Oklahoma Ranked in Top 10 for Working Moms

Oklahoma has been ranked as a good place for working moms by Smart Moneyhttp://www.smartmoney.com/! "Why?" you ask? Child care.

Juggling a career and family is always hard and having pre-kindergarten available helps! So does having a reliable child care rating system so you can select a GOOD day care to plop yu kid at while you are at work.

You can read about the 10 states inlcuding "Pros and Cons" of each by clicking here.

The article DOES note the low number of women in Oklahoma seeking employment -- as if we all have perfect jobs already. I wonder if that number is low because many Oklahoma women are discouraged from seeking work outside the home (the old "keep 'em at home - barefoot and pregnant" strategy). What do you think?

Women in Slums of Nairobi Ask for Justice

If you have seen the movie Slumdog Millionaire, then you have seen the slums of Mumbai. Let me introduce you to the slums of Nairobi, Kenya and some gutsy women who live there. They are petitioning their government for protection against rape and domestic violence. Read their story here.

About US Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor

From Jone Johnson Lewis, About.com: Women's history --

Sonia Sotomayor
A profile of yesterday's history-making nominee as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor. Learn about her background, education, and career history: About Sonia Sotomayor

Women in Technology Roundtable Luncheon, June 17, OKC

You are invited to a “Women in Technology Roundtable Luncheon” on Wed, June 17 from 11:30am to 1:30pm.

There is a decline in interest among female students in the areas of math, science and technology. What can we do to generate interest in these fields?

This is an opportunity to discuss with other teachers, counselors, and mentors about how we can make these young ladies more knowledgeable about all the possibilities that await them. Your opinions and suggestions are important! This is a Free event!

The goals:
• Brainstorming to come up with interest generating ideas that we could implement in the classrooms
• Resource sharing
• Overcoming obstacles
• Enjoy a great lunch with others in your field
• And more as you share ideas

Think what we can accomplish once we’re all together!!

When: Wednesday, June 17th 11:30 am – 1:30pm
Where: ITT Technical Institute, 1900 NW Expressway, Suite 305R (Inside 50 Penn Place), Oklahoma City, OK 73118

Please pass this information on to anyone you think may be interested in attending.

RSVP by Friday, June 12th to Dena Owens, Community Relations Specialist, ITT Technical Institute. (405) 810-4100 ext 157

ITT Technical Institute is a member of the Central Oklahoma Adult Education Alliance

Have you registered yet for the OK Women's Coalition event June 10?

What a month this has been for the Oklahoma Women's Coalition! We started the month with a board meeting filled with decisions to move this 9-month old organization forward. We are up to 20 Organizational Members and over 100 Individual Members.

The next week, we held our first fundraiser and 75+ women came including Lt. Gov Jari Askins, Rep Lee Denney, Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland and lots of other stellar women. Former State Rep. Susan Winchester and Women's Foundation of Oklahoma advisory board chair Claudia San Pedro spoke on why Oklahoma needs this Coalition. (Hint: Oklahoma ranks 48th in the nation on the status of its women and girls.)

The next week, the board participated in a full-day strategic planning session led by David Woods, CEO of GiANT Partners at GiANT's worldwide headquarters in Edmond - a very fruitful investment of time!

Now we are racing towards our first Annual Business Meeting on June 10 at the Oklahoma History Center. The afternoon begins with business but then there is a panel of experts on aging, incarceration and violence against women AND a Legislative wrap up by Senator Debbe Leftwich and Rep Lee Denney. Oh, and ending with a fabulous networking reception that will serve as dinner for you out-of-towners planning to attend. This event is for Coalition members - but the registration fee of $40 includes a year's membership. So LADIES - why haven't you registered for our June 10 event yet? Go here for details and to register: http://www.oklahomawomenscoalition.org/

Good reality check: BBC article "Where Are The Western Feminists?"

Here is a good thought piece about "Western Feminists" who remain silent (at best) about efforts to replace tyrannical governments - because it will improve the lives of women. Check it out here:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8064449.stm

Autism Conference, Norman - June 13-14

Every 20 minutes a child is diagnosed with autism. If you want to know more about this new epidemic, you might want to attend a regional conference on autism to be held in Norman, Oklahoma on June 13-14. Click here to learn about the event and to register.

Hillary Clinton's Barnard College Address on Women

Ooooo - that hillary Clinton. I am convinced God placed her in the perfect position to change the status of women around the globe. Yesterday she spoke at Barnard College's commencement ceremony and, among other things related to women, she said:

I want to talk about a particular area where I think you can, you should, and you must make a difference. It’s important to me personally and it’s especially important in my new job, and that is the plight of women and girls around the world. As women with strong voices and strong values, you are in a unique position to support women worldwide who don’t have the resources you do, but whose lives and dreams are just as worthy as yours and mine. I have concluded after traveling many miles and visiting many places in the last decades that talent is universally distributed, but opportunity is not. The futures of these women and girls will affect yours and mine. And therefore, it is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing.

You can read her entire address by clicking here.

Don't Miss -- Oklahoma Women's Issues Forum ~ June 10!

Don’t miss the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition Issues Forum held in conjunction with their annual business meeting on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 10, 2009.

Please join us at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City to hear experts in incarceration (Dr. Laura Pitman, Oklahoma Department of Corrections), violence (Marcia Smith, Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault), and aging (Lance Robertson, Director of Aging Services, Oklahoma Department of Human Services) discuss critical issues facing Oklahoma women.

Additionally, Senator Debbe Leftwich and Representative Lee Denney will present highlights of the 2009 Oklahoma Legislative session on issues pertaining to women and girls. The program will end with a 5pm Networking Reception.

$25 – Current Members
$40 – New Members (includes $25 for membership)

Click here to register. Registrations are due by Friday, June 5.
Click here for more information or call OWC Chair Jean Warner at (405) 812-5970.

Please forward to your friends; this event is open to current and new members of the Oklahoma Women’s Coalition!

Kurt Hochenauer: "Troopers, Women Lose"

Kurt Hochenauer - who blogs as Okie Funk and writes for the Oklahoma Gazette - posted today on his chagrin at the priorities of the Oklahoma Legislature. You can also follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kurthochenauer/. His post today (read full version here) begins:

State legislators crafted a budget for next year that could lead to state trooper furloughs, but somehow they came up with $280,000 to harass women seeking abortions.

So it goes in red state Oklahoma these days . . .

House 1595, which has passed the House and Senate, requires the state to spend $280,000 to fund a reporting system for all abortions performed in Oklahoma. Under the law, doctors would have to submit detailed information about each woman seeking an abortion. This information— identities would supposedly be protected—would then be published on a public web site.

In the world of Twitter, this is what is known as a re-tweet. :-)

Maslow's hierarchy for geeks on the road (via David Weinberger @ JOHO the Blog)

David Weinberger is one of my gurus on information, technology, and the future. He is at Harvard's Berman Center and blogs at JOHO the Blog. He also Twitters at https://twitter.com/dweinberger. He has authored three  excellent books: Small Pieces Loosely Joined; Everything is Miscellaneous; and The Cluetrain Manifesto.  Here is a recent post of Dave's that I love:

Abraham Maslow is famous for his Hierarchy of Human Needs:

Self-actualization
Esteem
Love
Safety
Physiological

(RageBoy has a different take on Maslow.)

In discussion with Thomas Crampton, we have come up with the Hierarchy of Traveling Geek Needs:

Free wifi
Power outlets

That’s as far as we could get.

Interested in women and politics? Come to N.E.W. Leadership breakfast this Thursday!

Please join us for the 2009

 N.E.W. (National Education for Women's) Leadership 

Reception featuring 

Debbie Walsh, Director

Center for American Women and Politics

Rutgers University

Thursday, May 21, 8:00AM 

Oklahoma History Center

2401 N. Laird Ave.

Oklahoma City, OK (View Map) 

RSVP: 405-325-6372; carlalbertcenter@ou.edu

Tickets are $35 ($20 tax-deductible); $15 for students.

An insightful analyst of women in politics, Debbie Walsh will trace trends in women's political leadership and place in context Oklahoma's dwindling number of elected women. A conversation among attendees will follow focusing on strategies to encourage, educate, and inspire more Oklahoma women to become leaders in politics and public service. 

Oklahoma Artist Dana Tiger Honored with "Lois Smokey Award"

Oklahoma artist Dana Tiger reports that: 

Last friday I was honored with the "Lois Smokey Award." She was one of the original Kiowa Five who studied at OU in the 1920's credited with the starting of traditional Indian art movement in Oklahoma. She was forced out because she was a woman and replaced.

Read about Lois Smokey here. This site notes of Smokey that "Because she was the first Indian woman in Oklahoma to step outside of the accepted role of women to paint subjects heretofore exclusive to Plains Indian men, she served as a model to later generations of Indian women artists who wished to do the same." Dana Tiger is also quite an inspiration to the many women who know or read about her extraordinary life.

61 members of Oklahoma House of Representatives oppose childrens rights because... Why?

I am sorry - but I just don't understand why a majority of the members of the Oklahoma House of representatives voted to condemn the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which 193 nations have ratified. Does Oklahoma oppose protecting children from neglect, violence, exploitation and abuse? Do we not want to reduce infant mortality? Do we not favor reducing disease among children? Are we opposed to accessible educational opportunities for children? Should governments not protect freedom of religion among children? Don't we agree that parents are primarily responsible with the health, well-being and upbringing of their children? Would someone explain this vote to me, please - before I read the mocking articles on it in newspapers across the country and hear about what yahoos Oklahomans are on TV news reports? (Read more here)

Sexist Media Coverage of Nancy Pelosi Highlighted in Media Matters Video

The Women's Media Center has been cataloging some of the most sexist things said about US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. I wonder how Rush Limbaugh and other conservative reporters would be roaring with rage if this kind of language was directed at a Republican woman? What ever happened to comity? (LOOK IT UP, idiot!)  Oh, I remember. Some young US Senator named Barack Obama ran on the "more comity" platform and got elected President of the United States of America.  (Take a note, creeps.)

If you've got the stomach, watch for yourself at http://womensmediacenter.com/wordpress/?p=763

Did Twitter's creators ever imagine "tweets" from space?

US astronaut Mike Massimino of Houston, Texas is Twittering from outer space. Check it out here-->

http://twitter.com/Astro_Mike/. 

Is this a great time to be alive, or what?!

A new candy bar for ladies that's "naughty, but not that naughty" - Is this for real?!#

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/sexual-euphemism-now-in-convenient-chocolate-form

This is National Women's Health Week. Do something constructive about your health!

What do YOU think when you see the term "women's health"? Reproductive health?  Diet and exercise? Doctor visits? Breast/ovarian/cervical cancer? Heart disease? It can cover a wide area! 

That's why this is National Women's Health Awareness Week  - to draw attention to and teach women about all the different facets of their health and encourage them to make their well-being a priority in their lives.  Are you taking good care of your health?

"Womenstake" Reports A New Supreme Court Ruling Perpetuates Pregnancy Discrimination

The National Women's Law Center blog - Womenstake - has a new post entitled "Just Released: Supreme Court Rules Against Female Workers." It begins...

A Bad Decision in AT&T Corp. v. Hulteen Perpetuates Pregnancy Discrimination Against Women in the Workplace

Read the post here.

Women's Health Care

A new report - Roadblocks to Health Care: Why the Current Health Care System does not work for Women - explains how the US health care system leaves too many women without access to coverage for care. Click here to view the report.

Thank goodness for passage of the Sheppard-Towner Maternity and Infant Protection Act of 1921

One hundred years ago, around 20% of children in the United States died in their first year and about 33% in their first five years. Then came"The Maternity Act" designed to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Read about it at About.com's Women's History site by clicking here.

Tuesday saw the launch of a new national website for women; check out DoubleX.com

A new website for women recently launched that is called Double X.

According to a May 12 article in the New York Times entitled "A Blog Geared To Women Yields A New Site For Slate, it that grew out of a blog for women sponsored by Slate (which is owned by The Washington post). According to the NYT STORY:

The new site, Double X, which is set to start publishing Tuesday, grew from a group blog created on Slate in October 2007 called The XX Factor, after the pair of X chromosomes in women. The blog featured commentary on politics, sex and culture from several women who write for Slate.

Thank you, Women's Media Center for the heads up!

OK Dept of Commerce "Tweets" Interesting Oklahoma Information

Those of you who use Twitter should follow the OK Dept of Commerce. Really! They put out all kinds of interesting info. Like:

Right in the middle. That's where OK ranks in receipt of 2007 federal formula funding -- $5 billion or $1,395/ person. http://ow.ly/6srz

Oklahoma ranks 4th on the Financial "Happiness" index published by The Street. Now aren't you happy to know that? http://ow.ly/6t2v


More than 70K more businesses, incl. auto dealers, are now eligible for SBA 7(a) loans in temporary change to program. http://ow.ly/6u3h

Want an overview of the Roe v Wade Supreme Court Decisions? Check out Women's eNews

About.com's Women's History site has an overview of Roe v. Wade. This Supreme Court decision (January 22, 1973) has shaped debate about abortion in America ever since. Check it out here.

Will Obama's Recovery Plan Include the Gender Discrimination of FDR's New Deal Programs?

Louise Bernikow, author of numerous books and articles, has a lecture and slide show about activism called "The Shoulders We Stand On: Women as Agents of Change" She has written an article for Women's eNews on how FDR's New Deal slighted women in the recovery plans (click here to read). Here are a few key passages:

As executive orders and legislation were put into effect during Roosevelt's first term, gender discrimination was the norm.

Regulating wages and hours, the government enshrined a system whereby men's jobs paid more than women's. Pumping money into the economy meant government subsidy of enormous construction projects (largely jobs for men) and the relegation of women's work to less visible, less prestigious sewing projects or domestic service. Discrimination in the employment of married women would be a contentious subject for decades to follow.

The past is prologue and women are watching. As President Obama proposes programs to stimulate the current economy, today's historians and activists are reminding him of women's needs as workers and citizens.

Who Are the Great American Women Authors?

The Guardian has an article by Elaine Showalter (author of A Jury of her Peers: American Women Writers From Anne Bradstreet To Annie Proulx) on why women aren't counted among the "giants of American letters." She asks, "So where are all the women?" and discusses the best women novelists writing in the US today. Read article HERE.

OK State Legislature creates a Victims Rights Task Force to consider ways to better protect folks with Victim's Protective Orders

OKREPSENATE (Oklahoma Republican Senate) just Tweeted a link to a State Senate News Release (see below):

COFFEE COMMENDS PASSAGE OF VICTIM’S PROTECTION LEGISLATION

Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee praised the passage of Senate Bill 932, which creates the Victims Rights to Protection Task Force.

The purpose of the task force is to study the needs and ability of victims to lawfully defend against harmful conduct and the right to self protection. One main objective during the study will be to determine the merit of allowing those who have sought protection from an emergency Victim’s Protective Order (VPO) to obtain an emergency concealed carry license for their protection.

“Victims seeking protection from their attackers can often feel threatened and insecure even with a VPO on file,” said Coffee. “This task force will study ways to provide victims with more of a measure of security as the legal process plays out. I encourage the Governor to sign this legislation that will work to strengthen the public safety of Oklahomans.”

Senate Bill 932 will now go to the Governor’s desk for his consideration and signature.

For more information contact:
Sen. Coffee's Office - 405-521-5636

Source:

You can listen to Wayne Coyne talk to a Yukon High School drama class

sarahkatherine (aka https://twitter.com/sarahkatheryn on Twitter) has a post on Daily Kos entitled Struggling Arts Star Gets Rockstar Speaker about Wayne Coyne speaking to a class at Yukon High School You can watch the talk at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/5/12/730616/-Struggling-Arts-Class-gets-Rockstar-Speaker

Help ID groups, facilities, grassroots advocacy efforts addressing PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) in Oklahoma

Do you know of any groups or facilities in Oklahoma that are addressing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder issues -- including any grassroots advocacy efforts? If so, please send that information to peacearena at gmail dot com. Thanks!

May is Older Americans Month

Trish Emig of Stillwater, OK ~ aging advocate extraordinaire ~ wants you to know it that May is Older Americans Month. Barack Obama says so right HERE. His proclamation ends:

I invite Americans of all ages; representatives of government at all levels; businesses and communities; faith-based and neighborhood organizations; and health, academic, and recreational institutions to acknowledge the contributions of older Americans during this month and throughout the year.

So, lets hear your stories. Leave them as a COMMENT, post them on your own blog, put them out on Twitter, send them in an email to family and friends. Let's each honor someone "older" who has touched our lives in a special way. (For me, it is my Grandma Pat - but more on that later,)

See Politico.com's article on the dwindling number of Republican women in the US Congress!

I am forever lamenting the lack of elected women in the Oklahoma State Legislature. It is a problem in the US Congress as well -- especially if you look at Republican women. Politico.com has a good article entitled "Republican women: A minority in a minority" you can read by clicking HERE. Check out the following quotes from the article:

Twenty-two percent of House Democrats are women, but only 9.5 percent of House Republicans are. . .

In the Senate, nearly 23 percent of the Democrats are women, but only 10 percent of the Republicans are. . .

The problem is also geographical. As political realignment shifts the GOP territory south, Elder said female candidates are vying to get elected in a region least hospitable to women, while Democrats are getting elected in the West and Northeast — areas that are more welcoming to female candidates.

“In the South, women have done very poorly. There are big differences in terms of political culture,” said Debbie Walsh, director of Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics. “Change would mean letting in some voices that have not had a place at the table within the Republican Party. Right now the Democratic agenda is more in sync with women voters.”

By the way, YOU can hear Debbie Walsh speak on May 21 at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma! It is a huge honor that she is coming to Oklahoma. Don't pass up this opportunity to hear the expert on American women and politics! Get details of the May 22 event HERE.

Federal Funds Benefiting Women

Women’s Policy, Inc. (WPI) has charts summarizing President Obama’s budget proposal for a number of programs important to women and their families. This information is available on their homepage or by clicking HERE.

OSU Prof Charlotte Wright Named 2009 Outstanding Accounting Educator

The Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants named Dr. Charlotte Wright at Oklahoma State University the 2009 Outstanding Accounting Educator. She has taught at OSU in Stillwater since 1982. Read more at the Oklahoma Society of CPAs website HERE.

Some US Census Data on Working Moms and Moms-To-Be

5.3 million
The number of stay-at-home moms in 2008.
Source: America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2008

57%
Among mothers 15 to 50 with infants in 2006, the percentage in the labor force. A cluster of
states in the Midwest and also Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and Connecticut had rates
higher than the national average.
Source: Fertility of American Women: 2006

757,616
The number of child care centers across the country in 2006. These include 73,755 centers
employing 831,361 workers and another 683,861 self-employed people or other businesses
without paid employees. Many mothers turn to these centers to help juggle motherhood and
careers.
Source: County Business Patterns: 2006 and Nonemployer Statistics

A Few Statistics on Single Mothers from the US Census

9.8 million
The number of single mothers living with children younger than 18, up from 3.4 million in 1970.
Source: America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2008

6.1 million
The number of custodial mothers entitled to child support in 2005.
Source: Custodial Mothers and Fathers and their Child Support: 2005

36%
The percentage of women 15 to 50 with a birth in the past year who were not currently married.
Source: Fertility of American Women: 2006

Attend a Community Health Fair on June 6 at St. John's Missionary Baptist Church, OKC

St. John Missionary Baptist Church Wellness Initiative will be sponsoring a community health fair on June 6, 2009, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, at the church, which is located at 5700 North Kelly in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The target invitees will be members of surrounding Oklahoma communities.

The Mayor’s program, "This City is Going on a Diet", INTEGRIS-Health, INTEGRIS Mental-Health, Central Oklahoma Integrated Network System, Guiding Right, United Way, and other community partners have agreed to participate in this community affair. Various health and allied professionals will be in attendance to provide health and wellness screenings, education, referrals, as well as one-on-one consultation. They will have entertainment and free food. The fair is expected to attract well over 200-300 people.

The church's mission is to stay firm in the community and abroad, and with the assistance of this initiative, seeks to provide valuable health and wellness information free to public. Pastor Major Lewis Jemison is the pastor and Dr. Betty Joubert is the chairperson. Please contact the church at 478-3344 for additional information. They would love to see you there.

OK City YWCA Seeks SANE Coordinator (spread the word)

The YWCA Oklahoma City is currently seeking a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Coordinator.

The SANE Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the SANE Program and medical forensic services provided to victims of sexual assault. The SANE Coordinator facilitates the SANE Steering Committee and works as a key member of the Oklahoma County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) with law enforcement agencies, District Attorney’s Office, metro area hospitals and other partners. The YWCA is looking for a dynamic professional who is energetic, creative and proactive, with strong leadership and relationship building skills. Must be a registered nurse, Bachelor’s Degree preferred. Experience working in administration and with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence preferred. The position requires a flexible work schedule to meet the needs of victims of sexual assault.

Please submit your resume and cover letter to Shannon Liew at sliew@ywcaokc.org or fax to 405-943-7177.

Lupus Advocacy Day (May 6); Lupus Walk (May 16)

Wednesday is Lupus Advocacy Day at the Oklahoma State Capitol. Members of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America invite you to join them Wednesday, May 6, from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Capitol (2nd Floor Rotunda). There is also a "Walk for Lupus" planned for Saturday, May 16 (8:00am - 11:00am) at the Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 NE 50th St, Oklahoma City, OK. Questions? Call 405-427-8787 or email oklupus@flash.net.

Brits Pick Woman Poet Laureate, Feminist Marilyn French Dies, Michelle O's Mom Likes Living in DC

After 341 Years, British Poet Laureate Is A Woman
5/2/09
NY Times: The writer Carol Ann Duffy was appointed Britain's poet laureate on Friday, becoming the first woman to take a 341-year-old job that has been held by, among others, Dryden, Tennyson, Wordsworth, Cecil Day-Lewis and Ted Hughes.

Marilyn French, Novelist And Champion Of Feminism, Dies At 79
5/4/09
NY Times: Marilyn French, a writer and feminist activist whose debut novel, "The Women's Room," propelled her into a leading role in the modern feminist movement, died on Saturday in Manhattan. She was 79 and lived in Manhattan.

An In-Law Is Finding Washington To Her Liking
5/4/09
NY Times: Marian Robinson, President Obama's mother-in-law, moved into the White House "kicking and screaming," said her son, Craig Robinson. But after three months in the Executive Mansion, Mrs. Robinson is unexpectedly and decidedly savoring her new life.

Source: Women's Media Center

Oklahoma House Dems Pick 2010 Leaders: None are Women :-(

Monday the Oklahoma House Democrats caucused and selected their leaders for the 2010 Legislative session.

Rep. Scott Inman of Del City is now the House Minority Leader-designate.
Rep. Joe Dorman of Rush Springs will be speaker pro tem.
Rep. Jerry McPeak of Warner will be Democratic caucus chairman.
Rep. Wallace Collins of Norman will be Democratic caucus vice-chair.

Congrats, gentlemen; I'm sure you'll do a fine job.
I just REALLY hoped to see one woman on the above list.

Women's eNews article on the history of getting women appointed to federal courts (plus my personal account)

Women's eNews today has a great article about how we finally got women judges at the highest levels. Click on the article's title to read it: "Nixon Gaffe Sparks Era of Judicial Advance."

It begins by telling how, in 1971 when Justices Harlan and Black announced their retirement, Nixon promised to "appoint the best man for the job." That sent Liz Carpenter (who had been Lady Bird Johnson's press secretary from 1963 to 1969 and was one of the founders of the then-new National Women's Political Caucus) into gear. Liz started organizing women leaders to push for the appointment of a woman to the US Supreme Court and other federal courts.

As the article's author Sally Kenney points out, things didn't really happen until Jimmy Carter got elected President. I urge you to especially read the section labeled "McKenna Uses Her Access."

It points out that

Margaret McKenna, then only 32 years old and the first woman to hold the position of deputy White House counsel...

...wrested exclusive control of judicial appointments from Attorney General Griffin Bell and the Justice Department, which continues to share that power with the White House Counsel's office to this day.

She met with Carter's newly-created nominating commissions for the circuit courts and charged them with including women and minority men on their lists.

She worked with outside women's groups to push forward names, enlisting other women in the White House, including Sarah Weddington, special White House adviser to President Carter (and the lawyer who argued Roe v. Wade); Midge Costanza, presidential assistant for public liaison and the First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

After he was elected, President Carter appointed me to the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. (I remember sitting in a circle on the floor in a completely empty house eating Kentucky Fried Chicken with Carter and a few others as we planned to convert the building into his Oklahoma Presidential campaign headquarters.)

I wasn't a lawyer -- which irked the *#&! out of the old white male lawyers on the Commission -- but I WAS a women's rights activist. To make matters worse, Carter specifically gave us instructions to give special consideration to women and minorities with fewer years of experience than their peers since the legal field had been rather restricted to minorities until the civil rights movement era.

Our job was to read heaps of material submitted by each applicant (a massive application plus briefs, and opinions and articles and books they'd written - we are talking a LOT OF READING!). After interviewing the candidates, we were to pick up to 5 candidates based on (get this) merit! Not how much they gave to a Senator's campaign or the President's election coffers. Or how many offices they'd held in bar related organizations. But merit. Those names went to President Carter and he madehis selection from the names submitted.

I served on the Commission through three assignments/placements. I like to think I played a small role in getting Stefanie Seymour appointed to the 10th Circuit from Oklahoma.

Anyway, enjoy the article; it was a different time. The "best man for the job," indeed!

(Someday I'll tell you about going to the Women's Political Caucus annual meeting in San Antonio, TX where one presidential candidate actually passed out campaign material to us that had been printed with "best man for the job" on his brochure's front cover. Some poor staffer had stayed up all night before our meeting - gluing a rephrased banner over the "offending" slogan -- before he spoke to state caucuses. (Poor, fellow; he hadn't heard yet that women had gotten the right to vote and were expecting candidates to pay attention to them!)

Does Gender Matter With Judges? (Yup)

I was on a panel in SW Oklahoma a couple weeks ago entitled "Lose the Battle, But Win the War: 35 Years Later, Did the E.R.A. Matter?"

On the panel with me were the masterful panel moderator Mike Turpen, the (she didn't just live it but led it) former State Senator Penny Williams, and two young women lawyers. To cut to the chase, the young ladies (one a judge) really didn't think gender made any difference. I vehemently disagreed but came away feeling I hadn't won the debate.

So, belatedly, I offer as evidence the following piece (below) shamelessly ripped from the US News & World Report website. It is a blog entry by Bonnie Erbe. The emphasis is added by me.

In Souter's Case, Sex and Pay Discrimination Stats Make Case for More Like Him
May 04, 2009, 10:20 AM ET | Bonnie Erbe | Permanent Link | Print

By Bonnie Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street blog.

Last week in this space, I wrote that as President Obama ponders his choice to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, few women could be more female-sensitive than Justice Souter himself when it comes to traditional women's rights issues such as abortion rights and pay discrimination.

New research released over the weekend by the Washington Post (<-- check this out too) on the voting differences between male and female judges confirms there are differences between how the two rule on cases, especially when it comes to pay discrimination:

In research that we conducted with our colleague Andrew D. Martin, we studied the votes of federal court of appeals judges in many areas of the law, from environmental cases to capital punishment and sex discrimination. For the most part, we found no difference in the voting patterns of male and female judges, except when it comes to sex discrimination cases. There, we found that female judges are approximately 10 percent more likely to rule in favor of the party bringing the discrimination claim. We also found that the presence of a female judge causes male judges to vote differently. When male and female judges serve together to decide a sex discrimination case, the male judges are nearly 15 percent more likely to rule in favor of the party alleging discrimination than when they sit with male judges only.

To "get it" means a judge or politician can empathize with the perspective of someone from a different background and discern how that person would reason in a case affecting his or her rights. Justice Souter clearly gets it when it comes to empathizing with persons of different backgrounds and so, presumably, does President Obama.

Bingo. Told you so.

Oklahoma Twitter Users: Please Join the Oklahoma "Twibe"

Those of you in Oklahoma who use Twitter who are looking for knidred spirits in Oklahoma can look for us at (and sign up for) the "Oklahoma Twibe" --> http://www.twibes.com/group/Oklahoma#

Four Women with OK County Sheriff's Office Honored

Thanks to Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel for posting on Twitter that "Four women from the OCSO were recently honored by the Oklahoma Women In Law Enforcement." See photo at http://twitpic.com/4k6bk. (For Twitter users, this is a blogsite initiated "RT.")

11am, May 7 - Interfaith Prayers, So. Steps of State Capitol

Interfaith Alliance Day of Prayer and Reflection
South Steps of the State Capitol, Oklahoma City, OK
Thursday, May 7th at 11:00 a.m.

The 6th Annual Interfaith Day of Prayer and Reflection will be held on Thursday, May 7th at 11:00 a.m. at the South Steps of the State Capitol.

The purpose of the event is to highlight the various faith traditions in Oklahoma and the give expression to the rights of those who profess no official faith tradition. The celebration of freedom of conscience is central to the religious freedoms of the United States. It is important to recognize that our Founding ideal involves the freedom of religion and the freedom from religious oppression.

Giving expression to the spirit of the day will be noted leaders from diverse traditions. The speakers include the Honorable Secretary of State of Oklahoma, Susan Savage, Rabbi Barry Cohen, Temple B’nai Israel, Rev. Loyce Newton-Edwards, Associate Pastor, Church of the Open Arms, and Dr. Imad Enchassi, Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.

Lt. Governor Jari Askins has been invited to bring an official welcome.

In addition to the speakers, there will be a ceremony of the bells rung in honor of the religious and non religious traditions in Oklahoma. The action will affirm the diversity of Oklahoma’s spiritual representations.

Finally, well known entertainer and guitarist, D. Ray Polk will provide musical background. There will also be a special vocal performance by Shavonne McAndrew.

The Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma affirms that we are One Nation and Many Faiths.

For further information contact Jeff Hamilton, President of the Interfaith Alliance at 405 525-6551 or 405 732-6416.

Source. Elda Davis (Thanks, Elda!)

BBC Issues Oklahoma a Black Eye (or so it seems to me!)

Oh, dear. The BBC's Kevin Connolly recently traveled to Oklahoma and got quotes from Oklahomans about how they hate Obama (well, we ARE the reddest state in the USA, aren'e we?!).

One quote was by a "Christian lady" in SW Oklahoma who happily said she doubts that Obama is a Christian or an American and that he is bringing out all the homosexuals and now there are "blacks everywhere!" The poor mayor of Medicine Park has issued a response (most citizens of his community are expressing "revulsion and anger" over the quote. Read his remarks HERE. Hear a portion of the BBC piece HERE.

Thanks, fruMurf, for the Twitter (Medicine Park Blog. Oklahoma Mayor responds to BBC interview about Obama. http://tinyurl.com/dn5mwo)

New Project: "A Woman's Nation"

On Tuesday, April 15, 2009, Maria Shriver announced a new project called, "A Woman’s Nation", which will take a new, empirical look at American women, who for the first time in our nation’s history, make up half of all workers and are becoming the primary breadwinners in more families than ever before. This is a multifaceted project in partnership with the Center for American Progress and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy. TIME magazine will also be involved in research and reporting, as well as co-presenting discussions and roundtables around the country.

Source. http://www.californiawomen.org/

Sex trafficking in Oklahoma

Yes, sex trafficking occurs in Oklahoma. In Oklahoma City, there is a special cooperative relationship between the OK City Police Department and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) working to stop it. You can read an article about a recent event in Tulsa
that focused on sex trafficking of young girls at an Oklahoma City truck stop by clicking here.

Wife of Kenya's PM supports women's rights activists call for sex ban

Here is a link to a a BBC story and audio-interview of the wife of Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga in which she says that she supports the sex ban imposed by women's activists over the country's political impasse. Read/listen by clicking HERE.

Simple Saving Savvy (OK woman blogger)

Amanda Brackney is an Oklahoma woman blogger who helps you save money. Check out her blog at http://www.simplesavingsavvy.blogspot.com/.

More Legislative Solutions to Oklahoma Abortions?

Kurt Hochenauer has a worrisome article in the Oklahoma Gazette entitled "Pro-Life intimidation." It begins:

"Women's medical privacy rights could be threatened and the state's growing bioscience industry would have suffered under new pro-life legislation in Oklahoma."

Think Hochenauer is wrong? Think Governor Henry should veto House Bill 1595? Leave a comment!

Remembering Oklahoma's Marianne Vannatta

Pause a moment to remember Marianne Vannatta. After a tough fight, she succumbed to cancer recently and our hearts and prayers go out to her husband, Jerry, and her family. She was a professional working woman (CPA) plus a civic leader (served on many working boards). And she was nice and kind; I know that first hand. She will be greatly missed. You can read her obituary here.