California NOW

What Does a Feminist Look Like?

This great video spells it out:

It reminds me in some ways of the work we did on A Passion for Justice: 21st Century Feminism.

How about you? What makes you a feminist?

Let's Make it Women CHANGING History Month

I'm the first one to agree that Women's History Month is important and necessary, mostly because mainstream education and history marginalize women and women's contributions. But, in addition to celebrating women of the past, let's focus on women CHANGING history in honor of women's history. Like, for instance, let's just say, a woman moving closer to becoming president!

Women are working together every day to honor the legacy of the sisters before us who braved odds, made sacrifices and dared to dream. The ones recognized (eventually) for their work, and the ones who were not. So, for Women's History Month, read up on the great women of the past, and then go out and change the world for women now.

Guest blog: A goodbye from our intern...

Kate Mitchell has been California NOW's Legislative and Advocacy Intern since last September. She graduated in 2006 from Smith and lives with her partner in Sacramento.

Sometimes I act my age. I haven't read a newspaper in print for at least four years, I'm a member of more than one social networking website, and most of the time I identify as a Third Wave feminist. And of course, I'm an avid Jon Stewart fan. At the same time, I deeply respect the feminists who have come before me. I believe in my heart of hearts that the future of feminism does indeed lie in "old-school organizations." I bristle at the notion that I don't need a NOW or a Gloria Steinem (I went to Steinem's alma mater, Smith, and "icon" doesn't begin to describe my worship of the one and only).

That's not to say that Steinem and NOW aren't flawed--when I moved to Sacramento last summer, I never thought about working for NOW--too mainstream, not in touch with 21st century feminism... I was looking for an internship in the city, and when I saw the word "lesbian" on the California NOW homepage, I bristled. I'm queer, and while I respect NOW's commitment to "lesbian rights," it's just not my politics. But I gave it a shot; the homophobia I had encountered in Sacramento made me long for the company of feminist friends and colleagues.

It was the best decision I could have made to intern with California NOW, and both the Third Wave and the "old school" in me were sated. There's nothing like the feeling of being supported by compassionate, brilliant, and dedicated mentors who are personally invested in seeing you succeed. I don't agree with everything NOW does or says, but I'm grateful there's a voice out there (so often the only one) that speaks with integrity and passion. Over the past 5 months, I've realized that feminist organizations like NOW won't make it into the new millennium with a politics that marginalizes the input of the young, the radical, the queer (and especially the trans)---but the feminist blogosphere and the Third Wave can't do it without the lived experiences and wisdom of women at established organizations like NOW. One can't exist without the other.

Thank you for including me in the trials and tribulations of working for social justice, and helping me further define my own feminist voice. I'm forever grateful.

Betty Reid Soskin Featured at OEB NOW's Black History Month Event

Betty Reid Soskin, Black social activist of the 50's and California Woman of the Year award winner in 1995 will be the featured speaker at Oakland Eastbay NOW's offering for Black History Month.

Saturday. February 2nd  2-4pm  Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave., Oakland, CA (just 5 blocks from the BART station).

Soskin's on-going career as a cultural antrhopologist and writer began in Berkeley where she initated the overhaul of a drug and crime-infested neighborhood and continues today as history librarian at the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, CA, the site of the Kaiser shipyards that brought thousands of women, of all colors, to asist in the heretofore male-only occupation of shipbuilding memorialized in the "We Can Do It!" poster.

The 86-year-old Soskin will relate what is was like for Black Americans growing up in the East Bay from 1927 when she arrived with her family from Louisiana as victims of a Katrina-like hurricane which destroyed their home and business. Many years later she married into the pioneer Reid family that had escaped from slavery to the haven of California during the Civil War.

She, like many Black Americans like her, faced a lifetime of racial prejudice leading to a mid-life crisis, an experience which, she says, opened up  new avenues to recover--singing, painting and creating music--resulting in her recognition that there is a universality shared with everyone else on the planet.

Event co-sponsors include the California Women's Agenda and Oakland-Piedmont League of Women Voters.

Revolutionary Women: Letters from a History Nerd

It is generally accepted that Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for President of the United States, back in 1872.  Here we are, 136 years later, and we have yet to elect a woman president.

Woodhull was known as a woman who was radical and ahead of her time.  She advocated for the vote, abortion rights, working-class rights and free love. She refused to hide her "unconventional sexual behavior" which created constant attack and criticism from conservatives and feminists alike. In her defense, Elizabeth Cady Stanton said to her sisters, "Let us end this ignoble record and henceforth stand by womanhood.  If this present woman must be crucified, let men drive the spikes."

Stanton's position should remind us not to belittle or fight the feminists whose positions differ from our own.  It is in our diversity of ideas, opinions and approaches that we find the greatest possibility and strength. 

And let's end this 136 year struggle by electing a woman President! 

Woman of the Year

Who is your woman of the Year 2007?

Revolutionary Women: Letters from a History Nerd

We all know how little women's history is covered in your typical high school, or even college, history class.  When we we do hear about women of the past the stories are often inadequate and incomplete.  The complete stories are so much more intriguing.  I find constant inspiration in the lives of the women who have come before us, particularly considering the obstacles of their times.   

Many of you are, I'm sure, well acquainted with the story of Abigail Adams, wife of founding father and second President John Adams.  Abigail wrote to John during the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and urged him to "remember the ladies."   While this line of her letter has become  a famous feminist statement, her words go on to be much more radical:

"If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation...we have it in our power, not only to free ourselves, but to subdue our masters, and, without violence, throw both your natural and legal authority at our feet..."

Before the formation of our nation Abigail demanded equality and spoke of responsibility to rebel in the face of tyranny.  She saw in the women of her time the strength and will to resist and rise up against unjust misuse of law.  When we see this power-mongering occur today, it is our responsibility as feminists to identify it, expose it and defeat it, wherever we may find it. 

Hilton Patriarch to Donate 97% of Fortune

First I read that Barron Hilton, son of the international hotel chain’s founder Conrad N Hilton, is following in his father’s footsteps and donating 97% of his wealth to the family foundation, in USA Today. I then clicked to see the other 353 articles on the Google News search, and found that most articles were titled something like Paris Hilton to be Devoid of Fortune or Paris Won’t Get her Hands on Hilton Fortune. We all know that Paris sells newspapers, but come on…it’s not like Paris is suddenly sleeping in a cardboard box.

Let’s give the philanthropist some props here. I love it when rich people share the wealth. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation will receive an immediate $1.2-billion donation, with an estimated $1.1-billion to follow after his death. Hilton’s son Steven M. Hilton, president and chief executive of the organization told reporters “Working to alleviate human suffering around the globe regardless of race, religion or geography, is the mandate of the foundation set by my grandfather…and now reinforced by my father.” Projects have included programs to house the mentally ill, increase access to safe drinking water in Africa and Mexico, and a recent $1.6 million grant to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The foundation also awards the worlds largest humanitarian grant each  year, $1.5 million. This year the recipient, Tostan, is a West African organization that works to educate people with little or no formal schooling and combat female genital mutilation. Sounds good right? Well it did until I checked out the Fund for Sisters which operates under the auspices of the anti-choice Los Angeles Archdiocese to give relatively small grants (no more than 15k) to women's projects around the world.

The remaining 3% of Hilton’s fortunate will be split between the 23 grandchildren. Of course Paris has created her own empire with TV reality shows, movie cameo’s, a hit CD and lots of tv ads. I think Paris will be just fine with her inheritance. What I want to know is what percentage of her empire will she donate? (Hey Paris, CA NOW can use some dough!)

Oh, Phyllis is still at work.

I am asked all the time if Mrs. Schlafly is still around.  I suppose they mean is she still alive; baking cookies and trimming the tree would be okay but, the reality is, she is still hard at work prohibiting the advancement of gender equality and pay equity.  You can find her on campuses (stop inviting her!) and, in particular this season, testifying against the ERA in Florida ~ where it is so close!  Here is where she was this last Wednesday. 

What Would the Founders Think?

Last year, before the 2007 CA NOW elections, I called many of my “older sisters” to ask what they think about NOW these days and advise me on running for office. All of them told me that they want NOW to return to the women who are in NEED of women's rights - to a membership led organization that addresses women from the bottom up. It should be led by the very women who need equal pay, reproductive autonomy, universal health care, true representation for their taxes, day care, maternity leave and fundamentally a community that engenders the unfolding of leadership from within.

But then they also told me that it will not happen, NOW will never allow the organization to be in the hands of young women, middle class women, multi-cultural women.  They said that it is too late to return it to its point of original intention.   And yet, here I am the old lady on the block, surrounded by an Executive Committee, ages 22 – 36 (me 59). Campus chapters are percolating with the I <3 Consensual Sex Campaign, Eco-feminism and Peace & Safety. It seems like CA NOW is returning to the hands of the women who most NEED women’s equality. As the VP Membership, I am proud to invite young women to join and proud to show my older sisters this re-newed direction.