So I’m in the middle of Wendy Shalit’s Girls Gone Mild: Young Women Reclaim Self-Respect and Find It’s Not Bad to Be Good. Watch for a review from me soon over on The American Prospect. I promise to do the kind of reading diary here on Girl with Pen that I did while reading Leslie Bennetts earlier this summer.

Once again, we cycle. I’m intrigued by Shalit’s argument that there’s now a “fourth wave” of feminists who feel alienated from the “third-wave” feminist “establishment”. How cool that we’re now an establishment, huh? Gee, that was fast. Eager to hear others’ thoughts on the book and the issues she raises. So stay tuned….

And in the meantime, check out this book on the other end of the age:lust continuum — Prime: Adventures and Advice on Sex, Love, and the Sensual Years, by the sizzling Pepper Schwartz!

I just wrote my first love letter to Elle. As folks may know, their current issue features a spread called The Incredible Shrinking Woman with an essay by Gloria Feldt that I think is fantastic. If you agree, feel free to send Elle your love – cuz we know they’re going to get hate mail for it too.

A bit of the reading I did at Cody’s in Berkeley is now up on YouTube, thanks to FORA.tv. I love the title they gave it, hehe.

I’m so excited — I just learned they’re expecting a more-than-full house for the Demos forum on my book this Thursday. Come one, come all! But come early, or you might not get a seat….

Sisterhood, Interrupted: From Radical Women to Grrls Gone Wild
July 26, 2007
12:15-1:45
NYRAG, 79 Fifth Ave, 4th Floor (between 15th and 16th St)
New York City

For more info and to register (the event is free), click here.

Refreshments will be served.

Well, the personal sure is political here on CNN tonight! And there’s nothing like watching young citizens on YouTube call on politicians to walk their walk. I’m loving the question during the green section, about whether the candidates took a private jet to the debate, and during the economy section, the one about whether they’d do the job for minimum wage, and the one during the education section about whether they sent their kids to public or private school. Unlike the business-as-usual debate, I thought these questions challenged the candidates to answer with a rare spontaneous candor–which, for the most part, they did. That public/private school one really got me, though. Aside for the candidate who was all about Catholic school, anytime someone answered that their kids went to private school, they went all defensive about how it was extenuating circumstances and all. (Yeah, right, says this public school baby.)

But the biggest miss: When the young woman who works at Planned Parenthood asked the candidates whether they’ve talked to their children, honestly, about sex, to a tee the candidates called upon answered that they’ve talked to their kids about “inappropriate touching” and how to avoid sexual predators. Methinks they missed the point. Thoughts?

Hey wait – did John Edwards really just say he didn’t like Hillary’s jacket? Did JOe Biden just say what he liked most about Dennis Kucinich was his wife?! Did Jeffrey Toobin really just say it was like watching Gladys Knight and the Pips (ie Hillary = Gladys)?!

This debate is hands down the most fun I’ve seen in a while.

Oh, Hillary, how they love to hate you. We know by now that women leaders are held to impossible double standards–damned if they appear too “soft” or “caring” or, in the case of politics, too focused on “women’s issues,” and damned if they don’t appear to be any of these things. Ann Friedman at feministing had a smart post on Hillary coverage last week, as did Judith Warner over at Domestic Disturbances.

Looking to understand the phenomenon further? Catalyst’s latest report (released July 17) is on the issue behind this issue–stereotypes and perceptions others have of women who vie for leadership. Catalyst focuses on female CEOs, but the lessons apply in other realms too. Check out coverage of the report (“The Double-Bind Dilemma for Women in Leadership: Damned if You Do, Doomed if You Don’t“) in CNNMoney, but to get the goods, go straight to the source.

Press queries:
Susan Nierenberg
646-388-7744
snierenberg@catalyst.org

…for a conversation about Sisterhood, Interrupted.

It’s on XM radio, and for those who haven’t yet figured out XM (hi Mom!), click here to listen in.

Judith, who writes my favorite New York Times blog, Domestic Disturbances, had me on for the whole show, so it’s a pretty in-depth conversation. She is an excellent interviewer, deeply informed, and truly makes you think.

Encores:
Monday – 5 AM ET
Saturday – 4 PM ET
Sunday – 1 PM ET

For those of you who whose cities I missed during the latest leg of my book tour, here’s another chance: FORA.tv filmed the reading at Cody’s in Berkeley. (I can’t watch it, because I can’t stand watching myself on tv, but feel free!)

A new Australian study sheds light on this ever-surprising finding. What I can’t help thinking when I read stuff like this is how degrading it is to men to assume they prefer bimbos. Ok, I know I know, a lot of them probably do. (Marco, your thoughts?!)

I wrote about this in Psychology Today back in 2004 – I still get emails about the article, which an extremely savvy editor there provocatively titled “The New Trophy Wife”. The response to pieces like this makes me scratch my head all the more. And makes me want to write about it further, too. Hmm.

(Thanks to Katie over at the Lisa Birnbach Show for the link!)

Just had to post this picture Lisa Johnson sent me from the National Women’s Studies Association conference. That’s me in the glasses. And I think I’m rockin out with Heather Hewett? Can’t tell. Anyway, who says feminism isn’t funny.

And speaking of, if you’re in NYC, here’s an event for you:

LADIES WHO LAUGH!
Date: Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Join New York Women in Communications Inc. for this exclusive, ONE-TIME engagement of some of the funniest the female comedians in New York! Enjoy lots of laughter, food and drink, while supporting a good cause!

Starring:
Carolyn Castiglia, Karith Foster, Leighann Lord, Lynne Koplitz, Robin Gelfenbein & Andrea Olten….

…comediennes who have performed on Comedy Central, VH1, MTV2, Nick-at-Nite, HBO, NBC and more!!

With Mistress of Ceremonies: Maggie Mistal
Host, “Making a Living With Maggie” Martha Stewart Living Radio

Wednesday, July 25, 2007
6:00pm-8:00pm
NBC’S Historic Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center