Feminism | Posted by Carmen G on 01/14/2013
Skirt
It’s so damn hot out. I open the door to the oven outside, and the idea of walking to Safeway for a smoothie and some moisturizer seems like something worth procrastinating. I’d like to shut the door on the sweltering heat, the desire to lie in the shade, panting like an animal, was prominent. I need a drink. I need moisturizer. God it’s so hot out!
I change out of sweats and into a skirt, rotating slowly in front of the mirror by the front door, eyes roving over the reflection, making sure I’m covering up what society’s deemed tasteless of my body. My brother breezes past with a hello goodbye, artfully flicking his hair before slamming shut the door behind him with the self-approving glance lingering in his demeanor. …
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Feminism | Posted by Iris A on 01/11/2013
A (Rookie) Rookie Feminist
As a teenager, sometimes I believe that our generation is hopeless. Just walking through the hallway you can hear certain things that would make you want to sit everyone down on the spot and explain how they’re seeing things in such a male-dominated way. The truth is, though, that I’ve grown to ignore many of these instances just because I don’t think that anything I say will make a difference. I’m just “one of those freshmen” after all. It also seems like a waste of time and energy to let my opinions fall on deaf ears when I can find people who care on blogs like The FBomb, Rookie and Tumblr. It seems like lately, I’ve lost faith in “real people” and put my faith in “internet people” instead. The …
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Feminism | Posted by Eden F on 01/7/2013
Why I’m Not A “Feminist”
…because I’m actually a Feminist!. What’s the difference? I use the term “Feminist” to refer to “Feminist” a stereotypical media character who exists to destroy what I call “Feminist!s” (the real deal) by portraying herself an extremist asexual witch.
I’m not the type of person who shies away from feminism for fear of being thought of us a “Feminist.” I call myself a Feminist! with much pride. I believe that gender equality is a fact, not a right, and I believe it mentally, emotionally, intellectually, and religiously. There is not one bone in my body that would beg to differ. I believe in feminism as a movement, and the incredible leaps and bounds our fore-mothers and fore-fathers have made to give women equal treatment. Yet, something happened to me that …
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Feminism | Posted by Aiyana R on 01/2/2013
It Starts In Childhood
This is the 21st century and women are somehow still being undermined all over the world. Incredible, isn’t it? But what is the problem? What is making this cycle continue through all the years of fighting for women’s rights and increasing respect for women? Well, I have a theory.
The other day I was playfully fighting with my little brother. I had him locked down and told him he should give up. He told me he couldn’t because it was humiliating to lose to a girl. Of course, this is cliche and we hear it often. However, he also said that I couldn’t win because I was supposed to be weak. Then something clicked in my head. He’s just a child. He couldn’t have just imagined up this idea that …
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Feminism | Posted by Ria D on 12/17/2012
Does It Make Me A Bitch To Turn Him Down?
In the midst of last year’s prom frenzy, as I was pulling my car out of the parking lot and waiting in line to leave, one of my friends popped into my car for a chat. He was irate: “Have you heard about Alex?” Before I got the chance to respond, he was off on a rant about how two guys had asked her to prom and she had said no to both of them, which of course makes her a gigantic bitch. He quickly figured out he was ranting to the wrong person because I set him straight: just because Alex turned both guys down, it didn’t make her any less of a good person. He argued with me about how both guys made such a big effort for …
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Feminism | Posted by Sarah Caputo on 12/12/2012
Being Lesbian and Feminist
I am a proud lesbian and a proud feminist. I am able to say both of these things now, but it took me about as long to admit I’m a feminist as it did for me to admit that I’m gay.
I, like many other gay and straight girls, was afraid of calling myself a feminist because of the stigmas of sexuality that surround it. I was so afraid that everyone could tell I was gay and since I was not ready to admit it, I certainly was not going to do anything that led people to that conclusion (even if that assumption itself is ignorant). For years I had feminist values and acted like a feminist but refused to use the title, which seems to be pretty common amongst …
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Feminism | Posted by Talia on 12/10/2012
Eve Ensler’s Emotional Creature
At the NOW conference in June, playwright Eve Ensler delivered the keynote speech. She was a riveting speaker whose passionate words truly rallied me to action. I’d been hoping to see one of her plays ever since and, luckily, her newest show Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World is now playing Off-Broadway, and I was able to get tickets!
The sheer awesomeness of Emotional Creature truly floored me. Walking out of the theater, I was at a loss for words and just kept repeating, “That was brilliant. That was brilliant. That was brilliant.” The play certainly was absolutely brilliant, and extremely well-made. It featured six extremely talented women actors, all of whom played different characters in various scenes. They delivered a powerful message about the state …
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Feminism | Posted by Sophie R on 12/3/2012
Feminist Stereotypes: Aren’t We Done With These Yet?
There’s been rather a hoo-ha in the press of late both loosely and tightly associated with persistent negative connotations, assumptions and stereotypes of feminism. First of all, the rather impressive speech/tirade by the Australian PM Julia Gillard about sexism in politics. Then, former First Lady of France Carla Bruni told Vogue she doesn’t think feminism is necessary anymore.
Women declaring themselves feminists tend to get a bit of a bad rap, and are usually pigeonholed faster than a sexist can say “dyke”. Some common feminist stereotypes include the image of a “mirthless, hirsute, sex-averse succubus” or as “single, lesbian, non-shaving, bra burning, angry.” In a famous 1992 fundraising letter, television evangelist Pat Robertson described feminism as a movement that “encourages women to leave their husbands, …
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