I’ve chosen trailblazers in literature, music, painting, political activism and medicine. Many communities lost their own notable...
White Privilege: Me?
Like the vast majority of white Americans I’ve been numb to my white privilege for most of my life. As a progressive thinker and activist, I never thought of myself as racist—that is until the Black Lives Matter Movement challenged whites to examine their privilege, publishing article after article highlighting our bubble. It’s impossible [...]
Pat Taub
Lisa & Janet: Advice from Seasoned Activists
As concerned Americans take on Trump’s regressive policies, there’s a new urgency afoot. We can’t afford to waste time on ill-fated resistance. A good way to sharpen our activist tools is to pay attention to what seasoned activists can teach us. In this post, two of my favorite activists, Lisa Savage and Janet Weil, both in their [...]
Pat Taub
“Make Me Look 20 Years Younger”
Recently a professional photographer told me, “Every time I photograph an older woman she says, “Make me look 20 years younger.” I incredulously responded, “Every time?” “Without fail,” was his affirmative answer. What a sorry state for women! How can we ever enjoy old age if we hate the faces that accompany it? Our [...]
Pat Taub
Why Women Need to Stop Apologizing
What? Stop apologizing! You might be thinking, “Apologies are my way of showing respect lest I appear insensitive or rude.” I’m not suggesting that there isn’t a place for apologies in our lives, but most women apologize ad nauseum, which puts them at a disadvantage. When we constantly say, “I’m sorry” for a perceived upset in [...]
Pat Taub
Spring-Cleaning for the Soul
Spring is typically the time when we tidy up our living spaces, but what if we applied this same thinking to our interior lives? What if we engaged in spring-cleaning for the soul? What would that look like? It might involve reworking the formula in Marie Kondo’s bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, where you think soulfully [...]
Pat Taub
Angela Davis: Woman Warrior Extraordinaire!
Which living American has done the most to articulate theories of social change and to walk the talk? For me, the answer is hands down, Angela Davis. Like Noam Chomsky, another leading public intellectual, Davis is largely ignored by the mainstream press–a fact easily explained by her brilliant critiques of neoliberalism and its vast [...]
Pat Taub
Under the Spell of Cuba
A recent trip to Cuba on a National Geographic “people to people” tour left me with admiration for a small country that has overcome staggering obstacles. Cuba deserves to be considered a profile in courage for surviving the 50 year old US trade embargo; near economic collapse in 1992 when Russia, Cuba’s main trading partner, abruptly [...]
Pat Taub
Call for a Global Women’s Peace Army!
With Trump pushing us closer to extinction daily, I’m convinced that we need an army of women to save the planet. International Women’s Day is the perfect time to mount a global women’s charge. While there are male leaders protesting Trump’s cruel policies and Dr. Strangelove fantasies, they don’t always go far enough. We need massive [...]
Pat Taub
Winter Reads that Wow!
My favorite part of winter in New England is the forced hibernation because it offers the perfect excuse to lose myself in a good book while snuggled into an oversized sweater, flannel sweats and slipper moccasins. This winter the escape into reading has taken on new meaning— I think you know why. I loved Zade Smith’s Swing Time. I’ve [...]
Pat Taub
Be An Older Woman Warrior
Who’s the older woman warrior? She’s the woman who, into her old age, continues to carry the torch for change because she sees this as central to aging meaningfully. She cares deeply about the world her children and grandchildren will inherit. She takes a stand for what she believes in. She’s not afraid to be controversial. She figures [...]
Pat Taub