Women's eNews (https://womensenews.org/author/regina-varolli/)
Female surfers’ biggest annual competition starts this week in Australia. Prize money lags behind men’s, but women’s participation in this daring sport is way up. Credit goes to gutsy role models, better gear and “Blue Crush,” the 1995 surfer flick.
An anti-stalking bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee imposes tougher punishment on offenders and expands the definition of the crime to include online privacy intrusions. But one victim says it lacks a crucial component: employment protection.
In December a victim of domestic violence will have her reconstruction surgery broadcast in a Discovery Health documentary. She wasn’t looking for this publicity, but had given up on a pro-bono referral service that in her case broke down.
A year-old group of women is championing the sport of polo and chasing down money for scholarships for female college athletes interested in the “sport of kings.” Annual costs for participating can run into tens of thousands, making it an expensive pursuit for women who don’t often get the chance to play pro.
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Papua New Guinea came to New York in July to face a U.N. inspection of its recent record on women’s rights. A critical panel highlighted murders of women accused of sorcery and witchcraft and the chair of the delegation apologized for the country’s poor record.
Women’s rights activists are trying to push CEDAW, the major U.N. women’s rights treaty, out of a Senate committee where it’s been stuck for decades and up for a vote on ratification. “Call Senator John Kerry,” urges U.S. lawmaker Carolyn Maloney.
The Kentucky Domestic Violence Association’s microloans are truly micro; between just $200 and $800. But they are interest-free and monitored by Experian and TransUnion, giving borrowers a chance to build their credit profile in the process.
As part of its growing outreach to women, Major League Baseball will celebrate tennis great Billie Jean King this weekend for her promotion of gender equity in sports. But the Major Leagues still score zero when it comes to its own fielding of women, says one female player.
Eri Yoshida, the first woman to play professional baseball in Japan, is mulling over a chance to play professional league baseball in the United States for the Chico Outlaws, based in Chico, Calif.
Legendary female jockey Julie Krone is the subject of a movie now in the making called “Freak.” That spurs Regina Varolli to look back over the 40 years since jockey Diane Crump became the first woman to race professionally in the “Sport of Kings.”