Stories related to: women

Barack Obama's campaign has been getting more women on board at high levels, Politico reports. Female activists welcome the new hires, while campaign insiders say the "boy's club" image that dogged Obama's campaign during the primaries was never correct. Among the biggest names are Patti Solis Doyle, former campaign manager for Hillary Clinton, and Stephanie Cutter, who worked with John Kerry. More »

Finally , Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston will have their day to duke it out—in theaters, that is. Brad Pitt's current partner and ex-wife will go head-to-head on Oct. 24, when both have a movie coming out: Jolie in Clint Eastwood's missing-child drama Changeling and Aniston in the romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You . More »

More and more smartphones are going into female hands and pocketbooks, the New York Times reports, as women catch up with their male counterparts in adopting not only iPhones but BlackBerrys, Treos, and other models. The number of American women toting smartphones more than doubled last year, to 10.4 million, as phones became cheaper, sleeker, and more user-friendly. Industries notice that kind of growth, and have begun marketing to women. More »

The studios were wowed by the huge turnout for Sex and the City , and a slew of sisterly imitations could follow, Variety reports. Movie executives have been leery of chick flicks in the past, and they still hold doubts about projects with slim crossover potential. But with four other femme-centered pics in last week's top 10, Hollywood's glass ceiling could be closer to shattering. More »

The inner circle of advisers to John McCain is small, loyal—and almost completely male. But one woman has gained the candidate's respect and become a key surrogate for him in the media: Carly Fiorina, the ousted CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Each has something to gain—Fiorina is helping McCain with women voters, while the campaign is helping to rehabilitate her reputation, reports the New York Times . More »

Following Cindy McCain's lead, Michelle Obama will co-host The View on June 18, the AP reports. ABC’s mid-morning gabfest asked the wife of the presumptive Democratic nominee to be a guest, but she said she’d rather jump into the often-lively chat and guest interviews, as McCain did in April. More »

Facing fewer applicants than comparable co-ed institutions around the US, representatives of top women’s colleges toured the Middle East this spring on a recruiting mission, the New York Times reports. While women’s colleges have become a niche market for US applicants, single-sex education remains widespread in the Middle East. But attending one of them can be a shock to students expecting protected environments, honoring traditional women's roles. More »

Dutch scientists have sequenced the a female human genome, reports the AP. The first human genome was sequenced in 2001; since then, scientists have mapped four male individuals' DNA. "It was time, after sequencing four males, to balance the genders a bit," says the lead researcher. More »

When her husband got steamy text message from a drunk female colleague, Janine di Giovanni had had enough: "Go back to the male booty call, I say." Marshaling evidence from a big French study and anecdotes from friends, Giovanni writes in Australia's News Network that too many women have become the initiators of bedroom conquests—regardless of whether the man is married. More »

Saudi businesswomen are embracing a hotel for women-only that frees them of the pressures from a society in which they can't drive and, until January, couldn't check into a hotel without permission from a male guardian. But others are concerned the Luthan Hotel & Spa simply reinforces the kingdom's gender segregation. The Christian Science Monitor profiles the hotel and the controversy. More »

Hillary Clinton will almost certainly not be the Democratic nominee for president, and the end of her campaign is a relief for Marie Cocco in the Washington Post —but not for political reasons. The end of the Democratic primary, she writes, will also put to rest the sexist rhetoric of Clinton's opponents and the media, who have called her a "she-devil," "whore," and worse. More »

Shutterbugs have long altered pics, but now critics are cringing over the effects of airbrushing on young girls. French lawmakers have even approved a law against inciting "excessive thinness." But would such a move work in America? Maybe not, "but there are a whole lot of impressionable young kids" who are tortured by images of slimmed-down and retouched women, Jessica Bennett writes in Newsweek . More »

Barflies take note: A woman's voice is sexiest when she's most fertile, a new study says. Scientists recorded women counting from 1 to 10 and found that their voices were rated most attractive when they were closest to ovulation, the BBC reports. What gives? Researchers aren't sure, but they speculate that hormones may affect the voice box. More »

Women in Saudi Arabia need to gain a male guardian’s consent to do almost anything, living as “perpetual minors,” the Telegraph reports. Research by Human Rights Watch found that male permission is needed to go to a doctor, travel, and even get dressed. In addition, strict segregation denies women access to public libraries and educational institutions. More »

So much for machismo. Re-elected Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced a new government this weekend, with a surprise twist: His new cabinet boasts more women than men. The eight men and nine ministras include a pregnant woman who will head the army as defense minister, the Independent reports. More »

OK, she’s clearly ticked—but what set her off this time? Lisa Jones lets Men’s Health in on 8 things guys shouldn't do. Read up, she says, and "you'll be able to stop repelling the women you want to meet—or aggravating the one you have." Nail clippings on the nightstand are a no-no. Observe basic hygiene. Avoid vague talk of the future—is she in it or not? Don't text before the first date. Have the guts to call. More »

A made-for-women vodka touted as the perfect salad accompaniment has sobered Russian doctors, who fear high-end spirits like "Ladies" will only worsen already-high rates of alcoholism, Reuters reports. Estimates peg 10 percent of Russia's 142 million citizens as alcoholics, and the chief of one rehab center says 60% of his clients are women. More »

Activists have posted a video online to protest the Saudi ban on women drivers, the BBC reports. Made to honor International Women’s Day, the 3-minute clip on YouTube follows protester Wajeha Huwaider as she turns onto a forbidden highway and discusses the legality of the ban. “Many women in this society are able to drive cars,” Huwaider says as she drives. More »

Female community leaders from 45 nations—many of them embroiled in conflicts—are meeting at a unique week-long peace conference in India called "Making Way for the Feminine." The participants represent a religiously diverse group seeking ways for women to play a more prominent role in resolving conflicts and establishing peace, reports the Christian Science Monitor. More »

Wedding dress? $1,500. Ceremony? $30,000. Rapid weight loss, whitened teeth, artificial tan, laser surgery and a shot of Botox? Apparently, priceless—but they may come at a health cost as brides-to-be try to look picture-perfect with "red carpet-worthy good looks" on their wedding day. Such extremes can launch a life-time of unhealthy habits, writes Sarah Elkins in Newsweek. More »