Women need to write their own stories

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From my "Don't Get Me Started" files:

Kemone's Sister
(from the Evanston ArtSkills 2000 project)

 

I've been paying attention to women's and girl's representation in the media for a long time, well before I help found PICTURE THIS Projects in the early 1990s with other women photographers who understood the value of girls and women creating their own images, images about themselves and how they see the world. 

 

One way we can participate in changing what is considered acceptable portrayals of women is for women to share their own perspectives more directly. 

 

For women wanting to share, to amplify their voices to help others better understand what they know to be true, but need some guidance, there's The OpEd Project. 

 

Medill professor Michele Weldon talks about the October 2011 "Writing to Change the World" seminar on her blog, everywomannews. 

 

The next "Writing to Change the World" seminar is January 15, 2012. Michele Weldon is expected to be one of the leaders of that session too in downtown Chicago. Early bird discount ends January 5. Let me know if you go.

 

Check out Gini Dietrich's recent piece in Crain's, "Time to take the first step to undo the media's ugly portrayal of women," and see if it doesn't resonate with you.

 

By the way...

 

I continue encouraging the voices of women and girls in various ways, such as going to see Julia Sweeney at SPACE last weekend. (She did a version of The Talk which killed.) I'm also active in the Association for Women Journalists-Chicago. More than 10 years ago I founded its listserv, which encourages sharing and camaraderie between more than 700 women in journalism. Now immediate past president, after six years on its board, besides serving on its membership committee, I'm doing my part to help with continuing education of women journalists and development of a new outlet for women's media work via AWJ-TV. 

 

Watch me now. I'm saying this out loud: I aim to create (or help create) a platform (a show of some kind, perhaps) that will reveal the stories behind scenes in the worlds of journalism and media. It's going slow. Any conversations you want to have with me, any advice you have to offer, will be well-received.  

 

“The most common way people give up
their power is by thinking
they don't have any.” ~ Alice Walker