the digital giraffe

All About Women

Our Woman of the Month Award for June, 2026, goes to Cleomatra, the Divine Feminine, the Matrix of Creation ans Regeneration

The Atlantic magazine makes us aware of a new proposal, one that would repeal the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. Instead a church-like method would prevail, where votes are cast by household. Douglas Wilson, a co-founder of the Reformed Evangelical Churches based in Moscow, Idaho, boasts of having roughly 170 affiliated churches. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is a member.

Since the pandemic, cases of syphilis have risen significantly. Syphilis is a bacterial infection transmitted sexually. Untreated syphilis in a pregnant woman can cause congenital syphilis to the fetus in uterus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control notes that maternal syphilis rose 28% from 2022 to 2024. 2 factors are mentioned: an increase in the general population; and a decrease in funding and access to care for women during that period. As an example, in 2026 Congress suggested combining 3 programs - HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis - and reducing the combined funding by 70%. During the pandemic, safety net clinics were faced with sharply curtailed hours and staffing. Additionally, once HIV became treatable, safe sex practices declined sharply.

Girls, Inc, headquatered in Holyoke, Massachusetts, is celebrating its renovated headquarters which foster strength and leadership in young women. The nonprofit organization encourages girls from ages 5 to 18 to increase their confidence and skills, reaching 350 cities in the U.S, and Canada.

Web MD offers some useful suggestions for keeping your feet happy and healthy.

The Corning Museum of Glass is featuring "Tough Stuff: Women in the American Glass Studio". The formative period beginning in the 1960's initiated the Studio Glass Movement in the U.S. This exhibit focuses on women from that period through today, emphasizing their importance, influence, and ingenuity.

A new study at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health suggests that during pregnancy an imbalance between 2 proteins may lead to stillbirth. The proteins, produced by the placenta, are identified as soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), and placental growth factor (PIGF). Roughly 2.6 million fetal deaths occur annually around the world, primarily in low and middle income locations. Either too high or too low production of these proteins can cause disorders like preeclampsia and early-onset fetal growth restriction.

One of the largest protests staged at the year's Venice Biennale, was organized by Nadya Tolokonnikova, founder of Pussy Riot. Titled "Resistance Imprisoned", the exhibition was first proposed to, and rejected by, the Biennial's organizers. It included 50 works by scientists, journalists, teachers, and others who were now or had been previously incarcerated in Russian prisons and penal colonies. A planned catalogue featured drawings, texts and textile works created on sheets, envelopes, notebook pages and scraps of fabric. One artist was sentenced to 7 years for "vandalism motivated by political hatred" - her crime was inscribing the words "Ukraine, forgive us" on a war memorial.

Be sure to email giraffe@giraffe.com with your suggestions, be they articles, videos, images, cartoons, music, or comments, so that we can share our celebrations and our concerns with each other.

Last updated June 1, 2026 - 32 years of monthly Web publication

Corinne Whitaker - Artist, Editor, Author, Poet, Sculptor, Publisher, Composer, Betaphysician, Chief of the Newanderthal Tribe

Best of Foster City 2016
Best of Palo Alto 2013

Golden Web Award, 2001 and 2000

Artist of the Month, Artisan Bazaar, 2000

Best in Cyberart Award, 1999

winner of BATech's "Catch of the Day"

winner of Fractal Design's "Artist of the Month"and "Image of the Day"

Featured Master Artist, Shadowart Galleries, 1997 and 1998

Guest Artist of the Month, Hampton Click Salon Online
Exhibit below from Virtual Gallery online