The Shape of a Girl

By: Brook

Last night in class I read this poem to my fellow students. My reaction was unexpected: a burst of emotion that was uncontrollable and undeniable. I wrote this in response to some of the realizations that struck me while reading some of the material for class then spending time with my niece. I realized that for all the things I work for and towards, I have to keep an eye on how my ideas, words, actions and challenges directly impact her. I hope to 'make more than a dent' in the way she perceives and constructs her sense of self in this world.

despite years of practice

i sometimes feel small

despite years of resistance

sometimes I still give into it all

but you,

you’re just beginning

so then where must you fall

right now, you’re just mekaila

wiry, sassy, blue eyed and fiery

but just four years ago, almost four to the day

you were brought into the world:

blue, vulnerable.

a limp little girl with the cord around her throat

like your fathers hands around your mothers

just the day before…

and i wondered what that meant...

you and your mother-

bound by the cord

tying together your fate

and i thought:

well,

if that is the case, she’s got a battle to fight.

a battle that’s waged with no end in sight

but for now,

I chase you around,

I watch you climb trees

I join you in play, and we swing through the breeze.

but I can’t help but wonder:

what will happen to this little girl

when she reaches that place

whatever age in the world

where she starts to equate

now what she’s worth

with the paint on her face

and I wonder

what ever would I say

if it’s true you held all your mothers fate

of waging a war against your body,

a war against your plate?

and what will you think

when you see your mother’s skin

sprinkled with cuts

carved to drain her pain from within

whatever would i tell you
if you saw your name on some wall
followed by the words
for a good time, you should call

and then a thought chills my body

and freezes me in place

whatever if you suffered

your mothers, her sisters, their mothers

same fate

of just simply living and being

with the consequence of rape?

How ever would I dry that rain from your face?

a flash flood feeding

that same silent storm

that your mother, her sister, and their mother endure

and I wonder

what will happen

when you first feel love

will it embrace you

or betray you

will you be cursed to

believe that you’re just not enough

with all this said,

i simply just try to remind

that I have the power to make your life different than mine

by embracing whats real

and fighting for whats right

leading by example

and lifting you up in your life

by being louder than the voices

that will constantly say

youre not pretty

youre not worth it

you don’t deserve a better way

and I keep on going

though sometimes tired and small

and i just try to remember

that you are worth it all

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Update on Juana Calel's Story

By: Emily Willard

Original Story HERE

Two weeks ago the Guatemala Human Rights Commission had a delegation to go Guatemala. While they were there they met with Juana and her family. They have relocated to Guatemala City in order to escape the daily threats on Juana's life. Juana is living in Guatemala City with her mother, father and 7 of her 9 siblings. (the two eldest boys stayed with her grandmother in their home town).

The delegation was able to deliver messages of support that I collected as well as friendship bracelets that I made for her and her supporters here in the US. Apparently it was the first time that she had smiled in weeks, she loved the letters and the bracelet. She is now attending a new school with the help of some donations. (See the photos attached of Juana wearing the bracelet)

Many of you have asked about donations, so, to let you know, there have been two funds set up if you would like to donate to Juana and her family in order to help them stay in Guatemala City where they are safe, as well as send the kids to school.

#1 Through Guatemalan Human Rights Commission:
Go to www.ghrc-usa.org for a tax-deductible donation. Put "Human Rights Defenders Relocation Program" in the message box. This money will go to moving costs, rent, food, and education for Juana and her family.


#2 Through St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Annapolis, Maryland, specifically for the children's education:
Send checks to:
“Educational Funding for the Children of Dislocated Human Rights Defenders"
Attn: Rev. Stewart Lucas
Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders Fund
St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church
1601 Pleasant Plains Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21409-5928

If you want to make a donation to the St. Margaret's fund through paypal online, send it to the emilyawillard@aol.com account, and it will be transferred over. There are also receipts available by request for tax deductions.

You all know me and you know I never ask for money for anything. This is something that is very important and even the smallest bit can help.(Thank you to those of you who already have) If you cannot give at this time I understand, keeping her in your thoughts and prayers (if you pray) is also very important.

If you would like a friendship bracelet to wear in solidarity with Juana, please send me your mailing address and I will make one to send to you.

Thank you for everything and all of your support. In peace,
Emily

Juana's Mom; Amanda Martin, Director of GHRC-USA; Juana; her brother; Juana's Dad

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Archaic Ideologies from the Catholic Church

By: Teri

As posted on CNN today, Pope Benedict XVI visited Africa, the first since becoming Pope.

He upheld the church's archaic ideas that condoms should be banned. Seriously?!?

He "intends to uphold the traditional Catholic teaching on artificial contraception -- a "clear moral prohibition"

I can respect religious thinking although I may not understand and may never understand this one. What really struck my nerve was his comment "The Catholic Church has long been on the front line of HIV care,adding that it is probably the largest private provider of HIV care in the world." Probably...but in what fashion?

Avert.org's latest statistics:

At the end of 2007, women accounted for 50% of all adults living with HIV worldwide, and for 59% in sub-Saharan Africa.
Young people (under 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide

Regional statistics for HIV & AIDS, end of 2007

Region	Adults & children living with HIV/AIDS	Adults & children newly infected	Adult prevalence*	Deaths of adults & children
Sub-Saharan Africa	22.0 million	1.9 million	5.0%	1.5 million
North Africa & Middle East	380,000	40,000	0.3%	27,000
Asia	5 million	380,000	0.3%	380,000
Oceania	74,000	13,000	0.4%	1,000
Latin America	1.7 million	140,000	0.5%	63,000
Caribbean	230,000	20,000	1.1%	14,000
Eastern Europe & Central Asia	1.5 million	110,000	0.8%	58,000
North America, Western & Central Europe	2.0 million	81,000	0.4%	31,000
Global Total	33.0 million	2.7 million	0.8%	2.0 million

Apparently, what the Catholic Church is doing is NOT working. Especially in Africa.

Also taken from avert.org,
"Condoms play a key role in preventing HIV infection around the world"
"The distribution of condoms to countries in sub-Saharan Africa has also increased: in 2004 the number of condoms provided to this region by donors was equivalent to 10 for every man,³ compared to 4.6 for every man in 2001.⁴ In most countries, though, many more condoms are still needed. For instance, in Uganda between 120 and 150 million condoms are required annually, but less than 40 million were provided in 2005."

& last but not least

"Relative to the enormity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, providing condoms is cheap and cost effective"
They also acknowledge
"Even when condoms are available, though, there are still a number of social, cultural and practical factors that may prevent people from using them"

This is one site of many that supports the effectiveness of condom usage in the prevention of AIDS. Does the Catholic Church have alternative plans to bridge the one they have that ISN'T working?

Should we point out the fact that the largest victims are WOMEN? But that's a whole other rant isn't it?

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Save Dora!

By: Jennet

Tell Mattel NOT to destroy Dora!
Find the story here

"Plenty of parents are looking for ways to help our daughters discover and decide who they are without the socially reinforced gender messages that our kids are bombarded with every day."

Sign the petition here

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Plan B for soldiers in Iraq

By: Amy

The following is a recent conversation between fellow contributor Marc Loi and I via Facebook. I am posting this to generate conversation about this subject because maybe I'm the only one who thinks this way? Please let us know what you think! :

Marc L is going to bring lots of Plan B to Iraq, in case an female soldiers need it, but do not have access to it! 6:03pm

Amy Twisdale at 7:26pm March 15 :um..

Marc L at 9:28pm March 15: Um?

Amy Twisdale at 9:57pm March 15: who says the female soldiers are going to be having sex in IRAQ .. and personally i think that's really their own business unless you plan on knocking up female soldiers while they're there. think before you post something marc

Marc L at 9:59pm March 15: Well, it does happen in Iraq - and around military bases in global south nations where abortions are not available. Sex is a matter of life - and suppose a soldier gets pregnant, isn't it better that she has access to plan B, since, well, the military does not provide abortions?

Amy Twisdale at 10:16pm March 15: you mentioned two things. 1. military bases in the global south- are you talking about prostitution.. in that case you should bring condoms 2. i don't think a female soldier needs you to rescue them from pregnancy. a.pregnancy is not a bad thing always b. don't you think many u.s. women are on birth control c. i don't think it's any of YOUR business to provide plan b for anyone. let them deal with it personally. i appreciate and respect your feminism, you know that marc. but sometimes i feel you go a little too far and overstep your boundaries as a man. yes i said it.

Marc L at 10:22pm March 15: Well, considering the number of military women being sent home based on the fact they are pregnant, there IS a need for Plan B. And as you say, it's not my business, but it's there as, well, Plan B should they ever need it. I merely see a need, and thus, doing something about it. It's good that you told it as is, though - because, well, it allows me to see things from your perspective. Although I have to ask: how is this any different than, say, a male politician requiring that the military provide Plan B at their medical facilities? Would HE be out of line?

Amy Twisdale at 10:38pm March 15: unfortunately the government controls such things so in this case that is how policy is created. but you're not a politician (yet) and even if you are going to bring plan b (which by the way is $40 a pill.. how many are you bringing?! you must be rich!) i feel it was inappropriate to put that in your status update because plan b... and abortions for that matter are completely personal and emotional and shouldn't be talked about like you're gonna be passing out candy. it also makes it look like female soldiers are promiscuous or something.. also, how are they going to know you have it? what makes you think anyone's going to tell you 'hey marc, do you have any plan b, i think i'm pregnant'

Marc L at 10:45pm March 15: Well, then our conversation ought to focus on how society slut slams women, right? It seems that the perception if promiscuity is a bad thing. This, I see, is both a policy issue and an issue of how we view women. Anyway, I am calling around to see which pharmacy will allow ME to buy it without a prescription. My plan was just to keep it with just Soldiers I know, both males and females. For me, this is not about rescuing anyone, but changing a culture and mindset within the military. I am not a rich man, Amy, but I do live with Spartanlike, and thus, whatever the Army pays, I can use for things like these. Thanks for pointing out what seemed like "rescuer" and "damsel in distress" situation, though - and thanks for not being mad at me. :)

Amy Twisdale at 10:47pm March 15: lol just constructive criticism i still love you marc

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Eight Women Sentenced To Death By Stoning

Story at Care2com:
"Amnesty International, which has been fighting to end death by stoning in Iran, reports that 8 Iranian women have been sentenced to be stoned to death after being convicted of adultery and are in imminent danger of death. This is particularly reprehensible considering Sunday was International Women's Day. The majority of those sentenced to death by stoning in Iran are women because they are not treated equally under the law in their country. The age of legal responsibility for women is lower than that of men and a woman's testimony is only worth half as much as man's.

According to Amnesty International, women are also more likely to sign confessions for crimes they did not commit because the illiteracy rate for women is higher. Women are also more vulnerable to unfair arrests, trials, and convictions. According to Amnesty International: "Iran's Penal Code prescribes execution by stoning. It even dictates that the stones are large enough to cause pain, but not so large as to kill the victim immediately. Article 102 of the Penal Code states that men should be buried up to their waists and women up to their breasts for the purpose of execution by stoning. Article 104 states, with reference to the penalty for adultery, that the stones used should "not be large enough to kill the person by one or two strikes; nor should they be so small that they could not be defined as stones".

TAKE ACTION! Sign the petition to stop stoning in Iran HERE.


story found at: http://www.care2.com/causes/womens-rights/blog/8-women-in-iran/

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Access to Affordable Birth Control Restored TODAY!

"We finally did it. It wasn't easy, but after two long years of working with Congress, I'm happy to report that today the Senate passed a legislative fix to existing law that will restore access to affordable birth control for millions of women.

This crucial provision of the Appropriations Act has been a long time coming — more than two years since a legislative error made birth control prices skyrocket by as much as 900 percent. That's two years of working with legislators, raising awareness and a tremendous — and tremendously important — wave of support from people like you who care about protecting women's health."

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We have bikes!

By: Amy

Hello all! As the weather slowly begins to warm
up, it is getting easier to utilize a more healthy way of transportation- cycling! Some of you may know, my partner and I are running a bike recycling project in which we take used bikes, make them functional, and complete the cycle by donating to organizations in need. We have a good number of bikes at this point.
If anyone knows of an organization in need of some bikes or anyone who needs a bike for transportation please contact me at atwis001@odu.edu. There is no charge for these bicycles and we will gladly come to you!

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