Feminism | Posted by LW on 03/8/2011

Guy Friends and Double Standards

As a girl with several, older male friends I am constantly around sexism. I spend nearly all my free time with them as I don’t see them at school. Their favourite name for me is ‘woman’ and the number of times I am asked why I’m not in the kitchen, making them sandwiches, is getting ridiculous. And while I know it’s just a bit of banter, I know that by not saying anything I am being a bad feminist. But to be honest with you, I don’t really mind. I’m usually the only girl and they allow me to be who I need to be without judgement. They are the people who make me feel truly at home, which is ironic as my mother hates them and thinks they are …

More >

Feminism | Posted by EHevey94 on 03/1/2011

Rebuttals to Sexist Arguments

I have this friend who’s in the year below me who insists that certain sexist institutions within society should be tolerated based on the fact that a couple million years ago there was a biological basis for it. He says that that’s why women shouldn’t be included in the draft and also uses it as a front for some scary homophobia and gender role enforcing (he said that a man shouldn’t be able to wear a dress and be considered straight.) When I pointed out to him, on the dress comment, that it wasn’t a biological reason, as he said, that men started wearing pants, but merely a helpful observation that wearing kilts/tunics didn’t really mix well with riding horses, the kid totally disregarded my comment.

We then launched into …

More >