Books for budding feminists: Ariel Levy, female chauvinist pigs
In ‘Female Chauvinist Pigs’ author Ariel Levy questions what it means to be sexy today. Her search takes her all over America into strip clubs, women’s living rooms and onto a Florida beach where girls are encouraged to strip off their clothes for the cameras of hit TV show ‘Girls Gone Wild’. She finds a [...]
books for budding feminists: natasha walter, living dolls: the return of sexism
The main thing I learnt by reading this book is that the sexism that existed pre-1950s is definitely sneaking back into society. While today it is mostly swept under the rug and hidden away, there remain aspects that are right out in the open just begging us, as women, to make a move to change [...]
Books for budding feminists: Naomi Wolf, the beauty myth
The book that made me realise that I was a feminist was “The Beauty Myth” by Naomi Wolf. It is essentially about the ways in which images of beauty are used against both men and women to make us feel more vulnerable. The book has chapters focusing on different aspects of life, work, religion, culture, [...]
trash talk : how to avoid joining the circle of self-hate
‘I’m having a fat day.’ ‘My boobs are too small.’ ‘I’m having a bad hair day.’ ‘I’m ugly.’ We all know these phrases. They start popping into our consciences at around age 12 (but with all that Toddlers and Tiaras crap it’s probably even younger now) and are then imprinted onto our experiences of “girl [...]
are men’s magazines fostering rapist attitudes towards women?
Men’s magazines aren’t generally known for fostering positive attitudes towards women, if at all. However, a recent study conducted by psychologists in the UK has revealed that most participants in the study could not readily distinguish comments made in popular men’s magazines from quotes from interviews with convicted rapists. Men between the ages of 18 [...]
Do you want to take my picture?
I’ve never been 100% comfortable with having my photograph taken – despite trying to make myself accustomed to it through regular outfit photos. I have a relatively realistic viewpoint on how I look in pictures, but sometimes I am still shocked out of that viewpoint by what is either a “bad” photo or a “bad” [...]
the upside of frump
Frumpy – it’s not the most body-positive word around, is it? Nope, it’s just one of the numerous negative ways we describe and view women’s bodies in contemporary society. Wherever it appears, whether it be a fashion magazine or in office conversation it is always used as an insult. It equates to a woman that [...]
the weighting game
Females are amazing. We do amazing things. We say amazing things. We give birth to amazingness. So why do we beat ourselves up so much about what we look like? Why is a search for perfection so viciously tiring on ourselves? Let me tell you a story. A couple of years ago I made the [...]
don’t call me crazy: when the anorexia minx comes to stay
An eating disorder can be described as a marathon. And in that image, it isn’t ever just the sufferer that is running. Their community – friends, parents, teachers, siblings – can be asked to step up without training, without warning, or proper footwear. This isn’t the fault of the one who’s fighting. But it is [...]
you could totally rock that
The other day, I was on a forum I’m a part of and reading a thread asking people what they can’t ‘rock’. The amount of responses was surprising and a little saddening. On the weekend, I was at brunch with my sister and, despite knowing my stance, she brought up that she thought certain people [...]
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