Operation Beautiful

As you know, the CT NOW Foundation has launched our Mission: Love Your Self campaign. We couldn't be more excited! Please send us photos of messages you leave so we can post them on our blog for others to enjoy. Email us at speakout@now-ct.org.

If you haven't checked out Operation Beautiful please do. We were inspired by their website to create our own CT based campaign. http://operationbeautiful.com/

Here is my favorite photo from Operation Beautiful's website today:

Mission: Love Your Self

Today we put up a new page on the NOW website called Mission: Love Your Self. Check it out to read all about this new fun and empowering program: http://www.now-ct.org/loveyourself

Above is the first official photo for Mission: Love Your Self snapped by one of our new Street Team members. We strongly encourage our readers to post your own notes on bathroom mirrors, in book stores (even in books!), on cars, on bulletin boards or anywhere else you can think of to spread the message of self-love. Then, snap a photo of the sticky note and email it to us for our blog. Email: SpeakOut@now-ct.org.

AND make sure to come out to our Love Your Body 5K where we will be officially kicking off this new educational campaign!

How toxic is your make up bag?!?

At first glance I usually choose a new color of eye shadow by the its beautiful earth tones, or the soft shimmer it leaves on my hand. Yet after reading Annie Leonard's piece on Huffington Post this morning, I will definitely be flipping over the eye shadow and choosing it based on its lack of carcinogens!! The fact that it is not illegal for companies to use these things in everyday products is outlandish. Please take the time to read Annie's Article below and support the Campaign for Safe Cosmestics as they try to clean up our products!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/annie-leonard/ithe-story-of-cosmeticsi_b_653866.html

Don't Devalue Young Women

Ok, so I had an interesting experience a few weekends ago that I want to share. I went to Boson for a very cool training on how to implement a new program here in our state and was excited to meet women from all across the country. The first night we were meeting as a group in the hotel lobby so that we could be shuttled to an evening of networking.

I was waiting downstairs for the shuttle and was keeping a look out for others who might be gathering to attend the same event. Since I hadn't met anyone yet I didn't know who was part of the group and who was just checking into the hotel. I saw one woman who looked like she was scanning the room, also trying to figure out who was waiting for the shuttle, and she asked a few people but walked right by me. I thought to myself, 'I wonder if she didn't ask me because of my age'. Well I still don't know but I think that was a factor.

As I started seeing people gather and heard them talking about the program I walked over to introduce myself. I said my name and where I'm from and a woman from another state said very loudly, in front of the whole group of women, "WOW - you must be the baby of the group!" I was a bit shocked that she would devalue me in this way, especially in front of the entire group of women. I responded with a lame response like "no - I'm not".

In retrospect I wish I had said something about valuing young women but alas I was too tongue tied. Many older women complain that they don't see more young women involved in the movement but at the same time devalue us by calling us girls, honey, or baby (this has happened to me multiple times).

Young women hold a lot of value and bring different skills, ideas and opinions to the table. Please don't call us these ageist names - we are women, just like you.

Money: Smart Techniques To Get A Raise

With Pay Equity Day having just passed slightly over a month ago, I stumbled across this article in the New York Times, that highlights several successful ways that empower women when it comes to negotiating their salaries. I found this article to be a must read road map for women who are looking to receive the salary they truly deserve. I encourage you to read this article and empower yourself! Please pass this on to any women who you feel can truly benefit from these simple and successful steps, it is about time we are finally paid what we deserve!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/15/your-money/15money.html?pagewanted=2&ref=general&src=me

Our May Activist of the Month!

Julie Morrison!

Photo credit: (BETTINA HANSEN / HARTFORD COURANT / May 11, 2010)

For her dedication and commitment to humanitarian causes. Julie, a 16 year old young woman from Glastonbury, was recently featured in a news story in the Hartford Courant. She has inspired many of us with her leadership in raising funds to support Haiti. She continues to organize a "Hope for Haiti" can drive and is using her musical talent to organize an upcoming benefit concert that will also support Haiti. We believe that one person can make a difference and Julie is a terrific example of how one individual can have a big impact not only on her local community but the world as well. Thank you for all you've done and continue to do! You are an inspiration to women (especially young women!) everywhere

Seriously?

Ok, so my husband works in the sports field and yesterday he came home from work and said to me, "You are not going to believe what's on the cover of Triathlete Magazine." Then, he showed it to me and I gasped. Why, oh why, is the woman on the cover posed with her hand on her bathing suit bottom and why is this sports magazine that claims to empower athletes over-sexualizing female athletes?? Truth be told, that's really a rhetorical question because I already know the answer. I went out to the world wide web to find some "expert" opinions to share with you.

According to an article by the National Women's Sports Foundation:

"In response to the athletes who choose to expose their bodies on magazine covers and centerfolds, Mary Jo Kane, director of Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport, said that it's their decision to do so, but for those who choose to show off their bodies for the sake of gaining respect for women in sports, this action trivializes and marginalizes women in sports. One of the major questions in this central discourse becomes why do athletes pose in these magazines and why is Nike promoting this type of campaign? If consumers are buying products because it is marketed in this way, they are feeding off of sexualized images of female bodies. In the marketing strategy, consumers receive a false assumption that suggests certain products can make the consumer equivalent to the model shown in the ad. The ad exposes a sexuality that lures consumers into buying the products because it's a physicality to aspire to. Similarly, athletes pose to lure viewers, specifically male viewers, into what they are doing – to bring attention to their sport. But the notion doesn't reflect their sport or their athletic accomplishments. Instead, it eroticizes their bodies and undermines their efforts to publicize female athletic strength and prominence in their sport."

And, here is a quote from Pat Griffin who is part of the social justice education program at the University of Massachusetts. "When it once was enough to feminize women athletes, now it is necessary to sexualize them for men," putting them in their place and making them non-threatening, Griffin said. "Instead of hearing, 'I am woman, hear me roar,' we are hearing, 'I am hetero-sexy, watch me strip.'"

So what can we do about this? Write a letter to the editor of these types of magazines and let them know how you feel! Here is the contact info for Triathlete Magazine:

Online Editor Liz Hichens: Lhichens@competitorgroup.com
Triathlon Editorial Director: T.J. Murphy, Tjmurphy@competitorgroup.com