Reproductive Rights

With the anniversary of Roe v. Wade coming up this Thursday January 22nd, 3rd wave feminists are recasting the day as a "I'm Not Sorry Day" to place the focus on the experiences of millions of women who have chosen abortion. I'm Not Sorry Day is a campaign that has three parts: It's a film documenting women's experiences with abortion, a T-shirt campaign that says having an abortion should not be a dirty little secret, and a postcard that lists reproductive health resources.

The message here is not to belittle a private moment that is often sad and stressful, but rather to maintain that while women have complex, or even painful, experiences with abortion, they can still be confident they made the right decision and adamant that it had to be their decision to make. Women's stories, good and bad, should be heard. As Jennifer Baumgardner, one of the organizers of the event states, "What if women told the truth about their abortions? Even if the world didn't split open, this paralyzing issue might."

The January 22nd event will also serve to garner support for the "March for Women's Lives: March for Freedom of Choice." The main message of the March is to understand reproductive rights in terms of women's most basic ability to live in freedom.

"I'm Not Sorry Day"- Bluestockings Bookstore in New York - 172 Allen Street - 7:00-8:30 pm

Entertainment

Moving on to a recent episode of Sex and The City women were treated to a rather unhealthy dose of what we like to call - "Have your CAKE, but don't eat it too." "Samantha" is told (by a male physician) that her breast cancer could be caused by the fact that she has not had any children - swiftly invoking the age-old idea that being sexually active without reproductive intentions may be threatening to your health. Unfortunately, the message ended there and did not in anyway explain why, how or if there is an increased chance of having breast cancer if a woman does not bear children. Moreover, what could have been a great opportunity to make a positive statement about women and their sexual choices quickly dissolved into a reactionary response.

The real deal? In many cases, it's not known why a woman gets breast cancer. In fact, 70% of all women with breast cancer have no known risk factors, while some factors associated with pregnancy are known to reduce a woman's chance of developing breast cancer later in life.

• The younger a woman has her first child, the lower her risk of developing breast cancer during her lifetime.
• A woman who has her first child after the age of 35 has approximately twice the risk of developing breast cancer as a woman who has a child before age 20.
• A woman who has her first child around age 30 has approximately the same lifetime risk of developing breast cancer as a woman who has never given birth.
• Having more than one child decreases a woman's chances of developing breast cancer. In particular, having more than one child at a younger age decreases a woman's chances of developing breast cancer during her lifetime.
• Although not fully understood, research suggests that pre-eclampsia, a pathologic condition that sometimes develops during pregnancy, is associated with a decrease in breast cancer risk in the offspring, and there is some evidence of a protective effect for the mother.
• After pregnancy, breastfeeding for a long period of time (for example, a year or longer) further reduces breast cancer risk by a small amount.
  (Source: National Cancer Institute)
  

And to debunk one of the most common myths out there - abortions and miscarriages are not related to an increased risk of breast cancer.

On a more progressive front, Showtime premiered The L Word, a series about the lives of a group of lesbians living in LA, to oodles of positive reviews and accolades.

Contraceptive Technology

Even though there is a lot to criticize when it comes to the lack of choice for new contraceptive technologies there are two new methods out for women that may work for you.

The NuvaRing is a hormone-based contraceptive that looks somewhat like a rubber band. It's a soft, flexible ring about two inches in diameter that is inserted into the vagina once a month. The muscles in the vaginal wall will keep NuvaRing in place for three weeks. During that time, it will slowly release a low dose of the hormones needed to prevent pregnancy. When 21 days are completed, it is removed to allow the body to have its menstrual cycle. After a seven-day break, a new ring is reinserted to continue to be protected against pregnancy. The NuvaRing contains two types of hormones, estrogen and progestin, similar to the birth control pill that prevents the ovaries from producing mature eggs. The hormone release is activated by body temperature. It is 99% effective. (www.nuvaring.com)

The Patch - The Contraceptive Patch looks like a square band-aid. It is applied to the abdomen, buttocks, upper arm, or upper torso. The Patch is changed each week for a schedule of 3 weeks on and 1 week off. The Contraceptive Patch works by slowly releasing a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones through the skin. These hormones prevent ovulation (release of an egg from the ovary) and thicken the cervical mucus, creating a barrier to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. When used correctly, it is about 99% effective as birth control. (www.fwhc.org/birth-control/patch.htm)

*neither method protects against HIV and STDs. Both require a doctor's prescription.

Research

It seems that how women perceive their genitals effects sexual desire. We all know how much emphasis men seem to put on the size and shape of their penises. But how do women view their own genitals and how does this affect their sex lives? There have been many studies and research on the relationship between a woman's body image and her sexual function. However, little research exists on the role that genital image plays in woman's experience of her sexuality.

According to a study by Laura Berman, Ph.D. of Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, women who feel positive about their genitals experience more sexual desire -- and less sexual distress and depression. On the flipside, women with negative feelings about their genitals are more likely to be depressed and suffer from more sexual distress. According to The CAKE Report it seems that CAKE fans are fortunately doing very well in this department - a full 85% of you are feeling very good about yourselves. (Check out www.newshe.com for an online genital self-image survey for women only that gives you a score on your genital self-image)

Media

And finally, the mainstream media continues to perpetuate two stereotypes when it comes to sexuality. The first - to talk accurately about sex, you must be funny and preferably old, ala the nearly expired Dr. Ruth, or the 70-something Sue Johansson doling out sexual advice on television. Alternatively, sexuality must be treated as explicit, titillating, shocking, swinger related, or from a distinctly male perspective. It is either one or the other and nothing in between.

Such was the case, when The New York Times published an article in the Style section entitled "Parties where an ID is the least of what you show" (January 11th, 2004, The New York Times). While this piece pays lip service to a growing trend towards female-directed sexuality - the article illustrates the continuing and frustrating reality of the media's inability to deal with female sexuality in a straightforward and credible fashion as a political and social reality of women's everyday lives.

The idea of female directed entertainment that promotes a positive and empowered philosophy is still too gray to fit into media's black and white world of sexuality. (read article)

2004 and Beyond

Here's to a CAKE nation - for the "women," by the "women" in 2004. Naysayers beware, we refuse to believe, like some insist, that women are incapable of enjoying a public sexuality. Let's use 2004 to promote new ideas of what it means to be a sexual woman.

Love,
CAKE