CWLU Herstory Blog

Michelle Obama Watch is a blog set up for the sole purpose of defending Michelle Obama from the blizzard of racist and sexist attacks that have come her way. Gina McCauley launched the site last month and it has attracted women and men of all races who are disgusted with the media coverage of Michelle Obama.

We received this communication from the National Women's Law Center about the efforts to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. In it Lilly Ledbetter tells her story and urges other women to do the same.

If you have been a victim of pay discrimination based on your gender, share your story of pay discrimination here and help get the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act passed.

A message from Lilly Ledbetter

For months now, I have been traveling the country, speaking about the importance of passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. I never dreamed I'd see a bill in Congress with my name on it — but sometimes in life the totally unexpected happens. After all, I also never imagined that I would be paid less than my co-workers — just because I'm a woman.

Professor Margaret “Peg” Strobel of Chicago, Illinois, won the 2008 “Write Women Back into History” Award given  by the National Women’s History Project of Santa Rosa, California.

Peg is a longtime feminist activist and former UIC women's studies professor. She is also on the Board of the Herstory Project and has helped us out many times from behind the scenes . If we gave out prizes, Peg would certainly get one.

Writer and reproductive justice activist Judith Arcana will be in town on August 5 reading at the Peggy Notebart Nature Museum. Her appearence is part of the Chicago Public Library's Read Green-Live Green series.

Judith will be joined by Alison Swan, Susan Firer, Donna Seaman, Gail Louise Siegal and Judith Strasser for a lively reading that celebrates the richness of life on and around the Great Lakes.

Jo Freeman is a feminist scholar and longtime Democratic Party activist. In this essay reposted from her website at JoFreeman.com, she reflects on the the recent and often acrimonious Democratic Primary.

As we emerge from the miasma of the primaries, let us not forget that this has been an historic Presidential selection season and it will be an historic election.

The voters in the Democratic primaries and caucuses chose as their favorites two extraordinary candidates – Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton -- who are both extra-ordinary individuals in many, many ways.

They chose them out of a field of exemplary candidates for the Democratic nomination for President, who in other years would have had been excellent choices in their own right.

Judith Arcana has been a teacher and writer for many years. In the 1970's, she was a member of the Abortion Counseling Service for Women's Liberation, better known as Jane. Jane performed over 11,000 low costs safe abortions in the dark days before Roe v. Wade. She is still a reprodutive rights activist and speaks at colleges and at feminist gatherings. You may visit her site at www.juditharcana.com

The Center for the Study of Political Graphics has a new traveling poster show entitled "Reclaiming the 'F' Word: Posters on International Feminisms". The exhibition explores feminist movements since the 1970s by looking at domestic and international posters that address many approaches, goals, and issues.

Among the posters are the Women's Graphics Collective posters, "Closets are for Clothes - Color Yourself Out!," "Women Are Not Chicks," "Imperialist War and Male Chauvanism," and "Mountain Moving Day. Reclaiming the "F" Word is at California State University, Northridge Art Galleries until July 3, 2008, and will also be made available for travel. Please let us know if you can suggest any venues.

The CSUN Art Galleries are located at:

18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330 (818) 677-2226 www.csun.edu/artgalleries Summer Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 12-4pm.

This year the Chicago Dyke March will take place on Saturday June 28th, 2008. Gathering begins at 1:00 PM at 1800 South Halsted (Chicago Community Bank Park), and step off is at 2:30 PM. Attendees will then march down 18th street to rally at Harrison Park (1824 S. Wood).

All people, including allies to the community, are encouraged to attend.

The Chicago Dyke March (CDM) is looking for talented spoken word artists, musicians, comedians, dancers, drummers, and performers for the rally after the march. In the past, some performances have been theater, burlesque, and poetry. Anything that is queer, EMPOWERING, and entertaining can find a place at the rally.

Join sex worker organizer Pussy Willow and writer Kari Lydersen as they discuss issues that affect the lives and livelihood of sex workers - in particular the current controversy surrounding trafficking victim legislation - and the moralistic and dangerous crusade against prostitution.

June 26, Thursday, 7 PM
Sex Workers, Criminalization and Human Rights
Organized by Open University of the Left
Lincoln Park Public Library
1150 W. Fullerton Ave, Chicago
Info: www.openuniversityoftheleft.org

The Making it Together exhibit explores an important chapter in recent history when women artists, inspired by the 1970s Feminist Movement, worked collectively in new ways to engage communities and address social issues.

Among those showcased are Suzanne Lacy and Leslie Labowitz, whose landmark, multi-part event Three Weeks in May (1977), recreated into a large-scale installation, combining art-related performances and public workshops, was at the forefront of the movement against sexual violence.