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A couple weeks ago, Australia’s first female prime minister, Julia Gillard, was sworn in. Gillard is one of many women around the world who have become leaders of their countries in past years. Others include former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, President Pratibha Patil of India and recently-elected President Laura Chinchilla of Costa Rica. In our own country, we have had two female Secretaries of State, Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton. Clinton also ran for president in 2008.

Why the rise in female leaders? Women have been breaking down barriers for the past century, so it only seems natural that they should take their place as leaders in government. According to a statement given before the Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee, in the past 10 years, the number of female government representatives around the world has risen from 13.1% to 18.6%. Kenneth Wollack, president of the National Democratic Institute who issued the statement, wrote: “There is a growing recognition of the untapped capacity and talents of women and women’s leadership.”

One reason may be that women tend to focus on different kinds of policy issues including education, anti-violence, housing and labor. This can be seen especially in developing countries where years of leadership by men has often led to poverty and war. Women are frequently the ones who suffer the most in these situations making it reasonable that they would want a change for their families and other women.

Since women have been absent for so long in the political process, it’s believed they bring refreshing and creative ideas to the table because of their “outsider” perspective. Being an outsider also gives women a leg up because they are new to the problems of government that have been caused by those before them.

Jessica Grounds, president of the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee, is committed to encouraging future female leaders. In an interview hosted by the Department of State, she said, “I believe that women bring their own experiences to their elected office…There have also been a number of studies that show when women are empowered…their presence helps build economic and societal stability in that country.”

Despite what seem to be changing world views of women leaders, there is still a long way to go. Although there has been growth in the number of women in government, we are still underrepresented. In our own Congress, the House of Representatives has only 78 women compared to 357 men while the Senate has 18 women to 82 men. This is a huge discrepancy when the U.S. Census Bureau estimated in 2009 that men and women are split practically 50/50 in terms of population (49.3% to 50.7% respectively). As women, we must continue to support one another even across international boundaries. If we continue to do so, we may see our own first female president in the not-so-distant future.

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When I was younger, I went through a laundry list of future careers. I took up figure skating lessons because I wanted to be like Michelle Kwan, started dance and singing lessons for my potential Broadway stardom, and guitar lessons so I could front that all-girl band á la Josie and the Pussycats. I remember being really excited when I could strum out “Three Blind Mice” on my guitar. Sadly, I gave up my dreams of being a girl rocker (the lag time in-between my lessons and lack of practice contributed). However, there’s a whole new way for girls to get involved in music today and reach their rock star ambitions.

Girls Rock Camp began in Portland, OR in the summer of 2001. The camp was created “to eradicate all the limiting myths about music and gender that make girls afraid to speak up, sing out and make noise.” In a world where the music industry is so male-dominated, it’s sometimes hard for girls and young women to find female performers to look up to. At the camp, girls ages 9 to 18 spend a week creating their own bands, writing their own songs and practicing their instruments. In the past nine years, the program has grown to cities across the country with over 1,300 campers a summer. It also has expanded to include a Ladies Rock Camp for older women and a Girls Rock Institute, an after school program in Portland.

In June, the first Girls Rock Camp was held in Madison. Campers met during the day at an old music store and practiced their instruments. Any past experience singing or playing is not required so some girls were completely new to the experience. The campers practiced and took part in workshops centered around rock ‘n’ roll music and performing throughout the week. On the final day of the camp, each band recorded their song in a recording studio. Then came the showcase. At a popular music venue in Madison, the bands performed each of their songs for an audience.

Many of the girls had the same feedback about the camp: it was so much fun. Haley Meskin said, “…When we got up on the stage, it was really fun and exciting to show what we can do.”

Many of the instructors and volunteers are women who teach or perform at the local level. The music director of the Madison camp, Beth Kille, is also in the local band Clear Blue Betty. She said she’s happy that a camp like this exists, and the future may be brighter for female rock ‘n’ rollers.

“When I was growing up, there were a few female role models but not a lot,” Kille testified. “So, to have a camp like this when they’re surrounded by female instructors and women who are out there playing — I think it’s a wonderful thing to be part of.”

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Over 400 people congregated for a ceremony marking the 65th birthday of Burmese opposition politician, Aung San Suu Kyi, at the home of a party member in Yangon on June 19. The pro-democracy leader could not attend her own event, however, as she has spent the last 15 out of 21 years under house arrest due to her fight for democracy in a military-controlled country. Suu Kyi’s journey has been tumultuous, but she still provides a platform of hope and revolution representing the voice of the people.

Suu Kyi was the only daughter of Aung San, known as the father of modern-day Burma who negotiated the nation’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1947. Aung San was assassinated that same year by rivals and Suu Kyi was raised by her mother. The political ties of her father transcended to her mother who became a prominent figure in the newly-formed Burmese government. Suu Kyi followed in her mother’s footsteps by first procuring a solid education with a degree in politics at Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi followed by a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at St. Hugh’s College, Oxford. She worked at the United Nations in New York City and eventually married Dr. Michael Aris. Earning a Ph.D. in 1985 at the School of Oriental and African Studies, it wasn’t until after Suu Kyi returned to Burma to tend to her ill mother that her political journey truly began.

The leader of the Socialist ruling party stepped down from his position in office in 1988 leading to mass demonstrations for democracy which were aggressively suppressed. Suu Kyi made a move to publicly address half a million at a mass rally calling for a shift to a democratic government. That September, a new military junta assumed power but in the same month, the National League for Democracy was formed, with Suu Kyi holding position as general secretary.

Suu Kyi believed in non-violence and Buddhist concepts in producing results. The forces in power were threatened by her progressive movement and placed her under house arrest in 1989, giving her the option of freedom if she left the country. But Suu Kyi stayed with her nation. In 1990 when the military junta called a general election, an overwhelming 82% of the votes were for the National League for Democracy. Although the votes were nullified, Suu Kyi was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

Suu Kyi remains in Yangon and holds a significant presence in society. U.S. President Barack Obama and other political leaders continue to urge for her release. Until that day arrives, Suu Kyi will patiently pursue her right for democracy and live by the famous words she uttered during her “Freedom from Fear” speech: “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

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Where has the women’s movement gone? Where are our leaders, speaking on our behalf, fighting for us around the world? Because despite the tremendous progress our fore-mothers made for us and the incredible opportunities I’ve been presented with, I look around and the myths of marching women, of sisterhood and a unified voice have seemingly evaporated. I’m left wanting to believe in the dream of women standing on the same team, of holding each other and the world accountable to the ways in which we are treated and I am disenchanted with the reality.

But rather than live off the laurels of our mothers and our grandmothers, it’s our turn to take the torch and play our part in history. I’m talking to you too MEN. We’ve never been presented with such an opportunity, but more importantly, a responsibility to stand up and blow the whistle. One of the most unique distinctions (and criticisms) to our generation is our sense of entitlement, our belief that we can actually make a difference in the world and the bravado and audacity in thinking that we can and will be the resounding answer to our world’s cry for help.

In saying that, the girls I work with were talking about what it would really take to ignite THE 21^st century, women’s movement. Not in theory, not in a sweet, kumbaya kind of way, but how do we ignite a paradigm shifting revolution? How do we rebrand a feminist movement to speak to our generation, to be sexy and beautiful, intelligent and savvy? In a world where advertising companies spoon feed us opinions, assign identities, create entire paradigms and belief systems, how can we utilize the same powerful mechanism, to inspire an entire generation and candidly tell OUR story?

So we surveyed, we held focus groups and work shops to find out what YOU think. We presented the tenants of the feminist movement and asked girls to check the ones they to which they agreed. Nine out of ten girls agreed with all the tenants, then we revealed the last question of whether they considered themselves to be “feminists.” Unfortunately, nine out of ten girls answered with a resounding NO! So we were presented with the dilemma, would we rather take the necessary time to deconstruct the negative connotations associated with the word, “feminism” or potentially create a new movement with a name and a new brand? We chose the latter. We created BELLISM. Because the reality is our fight has changed, and we found the two most  predominant challenges facing our generation were 1. An obnoxiously narrow definition of “beauty” that leaves us all feeling chronically fat and hideous 2. How catty and mean women are to one another and more importantly, themselves. Can I hear an amen?

While there are significant strides left in the original tenants and goals of the feminist movement, we just need a new package, a new battle cry and a reason to get up and march together again. The older I get the more I recognize how important my girl friends are to me and how much our world needs female leaders injecting their compassion into major decision making around the world. I read about my sisters over seas who’s rights are being taken away, who live in inhumane, unacceptable circumstances of abuse, negligence, and poverty. Depending on your zip code, it’s like winning the baby lottery. I won and the reality is if you’re reading this from within the US and on a computer (much less your phone), that already puts you in the top 3% of the world, so you too won the lottery.

My dad used to say that with great opportunity comes great responsibility. We can do incredible things individually, but together we can ACTUALLY change the world. If there were a bell tower I could ring, a siren I could sound, it would be now. Because I think that we have reached a critical point in history and we are losing our voice and this world is proving to be a terrifying place when women become marginalized, objectified and under-valued.

Bellism is but my suggestion; it’s just a word. A word I actually came up with in grad school when I was writing a term paper on a “bad ass, make-believe, chick revolution.” But a word is all we really need. We need a way to identify ourselves, something to stand behind and believe in again. I’m a Bellist, who is determined to redefine our society’s narrow definition of beauty, to celebrate the intangibles and the warehouse of real beauty stored deep withint a woman’s heart. We are on a mission to remind women everywhere that we are in fact on the SAME team and that we can do endlessly more when we collaborate as opposed to compete. We’re on a mission to highlight incredible men who support, love and revere women to jump on board as well.

I asked my dad once if he thought I would have hidden Jewish people during WW2 even though I wasn’t Jewish, if I would have fought for African Americans slaves during the Civil war even though I wasn’t black, if I would have stuck my neck out for someone even when the threat wasn’t facing me personally. He said, “of course you would have, because I raised a daughter who’d fight for those who had no fight left in them, who’d lend their voice to those who’s voice had been taken away and to stand for those who could not longer stand alone.” But the reality, is that the opportunity is presenting itself right now and given the chance to fight for young women around the world, to be a leader for girls now, and to create a revolution, that’s what’s being presented now. So with that, I can’t begin to do it alone. I need you, whoever you are and however you stumbled upon this blog, I’m speaking to you this very second. Join me, stand with me, believe in this, and help us reignite not just any, but OUR movement. The movement of the 21^st century Bellists who stood should to shoulder and said, we’re going to make this world better, one girl at a time.

I have a feeling this is just but the beginning and what an adventure awaits us… let the history books make room for a bunch of misfit, Bellists with a myriad of lenses, but one crystal clear vision… to be the generation who fought for something bigger in life than themselves and left this world better than when they found it.

… you down?

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We all know about the horrible incidences of rape and sexual assault in our country. But we rarely recognize how commonplace it is around the world. In many countries, rape is a weapon used in wartime. Women are made to feel like these incidences are their fault, and they are punished for it when they are simply victims. Africa is a continent where a history of rape as a war tool has been used. Countries like Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all reported incidences of mass rape. However, there is an emerging way for women to fight back.

Sonnet Ehlers, a South African woman, was working at a hospital where she frequently met victims of sexual assault. She heard terrifying stories day after day but was inspired by one woman she met. This young woman said to Ehlers, “If only I had teeth down there!” This sparked Ehlers’ journey to create her controversial invention.

In 2005, Rape-aXe (formerly known as Rapex) hit the market in South Africa. The country had the highest incidence of rape in the world, about 1.7 million, according to statistics from 2007. The device is a like a latex female condom except for the fact that it has sharp barbs located inside. It is designed to cause pain and brand rapists if they attempt to attack a woman. The barbs, during penetration, attach to the penis. The device must be removed by a doctor which lends itself to identifying the attacker as someone who attempted rape. They can then be turned over to the authorities.

Ehlers’ invention was met with criticism. Some argued that this device could cause the woman being attacked to receive more violence, possibly sending attackers into a rage. Others have said there needs to be a change in society so women do not have to go to these lengths; wearing one of these devices is like being compliant with the fact that rape occurs.

To Ehlers, the system has not been doing its job of bringing victims to justice so her invention will do just that. She has given away nearly 30,000 in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup which began on June 11.

Although some people may criticize Ehlers, I commend her for taking a stand. It’s true that a change needs to occur in the case of rape in many societies, but I believe this device could spark that change in South Africa. It could bring attackers to justice, save victims and prevent the occurrence of sexual assault to begin with. Although Rape-aXe will not completely end rape, it could be the tipping point necessary to create societal changes in South Africa and possibly other countries around the world.

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Brooke Greenberg stopped growing at 16 pounds and 31 inches long. She is roughly the size of a one-year-old despite the fact that she just turned 17 in January. Brooke likes to shop, listen to music, and she especially likes to swing. It’s one of the few activities Brooke can do on her own.

I first came upon Brooke and the Greenberg family through a series of Discovery Channel specials chronicling Brooke’s trials.

From her birth in Baltimore, Maryland one month preceding her expected due date to a string of inexplicable health crises from which she recuperated, Brooke has proven to be an inspiring miracle child.

Before she reached the age of six, Brooke suffered from punctured stomach ulcers, a seizure, a stroke that left no detectable damage and an untraceable brain tumor that caused her to sleep for a comatose 14 days. Between the ages of one and five Brooke spent nearly 65% of her life in hospitals.

This formidable enigma has even stumped her doctors who have coined her state Syndrome X after several failed attempts at growth hormone stimulation. Unlike most children with similar conditions, Brooke’s growth disorder has been unresponsive to hormonal and other drug treatments. Her mutations are uneven. Her hair and nails grow naturally, but her bones are that of a 10-year-old and her brain is still in infancy.

Although development and aging are at opposite ends of the life scale, the same genes control them both. In childhood, these genes kick off composition, function and organizational change. Single cells ultimately become fully operating adult ones, but those genes don’t just turn off once adulthood hits, they continue to maturate. Genes cause the body to erode and age. In theory if you can get those genes to turn off, then there wouldn’t be aging. In essence, Brooke’s aging and development genes have been turned off.

Scientists believe that Brooke’s remarkable disorder may be the key to unlocking the fountain of youth and better understanding the disease of aging. By scanning Brooke’s genes for particular mutations, geneticists hope to figure out the specifics that cause the development of aging. Hopefully, Brooke’s story will open up doors to new therapies that could work for all of us one day.

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Big or small, dark or fair, aesthetic or sexual. Breasts are the eternal markers of womanhood. They literally are the fruits of life, yet so many women are unhappy or feel some variety of discontent with their breast size.

I’ve always been a top-heavy girl so I understand the evils of the dreaded uni-boob, those never ending back pains, oh and I can’t forget those “sexy” granny bras lingerie designers keep peddling off to us buxom broads. But somehow I always seem to forget about the tribulations of my smaller-chested mates.

The thing is I’ve always wanted smaller boobs. I’d look at my friends with A cups and dream of being able to fit into those cute strapless numbers without having to adjust every five seconds. I convinced myself that life would be so much easier if I didn’t have big boobs.

It’s within these instances of demeaning my own body that I realized I am not alone.

Breast enlargement surgeries have been creeping into our society since the late 1800s. From ivory to glass balls to ox cartilage to a bazillion other disgustingly unnatural sources, men and women have been searching for the quintessential breast enlargement prosthetic.

Over the past decade, the number of breast augmentations has skyrocketed. Despite the economy, more and more women are contacting plastic surgeons in the U.S. But for all of you ladies thinking about enhancing your assets, say bye-bye to those eerie saline and silicone implants, and say hello to a possible new addition to the plastic surgery world. Fat transfer breast augmentations.

For a lot of women this sounds like a dream come true. Using liposuction techniques to take that extra flab of pesky belly fat that won’t seem to shed away and turning it into that seductive Victoria Secret decolletage on page 24. The fat is specially prepared and purified before being injected into the body. No extra additives or false substances, just your plain old natural body fat. Plus you look a little thinner, too.

Studies are still under way to prove the new procedure’s safety. But if proven usable, fat transfers will introduce a more natural looking and feeling augmentation. Nonetheless, along with this au naturel look and feel come the gifts of nature. Fat transfer breasts will age and sag just as other parts of the body, whereas silicone and saline implants have a more consistent structure. Cases of rippling effects and loss of nipple sensation also are added benefits of the procedure.

Though the idea of fat transfer is great in theory, it still leaves me uneasy. I mean sadly, there is a “boob-job type.” Medical reports indicate patients seeking augmentations of this sort appear to be younger and less educated. Many patients indicate patterns of low self-esteem, depression, suicide attempts and previous experiences with psychotherapy.

These medical advancements are amazing, but they’re still hurting the female body image. Money can buy beauty, but it comes with lots of pain and no guarantee of self-esteem.

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It’s no secret that the military has been largely dominated by men for decades. But women do play a vital and relevant role in today’s military in North America and around the world. Roles once considered not viable for females are being redefined by strong-willed and determined women who rise through the ranks. Nevertheless, sexual discrimination that was overwhelming 50-plus years ago is still surfacing daily throughout present day military life. Regardless of rank and superiority, cases of mistreatment, sexual assaults and rapes still exist often kept under the radar or handled inappropriately.

The way of life of male soldiers in the past was such that women were sexualized and at times, devalued. Women were deemed inferior, weak, and not of sound obedience to find a role as soldier or otherwise in the military. Hostility and hazings were commonplace for women and often started during training. Unwarranted sexual advances were ordinary and the general response for accusations was to “get over it.”

Not everyone shares the sentiment that sexism or any form of discrimination should be overlooked. In a 2008 article conducted by CNN, Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle remarked that “even one sexual assault violates the very essence of what it means to be a soldier, and it’s a betrayal of the Army’s core values.” That same article revealed that only 8% of the 2,212 reports of military sexual assaults in 2007 were referred to court-martial. Contrarily, nearly 40% of civilian charges were prosecuted.

Today, there are perceptions of women in the military that are not all accurate and do not assist in discouraging the negative implications. In asking civilians their opinions of women in the military, negative responses ranged from believing they should be limited to nursing, that they are predominantly lesbians, or they abuse the system and deliberately attempt to get pregnant for the benefits of evading duty. There also were stories surfacing from women who were in the military that had experienced a form of discrimination or sexual comment. One women describes a lieutenant putting his foot on her back while she was doing push-ups and asking if “it turned her on” while another was advised to take a desk job rather than join infantry.

Women currently make up 20% of the U.S. Military, a statistic that has doubled since the 1970s. High-ranking positions are more frequently being acquired by women, such as the highest-ranking woman in the army, Kathryn Frost. She served four years as adjutant general of the Army and commander of the Eastern Sector of the Military Entrance Processing Command. In addition, she had two tours in Berlin and worked at the Pentagon on the staff of Gen. Colin L. Powell. A hotline in the U.S. military has been established to report any gender-related harassment or retaliation after reporting.

While there are still regressive comments and perceptions being assumed, women are changing the face of today’s military and paving the way towards a more equal and inclusive future.

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Binge drinking is a common practice among college students. According to MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), statistics state that two out of every five college students is a binge drinker. This doesn’t count the number of students who just occasionally drink. When I first came to UW-Madison, my parents knew I’d be exposed to a lot of drinking. My mom kept telling me, “Remember that alcoholism runs in our family.” She was referring to my great-grandfather who was an alcoholic for much of his life, leaving my nana working hard to raise their children. My uncle, my mother’s brother, also struggled with alcohol abuse but has been sober for quite a few years.

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a real problem in our society. According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 17.6 million adults suffer form alcohol-related problems. Women are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol abuse than men. This is the science of it: alcohol is dispersed by water in the body. The more a person weighs, the more water he or she has to dilute alcohol. Since men normally weigh more than women, they dilute alcohol more. Women, however, have less water and are thus more exposed to alcohol’s effects on the brain and other organs. This means that women are getting more of the actual alcohol to their organs where they have a greater effect and take a greater toll.

This can lead to a multitude of possible health detriments over the long-term and in the short-term. Over time, if a woman continues to heavily drink, she is at greater risk to develop brain, liver and heart disease as well as cancer. Short-term effects can be just as fatal. Drunk driving is one example of how quickly alcohol can have an effect. Women also are more likely to be victims of violence and sexual assault when under the influence of alcohol.

However, many women don’t recognize when their drinking has become a problem. Worse still, those around them don’t seem to realize it either so they don’t step in to help.

In a USA Today article from 2009, women who had been alcoholics and were on the journey to get sober told their stories. One woman told her friends she couldn’t go out anymore and party because she needed to get sober. Her friends said they hadn’t noticed anything wrong or extreme about her behavior.

Women turn to alcohol for many reasons, including stress. Although family history and past alcohol use or abuse patterns determine how much a woman drinks, outside factors like stress can be the tipping point to full-blown alcoholism.

We live in a world with a lot more stress, but we also live in a world with a lot more resources for people who feel unhappy or depressed. If you think someone you know may be becoming dependent on or abusing alcohol, don’t be afraid to ask them if they need your help. You could be the one person who does.

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The Mifflin Block Party. Anyone who goes to UW-Madison knows what it is. It started as a Vietnam war protest in 1969. It since has evolved into the mother of all college parties, gaining national attention. With any college party there is drinking involved, and subsequent arrests. This year, however, one arrest really stood out to me and didn’t gain nearly as much attention as I would have hoped.

It emerged among the countless tickets and arrests for open intoxicants in the street, underage drinking and disorderly conduct. After the day of the party, a UW-Madison student came forward to authorities that she was raped by a visiting student from UW-Lacrosse. He was later released after the Dane County district attorney said he couldn’t find sufficient evidence against the young man and wouldn’t take the case further. Although the police didn’t comment on the young woman’s state during this encounter, it is evident she was intoxicated. The case was dismissed because she was drunk. From everything I’ve learned about consent, incapacitation doesn’t warrant consent. This is a startling trend that I have especially seen over the past few years on the UW-Madison campus.

This case came nearly a year after another female student came forward to a student newspaper and discussed the incident of the gang rape she endured a year before. She found the courage after a year of silence to share her story. Although the case itself was horrifying to read about, the reaction to this young woman’s confession was far worse. After the story hit the paper and its online edition, editorials and comments poured in with reaction. The most disheartening were the comments that the young woman had made it all up, probably to get back at some guys in the fraternity where the incident happened or that she had done this to herself by deciding to get drunk.

These are the attitudes preventing women from coming forward with incidences of sexual assault. We are supposed to live in a world where women should be able to talk to someone and report cases against them. Yet when these women finally do, they are rebuked and targeted for their “poor decisions.” I could find very few news stories about the Mifflin case when I looked for it. I was shocked to hear days later that a young woman had been raped. These are the types of situations that occur, but then we are still shocked to hear 60% of rape cases are never reported. If a case is reported, the likelihood of justice is slim. Only 6% of rapists will ever spend a day in jail.

If society won’t take a stand for female rape victims then we have to take a stand for ourselves. This includes not putting ourselves in situations where rape could occur. We also must look out for one another. If women band together, eventually these attitudes towards rape and the cycle can be stopped.

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