The Future of Feminism is Now!

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: 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: 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 […]