I write all the time about how the everyday harassment of women on streets around the world is gendered regulation of public space. How the threat of real violence perpetuates male dominance. On one end of the spectrum harassment is superficially benign and women can feel flattered by strangers’ attention. I say superficially because a) [...]
Tag Archives: Sexism
Olympic Sexism! Why Does Mama Got The Magic?
The 2012 Olympics in London have been heralded as a win for feminism in many ways — some calling it the Title IX games even. And there’s a lot to celebrate for women in these games. But as the old poem says, we have miles to go before we sleep. If you’ve watched any part [...]
Choosing Not to Watch The Choice
Most of us have either heard about or watched The Voice, a game show where celebrity judges look for talented singers based onlyon their voice. Now Fox is using the same concept to create a dating game show, called The Choice, airing on June 7. Celebrity bachelors (and a few bachelorettes) fight over dates solely by listening [...]
Paycheck Fairness and the Boy Crisis: How Misguided Entitlement Hurts Everyone
Today, Congress will vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act, which is designed to strengthen the 1963 Equal Pay Act which made it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform similar work. The Paycheck Fairness Act specifies that they cannot be paid differently for doing the EXACT same job. Men [...]
Feminism in Film, TV & The Real World
I was home sick last week, which means I spent a lot of time watching Gilmore Girls reruns, Downton Abbey, and both Princess Diaries movies. Have you ever noticed how all of parliament in The Princess Diaries 2 is male? (Maybe you haven’t seen it enough to notice – I forgive if that’s the case.) [...]
Jimmy Carter: Feminist
Jimmy Carter: feminist. While I have many reasons for being a fan of the 39th President, I gained another this week, and not one I fully expected. The former president has parted ways with the Southern Baptist Church over their treatment of women. We have been hearing for awhile now about the church prohibiting women [...]
Manentine’s Day: Dating Just Got Dumber
Hey, ladies, how are you planning to spend March 14th, 2012? Won’t you join me in being repulsed by misogyny’s latest invention, Manentine’s Day? Manentine’s Day is the latest in a long line of ordinary words that have been reclaimed by men (I’m thinking of guyliner, mantyhose, and mansplaining as only some of the examples [...]
Top 14 Sexist Super Bowl Ads and the #NotBuyingIt Campaign
Super Bowl ads are big business. In 2011, the Super Bowl yielded the number 1 spot for ratings. With record-breaking numbers, an average of 111.3 million people watched this Sunday’s game. With so many people watching, “this means most women, children, LGBT” and people of color are watching too. Yet the advertising skews to white, [...]
In the Workplace, A Look at the Women of Gen Y
There has been a lot written lately about Gen Y women burning out early. People seem confused by this. Here’s a hint to figuring out why: ask Gen Y women! Honestly, we’ll tell you why. Everyone knows millennials feel entitled to more. We want all the basic benefits from a job and then some. Flexibility [...]
Jerry Sandusky and Victim Blaming
In the reactions to the revelations that coach Jerry Sandusky raped and abused at least eight boys and young teens, one thing has been absent: victim-blaming. No one has asked: What did the boy do to ask for it? What was he wearing? Why did he go into the showers with Sandusky if he wasn’t [...]