Information The recent Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry has sparked national debate. A backlash—which has been building momentum since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that decriminalized gay sex in Lawrence v. Texas —is already widespread. The media has repeatedly cited a poll that says 59 percent of Americans oppose gay marriage, and … Read more
Information In a recent New York Times Magazine article, Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America, spoke about the problem of offensive television shows, noting that it would not be such a problem if “mothers stayed home with their kids and supervised what they watched.” While many young feminists might like to think that attitudes … Read more
Information Whether by necessity or choice, women are usually caretakers within their families—most often for children. While all families with children struggle and make sacrifices, for those families with children not yet in school, the choices are much more limited. Options for care remain scant, and are usually determined by a family’s location and economic … Read more
Debates surrounding women’s roles in the family are becoming increasingly hard-fought and contentious, yet young feminists are often absent from the table. While many family issues may seem remote for us younger activists, the outcomes of these disputes affect all women, and our voices need to be heard. Perhaps when thinking about women and families, … Read more
To Graciela My mom works longhard hoursShe’s got sardonicwit hides behind a mindnumb only recentlyferreted I tell youthere’s a womanin there pretendingsuppressed by life pushed back fromthe grindas a family we wereone child not enoughon paper too muchstamped denied all alone she triedcollege interruptedby a child toodependent amarriage that endedshe wasn’t from here didn’t know … Read more
I think a lot about happiness, especially within the modern American heterosexual family. Within this institution more than any other, women and men spend valuable emotional energy trying to fit into unrealistic roles handed down from past generations. Sociologists have described emotional energy as a natural human source for enthusiasm, personal strength, social-connectedness, and willingness … Read more
My 31-year-old sister has Down syndrome. She lives in her own house, three miles away from my 70-something parents, and she works part-time busing tables at a local café. An extended network of people help her live on her own: my mother, her full-time advocate and teacher; my father, her biggest fan and supporter; her caseworker, … Read more
©2001 Anastasia Higginbotham.
Favorite I like my second oldest sister, Alecia, but not because she’s nice to me. She usually isn’t. I like her because she’s tough and thinks up things for herself. When people ask Alecia what’s her favorite color, she says, “Orange.” She doesn’t think of all the colors there are to consider, wonder which ones … Read more
Young women are encouraged to feel that they effortlessly can combine marriage and career. . . . The myth of superwoman places total responsibility for change on the individual woman. . . . It also diverts attention from the political policies that would truly change our lives.— Jean Kilbourne, Can’t Buy My Love We all need both power and … Read more
