Brush Stroke
April 11, 2013      
Greetings!

Gun Control, Gun Control, Gun Control, has been the brunt of what we have been hearing in the media. Now we will get to discuss on the floor. Stay tuned as the sparks will no doubt begin to fly.

Take a look at the topics in this edition: Join us in changing the conversation... Read our (Wo)man in Washington and Mothers Central  blogs.

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The National Association of Mothers' Centers (NAMC) provides programs that empower mothers, fathers and caregivers to find solutions that work for their families, their work lives and their personal lives.
DispatchDC Dispatch: Gun Control Hits The Floor 
Surviving an attempt to avoid Senate debate of gun control before it had even started, advocates will now get a chance to put the issue on the floor and sparks will fly.  The NRA and other gun rights supporters have been tremendously effective in fighting back against demands to restrict access to certain high powered guns and high capacity ammunition following the horrific Sandy Hook massacre.  Sixteen Republicans in the Senate wanted to filibuster, which would have prevented any legislative response on gun control, and shielded all members from declaring which side they supported.  If bills come to a vote, there will be no cover to hide behind now.

Mothers have flocked to this issue in huge numbers and established a presence on the Hill, via a grassroots and social media presence called  Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.  With thousands of followers on Twitter and Facebook, they have lobbied congressional offices, held in person and virtual events to consolidate support and bring pressure on policy makers.  Best of luck to them - will they be a match for the formidable pro-gun influence and money in Washington?  Your life, and those of your children, may just depend on it.  Go, moms! 
RaisingRaising Daughters in a Sexist World
This just in from the American Psychological Association:  Sexualization of Girls explains how sexism is conveyed through media, how it affects our daughters, and what we can do to counter it.  All children must understand that the images of women they see in TV, in movies, and in advertising do not accurately portray the variety of female experience.  As mothers, we can initiate conversations and call attention to the misleading and damaging representations of girls and women in the media.   

 

In study after study, findings have indicated that women more often than men are portrayed in a sexual manner (e.g., dressed in revealing clothing, with bodily postures or facial expressions that imply sexual readiness) and are objectified (e.g., used as a decorative objects, or as body parts rather than a whole person). In addition, a narrow (and unrealistic) standard of physical beauty is heavily emphasized. These are the models of femininity presented for young girls to study and emulate.

 
ContraceptionCan Contraception Make A Stronger Society?

Birth Control Pills Did you know it used to be illegal to even distribute information about contraception, let alone actually sell contraceptives?  Looking back over the 50 years since women could control the number and frequency of their pregnancies, experts at the Brookings Institution note that household incomes have risen as unwanted pregnancy and poverty have decreased.  It's a good time to get a handle on the social effects of women exercising power over their motherhood.  Access to contraception remains an issue in the implementation of the new health care law, and on the obligations of employers when they are also religious institutions.

OptOutOpt-out, Pushed-out, Kept-out

Mothering, or the unpaid domestic labor women do at home, has serious societal and economic value.  Women's paid employment has serious societal and economic value.  The same is true for men.  But we do such a crummy job of combining these two absolutely necessary functions. Part of the reason lies in the fact that no two women have exactly the same story, but all of them are complicated and may be constantly evolving. From Nanette Fondas' very readable piece in The Atlantic:

 

While about one in three moms opts out of the labor force, we don't know how many of them are pushed out by long hours and inflexible workplaces. We know even less about the factors that keep them out, including unavailable and unwilling dads, as well as things like children's behavior and needs. This helps explain why the opt-out story never quite ends.

Michel Martin of "Tell Me More" hosted a panel discussion on the philosophy of the ubiquitous Ms. Sandberg and her exhortation to women to try harder at work.  Reminds me all over again that no matter what we need, we certainly also need a broader definition of success, separate and apart from the monetary compensation you receive.  You can listen or read the transcript here. 

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