(More Than) Grrrl Power! Girls Studies at UCF

My Little Red Book This is a great idea --we need to share these experiences in more open and honest ways. MY LITTLE RED BOOK is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today's teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative. Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she'll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings. What's your first period story? Posted by Miriam - February 26, 2009, at 05:03PM | in Health

This was posted on my Women's Studies Listserv (WMST-L) and seemed good for us on this blog! Check it out! xo, Leandra Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 13:13:45 EST From: Tracy Gilliam GlamCouncil@AOL.COM > Subject: Introduction of Glam Council of America-a media literacy program for teen girls Hello, The postings for girls' studies on WMST listserv have been a plethora of information for us as we created Glam Council of America based on the motto, "It's not what you wear, it's who you are!" Thank you. Currently, we are asking girls to post a story in 250 words or less on "how a mother, teacher, or caretaker encourages and/or teaches you to be yourself". We would also like women to post similar stories that can be read by the young girls as a mentoring approach. To learn more about our organization, please visit _www.GlamCouncilofAmerica. blogspot.com_ ( http://www. GlamCouncilofAmerica.blogspot. com ) . I am also listed on _www.Linkedin.com_ (...

"Obama's election means a lot for women -- and, of course, girls. No big surprise there. But according to a new study conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute, the presidential race was influencing girls across the country even before Obama won. Their survey of over 3,000 boys and girls (including non-Girl Scouts) found that the election increased girls' interest in leadership, but also heightened "their appreciation for the difficulties that women face in our society." According to the study, 43 percent of girls today strongly believe that "girls have to work harder than boys in order to gain positions of leadership," a statement that just 25 percent of girls agreed with just a year ago. And the percentage of girls who believe that "today both men and women have an equal chance of getting a leadership position" declined from 35 percent to 24 percent between 2007 and 2008. Ouch. Also: Ritu Sharma of Women Thrive Worldwide on what having ...

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/raim0007/wost3307/ This website facilitates analysis of the images that saturate our media-driven culture. Even though it is a blog maintained by an educational institution (University of Minnesota), it is also user based. So, you can submit your own pictures and comments if you find a disturbing photo on-line. I encourage you to visit the site and peruse the submissions.

Via White House press release, President Obama's statement on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade: On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women's health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman's right to choose. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services. On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to att...

http://www.feministing.com/archives/013120.html

super emotional but beautiful. once she stops crying, she tears it up with that poem!

Thanks to Ashley Lee for sending this to me. It's good... :)