Quick Hits Tuesday 10 June 08

Where have I been? If only I could remember. It's been a whirlwind of work, homefixing, getting sick and getting better. But I'm back, and it's Tuesday, which means it's time for another linkalicious roundup.

Queercents interviews trans activist Donna Rose for its Ten Money Questions feature. Rose observes, "Finances play a huge role in activism. In fact, I could argue that activism is as much about money as it is about creating change. The sad fact of the world is that things "cost", so to be able to travel, to be able to make the proper connections, to be able to hire staff, publish materials, pay for the day-to-day expenses of doing business – it all takes money."

A roundup of financial programs for single moms at Personal Finance Hacks.

A federal appeals court has ruled that the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act prevents employers for firing a woman because she has had an abortion.

Breaking: Women Increasingly Choose Dead End Jobs Over Dead End Relationships. Via The Onion

Many interesting comments when Feministe asks for input on a feminist approach to economic justice. I hate to spoil the ending, but it's sprawling, complicated, contentious, and no one has the answer. Correlation and causation are confused, as are individual versus systemic problems underlying the uber-problem of poverty, but if you're in the mood for thinking hard this is not a bad thread to peruse. See also Too Poor To Parent, an Alternet excerpt on the racially disparate rates at which children are placed into foster care. Note to self: check the full article out in the Spring Ms. Magazine.

Question 1: Are you investing for retirement. I hope so. Question 2: Are you investing aggressively enough? To wit: "Controlling for age, income and education, the study concluded that women choose more conservative investment strategies, and that this is the primary reason why women can expect to have less retirement savings than men. The effect is compounded because women make less, retire earlier and live longer than men." Women are socialized to be more risk averse than men, but they are precisely the group that most needs those higher returns. It's only complicated if you make it complicated, I promise.

Same-sex spouses can't have spousal IRAs. Not even if they're legally married, because IRAs of all stripes are governed by federal law, and the feds don't recognize same-sex marriage, and the applicable federal law was written by haters. Drat it, DOMA! Via Ms. Micah.

Reappropriate notes that "manimony" (a stupid, stupid word made up by someone with adspace to sell, meaning alimony paid by a woman to her former husband) is on the rise. I'd add that alimony, as distinct from temporary spousal support or child support, is increasingly outdated and increasingly disfavored by the courts, but to the extent that it's still being granted to anyone, it's only fair.

File under: "Pretty privilege, teeth". Via Freakonomics.