Excellent idea, Lisa. Years ago, the intergenerational gathering I designed and hosted for the library was successful in helping generations understand and befriend one another.
Now, in these times of huge stress and anxiety, your gathering is needed.
My rural, phone only internet service doesn't much like Zoom, but you know I'll try to listen.
Hugs,
Julianne
**********************************************
"The end of Roe is the result of men gaining power by trading away women’s rights."
Although I wasn't able to participate in the Zoom offering, I do want to pass along a couple wonderful things which happened on June 29-30:
On Thursday, Michigan Public Radio published a headline which said "Pro-abortion activists stepped up..."
Immediately I wrote to the Director about the choice of words:
Dear Mr. Schram,
"The headline wording on today's newsletter 6/30/22, "Pro-abortion activists..." is grossly wrong and misleading. The majority of pro-choice folks are not pro-abortion. It's a sophisticated subtlety but crucial to our understanding of women's reproductive health issues.
Please red flag this headline and put out a correction.
Thank you,
Julianne Michaels"
On Friday, Michigan Radio published the following:
"Yesterday we went against our own style guidelines in regards to abortion rights coverage. We apologize for and regret our use of “pro-abortion activists” as we understand this does not accurately summarize the many varied viewpoints in the abortion rights discussion..."
Most certainly I wasn't the only person who wrote, but it makes me glad people are paying attention to words and how they are being used. The proverbial "Words have power" is ofttimes true both positively and negatively.
...and speaking of words: while at the market on the same day, I chatted with a pretty and familiar young woman, although I couldn't place her. But she remembered me from when she was 16 and I worked at the library. When she told me her name, I remembered her as one of the reading teens.
She said she had "a distinct recollection" of me explaining to other teen women why we should not denigrate our breasts by calling them 'boobs'. Now 24 years old, she told me it helped her to respect her female body.
This is so beautiful! Yes the power of words. They are our spells :)
I’ve been working with the concept of attempting to relate to my body and flesh without those labels that have meaning and purpose to a system outside of me, and rather attempt to get to know my body intimately through reverence and without trying to dominate it.
I love to hear that your wisdom had such a lasting and profound impact ❤️ Doesn’t surprise me at all. Xoxo
Yesterday, I mulled over and over the concept you wrote above. Seems to me you are on the right path. You know I'm all about body and sex positivity, but recently I've seen the pendulum swing so far as to be dangerous to the mental/emotional health of our young women.
Yessss. Feeling this too. I’m in a space with other women where we are exploring an edgy concept along the lines of: “who am I to think I get to like my body all the time”.. basically viewing your body as earth and having total reverence to it regardless of how “likeable” or “sexy” it may be by societal standards or to others.
When I first heard this I gasped 😱 and was like what?? how dare anyone suggest that?! I LOVE my body and have to at all times!!! 😅
And then I’ve been leaning into it. Like wow, yeah maybe the purpose of having a body isn’t about “liking” it or “looking pretty” all the time. but to rather fully inhabit it and truly appreciate its intelligence without trying to dominate it into being something else… ooof 😅 big stuff that I’m just now soaking in. Trying it on for size and it’s uncomfortable and also incredibly liberating.
"...truly appreciate its intelligence without trying to dominate it into being something else…". Now that's real wisdom!
When I was a teenager, I was considered 'fat' because I didn't have the stick-thin body of the popular model known as Twiggy like most of my classmates. I learned early that which is considered sexy or societally acceptable for females was largely due to marketing by high powered men, it changed according to what sells and had nothing to do with who I am.
Not that I always like my body - we don't always like our most beloved family and friends, but that doesn't change the respect and reverence.
Please send my support and best wishes to the group of women with whom you are working.
Excellent idea, Lisa. Years ago, the intergenerational gathering I designed and hosted for the library was successful in helping generations understand and befriend one another.
Now, in these times of huge stress and anxiety, your gathering is needed.
My rural, phone only internet service doesn't much like Zoom, but you know I'll try to listen.
Hugs,
Julianne
**********************************************
"The end of Roe is the result of men gaining power by trading away women’s rights."
~ New York Times 6/26/22
Although I wasn't able to participate in the Zoom offering, I do want to pass along a couple wonderful things which happened on June 29-30:
On Thursday, Michigan Public Radio published a headline which said "Pro-abortion activists stepped up..."
Immediately I wrote to the Director about the choice of words:
Dear Mr. Schram,
"The headline wording on today's newsletter 6/30/22, "Pro-abortion activists..." is grossly wrong and misleading. The majority of pro-choice folks are not pro-abortion. It's a sophisticated subtlety but crucial to our understanding of women's reproductive health issues.
Please red flag this headline and put out a correction.
Thank you,
Julianne Michaels"
On Friday, Michigan Radio published the following:
"Yesterday we went against our own style guidelines in regards to abortion rights coverage. We apologize for and regret our use of “pro-abortion activists” as we understand this does not accurately summarize the many varied viewpoints in the abortion rights discussion..."
Most certainly I wasn't the only person who wrote, but it makes me glad people are paying attention to words and how they are being used. The proverbial "Words have power" is ofttimes true both positively and negatively.
...and speaking of words: while at the market on the same day, I chatted with a pretty and familiar young woman, although I couldn't place her. But she remembered me from when she was 16 and I worked at the library. When she told me her name, I remembered her as one of the reading teens.
She said she had "a distinct recollection" of me explaining to other teen women why we should not denigrate our breasts by calling them 'boobs'. Now 24 years old, she told me it helped her to respect her female body.
Well dog-goners, if that didn't make my day! 😊
This is so beautiful! Yes the power of words. They are our spells :)
I’ve been working with the concept of attempting to relate to my body and flesh without those labels that have meaning and purpose to a system outside of me, and rather attempt to get to know my body intimately through reverence and without trying to dominate it.
I love to hear that your wisdom had such a lasting and profound impact ❤️ Doesn’t surprise me at all. Xoxo
Yesterday, I mulled over and over the concept you wrote above. Seems to me you are on the right path. You know I'm all about body and sex positivity, but recently I've seen the pendulum swing so far as to be dangerous to the mental/emotional health of our young women.
😘
Yessss. Feeling this too. I’m in a space with other women where we are exploring an edgy concept along the lines of: “who am I to think I get to like my body all the time”.. basically viewing your body as earth and having total reverence to it regardless of how “likeable” or “sexy” it may be by societal standards or to others.
When I first heard this I gasped 😱 and was like what?? how dare anyone suggest that?! I LOVE my body and have to at all times!!! 😅
And then I’ve been leaning into it. Like wow, yeah maybe the purpose of having a body isn’t about “liking” it or “looking pretty” all the time. but to rather fully inhabit it and truly appreciate its intelligence without trying to dominate it into being something else… ooof 😅 big stuff that I’m just now soaking in. Trying it on for size and it’s uncomfortable and also incredibly liberating.
"...truly appreciate its intelligence without trying to dominate it into being something else…". Now that's real wisdom!
When I was a teenager, I was considered 'fat' because I didn't have the stick-thin body of the popular model known as Twiggy like most of my classmates. I learned early that which is considered sexy or societally acceptable for females was largely due to marketing by high powered men, it changed according to what sells and had nothing to do with who I am.
Not that I always like my body - we don't always like our most beloved family and friends, but that doesn't change the respect and reverence.
Please send my support and best wishes to the group of women with whom you are working.
Yes yes. ❤️🔥 sending you love