Sheila Wheeler’s Post

Unless you tune in on a weekly basis, you may have missed this recent episode, with the wonderful Pamela M.. New Legacy Radio will re-air this episode today, at our regular 10am Pacific Time spot! https://lnkd.in/gmhnuH3g Join us for this important conversation, and the valuable insight Pamela brings to the topic of the personal as political. What is personal for our community is political, not as it relates to how politically involved we may be or not; our personal lives as people without children are political as decisions that directly impact us from healthcare to housing, and beyond are most often made without our participation, or in consideration of our specific needs. Further, ongoing and recent policy change, and individuals with pronatalist agenda have actually coopted the narratives of our lives and community, without including us in the conversation. As such, we have been used in the political process of urging policies further restricting women's rights, and the rights of our community. Given this, what does "the personal is political" mean to you? What action can you take for the change you want to experience? VoiceAmerica

International Women’s Month and International Women’s Day has increased the scrutiny of reform relating to women, family and the ‘home’ - an effect that is evidenced by the recent constitutional changes in France regarding abortion rights. However, just as change is vital to the improvement of women’s rights and experiences it is equally important that any changes are implemented to a high standard. The effect of implementing legislation that is sub-par would inarguably be counter-productive to any movement. This concept has been influential in the resounding ‘No’ votes received by two Irish referenda, the Family Amendment and the Care Amendment, which sought to improve and expand the definition of a family and support the care of families. The ‘No’ votes were decidedly given on the basis of the language, rather than the values integral to the referenda themselves, which was criticized for being ableist and lacking the required support from the gender equality committee. While gendered issues have the attention of States, at least while International Women’s Month lasts, it is important to stress the significance of implementing effective and well-considered legislation for the improvement of women and families. Jessica Commins delves further into this matter in today’s newsletter:

Make sure you are supporting the women in your life build their super. Our Chief Member Officer Rose Kerlin tells you how. #superisntsuperforeveryone #womeninsuper #superannuation

Very good analysis. As anyone who has worked in a newsroom can affirm, the real “bias” happens before the reporter even gets on the scene: “On any given day, the stories of NPR and those, for instance, of Fox News can seem to be reports from different Americas. For NPR, it may be the Arizona court decision on abortion “rights.” Fox would be more likely to lead with its correspondent on the southern border. Immigration is a Fox issue; transgender rights are an NPR issue. Fox is more likely to emphasize big-city crime; NPR racial injustice. Indeed, it lists “climate” and “race” as news sections on its website. Moreover, the same events can be reported with sharply different emphases. The aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis was the occasion, in most quarters, for the coverage of protests against police brutality. But it also led to coverage (in USA Today) of riotous behaviors that robbed entrepreneurs of their small businesses, destroyed by looting. As Berliner points out, some takes on events — such as the possible “lab leak” origin of Covid — can become “radioactive.” All such decisions as to what to cover and what about it to emphasize are effectively efforts to set the national cultural and political agenda. This is the real media bias.”

Women and Politics

In the approach to International Women’s Day barriers to gender equality are at the forefront of the media cycle. While the continued endeavor for true gender equality is a full-time job, dedicated days or months, such as International Women’s Month, can arguably provide a much needed platform and focus for a cause in the oversaturated modern media. Plaguing the gender equality movement increasingly over recent years has been the issue of the right to abortion, with US judicial decisions taking the media spotlight on numerous occasions. Historically the right to abortion has been a controversial topic, both socially and politically, interlinked with the construct of the ‘domestic woman’ and gendered roles in society. In a positive step forward, the French Parliament has become the first to explicitly codify abortion as a guaranteed right in its constitution. As the second highest ranking country worldwide in public support for abortion, France’s perspective on this issue is of little surprise, however the significance of the constitutional codification of the right to abortion offers hope that other European countries will follow France’s example and make positive moves towards supporting the right to abortion themselves. Guillaume Amouret discusses the current state of the right to abortion in Western Europe in today’s newsletter:

Voices of Resilience: Women Survivors Speak Out Sharing the personal stories and testimonials of women survivors who have participated in transitional justice processes highlights the importance of their inclusion. These voices provide powerful insights into the impact of conflict and the healing potential of justice. By listening to and amplifying these stories, we can better understand the needs of women survivors and the transformative power of their involvement in justice processes.

Is there a pool of voters gettable for both parties? If so, what do those people actually believe? I take a look in my new column. Give it a read and subscribe!

For Mothers' Day - historical perspective: https://lnkd.in/gVJjPN6T

Here is my column from last week.