laura Nyro said that she was a child of the universe.  I want to say – yes you have an accent, you look different and would you tell me about it.  The second note, in that symphony of humanity, is for the question to be returned and then I get to say where I am from.  I believe it is only racist if there is an implication that I may ask and you may not.  My particular etiquette believes that if I ask, I am simultaneously offering and expecting to be asked and to answer.  Is it not the conversation that we might have in common?  Is it not the curiosity we might have in common.  To me, it seems arrogant to say asking is rude. 

In the World Café I posed this set of questions to begin a positive conversation ~
CAN I BE YOUR SISTER?
     I am a different color than you.
     I am a different religion than you.
     I am not your age or your size.
     I was born in a different country.
     My orientation and gender identity is different than yours.
     Can I be your sister – your family?
     Can we put it all aside and be sisters?

I believe we cannot just put it aside.  We have to ask and our question has to be received.  Years ago, at a family style restaurant, a mother and son sat across from me, the boy asked his mother, while pointing at me, “Why does she have such a big head?”  The mother was so upset, instantly teaching her son that innocent inquiry is wrong. 

I disagree and I want to know all about you.
     Why do you wear a headscarf?
     What holidays do you celebrate?
     Why do you go to prayers on Saturday?
     Do you believe in god?
     Why are you in a wheelchair?
     When do you believe life begins?
     Hey, where were you born?

If the conversation partner feels they can ask right back – the real listening begins.  Racism and elitism asks while making it crystal clear – don’t ask back – I am too privileged to be asked.  Asking from true inquiry as an invitation to meet, as Buber speaks of, is an innocent and kind beginning.

Posted at OnLineWithZoe.com Zoe: Thanks for letting me repost it here!

A week ago I attended a NOW event, the Women of Color and Allies Summit.  It was interesting though I was mostly focused on membership and facilitating a World Café Conversation.  The next day at lunch, a woman told me she had learned something interesting at the WOCA Summit ~ that asking someone where they are from ~ is racist.  Surviving my torrent of questions, she went on to explain that the question comes from a place of privilege.  No matter how I asked, she was unrelenting.

It has been a week and I am still turning it over in my head.  I have no idea who told her that idea, but I believe it is representative of the very root of racism ~ making curiosity, questions, difference, inquiry ~ taboo or even insulting.  How will I ever bridge the separation if I cannot ask how we are both different and alike?  How will we all get along if we cannot say – Wow, that is new to me, that is different than me, tell me all about it. 

We are all Harijan, as Gandhi named the “untouchables,” we are all children of god.  Laura Nyro said that she was a child of the universe.  I want to say – yes you have an accent, you look different and would you tell me about it.  The second note, in that symphony of humanity, is for the question to be returned and then I get to say where I am from.  I believe it is only racist if there is an implication that I may ask and you may not.  My particular etiquette believes that if I ask, I am simultaneously offering and expecting to be asked and to answer.  Is it not the conversation that we might have in common?  Is it not the curiosity we might have in common.  To me, it seems arrogant to say asking is rude. 

In the World Café I posed this set of questions to begin a positive conversation ~
CAN I BE YOUR SISTER?
     I am a different color than you.
     I am a different religion than you.
     I am not your age or your size.
     I was born in a different country.
     My orientation and gender identity is different than yours.
     Can I be your sister – your family?
     Can we put it all aside and be sisters?

I believe we cannot just put it aside.  We have to ask and our question has to be received.  Years ago, at a family style restaurant, a mother and son sat across from me, the boy asked his mother, while pointing at me, “Why does she have such a big head?”  The mother was so upset, instantly teaching her son that innocent inquiry is wrong. 

I disagree and I want to know all about you.
     Why do you wear a headscarf?
     What holidays do you celebrate?
     Why do you go to prayers on Saturday?
     Do you believe in god?
     Why are you in a wheelchair?
     When do you believe life begins?
     Hey, where were you born?

If the conversation partner feels they can ask right back – the real listening begins.  Racism and elitism asks while making it crystal clear – don’t ask back – I am too privileged to be asked.  Asking from true inquiry as an invitation to meet, as Buber speaks of, is an innocent and kind beginning.

Women Aren't The Only Ones in This Movement!

Jackson Katz is a long-time anti-violence, feminist activist and author of The Macho Paradox:Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help. His activist work focuses on men, helping them to question and confront the macho culture that encourages violence. He is interviewed here. Check it out.

Katz is a valuable participant in this movement, with a revolutionary approach to change: make violence against women not just a "women's issue," but an issue for everyone to be invested in working on.

Thank you, Jackson, for what you do for women's rights, and for what you do to help men live outside the paradigm of violence that our culture sets up for them.

Inappropriate for MTV? It Must be REALLY Bad!

Shopping on the day after Thanksgiving sounds as appealing to me as slamming my hand in a car door over and over. So, it is with no major effort that I participate in Buy Nothing Day on this day every year.

This doesn't strike me as the most subversive action I could take, but MTV finds it so appalling it has refused to air this Buy Nothing Day public service spot, saying the message "goes too far." Did you hear that? That was the sound of my head exploding.

MTV--not exactly known for its high standards--thinks an ad featuring an animated pig delivering an eco-friendly message goes too far? I'm not naive. I know MTV relies on advertisers, and that a "buy nothing" message contradicts the "buy everything" standard you usually see there. But, to deny an inoffensive thirty second spot, that just asks people to think about their effect on the planet FOR ONE DAY, really shows the network is just as in the pocket of corporate power as any other.

Write MTV here and tell them what you think.

Thank You, Sarah Hale!

If you enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving, you have Sarah Hale to thank!

The story of Hale's persistent effort to make Thanksgiving a national holiday was one I didn't know until I read the children's book Thank You, Sarah! to my kids. We also read several books about the Wampanoag Indians (including this one), who were living in Plymouth when the Europeans arrived, and we studied the myths around Thanksgiving, of which there are many. [See Lani, you gotta homeschool your kids and then they can make hand-print turkeys and learn the real history of the holiday!]

Hale sent letters and petitioned presidents for 38 years before President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.

Although I agree the holiday should more appropriately be a day of mourning for the loss of American Indian life at the hands of the Pilgrims, this book about Hale has a real feminist message, and ends with the statement: "Pick up your pen. Change the world." That sentiment I can celebrate.

Thank You

Thank you for every action you take. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for voting. Thank you for being my friend.  Thank you for creating the world you want to live in. Thank you for standing up for women and girls. Thank you for doing the right thing. Thank you for following your dreams. Thank you for creating peace, happiness, joy. Thank you for making the launch of this blog such a success.

Thank you for changing the world.