Books Abroad reads What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About: Fifteen Writers Break the Silence

An Essay Collection Edited by Michele Filgate

The Global Women’s Caucus feminist reading group Books Abroad warmly invites you to celebrate Mother’s Day with us a little differently this year. At our next meeting on Sunday, May 10, 2020, our discussion will focus on acknowledging and respecting a broad variety of experiences with mothers and/or with motherhood. Often and especially around Mother’s Day, we are inundated with messages ripe with sunny, unrealistic expectations for mothers and the mother-child relationship. Our reading for this meeting, What My Mother and I Don’t Talk About: Fifteen Writers Break the Silence, is a collection of essays edited by Michele Filgate that explores a wide spectrum of relationships and challenges us to push the motherhood ideal off its pedestal and see mothers for what they are - human.

In her review of the anthology on NPR, writer Danielle Kurtzleben explains, “At its broadest level, this book is about the soul-rattling realization that despite often having the astronomically best of intentions, our mothers still mess up — sometimes in life-altering ways. It's about how, despite our love or a desperate need for them, we mess things up too. And it's also about the gut punch that happens when some children are forced to legitimately wonder just how good their mothers' intentions ever were. But then, it's about how much more livable those relationships might be if someone just said those three magical words. Those words are not ‘I love you’ but, rather, ‘Are you OK?’ Or, even more difficult: ‘Hey — I'm hurting.’”

On Mother’s Day 2020, we hope you’ll join us in processing this work together, and, if you feel comfortable doing so, please invite your mothers/children to read and discuss with us. We look forward to exchanging thoughts with you soon!

This is an online event, so you must RSVP to receive the link to join.

Event start time by time zone:

THREE EXPERTS DISCUSS CLIMATE CHANGE & GENDER QUESTIONS

Is Climate Change a gender issue?  What are the impacts of environmental conditions on infectious diseases? How can empowering women save the planet from climate collapse?
You’ll be surprised at the answers…

On April 21st, the eve of the 50th Anniversary celebration of Earth Day, the Democrats Abroad Global Women's Caucus will present a virtual panel discussion on "Women and the Environment".  

A UN report tells us "Women’s unequal participation in decision-making processes and labor markets compound inequalities and often prevent women from fully contributing to climate-related planning, policy-making and implementation.”  

About our speakers

The panel participants examining this issue include:

Alyssa Fischer - a climate and sustainability expert,

Dr. Cara Maesano - a scientist and researcher in environmental epidemiology, and 

Dana Powers - an environmental journalist specializing in renewable energy. 

EVENT DETAILS

WHAT: Earth Day Anniversary Panel Discussion on Women and the Environment

LOCATION: Participants will join the discussion via ZOOM (link sent to all who RSVP)

(This is an online stream of a live event; you need an internet connection to attend.)

WHEN: April 21, 2020 @ 13:00 if you're sitting in EST (New York), or (other example time zones):

@ 02:00 if you're in JST (Tokyo)
@ 10:00 if you're in PST (Vancouver)
@ 11:00 if you're in CST (Costa Rica)
@ 18:00 if you're in GMT (London)
@ 19:00 if you're in CEST (Paris) 

If you have questions for our panelists, please send them to us at Global Women's Caucus

We look forward to seeing you on the call!

During the last Democratic debate, Senator Amy Klobuchar argued that women are held to a higher standard in politics than their male counterparts – or everyone would be able to cite their favorite female president of the United States.

While no country has had enough female heads of state to enable a real choice of ‘favorite’ (only a handful of countries have surpassed two), progress towards such a debate is slowly ramping up abroad. In 2018, 26 out of more than 190 countries or territories were ruled by women; this represents less than 15% but is nonetheless a historic high.[1]  

Looking beyond the presidential or prime ministerial seat, the forecast remains cloudy on a global scale but is getting brighter. As of February 2019, only 3 countries had reached equal gender representation in one of their houses of parliament, but 50 single or lower houses around the world were composed of at least 30% women.[2] Though the merits of critical mass theory – which posits that women must reach 30% representation in a political body before being able to affect meaningful policy change – have been debated,[3] crossing that threshold is, at the very least, a symbolic win given the role the theory has played in advocating for women’s participation in politics.

The Global Women's Caucus writes articles about the State of the American Women.  New ones are posted on a periodic basis.

New content:

GWC Celebrates Black History Month

Disparities in Healthcare Access for American Women of Color

Click on the below links to read earlier articles:

Women in the US Military

Party call: Gender parity in politics

Women in US Politics: Looking back to look ahead

On April 12, 2019, the DAUK Film Committee and the DAUK Women’s Caucus screened the documentary "RBG: A Progressive Icon in these Troubled Times” in London. “Super Diva” is on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s sweatshirt at her weekly routine in this lively biography. And “Super Diva’ she is to the young students attending her recent public appearances. The term is well-earned as we hear family, friends and colleagues talk of RBG’s impressive legal acumen, tireless work ethic, quiet determination, and successful strategies to advance gender equality in the United States.

We see her 1992 Senate nomination hearing outlining some of the many cases pursued while a law professor and general counsel of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, winning five of the six gender discrimination case before the Supreme Court. It is shocking to remember that, in 1959, despite graduating first in her law school class, she was turned down NY law firms and denied a Supreme Court clerkship because she was a woman.

There are amusing vignettes from her private life: opera, travel and a supportive husband who famously promoted her Supreme Court nomination. But what shines through is her dedication to the law and her mode of overcoming sexism: “Be a lady and be independent.” And the Justice continues as a “rock star” with her independent thinking in eloquent dissents in today’s Supreme Court.

It was an excellent film and we would highly recommend it. RBG is now available on iTunes!

Watch the trailer

Highlights of the March 8 events in Oslo

There is an irony in the fact that Norway, which is ranked as the second most female friendly nation (2018 ranking*1), is so dedicated to the International Women’s Day. Have they not already achieved equality? The strong engagement is a good barometer for Norway’s general commitment to support women’s rights. The laws here do support women both in the workplace and home. Norway, traditionally a farming nation, recognized the contributions of farmer wives, decades ago, by giving them the status of a regular workers, entitled them to increased social security and workman’s benefits. Now girls are taken over farms since the law on inheritance has changed, favoring the first-born child, replacing the first born “male” as the heir. The law now also states that all corporate boards must be minimum 40% female; however, women tend not to rise as rapidly as men on the corporate ladder. A major newspaper recently reported that more men are going into female dominated vocations, such as nursing and teaching, and a larger percentage of women now seek higher education than men. 

Michael Flood, Queensland University of Technology

Young men who conform to traditional definitions of manhood are more likely to suffer harm to themselves, and do harm to others, according to a new survey of Australian men aged 18 to 30.

This is the first major Australian survey to map ideals of masculinity among young men, commissioned as part of the Jesuit Social Services’ Men’s Project, which is dedicated to helping boys and men live respectful, accountable and fulfilling lives.

The researchers surveyed 1,000 young men on their attitudes toward seven pillars of traditional manhood: self-sufficiency, toughness, physical attractiveness, rigid gender roles, heterosexuality and homophobia, hypersexuality, and aggression and control over women. These represent what we call the “Man Box”, or the ideals of manhood that can be both influential and restrictive to young men.

The men were asked about their perceptions of societal messages about manhood and their own endorsement of these messages.

Our findings showed that many young men remain greatly influenced by these societal messages of what it means to be a man. For example, young men were particularly likely to agree with statements that society expects men to act strong (69%), fight back when pushed (60%) and never say no to sex (56%).

However, some traditional ideals seem to be dropping away. Few young men agreed that society tells them they should use violence to get respect (35%), straight men should shun gay men as friends (36%), boys shouldn’t learn how to cook and clean (38%), and men shouldn’t do household chores (39%).

Read more: Masculinity should not be defined by the Kavanaugh hearings

A Call to Action! Here's everything you need to create your own IWD party

Collective action is how we achieve positive change. Women, men, young and old -- we all have a part to play in achieving a more gender-balanced world. With increased equality comes a more just and prosperous society, so this year’s International Women’s Day theme is all about creating #BalanceForBetter.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is on March 8, play your part and consider hosting your own IWD event this month!

Never hosted an International Women’s Day event before? No problem. We came prepared with a few resources and suggestions! Consider going over a brief history of International Women’s Day, have an open and honest discussion about gender-based discrimination, watch an informative video on the Equal Rights Amendment, play a few rounds of Women’s History Month trivia, and come up with your own action ideas to help the women and men in your community build #BalanceForBetter.

Use the links below to download all the tools, templates and videos you need to make your International Women's Day. event a success:

International Women’s Day 2019 Suggested Agenda and Additional Resources

International Women’s Day 2019 Slides

Learn more about the Equal Rights Amendments

Watch the film Legalize Equality

Step up and find your #BalanceForBetter

Join our ERA Photo and Video Campaign!

We are SO CLOSE now to getting the ERA ratified! The Virginia general assembly starts their session on January 9^th and the Virginia Equal Means Equal team needs our help right now!

They would love to have some photos and videos of Americans living abroad who support ERA to use to win over some votes. So if you could take a photo holding a sign and/or make a 30-45 second video, that would be appreciated. Here are the simple guidelines.

If possible, they would like by the end of the week so they can put something together for a big event in Richmond on Jan 8. So if you could send something in before then, that would be great. However, if you miss this first deadline, we have also been asked by both Arizona and North Carolina for the same thing and they do not need as soon. Just send as soon as you can!

So – show your support of women and equal rights by creating a photo and/or video. Send the photo and video links to era@democratsabroad.org

THANK YOU for your help!