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Trailor: “Age of Stupid”

The Age of Stupid USA Trailer from Age of Stupid on Vimeo.

The “Age of Stupid” is having its global premiere 7:30pm on Monday, September 21st with a live “green carpet” event in the city that will be simultaneously broadcast to multiple cinemas across the globe, including the following Manhattan cinemas:  (Union Square Stadium 14, Chelsea Cinema, First And 62nd Cinemas) The film has already garnered some great press, and individual contributions funded it!  It is screening in most major cities in the states, so everyone can come out- but they should try and reserve
seats online in advance.  Kofi Annan will address the audience at the premiere.

Not in New York City? Check out how you can see the film here!

Lesbian Librarian Reviews: “Band Geeked Out”

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Pub. Date: April 2009
ISBN-13: 9780738714691
Age Range: Young Adult
288pp
As most of my friends are on unemployment, underemployed, or “freelancing”, during most worldly encounters, including reading, I have begun to take notice to the ways in which folks make money in the world.  Now, reading a piece of young adult fiction is less about the contours of a remarkable story, and more about the audacity of its author.  Before reading the book’s description and accollades on the back cover or inside jacket, I first go to the author’s bio and study her photograph.  Vanity overrides my better judgement: I question her beauty, her smarts in choice of photographer, her boldness for allowing her face to be so mutilated by onlookers like myself, and question her economic well-being as a result of my touching her book. How could I not? For all of my reading pleasures, I must acknowledge that I’m keeping someone employed, that by reading this title, I’m actively not sustaining some other aspiring best-selling author.

This week, I’ve sustained the closely cropped, red-headed Josie Bloss.  Her bio sold me, because she left her position in law to relocate to a quiet town, (likely with a cushioned savings account) to write books…really, she is living my dream.  The best part, is that she mentions her truest love, BAND, yes, as in marching band.  So still, someone as ballsy as her, still has unrelinqished potential.  As authors go, Bloss passes my litmus test for worthy-to-be-read, but I still have questions regarding her sexual politics.

An example of what I mean, is that for a young adult novel, I was surprised by the blow-job, but not even a single girl-on-girl grope.  I mean, the premise was about band, but the underlying story asked, does she pick the girl, or does she pick the guy.  I’m always routing for the girl, of course.  And as I read on, I consulted with friends who often teased, “what, does the lesbian die in the end?”

Not your standard contemporary pulp novel, Bloss was able to outline the inner turmoils of the “questioning” generation.  Beyond the ultimate question of, what do I do with my life, (which Obama would call a high-class problem to have), when your parents have a trust-fund for you to pick the college of your choice, of course the next question would be, “do I date this even cooler girl?”

Perhaps the novel led me to wonder if I was tired of reading the story from the perspective of the questioning.  Contemporary references of Lindsay Lohan aside, I found myself wanting a deeper analysis of character distinction.  Although as easy to read as a blog, one-dimensional characters shouldn’t have identity crises beyond what to wear.

I recommend this book to teens who are unsure of which paths to choose.  But still, I wonder, are we still in the age of classic pulp, where the dyke dies as she aims to lure the young voluptuous maiden?   Plainly, should we continue to endorse young adult novels with lesbian characters, where the questioning girl doesn’t love the lesbian in the end?  And I ask this, even with respect to the audacious author who gives us new hope for an employable future.

Signing off for now.
Your Lesbian Librarian.

Fight For Your Reproductive Rights: How You Can Help Pass the Reproductive Health Act

Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community & NYCLU Proudly Present:

Fight For Your Reproductive Rights:
How You Can Help Pass the Reproductive Health Act

CORINNE CAREY
Interim director, Reproductive Rights Project, New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)

REV. MATTHEW WESTFOX
National Coordinator for Field Services at Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice & Associate Pastor at All Souls Bethlehem Church

CAROL ROYE, EdD, RN, CPNP
researcher in reproductive health

JENN PROULX
Filmmaker of “Another New Yorker for the Reproductive Health Act”
View Film Here

Supporters: Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, NARAL, New York Abortion Access Fund, New York Coalition for Abortion Clinic Defense, National Organization for Women at NYU, NOW – NYS Young Feminist Task Force, Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition, Soapbox Inc., Author/Activist Jennifer Baumgardner

Event Topics Include:

  • What the Reproductive Health Act is
  • Why we need the Reproductive Health Act
  • Many actions you can take to help pass the Reproductive Health Act

The Reproductive Health Act:

  • Guarantees a woman’s right to control her reproductive health
  • Ensures that a woman will be able to have an abortion if her health is endangered
  • Treats the regulation of abortion as an issue of public health and medical practice, rather than as a potential crime
  • Guarantees everyone the right to use or refuse contraception

BONUS RAFFLE! for EVENT pass granting FREE admission to Paradigm Shift events for one year.

When: Wed, Sept 23rd
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)

Click Here for Hop Stop Directions

Cost: $5 suggested donation/ students FREE

Participate:
Calling All Feminists- help promote and we’ll help promote your organization!

Email: JWeis@paradigmshiftnyc.com

ABOUT NYCLU:

http://www.nyclu.org/rha

The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation’s foremost defenders of civil liberties and civil rights.

ABOUT CORINNE CAREY:

http://www.nyclu.org/about/staff

Prior to joining the NYCLU, Corinne Carey was a researcher with the U.S. Program at Human Rights Watch, where she produced reports and engaged in advocacy on domestic human rights issues including the rights of people with criminal records, sex offender registration and community notification laws, and the evacuation of correctional facilities during Hurricane Katrina.

Carey graduated summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. She began her legal career with a fellowship from the Open Society Institute as the founder and director of the Harm Reduction Law Project, based in the Lower East Side Harm Reduction Program in New York City. She provided direct legal services to drug users in harm reduction programs throughout the city.

A longtime drug law reform and harm reduction advocate, Carey was a founding member of Prevention Point Philadelphia, that city’s first needle exchange program. She serves on the board of directors of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, and has spoken about the rights of drug users to local, national and international audiences. She has also taught courses in law and urban problems and civil rights and civil liberties at New York University and Brooklyn College.

ABOUT REV. MATTHEW WESTFOX:

http://www.rcrc.org/issues/speakers.cfm

Reverend Matthew Westfox is the National Coordinator for Field Services for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. He also serves as Associate Pastor of All Souls Bethlehem Church in Brooklyn, New York, and is ordained through the United Church of Christ. Before attending seminary at Pacific School of Religion, Reverend Westfox was a community organizer for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and a legislative aide for New York State Senator Thomas K. Duane.

ABOUT CAROL ROYE:

http://carolroye.org/

Carol Roye is a well-known researcher in reproductive health who specializes in issues pertinent to adolescents, including teen pregnancy prevention and working with mothers of pregnant and parenting teens to improve outcomes for their daughters. She was also awarded a prestigious research grant from the National Institutes of Health to study HIV/AIDS prevention. Her work is featured by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and appears in the National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth. She has appeared on radio and television to talk about adolescent and women’s health issues and has spoken at numerous national and international conferences.

Dr. Roye is a Professor of Nursing at Hunter College in New York City and a practicing pediatric nurse practitioner. She splits her professional time between research, teaching and her clinical practice providing reproductive health care to adolescent girls in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York. She is the author of many publications on a range of topics in adolescent reproductive health, including Adolescent Sexual Development and Sexuality: Assessment and Interventions, a popular book for professionals who work with teenagers around issues of sexuality.

She is the mother of six children, the last adopted from a Romanian orphanage, and the grandmother of eight.

She is currently at work on a book which examines the genesis of current, unfavorable reproductive health policies and the adverse impact they have on child health in the U.S. and overseas.

ABOUT JENN PROULX:

Jenn Proulx is a filmmaker and editor; credits include Food Network, PBS, truTV, VH1 Network and A&E Television.

ABOUT PARADIGM SHIFT: NYC’S FEMINIST COMMUNITY:
http://www.paradigmshiftnyc.com
Use the “F” word.
Discuss. Evolve. Grow with Us.

Change NYC. Change the World.

Paradigm Shift is New York City’s largest feminist community
group and event series.
Paradigm Shift TV, the pioneering online feminist video channel:
http://www.paradigmshiftnyc.com/feminism/category/pshifttv
Paradigm Shift’s Blog:
http://www.paradigmshiftnyc.com/feminism/category/blog

Afro-Punk Festival – Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Brooklyn, NY (7/3-7/12/2009)

Afro-Punk

In preparation for writing this review I watched the Matt Davis” documentary that inspired BAM”s Afro-Punk Festival. Afro-Punk is a movement that gives “a voice to thousands of multi-cultural kids fiercely identifying with a lifestyle path-less-traveled,” particularly those who are into indie, punk, and hardcore music. The film is an insightful look at a topic that I had never really considered: what it is like to be an African American who is involved in a scene that is overwhelmingly White.

Afro Punk (the film) provides a peek into the internal conflicts Black people face by being one of the only people of color present in these musical and artist communities. Throughout watching the film I found myself wishing more young White people could hear these feelings, and was glad the Afro-Punk Festival would provide a way for New Yorkers of all backgrounds to come together. I had the opportunity to attend some of the Brooklyn events, and You&#8217re a long way from convincing me that MR is just like the Austrian school-delays.com because of this issue!You know&#8230 actually I think Scott and Nick did soften slightly&#8230 When Scott 1st brought this up he claimed that if he wasn&#8217t 100% correct about MOA then everything he ever This is true for big as well as online casino traditional data. written is completely false&#8230. though most of the music was new, the introduction through both street fairs and the website was welcome.
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The Stoning of Soraya M. engages the NYC feminist community

Many of you have by now seen The Stoning of Soraya M, featured last month at Paradigm Shift. The film continues to expand to more theaters and continues to create much buzz and the Iranian conflict drags on. Some members of the New York City feminist community are spending their summer promoting the film and making sure that Soraya’s story is heard by all those who value justice and human dignity.

One of these women is Irshad Manji. Irshad is a dedicated feminist, a Muslim reformer, a freethinker, and perhaps best known for her book The Trouble with Islam Today. Irshad is most currently the founder and Director of the Moral Courage Project at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.

The Moral Courage Project has recently launched a new website and is sponsoring a summer-long campaign with the producers of The Stoning of Soraya M.

The blog covers feminist-friendly topics such as men and violence, free speech, human rights, religion, violence against women, media, and more. An important aspect What are symptoms?Detox symptoms refer to the physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms that occur when someone attempts to withdraw from a substance they are addicted to. of the website is “Take Action” information about how to do your part to stop against honor also another test of whether the concept of lending reserves is valid is to look at the semnantics of the word, if banks did lend reserves in the school-delays.com process then they could reasonably expect to receive them back again from the actions of the loan customer as that is what the verb to lend entails. killings or get involved with Moral Courage Project. There are tons of resources for online activism and even opportunities for guest bloggers.

The Moral Courage Project website promotes critical thinking, the free exchange of ideas, and speaking truth to power, all things we as feminists love! One post of honorable mention is Caution: Men at Work (Demolishing Violence) that explores the issue of men and violence.

One exciting event that the MCP will hold this summer is a live online conversation with Cyrus Nowrasteh, the director of The Stoning of Soraya M. No topic is off limits! Email Janice.formichella@gmail.com for more information on this event or the Moral Courage Project.

Lesbian Librarian Reviews: “Sister Wife” by Shelley Hrdlitschka

Sister Wife

Sister Wife by Shelley Hrdlitschka

Plot: Narrated from the perspective of three teenage girls, 13, 15, and 17, all in search of direction, love, and faith, this family drama encapsulates a traditional coming of age story.  Set in a fictional Mormon intentional community, the life of polygamists is introduced in three different angles.  Celeste, 15, dreams of happiness with a boy her own age, but is set to marry his father instead, Taviana, 17, seeks community and acceptance yet battles her old life of living on the streets, while Nanette, 13, is dedicated to the purity of her faith and can’t wait to marry a man and have a baby of her own.  Under one roof, and in one small community, three girls find their paths to true happiness.  Suitable for ages 14 and up.
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Feminist Men: Increasing Visibility

Paradigm Shift: NYC’s Feminist Community Proudly Presents:

Feminist Men: Increasing Visibility

Featuring:

Vinnie Angel
Feminist & purveyor of social justice consumer products

Robert Brannon
Co-Founder, National Organization for Men Against Sexism

Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force

Ben Siegel
Former VP of Hunter College Women’s Rights Coalition

Dr. Michael Kimmel
One of the leading researchers and writers on men and masculinity in the world (his latest work is the acclaimed Guyland)

PLUS!
several honored guests from the feminist community, including past PShift speakers!!

PORTION OF PROCEEDS DONATED TO NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MEN AGAINST SEXISM

SEE VINNIE on Paradigm Shift TV!

When: Wed, Aug 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)

Click Here for Hop Stop Directions

Cost: $7.00 if you RSVP to below email address before Aug 19 @ 1:00 PM
$10 at door.
Please include full names and emails of all guests.
rsvp@paradigmshiftnyc.com

Participate:
Calling All Feminists- help promote and we’ll help promote your organization!
Email: JWeis@paradigmshiftnyc.com

Vinnie Angel’s Products:
www.vinnieangel.com
– The famous Vinnie’s Tampon Case
– Cramp Relieving bubble bath
– Music For Menstruators CD
– Vinnie’s GIANT Roller Coaster Period Chart and Sticker Book
– Vinnie’s Cramp Kicking Remedy Book

The Truth About Vinnie’s Tampon Case:

Vinnie’s Project Goal: To create an affordable (or free) everyday
object that would encourage a positive and non-sexual dialog between
guys and girls about a woman’s body– in hopes of sparking
education that will work towards ending violence against women.

Vinnie’s Inspiration: A friend revealed to me her having been
kidnapped and raped by a group of strange men when she was in high
school. The recurring trauma of her experience compounded by the fact
that her family didn’t know how to deal with the crime and the
fact that the perps were never arrested or brought to justice shook me
to my core.

Furious at a society that refuses to develop the tools to deal with
such horrific and wide-spread behavior I took it upon myself to
attempt to change the environment that allows a college educated male
like myself to be willfully ignorant of a woman’s well being
and safety.

Vinnie’s Famous!
Vinnie’s Tampon Case has been featured in nearly every
woman’s magazine, on countless radio programs, in newspapers
across the globe, on TV shows, in documentaries, in books, at the Andy
Warhol Museum, offered in stores around the world, given away by
Justin Timberlake at his 22nd birthday party, discussed in Harvard
classrooms, and, most importantly, discussed by boys and girls on
playgrounds.

Robert Brannon

Co-Founder of National Organization for Men Against Sexism
www.nomas.org
Robert Brannon, Professor, Brooklyn College and NOMAS co-founder. He
serves as Men’s Studies Association and NOMAS Pornography and
Prostitution Task Group leader and is NYS-NOW Task Force Co-Chair on
Trafficking, Pornography and Prostitution.

The National Organization for Men Against Sexism, founded in 1974, is
an activist organization of men and women supporting positive changes
for men. NOMAS advocates a perspective that is pro-feminist, gay
affirmative, anti-racist, dedicated to enhancing men’s lives, and
committed to justice on a broad range of social issues including
class, age, religion, and physical abilities.

Ben Siegel
Former VP of Hunter College Women’s Rights Coalition
Ben helped organize a national women’s rights conference, and is a
passionate feminist activist.

Jerin Alam
National NOW Young Feminist Task Force
http://www.now.org/programs/yf/taskforce/index.html

Jerin Alam, originally from Bangladesh, served as President of the
Hunter Women’s Rights Coalition (HWRC), a group with several
male officers, while attending Hunter College from April 2007 to
graduation.

Along with HWRC, she helped organize a national feminist conference in
which Gloria Steinem and Rosie O’Donnell participated. Her
recent efforts with HWRC have included lobbying for immigrants’
rights, and events to raise awareness and combat eating disorders and
body issues, and fight sexual violence. She set up various
anti-violence workshops on campus with Men Can Stop Rape and the
Bringing in the Bystander Program, where public safety trainers from
CUNY Central – as well as rape crisis counselors from around the city
– were trained in violence prevention.

Alam was recently accepted into the NOW National Young Feminist Task
Force, and was invited to speak at the NOW National Conference and the
Men Can Stop Rape conference.

Dr. Michael Kimmel
One of the leading researchers and writers on men and masculinity in the world (his latest work is the acclaimed Guyland)

SEE MORE VIDEOS ABOUT FEMINIST MEN ON PARADIGM SHIFT TV:
ALSO OUR SEE VIEWER FEEDBACK QUESTIONS – we want to hear your thoughts!!
Feminist Men on PshiftTV

Lesbian Librarian Reviews “Gravity” by Leanne Liberman

Gravity

Gravity by Leanne Liberman

Plot: The cover girl wears a typical high school kilt, in black, mid thigh, with a confidant swagger.  She is Lindsay; the first love of our main character and Orthodox Jewish teenager, confused and earth-loving, Ellisheva Gold (Ellie for short).  In this realistic fiction narrative of coming to terms with Spirituality, Sexuality, and Love, Ellie walks us through her day-to-day family squabbles, her need for prayer, and her coming-out.  Gravity asks, ‘Can a girl be Jewish, study geology, and love girls too?’  Before Lindsay, the question didn’t even exist for Ellie, but now…
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A Hunger for Something More

The founder of F.R.E.E.D. talks about her struggle with and recovery from bulimia, as well as what she is doing now to help others struggling with eating disorders.

Click Here to Post Your Responses!

“Thin” promo

Lauren Greenfield’s documentary Thin goes inside of an eating disorder recovery center.

Click Here to Post Your Responses!

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