Feminism, Pop-Culture | Posted by mbond on 03/1/2013
Sexism On Late Night TV: Even Jimmy Fallon Isn’t Immune
Jimmy Fallon is charming, enthusiastic, and totally non-controversial. Ask any fan or casual “Late Night” viewer, and you’ll hear things like, “Yeah, he seems like a really nice guy.” Recently, however, Fallon was also the conduit for Artie Lange (a washed-up comedian and self-identified “G-List” celebrity) to spew sexism and to promote ogling and objectifying women as a vehicle for male bonding.
A quick summary: On Fallon’s February 18th show, Lange shared a story of meeting NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown at a celebrity football game. Rather than playing in the game, Lange and Brown both sat on the bench and occupied themselves by “staring Kate Upton’s ass.” Upton is a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and she was wearing “real tight pants” that day, by Lange’s account. During the …
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Feminism, Pop-Culture | Posted by Becka W on 02/25/2013
Top Five Fictional Female Athletes
Anybody who has ever met me can agree on one important point: I am a pop culture addict, with a list of favorite TV shows and movies a mile long. Some of my all-time heroes are fictional ones and it’s undeniable that even fictional depictions of women deeply impact the way girls and women view themselves and model their lives. Unfortunately, these representations are often based on stereotypical gender roles — including a serious lack of representation of female athletes. This may not seem like the most pressing issue, but studies have shown that girls who participate in sports have greater self esteem and participating in sports imparts valuable lessons. Modeling the benefits of sports in the media has the potential to impact countless girls, which is why I want …
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Feminism, Pop-Culture | Posted by Jasmine W on 02/18/2013
Defeating the Enemy: Me
About three days out of every week I have what I like to call “ugly days.” These are days where I feel like I look like crap and nothing I do can change it. This puts me in a terrible mood, and it makes me lose focus. As I walk through hallways of crowded people, hallways of classmates, of peers, I am wondering what they’re thinking about me. Did they notice the swollenness of my face, the scars left by acne, the dark circles under my eyes? Are they judging me because of how I look? They must think that I didn’t even try, but really I did. I tried so hard.
That is when an important question appears: why? Why am I trying so hard? Whose approval am I …
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Feminism | Posted by Mansi K on 02/13/2013
I’m Not Sorry I’m A Girl. I’m Sorry You Care.
How are you supposed to feel the first time you realize your grandparents wish you had been born a boy? I’m still not sure. I do know, however, that if my paternal grandparents had the option to transfer my identity into a body with a penis, they would gladly capitalize on the opportunity. I, the oldest child, should have been born a boy. When I came out penis-less, this hope was transferred to my younger sibling. Well, exactly 4.5 years later, my mother disappointed again. And that was it; my parents didn’t want more children.
I have never doubted the fact that my grandparents love me. But every time I remember that I am worth even a little bit less because I have breasts or because I will not carry …
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Feminism | Posted by Talia on 02/11/2013
Why I’m Rising
When I was at the 2012 NOW Conference in Baltimore, I had the privilege of hearing Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and women’s rights activist, deliver the keynote address. She discussed One Billion Rising, her campaign to end violence against women on the global level. It is so named because one billion women – that’s one out of every three women in the world – will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. On February 14, 2013, Ensler wants the world to rise, end the violence, and create a better, safer, happier world.
After hearing Ensler speak, I was rallied to action. I decided on the spot to rise along with her and millions of other women across the globe. One of the many reasons I …
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Feminism | Posted by Becka W on 02/6/2013
Four Things Every Young Feminist Needs To Know About Title IX
Today is National Girls & Women in Sports Day, which has people singing the praises of Title IX from soccer fields, softball diamonds, tracks, pools and countless other sporting venues – and for good reason! Title IX is an enormously important law for female athletes – no other law has done more to open doors for women and girls in athletics. While there is still work to be done, the progress we have made thanks to Title IX is tremendous.
But what many people don’t know is that the benefits and protections of Title IX aren’t limited to athletics. Here are four other ways Title IX is there for young women (and men, too):
- Equal Opportunities in career and technical programs in traditionally male-dominated fields
Title IX requires …
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Feminism | Posted by Shanzeh K on 01/28/2013
Your Happiness Is Not A Competition
Most of us tend to compare ourselves to others and then determine our self worth depending on how we measure up. This habit of comparing and competing might be addictive, but it can also be very harmful to our self-esteem, and lead to feelings of not being “good enough.”
As women, we’re taught to believe that there can only be one smart girl, one pretty girl, one popular girl. Most teen movies highlight this girl rivalry and further suggest that girls should view pretty, popular girls as threats. There seems to be one basic ideal—thin yet curvy, perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect features—that girls are expected to conform to. And that’s kinda impossible for 99% of the female population. Even though I don’t read magazines, I can’t help but be …
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Feminism | Posted by Julie Z on 01/26/2013
Saturday Vids: Trade of Innocents
I recently came across a movie that takes on the issue of human trafficking called Trade of Innocents starring Mira Sorvino and Dermot Mulroney. Although it doesn’t look like the film is getting wide distribution, it is available for individual screenings and seems like a perfect film to create an event for a human rights-based or anti-human trafficking club. The film also has other resources available. Check it out:
Trailer
Synopsis:
In the back streets of a tourist town in present-day Southeast Asia, we find a filthy cinder block room; a bed with soiled sheets; a little girl waits for the next man. Alex (Dermot Mulroney), a human trafficking investigator, plays the role of her next customer as he negotiates with the pimp for the use …
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