After 30 days, the time has come for the final “Future of Feminism” post. As I think is fairly obvious from the variety of topics this month, there’s no way to quickly sum up the future of feminism. Feminism is a many-splendored thing, embracing, supporting and advocating for people in America and across the globe.
Future of Feminism Series
Future of Feminism: Say No to Human Trafficking
Two things separate trafficking from sex work. One, trafficking isn’t always about sex; the majority of cases are about labor. Two, all people trafficked for the purposes of sex or labor are either coerced or recruited with false promises.
But there are so many gendered dimensions to labor trafficking — its victims are often subject to sexual harassment and sexual assault. Moreover, many trafficked women have escaped some form of gendered violence or discrimination in their country of origin, so they can end up trapped between a rock and hard place when faced with the threat of deportation–which can deter them from going to authorities for help.
Future of Feminism: Girls and Women, Don’t Be Camera-Shy!
When a Los Angeles Times article published just before the Oscars last month revealed the makeup of the Oscar voting pool–94 percent Caucasian and 77 percent male!–many of us wondered what we could do to change such an entrenched institution. In fact, across the board, the representation of women and people of color in film, television, news and media formats is nowhere near where it should be.
But there’s hope. Several organizations have made it their mission to help increase the ranks of women in the entertainment/media industries.
Future of Feminism: Sex Education As a Human Right
In these days when conservative legislators try to foist abstinence-only sex education on young people, it’s a good time to reiterate that conversations about healthy sexuality need not be confined to a “less is more,” procreation-focused dialogue. Rather, let’s push forward discussions of sexuality in terms of self-reliance, autonomy, exploration, consent and, yes, pleasure.
Future of Feminism: Telling Our Stories Out Loud
So often, the purely academic approach to feminism isn’t enough; you need to connect with people through personal anecdotes, humor and everyday experiences in order to break through and help people realize why feminism is vital. The women that follow do this with great aplomb through spoken word, slam poetry and other forms of performative […]
Future of Feminism: Hip Hop Critiques Gender
Hip hop and rap have long been derided as anti-woman, especially with the well-known lyrical inclusion of “bitches and hoes.” Still, some have found ways to recuperate even the most virulent songs; hip hop culture and its relationship to feminism is nothing if not complicated. Since the late ’80s and early ’90s, artists such as […]
Future of Feminism: Shaping Feminist Spirituality
Despite (or perhaps because of) the patriarchy of many organized religions, feminism and spirituality have long-standing–if not universally-accepted–ties, from ancient goddess worship to contemporary Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Wiccan/Pagan and Muslim feminisms. Today, I want to chronicle just a few of of the diverse intersections of feminism and spirituality in our modern world. The Women Alliance for […]
Future of Feminism: Anti-Bully Pulpits
The bullying of teenagers and college students, online and in-person, appears to be finally receiving the serious attention it deserves. In the wake of an awful spate of suicides by gay and lesbian teens in late 2010, the issue has prompted a story line about anti-gay bullying on the hit TV show Glee and a […]
Future of Feminism: The Hashtag Is Mightier Than the Sword
Twenty years ago, feminist activism might have meant writing a letter to your congress(wo)man or picking up a pen to sign a petition. Nowadays it’s much more likely to involve Twitter, Facebook or online petitions, as feminists begin to use social media to effect change. In a society where communication has never been easier yet […]
Future of Feminism: VAWA Goes Viral
The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)–which helps provide support networks for victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse and sexual assault and provides funding for law enforcement to address these crimes–gained its 60th co-sponsor on Tuesday. While VAWA may not be a perfect piece of legislation, there’s no question that Congress needs to […]