June 13, 2008

Sexist Campaign Coverage Continues

Sexist coverage of the election did not end when Senate Hillary Clinton (D-NY) suspended her campaign. Earlier this week, Fox News ran a blatantly sexist and racist graphic referring to Michelle Obama as Senator Obama's "Baby Mama."

"A producer on the program exercised poor judgment in using this chyron during the segment," Fox's Senior Vice President of Programming Bill Shine told the Politico. To which a blogger on Feministing.com responded: "Uh, yeah, I'd say so. (So much for a heartfelt apology)."

The sexist coverage of the campaign has led to a movement to hold the media accountable for their comments. The Women's Media Center recently launched a joint campaign with Media Matters called "Sexism Sells, But We're Not Buying It.". What About Our Daughters also recently launched a website Michelle Obama Watch to follow Michelle Obama throughout the campaign.

Media Resources: Politico 6/12/08; Feministing.com 6/13/08; Feminist Daily Newswire; What About Our Daughters

Josef Fritzl - What Compelled Him to Become a "Cellar Monster"?
by Susan Lawrence, May 27, 2008

The One Flaw In Women

By the time the Lord made woman,
He was into his sixth day of working overtime.
An angel appeared and said,
'Why are you spending so much time on this one?'
And the Lord answered, 'Have you seen my spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic,
have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable
and able to run on diet coke and leftovers,
have a lap that can hold four children at one time,
have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart
-and she will do everything
with only two hands.'

The angel was astounded at the requirements.
'Only two hands!? No way!
And that's just on the standard model?
That's too much work for one day.
Wait until tomorrow to finish.'

'But I won't, ' the Lord protested.
'I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart.
She already heals herself when she is sick
AND can work 18 hour days.'

The angel moved closer and touched the woman.
'But you have made her so soft, Lord.'

'She is soft,' the Lord agreed,
'but I have also made her tough.
You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.'

'Will she be able to think?', asked the angel.

The Lord replied,
'Not only will she be able to think,
she will be able to reason and negotiate.'

The angel then noticed something,
and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek.
'Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.
I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.'

'That's not a leak,'
the Lord corrected,
'that's a tear!'
'What's the tear for?' the angel asked.

The Lord said, 'The tear is her way of expressing her joy,
her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love,
her loneliness, her grief and her pride.'
The angel was impressed.
'You are a genius, Lord.
You thought of everything!
Woman is truly amazing.'

And she is!
Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness,
love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take 'no' for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideals.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
Women have vital things to say and everything to give

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE TINY FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

PLEASE pass this along to your women friends and relatives
to remind them just how amazing they are.

Rape Still Widespread in Darfur

April 9, 2008

Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Monday that sexual violence in Darfur continues to be a constant threat for women and girls. According to HRW, the Sudanese government repeatedly denies the fact that sexual violence occurs in Darfur. Most crimes against women are left unpunished.

The report documents violence against girls as young as 11. The majority of the violence is committed by government forces and militias allied with them. The BBC News reports that over 200,000 people have died in Darfur since 2003 as a result of the genocide.

HRW called on the government of Sudan and the United Nations (UN)- African Union peacekeeping force (UNAMID) to address the issue of widespread sexual violence. They asked the government to condemn sexual violence and enforce the condemnation with the end of impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence. They also encourage UNAMID to deploy more women police officers and to create "firewood patrols" to protect women and girls outside refugee camps.

Georgette Gagnon, Africa director of HRW, said, "The victims of these horrific attacks have little or no hope of redress in Darfur's current climate of impunity. By failing to prosecute the perpetrators, the government is giving them a license to rape. Five years living in fear of rape is five years too long. Women and girls in Darfur urgently need protection, and those who are victims need justice."