One out of every five college women will be the victims of rape or attempted rape. Thousands more are robbed or otherwise assaulted. Avoiding becoming a statistic means taking control of your own safety. There are many things you can do to protect yourself should the need arise, but they need to be ingrained in your mind so that you can make use of them when you are in shock or are otherwise incapacitated. Here are 15 tips that will help ensure your college experience is memorable for the right reasons.

1. Assess the Risk

   A big part of protecting yourself is gauging potential threats before they become actual threats. Do you know the people you’re going to be hanging out with? Do you know where you are and where this party is that you’re going to? Is your cell phone charged? Are you wearing a lot of jewelry? Asking yourself questions like these can prevent the need for physical self-defense.

2. Trust Your Instincts

   Whether it’s intuition or some kind of evolutionary self-defense mechanism, humans, especially women, frequent have a sixth sense that warns us of danger. Rape and assault victims often describe having felt a feeling of foreboding or that “something wasn’t quite right” just before their attacks. One of your best defenses is that voice in your head that says you should cross to the other side of the street or go a different way. Don’t ignore it.

3. Taking Resistant Action Can Significantly Reduce Your Risk

   Stalling or screaming has been shown to increase the risk you will be injured in an attempted rape. But direct action, like warning the attacker, fighting back, and running away can lower the risk of a rape being completed by as much as 80%.

4. Alcohol Lowers Your Defenses

   Although date rape drugs and “roofies” get more attention and much has been made of women pouring their own drinks, rape as a result of incapacitation due to alcohol is about 18 times more prevalent than incapacitation due to being drugged. In other words, the real danger is not in someone spiking your drink, but in having too much of that drink.

5. Groin Grab

   Every woman’s self-defense class teaches this move. If an attacker is close to you, in front or behind, grabbing his testicles with all your strength is a simple and effective move to employ. If the attacker is wearing tight jeans, knee or punch him in the groin instead. Slapping him just before attacking the groin is a good way to keep him from blocking the move. And be ready to run as soon as you complete the move, while he is recovering.

6. Eye Gouge

   The Three Stooges-style eye poke is easily dodged by the attacker because he can see it coming well before it arrives. But if you are able to place your hands on the side of his face and then slide your thumbs over his eyes, he won’t have time to defend it. This can be an extremely damaging to deadly move depending on how hard you press.

7. Give Them the Elbow

   A great way to escape when having your hair pulled from behind is to turn slightly and thrust your elbow into the attacker’s face. The elbow is a very tough bone and can do serious damage. Follow it up with a kick to the groin or by smashing his foot with your foot as hard as you can, then run.



8. Everyday Items Can Double as Weapons

   If you’re a coffee drinker, that steaming liquid in your hand becomes a powerful weapon when you pop the top off and throw it at an attacker. Ballpoint pens, keys, nail files, combs, paper clips, and hair spray can all buy you precious seconds in which to escape if you use them as weapons.

9. There’s No Fighting with an Attacker with a Knife

   Don’t buy into martial arts videos that teach you karate moves for escaping from a knife-wielding attacker; 95% of those techniques fail. Your best defense is to throw your purse at the attacker or hit him with it, screaming loudly, and run. Don’t stop screaming, and be aware of your surroundings. Look for a crowded place to run to. If you have to physically block a knife attack, keep your arms low to block his arm. Loose clothing like sweaters can be used to entangle the knife.

10. Be Vigilant at ATMs

    Robberies at ATMs are a huge area of crime, and college campus ATMs often have less security than a bank would offer. Don’t go at night unless you go with a friend. If you see someone suspicious lurking near an ATM, don’t use it. Knowing exactly what transactions you want to make before using an ATM reduces the time you are vulnerably facing the machine.

11. Have Situational Awareness

    Predators look for people who are distracted or look like they don’t know where they are going. This means walking around talking on a cell phone is inadvisable. You need your focus unhindered to effectively take in your surroundings. If you park somewhere, memorize where your car is so you can walk straight to it. Also, don’t walk around with headphones blaring in your ears.

12. Know Where the Call Boxes Are

    All campuses now have (or should have) call boxes placed around campuses for use in an emergency. All you should have to do is run up to it and push the button to be connected with campus police. Memorize where these are and don’t count on having your cell phone with you. It may be taken or dropped in a struggle.

13. Break His Nose

    With the right technique, even a child can break a person’s nose. If your attacker’s in front of you, throw your weight into a jab with the base of your palm up under his nose. For an attacker from behind, use the elbow. A bloodied nose can disorient him and make it difficult for him to breathe.

14. Practice with Pepper Spray

    It’s quite possible you won’t have the time or an opportunity to reach for the pepper spray in your purse. However, if you get the chance, you need to be skilled in its operation so that you don’t accidentally spray yourself. Practicing reaching for and shooting the spray helps you learn how to do it quickly and also what to expect in terms of range when you pull the trigger.

15. Don’t Lower Your Guard

    There’s a difference between being trusting and being naive. An estimated 90% of college women who are sexually assaulted knew their attacker. Be prepared to defend yourself at all times, not just when you are with strangers.

Image credits: 1 2

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• Help Walmart and Feeding America Fight Hunger This Spring

More than 50 million Americans don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Usually we hear most about helping those in need during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, which is when most charitable giving is done. This makes sense, but poverty and hunger affects millions of people every single day, not just during the holidays of selfless giving.

As the instability of the national job market continues, more families are finding themselves in need of a little help, and springtime traditionally brings a decrease in food and charitable donations to food banks across the country. To help increase meals for those in need during the spring hunger gap, Walmart has teamed up with Feeding America in a nationwide Fighting Hunger Together initiative that is expected to generate 43 million meals for families in need.

From April 9th to April 30th, you can Vote to fight spring hunger with Walmart on Facebook and rally support for communities in need of hunger relief. Among the 200 communities with the highest unemployment rate (as determined by a Department of Labor report), Walmart will donate a total of $2 million to the 21 communities who receive the most support as a result of the Facebook campaign. The breakdown is that $1 million will be donated to the winning community and the 20 runners-up will each receive a $50,000 donation.

My support will definitely be behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA, my hometown. I would love to see my community benefit from this initiative during a time when it really needs that support. Take a look at the communities with the highest unemployment rates that you will be able to vote for starting April 9th through Walmart’s Fighting Hunger Together Facebook campaign.

During these three weeks of April you can also participate in this Fighting Hunger Together initiative by shopping at Walmart and purchasing select products from four of the most popular and recognized food brands in America that are also participating, ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft, and Kellogg’s. Customers can donate meals to Feeding America or Action for Healthy Kids, a nonprofit organization that works to fight childhood hunger. Just by shopping the brands you and your family love, you can help make a difference in the lives of countless families in need this spring.

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Women’s history is everyone’s history. Just like men, women have molded and shaped the known world for better and for worse alike. Throughout this month dedicated to honoring women’s history, you’ll find a great opportunity for recognizing great movies for, by, and about women. Organize a movie night and get educated about some of the seriously cool ladies–both real and fictitious–populating the cinematic sphere.

Biopics



1. La vie en rose dir. Olivier Dahan: Singer Edith Piaf led a life at once beautiful and wholly tragic, reflected in this heavily acclaimed film starring the haunting Marion Cotillard.
2. Julie & Julia dir. Nora Ephron: Even audiences who manage to burn water can still love and appreciate the absolutely charming Julia Child – played here by Meryl Streep – and enthusiasm for the culinary arts.
3. Selena dir. Gregory Nava: Learn all about Tejano music sensation Selena Quintanilla-Perez, whose life shockingly and tragically ended when the president of her fan club committed a wholly unexpected murder.
4. Evita dir. Alan Parker: Argentinians either adore or despise struggling actress Evita Duarte and her husband, President Juan Peron, and this cheesy-but-beloved musical illustrates their wild days and mad existence.
5. Amelia dir. Mira Nair: Amelia Earhart may have failed in her attempt to circumnavigate the globe, but as an aviatrix still serves as an inspiration to girls and women hoping to succeed in traditionally male-dominated industries and hobbies.
6. Persepolis dirs. Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi: This striking animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi’s seminal graphic memoir delves deeply into the changing face of Iran following the deposition of the shah and the personal prejudices she encountered living in Europe.
7. Joan of Arc dir. Victor Fleming: Even some nonreligious women find Joan of Arc and her fearless battlefield prowess a strong role model, and she pops into vivid life here depicted by the stellar Ingrid Bergman.
8. Erin Brockovich dir. Steven Soderbergh: Like all films adapting real people and situations, liberties regarding the nonfiction inevitably occur here. But that doesn’t diminish the core environmental justice, public health, and consumer rights messages at the center of this biopic.
9. The Runaways dir. Floria Sigismondi: Joan Jett herself intimately participated in the production of a movie all about the early days of her influential teenage rock band The Runaways.
10. Silkwood dir. Mike Nichols: Explore the very real, very terrifying true story of Karen Silkwood, who witnessed some awful human rights violations while working at a plant processing plutonium and died under mysterious and suspicious circumstances.

Chick Flicks/Comedies



11. Waiting to Exhale dir. Forest Whitaker: Forest Whitaker’s second full-length feature adapted Terry McMillan’s novel, which traces the trajectories of four African-American women as they attempt to navigate changing roles and romances.
12. Secretary dir. Steven Shainberg: This sexy, sultry viewing pleasure demonstrates that absolutely no shame exists in women assuming a submissive role in S&M scenarios–provided that’s genuinely what sexually satisfies her, of course.
13. Caramel dir. Nadine Labaki: Originally titled Sukkar banat, this movie takes place in a Beirut beauty shop and peeks at the diverse lives and loves of the workers and customers alike.
14. Thelma & Louise dir. Ridley Scott: Critics and audiences often tout Thelma & Louise as one of the all-time greatest buddy movies ever committed to celluloid because of its riveting central characters, who murder a rapist and find themselves on the lam.
15. The Joy Luck Club dir. Wayne Wang: Women’s history doesn’t get much more intimate than the bonds between mother and daughter, and Amy Tan’s novel and its subsequent film adaptation highlight two generations of Chinese-American ladies to showcase this near-universal theme.
16. The Devil Wears Prada dir. David Frankel: Power struggles between two extremely different approaches to life as an office lady form the crux of this movie’s central conflict, juxtaposing the competitive “ice queen” edifice of yesteryear with today’s pluckier ingenues.
17. Amelie dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet: Movies don’t get more charming and whimsical than this without Muppets, and Amelie is classic viewing for feel-good times.
18. Calendar Girls dir. Nigel Cole: To fundraise for a Yorkshire hospital, the Women’s Institute members compile a nude calendar in this encouraging comedy that proves young ladies don’t corner the market on beauty.
19. Dancer in the Dark dir. Lars von Trier: Despite existing as one of the most moving tearjerkers that ever jerked tears, Bjork’s killer performance of an immigrant woman whose American dreams splinter deserves watching at least once.
20. Steel Magnolias dir. Herbert Ross: Steel Magnolias centers around a beauty parlor in Louisiana and reflects on the experiences and cultural memes that made them simultaneously as soft as flowers and as hard as metal.

Documentaries/Women’s Issues



21. The Invisible War dir. Kirby Dick: Female soldiers who experienced rape and sexual assault while serving in the United States Armed Forces speak out about their suffering as well as the nation’s failure to properly address and acknowledge it.
22. The Perfect Vagina dir. Heather Leach: Host Lisa Rogers launches an exhaustive inquiry into why so many women risk losing sexual sensation by paying for expensive labial, vaginal, and other genital reconstructive surgeries.
23. Born Into Brothels dirs. Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman: Explore Calcutta’s squalid red light district through the eyes of poverty-stricken children born to prostitutes, who receive their own video cameras and training to document their daily experiences.
24. Pray the Devil Back to Hell dir. Gini Reticker: Beginning with one lady and one church, a strong, solid, effective Liberian peace movement comprised of the nation’s women spread to other houses of worship–eventually culminating in the election of its first female head of state.
25. The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter dir. Connie Field: No less than the United States National Film Registry wants to preserve Connie Field’s film about the women who hit the work force during World War II before societal expectations forced them back into the kitchen.
26. Cruel and Unusual dirs. Janet Baus, Dan Hunt, and Reid Williams: Transwomen who wind up in the prison system often experience far more inhumane treatment than their traditional counterparts, with the horrid details popping into shocking light here.
27. The Line dir. Nancy Schwartzman: This thoroughly sex-positive short documentary tries to make sense of how American society tends to marginalize female rape survivors who aren’t virgins or otherwise “perfect victims.”
28. Good Hair dir. Jeff Stilson: Comedian Chris Rock delivers a somewhat sociological analysis of African-American hairstyles–particularly those of women–and the expensive (sometimes unethical and/or hazardous) practices that spring up as a result.
29. Miss Representation dir. Jennifer Siebel Newsom: The media’s track record for portraying the true diversity of women remains, to put it nicely, rather awful, and Miss Representation tackles the problem unapologetically.
30. The Business of Being Born dir. Abby Epstein: Along with Ricki Lake, documentarian Abby Epstein delves into the disconcerting downsides of giving birth in America, which she surprisingly ends up experiencing firsthand when she gets pregnant during filming.

LGBTQ Interest/Social Issues



31. Transamerica dir. Duncan Tucker: Central character Bree Osbourne receives very different news at once–she finally received approval for sexual reassignment surgery and has a previously unknown, troubled son living in New York.
32. The Color Purple dir. Steven Spielberg: Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning novel springs to vivid, heart-wrenching life through this celluloid classic, which chronicles the life of a heavily marginalized, African-American woman from adolescence until mid-to-late adulthood.
33. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days dir. Cristian Mungiu: Romanian women in the 1980s were barred from securing abortions for unwanted pregnancies, meaning a thriving, and sometimes dangerous, underground flourished. The boiling drama showcases what lengths the female population will take when denied body autonomy.
34. Boys Don’t Cry dir. Kimberly Peirce: Based on a true story, the visceral Boys Don’t Cry depicts popular boy Brandon Teena whose life winds up a fatal nightmare when his small town pals discover he’s biologically a woman.
35. Hairspray dir. John Waters: Lively and life-affirming, one of John Waters’ more mainstream-accessible works features a confident, strong, and refreshingly non-waifish heroine who wields her new-found popularity to promote integration.
36. Real Woman Have Curves dir. Patricia Cardoso: Issues unique to the children of Mexican immigrants as well as women in the workplace–and, of course, their frequently frustrating unequal intersections–form the central themes of this film about a young woman trapped between college or career.
37. The Apple dir. Samira Makhmalbaf: This movie is a narrative about one family’s extreme measures to shelter the young daughters from outside influence.
38. Sarafina! dir. Darrell Roodt: This film pulls from the schools involved in the Soweto Riots and dissects how teachers can hold hefty influence over their students during times of political oppression.
39. Fish and Elephant dir. Yu Li: Chinese censors attempted to suppress one of the nation’s first-known LGBTQ-themed productions, which involves a simple narrative of a lesbian couple, returning lovers, and oblivious mothers.
40. Fried Green Tomatoes dir. Jon Avnet: Adapted from the Fannie Flagg (who also penned the screenplay) novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, this movie celebrates the power of friendships across generations and follows the inspiring romance between two Depression-era women.

Image credits: 1 2 3 4

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This project has achieved amazing success; by just the end of 2010, it raised over $100,000 from $2,500+ grassroots contributors that has gone to increase support and resources available to teenagers in the LGBT community through the project’s affiliation with the Trevor Project suicide hotline, GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), and the ACLU LGBT Project. By the end of this month, the It Gets Better Project will reach an even wider audience with the premiere of the It Gets Better special that will air on both MTV and Logo on Tuesday, February 21st at 11:00 p.m. ET.

The 60-minute special will be anchored by Dan Savage and will follow the lives of three young people at pivotal and emotional moments in their lives: a young man struggling to tell his family and friends that he is gay; a lesbian fighting for parental acceptance; and a transgender man preparing to get married. In additional to these stories, the special will also include video messages full of hope and support from very well-known people, including Adam Levine, Zachary Quinto, Margaret Cho, Chaz Bono, Tim Mcllarth and Brandon Barnes of Rise Against, Vinny Guadagnino, Dave Holmes, Sia and Jake Shears.

Check out the following clip from the It Gets Better special featuring Vanessa who is talking to her mother about her personal fight for acceptance:

This project came at a very crucial moment in time and this special is also very much needed in our society. Simply put, kids are dying. Every day, LGBT youth are being bullied by their peers as well as by adults and authority figures in their communities. They are paying attention to the 2012 political race to the White House and hearing from politicians that everything they are is what is wrong with society. They are being discriminated against, told that they are less-than, rejected and ostracized by their own families, and being cast out for no other reason than being who they are. The statistics are tragic: 9 out of 10 LGBT students have experienced harassment at school; LGBT teens are bullied 2 to 3 times as much as straight teens; LGBT youth with “highly rejecting” families are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than those whose families accept them; more than 1/3 of LGBT youth have attempted suicide.

Kids are dying and the most important thing that we can do, that anyone can do, is accept everyone for who they are because that is enough.

When speaking about the It Gets Better special, Dan Savage said:

“The lives of these three young people will resonate with millions of teens–gay and straight–who are being bullied for simply being themselves. It’s so important they know that things get better and that living openly and honestly and being who you are makes it better. They have so many great moments ahead of them and they will do things they never thought possible–so long as they keep fighting, stay positive, and stay with us.”

The It Gets Better special is the second Dan Savage-centric announcement to come from MTV as of late; he will also be seen this spring in Savage U with Lauren Hutchinson, a show that will follow the duo as they travel to college campuses across the country offering a crash course to students on relationships, responsibility, sex, love, and life.

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I woke up yesterday morning to a familiar winter chill filling the air. The kind of chill that makes its way into your home regardless of how high the heat is turned up and immediately consumes you before you even open your eyes. The kind of chill that becomes a part of you if you have always lived in a place where it snows, as I have, where as soon as you feel it, you know that while you were sleeping, nature was busy transforming every inch of outside space as far as you can see into the distance a beautiful, pristine white.

Whenever I wake up to newly-fallen snow, I get the same feeling: complete and utter excitement followed by a list of all the ways I could spend my day. You see, a day of snow still makes me feel like I have a personal snow day to take advantage of. It’s a sort of mental health day as commanded by the snow; nature’s little gift to the child in me.

When I look back on these days that I have spent doing very little besides playing video games, watching movies or old episodes of my favorite television shows, or reading a book and drinking freshly-brewed coffee, I realize that I really am lucky. There are a lot of people out there who can’t take that one day in the dead of winter and spend it doing only what they feel like doing. There are millions of people living in this country alone who do not have a home to keep them warm and protected throughout the winter season, and 1 out of every 3 homeless people are under the age of 18.

For the fifth consecutive year, DoSomething.org has teamed up with Aéropostale and P.S. stores for the Teens for Jeans drive.

From now until February 12th, collect your gently worn jeans, any brand, and drop them off at your local Aéropostale or P.S. store. Your jeans will be donated to local homeless shelters and charities that will directly impact a homeless teen’s life. So if you’ve been putting off cleaning out your closet, or if you’re still holding on to jeans that are either too small or too big, give them a new home with someone who will greatly benefit from your contribution. When you drop off your old jeans, you will also receive 25% off a new pair of Aéropostale jeans!

In four years of the Teens for Jeans drive, over 1.5 million pairs of jeans have been collected. To help and motivate youth to have an even bigger impact this year, DoSomething.org has some amazing prizes available for schools who sign up to host a Teens for Jeans drive. As of this writing, over 7,500 schools have signed up and the school that collects the most jeans will win new Aéropostale jeans for every student, a party for their entire school, and $5,000.

Visit Teens for Jeans to sign up your school (make sure it’s okay with your school principal first!), or donate your old jeans on your own at your local Aéropostale or P.S. store and get 25% off a new pair of jeans.

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Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a profound speech to a packed auditorium in Geneva where hundreds of human rights activists have gathered for International Human Rights Day, which will take place worldwide this Saturday. In the 30-minute speech, Clinton mentioned the uphill battles that have been fought and won through tireless activism and perseverance throughout history; battles such as repealing and abolishing racist laws, no longer accepting the notion that women should be treated as second-class citizens, and fighting for the ability of religious minorities to practice their faith freely and without prejudice. While success has come with these battles, much work remains for those who hope to see a world in which discrimination no longer plays a role in the daily lives of minorities or those who have been cast out as “others.” One group of those who are still being denied their basic fundamental human rights in large parts of the world, including in the United States, are those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender–the LGBT community. This community was the topic of Secretary of State Clinton’s speech, which is being heralded as a modern day “I Have a Dream” speech and after watching video of it twice now, I can definitely see why.

You can watch Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s International Human Rights Day speech below, followed by a full transcript:

Transcript:

Good evening, and let me express my deep honor and pleasure at being here. I want to thank Director General Tokayev and Ms. Wyden along with other ministers, ambassadors, excellencies, and UN partners. This weekend, we will celebrate Human Rights Day, the anniversary of one of the great accomplishments of the last century.

Beginning in 1947, delegates from six continents devoted themselves to drafting a declaration that would enshrine the fundamental rights and freedoms of people everywhere. In the aftermath of World War II, many nations pressed for a statement of this kind to help ensure that we would prevent future atrocities and protect the inherent humanity and dignity of all people. And so the delegates went to work. They discussed, they wrote, they revisited, revised, rewrote, for thousands of hours. And they incorporated suggestions and revisions from governments, organizations, and individuals around the world.

At three o’clock in the morning on December 10th, 1948, after nearly two years of drafting and one last long night of debate, the president of the UN General Assembly called for a vote on the final text. Forty-eight nations voted in favor; eight abstained; none dissented. And the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. It proclaims a simple, powerful idea: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. And with the declaration, it was made clear that rights are not conferred by government; they are the birthright of all people. It does not matter what country we live in, who our leaders are, or even who we are. Because we are human, we therefore have rights. And because we have rights, governments are bound to protect them.

In the 63 years since the declaration was adopted, many nations have made great progress in making human rights a human reality. Step by step, barriers that once prevented people from enjoying the full measure of liberty, the full experience of dignity, and the full benefits of humanity have fallen away. In many places, racist laws have been repealed, legal and social practices that relegated women to second-class status have been abolished, the ability of religious minorities to practice their faith freely has been secured.

In most cases, this progress was not easily won. People fought and organized and campaigned in public squares and private spaces to change not only laws, but hearts and minds. And thanks to that work of generations, for millions of individuals whose lives were once narrowed by injustice, they are now able to live more freely and to participate more fully in the political, economic, and social lives of their communities.

Now, there is still, as you all know, much more to be done to secure that commitment, that reality, and progress for all people. Today, I want to talk about the work we have left to do to protect one group of people whose human rights are still denied in too many parts of the world today. In many ways, they are an invisible minority. They are arrested, beaten, terrorized, even executed. Many are treated with contempt and violence by their fellow citizens while authorities empowered to protect them look the other way or, too often, even join in the abuse. They are denied opportunities to work and learn, driven from their homes and countries, and forced to suppress or deny who they are to protect themselves from harm.

I am talking about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, human beings born free and given bestowed equality and dignity, who have a right to claim that, which is now one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time. I speak about this subject knowing that my own country’s record on human rights for gay people is far from perfect. Until 2003, it was still a crime in parts of our country. Many LGBT Americans have endured violence and harassment in their own lives, and for some, including many young people, bullying and exclusion are daily experiences. So we, like all nations, have more work to do to protect human rights at home.

Now, raising this issue, I know, is sensitive for many people and that the obstacles standing in the way of protecting the human rights of LGBT people rest on deeply held personal, political, cultural, and religious beliefs. So I come here before you with respect, understanding, and humility. Even though progress on this front is not easy, we cannot delay acting. So in that spirit, I want to talk about the difficult and important issues we must address together to reach a global consensus that recognizes the human rights of LGBT citizens everywhere.

The first issue goes to the heart of the matter. Some have suggested that gay rights and human rights are separate and distinct; but, in fact, they are one and the same. Now, of course, 60 years ago, the governments that drafted and passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were not thinking about how it applied to the LGBT community. They also weren’t thinking about how it applied to indigenous people or children or people with disabilities or other marginalized groups. Yet in the past 60 years, we have come to recognize that members of these groups are entitled to the full measure of dignity and rights, because, like all people, they share a common humanity.

This recognition did not occur all at once. It evolved over time. And as it did, we understood that we were honoring rights that people always had, rather than creating new or special rights for them. Like being a woman, like being a racial, religious, tribal, or ethnic minority, being LGBT does not make you less human. And that is why gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.

It is violation of human rights when people are beaten or killed because of their sexual orientation, or because they do not conform to cultural norms about how men and women should look or behave. It is a violation of human rights when governments declare it illegal to be gay, or allow those who harm gay people to go unpunished. It is a violation of human rights when lesbian or transgendered women are subjected to so-called corrective rape, or forcibly subjected to hormone treatments, or when people are murdered after public calls for violence toward gays, or when they are forced to flee their nations and seek asylum in other lands to save their lives. And it is a violation of human rights when life-saving care is withheld from people because they are gay, or equal access to justice is denied to people because they are gay, or public spaces are out of bounds to people because they are gay. No matter what we look like, where we come from, or who we are, we are all equally entitled to our human rights and dignity.

The second issue is a question of whether homosexuality arises from a particular part of the world. Some seem to believe it is a Western phenomenon, and therefore people outside the West have grounds to reject it. Well, in reality, gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world. They are all ages, all races, all faiths; they are doctors and teachers, farmers and bankers, soldiers and athletes; and whether we know it, or whether we acknowledge it, they are our family, our friends, and our neighbors.

Being gay is not a Western invention; it is a human reality. And protecting the human rights of all people, gay or straight, is not something that only Western governments do. South Africa’s constitution, written in the aftermath of Apartheid, protects the equality of all citizens, including gay people. In Colombia and Argentina, the rights of gays are also legally protected. In Nepal, the supreme court has ruled that equal rights apply to LGBT citizens. The Government of Mongolia has committed to pursue new legislation that will tackle anti-gay discrimination.

Now, some worry that protecting the human rights of the LGBT community is a luxury that only wealthy nations can afford. But in fact, in all countries, there are costs to not protecting these rights, in both gay and straight lives lost to disease and violence, and the silencing of voices and views that would strengthen communities, in ideas never pursued by entrepreneurs who happen to be gay. Costs are incurred whenever any group is treated as lesser or the other, whether they are women, racial, or religious minorities, or the LGBT. Former President Mogae of Botswana pointed out recently that for as long as LGBT people are kept in the shadows, there cannot be an effective public health program to tackle HIV and AIDS. Well, that holds true for other challenges as well.

The third, and perhaps most challenging, issue arises when people cite religious or cultural values as a reason to violate or not to protect the human rights of LGBT citizens. This is not unlike the justification offered for violent practices towards women like honor killings, widow burning, or female genital mutilation. Some people still defend those practices as part of a cultural tradition. But violence toward women isn’t cultural; it’s criminal. Likewise with slavery, what was once justified as sanctioned by God is now properly reviled as an unconscionable violation of human rights.

In each of these cases, we came to learn that no practice or tradition trumps the human rights that belong to all of us. And this holds true for inflicting violence on LGBT people, criminalizing their status or behavior, expelling them from their families and communities, or tacitly or explicitly accepting their killing.

Of course, it bears noting that rarely are cultural and religious traditions and teachings actually in conflict with the protection of human rights. Indeed, our religion and our culture are sources of compassion and inspiration toward our fellow human beings. It was not only those who’ve justified slavery who leaned on religion, it was also those who sought to abolish it. And let us keep in mind that our commitments to protect the freedom of religion and to defend the dignity of LGBT people emanate from a common source. For many of us, religious belief and practice is a vital source of meaning and identity, and fundamental to who we are as people. And likewise, for most of us, the bonds of love and family that we forge are also vital sources of meaning and identity. And caring for others is an expression of what it means to be fully human. It is because the human experience is universal that human rights are universal and cut across all religions and cultures.

The fourth issue is what history teaches us about how we make progress towards rights for all. Progress starts with honest discussion. Now, there are some who say and believe that all gay people are pedophiles, that homosexuality is a disease that can be caught or cured, or that gays recruit others to become gay. Well, these notions are simply not true. They are also unlikely to disappear if those who promote or accept them are dismissed out of hand rather than invited to share their fears and concerns. No one has ever abandoned a belief because he was forced to do so.

Universal human rights include freedom of expression and freedom of belief, even if our words or beliefs denigrate the humanity of others. Yet, while we are each free to believe whatever we choose, we cannot do whatever we choose, not in a world where we protect the human rights of all.

Reaching understanding of these issues takes more than speech. It does take a conversation. In fact, it takes a constellation of conversations in places big and small. And it takes a willingness to see stark differences in belief as a reason to begin the conversation, not to avoid it.

But progress comes from changes in laws. In many places, including my own country, legal protections have preceded, not followed, broader recognition of rights. Laws have a teaching effect. Laws that discriminate validate other kinds of discrimination. Laws that require equal protections reinforce the moral imperative of equality. And practically speaking, it is often the case that laws must change before fears about change dissipate.

Many in my country thought that President Truman was making a grave error when he ordered the racial desegregation of our military. They argued that it would undermine unit cohesion. And it wasn’t until he went ahead and did it that we saw how it strengthened our social fabric in ways even the supporters of the policy could not foresee. Likewise, some worried in my country that the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” would have a negative effect on our armed forces. Now, the Marine Corps Commandant, who was one of the strongest voices against the repeal, says that his concerns were unfounded and that the Marines have embraced the change.

Finally, progress comes from being willing to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. We need to ask ourselves, “How would it feel if it were a crime to love the person I love? How would it feel to be discriminated against for something about myself that I cannot change?” This challenge applies to all of us as we reflect upon deeply held beliefs, as we work to embrace tolerance and respect for the dignity of all persons, and as we engage humbly with those with whom we disagree in the hope of creating greater understanding.

A fifth and final question is how we do our part to bring the world to embrace human rights for all people including LGBT people. Yes, LGBT people must help lead this effort, as so many of you are. Their knowledge and experiences are invaluable and their courage inspirational. We know the names of brave LGBT activists who have literally given their lives for this cause, and there are many more whose names we will never know. But often those who are denied rights are least empowered to bring about the changes they seek. Acting alone, minorities can never achieve the majorities necessary for political change.

So when any part of humanity is sidelined, the rest of us cannot sit on the sidelines. Every time a barrier to progress has fallen, it has taken a cooperative effort from those on both sides of the barrier. In the fight for women’s rights, the support of men remains crucial. The fight for racial equality has relied on contributions from people of all races. Combating Islamaphobia or anti-Semitism is a task for people of all faiths. And the same is true with this struggle for equality.

Conversely, when we see denials and abuses of human rights and fail to act, that sends the message to those deniers and abusers that they won’t suffer any consequences for their actions, and so they carry on. But when we do act, we send a powerful moral message. Right here in Geneva, the international community acted this year to strengthen a global consensus around the human rights of LGBT people. At the Human Rights Council in March, 85 countries from all regions supported a statement calling for an end to criminalization and violence against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

At the following session of the Council in June, South Africa took the lead on a resolution about violence against LGBT people. The delegation from South Africa spoke eloquently about their own experience and struggle for human equality and its indivisibility. When the measure passed, it became the first-ever UN resolution recognizing the human rights of gay people worldwide. In the Organization of American States this year, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights created a unit on the rights of LGBT people, a step toward what we hope will be the creation of a special rapporteur.

Now, we must go further and work here and in every region of the world to galvanize more support for the human rights of the LGBT community. To the leaders of those countries where people are jailed, beaten, or executed for being gay, I ask you to consider this: Leadership, by definition, means being out in front of your people when it is called for. It means standing up for the dignity of all your citizens and persuading your people to do the same. It also means ensuring that all citizens are treated as equals under your laws, because let me be clear – I am not saying that gay people can’t or don’t commit crimes. They can and they do, just like straight people. And when they do, they should be held accountable, but it should never be a crime to be gay.

And to people of all nations, I say supporting human rights is your responsibility too. The lives of gay people are shaped not only by laws, but by the treatment they receive every day from their families, from their neighbors. Eleanor Roosevelt, who did so much to advance human rights worldwide, said that these rights begin in the small places close to home – the streets where people live, the schools they attend, the factories, farms, and offices where they work. These places are your domain. The actions you take, the ideals that you advocate, can determine whether human rights flourish where you are.

And finally, to LGBT men and women worldwide, let me say this: Wherever you live and whatever the circumstances of your life, whether you are connected to a network of support or feel isolated and vulnerable, please know that you are not alone. People around the globe are working hard to support you and to bring an end to the injustices and dangers you face. That is certainly true for my country. And you have an ally in the United States of America and you have millions of friends among the American people.

The Obama Administration defends the human rights of LGBT people as part of our comprehensive human rights policy and as a priority of our foreign policy. In our embassies, our diplomats are raising concerns about specific cases and laws, and working with a range of partners to strengthen human rights protections for all. In Washington, we have created a task force at the State Department to support and coordinate this work. And in the coming months, we will provide every embassy with a toolkit to help improve their efforts. And we have created a program that offers emergency support to defenders of human rights for LGBT people.

This morning, back in Washington, President Obama put into place the first U.S. Government strategy dedicated to combating human rights abuses against LGBT persons abroad. Building on efforts already underway at the State Department and across the government, the President has directed all U.S. Government agencies engaged overseas to combat the criminalization of LGBT status and conduct, to enhance efforts to protect vulnerable LGBT refugees and asylum seekers, to ensure that our foreign assistance promotes the protection of LGBT rights, to enlist international organizations in the fight against discrimination, and to respond swiftly to abuses against LGBT persons.

I am also pleased to announce that we are launching a new Global Equality Fund that will support the work of civil society organizations working on these issues around the world. This fund will help them record facts so they can target their advocacy, learn how to use the law as a tool, manage their budgets, train their staffs, and forge partnerships with women’s organizations and other human rights groups. We have committed more than $3 million to start this fund, and we have hope that others will join us in supporting it.

The women and men who advocate for human rights for the LGBT community in hostile places, some of whom are here today with us, are brave and dedicated, and deserve all the help we can give them. We know the road ahead will not be easy. A great deal of work lies before us. But many of us have seen firsthand how quickly change can come. In our lifetimes, attitudes toward gay people in many places have been transformed. Many people, including myself, have experienced a deepening of our own convictions on this topic over the years, as we have devoted more thought to it, engaged in dialogues and debates, and established personal and professional relationships with people who are gay.

This evolution is evident in many places. To highlight one example, the Delhi High Court decriminalized homosexuality in India two years ago, writing, and I quote, “If there is one tenet that can be said to be an underlying theme of the Indian constitution, it is inclusiveness.” There is little doubt in my mind that support for LGBT human rights will continue to climb. Because for many young people, this is simple: All people deserve to be treated with dignity and have their human rights respected, no matter who they are or whom they love.

There is a phrase that people in the United States invoke when urging others to support human rights: “Be on the right side of history.” The story of the United States is the story of a nation that has repeatedly grappled with intolerance and inequality. We fought a brutal civil war over slavery. People from coast to coast joined in campaigns to recognize the rights of women, indigenous peoples, racial minorities, children, people with disabilities, immigrants, workers, and on and on. And the march toward equality and justice has continued. Those who advocate for expanding the circle of human rights were and are on the right side of history, and history honors them. Those who tried to constrict human rights were wrong, and history reflects that as well.

I know that the thoughts I’ve shared today involve questions on which opinions are still evolving. As it has happened so many times before, opinion will converge once again with the truth, the immutable truth, that all persons are created free and equal in dignity and rights. We are called once more to make real the words of the Universal Declaration. Let us answer that call. Let us be on the right side of history, for our people, our nations, and future generations, whose lives will be shaped by the work we do today. I come before you with great hope and confidence that no matter how long the road ahead, we will travel it successfully together. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

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Starting today and throughout the month of October, Breeze Comfort will donate 10% of their proceeds to My Hope Chest, an organization that funds breast reconstruction for breast cancer survivors. The organization was founded in 2003 by Alisa Savoretti who is a Las Vegas showgirl and breast cancer survivor herself. Not having insurance at the time of her diagnosis, Savoretti underwent a mastectomy and returned to Las Vegas just five months after chemotherapy, taking the stage as the “Lop-Sided Showgirl.”

Through her own life experience, Alisa Savoretti founded My Hope Chest after realizing the significant gap in treatment and quality of treatment that exists for uninsured women who undergo mastectomies. My Hope Chest is the only national breast reconstruction organization that is working to help uninsured women receive the breast reconstruction surgery that, in many cases, their self-esteem and confidence relies on.

In addition to donating 10% of their proceeds throughout the month to My Hope Chest, Breeze Comfort has also taken 30% off all of their pink bras. Use coupon code 30OFF at checkout to receive the discount.

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MyGoodDeed founders Jay Winuk and David Paine remember the outpouring of support, love and generosity that they and many others in need received immediately after the attacks and through this effort, they hope to unite anyone and everyone across the country around that same giving spirit.

Below are several volunteer opportunities where you can lend a hand this weekend. There are events and a need for volunteers all over the country, so wherever you live, you can still give your time and effort to a good cause. Also, if you do plan on getting out this weekend and giving back, or when you complete a service project, be sure to share your story on 911Day.org and join the 9/11 Tribute Movement.

New York
Volunteers are needed for the Hand in Hand Remembering 9/11 event where thousands of people will stand united along the Hudson River starting in Battery Park, joining hands in solidarity. Several shifts are available for energetic volunteers to help with check-in and traffic control.

There are many other volunteer opportunities on both September 10 and September 11 around the city. For information about each one and how to get involved visit the Hand in Hand 9/11 website.

The National 9/11 Flag has been touring the country for the past several years, being restored by people nation-wise. The flag will become part of the permanent collection of the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center. Through the New York Says Thank You Foundation you can sponsor a stitch of the flag with a donation of $5. With a donation of $10, you can both sponsor a stitch in addition to acknowledging a loved one in the military or someone special who serves your community as a first responder, educator, volunteer or everyday hero by adding their name to the National 9/11 Flag Honor Roll.

On September 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Pace University Community and Volunteer Mobilization AmeriCorps program will host Chinatown C.A.R.E.S., a Community Resource Fair at the Broome Street Pit at Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Several small service projects will also be underway at nearby locations, including a cleanup of a local park and a care package drive for troops abroad.

Muslims For Life is holding blood drives nationwide at mosques and prayer centers across the country to the honor victims of 9/11. Donate blood and help them meet their goal of 10,000 units of blood collected in order to save 30,000 lives during the month of September.

New Jersey
Jersey Cares are facilitating over 35 different projects in which they are looking for 1,000 volunteers to participate in from today until September 12. Volunteer projects include preparing disaster readiness kits, serving hot food to those in need, helping plant a 9/11 memorial garden, painting murals and building patriotic picnic tables.

Washington, DC
Greater DC Cares is looking for 10,000 volunteers to give back to their communities from Friday to Sunday. Volunteer projects include crafting organic seed globes of flowers to be planted around town and helping to put together educational tools for elementary and middle school students that will be given to schools in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Get the full list of volunteer opportunities and learn how to get involved on their website.

7,000 students are also being encouraged to get involved by writing letters to troops and their families.

California
Big Sunday is hosting a food drive and potluck community breakfast. They are currently collecting non-perishable food at their office and will continue to do so until Sunday morning when all items will be sorted, boxed and delivered to SOVA.

There will also be a memorial service and interfaith prayer gathering for those in Los Angeles, as well as the opportunity for people to build museum fixtures and models honoring the U.S. military that will be featured in Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum.

September is the Season of Service for those living in the Bay Area. On September 11, 500 volunteers, veterans and first responders will gather at the Veterans War Memorial Building at the San Francisco Civic Center to remember, pay tribute and serve community nonprofits.

Washington
Seattle Works and volunteers will be making blankets to be donated to the Red Cross.

In Tacoma, Habitat for Humanity will be registering for a new volunteer orientation on September 10.

Illinois
The White Sox have organized the largest volunteer opportunity in the state calling for about 500 volunteers to help transform McClellan Elementary School by painting murals, installing new structures and helping with other reconstruction tasks.

A volunteer opportunity for seniors ages 55 and up are being asked by Operation Support Our Troops Illinois to write letters of thanks to the military men and women currently serving our country.

Arab American Family Services are planting trees at Commissioners Park.

Texas
The Volunteer Center of North Texas with the Texas Rangers are hosting the third annual North Texas Volunteer Challenge as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance. This is a four-hour service project that raises funds for more than 1,700 nonprofit organizations of various causes.

There are even more volunteer opportunities taking place in smaller states throughout the country. Check out the 9/11 Tribune Movement website for the full list.

Remember by doing.

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For the second consecutive year, Nine West has released a mini collection under their Runway Relief Program which aims to combine the forces of the fashion and modeling industries in order to raise funds to aid in breast cancer awareness and prevention.

Three items make up the collection–a military-inspired boot containing a Runway Relief dog tag, a rockin’ black tank top and an amazing, road warrior-inspired messenger bag–with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s charitable organization.

All of the items in the mini collection are available for pre-order now. The tank and military-inspired boot will ship on August 9 and the messenger bag will ship on September 6 just in time for fall collections.

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During an interview with a reporter from reason.tv, Damon defended teachers and the work that they do all over the country. He even went as far as to speak to the cameraman, who had jumped into the interview with a statistic that 10% of teachers are “bad” and that 10% of people in any profession should have made a different career choice. Damon retaliated with, “Well maybe you’re a shitty cameraman, I don’t know.”

Matt Damon has never been one to shy away from sharing his opinions on a whole host of a social and world issues and I have to say, every time he does, I think I like him more.

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I should probably state that you will most likely only fall in love with this dress in a realistic sense if you have the body for an incredibly fitted dress made of jersey. I do not, but I sure do love looking at this dress anyway. Adorned with wavy ruffles along the shoulder and front and back of the dress that hang off to the side, it is a really great piece for the occasional outdoor summer party or anywhere else you’ll be going this season where you want to dress to impress.

The Margarita dress is so obviously inspired by the waves and color of the ocean, so it’s only natural that Pally decide to give 20% of the proceeds of this dress throughout the month of June to the Surfrider Foundation.

The Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit, grassroots organization that is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. They are committed to preserving beach access, preventing beach loss, protecting special places and eliminating ocean water pollution.

The foundation was founded in 1984 by a group of visionary surfers in Malibu, California and has grown to maintain more than 60,000 members and 100 chapters worldwide.

The price tag of the Rachel Pally Margarita dress is $229 and if you have to justify the price, know that a portion of your sale will go to directly benefit our world’s beaches and making them healthy, clean and fun for everyone.

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Shoes are so, incredibly essential to our every day safety and in most of our lives, they are taken for granted. Soles4Souls has donated shoes to people affected by poverty and natural disasters throughout the world for the past seven years. To successfully donate so many shoes to deserving people in need, Soles4Souls receives large donations from footwear companies, retailers, churches, nonprofit ministries, civic groups, schools and individuals just like you and me who feel strongly about donating what we can, where we can. And what’s easier than donating a pair of shoes?

In order to raise awareness of their cause and to encourage people to donate their unused and new shoes to people who desperately need them, Soles4Souls has kicked off National Barefoot Week, starting today with National Barefoot Day.

Today will kick off various events across the country and will also celebrate the first U.S. distribution of 2011 Barefoot Week, which will take place in Detroit. To get involved in Barefoot Day, simply take off your shoes and tell people, if you dare venture outside, why you’re not wearing any shoes. Good luck getting into any places of business, but if you’re a kick ass activist willing to take risks, try your luck by walking into a restaurant or store and declaring why you’re not wearing any shoes and how some people don’t have the luxury of walking outside, putting on a pair, and walking back in.

You can also take your barefoot activism online, of course. Change your Twitter avatar and Facebook profile pic to a picture of your bare feet. Be sure to add a caption about why your picture is of bare feet and why not send a tweet while you’re at it? Something like: My feet are bare for Soles4Souls’ Barefoot Week. Learn more on giveshoes.org.

CharityBuzz.com is also hosting a Celebrity Shoe Auction where you can bid on shoes signed by celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Yoko Ono, Justin Timberlake, Derek Jeter, and others.

Tomorrow, Soles4Souls Founder & CEO and staff will go barefoot and they are challenging all members of the press to go barefoot for at least four consecutive hours during the week and report on its effects to their viewers. People in need in St. Louis will receive shoes from Soles4Souls on Thursday and on Friday, people in the Boston area will be receiving shoes.

On Saturday and Sunday, Soles4Souls has asked more than 150,000 churches to join in and get involved by taking off their shoes. As part of this movement, congregants can bring their new or gently-worn shoes to church or donate funds to Soles4Souls to help put shoes on the feet of the 300 million children around the world who must go barefoot every day of their lives. For more information, visit Barefoot Sunday.

On Monday, June 6, shoes will be given to people in need in Los Angeles and on June 7th, Soles4Souls will be headed to Atlanta to deliver shoes.

Updates on what is going on throughout the week will be added to the Barefoot Week website where you will also find more information on other ways you can get involved.

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With the release of a very symbolic tee featuring a distressed print that still manages to radiate the message of the dawn of a new day, the ‘Rise’ tee will help in aiding the communities and areas affected with all profits from sales going directly to the Red Cross Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund.

The tee seems to be selling quickly, now only available in sizes extra small, small and large. It is made of 100% cotton in Canada and sells for $38.

When you buy the ‘Rise’ tee, your contribution to the Red Cross Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund will provide emergency needs including shelters, meals and snacks, as well as physical and mental health services.

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In an effort to raise awareness about the critical role nonprofit organizations play in all of our lives, as well as the opportunity to give back to the organizations who have truly made an impact on the people within their communities, HeartMath has kicked off their Recognizing Community Care contest. By nominating your favorite nonprofit organizations in your community, they will be entered to win one of HeartMath’s exceptional prizes, including fully paid participation in HeartMath’s De-Stress Workshop and The Resilient Organization. HeartMath will also select an international nonprofit organization to receive two highly acclaimed stress-reducing emWave technology products.

This contest comes at an impeccable time, as a way to reach out and help charities and nonprofit organizations who may be feeling especially stressed in a poor economy. As Institute of HeartMath President Sara Childre said in a press release, these organizations may be experiencing limited funding while they are also in higher demand to serve more people every day. She also said, “To help inspire and care for the organizations providing so much vitality to our communities, we want to solidify the concept of care and invite their constituents to help reward them for their dedication and hard work.”

If you want to give back to an organization that is constantly giving to the people within their community, nominate them. Nominations for this contest will close on May 31, 2011 at 11:45 p.m. PT.

Only 501(c)3 nonprofits in U.S. and Canada are eligible to win the Grand and Runner-up prizes. Only nonprofits outside U.S. and Canada are eligible to win the International Prize.

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It is very seldom that I talk to people and the topic of social issues does not arise. In addition to keeping up with world news and current events to maintain Woman Tribune as a timely and relevant webspace, I have always merely just been interested in how society works which has lead to, more importantly, how to initiate conversations with others on creating change in the areas of our society that are downright troubling, in my oh so humble frame of mind, of course. Because so often the question of “what I do” comes up in introductory and basic conversation, it is extremely difficult to keep those topics of conversation that you’re not “supposed” to bring up–social issues, politics, sometimes religion–out of my chats with pretty much anyone I come into contact with.

I am a political-minded person. I always have been. Perhaps this is because I have never, not once in my entire life, been told that I am wasting my time by thinking that I have the power to initiate, and to contribute to change in the world. I have never been told that there are more important things I could be doing in my life other than blogging, letter and email-writing, reaching out to my district’s Representative in Washington and rooting my fellow activists on when they are petitioning and organizing marches and protests and doing all they can do in the hopes for change that is long overdue in several aspects of our culture. I have never been told that the beliefs I hold so strongly about the world and our society are a waste of time or effort.

I have, however, been told that I am wrong about my positions on many different issues. Several times, the underlying root of all of my strong-held beliefs have been “found out” and from them, I have been accused of being too politically correct and too compassionate. Too compassionate? I never, in my wildest, most extreme frame of mind, have thought that could ever be seen as a bad trait.

You see, folks, I’m a feminist. A big one. A radical, sex-positive, fighting-for-equality, all-encompassing, people-loving feminist. I’m also a liberal, although I have been told that I am “too liberal” for even the mainstream liberals to handle. I let all of my stances on most all issues hang out shamelessly on my blog, Menstrual Poetry. It gets trolled a lot. During the 2008 presidential election, I received death threats. There are many, nameless people within the feminist blogosphere in all of its forms, and I suppose throughout the entire blogosphere, that strive to attempt to silence a group of people who muster all of their strength day in and day out to persevere through diligence and passion just to speak their own truth and to stand up and fight for the rights of people who are consistently seen as “less-than” by a large number of people within the walls of our society.

I know a little bit about being seen as “less-than” and maybe that’s the reason why compassion has always come to me effortlessly. It was never something that I had to think about, nor have I ever had to muster compassion within myself to give to another, or ask myself if I was exhibiting compassion towards others at all. Compassion makes up a significantly large portion of who I am as a human being and is indeed the underlying root of most all of the causes and issues that I am passionate about. This is not to say that I am better, more knowledgeable, or have more heart than any other person out there. I am in no way above anyone else, I’m just coming from a different perspective here.

Bloggers Unite is bringing the topic and act of compassion to the forefront of blog conversations today with their blogging event, International Day of Compassion in Honor of Dr. Patch Adams. This is a conversation I am very eager to have.

Dr. Patch Adams lives his life with compassion for others oozing out of his pores. This is admirable in any person, but when it comes to Dr. Patch Adams, he is truly a revolutionary, leading his fight with compassion leading the way to better lives for his patients and everyone and anyone who crosses his path.

In addition to being an American physician, Dr. Adams is also a social activist, a citizen diplomat, as well as an author. In 1971, he founded the Gesundheit! Institute where each year, he organizes a group of volunteers from around the world to travel to various countries dressed as clowns in order to bring humor to people, patients and orphans of those countries.

After learning more about Dr. Patch Adams, I can say that I deeply admire him, especially for his thoughts on the way health care in the U.S. should work. He believes that the health care model should not be funded by insurance policies, which is something I wholeheartedly agree with on every level.

When it comes to most things in life, all we really have to look at as a moral compass and what we do in response to the people around us is look to our own life’s struggles and tribulations. Sure, during the holidays people throw a spare dollar or two into those synonymous-with-the-holidays red kettles of the Salvation Army either because they want that money to see the hands of someone who desperately needs it, or because it’s something that has been ingrained into their heads as something nice to do, or because they think it’s the “right” thing to do. But when you commit yourself to a cause and to changing the way people think about a certain issue, especially when you do this when it isn’t red kettle money-dropping season, most often, you are grabbing from your own life experiences in order to create the most lasting change for that person or group of people that you possibly can.

As for me, I’m passionate about a lot of things; most of which because I can see myself, my life and the struggles I have been forced to persevere through in a lot of issues that need some serious reform due to the lack of compassion and justice in the world.

I see some of that same frame of mind in what Dr. Patch Adams has done throughout his life. As a result of being bullied in school, Patch Adams was suicidal as a teenager and was hospitalized three times in one year for wanting so badly to end his life. After these hospitalizations, he made the realization that “you don’t kill yourself; you make revolution,” and that is exactly what he has been doing ever since.

There is so much in our world that needs to changed. It is possible and do not ever, not for a second, let anyone tell you that the world you envision living in isn’t possible or that you don’t have the power within yourself to initiate or contribute to lasting change in the world. Take the lead of Dr. Patch Adams and other revolutionaries throughout our history and every time you get knocked down, stand up again and declare your truth louder each time.

Compassion is what contributes to the greatness of humanity; if more people were to look inside themselves and exhibit compassion in everything they do, we would see so much less suffering in the world. We would see the world in the way we have always envisioned it to be–with less struggling, less hunger, less homelessness, less ignorance, less sickness, less silencing, and with more love, more understanding and more peace.

As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin’ for light in the darkness of insanity.

And each time I feel like this inside,
There’s one thing I wanna know:
What’s so funny ’bout peace, love and understanding?

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After seeing a post on Dr. Patch Adams’ website, Bloggers Unite were inspired to create a day in his honor centered around this very trait that Dr. Adams so abundantly lives his life by. In the post, Dr. Adams put together a variety of different ways to show compassion in your everyday life. The list was designed to be part of a medical school program, but on May 15th, Bloggers Unite is asking bloggers all over the world to join them in celebrating Dr. Patch Adams and the act of compassion by picking one or two ideas out of this list and incorporating them into your blogging.

How would these ideas change you as a person, and how would that change impact your loved ones and their loved ones?

Take a moment, think about it and share your story with the world on May 15th for International Day of Compassion in Honor of Dr. Patch Adams.

“Compassion is not religious business, it is human business. It is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability. It is essential for human survival.”
–Dalai Lama

• Keep a journal about your relationship with love and compassion. What is it? Ask everyday, how are you giving it? (Pay close attention. Be present.) How are you receive it? (From everything, from strangers, from trees, etc.)

• Do things outrageous for love, like clowning.

• Actually see if you can produce the vibration of compassion for prolonged periods. What sustains it? (Friends, having meaning, fun.) What hurts it? (Arrogance, apathy, tight underwear.) Are there times you do not want to be compassionate?

• Be observant of compassion in action around you, everywhere, and give details of its language.

• Become aware of compassionate projects around the world and plan on at least one elective at a project.

• Explore the language of love and compassion. Read psychologists and poets, write essays on things you love.

• How do you recognize love and compassion? Are there measurements?

• How do you change performances of compassion in different situations?

• Explore how you relate to other people on issues of class consciousness, race, age, sexual preference. Pay close attention. Decide to connect with people you don’t normally hang out with.

• Explore this question: Should a medical student be evaluated for compassion and not graduate if they are not compassionate? How is it evaluated? By who?

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Escaping from an abusive relationship and reinventing oneself on their own terms puts to use the exact tools and skill set that entrepreneurship relies on.

While countless women have escaped from lives of domestic violence and have went on to create lives for themselves that fulfill and inspire them, they all could have used some additional help and support during a time when they needed it the most.

Verizon Wireless is now giving survivors of domestic violence living in New York State an opportunity to secure funding for home-based or small businesses. In cooperation with the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Verizon Wireless has launched its Domestic Violence Entrepreneurship Program, which grants funding to women to help get their home-based or small business off the ground.

So often, financial struggles are what keep women in abusive relationships, lacking the resources and support they desperately need in order to free themselves. By having the opportunity to secure funding for a business of their own, survivors will have the ability to create long-term safety and financial stability for themselves. The rewards that can be obtained from running a home-based or small business are immeasurable and very much priceless to the survivors who may have not ever been able to achieve this dream, and peace of mind in the process, without the help of such grants.

The Domestic Violence Entrepreneurship Program provides grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to help women help themselves. According to Verizon Wireless, the funding may be used to make a down payment on a work space, purchase a computer or other office equipment, purchase initial product inventory, or be used as collateral to support the receipt of a small business loan, or to help pay the costs of attending an entrepreneurship program or business course.

Applicants interested in receiving a grant through the Domestic Violence Entrepreneurship Program will need to submit: a business proposal and a letter from a domestic violence program or advocate attesting to the individual’s participation in domestic violence services.

At this time, this program is only open to survivors living in New York State.

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Have you ever thought about what you would do if you were to ever come into a good amount of money? I have; I call these thoughts the fantasy mind game, but it’s always good to have a plan, regardless of how “out there” the situation may be. You just never know. My answer is always the same. I would buy a house just big enough to comfortably fit my family; I don’t need anything extravagant, I have always been a purely practical person. I would of course pay off bills, make sure we had everything we needed, put away money for the education of my children, and then the rest of that money would go directly to charities and hard-working organizations that I support.

As it stands now, however, I do not have a lot of money and cannot give generously to the organizations that are always in great need of help and support. That’s why I am so glad that I found out about GiveBack, especially now, during their 100 Days of Giving.

GiveBack makes it easy for anyone to raise awareness about their favorite charities and earn impact points and donations for their causes. If you support more than one charity, you can keep track of all of the organizations you love through the GiveBack dashboard, which makes it super easy to manage your donations.

100 Days of Giving is a fabulous incentive to get more people interested in charitable giving and motivated to make a difference. To start making an impact and raising money for your favorite charities, sign up for a GiveBack account. Once you have confirmed your account, you can start sharing your own GiveBack link on Facebook, Twitter, through email and even blog and forum posts to get your friends to join and support causes that are near and dear to their hearts.

Through July 16, 2011, GiveBack will randomly choose one lucky member a day to receive $1,000 to donate to their favorite charity. At the end of 100 Days of Giving, the person who has accumulated the most impact points will win $50,000 for their cause.

In addition to the chance to win money from GiveBack to support your cause, if you shop through the GiveBack stores, you will earn a percentage of cash back from every purchase you make from retailers like Macy’s, Target, the Apple Store, Barnes & Noble, and a whole lot more. There are also daily deals each and every day for particular stores where you will earn double cash back to lend a helping hand to your favorite charities. Now that is a pretty sweet deal.

Join GiveBack today and start making an impact!

This post was written as part of a blog campaign through One2One Network. Additional incentives were provided to me, and opinions are my own.

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March is Women’s History Month and it’s a great time to reflect on all of the ways that women have left their mark on the world. A fun way to learn about and celebrate women in history is through the movies, whether you’re watching biographies on iconic women, or learning about their struggles through documentaries and historic films. Read on to find 50 great movies celebrating women and their history.

1. Our Times: American women aren’t the only ones with a reform struggle to tell. Our Times focuses on Iranian women in the 2001 presidential election.

2. One Woman, One Vote: One Woman, One Vote documents the passing of the 19th Amendment by one vote.

3. The Amasong Chorus: Singing Out: This movie shares the growing subculture of lesbian and gay signing choruses through the rise of this feminist and lesbian chorus.

4. Iron Jawed Angels: Hilary Swank stars in this movie about the women’s rights movement in America.

5. The Passion of Joan of Arc: See the story of the powerful Joan of Arc in this movie.

6. Sisters of Selma: Catholic nuns had a large part in the efforts to secure voting rights for African Americans in Selma, Alabama, and this movie tells their story.

7. Nine to Five: These women show their boss that they can do a much better job than he can.

8. The Miracle Worker: The Miracle Worker shows Annie Sullivan’s amazing work as Helen Keller’s tutor.

9. Not for Ourselves Alone: Watch this movie about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to learn about the struggle for women’s rights.

10. Two Women: Two Women is about two women who attended University of Tehran through the Islamic revolution.

11. The Sound of Music: Watch The Sound of Music in a different light–as the sexual awakening of a woman.

12. The Education of Shelby Knox: This girl transforms from a conservative Southern Baptist to feminist liberal Christian who fights for sex education and gay rights.

13. Mama Flora’s Family: See America in the 20th century through Flora, a black woman.

14. Lioness: Although policy forbids women from serving in direct ground combat units, these five female support soldiers ended up in direct ground combat in the Iraq war. They share their experiences through footage, journals, interviews and more.

15. Far From Heaven: This woman realizes that picture perfect isn’t always perfect.

16. Evita: The musical Evita shares the life of a child from the lower class who rises to the role of first lady and spiritual leader of Argentina.

17. The Joy Luck Club: Amy Tan’s novel comes to life in this movie about a Chinese-American woman’s understanding of her roots.

18. Missing Peace: Watch Missing Peace to learn how war fails women of faith in various religious backgrounds.

19. The Magdalene Sisters: Watch this movie about women in an asylum for “wayward women” in Ireland.

20. V for Victory: Watch V for Victory to see how important women were to WWII.

21. The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter: Rosie the Riveter celebrates the achievements of women in World War II, sharing interviews with real workers as well as footage from women working in WWII.

22. Sylvia: Gwyneth Paltrow stars in this movie about the poetry and life of Sylvia Plath.

23. Elizabeth: Elizabeth shows the growth of the new Queen Elizabeth.

24. Isa B. Wells: A Passion for Justice: This movie shares Isa B. Wells’ life as a black female journalist, best known for her anti-lynching campaign.

25. Around the World in 72 Days: Journalist Nellie Bly’s life is explored in this biographical documentary.

26. A Midwife’s Tale: Martha Ballard was an 18th century midwife whose life is told in this movie.

27. Warrior Queen: Warrior Queen offers the story of the Celtic queen Boudica, who shook the Roman Empire.

28. Madame Curie: Learn about the Polish woman scientist who discovered radium in Madame Curie’s biopic.

29. Mona Lisa Smile: The female students in this movie are bright, but seem to be just waiting around for the right man to marry, but their teacher helps them reach their potential.

30. 14 Women: Study the 109th Congress that had 14 women in the Senate through 14 women.

31. Navy WAVES & Coast Guard SPARS: Particularly produced in WWII, this movie shares the role of women in the military from the 40s to the 70s.

32. Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl: Watch this movie about immigrant women at the turn of the century.

33. The Circle: The Circle shows how a woman and her baby daughter are unwanted in Iran.

34. Phat Girlz: Mo’Nique’s movie discusses women living life to the fullest.

35. License to Thrive: License to Thrive depicts the journey of the legislation that opened doors for women in educational programs and activities.

36. Trouble the Water: Follow aspiring rap artist Kimberly as she finds redemption in surviving Hurricane Katrina.

37. Amelia: Amelia tells the story of Amelia Earhart, the young aviatrix who won the Distinguished Flying Cross for being the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

38. Frida: Learn about the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo.

39. Erin Brockovich: Erin Brockovich’s movie shows the power of one woman who took down a power company polluting a city’s water supply.

40. Secrets of the Dead: Secrets of the Dead shares the lives of the race of warrior women, the Amazons.

41. Fly Girls: The story of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran in particular is told in Fly Girls, through archival film and home movies.

42. Companeras: Companeras offers the story of America’s first all-female Mariachi band.

43. North Country: Watch this movie about Josey Aimes, a woman who went to work in the iron mines.

44. Norma Rae: Sally Field stars in this movie about a textile worker who stands up against deplorable working conditions.

45. My Brilliant Career: Sybylla rejects the opportunity of marriage to maintain her independence and take a job as a governess.

46. Three Sovereigns for Sarah: Three Sovereigns for Sarah shares the true story of the Salem Witch Trials.

47. Born Into Brothels: Kids who are the children of prostitutes in Calcutta’s red light district were chosen to photograph their lives, and their work is shown in this movie.

48. Burning Times: The Burning Times takes a look at the with persecutions that took place in Europe.

49. Salt of the Earth: Salt of the Earth tells a powerful story of feminism, as the wives of miners in a strike for wage parity play a pivotal role in victory.

50. Rosita: Rosita shares the journey of a 9-year-old Nicaraguan girl who became pregnant from rape, and became the subject of political and religious debate.

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The prayer bracelet, which features Japanese and English characters, as well as her Little Monsters logo, are available on the official Lady Gaga website and are $5 each. The bracelets will ship on and after March 25th.

If you are not a Lady Gaga fan, but still wish to contribute to the relief efforts in Japan, see a list of organizations and charities who are accepting donations here.

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So often, when natural disasters strike, the first thing so many people want to know is how they can help. Young people on the other hand, have a harder time contributing to their favorite charities and very often, do not have the means in order to do so. By participating in Paper Cranes for Japan, it is still possible to feel like you are doing something and hopefully, the people of Japan and those who need hope the most right now, will find this campaign and take something very valuable away from it–hope.

So here’s how it works:

Find or upload a photo of an origami paper crane.
OR
Make your own origami paper crane and take a picture of it.
THEN
Upload that photo along with a message of support to the Paper Cranes for Japan Facebook page.

Why paper cranes?

Cranes are sacred creatures in Japanese culture. According to ancient legend, anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish–like long life or recovery from illness–by a crane.

Paper Cranes for Japan aims to collect 100,000 photos of origami cranes from young people around the world to represent 100 wishes for relief and healing to all who have been affected by this tragic natural disaster.

While folding and uploading pictures of your origami paper cranes is an amazing and simple thing to do in order to provide hope to the people of Japan, if you have the means, please also consider donating to a charity you trust and help them to provide relief to those who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami. You can find a list of the charities who have mobilized to provide relief and need your help here.

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Here is a video taken on the ground in Japan of the tsunami and the destruction it has caused in the area, including causing people’s belongings, trash, cars, buses and houses to be washed away from where they once stood.

About 170,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the area covering a radius of 12 miles around a nuclear plant in Fukushima near Iwaki due to a partial meltdown that was likely under way at a second nuclear reactor in the area. Authorities were frantically trying to prevent a similar threat from happening at a nearby unit following the earthquake and tsunami. Breaking news reported on Twitter that 15 people in the vicinity of the Fukushima nuclear plant have been exposed to radiation.

Images from the tsunami and earthquake have been turning up and have been posted on pretty much every news website imaginable. They are heartbreaking.

When something like this happens, the first thing so many people want to know is how they can help. Many organizations and funds have mobilized to provide relief to those who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

The Red Cross has launched efforts in Japan. To donate, you can text REDCROSS to 90999 that will donate $10 from your phone. You can also visit Redcross.org for other donation options.

Save the Children is organizing efforts and donations to its Children’s Emergency Fund that will support outreach.

International Medical Corps is responding to the health needs of the victims of this disaster. To donate and learn of the other ways you can contribute to its medical response, visit InternationalMedicalCorps.org. You can also text MED to 80888 from any mobile phone to donate $10.

The Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund has launched GlobalGiving.org to receive funds that will be given to a variety of relief organizations that will help victims of the earthquake.

Their website states that they “are working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground to provide support.” GlobalGiving.org has already raised over $100,000 from concerned Twitter users around the world.

Doctors Without Borders is sending two three-person teams to the Iwate and Miyagi prefectures in Japan. Visit DoctorsWithoutBorders.org to make a donation and learn more about the organization’s efforts.

Mercy Corps is accepting donations for their overseas partner Peace Winds Japan who currently have personnel on the ground distributing emergency relief in Japan.

Operation USA has announced efforts to collect bulk corporate donations of health care supplies. You can visit OpUSA.org to donate bulk medical items.

Google has also stepped up to help. They have placed a tsunami alert on its front page and has launched the Person Finder: 2011 Japan Earthquake to help connect people that may have been displaced due to the disaster. Google has also launched a crisis response page that includes information with local resources and emergency information.

Head of PayPal‘s nonprofit group, Judy Chang, has announced that transactional fees incurred by money transfers to US 501(c)(3) organizations (or charities registered with the Canada Revenue Agency) between March 11th and April 10th will aid relief efforts in Japan.

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While International Women’s Day has been over for two days now, we must not forget that the women in our lives, and who make up our society, deserve to be honored, celebrated and acknowledged more than just one day a year. Sadly, even with this one day a year, many people still are not even aware that International Women’s Day exists. A great deal of people are also not aware that March is Women’s History Month.

On the last day of February 2011, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 as Women’s History Month for, as far as I have been able to research, the second year in a row.

The Presidential Proclamation of Women’s History Month is as follows:

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

During Women’s History Month, we reflect on the extraordinary accomplishments of women and honor their role in shaping the course of our Nation’s history. Today, women have reached heights their mothers and grandmothers might only have imagined. Women now comprise nearly half of our workforce and the majority of students in our colleges and universities. They scale the skies as astronauts, expand our economy as entrepreneurs and business leaders, and serve our country at the highest levels of government and our Armed Forces. In honor of the pioneering women who came before us, and in recognition of those who will come after us, this month, we recommit to erasing the remaining inequities facing women in our day.

This year, we commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future. International Women’s Day is a chance to pay tribute to ordinary women throughout the world and is rooted in women’s centuries-old struggle to participate in society on an equal footing with men. This day reminds us that, while enormous progress has been made, there is still work to be done before women achieve true parity.

My Administration has elevated the rights of women and girls abroad as a critical aspect of our foreign and national security policy. Empowering women across the globe is not simply the right thing to do, it is also smart foreign policy. This knowledge is reflected in the National Security Strategy of the United States, which recognizes that countries are more peaceful and prosperous when their female citizens enjoy equal rights, equal voices, and equal opportunities. Today, we are integrating a focus on women and girls in all our diplomatic efforts, and incorporating gender considerations in every aspect of our development assistance. We are working to build the participation of women into all aspects of conflict prevention and resolution, and we are continuing to lead in combating the scourge of conflict related sexual violence, both bilaterally and at the United Nations.

In America, we must lead by example in protecting women’s rights and supporting their empowerment. Despite our progress, too many women continue to be paid less than male workers, and women are significantly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. By tapping into the potential and talents of all our citizens, we can utilize an enormous source of economic growth and prosperity. The White House Council on Women and Girls has continued to remove obstacles to achievement by addressing the rate of violence against women, supporting female entrepreneurs, and prioritizing the economic security of women. American families depend largely on the financial stability of women, and my Administration continues to prioritize policies that promote workplace flexibility, access to affordable, quality health care and child care, support for family caregivers, and the enforcement of equal pay laws. I have also called on every agency in the Federal Government to be part of the solution to ending violence against women, and they have responded with unprecedented cooperation to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence and enable survivors to break the cycle of abuse.

As we reflect on the triumphs of the past, we must also look to the limitless potential that lies ahead. To win the future, we must equip the young women of today with the knowledge, skills, and equal access to reach for the promise of tomorrow. My Administration is making unprecedented investments in education and is working to expand opportunities for women and girls in the STEM fields critical for growth in the 21st century economy.

As we prepare to write the next chapter of women’s history, let us resolve to build on the progress won by the trailblazers of the past. We must carry forward the work of the women who came before us and ensure our daughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements, and no remaining ceilings to shatter.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2011 as Women’s History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2011 with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the history, accomplishments, and contributions of American women. I also invite all Americans to visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about the generations of women who have shaped our history.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

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Not all of the women who are being paid tribute in this video received the recognition and accolades that they so richly deserved at the time they were alive to benefit from them. It is because of this, and so much more, that we must make it a point to honor these women now and to never forget what we have been given by these awe-inspiring women who have done so much to shape the world and cultures we are free to experience today and who had worked so hard and so diligently towards having the rights that many of us take advantage of in our own lifetimes granted.

To see every single one of the 100 women who have been carefully selected to appear in the tribute video above, go to 100 Women of Destiny’s website to meet 100 women who changed the world.

Also be sure to check out a post we recently published, 50 Fascinating Facts for Women’s History Month, to learn even more about women’s history.

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International Women’s Day is more prominently celebrated in Europe, Africa and Russia, commemorated by parades, gifts of acknowledgment and fanfare. It is sad to me on such a personal level that this day is not as joyously celebrated here in the U.S. A great deal of people are still not even aware that this day exists.

That isn’t to say that there is nothing going on today, because the dedicated and phenomenal social activists of this country are doing amazing things to make sure that the message of International Women’s Day is spread widely. In Washington D.C. over a thousand people are set to descent on Capitol Hill to demand a better world for millions of marginalized women and girls around the world. Other events are also taking place around the world today. Annie Lenox will lead a mass march across London’s Millennium Bridge for charity, in Sydney, Australia, a major international businesswomen’s conference will be hosted, Trade Unions and charities are also campaigning and global corporations are hosting conferences and distributing extensive resource packs. The United Nations Secretary-General will also deliver a formal message.

In fact, here is a video from Annie Lenox talking about the 100th anniversary or International Women’s Day:

Kari Henley over at The Huffington Post has another great idea in celebrating International Women’s Day–To reach out, acknowledge and honor the oldest woman in your life. For a lot of us, the oldest women in our lives grew up not having the basic rights we as women have today. The right to vote, for instance, along with the right to work outside of the home and to have many employment opportunities be made readily available to us, although it must also be noted that not all employment opportunities are made available to women, since many women who are in traditionally male fields are still met by criticism and misogyny. Many of the oldest women we know were also not allowed the right to own their own property or have their own businesses, nor were they allowed to have control over their own health and reproductive health choices.

Today is a fantastic day to honor these women in our lives, to hear the stories of what their lives were like growing up and navigating their way within this world and the society that existed before many of us were brought into this world.

Kari Henley said it best in her post, to make it a point to get in touch with the oldest living woman you personally know–giver her a call or pay her a visit and ask her to tell you what her life was like as a woman when she was young. “For it is upon the shoulders of these foremothers we all stand today, and they cannot be recognized enough.”

Well said indeed.

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