Category Archives: Feminism and Politics

Sara and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad PSA

Posted on April 30, 2007 by Ann Bartow

The Ad Council, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, has developed a series of “Online Sexual Exploitation” public service advertisements designed “to educate teenage girls about the potential dangers … Continue reading →

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“‘Ban abortion’ signs bewilder S.C.”

Posted on April 28, 2007 by Ann Bartow

I repost without comment (but a little extra bolding) the article below, which appeared in my local newspaper today, in its entirety, given the possibility that it will mysteriously disappear from the paper’s website: ‘Ban abortion’ signs bewilder S.C. By … Continue reading →

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“There are moments when the injustice of having to leave your country, simply because an imbecile got it into his head to invade it, is overwhelming. It is unfair that in order to survive and live normally, we have to leave our home and what remains of family and friends…”

Posted on April 26, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Riverbend, the author of Baghdad Burning and Baghdad Burning II, has decided to leave Iraq. Read her post about this here. Via Heart.

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Maureen Dowd Predictably Questions Barack Obama’s “Manhood”

Posted on April 25, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Al Gore is too effeminate for Maureen Dowd. John Kerry is too effeminate for Maureen Dowd. John Edwards is too effeminate for Maureen Dowd. Big surprise, Barack Obama is too effeminate for Maureen Dowd, and it’s all his wife’s fault. … Continue reading →

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“Why Women Should Pay Less Tax Than Men”

Posted on April 23, 2007 by Ann Bartow

That is the title of this post at TaxProf Blog. Via Susan Franck.

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Richard Leader, “Sadomasochism and the Political Beauty Pageant”

Posted on April 23, 2007 by Ann Bartow

At Adonis Mirror, Richard Leader has posted a provocative essay about expressions of rape and dominance in the evocation of metaphorical “tops” and “bottoms” in the mainstream political discourse. It’s an interesting if depressing essay, in which he writes: In … Continue reading →

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Iranian Feminists Freed!

Posted on April 22, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Heart at Women’s Space/The Margins writes: Iranian women activists who were part of the One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding an End to Discriminatory Laws Against Women were released April 15 after posting bail. They were arrested April 2, along with … Continue reading →

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Harry Reid is a Huge Hypocrite

Posted on April 20, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was one of 64 U.S. Senators who voted for the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. Here is the entire list of Senators and their votes: YEAs —64 Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) … Continue reading →

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Ann Bartow, “Trademarks of Privilege: Naming Rights and the Physical Public Domain”

Posted on April 18, 2007 by Ann Bartow

This paper critiques the branding and labeling of the physical public domain with the names of corporations, commercial products, and individuals. It suggests that under-recognized public policy conflicts exist between the naming policies and practices of political subdivisions, trademark law, … Continue reading →

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Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s “Infidel”

Posted on April 17, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Kameron Hurley reviews Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Infidel at her terrific blog, Brutal Women. There is a post about the NYT’s review of this book here.

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Woman Wrongly Convicted in WI is Released

Posted on April 16, 2007 by Ann Bartow

At least there is a little good news today: Georgia Thompson, apparent victim of a Republican political scheme, has been freed. From the NYT: Opponents of Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin spent $4 million on ads last year trying to … Continue reading →

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New Study Finds “Abstinence Only” Sex Ed Programs Don’t Work

Posted on April 13, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Via the Legal Momentum blog, A Celebration of Women’s Strength, a CNN article reports: Students who took part in sexual abstinence programs were just as likely to have sex as those who did not, according to a study ordered by … Continue reading →

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Christine Brennan, “Gender distinctions confine women’s basketball to 2nd-class status”

Posted on April 8, 2007 by Ann Bartow

In a recent column, Christine Brennan wrote: The other night at the women’s Final Four, the Lady Vols won and the Lady Tigers lost. Earlier in the tournament, the Lady Rebels, Lady Bears and Lady Wolfpack bowed out. The Lady … Continue reading →

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“Western Women” and Muslim Headscarves

Posted on April 8, 2007 by Caitlin Borgmann

In the on-line version of Newsweek, Eleanor Clift writes, in When Is a Scarf Just a Scarf?, about Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s much-attacked decision to wear a headscarf, or hijab, while visiting a mosque on a recent visit to Syria. Clift … Continue reading →

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Massachusetts’ governor Deval Patrick orders state officials to record the marriages of 26 out-of-state gay couples whose unions were blocked by his predecessor, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Posted on April 3, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Story here. Blogitorial reaction here.

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Abortion Rights in Mexico

Posted on April 2, 2007 by Ann Bartow

This International Herald Tribune article reports: Dominated by liberals, Mexico City’s legislature is expected to legalize abortion in a few weeks. The bill would make this city one of the largest entities in Latin America to break with a long … Continue reading →

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Bill Of Rights Pared Down To A Manageable Six

Posted on April 1, 2007 by Ann Bartow

WASHINGTON, DC:Flanked by key members of Congress and his administration, President Bush approved Monday a streamlined version of the Bill of Rights that pares its 10 original amendments down to a “tight, no-nonsense” six. As supporters look on, Bush signs … Continue reading →

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Diane Patrick

Posted on March 31, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Diane Patrick is a partner at a large law form in Boston, and is also married to Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachausetts. The Boston Globe has recently reported that she is suffering from depression. Kudos to her for acknowledging this … Continue reading →

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The Women’s Equality Amendment (aka ERA All Over Again)

Posted on March 28, 2007 by Bridget Crawford

Today’s Washington Post has this article about a possible “revival” of the ERA: Federal and state lawmakers have launched a new drive to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, reviving a feminist goal that faltered a quarter-century ago when the measure … Continue reading →

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Did You Know That The Late And Much Missed Ann Richards Once Had To Submit To An Airport Crotch Inspection?

Posted on March 27, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Watch her discuss it here. She describes it very humorously, but having been pinched and prodded and grouped at airports a fair amount myself, it didn’t make me laugh much. Once when I was flying to Atlanta and back just … Continue reading →

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The South Carolina Senate Is Losing Its Only Female Lawmaker

Posted on March 26, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Last year the only women holding a state-wide office stepped down. Next year the S.C. Senate may be all male as well. According to this article, this hasn’t happened since 1979. According to the same article: Nationally, women make up … Continue reading →

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“The Private War of Women Soldiers”

Posted on March 21, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Read this article at Salon, by Helen Benedict, and consider how men who rape fellow soldiers are likely to be treating Iraqis. Here is an excerpt: As thousands of burned-out soldiers prepare to return to Iraq to fill President Bush’s … Continue reading →

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The Lolas of LILA Pilipina

Posted on March 18, 2007 by Ann Bartow

From M. Evelina Galang’s blog, “Laban! Fight For Comfort Women: Lola is the Tagalog word for grandmother. And on Matimtiman Street in Quezon City, Philippines, Lolas’ House is a community center for a special kind of grandmother. The women of … Continue reading →

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Betty Spence, “How We Talk About Women”

Posted on March 13, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Here is an excerpt: On the Dec. 19 edition of MSNBC’s “Hardball,” Chris Matthews used language that reveals a troubling bias against women — one that is all too common in the media and is conveyed by the subtle weapon … Continue reading →

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TAP Special Report

Posted on March 12, 2007 by Ann Bartow

“The Motherload.”

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Adriene Sere, “Sex and Feminism: Who Is Being Silenced?”

Posted on March 9, 2007 by Ann Bartow

The following is an excerpt from a provocative essay by Adriene Sere that was published in 2001, which was brought to my attention by a post at Sinister Girl: Leftist publications have a problem with radical feminism. They have long … Continue reading →

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“Hymen Fatwa”

Posted on March 4, 2007 by Ann Bartow

There is a lot to ponder in this article about the approval of reconstructive hyman surgery by a high ranking Egyptian religious figure that appeared in the Daily Star Egypt. On the one hand, it’s hard not to cheer a … Continue reading →

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The U.N.’s CSW: “Women, violence and empowerment: the world we live in”

Posted on March 3, 2007 by Ann Bartow

That’s the title of this terrific post by Patricia Daniel at openDemocracy. Below is a short excerpt: … The [Commission on the Status of Women, a.k.a. CSW] is a United Nations body, consisting of forty-five members appointed on a four-year … Continue reading →

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Major Props To A Republican Politician: Wyoming’s Dan Zwonitzer

Posted on February 24, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Pam Spaulding has the story at Pandagon. Here is a short excerpt from a speech he gave in opposition to a proposed gay marriage ban: … Under a democracy the civil rights struggle continues today, where we have one segment … Continue reading →

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But We Are Just Two Harmless Old Ladies!

Posted on February 23, 2007 by Ann Bartow

While having them arrested may well have been excessive, the emphasis on the two women involved being defenseless elderly women here in this post at Daily Kos was a bit much for my sensibilities. Here are some excerpts from the … Continue reading →

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Two New Posts By Riverbend at “Baghdad Burning”

Posted on February 20, 2007 by Ann Bartow

The Rape of Sabrine… Here is an excerpt: … As I write this, Oprah is on Channel 4 (one of the MBC channels we get on Nilesat), showing Americans how to get out of debt. Her guest speaker is telling … Continue reading →

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Nancy Pelosi Has a Blog!

Posted on February 18, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Called “The Gavel,” it’s here. The photo of Pelosi and JFK is from the Kid’s Page. Via Froomkin.

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“Comfort Women”Demand Justice

Posted on February 17, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Read Heart’s post about demands for justice by the surviving women who were enslaved on orders of the Japanese government during World War II, a number estimated at 200,000. Heart also links to this article, this article, and this website. … Continue reading →

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Duke Sexual Assault Allegations Astroturf

Posted on February 15, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Based on the comments elicited by this post and some conversations with other bloggers, it appears that an orchestrated “opinion shaping” astroturfing campaign is underway on behalf of the defendants in the “Duke Lacrosse Players” sexual assault case. The norms … Continue reading →

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“An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind.”

Posted on February 14, 2007 by Ann Bartow

“An eye for an eye, and soon the whole world is blind.” That’s a phrase that was powerfully invoked by Mahatma Gandhi, a man who helped change the direction and structure of a large and important nation. Another man who … Continue reading →

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“No Rest for a Feminist Fighting Radical Islam”

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Ann Bartow

So says the NYT, in a book review that starts as follows: Ayaan Hirsi Ali came to the attention of the wider world in an extraordinary way. In 2004 a Muslim fanatic, after shooting the filmmaker Theo van Gogh dead … Continue reading →

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Freedom to Procreate

Posted on February 9, 2007 by Bridget Crawford

The Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance hopes to get enough votes for a state ballot initiative “that would limit marriage in Washington to couples willing and able to have children.”     A representative of the group said that its … Continue reading →

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Apologies for Being an Outspoken Feminist

Posted on February 9, 2007 by David S. Cohen

After hiring two feminist bloggers to work on his campaign and then suffering the predictable backlash, John Edwards has extracted apologies from both of them. Apparently, women using pointed language to criticize backwards policies of the far right is not … Continue reading →

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Angela King, leader at United Nations on women’s rights, dies

Posted on February 7, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Angela King, a Jamaican diplomat who became the first woman to be appointed to the post of Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, died on Monday of breast cancer. Appointed by Kofi Annan as his Special Adviser on Gender Issues, … Continue reading →

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In Support of Amanda Marcotte

Posted on February 6, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Feminist blogger Amanda Marcotte, of Pandagon, has joined John Edwards’ Presidential campaign. I’ve been an Amanda Marcotte reader for quite a while, and also a tremendous fan. I disagree with her a fair amount on various issues, but she’s the … Continue reading →

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Kate Michelman Joins Edwards’ Campaign

Posted on February 5, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Blogged about Kate Michelman’s book a while back, and today faithful e-mail correspondent “jdfeminist” brought this interview with Michelman at Salon (unless you are a Salon subscriber you’ll have to watch an ad to read it) to my attention. Here’s … Continue reading →

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Want To Read Linda Hirshman’s Political Analysis?

Posted on February 1, 2007 by Ann Bartow

You just know it’s going to include copious women bashing, based on her own special brand of “research” which included: “contact[ing] half a dozen members of the Wednesday Morning Group, a D.C. area organization that provides speakers and programs mostly … Continue reading →

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Awards For The Duke Women’s Lacrosse Team?

Posted on February 1, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Well, compared to some of their male counterparts they certainly seem like better people, but via Is That Legal? I learned that law prof Jim Lindgren is arguing at the Volohk Conspiracy that the Duke women’s lacrosse team deserves campus … Continue reading →

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Need a Reminder About How Many Anti-Feminist “Liberals” There Are?

Posted on January 21, 2007 by Ann Bartow

For the feminist part of the excercise, go read Gloria Steinem’s essay at Alternet entitled   “Why Being a Feminist Does Not Mean Backing All Women.” Then for the backlash, read the appended comments. Yeesh. –Ann Bartow

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Want to Blog For Hillary?

Posted on January 20, 2007 by Ann Bartow

The Hillary Clinton For President Exploratory Committee is about to launch a new blog, and they’ve decided to let a reader write the first guest post on the blog! The announcement is here and it notes: Soon we’ll launch the … Continue reading →

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The ERA Campaign Network

Posted on January 17, 2007 by Ann Bartow

The ERA Campaign Newtork is “[a] network of people all around the United States, supporting and/or working to achieve the addition of The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to our United States Constitution.” Check out their informative website. Also, there is … Continue reading →

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Today, In Honor of Dr. King, Remember That The First “C” In SCLC Stands For Christian

Posted on January 15, 2007 by Ann Bartow

The American Civil Rights Movement was born and nurtured in the African American churches of the South, and the first President of the SCLC was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, try to remember that while a whole lot of … Continue reading →

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If Only Feminists Would Be Nicer, We’d Get More Equality

Posted on January 13, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Guess I’ve already ruined my chances with the title of this post, but did you catch this in Lois Romano’s column in the WaPo (scroll to “final note” at bottom)? We heard a number of complaints last week because we … Continue reading →

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Peggy Noonan Thinks Nancy Pelosi Wore The Wrong Thing To A Meeting With Bush

Posted on January 13, 2007 by Ann Bartow

Here is an excerpt from Noonan’s recent WSJ Op-Ed: When Nancy Pelosi showed up at the White House Wednesday to talk with the president it was obvious she’d spent a lot of time thinking about  .  .  . what to … Continue reading →

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More on Domestic Violence Lawyers and Biden’s Proposal

Posted on January 12, 2007 by David S. Cohen

Yesterday, I wrote about Senator Biden’s proposed bill to have 1) a network of legal volunteers for domestic violence cases and 2) more loan forgiveness for lawyers who do that work as a regular part of their job so that … Continue reading →

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