This is just incredible

Today was one of those days where the demands of work and life made it seem unlikely I would be posting. Frankly, I spent part of the day thinking about the fact that I know it will take a long time and a lot of patience to develop 51 Percent, to find funding for it, to make its mission clear and broadly known, and asking myself whether I had the stamina to see it through and the guts to take the risk to see whether it could become an educational backbone for a full fledged movement for social justice for women.

Also, I  wondered, whether this week and next, when so much attention will be paid to the political events of each day - and the events that merit critique will receive them from so many talented writers around the blogs and maybe even off - it made sense to post. I prefer not to repeat what others are saying, often better or more knowledgeably then I could.

But then, lo and behold, here, in Washington, DC,  the epicenter of inaugural schlock (T-shirts, onesies, coffee mugs), I received yet another email from another organization trying to make money off the onset of the Obama administration. (I've already been tapped by email solicitations to give to money to fund the inauguration itself!). The latest organization looking for dough: Ms. Magazine. The product they are hawking: a subscription that kicks of with their special inauguration issue. The cover photo they sent, designed, one must assume to make me want to subscribe:

Honestly, I did a double-take. A triple-take. Because if a feminist looks like President-elect Obama then a feminist looks exactly like somebody who has done nothing, and I do mean nothing, to suggest that he will fight for increased social justice for women. This is the person who has retained Jon "The Groper" Favreau as his chief speechwriter; installed Tim "I'm not really for serious guarantees of Roe v. Wade" Kaine as the DNC Chair; appointed far fewer women to his cabinet or to cabinet-level positions than Bill Clinton did and barely the number that George W. Bush has (more on that here and here and best of all here). Between the choice of Rick "Women who exercise their right to abortion are like Nazis" Warren to give the invocation at the Inaugural Ceremony itself and total silence with regard to how the economic stimulus package he is proposing will aid those likely to be hit hardest - yes, women - I have to say that if President-Elect is Ms. Magazine's idea of what a feminist looks like, I  would hate to see their vision of what an anti-feminist looks like.

While I will not be buying a subscription to Ms. Magazine, their solicitation reminded me that now more than ever, I want to stay the course with 51 Percent (even if it means, yes, seeking contributions from folks during these tough times - something I feel uncomfortable about - but eventually we will attract major benefactors and they, combined with the small dollar contributors will fuel the development of the Museum of Misogynistic Memorabilia and help us build up our speaker's bureau). I founded 51 Percent because I realized that most preexisting women's organizations got sidetracked somewhere along the way - sold out, bought off, distracted. I will not let that happen to 51 Percent. Unless we understand the basic injustice of a society where the majority remains vastly under-represented in public life (not just in politics but also in politics), we will get more magazine covers from purported feminist publications that applaud the feminism (!?!) of a incoming President who has ignored even this list of recommendations for moving justice for women to the fore of his administration.

Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about 51 Percent go here. You can find a mailing address for donations to 51 Percent here.

If you have $5.10 or $51.00 or any amount to donate, you can do so at the website or below. Moneys raised will be going to the development of the Museum of Misogynistic Memorabilia and announcing, via ads, the formation of 51 Percent and its Museum in select publications.  Please note that donations directly to 51 Percent are tax-deductible to the extent permissible under law, and donations via Google are direct to 51 Percent

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If you prefer to support the cause using Paypal, you can use this button. Donations go to support Heidi Li's Potpourri and all such donations will be transferred directly to 51 Percent.

Comments

[kat in your hat]

Editorial Staff of MS. Magazine:

Executive Editor Katherine Spillar
Managing Editor Michel Cicero
Senior Editor Michele Kort
Guest Editor Mary Ellen Strote
Global Editor Robin Morgan
Associate Editor Jessica Stites
Copy Editor Sarah Chung
Proofreader Miriam Jacobson
****Consulting Editor Gloria Steinem
Money Editor Martha Burk
****Columnist Donna Brazile
http://www.msmagazine.com/contact.asp

[kat in your hat]

Please excuse me while I say "WTF"...sorry but that is incredible!

[Joanelle]

Good grief, Heidi - I'll send you some more $ and a message to the editor of Ms. Magazine.

[Christal]

Heidi Li,
I just donated to 51 Percent. I am absolutely appalled by the new Ms. cover. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

[ipotter]

That cover is an insult.

[ainnj]

LOL, just a pathetic cover for a tired, dated mag that will soon be going the way of most hard copy media but is still desperately, and unsuccessfully, trying to stay alive and relevant. Hmmm, the simiarities between it and its dated, irrelevant founder are actually quite amazing.

[Sandra S.]

Google checkout says your cart is broken? I'd like to donate. Suggestions?

[HLF: I'm fixing the cart! And adding a paypal option!]

[Ani]

Heidi Li -- this is truly the end of civilization as we know it.

I am a big believer in credit where it is due -- and nothing is more disgusting to me than (as I believe the line read in Les Liaisons Dangereuse)...

"applauding the tenor for clearing his throat."

He has done NOTHING for women's rights. Nothing. I could write what this smacks of but I won't even go there tonight.

Thank you for posting this and for your continued continued courage and dedication.

[Swannie]

I have to wait til payday to contribute, but you can BET that I will .......and I love the idea of a full page or even a half page ad in a major paper !! Wouldn't that just put people on notice :) and let millions of women know we are still here as well ..

[K2]

My God. They've all gone crazy.

[JTurner]

Good post, HLF. I'm a little tapped these last few months after contributing to Clinton and TDG, but I'll donate the beginning of February.

[HLF: Donate as and when you can. Times are hard, we have to do the best we can. Thank you for your generosity toward causes past. Please note that donations to 51 Percent are tax-deductible to the extent permissible under law, and donations via Google are direct to 51 Percent.]

[raGing]

seeesh!
that deserves a place in the Museum of Misogynistic Memorabilia

[garychapelhill]

I am stunned. I keep thinking that there is nothing else that can do that, but here I am. Those of us that haven't had our brains rotted by kool-aid must be part of some secret government experiment that sent us to the bizarro universe. I just don't see how so many people can be so completely delusional.

[ainnj]

Thanks for putting up the paypal button Heidi. $51.00 on its way (or should that be on their way?)

[Constance]

What an idiotic cover! This is just as dumb as thinking I will watch a "womens content" channel (Oxygen) the is punctuated every 5 mins with [t and a] advertising, or the idea that if I am forced to watch skinny models with breast implants prance around in stilettos and lingerie I will purchase product from Victoria's secret. This is another group of dopes who have no idea how to appeal to women. You have to wonder if they even are trying.

[Uppity Woman]

Heidi, Scott at deadenders did a little photoshopping of this cover. Go here.

http://deadenders.wordpress.com/

[Nancy Armstrong]

$25.51 is on its way. Thank you for reminding by posting that mag cover. If I received the mag I would have to go back to tearing magazine covers off again...lol! I haven't quit tearing off magazine covers, I even turn mags around at the bookstores now. I will stop at Borders and Barnes and Noble and turn those magazines around....disgusting!

[Stray Yellar Dawg]

What is wrong with these people? I simply do not get it. They are undermining the work they have done for years... to lift women up. By implying that, for a man, it is OK to "hide" his feminism on the inside.... not take a stand..... vote "present" on important issues.....

This just makes be sick.

[Mirlo]

Even if it takes 51 percent longer to grow then forseen, it is much needed to persevere. Your voice, Heidi, is one that we can trust to be clear, knowledgable, competent, analytical, ethical and, at the same time, warmhearted. Most other voices have been disappointing and after seeing this MS cover, I think it is time to find another expression for our goal, as the word feminism has been misused, it became outdated and obsolete.

[Anna Belle]

Somebody ought to photoshop that to put the NOT between is and what. Good catch, HL.

[Angry Sucker]

I emailed me them a screen grab of the advert for the issues and the following letter:

Dear Ms Kort and Ms Stites,

I would like to submit the following ad for the No Comment section. It shows an ad for a magazine, supposedly dedicated to feminism, that is advertising a special commemorative issue using a picture of a man who had his surrogates use sexism and racism to attack a woman who was running against him for high office.

The irony of this magazine's lack of support for the real feminist in this race seems to have been lost on this organization.

This same man has as his main speech writer another young stud who thinks that fondling the breast of this woman, now the Secretary of State of the United States of America, is funny.

This man has also chosen a woman-hater and enemy of feminism, as well as a gay-hater, as his preacher for his inauguration under the guise that the preacher, who supposedly represents the majority view in regards to women and gays, somehow needs to be reached out to and given a fair hearing.

This same man has also chosen an enemy of free choice as his chair for the DNC.

Since the real feminist blogoshere is already awash with comments as to the stupidity of this cover art, I am sure you will be very willing to include this in your next No Comments section.

Sincerely,

[Not Your sweetie]

Why not? Wasn't W a "peace maker"? (well, at least that was self-appointed - his fawning media didn't quite go that far in the face of facts.

[Wokingclass Artist]

Xcellent essay heidi...Aaaand given that inmates have the keys to the asylum...I am not surprised at all...*sigh*
Thanks.

[LindaA1]

Not only am I astounded by the very insult of Ms. Magazine holding Barack "misogynistic" Obama up as a feminist, I'm doubly insulted by the depiction of him as the stereotypical "superman to the rescue" of all us poor helpless women.

I'm flabbergasted by the mindset of these women, including Gloria Steinem who must have signed off on this cover. I pi**ed off to see that Donna "shove a stake in Hillary's heart" Brazille is now a regular columnist. Feminist?!!

These women apparently don't even know what the word means anymore.

[DYB]

Holy crap Batman! There are simply no words!