America, the Beautiful: Are We Obsessed with Beauty?

Arlington Room

This workshop is a timely discussion, with a documentary, that forces us to look at the profound effect that the $412 billion dollar a year advertising industry has on today's culture. Women of all ages are being barraged daily by the advertising industry, the diet industry, the world of plastic surgery, and false ideas of beauty and self. What drives women to obsess over their physical beauty, making it a priority over their health and family, and how has it happened that so many women cannot appreciate the things that make them truly beautiful? We will take a look at the way society values beauty and how media manipulation leads to unrealistic expectations, low self-esteem, a desire for more beauty products, poor body image and eating disorders.

Karin Lewis, Sondra Kronberg

Young Feminist Leaders -- Effectively Engaging and Organizing Young Activists

Berkeley Room

Contrary to the mainstream media's greatly exaggerated reports of feminism's demise among younger generations, young women around the country are leading change in ways both familiar and new. This fun, informative and interactive workshop will put the spotlight on young feminist leaders who are making a difference in their own communities. We'll spark conversations about engaging young women (and girls), organizing effective campaigns on campus and leveraging online resources to get the word out and raise money, as well as share a case study of a successful campaign against crisis pregnancy centers.

Erin Matson, Jerin Alam, Bonnie Bryant, Alex Flanagan, Meghan Shalvoy

Bellydance NOW! The Goddesses' Secrets to Better Health and Empowerment

Georgian Room

Combining both lecture and physical activity, Bellydance Afro-Mosaic Fusion Arts presents a workshop on the origins and techniques of bellydancing. This presentation will give participants the opportunity to practice bellydancing techniques, and the presenters will teach a choreography entitled W.O.W. (Wombs of Wellness) NOW! Participants will discover the power of dance and its ability to reawaken the body. They will experience the connection to self that dance provides and will learn to free both their bodies and their minds. Participants will leave this workshop with the tools they need to put these techniques into practice immediately.

Arianna Halima al Tiye, Gisele Simmons

Women Warriors: Issues Confronting Servicewomen and Women Veterans

Imperial Ballroom

The rights of women are continually denied in the U.S. military. This workshop will focus on the horrific epidemic of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment inflicted on servicewomen. Learn about the impact of military sexual trauma, as well as reasons for, consequences of and remedies for this egregious problem. The workshop will also address the impact of Don't Ask, Don't Tell on LGBT servicemembers. Women and racial and ethnic minorities are dismissed from the military at significantly higher rates than their male and white counterparts. Learn more about the actual impacts of discriminatory military policies and what can be done within the legislative system to right these wrongs.

Anu Bhagwati, Greg Jacob

Dead Dolls: Female Victims on Primetime TV

Georgian Room

This discussion, facilitated through film clips and script reading, will focus on how females are portrayed in popular television crime dramas such as CSI and Criminal Minds. It will present and analyze how these portrayals perpetuate violence against women and women's obsession with body image. Each participant will receive media guidelines on how to watch programs with a critical eye and the workshop will call on participants to contact broadcasters and voice concerns about these issues. Learn more about the process of how television shows get on the air, and how production actually works. With this knowledge, participants will become empowered and have a greater ability to challenge the messages presented in mainstream television programming.

Jill Andrew, Lisa Bennett

Moving Beyond Abuse: The Journey from Victim to Survivor to Thriver!

Arlington Room

No longer victims or merely survivors, these women are thrivers -- moving on after abuse, rediscovering the positive energy in their lives, and creating a new future for themselves and their children. This workshop will present innovative techniques to help women reclaim their lives after abuse. Certain techniques encourage healthy desires that lead to physical, mental and emotional development. Without such growth and renewed energy, too many women return to abusive relationships or spiral down into depression and hopelessness. This restorative approach capitalizes on the energy of the moment when a woman leaves a violent relationship and takes the critical the next step to break permanently out of the cycle of violence.

Susan M. Omilian, Dorothy LaFratta, Kathleen Sloan

Politics 2010: Tea Parties, Racism and Anti-Abortion Rights "Feminists"

Berkeley Room

This political workshop will delve into the national trends and tactics of the 2010 elections, including: the rise of the Tea Party Movement, the anti-incumbency push, sex and scandal as a political tool, and the injection of racism into the abortion issue. The discussion will include a brief overview of the political landscape for feminist candidates in 2010 and a look at women candidates describing themselves as feminists but espousing right-wing views. The discussion promises to provide insightful analysis from four longtime feminist activists with extensive experience in analyzing campaigns and elections.

Bonnie Grabenhofer, Linda Berg, Alice Cohan, Loretta Ross

Sisters Across Borders Demand To Ratify Women!

Clarendon Room

Ratify Women! is NOW's campaign pushing for U.S. ratification of a "clean" version of the global women's treaty known as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). But wait . . . there are more international treaties and tools to advance the rights of women in the U.S. and globally! This workshop will: 1) educate participants about the use of United Nations international human rights treaties to advance women's rights in the U.S. and 2) explore how international women's movements are using the U.N. as well as feminist transnational grassroots gatherings to advocate for our human rights. Special guest presenters have been invited.

Jan Strout, Stephanie Ortoleva, Laura Roskos, Norma Romero (Invited), Dr. Gloria White-Hammond (Invited)

After Health Reform: Addressing Women's Access and Organizing for a Single-Payer Solution

Hancock Room

After a protracted political struggle, national health care reform has finally passed. What will its impact be on gender disparities in health care? What is the significance of the political use of reproductive health as a wedge issue? In the wake of reform, what political climate will advocates encounter as they continue pushing for equitable care and a universal, single-payer system? This workshop will bring together researchers and activists from three organizations in Massachusetts -- Our Bodies, Ourselves; Physicians for a National Health Program; and Suffolk University's Center for Women's Health and Human Rights -- to provide insight from this state's experience with health reform in 2006.

Dr. Rachel Nardin, Dr. Sheila Leavitt, Judy Norsigian, Susan Sered

Toxic Media: Misogyny, Pornography and Pop Culture

Georgian Room

As pornography continues to seep into pop culture, our visual landscape has become dominated by images that depict women and children as hypersexualized and objectified. Pornography has now become the blueprint for the way women's bodies are represented, and we will explore how these images affect the human brain, shape our sexual identities and inform our culture. Pornography is the major form of sex education for adolescents, delivering ideas about the nature of femininity, masculinity and relationships. This pervasive normalization of sexual harm directly contributes to our cultural acceptance of violence against women, and we must organize to reclaim our culture.

Gail Dines, Chyng Sun, Emily Murphy, Sarah Shanahan

Reproductive Choice: Midwives and Birth Settings

Arlington Room

This workshop will present an overview of maternity care in the U.S., a discussion of the midwifery model of care and take a look at birth outcomes. The U.S. has a high caesarean section rate -- what does that mean for women's reproductive health, generally? Various birthing experiences -- including home birth and those at hospital/birth centers -- will be reviewed. A 10-minute video on "Why Choose A Midwife?" will be shown. Finally, there will be a discussion of how women's birthing rights are being limited by "fetal rights" legislation in many states. And what impact will fetal rights laws have on abortion rights?

Dana Keren, Audra Carp, Kelly Roberts, Naomi Sweitzer

I Need Equal Pay, and Hands Off My Retirement!

Clarendon Room

A presidential commission is looking at ways to trim the national debt -- and while their deliberations have been cloaked in closed-door meetings, there are ominous hints that they are seriously considering cutting benefits in vital social insurance programs. Women, who are twice as likely as men to have no pension at all, depend upon Social Security checks to survive in retirement; this is often the sole source of income for divorced or never married women, low-income women and disabled women. Come hear about important developments related to equal pay initiatives, how the lack of pay equity affects lifetime earnings, what's happening to pensions, and what could be the future of Social Security and Medicare.

Lisa Maatz, Janet Witt, Ashley Carson, Jan Erickson

Mothers Losing Custody: Courtroom Tactics, Accusations and Tragic Results

Imperial Ballroom

The crisis in family courts continues unabated. Thousands of women are losing custody of children to documented batterers and child abusers. Accusations of "parental alienation" are being promoted by so-called fathers' rights activists to switch custody. A family court system biased in favor of men and money is desperately in need of reform. Come hear personal stories, an overview of the troubled system, and proposals for change from our NOW Family Law Ad Hoc Committee members and activists.

Marcia Pappas, Dr. Mo Therese Hannah, Mary Richmond, Sara Mitran

Women's Health Roundtable: Women's Bodies, An Owner's Manual

Statler Room

This interactive workshop offers a chance to ask experts about common health issues. The panel will focus on aging in a healthy manner, food, menopausal issues, exercise, having a strong body, osteoarthritis, detoxification, and care of body and mind. Speakers will dispel myths about women's bodies, provide specific exercises for core strength and provide practical information. These health care experts want to make sure that participants have an understanding of how our bodies work and to provide a guide on how to age well.

Wendy Marks, Dr. Rebecca Caplan

Exploding the Beauty Ideal: An Exploration of Body Identity, Culture and Race

Imperial Ballroom

This workshop will address the intersectionality of body image and identity, culture, race and racism. It will examine the ways that women's body identity and image is shaped by the dominant culture and its ideals of beauty on individual, cultural and institutional levels. Using the participants' own experiences, the panel will look at the ways women -- especially women of color -- manipulate and condemn their bodies to try to achieve unrealistic standards and the damage this has on women's inner sense of beauty and self. This workshop will also offer action steps to break the mindset of fitting into preconceived ideals of beauty and encourage acceptance of self and diversity.

Chien-Chi Huang, Pata Suyemoto, Christina R. Chen

Healing from Abuse by Reclaiming Our Bodies

Berkeley Room

The isolation and emotional and/or verbal abuse that are parts of the experience of domestic violence often have a lingering impact long after women have escaped the physical violence itself. Learn strategies to empower women by offering them the opportunity and support to love and embrace their bodies and to experience them as sources of strength and leadership. The presenters will discuss what they've learned about the importance of bringing body acceptance work into traditional domestic violence advocacy. And they will address the reality of how challenging it is for women everywhere to abandon the media-driven body loathing that permeates so many lives.

Barbara Townley, Aileen Fortune, Janie Waterhouse

Alternative Bodies and Identities: Towards a Trans and Genderqueer Inclusive Feminism

Arlington Room

Much of the discussion around the goals of contemporary feminism center around the body. This workshop will examine the ways in which alternative bodies and identities can participate in the feminist movement. Issues of sexual violence, gender-based discrimination, and masculine privilege will be discussed. We will also work as a group to examine the power of language to construct and deconstruct movements. A primary goal of the workshop will be gaining the understanding and tools to build coalitions across the identity line. Questions will be raised such as: How can we combat anti-feminism in the trans community and transphobia in the feminist movement? And, Can transfeminism foster an inclusive coalition politics?

Rayna Edwards, Toni Zosherafatain, Erin Clark, Joelle Ruby Ryan, Sam Feder

Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry

Georgian Room

Will that expensive face cream you bought cause cancer in some women? Come learn about risks involved with the use of cosmetics. Speakers will address the lack of research and federal regulation in the billion-dollar cosmetic industry. The proposed National Cosmetic Safety Act is needed to assure that what we put on our skin will not make us sick. This workshop will also review media messages that are marketed to women and girls to promote cosmetic sales. Critical evaluation skills must be applied to the pervasive media messages aimed at influencing women's desired appearance and their pocketbooks.

Monalisa Wallace, Stacy Malkan, Jennifer Berger

After Citizens United: How Feminists Can Compete with Corporate Campaign Spending

Statler Room

While much of the focus around the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision has been about increased spending by for-profit corporations, the new rules also apply to nonprofits that promote the social good, including women's equality. This workshop will examine whether Citizens United allows (c)(4) organizations to engage in ways that were previously prohibited. Should nonprofits like NOW use general funds to engage in direct advocacy in elections, such as endorsing federal candidates, encouraging the general public to vote for particular candidates or comparing candidates' positions on key issues? And the big question remains: Will corporate spending drown out feminist and progressive voices?

Bonnie Grabenhofer, Abby Levin, Kellye McIntosh

Building a Movement: Abortion Storytelling to Heal and Combat Stigma and Shame

Georgian Room

A combination of panelist narration and audience participation will be used to empower women to "come out" with their own abortion stories. Come prepared to learn a bit about the history and power of storytelling; you'll leave equipped with information you need about how you or your organization can hold your own abortion speak out. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss their own abortion stories in a safe and collaborative group environment. This session will emphasize the importance of speaking out about abortion to reduce and eliminate stigma and shame and will present storytelling as a powerful tool in the fight for reproductive rights.

Jennifer Klozik DeCapua, Carol Downer, Kate Palmer

Women's Health and Beauty: A Latina Perspective (In Spanish)

Arlington Room

Many Latinas/women of color acknowledge the influence of mainstream stereotypes that portray the fit/thin woman as synonymous with the Caucasian body type. But in fact, many women feel great with the "Latina" curvy shape as a counter-image. Health promotion of more realistic body types that are in tune with women's differences may be more effective in reaching out to Latinas in the U.S.

Muchas Latinas reconocen la influencia que los medios de comunicaciones tienen en la promocion del tipo de cuerpo de las mujeres caucasias "super delgadas." Muchas de nosotras nos sentimos bien con nuestras curvas y con que esa imagen tambien sea promovida en los medios. Promociones de salud deben de tener en cuenta la realidad de los diferentes tipos de cuerpo cuando se trata de las Latinas en los Estados Unidos.

Melba De Pena, Dr. Indrani Maity, Yvette Modestin, Zenaida Mendez

Ready, Set, ACTION! In-Your-Face Feminist Organizing

Berkeley Room

This will be an A to Z, hands-on workshop that will demonstrate how to find other feminists, recruit new members for your chapter, get the word out, plan and host actions, as well as build a sustainable action campaign. We will cover the tools and skills needed to strengthen NOW's grassroots and to build your local chapter. This workshop will also address important aspects of planning and conducting nonviolent civil disobedience actions. With the sustained right-wing assault on women's fundamental rights, we need to have all the options in our toolbox!

Erin Matson, Patricia Ireland, Allendra Letsome