By Cindy Cooper; posted with permission from On the Issues Magazine Perhaps one of the biggest impediments to women’s equality in the United States is a pervasive, persistent and too-common myth: it’s all been done. It’s a cruel trick, as if the exhortation to girls that they can do anything is turned on its head [...]

June through August, HBO has presented a line up of documentaries, which serves as an alternative to the lightweight fare prevalent during the summer months.  Out of seven films, five take on socially relevant themes including the hazards of domestic natural gas ("Gasland"), the story of Iranian symbol Neda Agha-Soltan ("For Neda"), the evolution of [...]

Patty Sherman says that she "escaped" her abusive marriage in 2000.  In June of this year, 2010, she passed the ninth anniversary of her freedom, healing process and the recovery of her self.  Patty speaks out to educate the public because she knows that it’s hard, if not impossible, to understand how it happens and [...]

Most American women might presume that the dangers of maternal mortality are a concern and problem only in developing nations. They’re wrong.  A March 2010 report put out by Amnesty International entitled, Deadly Delivery: The Maternal Health Care Crisis in the USA, highlights eye-opening findings. The data is based on research carried out during 2008 [...]

Reading Materials Tamara Weinstein introduces us the book "Black Dogs and Blue Words: Depression and Gender in the Age of Self-Care" by Kimberly Emmons. A book that analyzes the rhetoric surrounding depression (via Feminist Review). Summer time and one more book list for your vacation, featuring classic books like "The Old Man and the Sea" [...]

Last week a huge step happened in the right direction for the marriage equality. Courtney writes @ Feministing about that: “Boston judge rules federal gay marriage ban unconstitutional”. Yesterday, a judge in Boston ruled that the federal gay marriage ban is unconstitutional, taking a huge step in the right direction for marriage equality. U.S. District [...]

Reading Materials: Remember those high school summer reading lists? SKM over at  Shakesville gives us her own list for this summer. Some great recommendations, and check out the comments for even more. Melissa Arjona introduces us to the new book "Beauty Shop Politics: African American Women’s Activism in the Beauty Industry" by Tiffany M. Gill [...]

A new study on gender equality by the Pew Research Center was released last week. Tracy Clark-Flory in "Equality: The global gap between belief, reality" gives us more info about the results (via Salon.com). Oh joy, a new study on gender equality by the Pew Research Center was released today. The good news first: Most [...]

Enjoy the long weekend and Happy fourth of July! Reading Materials The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction, Britain’s leading nonfiction prize, was awarded Thursday to Barbara Demick for "Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea." (via LA Times). "As a reader I’ve always been interested in dystopian novels like ‘Nineteen Eighty-four,’" she told the [...]

Gertrude Pswarayi informs us that  "Menstruation Remains Taboo, Hinders Education Causes Health Problems" in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE — Growing up in the rural Chibi district of Masvingo in Zimbabwe, Tsitsi Moyo, 16, has never used a sanitary pad. She has never seen a tampon. Other sanitary wear such as keepers and moon cups, small internally [...]