Morning AMp (Weekdays 8-10AM CST)
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Maria Hinojosa: The host of Latino USA joins us for a morning check-in. This week Maria is thinking about mental health and the ways the immigration process leads to depression and anxiety in the Latino community.
Storycorps: Over the last decade Storycorps has brought some of the more hilarious and heartwrenching personal stories to public media by setting up recording booths in public places and letting anyone come in and interview their friends and family. A booth returns to Chicago at the Cultural Center this month. Site supervisor Shirley Alfaro joins us.
Council of Feminist Thought: Mikki Kendall joins us discuss sex-trafficking adocate Elizabeth Smart’s recent disclosure that the abstinence education class she took made her feel worthless after being kidnapped and abused for nine months in. to ask why, after all these years, the arrest of Assata Shakur has become a priority for the FBI and New Jersey PD. How does listing her as a terrorist change her status as an inspiration and revolutionary thinker for people?
“For me, as the ultra-lib that I am, I think it should be over-the-counter with no age restrictions.”—Molly Adams on the FDA’s new plan.
The Morning AMp has had many a fruitful conversation on Feminist Wednesday about the regulation of the morning after pill and we think the FDA have been tuning in… On April 30, the FDA announced a new approach to the Plan B pill: Anyone 15 and older can purchase the drug over-the-counter. We discuss pros and cons, and caller Lorell weighs in on the hassle of those locked glass cases with intimacy items.
“I should not be shamed because I’m making smart decisions about my body.”—Caller Lorell from NW Indy.
NOTE: When we say “17” in the clip, we really means “15.”
While it’s not that much worse than mainstream media, 90% of Wikipedia’s editors are men. This leads to a general biased worldview as you peruse the site. BUT! Unlike mainstream media, anyone can edit Wikipedia. Deanna Zandt outlines all the reasons you should participate in Wikipedia if you are not a straight, white, man.
The contract renewal comes after the conviction last month of two of Saccoccia’s players for the August 2012 rape of an unconscious 16-year-old girl and distribution of electronic records of the assaults. Players Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richardson were both tried as minors and sentenced to juvenile detention.
Text messages from one of the rapists indicated that Saccoccia was aware of the crimes, but declined to take action against the players.
“I got Reno,” Mays wrote to a friend. “He took care of it and shit ain’t gonna happen, even if they did take it to court. Like he was joking about it so I’m not worried.”
Thousands of text messages, videos and photos about the assault were sent back and forth by members of Saccoccia’s team and their classmates. The teenage girl, who attended a rival school, was purportedly targeted because she had previously rejected the advances of a team member.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said that a grand jury tasked with deciding who, if anyone, should be charged with obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence and failure to report child abuse, will announce its ruling next week.
American Girls Aren’t Radical Anymore by Amy Schiller in The Atlantic
“Initially owned by the Pleasant Company, founded by former schoolteacher Pleasant T. Rowland, American Girl underwent an incremental but noticeable shift after their acquisition by Mattel in 1998. In 2008, historical dolls that were previously considered core to the brand were “archived,” the doll term for “going to a nice farm.” Samantha, Kirsten and the headstrong colonial character, Felicity, are no longer sold by American Girl. These characters represent more than just the original characters of an iconic brand—their archiving represents a lost sensibility about teaching girls to understand thorny historical controversies and build political consciousness.”
The Council of Feminist Thought takes on the issue of over-the-counter emergency contraception and have a balanced debate on the pros and cons. Veronica Arreola, the assistant director of UIC’s Center for Research on Women and Gender, mother, and feminist blogger, and abstinence teacher Moises Pacheco join Brian and Molly in studio.
Moises, on why he opposes over-the-counter emergency contraception:
“I think young people, especially teenagers—females and males—need a lot of adult guidance from people that are close to them. So, when it comes to putting anything in their body, doing anything to their body, I personally don’t believe that teenagers make the best decisions, or are even capable of making those decisions…”
Veronica, on why she supports it:
“Those young women don’t always have access—good access, quick access—to a doctor, to somebody they can talk to in a medical profession. The emergency contraception has to be taken quickly. So, you need to be able to get down to the Walgreen’s as soon as you know you need it and take it.”
“They are using very European feminist methods in an attempt to ‘liberate’ their Muslim sisters…They are just doing it all wrong.”- Veronica Arreola, on Femen.
Femen, a radical feminist group that originated in Ukraine, has been grabbing headlines for its topless protests. Last week, they organized International Topless Jihad Day to protest what they say is an Islamist crackdown on Muslim women’s rights. In response, a group of Muslim women has formed Muslim Women Against Femen.
Veronica Arreola and Moises Pacheco join hosts Molly Adams and Brian Babylon on the Council of Feminist Thought to talk about the controversial feminism of Femen. Is Femen well-meaning and provocative? Or are they just a bunch of white girls trying to a save a group of women that do not need to be saved?
“The fact that we are even asking her to speak for all women is kind of sexist in and of itself” -Writer Emily Heist Moss, who blogs at Rosie Says, on Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In.
We weren’t planning on talking about Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s gender management book because well, we’re too busy actually doing it. But we invited Emily in to review the book because she understood our skepticism and helped us sort through all this Leaning In business.
Maria Hinojosa: We’re very excited to introduce regular check-ins with the host of Latino USA this week! Maria will share her thoughts on the big push on Capitol Hill for immigration reform. While the bills are getting drafted, cases of unlawful raids and racial profiling continue to create distrust of law enforcement in the communities the bills will most likely affect.
Finally Leaning In: FemWeds on the AMp has not touched Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s gender management book, Lean In, because well, we’re too busy actually doing it. Writer Emily Heist Moss, who blogs at RosieSays, has our skeptic’s review.
The Council of Feminist Thought: We’ve got writer Veronica Arreola and abstinence teacher Moises Pacheco at the table this week and we’re pretty excited to let the discourse fly when talking about emergency contraception being sold over the counter, Margaret Thatcher’s troubling feminist legacy, the well-meaning babes of FEMEN, and the #SchimmelShow bringing Rez Ball to the NCAA women’s tournament.
