February 2006 – Women's eNews

African American Women Gain Ground in Sciences

By Jennifer Friedlin ● Health & Science ● February 28, 2006

Women of color in the sciences are celebrated in a new book that aims to inspire the next generation. But educators and some of the featured scientists worry that recent gains for black female scientists are vulnerable to unraveling.

Roe v. Wade Long Program

By no-author ● Uncategorized ● February 27, 2006

Project Lifts Curtain on East Bloc Women’s Past

By Mindy Kay Bricker ● Uncategorized ● February 27, 2006

The untold stories of everyday women in the former Soviet bloc are being brought out from behind the curtain of obscurity. A women’s oral history project has been going on for 10 years and spans at least eight countries.

Rwandan Widows Weave New Future From Baskets

By Por Alison Bowen ● Uncategorized ● February 26, 2006

During Black History Month, Macy’s marketed a second shipment of baskets made by Rwandan women, many of whom were widowed during the country’s genocide. Some weavers say the business helps them cope with HIV-AIDS.

Silver Ring Funds Halted; S.D. Bans Abortion

By Anju Mary Paul ● Arts & Culture ● February 25, 2006

(WOMENSENEWS)–

Cheers

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to stop federal funding of the Silver Ring Thing, a national program supporting abstinence until marriage, in a settlement with the New York-based American Civil Liberties Union, the organization announced Feb. 23. The Silver Ring Thing organizes events for teens that involve skits, music and inspirational speeches. At the end of the program, participants sign an abstinence vow and receive a silver ring as a symbol of their promise.

Campus Women Wear Feminism on Their Chests

By Hannah Seligson ● Uncategorized ● February 24, 2006

“This Is What a Feminist Looks Like” is the latest slogan to pop up on the T-shirts of young women on college campuses. While some say the garment helps strike down a stereotype, others say the dialogue is striking a discordant note.

Women’s Lowly News Status Is a Global Insult

By Sheila Gibbons ● Arts & Culture ● February 22, 2006

Women’s secondary role in making and breaking news is, in journalism jargon, an “evergreen.” But Sheila Gibbons says new data about the second-sex status of women in the newsroom is stunning in its global magnitude and cross-cultural consistency.

Uganda’s Shift in AIDS Policy Tied to U.S.

By Anna Louie Sussman ● Uncategorized ● February 21, 2006

Uganda’s first lady Janet Museveni is running for a seat in parliament on Feb. 23. Anti-AIDS activist Beatrice Were might have supported her a few years ago. But now she blames her for restigmatizing the disease with help from U.S. funding.

Fight to End Mutilation Hits Gritty Juncture

By Meghan Sapp ● Crime & Law ● February 20, 2006

The international fight against female genital mutilation pushes African activists to a new juncture. After the ratification of an important African Union protocol, gritty local politics lie ahead.

Female Muralists Dip Brushes in Women’s History

By Womens Enews Staff ● Arts & Culture ● February 19, 2006

A colorful mural of 90 female activists puts a splash of militant sass on the side of an otherwise drab wall in Brooklyn, N.Y. Produced by an all-female team of artists it leaves its chief creator dreaming of more public tributes to women.