First of all, Eshel, the an Orthodox GLBTQ group, held an extremely succesful shabbaton that was positively reported on by major Jewish publications, including the Jewish week.
Second of all, The Jewish Press, a more religiously right-wing paper, has recently been publishing some encouraging articles. They currently have a column about infertility, aimed at helping women who are experiencing difficulties in conceiving, which is very important given that infertility once was both stigmatized and taboo in more right-wing communities. They also recently published a letter about open-mindedness and shidduchim, which gives a male perspective about a system often cited for its negative impact on women: http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/47238/
There was even an article urging parents to not force their children to date before they are ready. There is also a column on women's impact on Jewish history, and most recently, an article on the female Rennaissance artist Artemisia Gentileschi, whose stunning painting of the Esther story can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/47303
The Jewish Press also has a decent number of female columnists, even though they mostly write about stereotypically feminine issues such as home, family and relationships.
I think it is important to note the progress at the Jewish Press, since, as a Modern Orthodox Jew, it is very easy to judge the yeshivish community. I personally do not often read the Jewish Press, but believe it is important to occasionally read Jewish publications from different sectors of Judaism, including the yeshivish community.
Third of all, I discovered that I actually know someone who was likely killed by domestic violence: Shelley Danishevski Covlin, who went to my synagogue and who I ate meals with a few times in the communal sukkah. I realized she had passed away, but did not know that it was suspected her husband, who she was involved in a divorce and custody battle with, had killed her - cause of death was strangulation.
I hope her death will cause the Orthodox community to be more aware of domestic violence, but I also hope that she will be remembered not just for the way she died, but for the way she lived, and how she was both a succesful career woman and a wonderful mother. I admire the efforts that my synagogue, Lincoln Square Synagogue**
has made to memorialize her.** Also called "Wink and Stare synagogue" for its progressive mechitza, which is half-glass. Here is a picture of the main sanctuary. Men and women can both see what takes place on the bimah, which is in the center. They can also both see what goes on on the opposite side of the mechitza. This photo was lifted from a cute love-story that took place thanks to the partially invisible mechitza. Full story can be seen here: http://www.seraphicpress.com/archives/2005/06/
* Does that phrase make me sound like a fiber commercial?
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