[youtube qwVmSoUVlBw]
NOW NYC to Offer Free Yoga Classes for Survivors of Violence & Allies
This year NOW NYC is adding an exciting new program to their calendar. Starting January 27th will begin to offer free yoga classes at their mid-town location (150 W. 28th St). The class is called “Head to Heal” and is specifically designed for survivors of violence and their allies.
Instructor Rebecca Rafelson, a NOW NYC board member, describes the class as “a specialized yoga program designed for women seeking healing from violence. Using an empowering, movement-based approach to healing, the program is rooted in the idea that emotional healing can be facilitated through conscious self-exploration of the body.”
While the class is geared towards creating the best space possible for victims of violence, all feminists are welcome to attend.
The class will use a “vinyasa flow”, which focuses on cultivating inner-awareness, strength and peacefulness by linking breath with movement, mind with body. Following the vinyasa flow a 30-minute cool-down, relaxation and discussion period take place. Participants will be encouraged to share their experiences and connect with other class participants.
Classes will be held the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of each month and will begin at 6:30pm. Yoga mats will be provided. The class is free, although donations to cover operating costs are welcome.
For more information on Head to Heal contact the NOW NYC office at 212-627-9895. For information on the other programs offered by NOW NYC visit their website http://www.nownyc.org/women/index.php
THE LINE trailer
[vimeo 4014736]
*Check out Director, Nancy Schwartzman’s Paradigm Shift blog post about our December event!
posted originally http://whereisyourline.org
THE FILM
A one night stand far from home goes terribly wrong. As the filmmaker unravels her experience, she decides to confront her attacker.
Told through a “sex-positive” lens, THE LINE is a 24 minute documentary about a young woman – the filmmaker- who is raped, but her story isn’t cut and dry. Not a “perfect victim,” the filmmaker confronts her attacker, recording the conversation with a hidden camera. Sex workers, survivors and activists discuss justice, accountability and today’s “rape culture.” The film asks the question: where is the line defining consent? THE LINE was completed in July 2009.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
I never intended to make a film about my sexual boundaries, or to involve myself in THE LINE.
Read more
Category: PShiftTV /
“The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women” A Discussion with JESSICA VALENTI, Author & Feministing.com Founder/Editor
Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community Proudly Present
“The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women”
A Discussion with
JESSICA VALENTI, Author & Feministing.com Founder/Editor
CRITICS’ PICK- PARADIGM SHIFT HONORED FOR 5TH TIME!
UPDATE- AS OF 2/18- tickets are almost sold out- please buy now!
Portion of the proceeds donated to Willie Mae Rock Camp For Girls
Buy Tickets Now- this event will sell out!
Network with your community before & after discussion
“This book is solidly researched, candidly personal, and smartly political. Valenti skewers sexism from abstinence campaigns to pop culture. Every young woman should read The Purity Myth – and it sure as hell would help if every young man read it as well!”
– Robin Morgan, Author and Activist
“It’s hard not to love Jessica Valenti. The Brooklyn-based founder of Feministing.com–the uncompromising, balls-out, feminist blog–is brilliant, beautiful, and not even 30 years old.”
–BUST magazine
When: TUES, FEB. 23rd
Time: 7:00-10:00 pm
Where: In the heart of the Feminist District
The Tank- 354 West 45th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues).
Subway directions:
Take the A,C,E to 42nd Street/Time Square. Walk West.
Cost: $7 students/pre-paid, $10 at door
Partners include
Therese Shechter, Director of “How to Lose Your Virginity”
The American Virgin blog
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Chicks Rock, a program of The Women’s Mosaic
NARAL Pro-Choice New York
Planned Parenthood of New York City Activist Council
Bluestockings
NOW NYS YFTF
Manhattan Young Democrats
New Yorkers Against Religion-Based Bigotry
WomenAndHollywood.com
ABOUT JESSICA VALENTI:
http://jessicavalenti.com
BUY “The Purity Myth”- now out in paperback:
ABOUT “THE PURITY MYTH”:
The United States is obsessed with virginity from the media to schools to government agencies. The Purity Myth is an important and timely critique of about why this is so, and why it’s problematic for girls and women. Analyzing cultural stereotypes and media messages, Jessica Valenti reveals the overt and hidden ways our society links a woman’s worth to her sexuality rather than to values like honesty, kindness, and altruism. Valenti takes on issues ranging from abstinence-only education to pornography and exposes the legal and social punishments that women who dare to have sex endure. Importantly, she also offers solutions that pave the way for a future without a damaging emphasis on virginity, including a call to rethink male sexuality and reframe the idea of “losing it.” With Valenti’s usual balance of intelligence and wit, The Purity Myth presents a powerful and revolutionary argument that valuing girls and women for their sexuality needs to stop–and outlines a new vision for how it can happen.
ABOUT WILLIE MAE ROCK CAMP FOR GIRLS:
http://www.williemaerockcamp.org
Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls is a non-profit music and mentoring program that empowers girls and women through music education and activities that foster self-respect, leadership skills, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
Category: Events, Paradigm Shift Event / Tags: activism, feminism, feministing.com, jessica valenti, sex, virginity, young women
Book Review: The Tattooed Lady by Amelia Klem Osterud
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uthor.jpg”>
Author Amelia Klem Osterud
Review by Janice Formichella
Prior to contemporary notions of feminism and economic independence countless brave women paved the way for our generation by taking risks, challenging the status quo, and daring to be nontraditional. Among the more fascinating are the “Tattooed Ladies” that travelled the globe with circuses and performed as exotic “oddities” in dime museums in the early 20th Century.
The Tattooed Lady, written by librarian Amelia Osterud provides a first-time look into the history of the many tattooed lady performers. The book includes a comprehensive look at the history of the tattooed lady as an act itself, background into the history of tattooing, and individual histories of many successful tattooed ladies.
One fascinating thing I learned is that several tattooed ladies worked side by side male partners. Two of the earliest and most well-known tattooed ladies actually married men who took their last names. Remarkably enough, the earliest tattooed lady on record, Irene Woodward, who arrived on the scene in 1882, was one of these women. Each woman had achieved more fame than her husband the couple saw it as more beneficial to use the name of the wife. This shows a lot of willingness to be unconventional, both for the tattooed ladies themselves and their husbands.
While it would be unfair to judge the Fruit machines tattooed ladies according to a contemporary feminist lens, Osterud believes that tattooed ladies were definitely early feminists: “That tattooed ladies found a way to chose a better paying, downloaf free games more rewarding career makes them feminists, even if they would not have considered Up for a science challenge? Check out our con drivers ed book online video competition winners earn some awesome prizes!Get challenge updates sent right to your inbox!Learn more about how to make a winning video entry. mobile Ben 10 games free download for girls themselves such.” Without a doubt these women were exercising a level of control over their own bodies that few women in the early 1900s were willing to exercise, and they used the dynamic to financially support themselves and their families.
While the tattooed ladies had the self-determination to seek lucrative employment, the decision to tattoo had little to do with self-expression. It was truly a online casino means of making a good living, and all tattooed ladies featured in the book were tattooed to be able to cover all tattoos while not performing.
The first tattooed ladies appeared in the later part of the 19th Century. The act’s popularity reached its peak at the beginning of the 20th century, however the last tattooed lady, Lorett Fulkerson, actually worked until 1995.
The decline in popularity of the tattooed lady coincided directly with the growing popularity of tattoos as a form of self-expression. This trend resulted in a loss of mystique for the tattooed lady performers and the act became less and less profitable.
While tattoos themselves are no longer seen as a marketable act, many female performers still favor tattoos. Osterud highlights several such women at the end of her book. One performer is Peekaboo Pointe, a burlesque dancer here in New York City. I have never been to a burlesque show or understood their popularity among my feminist friends, but after reading The Tattooed Lady and learning more about its culture I think I may just attend one of Peekaboo Pointe’s shows!
The Tattooed Lady provides a thorough history of both tattooed ladies and tattoos in general, yet is so full of fabulous photographs that it can be used as a coffee table book. The selection of photographs in the book is so phenomenal that I had to look through the entire book before starting to read it.
The Tattooed Lady makes an excellent gift for anyone with tattoos, anyone interested in American history, and any women’s history enthusiast. It is a fun and unique book and will keep anyone who picks it up turning pages.
Amelia Osterud currently lectures about tattooing and may come to NYC next year for an event. Heres to hoping!
Anti-Stupak/Pitts Amendment NYC Rally & Video
NOW NYS mobilized local activists on Dec 4th in NYC to stop Stupak/Pitts-like Amendments, banning abortion coverage, that may be included in the Senate Health Care Reform package. Before the rally, I spoke with Bill Baird, founder of the Pro-Choice League who established the nation’s first abortion referral center in 1964, and was jailed for defending choice. Hearing about a women dying in his arms as a result of a coat-hanger abortion was chilling. Never Again. Video coverage, provided by Peoples’ Movement.
Huge thanks to NOW-NYS for inviting me to speak and for organizing 🙂
VIEW VIDEO HERE- Select speeches marked below
* Erin Matson, Action Vice President, National NOW
* Marcia Pappas, President, NOW-New York State
* Sonia Ossorio, President, NOW-New York City (13:02)
* Julie Kirschner, Co-President, Brooklyn/Queens NOW (15:46)
* Rachelle Suissa , Co-President, Brooklyn/Queens NOW
* Marilyn Fitterman, Former NOW NYS President (15:15)
* Mary Richmond, President, Albany Area NOW (17:40)
* Zenaida Mendez, President, National Dominican Women’s Caucus (16:50)
* Jerin Alam, Chair of Young Feminist Task Force for NOW-NYS (18:13)
* Debra Sweet, Director of The World Can’t Wait (23:47)
* Maretta Short, President, New Jersey NOW (20:03)
* Sandy Rapp, Feminist Performer (2:20)
* Author Bill Baird, Abortion Rights Pioneer (9:31)
* Gaby Moreno, Secretary of NOW-NYS (22:59)
* Trudy Mason, NYS Committee Woman
* Betty Maloney, Radical Women (27:00)
* Meredith Villano, Co-Founder & Director, Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community (29:10)
* Michelle Burns, Clinic Escort (32:23)
* Woman who had TTTS, and had to abort twins (34:22)
* Deputy Press Sec, Sen Schumer’s office (35:09)
more….
Bill Baird, abortion rights pioneer & Meredith Villano, PShift Co-Founder/ Director. photo courtesy of J. Alam
Guest Post: Sex. Consent. Power. Pleasure. THE LINE screening & Panel Discussion
By Nancy Schwartzman, “The Line” Filmmaker
posted originally http://whereisyourline.org
Last week, over 100 New Yorkers (and a few strays from New Jersey) crowded into Gallery Bar to watch THE LINE and hear from a kick-ass group of panelists, including: Erin Burrows of SAFER, Joe Samalin of Men Can Stop Rape, and Ignacio Rivera, trans artist, poet and educator. Thanks to everyone that came out and gave their voice and support!
Folks crowded up to the bar and sat along the wall for cushy seats. We give extra love to those who sat on the concrete barroom floor. Julia Weis and Meredith Villano, of Paradigm Shift hosted the event and got us the Time Out critic’s pick for the night. I was extra nervous to present the film to the home-town crowd, but was rewarded by watching the story work as a catalyst to bring folks together to talk about consent, accountability, and creating a real change in our communities and bedrooms.
After the film, I answered questions – and to my delight – fielded one from the bartender, proving that everyone has a stake in the conversation. He wanted to discuss the socialization of men, and how we applaud male promiscuity, and judge the same behavior in females. I bounced his question to Joe, who could address the work being done by men to challenge male assumptions and socialization.
Joe mentioned that even doing this work personally and professionally, his gut when watching the film, still ran to victim blaming and doubting it ‘was rape’ first.
Even as I KNEW that wasn’t the case, and knew it was socialization, I couldn’t help but go to that place of questioning (you) and getting defensive.
I asked him later about using the film in his work as an educator:
The film helps us frame sexual violence not ONLY as a women’s issue but men’s issue, and it helps us address the nuances of mens responsibility as a whole/group for the violence committed by a not so small small minority of men. My dad (bless him) actually pointed out that I should have also mentioned that we don’t want to ‘other’ violent men, that we are ALL educated/socialized to be violent, and all have that potential.
Erin Burrows explained her work as an activist with SAFER and their unique campus-based perspective:
We can prevent sexual assault through a strong communally shared and agreed upon definition of consent that accounts for a wide range of sexualities, and that a definition of consent must put the onus of obtaining consent on the initiator, and insist that silence, a previous or current relationship or consent to a previous sexual act is NOT consent.
She emphasized that a strong sexual assault policy for a contained community, such as a college campus, must hold people who violate consent accountable through a fair disciplinary process.
Ignacio Rivera really called out the idea of privilege and reminded me that the personalis political. They discussed the importance of harm-reduction, non biased and non judgmental approaches to assessing risk, communication and best practice for sexual health. The concept and practice of Risk Aware Consensual Kink (RACK) and Safe, Sane & Consensual (SSC) were cited as examples, and were new terms for a lot of folks in the room, myself included. Ignacio made clear that we can all learn from the queer, kink and BDSM communities when we talk about consent and sexual behavior.
Melissa Gira Grant asked the question about how we could respond to the topics raised in the film and during the panel that address the needs of the queer community. Erin responded that a movement for sexual assault policy reform must come from a broad coalition of students that is sex-positive, trans and genderqueer inclusive, and accounts for the intersectionality of multiple identities and how that impacts a person’s experience as a survivor of sexual assault. Ignacio underscored their point about taking cues and lessons from the complexities of consent from within the kink and BDSM communities. I chimed in that we’re planning on shooting some short videos to accompany the educational package of THE LINE that will include these discussions and perspectives.
Audience member Kalimah Priforce spoke up:
I am a victim of rape. When I was two years old, my mother was giving me a bath. I slipped and fell, and was bleeding. My father punished her, and raped her. My brother was born of this rape, and I buried him 18 years later. Men need to stop this violence, because we are all effected by it.
After a bleak political week, including an escelation of the war in Afghanistan and the voting down of marraige equality in New York State, hosting and provoking dialogue about creating more sex-positive education, conversations and communities, was a big, bright spot. What are some other ways you’d like tocontinue this dialogue?
SEX. CONSENT. POWER. PLEASURE. Film, Conversation, & Community
Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community & SAFER Proudly Present
THE LINE, documentary screening
&
Panel discussion featuring:
NANCY SCHWARTZMAN, Filmmaker
ERIN BURROWS, Students Active For Ending Rape
JOSEPH SAMALIN, Men Can Stop Rape, Campus Strength Coordinator
IGNACIO RIVERA, Sex educator, Organizer & Performance Artist
TIMEOUT NY RATED CRITICS’ PICK! PARADIGM SHIFT HONORED FOR 4TH TIME!
http://newyork.timeout.com/events/city-picks/314715/sex-consent-power-pleasure
Endorsed by WBAI-FM 99.5
Join our special honored guests including former Paradigm Shift event
speakers, feminist authors, activists, and thought leaders
Support by Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership, Feministing.com, Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition, Identity House, NOW NYS YFTF, Amy Mitten Photography, TimeOut NY, WBAI-FM 99.5
Attendees are welcome to discuss & document their thoughts on consent
for the “Where is Your Line?” campaign
When: TUES, DEC. 1st
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: In the heart of the Feminist District
Gallery Bar
120 Orchard Street, between Delancey St. and Rivington St.
Subway: Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z), Grand St (B, D), 2nd
Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Cost: $7 if you RSVP before Dec. 1st, 12:00 noon / Students FREE / $10
at door
RSVP (include full name and guests): rsvp@paradigmshiftnyc.com
PARTICIPATE:
Calling all progressives! Promote this event and we’ll help
promote your organization!
Email: JWeis@paradigmshiftnyc.com
THE LINE Synopsis:
http://thelinemovie.org
A one night stand far from home goes terribly wrong. As the filmmaker
unravels her experience, she decides to confront her attacker. Told
through a “sex-positive” lens, THE LINE is a 24 minute
documentary about a young woman – the filmmaker- who is raped,
but her story isn’t cut and dry. Not a “perfect
victim,” the filmmaker confronts her attacker, recording the
conversation with a hidden camera. Sex workers, survivors and
activists discuss justice, accountability and today’s
“rape culture.” The film asks the question: where is the
line defining consent? THE LINE was completed in July 2009.
ABOUT NANCY SCHWARTZMAN:
Nancy Schwartzman is a filmmaker, writer and activist working for over
thirteen years to create community solutions to combat sexual violence
and promote public debate. THE LINE is a personal documentary that
explores consent from a sex-positive point of view. With an emphasis
on interactivity and dialogue, she launched the accompanying
“where is your line?” campaign. Prior to THE LINE, she
produced the award-winning short film OCEAN AVENUE.
Nancy is the founder of NYC-Safestreets.org an online initiative noted
by The New York Times, Gawker, The Village Voice and The Daily News to
engage community organizations and businesses to create safer routes
for pedestrians, especially women. From 2002- 2005 she was a founding
editor and Creative Director of HEEB Magazine. For six years Nancy was
the Program Officer at the Fund for Jewish Documentary Film. She has
curated short film festivals at the Pioneer Theater, Berlin, London
and Tel Aviv. Her essays have been featured in The Independent, HEEB,
Sh’ma and Plenty Magazine.
Nancy lectures extensively on college campuses on the topic of consent
and healthy sexual boundaries. She is a graduate of Columbia
University with a degree in Art History and Film. She has lived in
Paris and Jerusalem, and currently resides in Brooklyn. She recently
married Isaac Mathes, her cameraman.
ABOUT ERIN BURROWS:
Erin Burrows, M.A., completed her Fifth Year MA in Women’s
History at Sarah Lawrence in 2009. She was a leader in the successful
campaign at Sarah Lawrence College to rewrite the Sexual Harassment
and Sexual Assault Policy and improve sexual assault services on
campus. Erin was heavily involved with feminist and queer organizing
on campus, leading to numerous changes in programming and policy
including mandatory anti-oppression training for student senators.
Erin was awarded the Senior Appreciation Award for recognition of her
undergraduate leadership in 2008. She has been working for SAFER since
August, 2008 and joined the board in May, 2009. She currently works as
a Community Educator in the Domestic Violence Education and Prevention
Program at My Sisters’ Place, based in Yonkers, NY.
ABOUT JOSEPH SAMALIN:
http://www.mencanstoprape.org
Prior to joining Men Can Stop Rape as Campus Strength Coordinator,
Joseph was co-president of Columbia University’s men’s group, Columbia
Men Against Violence. He has been working on rape prevention and
anti-violence work with young men in New York and other areas for 15
years.
ABOUT IGNACIO RIVERA:
http://www.ignaciorivera.com
Ignacio Rivera is a Queer, gender fluid, Trans- Entity, Black Boricua
performance artist, currently performing skits, spoken word,
one-person shows and story-telling internationally. Ignacio is a
lecturer/trainer, activist, new filmmaker and self-proclaimed sex
educator. As a lecturer/ trainer, Ignacio has spoken at home and
abroad on such topics of racism, sexism, homo/transphobia, transgender
issues, sexual liberation, anti-oppression, anti-violence, multi-issue
organizing and more. Ignacio currently consultants with various
organizations in New York City conducting professional development
trainings for NYC high school staff.
ABOUT SAFER:
http://www.safercampus.org
Started by Columbia University students in 2000, Students Active for
Ending Rape (SAFER) is the only organization that fights sexual
violence and rape culture by empowering student-led campaigns to
reform college sexual assault policies. An all-volunteer collective,
SAFER facilitates student organizing through a comprehensive training
manual; in-person workshops and trainings; free follow-up mentoring;
our Campus Sexual Assault Policies Database; and a growing online
resource library and network for student organizers. SAFER firmly
believes that sexual violence is both influenced by and contributes to
multiple forms of oppression, including racism, sexism, and
homo/transphobia, and view our anti-sexual violence work through a
broader anti-oppression lens.
PARTNERS:
Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Feministing.com
Identity House
http://www.identityhouse.org
Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition
http://hunterequality.blogspot.com/
NOW NYS Young Feminist Task Force
http://youngfeministtaskforce.blogspot.com/
Amy Mitten Photography
Category: Events, Paradigm Shift Event /
PROGRESSIVE SINGLE MINGLE: A cocktail party for the left-leaning
Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community Proudly Presents:
PROGRESSIVE SINGLE MINGLE:
A cocktail party for the left-leaning
Supported by the Planned Parenthood of New York City Activist Council, NARAL Pro-Choice NY, NOW NYS Young Feminist Task Force, The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Find a lover, mate, date, partner, soul mate, friend, fling….or all of the above!
Singles of all orientations and committed friends welcome!
Hang with special honored guests and past event speakers!
Color coded name tags can identify your orientation & relationship status
Win a Free Paradigm Shift event admission for a year & Raffle prizes from:
Rubin Museum: http://www.rmanyc.org
Jivamukti yoga school: http://www.jivamuktiyoga.com
Brooklyn Museum: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org
Bluestockings: http://bluestockings.com
Tastee Vegan: http://www.tasteevegan.com
Music provided by Katie Camosy of TRASHBAT
When: Thursday, NOV. 19th
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: In the heart of the Feminist District
People Lounge, 163 Allen Street, NYC
(Between Stanton and Rivington, F or V Train to 2nd Ave)
HopStop.com Directions
http://www.hopstop.com/route?zip2=10002&address2=163+ALLEN+ST&mode=s
Cost: $7 if you RSVP before 12:00 pm 11/19, $10 at door
Buy DISCOUNT Tickets:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=s-xclick&hosted_buttonid=9144587
Email: RSVP@ParadigmShiftNYC.com with full name & guests
Participate:
Promote this event and we’ll promote your organization!
Email: JWeis@paradigmshiftnyc.com
PARTNERS:
Planned Parenthood of New York City Activist Council
NOW NYS Young Feminist Task Force
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Category: Events, Paradigm Shift Event /
