Feminist Events Calendar

December:
- 6th-10th: EC Week of Action
-10th: International Human Rights Day

January:
-22nd: 32nd Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

February:
-14th: V-day

March--Women's History Month:
-8th: International Women's Day

April:
-2nd: Feminist Leadership Institute
-3rd-5th: National Collegiate Global Women's and Human Rights Conference

Contact Us!

Call us toll free at either the East coast office (1-866-444-FMLA) or the West coast office (1-866-471-FMLA) . You can also email us at campusteam@feminist.org. We are always happy to hear from you and answer any questions or concerns!

What do you think?

This is your E-zine, and we are always updating and changing to fit your needs, so please let us know what you think of our new format! Email campusteam@feminist.org with any suggestions, ideas, or comments.

Today Starts EC Week of Action!
The next step for FMF's Campus Program is our Emergency Contraception over-the-counter campaign. According the Kaiser Family Foundation, only 1 in 5 women in the US know that Emergency Contraceptive pills are only effective if taken within 3-5 days following unprotected intercourse. We must empower every woman on every campus by educating them on Emergency Contraception. Join us Dec. 6th-10th in an EC Week of Action.

International Human Rights Day
International Human Rights Day celebrates the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, first adopted on December 10, 1948. This was one of the first major achievements of the United Nations.

It contains 30 articles that express in detail fundamental freedoms and rights to which everyone is entitled, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or status.

This continues to be an important day, as egregious inequalities still exist throughout the world. These inequalities disproportionately affect women and girls.

Find out more about why this day is so important and how you can use this day as a chance to raise awareness about human rights issues on your campus, such as sweatshop labor, human trafficking, HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation, and environmental degradation.

End of Semester Briefings
It's hard to believe, but the end of the semester is almost here!
Remember to schedule a time in the coming weeks before you leave for Winter Vacation to talk to your Campus Organizer for half an hour about the past semester.

This end-of-semester review is invaluable to the FMF Campus Team in our constant efforts to improve our program and make sure that we are meeting your needs. Also let us know if you have graduated or plan on graduating this term so that we can update you and move you into our alumni system.

To schedule an appointment with your Campus Organizer call one of our offices toll free: 1-866-444-FMLA (East Coast), 1-866-471-FMLA (West Coast) or email campusteam@feminist.org.

Goucher College
On December 1st, the Goucher College (MD) FMLA held a benefit concert for “International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women” (Nov. 25) at their campus coffeehouse, the Gopher Hole. Two school bands played and FMLA members tabled with information about domestic violence and its prevalence. Donations collected at the event will go towards one of the nation’s leading domestic violence centers for thousands of battered women and their children, the House of Ruth.

Penn State University
Lindsay Keiter a former GOHV intern and Junior at Penn State University, State College is creating awareness about sexual assault on her campus by creating an activist photo gallery depicting the reality of sexual violence. More information

Swarthmore College
Swarthmore's FMLA acquired 150 signatures for the EC Week of Action petition in one day to raise awareness about the need for Emergency Contraceptive to have Over-The-Counter status.

Old Dominion University
The Old Dominion Women's Center and the ODU FMLA (Norfolk, VA) hosted an open mic for World AIDS Day. Right now they are holding a clothing drive with donations going to two local domestic violence shelters. They have already delivered three boxes and they will make another donation before the holidays.

Santa Monica Women's College
The Santa Monica Women's College Student Association, an FMF affiliate, has been protesting attempts to shut down the Women's College program at SMC. Budget cuts have hit the campus hard, but they are letting the administration know how important it is to students that the women's college stay open and retain it's office space. The group has been writing letters and collecting petitions. In addition, they sponsored a progressive tabling day and formed bonds with all the other progressive groups on campus, who are now backing them in the struggle to protect the Women's College.

Portland Community College
The Portland Community College FMLA is putting together practical holiday gift baskets for women whose families have suffered from domestic violence. The baskets are made up of helpful household items all placed within a laundry basket and wrapped up - gifts to help them get their new households off the ground. They have a goal of collecting over $1000 worth of items for this holiday season, and they are well on their way. They recently had a bunch of handmade soap donated from a local business owned by a former PCC FMLA member.

New FMLAs!
We would like to welcome affiliate California Lutheran, and FMLA California State Hayward to the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance community!

NARAL Announces New Leader
12/02/04--Nancy Keenan, a former Montana state officeholder, has assumed her new role of President of NARAL Pro-Choice America. Keenan succeeds Kate Michelman, who stepped down after more than 18 years as President shortly after the March for Women’s Lives. “The stakes have never been higher,” said Keenan. “Years of progress on women’s health, reproductive freedom, and personal privacy are in peril.” More

Ruling Upheld that Struck Down NH Parental Notification Law
12/01/02--The First US Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld the ruling of a lower court that found a New Hampshire law requiring parental notification before a minor could obtain an abortion unconstitutional because it failed to provide an exception for the health of the minor. More

Abercrombie & Fitch Settles Class Action Lawsuit for $50 Million
11/30/04--Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch recently settled a class action discrimination lawsuit, agreeing to pay $40 million to current, former, and prospective minority and women employees, as well as consenting to implement a multifaceted strategy to diversify its workforce. In addition, the company must pay $10 million to cover attorney fees and to monitor compliance, the Associated Press reports. The company was accused of employment practices that excluded or limited the participation of minorities and women and of conducting virtually all-white marketing campaigns. More

Congress Passes "Back-Door" Abortion Gag Rule
11/22/04--An anti-abortion provision with potentially widespread impact will remain intact as part of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill for 2005, in spite of efforts by pro-choice Senators to block the measure. More

More Feminist News

Islamic Groups in Bangladesh Protest Women in Sports
12/02/04--Islamic groups and conservative clerics are campaigning against women's participation in sports in Bangladesh. Most recently, the government of Bangladesh cancelled a women’s swimming competition after an Islamic group staged a protest made up of approximately 2,000 demonstrators. The leader of the protest argued that “swimming costumes expose part of women’s body, and that’s why it is derogatory for women. It also goes against the Islamic sense of decency,” reports Agence France Presse. More

On World AIDS Day, the Face of AIDS is a Woman
12/01/04--Many World AIDS Day observances around the world focused on the need to protect women and girls from HIV who are contracting the virus at an alarming rate. Peter Piot, the head of UNAIDS, said, “Today the face of AIDS is increasingly young and female. We will not be able to stop this epidemic unless we put women at the heart of the response to AIDS,” reports the Associated Press. More

More Global Feminist News

Save the Date!
The Feminist Majority Foundation will host a National Collegiate Global Women’s and Human Rights Conference, April 3, 4, & 5, 2005, in Washington, DC.

The conference will gather and activate student leaders and activists from college campuses, as well as global human rights and women's rights experts from across the nation about many pressing global women's issues. Tell your friends and family to Save the Date!

2nd Annual Global Rights Celebration of International Human Rights Day
This day of celebration will be held on December 10, 2004 from 11:30am to 2:00pm at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. Look for your invitation in the mail and come be part of the excitement!

For up-to-date information on speakers and honored guests visit www.globalrights.org or call the Development Office at 202-822-4600 ext. 11

EC Week of Action
Take action now! Start planning activities for EC Week of Action:

• Write a letter to the FDA in support of providing Emergency Contraception over-the-counter.
• Tell your friends to write a letter too!
• Write an article for your campus paper on why EC is important
• Put up EC informational flyers all over campus.
• Make banners and signs to hang up all over campus
• Have a bucket drive, instead of getting donations, pass out EC palm cards.
• Coordinate an evening program or activity with a residential advisor. Make sure the program emphasizes the importance of ensuring women access to EC.

For more information about what you can do during EC Week of Action contact the Campus Team.

International Human Rights Day--Dec. 10th
This is an important day to bring attention to global women's rights. Women comprise 70% of the worlds poor, and discrimination against women and girls is an important basic cause of malnutrition. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, if it is upheld, would work to reverse these issues and help create equality for women.

Take Action Now!

• Send your friends an International Human Rights Day ecard!
• Host a screening of a film that addresses global human rights issues, such as Afghanistan Unveiled, which you can request by calling (toll free) 1-866-444-FMLA (3652) or emailing campusteam@feminist.org.
• Support sweatshop-free shopping and vendors, such as the FMF's Online Store.

2005 NWSA Women of Color Caucus Sponsored And Co-Sponsored Student Essay Awards
The Women of Color Caucus of the National Women's Studies Association (NWSA), ABAFAZI Journal, and Ms. Catherine Powell of NWSA are proud to announce the availability of the 2005 NWSA Women of Color Caucus Sponsored And Co-Sponsored Student Essay Awards.

There are three categories for the 2005 Awards. Since eligibility and submission requirements vary, please be sure to read the description of each category carefully. Descriptions of the categories, as well as more information including eligibility, format, etc. are available at: http://www.nwsa.org/wocresources.html

Find a feminist internship or post-graduate job!

Job Search Tips:

• Writing samples are frequently requested for interviews, gather yours together today.

Each issue will now have new tips to help you succeed in finding a feminist internship or job. Have a great tip for this new section? Submit it to campusteam@feminist.org!