Taking inspiration from Ken Burns new PBS series, "The War," the San Francisco Chronicle looks at the experiences of American women living in the Bay area during WWII. *We’d love to hear from WVFC readers; please share your memories or thoughts in the comments. The Chronicle interviews are quite diverse and include a retired physicist [...]

"Tomorrow Marin Alsop will shatter the glass baton. As she steps onto the podium for her inaugural concert as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO), Ms. Alsop becomes the first woman to assume the leadership of a major American symphony. The baton she will grasp will be a simple wooden [...]

by Helen Fisher I was walking down Park Avenue in New York City recently, heading home from an introductory appointment with a plastic surgeon. The walk inspired some (more) reflection on middle age, on the trajectory of my life, on women in our modern world and on passages, transformations and self-maintenance. In short: I engaged, [...]

Web Watch, a bi-monthly feature, points to interesting websites and online issues and resources. Send your Web Watch tips to suggestions@womensvoicesforchange.org by Elizabeth Hemmerdinger | bio About four months ago, one of my plays was co-produced in Denver by the Modern Muse Theatre Company and The Arvada Center. The young theater company lacked a PR [...]

This morning I’ll be discussing web 2.0 stuff with other nonprofit/tech trainers, and though gadgetry may only be a passing topic, I’m still glad I read Andrea Learned’s post about what women don’t want — technology that screams "made for a woman." And while you’re there, also read about brands that need to mature with [...]

by The Rev. Elizabeth Zarelli Turner Earlier this month, I read Elizabeth Hemmerdinger’s reflection on the recent Time Magazine cover story "The Secret Life of Mother Teresa," which included two primary observations about the release of Mother Teresa’s letters. In the first instance, she could identify with feelings of "faking it" on occasion. Her other [...]

Have a question about women’s health or menopause? Dr. Patricia Yarberry Allen may have the answer. Click here to send in your question to be posted on WVFC. by Patricia Yarberry Allen, MD | bio As a physician, I am often asked why recommendations concerning hormone therapy seem to be in flux, changing year-to-year based [...]

The Chicago Tribune’s public editor analyzed 30 days worth of opinion columns and found the commentary section fairly balanced when it comes to politics and topics. But there was one consistent omission: women. "There are only two among the 12 regular writers (Kathleen Parker and Georgie Anne Geyer) and eight among the contributors in that [...]

Did Fox really need to censor Sally Field’s anti-war statement during the Emmy Awards? Sheesh. And Maureen Ryan makes an excellent point about the music selected to accompany "The Sopranos" flashbacks: Most pointless musical moment: The "Jersey Boys" tribute to "The Sopranos." What exactly was the point of that, except to make the broadcast longer? [...]

by Gloria Feldt Woman must have her freedom, the fundamental freedom of choosing whether or not she will be a mother and how many children she will have. Regardless of what man’s attitude may be, that problem is hers – and before it can be his, it is hers alone. Sept. 14 is the birthday [...]