L.L.B.O. - Ladies Love Barack Obama

Alright, maybe he's no LL Cool J, but there's a lot of reasons for women to support Barack Obama. Since tonight is the night he'll officially accept the nomination to be the Democratic Party presidential candidate, we thought we'd bring you a few links to Obama on Women.

Obama On Women's Issues

Planned Parenthood Action Fund Endorses Barack Obama and Joe Biden

Women For Barack Obama

And while we don't condone the many sexist problems with this video, we have to admit it's good for a few laughs -

Hilary Hits A Home Run!

Talk about hitting it out of the ballpark! Hilary Rodham Clinton's speech last night at the Democratic National Convention was as perfectly executed as any press secretary could have dreamed of. She was gracious, energetic, and sassy... she was the Hilary we knew and loved, the Hilary that unfortunately I don't think we saw enough of in the last few years.

I'd like to tell you about my favorite Hilary Clinton memory. I remember when Elizabeth, Emily and I drove across the country to Washington DC for the March For Women's Lives in 2004. As we stood on the National Mall, surrounded by one million other women marching for women's rights and women's lives, we watched a giant jumbotron screen. On it, they introduced Hilary Clinton. I don't remember exactly what she said, but I remember that was the first time that I realized someday soon she was going to make a run for the presidency herself. After she spoke, Elizabeth, Emily and I called our own moms with tears in our eyes, trying to explain over cell phone that finally, our time - their time, their mother's time - was almost here.

Although I did not vote for Hilary this year for a variety of reasons including her support of the war in Iraq, I can foresee a day where I would cast my vote for her, provided she returns to the woman I saw in Washington DC, and the woman I saw on my television last night.

Check out the speech -

Women on Women Setlist, 8/26/08

Little Eva - "The Trouble With Boys" V/A - One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found (Rhino)
The Pretenders - "Tattooed Love Boys" S/T (Sire/Real)
Bratmobile - "The Real Janelle" The Real Janelle EP (Kill Rock Stars)
X - "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" Under the Big Black Sun (Elektra/Rhino)
Siouxsie and the Banshees - "This Wheel's On Fire" Best Of (Polydor UK)
Mojave 3 - "Writing to St. Peter" Spoon and Rafter (4AD)
The New Pornographers - "Myriad Harbor" Challengers (Matador)
The Kills - "Goodnight Bad Morning" Midnight Boom (Domino)
Sleater-Kinney - "Start Together" The Hot Rock (Kill Rock Stars)
Miss Murgatroid & Petra Hayden - "Hummingbird" Hearts & Daggers (File Under Music)
The Gossip - "Standing in the Way of Control" Live in Liverpool (Columbia)
Blevin Blectum - "Squeezed" Gular Flutter (Aagoo)
CSS - "Move" Donkey (Sub Pop)
The Vaselines - "Rory Rides Me Raw" A Complete History (Sub Pop)
Cub - "Summer Samba" Hot Dog Day 7" (Mint)
All Girl Summer Fun Band - "Dreamy You" Summer of '98 (Magic Marker)
Go Sailor - "Fine Day for Sailing" S/T (Lookout)
The Sugarcubes - "Hit" Stick Around for Joy (Elektra)
Metric - "Combat Baby" Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (Elgonix)
Pretty Girls Make Graves - "Blue Lights" The New Romance (Matador)
Office - "Paralyzed Prince" A Night at the Ritz (Scratchie/New Line)
Mo-Dettes - "Two Can Play" Dark Park Creeping 7" (Decca)
Delta 5 - "You" Singles & Sessions 1979-81 (Kill Rock Stars)
Cibo Matto - "Know Your Chicken (7" mix)" Know Your Chicken 7" (El Diablo)
ADULT. - "Inclined to Vomit" Why Bother? (Thrill Jockey)
Tsunami - "She Cracked" Split 7" w/ Superchunk (Honey Bear)
Imperial Teen - "Sweet Potato" The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band (Merge)
Starball - "2Car" Promotional EP (S/R)
Ono w/ Peaches - "Kiss Kiss Kiss" Yes, I'm a Witch (Astralwerks)

Michelle Obama Charms America

The woman who may just end up in this list of ladies in November spoke last night at the Democratic National Convention. Afterwards, pundits across all channels were losing their minds, declaring Michelle to be the Hilary to Barack's Bill, the start to the Obama dynasty. While I doubt Michelle Obama will be moving to New York and running for Senator in 2016, there's no doubt that she'd be a much more interesting First Lady than most. Take a look at the video of her speech and see what you think - I'd vote for her!



Tonight, Hilary Clinton speaks - stay tuned, we'll try to bring you the video of that tomorrow morning.

America's Next Top Crafter

Forget Tyra Banks and Simon Cowell and reality television - the real contest of this fall is the Venus Zine 4th Annual Craft-Off Contest!

One of our very favorite magazines, Venus has long been the standard bearer when it comes to introducing you to the hottest and most innovative women in music, art, film, fashion and business. Fiercely DIY, Venus encourages and rewards adults who never gave up on crafts through their annual "Craft-Off". Past winners and runners-up have included resin rings, recycled totes, and handmade belt buckles. You can peek at the 2007 winner's gallery here.

So dust off your thinking caps and get to crafting! Entries cannot cost more than $40 and must be received by September 18, 2008. Check out complete rules here. The winner gets a Singer 8763 Curvy sewing machine.. who doesn't love a machine with curves?!


(image from venuszine.com)

Happy Birthday, Tori!

On Friday, August 22, groundbreaking feminist musician Tori Amos turned 45. We did a little celebrating on Tuesday's show, but for an artist this important I thought a birthday post was in order, too!

Tori (born Myra Ellen Amos) got her start as a classical pianist, attending the Peabody Conservatory at the tender age of 5 and moving on to play piano bars in Washington D.C. in her teens. Her first major project, a metal band named Y Kant Tori Read, was a bust. It wasn't until the release of her first solo album, Little Earthquakes, in 1992 that she started to see commercial success. The song "Me and a Gun", which details the sexual assault she suffered at the hands of a fan, is the second to last track on the album. Following its release, concertgoers began to tell their stories of assault to Tori, which led her to create RAINN, a national organization for survivors. She remains involved with the group, often donating items for auction or performing benefit shows.

Since that first album, Tori has developed a bit of a cult following because of both her musical talent and her outspoken songs on sexuality, feminism and organized religion. I have to admit that I have been a bit of a Torihead myself. She catches a bit of flack for being flakey or being too much of a "woman's artist", but here are the reasons why I, a self proclaimed Ear with Feet, love her:

1) She's brought the piano to the world of rock. Her instrument of choice, the piano, has traditionally been relegated to the genres of classical music, adult contemporary and is thought of as being "soft" (even though during their time, many of the classical pieces were quite rebellious and edgy). Tori brings bite to her compositions and shows listeners that it is just as easy to rock on a piano as it is on the more "masculine" guitar.
2) She rides the gender line. Often speaking of communing with spirits and having both the feminine and masculine spirit in her. Her songs range from lullabies to growling dervishes and she uses costuming and makeup in her live shows to further the message.
3) Her live shows. I've seen her play small clubs and huge arenas, and no matter the venue Tori connets with her audience like no other artist I've ever seen. Add to that the fact that she does a meet and greet with her fans after every. single show, and she clearly wins for fan connection.
4) She doesn't listen to anyone (except for maybe the faeries) and doesn't apologize for it. The fans have been complaining about her work on the last few albums - it has been a little less rage and a little more smooth jams - but she explains it as her just going in the direction she feels pulled toward.

Times have definitly changed. I can remember going to shows in the 1990s where everyone was in costume and there were hearses parked outside as the goth fan's preferred form of transportation. Now, it is mostly couples in sweater sets and you almost never see a set of faerie wings in the crowd. The power of her music (especially the albums pre-2002) remains the same, though, at least to me.

So, to the woman who has gotten me (and so many countless others) through heartbreak and strife, and echoed our rage, our sorrow and our joy, happy birthday!

Burning Olympic Questions: Bikini Bottoms and Hyphenated Names

The Olympic Games have been on non-stop in my house, and I have to admit I'm one of those people addicted to the Games... I'll watch anything, even sports I barely understand, like synchronized diving. I've been staying up far too late at night, watching the Games and experiencing a rare feeling of national pride for the U.S. athletes. Still, there's been a few burning questions I can't get out of my head, so I went to the blogsphere to find out the answers.

First, what is the deal with beach volleyball? More specifically, what is the deal with the super-skimpy beach volleyball uniforms? How can you possibly be comfortable jumping around in a bikini while trying to win a gold medal? Do large chested women just not perform at high levels of beach volleyball? Sports reporter Stephanie Stradley explains. Still doesn't make much sense to me!

Second, am I the only one who's noticed the increase in hyphenated names on jerseys this Olympics? Not just on women, which is a bit more common due to married women hyphenating their last names, but on men too. Is hyphenation after marriage really popular among athletes, or are hyphenated kids now old enough to compete the Olympic Games? Seems like its a bit of both...

Some examples:
Garrett Weber-Gale, the son of Mark Gale and Diane Weber, who get to see both of their names on his swim camp as he got the gold in the relay last week

Ben Wildman-Tobriner, another swimmer, the son of Michael Tobriner and Stephanie Wildman, who also won gold

Taraje Williams-Murray, U.S. Judo team member, son of Cheryl and Michael Williams-Murray

Suzy Powell-Roos, a discus thrower, who is married to Tim Roos

Tiffany Ross-Williams, track and field, married to a Mr. Williams

Misty May-Treanor, beach volleyball phenom, married to Florida Marlins catcher Matt Treanor... Treanor may not make it to the Olympics, but his name ended up a winners list when his wife brought home a gold last night

I bet those moms who gave their child their name as well as their husband's are really glad they did now! As for the husbands whose name got a free ride to the Olympics by virtue of marriage, I say they owe their wives big time!