Feminism | Posted by Talia on 02/17/2011
How the AP Deals With Women
I don’t like being patronized. I know this probably isn’t shocking, but I seriously HATE it. It also annoys me to no end when people patronize womankind.
This year, I’m taking AP European History. Ignoring the fact that the teacher is honestly the worst I’ve ever had (although it is rather fun piping in with my obnoxious feminist comments), I find the course itself patronizing towards women. Maybe I’m overreacting and being too picky, but nevertheless it annoys me that there are specific “Women in xxx” units (for example – “Women in the Scientific Revolution”).
On a handout my teacher gave us outlining women’s role throughout the periods we’ve studied, it says at the top, “A generation ago, women’s history, if it appeared at all in the textbooks, was generally …
More >
Feminism | Posted by Aleka Raju on 02/8/2011
The Right to Learn
“Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end.?” – Rigoberta Manchu Tum.
Women are quite possibly the most disadvantaged section of the human population. With the onset of the 21st century, their status in society has improved, yet at the same time it remains far behind what the radical feminists envisaged during the feminist revolution.
I think to myself that even all the money in the world can’?t change men?’s attitude when it comes to allowing women and young girls the right to learn. As Indian society becomes more westernized, Indian girls are rebelling. However, their attempts are proving to be very futile because at the end of the day they’?re still …
More >
Feminism | Posted by Anna D on 02/3/2011
How To Be a High School Feminist
On our way to high school recently, I asked my friend, “Do you consider yourself a feminist?”
After a slight hesitation, she responded, “Well, I support women’s rights and all, but I’m no bra burner.”
Besides the fact that the bra-burning story is apocryphal, I was surprised by her answer. Is that what feminism meant to this smart girl?
As I’ve discovered what feminism means to me over the past couple years, I am repeatedly shocked by what others think of the movement. One highly accomplished woman I know declared that feminism was dead. Another scoffed when I said I was interested in attending a women’s college. Why is there so much animosity toward such a simple, important ideal—that women deserve equal rights?
The answer probably lies, like so many, …
More >
Feminism | Posted by Aleka Raju on 01/27/2011
Effects of Feminism Not Reachable to All Indian Women?
Recently Indian newspapers have been flooded with reports about the Dar-ul-Uloom?s (an Islamic school propagating Sunni Islam in India) fatwa stating that it is un-Islamic for women to work with men. Yet again we appear to be at the crossroads: having to choose between antiquated traditions and moving forward into a society where men and women are accorded with the same level of respect and treated as equals.
As Indian society is relaxing its earlier rigid views about women and their position in society and allowing them to go out and work in cities, the Muslim clerics are adamant about regressing back in time and making sure that the benefits of feminism and society?’s more liberal attitude towards women aren?t passed on to Indian Muslim women.
As usual, a huge fury …
More >
Feminism | Posted by Maxine FG on 01/10/2011
Becoming Active
The other day I was sitting at the table talking with my younger sister (age 14) and my little cousin (age 11). After recently aiding in the start of a feminist group at my high school I am often subject to random interrogations from my family about how my group remains active. When I began to explain my groups cause, both of my younger relatives turned to me, with the same disgruntled look on their face and asked a question that was surprisingly difficult to answer. “What is a feminist?”
I sat there, shocked, angry, and finally incredibly depressed. I have had the tenacity to call myself an active teenage feminist, yet two of the young women closest to me are completely unaware of our campaign. This is when I …
More >
Feminism | Posted by Reb V on 12/2/2010
Tell It Like It Is: Demystifying Childbirth for Teens
Last Sunday the Guardian website published an article highlighting the rise in reported birth trauma in the UK. The piece, reported on the National Health Service’s response to the number of women requesting caesarian sections for second births, after bad first experiences have left them too scared to opt for traditional methods.
Tocophobia, or the fear of childbirth is said to be increasing at an alarming rate on these shores and an official study is now under way. As someone who last year had a child of her own, I read the Guardian’s article with great interest, even more so when the selected interviewee Angela Almond described a ‘traumatic’ childbirth experience that was not too dissimilar to that of my own and other mothers I know. Now I would …
More >
Feminism | Posted by Natalia K on 11/29/2010
Does Society Hate Feminism?
It’s interesting to analyze people’s reactions towards feminism. Some people find it unnecessary, exaggerated, outdated, weird, a waste of women’s time, and even “unfeminine” (that one is definitely my favorite). On the other hand, I had a completely different reaction. I’ve always felt that feminism fights for justice and for what is right. Whenever I read feminist magazines and blogs, I find comfort in these words written by individuals who think just like me. When I read these articles, I always get the impression that these writers point out the most basic and logical observation on injustice and basic human rights. So you would think that most people would agree with these concepts, but unfortunately, this is not the case when the message is coming from a feminist.
Whenever I’m …
More >
