tagged w/ Women's Issues
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"TOKYO -- As women in the United States and across the industrialized world get fatter, most Japanese women are getting skinnier.
Still, many view themselves as overweight.
"I am quite fat, actually," said Michie Takagi, a 70-year-old grandmother and retired clothing store executive. She has a body mass index (BMI) of 19.9, which is at the thin end of normal. While the average American woman has gained about 25 pounds over the past 30 years, Takagi has gained 4.5 pounds, typical for her age cohort in Japan, according to U.S. and Japanese government figures.
Skinnier still are Japanese women younger than 60, who were thin by international standards three decades ago and who, taken as a group, have since been steadily losing weight.
The trend is most pronounced among women in their 20s. A quarter-century ago, they were twice as likely to be thin as overweight; now they are four times more likely to be thin. For U.S. women of all ages, obesity rates have about doubled since 1980, rising from 17 percent to 35 percent.
Social pressure -- women looking critically at other women -- is the most important reason female skinniness is ascendant in Japan, according to Hisako Watanabe, a child psychiatrist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo.
"Japanese women are outstandingly tense and critical of each other," said Watanabe, who has spent 34 years treating women with eating disorders. "There is a pervasive habit among women to monitor each other with a serious sharp eye to see what kind of slimness they have."
Public health experts say that younger Japanese women, as a group, have probably become too skinny for their own good. Restricted calorie consumption is slowing down their metabolisms, the average birth weight of their babies is declining, and their risk of death in case of serious illness is rising.
"I would advise these women to eat when they are hungry," said Satoshi Sasaki, a professor of preventive epidemiology at the University of Tokyo School of Public Health. "They should be satisfied with a normal body." "
Read the full article in the link below. The quote at the end by Sasaki is quite entertaining as well!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030401436.html"TOKYO -- As women in the United States and across the industrialized world get... more
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’Thank You Skinhead Girl’ Is a 45 minute documentary The film has been supported by OFVM - Film Oxford Production Award and Screen South Community Projects Award. It explores the filmmakers own experience of being in care and becoming a skinhead during that time 1979 - 83. It also takes a look at the Oxfordshire Skinhead scene from 1969 - 1989. The estimated completion date of the film is early 2009.Featuring music from the Symarip, Oxford Ska band The Inflatables and The Oppressed.’Thank You Skinhead Girl’ Is a 45 minute documentary The film has been... more
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The Insight Center for Community Economic Development released a report on the gender wealth gap to mark International Women’s Day. The report found nearly half of all single black and Hispanic women have zero or negative wealth, meaning their debts exceed all of their assets. The median wealth for single black women is only $100; for single Hispanic women, $120. This compares to just over $41,000 for single white women. We speak with the chief author of the report, Mariko Lin Chang and C. Nicole Mason, Executive Director of the Women of Color Policy Network. [includes rush transcript]The Insight Center for Community Economic Development released a report on the gender... more
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Michelle Obama breastfed her daughters Malia and Sasha and public health and maternal health activists are hoping she will explicitly endorse breastfeeding as part of her anti-obesity campaign.
In doing so, activists hope she'll become the national symbol, particularly for African American mothers, for pro-breastfeeding initiatives.
"We have a dynamic role model in the White House, a black woman who gets the idea that she can go to work, be a lawyer and still provide milk for her baby," said Napiera Loveless, co-founder of MamaTotoMatema, a Cincinnati-based organization committed to educating and encouraging leaders and health care professionals to adopt different approaches to promoting breastfeeding in African American families. "She takes away the excuse."
Women's eNews reporter Malena Amusa has more on the need for Michelle Obama's involvement in the breastfeeding movement from our Black Maternal Health Series - http://www.womensenews.org/story/100205/michelle-obama-urged-speak-out-breastfeedingMichelle Obama breastfed her daughters Malia and Sasha and public health and maternal... more
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This week started off with worldwide observations of March 8, International Women's Day, a time to recognize women's social, economic and political achievements.
Women in the Middle East had some reason to partake in the celebrations.
Egypt and Yemen in 2003 and Algeria in 2005 granted women equal rights to nationality, meaning that spouses and children are recognized as citizens and are able to enjoy state benefits they had been denied. We can, however, only hold a partial celebration in the Middle East as we contemplate numerous stubborn barriers.
Laws in Jordan, Syria, Bahrain and Lebanon still provide reduced sentences for murderers of female relatives who claim family "honor" if victims have been caught in an "illicit" sexual act.
Nadya Khalife says too many governments in the region restrict a wide spectrum of women's rights - http://www.womensenews.org/story/commentary/100311/womens-day-spotlights-barriers-in-middle-eastThis week started off with worldwide observations of March 8, International... more
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The U.N. has devised various programs to provide food and aid directly to women, who often get outmuscled by men during disaster situations. Relief efforts have become complicated as many Haitian female leaders who worked with U.N. agencies were lost during the earthquake.
With 45 percent of Haitian households headed by women, a number of United Nations agencies are targeting their relief efforts at Haitian women to help them overcome their human and material losses from the recent earthquake.
"Traditionally, WFP has always sought to deliver food into the hands of women as they are more likely to ensure that the food is divided up amongst those who really need it and can't fend for themselves," said Prior in an email interview from the Haitian capital.
Women's eNews reporter Joe Lauria has all the news here: http://womensenews.org/story/international-policyunited-nations/100129/un-delivers-relief-directly-haitian-womenThe U.N. has devised various programs to provide food and aid directly to women, who... more
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The Haiti earthquake has increased the risks for an estimated 63,000 pregnant women in Port-au-Prince, as medical facilities and supplies have been destroyed. The UNFPA is distributing delivery and 'dignity' kits to help minimize the damage.
Of the 3 million people affected by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti, and the aftershocks that continued as recently as Jan. 20, an estimated 63,000 are pregnant women. In the month ahead, 7,000 women are expected to deliver. Giving birth or seeking prenatal care in a city where even the presidential plaza is destroyed poses countless risks to women in Port-au-Prince and throughout the quake region. The New-York based UNFPA has spearheaded efforts to help minimize the risks these women face.
Find Women's eNews reporter Rebecca Harshbarger's full report here http://womensenews.org/story/reproductive-health/100122/haiti-quake-puts-63000-pregnant-women-at-riskThe Haiti earthquake has increased the risks for an estimated 63,000 pregnant women in... more
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Hardly anyone, including Bangladeshis, know of the isolated northern chars, tiny islands that barely rise above sea level. Fewer know what will become of the islets as land erosion and flash floods likely worsen in the near future.
Women in the isolated northern chars of Bangladesh are the first to feel the effects of climate change. Fairly forgotten by most of the world, they now have a boat that floats their way, bringing some medical help and community health training.
Women's eNews reporter Amy Lieberman traveled to Bangladesh to find out more http://womensenews.org/story/environment/100205/boat-brings-aid-climate-afflicted-bangladeshisHardly anyone, including Bangladeshis, know of the isolated northern chars, tiny... more
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Female pilots who flew planes during World War II got long-overdue recognition March 10 when they received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor given by Congress, in a ceremony on Capitol Hill, The Kansas City Star reported March 10.
About 200 women who served as Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, were on hand. Most of the women are now in their late 80s and early 90s.
The WASP were the first women to fly American military aircraft. However, though they flew planes during World War II, they weren't considered "real" military pilots. No flags were draped over their coffins if they died on duty and when their service ended, they had to pay their own bus fare home, the article reported.
“Women Airforce Service Pilots, we are all your daughters; you taught us how to fly,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She said the pilots went unrecognized for too long, even though their service blazed a trail for other women in the U.S. military.
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/10/1804044_world-war-ii-women-aviators-finally.html?storylink=omni_popular#ixzz0ht4IkdobFemale pilots who flew planes during World War II got long-overdue recognition March... more
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The Feb. 20 protest at a leading U.S. mosque ended peacefully and unresolved. Demonstrators seeking to remove a partition blocking women's view of the prayer leader say they will persist with their decade-long push.
The protest was led by Fatima Thompson, 44, of Owings Mills, Md. Thompson and about 20 other women, who prayed directly behind the men instead of in the corner on Saturday, argue that nowhere in the Quran or in the tenets of Islam does it require women to be physically separated from men during prayer.
They say women must be able to see and hear the imam--the leader of the prayer--during the service. The partition is demeaning and hinders their prayer, they said. Women's eNews reporter Julia Marsh had a look into the arguments being made for and against women's integration into this religious space.
http://womensenews.org/story/religion/100222/protesters-break-prayer-rules-at-leading-mosqueThe Feb. 20 protest at a leading U.S. mosque ended peacefully and unresolved.... more
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Women's rights activists in Afghanistan fear a "peace deal" brewing with the Taliban may bring more violence into their lives. Women's eNews reporter Aunohita Mojumdar finds out about Afghan women's own push for inclusion at a spring meeting of national leaders.
Find the full story at Women's eNews http://womensenews.org/story/peace/100305/afghan-women-fear-violence-in-national-peaceWomen's rights activists in Afghanistan fear a "peace deal" brewing... more
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Action Aid, a charity group based across the Globe, released an important new report pointing the stalling effect violence against women has on a countries development.
Although violence against women affects countries that are both rich and poor, and women of different backgrounds, authors of the Action Aid report say violence blocks progress in every major development target. This violence ranges from intimate partner violence in couples to sexual violence in the classroom.
Women's eNews Uganda beat reporter Rebecca Harshbarger took a closer look at the report and found out what it had to say.
http://womensenews.org/story/international-policyunited-nations/100305/gender-violence-blocks-development-targets-reportAction Aid, a charity group based across the Globe, released an important new report... more
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Women's eNews reporter Bijoyeta Das reported on Turkey's women's wrestling team which is now getting ready for the world championships in Istanbul next year and the 2012 Olympics in London.
Women's freestyle wrestling was introduced in the Olympics in 2004, more than 100 years after male freestyle wrestling. Men's wrestling became part of modern Olympics in 1896 with the introduction of Greco-Roman wrestling. The Turkish national women's team was formed in 1999 and now includes 40 members. There are about 500 female wrestlers in Turkey.
Despite their number they still face some problems caused by these women breaking sex barriers in sport, find out more at Women's eNews http://womensenews.org/story/athleticssports/100305/female-wrestlers-vie-piece-turkeys-heart?page=0,1Women's eNews reporter Bijoyeta Das reported on Turkey's women's... more
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This week Women's eNews reporter Sharon Johnson looked at the argument breaking out over providing prenatal care for immigrant women in Nebraska.
Nebraska votes this month on a bill that would provide prenatal care for all pregnant, low-income women regardless of immigrant status. The governor says he plans to veto, because tax-funded programs should only benefit full citizens.
Should a state be required to provide prenatal care for women with undocumented status? Find out at Women's eNews http://womensenews.org/story/immigration/100309/nebraska-prenatal-bill-stirs-fight-over-immigrationThis week Women's eNews reporter Sharon Johnson looked at the argument breaking... more
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Women of all races bring home less income and own fewer assets, on average, than men of the same race, but for single black women the disparities are so overwhelmingly great that even in their prime working years their median wealth amounts to only $5.
In a groundbreaking report released Monday by a leading economic research group, social scientists turned a spotlight on the grave financial challenges facing an often overlooked group of women, many of whom could not take an unpaid sick day or repair a major appliance without going into debt.
"It's rather shocking," said Meizhu Lui, director of the Closing the Gap Initiative based in Oakland, Calif., who contributed to the report "Lifting as We Climb: Women of Color, Wealth and America's Future."
Among the most startling revelations in the wealth data is that while single white women in the prime of their working years (ages 36 to 49) have a median wealth of $42,600 (still only 61 percent of their single white male counterparts), the median wealth for single black women is only $5.
"Even for those of us who have been looking at the wealth gap for a while, we were shocked and amazed at how little women of color have," Ms. Lui said.
Researchers at the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, based in Oakland, Calif., analyzed data from the 2007 Survey of Consumer Finances, a voluminous report the Federal Reserve Board issues every three years that examines household finances in this country.
Wealth, or net worth, measures the total of one's assets -- cash in the bank, stocks, bonds and real estate; minus debts -- home mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and student loans. The most recent financial data was collected before the economic downturn, so the current numbers likely are worse now than at the time of the study.
Black women, in general, were more likely to have participated in the subprime loan crisis with upper-income black women being five times more likely to have received a high-cost mortgage than upper-income white men.
"The popular image is they spend too much, which is the reason they are running up credit card and consumer debt, but the cost of living has risen faster than income, and they need to go into debt for basic daily necessities," Ms. Lui said. "It's compounded because unemployment is twice as high in the black community than it is in the white community."
For all working-age black women 18 to 64, the financial picture is bleak. Their median household wealth is only $100. Hispanic women in that age group have a median wealth of $120.
"That means half of [black women] have a net worth of more than $100 and half have a net worth of less than $100," Ms. Lui said. "So that gives you an idea of how far in debt some women of color are.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10068/1041225-84.stm#ixzz0hpuCBTOSWomen of all races bring home less income and own fewer assets, on average, than men... more
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Today is the last day you can take part in DVF's, People's Voice Awards, where you can vote for the woman who inspires you the most. This award has been created to recognize and support women who are using their vision, resources, and commitment to transform lives. These are women who have had the courage to fight, the power to survive and the leadership to inspire. The winner of the People’s Voice Award will receive $50,000 in support of their associated organization.Today is the last day you can take part in DVF's, People's Voice Awards,... more
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February 20, 2010 7:17 p.m. EST
New York (CNN) -- The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, one of the oldest civil rights groups in the nation, announced the successor to Chairman Julian Bond on Saturday as the organization strives to prove its relevance and influence to a new generation.
NAACP Vice Chair Roslyn Brock was selected to fill the seat left by Bond, a civil rights leader who has held the post since 1998. Brock, 44, is the youngest person to ever serve in the position.
Brock has worked with the organization for more than 25 years in various roles, including as a youth board member and president of its Youth and College State Conference, according to the NAACP. She is also a vice president at Bon Secours Health Systems in Marriottsville, Maryland.
"We're looking at a generational shift in our communities," Brock said in a statement posted on the NAACP Web site.
"We have a 48 year old President in the White House, an NAACP President who was 35 at the time of his election, and a 44 year old Board Chair. The wisdom of those who stood the test of time got us to this point, and the youth will lead the future success of our movement."
Brock's perspective -- that of a younger leader -- will help move the 101-year-old organization forward, said Mary Frances Berry, former chairwoman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
"I think it's a great decision by the board because it changes the leadership intergenerationally," Berry told CNN on Saturday."Her views will respect those of a post-protest, civil rights generation."
The sit-ins and marches demanding racial equality have been replaced with social tussles disproportionately affecting non-white communities. Such issues include unemployment, foreclosures and incarceration rates, and Brock will have to address those in moving the NAACP forward, Berry said.
"They've got to focus on the problems that people at the grass roots have," she said.
Brock made history in February 2001 when she was unanimously elected vice chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors at the age of 35, making her the youngest and first women to get the job.
"She's very different from Julian. But the fact that she's younger, vibrant, very dynamic -- I think it's great," said historian Patricia A. Sullivan, whose book, "Raise Every Voice," chronicled the history of the NAACP. "It's an important position, and I think having someone like her in that position says something."
Bond, a stalwart of the Civil Rights Movement, helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, known for its student sit-ins in the early 1960s, and served as the first president of the Southern Poverty Law Center. He served in both houses of the Georgia Legislature, totaling two decades in office, before later leading the NAACP as chairman.
The 70-year-old civil rights leader had indicated he was ready to leave the organization in 2008, but stayed on in 2009 as the NAACP celebrated its 100th anniversary.
At the time, there was talk about whether the organization was still relevant in what some observers called a "post-racial" United States. John McWhorter, a linguist and conservative political commentator, spelled it out in a February 2009 column titled, "If the NAACP ceased to exist tomorrow, would it have a significant effect on black America?"
For Bond, the answer was obvious.
"We have for the first time a black man who can open the doors to Air Force One, but we now know his children couldn't go to a pool in Philadelphia," Bond told CNN in July, referring to a decision by a suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, swim club to revoke privileges of a largely minority day care center last year.
"So, as long as this disparity exists, we're not the national association for the advancement of one colored person, we want all colored people to advance," he continued. "And for us, people come in all colors -- black, brown, yellow, everything. We want everyone to advance, everyone to progress, and until that's true, the NAACP is going to be here."
And to ensure it will be here, the organization has showcased youthful leaders among its ranks -- most notably tapping Benjamin Todd Jealous as its president in 2008. At 35, Jealous was the youngest ever to hold the post at the NAACP.
Berry, who now teaches history at the University of Pennsylvania, was on the NAACP search committee at the time.
"The organization is clearly doing what every organization should do -- they should renew their leadership and reach out to the next generation," Berry said Friday. "Otherwise, they'll die."
In his speech on the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, President Barack Obama said "the pain of discrimination is still felt in America" among African-Americans, Latinos and Muslim Americans.
"Even as we inherit extraordinary progress that cannot be denied; even as we marvel at the courage and determination of so many plain folks -- we know that too many barriers still remain," he said.
CNN's Samira Simone and Khadijah Rentas contributed to this report.February 20, 2010 7:17 p.m. EST
New York (CNN) -- The National Association for the... more
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New York Neo-Futurists Desiree Burch, Cara Francis & Erica Livingston serve up a cure for what ails you in this Neo-Medicine show, performing in and around a giant pot of self-made soup. Bottling this soup, as well as a series of elixirs, potions, tonics and products, they heal and reveal the female experience live, honest and in the flesh.
Incorporating ingredients from interviews, living newspaper, personal stories, circus acts and freak shows, the women of The Soup Show ultimately feed their audiences with a question “How far has the women's movement moved us?” The fierce trio honor the 30th Anniversary of Women’s History Month, and show you why the readers of the Village Voice named The New York Neo-Futurists “The 2009 Best Performance Artists in New York.”
THE SOUP SHOW will be presented at HERE ARTS CENTER (145 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY 10013). Performances begin Thursday, March 4th and continue through Saturday, March 27th. Opening Night is Thursday, March 4th (at 7 P.M.).
Tickets are $18.00 ($12 Student rush with valid I.D.) Advance tickets can be purchased online at http://www.here.org/soupshow, or by calling 212-352-3101. Tickets may also be purchased at the theatre’s box office half hour before curtain.New York Neo-Futurists Desiree Burch, Cara Francis & Erica Livingston serve up a... more
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A film narrated by Morgan Freeman. Where the Water Meets the Sky is the inspiring story of a group of women in rural Zambia who learn how to make a film as a way to speak out about their lives. Produced in partnership with Camfed, all funds raised through the film will support Camfed’s work to educate girls and invest in economic and leadership opportunities for young women in Africa.A film narrated by Morgan Freeman. Where the Water Meets the Sky is the inspiring... more
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