Women’s History Month: It isn’t over yet
Posted by Michelle Moquin on March 19th, 2011
Good morning!
Although Women’s History Month is half over, it isn’t over yet. What have you done, if anything, to celebrate, to learn more, to inspire? Me, I signed up to receive daily e-mails to learn more about women’s history from A-Z.
So…even though there is only two weeks left, it doesn’t mean you can’t start celebrating now. It also doesn’t mean that at the end of March we stop celebrating, or we stop reading, or we stop inspiring others to continue to learn about women…what we have accomplished historically, and what we are doing currently to create history.
Here are a dozen ways to celebrate women…some ideas on how you can honor women’s history today. And hey, perhaps you’ll be so inspired by one of these that it will become something you continually do, to help keep women in the forefront of everyone’s minds year round:
1) Do you have a daughter, niece, granddaughter, or other girl in your life? Give her a biography of a woman who accomplished important goals in her life. if you can match the woman to the girl’s interests, all the better. (If you don’t know her interests, celebrate the month by getting to know them.)
2) Do the same for a son, nephew, grandson, or other boy or young man in your life. Boys need to read about women of accomplishment too! Don’t do a hard sell, though. Most boys will read about women — fictional or real — if you don’t make it into a Big Deal. The earlier you start, of course, the better. If he just won’t take to a book about a woman, then pick a biography of a man who supported women’s rights. Yes, there were some — check out my Men’s Voices links for a few.
3) More on books: donate to your local public or school library enough money to buy a book, and direct them to pick one that’s on women’s history.
4) If you’re a teacher, find a way to work women’s history month into your regular classes. Check out my links for Women’s History Month and the links for curriculum materials. For more ideas, check out the appropriate links: If you teach science, check out the science links; if you teach English, check out the writers links, etc. Be creative! If you’re not a teacher, but know one, tell her or him about these resources.
5) Casually drop into conversation, a few times this month, something about a woman you admire. If you need some ideas or more information first, use this site to search for ideas on who to mention.
6) Buy some stamps commemorating notable women, and then send a couple of those letters you’ve been meaning to write to old friends. Or new ones.
7) Find a local event – check out your local newspaper online (most major newspapers now have a web site with online stories)
8) Add to this wonderful resource of information, the Net or the Web: create your own small web site on some aspect of women’s history that intrigues you. Keep it simple to start — one page is better than none. You can find a free web space provider to host your project and learn a little HTML.
9) Join an organization that works in the present for an issue that you think is important. Don’t just be a paper member — commemorate all the women who’ve helped make the world better, by becoming one of them.
10) Print out copies of the Proclamation of Women’s History Month and post it on a public bulletin board at your school, office or even the grocery store.
11) Plan a trip to a site honoring women’s history. Maybe you’ll find one locally, or check out my Travel links to see what you can find on the web.
12) Last, but not least: Think ahead to next year’s Women’s History Month. Plan to offer an article to your organization’s newsletter, volunteer to initiate a project, plan ahead to give a speech at your organization’s March meeting, etc.
By Jone Johnson Lewis, About.com Guide
Readers: And if none of these on the above list turn you on, although I can’t imagine not one would, think of something that does, and do it. Perhaps you need a little inspiration to get you motivated. When I do, I usually look toward one of my favorite inspirational icons. In your life, it could be a friend, someone famous, or anyone in between, that you respect and admire.
Since everyone is familiar with our president, and I think most of us will agree, President Obama is one of the most inspirational speakers, I am posting the Presidential Proclamation of Women’s History Month to inspire you to take some sort of action in support of women…this month and always:
During Women’s History Month, we reflect on the extraordinary accomplishments of women and honor their role in shaping the course of our Nation’s history. Today, women have reached heights their mothers and grandmothers might only have imagined. Women now comprise nearly half of our workforce and the majority of students in our colleges and universities. They scale the skies as astronauts, expand our economy as entrepreneurs and business leaders, and serve our country at the highest levels of government and our Armed Forces. In honor of the pioneering women who came before us, and in recognition of those who will come after us, this month, we recommit to erasing the remaining inequities facing women in our day.
This year, we commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. International Women’s Day is a chance to pay tribute to ordinary women throughout the world and is rooted in women’s centuries-old struggle to participate in society on an equal footing with men. This day reminds us that, while enormous progress has been made, there is still work to be done before women achieve true parity.
My Administration has elevated the rights of women and girls abroad as a critical aspect of our foreign and national security policy. Empowering women across the globe is not simply the right thing to do, it is also smart foreign policy. This knowledge is reflected in the National Security Strategy of the United States, which recognizes that countries are more peaceful and prosperous when their female citizens enjoy equal rights, equal voices, and equal opportunities. Today, we are integrating a focus on women and girls in all our diplomatic efforts, and incorporating gender considerations in every aspect of our development assistance. We are working to build the participation of women into all aspects of conflict prevention and resolution, and we are continuing to lead in combating the scourge of conflict related sexual violence, both bilaterally and at the United Nations.
In America, we must lead by example in protecting women’s rights and supporting their empowerment. Despite our progress, too many women continue to be paid less than male workers, and women are significantly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. By tapping into the potential and talents of all our citizens, we can utilize an enormous source of economic growth and prosperity. The White House Council on Women and Girls has continued to remove obstacles to achievement by addressing the rate of violence against women, supporting female entrepreneurs, and prioritizing the economic security of women. American families depend largely on the financial stability of women, and my Administration continues to prioritize policies that promote workplace flexibility, access to affordable, quality health care and child care, support for family caregivers, and the enforcement of equal pay laws. I have also called on every agency in the Federal Government to be part of the solution to ending violence against women, and they have responded with unprecedented cooperation to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence and enable survivors to break the cycle of abuse.
As we reflect on the triumphs of the past, we must also look to the limitless potential that lies ahead. To win the future, we must equip the young women of today with the knowledge, skills, and equal access to reach for the promise of tomorrow. My Administration is making unprecedented investments in education and is working to expand opportunities for women and girls in the STEM fields critical for growth in the 21st century economy.
As we prepare to write the next chapter of women’s history, let us resolve to build on the progress won by the trailblazers of the past. We must carry forward the work of the women who came before us and ensure our daughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements, and no remaining ceilings to shatter.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2011 as Women’s History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2011 with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women. I also invite all Americans to visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the generations of women who have shaped our history.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
I don’t know about you, but I’m inspired.
Ideas? Thoughts? Blog me.
Carrie: Great article. Malcolm: This was definitely important to repost. Thanks.
Azumi: I have asked that same question, and I don’t know. I believe like Hitomi, that this happened for a reason, as terrible as it is. And if it didn’t happen now it would’ve happened sooner or later, and perhaps more deaths would’ve occurred in Japan and other countries. Perhaps now, we, the entire world, will look at nuclear energy in a different light and make some serious and strong changes before something else major happens somewhere else in this world.
I’ll leave it at that for now.
Peace out.
Oh…PS – don’t forget to check the Super Moon tonight! It should be spectacular!
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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March 19th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
I agree with you Michelle. I wish my country would have invested in other forms of energy. But as has been pointed out, the men here refuse to allow women an equal opportunity at the political helm.
I have to say in deference to Zen Lill that the women seem to be cowed into or convinced that they should allow the men to rule.
Hana
March 19th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Okay Al, I read the link you put in about the possibility of natural disasters due to the Moon’s nearness beginning March 19th.
So far so good. Fantastic read though.
Greg
March 19th, 2011 at 8:44 pm
I read Malcolm’s post from your link. My sister won an argument between the two of us by referring me to your blog. Nice blog. I have to say a very good point has been about republicans taking bribes to allow the varies industries to poison the American people and rob us blind.
But in their defense why shouldn’t they continue taking the money when the dems can’t lay the claim effectively against them. I don’t think I will switch parties because I like being on the winning side.
Kerry
March 19th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
I live in Israel now. But I used to live in Kansas. It is my experience that Robert(a) was 100% correct when he stated that white american is much more than 15% racist.
One of the reasons I wanted to move to Israel is because I wanted to be in a place that would protect Jews at all cost. I am a beautiful blond Jew who has no trouble passing for a white person. I know many Jews want desperately to be white and they aline themselves with whites with every fiber of their bodies. I know because I was one of them.
But when my cousin joined the debating team at my university, I discovered how racist white america can be. No one knew that he was my cousin and we(whites) would be nice when he and other non whites were around. But when alone, we whites used every stereotype, slur, denigrating word they could utter to express any displeasure they had with a non white. No one criticized anyone. And apparently no one told any non white about what anyone was saying about them.
We whites kept it a secret. We conspired to keep the non whites from knowing the partially, completely or secretly racists whites masquerading as friends to the non whites.
I became so scared what they would do if they discovered that I was not white that I took my aunt up on her invitation to move to Israel.
It is really scary how bigoted whites are and how cruel they will be when left to their own imaginations. If they thought they could get away with it I believe they would go back to the 50″s or even slavery in a heartbeat.
Blacks often claim that other non whites don’t support them. I think that that is also true. But I don’t think it is done for the reasons black’s claim. I think we do it because we have other countries that we can look to for support hence we don’t feel as threatened by whites as the blacks. They have to fight because where can american blacks go? Africa doesn’t want them and they don’t want Africa.
Sharon
March 19th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
I would rather address Doug about your behavior Michelle. But since you are an american, I know that your men have given up their God given duty to keep their women from sinning.
Michelle you have provided women with a place to gain a place in hell.
March 19th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
Michelle it is a strain to post to your blog today.
March 19th, 2011 at 9:44 pm
Michelle, this could help those who think they have been defrauded while trying to donate to Japan.
—————–
The FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud have an existing tip line to receive information from the public about suspected fraud associated with the earthquake and tsunami that affected Japan. Tips should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud, (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.
The National Center for Disaster Fraud was created by the Department of Justice to investigate, prosecute, and deter fraud in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region. Now, its mission has expanded to include suspected fraud from any natural or man-made disaster. More than 20 federal agencies, including the FBI, participate in the NCDF, which allows the center to act as a centralized clearinghouse of information related to disaster relief fraud.
The FBI continues to remind the public to perform due diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to provide assistance to the people of Japan. Solicitations can originate from e-mails, websites, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, telephone calls, and other similar methods.
———————
I think it is sickening that people would use this disaster as a means to profit.
Candy
March 19th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Now Is the Time to Go Medical Bargain-Hunting…
Charles B. Inlander
People’s Medical Society
Here are the best ways to find good deals on high-quality services in your community…
Ask the right question. Many times, getting a discount is as easy as asking for it. Don’t be afraid to ask a surgeon (if you are contemplating surgery) or any type of health provider if he can “do better” after discussing the cost of a medical procedure or service.
This is especially helpful if a big out-of-pocket cash outlay is involved because you have no insurance or your insurance does not cover a particular service, such as dental care or cosmetic surgery.
Insider secret: Don’t worry about getting lower-quality care if you pay a discounted price. Research shows that price does not affect quality when it comes to medical care.
Get the ammunition you need to negotiate. When my wife recently needed a dental implant, our dentist and the surgeon he recommended quoted her a price of more than $3,000.
But we shopped around and found two other highly recommended surgeons and dentists who were offering the same procedure at a price of $2,000. When we told that to our dentist, he and the surgeon matched the price.
Insider secret: When negotiating for a discount, you’ll have the best luck if you comparison shop and are able to quote a lower price from a competitor.
Don’t forget about discounts on equipment. You’ve probably seen those TV commercials for motorized scooters and wheelchairs.
If you’re insured, the deal may look good. But if you are not covered, you may be able to match the price or do even better at a local medical equipment shop that’s looking for customers.
And even if you are insured, many local stores will throw in a maintenance contract at no additional charge just to get your business.
Hearing aids also are being sold at the steepest discounts in years. With a few phone calls, you often can find deals at 20% to 50% off retail price.
Remember: Hard times mean good deals for those who look for them. So don’t put off what you thought you couldn’t afford.
Like all other businesses these days, medical and health providers badly need your patronage and very often will reduce their prices to get it.
Health interviewed Charles B. Inlander, a consumer advocate and health-care consultant based in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania. He was the founding president of the nonprofit People’s Medical Society, a consumer advocacy organization credited with key improvements in the quality of US health care in the 1980s and 1990s, and is the author of 20 books, including Take This Book to the Hospital with You: A Consumer Guide to Surviving Your Hospital Stay (St. Martin’s).
March 19th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Robert I don’t hate niggers, but my family has been against niggers forever. We were visited by Mr. Hoover. My grandfather took several pictures with him. Mr. Hoover hated niggers.
I still live in Birmingham. We are famous for blowing up that church of niggers on 16th street. I can honestly say I have never met a white person here who think it was murder. I believe that God intended the races to remain separate.
I have come to believe that you are entitled to be treated well as long as you keep your place and not try to intermarry with whites.
i don’t believe that whites wish your people any harm. I think that is talk that is being used to make America look like a terrible place for blacks.
How can you help them when whites have put a black into the white house? This a country that used to make your people slaves. We gave you freedom. How can you fault us for believing that you had to wait for complete freedom?
Robert, whites don’t wish you people any harm. So why not look at today rather than what happened to your people today.
Ellen
March 20th, 2011 at 7:10 am
Sabeeh,
If you have something you wish to say or ask me, do so. To covertly insult to make a point is cowardice and childish. I would be interested to hear your rationale as to where you came up with your idea. I personally find it saddening that you, and so many others, give up the power of your life to a theology that has been raped and warped over the span of time by men in order to benefit people other than yourself. To live in such a dogmatic world that asks one to give up their power simply dumbfounds me. It is this reason that the world is screwed, because this belief structure takes away people’s personal power. In your belief, your god has asked women to give up their life for men, and men to give up their life in order to be responsible for someone else. Either way, you do not have the capacity to become a whole person through this. Or to be able to ever be a whole person who is able to enjoy the character of another person who is living their life fully. This is sad to me, and for that I feel sorry for you.
As based on your hidden message, I can only say that I obviously don’t see things the same way as you do. First of all, I don’t feel I have any duty to any god except to live my life to the best of my ability, period. I don’t feel that god micro-manages any person whatsoever. To think this is to live in an Ego based life. And, as based on your argument, your god is placing his work on man. This gives credence to the argument that your god is not omnipotent, but impotent in some responsibility to you, if your god chooses to release such power to the likes of man. If I were to “serve” a god, it would not be one that is impotent.
I relish in the day that people will begin to feel the power within themselves, and not into the hands of a fabled “man in the clouds.”
I yearn for the day when people will become aware that, through the theological dogmatic approach that you are spewing, it takes away the power of the individual. The leaders of the world understand this. The powerful people in this world that continue this type of ranting must do so in order to keep the lemmings in place. By keeping the lemmings in their place allows world leaders and these religious zealots to keep a power position over people through the continued imbuing of a selfish ideology.
Elle,
Your ignorance saddens me. Who are these god’s that you people so reverently refer too? The blind leading the blind…To say that white people “gave” blacks their freedom is ignorant to the fact that the white people were arrogant, selfish and responsible to taking the freedom away from a people to begin with. This action was strictly done for selfish personal empowerment and capitalistic reasons, yet continued through a rationalization that it is some god’s plan. These same people read that one is to love thy neighbor as thyself. What this tells me is that there are so many people that hate themselves and will not cop to it. They hate themselves for believing in a pack of lies and deceit in knowing that their world is so twisted and they don’t have the mental capacity to find a way out, and their belief structure has imprisoned them to this twisted life due to the warped dogma.
Kerry,
Your rationale of a winning side is a bit confusing…you are allowing someone to poison you, so you can feel like a winner? I don’t get that at all, and there is no argument that will bring me to see the light in that.
March 20th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Great article Michelle. Women need to support Obama. The previous male president merely gave us lip service. The world is teetering on the brink of self destruction because men refuse to share the power to make decisions effecting the health of the planet and the people on it.
I sense the helplessness expressed by many who comment on this blog. It is not the same in my every day encounters. People are going about their ways without the slightest clue of the dire situation the planet may be in.
How does one wake up the ignorant?
Erica
March 20th, 2011 at 9:34 am
I was just reading that Donald Trump was thinking of running for president. Your article on women’s month brings home the awful political condition women are in when it comes to respect.
Women don’t trust women. Can you imagine the idiot women who would even consider this pathetic man as a potential president of the US? Those same women would castigate a woman with the marital history of this sexual predator.
He marries women, uses them, then tosses them aside as soon as his lust fixates on another. White males dream to be able to treat women that way so that is a plus for Trump in their eyes.
But for an intelligent woman, it should indicate flaws in the mans character that should prevent him from being considered in their minds.
If a person can be so cavalier about someone he is supposed to love how loyal would he be to campaign promises if more money was offered to him to change.
The other factor is if a woman looked passed the hype by the media about Trump, they would discover that his business management skills are a myth. Every business that he has personally been managerially responsible for has failed for one reason or another.
Ask yourself how many bankruptcies has this man put his various companies through? So you would give the helm to this idiot because he touts an idea that if it would work, greater minds would have tried it.
All that shows is his political naiveté or rather the kind of business managerial skills that caused all those past bankruptcies. Women should get a clue. Touting The Donald is throwing yourself under the bus.
Now that he is not in a managerial position only an image of managing, the businesses with the Trump name are doing well.
Again it is a facade women. Open your eyes. Let us American white women try to erase the stereotype that we are the dumbest thinking creatures on the planet.
While a woman is worrying about another woman throwing her under the bus for a man, the men will have buried us all under tons of radioactive pollution.
Melissa
March 20th, 2011 at 9:48 am
How about this for a wake up call when it comes to Nuclear power plants?
The US is telling Japan that its nuclear industry experts say they have no clue how to handle the nuclear crises facing Japan.
But this same nuclear industry has its spokespersons out in force on every news channel telling the American people that they are fully capable of handling ANY sort of nuclear crises that could occur in this country.
Wasn’t that the same assurances the oil industry gave us to get the American people to allow them to drill off shore? Only for us to learn they had no idea how to solve the problem of an oil leak that almost polluted the entire pacific ocean.
What the fuck is wrong with the white male’s brain? Can greed be so overwhelming that he can ignore his own possible demise for a few dollars more?
The use of nuclear power to produce electricity is stupid, building more in light of this present crisis is INSANE!
Robert
March 20th, 2011 at 10:02 am
I just read some of the racist shit you monkeys and slopes snuck in on Friday’s blog. Fuck you!
As for white women showing disrespect to their race and to their men, you cunts are lucky to be white.
We White men are not responsible for the ineptness of a bunch of slopes on Japan. We run America. And until you see us fail to control our nuclear power here you should stop bashing White males.
Bitches where are your loyalties to your race and your manners? Take a clue from Zen Lill and learn to see both sides. You jealous bitches hate a beautiful woman who can get along with males on an intellectual level.
George
March 20th, 2011 at 10:17 am
[...] Kerry: Firstly, I want to welcome you, and thank you for the compliment. [...]