Moxie Minutes, 11/8

MOXIE Notes
Thursday November 8, 2007

EVENTS:

Street Harassment event has been officially approved for November 29th from 6 to 8pm. The self-defense workshop is tentatively set for December 6th.

Start flyer preparation!

General:

Lollipops:
A set of 50 is $42.90. We could sell them for $2 each to raise money for V-Day and for Eve Ensler to speak. We could also do a promotion where 1/$2.00 and 3/$5.00. We’re going to buy 3 sets of the lollipops to start with before we order any more.

Suggestions:

Co-host with the residence halls in the spring another self-defense workshop. However, one would have to participate in the first two workshops to do the third (which would consist of practicing techniques on a man). But in the third workshop the abilities can be split into groups.

Discussion:

A bit of continuation from last week concerning the way females dress and if we’re ever responsible for it, as in “certain things attract attention” and thus, to wear or not to wear?
–When is the line crossed? There is a line between good/bad/middle intentions.

Strip classes as exercise.
–”Women’s job” to enliven bedroom..–why?
–Kinky things becoming mainstream.

Abortion in Hollywood
–Negativity of its portrayal Or women never having to make the decision
–How “should” it be portrayed?

Kids and Masturbation
–It’s a taboo
–Censorship of it as ultimately damaging to the kids
–Sex Ed (or lack thereof) in schools; how it is sterilized

Moxie Minutes, 11/1

MOXIE Minutes
Thursday November 1, 2007

EVENTS:

The money for the self-defense workshop was approved however, the wrong room is booked (the conference room.) Since the instructor hasn’t responded yet, we are going to try and postpone the workshop until later in November. We could do street harassment first, then self-defense the following week.

Hollaback would be interested in speaking; sliding scale pricing.

Perhaps a two-part Event?
Could show “Warzone” (Bobst library has it.) Discussion afterwards and then a week later have Hollaback come in.
Show the movie November 15th then the week after have Hollaback speak, and the week after that have the self defense workshop. OR possibly movie and Hollaback event on same day?
Could show 15 min of “Warzone” for educational purposes. Start at 6, be out by 745. But just as it’s getting good, would it be cut short? Yet, no one is going to want to stay until 9 or 10. 2 hour time slot. Set up before 6 plus food.

NEW EVENT DATE:
Hollaback last Thursday of November (the 29th) Self defense workshop about Dec 5th.

Now in the process of raising $4,000 to get Eve Ensler to speak! Perhaps sell something at event?

Discussion:

“Every feminist hates men” “Feminazi” which led to:

How do you deal w/ ignorant comments in a nice way?
Getting angry is not effective.
Do it with a smile! Approach it like they’re five, “that’s one way of looking at it, here’s another”
We don’t come equipped w/ ways of looking at world.

Words as internalized hate. Various words–i.e. bitch =”whiny women”, feminized
Perhaps have a workshop on those words and ways of not getting angry with ignorant comments.
Reclaiming words is a personal choice. One way of doing this is by “flipping” words. Example: That is so “hetero” instead of “gay”

Women being stared at/harassed/etc — some claim it’s the way you dress–however, some studies show that this isn’t the case (by switching up the manner of dressing)
If one does the same thing to men–is this perhaps counter-intuitive? Also, doesn’t address the problem however, possibly interesting as a study case.
It’s a cultural thing, but this doesn’t justify it. Don’t have to address culture per say, rather the individual and why they’re acting out in that way.

Once you gain access to the “male world”– feel need to protect it, look down on younger girls who try to; one wants to be the one exception. Why is this the case?
Being proud of having boys’ toys. “One of the guys”, don’t want other girls in

Moxie Minutes, 10/25

MOXIE Minutes
Thursday October 25, 2007

Sorry this took me so long to send out!!

EVENTS:

Erica already re-updated us concerning Hollaback and the self-defense workshop–

Richenda is filing paperwork for clueless.

Eve Ensler–$15,000 to get her to speak, which goes back to V-day. Want to use Moxie (so that it’s coming from students) when asking for money. -Moxie helped sponsor–will be on flyers, have table at event. We need more people for behind the scenes work at “The Vagina Monologues.” next meeting is tomorrow (November 2nd), 4:30pm in 13th street student activities space. first floor, go to left. Need help on organizing, fundraising, flyering, etc.

Discussion:

Abortion Conference Report Back

One person asked, “the argument for being pro-life is taking a life, is there any argument on the pro-choice argument as strong?” All people on panel pro-choice. Response–Can’t consider it a life, so many ramifications if that’s the case. Doesn’t make sense. So many definitions of what counts as a life. 10 major religions accept abortion in certain circumstances, even contraception. There was even a saint that was feminist and pro-abortion. Two on the panel were Catholic, shows that religion can’t be an excuse for being pro-life.

Costumes:
“slutty” costume–debate over whether it’s degrading to women. “bad-girl personas.” “empowered hot” –as “another way women self-sabotage by unwittingly absorbing cultural ideas that are, at first glance, desirable qualities females should have.” Settling for “objectifying socially sanctioned roles–maid, nurse, etc.” expected that a girl has to be showing skin. Guys dressing up women–”funny”. Culturally offensive–geisha costumes, etc. stereotyping culture. “exotic asian women”

Maine Situation:
A middle school in Maine is offering birth control to girls there (11, 12 years old) as a result of an outbreak of pregnancies at the school. Extremely controversial.

The “Rape Condom”:
Intended as determent and prevent spread of HIV/AIDS. It was developed in South Africa. Not a solution necessarily. They are still developing it and getting funding to sell it. More information for the interested here: http://www.rapestop.net/

Suggestions:

“War Zone” movie–woman took camera out on streets, confronted men when harassed. Could possibly show that movie here

Take Back the Night kit –perhaps in warmer months of April we could plan this. Bring in other chapters, such as NYU

Get together with Women of Color, go to one of their meetings and get their presence at our meetings.