elanas

When President Obama uttered the words “women’s rights” during his speech at Cairo University last week, my ears perked up. The fact that a US president is putting women’s rights up there on the international agenda — on par with peace in the Middle East, no less — is indeed historic. That he has the guts to say to a room full of Egyptian men that women’s rights in the Muslim world are a topic that needs addressing, was quite a thrill. The fact that there was some applause after he made that opening statement, “the sixth issue that I want to  Read more >

The death of a former prostitute does not often merit public attention. But then again, Norma Hotaling, who died this week at the age of 57 from pancreatic cancer, was no ordinary former prostitute. After twenty years of suffering in the sex trade industry, she not only found the remarkable courage and strength to pull herself out of devastating cycles of addiction, abuse and self-loathing, but she also  Read more >

I am thrilled to report that my friend Elise Rynhold is number five on the list of the local Shahar party in Modi’in, Israel. That is reason enough for me to vote for Shahar in the municipal elections in November.  Read more >

A political cartoon from today's Israeli newspaper, Yediot. As McCain marches with a bikini-clad "Miss Arkansa", Obama says to Biden "How do you look in a bikini?" Is this blatant sexism that turns a governor into a sex object reason enough to put a woman in (or near) the Oval Office?    Read more >

What is it about the word “feminism” that makes some women squirm and some men shudder? Even people who believe in much of what feminism stands for – human dignity for all, repairing social injustices, offering equal opportunities and respect for women – often prefer not to call themselves feminists. Why is that?  Read more >