NOW President asks Alan Simpson to Step Down

Here is a copy of NOW's press release:

NOW President Terry O'Neill delivered on a promise when she presented Fiscal Commission Co-Chair Alan Simpson with 1,500 baby bottle tops this morning and promptly asked him to step down from the commission.

After Simpson insulted those who depend on Social Security -- many of them older women, children and people with disabilities -- by referring to the program as "a milk cow with 310 million tits," NOW came up with its "Tits for an Ass" campaign. The organization put out a call to its supporters, and they responded enthusiastically with donations to help buy baby bottle nipples in bulk to give to Simpson.

"We needed to send him this message in person, and we wanted to make it memorable," said O'Neill. "We can't have someone with obvious animosity toward women and seniors making important decisions on Social Security. This commission is supposed to be developing ways to reduce the national debt, which, by the way, has nothing to do with Social Security. But Mr. Simpson is bent on weakening a federal program that prevents many women retirees from living in deep poverty."

Women make up the largest group of elderly who live in poverty, and a cut in Social Security or raising the retirement age will only make things worse. Throughout their lives, women on average are paid less then men; in addition, they often work at part-time jobs or take extended leave from the workforce to raise children. As a result, women are less likely to have pensions, investments or life savings, making them extremely vulnerable in retirement.

"A cut to Social Security is a cut to the middle class. Mr. Simpson should know that the middle class is in a precarious position in this country, with millions in danger of falling into poverty," said O'Neill. "Asking women -- heck, asking anyone! -- to accept a cut in their Social Security benefits or to continue working into their 70s is no way to reduce the national debt, and it certainly is not the answer to strengthening the system."

O'Neill concluded: "Since it is clear that Mr. Simpson does not intend to step down from the Fiscal Commission, NOW will continue to urge President Obama to remove the Social Security foe from his influential position. And we will continue to educate women's rights and economic justice supporters about the threats to Social Security and what is at stake."

A few thoughts

The NOW conference has ended, delegates elected a new slate of officers, and now the healing begins. That might seem like an odd thing to say considering NOW is a feminist organization, but sometimes organizations don't always practice what they preach.

There were at least two people at the conference who bring a unique perspective to "the morning after" -- and I'm one of them. Twenty-one years ago when I joined NOW I was part of the "majority caucus." Caucus members were national officers, regional board members, and state and chapter presidents in many states. In other words, we were the power structure.

I remember seeing people at a national conference literally brought to tears because they dared to challenge the powers structure. Being part of that structure, I couldn't truly understand why they were so upset. Slowly I learned.

There is a culture in NOW that says 'if you are not with me, then you are my enemy -- and I can't just defeat you, I must destroy you.' That destruction often includes the persons very lively hood.

There are people today who have for decades now been "insiders" who now are feeling a little lost. As an organization one thing I think we have not taught our members is how to graciously accept defeat and move on. Hell, some have not learned how to graciously accept victory!

One reason I think there might be hope for change is that some of the members of the newly elected leadership have now been on both sides.

Once you've been an outsider it's easier to understand what your opponents are feeling. And hopefully, with the wounds of being an outsider still so fresh maybe it will make them less inclined to want to inflict that pain on others. I'm beginning to see that already.

To any of my NOW friends who might be reading this I just want to say: "There were no good people and bad people in this election -- there were simply people who on any given day can fall into either one of those camps." I know this because I have personally been the target of some very bad behavior from both sides.

My response has been to continue staying involved, to try and change the culture.

I hope the anger that some are feeling will begin to subside, and they, too, will work with me to change the culture within NOW. There is still far too much work to do to expend any time trying to destroy each other.

Back Home Again In Indiana

It's good to be back home, if only for a few days. I'm here for the NOW conference, which should be great fun. I'm also using this opportunity to catch up with old friends that I've reconnected with through Facebook. Also great fun!

This is an elections conference, where NOW members will elect officers who will serve for the next four years. I've only been here a few hours and already I can tell it's going to be quiet a lively debate!

On another front, my sister had quadruple bypass surgery last week and I'm pleased to say she is doing quite well. She came through the surgery like a trooper, and her doctors are now in the process of getting some of the other health challenges she faces under control.

I'm so glad she made the decision to come live with me. I think it may have saved her life. I'll update everyone again when I get back to DC.

Thanks to everyone who kept her in your thoughts and prayers.

NOW Conference: A Focus on Global Issues

Irshad Manji, director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University, was one of the featured speakers at this afternoon's plenary session. The Moral Courage Project's goal is to develop leaders who will speak truth to power in their own communities for the sake of a greater good. She is the best-selling author of The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith, which has been published in 30 countries, including Pakistan, India, Lebanon and Indonesia.

In Muslim states that have banned her book, Manji is reaching readers by posting free translations on her website. So far, they have been downloaded more than 500,000 times.

Manji is creator of the acclaimed PBS documentary Faith Without Fear, which chronicles her journey to reconcile Islam with human rights. The film won Gold at this year's New York Television Festival. Through digital technologies, it is now being viewed in the Muslim underground worldwide.

For her pioneering efforts, Manji receives death threats and distinctions: The New York Times called her "Osama Bin Laden's worst nightmare"; Oprah Winfrey gave Manji her first annual Chutzpah Award; and Ms. Magazine selected her as a "Feminist for the 21st Century."

One of the topics Manji talked about was honor killings, and how progressive non-Muslims contribute to this injustice in the name of showing "cultural sensitivity." They often "tolerate the intolerable." If you are unfamiliar with honor killings, it involves a woman or girl being killed to reclaim family honor.

The cause of the dishonor can range from a woman or girl appearing in public without a veil, to a the woman or girl being raped.

Manji offers three actions for what you can do to help end honor killings:

1. Support legislation introduced last year by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas). Get more information here.

2. Join the International Campaign Against Honor Killings. They're doing terrific work.

3. Stay tuned to this blog. That's because an organization with which I'm a scholar -- the European Foundation for Democracy -- will soon be launching an effort to raise awareness about honor crimes. We also aim to change public policies, foreign and domestic, to promote human rights for all. I'll say more about that effort in the coming weeks.

I'm [in] Washington, DC to speak at the annual conference of the National Organization of Women. Right-wing media love to ask, "When it comes to denouncing the oppression of Muslim women, where are feminists?" Here we are.

Intrepid Women Honored

The National NOW Conference kicks off tomorrow in DC, but tonight it was time to party! For the past five years NOW has hosted a gala honoring courageous women.

This year awards were presented to Dr. Dorothy Height, president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women, the Honorable Janet Reno who served as Attorney General from 1993 to 2001, Linda Chavez-Thompson, the highest ranking woman even in the U.S. labor movement, Marna Tucker, an attorney and pioneer in advancing the status of women in the legal profession as the first woman elected president of the DC Bar in 1984, and Katie Couric, who broke one of the toughest glass ceilings when CBS News named her sole anchor and managing editor of their nightly newscast.

Each woman shared their inspiring story, and had the audience on its feet!

I had an opportunity to chat with Katie Couric and Janet Reno before they were honored, and they are amazing. Janet thanked her sister for the support she has received from her and reminded us that we all need the support of our family and friends as we take on these challenges. And when Katie took to the stage she said "I'm pleased to be in a place where I can finally say I'm a feminist." Maybe I should send her a "this is what a feminist looks like" t-shirt!

I'm looking forward to an eventful day tomorrow.

Give me a break

Did you know that Hillary Clinton has cleavage? Imagine, a woman with breasts ... go figure! Well, the Washington Post seems to think its a big deal.

There was cleavage on display Wednesday afternoon on C-SPAN2. It belonged to Sen. Hillary Clinton... There wasn't an unseemly amount of cleavage showing, but there it was. Undeniable.

Here is what the National Organization for Women had to say in an email release:

NEWSFLASH: Hillary Clinton has breasts.

And apparently that "news" merits coverage in the Washington Post.

In a Style section cover story on Friday, fashion "reporter" Robin Givhan notes that Hillary Clinton has taken a brazen step for a woman politician by wearing a low neckline. "Showing cleavage," says Givhan, "is a request to be engaged in a particular way. It doesn't necessarily mean that a woman is asking to be objectified, but it does suggest a certain confidence and physical ease."

Shock! Horror! A prominent woman showing confidence and physical ease!

Givhan goes on with her psychobabble: "It means that a woman is content being perceived as a sexual person in addition to being seen as someone who is intelligent, authoritative, witty and whatever else might define her personality. It also means that she feels that all those other characteristics are so apparent and undeniable, that they will not be overshadowed."

This article about the frontrunning candidate for U.S. president caused quite a stir in the NOW office this morning, eliciting reactions ranging from "You've got to be kidding!" to "What century is this?" The piece is definitely outrageous, but it's also hilarious. Absurdly hilarious. And it's an indictment of our society's lingering archaic notions of femininity, assumptions about breasts and sexuality, and fears about powerful women.

It's too bad the Washington Post decided to mimic National Review Online Editor Kathryn Jean Lopez (by definition an "extremist"), who posted about Hillary's cleavage in June 2006 (see photo above).

Time to set your watch back to .... 1950.

Fabulous Women

It's really late, and it's been another great day in Detroit. I have long had an interest in women in media, so the morning plenary session was particularly fun. It was a discussion of women in the media featuring Chenese Lewis, Sherry Stringfield, Jill Soloway and Dr. E. Faye Williams.

Chenese Lewis is a gorgeous model and actor in Los Angeles where she advocates positive portrayals of plus size women in the media. She is the spokesperson for the Love Your Body Project, and is also a writer and serves as Empowerment Editor for PLUS Model Magazine.

Sherry Stringfield is not a doctor, but she certainly knows how to play one on TV. For more than a decade Stringfield played Dr. Susan Lewis on NBC's prime time hit ER. An ardent feminist, she spoke of the need for positive roles for women in television and film, and provided suggestions on how feminists could help influence media. A lifetime member of NOW, Stringfield recently purchased lifetime memberships for her two children saying: "My son is two years old, and he is sooooo going to owe me when he's older and can tell his girlfriend 'yeah, I've been a NOW member for 15 years!'"

Jill Soloway is a talented writer and producer who is determined to change the culture for women in media. For four seasons she was a writer and eventually co-executive producer of HBO's hit series Six Feet Under. She is currently directing her first feature film, Tricycle, and has just finished writing the screenplay for Pledged, a comedy about sorority life. She recently signed on as a writer for ABC's Grey's Anatomy.

Soloway, and the group OBJECT she helped form, recently took on Lionsgate and AfterDark Films for their billboards promoting the film “Captivity” that presented graphic depictions of violence against women. Soloway said the action wasn't about taking away First Amendment free speech rights or censorship, but about public space -- asking "why should I have to see this" as she would drive around Los Angeles with her young son.

Soloway went on to say that all men have to do everyday is simply get up and write, whereas women have children to raise, households to manage, and husbands or partners to care for. She encouraged the potential writers in the room to not be afraid to tell their stories. And to not be afraid of their sexuality.

Dr. E. Faye Williams, the National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, closed out the session with yet another inspirational message challenging NOW activists to support these women in their work and to "never go back." She sited comments made about the Rutgers women as an example of men trying to marginalize the gains women have made over the past few decades. Dr. Williams pledged to continue to challenge the likes of 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg.

It's time to change the law

After listening to Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm today I'm convinced it's time to amend our Constitution. Her speech this morning was electrifying. Granholm was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is therefore not eligible to run for president. Forget Arnold ... the Constitution should be amended for Granholm!

In 2003 Granholm was elected Michigan's first female governor and won re-election in 2006 over right-wing "Amway" heir Dick DeVos. Her focus on families has meant expanded health care coverage for 300,000 uninsured Michiganians. Her Michigan First Health Care Plan will be the first in the state's history to extend universal access to affordable health care to every Michigan family.

And despite tough fiscal times for Michigan, Granholm has increased spending levels for Michigan's public schools to record levels. She has also championed universal access to higher education.

Detroit: Activist City

The motor city area, Motown to some, is host to two major conferences this week -- the NAACP and NOW.

The NAACP is wrapping up a week of meetings, which included a keynote address by NAACP National Board of Directors Chairman Julian Bond.

... this is the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock School integration crisis. We honored the courage of the Little Rock Nine and their parents by holding our May Board meeting in Little Rock, along with our Daisy Bates Education Summit. In a cruel irony, the United States Supreme Court observed the 50th anniversary of Little Rock by gutting Brown v. Board, the historic case which gave birth to Little Rock and was supposed to end school segregation.

Until about 25 years ago, remarkable progress toward that goal was made under Brown. “From 1954 to 1982, [Supreme Court] Justices of all persuasions – from William Brennan to Lewis Powell to William Rehnquist – agreed that race-conscious integration policies stand in harmony, not tension, with Brown.”

Indeed, for most of us, the notion that race ought not be considered in remedying racial discrimination is ludicrous. Now the ludicrous has become law.

The Bush Court, on the same day the bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list, removed black children from the law’s protection. In two cases from Louisville and Seattle, the Court held by a 5 – 4 vote that those school systems could not voluntarily use race in assigning students to schools.

This is the most radical in a line of cases beginning in the 1980s that questioned race-conscious policies. Only Justice Kennedy stood between this ruling and total disaster. Four members of the Court – the right-wing brothers Scalia and Thomas and Bush appointees Alito and Roberts - would have prohibited any use of race in remedying school segregation.

The truth is, there are no non-racial remedies for racial discrimination. In order to get beyond race, you have to go to race. To suggest racial neutrality as a remedy for racial discrimination is sophistry of the highest order.

At a time when school segregation is increasing, a plurality of the Court would condemn minority children to secondary status before they’ve even started secondary school.

I would encourage you to read the complete text of his remarks.

The NOW annual conference promises to be just as exciting, as activists address concerns over the sharp right turn of the Court and the upcoming presidential election.

Stay tuned!

Top Female Cops Back ... on DVD

It seems impossible that it's been 25 years since Cagney & Lacey first hit the airwaves. Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly played tough New York City cops who never set out to be role models, but that is exactly what they became.

The series will mark its 25th anniversary on May 8 with the DVD release of its first season. The first set also contains a two-part documentary and commentary from Gloria Steinem, who championed the show for featuring women in roles that typically went to men.

The program was initially cancelled after it's first season, but a letter writing campaign to the network -- led by the National Organization for Women -- convinced CBS to bring back the program. The shows producer, Barney Rosenzweig, credits NOW with saving the series.

Cagney & Lacey was a solid hit with the critics and viewers, winning virtually every important industry award possible, including 14 Emmys, a Golden Globe and Directors and Writers Guild awards.

"It changed the history of television for women," Gless told the AP Tuesday. "Absolutely changed it."

Gless, 63, said she has "never seen a better female character" than Cagney, who struggled with alcoholism and man troubles.

"She was ambitious, very strong," she said. "She was very complicated. She was kind of screwed up. Had a lousy attitude, hated authority. She was not what one would ever consider a hero, and that's why I love her. But she was. She was just very, very real."

Daly, who has stared in numerous Broadway productions, was last seen on television in the series Judging Amy, and Gless played the P-Flag mom everyone loved on Queer As Folk.

"I haven't seen it for 17 years or whatever it's been," Daly, who played Mary Beth Lacey, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Eighteen years? 25 years? ... So, you know, I haven't seen them in a very, very long time, but walking down the street in New York City I still get 'Cagney and Lacey' instead of, you know, other stuff I've done."

"I'll be really interested to see if anybody wants to see them again," said Daly, 60.

I met the two in 1995, first at a premier NOW hosted for the "return" of Cagney & Lacey, and later when the two top cops agreed to emcee a rally NOW held on the issue of ending violence against women. Our paths cross again in 2004 at the March for Women's Lives in DC, and Tyne was a keynote speaker last year at NOW's 40th anniversary conference.

The wonderful thing about being an activist is that every decade or so you get to catch up with friends ... some who have inspired you for 25 years or more!