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December 3, 2010

There are significant “if’s”, but I feel hope that the Senate’s “lame duck” session could find enough bi-partisanship to ratify the women’s treaty, after 30 years of us working on this! Since WOMUUNWEB has given continuing coverage of this issue throughout the years, I will only add that it looks like we women of the United States would most gain clout to close the pay gap, reduce domestic violence and stop trafficking if CEDAW, the U.N. Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women treaty, were ratified for our use. We would gain more strategies from the blueprint this women’s treaty gives. Now, as we follow the news of this treaty going to the Senate floor for a vote, we must keep in mind that the Senators have to deal with the START treaty ratification first.

November 18, I was so glad I put in the effort to travel to the Dirkson Senate Office Building for the CEDAW hearing, Arriving off the elevator into the large crowd (in two halls of the hearing room floor), delighted me almost to tears. Such happily pitched music from female talk greeted me. So many were so young! And they all seemed to be excitedly expectant of the best outcome from the hearing. I believed I truly belonged to the crowd’s flow of positive energy when I was given my “CEDAW 2010” sticker to wear.

November 17, 2010

Through two active memberships I have long held in the International Association of Liberal Religious Women, IALRW, and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, UUSC, I have had years of exposure to the importance of CEDAW in women’s lives around the world. My country of the United States’ needs for the CEDAW investment of fairness may have different realms of focus such as the pay gap between men and women’s work, but this women’s treaty’s definition for what discrimination against women is rings just as true.

As I understand it from UUSC’s curriculum, “Gender Justice: Women’s Rights are Human Rights”, the definition is that it is any distinction or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of human rights. Article Two mandates governmental condemnation of discrimination against women in all its forms and to ensure that national legal frameworks embody the principles of equality between men and women.

I will stand proud as a U.S. citizen when Senate ratification and the President’s signature shows the world how much we value women’s ability to contribute to the betterment of the lives of humankind.

( IALRW, at age 100 years, is the oldest active, interfaith religious women’s organization in the world and UUSC, at age 66 years, is active in the world confronting political, cultural and economic oppression.)

UU Women & Religion Breakfast - June 25, 2010

Millennium Hotel, Minneapolis, MN

Attendance: (See sign-in sheet for complete names) Gretchen, Nancy, Shirley, Dorothy, Roberta, Terri, Lynn, Laura, Caroline, Rosemary, Sue, Colleen, Linda, Susan, Martha, Laurie, Claudia(?), Geri, Misty

I. Opening: Gretchen Ohmann led us in the chant, “I give thanks” with drumming.

II. Introductions Around the Circle (sign-in sheet was also passed)

III. What is Women & Religion all about?

Gretchen presented a brief recap of the UUWR annual report. Projects included: the International Convocation of UU Women; a vendor / information booth at General Assembly selling curriculum, CDs, jewelry, etc.; participating in the Margaret Fuller celebrations; promotion of “Cakes for the Queen of Heaven” curriculum.

Gretchen reported that two new women’s regional groups have been initiated this year, in Florida and St Lawrence District. They join active women’s groups in the following districts: Central Midwest, Northern New England, Pacific Central, Thomas Jefferson, Joseph Priestley, and South West. She encouraged all groups represented to send notices of their events to UUWR so that they can be posted on the website and included in the newsletter.

At this time, UUWR is focused on facilitating communication and sharing of resources between the various UU women’s groups.

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This summer’s WomanSpirit Retreat, was held the first weekend of August at Ronora Lodge in Watervliet, MI. We were a comfortable gathering of nearly 50 women and maidens (young women). The weekend weather was perfectly sunny and warm, but not too hot or too humid. (This was especially welcome after we were drowned with rain last year.)

Our theme, “Sowing Seeds of Gratitude” was incorporated into the rituals, songs, readings, workshops and even décor. Seed packets tucked into spirals of tulle adorned the tall support poles in the main dining hall. As always, the food was fabulous and plentiful. The workshops were wonderful, while the vendors were a treat! We were surrounded by nature, with woodland walks and dips in the lake. Half a dozen young maidens bubbled with excitement and exuberance.

I want to share one incident in particular that seems to embody the mood and spirit of the entire weekend.

Always it’s to strengthen my resolve for standing up to patriarchal situations that I encounter and to try and turn those circumstances into teachable moments, somehow. Our Joseph Priestley District Women and Religion retreats never have failed to give me the inspiration for “standing strong.”

When I first recall the very good experience I had at this year’s recent retreat (from enjoying my room, food and beauty of the environment to my breakthrough awareness I found for a very confusing situation I’m presently living through), I feel immense gratitude for what the Facilitators’ Circle created for us participants. The emotional climate, easy schedule and the content were exactly what I needed.

A highpoint was Heather Gehron-Rice’s “just-right” service she gave us Sunday morning (especially the story about the shards of glass.) I’ve heard that story before and never quite got it until Heather put it into words.

I have been at most of the JPD W&R retreats since 1980 and expect the quality to be a spiritually fulfilling experience every time.

This time I decided, beforehand, to not bring up my personal situation in order to emphasize positive energy. My expectation was to find enough healing to be able to face the problem when I returned home. I ended up coming home with much more positive energy and healing than I could’ve dreamed would be possible (because I felt enough trust to share my problem.) The after-glowing I feel is blessing me with new lightheartedness and peace in a continuing undercurrent for my daily life, now. I know I have my JPD sisters’ faith and love and return those same vibes to all of them.

Helen Pop, Germantown, MD Sugarloaf Congregation of Unitarian Universalists

Dear Global Sisters--

As we are in the final stretch of this Congressional session, we wanted to update you on the momentum you have helped generate for CEDAW and share some exciting news related to moving forward on CEDAW this year.

Join in on a Global Sisters' Conference Call, Wednesday, October 20th, 7 PM Central Time (8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific).

Our presenter will be June Zeitlin, Director of the National CEDAW Education Task Force, a project of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

International Association of Liberal Religious Women 2010 How can I live my life to benefit all? This question is ringing from my heartstrings after returning home from the IALRW conference, the first week of September, in India. Most important for me from that experience were the well thought out, meaningful ideas and memes*. I found I could integrate many of those bright women’s thoughts into my core values. Now, as I savor the brilliance of the full moon, I realize my new insights are like the moon’s light that becomes blocked into darkness intermittently by passing clouds. How the conference was a defining experience will be addressed in future WOMUUNWEB issues as more clarity comes to me.

Here I will share Dolma’s kernels, seeding my inspiration, since her presentation dovetails with the recent UUA General Assembly’s Statement of Conscience on “Creating Peace.” (Please, see that Statement of Conscience story in the WOMUUNWEB Summer, 2010 issue.)