This isn’t a book review, it’s more of a real life review with a workbook attached…
Last month, former Planned Parenthood President, Gloria Feldt launched her new book, No Excuses to inspire women to keep moving their ideas forward and/or fight for the ground already gained. I’m pretty fearless as activism goes, yet I found myself underlining sections and coming away with ideas I had never considered.
If you’re afraid to get started, this book will get you unstuck. If you’re burnt out, No Excuses will relight the flames and with Earth Day approaching, we have much work left to do.
No Excuses is a must-read for young women who have no idea of hard it was to achieve the rights they take for granted, such as voting, eating safe food, or breathing clean air… the list is endless.
This past month, Wisconsin Govenor Scott Walker repealed that equal pay law in Wisconsin. The original equal pay for equal work law was put into place by President Kennedy. How do you feel about that? Does it tick you off? Get involved.
Around the same time, the Feds ruled that BPA in our can liners and food is perfectly ok. Katy Faber posted her concerns on that along with other moms on her popular blog Non-Toxic Kids. The Feds who at one time sided with Mayo Clinic that this was a concern, now have gone the other direction. What mother with a choice, would ever expose her child to a danger ? How do you feel about that? Start voicing your opinion online.
How about the chemicals in your detergents? Lori Alper has a petition circulating to inspire Tide to get the 1,4 dioxane, a known breast carcinogen, out of their formulation. With the help of Mom’s Rising and Women’s Voices she now has over 72,000 ticked off signers. How do you feel about that? Write P&G, and change the Tide…
How do you feel about politicians and companies taking away your rights or selling you junk that can harm you and your family? Who is speaking up for women and children? How about you!?!
The best part, the more you speak up, the more your voice is measured online and heard with thousands, maybe millions of other women. In today’s online world, to not speak up is right up there with giving up your right to vote. With so many decisions being made outside of the field of politics and inside of corporations, the only way to make changes is to speak up, post up, tweet up, facebook up… often!
Over a million people petitioned to have GMO labeling. But one company, Monsanto, with millions in lobby money is holding progress back. If a million constituents mean less than one company’s profits, and lobbyist to congress, then only public humiliation will get companies to change.
In NO EXCUSES, Gloria identifies one very big change – we are going from a “Power-over society to a Power-to society.” Power-over is about accumulating as much as you can and then holding that power over others — it’s the creation of corporate kingdoms or political parties for the sake of power, not for on-the-ground change.
A “Power-to Society is about leverage — by lending/giving your power away in exchange for accomplishing more with the many. Think of it as economic love, the more you give away, the more you get back.
“The Women Moving Millions story, for example, mirrors a prevalent pattern in the use of finanical power: While well-heeled men often go into polictics or start businesses, women are more likely to start social movements or give money to charities. And while men seem to give money to charity to advertise their wealth and generosity, wome often deploy it for social good–and they tend to keep a low profile.” Gloria Feldt, No Excuses
If the above is true, then women owe it to the world to be more vocal and go after the higher profiles. Not only will it change the conversation from sports to reports, but it will set off a new wave of competition of who can be move giving, tolerant, helpful, respectful… that the other guy.
Spring is a time for renewal, read No Excuses, feel your personal power and put your passions to work.
