First National Organization for Atheist Women Launches

Today marks the launch of a new national organization called Secular Women, “dedicated exclusively to advancing the interests of atheist, humanist and other non-religious women.”

Through strategic partnerships, Secular Woman will also advocate for equal pay, reproductive choice, and marriage equality, addressing political trends the group sees as ideologically-motivated threats to its members’ freedom of conscience. “The ‘War on Women’ dovetailing with the rise of secular activism showed us the time had come for secular women to form our own distinct organization to support our vision of the future,” said Kim Rippere, a Secular Woman founder and the organization’s first president. “Secular women have always been at front and center of the feminist quest for equality and autonomy.”

Rippere is joined on the group’s first Board of Directors by co-founders Brandi Braschler, Vice President of Programs; Bridget Gaudette, Vice President of Outreach; and Mary Ellen Sikes, Vice President of Operations. The four women bring a combined total of more than forty years’ activism in secular and women’s issues to Secular Woman.

That’s one hell of a strong board of directors. And based on what they say they want to advocate for, I don’t know how anyone could oppose what they’re doing. I made a donation. You should, too.

…

***Update***: Glenn Beck‘s website, The Blaze, thinks this is all part of a larger secular agenda…

Now, it seems atheist females have a group that will help to “amplify the voice, presence, and influence of non-religious women” — yet another point of evidence that non-believers are working feverishly to harness and secure power.

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Brandi B.

I’m one of the founders of that group! Thanks for the coverage! I can’t believe we made The Blaze, lol. Best day ever.
The Other Weirdo

NOW reborn! That’s LOL! funny. Nice quip in there about waiting for the right moment. Let the men–and given all the angst about it, a few women–start the secular movement, and then when the time is right, bring in the feminist agenda in on the movement’s coattails.

This blog’s beginning to sound like a pulpit. “I’m voting for [insert Republican candidate here]. You should too.”
Kari Lynn

Glenn Beck makes us sound like some other species.
*Crocodile Hunter voice* Now what do we have behind these bushes? *GASP* It’s an atheist! And it looks like a female, too!
Bill Haines

Why is anyone still paying any attention to Glenn Beck?
The Other Weirdo

Wasn’t he too much even for FOX to handle?
Kari Lynn

Seriously? NOW doesn’t need to be reborn, that organization is still around and caters to all women. Considering all the vitriol toward women lately, secular women need a safe space.
Thalfon

Funny thing is, that last line isn’t *that* far off the mark, just reworded to sound bad. I don’t think there’s anything feverish about our actions of course, but we *are* working hard to gain power… or rather regain the power (rights/freedoms) that everyone else has. Not because we want it, mind, but because it’s the only way that we can avoid being walked all over. (If the religious right were less of a problem, I think one would find that there would be less atheists of either gender attempting “feverishly to harness and secure power.”)
Tainda

It’s because we ARE a different species than Glenn Beck. A more evolved one 🙂
Sulac

I think it’s great that there is a US national organisation for atheist, humanist and non-religious women. I just hope that it won’t be hijacked by misandrist women like how most types of feminism was. Glenn Beck is one of those sad delusional Christian fundies who is desperate for attention, I have no idea why he has a fan base but if you are rich, stupid and stuck in the dark ages you will have followers I suppose.
advancedatheist

It seems to we that these “secular women” really have grievances against biology and men, not against religion per se.

As for “equal pay,” a recent study finds that women who get medical degrees don’t work enough hours to make the investment into their education and training pay off, so according to rational economic criteria they should earn less than more efficient male physicians:

Are Women Overinvesting in Education? Evidence from the Medical Profession

http://faculty.som.yale.edu/keithchen/papers/GenderNPV_WorkingPaper.pdf
Felyx Leiter

You’re really not helping your case when your post sounds like it was written by Glenn Beck.
Felyx Leiter

You’re really not helping your case when your post sounds like it was written by Glenn Beck.
Tainda

I’m a woman and I don’t necessarily care for these types of groups. Mainly because man hating feminists make me cringe and I run away quickly.

As for that supposed study, I work in a hospital and I can attest to the fact that our female doctors work their asses off and work just as many hours as the men do.
Felicity

I just joined!
Patterrssonn

Perhaps it seems that way to you because you’re a typical whiny male who is appalled by women speaking up for themselves.
Patterrssonn

It’s a femo-communist plot to take over the world!!
Another Girl

Anecdotal evidence isn’t evidence. I can say nothing about the study though (didn’t read it)
Kari Lynn

I have never met a man hating feminist in my life and I’m a Women’s Studies student.
MegaZeusThor

“another point of evidence that non-believers are working feverishly to harness and secure power.”

Only in a sense that we’re trying the play catch up. Yes, we believe that rational people that apply evidence and reason to decision making should have a say in government.

I guess we’re supposed to let Dominionists obtain political power without any opposition. Would be easier for them anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominionism
Felyx Leiter

Whoa there, most men I know aren’t whiny or misgynist. There’s certainly a vocal minority, but it’s really not fair to be painting the “typical” male with such a broad brush.
The Other Weirdo

NOW hasn’t been relevant to women or men in years, perhaps at least a decade. I remember when there used to be plenty of missives from them; these days, not so much.
The Other Weirdo

How much I care about Glenn Beck could be fit into a thimble, and then put through in a car-crushing machine Bones-style, and still have room left over.

I have no case, no agenda that I am pushing; I am merely stating a personal opinion. Which is more than I can say for this blog now.
Annie

Me too!
The Other Weirdo

So, when people we don’t like do it, that’s bad and awful, but when people we like do it, why, that’s right as roses?
Tainda

You’re lucky then because I have known many.

I’m all for this group as long as it’s about how great women are (which I think we are) and not how horrible men are.
The Other Weirdo

My irony meter just melted through the floor and contaminated China. And nice denial of humanity to men, by the way. Congrats.
Patterrssonn

Not that men are typically whiny, but there’s a type of whyniness that’s typical of men threatened by women who speak up for themselves.
Noelle

No idea what you’re talking about. I’m a woman and a physician. I work my ass off every day and treat people of all genders and races. And I just paid off my substantial student loans in full.

And I love men. I can count at least half a dozen hopeless crushes on the boys from my youth. Many of my good friends are male. I even married a man. And, OMG, I gave birth to a boy child and hold him to the same high standards as his sister. I can only hope that he will be a man someday too.

How old are you child, that you are so misinformed about half the population?
Patterrssonn

I just want to assure you that your whyniness doesn’t make you any less of a person. And that since in a recent post you were referring to women as sluts and whores I’m not surprised at your irony meter overloading.
Patterrssonn

Do what?
Ducky

Right on, ladies! More power to ya!
As for Glenn Beck, I wouldn’t give him too much thought. This is the guy who still thinks Democrats are trying to put AIDS in his sandwiches.
Patterrssonn

Me neither but I think for some people saying that men should be accountable for their actions is equivalent to hate speech.
The Other Weirdo

I’m pretty sure I’ve never referred to women in general as sluts or whores. I’ve also never referred to women as females in the same sentence as I was talking about men. I’ve referred to some women as sluts and whores, under very specific circumstances which I’ve explained, sure. But so what?
Stacey Rodriguez

Me three!
dewNOTbelieve

IMNSHO, Glenn Beck is a charlatan who doesn’t believe ONE PERCENT of the vitriolic slime that he spews. He’s in it for the profit, not the prophet.
Alex

Why, yes, actually. Atheists are working to become more visible. Visibility leads to recognition. Recognition leads to representation. Representation in a democratic society is power.
momma J

So when does the organization, Secular Men get started?
Alex

To do exactly what? Free men from the oppression of feminazis?
Kari Lynn

Maybe not nationally, but I go to many events put on by my local chapter. NOW is also helping out with what is going on in Michigan.
Kari Lynn

When somebody starts it. We can’t be expected to do everything. This is what pisses me off about MRAs (I’m not saying that you are one), they complain about there not being services and charities for men, but then they make excuses about how they can’t start them because the “evil wimmins” won’t allow it. If you want there to be an organization for secular men, then start one.
N.

Except feminist groups tend to get pretty mad whenever men’s only spaces are created.
Sindigo

All the likes.
julie

It’s like all the people complaining about the feminist posts here.
“Men have problems too!”
“We never said they didn’t.”
“You implied that with an article about women’s problems!”
“We know men have problems. Why don’t you write an article about some of the problems men face?”
*silence*

They never seem to grasp that the feminist articles are written by women because women are more familiar with women issues. So they’ll complain about it, but so far I have not seen any of them show up with a post about male-related problems.
They think it’s only fair that we should talk about everyone’s problems, not just our own. But I would never expect a gay person to include discussions about the problems of straight people or a black person to bring up the problems of white people.
Kari Lynn

Right, because sooooo many women want to go to men’s associations and gentlemen’s clubs.
Patterrssonn

Maybe because it indicates a fucked up creepy old bigot attitude towards women’s sexuality?
N.

No, what I meant was feminists seething at the ~sheer audacity~ of men deciding they need a space for themselves, and trying to interrupt such endeavors. How dare they. After all, their safe space is ~everwheeere else~

*rolls eyes*
canaduck

That’s exactly the issue, though. Men DO have safe spaces everywhere. Your experiences are considered the default, while women are “othered”. As a member of the “default” class, it’s probably difficult to imagine yourself in situations like those that women face every day. Perhaps look into reading about unpacking the privilege knapsack?

(That said, I have never heard of a feminist complaining about men’s only spaces, so I’m not even sure what you’re talking about. Sounds a bit like straw-feminism to me. Those mean ol’ hairy man-haters!)
canaduck

Sigh, like Kari Lynn, I have never met a “man-hating” feminist, with the possible exception of few scattered fringe people who have zero power and no impact on feminism or women as a whole. It’s funny how women working to be treated the same as men have been demonized into man-haters, isn’t it? Certainly makes it easier to dismiss their concerns that way.
canaduck

The word “misandry” is absurd (and NEW), as it implies that there’s some long-waged battle of the sexes in which men hate women and vice versa.

There may be a few women who hate men, but they have no power and no history of systemic and continued oppression to back them up, so who cares? The majority of feminists recognize that men are human beings just like women, not some nasty monolith.