Please bring your news links to the comment thread.
__________________________________________________________
<big> The best part is that there is nothing stopping you from starting today, to be the change you want to see in the world.</big>
h/t arhpdx
​
h/t Onomastic
​
<tt>If you hit a paywall on articles linked in diaries or comments, try pasting the link in at https://archive.is/ to see if you can get free reads.</tt>
_______________________________________________________________________
h/t funningforrest
TheConversation Neighbors and strangers pulled together to help LA fire survivors – 60 years of research shows these unsung heroes are crucial to disaster response
As wildfires swept through neighborhoods on the outskirts of Los Angeles in January 2025, stories about residents there helping their neighbors and total strangers began trickling out on social media.
Accounts of Hollywood stars clearing streets for emergency vehicles to get through and raising money for fire victims were widely circulated. But there were many other examples of less-famous people helping older neighbors to safety, and even showing up with trailers to evacuate horses.
Businesses, including fitness centers, opened their facilities so evacuees could shower or charge their phones. Organizations that routinely work with homeless populations quickly mobilized their members to help ensure people living on the streets and in camps could get to secure, safe locations away from the fires and hazardous air quality.
Disasters, by definition, overwhelm local resources, making civilian responders like these essential. Sixty years of research at the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center and by others examining the social aspects of disaster has repeatedly shown effective disaster management requires mobilizing community resources far beyond official channels.
<big>Often the response happens through local groups that form in response to a clear need in the community and with shared skills and interests….</big>
<big><big>Are you catching the metaphor there?</big></big>
h/t NY brit expat
___________________________________________________________
h/t Angmar
TheConversation If you’re feeling political distress, here are coping methods a psychologist shares with his clients.
Among several concepts:
The Serenity Prayer ,,, identifies two basic strategies and … when to use which one. [Coping] calls for a combination of both ....
Doing what you can means funneling ... anxiety into ... actions, including voting, volunteering, donating money [serving in other ways]. Can one person’s actions make a difference? They can make one person’s worth of difference [ that’s often more than we assume]. You can’t do everything, but you can do something.
...taking action ... even if it does not produce a solution, often reduces distress, especially if it brings you together with like-minded people.,,,
,,,It helps to limit your consumption of political news; past a certain point, you’re not learning anything new and just fueling your agitation...,
...A very broad perspective will remind [us] that democracy is a rarity in world history. For most of civilization, people have lived in monarchies or tyrannies of some sort, and [many still do, yet they find ways to carry on, so we can too.]...The main sources of human well-being [have always been] family, friends, meaningful work, hobbies, the arts, nature, spirituality and acts of kindness. None of these depend on political systems. We can cope with political distress by falling back on [these] best things in life.
___________________________________________________________
A diary by Clio2 titled “For those who can't sleep, can't rest, whose stomach is in knots, adrenaline surging....” reports the thinking of near-the-end-stage cancer survivor Mishell Baker, originally posted at BlueSky.
Being a person with deadly, incurable cancer who is nonetheless still alive for an indefinite timeframe gives me an interesting metaphor that helps me deal with things like large-scale corruption in government or commerce. ...
Wonderfully more at the link.
_________________________________________________________
h/t skralyx
___________________________________________________________
PublishersWeekly & PW email:
Rebel Girls recently debuted a new vertical, Rebel Girls Sport, which unites sports-related book publishing, video, and social content, as well as league partnerships, licensed products, and other programs, under a single umbrella….
...Sports are ... a good fit with Rebel Girls’ mission to empower an inspired and confident generation of girls and give them the knowledge and tools they need to thrive and change the world. “Sports is a huge space for doing that,” [Anjelika Temple, Rebel Girls’ chief content officer, told PW.] Sports encompass all kinds of life skills, such as dealing with success and failure, building confidence, and being tenacious to achieve goals. “These are things tweens are dealing with every day.”
Four times more girls who play sports like their bodies than girls who don’t play, and 68% of girls who play sports say they’re happy, versus 48% who don’t participate. At the same time, girls are twice as likely to drop out of sports by age 14 as boys are, often due to a lack of confidence about their bodies. “What if we could help them stay in sports, and also activate the next generation of fans?” Temple asked.
[Rebel Girls’ book, audio, and video content has featured more than 300 sports-related stories of women alongside musicians, activists, and other inspiring women and girls ... highlighting gymnast Simone Biles, figure skater Michelle Kwan, soccer player Megan Rapinoe, and skateboarder Chloe Kim, as well as coaches, executives, and journalists representing all dimensions of sports both on and off the field….]
______________________________________________________
ESPN Billie Jean King Cup Finals set for China in three-year run
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals will be held in Shenzhen, China, from 2025 to 2027, the International Tennis Federation said Thursday.
It will be the first time China has hosted the women's team competition. The event was last held in Asia in 1989 in Tokyo, when it was called the Fed Cup with 16 nations. A record 146 nations are set to compete in 2025….
...Paris Games gold medalist and world No. 5 Zheng Qinwen said in a statement. "This event reflects the incredible progress of tennis in China and highlights how women's sports continue to thrive here. I can't wait to see how it inspires more young girls to pick up a tennis racket and dream big."
______________________________________________________
VOA Somaliland women challenge traditional, familial, religious norms, to play sports
Some women in Somaliland are challenging traditional and religious societal norms by playing sports, as they face accusations of “westernization” and even opposition from their families in Somalia.
h/t shivashankar
Plus, thousands of displaced people, including women with their babies in tow and mattresses over their heads, reached the outskirts of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern city of Goma, after fleeing M23 rebels that seized a neighboring town of Minova, this week.
______________________________________________________
h/t officebss
Reuters Anti-AIDS program in peril after US finds nurses in Mozambique provided abortions
- Republican Senator Jim Risch demands investigation, threatens funding cut
- PEPFAR has saved over 26 million lives
- PEPFAR began in 2003 under Republican President George W. Bush
WASHINGTON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The flagship U.S. aid program on HIV/AIDS is in jeopardy, a senior Republican warned on Thursday, after U.S. officials said four nurses in Mozambique performed abortions that are banned under the multibillion-dollar program that has saved millions of lives globally.
Service providers that get funding through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are barred from providing abortion services under rules against U.S. foreign assistance being used for abortion-related activities, but the program has still faced criticism from anti-abortion Republicans.,,,
A review of service providers in Mozambique - where abortion is legal - found that four nurses performed a total of 21 abortions since January 2021, said three U.S. officials who briefed members of Congress on the matter on Thursday in a bid to show transparency and demonstrate that measures to ensure compliance with the ban on abortions were working.
______________________________________________________
h/t keepemhonest 2019
Five pregnant women are suing the Trump administration over the constitutionality of ending birthright citizenship,
a decision that would affect children of some immigrants. The19thNews spoke with one of the women in this lawsuit.
And a federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship to babies born on U.S. soil. As legal battles play out, here’s what to know about the history of birthright citizenship.______________________________________________________
h/t Kassidy Burns (DK Official Image)
NYT (paywall removed) Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum responded point by point to President Trump’s executive orders on migration, trade and other issues.
After President Trump signed a blizzard of executive orders, many directed at her country, [Pres. Sheinbaum] put on a show of her own Tuesday morning. “It’s important to always keep a cool head,” she told reporters during a news conference.
[Sheinbaum] said that Mexico would support its nationals in the U.S., calling them “heroes and heroines of the nation” [and that] the country would act within the Mexican Constitution and laws. And she sent a message to those watching: “May they know that the president of the republic will always defend Mexico, above all else.”
Ms. Sheinbaum then displayed the five executive orders that Mr. Trump announced on Monday that directly involved Mexico, addressing each one….
Very interesting article, illuminating on international relations, and no paywall.
______________________________________________________________
<big>Hover for data.</big>
Australia How Narelda Jacobs learnt “her place” in media
There are few people in Australia’s media more recognisable than Narelda Jacobs. A stalwart of the Ten Network, Jacobs has been a regular and much-loved fixture on our screens for close to three decades.
But breaking through as a queer, Aboriginal woman in an industry dominated by blonde, white presenters was a journey that required Jacobs to endure a torrent of casual racism, sexism, ignorance, and bias. A standard that now, decades on, she’s no longer willing to accept. In fact, she’s reframing the way that media is done in Australia.
At every opportunity, Jacobs uses her platform to speak for those who are voiceless.
Speaking about her career at a recent conference, Jacobs reflected on the moments that shaped her—from exemplary mentors and female solidarity to truly terrible advice….
______________________________________________________________
WomensAgenda Women now hold more than half of government board positions in Australia
Women now hold a record high of 54 per cent of positions across Australian government boards and bodies [according to new data released in the latest report on gender balance within government boards, is reported as of June 2024 and has risen by 2.8 per cent since 2023.
The report shows women have filled 1,190 of 2,187 board positions across 347 Australian government boards and bodies. This is the highest representation we’ve seen of women in overall government board positions since reporting began in 2009. Back then, women held just 33.4 per cent of positions.
______________________________________________________________
h/t officebss
Afghanistan ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan
THE HAGUE, Jan 23 (Reuters) - The International Criminal Court prosecutor said on Thursday he had applied for arrest warrants for two
Taliban leaders in Afghanistan including supreme spiritual leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, accusing them of the persecution of women and girls.
A statement issued by the office of chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said investigators found reasonable grounds to believe that Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, who has served as chief justice since 2021, "bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds."
______________________________________________________________
NativeNewsOnline Shadiin Garcia Named Executive Director of Native Women Lead
Native Women Lead, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit that supports Native women entrepreneurs, has announced Shadiin Garcia, Ph.D., as its new Executive Director. A leader of Laguna Pueblo and Chicana heritage, Garcia brings decades of expertise in education, policy, and social justice to the role.
“We are thrilled to welcome Shadiin Garcia to steward Native Women Lead into its next chapter,” Vernelle Chase, Chair of the Board of Directors, said in a press release. “Her vision for fostering community strength and entrepreneurial agency aligns deeply with our commitment to building a future rooted in love, sovereignty, and innovation.”...
__________________________________________________________
h/t Onomastic
NNO.net Q&A: Francene Sinquah on Reducing Suicide Rates in Indian Country
A White Mountain Apache Tribe program that cut suicide deaths by 38% may soon expand to tribal nations across Indian Country. The program — called Celebrating Life — combines Apache cultural teachings with mandatory reporting of suicide risks among tribal members. Through a new partnership with Johns Hopkins, more than 35 Indigenous communities are looking to adopt the model.
Francene Sinquah, a citizen of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and an assistant scientist at the Center for Indigenous Health, has been involved in the tribe’s behavioral health initiatives for nearly two decades.
Native News Online spoke with Sinquah about the Celebrating Life program, its cultural significance, and its impact on the community….
___________________________________________________________
h/t David Nir (DK Official Image)
WAFF AL State Hous Rep. Marilyn Lands introduces bill aimed at tackling maternal, infant mortality rates
State Representative Marilyn Lands introduced a bill to tackle maternal and infant mortality rates in Alabama.
House Bill 89, also known as the Alabama Maternal Healthcare Act, would extend presumptive Medicaid eligibility to pregnant women.
Lands told WAFF 48 that around 11 percent of pregnant women in Alabama do not receive prenatal care. She hopes this new law will change that.
If passed, the bill would allow expecting moms to get short-term Medicaid coverage, which would allow them to receive the prenatal care they need.
__________________________________________________________
WyomingNews.com Op ed: Wyoming women need opportunities to achieve well-being, not protection
As a woman born and raised in Wyoming, I feel very safe in this great state — I always have. I bet most women you talk to can say the same. Yet, recent rhetoric from a growing number of lawmakers paints a picture of danger that doesn’t match reality.
Three days into the Wyoming legislative session, and already we’ve heard testimony and seen bill titles that claim to be designed to “keep women safe or protected.” I’m concerned that these bills and the testimony shared from a growing number of people are less about my well-being and more about using women’s “safety” as a tool for political manipulation — including bills like “What is a Woman Act” and “Protecting Women’s Safety in Public Spaces.”….
____________________________________________________________
h/t Meteor Blades (DK Official Image)
UtahStateUniv Publishes Second of Six White Papers: Women in the Workplace Part 2
The Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) at Utah State University has released the second of six white papers sharing the results of a comprehensive study conducted earlier this fall. The study supports “A Bolder Way Forward,” a statewide movement focused on ensuring that more Utah girls, women, and their families thrive.
The second white paper shares the findings from four topic areas: Entrepreneurship, Workforce Development, STEM Fields and Leadership Development. The 82-item survey, taken from Oct. 1 to Nov. 20, 2024, included a combined sample (representative and convenience samples) of 4,721 Utahns, including 1,123 men.
“For those who want to more deeply understand the perceptions and attitudes around the challenges Utah women and girls face, this 49-page report contains a significant amount of critical data that can help,” said lead researcher and author Susan Madsen, UWLP director and Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the USU Jon M. Huntsman School of Business.
“We invite the public to view this report in its entirety,”
____________________________________________________________
CalMatters Waiting in silence: How California’s first media center inside a women’s prison came to life
...As editor-in-chief of the prisoner-run San Quentin News, I responded to the mail the paper received from all over the state prison system ... complaints about our publication, grievances against the state and many good prison stories. There were writers of persuasion and eloquence.
But the letters that took my breath — and sleep — away were the letters from incarcerated women. One that haunted me ended with, “I know it doesn’t matter because I’m just another number.”
It’s hard to imagine you aren’t just a data point when every study about prison populations presents you as a statistical outcome of a few societal ills. But for the women, it was even easier for them to think they didn’t matter….
...There’s no training to help you confront the disparities that you’re exposed to as a prison newspaper editor. Until reading [their] letters, I hadn’t understood why women said “you’re privileged to be a man and can’t understand what it’s like to be a woman in the world.” I grew up as a Mexican machista. I was prideful. My father always told me, “Los hombres no lloran, mijo.” So I never cried. I didn’t want to, either.
But something happened when I read the women’s stories. Every time I opened an envelope with wrinkled up paper and smudgy faded blue lines, I’d fold it up and put it away to read later in my cell. I felt like I owed them privacy while I read their heartache….
____________________________________________________________
h/t Andrew Mangan (DK Official Image)
NPR Washington Episcoal Bishop Mariann Budde: 'I won't apologize' for sermon addressing Trump
...Budde joined NPR's All Things Considered on Wednesday to discuss her hope President Trump's new administration would show compassion toward vulnerable communities following a sermon she made on Tuesday.
"I decided to ask him as gently as I could to have mercy," Budde, said of her plea to Trump... "how dangerous it is to speak of people in these broad categories, and particularly immigrants, as all being criminals or transgender children somehow being dangerous."
"To be united as a country with so many riches of diversity, we need mercy. We need compassion. We need empathy….
...Trump and his allies quickly criticized the bishop's remarks, with one Republican congressman saying that the American-born Budde should be "added to the deportation list."
Despite the backlash, Budde told NPR that her remarks were sincere, and she did not have any regrets in bringing them to the president's attention [and that] "I don't feel there's a need to apologize for a request for mercy."
"I regret that it was something that has caused the kind of response that it has, in the sense that it actually confirmed the very thing that I was speaking of earlier, which is our tendency to jump to outrage and not speak to one another with respect," she continued. "But no ... I won't apologize for what I said."
____________________________________________________________
TheConversation Why we should talk with people we disagree with about politics [& things] by Rachel Wahl.
...As a scholar of political dialogue, for the past decade I have been studying conversations between people who disagree about politics. [I’ve found] that people rarely change their minds about political issues as a direct result of these discussions. But they frequently feel much better about the people with whom they disagree.
But ...Confrontations and arguments are not as productive as inquiry and honest curiosity. When people sense that others are sincerely curious about what they think, asking calmly posed, respectful questions, they tend to drop their defenses. Instead of being argumentative in response to an aggressive question, they try to mirror the sincerity they perceive.
[So, beyond] asking why someone voted as they did, you might ask about what they fear and what they hope for, what they believe creates a good society, and, importantly, about the personal experiences that have given rise to these fears, hopes and beliefs.
This curiosity-based approach has important effects on both the listener and the speaker. ... listener may come to understand how the speaker could make a choice that the listener considers to be a bad one yet still think of the speaker as a decent person … more relatable, and ... their intentions ... well-meaning – or even ethically sound…
...these conversations can help ward off the worst dangers springing from hatred and fear….
[And] these conversations can help promote the best of what democracy promises. In an ideal democracy, people do not only fight for their own freedoms but also seek to understand their fellow citizens’ concerns.People cannot create a society that supports everyone flourishing without knowing what others’ lives are like and without understanding the experiences, interests and convictions that drive them.
Finally, in the rare cases that people do change their minds about politics, I have found that it is not because they were argued into a different point of view. Instead, when someone is asked sincere, reflective questions, they sometimes begin to ask themselves those questions. And sometimes, over the years, they find their way into different answers….
That article is too long to republish in its entirety in this post, but it’s VERY interesting and encouraging. Click the top link to read it in full. You may end up very glad you did. :)
|
<big>This Week in the War on Women provides a weekly summary of news on women's issues and information on current political actions. We welcome all who are interested to join, to write for us, and to provide relevant links and stories.
h/t pixxer
♀️ Our Daily Kos group homepage is HERE. Click the FOLLOW button on that page for delivery of all our posts to your Activity Stream.
OR click at our series tags:
ThisWeekInTheWarOnWomen & wow1
and topic tag WarOnWomen
♀️ Archive of Trailblazing & Activist Women in History/wow2 HERE.
♀️ Everything blogged&reblogged to our group here.
This Week In The War On Women is a team effort. Thank you to everyone bringing links to the thread.</big>
|
|
