Image via Unsplash.com
March, with both International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, is very much about celebrating females. The content this month definitely reflects that with strong, empowering, inspirational women as well as the issues still faced by many today.
How to be Jobless
I followed Erica back when she was blogging anonymously as how to be jobless. I could completely relate because I too wanted to get into the world of journalism and really struggled to get on (and stay on) the career ladder after my degree. As a result I spent a significant amount of time unemployed, working in unrelated roles or completing work experience – simply because the career I was so desperate to pursue was incredibly competitive. It helped to read the words of someone in the same situation as you and eventually when she landed herself a role at The Guardian – it gave some hope too. It was at this point she revealed her identity and I have continued to follow her as – Erica Buist – ever since.
“Feminism is About Giving Women Choice”
https://youtu.be/Iam9aBC6tZc
An excellent point well made by Emma Watson on her Vanity Fair photoshoot: “Feminism is about giving women choice,” she said. “Feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women with. It’s about freedom, it’s about liberation, it’s about equality. I really don’t know what my tits have to do with it.”
You May Want to Marry My Husband
This story is both wonderful and heart-breaking at the same time (you may want a tissue to hand..) The author of the piece, Amy Krouse Rosenthal, on hearing her devastating cancer diagnosis, decide to create essentially a dating profile for her husband in the hope that he would find someone new following her death. Knowing you don’t have long left and preparing the path for your partner of 26 years to follow and hopefully find love again – now that is true love.
Sadly she died just 10 days after the piece was published.
Caitlin Moran Meets Primary School Children
Posted on The Pool for International Women’s Day 2016 and shared again this year, this video features Caitlin Moran discussing feminism, among other things, with a class of 9 and 10 year olds. “It was the start of a mini-revolution on tiny plastic chairs led by one of Britain’s most important feminist thinkers”
F*ck the Patriarchy
In this post blogger Superlatively Rude shares the response the 12-year-old girl she used to nanny gave when questioning why girls wear ‘boys’ clothes but it is *weird* if boys wear ‘girls’ clothes…
“Well, for ages women have been thought of as like, weaker, haven’t they? All through history men have been the strong ones and women have been like, less. Men have been above women for everything. Men thought they were more important.
So for a woman to dress like a man means she is dressing importantly. But, if a man dresses like a woman it’s like he is dressing down. Like he is dressing as a weak person. But, now that women are getting more equal, it matters less. Maybe one day it will be a privilege for men to dress like women. Because women are strong, too.”
Mummy Bloggers: Mother Pukka
I have found myself growing bored of many of the bloggers that I have always followed. Although they are around my age they seem to appeal to and therefore direct their content at a younger audience. I have also found that they are constantly advertising these days rather than offering anything of any substance.
Instead I have found myself following Mummy bloggers, despite the fact I don’t have children of my own yet. My favourite to follow, Mother Pukka, is currently (while pregnant and raising a toddler) campaigning tirelessly for flexible working – to make it easier for parents to continue working after they have had a child. She is quite obviously a fantastic mum and an inspirational lady.
Judging Girls By Their Clothes
Ever found yourself judged based on the clothes you are wearing? Have you been told you are a prude because your skirt is too long and your shoes too flat? Or been called a whore because your skirt is too short and your heels too high?
Terre Des Femmes, a Swiss organization for gender equality, is fighting back against the unfair judgment girls face about how they dress with an ad campaign called Don’t Measure A Woman’s Worth By Her Clothes.
Donald Trump Quotes Over Sexist 1950s Adverts
Despite the fact that women have been fighting for equality for many, many years it can feel, at times, like we are going backwards rather than forwards. There is no better example of this than the comments made by Donald Trump – to emphasise the parallels an artist has placed his quotes over sexist 1950s adverts.
Being a Woman and Talking About Money: Why is it Still Off Limits?
Money, we all earn it – we all need it, but no one likes to talk about it. Unfortunately this is something I have heard far too many times while trying to forge a career in this industry.
“The media – like most sought-after industries, such as the arts, fashion etc – widely employ the line of “you’re lucky to be here” and because “you’re lucky to be here” money is a mere bonus, an added extra.”
This article looks at why we still find it so uncomfortable.
Litbait
Finally, I think this is a brilliant idea – in order to get youngsters reading classical novels a bookshop has taken inspiration from ‘click bait’ and called it ‘litbait’
Can you guess which novel this is trying to get you to click through to – “Backpacker had the worst trip when island tribe attacked him with poop”
