July 4 Special: Women and Power (from Politics to iPhones)

Every week, I write a general newsletter to the BlogHer community. Here's a copy of this week's, with a few improvements that I, fumblefingers, managed to delete from the version sent out ~ Lisa

July 4, 2007

Hi everyone,

I think you've said it all this week:

Quotes of the week

"…I might lick the screen.”
- Contributing Editor HeatherB in iObsessed

"I think it's up to some women bloggers to take the lead and show their power."
- Contributing Editor Morra Aarons in Mother Jones

"We're getting in on the action, Canuck-style."
- Blogger Catherine of Her Bad Mother on the BlogHers Act CANADA initiative
Photo credit: Elizabeth  Perry

Here in the United States, it's Independence Day. I just strolled Main Street, past an open field and palm trees, to watch my little California coastside town's Fourth of July parade. It was idyllic -- hippies and vets mixing it up at the pancake breakfast, dogs wearing red, white and blue bandanas, children hooting and riding bikes tied with balloons.

But there was one moment when nobody talked.

Right after the American flag paraded by in a line of uniformed men, the only woman in the honor guard marched alone. She was tiny, fiftysomething, with long-brown hair down to her waist, arms shaking slightly under the weight of a six-foot wooden flag pole. She wore black and the expression of someone who has lost a loved one to war. At the end of her pole: The black POW-MIA standard.

This contrast -- an idyllic setting, a stark reminder of today's political reality -- is a important metaphor for the important actions women who blog are taking online. We're not flexing our power -- yet -- we're just using our blogs to express it.

I'm talking about economic power: Women control 83 percent of household spending, and some of us used that power this week to buy iPhones and review them on our blogs. The results are often hilarious (see below)-- and important. My fervent hope is that Apple and other electronics manufacturers will continue to reach out to women to find out how they can serve their primary customers, women of all ages, languages and abilities, better. All they have to do this week is read your blogs.

I'm also talking about political power -- the power of our votes, no matter what our political affiliations, and the power of our voices, locally and globally. No one voices this call to action better than Morra Aarons this week in Mother Jones (see link above) -- unless it's her sisters to the north, Catherine Connors and Sandra of MommyBlogs Toronto. To that end, Elisa, Jory and I are very proud to announce a new BlogHers Act Canada partnership with these rock stars.

Here are the details:

Women and our toys: iObsessions and other phones

- The iPhone: Should I or shouldn't I?

- So you really want to know what I think of my iPhone?

- Women May Be iPhone's Biggest Market

- iPhone hell

Women and our votes: From BlogHers Act Canada to American presidential updates

- BlogHers Act: Canadian Edition!

- Doing it

- Mama Karma

- Should the President and Vice President resign?

- Vote for My Wife - Please!

Hope this list inspires you as much as it inspires me. And now, I cannot resist: Have a powerful week!

Best,

Lisa

Comments

[Erika, Plain Jane Mom]

Glad you liked the post, Lisa. Can't wait to meet you in 20 days!

[Marty Cordova]

Our American leaders just don't ever seem to get it, do they?

We ask for border security - they offer immigration reform.

We ask for Fair Trade - they offer Free Trade

We ask for affordable health care - they offer health insurance.

We ask for good paying American jobs - they talk to us about the Global Economy.

We ask for education reform - they talk to us about tax credits on college tuition (heck, the real problem is that over 35% of our kids don't graduate from High School).

I'm looking for a leader that will put America and Americans first. I want them to put America and Americans first in every bill they write, in every law they pass, and in every bill they sign.

Listen to the stupid dialogue going on between our supposed leaders. They want to talk about wheather or not Obama is too egalitarian or wheather McCain is too old.

Come on folks. If that is the best our leaders can do then we need a new bunch of leaders.

Marty Cordova
www.letsputamericafirst.com
letsputamericafirst.blogspot.com