If you think women's equality is a done deal, better think again

The Beijing Platform for Action, created in 1995 by 185 nations to advance women's rights throughout the world, may lose one of its chief architects, the United States of America. The platform seeks to provide universal education for girls, end violence toward women, and ensure access to essential reproductive care. Therein, of course, lies the rub. During the next two weeks, the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women will review the platform, and the Bush administration has already hinted that the United States may not keep all of its commitments.

The White House, which doesn't give a damn about women, is willing to remove the United States from a program whose purpose is to save the lives of millions of women and girls, and to give them something more than a lifetime of servitude. This, remember, is the nation that is delivering democracy-to-go to the far parts of the world, but obviously not to women and children.

In the meantime, over at the Weather Channel, the temperature is rising. Marny Stanier Midkiff, as you may have heard, filed an age discrimination suit against the company last month, alleging its executives wanted to get rid of her so they could have younger women on camera. Stanier is a decrepit 41, by the way. In this month's issue of Harper's, you can read the entire transcript of a presentation given by Weather Channel programming chief Terry Connally. But don't read it on an empty stomach. Connelly compares the various suits worn by female anchors on different news networks, and how some can make you look "old." And he reminds the women to smile because that makes them look "young."

And finally, last night on Real Time, Bill Maher confronted Ohio Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones because she said it didn't offend her that Arab men will not shake a woman's hand. She excused the behavior because it was part of their religion, and Maher to her to task for it, asking her if she would excuse someone's not shaking the hand of a black person because of his religion. Maher's other guests, Tim Robbins and Tucker Carlson, backed him up. Jones deserved everything she got, but unfortunately, was unable to gain any insight from the confrontation.

And I would have savored Maher's feminism a whole lot more if he hadn't just called Jones a "Congressman." If you're so into feminism, how about not referring to women as men?