Culture & Identity

Sexism still permeates culture through the pervasiveness of gender stereotypes as well as misogynistic, negative and violent imagery in mass media. Perceptions of identity and gender roles are influenced, reflected and reinforced through myths, narratives and stories. Cultural cues about appropriate gender roles can have a negative and harmful impact by, for example, defining strength and rationalism as ”masculine” and submissiveness and emotionalism as ”feminine.” NCRW and its members are promoting awareness through research and critical analysis that uncover the tensions and assumptions involved in identity and gender roles.

Volunteering in the United States, 2011

Submitted by asklar on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 10:49pm

The volunteer rate rose by 0.5 percentage point to 26.8 percent for the year ending in September 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. About 64.3 million people volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2010 and September 2011. The increase in the volunteer rate in 2011 followed a decline of equal size in 2010.

These data on volunteering were collected through a supplement to the September 2011 Current Population Survey (CPS). The supplement was sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The CPS is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nation's civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over. Volunteers are defined as persons who did unpaid work (except for expenses)
through or for an organization. For more information about the volunteer supplement, see the Technical Note.

Volunteering Among Demographic Groups

URL:

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm

Women across generations: expectations and aspirations

Submitted by asklar on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 10:39pm

Almost every week there is a new headline about women’s position in society: on unemployment, parenting, women having or not having ‘it all’, the gender pay gap, and women’s representation in politics and on company boards.

And while there has certainly been progress for many women in the UK – as shown by more women entering the workforce and gaining educational qualifications – persistent challenges such as the pay gap and under-representation in many areas of society remain. This, alongside dynamic social and demographic trends, highlights the diversity of families in today’s society.

URL:

http://ippr.org/research-project/44/8462/women-across-generations-expectations-and-aspirations

Report: Saudis may not send women to Olympics

Teaser:

Plans for Saudi Arabia to send women to the Olympics for the first time appear to be in jeopardy.

Editorial:

From the Associated Press:

Saudi Arabian newspaper Al-Watan reported Thursday that Saudi Olympic Committee President Prince Nawaf does "not approve" of sending female athletes to the London Games. But he left room for Saudi women to possibly compete on their own outside the official delegation, a plan that may not satisfy demands by the International Olympic Committee.

A similar arrangement was made at the Youth Olympics in 2010 for Saudi equestrian competitor Dalma Rushdi Malhas. She won a bronze medal in show jumping.

"I do not approve of Saudi female participation in the Olympics at the moment," Nawaf was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Officials at the Saudi Olympic Committee could not be reached for comment.

The IOC has been in talks with the Saudis about sending women to London.

[...]

Source:

Associated Press

URL:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gNIpQpope2DQrd8bPIA-EhC0COvQ?docId=1bd282313f4b4d88bf64f803c4abca60

Date:

April 6, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

Women as Primary Breadwinner? Black Women Know All About It

Teaser:

As we consider the quickly approaching future in which women are predicted to be the primary breadwinners in most households, African-American women have something unique to add to discussion as well—they’ve been living that “future” for a long time already.

Editorial:

From Slate:

Though obvious on its face, the point bears occasional repetition: When we speak of “women” in the feminist blogscape, we are often talking about a specific demographic profile; usually white, straight, middle-class and somewhat liberal. But in reality, of course, women are a far more diverse bunch, with a diversity of experience and perspective to match. As Amanda Marcotte and Libby Copeland have discussed here recently (in response to comments made by S.C. Governor Nikki Haley), conservative women see the contraception debate and the “War on Women” in general from a very different point of view than we might expect. And, as we consider the quickly approaching future in whichwomen are predicted to be the primary breadwinners in most households, African-American women have something unique to add to discussion as well—they’ve been living that “future” for a long time already.

According to a post by Zerlina Maxwell that’s making the rounds, Black women are already the “lifeblood” of their families in a community hard hit by the recession and in which men face added, often racist, obstacles to employment. The American Prospect had a piece back in 2008 exploring the issue, and the findings support Maxwell’s point:

Because of the limited economic prospects for black men, black women are likely to be both primary caregivers and primary breadwinners in our families. In nearly 44 percent of black families with children, a woman is the primary breadwinner. This includes both families headed by working single mothers and married-couple families in which the wife works and the husband does not. These female breadwinner families account for over 32 percent of aggregate black family income.

Source:

Slate

URL:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/04/05/women_as_breadwinner_black_women_already_fill_role_in_family.htmlhttp://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/04/05/women_as_breadwinner_black_women_already_fill_role_in_family.html

Date:

April 6, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

Two-Thirds of Young Arab Women Remain Out of Workforce

Teaser:

About one in three young Arab women between the ages of 23 and 29 participate in their country's labor force versus about eight in 10 young Arab men. This gender gap is generally consistent across the 22 Arab countries and territories Gallup surveyed in 2011, but young women's labor force participation is slightly higher in low-income countries than in higher income countries.

Editorial:

From Gallup:

These findings are based on a new Silatech Index report, "Workforce Participation Linked to Wellbeing Differences Among Young Arab Women," which examines how young women's workforce participation is related to their life evaluations, emotional state, and economic optimism.

In many Arab countries, chronic job shortages combined with cultural factors, such as pressure on employers to give young men jobs that enable them to marry and start families, may limit employment opportunities for young women. The World Bank recently reported that the Middle East and North Africa region continues to have the lowest female workforce participation rate of any global region.

These broad gender gaps persist despite impressive strides in many Arab countries toward gender equity in education. In high-income countries, women aged 23 to 29 are just as highly educated as their male counterparts and are more likely than young men to have a tertiary education (22% vs. 16%, respectively). In middle-income and low-income countries, young women are less likely than young men to have more than a primary education.

[...]

Source:

Gallup

URL:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/153659/Two-Thirds-Young-Arab-Women-Remain-Workforce.aspx

Date:

April 2, 2012

Affiliate:

The double minority: Being a black female politician in a male-dominated political world

Teaser:

Minorities and women have a hard time breaking into politics, but what is it like to be both – a black woman fighting to be and stay in the political world.

Editorial:

From Medill Reports:

Imagine what it is like to be serving your country and less than a quarter of your constituents look like you. That is the reality for African-American women in politics.

Illinois Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Chicago) was the youngest African-American woman to be appointed to the Illinois Senate and she said sexism was evident, but being intimidated by others has disappeared.

“There has always been some general disrespect and resistance to treating me as an equal. I overcame most of this, but it has been a process of working hard to gain respect.” Ligthford said. “In focusing on my mission to improve education, I have felt some negative feedback, but I don’t see it as negative anymore. I see it as my job and I have grown in that way.”

Women only make up 17 percent of all members of the U.S. House of Representatives, 16 percent of U.S. senators, 16 percent of all governors and 24 percent of state legislators according to a 2008 Pew Research study.

Even with this reality, in 2012 nearly three quarters of African-American women say right now is a good time to be a black woman in America, according to a 2012 nationwide study from the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation.

[...]

Source:

Medill Reports

URL:

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=201994

Date:

April 2, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

Expert Profile

Location:

United States

32° 13' 59.8224" N, 110° 56' 55.6836" W

See map: Google Maps

Member Organizations:

Southwest Institute for Research on Women

Sally Stevens is the Executive Director of the University of Arizona - Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW) and a Distinguished Outreach Professor in the Department of Gender and Women's Studies. Dr. Stevens conducts collaborative process and outcome studies in the area of health disparities, substance abuse and mental health, HIV and other infectious diseases, and innovations in education. Much of her work is community-based with a focus on gender and culture. Dr. Stevens has published numerous articles and edited several collected volumes on these topics. Her most recent article is titled Meeting the Substance Abuse Treatment Needs of Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Women: Implications from Research to Practice. Dr. Stevens conducts workshops and trainings on substance abuse and mental health treatment approaches, diversity and equity, community-based participatory action research, and program evaluation.

Location

Tucson, AZ 85721

United States

32° 13' 59.8224" N, 110° 56' 55.6836" W

See map: Google Maps

Associated Issues & Expertise:

In Protest, Democrats Zero In On Men's Reproductive Health

Teaser:

For perhaps the first time in recent history, male reproductive health is at the forefront of political debate.

Editorial:

From NPR:

In at least six states, lawmakers — all women and all Democrats — have proposed bills or amendments in the last few weeks that aim to regulate a man's access to reproductive health care. It's their way of responding to the ongoing debate around contraception and abortion, said Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University.

Some would prohibit men from getting vasectomies, such as Georgia's House Bill 1116, which states:

"Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies."

Others, like an amendment proposed by Oklahoma State Sen. Constance Johnson, restrict where a man can ejaculate, effectively outlawing all manner of sexual acts. The amendment says:

"Any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman's vagina shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child."

And Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner recently put forward legislation that would require men seeking drugs like Viagra to first get a cardiac stress test to ensure their heart is ready for sexual activity. Oh, and they would also have to obtain certification from one of their recent sexual partners that they are indeed experiencing problems with erectile dysfunction. And they would be required to see a sex therapist before getting a prescription.

The bill states:

"The physician shall ensure that the sessions include information on nonpharmaceutical treatments for erectile dysfunction, including sexual counseling and resources for patients to pursue celibacy as a viable lifestyle choice."

[...]

Source:

NPR

URL:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/15/148695307/in-protest-democrats-zero-in-on-mens-reproductive-health

Date:

March 18, 2012

Affiliate:

Expert Profile

Location:

United States

35° 7' 29.2764" N, 89° 56' 15.306" W

See map: Google Maps

Member Organizations:

Center for Research on Women

Lynda M. Sagrestano, Ph.D. is the Director of the Center for Research on Women at the University of Memphis. She earned a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California, Berkeley and held NIMH-funded postdoctoral fellowships at UCLA and the University of Illinois, Chicago. Her research interests include barriers to economic self sufficiency for women, maternal and prenatal health, adolescent sexual behavior, teen pregnancy, HIV prevention, sexual harassment in school, domestic violence, and gender and work stress. Her work is oriented toward applying psychological theory to understand and intervene on social problems and advance theory development. She collaborates with individuals in health and community agencies, to highlight the role of contextual factors in health processes and outcomes, with the goal of taking a more integrated approach to prevention and intervention in the public health sector.

Location

Memphis, TN 38152

United States

35° 7' 29.2764" N, 89° 56' 15.306" W

See map: Google Maps

Associated Issues & Expertise:

Expert Profile

Location:

United States

37° 47' 31.974" N, 122° 23' 31.2216" W

See map: Google Maps

Clare Winterton is Executive Director of the International Museum of Women. She is a former Vice President of the Women’s Funding Network and has advised nonprofits including Craigslist Foundation, Urban Solutions, SF Works and TransFair USA. Clare served as the Head of Communications for Prince Charles’ charity for at-risk youth, The Prince’s Trust, where she headed a team of 13, working on media relations, corporate social responsibility and marketing. Clare combines a deep commitment to social justice and sustainability with personal passions for arts, culture, and media, believing that media and the arts possess a unique ability to engage new audiences and catalyze social change. Clare holds an Master’s Degree in International Business Administration from Cambridge University and is former board chair of Young Women Social Entrepreneurs. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and her two-year old daughter, Pearl.

Location

San Francisco, CA 94119

United States

37° 47' 31.974" N, 122° 23' 31.2216" W

See map: Google Maps

Associated Issues & Expertise:

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What We Do

NCRW is a network of leading university and community based research, policy, and advocacy centers with a growing global reach dedicated to advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls. We also have a Corporate Circle comprised of senior diversity professionals from leading U.S. and global member companies and a Presidents Circle of college and university leaders who share our commitment. NCRW harnesses the collective power of its network to provide knowledge, analysis, and thought leadership on issues ranging from reducing women’s poverty to building a critical mass of women’s leadership across sectors.

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