Gender issues

If you think communication between men and women is a puzzle that cannot be solved, listen to this conversation with gender communication expert, Jane Sanders. Jane has studied gender communication since childhood, beginning with her own brothers and climbing the ladder to become a top salesperson in the male-dominated corporate world. She applied that experienceRead the Rest…

I recently went through a bag of handouts and notes from the Women In Communications national conference in Tulsa. So it was six months ago — so what? At least I went through them and found some gems to share with you. June Werdlow Rogers, a retired DEA special agent in charge, spoke from herRead the Rest…

If “impenetrable mess” is what you think of when you hear the word “technology”, listen up! At a time when women are struggling to make 77 cents to every dollar men make, there are jobs where women are paid more fairly. They are called STEM and they encompass a wide variety of fields that applyRead the Rest…

How to Make the Pay Gap Go Away Are you mad yet? Perhaps you are not willing to wait until 2076 for equal pay to creep into women’s lives? That’s actually how long it will take at the pace of the last 30 years. It doesn’t have to be that way. Women can take controlRead the Rest…

Dr. Nancy delivered a keynote speech  “Empowerment Means Being Seen and Heard” on March 3 to an all-day conference organized by students and faculty at  Central High School, Springfield MO. Entitled “Women and Girls: Then and There, Here and Now”, the day includes sessions on women in media politics medicine law and religion using socialRead the Rest…

Relationship violence continues to pose a huge problem for young people, who are just figuring out how to conduct relationships. Unfortunately, too many of those relationships take a bad turn. Do you know someone who has experienced sexual assault, rape, or stalking? Here are some startling truths: Young people ages 12 to 19 experience theRead the Rest…

This Women’s History Month, let’s all make a point of remembering our fore-mothers. We can draw inspiration from them to spur us forward to continue their hard work. Many girls and women believe we have it made, that we can do it all. In my experience there is always a price, but usually a priceRead the Rest…

One hundred years ago it was illegal – and OBSCENE — to teach women about contraception. Today as the debate about women’s healthcare coverage rages, it’s good to look back at how things once were, and to contemplate the possibility of a return to those bad old days. A woman named Margaret Sanger fought forRead the Rest…

Those crazy feminists, says Joslyn Gray posting on Strollerderby. Look what they did for us! 1. The right to own property. In 1948 New york was the first state to allow a married woman to control property. 2. The right to hold public office. Federal law granted this right to women in 1788, 132 yearsRead the Rest…

How Are Women Being Treated at the Oscars? The Oscars are the biggest night in Hollywood. Broadcast worldwide to millions of viewers, it’s meant to be a celebration of the greatest cinema of the past year. Unfortunately, while we’re excited to see who wins, we also know there will be a serious lack of femaleRead the Rest…

When I was a teenager, the James Bond films were all the rage.  I was talking about the films with a  family friend who happened to be a psychiatrist. As we talked I saw that he assumed that I was identifying with the sexy females that Bond seduced. “Oh, no!” I exclaimed in horror. “IRead the Rest…

Count ‘em. See how many smart amazing women in strong roles there are in the movies nominated for Academy Awards. How many women writers and directors are nominated. While you’re at it, count how many women you see featured on the red carpet who do not look sexy or provocative. There’s a shortage of smartRead the Rest…

Do you play down your assets and shy away from power? Gloria Feldt says that she did and she sees other women defer to men every day. She wrote, No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think about Power—Tools for Leading an Unlimited Life. Her goal is to guide us into accepting leadershipRead the Rest…

One of our most popular posts is How to Be a Good Wife 1950s Style. Dr. Nancy says that’s because we are living in a world where women just cannot figure out why they are so damn stuck. This article helps to remind them what we are up against — or under. Facebook COO, SherylRead the Rest…

Dr. Lois Phillips says that silence is NOT golden. When women leaders speak with a public voice, they achieve a better quality of life for all. They change policy … and the world. What can you do with your voice? In her book, Women Seen and Heard: Speaking in a Public Voice, Lois examines howRead the Rest…

Have you ever come away from a personal encounter feeling, “What just happened? Am I so out of touch? Maybe I AM losing it!” If someone is trying to get you to doubt the validity of your own experience — the information you receive from your own senses — then chances are you’re being gaslighted.Read the Rest…

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) and many other groups are lobbying Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Heralded as the first and best protection for victims of domestic violence, who happen to be overwhelmingly women, VAWA is up for renewal in 2012. The Two-Minute Activist The AAUW has established anRead the Rest…

I confess: I’ve become so disgusted with the current level of political (nonsense) discourse in Congress that I’ve largely tuned out. But I’m changing my ways. In this election year the stakes are high. Author Nancy Poling writes eloquently about Why Young Women Need to Pay Attention. Well, 65 is not young any more byRead the Rest…

The content below is taken directly from MissRepresentation.org.   The film Miss Representation exposes how American youth are being sold the concept that women and girls’ value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality. It’s time to break that cycle of mistruths. In response we created MissRepresentation.org, a call-to-action campaign that seeks to empower womenRead the Rest…

86% of the purchasing power in the U.S. is in the pockets of women! Two weeks ago MissRepresentation launched a campaign to get our help in calling out sexist and degrading advertisements and products during this holiday shopping season. Use hashtag #NotBuyingIt on Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail With the hashtag #NotBuyingIt on Twitter, Facebook, andRead the Rest…

The Value of Women’s Work Women often complain about feeling invisible, ignored and dismissed in their workplaces. A wonderful new article posted by Charmaine McClarie on W2Wlink describes four common traps and how to avoid falling into them. 1. Blindly oblivious at work. This person has no idea what it takes to get ahead inRead the Rest…

Love this email from the folks at MissRepresentation.org! *** Black Friday has passed, but we know the shopping madness in America is only beginning. Over the next few weeks, millions of people in this country (and in places all around the world) will spend many millions of dollars on gifts for family, friends and lovedRead the Rest…

Many women have told me they grew up hearing messages that greatly harmed their self-images. These messages continue to influence how they see their reflections in the mirror today, and it often does not match up with the way they think they should look. What do you think when you look in a mirror? DoRead the Rest…

I wish everyone was happy and safe this holiday season, but sadly many are not. Our associate Shirley Osborne asks us to send positive energy and thoughts to one group of women. ~Dr. Nancy Native American Women – Highest Rates of Abuse and Sexual Violence Native American women suffer the highest rates of domestic abuseRead the Rest…

Girls need to see women in power in order to believe they themselves can have power. The problem is, our film industry isn’t cooperating! Learn how you can help change the equation. According to SeeJane.org, research shows that: What is the Ratio of Males to Females in Family Films? Males outnumber females 3 to 1Read the Rest…

Just returned from a screening of the indie documentary MissRepresentation and Oh boy, what wonderful discussions and conversations followed as the audience mingled after the film. Think how women are portrayed in the media these days.   Tired of the heavily made-up stereotypes displaying their DD bust lines on emaciated bodies. Tired of the bimboRead the Rest…

War Redefined is the capstone of a 5-part series on public television. Many interviews are available on the PBS website as transcripts or podcasts. Interviews with female Secretaries of State and others “reveal how the post-Cold War proliferation of small arms has changed the landscape of war, with women becoming primary targets and suffering unprecedentedRead the Rest…

What kind of Halloween costumes will you put on your kids this year? Post photos of your creative Halloween costumes and counteract gender stereotypes. What will you wear yourself? What messages will these costumes say about girls and women’s roles, and about men’s relationships to women? It’s worth thinking about! Missrepresentation.org is a growing movementRead the Rest…

Men aren’t born passive. Women aren’t born wild. We just have that effect on each other … too often. When and why does a conversation become one-sided, or dissolve into conflict? How can you turn it around and stay sane? Man’s Attitude At work… the man is often active, articulate, assertive, and usually successful inRead the Rest…