Equal Pay Still Isn’t
Today, women have finally earned what it earned men to earn by the end of 2012. That is, it takes 15+ months for a woman to earn what a man makes in 12.
Employers can check themselves by doing a self audit.
Women can learn how to negotiate better salaries.
And you can post this on Facebook, as Senator Tammy Baldwin has, to remind people that this is a ridiculous situation.
& Here are a few amazing graphs proving that this income disparity is NOT about women having children.
Two Tune Tuesday: Pretty Green
The Jam meets Mark Ronson meets Santigold. Cool. I heard this the other day in a bar and was fascinated: I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard a cover of “Pretty Green” before but I definitely had never heard one that reminded me of The Slits.
That’s Santigold on vocals.
Here’s a live version of the original Jam song, & here’s the original recording. If your life sucks, listen to more Jam. I swear it works.
RIP Margaret Thatcher
… and here are a bunch of songs expressing similar sentiments.
LGBTQ Immigration Stories Needed
From NCTE:
The U.S. Senate is close to announcing its plan to reform our immigration system. But as we’ve learned from this Congress, we’ve got to build up our tools to fight against attempts to exclude LGBT people from immigration reform.
We can do that by sharing the stories of LGBT people whose lives have been affected by our dated immigration laws.
Share your immigration story here or post this on Facebook to encourage your friends to submit theirs.
It really matters that we all come out for immigration reform and the fact that there are transgender immigrants is just one reason to do so .
NCTE is prioritizing immigration reform because it’s a moral issue to address all of the indignities that every immigrant in our country faces, including everyone who is without documents, faces inhumane treatment in detention centers, or is in deportation proceedings because their relationship isn’t recognized by our government.
Join us in collecting these stories now.
Back in the NY Groove (While Still in WI)
It thrills me to no end that I am going to a retreat this weekend with a bunch of students from NYC. Why? Because I won’t have to talk so slow and constantly regulate my enthusiasm and keep myself from interrupting. I won’t have to count to three when someone is done speaking just to make sure I’m not interjecting too quickly. I’m not particularly good at doing those things, mind you: I’m still from New York and have all the speech patterns Deborah Tannen talks about in this article.
A Californian who visited New York once told me he’d found New Yorkers unfriendly when he’d tried to make casual conversation. I asked what he made conversation about. Well, for example, how nice the weather was. Of course! No New Yorker would start talking to a stranger about the weather—unless it was really bad. We find it most appropriate to make comments to strangers when there’s something to complain about—“Why don’t they do something about this garbage!” “Ever since they changed the schedules, you can’t get a bus!” Complaining gives us a sense of togetherness in adversity. The angry edge is aimed at the impersonal “they” who are always doing things wrong. The person is thus welcomed into a warm little group. Since Californians don’t pick up this distinction between “us” and “them,” they are put off by the hostility, which they feel could be turned on them at any moment.
But around other New Yorkers I can fucking relax and expect people to be a little louder, a little more dramatic, to clip my sentences and know, when I clip theirs, that I am only showing enthusiasm. Continue reading “Back in the NY Groove (While Still in WI)”
Integrate Prom?
I’m sorry — what did I just read?!? Is it 1953 all over again?
These students in rural Georgia have decided it is ABOUT TIME their prom become an integrated event. Yes, integrated, as in race integration.
I have to say I’m flabbergasted.
Frida.
This is Frida Kahlo.
You’re welcome.
(It’s from an article about her wardrobe being putting on display in Mexico City, at long last. I really hope it travels somewhere closer so I can see it.)
Congratulations, Sarah!
I am so, so thrilled to see that my friend Sarah Garb is Appleton’s newest alderperson.
Mara Keisling Comes to Appleton
She’ll be coming here to Lawrence University in 8 days, that is, & I’m very please that LU’s Gender Studies program and Government department, as well as the Fox Valley INCLUDE initiative AND the LU student group GLOW are all helping co-sponsor.
Mara is one of my favorite people, an amazing speaker, funny, wonky, and deeply compassionate.
Here’s the FB event page, and more info:
Thursday, April 11th
7PMChanging Minds, Changing Policy: Lessons from a DC Activist – NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling will discuss creating alliances in order to achieve policy and legislative changes that benefit marginalized communities.
This event is free and open to the public, so please, invite anyone who may be interested.