Network of enlightened Women

ReNeW Respect Between the Sexes: Donate $100 to Honor a Gentleman

2010-03-12T15:42:00Z

Remember the good ole days? The days when a gentleman on a college campus wasn’t such an elusive concept? When young men didn’t think twice about opening a door for a lady, paying for her dinner on a date, or standing up to offer his seat when she entered a room?

In today’s culture “anything goes” in terms of dating, romance, and courtship. Unfortunately, gentlemen and ladies are becoming increasingly scarce. The “hook-up” culture prevails, dating is discouraged, and propriety is an antiquated concept.

But all hope is not lost! Upstanding gentlemen still exist. They are the ones who carry on chivalry and gallantry while no one is watching. The women of NeW are on a quest to find and recognize these gentlemen on campus during Women’s History Month.

Women’s History Month has become hostile towards men and laden with crudity, as exemplified by The Vagina Monologues. NeW is challenging this pervasive culture in order to promote a positive change in the paradigm through which femininity and manhood are viewed. NeW is hosting an Online Gentlemen’s Showcase, where any young man can be nominated by video for his outstanding gentlemanly behavior. By encouraging chivalry, NeW hopes to restore mutual respect between the sexes.

Will you join us in our quest? Donate $100 to promote chivalry on campus and recognize an outstanding gentleman. Encourage young men and women who are challenging the campus culture. Show them that Americans still support traditional values. With every donation, send us the name of an outstanding campus gentleman you know. In turn, we will recognize him on our website and will send you a video of one of the NeW nominees. May you be encouraged by those young people who fight back against campus culture and hold fast to their principles.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of young women and men across the country who are the future leaders of our communities. Join us today!

If you have questions, please contact NeW's Media Intern Rachel Kopec at rachel@enlightenedwomen.org

The Truth about Tiaras

2010-03-12T14:38:00Z

Image from http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com/

I feel like beauty pageants have been getting a bad reputation lately.

Recently, the negative attention started when California's Carrie Prejean answered gossip heavy hitter Perez Hilton's question on gay marriage during the 2009 Miss USA pageant. Prejean opened up a can of worms when she revealed that she believed marriage should be between a man and a woman. Fast Forward to February, 2010 when California's Lauren Ashley made headlines for publicly announcing her opinion on gay marriage. Did I miss something? Is it a new requirement for California's beauty queens to declare a stance on this issue? I hate seeing politics brought into pageants, because that's not what pageants are about. Regardless, I think pageants have something to offer young women and shouldn't be written off as "outdated" just yet.

Now, I know that pageants aren't for everyone. And just like any other activity or hobby I don't think girls should be forced to participate in anything they don't want to do (in short I'm not talking about Toddlers and Tiaras here). After participating in my first pageant this past year I was extremely impressed with the quality of not only the pageant (which did happen to be the same system Prejean competed in, Miss USA) but also the participants and directors. To be completely honest, it was one of the most enjoyable weekends in recent memory.

All pageants judge contestant's beauty in some manner, but a majority of pageants also judge contestants in other areas. Depending on the system and level, contestants may also be judged on talent, scholarship, fitness, philanthropy, interview, wardrobe, and personality (to cover a few). In essence, those chosen to represent a city/county/state/country must possess more then just a pretty face. Intelligence, talent, poise and congeniality are all common traits sought in beauty queens. Beauty queens were originally expected to be diplomats of sorts for the territories that crowned them, and it was considered a very prestigious honor to represent your home city/county/state/country.

It's a shame that politicized comments, and factions of individuals that do not agree with pageants, have been so vocal in recent years when pageants are discussed in the media. My experience with pageants has brought me closer with other young women who are motivated, intelligent and fun! Only one girl gets to win at the end of the day, but every contestant gets to be a part of something bigger then themselves. The state pageant I competed in (and again, every state is different) supported a local community service project and encouraged all contestants to participate to make a difference in our community. The pageant encouraged dedication, self confidence, discipline, grace, character and scholarship. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of my state's pageant, and would encourage any other teens/misses out there to compete. Don't listen to the stories publicized in the media about pageants, individuals too often enjoy perpetuating stereotypes about pageant girls.

At the very worst, pageant contestants dress up for a weekend, promote community service, and meet some new friends. At the very best, a contestant may be chosen, and crowned, to represent the city/county/state/country that means the most to her. The winner (at least at the state level) receives scholarships and gets to use her crown as a megaphone to promote a philanthropy of her choice for a whole year.

The drama, politics, and scandals are merely a minuscule portion of the pageant world.

An Interesting Take-Away from the 2010 Gentlemen's Showcase at ASU

2010-03-11T19:20:00Z

We asked each of the top ten gentlemen to name and describe a particular man who was a role model and an influence for them in developing character and becoming a man. The answers we received uncovered something I found quite interesting.

Mark Alavi responded,

I would have to say that my father (Mark Alavi Sr.) was the most influential. He is one of the most understanding people I know. Whenever I made a mistake in school or life he was there to reassure me that it was a learning experience and I should use it to make myself a better person. He got a lot of enjoyment from making my sister and me happy. He never asked for anything in return when he did something for us because he was happy seeing us happy. That is a quality I'm proud to say I possess as well.

Taylor Ford answered,

My father. I am so thankful for having such a wonderful role model in my life. If I am ever confused about how to handle a situation, I ask myself, "What would Steve Ford do?" And the behavior always reflects that of a gentleman.

And Devon Lawrence responded,

If any one man really was a role model and influence for me in developing character it would have to be my father, Darrel Lawrence. Though he may not seem the gentleman type to many people, on the inside he really is. He treats my mom right, and taught me through action that men must respect and protect women, whether they know them or not.

There is a theme here, and while it is somewhat predictable and perhaps cliché that a man would choose his father as a role model, I think it reinforces how important a traditional family unit is to the development of character.

Every single one of ASU's top ten gentlemen acknowledged his father as his primary role model. But today there are feminists glorifying single-motherhood by choice. What will be the effect of the growing number of single-mothers-by-choice in our society?

Perhaps gentlemen are at risk of becoming an endangered species...

First Lady Spotlight: Laura Bush

2010-03-11T16:30:00Z

Laura Bush was the only first lady that had twins. She had a high approval rating despite the high disapproval rating of her husband. She and President George W. Bush only dated 3 months before getting married.

People magazine reporter Jane Simms Podesta said this about the effect she had on her husband:

"She is the steel in his back. She is a civilizing influence on him. Ithink she built him, in many ways, into the person he is today."

While she was in the White House, Laura Bush used the role of the First Lady to draw attention to children and education and health of women and HIV.

When her husband was the Governor of Texas, Mrs. Bush launched the Texas Book Festival which she launched on a national scale once in the White House as the National Book Festival. She also saw the importance of establishing patriotic educated children and launched the National Anthem Project. She said this after the September 11th attacks:

"[W]e need to reassure our children that they are safe in their homesand schools. We need to reassure them that many people love them andcare for them, and that while there are some bad people in the world,there are many more good people."

She was later honored as the honorary ambassador for United Nations Decade of Literacy, where she was able to promote literacy on a global scale.

In areas of women's health, Laura Bush became involved with the The Heart Truth awareness campaign and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. She dedicated the First Ladies Red Dress Collection to raise awareness about women and heart disease. Her mother endured breast cancer and Laura Bush now is involved with educating women about it on a global scale.

While researching Laura Bush, I learned more about her support for women around the globe-especially in Afghanistan. In 2001, she used the presidential weekly radio address to talk about women and later spoke on radio stations in Afghanistan. Her main message was this:

"The brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrorists."

Laura Bush was a loving wife who had a supportive role in her husband's administration. She led our country in the areas of literacy and women's health and then was able to launch it on a global scale.

Salt: The New Foe?

2010-03-11T13:01:00Z

Hold the Salt (and the flavor). You just might get fined.

If the New York State legislature has its way and can pass a newly introduced bill, then any restaurant in the state using salt in food preparation will have to pay a $1000 fine. While restaurant diners would still have the "freedom" to salt their own food at the table, restaurant chefs will be banned from salting anything and everything.

Needless to say, the potential ban has unleashed a firestorm of complaints from restaurant chefs in New York. If you've ever been to New York City, then you know firsthand why they are famous for their food. But regulating their cooking techniques and use of ingredients? Now that just goes too far. Members of the advocacy group "My Food My Choice" are up in arms. One angry chef said,

"Chefs would be handcuffed in their food preparation, and many are already in open rebellion over this legislation."

This is an instance where the government is attempting to regulate something they really should be left up to individuals. This ban completely ignores the role of personal responsibility. If your doctor tells you to avoid salt, then YOU are responsible for the food choices you make. Not the government.

Maybe this has made me upset because I enjoy seasoned foods with lots of salt. I will be thoroughly disappointed if my next visit to a New York City restaurant is saltless. Salt is like anything; moderation is key. If someone forced me to get rid of the salt in my home cooking, I would likewise be at a loss for words. If you can't cook with a little salt, in my opinion, you might as well not cook at all.

What Happens in Vegas: A Marriage?

2010-03-10T19:17:00Z

Girls’ night this week in apartment 31o1 consisted of What Happens in Vegas starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. Both Jack (Kutcher) who had just been fired from his job and Joy (Diaz) who had just been dumped set off to Las Vegas in an attempt to escape their troubles. Meet each other and end up getting married after one crazy night. The next morning, while fighting, Jack pulls the lever of a slot machine and wins $3 million. They get back to New York and want a divorce hoping to split the $3 million. The judge freezes the money and orders Jack and Joy to try to make their marriage work for 6 months until they can work it out.

Despite the fact that Jack and Joy get married while intoxicated, this movie paints men and women in a positive light. There are times when there are cheap jokes made at the extent of a gender stereotype, but there is no denying the difference between men and women. The basis of the conflict during the 6 months of married life that Jack and Joy must maintain comes from gender differences.

What Happens in Vegas is almost entirely about marriage. When Jack and Joy are in Vegas arguing just before they win the $3 million, he says that “Marriages are an outdated concept.” Really, that is the struggle throughout the whole movie. Is marriage even worth it? What are the benefits? So when the judge, played by Dennis Miller, hears their case he says, “. . .Marriage is about love and commitment. Listen, I have been married for 25 years to the same wonderful, infuriating woman. Granted, there are days I want to light her on fire, but I don’t because I love her and that would be illegal. And you know something, when I said those vows out loud, I meant them. Before, or should I say if, I ever allow either of you out of this marriage I am going to make you try everything, I do mean everything, to make it work.”

There was such an emphasis on working through the marital problems to get to the core of what marriage means. I think that What Happens in Vegas is a pro-marriage and pro-gender differences movie. The movie says that marriage isn’t easy, but that when things begin to be difficult, do not stop fighting for it. Make it work.

NeW Highlights Emerging Leader: Anna Beavon Gravely

2010-03-10T17:14:00Z

Anna Beavon Gravely hails from North Carolina and is President of NeW at Meredith College. She joined NeW in August 2009 and quickly founded one of NeW’s chapters at an all girl’s school. In a previously conducted interview let’s see why Anna Beavon is one of NeW’s emerging leaders.

JC: Why did you join the Network of enlightened Women?

ABG: I joined NeW because I saw a need for a culturally conservative organization that grows women through a book club on my campus. Meredith College lacks intellectual diversity, and NeW begins to fill that void by educating women on the effects of second and third wave feminism, the sexual revolution and the degradation of the role of men in the family.

JC: When did you become passionate about issues affecting women?

ABG: Birth. Probably not that early, because I had to learn lots of other stuff first, but my mom was the Director of Abstinence and Worth Waiting 4 for 13 years. I grew up visiting my mom's work--The Pregnancy Care Center of Rocky Mount. I remember wanting to help the young girls that would come in expecting a child. I wanted to just give them a hug; I felt for them. They were my age and having a baby. So ever since I was around 11 I wanted to help women and young girls know that they have value and that they are a prize and beautiful. I was an ambitious little pre-teen.

JC: Who are your mentors and why?

ABG: My mom is definitely a mentor. Being an abstinence educator, she faced tons of opposition, but she never wavered. She always knew more about the issues than the opposition. I admire that about her. She has taught me that there is no such thing as being over prepared.

JC: What is the one book every conservative woman should read?

ABG: Why You're Wrong About the Right: Behind the Myths: The Surprising Truth About Conservatives by S. E. Cupp and Brett Joshpe.

JC: Do you believe gentleman still exist?

ABG: Most certainly, I do. I live with two (my dad and brother), and I will marry another.

Congratulations Anna Beavon for being selected as one of NeW's emerging leaders!

NeW to the Network?

2010-03-10T14:19:00Z

In honor of Women's History Month, Network of enlightened Women will interview four emerging leaders in the NeW movement. These women each embody the principles of NeW as they actively engage their campus and community.

The interviews will be posted each Wednesday in the month of March! Stay tuned for our first NeW Woman!

Sarah Palin and...Betty Friedan?

2010-03-09T22:46:00Z

This past Friday I went to the Ohio Right to Life Rally with Sarah Palin as a special guest. Setting aside your political view of her, Sarah Palin is a testament to many women who have a passion for both career and family.

In her speech on Friday, she discussed the hardships of having a child with Down Syndrome and caring for 4 other children while being Governor of Alaska. Despite the hardships of balancing both career and family, she took on the challenge and came out successful. This is not to say that women who are solely housewives or career women are any less successful, but Palin shows that women have the ability to balance if they so choose.

Sarah Palin made me think about what I have been reading in The Feminine Mystique. The author, Betty Friedan, argues that women should not only try to find fulfillment in the household, but should also pursue their passions in the career world. In a way, Sarah Palin has successfully done both – something that I think, evidently, Betty Friedan would commend.

Intentional or not, it appears that a conservative woman has fulfilled part of what Friedan wanted.

I’ll have another—and hold the fries

2010-03-09T15:17:00Z

Will sipping your second Martini on Friday night help you lose those extra pounds? Most people would say no, but new research suggests otherwise. Published by the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that,

Women who regularly consume moderate amounts of alcohol are less likely to gain weight than nondrinkers and are at lower risk for obesity.

The other side effects of alcohol consumption-should women just ignore their heart’s health to drop a dress size?

The findings are certain to be confusing for women who continue to receive conflicting messages about the health benefits and risks of alcohol. Although moderate drinking is associated with better heart health, regular drinking also increases breast cancer risk.

Does alcohol consumption differ between men and women?

Men typically add alcohol to their daily caloric intake, whereas women are more likely to substitute alcohol for food.

Insight into women’s health is helpful, but research always seems to lead to one conclusion-everything is bad for you. In some ways, just pick your poison and hope you picked the lesser of two evils.

Listen to Gentlemen's Showcase on Air

2010-03-08T15:23:00Z

In case you missed NeW at ASU President Blayne Bennett on the Sandy Rios Show Friday, you can listen to the full audio clip here. Blayne discussed the vision behind the Showcase, how the ASU campus has responded during the past two events, and the ways in which students across the country can get involved by participating in NeW's National Online Gentlemen's Showcase. Listen to the clip, and then respond by nominating your campus's top gents! Congratulations to this NeW woman and her outstanding chapter for challenging the negative campus culture in such a positive way!

And the Oscar goes to...

2010-03-08T14:08:00Z

Last night, we watched history in the making. It marked the first time a woman received the Academy Award for Best Director. Kathryn Bigelow, the director of Hurt Locker, took home the Oscar (along with a few more for her film). Barbra Streisand gave away the winner, as she announced, "Well, the time has come..." After accepting the award, Bigelow walked off the stage to "I Am Woman."

Bigelow's award comes in the wake of a New York Times op-ed I wrote about last week. The writer called for one gender neutral oscar for best female and male actors in order to reduce the gender inequity promoted by the Oscar's. How would she respond to Bigelow's win? Is this still a sign that the Oscars are sexist? If a woman can beat out acclaimed Director (and ex-husband) James Cameron to win it, then, what does that say about inequity?

Bigelow's award shows that women have made strides to excel in new careers. The fact that so few women have even been nominated for Best Director indicates that more men have historically made up the profession. Bigelow broke through the barrier. Perhaps, now she will be the role model for many aspiring young female directors who are trying to make it in the field.

I think there is an important take-home lesson here. Women and men are different, but there is no inherent "superior sex." There are some professions and tasks that men tend to perform better at, and the same is true for women in different fields. And there are a growing number of fields where men and women perform similarly and even compete.

When a woman does something for the first time, like what Bigelow accomplished last night, we should celebrate. However, our celebration should also warrant a pause. A pause to recognize that in an achievement like this, where men and women were judged on merit, and NOT on the basis of their sex, anything can happen. This also means that men and women do not have to compete. Sometimes, distinguishing between men and women is a good thing. It is okay to have a best actor award AND a best actress award; this doesn't imply sexism. Didn't Sandra Bullock win last night because of her skilled portrayal of a wife and mother, something really that one can only do as a woman? Should we call her Oscar "sexist" because she didn't have a chance to beat out all the guys?

As exciting as Bigelow's win was last night, I wouldn't call her achievement any more remarkable for a woman than Bullock's was. In the category they were nominated for, the Academy deemed both of these women "the best." And we should regard a first Oscar for anyone as an incredible career accomplishment.

Gentlemen's Showcase on the Sandy Rios Radio Show

2010-03-05T17:28:00Z

NeW at ASU President (and Showcase creator) Blayne Bennett will be interviewed on Chicago's WYLL AM1160 Sandy Rios Show today. Tune in at 4:20 central time (5:20 eastern/3:20 mountain). You can listen to Blayne online with a live stream by going to www.wyll.com.

Sandy Rios is a pro-family voice that speaks for morality in public policy. She is the president of the Culture Campaign, a grassroots non-profit that aims to mobilize citizens in influencing public policy. She is a contributor to Fox News, the former president of Concerned Women for America and a mother of two.

Sandy Rios

You won't want to miss it! But if you do, check out www.wyll.com.

The Wussification of America

2010-03-05T14:41:00Z

When did it become standard practice to award trophies to children just because they showed up?

The Washington Post's George F. Will delivers several informational "nuggets" to his readers in yesterday's How to Ruin a Child: Too Much Esteem, too Little Sleep Op-Ed. Will pulls from NutureShock: New Thinking About Children by researchers Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. Bronson and Merryman explicate the dangers of supplying children with too much praise in addition to encouraging longer school days with increasingly difficult class material.

According to Merryman and Bronson:

Children incessantly praised for their intelligence (often by parents who are really praising themselves) often underrate the importance of effort. Children who open their lunchboxes and find mothers' handwritten notes telling them how amazingly bright they are tend to falter when they encounter academic difficulties.

And guess what? Thats not even the worst of it. By over loading children with praise, children are actually more prone to:

...cheating because they have not developed strategies for coping with failure.

Children who are subjected to such parental behavior are actually at a disadvantage. Rather then becoming more confident, they become risk-adverse in order to preserve their reputations (Brongson & Merryman, 2009). Thus, challenges are avoided because the fear of failure outweighs the ability to perform in uncertain situations. The wussification of America at its finest.

Will concludes his Op-Ed by touching on the lack of sleep that children are often forced to make due with, attributed to school days that start too early. Will asserts that children who do not receive the recommended amount of sleep notice a decrease in IQ points and increase in body weight. Just what we need...a generation of increasingly sleep deprived, unhealthy, risk-adverse children. The future sounds bright!

It's important to acknowledge and award children who perform well in school, sports, or life. However, by over-praising children we actually diminish the value of the praise we give. When a child actually does something extraordinary, the praise they receive won't mean much when they get it all the time. It may be difficult not to praise your children frequently, but at the very least think about what you might say before you say it. Our children shouldn't be built up so much they are fearful of failure. That is an awful way to go through life. It is absolutely possible to love unconditionally, and praise where it is warranted.

And the Winner is...Mr. or Mrs. Oscar

2010-03-04T20:16:00Z

In case you didn't know, the Oscars are sexist. Yep, that's right. Because men and women don't compete against each other, one UCLA women's studies researcher is calling for a rolling up of the red carpet. The author Kim Elsesser argues,

"The divided Oscar categories merely insult women, because they suggest that women would not be victorious if the categories were combined. In addition, this segregation helps perpetuate the stereotype that the differences between men and women are so great that the two sexes cannot be evaluated as equals in their professions."

Wait a second. What?? Having male and female Oscar categories is insulting to women? Somehow, I can't figure out how separate awards for men and women implies that women would lose if judged in a unisex actor category. I am having a hard time even following the logic here. This isn't even close to a matter of "segregation" as Elsesser calls it. There is absolutely no discrepancy in the prestige of the award. Best Female Actor and Best Male Actor are both deemed "the best" that year. What is the solution according to Elsesser?

"For next year’s Oscars, the academy should modify its ballots so that men and women are finally treated as full equals, able to compete together in every category, for every nomination. And if the academy insists on continuing to segregate awards, then it should at least remain consistent and create an Oscar for best directress."

Maybe you haven't heard, but female director of Hurt Locker Kathryn Bigleow is a favorite for this year's best director category. So what does that say about inequity?

Chivalry Alive and Well at ASU

2010-03-04T18:49:00Z

Chivalry is alive and well at ASU! Here are some pictures from the 2nd Annual Gentlemen's Showcase to prove it. Congratulations to the NeW women at ASU and to this year's Top Gentlemen at ASU.

NeW Officers at ASU with the Outstanding Gentlemen at ASU.

200 people reached by Gentlemen's Showcase. Great Measure!

Look at the crowd. It's a packed house!

The Incredible Inappropriateness of Babies in Bars

2010-03-04T15:43:00Z

Bar. Beer. Drinking. Tipsy. Cocktails. Baby. Which one does not belong with the others?

It seems almost too obvious to say, but babies don't belong in bars. Yet, some disagree. Big city bar scenes are being taken over by toddlers, and it has sparked a perplexing debate about babies in bars. Parents who like having their offspring in tow while drinking at a bar argue that being a stay-at-home parent can be isolating, and they need to socialize. What about what babies need? Would a baby enjoy being taken to bars, surrounded by strangers imbibing alcohol? Likely not. There are appropriate activities in appropriate spaces that allow both parent and child to socialize. Bars are places where adults go for drinks with their friends, make quick introductions, look for one-night stands; not places where parents play with their children. Mothers, how would you feel if your babies said their first words or took their first steps......in a bar?

Babies in bars reflects a progressive, self-indulgent, uninhibited style of parenting. Parents who bring their babies to bars want the freedom and insouciance that come with being young and single. Parents, however, have the security and responsibility of a loving family of their own. At the end of the day, parents don't have to wonder who they are going to come home to, and who they are going to be with.

Mothers and fathers swapping happy meals for happy hour is the parenting culture gone amiss. Parenthood is one of the most empowering endeavors anyone can pursue. Childhood proceeds at a pace, and babies grow up in a blink. By clinging to their pre-baby past, mothers and fathers might miss out on the unique and fleeting joys of new parenthood.

The Wedding Date

2010-03-03T22:16:00Z

This week I decided to watch The Wedding Date. It is a little older than normal, but I absolutely love this movie. In addition to the standard romantic comedy plotline, the setting is beautiful and the music is great. The Wedding Date is a story of Kat (Debra Messing) who has to go to her sister’s destination wedding in London and hires a date, Nick (Dermot Mulroney), to be her boyfriend for the weekend in an effort to make her ex-fiance jealous.

Kat begins the movie as this needy, self-conscious woman who can only think of herself as a broken woman. She was engaged to the love of her life, but then he broke her heart when he called off the wedding. The sole reason why she hires Nick is to make Jeffrey jealous. Everything she does in the first half of the movie was influenced by her feelings for Jeffrey. However, by the end of the movie, Kat, through multiple fights with Nick, discovered that she loved Nick. Essentially, Kat went from placing her identity in one man to another.

Despite my love for this movie, I am annoyed by Kat’s portrayal of women. She implies that women need to be with a guy to be complete or whole. It is almost as if she is nothing without a man. Don’t we all know a few Kats? There are those girls who attach their identity to the guy that they are dating. And by doing so, they entirely lose their individuality and ability to be set apart.

Gentlemen's Showcase in the News

2010-03-03T21:34:00Z

Congratulations to the NeW women at ASU for a successful Gentlemen's Showcase last night! More to come on the event later in the week.

Today, The National Association of Scholars profiled the Gentlemen's Showcase by interviewing ASU President Blayne Bennett. If you've ever wondered, What is The Gentlemen's Showcase all about? And how does it fit in with NeW? The article provides a great deal of insight about the event and the reasons behind the Showcase. Here is one quote from Blayne that explains the motivation behind the event so clearly:

The radical feminist movement has vilified men. The Vagina Monologues is a play with a viciously anti-male agenda that is shown on college campuses across the nation. The play portrays all men as evil, except one: Bob, whose only redeeming quality is that “he liked to look at it.” By promoting gentlemanly behavior, NeW hopes to expose how relationships have deteriorated as a result of the feminist movement. Men have been told to that chivalrous acts are demeaning to women and that they should respect women’s independence. Women are told we should want to be independent and self-sufficient. But the responses I hear from women reveal something completely different: women want to be treated like ladies. Encouraging gentlemanly behavior promotes respect and reverence between the sexes.

Congrats NeW at ASU for fighting campus culture in such a positive way!

Are we encouraging pregorexic women?

2010-03-03T15:39:00Z

I’m in a baby mood. My dear friend is due any moment with her third and my giggles were not hidden when I received this text; “4 cm and growing... it’s gonna be soon!” I myself am years from delivering the next generation of toe-heads, yet today I can’t turn off my maternal calling.

No surprise my news drudge this morning brought me to Salon’s, “I’m pregnant, I’m fat and I hate it” headline. Kim Brooks’ tell-all relives her struggles with weight gain and loss and what society expects from women post-delivery. The question she grapples with? Are women under too much pressure to shed their excess baby weight, or not enough?

Between celebrity moms on People and a certain VS model hitting the runway mere months after baby, it is no wonder women fantasize about speedy weight loss. So how important is weight loss to women after birth? Should we actually be encouraging more late night tread mill runs?

Brooks chimes in:

The big, fat truth is that most mothers aren't going too far to shed their excess baby weight. We're not going far enough. Sixty-two percent of American women are overweight, and so for the majority of American women, excess, lingering baby-weight is a real problem: health-wise, self-esteem-wise, and otherwise.

There's a reason women are buying those "baby weight craze" tabloids; because in a world of stubborn belly fat and clinging cellulite, that fantasy is powerful.

I don’t know if I buy into “pregorexia” though. Part of having a baby is watching nature grow and shrink your body. Aside from the serious health concerns that come along with women being overweight, having a little extra left over may not be a bad idea.

NeW readers, this is a good one to weigh in on. What do you think? Is a little baby weight hurting anyone?