Posts Tagged: intersectional feminism
Don’t Be Fooled, Charter Schools Don’t Fix Public Education
If you’re even remotely interested in what’s going on in our public education system, chances are you’ve stumbled across the whole public school vs. charter school debate. And, if you’re like me, you’ve probably been on the fence about charter schools, mostly because they’re confusing! What even is a charter school? Charter schools, like public schools, are publicly funded, but they’re not governed by school districts or school boards. Instead, they’re run by businesses, non-profit organizations, or groups of people who write a charter and secure funding. Unlike sate-funded public schools, charters are allowed to exclude students that live within the area based on things like their special education status or test scores. Those who support charters argue that they’re a great alternative to “traditional” public schools because they offer… 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 »
3 Feminist TV Shows You Need to Watch in 2016
Let me just preface this by saying, I really love feminist media, but there is no real way to define what is and what isn’t considered feminist. I recognize that it’s subjective, but for the sake of this piece, I’m defining feminist media as shows with diversity, strong female characters (generally protagonists), and views about reproductive/sexual health addressed in the show. And I also recognize that some of the shows mentioned may do great in one or two aspects of those listed above, but be really awful in one, which is why I’m starting with… 1. Gilmore Girls Although this show has very few people of color in the cast (I can only think of Lane Kim and Michel), it had some really great feminist moments. (Note: I do NOT… Read more »
Equal Opportunity for Violence is Never a Feminist Victory
If you were on the internet this week, you probably heard the Pentagon’s self-congratulatory announcement that women will be allowed to serve in all combat positions. According to the old, white cis-men who run the place, the new policy is an unprecedented expansion of women’s rights. But, more women in the military is only a feminist victory if your understanding of feminism comes from the Sheryl Sandberg school of leaning in. Reading the coverage of the Pentagon’s announcement, you’d think that the self-righteous celebration of how great this is for equality would have feminists running to their nearest military recruitment center. Our new slogan: Sign me up! This worldview fits comfortably within the mandates of corporate feminism which contends that the end goal of feminism should be a legion of… Read more »
Let’s Celebrate Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives for All (on our own terms)
My identity is complex and always shifting; sometimes I revel in the beauty of ambiguity and sometimes I just freak the fuck out Society has a very hard time attending to my own complex personhood, beset by my many contradictions and almost constant uncertainty, especially when it comes to whether or not I’ll have kids. When I tell people I have no future plan to get married, they seem taken aback. But their confusion is soon assuaged by my strong feminist identity. (Oh, she’s one of those women who’ll live with her partner until the economic benefits outweigh whatever moral high road she thinks she’s taking) Is always the subtext. Yet, the assumption of my eventual reproduction is always questioned with the kind of urgency that is so intense it… Read more »
