The second thing I always do when I get home is examine the side of the refrigerator. Yes, six years after her youngest child graduated college and moved to another city, my mother still cuts out articles from the Economist and the New York Times and pastes them to the side of the refrigerator for [...]
The Team
Abigail Collazo
Abigail Collazo is the previous Editor for Fem2.0 and worked as a Project Manager at Turner Strategies, where she managed digital strategy. Abigail has worked on women’s issues in the nonprofit and government sectors for 10+ years, with a focus on global women’s rights. She has a BA in Political Science from Mount Holyoke College and an MA in Global Security Studies from Johns Hopkins University. Abigail's writing on changing gender roles and young feminism has been published at Fem2.0, AlterNet, Role/Reboot, Abortion Gang, and the HuffingtonPost, among others. Abigail tweets from @LeftStandingUp.
Recent blog posts written by Abigail Collazo
Chivalry Must Die: On Women’s Expectations and Men’s Obligations
Like most women, I believe my male friends to be nice people. They don’t catcall or sexually harass women on the street, they are thoughtful and sweet, and they believe in women’s equality and gender justice like good progressives. And so I give them on break on chivalry, because I know that they don’t mean [...]
Are Modern Men Manly Enough?
This weekend’s New York Times “Room for Debate” asks whether today’s men are ‘manly enough’: “A-list actors are getting facials in “Mansome,” Morgan Spurlock’s newest documentary, and pumping their waxed chests in Steven Soderbergh’s “Magic Mike,” one of the summer’s most popular movies. But is all this exfoliated, chiseled perfection what women really want? And should men really be making it [...]
“Brave” Still Teaching Girls The Wrong Lessons
I had high hopes for “Brave.” Megan Kearns, my go-to movie reviewer (and a new, official part of the Fem2.0 team!), raved about the strong female protagonist, the multi-dimensional bond between mother and daughter, and the lack of love interest, or even “male best friend” that we’ve become so accustomed to. Megan mentions a few [...]
Women’s Bodies: The Connection Between Title IX and Michigan’s Vagina Monologues Reading
All over the world, vaginas and what comes out of them are considered dirty – much like women themselves. In first world countries like the U.S., our periods are gross and embarrassing. In so-called developing nations, women’s periods and the health of their vaginas aren’t just disgusting – they’re evil and dirty. Some girls are [...]
As Drug Wars Intensify, Violence Against Women Soars: Announcing Tweetchat 6/6 at #Defensoras
It seems that every day now, we read articles or hear stories about the “drug wars” south of the U.S. border: how civilians are getting caught in the cross-fire, and whether we should finally admit defeat. Almost no one, however, is exploring the intricate relationship between the war on drugs and the broader, more global, war on [...]
Does Having More Women in the Security Sector Make a Difference? On Sex and the Secret Service
The recent Secret Service scandal has gotten many people – from political operatives to Congresswomen – calling for the inclusion of more women in the Secret Service and other such security forces. What never fails to amaze me in the aftermath of such issues is how verbal and public so many men are with their sexism. [...]
Why We Shouldn’t Make Jokes About Rape or Sandwiches
Feminists have no sense of humor. We flip out at every tiny thing. We make a big fuss about inconsequential, totally minor things that absolutely aren’t a big deal instead of focusing on the big and important issues. Lipstick feminism, it’s called. So why are jokes about women making sandwiches and language like “banging chicks” [...]
Is the U.S. Economy Really Biased Against Men?
There’s no doubt about it. Men are getting the short end of the stick (as usual). While women are clawing their way back, punching, fighting, kicking, and screaming to be viewed and valued as contributing members of society, as free moral agents with the rights and responsibilities as other citizens (read: men), poor men are [...]
At the Dinner Table: What “No Means No” Really Means
I was on a date recently with a man I’d met through mutual friends. When the waiter brought the check to the table, my date casually remarked, “I’ll get this one.” “Oh that’s alright, I’m happy to split it,” I replied with a smile. He pressed me, saying, “It’s fine, I’ll take care of it.” [...]