We have heard much about the need for more women’s voices and perspectives in the blogosphere. But you may not have heard of Womens eNews an award-winning daily news service “covering issues of concern to women and their allies” domestically and internationally. I am proud to be a contributor to Women’s eNews and in the good company of the fine journalists who write for it. I think you will find it a refreshing antidote to the low visibility of women and women’s concerns in the media and politics.
According to its mission statement “Women’s eNews is the definitive source of substantive news — unavailable anywhere else — covering issues of particular concern to women and providing women’s perspectives on public policy. It enhances women’s ability to define their own lives and to participate fully in every sector of human endeavor.”
Its daily stories are e-mailed to subscribers — subscriptions are free — and posted on their web site. Here are two stories currently on the Women’s eNews web site:
A woman’s right to choose abortion figures into Rhode Island house and Senate races this year. Both parties are seeing interesting primary challenges in which choice will be a defining issue. “On the Democratic side in Rhode Island,” writes Washington Bureau Chief, Alison Stevens, “Jennifer Lawless, a pro-choice political science professor at Brown University, is gearing up for her party’s nomination to the House of Representatives. She is taking on Rep. James Langevin, a three-term lawmaker who opposes abortion rights… Within the Democratic Party, conservatives like Langevin are pushing leaders to ease their support for abortion rights, arguing that it is a political loser among religious and rural voters.”
And in a blatant run around the wall of separation between church and state, the Department of Health and Human Services is bankrolling the Pennsylvania-based John Guest Evangelistic Team’s religiously oriented chastity program The ACLU has filed a federal lawsuit. And Cynthia Cooper has a detailed report.
“The Silver Ring Thing,” writes Cooper, “is a live three-hour, high-tech sound, light and video show complete with actors and comedy sketches with a stated mission to impress teens to promote teen chastity and so-called Christian values.”
“The mobile shows — set up in churches, conference centers and other venues around the country–culminate with teens pledging abstinence until they present a silver ring that symbolizes their celibacy to their spouse on their wedding day… The $15 silver rings that teens are encouraged to buy for the ceremony are inscribed with a biblical reference of 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, which reads ‘God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor.'”
The Silver Ring Thing newsletter, Cooper reports, “mentions Jesus Christ 17 times in 8 pages. ‘Who would have ever thought we would see the day when promoting sexual abstinence among students would become an opportunity to communicate the Good News of the Gospel?’ the newsletter asks.”
Oh yeah. Women’s eNews is a non-profit tax-exempt organization. The news is free — but they can always use your help.
In a time of increased media concentration, independent news outlets are increasingly imoportant. In a time of hypernationalism, news organizations with a more international perspective are vital.
Women’eNews has a special project making thier news available in Arabic for women in the Middle East.
Wow.
I’d never heard of this site before. Thanks for the link!
Likewise. I have bookmarked it and will certainly return.
The Silver Ring Thing really gets my ire. Not only is it a complete violation of separation of church and state, but it sets up young people to have more guilt and shame about something as natural as sex. Furthermore, it presumes heterosexuality, which then causes homosexual kids to feel even more shame and guilt and ostracism.
Don’t even get me started on the silver ring thing. I watched the report on 60Minutes and just about blew a gasket. I was watching it with my teenaged daughter and she and I were rolling our eyes. The sad thing is, they’re lying to kids, telling them that condoms don’t work–and when all is said and done, they only delay sex for an average of 18 months–and they don’t use protection because they’ve been told that none of it works.
Thanks Frederick for the link!
Not only that condoms don’t work but that birth control pills can actually cause mental problems..couldn’t that be against the law for shit’s sake to promote that fucked(no pun intended)up idea.
This is what I really love about the internet..when I first got a computer several years ago I looked for women’s sites and had that site bookmarked but somehow it got lost and I forgot about it…so thanks very much for putting up this diary. And now it’s even better to know you are a contributor to it, that’s wonderful.
thanks. I haven’t published anything with them lately, but I am sure I’ll get around to it. I haven’t been commercially publishing in the past year.