From ABC News:

First Wednesday in June Will Celebrate Building Women's Self-Esteem

By BRITTNEY JOHNSON

June 7, 2006 — The country is celebrating women's confidence, by official decree.

The singer and actress Queen Latifah, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., and the YWCA-USA teamed up today to launch the first annual National Women's Confidence Day on Capitol Hill. Now printed in the Congressional Record, womens' confidence, self-esteem and self-respect will be officially celebrated the first Wednesday of every June by millions of women across the country.

The goal of the day is to acknowledge and increase the confidence of individual women in their personal and professional lives, say organizers. The YWCA hopes that the day will remind women to radiate confidence daily, which should help them reach their goals.

"I am someone with or without this man. I am someone with or without this job, with or without these tight jeans. I am a strong woman. I can survive," Latifah said while explaining the importance of confidence in the lives of women.

She also discussed the role of parental figures, society's exclusion of young girls and women, and the importance of women maintaining inspiration after college and into their careers.

The event was sponsored by women's apparel company Curvation, and served as the kick-off for the Curvation Project Confidence YWCA Educational Outreach Program. This program was created to provide the necessary tools for women to build their confidence and improve their lives.

National Women's Confidence Day is the first phase of the multifaceted women's empowerment initiative that includes training, research and educational programs aimed at confidence building.

CEO of the YWCA-USA Peggy Sanchez Mills said she sees firsthand how problems such as domestic violence stem from low self-esteem. "This is the first national program in the 150-year history of the YWCA-USA that is aimed at building confidence in women by providing those plagued with self-doubt the impetus to improve their own lives," she said.

Latifah, Maloney and Sanchez Mills believe that confidence is a key component of success and used Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt as examples to emphasize how society greatly benefits from the actions, accomplishments and overall presence of confident women.

Latifah, a musician, author and Oscar-nominated actress, is also the spokesperson for Curvation, an intimate-apparel line for women with curves. In addition to motivating women to take pride in their bodies, Latifah pushes the women's empowerment movement through her music lyrics, motivational speeches and book, called "Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman."

Latifah, who attributes her own success and healthy self-esteem to her the strong women in her family, Hostess Twinkies and her formerly mammoth bazongas (is anyone actually reading this?), hopes that the day will serve as a reminder for all women to make the next step toward completing any goal they have, no matter how big, small, or out of reach it may seem.

"Today we're not encouraging women to go out and conquer the world. We're encouraging them to begin to conquer their own small world," she said. "This day is yours."

This made me stop for a moment and have positive thoughts for humankind.

Prince would celebrate this.

she should call it "Who you callin' a Bitch? Day"

lilgish said:

hmmm...

NICE...

does this mean that all confident women will get this day off automatically with pay from their jobs????

Sorry.

Great event.

But isn't Queen Latifah usually someone "without this man?"

Just thought I'd mention it.

Still a great cause.

As you were.

ThreadBare said:

Threaddy, I have to take issue with you here

If that's a knock on her being (presumed) gay, what difference does it make in terms of the general self esteem of women? And she goes on to talk about other things that we all know women (especially young, impressionable women) tend to use to bolster their self esteem (career, clothes, looks, etc.).

I dunno, I just think with the constant stream of booty videos/dumb girl/"do anything to get the guy" images we have going today, stuff like this is cool to see if it just inspires one young girl/woman to think twice about what she's doing in life & heads her in a more positive direction - Latifah ever having a man or a woman doesn't even enter the frame for me

I know you mention that it's a great cause but I just had to poke you this morning, you know how I love my morning poke

CalhounSq said:

Rhondab said:

No, I was being glib about a different issue.

I've no problem with her statement or her presumed orientation. I especially think her point about "without this man" is valid -- believe me.

Just think it's odd that someone who might have reasons outside of self-esteem and contentment with life to choose not to be with a man would be so gender-specific in her effort to help young women.

Why not say "with or without this relationship?" Co-dependency isn't orientation-specific. Again, no knock against her orientation or, even, effort. More a question of her approach.

ThreadBare said:

I think you're thinking to deeply as much as I love your brain. I also think that some women want "a man", any man, any piece of a man so I think her statement is accurate. As far as her taking into consideration those women who love women, you may have something there but I don't think she was being disrespectful of women who love women.

Rhondab said:

Like I said, I get her point about girls' self-esteem vis-a-vis wanting (to please) a man. I get that. And, I'll even buy that the majority of the young women falling in her target audience for this effort would fall into that category. It just seems a bit duplicitous for her to be saying to consider doing without something she has no interest in anyway.

And, yeah, I'm probably over-thinking it. It's my job.

CinisterCee said:

If she never makes another memorable song/album, she will be always remembered for that...Great song and really hot album.

ThreadBare said:

Yea boo, I think you're over thinking it I'd dare to say that most women she's reaching out to are indeed on the hunt for A MAN like Rhonda said - sometimes ANY man. So her interest in men is really irrelevant. It's about redirecting energy in a positive manner as a fellow woman, not a fellow woman who's also terribly concerned w/ getting "a man"

CalhounSq said:

Like I said, I understand the effort. I just think something's amiss. Maybe her ambiguity actually helps the effort.

I just know it's Friday. And, after I pound the pavement for a job, I'm going to gather 'round the good stuff.

Gee, a lesbian telling heterosexual women they "don't need a man".

No, I don't think Latifah has any ulterior motives here.

None at all!

darkstranger521 said:

oh give me a break.

some women don't need to be with anyone until they get their minds right. that's all this is about. take care of yourself, your mind, your health and then seek our whatever relationships. This the state of young girls today, girls need this message, and yes, its ok coming from Dana who hasn't officially come out.

darkstranger521 said:

Damn, that's really all it's about for some of y'all huh?

Sorry, I just don't see why who she chooses to sleep with is such a big fucking deal Are men threatened by this or something?

CalhounSq said:

This is about females, not about heterosexual vs homosexual.

Rhondab said:

Rhondab said:

It's almost like SOME men feel like there won't be anymore dumb girls/straight girls for them to "mold" or something When in reality it has to do with getting yourself together, a message anyone can use but especially young girls. Like you said - some women need to get their minds right before they're with ANYONE