Why did the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover bring me to tears? (Hint: It had nothing to do with wanting to look like the model.) It was because I have no idea how I’m going to explain the image to my two sons (ages six and eight), who love sports and are about to be… Continue Reading →
The feminist value of Amal Clooney’s beauty and brains
“Some readers may wonder how a woman described by Elle magazine as having ‘stunning looks, flirty dresses, tailored pants, colorful heels, and gorgeous hair’ is involved in such a complex legal matter? … It may be astonishing to most people that Amal Alamuddin, now Mrs. Clooney, is much more than a pretty face! In fact,… Continue Reading →
Punching out sexism with Agent Carter
I think I’m in love. I’ve started watching Agent Carter, and so far it’s amazing. Agent Carter is a short television series about Secret Agent Peggy Carter, filling in the mid-season break in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC. We first met Peggy in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger when she played a supporting… Continue Reading →
Packed with sexist blunders, Snickers really objectifies
Did you know that more than 80% of women worldwide will face gender-based street harassment at some point in their lives? They—or rather we—will be approached or accosted on the street, subjected to unwanted whistles, cat calls, sexual comments, and lewd gestures in which men “assert the right to intrude on women’s attention, defining her… Continue Reading →
He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut… but we all want the same thing
If I can recommend one book to you, this is it: He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know. Drop what you’re doing like it’s hot and start reading. It’s a quick, fun, eye-opening read by feminist superstar Jessica Valenti, and it breaks down some of the most… Continue Reading →
What to do when your picture is stolen and turned into an offensive meme
We all know that posting pictures on social media opens them up to reactions we can’t control. But we generally don’t expect what happened to Kelly Martin Broderick: one of her pictures was stolen and turned into a fat-shaming, anti-feminist meme. The picture is of Broderick, holding a sign that says, “This is what a… Continue Reading →
Humorless, man-hating feminist unamused by misogynistic memes
Misogynistic memes don’t just lurk in the terrifying depths of Reddit where Good Girl Gina and Overly Attached Girlfriend were born; they have permeated the Internet and have become an embarrassing element of contemporary pop culture. Beyond the standard “make me a sandwich” jokes, sexist memes can go as far as to derogate rape and women’s… Continue Reading →
Fun, games, and misogyny at E3
E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) is meant to highlight upcoming video games and advances in game technology. But this year’s event, which took place from June 11-13th, was overshadowed by a few unfortunate incidents that highlighted the still-present sexism in video game culture instead. On the first day of E3, feminist video game critic, Anita Sarkeesian, tweeted… Continue Reading →
Facebook falls flat in fighting gender-based hate speech
I am an avid Facebook user (is anyone reading this not?); it is an integrated part of my everyday life. So when I heard that Facebook had agreed to better control the content on their site and eliminate gender-based hate speech, I was thrilled. Or so I thought. When I learned that they had only… Continue Reading →