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Lauren Muzinich, Linda Correia, Danielle Merollo, Rebecca Hollander, Pamela Baxter, and Kimberly Affronte |
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| This past Friday at the home of Simone Levinson in Southampton, DIOR hosted a luncheon to benefit Southampton Center for the Arts. |
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| Gloria Steinem “In Her Own Words” The New Documentary from HBO Jill Lynne for NYSD: I first met Gloria Steinem during the heyday of the women’s movement. I was an early-divorced single “mum” raising my wee daughter in NYC. I was also the daughter of a feminist New York mother (with two master's degrees from Columbia and NYU, who ran one of Manhattan’s first birth control clinics), so the “battle-cry” was in my blood. After several “Consciousness-Raising” sessions, I became an organizer – first with NOW (The National Organization For Women) and then New York Radical Feminists, doing abuse-counseling at a women’s center, running a women’s food coop and becoming a spokesperson for the women’s art movement. So, although younger and of a different generation, during the women’s movement, our paths crossed on many an occasion ... |
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(c) Annie Leibovitz, 2010, Chez Gloria. |
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| My brownstone is located next to the former residence of the late beloved Bella Abzug – a marvelous character, Congresswoman, social activist and leader in the women’s movement. In 1977, President Gerald Ford and President Jimmy Carter appointed her as Chairwoman of the National Women’s Conference - part of the United Nation’s sponsored, International Year of The Woman. I joined her in organizing this momentous project. Gloria was our “Star” – in 1972, creating “Ms Magazine” – the first publication to solely (soul-ly) focus on women’s issues – The “Ms" representing Women’s refusal to be categorized by their marital status – as in “Mrs.” or “Miss." She aptly noted, men were just “Mr.” with our any specific designation of marital status. There was – and persists – a gender-bias against “women of a certain age”…
She modeled her streaked blonde hair, lithe figure and liberty-loving style after Holly Golightly in Truman Capote’s novel-turned-film, fabulous “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”. Holly responds to a possible marital proposal with the resounding statement, “People do not belong to other People! I’ll never let anyone put me in a cage!” Gloria notes that the humiliation and distress of an early “secret” abortion, and her subsequent discovery of the plight of women having “illegal” desperate abortions in distressing in disease-riddled and death defying conditions, led to her activism for women. In 1862, ESQUIRE Magazine Features Editor Clay Felker gave Steinem a break – her first serious assignment regarding “Conception." Then in 1963, Huntington Hartford assigned her to an expose on Playboy Bunnies for his SHOW Magazine. Gloria went underground, masquerading as a Bunny – proceeding through a month of training and “hard work." This not only led to the controversial editorial, but the acclaimed 1985 film, “A Bunny’s Tale." When in 1968, Felker founded NEW YORK Magazine, he added Gloria to the roster – and she finally had that real journalistic position. Steinem took to public speaking when editorial refused to publish her statements, greatly expanding her audience, and leading to her iconic feisty image, as the “face” of the Movement. For four decades Gloria Steinem has championed the rights of women, diligently working for social justice. A leader of the 1976 nationwide Women’s Strike For Equality – held on the 50th Anniversary of the enactment of women’s suffrage. Steinem actively campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment. She has founded and co-founded many strategic socio-political groups including the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Women’s Action Alliance, the National Women’s Political Caucus, Choice USA, and with cohort Jane Fonda, the Women’s Media Center – the co-sponsor with HBO of the film screening. |
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(c) Jenny Warburg, "Equality Now." |
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| The words of memorable “Address to the Women of America," delivered at the NWPB still echo today…
This is no simple reform. It really is a revolution. Sex and race because they are easy and visible differences have been the primary ways of organizing human beings into superior and inferior groups and into the cheap labor on which this system still depends. We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned. We are really talking about humanism.
In many ways, the women’s movement succeeded! Although there is still progress to be made – eg. Unequal pay (as in the recent Walmart case) and “Glass Ceilings” prohibiting women from rising to the top of that corporate ladder…women now have far greater choices and opportunities. In Joy Behar’s recent Interview with Gloria Steinem, she aptly noted, that for many of our generation(s), we as Daughters lived out our lives – fulfilling the un-actualized dreams of our mothers – dreams that for cultural and socio-political reasons they sadly could not live out. Today our daughters (mine and more…Gloria decided to not have children) are freer to create their own unencumbered journeys and realize their very own dreams. Although sometimes, as I regard young (and sometimes more senior) women tottering about in unhealthy stilettos or high wedgies (all too-reminiscent of ancient Chinese foot binding), or witness women still sweltering beneath burkas in sun-drenched heat, I am reminded that regression can happen and full feminine acceptance still needs to be won. |
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| At 77 years old, Gloria Steinem remains assertively involved. At this screening she had just returned from working with “Quilt," the organization developed by the women of South Korea to negotiate relations with the north.
As for tomorrow, Gloria warns against the danger of “cocooning." Although she acknowledges the critical nature of the Internet for giving more “voice” to women, she is concerned about speaking only to “the converted." In addition she emphasizes the real instrument in community building (vs. wired, virtual community) is to physically gather – viscerally, with “all five senses"! |
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| The New York based Women’s Media Center (www.womensmediacenter.com [1]) monitors gender-bias in the media, advocates for equal positioning, and actively promotes women’s leadership, including critical Programs – Progressive Women’s Voices, Progressive Girl’s Voices, and SheSource. Following a few of WMC discerning statistics:
• Only 3% of decision-making positions in the media are held by women. • Fewer than 25% of Op-ed pieces are written by women. • Only 24% of people interviewed, heard, seen, or read about in mainstream broadcasting and print news are female. “Gloria, In Her Own Words” premieres on HBO tonight, Monday August 15th, 2011, 9pm EST. |
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Gloria, still mentoring |
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| The Ninth Annual “Women of Valor” Awards Tea was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Over 800 supporters attended this fundraiser which honored nine outstanding women from the Real Estate and Construction Industry to benefit St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters. Veronica Kelly, Director of Special Projects at The Bowery Mission was the Honorary Chair and Keynote Speaker. Ms. Kelly was also presented a special award by Ernie Anastos from Fox 5 News. St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters help feed over 9,000 poor families and serve over 1.5 million meals per year. |
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| Mt. Carmel Holy Rosary Violin |
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| Mt Carmel Holy Rosary Violinists |
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| Luis Valcarcel, Monica Larsen Wetherell, Michael Fahy, Nicole Lucarelli, Jacqueline Barr, Ted Moudis, Rosalie Mignano, Christopher Savoglou, and Lucy Carter |
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| Greg Tunic, David and David Mc Williams, Bob Rydstrom, and Susan Clamage |
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| Carol Malinchak, Sara Morgan, Lena Olhovsky, Richard Otom, and Norine Heyer |
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| Carmine Maratta, Fr. Tom Franks, Lydia Ruth, Fr. Francis and , Fr. Paul |
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| The Gap aka Grandparents Advocacy Project |
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| Joe Sano, Father Francis J. Gasparik, Ellen Blair, and Lorretta Walsh |
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| Pamela Caruso and friends |
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| Valerie Salembier, Margo and John Catsimatidis, and Joe Sano |
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| David Land, Brian Land, Bob Masucci, and Michael Chionchio |
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Robin Fisher, Managing Director, Newmark Knight Frank, was the Guest of Honor. Humanitarian Award recipients included Liani Marie Rey, Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle, and Pia Silvestri, Director, Tishman Speyer. Clarissa Award Recipients included Jody Brown, Corporate Real Estate Executive; Pamela J. Caruso, Senior Vice President, Real Estate Counsel, Vornado Realty Trust; Barbara E. Champoux, Esq- Partner, Crowell and Moring, LLP; Lisa Dimoulas, Senior Vice President, Corporate Real Estate, Neuberger Berman . |
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| Photographs by Adriel Reboh/Patrick McMullan.com [2] (Dior); Howard Wechsler and AnnieWatt.com [3] (Women of Valor). | Click here [4] for NYSD Contents
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