Blog Recommendation

Check out this blog, The Pull Of Gravity

Strong!
(working title)
is my documentary-in-progress about weightlifter Cheryl Haworth and the past four years of her life. The film looks at a lot of themes: life as an athlete, as a weightlifter, and as a big, strong woman.

Bitch Magazine Hiring!

 

 Please note new deadline: Friday, August 15th.

———-
Here at Bitch, we’re in search of a perfect someone to join our tiny but dedicated staff as a program director (full-time) at our office in Portland, Oregon. Someone bright, with a deep talent and love for analyzing media/pop culture from a perspective rooted in social/economic justice, who’s passionate about both print publishing and newer (to us, at least) forms like online, audio, and video, someone excited about helping shape the future of the work we do at Bitch (and who recognizes Bitch’s potential), someone committed to DIY/grassroots operating, who understands Bitch’s role as both critiquing what’s crappy and praising what’s good, who’s as excited about Bitch as a multimedia organization as Bitch as a magazine…

All that and more. We’re asking for a lot, yes, but as the saying goes, You’ll never get what you don’t ask for.

As we mentioned, we are a tiny staff (hi, there are five of us!). We’re also at a critical moment. For the first time in our 12-year history, we’re not in financial crisis (if you’re familiar with the realities of independent publishing, you’ll know this is a huge accomplishment). We’re beginning the process of infusing our work with a set of core values and visions. And though we were originally created as just a magazine, our work is evolving into a movement. In many ways we have unlimited growth potential.

In other words, we have some exciting things happening, part of which is bringing a new organization into being. This is what “nonprofit gurus” call an organizational refounding – evolving, moving forward, asking questions, creating space for new visions and voices.

So what would your role at Bitch be?

Right now we’re calling it a program director position, but this could change depending on the outcomes of this search and our visioning process. In many ways our program director will be like the editorial/content director for the magazine (and may also be involved in our website, but we’re hoping to create an additional position soon for someone to oversee the site), but since we’re so much more than our editorial content, the program director will also be responsible for helping direct and maintain the vision of the organization, as well as things like fundraising, outreach, attending events, doing some public speaking, and just generally being a huge advocate for Bitch. In other words, we’re looking for someone who’s a highly skilled editor and is excited about helping us grow as an organization and reach our
potential.

Also, though we’ve grown tremendously since the magazine was originally founded (we currently print about 50,000 copies of each issue), we’re still very much a DIY operation and want to remain that way. Our grassroots publishing model is integral to our work, so we’re looking for someone who’s as committed to that as we are. We’re looking for someone who will actively seek out ways of publishing quality (critical, thoughtful, etc.) content while being mindful of our tight budget, and is excited about helping us evolve into a multimedia organization

Experience/skills that are essential to this position (*please note that this is not an entry level position*):
- At least three years features/developmental editing experience
- Strong familiarity with past and present trends in media and pop culture
- Excellent communication and organizational skills
- Excellent grasp of grammar and spelling
- Stellar proofreading and copyediting abilities; familiarity with Chicago style
- Proficiency with Excel, Word, and InDesign
- A strong capacity to multi-task, prioritize, and delegate
- Experience with web writing/editing
- Experience with video and podcasting technology a major plus

Some of the job duties associated with this position:
- Oversee the editorial and production process for the magazine
- Edit articles and help shape editorial tone and scope of magazine
- Manage writer’s agreements and payment for each issue
- Outreach, fundraising, and event planning
- Oversee editorial internship program

Personality traits/skill sets that are helpful in a small organization like ours:
- Clear and frequent communication
- Ability to collaborate and share decision-making in small groups
- Ability to think creatively even when resources are tight
- Strong initiative, drive, and self-direction, ability to work independently
- A sense of humor

As an effort to live out our commitment to systemic social change and grassroots organizing, we encourage politically radical folks from marginalized identities/backgrounds (people of color, people from poor and working class backgrounds, queer-identified folks, etc.) and others committed to anti-oppression, collective, grassroots organizing work to apply.

In the interest of transparency, you should know:
- Regrettably, the only way to our office is up a set of about 15 stairs. We are not wheelchair-accessible.
- The job is based in Portland, Oregon, and unfortunately we’re unable
to cover moving expenses (unless you would like to start a fundraising
campaign for the cause).

Please include a cover letter that addresses these questions
(apologies if these seem like hoops, but we hope you’ll understand that we have a lot riding on these decisions):
* What would you like us to know about you, and what you’d bring to Bitch?
* How long have you been reading Bitch, and what has your perception
of it been through that time? (Please be honest; we’re not sensitive
and constructive criticism is always welcome.)
* In what ways do you identify (or not) with the word feminist?
* What do you think of both the title Bitch and the subtitle Feminist
Response to Pop Culture? (If you could change one/both of them, what
would you change them to?)

Salary and Benefits:
* $33,680/year, salary, exempt, paid medical/dental/vision

Closing date for applications: August 15th
Anticipated start date: late-August

Please email detailed cover letter (*answering all the questions,
please!*), resume and three references to publishing@b-word.org.
Please write “program director position” in the subject line.
Or mail to: B-Word, Debbie Rasmussen, 4930 NE 29th Ave, Portland, OR 97211
No phone calls, faxes, or drop-ins. No, no!

Gender Hearts: Call for submissions

GENDERED HEARTS

Sex, dating, and relationships in the transgender/gender variant community. Edited by *Morty Diamond

Looking for first person stories, interviews and poetry from trans and gender variant writers about the experience of dating, sex, relationships, and finding love.

Topic examples: hilarious or heartbreaking dating stories, how we negotiate sex, transitioning within a relationship, being trans and starting families, passing/not passing and how this affects our choices for dating, marriage - legal or otherwise, online dating, sex and dating before and after surgery and/or hormones.

I strive to make this anthology as diverse as possible within age, race, sexuality, and gender identity. I encourage all writers who identify as transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, third gender, non-gender, or gender variant in some way to submit work.

If submitting a short story your work should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Sexually explicit work is ok. Please include a short biography with your work.

If your story is accepted you will receive a cash stipend and two free copies of the book. Please submit your writing via email to: genderedhearts@gmail.com. LAST DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: July 15, 2008.

*Morty Diamond is the editor of the book “From the Inside Out, FTM and Beyond” and the producer and director of the films “Trans Entities” and “Trannyfags.”

Michigan Chapter of Womens Caucus for Art

W.E.E.N.

Posted June 17, 2008- In an industry predominantly governed by men, W.E.E.N. is now making their presence known with the Don’t Judge Me…Empower Me tour which kicks off June 28 in New York City at the Hammerstein Ballroom. With appearances from LeToya Luckett, Lil Mama, Mc Lyte, Melyssa Ford, La La Vasquez, Lil Mo, Julissa Bermudez, Free, BET’s Alesha Renee, Kimora Lee Simmons, who serves as the National Spokeswoman for W.E.E.N., and many more, the Don’t Judge Me…Empower Me tour will primarily highlight issues dealing with the female community such as health, leadership, career development, and financial literacy.

 

Valeshia Butterfiled, founder of W.E.E.N. said of the tour, “Our tour begins in New York City at a most opportune time given the unprecedented national debate about the leadership of women in American society. WEEN’s fast growing network of artists, executives and professionals will deliver vital and exciting information to thousands of young women on June 28. After many months of preparation, we are enthusiastic about the launch and our goal is to provide young women with the tools necessary to make informed professional and personal life choices.”

 

Partnering with W.E.E.N. for this new venture will be The Hip Hop Summit Action Network, Girl Scouts Of America, the National Urban League, Latinos in Fashion and Entertainment (L.I.F.E.), T.E.E.N. Diaries, Carifest Cares and Melyssa Ford’s foundation, Less Is More. NYC’s Power 105.1 FM will be joining as an exclusive radio partner while Bird’s Eye Entertainment will be handling production duties.

 

For more informaiton, log onto Weenonline.Org right now.

Study: Balance in Same-Gender Couples an Advantage

Study: Balance in Same-Gender Couples an Advantage (Conflicts Thought Biologically-Based May Be Learned)

WASHINGTON (June 12, 2008) — New Studies comparing straight and gay couples, as well as straight married couples are finding differences that shed light on the effects of gender roles and give hope for better adjusted relationships.