Women’s Independent Press

Written and researched by
Deanna Markesteyn LMT BA RYT

The Pineal gland stimulates the release of melatonin, the biochemical also referred to as the Fountain of Youth. Humans have astonishing systems for healing, loving, feeling, living. Our bodies truly work as a holistic system. Two of my favorite components of the body are the Endocrine system and the Autonomic Nervous system; they work hand in hand. Humanity has developed simple ways to tap into the powers of these systems through music, song, chanting, praying, mantra, dancing, yoga, yoga nidra and massage. There are so many methods for tapping into our bodies healing capabilities, because humanity has been doing it for thousands of years and in many different cultures.

The autonomic nervous systems have two branches, the fight or flight: the stress producing aspect also known as the sympathetic nervous system and the rest and digest: the relaxation producing aspect, also known as the parasympathetic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system governs the endocrine system, producing and regulating hormones to generate homeostasis of the body. The endocrine system produces hormones that help digest food, regulate body temperature, get one out of harm’s way or ready to fight. They also elicit emotions, fears, healing and love.

Dr. Candace Pert refers to the body as the sub conscious mind; she professes that biochemicals flow and resonate, distributing information to every cell in the body simultaneously. In her book “Your Body is Your Sub Conscious Mind” she unlocks the secret of how emotions literally transform our bodies—and create our health. Dr. Depak Chopra claims that we have the ability to tap into this wealth of biochemicals by tapping into the internal pharmacy. We can tap into these systems by targeting and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. We can heal many physical issues by balancing the autonomic nervous system.

One simple technique was developed by Dr. Herbert Johnson from Harvard Medical School of Medicine. The relaxation response is a key phrase developed by Dr. Hebert Johnson MD; he has researched the effects of the autonomic system being in balance and how healing results from this balance. When our body systems are in balance we are in a better state of mind, better health and are simply happier. The relaxation response releases bio chemicals that are reparative, feel good hormones, such as Serotonin, Melatonin, and Somatotropin. We have the power to tap into our very own internal pharmacy through rhythm, sound and vibration.

For eons humanity has devised methods to trigger the relaxation response: prayer, singing chanting, dancing, yoga, massage. All of these methods have certain aspects in common. They help to create a state where you can quiet the mind, the state of Dhahran. Practices are ancient and modern. A few of these practices include saying the rosary, chanting a mantra, receiving a massage, mediation, yoga or dancing. They all trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, in turn causing a cascade of healing biochemicals. A simple yet profound practice simply requires that you close your eyes and breathe. You have the power to create a steady mind simply by creating a steady breath, overcoming the busy mind. Albert Einstein exclaimed “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Quieting your mind allows a person to achieve clarity as well as peace and better health.
http://www.relaxationresponse.org/steps/
http://www.soundstrue.com/shop/Your-Body-Is-Your-Subconscious-Mind/336.productdetails
http://www.chopra.com/
Advanced Bodywork Massage and Yoga http://directory.vistaprint.com/dir/us/PA/Warrendale/Advanced-Bodywork-Massage-and-Yoga/
Deanna Markesteyn LMT BA RYT deannam@massagetherapy.com

By Kate McCormack
www.womensmediacenter.com

College students are graduating this year with record debt,
and women, who constitute most of the graduates, struggle for financial independence.

This spring thousands of women will walk proudly across the stage to
receive college and graduate diplomas in numbers far greater than their
male counterparts. But in spite of their academic achievements, women
graduates are still facing high barriers to financial success including
exaggerated debt, a persistent wage gap and a weak job market, prompting discussion about the real value of a college degree.

Mikki Guerra struggled to obtain her undergraduate degree without financial help from her parents, even working three jobs one year in an attempt to cover her expenses. But when she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BA in sociology and $60,000 in debt, she discovered that despite its high price tag, her degree “did nothing” for her in terms of employment possibilities.

She was unable to find a job in her field and had to go back to waiting tables and managing a restaurant, leading her to return to school for her master’s degree in clinical social work—and more loans.

Guerra is not alone in her financial struggles. Last year for the first time, student loan debt outpaced that of credit card debt. The class of 2011, owing an average $22,900, is the most indebted ever, according to figures estimated by Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Fastweb.com and FinAid.org, and reported in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. According to the Project on Student Debt, from 2004-2008 the
percentage of graduates from four-year institutions carrying debt increased drastically from 27 percent to 67 percent.

The millennial generation is the first in U.S. history to be saddled by such debt before entering the workforce or, in some cases, before they’re allowed to drink.
“My entire life has been altered by funding my college education,” said Lea Grover, who ambitiously entered the world of higher education at the young age of 15.
She attended more than five different institutions in the search for scholarships and will graduate with about $50,000 to pay back. She feels that schools have a responsibility to provide better education about debt but added, “As a teenager I really couldn’t have cared less anyway. Paying off my loans was in a future so distant it might as well have not existed at all.”

Kary Zarate, who graduated with $80,000 of debt from a private college in Wisconsin, said, “I was too young to be serious about school and I did not understand my financial responsibility and the cost of the education I was receiving.” She doesn’t blame her alma mater for not providing financial guidance but wishes that she would have attended a less expensive public school or waited until she knew what she
wanted to study. Unhappy with her undergraduate degree, Zarate is now completing a master’s degree in special education.

A college degree has allowed many women to reach a prime goal of the women’s movement: economic independence. However, today’s female students—particularly those whose parents are not able to assist them financially—are forced to choose between the lesser of two financial evils. Guerra explained that her choice “was to acquire a lot of debt or don’t go to school,” thereby risking being trapped in low paying jobs for her whole career.

Women have been the majority on many university campuses for more than two decades. Not only do they attend college more frequently, they also achieve better grades while there, graduate at higher rates and with more honors than men. Yet they are hit by inequality almost as soon as they put away their graduation caps. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), the gender wage gap and the race-gender wage gap have held steady even in the highest paying professions in recent years. As of 2010, white women continued to earn 77 percent of what white men earn. The wage gap is wider for many women of color with African-American women earning 69.6 percent and Latinas only 59.8 percent of white men’s earnings.

Robert Drago, research director for IWPR, said that taking time off, even a maternity leave, leads to a drop in wages. In addition, anyone who works part-time—as do many women raising young children—also experiences a wage hit. However, even if men took over all childcare duties, there is still a difference—10 percent for white women
—attributable to gender discrimination. He also explained that while new male and female graduates often earn the same at the beginning of their careers, the wage gap grows as they age. Part of the reason, he said, “is the women don’t get promoted at the rates that men do.”

Labor segregation is another contributing factor to earnings differentials between women and men. A report released by IWPR indicated that women earn less across all occupations whether they are female-dominated or male-dominated. However, once a profession becomes feminized, wages drop across the board. A female engineer,
for example, may earn significantly more than a man working in a feminized profession such as elementary school teaching but she earns less relative to her male colleagues.
And the man in teaching still earns more than his female co-workers.

A strategy for women to get ahead, said Drago, is not just college attendance but studyin a non-traditional field for women such as engineering or accounting. However, until the underlying discrimination and factors that lead to unequal pay for female-dominated jobs are addressed, this strategy may only work until the tipping point is reached and the non-traditional profession also becomes feminized.

In addition to massive debt, a wage gap and lower pay in feminized professions, today’s women graduates are coming of age during a recession. Job loss in the early stages of the recession hit men harder but has since shifted, and more women are now being laid off in
large part due to cut backs in the public sector where female workers are concentrated.

New college undergraduates, who were previously sheltered from the recession and are nearly 60 percent women, are having a hard time finding work. A newly released survey by the Heldrich Center at Rutgers found that of 2010 graduates with Bachelor’s degrees, only
56 percent had held at least one job by the spring after graduating, as compared with 90 percent of 2006 and 2007 grads. Of that 56 percent, only half reported that they were actually working in a field that required a college degree.

“The long-term effects are really scary, said Drago, for graduates “saddled with the equivalent of a mortgage. And if they don’t use their college degree fairly quickly they’re going to have a hard time ever using it.”

Columnist Ron Lieber of the New York Times has argued that student loans are following a similar pattern as subprime mortgages and may be the next bubble to pop. Banks have lent too much money to hopeful students who may never earn enough to make high monthly
payments, he wrote. Changes in legislation, which now make it nearly impossible to default on student loans even in bankruptcy, may have contributed to the problem by giving banks the confidence to lend to an otherwise risky age group.

Zarate and Guerra are both facing at least $100,000 in debt in feminized careers, special education and social work, with starting salaries of $35,000 to 40,000. Despite the grim statistics, Guerra is hopeful about making her payments. And under the College Cost
Reduction and Access Act of 2007, social workers, teachers and some health professionals can have their student loans forgiven after ten years of full time work in designated public service areas. In addition, students who borrow starting in 2014 will be able to cap their payments at 10 percent of their income under student loan legislation passed
in 2010. And while Guerra, Zarate and Grover all regret the debt they’ve accumulated, they do not regret the rich personal experiences afforded by their education.

But Pulitzer prize winning economist Paul Krugman made the case that college is no longer the way to build a more equal society or a strong middle class. “What we can’t do is get where we need to go just by giving workers college degrees, which may be no more than tickets
to jobs that don’t exist or don’t pay middle-class wages,” he has written.

The parallel between women’s dominance of higher education and the devaluing of a college degree may be historical coincidence. Or it may point to the pernicious phenomenon of feminization—instead of college allowing women to reach parity with men, women’s success
in college has devalued college itself. In either case, it may be time to develop more powerful strategies so that women can continue to gain economic independence.

written by Kate McCormack

On May 20th my mom, Anna Petrarca, passed away. She hadn’t been well for a very long time. In April she was hospitalized for renal failure and the docs inserted a stint in her urethra and sent her to a rehab center in Greentree Pa., Marion Manor, one of the very best facilities of that kind in the area.
Unfortunately for her and many older folks, she was prescribed Seroquel and Paxil, two very strong antidepressants, so that she wouldn’t be “agitated”. After the procedure to insert the stint, she was disoriented, probably a bit fearful and not too happy about her situation. In order to quiet her, the drugs were prescribed. She became compliant and quiet, the desired effect. I requested repeatedly that she be taken off the drugs; she was becoming zombie like, disoriented, unfocused and very unsteady on her feet. At one point I thought the drugs were discontinued, but they were not. After a family meeting at Marion Manor, I again requested that she be taken off the drugs and finally they did, but slowly, they said it would be dangerous to take her off the drugs, Seroquel specifically, abruptly. It was just a day or so later that she fell, a very violent fall, fracturing bones in the face, a swollen eye, face black and blue, stitches above her eye, broken wrist, brain injury, bruised right side, shoulder, hip, leg, and foot. It took two weeks, but that fall finally killed her.
That was a long two weeks. It was obvious that she couldn’t make it through this last incident. She couldn’t swallow, had to have pureed foods, thickened liquids, she couldn’t stand and was becoming completely dependent. It was difficult to watch the rapid decline.
On Tuesday, May 17, Marion Manor called to say that it was very serious, imminent, they said. So I went to spend as much time as possible with her. My children, my grandchildren went and we talked to her and spent time with her. My daughter in law, Kristy, whose dog Mia was certified as a pet therapy dog, brought Mia to Marion Manor and my mom was visibly excited to see her. That was the last time she showed any emotion. On May 20th, Friday at 5 am, she passed peacefully in her sleep, a blessing for her.
She was cremated, per her wishes, and we had a memorial service for her at my home. A Deacon conducted a service for her; there was lots of good food, thanks to my son and daughter in law and my daughter. My granddaughter made a couple of memorial picture posters and family and friends made the day memorable.
My mom was sick before, but that fall may not have happened if those drugs were not in her system. You may be in that position some day, and if things don’t change for our older citizens, you may find yourself drugged and no one to help.
My mom blossomed later in life, becoming a Vista Volunteer and even being honored at the White House, one of twenty five in the US, for work on a Medicare program in Illinois. She won numerous awards and worked until she was 78. She liked, loved, to talk and would go on and on about her favorite subjects, Medicare especially. She will be missed.
Her Daughter
Anna Marie Petrarca Gire

 
There is no wrong or right way to organize-finding a system that is best for you and/or your family is the goal.
Here are some tips for accomadating a small bedroom:

The space under your bed is a prime location to store long, shallow plastic containers.
These containers are wonderful for storing clothes, linens, shoes, wrapping paper and more.
Shelving can make a dramatic addition to a bedroom. This will save on dresser space and add some decor to the walls.

A great way to accessorize and a way to showcase art, books, TV or a boombox.
If you have a night stand that is just a table top, cover it with an attractive tablecloth so you can use the “storage space” below.
Take some time to analyze your space and what you’d like to include in your cozy room. Shelving can be the solution to
accomadate all the “stuff” that you own that you’d like to display without feeling squeezed or short on space.

Local woman embraces technology and quality craftsmanship,
wins SBA’s regional and local award
 
JOHNSTOWN, PA – Not many families would acquire a portion of a struggling manufacturer to ensure economic development near their hometown, but that’s exactly what Eileen Melvin and her immediate family did three years ago when they bought into United Metal Fabricators.
 
“For a decade I worked as a consultant to help spur the local economy,” Melvin explained. “We [my family]
 thought our purchase and involvement in UMF would be true economic development and save jobs.”
 
Since she joined the board of directors in 2008 and was subsequently named president and CEO the following year,
 Melvin has worked to preserve the core of UMFs assets – the workforce and quality craftsmanship –
while building a team to infuse technological advances into processing and sales procedures.
 
In May, Melvin will be honored for her economic efforts by the U.S. Small Business Administration as
Small Business Exporter of the Year for both SBA’s Region III and the Western Pennsylvania District.
Like the 68 other district winners, her nomination was forwarded to the regional SBA competition
 (Region 3 covers 7 districts: Delaware, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C.,
and West Virginia) where she became regional winner. According to Melvin, UMF, as a staple manufacturer
 of quality medical supply products, has a rich history. Its humble beginnings clearly depict the work ethic of Johnstown residents.

 
 
Many of our friends took part in the fun the past two years, and we hope to have even more company this time when we’ll be back at
 Heinz Field. Angels’ Place raised $7,500 at the walk last year and is hoping to raise $10,000. We need your help to meet this ambitious goal.
 
Walkers ask friends and family to walk with them (and/or sponsor them). A walker designates an agency - Angels’ Place, we hope -
 to receive the money he or she requests from sponsoring acquaintances.
 
This is a great opportunity for us to meet each other and to raise needed revenue for Angels’ Place. There is no registration fee and
100% of the money raised for each participating agency goes to that agency, since Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield underwrites all of the race costs.
 
Walkers, who can be accompanied by their strollers, children, dogs, etc., are given tasty refreshments and can win raffle prizes
valued at more than $500. Entertainment is provided, and each walker who raises 25 or more dollars will receive a t-shirt.
Free children’s fun activities and health screenings will both be offered after the Walk.
 
The route is wheelchair accessible, and a one mile “Fun Walk” is also available for those who prefer exercise to be extra short and sweet!
 
Angels’ Place will be offering a special prize at the event for its walkers. 
Each walker that registers at the Angels’ Place table on the day of the walk will receive a ticket to be entered in a drawing.
The lucky winner will receive a basket of Italian speicalty items!
Parking Information:
There will be a limited number of free parking spots available on a first come first serve basis in
 Gold Lots 1 & 2 at Heinz Field on the day of the event. Free parking is available at Rivers Casino on
May 21st as long as everyone in the car is over the age of 21. Red Garage #5 will be charging
$3.00 per car on May 21st. Streets around Heinz Field will be closing beginning at 8:15 a.m on that day.

Registration can be done either online (www.walkforahealthycommunity.org) or by using a form you can
receive via mail, email or fax by calling us at (412) 321-4447. Angels’ Place, which is among 69 agencies
that a walker can register to support, is hoping for more than 100 participants. Registration begins at 7:45 a.m.
on the day of the walk. The walk begins at 9:00 a.m. and the fun walk begins at 9:15 a.m.
 
            We look forward to seeing you at the Highmark 5K Walk for a Healthy Community -
we’ve put in a request for a sunny day, but the Walk will be held rain or shine!
 
www.angelsplacepgh.org

Rebecca Champagne, Human Resource Coordinator

Home Instead Senior Care

1102 S Braddock Ave

“I finally feel needed again! My mother passed 2 years ago and my kids have grown.
Being a CAREGiver allows me to give back again and brighten someone’s day.” – Joyce

“If it were not for me and the other CAREGivers, Mr. M. would have had to move out
of the home that he and his wife lived in since 1947.” – Dorothy

“I never could have realized how much joy and value my clients would give ME. I am so
 grateful that Home Instead Senior Care and I found each other.” - Mira

For fifteen years, the Home Instead Senior Care® franchise network has been devoted to providing
seniors with the highest quality care in their own homes, and to arming families with the information
they need to make the best decisions about caring for aging loved ones.

Home Instead Senior Care is also the employer of choice for dependable folks like you! If you
 are looking to share your compassion by making a difference in an elderly person’s life, please call!
Senior companions are needed to assist clients with daily activities and social endeavors–like shopping,
 cooking, and in-home needs.

We are currently looking to fill all shifts for clients in Pittsburgh, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Forest Hills,
Edgewood, McKeesport, and even North Versailles; so–if you are dependable, compassionate, and can
 provide non-medical care to an older adult, please call! Vehicle required. Training provided. Part time
and Full time available. Great schedule and benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer. Opportunities
are made available to all individuals at will regardless of age, race, gender, religion, creed, national origin,
marital status, pregnancy, presence of disability, sexual orientation, ancestry, and any other status protected by law.

Home Instead Senior Care provides a range of services including companionship, meal preparation, light
housekeeping, medication reminders, shopping, errands, personal care, and more. When family members
aren’t able to help the older adults they love, Home Instead CAREGivers are there to lend a helping hand.

If you, or any organization of which you are a part, is interested in learning more, please contact our office. 
We would be happy to speak to your group free of charge about senior-focus subjects, our services, and
even employment opportunities.  For more information regarding our services, please visit: www.hisc567.digbro.com

By Julie Ann Monzi

I recently jumped on the ancestry bandwagon and decided to research my family tree.
I quickly found out that I had a job and didn’t need another one where I had to pay for the privilege of getting irritated.
A good friend who is having a wonderful time finding his long lost relations updates me on his latest findings.
A month ago he found records for one part of his family as far back as the 1400s.
During his most recent search, he informed me that he has traced his roots back to 400 – 600 B.C.
Yes, I wrote B.C. I asked him whether those records were carved on tree bark or stones.
Bolstered by my friend’s success, I joined one of those websites that assists you in your search.
There is a catch: you do need some basic information.
Like the name of your grandmother’s father. My mother has no idea.
 Her mother never talked about her family.
I found my grandmother’s mother. And her second husband.
Not her first. Not my grandmother’s father. No maiden names listed. No birth records either.
So the next logical step would be to find my grandmother’s birth certificate. Easier said than done.
Since no one seems to have it, I thought I’d check where she’d be born. Ohio. What town?
It took my parents a few days to come up with it. Back to the computer. There is no record
of my grandmother being born in Ohio. The town is close to the Pennsylvania border.
Maybe my great-grandmother went to a hospital across the border. Another genealogically-gifted
 friend suggested a road trip. Yep, I’ve got time for that. Travel to Ohio (or somewhere near the border)
to sift through dusty records to maybe find my grandmother’s birth certificate. Do I really want to know that badly?
Then there’s my father’s father. He was born in Slovenia. Which used to be part of Yugoslavia.
 Before that, it was part of Austria. The Austro-Hungarian Empire to be exact. How do you find those
records when the borders change as often as the beach at high tide?

I decided to start with Ellis Island and work backwards. I know his birth date and approximately
when he immigrated. But the tricky part is his name. Anthony Bavetz. Which used to be Anthony Bavec.
In census records it is listed as Anton, Anthon, Antoine, Tony; Bavetz, Bavitz, Bavits, etc., etc., etc.
I tried every single spelling combination with absolutely no luck. My friend gets to the
 dinosaur age, and I can’t get past 1905.
In my musings, I thought maybe it would have been better to have been born a “Smith”.
Smith is an easy name. You can’t misspell it unless of course it has the fancy spelling of “Smyth”.
But Smith is simple to research, I thought. Think again. Do you know how many Smiths are in the
ancestral databases? 54,885,407 to be exact. Guess I was wrong on that one, too.
My sister has another perspective on the search. She feels the past should be left there.
Gone. Buried. “Who wants to find an ax murderer in the family?” She has a point. Which now is
 moot since my subscription to the ancestry database expires this month. I am not renewing. I’ve got
 enough headaches with living relatives let alone getting frustrated with dead ones.
Maybe I should do what my husband’s aunt did – invent some ancestors. Aunt Pat visited an
antique store in North Carolina and came upon an old black and white photo of an Italian-looking man in a suit and tie.
She bought the picture, popped it into a fancy frame, and has it sitting prominently on a shelf in her kitchen. She gave him a name:
Uncle Reginaldo. She even gave him a background which I actually believed as she told me the story with a twinkle in her eye.
 It took my husband to burst out laughing before I realized the joke was on me.

 But who knows? The joke may be on Aunt Pat. Maybe “Uncle Reginaldo” really is an ax murderer.
 
Julie Ann Monzi grew up in the Pittsburgh area and now lives in Gettysburg with her husband,
three almost-grown children, and five cats. She enjoys reading, hiking the Gettysburg Battlefield,
 and watching British mysteries. Looking to explore your spiritual side? Check out her blog at
www.5minutereflections.blogspot.com. Julie can be reached at julieannmonzi@gmail.com.

Creating an Outdoor Oasis of Beauty and Balance

By Yvonne Phillips

YvonnePhillips1@aol.com

As spring invites us to get outdoors again and spruce up our yards, why not consider going beyond the usual habits
of gardening, and instead work with your landscape in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui?

With the summer months our yards can become an extension of our living space, and the garden
allows us to feel connected to nature. Since the effective application of Feng Shui techniques
do wonders for shifting the energy of interior spaces, it makes sense that the same principals
 apply to your yard and garden. A well designed Feng Shui garden landscape appeals to all the
 senses, delights visitors, and provides a calm and restorative environment to fully enjoy the summer season.

Landscaping that is energized with the flow of chi will bring life to your home, and attract an abundance of
birds, butterflies and a feeling of wellbeing. By incorporating representations of the elements, you can make
your garden a retreat oasis in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui.

• Remove clutter, weeds, dead plants, objects to trip on such as tools and hoses,
and other strewn debris in order to clear the space and let the energy (chi) flow.
• Don’t overwhelm the environment with every dazzling color in the book,
but choose a selection of uplifting colors such as orange and yellow, and calming colors like blue, purple and white.
• Steer clear of items with sharp and pointed angles; rather choose smooth rounded
 corners to all objects, decorative pieces, flower pots and furniture.
• Avoid placing a fence or large object in the middle of your yard or garden,
as it will block the flow of energy and disrupt the positive chi.

Elements of Feng Shui in your landscaping:
• Earth - Keep the soil fertile and the flowers, trees and grass well maintained,
as this enhances the earth element. Place round stones as a border around spaces, or as
appealing and calming decoration to enhance the grounding balance of the earth element. 
• Wood – Choose wooden planting boxes, or adorn your landscaping with
decorative wooden pieces such as a carving, bench or bamboo pieces. As a lucky Feng Shui cure,
 bamboo is used to attract health, abundance and happiness.
• Metal - Place something metal in your landscaping to encourage the properties of that
 important element, such as wind chimes or planters.
• Water - Include still or slow flowing water such as a fountain, bird bath, pond or pooled water
from a stream. It’s not encouraged to have a fast moving stream or river through your property, as this
carries the positive energy away from your home, akin to “peace or abundance flying out the door”.
 Instead, have pooled or slower flowing water which can collect beneficial chi to stay in your yard.
• Fire - For the final touches of balancing the elements, fire can be represented in various ways such as candles or lanterns, or a fire pit.

You can easily create a feel-good and ambient garden patio with pillows, blankets, and outdoor music.
Just a few extra touches and working with the surrounding landscape brings restorative benefits and
 balance to the energy flow around and through your home. You’ll feel the difference and savour your time in the yard even more

Article courtesy of Women’s eNews and Wendy Murphy
Women’s eNews website
 “http://womensenews.org/story/athleticssports/110511/cheer-her-rapist-lets-make-noise-over

By  Wendy Murphy

A Texas teen was expelled from her cheerleading squad for refusing to
cheer for a guy accused of raping her. The courts have let her down,
so about a dozen of us who are former NFL cheerleaders are standing
up. We want to hear some noise about this.
     
(WOMENSENEWS)–On May 2 the United States Supreme Court declined to
hear the appeal of a Texas high school cheerleader who was kicked off
her squad for refusing to cheer for a basketball player accused of
raping her weeks earlier.

About a dozen of us former NFL cheerleaders, standing on the
sidelines, were stunned. Then we decided to do what we can to speak up
for Hillaire, who wants her real first name to be used.
“There’s always been this idea that if you’re a cheerleader,
you’re just there to decorate the sidelines for the benefit of male
players and fans,” said Cheryl Duddy Schoenfeld, who cheered for
the NFL for two years in the 1970s. “Well we’ve got news for
anyone who believes in such nonsense. We are rallying behind this girl
and her family and we are committed to doing what we can to make sure
this never happens again–to any girl. If the school officials and
courts won’t support her, we will. We are calling on all
cheerleaders–NFL, college and high school, past and present–to step
up and join us in this effort.”

The victim’s family has been ordered to pay $45,000 in costs to
reimburse the school for having to defend against the lawsuit.

“Making the victim’s parents pay tens of thousands of dollars
because they tried to protect their child is like sending a message to
all cheerleaders that they had better stay quiet about things like
sexual assault and dating violence,” said Bonnie Gardner-Drumm,
an NFL cheerleader for five years in the early 1980s.

She calls the incident an outrage. “How hard would it have been
for school officials to just let her stay silent? Ideally they should
have forbidden the guy to play sports, but insisting that a young
woman literally cheer for a man who abused her is its own form of
abuse.”

Support ‘Really Good’

The victim’s lawyer, Larry Watts, said he was disappointed with the
court’s response, but that it felt “really good” to learn
that a group of NFL cheerleaders had stepped forward to support the
victim.

“I’ve been frustrated and shocked that no women’s or victims’
groups or even cheerleaders’ organizations have spoken out in support
of Hillaire. I just don’t get it,” he said. “This is a brave
young woman. It’s great that professional cheerleaders are now
supporting her. They don’t even know Hillaire but they know what she’s
going through and what it took for her to do what she did.”

Hillaire and her parents filed the lawsuit against the high school
after school officials in Silsbee, Texas, told Hillaire she had no
choice but to cheer for the man who attacked her.

She was willing to cheer for the team, but when her assailant was at
the free-throw line, and the squad was cheering for him in particular,
she stepped back from the others and crossed her arms in defiance.

Watts described the cheer they wanted her to say. He said, “It
went something like this: ‘Two, four, six-eight-10, come on [player]
put it in.’ Think about that. How does a school official make a rape
victim say something like that to a man who did something so
horrible?”

The accused was charged with rape and pleaded guilty to assault in
2010, but while the matter was still being resolved he continued to
play sports.

In February 2009, when the victim refused to cheer for him, she was
sent home by school officials and later dismissed from the squad for
the remainder of her high school career. The accused student continued
to enjoy the cheers and adulation of other students, parents and
school officials.

“People dismiss the value of cheerleaders as unimportant compared
to the guys,” said Schoenfeld. “It took a lot of guts for
this young woman to take a stand the way she did. She didn’t deserve
to be punished for that. It’s unbelievable in this day and age that
school officials could be so backward thinking about an issue as
important as violence against women and girls.”
Examining Cheerleaders’ Rights

In their lawsuit against the school district, Hillaire and her family
argued that a victim has a constitutionally-protected First Amendment
right to express herself by refusing to cheer for a student accused of
rape.

The federal court disagreed and ruled the teen had no free speech
rights because cheerleaders act as agents of the
school–”mouthpieces” is the word the court used–not as an
individual students.

The NFL cheerleaders, offended by the court’s characterization of them
as mere “mouthpieces,” are putting their megaphones to their
mouths to speak out.

I did, when I wrote that Hillaire should have sued under Title IX,
instead of the First Amendment, on the grounds that requiring a
cheerleader to cheer for her rapist is a form of sexual harassment and
thus an act of gender discrimination.

Another former NFL cheerleader, Jeanne Ball, is upset to hear that
there has been so little public support for Hillaire.

“Fortunately, she seems to have strong family support,” Ball
said.

Attorney Watts says Hillaire regrets nothing and is proud of herself
for refusing to cheer and for bringing the lawsuit.

“It was the least she could do to show everyone how she felt not
only about being raped, but also about being so disrespected by school
officials,” he said.

Former cheerleader Schoenfeld could not agree more.

“We don’t want cheerleaders–or any women–to stay quiet about
such things,” she said. “Many of us have daughters now–and
sons–and we want them to have healthy relationships. There’s nothing
healthy about rape and there’s certainly nothing healthy about making
a young woman cheer for her abuser.”

The school’s lawyer did not return a call seeking comments.
Article courtesy of Women’s eNews and Wendy Murphy
Women’s eNews website
 “http://womensenews.org/story/athleticssports/110511/cheer-her-rapist-lets-make-noise-over