Dear Feminist.com Supporter,

In many ways 2008 was the year of the woman. Hillary Rodham Clinton ran an extraordinary and historic campaign for presidency and is now poised to become the third female secretary of state in U.S. history. This year also opened the door to a record number of female lawmakers serving in Congress and as state legislatures across the country. We also saw a triumph of feminist ideals with the election of Barack Obama, who has pledged to take a path of unity and cooperation rather than aggression and division as our next president. We have much to celebrate, and change is coming—but there is still much work to be done.

While we all are feeling the financial burn of the recession, the worldwide economic crisis poses a great threat to the health and well being of women less fortunate than us. Women account for 60% of the world’s 550 million working poor and continue the fight to overcome not only abject poverty, but also discrimination and violence on a daily basis.

Last month, in the Afghan city of Khandahar, two unidentified men on motorcycles sprayed acid in the faces of a group of teenage girls walking to school. Amazingly, Shamsia, the seventeen-year-old girl who was most seriously injured, said that she is determined to get an education, despite fears of repeated actions. This young woman embodies Feminist.com’s vision of empowerment that stems from being educated, informed, and engaged in social change.

I am writing to ask that you make a personal gift of $50, $200, $500 or more to Feminist.com so that we can continue our work advancing women’s rights.

Since 1995, Feminist.com has been one of the leading Internet sites dedicated to improving the status of women and girls across the globe. Isolated by geography and/or culture, many women and girls around the world have limited access to information on critical issues affecting their lives, including how to improve their social, economic, and political status. Our website is a free and easily accessible clearinghouse of articles, information and resources that expand civic participation around women’s equality, justice, wellness, and safety. With a diverse body of women and girls creating the majority of content, Feminist.com is a valuable forum for the female voice.

While we continue to face many serious challenges as the new year approaches, the prominence of strong women (and pro-women) leaders around the world today gives us hope that we can make great strides in building a more just global community. Now is a critical time to invest in women and Feminist.com. Join us in advancing women’s rights and donate today.

Change is at our fingertips—we just have to keep working for it!

Marianne Schnall
Executive Director
Feminist.com

P.S. Your gift of $50, $200, $500 or more will help Feminist.com transform the lives of women across the globe!

Feminist.com is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your donations are fully tax deductible.