I thought I would share this amazingly-made video, a parody of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” about the battle for women’s suffrage.
You can watch the video and read the lyrics here:
Author: Amandine Dupin
Lady Gaga and Getting the Vote
Women's Health is Not Up for Debate [video]
I thought I would share this excellent video, called Not Up for Debate, which was made through the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC).
According to an email sent to me by Danielle Jackson, an extremely awesome woman at the NWLC, “The attacks on women’s access to reproductive health care are increasing at an alarming rate, and the ability of women to obtain the health care they need has never been at greater risk. If the past few weeks are any indication, the relentless assaults on women’s health care will continue unabated. We can’t stand by and wait to see what their next attack brings. Through our new campaign we’re encouraging our supporters to tell our leaders – My Health is Not Up for Debate.”
The Proof is in the Pronoun
Ever since the 1960s, feminists have stressed the importance of gender-neutral speech. More recent research has proved that using non gender-specific language actually impacts how people think.Janet Hyde, a professor of psychology and women’s studies at University of Wisconsin – Madison, conducted a study in 1984 where she asked children to finish stories for which she gave them a first line, like “When a kid goes to school, ___ often feels excited on the first day.” When Dr. Hyde used the word he in the blank, almost all of the kids’ stories were about boys. When she used he or she, about a third of the stories were about girls. This effect is not only present in children, but has also been seen in similar studies with adolescents and adults.
Talking About Rape
I was talking with a friend of mine who lives abroad a while ago, and we were discussing modes of transportation in the country she lives in. She mentioned the fact that she wouldn’t go into a taxi alone. I agreed. “Yeah, that’s not a good idea, you don’t wanna get…hurt,” I said. The word I had in mind was raped, but I felt uncomfortable saying it. She didn’t, though. “Yeah, since I definitely do not want to get raped or molested or something by a cab driver,” she said.
Why did I have such a problem saying the word rape? Seriously, what was wrong with me? Rape is a crime, just like murder. Both are horrible, horrible sins, but they happen every day. I have no problem saying the word murder; why did I feel uncomfortable with the word rape?
