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‘womyn’ Category

  1. Our Bodies, Ourselves

    October 27, 2011 by elenamary

    My father gave me a copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves and a copy of the Hite Report on Female Sexuality, at some point in my adolescence.  He wasn’t good at talking he just left them for me on my bed to read…in the same manner as he did the noble prize authors’ book I, Rigoberta Menchu.  We never discussed it.  I read the book and am thankful for them.  Our Bodies, Ourselves was probably one of my first feminist readings and most assuredly one of my first medical readings.  It “normalized” things for me that had they not been normalized would probably have left me with only conservative Mexican catholic patriarchal tools for analysis.

    I wonder what 14 year-old-me would think about me as an adult having worked in sexual health clinics, or me helping other women understand that their own sexuality is okay.  I wonder what younger me would think of the fact that I have a friend who contributed to the latest edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves and was on national nightly news, discussing the book.  I know the current me is thrilled for Veronica Arreola of Viva La Feminista who is interviewed in this clip at approximately 2:34 minutes into it, the whole thing only lasts 3:12.

     

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

    Category Latinos, personal, Politics, sexuality, womyn | Tags: ,,,, | No Comments

  2. Workers in Texas

    August 3, 2009 by elenamary

    My little sister Cristina Tzintzun, is the director of a Non-Profit, Workers Defense Project/ Proyecto Defensa Laboral, that recently teamed up with the University of Texas to do a study on working conditions for laborers in Austin.  Shortly after the study was published my sister recieved a call from an OSHA representative, that due to the study, they were going to increase their number of federal agents investigating the high number of on work site deaths in Texas.  For more information regarding the report, please check here.

    Or to see a video clip of my sister talking about a worker related death you can watch the video below.


    Category personal, womyn | Tags: ,, | No Comments

  3. Miles Curtiss for University Area Commissioner

    June 5, 2009 by elenamary

    My very good friend, Miles Curtiss is running for University Area Commissioner.  Those living between High street to the train tracks, and from 5thAve to 16thAve, can vote for Miles Curtiss.  All you have to do is show up, this Saturday, with either your Buck-ID, or other photo ID, or mail at one of the voting locations (listed below).

    Elenamary & Miles

    Voting Locations:

    Metropolitan Library, Northside Branch
    1423 N. High Street, Columbus

    Jack & Benny’s Restaurant
    2563 N High St @ Hudson & High

    Northwood Building, Election Headquarters
    2231 N. High Street

    The Godman Guild
    303 E. Sixth Street

    I’m Miles Curtiss, a native of the Columbus, a musician, community
    organizer, and third generation chronic do-gooder.  I work with
    FreeGeek Columbus,  The University Area Enrichment Association, The
    Ohio Community Computing Network, and Columbus IndyMedia, mostly
    helping under resourced  people and communities get access to, and
    training for, computers, self publishing, and e-waste recycling.  I’m
    also very active with Yay Bikes, The Third Hand Bike Co-Op, Arawak
    City Gardens and other groups centered around transportation and
    fighting poverty.   In the past, I’ve been involved with the Columbus
    League Of Young Voters, and the BLD artist co-operative.  I’ve been
    drawn to the university area for it’s energy, it’s creative capital,
    and it’s easy maneuverability.  It is a place where tens of thousands
    come every year to become independent.  After finishing my own
    university experience, this is the place I immediately came to.  This
    neighborhood has always glowed with a “make your own future” ethic
    that has informed me ever since I was old enough to walk from downtown
    to the campus area record stores.

    Category art, language, Ohio, personal, Politics, race, sexuality, womyn | Tags: | No Comments

  4. George Tiller

    June 1, 2009 by elenamary

    I think, I really only know, approximately three things about George Tiller, he was a medical doctor who was willing to provide abortions, he went to church, he was assassinated.  I don’t know if George Tiller was a good or bad doctor.  I don’t know if he was a regular church goer.  I really know very little about him.

    I do know that his assassination has put fear in me.  I work at a clinic that is willing to provide abortions.  I am not sure if anyone close to me, knows the fear I feel.   I fear the websites that take pictures of my car when I go to work (not one of those cars has ever been in my name).  I fear they will publish the address of the person who lent me their car, and that the retaliation will be against them.  I fear  going to work.  I fear for my patients, including the ones that say to me “They don’t know I am christian too”… as if casting the first stone were a Christian act.  I fear copy-cats.  I fear people who don’t understand.  I fear people who aren’t more pensive in their analysis of  life.    I fear people who can’t understand the conversation I had this morning with a doctor who works at a pro-choice clinic.

    The doctor I spoke with, is  Roman Catholic,  born and raised in Latin America; for most of his life he has worked at Catholic hospitals.  He frequently tells his patients that he has never met a mother who regretted her child.  He does not perform abortions;  he refuses because he does not agree with them.  He does however, counsel women and provide the 24 hour medical consent they need in order to get abortions.  His stance, a rather conservative one, is that women deserve to be educated and make a logic based decision for themselves in a supportive environment.  He feels there are women who will go to no ends to make sure they can have an abortion, so why not make sure they are aware of all consequences and ensure that they have their abortion in a safe, clean, environment?

    His view is more conservative than mine.  However today, we both shared in our fear of a copycat.  We shared, in our fear of what it means that some praise an assassination.

    Category personal, womyn | Tags: | 3 Comments

  5. Judge Sotomayor nominated

    May 26, 2009 by elenamary

    In sixth grade I remember checking out books on Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and wanting to be like her when I grew-up.  I figured I could be President first and then a Supreme Court Justice.  Some point during high school I came to believe that Presidents really didn’t have as much power as supreme court justices and that I only I wanted to be a justice.  I decided that like Thurgood Marshall I would stop as many government executions as possible.  I would create laws that would directly effect Americans in the present and future.

    Today, Obama selected what could become our first Latino (and it was a Latina to boot!) Supreme Court Justice, Judge Sonia Sotomayor.   I am excited to see how our court evolves over the next 3.5 years (or 7.5?!)

    This does not mean that we don’t have  a battle still as Latinas and Latinos recall that just a few years ago that Sotomayor’s

    … nomination was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Judiciary Committee, but became “embroiled in the sometimes tortured judicial politics of the Senate,” as some Republicans said they did not want to consider the nomination because elevating Sotomayor to the Appeals Court would enhance her prospects of being appointed to the Supreme Court.[21][22] An anonymous senator put a secret hold on her nomination, blocking it for over a year. Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy called the length of the hold “disturbing,” “petty,” and “shameful,” also noting that at that time, “[o]f the 10 judicial nominees whose nominations have been pending the longest before the Senate, eight are women and racial or ethnic minority candidates.”  (Sotomayor Wikipedia)

    It is wonderful to take note that despite the hurdles, Judge Sotomayor does not turn her back on her Latina identity, as noted in her lecture given at the University of California in 2001.

    Category Latinos, personal, Politics, womyn | Tags: | 1 Comment

  6. Catholocism and Politics

    November 14, 2008 by elenamary

    I identify as Catholic.  I also identify as politically progressive.  These two are not mutually exclusive…in fact one should either have little to do with other or everything to do with it.

    I believe in reproductive choice.  I believe that every baby born should be a wanted baby.   I believe that once a child is born it is our societal and civil obligation to ensure that the child has all basic necessities including food, housing, and education.  I believe in federally funded programs like WIC and Head Start.  I believe that people have the right to believe that life begins at conception.  However, I ask those people to support sex education not based on abstinence.  I ask them to support national health care, reformation of the education system, and funding of pre-natal programs.  I understand that people fight for an embryonic sac but if they are really fighting for life, we must remember that life is not just the promise of a birth, but the insurance of opportunity to have a fair shake in the world.

    I was pleased to see during the election that the Matthew 25 Network (“The Matthew 25 Network is a community of Christians – Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Pentecostal, and Evangelical – inspired by the Gospel mandate to put our faith into action to care for our neighbor, especially the most vulnerable.”) came out in support of Obama as the pro-life candidate.  And it disturbs me that clergy, believe that they should deny communion to someone because of their politics.  I am pro-life, pro-choice and I am catholic

    Below is a much more eloquently stated argument on why as humanists and Christians it is important to support Obama as our pro-life President-elect from the site ProLife – ProObama.

    Facing an unplanned pregnancy can mean a woman is facing a serious crisis. She needs real help.

    Health care for a strong mother and healthy baby. Education – not only well-run preschools but also higher education plans that offer support to mothers – and fathers – who have dreams of supporting themselves and making their own contribution to our economy. Child care programs that respond to the needs of working families.

    We could make this happen.

    Many pro-life advocacy efforts have focused on the legal status of abortion, rather than addressing prevention of unplanned pregnancy and the needs of pregnant women and families. This has intensified the division and partisanship around this issue, but has little effect at reducing the abortion rate itself.
    Making the choice for life possible is a choice we can all make.

    And it’s a choice Barack Obama has already made, as he challenges us to live up to the call us to “be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers,” to join together to help women in difficult situations make the choice for life by providing pre- and postnatal care, income support, parent training and caring adoption programs.

    We need a systemic, common ground, common sense approach. Nearly two-thirds of women who have abortions are poor. Almost half are college-age or younger. Two thirds are single.

    We can drastically reduce abortions by helping reduce unplanned pregnancies and supporting pregnant women and families that need help.

    Senator Barack Obama will fight to make sure that every woman in America has the support she needs when facing an unplanned pregnancy. Senator Obama’s grass-roots, faith-based approach of support for women and families will help them when they most need it, preventing abortions by supporting women and families to choose life.

    Category personal, Politics, womyn | Tags: | 7 Comments

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