Women's Media Center
Encyclopedia
Women's Media Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit women’s organization in the United States founded in 2005 by writers/activists Jane Fonda
, Robin Morgan
, and Gloria Steinem
. Led by WMC President Julie Burton, WMC's work includes advocacy campaigns, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content.
In response to the report
from the American Psychological Association
's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, the WMC partnered with over 10 other organizations to organize the Sexualization Protest: Action, Resistance, Knowledge, also known as the SPARK Summit. The SPARK Summit is a day-long event to speak out and to push back on the sexualization of girls while igniting a movement for girls’ rights to healthy sexuality. The SPARK Summit took place on October 22, 2010 at Hunter College in New York City.
, WMC released a video “Sexism Sells but We’re Not Buying It,” along with a petition campaign to call attention to sexism against female candidates during the primaries. Another video, “Media Justice for Sotomayor,” discusses racist and sexist media coverage during the 2009 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
.
On August 31, 2010, the WMC partnered with the Women's Campaign Forum Foundation and the Political Parity Initiative of the Hunt Alternatives Fund
to launch Name it. Change it. (NICI), a ground-breaking national campaign that addresses sexism in the media targeted at female politicians and political candidates. NICI will ensure accountability through a coordinated rapid response network to dramatically decrease incidences of media misogyny.
and other proposed health care reform
legislation limiting access and funding for abortions, WMC began actively advocating for women’s reproductive rights
. On December 10, 2009, WMC announced the launch of its Not Under The Bus campaign to “keep women’s health care fair, safe, and accessible to all.”
With the campaign announcement, the organization declared its “first call to action is to stop the Stupak Amendment, the Hatch-Nelson Amendment, and others like them which are the most draconian restrictions on women since the 1977 Hyde Amendment
that cut federal funding for abortions by Medicaid
.”
, tolerance, and social justice
” – sent a letter to CBS, NFL and its advertisers calling on them to pull an advertisement featuring football player Tim Tebow
, sponsored by right-wing conservative group Focus on the Family
(FOTF), from Super Bowl XLIV
. The resulting campaign garnered widespread national media attention.
In its letter to CBS the coalition argued, “Focus on the Family has waged war on non-traditional families, tried its hand at race baiting during the 2008 election, and is now attempting to use the Super Bowl to further ramp up the vitriolic rhetoric surrounding reproductive rights. By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will alienate viewers and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers.”
The WMC campaign was criticized by the pro-life movement, which cited freedom of speech
concerns and accused the coalition of censorship. The coalition responded with an op-ed article in Huffington Post in which former WMC President Jehmu Greene
writes:
During Super Bowl XLIV, CBS elected to air the two 30-second commercials, which included Tebow's personal story as part of an overall pro-life
stance.
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as Barbarella and Cat Ballou. She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an...
, Robin Morgan
Robin Morgan
Robin Morgan is a former child actor turned American radical feminist activist, writer, poet, and editor of Sisterhood is Powerful and Ms. Magazine....
, and Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s...
. Led by WMC President Julie Burton, WMC's work includes advocacy campaigns, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content.
Women’s representation in media
As stated on the WMC website, the organization “works to ensure women are powerfully and visibly represented in the media” and “to diversify the media in its content and sources, so that the stories and perspectives of women and girls are more accurately portrayed.” WMC convenes panels, issues reports, organizes grassroots campaigns, and meets with media outlets to address issues of women’s representation and general diversity.In response to the report
Report
A report is a textual work made with the specific intention of relaying information or recounting certain events in a widely presentable form....
from the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, the WMC partnered with over 10 other organizations to organize the Sexualization Protest: Action, Resistance, Knowledge, also known as the SPARK Summit. The SPARK Summit is a day-long event to speak out and to push back on the sexualization of girls while igniting a movement for girls’ rights to healthy sexuality. The SPARK Summit took place on October 22, 2010 at Hunter College in New York City.
Media training & expert sources
In 2008, WMC launched the Progressive Women’s Voices media and leadership training program to connect qualified, authoritative women experts to editors, reporters, producers, and bookers. SheSource, WMC’s online database of over 500 women experts, serves journalists looking for female sources, commentators, and guests.Sexism watchdog
WMC acts as a watchdog for sexism in the media and develops campaigns to advocate for fair and balanced coverage. During the 2008 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, WMC released a video “Sexism Sells but We’re Not Buying It,” along with a petition campaign to call attention to sexism against female candidates during the primaries. Another video, “Media Justice for Sotomayor,” discusses racist and sexist media coverage during the 2009 confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
.
On August 31, 2010, the WMC partnered with the Women's Campaign Forum Foundation and the Political Parity Initiative of the Hunt Alternatives Fund
Hunt Alternatives Fund
Hunt Alternatives Fund is a private family foundation located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded by sisters Swanee Hunt and Helen LaKelly Hunt in 1981, the Fund has contributed more than $80 million to social change worldwide....
to launch Name it. Change it. (NICI), a ground-breaking national campaign that addresses sexism in the media targeted at female politicians and political candidates. NICI will ensure accountability through a coordinated rapid response network to dramatically decrease incidences of media misogyny.
Health care reform & reproductive rights
In reaction to the 2009 Stupak–Pitts AmendmentStupak–Pitts Amendment
The Stupak–Pitts Amendment was a proposed amendment to the Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2010 . It was submitted by Representatives Bart Stupak and Joseph R. Pitts...
and other proposed health care reform
Health care reform
Health care reform is a general rubric used for discussing major health policy creation or changes—for the most part, governmental policy that affects health care delivery in a given place...
legislation limiting access and funding for abortions, WMC began actively advocating for women’s reproductive rights
Reproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:...
. On December 10, 2009, WMC announced the launch of its Not Under The Bus campaign to “keep women’s health care fair, safe, and accessible to all.”
With the campaign announcement, the organization declared its “first call to action is to stop the Stupak Amendment, the Hatch-Nelson Amendment, and others like them which are the most draconian restrictions on women since the 1977 Hyde Amendment
Hyde Amendment
In U.S. politics, the Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision barring the use of certain federal funds to pay for abortions. It is not a permanent law, rather it is a "rider" that, in various forms, has been routinely attached to annual appropriations bills since 1976...
that cut federal funding for abortions by Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
.”
2010 campaign against CBS and Focus on the Family ad
In January 2010, Women’s Media Center and a coalition of more than 30 organizations “dedicated to reproductive rightsReproductive rights
Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health. The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights as follows:...
, tolerance, and social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
” – sent a letter to CBS, NFL and its advertisers calling on them to pull an advertisement featuring football player Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
, sponsored by right-wing conservative group Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
(FOTF), from Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
. The resulting campaign garnered widespread national media attention.
In its letter to CBS the coalition argued, “Focus on the Family has waged war on non-traditional families, tried its hand at race baiting during the 2008 election, and is now attempting to use the Super Bowl to further ramp up the vitriolic rhetoric surrounding reproductive rights. By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will alienate viewers and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers.”
The WMC campaign was criticized by the pro-life movement, which cited freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
concerns and accused the coalition of censorship. The coalition responded with an op-ed article in Huffington Post in which former WMC President Jehmu Greene
Jehmu Greene
Jehmu Greene is an American political commentator and social justice organizer. Greene was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Austin, Texas. Greene is the daughter of Liberian immigrants.- Career :...
writes:
- "Our campaign to get the ad pulled is not a first amendment issue -- the Women's Media Center, NOW, Feminist Majority and others are not government entities attempting to regulate speech. As we exercise our first amendment right to protest, we are incorrectly labeled “would-be censors.” The FCCFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
and media corporations make decisions every day about what can air over the networks without charges of censorship. We wouldn't be having this conversation if the ad was sponsored by the KKKKu Klux KlanKu Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
."
During Super Bowl XLIV, CBS elected to air the two 30-second commercials, which included Tebow's personal story as part of an overall pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
stance.