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, or for women …
Feminism | Posted by Brenna McCaffrey on 10/24/2011
Five Reasons To Keep An Eye On Senator Gillibrand
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to the US Senate by Governor David Paterson in 2009 to fill the vacancy left by Hillary Clinton when she was selected by President Obama to serve as Secretary of State. Previously, Gillibrand spent two terms representing New York’s 20th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Many were surprised by Paterson’s appointment of a relatively unknown Democrat from the mostly rural district that represents the Catskill, Adirondack, and Hudson Valley areas of upstate New York. New Yorkers outside of her district may not have been familiar with Senator Gillibrand before her Senate appointment, but for the past two years she has been turning the heads of those who might be looking for an alternative to Hillary for next woman President.
Feminism | Posted by Harriet S. Hughes on 10/12/2011
London Calling: Feminism Across The Pond
The political terrain of Britain is shifting beneath our feet. Children of the ‘80s and ‘90s will have no memory of anything comparable to the dramatic, fundamental transformation of our nation that’s currently taking place. In an atmosphere of such instability, where the media’s frantically trying to keep pace, women’s issues – sidelined at the best of times – are slipping further and further down the agenda. That’s where we come in: YouFem is a London-based feminist organisation, aiming to harness the political power of young people and draw women’s issues back into the light…and to have fun doing it.
The elections of 2010 landed us with a Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition. Since then, Britain has been made to swallow a manifesto that no-one voted for; we’re facing a tsunami of …
Is Suffrage for Saudi Women Justice, or Just Words?
In a society where women can’t leave the house without their faces covered and aren’t allowed to drive, how much does the right to vote really mean?
Global pressures aided in getting women the right to vote and run for office in Saudi Arabia last week. Unfortunately, “the right to vote” is used very loosely when it comes to Saudi Arabian politics. With an intact monarchy, a tight set of laws based on religious texts, and a society which allows for few freedoms for women, Saudi Arabian King Abdullah’s promise that women will be able to further participate in politics rings a little bit empty to me.
First of all, what does it mean for women to “get the right to vote” or “run for office” in a country …
DSK the Woman Hater and That Hooker Maid: A Gender Story
Unless you’ve taken to your fallout shelter in tepid anticipation of the national default – which has for the moment been averted – you’ve undoubtedly caught wind of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn maid bashing that has shot vitriol all over the court like a Sharapova tennis match.
Let’s recap. During May this year DSK – until recently the managing director of the International Monetary Fund – checked into the swanky Sofitel hotel in New York City. A thirty-two year-old maid – Nafissatou Diallo of Guinea – alleged that she was assaulted upon entering the financial giant’s hotel room in order to perform …
The Westboro Baptist Church is America’s most infamous hate-mongers, using the bible and Christianity (at least, their brand of Christianity) to justify savage and hateful messages targeted at almost every group imaginable: homosexuals, abortionists, Muslims, Jews, Roman Catholics, even the United States military.
There’s a 99.999% chance that WBC hates you, too.
Free speech is one of many things that makes our nation — well, to be quite frank — pretty damn awesome, but this insane, hate-filled cult abuses that right to personally attack the aforementioned groups and their families. When they’re not stomping the American flag with soccer cleats or posting hateful parodies of popular songs on their website (the homophobic buggers even had the nerve to parody an Elton John song), they travel thousands of miles from their …
Saturday Vids: The Truth About The Economy In 2 Minutes
We all know that the economy is screwed right now. There’s no way to exist in this country and be unaware of that fact. But do any of us really understand why? I know I didn’t until I watched this video, in which former Labor Secretary Robert Reich simplified the hell out of it. It’s definitely worth watching – now, when the topic of the economy comes up, I can talk semi-intelligently about what’s going on (mehhhh just barely, but still).
Ask a random Congress person about how Congress runs and odds are their response would sound a little something like, “It operates pretty much like an old boy’s club, please excuse me, I need hard candy.” Needless to say, the climate of Congress has not changed in YEARS (The newly elected Congress brags an average age of 58.2 years old). Representatives get re-elected by overwhelming majorities despite being convicted of 11 ethics violations (looking at you Charlie Rangel). I would support the sentiment, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” however the truth of the matter is that it is broke. Someone needs to get into Washington and change the very fabric that binds it together. Someone like a woman.
To all ye nay-sayers, the discussion about the under …
