Excerpt from Book
Introduction What Is This Book? That Takes Ovaries! is a collection of women’s and girls’ real-life stories written in their own words. From courageous and smart to outrageous and foolhardy, these accounts capture the breadth of gutsy acts. It is a collection that embraces diversity with the voices of everyday females of many ages and cultural backgrounds, and also includes stories from a few better-known individuals and activists. This book contains more than sixty first-person narratives representing a wide variety of audacious deeds. It includes accounts of women and girls standing up to a gun-toting gangbanger in a fast-food joint, skysurfing out of airplanes, organizing a hundred high-school girls to take on the boys who harass them, jumping off a moving train to see the Alps, defying abuse in prison, diving into the middle of an ice hockey fight, staging a Lesbian Avengers action inside a conservative think tank, earning a living as a sex writer, making a would-be burglar cry, and telling President Clinton what to do--and having him do it! The stories tell how a fourteen-year-old led a revolt in her synagogue, a poor woman rose out of destitution and prostitution, a passerby confronted a crowd of catcalling men, a public health educator founded the country’s first women-oriented sex-toy store, a peacemaker met with guerilla leaders in a war zone, a girl was the first to wear pants to elementary school in the 1960s, a reporter started a mass movement against brutality toward women in the Middle East, a Catholic schoolteacher snuck in to see the Pope . . . and dozens of other sassy, spirited acts. That Takes Ovaries! places all its stories, from the seemingly frivolous to the obviously political, under the single umbrella of a larger philosophy: freedom and empowerment. What’s the link between the woman who boldly fights for social justice and the one who boldly has fun? Both are acting powerfully, because each is rejecting preconceived notions of how females “should” behave. Each storyteller is irreverently saying, “No way I’m accepting limits placed on me!” How Did This Book Come About? I had a party one night. The guests were more acquaintances than good friends. During the evening a man told a story about a woman who had done a totally brazen thing (though now I can’t remember what). When he finished, I casually remarked, “Well, that took ovaries.” The roomful of people fell silent, and then they burst out laughing, exclaiming “Great phrase!” I was surprised. I’d used the saying often enough in the past, around my buddies, and gotten back only nods, grins, or “Amen to that.” This time, using the expression with the general public, I saw its power. This phrase is great, I thought after my guests left. Not just fun and funny, it challenged the myth of the passive female--and that made it political. Even more, the phrase reflected a key sentiment behind the latest rising wave of young feminists (the Guerilla Girls, Riot Grrrl, Third Wave, and girls’ movements), that is, the attitude of playful brazenness in the push for gender equality. Besides all that, I concluded as I flossed before bed, “that takes ovaries” would make a great book title! By the time I climbed under the covers, I had decided to assemble a collection of ovarian acts where women and girls take charge, and maybe even have fun. I hoped my book-to-be could add to those already coming out that are a platform for girls’ vibrant voices and a celebration of womanly resilience. I envisioned a book that would excite women and men of all ages who want to see their sisters, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends leading empowered lives; mothers and fathers who care about their daughters growingMain Description
Having ovaries: unabashed, gutsy, feisty, playful, challenging, full of chutzpah, mettlesome, naughty, victorious, straight from the hip, full-flavored, outrageous, righteous, loving, inspiring, bold as brass, self-assured, self-confident, self-possessed, daring, heroic, wild, wanton, crazy, optimistic, unflappable, pushy, unstoppable, impressive, rebellious, kick-ass, carefree, having moxie, having heart, having no fear . . . “That takes balls” are words of praise usually reserved for a man who has done something tough, fearless, and maybe a little crazy—someone who pushes the boundaries or breaks a few rules. But when it comes to hotheaded courage, impassioned activism, quirky wisdom, or bold confrontation, women have got what it takes—and then some! That Takes Ovaries! is a lively, fun, and often touching celebration of women and girls doing their thing their way: * Kathleen, who reduced a would-be burglar to tears by lecturing him about black pride (all while standing in her underwear) * Elaine, a sky surfer who plunges from airplanes on a 30-inch surfboard * Rachel, a high school junior who organized 100 high school girls to take on the boys who harassed them * Denise, a teenage cashier who faced down an irate, gun-wielding gangbanger in an inner-city fast-food joint * Joani, a public health educator who opened the country’s first women-oriented sex-toys store * Eva, who made the dangerous, illegal journey from Central America to the United States in order to give her children a better life Now that takes ovaries!Excerpt from Book
Introduction What Is This Book? That Takes Ovaries! is a collection of women7;s and girls7; real-life stories written in their own words. From courageous and smart to outrageous and foolhardy, these accounts capture the breadth of gutsy acts. It is a collection that embraces diversity with the voices of everyday females of many ages and cultural backgrounds, and also includes stories from a few better-known individuals and activists. This book contains more than sixty first-person narratives representing a wide variety of audacious deeds. It includes accounts of women and girls standing up to a gun-toting gangbanger in a fast-food joint, skysurfing out of airplanes, organizing a hundred high-school girls to take on the boys who harass them, jumping off a moving train to see the Alps, defying abuse in prison, diving into the middle of an ice hockey fight, staging a Lesbian Avengers action inside a conservative think tank, earning a living as a sex writer, making a would-be burglar cry, and telling President Clinton what to do--and having him do it! The stories tell how a fourteen-year-old led a revolt in her synagogue, a poor woman rose out of destitution and prostitution, a passerby confronted a crowd of catcalling men, a public health educator founded the country7;s first women-oriented sex-toy store, a peacemaker met with guerilla leaders in a war zone, a girl was the first to wear pants to elementary school in the 1960s, a reporter started a mass movement against brutality toward women in the Middle East, a Catholic schoolteacher snuck in to see the Pope . . . and dozens of other sassy, spirited acts. That Takes Ovaries! places all its stories, from the seemingly frivolous to the obviously political, under the single umbrella of a larger philosophy: freedom and empowerment. What7;s the link between the woman who boldly fights for social justice and the one who boldly has fun? Both are acting powerfully, because each is rejecting preconceived notions of how females 0;should1; behave. Each storyteller is irreverently saying, 0;No way I7;m accepting limits placed on me!1; How Did This Book Come About? I had a party one night. The guests were more acquaintances than good friends. During the evening a man told a story about a woman who had done a totally brazen thing (though now I can7;t remember what). When he finished, I casually remarked, 0;Well, that took ovaries.1; The roomful of people fell silent, and then they burst out laughing, exclaiming 0;Great phrase!1; I was surprised. I7;d used the saying often enough in the past, around my buddies, and gotten back only nods, grins, or 0;Amen to that.1; This time, using the expression with the general public, I saw its power. This phrase is great, I thought after my guests left. Not just fun and funny, it challenged the myth of the passive female--and that made it political. Even more, the phrase reflected a key sentiment behind the latest rising wave of young feminists (the Guerilla Girls, Riot Grrrl, Third Wave, and girls7; movements), that is, the attitude of playful brazenness in the push for gender equality. Besides all that, I concluded as I flossed before bed, 0;that takes ovaries1; would make a great book title! By the time I climbed under the covers, I had decided to assemble a collection of ovarian acts where women and girls take charge, and maybe even have fun. I hoped my book-to-be could add to those already coming out that are a platform for girls7; vibrant voices and a celebration of womanly resilience. I envisioned a book that would excite women and men of all ages who want to see their sisters, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends leading empowered lives; mothers and fathers who care about their daughters growingMain Description
Having ovaries: unabashed, gutsy, feisty, playful, challenging, full of chutzpah, mettlesome, naughty, victorious, straight from the hip, full-flavored, outrageous, righteous, loving, inspiring, bold as brass, self-assured, self-confident, self-possessed, daring, heroic, wild, wanton, crazy, optimistic, unflappable, pushy, unstoppable, impressive, rebellious, kick-ass, carefree, having moxie, having heart, having no fear . . . 0;That takes balls1; are words of praise usually reserved for a man who has done something tough, fearless, and maybe a little crazy-someone who pushes the boundaries or breaks a few rules. But when it comes to hotheaded courage, impassioned activism, quirky wisdom, or bold confrontation, women have got what it takes-and then some! That Takes Ovaries! is a lively, fun, and often touching celebration of women and girls doing their thing their way: * Kathleen, who reduced a would-be burglar to tears by lecturing him about black pride (all while standing in her underwear) * Elaine, a sky surfer who plunges from airplanes on a 30-inch surfboard * Rachel, a high school junior who organized 100 high school girls to take on the boys who harassed them * Denise, a teenage cashier who faced down an irate, gun-wielding gangbanger in an inner-city fast-food joint * Joani, a public health educator who opened the country7;s first women-oriented sex-toys store * Eva, who made the dangerous, illegal journey from Central America to the United States in order to give her children a better life Now that takes ovaries!Excerpt from Book
Introduction What Is This Book? That Takes Ovaries! is a collection of women's and girls' real-life stories written in their own words. From courageous and smart to outrageous and foolhardy, these accounts capture the breadth of gutsy acts. It is a collection that embraces diversity with the voices of everyday females of many ages and cultural backgrounds, and also includes stories from a few better-known individuals and activists. This book contains more than sixty first-person narratives representing a wide variety of audacious deeds. It includes accounts of women and girls standing up to a gun-toting gangbanger in a fast-food joint, skysurfing out of airplanes, organizing a hundred high-school girls to take on the boys who harass them, jumping off a moving train to see the Alps, defying abuse in prison, diving into the middle of an ice hockey fight, staging a Lesbian Avengers action inside a conservative think tank, earning a living as a sex writer, making a would-be burglar cry, and telling President Clinton what to do--and having him do it! The stories tell how a fourteen-year-old led a revolt in her synagogue, a poor woman rose out of destitution and prostitution, a passerby confronted a crowd of catcalling men, a public health educator founded the country's first women-oriented sex-toy store, a peacemaker met with guerilla leaders in a war zone, a girl was the first to wear pants to elementary school in the 1960s, a reporter started a mass movement against brutality toward women in the Middle East, a Catholic schoolteacher snuck in to see the Pope . . . and dozens of other sassy, spirited acts. That Takes Ovaries! places all its stories, from the seemingly frivolous to the obviously political, under the single umbrella of a larger philosophy: freedom and empowerment. What's the link between the woman who boldly fights for social justice and the one who boldly has fun? Both are acting powerfully, because each is rejecting preconceived notions of how females "should" behave. Each storyteller is irreverently saying, "No way I'm accepting limits placed on me!" How Did This Book Come About? I had a party one night. The guests were more acquaintances than good friends. During the evening a man told a story about a woman who had done a totally brazen thing (though now I can't remember what). When he finished, I casually remarked, "Well, that took ovaries." The roomful of people fell silent, and then they burst out laughing, exclaiming "Great phrase!" I was surprised. I'd used the saying often enough in the past, around my buddies, and gotten back only nods, grins, or "Amen to that." This time, using the expression with the general public, I saw its power. This phrase is great, I thought after my guests left. Not just fun and funny, it challenged the myth of the passive female--and that made it political. Even more, the phrase reflected a key sentiment behind the latest rising wave of young feminists (the Guerilla Girls, Riot Grrrl, Third Wave, and girls' movements), that is, the attitude of playful brazenness in the push for gender equality. Besides all that, I concluded as I flossed before bed, "that takes ovaries" would make a great book title! By the time I climbed under the covers, I had decided to assemble a collection of ovarian acts where women and girls take charge, and maybe even have fun. I hoped my book-to-be could add to those already coming out that are a platform for girls' vibrant voices and a celebration of womanly resilience. I envisioned a book that would excite women and men of all ages who want to see their sisters, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and friends leading empowered lives; mothers and fathers who care about their daughters growing