Women’s Equality Day: Barbie, Birth Control and the Media Trends that Matter

Women’s Equality Day
Barbie, Birth Control and the Media Trends that Matter 

On Women’s Equality Day, Camino PR pays tribute to our clients on the forefront of dismantling sexism and bias. At our firm we only promote clients who are sparking the kind of social change that will make our society more just. It’s not the most profitable niche, but it is the best way for us to have rigorous expertise in social change communications.

It hasn’t been an easy year for women’s advocates.  In domestic news reporting related to sexual health, the terms “promiscuous” and “shame” got about the same number of media mentions as the terms “dating” and “pleasure.” New author Jordan Christy has just begun her media push for a return to “feminine values,” with an etiquette book for young women with chapters titled “Keep Your Chin Up and Your Skirt Down.”

The fashion industry toasted Barbie’s 50th birthday by making her the first toy to enjoy membership in the Fashion Designers Council of America. Among the Barbie - themed products was a new lip gloss called “Huge Lips Skinny Hips,” which causes lip swelling and the absorption of an appetite suppressor into the blood stream. 

That’s why, in this climate where the most vocal are often the least reasonable, we applaud our clients for their dedication to creating true equality for women and girls in the United States and around the world. Here’s a snapshot of some of our clients and the fantastic work they are doing on behalf of women:

·      One in four low-income women in the United States who faces an unintended pregnancy would choose abortion but cannot because of lack of funding.  Thanks NLIRH for lobbying to end federal restrictions on abortion funding for low-income women. And, a huge thanks for winning a federal court battle this year that expands access to emergency contraception for young women!

·      Almost 20% of women in this country are uninsured and many more face absurdly high premiums because insurers treat pregnancy as a disease and Caesarean sections as a pre-existing condition. Thanks Planned Parenthood and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for pushing our leaders to enact real health care reform!

·      Latinas make up less than 2% of lawyers, and an even smaller fraction of judges in this country. Thanks Planned Parenthood and NLIRH for supporting Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination!

·      One in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease. When professors at Georgia State University came under fire by state elected officials for teaching about sexuality, the National Sexuality Resource Center sprang into action and created a national outpouring of support. Thanks NSRC for the awesome leadership!

·      Nine out of 10 LGBT students report being harassed at school.  Research also shows that many of the students that witness acts of harassment experience feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, and develop poor coping and problem-solving skills.  Thanks Ford Foundation for being part of the solution by supporting research that explores sexuality education as it relates to issues of class, race, gender, and sexual orientation!

Camino is proud to be working with such committed organizations that reflect our values and strive daily to achieve equal footing for women.

For additional information contact Andrea Hagelgans at ahagelgans@caminopr.com