Weekend Reads #53
The past couple of years have been horrible, so horrible that weeks of anger and fear occasionally make me numb. But this week? It has got me angry again, ready to fight again. And if you feel the same way, here are some tips on how you can help women in states with extreme abortion bans. (The Cut)
Want to know the abortion restrictions in your state? Amee Vanderpool breaks them down. (Shero and a Scholar)
For those who may benefit from this – you can reliably get abortion pills in the mail. (The Outline) Per a thread I saw on Twitter, the site referenced in that article isn't offering the pill everywhere in the US, so this link offers other reliable sites. You can also purchase Plan B and similar OTC products via Amazon. Here's an article that delves into the true shelf life of medications if you're interested in buying some for the future. (Harvard Health Publishing)
One thing is that Plan B hasn't been tested on women over 176 pounds and doctors cannot confirm how effective it will be. I know, WTF. Ella is another form of emergency contraception that has been proven effective for those over 176 pounds but you need a prescription for it. On the Ella website, they have a program that will overnight it to you if you have the prescription. Planned Parenthood can offer the prescription if you do not have a doctor to visit; their site offers more information about Ella as well as how to schedule an appointment.
I donate a portion of my income from Wardrobe Oxygen every month to a different charity, and this month's donation was made to NARAL which is supporting the Yellowhammer Fund. If you wish to donate as well, here is a link. As an individual, I make a monthly donation to Planned Parenthood. Thanks for continuing to support this blog, and with it, supporting fellow women. And I also thank you in advance for keeping it respectful in the comments.
Sale Alert
Y'all know I love Colleen Rothschild skincare. I've been using it for years and find it gentle and incredibly effective. Read my initial Colleen Rothschild review, the new body care line, and my review of the Colleen Rothschild Retinol Oil. I use several other products too. Well, Colleen Rothschild is offering 25% off through 5/20 with promo code FAMILY25. If you're new to the brand, I recommend the Discovery Kit which has TSA-friendly sized containers of their best sellers. Even better, all the containers (including the atomizer for the oil) are refillable. And while I use several Colleen Rothschild products daily, if you had to buy only one make it the Radiant Cleansing Balm; that stuff is a gamechanger.
If you love Cole Haan, now is the time to buy. They are offering an extra 40% off sale styles through the 30th of this month. My picks? These haircalf skimmer flats which come in regular and wide widths, these perfect pumps in two classic colors, these super chic low-heeled booties available in two colors and two widths, this elegant packable raincoat available in three colors, these badass snow leopard haircalf booties, and these cool hybrid sneaker/booties that look both comfortable and utterly chic.
Banana Republic has 40% off select styles at this link and an additional 40% off sale items. The prices are really fantastic with items you can wear now and through the summer. I ordered this shirt and this shirt and should get them any day now. I think this lightweight sweater is cute and this clutch reminds me of one I have that gets SO MUCH USE all summer long because it goes with everything. I've owned these pants and these pants and they were amazing for work, for weekend, for dressing up and down. And if you're looking for more refined shorts I have these and love them.
Weekend Reads
A must-read from a woman from Alabama who gave birth to her rapist's child because she couldn't get an abortion. (Huffington Post)
Most of us think of Sephora as the beauty destination. However, younger generations prefer Ulta. I know my daughter finds Ulta to be one of the coolest places on earth and she doesn't even wear makeup. This piece delves into why different generations prefer different beauty stores. (BoF)
Did you wear CK One? Have a pager? Wish Jordan Catalano was your boyfriend? Remember the first CD you owned? You may enjoy this series from the New York Times, from one Gen Z-er to another. Seriously, this is enough reading material for the rest of the week!
There are badass women of all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages making waves and being leaders… yet they're not always represented. Here's what the head of the New Orleans Film Festival has to say about being fat at work. (Forbes)
Feel like a fly on the wall during a discussion between Carly Rae Jespen and Cyndi Lauper. I'm telling you, it's worth it even if you don't know them beyond “Call Me Maybe” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” And honestly, if that's all you know of these talented women, read this piece and then go to Spotify and YouTube and hear their awesomeness. (Interview)
Did you ever wonder why we eat what we eat for breakfast? Who decided on Corn Flakes and eggs? (The Atlantic)
Even in college I watched and loved “Arthur” and loved the characters, like Mr. Ratburn that were so relatable and complex and enjoyable whether you're 6 or 76. I am so happy to see Mr. Ratburn has found love and got married! (Buzzfeed)
Many fashion brands are working to become more sustainable, but their efforts aren't keeping up with the growth of the fashion industry as a whole. (Fast Company)
Would you wear a pair of loafers inspired by Marie Curie? (New York Times)
I guess per this quiz, I am a psychopath? (New Yorker)
I meant to share this last week. This is a long but a must read until the end: What happened after my 13-year-old joined the alt-right. (Washingtonian)
Feeling like a slug? Then maybe you don't want to read this profile on Danielle Steele, author of 179 books (at least at the time of writing this, for she isn't slowing down any time soon). (Glamour)
For Your Entertainment
I love when a music video is like a movie. It has a plot, it makes you feel, it takes you on a journey. And this video from Grammy Award-winning H.E.R. does all that while being a gorgeous song from an incredibly talented woman. If you haven't heard of H.E.R. I recommend you check her out as she deserves to be a household name.
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Alison,
I felt I should reply to Abigail’s comment as it was a part of a conversation between us. The important topics are worth discussing the longest.
Thank you for opening the dialogue on so many important issues today. I appreciate you sharing your perspective on matters that impact diverse women and female-identifying people. I would like to make a recommendation that your links to stories of interest from around the web be easily accessible, non-paywall articles. Too many times you have highlighted a story that sounds like I would like to read it, only to find that I need to subscribe (often with payment) in order to read it. I am grateful for your own free content as well! Be well.
In this week’s Weekend Reads I provide a link to help you get around paywalls. I hate to share it because journalists are paid so little and given so little respect these days. They’re losing jobs to sites that don’t offer as quality and unbiased of journalism. However, I do feel everyone should have access to such journalism and shared it. Google how to get around paywalls, there are several different ways to do so, some that are more ethical than others. But I will continue to mix up my news sources so I will have always-free options mixed in!
Even if I didn’t agree with you, I would agree with you. Hate to politicize everywhere., and I know my comments won’t change opposing ideas, but I HATE when people say women should just put the baby up for adoption. Does they even make any sense. Now that would make me think of a puppy mill. Just breeding for breedings sake
Hey Cheryl,
I look at adoption as giving the baby a chance at life. If women were purposely getting pregnant and then selling their babies, that would be like a puppy mill. It’s wrong to end the lives of our babies. Adoption gives them the chance that everyone deserves, the chance to live.
Dear Alison,
Hello, I am a longtime reader of wardrobe oxygen. I gain great advice and inspiration from your blog. I love your style and body positivity. Thank you for that!
I’ve known for a longtime you and I differ greatly politically. I knew you were pro-choice, while I am an ardent pro-life supporter. I decided today that I would like to share some of my thoughts on the subject, but with respect for you and others who feel differently than I do. And Alison, please correct me if I represent you incorrectly anywhere in this comment.
Does Abortion Empower Women?
. If I understand correctly, you believe that we as women should be allowed abortions because we should have complete control over our bodies.
It’s Not Just Our Body
The problem with that statement is this. It is no longer just our body that we are talking about. As soon as you conceive, another human being enters the picture, and that baby has rights too. And it is a baby from the moment of conception. All the information, all the genetics, it’s all right there. Even the baby’s sex is determined from the moment of it’s creation. That baby has the right to grow up and live it’s own life. In truth, the womb is the scariest place for someone to be right now. While being carried our babies are totally helpless. It is our job to protect them.
Abortion is supposed to be about empowering women, giving us the freedom to do what we want. But what about the women that have yet to be born? When a woman decides to have an abortion, does her baby girl/boy have a choice in the matter?
Sex Selective Abortion
It has been proven that Planned Parenthood will allow a sex selective abortion. I saw a video where a woman went undercover, pretending she wanted to abort her baby if it was a girl because she only wanted it if it was a boy. The planned parenthood worker actually agrees to help her get a sex selective abortion done. She was willing to aid the mother in killing her baby if it was a girl. The worker casually talked about the number of kids she had and the number of babies she had had aborted. Is this what America has come to, talking about killing your baby the way you would talk about slaughtering a chicken? Abortion is supposedly to protect women, and here an abortion would have been allowed just because the baby was female!
The Procedure
Many women do not realize exactly how abortions are done. Everyone should do their homework on the procedures used. Many women have changed their minds about abortion when they learned the truth about how it is done. It’s gruesome.
Abortion Is Dangerous
Abortion is also supposed to to protect women from unwanted pregnancies and babies. It is supposed to be a safe procedure that can be done so women can move on with their lives. The problem is that abortion isn’t safe for the Mom, let alone the baby.
There are many physical concerns. There have been many instances where abortion clinics have been filthy and unsafe environments for an operational procedure. Dirty Equipment, improper disposal, etc.
Many women have been rushed to the hospital after a botched abortion, and some women should have been transported but weren’t, putting them in danger. Some women have even died because of a procedure that is deemed safe. Others are unable to ever have children after going through an abortion.
The women aren’t always treated with respect. One woman reported that she and others were herded through the clinic like cattle. Hurried procedures have left women physically scarred for life.
And then there is mental baggage. Some women wake up in the night to the sound of a baby’s cry. Many suffer from guilt. That is because abortion reviles our womanly instincts as a nurturer. Some women will retreat inside themselves, even going so far as to avoid pregnant women and babies. There is no doubt that abortion leaves physical and mental scars.
Planned Parenthood
You shared that you support Planned Parenthood. I know you do so because you believe they are helping women. But do they really care about us?
Planned Parenthood has been proven to have deliberately turned their backs on sex trafficking. Workers have even gone so far as to give advice to sex traffickers on how to best get abortions for underage girls. Planned Parenthood is supposed to report when they know or suspect trafficking is occurring, but they have frequently kept the information to themselves and aided the traffickers. Some of these slaves are little girls.
If Planned Parenthood really cared about women, wouldn’t they help these girls? Instead, they are helping the traffickers hide the heinous crime.
Inconsistency
Why is it a baby only when we want it to be? If we want a child, that tiny life is our precious baby, but if we don’t want it we conveniently call it a clump of cells. We have all started there, been that tiny baby in our mother’s womb. We ourselves could have been aborted, but our mother’s gave us life, and it is our job to fight for life for babies everywhere.
God’s Viewpoint
Lastly, God is the giver of life and the author of death. It is not our place to decide who lives and who dies. God has declared that children are a gift from Him. Jesus does love the little children.
Psalm 139 verse 13
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
Acts 17:25-26
25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
Psalm 127 verses 3-5
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.
God made us all in His image, and He loves us so much that He made the ultimate sacrifice when we went astray. Jesus came to earth and paid for our sins so that we could spend eternity in heaven with Him. All we have to do is believe.
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Thank you for reading. If anyone has questions about my sources, let me know in the comments section and I will happily shoot them an email.
When engaging with people who have differing opinions, I often respond with staying; that’s really interesting, why do you think that? When you have an opinion it’s based on our personal experience or facts (your are motivated by emotion or by logic). These laws are being made by those with no expertise in women’s reproductive health or even understanding of basic biology. Procedures on the human body should be dictated by medical experts not a politician.
I read through your comment and I am a medical professional (MSN, RN with over 20 years of labor & delivery experience at hospitals in TX, MD, NY, TN, and NJ) in my professional capacity I’ve seen up close the experiences of thousands of pregnant women; 15 year old rape victims, babies born with devastating birth defects, and maternal deaths in which a woman has died during childbirth (the US has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths of developed countries). Each is unique and a stranger shouldn’t be the decision-maker for a woman’s personal health.
You should:
1) Educate yourself—not by watching DeepFake youtube videos but by actually speaking with a medical professional.
2) Vote – so many decisions about our choices are made by people not informed. In a representation democracy–Elect officials who adequately represent your beliefs.
3) Consider the entire problem – when you are pro-life you should consider the whole cycle of what happens to that child that is born into less than ideal circumstances. You can’t limit your pro-life stand to just being pro-birth. You should also support social services programs; SNAP benefits to allow the pregnant mother to get the proper nutrition for optimal development, Universal Health Care so a pregnant woman can receive appropriate prenatal care, Parental Leave so the mother can stay home and bond with the child, Broader adoption programs to allow same sex couples the ability to provide nurturing homes for unwanted children, Subsidized child care so single mothers can still work to support their family, Early Childhood Education which means expanding the public school system to include preschool programs and Reduced College Tuition to allow those born in disadvantages circumstances to get a competitive education and not perpetuate the cycle of poverty. If you are anti-abortion and a woman’s right to choose but oppose the social safety net then logically you can’t be “pro-life”.
The US CDC has been tracking abortion statistics since 1969—yes 50 years of data on reproductive health. There is a large body of data on abortions. Read it, get informed and never assume you know better than a woman and her doctor.
Dear Abigail,
First off, thank you for disagreeing respectfully
I believe my position is based on emotions and logic.
Emotionally, I feel terrible for babies who were never allowed to live. I feel terrible for the women who suffer from various negative after effects of an abortion.
Logically, I believe murder is wrong. We would all agree that killing someone outside of the womb is murder, but somehow we think it’s different for the person yet to be born. When a pregnant woman is murdered, we call it a double homicide. There’s a reason for that. The baby is a person too.
If you believe like I do (and like biology proves) that a baby is a baby from the moment of conception, it is illogical to claim that killing an unborn baby is admissible when murder is not.
Whether the laws are made by medical experts or politicians, the facts are that abortion is murder, and abortions can have very negative side effects on the women themselves. Because of this, politicians are fully in their right to make laws fighting abortion.
It is very true that we should vote for government officials who support our beliefs. It is definitely important to me!
As for educating myself:
I have learned information about the different abortion procedures from a former abortionist, a medical expert.
I’ve seen interviews done with ladies who used to work in an abortion clinics. They described the irresponsibility of the leadership and the gore of abortion procedures.
My education has come from various sources, one of which is the website Live Action.
I will take a look at the source you recommended.
I totally agree that we should support these children! I myself prefer to give to charitable organizations rather than to government programs, but it is definitely our responsibility to help!
We can give money to support the pregnant mothers, we can support adoption centers, give money for the care of children with health issues, etc. We can even volunteer places. We can and we should give! God wants us to bear each others burdens.
I am pro-life. That does not mean that I won’t help mothers and babies in difficult positions. I love the mothers and the children. I will help them.
I think your response underscores my point. I asked you to consider informed, logical, factual sources and you named Live Action which has been responsible for carefully editing and doctoring videos. Placing those false and misleading videos in the public domain.
If you have to manipulate public opinion based on perpetuating falsehoods then that’s factual or medically sound.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/live-action/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/us/planned-parenthood-pre-natal-services.html
Even if you discredit Live Action, there are other many other sources that reveal the dangers of abortion.
Ramah International.org has an article on Abortion PTSD Symptoms. It’s a pretty scary list. They have another article on immediate abortion risks.
Abortion Procedures.com has interviews with a former abortionist. He shares how abortions are done, why he stopped doing abortions, and more.
I replied to your comment, but mine hasn’t showed up yet. Is anyone seeing it?
Tori, comments with more than one link automatically go into spam as do too many comments made by the same person within a time period. I brought it back but I do not think this is the forum to continue this discussion. It is clear that both of you have strong feelings and this back and forth will not change opinions. I don’t wish to censor but this post is weeks old and it is time to move on to a different forum.
I am 66 years old and my husband is 72. We detest recent attacks on voter’s rights, women’s rights, and attack against immigration and minorities. Is imperative to support groups like NARAL, ACLU and SPLC and yes, vote in every state and federal election. Thnks for being brave enough to speak up.
I haven’t been able to find out this info and I wondered if anyone here knew: How does the “except in case of rape” exceptions in abortion law work? I realize that the Alabama law does not even have this provision, but for laws that do, how do women get to use the “in case of rape” exception? I ask because we already (as a society) do not believe many women when they say they were raped. So I’m wondering what kind of hoops do women have to jump through to prove rape in this case? I worry that not only do these laws impact reproductive health and autonomy, but they also will make rape claims even harder. I can picture advocates of these laws quickly moving on to claim women “make up” rapes so they can get abortions — just as they often argue that women/doctors “lie” so they can use the “in case of mother’s health” exceptions (many of these exceptions have also been restricted as part of these laws).
One other thought I’ll leave you with. If you are pregnant/ planning to get pregnant someday, when you choose your hospital to deliver, ask whose life the facility prioritizes — some hospitals (especially Catholic hospitals) will prioritize the fetus’s life. You often have to ask to find out this info. To me that is chilling. At the very least, you should be able to make the choice yourself!!!! It should be part of the discussion with your OB, done first thing in a pregnancy (like a living will).
With that in mind, also think hard about where to go if you are having a miscarriage. I miscarried at 14 weeks. The Catholic hospital would not do a d&c (as is standard practice), to remove the dead fetus. Fortunately the doctor informed me of my options and I went to the other hospital in the area — luckily we have one, not everyone does. I write all this because I think these abortion laws will/do have a much larger impact on women than just “abortion on demand” I think even pro-life women should think hard about the other areas impacted by these laws, as they may not want these unintended consequences. I will always believe (and the data backs me up), that the best way to decrease/ stop abortion is to give women cheap/free access to quality birth control. Unfortunately this also seems to be something many pro-life advocates are also against. This leads me to believe that pro-life is really more anti-sex/punish sexually active women.
This is what I’ve wondered too. Do you have to have proof from a court that the father was legally convicted of rape? Because, shoot, by the time the case gets to court and is finalized, that baby could already be born. IN which case the “in cases of rape” allowance is just a feel good measure that doesn’t actually help women who have been traumatized and don’t wish to carry their attackers offspring.
Thank you Alison!
Thank you so much for your mix of intelligent, reflective shopping and activism. And thanks to the women who have shared their thoughts and the respectful way that other women have departed. I have 2 comments:
1) Vote with your purse – I just cancelled a planned conference to Missouri and will be writing to the hotel, the conference sponsor and the chamber of commerce to tell them why. I’m also going to urge the conference organizer to move the whole thing to a different state.
2) Tell your story – My mother was a 22 year old married women in 1954 and pregnant with her first child when she got Rubella. After an agonizing decisions process , she traveled to Mexico to get an abortion, where she almost died. That’s why my Republican parents were pro-choice.
And on a totally separate note, I’m totally excited to try the face cleanser.
Wait! The NYT piece is about Gen X not Z! (and I think you and I might be the same age so we are solidly Gen X!!! Gen X and PROUD OF IT!)
Thank you, Alison, for speaking out & against the awful things going on in this country! And thanks to the majority of commenters today who feel the same! It’s horrible to watch what’s happening across the US. As a 47 year old woman in the South, it’s fairly unlikely that abortion will be something I will personally deal with at this point in my life. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about how these draconian laws affect others. Thank you for giving other options to those who may need them. I am just sick over these right-wingers who think they know best.
Thank you for your activism. Every woman deserves to have her rights & choices supported by our government, not taken away by these unconstitutional bans.
Also, I love the your mix of articles — like that breakfast foods one! I’ve never really enjoyed cereal or eggs for breakfast (tho’ I like an omelette for lunch or dinner).
I’m hopping over from Instagram to say thank you for posting this. Being from Canada I kind of feel helpless sometimes, because I/we don’t know what to do. It’s really hard to stand by and watch what is happening, but you have given me some tools to aid in your fight. Keep them coming, and know that you have allies all around the world.
Alison, THANK YOU for addressing what’s going on. Yes I know this is a fashion blog and some people are gonna get offended, but I find it absolutely reviving that you are willing to talk about this. I’m from a super conservative religious background and while my personal life experience has (mercifully) helped me see the truth and run far from that dysfunctional ilk, I do not have the courage, most of the time, to put my views out there. Thank you for acknowledging that this is a week that should make every person (women and men) very upset if they are paying attention and can grasp even a few of the consequences of this meddling, inhuman and arcane legislation. I’m donating heavily this week to groups to fight this…at the expense of my clothes budget (haha!) because I cannot idly stand by. I feel less isolated in my horror.
Thank you for the work you do. Thank you for the blog you run. Thank you for the way you keep it real!
P.S. I have meant to comment for some time and tell you this: Your blog posts where you give honest reviews on different fits of brands for a particular item: jeans, swim suits, shoes – these posts are, in my humble opinion, where you truly shine and outdo the other bloggers out there. The insights and information on a brand you provide are priceless and I LOVE those posts. I know they are most likely a TON of work for you, but wow the end result is magic. Thank you for those – keep it up! All my sisters and I have Boots No 7 Tubular Mascara now based on your review of mascaras 🙂
Thank you for highlighting these issues!! I waved between disbelief, shock, and anger that after nearly 50 years the government will try to overturn Roe. Our bodies, our choice
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s more than Roe. On 5/13 SCOTUS threw out 40+ years of precedent as “incorrectly decided.” This is how they will overturn Roe. And Griswold v. CT. Eisenstadt v. Baird. The Voting Rights Act (that they haven’t already overturned). Brown. The New Deal legislation.
The good thing is, we have elections coming up in 2020. And it not just the presidential election, it’s also the House. And the Senate. There are enough targets in the senate for Dems to gain control. And don’t forget state elections. And millennials outnumber Baby Boomers. But Baby Boomers outvote Millenniels 33% to 9%. So especially if you are a younger voter, Please vote. You are the mist progressive generation & your voice needs to be heard at the ballot box.
Make sure you are registered. Make sure you vote. Volunteer if you can. And because of the internet volunteering is not limited to your geographical location. Say you live in CA. Say Susan Collins of Maine is someone you want to see out of the Senate. Thru the magic of the internet, sw, etc you can volunteer with her opponent.
And if I may, Marie Newman (D) is primarying Dan Lipinski. While a dem, Lipinski is anti-abortion & votes more with Republicans than Dems. But the Dem establishment (Rep Cheri Bustos, DCCC chair) is trying to protect Lipinski. This might be a primary you are interested in. Marie almost beat him in 2018.
Cannot back you up enough on all these suggestions! Voting is more critical than ever, and in many places (especially poorer and already marginalized/neglected areas) it’s harder to do than ever. I’ve been block walking for getting the vote out and seen this first hand. Not going to stop my efforts, but I want people to know it’s very sobering and eye opening to realize the majority of people in many areas, that COULD really make a difference in voting in better representation, are often too trodden down to do so.
Another hurdle seems to be getting out information on local and state level candidates…..not everyone has internet access – how do you reach people with the information they need to vote in their own interests? It’s a challenge.
Anyway – thanks for your insights and reminding everyone to do our part. Keep up the work you are doing!
State & local campaigns take way, way less than national campaigns to run. So your donor $ goes much further. And helps fund mailers, yard signs, etc. letters to the editors are a great way to counter the Republican talking points that papers run because they don’t have readers send in opposing views.
But the candidate also has to wear out some shoe leather. See Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
And network. Do you belong to some group of like minded voters? Can you work with a candidate to come talk to you. At a house party, a room at the library, etc, etc. let the local media know about it. Send a press release if they don’t cover. Is there a local league of women voters group? Can you put a debate together? (And if the opposing candidate won’t show, doing something creative like have him appear as a “flat Stanley”) I’m just brain storming, but when you look at what the JR League, PTA, consolidated women’s clubs, etc have been able to do, the same skills can be applied to politics.
.
Please please please realize there maybe many elections before 2020. Know when your state and local elections are. And vote in them. Yes it matters who the national leaders are, but remember it’s the state legislatures who determine the congressional districts, how federal money (as well as state money) is spent, and as this week showed, so much more
Leu2500,
Don’t write us Baby Boomers off. (BTW, I hate that name for those of my generation.) I think you may of forgotten or didn’t know that many, many of us marched, wrote, donated, volunteered, confronted the powers that be about all sorts of human rights issues, environmental issues, that awful war. We were vilified, jailed, beaten, lost jobs and “friends”, and sometimes were killed for what we were doing. I’m 71 and I have never stopped fighting for human rights and the environment.
I went back to school at 40 to get a natural resources degree with a minor in environmental ethics so that I would be more knowledgeable in my activism about the environment. Fortunately, I went to a university where age didn’t matter. We were all just students together trying to master calculus and chemistry. I am still working full time and at present I am working with homeless people, which is a huge problem in this country.
I have always been and will always be a hardcore liberal and will be for as long as I have left on this planet. Many of my generation are of the same mind. We may not be able to march as quickly as we did when we were 18, but we are still in there fighting the good fight. I think the folks of different generations with like minds should collaborate, not compete and throw rocks at each other.
Thank you for your intelligent comments. I too am discouraged about recent political events. I’m sure you’ll get some negative comments but not from this baby boomer.
I applaud you for your courage in putting yourself out there! Every woman should have their own choice , be it one way or the other. Let’s all stand up for our own convictions!
As a near 70 year old woman I am appalled at the direction we are going in. While the evangelical right and those sucking up to them whittle away at women’s rights, I will continue to support agencies such as you mentioned. Thanks, Alison, for being an advocate for women’s rights, human rights.
The article about Ulta/Sephora isn’t available without a membership to the site if I am not mistaken. I just tried to read it.
Oh shoot I’m sorry about that. I have a membership and didn’t realize it was one of their paywall articles. I’ll be more cognizant of that in the future. Essentially it’s that Ulta is partnering with brands like Colorpop and Kylie and they have a lower pricepoint which makes the store more appealing to younger generations.
Yeah, there was one last week or the week before the same way….
Noted, I’ll stay away from BoF when linking here. Thank you!
Just thought I’d let you know that the New York Times article about women drinking doesn’t work either – it says I’ve reached my limit of free articles.
I love the breakfast article – I just gave myself permission to eat pasta salads for breakfast, instead if trying to get down cereal and yoghurt. Funnily enough I really like cereal and yoghurt for lunch. No more arbitrary meal divisions for me! I will eat whatever the hell I feel like. Isn’t it silly that I had never even thought about it before!
The whole abortion issue makes me a bit sad. For the record, I am anti-abortion, but before you stop listening, I would like to add that in no way do I think I should ever dictate what another woman does with their body, and I don’t think any body else should either, especially not men who have no idea of the physical and psychological effects having a baby can have on a woman. I am anti-abortion in the sense that if I got accidentally pregnant in a consensual relationship, or had a child with deformities, I would not consider an abortion. But if I was raped and became pregnant? Who knows what I might feel then. My heart goes out to Dita who wrote the article you link to, and all other women who have been in the same situation.
Thank you for giving us such thought-provoking articles each week!
Killing a baby isn’t health care. No hard feelings toward you. Parting ways.
Thank you for your activism. (And that piece about Gen X! Loved it!)
Goodbye
Yes, that’s goodbye for me, too!
Great post today! Thank you for calling attention to such an important issue.
Thanks for your ongoing and increasing work to provide information about women’s health and social and political well-being. I imagine you’ll get some push back from some readers, but honestly being “out” about being pro-choice can feel dicey depending on a person’s political context. Knowing that other women are also outraged and knowing where to most effectively donate money is really valuable. I’m in my mid-40s and not in a situation where I personally am likely to need an abortion, but it seems like we older women are the ones who most need to work to preserve healthcare rights for our daughters and sisters and other young women. They can’t do it all. Thanks for the boost this morning!
Love these posts! Is there a promo code for Cole Haan? I can’t find one… Thanks and happy weekend!
The prices should show the discount. Happy weekend to you too!