‘Can You Really Be a Queer Muslim?’: Intersectionality and the Complexity of Identity
Swapping High Heels for Football Boots: Barbie and the Game of Men’s 5-Aside that Redefined My Feminism
My one criticism of Barbie was the mechanics of its anti-sexism messaging. I felt that pitting a whole society of women against a whole society of men overlooked the way sexism is often systemic rather than individual: it can and does exist without men and women being in direct conflict with one another all the time. When I spoke to a fifteen-year-old family friend about the film, however, it was clear she was in love…
‘We Are Not Your Stereotypes’: Refusing Cultural Shame and Reclaiming My Narrative as a Balkan Woman
‘Balkan is the bridge where the wind blows’ is a phrase famously articulated by Marina Abramovic, a renowned ex-Yugoslavian performance artist now residing in NYC. This quote transcends mere words; it embodies a universal truth, particularly for women hailing from marginalised corners of Europe. As a woman from the Balkans, I grapple with conflicting emotions regarding my cultural identity…
‘Our Liberation Is Mutual’: Examining the Limitations of White Privilege in Protecting the Female Body and Why Our Feminism Must be Intersectional
So many exclusionary powers have been systemically fused together, so the fight for equality must address them all. It bears self-examining our own failures at inclusion and considering who benefits from that exclusion. Do the powers and privileges we trust actually have our best interest at heart? With whom does our solidarity lie, and will they reciprocate?
‘Feminism Isn’t Feminism Unless It’s Intersectional and Representational’: How Japanese Literature Reignited my Feminist Flame
Some people think that because we had a female prime minister and it’s generally frowned upon to catcall, we live in a post-feminist era. A worrying number of people seem to agree women are more equal than they were before (yes, in some parts of the world) and so feminism is no longer a pressing issue. Immersing myself in the world of contemporary Japanese women helped me realise just how far we have to go to achieve genuine equality for women everywhere…