GEN's Voice

Issue 4

October 2001

With the rest of the nation, GENaustin was shocked and saddened by the attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C., on September 11. Our thoughts and our hearts are with everyone who is struggling with grief, anger and uncertainty in the wake of this crisis. One issue that's sometimes on our minds regarding adolescent girls is the search for "heroes" in a culture filled with celebrities and entertainers but few true role models. Among the positive outcomes of the recent tragedies is the visible presence of real, human heroes-firefighters, police officers, medical professionals, political leaders and ordinary men and women who volunteered to help their fellow citizens, often risking their lives. We thank all these people for helping to restore normalcy to our lives and for reminding us what real heroism looks like. If you are concerned about how to discuss the recent events with your child, please visit the "Ask the Expert" section of our website at www.genaustin.org. From our website's home page you also can link to additional resources that may be of assistance in dealing with the events of the past weeks.

GENaustin is proud to announce the formation of our Honorary Board, a group of recognized men and women who have contributed their time and talents to making a difference in the lives of girls. We want to introduce you to our Honorary Board members in the next few editions of our newsletter. This month we'll start with Mary Pipher and Jean Kilbourne, two women whose efforts to change the world for girls have made national news for quite some time. Both Dr. Pipher and Dr. Kilbourne have spoken at GENaustin's Main Events and fundraisers in the past.

Mary Pipher, Ph.D., needs very little introduction. Most of us know her as the author of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, which spent nearly three years at the top of the New York Times best-seller list and is credited with helping launch a national focus on the emotional health of adolescent girls. But Dr. Pipher, a psychologist trained in anthropology, has also written In the Shelter of Each Other, about American families, and Another Country>, which focuses on the elderly. She travels the world speaking and lecturing about how culture affects the mental health of those who live in it, particularly women. Dr. Pipher has appeared twice in Austin on behalf of GENaustin, including last spring at an intimate reception at the home of Honorary Board members Ben and Melanie Barnes. She is an ardent supporter of GENaustin, whose former name, Ophelia, was inspired by her book.

Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., is internationally recognized for her pioneering work on alcohol and tobacco advertising and images of women in advertising. In 1999 she was the Main Event speaker for GENaustin (then called Ophelia). A widely published writer and speaker who has twice been named Lecturer of the Year by the National Association of Campus Activities, she is best known for her award-winning documentaries "Killing Us Softly," "Slim Hopes" and "Pack of Lies." She is a visiting scholar at Wellesley College, has served on the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and has been an adviser to two surgeon generals. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts, but is coming to Austin in November! Don't miss the chance to hear Dr. Kilbourne speak at the Texas Conference for Women, which will be held at the Austin Convention Center on November 13. Details are included in the article below.

Join GENaustin in giving Dr. Pipher, Dr. Kilbourne and all of our Honorary Board members a warm welcome and saluting them for their work to make life better for girls. We'll tell you about a few more board members next month.

Girls and young women, want to learn how to talk to your mom in a constructive way? Moms, looking for a fun and enlightening way to spend time with your daughter? There's still time to sign up for the second annual mother-daughter retreat, "Mothers & Daughters: Growing the Bond," which will be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, October 13. Mothers and daughters have a unique lifelong bond, and the quality of their adult relationship often starts to be defined in adolescence. How can mothers support their daughters as they seek greater independence, yet keep them safe? What strategies will help daughters earn trust, gain confidence and enjoy the privileges that come with greater maturity? What do both sides need to know, understand and accept about the other to keep the relationship healthy and communication strong?

The retreat will help you begin to answer these questions, while encouraging you to have fun with games and other activities that focus on exploring moms' and daughters' personality types and style in solving conflicts. You'll get to practice communication skills with actual "problems" to be solved. The retreat is facilitated by four experienced counselors and is designed for girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades and their moms. It will take place at Gunn Hall on the campus of St. Stephen's School, and registration begins at 8:30 a.m. To enroll, please RSVP to GENaustin at 851-8100 by Oct. 11. The cost is $60 per couple, inclusive of lunch and snacks. Some scholarships are available.

Our October events include several programs designed to help parents model healthy behaviors and foster them in their daughters. Of course we also offer programs geared primarily for girls, such as the perennial favorite "Smart Women/Smart Choices," about the kinds of decisions that successful women made when they were young teens. All the programs are free and open to the public. Please note that "Between Mother and Daughter," which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 17, has been moved to Tuesday, Oct. 23.

"2 Cool 2B 4 Sale: Teens and Advertising" by Robyn Ross, journalist. Teenagers are one of the consumer groups most targeted by advertisers because of their enormous spending power, and many ad campaigns pander to teens' insecurities and psychological needs to sell products. Learn how to deconstruct the messages in the ads you see every day. For girls and parents. Monday, Oct. 1, 7-8:30 p.m., Hill Country Middle School cafeteria. 1300 Walsh Tarlton (south of Bee Cave Road at Walsh Tarlton).

"Girl-to-Girl: The Scoop on Gossip, Cliques and Quarreling with Friends" by Carolyn Brooks and Cindy Austin, counselors. Young teen girls may express their aggression through hurtful words, gossip and other forms of relational violence that can damage girls emotionally. This presentation will include a panel of high school girls who talk about successful strategies for dealing with aggression in the middle-school years. For girls and parents. Wednesday, Oct. 3, 6:30-8 p.m., Canyon Vista Middle School lecture hall. 8455 Spicewood Springs Road (near the intersection of 183/Research and the more northerly Spicewood Springs Road-not the one that intersects with Mopac).

"Everything Your Daughter (Already) Knows about Sex and What It Means for Her Sexual Health" by Ellen Sanchez, M.Ed, Certified Sexuality Educator and SafePlace program coordinator. The talk will focus on sexual realities of today's teen culture and what works to keep parent-daughter communication open about sexual issues. This includes discussion of how parents and teachers can help young girls develop a critical eye to what is presented to them in popular culture and move into womanhood with strength and a vision of sexual health. Adults only. Thursday, Oct. 4, 6:30-8 p.m., Lamar Middle School library. 6201 Wynona (the northwest corner of Burnet Road and Koenig Lane/2222).

"Caring for Your 'Inner Athlete': An All-American's Perspective" by Amy Goodwin, LPC, an All-American athlete in track and field in both high school and college. Caring for your 'inner athlete' is just as important as keeping your body in shape. How girls handle performance anxiety, parental pressure and overall stress affects their ability to succeed. For girls and parents. Monday, Oct. 8, 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m., St. Stephen's School (call 327-1213 for location). 2900 Bunny Run (Take Westlake Drive west from 360, and take a left on Bunny Run).

"See Jane Win" by Suzi McCoy, LPC. Based on the best-selling book, this presentation focuses on the kinds of parenting, home life, experiences and opportunities today's successful women had in common as girls. Practical, proven and no-nonsense ideas for building success in your daughter one day at a time. Primarily for parents. Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6:30-8 p.m., Chisholm Trail Middle School library. 500 Oak Ridge Dr. (One mile west of I-35 and Hwy. 620 at Deepwood).

"Smart Women/Smart Choices," facilitated by Anita Mennucci, GENaustin executive director. What kinds of choices did young women make as teenagers that have resulted in their successful lives as women, wives and mothers? Join young professional women from a variety of backgrounds for a lively discussion of the smart choices in their lives that have resulted in good jobs, healthy relationships and exciting opportunities for their futures. For girls and parents. Wednesday, Oct. 10, 7-8:30 p.m., Murchison Middle School (check board at the door for exact location). 3700 North Hills (one block south of Far West and Hart Lane).

"Be All You Can Be" by Travis County Sheriff Margo Frasier. From working her way through college, to practicing law, to becoming the first woman elected sheriff of Travis County, Sheriff Frasier uses humor to tell her personal story of beating the odds and rising to success in a male-dominated profession. For girls and parents. Friday, Oct. 12, noon-1:30 p.m., Paredes Middle School (check in at office). 10100 S. Mary Moore Searight Dr. (south of Slaughter near Manchaca).

"Reviving Ophelia: Supporting your Daughter's Healthy Sense of Self" by Leslie Kerr, LMSW, adolescent therapist. Girls are bombarded by messages telling them that attractiveness, sex appeal and popularity are their most important qualities. This often leads to a steep decline in self-esteem in the middle-school years. Parents will learn what they can do to support their daughter's inner selves and what girls can do to resist unhealthy messages. Monday, Oct. 22, noon-1:30 p.m., Small Middle School (check in at office). 4801 Monterey Oaks Blvd. (off 290 in Oak Hill).

*DATE CHANGE*: "Between Mother and Daughter" by Judy Reyes, local therapist and mother. Mothers and daughters must work especially hard during the teen years to keep their relationship strong. Join other mothers and daughters to review some do's and don'ts and share suggestions for one of life's greatest relationships. For mothers and daughters. Tuesday, Oct. 23, noon-1 p.m., Mendez Middle School library. 5106 Village Square (south of the intersection of Stassney and South Pleasant Valley). Please note that this date has been changed from Wednesday, Oct. 17.

"The Roller Coaster Ride of Middle School Days: Helping Your Child Deal with Stress and Success" by Kay Sockol, M.Ed. and Deerpark Middle School counselor. School, homework, friends, hormones, dances, sports, parents, drugs, popularity, thinness. Yikes! How much pressure can young teens withstand before it begins to affect their grades, their relationships and their futures? Learn to help your child identify stressors, techniques for "de-stressing" their lives, and even how to teach them to use stress to their advantage. For girls and parents. Wednesday, Oct. 24, noon-1 p.m., 3M Wellness Center. 6801 Riverplace Blvd., Bldg. 144-IN-04 (near 2222 and 620). Non-3M employees should RSVP to 984-5990.

"Girl Power: How to Get In to the College of Your Choice" by Debra Craig, director of secondary school services for the College Board. College is a possibility for every girl. To help you make the most of your choices, Ms. Craig will demystify high-school courses, extracurricular participation, college entrance tests, scholarships and financial aid. For girls and parents. Wednesday, Oct. 24, 7-8:30 p.m., Murchison Middle School (check board at the door for exact location). 3700 North Hills (one block south of Far West and Hart Lane).

"Peer Sexual Harassment: What It Is, What to Do" by Bonnie Pierson and Carolyn Brooks, middle school counselors. What does sexual harassment look like, sound like and feel like? How can it emotionally and academically damage teens? Ms. Pierson and Ms. Brooks will provide practical, proven steps that schools and parents can take to change the culture of school hallways that often promotes and reinforces harassment. For students and parents. Boys, who are often the target of sexual harassment, as well as girls are encouraged to attend. Thursday, Oct. 25, 3:30-5 p.m., Fulmore Middle School (check in at office). 201 Mary Street (at South Congress).

"Single Parenting Your Daughter" by Luniece Obst, M.Ed., LPC, and mother who single parented her own teens. Raising a daughter during her adolescent years can be a challenging experience, particularly for single parents. The discussion will focus on how teens' struggle to become individuals may be acted out in stressful ways, and how parents need to acknowledge this struggle and learn to take care of themselves in the process. Primarily for parents. Tuesday, Oct. 30, 6:30-8 p.m., Fulmore Middle School (check office for exact location). 201 Mary Street (at South Congress).

Mark your calendars for the second annual Texas Conference for Women, which will be held November 13 at the Austin Convention Center. This all-day event offers chances to hear a diverse group of extraordinarily accomplished women discuss leadership, communication, technology and balanced living. This year the conference also offers a young women's track-moms are encouraged to bring their daughters to learn about topics of particular interest to them. The lineup of keynote speakers is staggering: former Governor Ann Richards (one of GENaustin's Honorary Board Members, we're proud to say); Geraldine Laybourne, founder and CEO of Oxygen Media; Mae Jemison, M.D., the first African-American woman to go into space; and Nely Galan, a media executive who works to bridge the gap between Latin cultures and the mainstream American media. GENaustin is a supporting organization for the conference, so look for our table while you're there.

As if these phenomenal guests weren't enough, several other women with GENaustin ties will give presentations at the conference, too. Honorary Board member Jean Kilbourne, author of several books about advertising, will be there; so will Sylvia Rimm, the author of See Jane Win, a book used in several Speaker Series presentations. And don't miss the chance to hear Aliza Sherman, author of Cybergrrl: A Woman's Guide to the World Wide Web, Cybergrrl@Work: Tips and Inspiration for the Professional You, and PowerTools for Women in Business: 10 Ways to Succeed in Life and Work, speak at the conference. Sherman is also presenting a special GENaustin event at the 3M Wellness Center on Thursday, November 15 about the empowering ways that women and girls can use the internet. Time to be announced!

Interested? Registration forms will be available at upcoming GENaustin Speaker Series events. You may also contact the conference planners at 451-9867 or . The registration deadline is October 12.

This site was last updated on 1/04/2005.

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