Gloria Steinem
We all have talents. My hope is that while visiting this web site you will be inspired to leverage your talents to change the current domestic violence paradigm. While we may not be feminist activists like Gloria Steinem, we can certainly accept her invitation to do one outrageous act in the cause of simple justice. She believes we’ll discover the world will be a better place and we’ll have fun in the process.
To celebrate Ms. Steinmen’s 75th birthday, the Ms. Foundation launched their Outrageous Acts campaign which flows from Ms. Steinem’s essays in Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions.
My own outrageous act was to launch this web site. My friend Kathy Gill recommended WordPress.com. My friend Elena Hanajenko took several photos. My friend Carole May generously contributed technical advice and her gorgeous photos to illustrate my posts. Many other friends have encouraged and cheered me on. WordPress makes launching a web site easy and cheap: $15 for my domain name. The rest is free.
If you are wondering what you can do, I’ll ask you what do you do best? What do you enjoy?
If you knit or quilt, perhaps you could make an afghan or quilt for Shalom Bayit’s clients ~ women and children who have had to flee home with nothing but the clothes on their backs. My godmother made me a quilt for my 59th birthday, and it reminds me every day that I am a precious child of God. Her gift of warmth and love is most precious to me.
If you are fortunate enough to be generous, perhaps you can make a donation to the Ms. Foundation or any of the organizations listed on the right side of this page.
If you are an attorney, perhaps you can get active in the American Bar Association’s domestic violence commission or represent pro bono someone who is discovering the legal system can be manipulated as an instrument of abuse.
If you are interested in politics, perhaps you can lobby for legislative changes.
If you are an athletic coach or teacher, perhaps you could Coach Boys into Men.
If you are good with make-up, style, or hair, perhaps you could treat someone who is experiencing abuse to a make-over or a day at a spa.
If you have healing hands, perhaps you could give someone a massage. In these stressful times, we could all use a good massage.
You get the idea. Do something outrageous! Have fun! Make a difference!
Related Post:
Anne Caroline Drake 
I was born standin’ up and talkin’ back….I am a Sophomore (social work) at age 67, because I wrote about my life of overcoming (and thriving) and won a scholarship….it took me 7 years to go from Freshman to Sophomore because I work full-time.
My passion and mission in life is to speak on national television regarding verbal abuse; 1 in 3 women will be physically assaulted in their lifetime and it all begins with verbal abuse.
I have b een writing to the media for over 10 years to use my voice for those women living in silence, fear and shame behind closed doors. I will never give up…..I grew up with an abusive mother, no father around, poverty, molestation, married an abuser, divorced him after 31 years of abuse, and then was met with spiritual abuse……voted out of a church membership with my name up on a big screen, followed by the words, “Conduct Unbecoming a Child of God.” Called to a meeting of deacons, not allowed to have a woman with me and asked, “Are you still having sex with your ex>’ I fought the system for 18 months.
My book, Sanctuary of the Soul (poems of anguish, healing, hope, comfort and celebration)……some of my (14 endorsements): Elie Wiesel, Wayne Dyer, Nikki Giovanni, Drs. Alice Miller, Larry Dossey, et al.
My “outrageous act”…….I stood up in that church (on my birthday) and said, “Wow, I didn’t think this many people would show up to help celebrate my birthday.”
Kindes Regards, Alice
Overcomer, Wounded Healer, Veteran, dancer, singer, author, poetess, working to make a difference. (carleton@oakland.edu) if anyone reads this and would like to comment.