Ada Lovelace Day aims to raise the profile of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by encouraging people around the world to talk about the women whose work they admire. This international day of celebration helps people learn about the achievements of women in STEM, inspiring others and creating new role models for young and old alike.  This Ada Lovelace Day, October 7, Finding Ada encourages you to share your story about a woman — whether an engineer, a scientist, a technologist or mathematician — who has inspired you to become who you are today. Write a blog post, record a podcast, film a video, draw a comic, or pick any other way to talk about the women who have been guiding lights in your life. Give your heroine the credit she deserves!

Also, join us  on October 5^th 3-3:50 PM in Greenwood Library 209 for  It’s only Logical: Women in Technology, Math, & Science presented by Mary Jo Stockton, Longwood Public Relations Web Technology Coordinator

American Sociological Association blog Contexts Discoveries discusses new research on gender and activism in Appalachia. Environmental justice movements, which seek to help those who live, work, and play in polluted areas, have long been dominated by women. In Gender & Society (December 2010), Shannon Bell and Yvonne Braun try to get at how Appalachia’s traditional gender roles have led to women’s activism and men’s silence there.

British rowing champions create campaign to raise awareness of testicular cancer.  Since the video is age restricted (due to mild nudity) I cannot embed it. View it here.

NPR – September 29, 2011

Tonight, CBS premieres How To Be A Gentleman, a brainless buddy comedy presenting a dichotomy in which men can be either delicate, ineffectual, sexless weaklings or ill-mannered but physically powerful meatheads. Says this show — over and over, in both its marketing and in its actual dialogue — there are gentlemen, and there are real men, and each might need to be a little more like the other.

Yes, yes, it’s a sitcom, and caricatures are common, and on its own, this wouldn’t make much of an impression. But this is not just any season. It’s a season that also brings Tim Allen whining about what ever happened to “real men” in Last Man Standing, three guys lost in a universe of “pomegranate body wash” in Man Up, and — sometime in midseason, unless the universe blissfully swallows us all before then — two men in drag in Work It trying to overcome the entirely female-driven economy in which they literally cannot support themselves without dressing as women.

To continue reading: click here.

From the Cyborgology blog at the Society Pages comes this interesting look at body modification in today’s society. What is the relationship between gender, patriarchy, and body modification? And what are the costs of using indigenous iconography and rituals in one’s body modification practices? Read the story here.

Saudi Arabia’s king announced on Sunday women would be given the right to vote and stand in elections beginning in 2015. The New York Times examines the decision and its impact here. (Thanks to Wade Edwards for the link)

Women are being showcased both in front of the camera and behind the writers desk on television this fall. What kinds of shows and characters are we seeing? Do they represent progress from previous attempts? Does having women behind the scenes, particularly in comedy, really make a difference? NPR recently aired two programs on the subject. On The Media features a discussion with Mary McNamara, television Critic for the Los Angeles Times, Maureen Ryan, television Critic for AOL TV, and Aisha Muharrar, Writer for the NBC comedy, “Parks and Recreation” and former writer for Fox’s “Sit Down, Shut Up.” Listen to Studio 360’s take here.

Bill Patrick from XYonline.com talks about relationships between gay and straight men and what feminist straight men can learn from their gay brothers. Its an interesting read.

Sociological Images discusses these clips from 1950’s commercial in which husbands criticize their wives coffee. The sense of entitlement to the wife’s services on the part of the husbands is quite shocking to the contemporary ear.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VssO5bKFJU0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]