Stop Shackling Pregnant Inmates NOW

We have to take action.

In September 2005, although still two weeks from her due date, Samantha Luther, incarcerated in Wisconsin, was allegedly taken in handcuffs and leg shackles to the local hospital, and informed that labor was going to be induced. She told a reporter, "I was in shock... I felt like all of my rights had been taken away." Reportedly, her handcuffs were taken off, while her shackles remained on providing 18 inches between her ankles. The doctor ruptured her amniotic sac, and had her pace the hospital hallway for several hours. "It was so humiliating. My ankles were raw," Luther said. Luther was given drugs to induce labor, when it did not begin, and reportedly was left in her shackles until just before birth. She reported, "I had shackles on up until the baby was coming out and then they took them off for me to push... It was unbelievable. Like I was going to go anywhere." She gave birth to a son. Reportedly, it is common to induce inmates before term, however, according to DOC officials, an inmate must sign a consent form.

Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition »

Talking Together NOW

Don't forget to join us at Ginny's Cupboard (127 N Water St Sparta, WI) the first Saturday of every month (minus Janurary) at 1:00 pm for discussion about things that matter to girls and women today.

We will also be meeting in LaCrosse at the Root Note (115 4th St LaCrosse, WI) the third Saturday of every month at 1:00... pm for discussion.

Please invite all friends and family along. Hope to see you there! :)

Election Day!

Why our Daughters?
Why the Polls?

From the White House Project
We know that children model their own dreams on what adults and society show them to be possible.
The U.S. currently ranks an astounding 71st in the world in women's political representation. In Wisconsin, women leaders make up just 22% of the state legislature, 20% of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation; 12% of Mayors, 22% of City Councils and 19% of County Boards. By taking our daughters to the polls, we show them that they are in fact a valuable part of the political process.


* In 2010, it's time to encourage a different kind of girl power.
* It's time to Take Our Daughters to the Polls.

2nd Year of Greater LaCrosse NOW

Good morning,

After meeting with our wonderful cohorts WSSA (Women Studies Student Association) we have come up with a plan. Our NOW chapter will host 2 discussion groups each month, one in Sparta and one in LaCrosse. We will have a short business meeting before the discussion group. Each discussion group will have a few topics primarily focusing on why the fight for equality (race, sex, age, etc) is still needed. We are hoping to host the Intergenerational Gathering again as well as a few film showings.

WSSA is holding a book club and have welcomed us to join them. They meet every Thursday at 6pm in the Diversity Center on UW-L campus. *they provide the books. They're discussion is also available online. The books they are reading are; Manifesta; Grassroots: a field guide for feminist activism; Unbearable Weight; American's Womens; School Girls; The Feminine Mystique; Slut; and Full Frontal Feminism.

The meeting dates are as followed, the first Saturday of the every month starting November 6th (with the exception of January due to New Years) in Sparta, WI at Ginny's Cupboard (127 N Water St Sparta, WI 54656) at 1:00-2:30. LaCrosse's meeting is the third Saturday of the month starting November 20th. the location is yet to be announced between 1:00-2:30.

Please feel free to pass on this information to those you think would be interested. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at kayfc.now@gmail.com.

Have a great day!
Chloe

Teachers....

Did your teachers ever push your buttons with comments/actions about female equality?

A few responses that we received:

"Boys could wear hats in class, girls could not."

"I couldn't be student body president in High School because of religious reasons. I didn't think of it much then, but now I wish I had done something about it."

"Giving the boys in the class more attention and dominance."

What about you?

Intergenerational Event :)

We had a wonderful gathering last Friday, thank you to everyone who came. I will be posting some of the discussion questions and photos on here within the week. Thanks to WSSA and the Women's Studies classes for all your wonderful support! And most importantly thank you to the planning committee, it wouldn't of been possible without you. I'm hoping this is the first an annual event.

Women's Journeys: an Intergenerational Gathering

http://www.uwlax.edu/conted/conferences/womensjourneys.html

---

Women's Journeys: an Intergenerational Gathering

April 23, 2010

6‐9 p.m.
Cleary Alumni and Friends Center, UW‐La Crosse
$10 general public
$5 student fee

Through conversation, reflection, and celebration, this event crosses generational borders and builds connections between women and girls of all ages. The stories generated will illuminate the challenges, strategies and successes of women’s activism, past and present – grounded in real life experiences. Everyone welcome!

AGENDA

6 p.m.	Registration and Reception
6:30 p.m.	Welcome: Generations
7:15 p.m.	Conversations: Speed‐Dating Meets Consciousness‐Raising Experience deep conversations at a lively tempo. Find out what’s new and what’s familiar in women and girls’ lives today. Talk about what gives us energy and hope for the future. Discover the “big ideas” of people wanting to make the world better place. Explore the wisdom gleaned from successes and disappointments, plans and surprises.
8:30 p.m.	Reflections and Closing

Sponsored by the NOW‐Greater La Crosse and NOW‐WI in partnership with UW‐La Crosse Women’s Studies Student Association, Women’s Gender and Sexuality Department and Continuing Education and Extension.

This community event is free to those attending the Great Lakes Regional conference of the National Organization for Women, April 24 at the Cleary Center. To register for the Regional Conference, go to: http://sites.google.com/site/nowgreatlakesregion/

For more Information and to Register:
Karen Langaard, 608.785.6508, toll-free 1.866.895.9233 or langaard.kare@uwlax.edu

Draft of Regional Conference

To: Greater La Crosse NOW Chapter members

From: Chloe and Andrea

Re: Proposed Friday Event for Regional NOW Conference (April 23-24)

Please take a look at this description and possible program for the Friday evening event. The main activity could be run like “speed dating” one-on-one time with women across generations or in small groups talking with panels of women from 2 decades. We could have some “artifacts” to create a set around each of the generational clusters.

We need your input before we send it out to the Regional Conference planner

• Give us your ideas and reactions – is it interesting, meaningful?
• Think about some of the logistical questions (potentially 50 attendees)
• Can you think of women who would like to attend?
• Let us know if you are interested in working on this idea (we would need a planning meeting in early January so we can get the publicity out.

Friday, April 23

Registration at 6:00 pm

6:30 pm – 9 pm

Cleary Center

Audience:

NOW Conference attendees: included in conference registration

General public: $15 or $25 for two?

Possible titles: What Women Care About: An Intergenerational Gathering

Women’s Journeys: an intergenerational gathering/event?

Roadmaps and Journeys: an intergenerational event for women

• This event crosses generational borders and builds connections between women of all ages through dialogue and celebration. (Note: do we want to invite men, too? As in “Men who celebrate the progress of women are invited, too!”) The stories of women of each generation create a roadmap of feminism that is grounded in real life experiences. Participants will interact with women and girls of all ages and share perspectives on the challenges, strategies and successes that mark a century of change. This community event opens the Great Lakes Regional Conference of the National Organization for Women.

Sponsored by the NOW-Greater LaCrosse Chapter, UW-L Women’s Studies Student Association in partnership with UW-L Continuing Education and Extension.

Possible Schedule:

6:00 pm Registration and Reception (music, art exhibit, photo essay, etc…)

6:30 pm Welcome and opening

-Musician, comic, or visual presentation on women’s history

7:15 pm Introduction and panel of women from (politics, family, employment, other)

7:45-8:45 Stories from the Journey

Stations set up with representatives from generations:

1920-30; 1940-50; 1960-70; 1980-2000

Each generation will have 3-4 women representing diverse experiences and backgrounds with chairs that invite others to join them….

After a set amount of time, people will get up and move to another “station”

2 possible formats:

1. “speed dating” model with one on one time (more intimate and personal) Needed: one prop or one story to get things started.
2. small panel with room for 3-6 other women set up to answer questions and share experiences Needed: Tell one “illustration” experience and then open for dialogues

8:45-9:00 Gather again with some type of closing

Calendar Workplan

2011 La Crosse NOW Chapter Calendar Project

(Draft by Chloe and Andrea-12.15.09)

Jan-March Themes decided and assignments; Partners – AAUW? League? WSSA?

Possible themes:

Generations (January – new baby…Feb pre-teen; March:teen, etc…)

Girls and women in nontraditional roles and activities (vocation, sports, rural…)

Art and creative endeavors (women artists, musicians, and others)

Body image and becoming media savvy (See Project Girl for concepts…)

April – June: Take photos and collect information for possible submission

Do we want to have writings/quotes, etc..?

Do we want special dates noted?

Gather information on calendar production and prices

Sponsorships for costs or advertisements (fundraiser)

July – Aug Make selections for each month

Lay-out and design of cover, etc….

Develop marketing plan

Identify outlets for sales

Finalize

To print and figure out quantities

Sept –December Sell and distribute

-personal connections; gift promotion; outlets; media awareness;

December Meeting Notes

Greater La Crosse Chapter of NOW

December 15, 2009

Meeting Notes

Diversity Center, UW-La Crosse

Chloe and Andrea were present for the meeting-regrets from Betsy and Allie, with 7 members confirming attendance through Meeting Wizard. (We know this is a busy time of year for students and others alike). We discussed the following information and will send the notes to everyone.

Updates

National NOW: Please view the website for the 2010 agenda, to join -includes our local chapter, and access resources and wonderful links: www.NOW.org

State News: The office has been successfully moved; Chloe participates in regular conference calls with other officers and chairs of the chapters around the state (Madison, Fox Valley, and Milwaukee are regular attendees).

Our local chapter news: Heather provided print information on our local chapter at UW-L Invisible Children film at Graff Main Hall on Dec 7. It was a really snowy nights, so unsure if this was attended. A quick information sheet was created on our chapter for this event; there are nice brochures to distribute on NOW and issues briefs so please think of occasions for NOW to have a presence. Maureen and Andrea will track the Alternative State of the Nation event at Concordia Ballroom. Chloe is working with Allie to plan a showing of Iron Jawed Angels at the Sparta school district and will be scheduling another even t in Sparta during March. Planning for the April 23 and 24 NOW conference has started (see attached notes).

WSSA: No updates available.

Treasurer’s Report

We’ve added $18.94 from national NOW (rebates from 4 memberships-new/renewed); $12 from t-shirt sale; and, $2 from button sale.

Calendar project

We’ve drawn up a timeline to create a calendar for 2011 as a project for the year. Please see attached. If you are interested in coordinating this project for the chapter, let Chloe know. This could be a lot of fun!

Holiday, birthday, graduation membership promotion

Members are reminded that NOW membership (and t-shirts, etc…) make great holiday, birthday, and graduation gifts to the women and men in your lives! Chloe has girls/women’s t-shirts to purchase and buttons, too. The memberships can be obtained on line through the national site. (Chloe will do a little checking to see if/how a “gift membership” or donation can be made in someone.)

Proposal for Regional NOW conference

Chloe shared our ideas for the Friday evening event with Emily (chair of NOW – WI chapter). Please review the attached notes, contact Chloe with your initial reactions and ideas. The conference will be the topic of our next meeting. Please come ready to think creatively about the conference, especially the Friday night event which will be open to the public. We will need to get publicity out (through our networks and UW-L CEE) by early mid-February!

Next meeting:

Chloe will send out a Meeting Wizard for end of January: Tuesday or Wed evening (5-6:30 pm at UW-L Cartwright Cetner, downstairs in the Diversity Center) or Saturday (am or pm at Caribou coffee?)….

Meeting notes by Andrea Hansen, secretary

Regional Conference Ideas

Idea Theme/Focus: Intergenerational gifts; etc…

Possible Name of Conference: Re-Generations

Friday evening ideas:

Reception, Music and art by local girls and women (Ali, Kelly, Alyssa – trio; Korean Drumming –Deb Hoskins, et al) (Betsy-sculpture)

"Speed meeting” between the generations

ATP performance

Women’s History photo essays from Chloe, Ali, and Emily

Saturday workshops with some intergenerational and history themes

• Susan Crutchfield
• Jodi Vandenberg-Daves
• Kick Box and Self-Defense
• Ending violence against women
• Panel of mix generations of women in politics (Shirley Haas, Sally Oswald, Tara Johnson, NOW leadership, other)
• I was a Teen-age Communist play (Amanda knows this)
• Could we have some partners in League of Women voters and campus groups?

November Meeting Minutes

Greater La Crosse NOW

November 23, 2009

Minutes, submitted by Andrea Hansen

Members in attendance: Alison Toetz, Chloe Miller Hansen, Betsy Gleiss Kaftan, Andrea Hansen, Heather Jett, Maureen Freedland, Amanda Bailey (WSSA), Megan Woodward (WSSA)

Regrets: Rebecca Toetz, Susan Crutchfield, Kris Geitwitz

1. Chloe called meeting to order and introductions and welcomes were made, especially to Maureen, and Amanda and Megan (Women’s Studies Student Association).

2. Ali gave the Treasurer’s report. We have $702.00 in our bank account. Some of this comes from a portion of the membership fees from this chapter. There have been 4 people renewing and 1 reinstated. You can join NOW through the national website http://now.org/ with memberships of $10 – $65; organizations can join, too. Chloe brought T-shirts ($12 new; $10 older)

3. Amanda and Megan provided an update of things happening on campus through WSSA. We all agreed that WSSA and NOW could be helpful to each other and we wanted to collaborate when we can. Amanda will provide Chloe with a link to WSSA http://www.uwlax.edu/wssa/ calendar for events such as: February Vigil; Women’s History Month.
   
   

4. Ideas for generating memberships:

• Send gift memberships to the friends, especially young women and daughters in our lives
• Have membership materials at the following events:
• Showing of Iron Jawed Angels – HighPoint Class room (Chloe and Ali); plan to watch this together at a NOW meeting (early next year)
• Dec 7: 6:00 pm Graff Main Hall (Chloe: get Heather the info for this table)
• January event: Alternative State of the Nation Event-Coulee Progressives, Concordia Ballroom (Andrea and Maureen will track)
• April 23 & 24: NOW Regional conference – outreach

5. Producing a NOW Women’s Calendar was discussed. Ideas: use this as a year- long project for 2011, featuring women in nontraditional careers, or women through a life-span (baby at the New Year….December elders?); etc… Walgreens has calendar formats and reasonable pricing

6. Email and meetings

• All agreed that email works for us. Ali will change the email address to our NOW chapter’s name.
• Meeting Wizard works for us.
• Meeting place: Diversity Center in the Cartwright Center (Amanda will reserve this space for us)
• We would like to meet once a month
• Tuesdays at 5:00 pm may work in December. (Chloe will send out scheduler for meeting date in December.)

7. La Crosse has been chosen for the Regional NOW Conference.

The facts:

• April 23^rd (5-8:30 pm) and April 24 (9-5)
• Cleary Center
• Expected attendance: 45-60
• States in the region: WI, MI, IL, OH
• Continuing Ed and Extension is providing basic conference support (no registration)
• NOW state and national offices handles marketing and registration
• NOW-La Crosse Chapter has input in planning and making connections with presenters, etc..

Chloe and Andrea will communicate ideas to Emily Reynolds (NOW-WI Chapter President).

Legislative Watch

Support:

Wisconsin NOW supports the following bills. Please contact your legislators and encourage them to become a co-sponsor and vote in favor of each bill.

Birth Control Protection Act, AB 532

Seeks to ensure access to birth control and emergency contraception by requiring that pharmacists fill all safe and legal birth control prescriptions. The Birth Control Protection Act also clarifies that contraceptive methods are not included in the State's definition of abortion.

Status: Introduced in the Assembly.

Compassionate Care for Rape Victims, SB 166/AB 305

Requires hospital emergency rooms to provide rape victims with information about and access to emergency contraception.

Status: Passed in the Senate.

Parents' Right to Know, SB 339/AB 691

Requires that parents be notified by the school district if abstinence-only education is taught and student's do not receive instruction on preventing unwanted pregnancies and the sexually transmitted infections.

Status: Introduced.

Responsible Sex Education, SB 340/AB 690

Ensures that sex education taught in Wisconsin public schools is scientifically accurate and comprehensive, including information about abstinence and the prevention of unintended pregnancies and STIs.

Status: Introduced.

---

Oppose:

Wisconsin NOW opposes the following bills. Please contact your legislators and encourage them to refuse co-sponsorship and to vote against each the passage of each bill.

Community Endangerment Act, SB 403

Allows almost anyone to carry and conceal deadly weapons into most public places, included family planning clinics. This bill threatens the public's safety, as well as patient and health care providers' safety.

Status: passed in both the Assembly and the Senate.

Family Planning Ban/State Gag Rule, SB 72/AB 142

Eliminates state funding for family planning providers by prohibiting non-directive, all-options pregnancy counseling.

Status: passed out of Senate Labor Committee.

Prescription Denial, SB 155/AB 285

Allows pharmacists to refuse to dispense certain medications and contraceptive methods because of personal beliefs, even if the patient's health could be at risk as a result.

Status: passed out of the Senate Labor Committee.

Right to Lie, SB 71

Allows health care providers to lie to women about the results of prenatal tests if the health care provider believes the information will lead to the woman choosing to terminate the pregnancy.

Status: Passed out of Senate Labor Committee.

Teen Endangerment Act, SB 97/AB 175

Further restricts teen's access to abortion services by requiring parental permission, even if the parent is deceased, no longer the legal guardian or abusive, or if the teen is a victim of incest or suicidal. The Teen Endangerment Act also requires that the signature on the permission form be notarized, making the family's decision public rather than a private health care decision.

Status: Passed in Assembly. Passed our of Senate Labor Committee.

UW Birth Control Ban, AB 343

Would ban health care providers at UW health care centers and those working on UW property from prescribing, dispensing or advertising birth control to adult female students.

Status: Passed in Assembly.

2nd Meeting recap: April 8th

Greater La Crosse NOW

April 8, 2009

Minutes

Members in Attendance: Ali Toetz, Chloe Miller Hansen, Betsy Gleiss Kaftan, Andrea Hansen, Heather Jett, Rebecca Toetz, Susan Crutchfield

Visitors: Ben Crutchfield and Sara Miller Hansen

1. We talked about what we want our function to be and a couple ideas we came up with are: Finding out more about the Battered Women's Shelter, Sparta's resources for women; the female only clinic; responding to State Legislation alerts; and issues that come up in the media

2. Alison and Chloe will be taking care of the electronic stuff, including the website, blogs, and potential use of YouTube to spread the word about NOW and women’s issues

3. We reviewed the suggested revisions for the La Crosse Chapter By-laws. The following changes were offered:

(list the changes by the articles – for example…Article X specify 10 days.; Article XI specifies 10 days)

Susan made a motion to adopt the revised by-laws with the changes. Heather seconded the motion. Motion carried.

4. Nominations for the officers were taken for the 2009 term. Heather offered the following motion:

Chloe Miller Hansen-President

Alison Toetz-VicePresident

Rebecca Toetz-Treasurer

Susan seconded the motion. Motion carried.

5. We planned for our next meeting to be May 6^th. (Update to minutes: the 3-Rivers house has a meeting that day so it is tentatively scheduled for Monday, May 4^th if members can attend).

6. For our next meeting we will bring a couple movies to preview and plan our "We're here" event.

Submitted by:

Chloe Miller Hansen, President