Posts Categorized: Sex and Culture
President Obama Just Took a Big Step for Sex Education
Bless you, Barack Obama. This week, President Obama sent the U.S. Senate his proposed budget for fiscal year 2017, and he made a huge step for reproductive justice. Obama’s proposed budget cuts funding for abstinence-only sex education programs. Currently, this education is being funded by a $10 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. It is safe to say this grant has been a complete waste of time and has set sex education back decades. Up to this point, abstinence-only sex education has been encouraged and utilized in schools because of the funding it was receiving; this is obviously problematic. Students have been missing out on sex education that is actually informative because school districts want more money. This means young people have been inadequately informed about… Read more »
What Everyone’s Missing in the Gloria Steinem Controversy
Everyone on the Internet just about lost their minds this week trying to divine some hidden meaning from the controversy surrounding Gloria Steinem’s comments about young female voters. The reactions included everything from kneejerk defense to wholesale condemnation. As a young woman and long-time admirer of Steinem for her pioneering work advocating for survivors of domestic abuse and, let’s be honest, her kickass glasses, I found her comments unfortunate and tone deaf. Not to be outdone, Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State, also chimed in with some of her own tone deaf advice for the young female voter. Speaking to a crowd of prospective voters, Albright admonished young women for taking the feminist movement for granted, reiterating her famous quip that “there’s a special place in hell for women who… Read more »
5 ways to prevent teen dating violence
February is Teen Dating Violence Prevention Month, so it’s important we talk about not only what teen dating violence is, but how people can get involved in prevention. Note: This is not something we as a society should only spend a month focusing on; it deserves constant prevention efforts and attention. It is also important to realize dating violence happens to young people and teenagers. In fact, one in five teenage girls and 10% of teenage boys experienced some form of dating violence in 2015. Teen dating violence is physical, sexual, psychological, emotional violence or stalking by a former or current partner. So often when we as a society hear the word “violence,” we automatically assume it’s physical, but violence comes in many forms. It is important to remember, recognize… Read more »
The Body Positive Revolution Will Not Be Commodified
One of the world’s most iconic dolls went full feminist this week. Mattel, the company that owns and operates the Barbie brand, finally acknowledged that marketing a white doll with physically impossible proportions as the “ideal woman” to young girls was dangerous. Because of Mattel’s brave move, little kids will no longer be sold toys that conform to white European standards of beauty and that tell young girls that their value stems solely from their ability to attract their very own Ken. Mattel apologized, pulled all Barbie dolls from the shelves, and used the money they would’ve spent on marketing to finally pay their workers fair wages. No, I’m kidding. Of course Mattel didn’t make these far-reaching changes. But they did add almost half an inch to one of the doll’s waist, died… Read more »
Marley Dias, Whitewashing, and #1000BlackGirlBooks
Reading is fundamental, and always has been. I love to read and recently bought four new books I can’t wait to dive into. Literacy can be considered a reproductive justice issue because families that emphasize literacy in young people, foster adults who engage politically as well as socially. Unfortunately, according to a HuffPost poll, 28% of people haven’t read a book at all in the past year, and the literacy rate is stagnant. What we read and our ability to do so is in serious jeopardy, and our youth are affected the most. Thankfully, one young voracious reader out there saw a need and decided to take action. Marley Dias, an African-American sixth grader from New Jersey, took her love of reading and her frustration over the overwhelming whiteness of the protagonists she was required to… Read more »
Amber the Activist and Victim Blaming in Rape Culture
[Trigger warning of sexual assault, rape and mental trauma.] 2015 was (unfortunately) the year of perpetuating rape culture and victim blaming. After her ex-husband and ex-boyfriend both made disparaging comments about famed feminist and actress, Amber Rose, she threw her first annual Slut Walk in downtown L.A, raising money for the Amber Rose Foundation and various other sexual assault advocacy programs, reclaiming negative sexual slurs and raising awareness of sexual assault using her own harrowing account of abuse. Bill Cosby was (and still is) entrenched in a massive rape scandal, with allegations of assault from more than 50 women over a span of decades, with people renouncing him as an actor and wondering if the allegations are true. 2016 has barely started, and now, we have the case of Amber… Read more »
These are the Characters You’re Looking For
Warning: mild SPOILERS for the newest Star Wars film ahead When it was announced that Disney made a deal with George Lucas to buy out the Star Wars series, I was worried. I expected Disney to warp it into the common princess/damsel in distress trope, but Disney and J.J. Abrams came through and created a female character with more depth than many major film franchises are afraid to give to their female leads, including the original Star Wars trilogy. Not only that, but the cast chosen for Star Wars: The Force Awakens’s central trio is basically perfect and handle dumb questions like the one’s about BB-8’s gender (more correctly, lack thereof) with such grace. I also have high hopes for an open and repeatedly recognized gay relationship between a former… Read more »
The Feminist’s Guide to Holiday Shopping
It’s that time of the year when we’re making holiday wish lists. Sometimes, we know exactly what we want and can provide our friends and family with a thorough list. Other times, we have no idea what to ask for. If you fall into that second category—or if you have a friend who’s really into reproductive justice and you don’t know what to get them—then this list is for you! So here it is, a list of reproductive justice-related gifts that are perfect for getting or giving! The Repeal Hyde Art Project has great options, from handmade posters to t-shirts. They’re dedicated to raising awareness about how harmful the Hyde Amendment is, as well as creating conversations and making change. The Bitch Media store offers some pretty amazing stuff too,… Read more »
Strive for Honor? Texas Tech receives terrible sexual health rating
There are a lot of things that make me really proud to be a student at Texas Tech. The campus, traditions, sporting events and overall environment of the university make me proud to be a Red Raider. But recently, I was disappointed to find out that the university I am so proud of failed the annual Trojan sexual health report card. Texas Tech was ranked 134 out of 140, this is a huge step back from 2014 when Tech was ranked 112. Many factors could contribute to this embarrassing ranking; the report might even be excluding Texas Tech’s new RISE office on campus. RISE stands for Risk Intervention and Safety Education and it has made a huge impact on the university. As a center for condom distribution, sexual health facts, and… Read more »
From One Caitlyn to Another: You Can Do Better
My favorite thing about Caitlyn Jenner is her name. Maybe I’m a little biased, but the name Caitlyn just has a certain ring to it. When she first came out as transgender, I was looking forward to a well-known celebrity voice bringing more visibility to the underrepresented and often ignored trans community. When she unveiled her new name, I was excited because I saw the potential for her to have a huge impact on how the world views the LGBTQ+ community and wouldn’t it be cool to share a name with someone like that? When she gave her speech at the ESPYs, I applauded from the couch. But now, those initial feelings have worn off and I have become disenchanted with Ms. Jenner. There are so many reasons that I… Read more »
