Feminism is currently defined as "the advocacy of women's rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men." Merriam-Webster puts it into even simpler terms as "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities." This sounds like a good thing, right? If we put it this way, who could say that they don't believe in feminism? It's just advocating for equality after all, right?
Well, not a lot of people see it this way. In fact, there are many people out there, both men and women, who have come to associate a lot of negative--and untrue!--things with feminism. The whole movement has gotten a bad rep, with people thinking that many feminists are scary, angry man-haters who want to see the world dominated by women. SURPRISE! That's not what we want at all! In fact, feminists want the opposite of that; we just want everyone to be equal! I can understand why some people think these things though, because some women can be a little bit intimidating in their quest for equality. But I can't really blame them, because women have come a long way in the last hundred years or so. Because of these "scary" ladies, women now have the right to vote, have control over their own bodies, enter the workforce, and even run for president.
But just because things are better today than they were 100 years ago, doesn't mean that the fight for equality is over and it certainly doesn't mean that feminism is any less relevant or necessary. I've heard a lot of people say that they just don't see the need for feminism anymore because women are "pretty much" equal anyway. Or that fourth wave feminism isn't necessary in the Western world because women aren't as oppressed here as they are in other countries. I hope that if you've read my previous four posts on this blog, you'll get a sense that there is still a need for feminism, because things are still far from equal.
I'd like to take a second here and debunk several common myths about feminism that many self-proclaimed "anti-feminists" hold. By pointing out that gender inequality is still an issue, feminism is not encouraging women to see themselves as victims of society. It's actually empowering women to take a stand against these views and to actually do something about the inequalities they're facing!
Another misconception people often have is that all feminists hate men and demonize them to further their cause. I think it's kind of unbelievable that I have to say this, but that's also not true! Feminism is against certain actions or ideals, such as the patriarchy, not certain people. Feminism also isn't about taking any rights or opportunities away from men, it's about giving those same rights and opportunities to women and allowing them to rise up to the same level.
I think that a lot of the reason that people don't want to call themselves feminists is because they're afraid of the negative connotations that the word has. And that's completely understandable. I spent a lot of my life actively avoiding being labeled a feminist. I had a lot of the same misconceptions I'd imagine most other people do when they say they don't believe in feminism. I thought that feminism was kind of unnecessary in our current society and I didn't want to be associated with such an outspoken and seemingly disliked group (I know, I know, I could literally kick myself for thinking like this). Things changed for me when I actually took the time to learn about what feminism is and the values that it promotes. I started challenging my own opinions of society and realized that they line up pretty nicely with feminist ideals. This video in particular was really eye-opening for me.
So, while I would love it if everyone who comes across this post could suddenly become enlightened by reading it and begin to consider themselves a feminist, I know that this can't be the case. Because the truth is, I'm not here to try and brainwash anyone into supporting feminism. I do, however, hope that this post was thought provoking, and that if you didn't consider yourself a feminist before reading this that you've at least thought a little bit harder about the reasons why.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Friday, April 1, 2016
The Pink Tax
The Pink Tax is a new name for an old problem. It refers to the extra amount women are charged for certain products or services compared to what men are charged. This form of price discrimination involves companies selling almost identical products, such as razors, for more money when marketed specifically towards woman than when they are marketed towards men. But just exactly how much more money are we talking here? Recent studies have concluded that women pay almost $1400 a year more than men do for essentially the same products or services.
This shocking number mostly comes from price differences in several major areas: self care products, clothing, and services such as dry cleaning and, somewhat shockingly, vehicle repair. For example, a news program based in Atlanta compared the prices of self care items such as razors, shaving cream, face wash, and deodorant at various stores in the area. They found that some products, such as a five-pack of razors or a two-pack of deodorant, can cost up to $5 more for women simply because it is packaged and marketed towards them.
Clothing is another big area of price discrimination. Some of the biggest offenders currently are Club Monaco, Urban Outfitters, and Levi's, who charge an average of 28.9%, 24.6%, and 24.3% more respectively for women's items than men's. Old Navy also came under fire somewhat recently for charging $12 to $15 more for women's plus-sized jeans than regular women's jeans, but charged the same amount for men's jeans, whether plus-sized or not. The Pink Tax also applies to dry cleaning, where it costs about $2.09 more to dry clean a woman's shirt ($4.95) than a man's shirt ($2.86).
One aspect of the Pink Tax that didn't know about until researching it is that women often pay more for car repairs. Northwestern University conducted a study in 2013 that had both men and women call various vehicle repair shops and ask about the cost of fixing a broken radiator. Women who said that they were uninformed about how much a repair like that should cost were quoted an average of $20 more than men who made similar remarks. This is because repair shops often believe that women are on average less informed than men about the pricing of vehicle repair.
But if the Pink Tax is so obvious, then why does it continue to work? Why are women's products and services consistently higher then their male counterparts? According to Dr. Christopher Lemley, a marketing professor at Georgia State University, women are more willing to pay more for certain goods. Lemley also says that women "enjoy the shopping experience" and will spend more time "being lured by packaging and presentation." Personally, I don't think that women really have much of a choice when it comes to, literally, buying into the Pink Tax. While it is possible for women to avoid paying more for things like razors and shaving cream by simply buying men's products, they cannot help having to pay more for clothing items and dry cleaning.
So now what?
Well, we are making some progress on this issue. For example, under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer charge women more for identical policies. Insurance must now also cover women's birth control (which, if you were wondering why this is a big deal, insurance used to cover Viagra but not the pill). California passed a gender pricing discrimination law that makes it illegal for companies to charge more for women's products when they are identical to men's. Violation of this law is punishable by a minimum fine of $1000. New York has also passed a similar law, but as of right now, these are the only two states to have outlawed the Pink Tax.
This shocking number mostly comes from price differences in several major areas: self care products, clothing, and services such as dry cleaning and, somewhat shockingly, vehicle repair. For example, a news program based in Atlanta compared the prices of self care items such as razors, shaving cream, face wash, and deodorant at various stores in the area. They found that some products, such as a five-pack of razors or a two-pack of deodorant, can cost up to $5 more for women simply because it is packaged and marketed towards them.
Clothing is another big area of price discrimination. Some of the biggest offenders currently are Club Monaco, Urban Outfitters, and Levi's, who charge an average of 28.9%, 24.6%, and 24.3% more respectively for women's items than men's. Old Navy also came under fire somewhat recently for charging $12 to $15 more for women's plus-sized jeans than regular women's jeans, but charged the same amount for men's jeans, whether plus-sized or not. The Pink Tax also applies to dry cleaning, where it costs about $2.09 more to dry clean a woman's shirt ($4.95) than a man's shirt ($2.86).
One aspect of the Pink Tax that didn't know about until researching it is that women often pay more for car repairs. Northwestern University conducted a study in 2013 that had both men and women call various vehicle repair shops and ask about the cost of fixing a broken radiator. Women who said that they were uninformed about how much a repair like that should cost were quoted an average of $20 more than men who made similar remarks. This is because repair shops often believe that women are on average less informed than men about the pricing of vehicle repair.
But if the Pink Tax is so obvious, then why does it continue to work? Why are women's products and services consistently higher then their male counterparts? According to Dr. Christopher Lemley, a marketing professor at Georgia State University, women are more willing to pay more for certain goods. Lemley also says that women "enjoy the shopping experience" and will spend more time "being lured by packaging and presentation." Personally, I don't think that women really have much of a choice when it comes to, literally, buying into the Pink Tax. While it is possible for women to avoid paying more for things like razors and shaving cream by simply buying men's products, they cannot help having to pay more for clothing items and dry cleaning.
So now what?
Well, we are making some progress on this issue. For example, under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer charge women more for identical policies. Insurance must now also cover women's birth control (which, if you were wondering why this is a big deal, insurance used to cover Viagra but not the pill). California passed a gender pricing discrimination law that makes it illegal for companies to charge more for women's products when they are identical to men's. Violation of this law is punishable by a minimum fine of $1000. New York has also passed a similar law, but as of right now, these are the only two states to have outlawed the Pink Tax.
Friday, March 18, 2016
"Take Her Swimming on the First Date"
For this week's blog post, I have decided to explore a topic that has recently garnered a lot of attention on social media. This is a slightly controversial topic not only in our society but even within the feminist community. That is why this week I would like to address the question, is makeup a feminist issue?
Recently on social media, there has been a picture of a woman with and without makeup on that has been circulating with the caption "this is why you should take a girl swimming on the first date." The image features Ashley VanPenevage, a 20 year old college student from Tacoma, Washington. VanPenevage, who was suffering from an allergic reaction to a medication, asked a friend to help her cover up her acne and posted a before and after picture to Instagram. The picture was then picked up by several Twitter accounts and shared using captions suggesting women "falsely advertise" themselves when they wear makeup.
I would like to start off by pointing out that people are not products to advertise. Saying that implies that women who wear makeup (or really anyone who does for that matter) are selling themselves. That's just simply not the case; women are not a product to be purchased. I don't think that wearing lipstick can be classified as misrepresenting yourself. Sure, of course women look different with makeup on, some more so than others. But that doesn't mean that these women are "lying" about what they look like, that's just simply what they look like with makeup on! And lets be honest, if you think that women naturally have bright red lips or sparkly eyelids, you might have to reevaluate some of your perceptions.
This one example brings us to a much larger issue. Is wearing makeup really a woman's choice to make? Or does society make that decision for us? Many feminists believe that the reason women wear makeup is because our culture tells us that we look bad without it. I think that this is true to a certain extent. Women wearing makeup has become a standard in American society. Think about it--when was the last time you saw an advertisement or a TV show in which a woman was not wearing any makeup? According to writer Jenna Sauers, makeup is "so ever-present in our lives that women who don't wear makeup are commonly taken as defining themselves against it. To not wear makeup, for many women, is to invite misunderstanding or, worse, judgement." In her Jezabel article, Sauers also doubts the existence of women who "wear makeup for themselves."
While I do agree with Sauers that wearing some amount of makeup has become a standard in our society, I don't agree that there aren't any women out there who don't wear makeup just because they want to. Personally, I like to wear makeup for myself. Now, I guess you could argue that I'm kidding myself and that the real reason that I wear makeup is because society says that I should or that I'm trying to please men or whatever other reasons people have come up with. But the truth is that there are some days that I wear a full face of makeup and other days that I don't put anything on at all, and my deciding factor is simply how I'm feeling that day and whether or not I have the time. I don't believe that anyone's beauty or self worth has anything to do with the amount of makeup they wear.
So as I'm wrapping up my post, I'd like to definitively answer my initial question. Yes, makeup is a feminist issue, but maybe not for the reasons you initially thought. About a year ago, Buzzfeed made a video that explored the question, "Can It Be Feminist to Wear Makeup?" In response to the video, Bustle writer Carlo Chauvet wrote that "being feminist means ultimately asking the why behind actions that could be perceived as ways women objectify themselves and submit to patriarchal culture. Judging a woman for wearing makeup because it makes her feel good is just [as bad] as criticizing her habit of putting on makeup solely based on her lack of self-esteem or desire to please men." The video in question emphasizes the choice that women make for themselves when they decide either to wear makeup or not to. And with all of the grief that women get for both wearing makeup and not wearing makeup, how could their decision have anything to do with anything but their own opinion?
Recently on social media, there has been a picture of a woman with and without makeup on that has been circulating with the caption "this is why you should take a girl swimming on the first date." The image features Ashley VanPenevage, a 20 year old college student from Tacoma, Washington. VanPenevage, who was suffering from an allergic reaction to a medication, asked a friend to help her cover up her acne and posted a before and after picture to Instagram. The picture was then picked up by several Twitter accounts and shared using captions suggesting women "falsely advertise" themselves when they wear makeup.
I would like to start off by pointing out that people are not products to advertise. Saying that implies that women who wear makeup (or really anyone who does for that matter) are selling themselves. That's just simply not the case; women are not a product to be purchased. I don't think that wearing lipstick can be classified as misrepresenting yourself. Sure, of course women look different with makeup on, some more so than others. But that doesn't mean that these women are "lying" about what they look like, that's just simply what they look like with makeup on! And lets be honest, if you think that women naturally have bright red lips or sparkly eyelids, you might have to reevaluate some of your perceptions.
This one example brings us to a much larger issue. Is wearing makeup really a woman's choice to make? Or does society make that decision for us? Many feminists believe that the reason women wear makeup is because our culture tells us that we look bad without it. I think that this is true to a certain extent. Women wearing makeup has become a standard in American society. Think about it--when was the last time you saw an advertisement or a TV show in which a woman was not wearing any makeup? According to writer Jenna Sauers, makeup is "so ever-present in our lives that women who don't wear makeup are commonly taken as defining themselves against it. To not wear makeup, for many women, is to invite misunderstanding or, worse, judgement." In her Jezabel article, Sauers also doubts the existence of women who "wear makeup for themselves."
While I do agree with Sauers that wearing some amount of makeup has become a standard in our society, I don't agree that there aren't any women out there who don't wear makeup just because they want to. Personally, I like to wear makeup for myself. Now, I guess you could argue that I'm kidding myself and that the real reason that I wear makeup is because society says that I should or that I'm trying to please men or whatever other reasons people have come up with. But the truth is that there are some days that I wear a full face of makeup and other days that I don't put anything on at all, and my deciding factor is simply how I'm feeling that day and whether or not I have the time. I don't believe that anyone's beauty or self worth has anything to do with the amount of makeup they wear.
So as I'm wrapping up my post, I'd like to definitively answer my initial question. Yes, makeup is a feminist issue, but maybe not for the reasons you initially thought. About a year ago, Buzzfeed made a video that explored the question, "Can It Be Feminist to Wear Makeup?" In response to the video, Bustle writer Carlo Chauvet wrote that "being feminist means ultimately asking the why behind actions that could be perceived as ways women objectify themselves and submit to patriarchal culture. Judging a woman for wearing makeup because it makes her feel good is just [as bad] as criticizing her habit of putting on makeup solely based on her lack of self-esteem or desire to please men." The video in question emphasizes the choice that women make for themselves when they decide either to wear makeup or not to. And with all of the grief that women get for both wearing makeup and not wearing makeup, how could their decision have anything to do with anything but their own opinion?
Friday, February 19, 2016
"You Should Take It as a Compliment!"
Often when a woman complains about being catcalled on the street, her frustration is met by the same types of responses: "Just ignore it," "Why are you so upset?" "You should take it as a compliment!" While it is true that some women do in fact find unwarranted comments from men to be flattering (and that is a totally valid opinion for a woman to have), studies have shown that the majority of women do not consider this type of sexual harassment to be at all a compliment.
Before I get too far into this post, I would like to acknowledge that the subject of street harassment is a tricky one. What one woman deems as offensive could be perfectly fine to another woman. The interpretation of a comment is completely subjective, which is why this is such a controversial topic. Many people believe that any type of catcalling is wrong and derogatory towards women, while others think that women need to "get over it" and appreciate the compliment. I would like to say here that while I do not agree that catcalling is at all respectful or complimentary, it really is up to the woman being catcalled to decide how she chooses to interpret it.
To get a sense of this, Sonia Saraiya teamed up with 11 women living in New York and asked them to record "their experiences being objectified and sexually harassed on the city's streets." These experiences were compiled on the blog Catcalled and posted anonymously under Participant #1, 2, 3, etc. These women's opinions about catcalling ranged from "a whole new level of scary" to enjoying "the momentary respite of being an object." However, the main purpose of this project was to explain how "the culture of street harassment" affects women in their daily lives.
Most people assume that street harassment doesn't occur until girls get older, but according to an international study conducted by Hollaback! and Cornell University, the majority of women surveyed reported their first experience with street harassment occurred before the age of 17, with some citing ages as early as 10 and 11. Being exposed to this kind of objectification at such a young age makes it even harder for women to break out of the cycle of harassment. If a woman is brave enough to tell her cat-caller to stop, she is still likely to encounter a negative (and even sometimes dangerous) response.
The controversy surrounding catcalling isn't just about women not wanting to take a compliment either. The men who yell out comments to women on the street aren't simply trying to strike up a conversation or offer some kind words. Because these men who ask women to come home with them or tell them about the obscene things they'd like to them don't genuinely think that these women will take them up on their offer. This kind of harassment stems from wanting to make sure that women know their place in society, as objects and inferiors.
I want to take a step back here and make it clear that I don't think that every guy who offers a woman a compliment has some kind of agenda or that he is fueling the Patriarchy and promoting sexist propaganda. I do, however, think that there is a distinct line between complimenting someone and harassing them. Ignoring women who say that street harassment is not complimentary is invalidating and shows a lack of respect for their viewpoint. Despite the numerous experiences women have shared detailing harassment, some men are still of the opinion that they want to be catcalled. I have even heard men say that if women don't want to be catcalled, then we should simply stay at home. That women wouldn't try to look nice if we didn't want to be complimented on our appearance.
I personally don't accept the idea that someone has a right to harass a woman simply because she decided to leave her house that day. I think that catcalling is disempowering and disrespectful towards women and that we as a society shouldn't allow it to be passed off as complimentary.
Before I get too far into this post, I would like to acknowledge that the subject of street harassment is a tricky one. What one woman deems as offensive could be perfectly fine to another woman. The interpretation of a comment is completely subjective, which is why this is such a controversial topic. Many people believe that any type of catcalling is wrong and derogatory towards women, while others think that women need to "get over it" and appreciate the compliment. I would like to say here that while I do not agree that catcalling is at all respectful or complimentary, it really is up to the woman being catcalled to decide how she chooses to interpret it.
To get a sense of this, Sonia Saraiya teamed up with 11 women living in New York and asked them to record "their experiences being objectified and sexually harassed on the city's streets." These experiences were compiled on the blog Catcalled and posted anonymously under Participant #1, 2, 3, etc. These women's opinions about catcalling ranged from "a whole new level of scary" to enjoying "the momentary respite of being an object." However, the main purpose of this project was to explain how "the culture of street harassment" affects women in their daily lives.
Most people assume that street harassment doesn't occur until girls get older, but according to an international study conducted by Hollaback! and Cornell University, the majority of women surveyed reported their first experience with street harassment occurred before the age of 17, with some citing ages as early as 10 and 11. Being exposed to this kind of objectification at such a young age makes it even harder for women to break out of the cycle of harassment. If a woman is brave enough to tell her cat-caller to stop, she is still likely to encounter a negative (and even sometimes dangerous) response.
The controversy surrounding catcalling isn't just about women not wanting to take a compliment either. The men who yell out comments to women on the street aren't simply trying to strike up a conversation or offer some kind words. Because these men who ask women to come home with them or tell them about the obscene things they'd like to them don't genuinely think that these women will take them up on their offer. This kind of harassment stems from wanting to make sure that women know their place in society, as objects and inferiors.
I want to take a step back here and make it clear that I don't think that every guy who offers a woman a compliment has some kind of agenda or that he is fueling the Patriarchy and promoting sexist propaganda. I do, however, think that there is a distinct line between complimenting someone and harassing them. Ignoring women who say that street harassment is not complimentary is invalidating and shows a lack of respect for their viewpoint. Despite the numerous experiences women have shared detailing harassment, some men are still of the opinion that they want to be catcalled. I have even heard men say that if women don't want to be catcalled, then we should simply stay at home. That women wouldn't try to look nice if we didn't want to be complimented on our appearance.
I personally don't accept the idea that someone has a right to harass a woman simply because she decided to leave her house that day. I think that catcalling is disempowering and disrespectful towards women and that we as a society shouldn't allow it to be passed off as complimentary.
Friday, February 5, 2016
I'm Sorry, Can You See My Shoulders?
It is becoming increasingly apparent that there are some pretty big differences in the ways in which girls and boys are treated in school based on their gender and their clothing. Many schools have strict dress codes set in place, and although the language of these policies does not always specify female students, it often targets articles of clothing worn specifically by girls (leggings, skirts, tank tops, etc.). Many young women who wear such articles of clothing are frequently told that they are "distracting" the male students in their classrooms. This sends a clear message to both girls and boys that girls' bodies are dangerous and sexualized and that they are solely responsible for boys' actions toward them.
I want to take a moment to clarify that I'm not saying that all school dress codes are sexist, or that anyone in violation of the dress code shouldn't be punished for breaking school policy. I think that if a school has a reasonable dress code set in place then there is no reason it shouldn't be followed. I am, however, saying that many of these dress codes exist for the wrong reasons. I think that it would be fair to say that a school dress code is sexist if it disproportionally targets girls, sexualizes young girls' bodies, or at all suggests that that it is these girls' fault for distracting boys.
One specific example of a school dress code that has gone too far happened earlier this school year in Kentucky when Stephanie Dunn got sent to the principle's office for wearing a shirt that did not cover her collar bone. Stephanie's mother, Stacie, was called in to pick her daughter up and criticized the school for such a ridiculous system: "Parents are being called away from their important jobs and students are missing important class time because they are showing their collarbones! Something needs to change!" Stacie Dunn also said in her Facebook post that it was ridiculous that the girls at that school weren't allowed to show their collar bones because it "may distract their male classmates." Stephanie's mother brought her a scarf to attempt to cover up in compliance with the school's dress code but was ultimately sent home anyway for giving the principal an attitude when he told her that the scarf was also (somehow) inappropriate. There is a potential for change within the school however. Stacie noted that the principle called her to set up a meeting, saying that he would be willing to reexamine the school's dress code if she would be willing to put together a proposed policy.
This dress code controversy has prompted many young women to take a stand against their schools' sexist policies. They are starting movements like "Not 'A' Distraction", in which students in South Carolina wore scarlet A's to school in the style of Hester Prynne to highlight the harm done by enforcing misogynistic values on young women. There is also the hashtag #IAmMoreThanADistraction which began in 2014 and has picked up momentum during this school year. Started by a group of girls from New Jersey, the group aims to draw attention to the fact that interrupting a girl's school day to have her sent home or change clothes sends a message that making sure that boys have a "distraction free" learning environment is more important than her own education. This hashtag has generated thousands of posts on social media and empowered other young women to speak out against the unfair and often sexist dress code guidelines enforced upon them.
Unfortunately, the policy of policing women on what they can and can't wear doesn't stop in high school. The over-sexualization of women in the workplace is also a growing problem in our society and can be traced directly back to school dress codes: if girls are policed and sexualized at an early age, that impacts what both girls and boys grow up to view as the social norm.
I want to take a moment to clarify that I'm not saying that all school dress codes are sexist, or that anyone in violation of the dress code shouldn't be punished for breaking school policy. I think that if a school has a reasonable dress code set in place then there is no reason it shouldn't be followed. I am, however, saying that many of these dress codes exist for the wrong reasons. I think that it would be fair to say that a school dress code is sexist if it disproportionally targets girls, sexualizes young girls' bodies, or at all suggests that that it is these girls' fault for distracting boys.
One specific example of a school dress code that has gone too far happened earlier this school year in Kentucky when Stephanie Dunn got sent to the principle's office for wearing a shirt that did not cover her collar bone. Stephanie's mother, Stacie, was called in to pick her daughter up and criticized the school for such a ridiculous system: "Parents are being called away from their important jobs and students are missing important class time because they are showing their collarbones! Something needs to change!" Stacie Dunn also said in her Facebook post that it was ridiculous that the girls at that school weren't allowed to show their collar bones because it "may distract their male classmates." Stephanie's mother brought her a scarf to attempt to cover up in compliance with the school's dress code but was ultimately sent home anyway for giving the principal an attitude when he told her that the scarf was also (somehow) inappropriate. There is a potential for change within the school however. Stacie noted that the principle called her to set up a meeting, saying that he would be willing to reexamine the school's dress code if she would be willing to put together a proposed policy.
This dress code controversy has prompted many young women to take a stand against their schools' sexist policies. They are starting movements like "Not 'A' Distraction", in which students in South Carolina wore scarlet A's to school in the style of Hester Prynne to highlight the harm done by enforcing misogynistic values on young women. There is also the hashtag #IAmMoreThanADistraction which began in 2014 and has picked up momentum during this school year. Started by a group of girls from New Jersey, the group aims to draw attention to the fact that interrupting a girl's school day to have her sent home or change clothes sends a message that making sure that boys have a "distraction free" learning environment is more important than her own education. This hashtag has generated thousands of posts on social media and empowered other young women to speak out against the unfair and often sexist dress code guidelines enforced upon them.
Unfortunately, the policy of policing women on what they can and can't wear doesn't stop in high school. The over-sexualization of women in the workplace is also a growing problem in our society and can be traced directly back to school dress codes: if girls are policed and sexualized at an early age, that impacts what both girls and boys grow up to view as the social norm.
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