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My name is Riya. I am an international student pursuing Master of Communication at University of Ottawa. 

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I have studied about feminism and gender studies in bits and parts during my undergrad and through a few courses during my masters but never really had a chance to delve deeper into it.
Coming from a country with a rich, ancient history and civilisation, I take pride in its complexity and uniqueness, however, it as a society still struggles with feminism in various aspects. The women in India as well as advocacy for feminism have come a long way but still face adversities due to patriarchal construction of society. I have read about, heard and witnessed struggles of females and myself have been a part of that group on various occasions. I have also seen them fight and overcome these issues. So in spite not having any formal background in feminist studies, I feel feminism was ingrained in me since a young age.

I consider myself as a feminist. My family have more number of females than males, still male dominance in my family was something that bothered me since a young age. I am not saying my family is conservative or orthodox but it was influenced by society and cultural norm. Overtime, as I grew, I questioned things and argued against norms which I think were ridiculous and made a change for me and people around me. I have seen my family especially the male become more accepting to my ideas, pro-feminist actions. Same goes for my other environments. Ever since the young age I was bullied for not being “the lady like” and lacking feminine traits or “trying to be like us” as boys said when what I was doing was just challenging the stereotypes and my own self in doing unconventional things. This pushed me more to prove people wrong and shape my identity as a bold, ambitious person. So of course, I am proud to be a feminist as I advocate for the recognition and change for the state of females all around the world. This has made me interested in this course. As I said I have never had a course that deals with feminism and its theories in detail. I believe this is necessary for me because it will give me a whole new depth about the concept and help me advocate for it better in my life, my choices plus since I am a communication student, it will an enriching experience for me.

I believe we still need feminism because the struggles of females, the disparities, atrocities have not ended yet. In the present century, we still hear and see women of all sorts struggling every day, fighting for their rights, even for their life in many cases. It is also crucial for discouraging toxic masculinity and its effects on both females as well as males as to me feminism also stands for acknowledging the femininity. Thus it is important for construction of an equal, inclusive and organic society. In her video, Jessica Dunne remarked that some think feminism is unnecessary, which is concerning. I agree with her. As the video shows, discrimination and exclusion still exist, and it's not just men who do it. Women of colour, women of certain religions, and transwomen are discriminated against by men and other women. Jessica feels "intersectionality" is vital to address the complex issues of how feminism is perceived. I also liked hooks' feminist theory and movement explanations. I loved how she highlighted the progression of feminist beliefs, especially in academia, and their current ramifications. I enjoy how she emphasizes intersectionality by contrasting white women's opposition to black and other women of color's difficulties. Her support of young culture and modern feminism was intriguing since she believed criticism was more acceptable in that setting. “Consequently, the academization of feminist thought in this manner undermines feminist movement via depoliticization,” she says. Hooks (2014). I agree with her recommendation to reform early childhood education to promote feminism. Today's academic and work settings need such debates and arguments over feminism and its theories to deepen knowledge, expose people to different ideas, and start a new conversation about change.

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Hi everyone, my name is Kristina Campanelli and I am writing from Montreal, Quebec. I decided to take this course as I have very minimal experience with feminist theory, literature and overall knowledge. I am eager to learn more, specifically because I personally would like to know more but also, to share this new knowledge with my female students. I currently work as a Student Coach in a private postsecondary institution here in Montreal and our student population is primarily made up of males. Often, my female students feel excluded in their education, as they are surrounded by males, learn largely from male staff and are often met with toxic masculine ideals.

I think we still do need feminism because it is necessary for ALL. As Bell Hooks (2014) states, “feminist knowledge is for everybody” (p. 24). It is not only for my female students, but also for my male students. We want male students to identify as feminists, support feminists and work collaboratively with their peers to cultivate an inclusive, safe and healthy environment… One that supports ALL students, male or female, in being the best versions of themselves, advocating for their rights and equality.

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My name is Diana and I live in Ottawa. This is a picture of my dog when he was a puppy. Sharing because arguably the most handsome picture of him we have.

I decided to take this course because I briefly and quickly touched on feminism in a children's literature class last semester. It was mentioned in one of the class discussions and I realized that there was a new lens through which to examine education as a whole. I wanted to explore this more and by taking this course hoped to develop the tools I needed to explore adequately.

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Cynthia Lewis - Why did you decide to take this course? What do you hope to learn?

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Cynthia Lewis - Why did you decide to take this course? What do you hope to learn?

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Hi Friends :)

My name is Cynthia Lewis and I am located just outside of Toronto! My picture is from my trip to France and Spain that I just got back from before this course started :)

I am very excited for this course as it is a topic that I think everyone should be learning about. I decided to take this course because I consider myself a feminist but realize that I need to learn more about what that means. I want to be able to educate others and in order to do that I need to fully educate myself. I hope this course can give me some necessary information to solidify my knowledge on feminism. I hope this course can prepare me to teach about feminism in schools and generally when people have questions. I hope this course can begin my journey on researching feminism to be able to continue to educate myself after the course is complete. I am very excited about what it to come and I am ready to learn.

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My name is Sonja, and I live rurally, close to Ottawa. This is a photo of my chickens. They're my good buddies-we 're all happy spring is here so we can spend more time in the garden together.

I decided to take this course because while I deeply associate with being a feminist I’ve never taken part in formal education specifically centred on feminism. I definitely feel strongly that we still need feminism. We will until all humans of all genders have the same choices, opportunities, and access to power, as well as all genders being equally represented in all power structures, these structures themselves being dismantled and re/co-created to include all ways of being in their definitions rather than rooted in white-dominant, colonial ways. Thinking of the reading by McRobbie I feel like a truly postfeminist time will never actually exist so folks will need to continue to be vigilant in keeping power holders and institutions accountable in the promise and practice of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Jessica Dunne’s defining of feminism as necessarily intersecting with other marginalizing practices and policies is important for us all to remember. Rather than needing to choose one “side” and all of them competing with each other, we all need to work together and be aware that social justice can never be achieved unless it is achieved for all.

I really appreciate how the group of Duke students deliberately did not define feminism for participants but rather shared sources that supported folks in creating their own understanding. This aligns with hooks’ statements that academic writing is not accessible and understandable to all and needs to be "available in a range of styles and formats". I agree with this. I feel like many folks are feminist in their lives and practices and perhaps don’t identify that way because of the narrow way feminism has been and can be defined.

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My love for Peterborough shining through

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Hi everyone,

My name is Caroline Meek and I have always been interested in feminist goals and equality long before I knew about the term feminism so for me, it was always a natural fit to identify as a feminist. My academic background in feminism typically stems within literature studies, with English classes in women in writing and then I completed my undergrad thesis on how the representation of young girls and women in media is relevant to child care workers. I saw that there was seemingly a link between the representation of girls in the media especially in the ever popular slasher sub-genre of horror and coming of age stories and the societal punishment and sexualization of femininity, girls and women.

It's amazing that I am now learning these things in an educational context because in my personal life, I have always loved movies, and literature within these genres because of the women characters in them. I noticed that a lot of these stories are now being taught in classrooms with maybe some bias from the patriarchy, or other environmental factors that work to punish women for having these non-pure, and feminine or masculine traits. These women as I view them in the story, are characters who break societal moulds and work to actively work to give anyone who doesn't fit the patriarchal societal narrative a voice, as well as a choice in sexual wellness and liberation. Realizing my very personal connection to these genres have just emphasized how it's incredibly important for educators to understand the messages of those stories and understand that there is a feminist viewpoint that just as strongly depicts oppression and sympathy. I hope to give students the ability to view characters as more than punished for their sexuality, gender, perceived social class and or masculine vs feminine traits.

After this week, I am wondering if there is a feminist theory that would help me lean into this more?

Thank you,

Caroline

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a moment of beauty, west coast trail 2022

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Hi all, I’m Sonya and I’m writing from Stratford Ontario. I’m here on a work contract until the end of June, but my home base is normally Montreal.

For me bell hooks' chapter was a great place to start the conversation about feminism and it’s relevance today. Without much background knowledge on the topic, I feel like the conversation around feminism has evolved in the 21st century. The goals have moved past simply exposing sexist thinking and placing academic values on women’s work to a scope of questioning societal structures and discovering new ways to overcome patriarchal traditions.

In our wold today we see a rise in radicalized ultra conservatism and Christian nationalism particularly in the USA, but her in Canada and around the world too. These voices are often strongly anti-feminist and xenophobic, calling out feminists for fighting against “family values”. A reactionary force in part to the progresses made by the feminist movement, these voices, though no a majority, are loud. And they have real-world ramifications and effects on the lives and safety of vulnerable people.

I think feminism is more important today than ever. Its theories and actions must be taught from a young age and I think its framework can be used to call into question the core assumptions of our culture. As bell hooks states, feminism is for everyone. And I think it is important for us to acknowledge what has developed from feminist thought. Namely gender and racial studies. Taken as a whole, the intersectionality of these philosophies can provide an anti-colonial, anti-oppressive framework from which to resist the current wave of hatred and begin building a re-imagined Canada.

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The world will become a better place the day all the little girls in the world will be allowed to go to school!

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The world will become a better place the day all the little girls in the world will be allowed to go to school!

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Hi! I’m Ashweena and I reside in Ottawa. I have never really asked myself whether I am a feminist or not but there are certain issues in the world that when discussed brings out my feminist side. One of them is Girls and access to education.

According to me feminist perspectives in education recognize the impact of gender on teaching, learning, and educational systems. These perspectives highlight the importance of challenging traditional gender roles, empowering women, and creating a more equitable and inclusive learning environment.

One critical tenet of feminist perspectives in education is that education should be accessible to all, regardless of gender or other social identities. This means creating a safe, inclusive learning environment that recognizes and values diverse perspectives and experiences. However this is not the case. Poverty, discrimination, early marriage, unsafe environments, lack of resources are factors that affect the schooling rate of girls in the world. To address these issues we need a multifaceted approach that includes investing in education, addressing gender discrimination, and working to improve economic opportunities for families. When girls have access to education, it not only benefits them but also has positive ripple effects on their families, communities, and countries.

Feminist perspectives also call for a critical examination of the curriculum and an effort to ensure that it reflects the experiences and contributions of women and other marginalized groups. This may involve integrating feminist theories and research into the curriculum and actively seeking out diverse voices and perspectives.

Another important aspect of feminist perspectives in education is the recognition of the role that gender plays in shaping educational outcomes. This includes acknowledging how gender bias can impact student achievement and working to create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment that supports the success of all students, regardless of gender.

Overall, feminist perspectives in education seek to challenge traditional gender roles and promote equity and inclusivity in educational systems. By recognizing how gender shapes teaching and learning, these perspectives seek to create a more just and equitable society.

N.B: I forgot to add that if anyone is looking for an organization to support: Plan International is the one for it! Thank you. Ashweena

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Hi everyone,

My name is Anna, and I am writing from Ottawa, Ontario.

I’ve identified as a feminist for over 20 years. It’s been a core part of my identity since middle school, when I told anybody who would listen what a radical feminist was, and advocated for more women authors in the Grade 8 english curriculum.

This world desperately needs feminism. I won’t reiterate all the excellent points of my classmates - the wage gap, disparities in healthcare, in representations in media, in domestic and emotional labor, etc. An intersectional feminist lens in academia, but also (as bell hooks notes) in media, in children’s literatures, on television, and at the dinner table are necessary for the feminist project to continue.

All that said, I have been struggling recently with reconciling what I know feminism is, with the intense mistakes of dominant feminist movements of the past and present, with how feminism is often expressed. In recent years, I find identifying as a feminist must continue to be qualified. I am a feminist-but-don’t-worry-I-am-an-intersectional-feminist. I am a feminist-but-don’t-worry-I-believe-trans-women-are-women. I am a feminist-but-don’t-worry-I’m-not-a-GirlBoss.

Of course there is a wealth of research, rhetoric, thinkers, and leaders who understand and share their feminism as dynamic, multi-faceted, and just, but there are also many who approach discussions of feminism is binary terms of women/not-women; success/failure; inclusive/exclusive that I don’t find incredibly helpful.

I am queer, active in the queer community in Ottawa, and much of my research has been directed towards queer theory and queer pedagogy. This contributes, in part I think, to my current mid-life feminism crisis. I find the challenges, opportunities, and experiences related to gender and justice are so much more dynamic than they used to be.

Recently I have found myself describing myself as a gender justice advocate more than a feminist, because I find it does a better job of capturing the kind of change and rhetoric I want to see in the world. That said, I am deeply invested in and revere feminist theory and studies, and look forward to confronting some of these feelings I’ve been having in this course.

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Hello everyone! My name is Leah and I am a teacher currently working in Thailand but am originally from Charlottetown, PEI. Here is a picture from Songkran which is the Thai New Year and turns into a three night water fight in the streets. It was the first time everyone could celebrate since the pandemic started and it was such a special (and wet) expereience. I think the idea that we do not need feminism, as well as the unfavorable depiction of feminists (ever heard of us referred to as feminazis?) in the news or on social media, is extraordinarily troubling and bordering on dangerous. Like Jessica Dunne, I have led a life of privilage where the injustices I feel based around my gender are minor, especially in the face of the discrimination faced by my BIPOC and Trans peers, but the fact is that these injustices (regardless of severity) still exhist. Feminism is about equality and equity and while women can vote, own property, be CEOs, our entire world is built around the patriarchy and that is no where near changing yet. These negative depictions of feminists and the popularity of troubling men's activists like Andrew Tate are a direct backlash to the shifting of these traditional ideas and unfortunatly the pushback seems to be gaining some momentum, especially if you look at the laws being passed in countries like the US, Uganda, China, and Afghanistan. These patriarchical systems have their roots deep in our culture and it will take many years of concentrated and combined efforts to reset to a world where women, of all intersections, are treated equal to men.

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One of my favourite mugs that I've made. 

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Hi everyone! My name is Emma, I am located in Waterloo, Ontario, and I am a hobby potter in my spare time. Above, I've included a photo of one of my favourite mugs that I've made. I made it last year when I was just starting out with pottery and my pieces look pretty different now, but that was the first one I was ever proud of, so it holds a special place in my heart.

I consider myself to be a feminist; perhaps a fledgling feminist, as I have only recently started including intersectionality in my feminism. I think it is interesting to consider the ideas of postfeminism and those who say that feminism has "done its job" because, in my opinion, it really hasn't.

We still need feminism because the pay gap still exists, and the gap continues to be even wider for women of colour. We need feminism because I just learned that for the first time, at the CEO level, women outnumber men named John (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-04-25/women-ceos-at-big-companies-finally-outnumber-those-named-john). We still need feminism because although more women are working outside of the home, women continue to shoulder the lion's share of domestic labour (https://www.oecd.org/dev/development-gender/Unpaid_care_work.pdf). We still need feminism because in one of the most powerful countries in the world, women do not have autonomy over their own bodies. We still need feminism because some people still believe that feminism is synonymous with misandry. We still need feminism because the patriarchy hurts men and the relationships men have with each other and with women by socializing men to either repress their emotions or express them through aggression and violence and by telling them that the only value they bring to their family and their partnerships is through their wages. I could go on with more examples of why feminism is needed, and I think that the examples I already provided affirm that feminism has not, in fact, done its job, and that bell hooks' is right in asserting that feminism is for everyone.

A few of the areas of feminism I am mainly interested in are gender roles and division of domestic labour, how the patriarchy negatively affects men, and how gendered socialization affects speech patterns and how they are interpreted.

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Seashells collected by one of my daughters during our vacation to Dominican Republic last month. 

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I'm Amanda Surujpaul and I live in Brampton, Ontario. It was 23 years ago that I began my undergraduate degree at McMaster University in Gerontology & Health Studies. My education included a first year's Women Studies class that informed my understanding about feminism. bell hooks (2014) shares with us that it was the feminist classroom/theories that shaped her feminist thinking (p.21). I can say that this was the same experience for me. I continued to take courses about women, aging and health that have led me to work for a feminist organization for the last 16 years supporting women, youth and gender diverse communities.

Like Jessica Dunne (intersectional feminist and climate activist), I was surrounded by strong women growing up. I think about my two grandmas who were great sources of light and strength and this includes my mom too. As a woman of colour, I have paid attention to the early feminist movement leaving out the experiences of all women (bell hooks, 2014). For example, it was celebrated that women were legally recognized as Persons in 1929 but the reality is that women of colour were excluded from this.

In my work, I make a conscious effort to center voices of colour, as well as women who live marginally, through counselling, educating and empowering women to be their best selves. Jessica Dunne (2020) stated in her Ted Talk that there are communities that are excluded from feminism and I agree with placing importance on creating community involving everyone, that is transformative, collaborative and intersectional for the sake of inclusion and learning from diversity too. I think this is what "sisterhood" is all about.

“Until all of us have made it, none of us have made it.”
-Rosemary Brown

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Hi all. I am Jessica, and I live in Kingston, Ontario. We still need feminism for a plethora of reasons.Like Jessica Duane, I grew up surrounded by "strong women,"; yet these same women were entrenched in patriarchal ideals. My grandmother, who would be 105, expressed herself freely (when women's opinions were not always welcome). She also held down a full-time job while raising four girls. At the same time, she never (until the day she died) expected my grandfather to partake in any domestic chores or raise the four girls. My mother (67) works full-time and completes 80% of the household chores and 100% of the cooking. To this day, family holidays conclude with the men retiring to the study while the female relatives clean the kitchen. No one questions this. If my husband takes a day to bring our sons to the doctor, he is "such a good dad." Yet no equitable accolades are given to mothers. Society quickly judges and condemns "bad mothers" (Fox 2020). A child who goes to school with unwashed hair or dirty clothes must have "a lazy mother." Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety, known as the "stress gap." This has been directly linked to the disparity in women's responsibilities versus the load placed on men (Wong 2018). With two young sons, I am mindful of their exposure to social media. I see three very alarming trends when it comes to feminism ideology. First and foremost, strong female characters often exemplify male traits. Power is found in masculine ideals as if our equality comes from displaying the physical strength of men. With this hypermasculine depiction of women, I have also noticed the alarming trend of incels defending domestic abuse as a "give and take" relationship. This reminds me of a quote by G. D. Anderson, "Feminism isn't about making women strong; women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength". Secondly, the hypersexualizing of women continues. However, it is being presented as feminist power. Women should own their sexuality, but when empowerment lies at the feet of enticing men or adhering to the beauty ideals men have constructed, it is a continuation of men dictating what women should or should not do with their bodies. Finally, I am cautious regarding intersectionality when it comes to trans rights. Specific experiences are exclusive to trans, some are exclusive to females assigned this sex at birth, and some intersect. Perhaps an example will better highlight my stance. Women's health is poorly studied and understood. I have endometriosis, a disease only a biological woman will experience in their lifetime. It is so poorly researched that, on average, a woman waits 12 years for a proper diagnosis. Gender bias in healthcare is well documented. Gender bias in products required by biological women is also well-studied. I grew up very poor, with four menstruating women in the house; we often had to supplement toilet paper for proper female sanitation products as they were too expensive. Many times, I suffered through embarrassing leaks while trying to attend school. Some days I just could not go. Sports is another area I am concerned about, as trans athletes are breaking many records held by biological women (Thomas, 2022). The rights of one group must never trump the rights of another, especially when women's rights around the world are atrocious. No group is more maligned, stigmatized, marginalized, or victimized than women, yet we make up 50% of the population. (WHO, 2021). The list continues and is not exhaustive. In developed countries, women (on average) think about their physical safety up to 100 times a day, the average man 0 times a day (Dubberman 2015). Most women are taught from a young age to be aware of our physical surroundings. Certain precautions must be taken to keep oneself safe. Getting into an elevator with a group of men, where to park a car, where to run, walking alone, leaving a drink unattended, going dancing, dating are all seen as “risky”. Women carry this "burden of being careful" everywhere they go. It is so ingrained in our society that women do not tend to talk about it or are not angry about it, and men are commonly unaware of it. We must always remember that in many countries it is perfectly legal to beat, rape or kill ones spouse for a number of reasons.  Even in "equitable countries," there is this false narrative that women do not own their bodies and do not even know what they want to experience with their bodies. I am 41, and my sister is a police officer. Until recently, I did not realize I was sexually assaulted twice in university "because I was not raped, and he eventually stopped." Many of us grew up with the stereotype that when we say no, boys will push. Recently a friend of mine was raped, a common theme among well-wishers, "Why was she walking alone at night?" Violence against women is an endemic problem around the world. According to the UN, 45,000 women were murdered by a family member or loved one in 2021 (this is likely underreported), and 1,095 women were killed in the USA by their partner. Yet there are no marches, outrage, sit-ins, or demonstrations. I often wonder why? The only plausible explanation is that women's lives do not matter to the same degree as men. We are so conditioned to male dominance and power that we accept inequality as fact. Another example is the devaluation and poor pay for nurturing jobs often held by women—teaching (in most places worldwide), daycare work, PSWs, and caring for the elderly. Yet working with one's hands or construction occupations garner unions and high-paying salaries. Recently I went to a Muslim church. I was segregated to the back rows because of my biological sex. I was chastised for speaking out against this "as this is a part of their culture." What if racial prejudice was part of my culture, and I wanted to continue perpetrating it in Canada? What if Asians had to sit in the back row of my church because they were Asian? Remember, this is not by choice; I, as a woman, cannot choose to sit in the front row, this choice is taken away from me by men. There would be an outpouring of aggression and outrage if segregation was forced on someone due to their race. Why is this not the case when women are segregated and oppressed? I left. Until we place as much importance on the role of pregnancy, birth, and childrearing as we do on "breadwinning" or "hunting," women will never be equals. 

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Hi all. I am Jessica, and I live in Kingston, Ontario. We still need feminism for a plethora of reasons.Like Jessica Duane, I grew up surrounded by "strong women,"; yet these same women were entrenched in patriarchal ideals. My grandmother, who would be 105, expressed herself freely (when women's opinions were not always welcome). She also held down a full-time job while raising four girls. At the same time, she never (until the day she died) expected my grandfather to partake in any domestic chores or raise the four girls. My mother (67) works full-time and completes 80% of the household chores and 100% of the cooking. To this day, family holidays conclude with the men retiring to the study while the female relatives clean the kitchen. No one questions this. If my husband takes a day to bring our sons to the doctor, he is "such a good dad." Yet no equitable accolades are given to mothers. Society quickly judges and condemns "bad mothers" (Fox 2020). A child who goes to school with unwashed hair or dirty clothes must have "a lazy mother." Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety, known as the "stress gap." This has been directly linked to the disparity in women's responsibilities versus the load placed on men (Wong 2018). With two young sons, I am mindful of their exposure to social media. I see three very alarming trends when it comes to feminism ideology. First and foremost, strong female characters often exemplify male traits. Power is found in masculine ideals as if our equality comes from displaying the physical strength of men. With this hypermasculine depiction of women, I have also noticed the alarming trend of incels defending domestic abuse as a "give and take" relationship. This reminds me of a quote by G. D. Anderson, "Feminism isn't about making women strong; women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world perceives that strength". Secondly, the hypersexualizing of women continues. However, it is being presented as feminist power. Women should own their sexuality, but when empowerment lies at the feet of enticing men or adhering to the beauty ideals men have constructed, it is a continuation of men dictating what women should or should not do with their bodies. Finally, I am cautious regarding intersectionality when it comes to trans rights. Specific experiences are exclusive to trans, some are exclusive to females assigned this sex at birth, and some intersect. Perhaps an example will better highlight my stance. Women's health is poorly studied and understood. I have endometriosis, a disease only a biological woman will experience in their lifetime. It is so poorly researched that, on average, a woman waits 12 years for a proper diagnosis. Gender bias in healthcare is well documented. Gender bias in products required by biological women is also well-studied. I grew up very poor, with four menstruating women in the house; we often had to supplement toilet paper for proper female sanitation products as they were too expensive. Many times, I suffered through embarrassing leaks while trying to attend school. Some days I just could not go. Sports is another area I am concerned about, as trans athletes are breaking many records held by biological women (Thomas, 2022). The rights of one group must never trump the rights of another, especially when women's rights around the world are atrocious. No group is more maligned, stigmatized, marginalized, or victimized than women, yet we make up 50% of the population. (WHO, 2021). The list continues and is not exhaustive. In developed countries, women (on average) think about their physical safety up to 100 times a day, the average man 0 times a day (Dubberman 2015). Most women are taught from a young age to be aware of our physical surroundings. Certain precautions must be taken to keep oneself safe. Getting into an elevator with a group of men, where to park a car, where to run, walking alone, leaving a drink unattended, going dancing, dating are all seen as “risky”. Women carry this "burden of being careful" everywhere they go. It is so ingrained in our society that women do not tend to talk about it or are not angry about it, and men are commonly unaware of it. We must always remember that in many countries it is perfectly legal to beat, rape or kill ones spouse for a number of reasons.  Even in "equitable countries," there is this false narrative that women do not own their bodies and do not even know what they want to experience with their bodies. I am 41, and my sister is a police officer. Until recently, I did not realize I was sexually assaulted twice in university "because I was not raped, and he eventually stopped." Many of us grew up with the stereotype that when we say no, boys will push. Recently a friend of mine was raped, a common theme among well-wishers, "Why was she walking alone at night?" Violence against women is an endemic problem around the world. According to the UN, 45,000 women were murdered by a family member or loved one in 2021 (this is likely underreported), and 1,095 women were killed in the USA by their partner. Yet there are no marches, outrage, sit-ins, or demonstrations. I often wonder why? The only plausible explanation is that women's lives do not matter to the same degree as men. We are so conditioned to male dominance and power that we accept inequality as fact. Another example is the devaluation and poor pay for nurturing jobs often held by women—teaching (in most places worldwide), daycare work, PSWs, and caring for the elderly. Yet working with one's hands or construction occupations garner unions and high-paying salaries. Recently I went to a Muslim church. I was segregated to the back rows because of my biological sex. I was chastised for speaking out against this "as this is a part of their culture." What if racial prejudice was part of my culture, and I wanted to continue perpetrating it in Canada? What if Asians had to sit in the back row of my church because they were Asian? Remember, this is not by choice; I, as a woman, cannot choose to sit in the front row, this choice is taken away from me by men. There would be an outpouring of aggression and outrage if segregation was forced on someone due to their race. Why is this not the case when women are segregated and oppressed? I left. Until we place as much importance on the role of pregnancy, birth, and childrearing as we do on "breadwinning" or "hunting," women will never be equals. 

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I am located in Ajax Ontario! This is in the Greater Toronto Area!

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Question 7: How might feminist theory be relevant in social media? 

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Question 7: How might feminist theory be relevant in social media? 

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Feminist theory and practice can be highly relevant in social media, as they offer a critical lens through which to analyze the power dynamics and cultural norms that shape online interactions. To begin, examining the gendered dimensions of social media use, including the ways in which men and women may experience online harassment and abuse differently. Second, critiquing the ways in which social media platforms may perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce gendered norms, such as the sexualization of women's bodies and the devaluation of traditionally feminine pursuits. Next, challenging the use of social media as a tool for surveillance and control, particularly in relation to women's bodies and sexuality. Finally, promoting intersectional approaches to understanding social media use, which take into account the ways in which gender, race, class, and other identities intersect to shape experiences online.