Feminism | Posted by Liz P on 10/26/2011

Stand Up, Fight Back: Radical College Women Rock

college: where I learned to lead

One of the coolest things I’ve been able to do since entering college is become involved in radical politics. I think many people, and women especially, feel a few barriers to the realm of radical politics.

The word “radical” sounds polarizing. Actually, I didn’t identify as a radical until relatively recently. One of my professors explained that radical feminism, as opposed to liberal feminism, is interested in actually breaking down the power systems (patriarchy, racism, etc.) that form the fundamental barriers to equality. And it just clicked. Duh, I’m radical. There’s a stigma to the word, though, that I think presents a problem for a lot of people.

Radical politics are often dominated by that old chestnut of a demographic: white men. But for people of color,…

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Feminism | Posted by Julie Z on 08/9/2011

An Ode To Sheryl Sandberg’s Awesomeness

I love Sheryl Sandberg

I’m always bitching about how few really positive female role models are out there for young girls. Considering the celebrities we have worshiped / continue to worship - Snooki, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton – it doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to wonder why so many girls are more concerned with partying than studying and why their number one life goal is to date a rock star rather than become the first female president.

But that is exactly why it’s so important to focus on the women who are positive role models – who are doing amazing things in the world and whom young girls everywhere should be looking up to. Enter Sheryl Sandberg.

Sheryl Sandberg has been on my radar for a little while. She gave this year’s commencement speech at…

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Feminism | Posted by Fiona L on 06/2/2011

Running In Heels: Why Should Women Leaders Have To Look Like Barbies?

Senator Barbie

After recently attending an awards ceremony for a women’s political organization in Washington DC, and experiencing what some have coined a wardrobe malfunction, I’ve realized to an even further extent the lengths women are forced to go to appear effortlessly put together. Women politicians are constantly being picked apart for what they wear, whether it’s Michelle Obama’s election-night dress or Hillary Clinton’s “cleavage.” Women in general are expected to come off like they’ve somehow woken up in the morning looking like Barbie, but women in leadership have to seem like they floated out of bed looking like Senator Barbie—and I can tell you from the experience I had last week, that looking like Senator Barbie can take a whole lot of effort.

As an alumna of the Running Start program,…

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Articles | Posted by Julie Z on 01/20/2010

An Interview with Amy Richards

Amy Richards

Here at The FBomb, we certainly do our part in defining what feminism means to teens today. While we’re still trying to figure out what our effect on feminism will be, the one thing we’re certain of is that despite our appreciation for the first and second waves of feminism, we are a wave unto ourselves – the third wave. It’s important that we develop our own voices and our own community, but bonds of sisterhood that span generations are equally as vital.

Amy Richards, writer (she wrote the AWESOME Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future), activist and co-founder of the Third Wave Foundation, understands this. The Third Wave Foundation is a “feminist, activist foundation that works nationally to support young women and transgender youth ages 15-30…working towards gender,…

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Awareness | Posted by Julie Z on 07/27/2009

Carol Smith: Women are Better Managers

Carol Smith

The New York Times has an interview with Carol Smith, the senior vice president and chief brand officer at the media company the Elle Group. And she makes some pretty admirable statements.

I think it’s always nice to hear from women in business who hold leadership positions. It’s really disappointing when powerful women don’t really care about gender roles in the work place or don’t hold feminist views, considering that they do have so much power and could be such great role models.

Smith has some really interesting comments about her role as leader, saying:
“I feel I’m a leader without ever really thinking I’m a leader, which is to say that I know when I walk into a room of employees, I command a presence, but I’m always feeling like I’m…

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