Happy New Year! NOT. “The Texas Department of State Health Services announced that at the start of 2016 it would cut off about $600,000 in funding for HIV prevention services provided by Planned Parenthood. The state has provided this funding to the women’s health provider for nearly 30 years. The state gave no reason, saying simply that ‘there will be no further renewals of this contract’ in its notice to Planned Parenthood. ‘The state cuts these programs in an attempt to score political points,’ Rochelle Tafolla, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, told the Texas Tribune. ‘The true victims here are tens of thousands of women and men who no longer have access to health care that they need.’
Photo by: Babette Mangolte
“One of Akerman’s tragedies was that she felt that her success at twenty-five meant she would never be able to top her first released feature. And yet, as a cineaste, Akerman had interests ranging from literary adaptions to comedy to autobiography reworked as fiction. She developed her own brand of essay film that reflects the human condition and social injustice in documentaries about subjects far from her life in Paris—illuminated by titles that were organized by place: cardinal directions, locations, spatial markers. Even though her imagination and creative process were driven by observation and reflection, she would also spring quickly into action, especially if she felt outraged by something happening in the world.”–Babette Mangolte on Chantal Akerman
In the madness that was the holidays, I almost missed, “How Electronic Music Transgressed Gender And Genre In 2015.”
Speaking of 2015, Longform published their “10 best articles of 2015.” There’s a lot on this list that I can’t wait to read.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says, “we should all be feminists.”
Legendary literary publicist, Lauren Cerand gives advice to young women pursuing creative entrepreneurial careers: “The most important thing is to try. Like a man would! With no fear of failure at all.
This week, a new female-driven online comedy network launched. PYPO “believes in disruptive, witty, and honest comedy as a medium for current conversations to be explored in a smart and unapologetic way. Check it out here.
I’m sort of obsessed with this “90’s Flava Filled Dance Aerobix Workout” called Bodyroll! If you live in NYC, it’s a must try at least once. Not only is the class ridiculously fun, body positive and all about encouraging friendship and support between women versus competition–I felt really sexy after…even though (and maybe because) I was drenched in sweat.
Mutha Magazine is “looking for essays around 1,500 words, comics / graphic narratives / photo essays, and select interviews” that explore “real-life motherhood, from every angle, at every stage.” Go here for information on submitting your work.
Having trouble making or sticking to a New Year’s resolution? Molly Fisk says maybe you should “pick a word for the year.”
What did we miss this week? Let us know in the comments! <3
