It seems that of late my contributions to the blog have gotten a bit too wonky--all this talk about internships, graduate education and specialization. What about all the rest of life?
Fortunately, out of the blue came an email from Elisabeth McAnulty Squires '80 with an update of what she's been up to. The Seattle PI newspaper describes her mission to educate and empower to make women "comfortable in their own skin."
Elisabeth's a bit more specific than that. I'll let her speak for herself:
Elisabeth McAnulty Squires is a 1980 graduate of the department. After receiving her degree, she settled down into her now-nearly 25 year marriage to attorney Randy Squires, and kept busy raising their three children. In her spare time, she also volunteered with numerous non-profits focused on the arts and children’s education. Building on her expertise of persuading corporations and individuals to support worthy charities, she’s now writing a book asking women to be more charitable to their breasts.
bOObs: A Guide to Your Girls, is a humorous and informative owner’s manual to be published by Seal Press in fall, 2007. It features personal stories (“Mammoirs”) and advice from experts on how to put your best breast forward at every stage of your life. Her website, www.booksonboobs.com, invites readers to as Ask the Boob Lady, join her Boob Talk forum, or find other breast resources.
Elisabeth’s book and site offer women true tech support for their breasts. From bra basics to breast development, breastfeeding, cosmetic surgery, breast health and breast cancer news and causes, women learn everything they need to know. Her mission is to educate and inspire women to be good to their “girls.” She also makes appearances as the Boob Lady, presenting a Boobs 101 course to area middle and high school students.
Elisabeth's political science degree is not that far removed from her book’s subject. Women’s breasts are a powerful symbol in our society, evoking moral, sexual and maternal judgments. Her book recounts the conservative line (a la John Ashcroft covering of the Spirit of Justice’s bare bosom) to liberal views on public breastfeeding, the silicone wars of the 1990s, politics of breast cancer and cause marketing, to the extreme independents lobbying for a woman’s right to be “top free” anywhere a man is allowed to do the same. Elisabeth’s own view on breasts has changed dramatically since starting on this project. As she puts it, “who knew there was so much to say about boobs?”
All the breast, Elisabeth
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