The Vermont Commission on Women will be in Rutland next Friday, October 20th
We will be hosting a public forum on Friday, October 20th, 12 – 1pm in person at the Asa Bloomer building, 2nd Floor, #266, 88 Merchants Row in Rutland, with a virtual option. VCW will be traveling around the state to connect with many Vermont communities and you’re invited! Visit our website to see the full schedule. How can we better serve you?
After facing racism at a Middlebury middle school, a departing dean calls for stronger protections
“My issue wasn’t that these things happened, but that leaders did not have protocols to follow to help guide them,” Vermont Commission on Women Co-Chair, Esther Charlestin told VTDigger.
The Inaugural Early Childhood “Grand Rounds”: equity-focused early childhood data efforts
Building Bright Futures Executive Director Dr. Morgan Crossman moderated the inaugural Vermont Early Childhood Grand Rounds Seminar. The seminar featured national experts Dr. Iheoma U. Iruka, Carlise King, and Dr. Shantel E. Meek discussing equity-focused early childhood data efforts. It was attended live by over 75 individuals from Vermont and across the country, and the recording is available on YouTube.
Vermont Narratives for Change: A Storytelling Campaign against Harassment & Bullying
Vermont Narratives for Change is a a data gathering initiative from a coalition of Vermont organizations including the Vermont Human Rights Commission focused on shedding light on students’ experiences with harassment, hazing, and bullying in Vermont schools. Learn more here.
Remembering Jennifer Matthews
Jennifer Matthews, 69, of Mt. Holly, Vermont, dedicated the majority of her life to fighting for what she believed in and had no fear of standing up to those in power when speaking out on inequity. She was particularly devoted to women’s issues and the on-going pursuit for women’s equality. She worked extensively in the non-profit and public sectors, notably the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, the Burlington Women’s Council, the Project Against Violent Encounters and Woman Centered. She also served as a Lister and Select Board Member for the Town of Mount Holly and volunteered for numerous civic organizations such as the Governor’s Commission on Women, the Vermont National Organization for Women (VT NOW), and the Project Against Violent Encounters.
Free COVID-19 Tests
Every U.S. household can now get another set of four free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. Order yours here.
Girl Up: when girls rise, we all rise
The world needs new solutions and leadership now. Girl Up, a global nonprofit, is expanding girls’ skills, rights, and opportunities to lead. Visit girlup.org to learn how they are changing the face of leadership for generations to come.
Champlain Valley School District crafts transgender guidelines
“While much of the district-specific policy was adopted from the2017 Vermont Agency of Education guidelines, committee members made it a point to insert affirmative language that transgender students, or gender nonconforming students, have a right under the policy to be permitted to use a locker room or restroom that aligns with the student’s gender identity.” – Corey McDonald for Shelbourne News via VTDigger
Vermont-based artist Stephanie Wilson shares her experience being diagnosed with breast cancer and recovering from a double mastectomy
VPR’s Homegoings podcast host Myra Flynn sits down with artist Stephanie Wilson to talk about her ongoing journey toward healing, and her work to break the generational cycle of secrets she believes made her sick in the first place. Listen here.
Meg Smith: Ten Incredible Years
“In reflecting on the growth and accomplishments of the Women’s Fund over the last ten years, some of the things I am most proud—and humbled—to be a part of include our past partnership initiative, Change The Story. Tiff Bluemle and Jessica Nordhaus, along with Al Johnson-Kurts and Lindsey Lathrop Ryan created a series of data reports in 2016 on women’s economic status herein Vermont that launched a movement across Vermont. The power of that data is still being felt in policy and workplace practices. Change The Story created the first accurate picture of how women in Vermont were surviving economically, and it laid the groundwork for the next major initiative that the Women’s Fund launched in 2021 called This Way UP: there’s power in our numbers.” – Meg Smith, Director of Vermont Women’s Fund
Nearly 9,000 Vermonters will be reimbursed for more than $1.5 million in wrongly billed contraceptive care
“Under the Affordable Care Act and Vermont state law, Vermonters are entitled, with rare exception, to contraceptive services without bearing any costs. Covered contraceptives include birth control pills, intrauterine devices, voluntary sterilization and more. But in an audit conducted over nearly two years, Vermont’s Department of Financial Regulation found more than 14,000 instances affecting 9,000 Vermonters who faced improper out-of-pocket costs for their contraceptive services.” – Sarah Mearhoff for VTDigger
Why Artificial Intelligence Needs to Consider the Unique Needs of Older Women
“The needs of older women are often invisible to decision-makers. Older women are a unique population and often gendered ageism — discrimination based on their age and sex — causes their needs to be neglected. Research has already demonstrated that older women are more likely to experience adverse health outcomes and face poverty and discrimination based on age and sex. AI perpetuates this discrimination in the virtual world by replicating discriminatory practices in the real world. What’s worse is that AI automates this discrimination – speeds it up and makes the impact more widely felt.” – Dr. Paula Rochon and Surbhi Kalia for Women’s eNews
About 1,500 in Vermont will get Medicaid back following new federal directive
“About 1,500 Vermonters — including roughly 1,000 children — will have their Medicaid benefits reinstated after the federal government warned dozens of states that their renewal process was incorrectly kicking eligible people from the rolls. Reinstatement is already underway for individuals who shouldn’t have lost health care coverage, according to Adaline Strumolo, the deputy commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, and should be complete by Nov. 1. Impacted households will receive a notice and the state’s Medicaid program will reimburse covered health care expenses incurred when they were disenrolled.” – Lola Duffort for VTDigger
Incompetent Cervix: Why are names for the female reproductive system so sexist?
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Host Kat Chow welcomes back author and science journalist Rachel E. Gross to talk about the misogynist origins of many names and diagnoses in the female reproductive system. Gross is the author of Vagina Obscura: An Anatomical Voyage and the New York Times column Body Language.
Vermont’s female farmers featured in new photo collection - VTDigger
In July, Plymouth, Vermont-based photographer JuanCarlos González released “Vermont Female Farmers,” a collection of portraits of nearly 40 women working in agriculture across the state. “The biggest thing for me was for people to learn the importance of supporting local farmers,” he said. Looking at the photos should inspire a mission, González added: “Buy local products from female farmers.” – VTDigger
