My first (and best) move of the weekend was introducing myself on the Meetup and going to the pre-hackathon networking event. This allowed me to get my idea out there so people would have a reason to come up to me, and indeed they did. All in all, I met my entire team, including my technical co-founder, either at the pre-event or through the Meetup. We were off to a great start.

Once at the event, woah Nelly, it was a madhouse. I have two kids under four, but even the yelling and screaming at my house does not compare to the chaos, the wide-open space, and, oh yes, the music at the hackathon. (This would continue for the next 30 HOURS.) I felt out of my element. This was kicked off by the two dudes who sauntered up to my co-founder and me with a, “hey, girls, whatcha workin’ on?” our first morning. Oy. But we soldiered on.

Then: I sat. In the same chair. For two days. Honestly, this was the hardest part about the whole thing. I don’t know how developers do it – by the end of the weekend, my whole body felt like it had just run a marathon, instead of the EXACT OPPOSITE (see: chips and pizza). But, while trying to walk off my pain, I met a person who volunteered to do some design work for us. Score!

The sitting also takes a toll on the brain. Hackathons are air-and-light deprived environments, where time and space are continually closing in. I can’t overstate the effect that having a great team had on my psyche. We laughed together over YouTube videos during breaks (that Taylor Swift goat-remix is extra funny at 3am!), made fun of each others’ cuisine (cheese-only Papa John’s is not a health-conscious decision), played with babies (my co-founder was nursing – how’s THAT for a rockstar performance?), and generally had a great time.

“Out of 80 teams, we were one of 10 sent forward to the finals… Did we dare to dream of the win?”

Skipping the gory details (some of what happens at hackathon stays at hackathon), suddenly it was Sunday morning and the pressure was on . . . me. The techies had done all they could to produce a great hack in 24 hours, but without the pitch we’d never win. Once the adrenaline was pumping, I was psyched, despite my three hours of fitful couch-sleep. Power Pose! The first pitch was before two judges. The most recent email we had gotten said we had three minutes for pitching and five minutes total (including Q&A). But just outside the room we found out that it was in fact two minutes of pitch and 30 seconds of Q&A, so okgoaheadhavefun! We rushed it a bit, and didn’t say everything we wanted to, but by putting the most important info in the front (outline the pain, describe the value, describe the product), we made it through. Out of 80 teams, we were one of 10 sent forward to the finals, and we had some enthusiastic judges on our side. Did we dare to dream of the win?

The final pitch (3 minute pitch, 2 minutes Q&A) in front of all 500 attendees went great, in my opinion; we got out our whole presentation, had a really smooth demo, a nice-looking slide deck, and – thanks to my awesome co-founder – a cute .gif at the end showing our team dancing around (we’re talented and fun!). I flubbed the final Q&A by: 1) not having a more detailed answer about security, and 2) being vague about our distribution plans. I know the exact thing to say to each of these questions now, but the moment got away from me.

They called our name: we were in the top two for the win . . . and we lost. But we won. And here’s why. First, the grand prize was entrance to the accelerator, which would have been 10 weeks of mentorship, but no money on the line. 10 weeks of my life is a long time in startup-land, and with a percentage of my company on the line, that’s a big decision to make while delirious from lack of sleep. So the goal looked less awesome in the light of (Sun)day. But the things I needed to get there – big players who believe in our product, a great team, and the confidence to go forward – remain, and were worth every slice of cold pizza.

About the author

Anne is a lawyer by training but an entrepreneur at heart. In January 2013, after making yet another list of New Year’s resolutions about businesses she wanted to start, she decided to finally make it happen. She quit her job and began working on the idea that would become Kinderloop. She attended AngelHack in San Francisco on March 4-5, 2013. You can follow Anne on Twitter @annedgordon.

About AngelHack

AngelHack organizes hackathon competitions for web developers and entrepreneurs, where they can learn developer tools, meet new friends, and receive funding and mentorship for their startup ideas. In 2013, AngelHack will organize 100 hackathons, bringing together 15,000+ developers in 50+ cities.

The post Tech Tuesday: How To Win A Hackathon, Even If You Don’t appeared first on Women You Should Know.

After a visit to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center a couple of years ago to witness the final launch of the shuttle Endeavor, Abby met Italian Astronaut Luca Parmitano. It was after this chance meeting that Abby asked Parmitano to become her mentor as she continued on her journey to space. He agreed.

It’s this ongoing relationship and mentorship that has landed Abby in her current role as Parmitano’s “Earth Liaison” during his upcoming mission to the International Space Station, aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Abby is currently in Kazakhstan to witness the spacecraft’s launch scheduled for May 28th. Her “Soyuz Adventure” is made possible by a recent crowdfunding campaign, which raised more than $35,000.

In a recent interview Parmitano explained his commitment to this young woman, “I like passionate people. Any kind of passion. Any kind of interest in anything that keeps you inspired… I saw a lot of myself in Abby.” Parmintano has made the commitment to mentor Abby now and perhaps someday he will train her for her mission to Mars.

Through this unprecedented project, and Abby’s educational outreach program promoting space and STEM careers in schools, it is their collective hope to inspire other young people to go after their own aspirations.

Abby is also introducing a pen-pal program in which she’ll send readers personal emails about her experiences, and this August she will speak at a convention for the Mars Society about the importance of Mars exploration.

“When you’re young and you have that big of a dream, most people just ignore you. I made plans, I worked hard, and I focused on my goal. As I got older and continued to stay focused on STEM subjects, people in my life (my family, friends, teachers), began to notice, and were encouraging”, says Abby. “Now that I’m on my journey to being an astronaut, I want to use my story to inspire other young people to follow their dreams as well.”

We recently had a chance to speak with Abby about her passion, commitment, what inspires her and how she balances it all. This young WYSK is surely one to watch!

 10 Questions With Astronaut Abby

What inspired you to want to be an astronaut?

AA: Space has always interested me, ever since I was a little kid. There’s a certain mystery to space, a curiosity that has always enraptured me. Space truly is the ‘final frontier’, the one place that holds endless mysteries and answers. There’s so much out there to learn and we have the power to explore. I have always hoped to become an astronaut and get closer to the stars.

When did you know this was your dream?

AA: I’m not exactly sure when I started saying I wanted to be an astronaut, but it was just something that had always been at the back of my mind ever since I can remember. I started to be fascinated with space around age 5 and by about age 7 I firmly knew I wanted to be an astronaut. This was about the time I became interested in science fiction books, which I think had a large impact on the development of my dreams to be an astronaut. My dad was really into science fiction, and as I read books and watched movies which involved space travel and ‘astronavigators’ I started to dream and soon that dream became my passion.

What are you doing to make this happen for yourself?

AA: In pursuing my dreams I am working hard in school, exploring extracurricular science and space activities, and conducting educational outreach programs. Working hard in school is obviously important: the path to being an astronaut is laced with further education in the sciences, and only the best of the best make it.

Exploring science and space activities has involved exploring the online space community, attending space camp and launches, and participating in science programs. The last part, creating an educational outreach campaign, is my way of giving back to the community through my adventures. Inspiring others, especially kids, to discover their dreams and have the courage to follow them is an important part of my journey towards becoming an astronaut.

What do you love most about science and space?

AA: I’ve always been an explorer at heart. With that said, science, and space especially, is a new avenue for me to explore. There is so much we don’t know in the world, there’s still so much to be discovered, and I want to be a part of that discovery process.

How do you balance school and your Astronaut Abby activities?

AA: One word: priorities. To me, balancing my aspirations to be an astronaut, my educational outreach campaign, and life as a high school student and athlete (I am a competitive gymnast) is all about prioritizing. Once I know what is most important to me, I can arrange my schedule and plan accordingly.

Who are your heroes?

AA: My biggest heroes are teachers. Teachers influence us when we are young and can be incredibly inspirational. They usually aren’t paid extensively, and yet it has been my experience that they often go above and beyond what is required of them in order to benefit their students. Many of my teachers have encouraged me in the pursuit of my dreams, and having others believe in me from the start pushed me to keep working and persevering.

What is an “Earth Liaison” and how did you get selected by Astronaut Parmitano to become one?

AA: Earth Liaison is a role created by Astronaut Luca Parmitano and myself as a new connection between the space program and the people. In my role as Earth Liaison I will communicate regularly with Astronaut Parmitano while he’s away, and help him share his stories (via social media and my blog) of living and working in space with kids and adults during my six-month long educational outreach campaign.

As a young woman, do you find there is a lack of female role models in science? What can be done about it?

AA: I have been fortunate in that I have had many positive female role models in science, but I do notice a discrepancy between men and women in my day-to-day involvement in the sciences. Everything from the lack of girls in my high school engineering class to the numerical difference of women astronauts, these differences are noticeable. My personal take on how this gap can be bridged is to stop distinguishing by gender in the science fields. To stop identifying someone first as a man or a woman, and focus more on what they do and who they are. Instead of labeling someone as a female scientist or a female astronaut, simply call her a scientist or an astronaut. I think that by changing the way we perceive women in the sciences, which is currently seen as something monumental, and start seeing it as commonplace we can make a big impact.

Other than science and space, what do you like to spend your timing doing?

AA: Outside of my interests in science, space, and education I’m pretty much a normal teenager! I like hanging out with my friends, reading books, and playing sports, mainly year-round competitive gymnastics.

Is there a woman in science that inspires you?

AA: A lot of role models are people who are way out there – astronauts, presidents, the big people. But my personal female role model is someone a little closer to home: my fifth grade science teacher, Ms. Hill. Ms. Hill helped me get involved in science, inspiring me with her own passion. She went above and beyond her job, and showed me what it means to love science, and how important it is to pass that love on.

To follow Abby’s Soyuz Adventure, you can follow her on Twitter @AstronautAbby. For more information on Abby’s educational and pen pal programs, visit her site by clicking here.

The post Tech Tuesday: Meet 15-Year Old “Astronaut Abby” appeared first on Women You Should Know.

You may not need to buy the most expensive tool on the shelf, but research brands, look for tool warranties, and look at what pros load in their toolbelts.

Start stocking with these five must-have tools:

16oz. hammer: This is the perfect all purpose hammer.It’s light enough, so it won’t strain your wrist, yet heavy enough so you’re not undergunned.

25ft.long/1in.wide tape measure: I love this tape measure because it’s fat, an inch wide. This width allows you to easily read the numbers and it won’t bend when pulling it out past a few feet.

Tongue & groove pliers: These pliers are adjustable, easy to control, and will fit around various size fittings and nuts. 

Retractable utility knife (with blade storage in handle): You’ll use this knife to cut everything from carpet to drywall. It’s also easy to replace the blade and the blade storage-handle is super convenient.

Ratcheting screw driver with multiple bits: The multiple bits change out easily whether you need a Phillips, slotted, or square drive.The ratcheting action allows you to keep steady pressure while simply twisting the handle in place.

As you become more proficient with these tools, your confidence level will build, enabling you to take on more complicated projects. Your tool collection should grow gradually with your skill level.

Must-have safety tools & accessories:

Safety goggles: These glasses should fit properly on your face so they don’t slide off when you lean over and should comply with OSHA regulations.

Mask: Mask type should be project specific.For a light project a dusk mask will suffice. Using a harsh chemical, for instance, may warrant a respirator. Check safety recommendations on your product label.

Work gloves: Glove type should be task related. For example, a waterproof glove should be worn if using a wet, caustic product (always check safety recommendations).Also, a snug fit is crucial, especially if you’re using a power tool with a spinning blade – loose gloves are notorious for getting caught in moving parts.

Ear protection: Any time you’re working and you have to yell over the noise from your project in order to be heard, you need ear protection.Be it plugs or muffs, ear safety is a must to prevent hearing loss.

Electricity testers: Flipping a breaker isn’t enough, a neon tester or plug-in circuit analyzer will assure that there is no electricity flowing so you can work safely.

It’s always good to have these miscellaneous items stocked in your box too:

• lubricating spray
• assorted nails, screws, and anchors
• masking, duct, and electric tape
• sand paper
• zip-ties
• flashlight
• long-reach lighter
• permanent marker and carpenter pencil

Truth be told, as much as I love to open my closet doors and see a brand-new designer shoebox, it’s the well stocked toolbox in my closet that gets me up on my feet and ready to tackle projects skillfully and safely for decades. Not even Prada can do that.

About the Toolbelt Diva

A seasoned veteran of home improvement, Norma Vally’s media career boasts four seasons as host of Discovery Home Channel’s series Toolbelt Diva and a radio show on Sirius Satellite by the same name. Norma is the author of the book series Norma Vally’s Fix-ups; has appeared on Today, NBC Nightly News, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, TLC, HGTV, DIY, Hallmark, etc; has been featured in Women’s Health, People, Woman’s Day, Glamor, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and New York Times. She is a supporter of The Boot Campaign, a non-profit assisting active and returning military. Norma founded Chix Can Fix, a new motivational movement devoted to empowering women to take control of their homes and their lives.

You can find Norma on Facebook and You Tube.

The post Toolbelt Diva: How To Stock A Toolbox appeared first on Women You Should Know.

In a recent survey by the brand tracking firm YouGov BrandIndex, the number one best perceived brand by U.S. moms is Craftsman, beating out mega-umbrella brands like Amazon.com (#2), Johnson & Johnson (#6) and even Pillsbury (#10). With Black & Decker coming in at #5 on the list that puts two out of the top ten best perceived brands by women in the TOOLS category. WOW!

The survey, which graded 1,100 different brands, involved over 6,000 mothers (with children under the age of 18) who rated their favorite companies based on criteria that included reputation, quality, value of products and the women’s own “willingness to recommend.”

Brands in the top 10 include:

1. Craftsman

2. Amazon.com

3. M&M’s

4. Dawn

5. Black & Decker

6. Johnson & Johnson

7. Cheerios

8. Discovery Channel

9. Google

10. Pillsbury

As women continue to be the fastest growing segment of the real estate market, it’s no surprise that we’re also swinging the hammer when it comes to home improvement.

“Home repair and maintenance has not been the sole province of men for a while,” says Ted Marzilli, CEO, YouGov BrandIndex. “The weak economy has made everybody a do-it-yourselfer to save money. Given these results, it seems out of touch to portray doing the handiwork around a house as a man’s job.”

Want to try your hand at being handy? Stay tuned for some simple tips from our favorite Toolbelt Diva, Norma Vally.

The post The Number One Best Perceived Brand by U.S. Moms Is… appeared first on Women You Should Know.

This past February, millions of viewers were introduced to “Julia” when she made her debut as one of 20 contestants on Survivor: Caramoan Fans vs. Favorites, the 26th installment of the long running, phenomenally successful reality show. Unfortunately, Julia was the 7th tribe member to be voted out on day 19 of the grueling survival game, which runs for 40 days. Due to her premature departure and limited TV air time, we learned virtually nothing about this incredible young woman, who was inaccurately branded as being rather “vanilla” by one of her fellow contestants.

We can tell you that Julia, whose favorite ice cream just happens to be Rocky Road, is anything BUT “vanilla”. It’s our privilege to tell you her inspiring story… the story no one got to see on TV.

Julia caught the racing bug at age 10 when she started racing go-karts with her family. Finding early success in the form of wins and championships, she received the attention and respect from her competitors as she continued to climb the karting ranks to the national level, where she frequently visited the podium and won.

At age 13, five years before she got her state drivers license, Julia earned her racing license and transitioned from go-karts to racecars after joining the Skip Barber Racing Series. She made history a year later as the first and youngest (14) female champion in this legendary series. Since, Julia has explored all types of racing, from Formula BMW to Ford Focus Midgets, where she won in her first season.

Now officially a NASCAR Driver (NASCAR’s first female driver ever to hail from New York City, and one of only a few to pursue a college education), and a multiple-time amateur champion, Julia races in the Whelen All-American Late Model Series at All-American Speedway in California and South Boston Speedway in Virginia. Through her studies at Stanford (she is currently working towards a B.S. in Science, Technology & Society), Julia hopes to help make the racing industry more environmentally friendly.

As a woman truly driven in all aspects of her life, Julia is also committed to giving back and is regularly involved with various groups and charitable endeavors such as 85 Broads, Levo League, Girls For A Change, and Ann Taylor LOFT (she’s a Brand Ambassador).

In the little spare time she has between being on track, in the classroom, and out in the world determined to make her racing career dream come true, we caught up with Julia, a WYSK who breaks virtually every traditional stereotype associated with motorsports. This is what she shared with us.

Women Talk: 10+ Questions With Julia Landauer

How does a young woman from New York City end up a professional racecar driver, NASCAR’s first Manhattan-ite?

JL: There are actually a lot of racing fans in NYC! My parents were also looking for an activity where my younger siblings and I could be together, where we got a mechanical/technical background, and where girls and boys competed on the same “field.” They had always liked cars and they heard about a go-kart track two hours outside of NYC. One weekend my dad, sister and I headed up to Oakland Valley Race Park, and after that first race I was hooked!

When did the switch get flipped for you… from racing as a fun pastime to racing as a career ambition?

JL: After two years of racing on the local level in go-karts, I realized that I couldn’t imagine a world without racing. The competition, speed, teamwork, triumphs, lessons, challenges, I loved and needed all of it. I told my parents that I wanted to push racing further, that I wanted to be a racecar driver. For their support I always needed to give 100%, which is exactly what I’ve done.

You got your racing license at age 13. By age 14, you became the first and youngest female driver to win the legendary Skip Barber Racing Series. To what do you attribute such fast and early success?

JL: Moving up from go-karts to real racecars was the most exciting step up in my racing career. I had to learn how to drive a big car with gears and suspension, rather than a single-speed go-kart with no suspension. Little habits from go-karts had to be adjusted, and it was a challenge. I practiced a lot so that I could prove I belonged there. And once I got the sweet taste of victory I never wanted to let it go. It was hard work that I always actively wanted to do.

What’s the allure of racing for you?

JL: Racing is more than just going fast. Racing is the preparation leading up to a race: studying the track, building up physical strength, getting yourself pumped. Racing is the adrenaline, the puzzle of putting together the pieces of the racetrack and the car setup to get the perfect combination that allows you to win. Racing is the teamwork, precisely communicating with your crew chief, trusting your crew to give you what you need. Racing is the sweetest win and the heartbreaking loss. Racing is pushing yourself to the absolute limit.

For those of us who can’t drive above 55 mph without risking a speeding ticket, can you describe the feeling you get being in control of a precision driving machine that travels at speeds we can’t even imagine?

JL: In a street car, you only ever put in a percentage of the capabilities of the car. Half throttle, slow, easy brakes. In a racecar, (almost) everything is 100%. Full acceleration, full break. (There’s some half-brake in there too). In a racecar, you have to be able to identify and distinguish how the front and back of the car are “handling,” in racing terms, at the beginning, middle, and exit of the corner, under braking, under accelerating, and where it can be better. One pound of air-pressure in the wrong direction in the left front tire can make the car not turn. Driving a racecar is all about maximizing the car’s performance around the entire racetrack.

In 2010, your season ended early because a competitor smashed you into the wall and totaled your car. How do you stay focused knowing that in a split second, by the implied hazards of your sport, you could be hurt, gravely injured or worse?

JL: Luckily, safety in racing has improved dramatically over the past decade or so, and continues to do so every year. Stock car racing in particular is extremely safe, as the cars are designed and built to take the hit for you. So while you see big crashes of cars flipping and rolling and looking totally smushed, that actually means that the car absorbed the energy in the crash so that the driver doesn’t.

That being said, what’s the worst about a crash, besides how expensive cars are to fix, is that all the hard work, preparation, and excitement about a race are destroyed. With that race specifically, we were on a very tight budget, so for me it was heartbreaking knowing that I may not make my next race. And we were so close to the end of the race! It was infuriating, saddening, and something everyone tries to avoid, but has to deal with.

Why do you think there are not more women involved in professional racing? Lack of opportunity or interest?

JL: Racing is such an amazing sport that I wish more women and girls could enjoy. I think that given its male-dominated history, many parents don’t think to get their girls involved. It wasn’t until this year that the top level of NASCAR, the Sprint Cup Series, had a full time female racer, which means that women and girls don’t have very many role models in the sport. I’m sure there’s a feeling of not belonging in the sport. That being said, there are definitely efforts to get more women into racing. Lyn St. James, retired IndyCar driver and first woman to receive the Rookie of the Year award for the Indy 500, started the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation to help mentor girls in racing and expose them to the business side as well. I think once we see a few more women succeeding in the sport we may see a greater interest in having more women in racing. At least I hope so!

We just profiled 25-year old Rosie Napravnik, a professional horse racing phenom. She told 60 Minutes that she regularly hears trash talk from her male counterparts such as “go home and have a baby” or “go home and stay in the kitchen”. Have you ever experienced any gender bias in your male dominated sport? If yes, how do you handle that?

JL: There is definitely some gender bias in racing, but it hasn’t been too bad for me. I’ve actually had more negative comments from parents of go-karters I competed against than the competitors themselves. For me the biggest hurdle is that people may not expect a lot out of me. But once I get on track and prove that I’m a racer just like them, I rarely hear any trash talk. Other than I’m a Yankee (she says with a smile).

What does it take to be a professional racecar driver?

JL: There’s no one way to be a professional racecar driver, but there are definitely some common traits. Racers have one goal, and that’s to win. We have incredible focus and determination to make the car do things it shouldn’t be able to do in order to be the fastest. We have a need to get ahead of the other racers, a need to be the best, and a need to make all the pieces come together. Racing requires a strong sense of self, the ability to immediately bounce back from bad situations, and remaining humble enough to constantly improve.

Most people don’t realize there is a serious business side to being successful in your sport, beyond race times and wins. As a businesswoman managing your own brand, how critical is marketing yourself to corporate sponsors?

JL: In this day and age, marketing yourself is especially important. It’s not everything, but good marketing can really help a driver, while poor marketing may do nothing for them. Especially now with the economy being as it has for the past several years, sponsorship continues to be extremely scarce. The auto industry is seeing more and more drivers who come from very wealthy backgrounds make it to the top, with or without wins. That is not to take away from the wealthy and talented drivers, but it is frustrating when less talented drivers are able to pay their way up the ranks with personal funding.

It’s also important to be able to appeal to potential individual investors. I’ve got a really cool story, and part of what I’ve been working on at Stanford is how to effectively convey that story to corporations, individuals, organizations, media outlets, etc.

Give us your best Julia Landauer Racing LLC pitch in 140 characters or less?

JL: Do you want direct access to the untapped market of NYC race fans? Join the only female racer from NYC and relish the rise of your sales!

What learnings did you take away from your experience on “Survivor: Caramoan” that you can now apply to your racing or life?

JL: Survivor was a really amazing, extremely difficult game. It was the first time that I was stripped of people I could wholeheartedly trust, which taught me a lot. On a similar note, I feel like Survivor forced me to grow up a little bit, it taught me to work with people that I may not have liked, and it made me appreciate my family and loved ones more than I ever could have imagined. It was also confirmed that I’m a strong competitor, that I like winning, and that I never give up. Unfortunately, sometimes Lady Luck just isn’t on your side.

Julia competing in a Survivor Immunity Challenge; Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

How does the degree you are working towards – a B.S. in Science, Technology & Society – mix with your passion for racing?

JL: STS is an interdisciplinary major that allows me to dabble in various areas while building a strong technical core. I’ve learned business skills that I’ll need to continue developing my brand – JLR – and to work with sponsors in the future; I’ve gotten experience narrowly focusing on a problem and solving it with computer science coding, which will help with problem solving in life in general; I’ve learned how to think innovatively and how to foster an environment that encourages others to break boundaries; I’ve learned how media has grown and how our digital age affects people, which is useful for marketing purposes and fan interactions. I’ve also been able to explore areas where the automotive industry could be more environmentally friendly, and have discovered what tools are needed to implement new policies. It has been a fantastic major that allows me to tap into many of the resources Stanford has to offer.

We have a regular series called Tech Tuesday, which speaks to our ongoing commitment to profiling more women in science and technology. Are there any women in STEM who are role models for you?

JL: I recently heard of Rachel Haot, the first Chief Digital Officer of NYC! She’s inspiring because not only is she tackling a tech venture for my beloved hometown of NYC, but she clearly has to be pretty ballsy to implement her ideas with essentially no point of reference. I admire the knowledge and confidence she has to go out and lead the digital/technological presence in NYC.

To learn more about Julia, visit her brand site Julia Landauer Racing LLC or connect with her on Facebook.

The post Women Talk: 10+ Questions With Racecar Driver Julia Landauer appeared first on Women You Should Know.

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Your story will not make the front page of every newspaper in the United States, nor will it be the lead on the morning news shows or included in all nightly news broadcasts. And let’s say you decide to have prophylactic surgery to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Luckily, there is increasing legislation now that mandates that women even without insurance be offered reconstruction. You may have to call around to find a surgeon who will perform your reconstruction, but eventually you are successful.

Every single mother worries about what would happen to her children if she were to get cancer and die.

You have your surgery, and you go home from the hospital. Not to a luxury rehab facility or to an expansive mansion complete with house staff who help you with things like bathing, brushing your teeth, eating, cooking. You, Ms. Regular Woman, go home and wonder how you will care for your children with drains in your chest, bandages on your body, and a temporarily decreased range of motion. Maybe you are alone.

This is the situation faced by thousands of women every single day. It couldn’t be more different than the experiences of a world-famous actress. But here is where it is similar: every single mother worries about what would happen to her children if she were to get cancer and die. Every single woman has her own self-image ideals and worries about changes in her body (some worry more than others). Every single woman feels differently about risk and how much she is comfortable with in her day to day life.

As a woman, as a mother, and as an Ob-Gyn who offers BRCA testing to the appropriate patient with various risk factors, and then helps that woman make a decision based on her personal situation, I think that Angelina Jolie’s story should be looked at for what it is: hopefully an increase in awareness about BRCA genetic testing and surgery to reduce risks of certain cancers. It is also important to realize what it isn’t: it isn’t every woman’s story, and it isn’t applicable to the regular women in this country or worldwide.

For me, it underscores the importance of a good understanding of risks (the risks of testing, the risks of surgery, and the risks of watchful waiting), the benefits (benefits of testing, of having surgery and of NOT having surgery) and the options or alternatives (like chemoprevention or nontraditional therapies).

About Jennifer Ashton MD

Dr. Ashton is a Board-certified Ob-Gyn, women’s health expert, author and TV medical correspondent, currently serving as the ABC News Senior Medical Contributor.

Hailing from a family of 6 physicians and 1 nurse, this Ivy League graduate, wife and mother of two marries an unparalleled medical background with an accessible ‘girl’s-girl’ attitude.

She opened her private medical practice, Hygeia Gynecology, in Englewood, New Jersey in 2008.

To learn more click here.

This post originally appeared on Dr. Ashton’s site on May 14, 2013. We thank her for allowing us to repost it on Women You Should Know.

The post Celebrity Vs. Regular Women With BRCA Mutations: My Thoughts appeared first on Women You Should Know.

Jaime explains on her site, “No matter where I looked, 95% of the ‘ideas’ were the ‘How to’s’ of  how to dress your little girl like a Disney Princess.” She continues, “Now don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Disney Princesses. From their beautiful dresses, perfect hair, gorgeous voices and most with ideal love stories in the mix, you can’t help but become entranced with the characters. But it got me thinking, they’re just characters, a writer’s tale of a princess (most before 1998)… an unrealistic fantasy for most girls (Yay Kate Middleton!).”

“I wanted her to know the value of these amazing women who had gone against everything so she can now have everything.”

That’s when Jaime starting thinking in a particularly WYSKy way. She considered all of the REAL women who her daughter should know and look up to; REAL women who without ever meeting Emma have changed her life for the better. We LOVE where this is going!

“My daughter wasn’t born into royalty, but she was born into a country where she can now vote, become a doctor, a pilot, an astronaut, or even President if she wants and that’s what REALLY matters. I wanted her to know the value of these amazing women who had gone against everything so she can now have everything.”

So to commemorate Emma turning five in a truly profound way, Jaime and Emma chose five strong, pioneering and important women from history for her to emulate in her very special birthday portraits. They include Susan B. Anthony, Amelia Earhart, Coco Chanel, Jane Goodall, and Helen Keller. Each side by side portrait in their “Not Just A Girl” series is captioned with an inspiring quote from the woman Emma is visually channeling.

“There are thousands of unbelievable women (and girls) who have beat the odds and fought (and still fight) for their equal rights all over the world”, Jaime shared. “So let’s set aside the Barbie Dolls and the Disney Princesses for just a moment, and let’s show our girls the REAL women they can be.” Now that’s a battle cry we are happy to support and echo.

There is a sixth photo in the birthday series, which features Emma as her amazing self, thirty years from now in 2044. And guess what she’ll be doing then? Running for President, of course. Emma has certainly got our vote, but we hope we don’t have to wait quite that long to have a woman in the White House!

What an empowering, inspiring and loving project for a mother to do with and for her daughter. We say, “Brava!” to you Jaime.

PS – How fun would it be for Jaime and her daughter to have a meet up with Stella Amelia Ehrhart, the super cool eight year old with the inspiring attitude, famous name, and historic dress code? That would be quite a WYSKy power lunch.

To learn more about Jaime and see some of her other work, check out her website and connect with her on Facebook.

Our very special thanks to Jaime for allowing us to run all of her stunning “Not Just A Girl” portraits of Emma on our site.

The post Not Just A Girl: Mom And Daughter Create Historic Women Portrait Series appeared first on Women You Should Know.

This provocative video is a school project that was created for a Women & Gender Studies class at the University of Saskatchewan, by Sarah Zelinski, Kayla Hatzel and Dylan Lambi-Raine. The video shows how ridiculous representations of gender roles and stereotypes are in advertising.

Studies show that women are represented as objects in 50% of commercial messages, and it isn’t so rosy for the men either — as the video notes, media images have been linked to a recent increase in depression among men.

But, it’s at the 2:50 minute mark that the video really brings the message home, which shows what these ads would look like if the tables were turned and men played the objects of desire instead of the women.

Although it’s pretty funny, it’s actually not so pretty, or funny.

The post Representations of Gender In Advertising [VIDEO] appeared first on Women You Should Know.

According to the Mental Floss article – The Dirty Etymology of 9 Everyday Words – the word amazon was born this way, “In the late 1300s, the Greek spoke of the Amazones, a Scythian race of female warriors that, according to popular folk etymology, had an interesting custom of cutting or burning off one breast in order to draw bowstrings more easily. They stood out quite starkly as a- mazos, ‘without breasts.’”

Good to know.

The post Word Play: The Curious Etymology Of Amazon appeared first on Women You Should Know.