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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, take a moment to watch the below video from Voice's own Kelly Corrigan. Grab a tissue and make sure to wait for the last frame in black.

The wage gap five decades later

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Valerie Jarrett, Presidential adviser and chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, penned a fascinating article on the gender gap in working wages. In 1963, women earned fifty-nine cents for every dollar made by a man; today, that gap has only been narrowed by eighteen cents. And women are routinely paid less than men even when they have similar levels of experience and education. Making the strong point that the nation's economy is adversely affected by this disparity, Jarrett's piece is thought-provoking. With so many women leading single-parent families, this gap needs to be narrowed, and soon.

Australia now has one. When will the U.S.?

A female leader, that is. Julia Gillard has been named prime minister of Australia, winning election in June but this week being formally named as the result of a coalition agreement among political parties in Australia's parliament. As Time points out, Gillard joins a growing list of female world leaders. But how long might it be until the President of the United States is a woman?

Take a minute to appreciate the 19th Amendment

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." This is the wording from the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, that upon ratification 90 years ago, granted women the right to vote. Think about it: How would the world be different if this amendment never happened?

Arresting. Thought-provoking. Inspiring.

The three above terms are what immediately came to mind when I first saw the cover of this week's Time. Pictured is Aisha, an 18-year-old Afghan woman who was sentenced by a Taliban commander to have her nose and ears cut off for fleeing her abusive in-laws. Her story will certainly make you think, and might even make you cry. But in the Middle East today, women's rights have never been in more peril, and it's vital that stories like Aisha's be told to as many who are willing to hear them.

Attention: Anyone with a BFF...

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You must read Cathie Beck's Cheap Cabernet immediately! None other than Iris Rainer Dart—the author of the bestselling and beloved Beaches—says that Cheap Cabernet "will remind every woman to call her best friend right away to tell her how important their relationship is, and how she couldn’t survive without it." Now that's an endorsement!

Do you have the look?

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I don't think I can underestimate how often the average woman asks herself, "What should I wear?" Nor am I able to overstate how many times that question has an undercurrent of downright panic. But thankfully, fashion maven Nina Garcia (fashion director of Marie Claire and star judge on Lifetime's smash series Project Runway has come to the rescue with her new book.

The plight of female U.S. veterans

Time, in its July 12 issue, brought to light a long-simmering issue for women who have served in the U.S. military and who need to take advantage of the veterans' medical and hospital system: the problem is this system, designed to serve men, hasn't changed much since almost World War I; the VA didn't begin providing medical or mental-health services to women until 1988. There are efforts being made to bring the VA into the 21st century, as far as women's health is concerned, but more needs to be done. Our veterans all deserve the best care they can receive, no matter what their gender.

The One Amazing Thing Story Contest!

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What is one amazing thing that's happened to you? We want to hear! Voice has joined forces with More.com and Barnes & Noble to launch the One Amazing Thing Story Contest, inspired by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel. Entrants who contribute their 700-word true story have a chance to have their story published as part of the Barnes & Noble "More in Store" program. Click here to learn more!

Elena Kagan front and center

This week, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan appears in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee for the start of her confirmation hearings. While at times a spectacle of bloviation, these hearings are part of an interesting process that's worth following; in the end, it could mean that the Supreme Court will finally meet the 30%-women mark.

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