http://northshore-ny.aauw.net Vol. 69 No. 2 October 2014 North Shore Branch of AAUW INVITES YOU TO OUR LAF LUNCHEON THURSDAY OCTOBER 16, 2014, NOON TIL 3 PM The Swan Club 90 Glenwood Rd, Roslyn, NY 11547 $50 PER PERSON (INCLUDES A GLASS OF WINE) GUEST SPEAKER MICHELLE SCHIMEL ASSEMBLY MEMBER – NY STATE 16TH DISTRICT We hope that you’ll join us as we jump start our month of celebration to commemorate our 75 th anniversary this year! We will be having a 50:25:25 raffle to assist the Legal Advocacy Fund. Checks should be sent to: Helen Ring, 24 Radcliffe Boulevard, Glen Head, NY 11545 And should be made payable to: North Shore Branch AAUW (in the memo field: LAF) 2 P RESIDENT’S COLUMN We are off to an exciting start for the year 2014/2015. Planned over the next months is our annual event for Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF) on October 25 (see pg. 7) and a luncheon at the Swan Club in Roslyn on October 16 (see cover page or contact Janet Lobel-Adler). Of course, don't forget our 75th Anniversary of the founding of the North Shore Branch on November 20 at the Manhasset Library (contact Diane Daniels and Norma Plett). Then finishing out the year with our yearly Holly Luncheon at the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club (see November Bulletin or contact Joy Billhart). All these events would be an appropriate time to let the community know about our Branch, what we do, and what the mission is of AAUW (American Association of University Women). We have given so very much to raising the status of women in the work force as well as the legal aspects of daily living for women and girls, especially, in the areas of STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. We have taken a lead in outreach with our STEM camps, NYCWSSL and EOF. Become part of these endeavors and join us in expanding whom we are, and what we stand for. Although it would be wonderful to say we are here just to meet and socialize, the reality is we do take a front row in the election process by supporting (VAWA) Violence Against Women Act, stopping sexual assault in the armed services, equal pay, and of course the Women's Museum. We cannot overlook the fervor over the Common Core Curriculum. This is only a sampling of our concerns; we need for you, the membership, to take an active role in supporting these issues. This year, although it is only a midyear election, we are at a crossroads in the US Senate with a possibility of a very close election to maintain a balance between having corporate money take over governing of elected officials. Support the candidates of your choice and make sure to vote. An important election will be for Carolyn McCarthy's House seat in the Garden City area your vote counts. I, for one, work the polling on primary day as well as Election Day. We had an important primary in Queens which could determine the outcome of the NY Senate. Do not forget the group of five who were elected as democrats then voted with the republicans: did that fact change the outcome of the Women's Equity Act? Please feel free to talk with me. Should you have any questions or concerns, of course email me . See you at our wonderful branch. L Diane Daniels EGAL ADVOCACY FUND Sex discrimination today takes a variety of forms: unfair pay, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and violations of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which can affect both women and men. Legal Advocacy Fund addresses these barriers by informing people of their rights using the legal system to seek justice and change. This is an ongoing perpetual problem that must be addressed by our membership. We can no longer keep these issues to ourselves and must have an outreach in order to deal with them. We give financial and legal support to these causes and individuals. Your support is needed in order to make this possible. We urge you to attend the LAF event on October 16th. S 3 POTLIGHT ON STUDY GROUPS The first meeting of the new Animal Lovers group was held on September 3 at the home of Joan Glasner. Participants shared articles on the healing powers of pets, classroom curricula promoting social and emotional learning through animals, citizens for pets in condos, animal assisted therapy, etc. It was decided that the group would concentrate on education and health. Our goal would be to raise awareness of the benefits of pet ownership and the therapeutic effects of animals on at - risk youth, autistic children, the ill, the aging and the families of returning war veterans with PTSD. Our first activity will be a guided tour of the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington to learn of their special programs for kids and seniors. M Sharada Jayagopal EMBERSHIP We welcome new members: Maria Ceraulo, Mary Dono, Sandra Frank and Janet Landau. The New Members Tea will be on October 22 at 2:00 PM at the home of Jill Hackett, 13 Linda Road, Port Washington. New members will receive invitations and board members are also invited. Cynthia Katz and Hannah Slote FINAL DUES NOTICE This is the last bulletin for those who have not yet renewed their membership. Please send $90.00 dues check payable to North Shore Branch AAUW with this form to our treasurer: Anne Ostling, 2 Access Lane, Hicksville, NY 11801 Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________ Fax: ___________________________ Email: _____________________________________________________________ In an effort to be environmentally friendly and economical, we are encouraging the use of email bulletins. Please send my bulletin by ______email _______mail Members who have renewed may change their preference to email bulletins at any time. *** Save the Date *** Special Event November 20, 2014 - 12 Noon to 3PM Seventy-Fifth Anniversary AAUW North Shore Branch Manhasset Public Library 4 OCTOBER CALENDAR ANIMAL LOVERS Tuesday, September 30 11:30 AM The Animal Lovers study group will be given a private , guided tour of the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington. We will meet at the main entrance near the parking lot. The address is 16 Lewyt Ave. Lunch later at a local restaurant. If you have any questions contact Joan Glasner (718) 428-7919 or [email protected]. FILM WITH FRIENDS Thursday, October 2 12:00 Noon Lunch 1:00 PM Film To align with the AAUWs Theme of the 1960s, our first Film with Friends will be To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), a much-loved, critically-acclaimed, classic trial film. It exhibits a dramatic tour-de-force of acting, a portrayal of childhood innocence (told from a matured adult understanding), and a progressive, enlightened 60s message about racial prejudice, violence, moral tolerance and dignified courage. The Academy Award winning screenplay was faithfully adapted by screenwriter Horton Foote from the 1960 novel of the same name by Harper Lee - who had written a semi-autobiographical account of her small-town Southern life (Monroeville, Alabama), her widower father/attorney Amasa Lee, and its setting of racial unrest. [This was Lee's first and sole novel - and it won the Pulitzer Prize in 1960.] The poor Southern town of deteriorating homes was authentically re-created on a Universal Studios' set. Released in the early 60s, the timely film reflected the state of deep racial problems and social injustice that existed in the South. The film will be shown at the Atria in Roslyn. If you would like to join us for lunch, please make out a check in the amount of $24.95 to The Atria in Roslyn by September 18th and send it to: Candace Way, 7 Ferncote Lane, Brookville, NY 11545. Hope to see you there! DAY LITERATURE Monday, October 13 12:15 PM We are reading " Dear Life" Book of short stories by 2013 Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Alice Munro. Her work explores the tangled relationships between men and women, small-town existence, and the fallibility of memory. The meeting is at the home of Dr Sharada Jayagopal, 21 Bengeyfield Drive, East Williston, (516-873-9031). Bring a sandwich. Refreshments hostesses are Marian Cheris and Rose Marie Guzzo MUSIC STUDY Tuesday, October 14 11:30 AM Lunch 1:30 PM Program Rose Marie Guzzo will present the DVD, "Broadway Musicals: The Jewish Legacy", at the Atria Roslyn, 100 Landing Road, Roslyn (516-626-6900). This program examines the unique role of composers and lyricists in the creation of the modern American musical. It showcases the works of legends such as Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim Please join us for lunch at the Landmark Diner,1023 Northern Boulevard, Roslyn, (516-627-4830). Contact Julia Previto at (516) 621-1593 by October 10 if you are lunching with us. 5 OCTOBER CALENDAR EVENING LITERATURE Monday, October 20 7:30 PM Linda Burghardt (516-466-8057) will lead a discussion of “The Perfume Collector” by Kathleen Pessaro. The meeting will take place at Linda's home at 11 Stoner Ave., Great Neck. This book explores the complex and obsessive love between music and artist and the tremendous power of memory and scent. November's book will be “The Girls of Atomic City” by Denise Kiernan. PERSPECTIVES Tuesday, October 21 12:15 PM Our own member, Geraldine Schaedler, who is also actively involved in Amnesty International, will speak on the topic of Prisoners of Conscience. Join us to learn about these courageous people. We will meet at Hadley House, 464 Main St., Port Washington. Please bring a sandwich. ARTS AND ANTIQUES Tuesday, October 28 11:00AM Please join us for a tour of the new Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church at 100 Fairway Drive, Port Washington. You will view beautiful work completed by both local and Greek iconographers and artists, and hear about how it was all accomplished. Meet at the main entrance to the church, which is the second driveway to the right on Fairway Drive (before the Amsterdam). There is no charge for the tour, but a small discretionary donation would of course be appreciated. We will follow with lunch at Harbor Links Grill at the top of Fairway Drive at 12:00 noon. RSVP Marion Hirsch 516-944-9856 CALENDAR DATES September 30 – Animal Lovers October 2 – Film with Friends October 5 – November Bulletin Material Due October 13 – Day Literature October 14 – Music Study October 16 – LAF Luncheon October 20 – Evening Literature October 21 – Perspectives October 25 – District 6 Conference October 28 – Arts and Antiques NORTH SHORE BRANCH AAUW DONATION FORM Please mail this form and donation to: Diane Christie, 140 Fox Blvd., Merrick, NY 11566 Donor's Name:_________________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________________________ Phone Number:________________________________________________________________ Amount: _____$10.00 _____$25.00 _____$50.00 _____Other $__________ Make checks payable to: North Shore Branch AAUW In Honor of:_____________________________ In Memory Of:________________________ (Birthday, Anniversary, Retirement, etc.) How would you like the card signed_______________________________________________ Send to: Name:______________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________________ T 6 HE MALE GAZE, CELEBRITY WORSHIP, AND FEMALE ATTIRE In her 1975 essay, "Visual Power and Narrative Cinema", Laura Mulvey introduced the second-wave feminist concept, "the male gaze", wherein women are objectified by male cameramen as erotic objects, both for characters in the film and for the spectators. Women are invited to participate by imagining themselves as the heroine, thus internalizing a heterosexual male view of feminine desirability and value. Currently, as my peers and I observe the scanty attire of some young women, we shake our grey and tinted heads and ponder such mundane issues as, "How do they ever sit down?" The "issues" are not only more complex, but also deeply troubling. Mail OnLine, a British publication, visited four English cities in November, 2011 to talk to women to discover what motivated their choice of evening attire. "Among their number were students, nurses, trainee accountants, and social workers, and full-time mothers. The standard uniform - micro-miniskirts, sky-high heels and low tops - was once worn only by prostitutes on dingy street corners. Now it's a mainstream style adopted by almost every female clubber and party-goer under the age of thirty... Given the acres of limbs that are exposed, you might assume these girls are proud of their bodies; quite the opposite. It emerges that in many cases their outfits - and the male leering it provokes - are often a way to bandage up their insecurities in a world where they can't match up to the oh - so - sexy celebrity stereotypes of womanhood." In her January 15, 2013 article in The Guardian, Hadley Freeman bemoans, "Beyonce: being photographed in your underwear doesn't help feminism....To complain about the sexualization of women in men's magazines may seem like complaining about the weather...I never fail to be amazed at the high profile, often A-list women who celebrate their professional success by posing near naked on the covers of allegedly classy men's magazines, such as Esquire and GQ, and these covers are, to my eyes becoming increasingly close to porn". Freeman goes on to elaborate on the participation of Cameron Diaz; Mila Kunis; Rhianna; and Lana Del Rey in these depictions. In contrast, GQ's October issue had four alternative covers that all featured men. These men, interestingly enough, were clothed."Knowles [Beyonce] rightly hates the fact that women are humiliated by being paid less than their male counterparts. But they are similarly humiliated by being fed the message that it doesn't matter how successful, powerful, or smart you are - all that matters is how sexually available you are willing to make yourself look....that's the deal these days, apparently, in which famous women can sing about "independence" and "girl power", as long as they're wearing next to nothing" In the early, heady days of the feminist movement, we shed our high heels and girdles [bras, optional], and embraced our healthy sexuality, certain that we were leading the way to a brighter future. Over fifty years later, we wonder, where did our message get derailed, and how can we re-educate our granddaughters? One inspired vision: an organic farming summer camp, Eden Village, in Putney, New York, has posted on its mirrors, "Don't check your appearance, check your soul." Trudy Ruchman 7 AAUW NYS District 6 Conference and Luncheon SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2014 11:30am-2:00pm SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CAMPUS LIU Post - Great Hall of Winnick House What is the red zone? How many rapists go to jail? Rape or "non-consensual sex"? College age women are four times more likely to be raped than the average woman. PANELISTS Christine Cione, MSEd., Education Coordinator, The Safe Center (formerly NCCADV & CCAN) Kyle Rose-Louder, Bureau Chief, Special Victims Bureau, Nassau District Attorney’s Office Lynne A. Schwartz, LCSW/BCD/CASAC, Director for Counseling Center, LIU Post Mary Logan, Legal Advocacy Fund Chair, AAUW Westchester County Branch Luncheon Cost: $36. Send $36 check made out to AAUW LI Interbranch by October 18 to Doris Reynolds-190 Merrick Road Unit 26, Amityville, NY 11701. 631-598-0437 [email protected] $5 late registration fee added after Oct. 20 Conference only: 12:45-2pm - No Charge, Public is Welcome DIRECTIONS: From the west: Take the LIE (495) to Glen Cove Road North, Continue North to Northern Boulevard and turn right. Enter the West Gate of LIU Post and make an IMMEDIATE left turn onto University Drive. You will be in front of Schwartz Library. Just past the library and some white buildings, turn right onto Scholar Court where a sign says “Great Hall.” The road curves, but you will see the mansion that is Winnick House and a parking lot that is easily visible when looking straight at the mansion The Great Hall is the room where we will meet. From the east: Take the LIE (495) west to Exit 41N NY 107/Broadway North. Continue on Route 107 to Northern Boulevard. Turn left onto Northern Boulevard. Enter the East Gate and make an immediate right turn onto University Drive. After passing the parking lots, turn left onto Scholar Court. Follow directions above. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Name______________________________E-mail/Phone___________________________ AAUW's Mission AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. AAUW's Value Promise By joining AAUW, you belong to a community that breaks through educational and economic barriers so that all women have a fair chance. President: Diane Daniels 718-997-1072 Program V.P.: Sharada Jayagopal 516-873-9031 Membership V.P.: Cynthia Katz 516-873-6036 National Web Page - www.aauw.org NYS Web Page - www.aauw-nys.org North Shore Branch Web Page – www.northshore-ny.aauw.net This newsletter is published monthly, September to June except January. The deadline for copy is the fifth of each month for the following month's issue. Please send copy to Assistant Editor, Diane Daniels 6435 Yellowstone Blvd Forest Hills, NY 11375 718-997-1072 Editor: Susan McCormack, 516-695-6024 email: [email protected] Diane Daniels 6435 Yellowstone Blvd Forest Hills, NY 11375 NEW YORK STATE NORTH SHORE BRANCH