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Hi everyone, welcome to the course. This column replaces the first class on 11th September 2018 which was declared as a national public holiday. 

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Hi everyone, welcome to the course. This column replaces the first class on 11th September 2018 which was declared as a national public holiday. 

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In the comment section below:
1) Introduce yourself (include s name and a photo of yourself)
2) Disregarding monetary reasons and your CGPA, what is your dream job?
3) Share:
i) How your parents / guardians communicate with each other.
ii) How do they fight?
iii) How do they resolve conflicts?

Remember that everything shared throughout the course remains in the course! Feel free to comment on one another's sharing though. Happy typing :)

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What did you observe / learn from the article?

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From the article, I found that the author trying to voiceout about the unsatisfaction towards male society as she felt male and female doesn't treated equally in that era. She felt that women doesn't given a chance to bring out themselves. Women didn't appreciated to participated in historical events such as war. She also mentioned that males are usually finds female for sexual desires and sees female as sex material. She claims that men likes to watch pornography channels more than the other channels. The author felts that men tends to show their power towards everyone just because they are male. The men feels like they're superior to everyone in this world and they're dominating everyone. The author leaves message to female society, that everyone should know their own worth and should fight for themselves. Women should not act as a slaves to men.

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1. Hello, I'm Humairah Bt Zainal Abidin, matric number 1878552.My dream job would be a professional editor 3. i) They communicate like most coupleii) When they fight dad tend to dominate the conversation but my mother would put a final words and ended the conversation. iii) The conflict resolved mostly through talking or argument. 

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1. Hello, I'm Humairah Bt Zainal Abidin, matric number 1878552.My dream job would be a professional editor 3. i) They communicate like most coupleii) When they fight dad tend to dominate the conversation but my mother would put a final words and ended the conversation. iii) The conflict resolved mostly through talking or argument. 

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The article is describing the lack of woman’s representation within the society in the twentieth century which evidence in the phrase “ a writer knows which side of his bread was buttered on” as been said by the writer. This refer to the fact that people tend or commonly uses the term ‘he’ for gender neutral pronoun such as the term ‘Postmen’ or ‘Policemen’. This article also highlight the gender stereotype within the society as man depicted as someone strong and dominating as the writer recognised being a man equal to the fact that he can run the General Motors and grows beard. In general, the author reflected how society easily generalized and categorized gender with the simple physical and common traits shared among the people

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Based on the article, clearly the writer has ulterior motive as the title and the content are very ironic. The dilemma of being a woman regardless of ages about the difference between masculinity and femininity. The society has imposed such stereotypes as pertaining to the idea of being a woman and recognizably and physically a woman, a woman must have the ideal behaviors, mentalities as well as attitudes. The defining traits as they are divided by genders, if a woman wants to thrive further, the masculine trait has to be implemented inside them, and what is the masculine trait. Is charisma, leadership, decision-maker and others are part of masculine traits. The writer expresses the frustration being the substitute or the fake imitation of men has given much contemplation on the existence of women. The struggles of women in identifying themselves within the world dominates mainly by masculine traits. The real question is what makes a man is a man. Does a compassionate man or built more on the softer side will not be considered as desirable for the female group? Other than that, The imposition upon physical attributes of women is impossible to be attained and whether beauty is for the men and women to admire or simply for themselves. It comes across to linguistic as many terms such as "mankind, "businessman' or anything that will exclude the term "woman" but to the millennia time, all these terms have been "invented". Forgotten women, that is truly something that I have learnt. Despite the saying, behind every successful man there is a woman might be simply a saying but it gives me a different picture of women. As if women are in shadows of men. Of course there shall not be any generalization towards the male gender, however the article clearly exposes on the embedded stereotypes of genders. I believe that women should celebrate their gender. It is not the matter of imitating on how males behave or think, it's the matter of being women Thank you.

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1)	Hello. My name is Maisarah Sajidah Bt Mohd Rosley but I would prefer to be called May instead :). 2)	My dream job changes from time to time, it changes whenever I learn of a new career line. For now, it is to be a speech therapist.  It sounds challenging but it also sounds interesting as it involves working with different backgrounds as patients.3)	i) My parents communicate with each other in a normal fashion but personally I feel like my mother doesn’t convey her feelings enough. For example, if my mother doesn’t like a certain thing, she would keep quiet about it although you can clearly see it in her face. That might be her way to avoid fighting but I personally feel like that is unhealthy especially because  she would lash it out on me and my brothers later instead ii) My parents mostly argues about little things that should not cause any arguments as they are both short tempered. I also think that one other cause for that is because they kept all their previous dissatisfactions bottled up instead of talking about it, which I believe is the one thing that should be avoided in any kind of relationship. In every fight, the dominant one would always be my father, despite him being 5 years younger than my mother. My mother would be the one to give it up and bottle up despite being right a number of times. I’m not sure whether or not they work things out behind us afterwards but if they don’t, I find that unhealthy. iii) As said before, my mother would usually give up in every conflict by keeping her quiet. She would let my father make the decisions instead.

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1)	Hello. My name is Maisarah Sajidah Bt Mohd Rosley but I would prefer to be called May instead :). 2)	My dream job changes from time to time, it changes whenever I learn of a new career line. For now, it is to be a speech therapist.  It sounds challenging but it also sounds interesting as it involves working with different backgrounds as patients.3)	i) My parents communicate with each other in a normal fashion but personally I feel like my mother doesn’t convey her feelings enough. For example, if my mother doesn’t like a certain thing, she would keep quiet about it although you can clearly see it in her face. That might be her way to avoid fighting but I personally feel like that is unhealthy especially because  she would lash it out on me and my brothers later instead ii) My parents mostly argues about little things that should not cause any arguments as they are both short tempered. I also think that one other cause for that is because they kept all their previous dissatisfactions bottled up instead of talking about it, which I believe is the one thing that should be avoided in any kind of relationship. In every fight, the dominant one would always be my father, despite him being 5 years younger than my mother. My mother would be the one to give it up and bottle up despite being right a number of times. I’m not sure whether or not they work things out behind us afterwards but if they don’t, I find that unhealthy. iii) As said before, my mother would usually give up in every conflict by keeping her quiet. She would let my father make the decisions instead.

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From what I can see, “Introducing Myself” is an article that talks about the instability of power between the genders. The male holds too much power to the point where women were non-existent. Women lived a silent existence despite there being wonderful females who made history in literature, science, arts, and the list goes on. It seemed that no matter how much women contributed to the society, all of it did not matter as women are not men. They will not be able to climb the ladder as long as it is occupied by men. This hits home as this can still be seen albeit they are more subtle today compared to the 20th century. In Japan, it is very rare for women to get promoted in the workplace as they are assumed to quit their job once they get married or give birth. I have also read an article early this year that touches on how gender pay gap is still a prominent issue in Malaysia and how there is not yet a law against discrimination in a workplace environment. It hurts to admit, but women are still underappreciated up until today. Other than that, I can also see that Le Guin also touched on the societal pressure to look good. It shocked me to read the line, “… if I had any real self respect wouldn’t I at least have had a face lift or some liposuction?”. It is shocking to me that women who don’t take care of their appearance are seen to not have ‘self-respect’. While I do feel that a neat appearance matters in certain occasions, it is ridiculous to link looking good to having self-respect. It is toxic expectations like this that blocks women from being comfortable in their own skin. It is as if women are accessories, it only matters that they look pretty. These expectations are not only limited to women however, as Le Guin also touched on how men are supposed to be lean and muscular. Now with social media, unfortunately, these mentality have been encouraged instead of being purged, making the priority of the majority of the people set on getting approval on their looks.

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My perspective on the article by Ursula K. Le Guin

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My perspective on the article by Ursula K. Le Guin

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According to the article by Guin, I believe that, what she is feeling about the 20th century is still relevant in the 21st century. It might not be as visible as in the 20th century but we could see that the same thing happening especially among the society that apply patriarchy in their community. Women, although playing a big roll in the family and society, are not appreciated enough and were oppressed even more. Men in this society were being the higher rank than the women. Her mockery in the first few sentences shows it all. No matter if you were the one who’s fighting death while delivering the baby or you are the one who having the sleepless night nursing your sick children, if you are not a man, you are nothing. Another thing that I learn from the article is the society expectation from each gender. It is still occurring now, nothing really changes. With the existence of social media, the society have set an expectation to the women where they need to be beautiful, have fair skin, long thick hair and super athletic body. This expectation also applies to men where they need to be muscular, have six pack and tall etc. When it comes to career, we could see the same thing happening once again from the article.  The society is very sceptical in giving the big task to the women. It can be seen in our own country Malaysia where only after 61 year of independence, we are finally having a woman as our deputy prime minister. The name of the women freedom fighters such as Shamsiah Fakeh and A. Chandramalar are even rarely being said as one of the fighters of the Malaysia’s independence. Just like in the article where even if a woman fights in a war, their name would not be as remembered as the men.

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1) Hello, my name is Ammar Mirza bin Abdul Taip. I'm from Mukah, Sarawak and I'm 20 (in a few weeks  time 21) years old.
2) When I was a child, I wanted to be a postman because I love doing deliveries. As I grow up,  it changes and now my dream job is to be a musician.
3) i) My parents do talk to each other frequently and they always share stories about their past and about people they know about. It is rare to see them being silent to each other.
ii) When they fight, they are usually in a disagreement about few things.
iii) They will reconcile after a while but I don't really see them apologising to each other, maybe they did it behind me (who knows). They continue doing their usual matter after a while :)

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Response on Introducing Myself by Ursula K. Le Guin

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Response on Introducing Myself by Ursula K. Le Guin

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The author is basically showing her being affected by patriarchal society around her, where men is more superior than women that the latter do not seem to have any use to the society. It is stated in the entire article on how she is different from any other man when she is called a 'man' as well. How she described herself that she will always be different despite how she dressed in a Banana Republic Company clothes or postured herself to be tough when she is not. Ursula is somewhat trying to show injustice by men towards her or other women who lived at that time. I guess it has never really changed where beauty or social standards are still there, given by the society themselves. Nowadays, women are still being oppressed by the society and media what not. This kind of things will never end as expectations are hardly met sometimes, especially in a world like this. There will always be difference among men and women and there will always be things to be brought up when we have been living without any problems with it before.
Nonetheless, Ursula also mentioned how men can do whatever they want as compared to women, as she compared herself to Ernest Hemingway. I think that nobody should do anything as he or she pleases nowadays.
And yes, imitation won't do any good to any of us.

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1. Hai, my name is 'Izzat Najmi bin Abdullah or Nami as what the class calls me.
2. At first, I wished to be a pilot but my eyesight is not that good and I am short in a couple of inches hence I changed my ambition to become an educator instead.
3.
i) My father usually is the one making the decisions. For instance, if I want to go and hangout with my friends or go out on a date, I would need to have an approval from my father. Usually, when my father agrees, my mother would agree too. However, it is different when it comes to my mother's approval. After I got her permission, she then will ask me to ask my father for his permission.

ii) My parents seldom fights. Nevertheless, when they do, my father would give her the cold treatment. Both of them will just keep quiet and ignores the other(which sometimes include the whole family members). I once asked my father on why the cold treatment. He then replied that he does not want to say things that he does not mean. This is because, when we are angry, we tend to let out words that we do not think through, which then will lead to regrets. He will keep quiet until he cools down.

iii) The way both of them resolves the problem is when they talk to each other when they have cooled down. This gives them time to be rational and really think about the fight and also find a solution regarding that matter.

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Regarding the article by Ursula, "Introducing Myself", the author was being sarcastic and at the same time condemning the toxic male-dominated society. She stated that no matter how well she dressed or act as a man, she will never be recognized by the society as a man. This is due to the fact that she does not have the features of a man. She also pointed out on how women were being conventionalized as weak, stupid and dependent simply because they were not born as the "strong, intelligent and independent" men.  Besides, Ursula attacked the society on how they treated women. She said that although women have angel-like characteristics, they will never experience the same amount of respect and acknowledgement as how the men received. The author talks about how women are still being oppressed despite them being good in what they do. In conclusion, Ursula wanted to show how toxic and evil a man can be towards a woman. They always think that they are superior than their opposite gender.

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1.hello. my name is tengku nur safiah ihsan binti tg yunus. you can call me safiah.
2. i really want to be a psychologist or a motivator or a psycho therapist. but i know it's hard, so now i am very interested to be a kindergarten teacher beacause i love kids.
3. my parents talk to each other.
4. They fight.
5. They split last year which i think is good for my family

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This article is all about sarcasm. The writer explains about her point of view about being a woman in a patriarchal society. Her saying that she was a man does not mean she was physically a man, but because she was .There is a mention of absence of women's rights in this society which shows that 

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This article is all about sarcasm. The writer explains about her point of view about being a woman in a patriarchal society. Her saying that she was a man does not mean she was physically a man, but because she was .There is a mention of absence of women's rights in this society which shows that 

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1) Hi! I’m Yohalaa Netaji. (2) I have no dream job yet and I’m still figuring out because I think, I still have time for that. [3(i)] My parents communicate more like a friend and they like to make fun of each other most of the time but that doesn’t mean that they don’t fight often. (ii) They also fight like cats and dogs but it will not last for more than 2 days. I will only interfere if they fight for silly things and not for serious matters but I’ll definitely lend an ear. (iii) Somehow or rather, they will solve the problems at least in 2 days’ time by just not bringing up the issue again, or speak in soft tone to each other. But I’ll give it to my mum who always takes the first step to sort out the problem.

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1. Hey I'm chethra devi, a kuala lumpur'ian with extreme belief on the law of nature. Call me Chet.
2.my dream job is to be a journalist who will be travelling to countries and reporting on terrorism and truths that has been politically hidden in war torn countries.

3.i. Well my parents communicate as if they are'nt married to each other. Two very different personalities.

ii. They show their togetherness just by fighting on everyday basis. The foundation for their constant fights are due to gender differences since they got married in an early age they feel as if they have sacrificed their freedom . Basically two free spirited individuals tied forcefully with commitments and children under the same roof ended up fighting for their rights as a male and a female. ironically, they are the opposite version of male and female, for an example mom acts alike a man during a fight and papa acts like a woman.

Apart from that, the main issue that sparks a fight between my parents is because of financial difficulties. Usually my mum starts the shouting and loves to do the silent treatment, at the end my dad will pop up with good solution and they’ll be back together.

iii.  Practically my parents are doing the same business under the same office roof so they have no other  choice but to reconcile just to build the business for active money flow. If not they’ll go for a date to old school bars or so- called business getaway to other states with their children left at home, thinking as if they’re still a young couple, and dance the night out with the Bee Gees.

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1) Hello.I am Subhashini Krishnan from Perlis and I am the youngest daughter among three girls at home.2) My dream job was once to become a researcher specifying in genetic engineering.3) - My parents communicate with each other with mutual respect but at times my dad seems to be the dominant one where he wants my mum to obey him.   - As far as I have seen,they fight verbally always.Being defensive equally.   - Things don't get resolved,they would prefer to remain silent to avoid making it a big issue and somehow it fades as time passed by.

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1) Hello.I am Subhashini Krishnan from Perlis and I am the youngest daughter among three girls at home.2) My dream job was once to become a researcher specifying in genetic engineering.3) - My parents communicate with each other with mutual respect but at times my dad seems to be the dominant one where he wants my mum to obey him.   - As far as I have seen,they fight verbally always.Being defensive equally.   - Things don't get resolved,they would prefer to remain silent to avoid making it a big issue and somehow it fades as time passed by.

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1) What I observed based on this article is mainly the mute of women's role in a society. Women are not seen as an important contribution to the community.Instead they're not even respected for their existence.Oppression and objectification of women has been a part of the male programmed brain and men have always hold the dominancy in every aspects of life.Patriarchy has been practiced and it becomes a way of life where women are not given the chance or recognition for their effort and existence.The author also sarcastically said that if you want to be appreciated then you must be a man which means men will always have the vital role in a society regardless of their behaviour. Anything other than men comes right after.

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1) What I observed based on this article is mainly the mute of women's role in a society. Women are not seen as an important contribution to the community.Instead they're not even respected for their existence.Oppression and objectification of women has been a part of the male programmed brain and men have always hold the dominancy in every aspects of life.Patriarchy has been practiced and it becomes a way of life where women are not given the chance or recognition for their effort and existence.The author also sarcastically said that if you want to be appreciated then you must be a man which means men will always have the vital role in a society regardless of their behaviour. Anything other than men comes right after.

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Based on what I understand is the article by Ursula, "Introducing Myself", is all about criticizing the male society and this maybe because of the author who lived in the period of time where man was the only society involved in everything.  Woman who lives in male dominated society is the real struggle or it can be said like, no point of living their life as they have no reasons for their existence and no appreciation. Besides that, the author mentioned that, at the age of her 60’s, only then women was invented. So, what has women been doing during that period of time? Because, male domination are still going on around the world, so how worst would that be during the author’s era. In my opinion, man are still dominating intentionally and unintentionally. Hence, girl/ladies/women have to continuously create their identity and project their strength in every way and change their mind set of being weak.

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The article is very much thought provoking something that both men and women should read. I had a chance to redefine my understanding on gender stereotyping. Firstly, Guin is a bold and has fine knacks in sarcasm though only for the right things. ‘ look you’re human being, we don’t deny about that but while youre living here, this place is only consisted of only one main gender which is being male. It’s a downright sarcastic point I could derive from her article of a dumbfounded society in a particular era saying that women are often looked up as a substitution of men- rather than letting their individuality as a woman to ponder or else theyre humiliated and of course threatened with weaknesses. This literally retrogrades to patriarchy and false mindset imposing towards the second gender, which they had to figure out all their lives just like Ursula le guin once suffered, til she doesn’t give a ‘fuck anymore’ as stated. As the female she had to conceal her feminine side and suffered trying more to be a man, with curiousity and complex mindgames of being who youre not suppose or impossible to be. Basically, women are taught by some half pass ‘politicians’ to not have basic knowledge on being a female at first place and to trust on their capabilities and themselves.

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1. Hi, I'm Gokilavani. Can call me Goki. I'm from Tangkak, Johor. I'm youngest among 6 siblings. I love writing tamil poems and few poems of mine have been published and won prizes. Debate is my passion.
2. My dream job is to become a educator or counsellor.
3. i. My parents communicate with each other normally.
ii.  My parents fights like cats and dog. They argue alot and they used to tease each other.
iii. They will convince each other by going out for dinner or by cooking they favorite meals. Or sometimes we the children will tease them for fighting over silly things then they will act back normal again.

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This is the column where I will be adding resources useful / related to the course which I may not have time to cover during class time / lessons. Feel free to add any related resources you have found too!

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Write down the text of your choice, and the name and matric number of your group members. Upload your analysis and any other relevant / suitable materials

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Write down the text of your choice, and the name and matric number of your group members. Upload your analysis and any other relevant / suitable materials

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Write down the text of your choice, and the name and matric number of your group members. Upload your analysis and any other relevant / suitable materials

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Write down the text of your choice, and the name and matric number of your group members. Upload your analysis and any other relevant / suitable materials

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Write down the text of your choice, and the name and matric number of your group members. Upload your analysis and any other relevant / suitable materials

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Gender Stereotypes portrayed in the story presented through a mind map

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Gender Stereotypes portrayed in the story presented through a mind map

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How men and women think

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A mini production for textual reenactment: The 2nd Mrs. Tang

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A mini production for textual reenactment: The 2nd Mrs. Tang

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Gender Stereotype & Representations in The Second Mrs. Tang

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Gender Stereotypes in 'The Second Mrs Tang'

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Gender Stereotypes in 'The Second Mrs Tang'

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This is a powerpoint presentation to further elaborate on our points and the character drawings featured are the works of Maisarah Sajidah.

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Although polygamy is against the law in Hong Kong, it is still practiced openly by the casino mogul Stanley Ho, a very rich man similar to Mr Tang.

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Although polygamy is against the law in Hong Kong, it is still practiced openly by the casino mogul Stanley Ho, a very rich man similar to Mr Tang.

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Go back two generations or so in Hong Kong, and you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't know someone who married more than a few someones in their lifetime.

Turns out, polygamy - or polygyny, the practice of a husband taking multiple wives, to be precise - was alive and legal in Hong Kong up until 1971 and it wasn't uncommon back then for prominent men to take up more than just one spouse.

A well-known example of this de facto way of life would be casino mogul Stanley Ho and his four "wives". Although technically, Ho "married" wives number three and four after 1971, which goes to show how the age-old practice of polygamy is ingrained enough in Hong Kong culture to override even accepted legal definitions.

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Go back two generations or so in Hong Kong, and you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't know someone who married more than a few someones in their lifetime.

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Swara: The Horrors Of Marrying Off Young Girls In Pakistan To Older Men To Settle Debts And Disputes

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Swara: The Horrors Of Marrying Off Young Girls In Pakistan To Older Men To Settle Debts And Disputes

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Although Leng was not a child bride such as the victims of the Swara practice, I think her situation is pretty similar in which she was married to Mr Tang because of her father's debts.

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Photo: http://hafsakhawaja.wordpress.com

The subject of marrying off young girls in exchange for paying a debt in Pakistan resurfaced recently when a young child named Saneeda was taken by her estranged father for the purpose of giving her hand in marriage to another man she had never met before. The drama played out in Madyan, a hill station in the Swat district of Pakistan's mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (the same region where Malala Yousafzai hails from). The girl's father, Ali Ahmed, needed to pay back a "debt of honor" -- after he had earlier eloped with a young woman from another valley, he feared a violent reprisal from that girl's family. To appease them, Ahmed promised to hand over his daughter Saneeda as well as a niece named Sapna as brides.

Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that young girls are often offered as brides as a form of "compensation" to settle disputes between families, tribes or whole villages. In Swat, where this custom is called "swara," an increasing number of young females are being used in this way as gifts, bribes and bargaining chips -- despite the removal of a brutal Taliban regime from the valley by the Pakistani army four years ago.

The arrangement for turning Saneeda into a bride was ordered by a jirga -- a village council of elders with enormous autonomous authority in remote areas. "We initially thought they can't take this girl away but then they [the jirga] increased pressure with every passing day to give her in swara," Saneeda's maternal uncle, Fazal Ahad, told AFP.

But Saneeda's family took the bold, courageous and highly unusual step of challenging the rule of the jirga. Saneeda eventually escaped this nightmare after a court provided her with protection, and police arrested her father and members of the jirga who imposed the swara. "There are many other cases of swara, but people in our area don't go to police and court and don't highlight such cases. We don't take matters of our women to the court -- the victimized girls have to bear it all," Ahad added. "People are slowly getting aware through media that this custom is an evil, so some of them have started reporting."

Indeed, Saneeda, now seven years old, remains scarred by her ordeal -- she encounters daily insults and discrimination. "Whenever I go to school, children taunt me and tell me that I have been given in swara and will be married to a man," she said. Moreover, the other girl in this drama, Sapna, did not escape -- she married the man the jirga selected for her.

Official data indicate that nine incidents of forced child-brides were registered last year, up from only one in 2012. However, women's rights campaigners believe the actual number of such cases is much higher. An activist named Samar Minallah Khan has identified at least 132 cases of swara across Pakistan in 2012. Under Pakistani law, swara is illegal -- but since most victims (not to mention, perpetrators) are reluctant to air their dirty laundry in public, prosecutions are difficult.

The Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) news agency, a project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reported that, under laws passed in 2004, people convicted of facilitating such marriages can be imprisoned for up to ten years. "In the cases of swara, people don't provide evidence against each other, because they are [usually] from the same village and community," Naveed Khan, a senior police official in Mingora district, Swat, told AFP. "In the single swara marriage case [registered] in 2012, all 12 accused [perpetrators] were set free because there was [a] lack of evidence against them. Nobody speaks up in such cases."

But last year, police arrested 65 people, including Saneeda's father, in connection with swara cases. Women's rights activists are seeking to press the government to more aggressively investigate and prosecute suspected cases of forced child marriages, while encouraging victims to speak up. "There are more than 15 cases of Swara, which have been highlighted," Tabassum Adnan Safi, a local rights campaigner, told AFP. "We are working to make women aware of the evilness of this custom. Besides these awareness campaigns, we also protest against Swara and raise voice for the protection."

Minallah stated that the police and state courts need to challenge the entrenched jirgas who wield authority in rural Pakistan. "An awareness has been created against swara, that is why there are more reported cases, but the authorities need to take strict action against jirgas and stop them [from] violating the law," Minallah said.

However, some people in Pakistan defend swara as a necessary practice. "[Swara] is helpful in removing deadly enmities among scores of tribes, saves dozens of lives and brings peace among families," Syed Kareem Shalman, a Mingora lawyer, insisted to AFP. "If a family, which gets a bride in Swara mistreats her, faces revenge from the family who give their daughter to resolve the dispute."

In other parts of Pakistan, particularly in the southern Punjab, the practice of forcing a child into marriage is called "vani." The Express Tribune newspaper reported that police in the town of Mithanwali in the Muzaffargarh district of Punjab arrested 36 people -- including 20 men -- in connection with the attempted forced marriage of a 9-year-old girl who was declared "vani." The child became a helpless pawn in a deadly game of adultery and revenge -- a 30-year-old man was accused of having an illicit sexual relationship with a 26-year-old woman who was the daughter of a prominent tribal chief. In retaliation for besmirching the woman's honor, her family demanded that her lover be killed and all of his property handed over to the woman's father. However, the condemned man's father begged for mercy and subsequently a local panchayat (council of elders similar to a Jirga) ordered that the young man's 9-year-old niece be given to the aggrieved family as compensation. The child was indeed transferred over to the other family, along with 15 acres of property. When local police caught wind of these transactions, they freed the young girl, returned her to her family and arrested several adults who were involved.

Such cases of "swara" and "vani" dot the Pakistani landscape -- but it appears that, under pressure from the public, police are making more arrests to stop these illegal customs. "Yes, the laws have helped but 'swara', 'vani' and similar practices still go on," Minallah told IRIN, adding that the tougher new laws have prompted people to disguise the handing over of a young bride as something else to avoid prosecution. "The deal is not announced within the community as a 'swara' or 'vani' marriage, though within the families concerned it is known that the woman has been given away as 'swara' and is treated accordingly," Minallah said.

She added that when a young girl is forcibly married off in this manner, her new "husband" is usually a much older man. Even worse, she is often mistreated and abused by her in-laws. "Practices like 'swara' continue... because it takes more than laws to change the way people behave," Shaukat Salim, a lawyer and human rights activist based in Swat, told IRIN. "Much more awareness and the general empowerment of women are needed, if we are to see real change."

But even if forced child marriages are barred by laws, many minors still become wives in Pakistan (presumably, not by explicit force). According to the Family Planning Association of Pakistan, about 30 percent of all marriages in the country involve child marriages. (Technically, under the law, no girl below 16 or boy under 18 can legally wed.) "I was married when I was 11," a 20-year-old woman named Sadiqa Bibi told IRIN. "I lost my childhood forever, but times must change and I will not allow my three daughters to be married off before they are adults."

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Swara: The Horrors Of Marrying Off Young Girls In Pakistan To Older Men To Settle Debts And Disputes

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The subject of marrying off young girls in exchange for paying a debt in Pakistan resurfaced recently when a young child named Saneeda was taken by her estranged father for the purpose of giving her hand in marriage to another man she had never met before.

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Men live longer when they marry younger spouses. Why don't women?

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Men live longer when they marry younger spouses. Why don't women?

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Interesting article on how even when women does the same as men by marrying younger spouses, they are still on the losing end as they tend to die earlier than if they marry the same age group. This is a possible reason for why Mr Tang decided to marry Leng — to prolong his lifespan.

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Men live longer when they marry younger spouses. Why don't women?

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Marriage is supposed to help you live longer, but researchers say that women who marry younger men are more likely to die earlier. Why is that?

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Gender Stereotypes in 'Sara and the Wedding'

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Gender Stereotypes in 'Sara and the Wedding'

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This is a powerpoint presentation that elaborate the gender stereotypes within the short story of Sara and the Wedding

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Gender Stereotypes in Sara and the Wedding

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Why a widow is considered as "Maneater"?

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Why a widow is considered as "Maneater"?

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A few years ago, I received a letter which stated in part:
"Why do your girlfriends see you as "competition" [since becoming widowed]; as though I would think to lower myself [in such a way]. It hurts me terribly."
When I receive mail like this from those who have already been through so much pain, I really just want to gather these woefully insecure, misinformed, jealous, pathetic women who look at the widowed as "competition", lock them into a room with me and explain the facts of life. Why do people think that simply because we are widowed, we are all of a sudden lurking in the shadows and hiding in the bushes and skulking about in dark alleys; ready and waiting to pounce on the "innocent and unsuspecting" husbands and boyfriends of other women?

We can lump people like these in alongside family members who want to know what our beloveds left to them in the Will -- and they ask this question at the funeral service. Exactly where does common sense go? I wish I could answer that question intelligently; however, the fact is that it is difficult to respond intelligently to that which is based in utter stupidity.

Like most married couples, my late husband Mike and I too had many "couple friends", with whom we would frequently socialize. Whether it was dinners, parties or other social get-togethers of any and all manner, we were a happy collective of Mr. & Mrs. Two-by-Twos. Never in a million years did it dawn on me that once my "couple" status tragically changed to "widowed", I would be viewed by some as a threat...a menacing, cold and calculating "maneater".

I recall my first "maneater" experience with the wife-half of one of our formerly-friendly "couple friends" shortly after Mike's death. Though admittedly not one of my closest friends, this woman (a highly-educated professional), was nevertheless cheerfully affable and genial prior to Mike's illness and concerned and supportive throughout Mike's illness.

Until the night that he closed his eyes for the last time.

Immediately after Mike's passing, the demeanor of this once warm and welcoming woman flipped 180 degrees. I remember being so confused at her cold, distant, barely-civil acknowledgment when we would run into one another -- try explaining that to a young child who was once greeted with hugs. Bewildered, I asked another mutual friend about this woman's behavior; to which she replied, "You don't know? She thinks you'll go after [her husband] now that Mike is gone".

I was stunned.

Further and as with most widowed lessons learned along my Healing Journey, I quickly discovered that I was far from alone in my "maneater" experience. On the contrary and sadly (or disgustingly), there are many widowed who have been treated in this manner by female halves of former "couple friends".

We all know that there are women who are incredibly insecure and will always see other women as "competition" in one respect or another; be it because of appearance, career achievement, social status, financial status -- or their unfortunate widowed marital status. Now, factor in that these women may also believe you to be the "poor helpless widow" who all men everywhere are going to pity and rush to "rescue"...like we would intentionally play some kind of "widow card" to get male attention.

Allow me to offer the world a bit of reassurance. While I am sure that there are a few exceptions out there somewhere, not one of the many thousands of widowed with whom I have spoken, emailed, coached or otherwise come into contact, have ever intentionally set their sights upon and/or gone after another woman's husband, boyfriend or significant other...if for no other reason that most widowed simply are not interested in those who are unavailable. Has this kind of behavior happened at least once since the dawn of mankind? I am sure that it has -- there are exceptions to every rule, situation or scenario accepted as commonplace and this is no different. However, is this behavior the norm within the widowed community? Absolutely, positively, no-doubt-about-it..

If you have had a "maneater" experience -- you either have been or are being treated as though you are waiting around corners with a man-sized butterfly net, waiting to snatch someone's "property" -- please know that these "little girls" who now see both you and your widowed status as competition are just that... pathetic little girls who are not worthy of you or the privilege of your company. Rather than treat you with kindness and compassion or at the very least, view you with respect as the model of perseverance that you are, they instead prefer to see you as some sort of threat.

Remember what I said earlier... you cannot respond intelligently to that which is based in complete stupidity. In other words, you likely will not be able to change the mind of a person who would view you in such a warped fashion -- so leave their warped point of view to themselves and move forward. Get yourself around other absolutely amazing friends from both within and outside the widowed community, who will see you -- and love you -- for the fantastic person you are.
** "Maneater" by Daryl Hall and John Oates; written by Sara Allen, Daryl Hall and John Oates; RCA Records, 1982

Carole's latest book, "Happily Even After..." is the winner of the prestigious Books for a Better Life Award. For more information about Carole Brody Fleet and Widows Wear Stilettos, please visit www.widowswearstilettos.com and www.carolefleetspeaker.com

Watch for Carole's third book coming in 2015.

Follow on Facebook at Widows Wear Stilettos
Follow on Twitter: @WidowsStilettos

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Why Some People View Widows As 'Threats'

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A few years ago, I received a letter which stated in part: "Why do your girlfriends see you as "competition" [since becoming widowed]; as though I would think to lower myself [in such a way]. It hurts me terribly."

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A good man is hard to find: China's 'leftover women' look for love abroad. Although the article focuses on women with professional careers in China but the situation is similar to the case of the protagonist in Sara and the wedding.

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A good man is hard to find: China's 'leftover women' look for love abroad. Although the article focuses on women with professional careers in China but the situation is similar to the case of the protagonist in Sara and the wedding.

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https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1495043/good-man-hard-find-chinas-leftover-women-look-love-abroad

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https://www.nst.com.my/news/2017/04/228441/heavier-side-things

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Baby boomers of the 1940s

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How to avoid gender stereotypes: Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jordan at TEDxZurich

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How to avoid gender stereotypes: Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jordan at TEDxZurich

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZFNsJ0-aco

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Women in Nepal are Exiled Each Month | The New York Times

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Women in Nepal are Exiled Each Month | The New York Times

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgQ54CZ6uLQ

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Life of an ordinary girl before reaching her puberty as Nepalese. (Journey from goddess to mortal)

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Life of an ordinary girl before reaching her puberty as Nepalese. (Journey from goddess to mortal)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT1D1WVQjMU&feature=youtu.be

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Umoja in Kenya: The town where MEN ARE BANNED!

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Umoja in Kenya: The town where MEN ARE BANNED!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR5rLdIfJHg

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5 Most Horrible Rituals Performed on Womens in other Countries

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5 Most Horrible Rituals Performed on Womens in other Countries

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoD78NjHTxY&feature=youtu.be

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K.S Maniam's indian society's realistic short story MALA

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K.S Maniam's indian society's realistic short story MALA

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Views on socio- cultural representation of an Indian society, religious system and gender stereotyping.

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Further clarification on the culture representation in the short story Mala, from the point of view of Dr Manimangai

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Further clarification on the culture representation in the short story Mala, from the point of view of Dr Manimangai

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A short comedy skit on how will it be like conducting puberty ceremony on men.

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A short comedy skit on how will it be like conducting puberty ceremony on men.

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Gender Stereotypes and Representations in "Mariah"

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Gender Stereotypes and Representations in "Mariah"

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A video of us discussing about the male and female characters in "Mariah"

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BBL 3326 LITERATURE AND GENDER: GENDER STEREOTYPES AND REPRESENTATIONS PRESENT IN "MARIAH"

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Are Men More Attracted To Young, Smart Women?

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Are Men More Attracted To Young, Smart Women?

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https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_2043795

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For years, my single friends and I consoled one another after breakups or blow-offs by employing reductive reasoning, repeating a misinformed, yet token girl power refrain: "He's probably just intimidated by you -- you're strong, smart and successful -- and that scares him."

In the twenty-first century, women have come a long way. In fact, we're beginning to surpass men in many areas: We have more master's and college degrees, better GPAs and single, childless women have higher earnings than their male counterparts in urban areas. By 2025, more than half the primary breadwinners in America will be women.

Given this growing ascendancy, one might surmise that men have started to feel emasculated, put off by financially independent, strong women who make their own way because of the fear they're losing value as men. Some people opine that men are less attracted to a woman who is on an equal or higher level when it comes to matters of the pocketbook or education, and that a successful woman should dumb herself down to get a man.

My time in the world of dating and relationships, both personally (as a former serial dater) and professionally (as a columnist, host and now a dating coach), has taught me that these conclusions, for the most part, are fallacies, the aforementioned girl-power refrain a line women repeat when they don't want to tell each other or themselves to look inward or at their dating behaviors or their choices in men. In reality, I think many men appreciate and admire women who are accomplished, and are not at all intimidated by their strength, intelligence and position in the workplace.

To unpack this issue a bit more, I decided to ask... a man. Enter dating Expert Joshua Pompey of www.getrealdates.com. Here's an excerpt of our conversation on this topic:

Joshua Pompey: This is definitely a big issue in today's culture. As you say, women are more successful than ever, receiving higher levels of education, and the disparity between men and women in positions of power shrinks every year.

But are men really intimidated by strong, smart and successful women?

Obviously, all men are different, and to generalize an entire gender would be wrong. There will always be men, regardless of how much the times change, who hold up the male chauvinism glory days of the 1950s as the golden social model. With that said, for the most part, men are not intimated by strong and successful women. In fact, most men find these qualities very attractive and will brag to their friends and family about what a smart, great girl they have found.

The problem arises when the qualities that make a woman such a big success cross over into the relationship. In a woman's career, she may rise to the top by being very opinionated, aggressive and decisive. But when these same qualities cross too far into the relationship, we don't like it.

Neely Steinberg: That's where I was headed. Men appreciate an accomplished, successful woman but don't want to have to come home to a stressful, competitive environment after spending all day in a similar type of work environment. I don't think most women want that either, and as we become more successful in the workplace, I can hardly imagine we'd want to come home to an aggressive, hard-headed, controlling man.

Oftentimes, I think women lead with their accomplishments, as if their bona fides alone will attract a man, and I don't necessarily think that approach works. Maybe it works still for a man to lead that way, but not so much for women. Most men don't care where a woman got her three degrees or that she's made partner at her law firm -- it's a nice bonus, and, understandably, a woman is proud of these achievements, but it's not what leads a man to be attracted to her. A lot of women are baffled by that: Why is he with that girl and not me, when I'm so smart and successful? It could have nothing to do with her level of accomplishment (maybe she's a Ph.D.!) and more to do with that woman's easygoing nature and her ability to create a feeling of emotional safety and peace within a relationship. Thoughts?

Joshua Pompey: I think you hit the nail on the head, Neely, in regards to accomplishments being "a nice bonus." Great accomplishments don't cause men to feel an attraction towards women. They will only have the potential to enhance that attraction if we already feel it.

It is true that most men have some requirements. We strongly prefer to find partners who have more than high school degrees, have serious work ethics and have dreams of their own that they aspire to achieve. These qualities matter to us because we know on a fundamental level that we will connect more with women who are well rounded, have a high intelligence level and independently have goals of their own. But we don't necessarily care where a woman went to college or what her specific dreams are as long as they exist. An impressive goal doesn't have to fit the mold of a woman aspiring to work her way to the top of a law firm. It could be as simple as raising a nice family.

As long as women meet these minimal requirements, everything else mainly comes down to attraction. We won't stay with a woman because she is "so smart and successful." If we aren't attracted to her, this is irrelevant. Sometimes women forget that men are visual creatures above all. There has to be a physical spark. If this is present, her career, success and goals will enhance the attraction. At the end of the day, it comes down to how we feel when we are with the person, not how much she brings to the table.

In our relationships, we want to have equal input on situations showing that our opinions are valued. We want to feel that we are being listened to and understood. More importantly, we want to be allowed to make big decisions, even if we are just being humored.

Why? Quite simply: Because we are men, and, well, we still want to feel like men! Most men who are not OK with women who are strong and successful feel that, on some level, their partners are not making them feel like men anymore. And this is when resentment starts to build.

We are fine with there being an imbalance of income, but in a relationship we want to feel as if there is a healthy balance.

Neely Steinberg: Do you think also this newfound notion of women not "needing" men makes men resentful? It seems to me there's a growing number of strong, proud women who defiantly proclaim they don't need men for much; they may want them in their lives, but they don't need them, when push comes to shove. Maureen Dowd even wrote a book about it. Does that sentiment or mentality create an element of frustration among men?

Joshua Pompey: I think the resentment builds specifically towards women who, in your words, "defiantly proclaim they don't need men." It is one thing to not need a man. It is a whole different matter to defiantly act as if you don't need men.

Not being reliant on a man is a positive movement for women in today's society. In my opinion, all women should strive to achieve this. The problem arises when women make men feel as if they are not needed in the relationship. At the end of the day, men are still providers at heart. Whether we are providing emotionally or financially, men still have an inherent need to feel needed and appreciated.

When we are treated as if our women don't need us, that is when the resentment starts to build and the relationship becomes poisoned as a whole. This will rise to the surface with meaningless fights being picked, quitting in the romance department, and the like.

I would also argue that men these days are frustrated by women who act is if they are too good for most men. As the success of women in modern times increases, their options do as well. With women marrying late into their twenties and early thirties these days and facing less societal pressure to settle down, exponentially more women are endlessly serial dating in a quest to find the "perfect man."

They pursue the perfect man in the same manner that they have spent their entire lives pursuing the perfect job and education. The problem is, romance isn't a trophy. Not enough "regular guys" are given opportunities because women have so many options these days. Especially with the emergence of online dating. This creates a cultural resentment towards women who are only interested in, say, the top ten percent of the dating population. And because women "don't need" men, they can afford to search endlessly for a man that may or may not exist.

Neely Steinberg: Interesting. I think both men and women fall into that trap today more so than ever before -- the search for the perfect mate. It's a childish fantasy but one that seems to be on the rise. I would say that women can't afford to search endlessly because of the tick-tock of the biological clock (for those women who want children); men don't have that pressure nearly as much. But I would say that the ticking clock puts relationships into perspective for women as they enter, say, their early thirties -- they start to realize what's important in a man and a life-long partner.

I am curious, though, about the issue of hypergamy, the act of marrying up, in which women, in particular, traditionally have taken part. But times are changing. If women start taking over the breadwinner role in society, which, according to some experts, will soon be the case, they might eventually have to accept coupling with men who are less educated, less career-inclined, and make less money, that is, if they want to be in relationships or get married. I hear a lot of women today complain that they can't find men at or above their level in this regard, and the truth may be that the pool is shrinking. Do you think strong, smart, successful women are ready to be the ones "marrying down" and do you think men are prepared to start "marrying up"?

Joshua Pompey: I would argue that both genders have adapted to the shifting nature of today's culture. With women, I believe it is less about weighing who is more successful on a monetary level and more about the ambition a man demonstrates.

For the most part, from what I hear and observe, women in society are comfortable marrying a man who makes less money than them. What they are more concerned about is the level of their partner's ambition. Women don't want to "marry down" into a relationship with a man who has no drive, hopes and dreams. This not only makes the man less interesting, and consequently, less attractive, but it also raises red flags as to what he will be like in a marriage one day.

Men who lack ambition also tend to carry these behaviors over to the romance department. The last thing a woman wants is a husband who will turn into the guy who stops trying after three years of marriage, gains thirty pounds and sits around watching television all day.

Yes, there are still women who cling to gender roles of the past. Then there are other women who have hundreds of deal breakers, such as height requirements, salary, education, etc. However, women who have an endless list of requirements generally wind up alone and lonely, or married and unhappy.

For the most part, I think women only have a problem "marrying down" when it comes to motivation and education. If these qualities are lacking, then yes, it will be a problem and vastly shrink the dating pool for successful women. However, I don't think it is a problem if the sole issue is monetary.

I would also argue that men as a whole are prepared to marry up. While there will also be a small portion of the population that clings to the 1950s definition of what a man is supposed to be, we are, for the most part, past those notions.

Again, our primary concern in the relationship is that the women we marry will not hold their careers over our heads, bring career dominance into the relationship and will not make us feel as if we are replaceable. If all of these factors hold up, we are happy to date smart, successful women. It will only enhance the overall quality of our lives.
___

Joshua Pompey is an expert in the field of online dating. Check out his free online dating tips for plenty of advice.

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He Said, She Said: Are Men Intimidated By Strong, Smart and Successful Women?

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For years, my single friends and I consoled one another after breakups or blow-offs by employing reductive reasoning, repeating a misinformed, yet token girl power refrain: "He's probably just intimidated by you -- you're strong, smart and successful -- and that scares him." In the twenty-first century, women have come a long way.

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Picture taken when we finished making our Youtube's video frame 😂

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The struggle to carry the Youtube's frame while ignoring other people's gazes 😂

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The color of realistic indian socio- culturalism on both gender at this current era according to a gen Y. Open message to all MALA's out there.

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My Failure to Conceive Makes Me Feel Like I'm Not Functioning

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My Failure to Conceive Makes Me Feel Like I'm Not Functioning

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'My failure to conceive makes me feel like I'm not functioning as a woman'

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An anonymous contributor talks about her struggle to conceive and the emotional impact it can have on a person.

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Male infertility is soaring. So why do doctors keep blaming the woman when she can't have a baby? FEMAIL investigates

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Male infertility is soaring. So why do doctors keep blaming the woman when she can't have a baby? FEMAIL investigates

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Male infertility is soaring. So why do doctors keep blaming the woman when she can't have a baby? FEMAIL investigates

To the outside world, Dennis Robinson has an enviable life. Happily married to an attractive woman with a comfortable home and a secure job, he is a father figure to his wife's eight-year-old son.

There is, however, a yawning chasm in Dennis's life. He cannot father a child of his own naturally.

He is part of a silent epidemic of male infertility, a problem growing at an extraordinary five per cent a year in Britain, and one which is now affecting many thousands of young, otherwise healthy men.

At least one in six couples now need medical help to have a baby - and for half of them the problem is the result of poor sperm quality. Infertility specialists fear this growing problem among men is bringing us closer to the day when most couples will need medical help to have a family.

This week, a major French study revealed sperm counts and quality have fallen sharply since the Nineties.

It is believed the trend is linked to diet, lifestyle and 'gender-bending' chemicals. The researchers, who used data from 126 fertility treatment centres, said their conclusions constitute a 'serious public health warning'. But what is being done to alleviate the problem?

So far, it seems, very little.

A Femail investigation has shown the NHS barely addresses the problem of male infertility, choosing instead to focus on the woman if a couple seek treatment over their inability to conceive.

Our investigation raises many alarming questions: Why do male doctors continue to lay blame for infertility on women?

Do women themselves automatically assume infertility is their fault? Or could the driving factor be that invasive and complex fertility treatments for women are hugely lucrative for those carrying them out?

Dennis, 35, from Bishop's Stortford, Herts, certainly feels he was the victim of this extraordinary discrimination.

His experience shows parts of the NHS operate from a standpoint that men are unquestionably fecund and virile and it is somehow inappropriate to humiliate them with intrusive tests.

When Dennis and his wife Kelly, 33, went to their GP after struggling for 18 months to conceive, the doctor referred them to a gynaecologist - by definition a specialist in women's problems, despite the fact Kelly must have been fertile because she already had a son, Edward, from her previous marriage.

Kelly, an executive secretary, was subjected to half a dozen invasive examinations and tests which continued for more than a year and at one stage left her with a dangerous post-operative infection. Unsurprisingly, they all the showed she was fully fertile.

It was only then that medical attention was directed towards Dennis. Two straightforward and quick tests performed two months apart showed he had a very low sperm count.

The couple were at last referred to a male infertility specialist, only to be told the deepening recession meant funding restrictions applied to NHS treatment. Despite being 'in the system', they were suddenly no longer eligible because Kelly already had a child.

'If they had checked me at the outset, they would have saved money on the tests on Kelly and we would have been treated before they decided to change the rules,' says Dennis, an account manager in a shipping company. 'We are very upset about it.'

Now at an age when most of his friends are ensconced with nappies, toddlers and swimming lessons, he has been left embittered by his experience at the hands of the NHS.

'I can't believe what has happened,' he says. 'I feel I'm being denied something I should be able to have because of a form of discrimination against men, and I feel angry that Kelly has been subjected to all this painful treatment for no good reason.'

Sam Abdalla, clinical director of London's Lister Fertility Clinic, admits he is astonished at the ignorance about male infertility that seems to exist in many parts of the NHS.

'All the guidelines make it clear you do the basic tests on both partners before you do anything else,' he says. 'I can only think doctors who don't specialise in fertility just don't know men are as likely to be infertile as women.'

Of an average 200 million to 500 million sperm released during male orgasm, only 50 to 100 will complete the journey to the egg without getting lost or dying from exhaustion. The journey can take up to six days.

Only a few dozen will have sufficient strength left to attempt to drill into the egg and only one will make it.

This natural selection - ensuring only the healthiest sperm succeed - has propagated the human species for thousands of generations.

It is now failing before our eyes, but the problem remains a taboo which many men - including doctors - find too embarrassing to discuss.

It seems they would rather subject women to pointless and intrusive tests than risk damaging fragile male egos.

Mark Griffiths' story bears this out. Mark, 42, a fire protection specialist from Portsmouth, Hampshire, told Femail that he and partner Jeanette Parker, 38, wasted £15,000 on three unsuccessful attempts at IVF before it occurred to anyone to check his fertility.

'It was only then they discovered a problem with a blocked duct meant I wasn't producing enough sperm,' he says.

'I did have a sperm test at the very beginning, but it was done by a gynaecologist who obviously specialised in women's reproductive systems, not men's.

'He commented on how small the sample was and made a joke about whether I had missed the pot, but he never considered at any point that this might be the reason for our problems.

'We have not had a good experience with the infertility industry. It has taken four years out of our lives. We have had four attempts at getting pregnant. None has worked and the whole thing has cost around £18,000.

'Now we're a lot older, so the chances of it working are lower. We are going to have another try after Christmas, but if I'd had the right procedure at the beginning, Jeanette would have had a much better chance of getting pregnant.'

'This happens all the time,' says Annette Wilkinson, director of The Doctors Laboratory in London, one of a handful of centres offering a new test to assess levels of DNA damage.

This can mean even a man with a lot of sperm can still be infertile because it is too damaged to penetrate a female egg. The so-called 'sperm comet' test uses a specialised light field which shows intact DNA in a sperm cell.

It gives a more accurate prediction of fertility than a straightforward sperm count, and can be performed with no involvement from the man other than providing a sample.

Fertility tests routinely performed on women, on the other hand, are far more painful, invasive and expensive. Apart from taking blood samples to check hormone levels, dye is injected into the ovaries to check eggs are being produced.

The womb, the tubes from the ovaries and the ovaries themselves are probed under general anaesthetic using keyhole surgery, and a different operation may be ordered to scrape tissue from the lining of the womb for analysis.

Further probes may also be inserted through the neck of the womb to check for abnormality. These operations can cost as much as £3,500 a time.

'Often men aren't tested at all until after the woman,' says Annette Wilkinson. 'A lot of GPs really don't know very much about infertility and it doesn't occur to them to check the man. With some couples the fact the infertility is due to a male problem may not even be mentioned.'

It does not have to be like this. Thomas Elton, from Sutton Coalfield, West Midlands, found himself facing a childless future at just 25.

He had met his future wife Beth when they were 14, and says he knew immediately she was the girl he would spend the rest of his life with. Thomas did a history degree, while Beth qualified as a midwife, with a specialist interest in couples with fertility problems.

They married in 2005, but were told a year later that Thomas would be unable to father children. Their dreams were shattered.

Thomas, 31, a project manager at Leicester University, had his sperm tested as soon as they struggled to conceive.

Because of her work, Beth knew only too well the problem of women being referred for repeated unnecessary tests by GPs when it was actually caused by a problem with the male partner, and she was not going to submit to such pointless treatment herself.

'I was sitting at home by myself when I got the call,' says Thomas. 'They said I had an extremely low sperm count relative to an average man, and that the chances of me fathering a child were very low indeed.'

The couple's pain was compounded by the fact Beth was by now working at the Midland Fertility Services, a specialist clinic in Aldridge, West Midlands, and maintaining a professional mask while dealing with the lengthening queue of men suffering the same problem as her husband.

The Eltons were told ICSI - Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection - would be the only solution to Thomas's infertility.

A semen sample is scanned under a high-power microscope by a technician searching for a single healthy sperm to be injected directly into the woman's egg in the laboratory. In severely infertile men, the search for one viable sperm can take a hour or more.

The Midland Fertility Service said it would be unethical for Beth's medical colleagues to treat them, so they went to another clinic and endured the misery of two failed rounds of ICSI costing £10,000, which were paid for by their generous parents.

'I begged my own clinic to do another cycle. I just knew it would make a difference to be treated by people who cared,' says Beth.

It did. Beth became pregnant and gave birth to twins Toby and Barney, who are now three. After the birth, Beth went on a major diet to lose 2st, and Thomas - who is slim anyway - shared the same meals.

He doesn't know whether the change in food intake affected his fertility, but to the couple's astonishment Beth then got pregnant naturally. Baby Phoebe was born last December.

So why is male infertility on the rise? Sheena Lewis, professor of reproductive medicine at Queen's University, Belfast, is the inventor of the sperm comet test and has a long-standing interest in the area.

'The number of men with fertility problems is growing rapidly,' she says. 'It is no longer a personal issue, it is a major public health issue.

'Environmental factors must be the cause, and if we don't find out what they are and do something, the problem will accelerate.'

Evidence showing that sperm concentrations had halved since the Forties first began to emerge 20 years ago.

Many scientists questioned the testing methods used in these early studies, but since then an avalanche of other research has shown sperm quality deteriorating year on year.

Incidence of cancer of the genital organs in young men has also inexplicably doubled since the Seventies.

Research published only last month shows more than one in 20 baby boys is now born with undescended testes, trebling the risk of testicular cancer which usually strikes in young adulthood and often results in infertility.

We now know chronic unfitness and obesity can also sabotage the reproductive capacity of men, and long-term harm from cigarettes can be passed from smoking father to non-smoking son.

It's also known that by-products from some plastics that mimic the effects of female hormones are damaging to sperm, as are by-products from car pollution.

'There are lots of reasons to be worried about this,' says Marco Gaudoin, medical director of the Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine.

'We now have something like 80,000 new chemicals introduced in the Western world in the past century. We have rivers where all the fish are female.

'Even if you have a man with a normal sperm count by conventional measures, you might still find there are high levels of damage to the sperm DNA, and we don't know what's causing it.'

Although other doctors acknowledge the growing fears over environmental factors, many still maintain the biggest cause of the infertility epidemic is the cult of self-fulfilment.

On one hand we are now increasingly promiscuous, suffering epidemics of chlamydia and other sexually-transmitted diseases that affect fertility.

On the other hand, couples are leaving attempts to become parents later and later, allowing age and increased exposure to lifestyle risk factors to take their toll.

Meanwhile, it appears some doctors are capitalising on fears of women to suck them into the incredibly lucrative fertility industry.

'I think we should be worried if women are having unnecessary tests because non-specialist doctors are not taking sufficient interest in male problems,' says Gedis Grudzinskas, the editor of Reproductive Biomedicine Online.

'The tests on women are painful, and there is a risk of infection which might cause more damage.'

Although it is not an issue which attracts the short-term interest of politicians or healthcare providers, this year the European Union launched Reprotrain, a four-year, 'urgent priority' international project involving six countries to identify ways of tackling the impending fertility crisis.

But even if the project comes up with answers, it is not an initiative that will help Dennis Robinson.

'It never entered my head I would be unable to have a child of my own,' he says.

'I was never focused on it like I am now, it was just something I thought would happen when it happened. Now I want a child more than anything.'

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Male infertility is soaring. So why do doctors keep blaming the woman when she can't have a baby? FEMAIL investigates

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To the outside world, Dennis Robinson has an enviable life. Happily married to an attractive woman with a comfortable home and a secure job, he is a father figure to his wife's eight-year-old son. There is, however, a yawning chasm in Dennis's life. He cannot father a child of his own naturally.

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Students React to Reversal Gender Stereotypes 

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Students React to Reversal Gender Stereotypes 

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Students React to Reversal Gender Stereotypes

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Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University

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Women have always been at Harvard, Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz AM '65, PhD '69, RI '01 noted in her lecture "It's Complicated: 375 Years of Women at Harvard," but for many years they were present as workers and donors or helpmeets to fathers, husbands, and sons. From the University's founding, in 1636, until 1879, when Elizabeth Cary Agassiz and other women established the Society for the Collegiate Instruction of Women, known as the Annex, there were no women students at Harvard.

"The Annex began with no building," Horowitz pointed out, "only rented rooms on Appian Way," where Harvard faculty members taught the women's classes.

The Sydenham Clark Parsons Professor of American Studies and History Emerita at Smith College, Horowitz spoke at the Institute in late April, presenting a Radcliffe Dean's Lecture as part of Harvard's celebration of its first 375 years. She was a member of the Radcliffe Institute's first class of fellows and has conducted extensive research at the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe, most recently for her book Wild Unrest: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and the Making of "The Yellow Wallpaper" (Oxford University Press, 2010).

The fiercest opposition to women's inclusion at Harvard occurred during the 1970s, Horowitz said, when students and the National Organization for Women fought for a one-to-one ratio in the admission of men and women instead of the four-to-one ratio that then prevailed. Starting in 1977, women's numbers gradually increased until they reached parity in 2007.

There's been real success at the administrative level in recent years, Horowitz said, with 7 of the 16 members of the Harvard Council of Deans being women. But opening the faculty to women has been more difficult. In 1985, the high point, women made up roughly a quarter of the faculty.

She's "haunted," Horowitz said, by the statement made by biologist Ruth Hubbard '44, AM '47, PhD '50 about the impact on her generation of Radcliffe students not being taught by women. "Sitting 'at the feet of Harvard's Great Men' may mean students do not awaken to the 'expectation that we might someday be Great Women.'"

Compared to 25, 50, or 75 years ago, there's a lot to celebrate, the noted historian concluded. "But there is a lot to try to change and a lot to worry about, too. Yes, the history of women at Harvard is complicated."

"No Documents, No History"
Before the Horowitz lecture, Nancy F. Cott spoke to a gathering of Radcliffe alumnae and friends about the importance of Radcliffe's Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America. The Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation Director of the library and Jonathan Trumbull Professor of American History, Cott recalled how important it had been for her to be able to turn to the Schlesinger in 1970, when she was a graduate student preparing to teach one of the earliest courses in women's history. Influenced by the women's movement, she distrusted previous historians' accounts, assuming they were full of stereotyped assumptions about women. "I was able to look on the shelves of the Schlesinger and find one primary source after another" for students to read, she said, since the library (originally the Women's Archives) had been collecting for more than 25 years by then.

Crediting the mid-1940s vision of Radcliffe College in intending to establish "a national center for research in the historical role and cultural contributions of the women in the United States," Cott noted the essential role played by historian Mary Ritter Beard (1876-1958) in enabling the library's first contacts and collections. Cott quoted her mantra: "No documents, no history. Papers. Records. These we must have."

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The Complicated History of Women at Harvard

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Women have always been at Harvard, Helen Lefkowitz Horowitz AM '65, PhD '69, RI '01 noted in her lecture "It's Complicated: 375 Years of Women at Harvard," but for many years they were present as workers and donors or helpmeets to fathers, husbands, and sons.

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Catharine Drew Gilpin Faust (born September 18, 1947) is an American historian and was the 28th President of Harvard University, the first woman to serve in that role. Faust is the former dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study; she is Harvard's first president since 1672 without an undergraduate or graduate degree from Harvard and the first to have been raised in the South.

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Texas school shooter killed girl who turned down his advances and embarrassed him in class, her mother says

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Texas school shooter killed girl who turned down his advances and embarrassed him in class, her mother says

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"Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them." -- Margaret Atwood

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As he heard the gunshots approaching down the hall Friday morning, Santa Fe High School student Abel San Miguel, 15, hid with a few classmates in the art class storage closet.

He wasn't sure if he was going to survive. Through the door, he could see the barrel of a shotgun. Then the shooter began shooting through the door, killing at least one student inside, and grazing Abel's back.

When the shooter left the room briefly, Abel and others left the closet and tried to barricade the door. But the shooter pushed it open, spotted a student he knew, and with anger said, "Surprise!" before shooting the student in the chest.

"I'm still trying to process everything," Abel said in an interview.

As more details emerged about the shooting that left 10 people dead and 13 injured at the Houston-area school, the student who authorities said confessed to the attack was being held in isolation Saturday as officials identified the victims.

The family of the 17-year-old suspect, junior Dimitrios Pagourtzis, is "as shocked and confused as anyone else by these events that occurred," according to a statement released to the media.

"We are gratified by the public comments made by other Santa Fe High School students that show Dimitri as we know him: a smart, quiet, sweet boy," the family statement said. "While we remain mostly in the dark about the specifics of yesterday's tragedy, what we have learned from media reports seems incompatible with the boy we love."

One of Pagourtzis' classmates who died in the attack, Shana Fisher, "had 4 months of problems from this boy," her mother, Sadie Rodriguez, wrote in a private message to the Los Angeles Times on Facebook. "He kept making advances on her and she repeatedly told him no."

Pagourtzis continued to get more aggressive, and she finally stood up to him and embarrassed him in class, Rodriguez said. "A week later he opens fire on everyone he didn't like," she wrote. "Shana being the first one." Rodriguez didn't say how she knew her daughter was the first victim.

Fisher's friends said they could not corroborate the mother's claims.

The gunman repeatedly taunted students during the attack, according to another harrowing account posted to Facebook by one survivor's mother.

After scrambling to escape the shooter's blasts in the art room, Isabelle Van Ness, covered in dust from rounds hitting her classroom walls, could hear the shooter in a next-door classroom yelling, "Woo hoo!" while shooting, according to her mother, Deedra Van Ness.

"The gunman then comes back into their room and they hear him saying ... are you dead? Then more shots are fired," Deedra Van Ness wrote. "By this time, cell phones all over the classroom are ringing and he's taunting the kids in the closet asking them ... do you think it's for you? do you want to come answer it? Then he proceeds to fire more bullets into the closet and tries to get in."

Police arrived within 10 minutes later as Isabelle hid among the bodies of her classmates, and she could hear the shooter reloading after an "exchange" with police, her mother wrote.

Soon after, the shooter surrendered. "She and her friends had been in the same room with the gunman the ENTIRE TIME," her mother wrote. "As the media announces the names of the confirmed dead, Isabelle falls apart. ... She had prayed that her friends lying around the school were just injured and the confirmation of their deaths was crushing."

The dead included two teachers, Glenda Perkins and Cynthia Tisdale, along with Shana Fisher and seven of her classmates: Kimberly Vaughan, Angelique Ramirez, Christian Riley Garcia, Jared Black, Christopher Jake Stone, Aaron Kyle McLeod and Sabika Sheikh, an exchange student from Pakistan.

Two bombs that Pagourtzis allegedly brought to the school Friday were "intended to be IEDs," improvised explosive devices, but turned out to be "nonfunctional," Galveston County Judge Mark Henry said Saturday.

Pagourtzis, a football player who had allegedly posted images of guns and a T-shirt with the words "Born to kill" on social media in the weeks before the shooting, is being held without bond while facing charges of capital murder and aggravated assault on a public servant.

His schoolmates were allowed to return to parts of the school Saturday to retrieve their abandoned belongings.

One student wrote on Twitter: "as i walked into the school today to grab my things all I felt was emptiness. the entire vibe of the school was sad. you could look at the doors and see where they had to use [sledge]hammers to get into the doors. ... i never want to be there again."

After surrendering to police at the school, Pagourtzis waived his right to remain silent and confessed to the shooting, authorities said. According to a probable-cause statement, Pagourtzis said that "he did not shoot students he did like so he could have his story told."

The judge questioned the teenager at his initial court appearance Friday. Pagourtzis answered the questions, admitting to the shooting, but said little else, Henry said.

Officials also upped the number of injured at Friday's shooting to 13 from 10. One of the wounded, school police Officer John Barnes, remained in critical but stable condition Saturday after nearly dying from blood loss, according to police officials.

"This guy ran toward danger. I can't thank him enough," Henry said in an interview. "He's a hero in my book."

A close friend, Capt. James Dale of the Houston Police Department, said Barnes might lose his right arm.

"We want to know exactly what went on in there," Dale said. "All we know is he was the first one in there and he was shot in both arms."

Walter Braun, chief of the Santa Fe Independent School District Police Department, declined to answer questions about the police response to the shooting or whether the department had seen any warning signs from Pagourtzis before the massacre.

"Our officers went in there and did what they could," Braun said at a news conference. "They did what they were trained for, and went in immediately."

Though the school is now believed to be free of explosives, all district schools will remain closed until at least Tuesday as officials sort through the crime scene.

Officers have been bringing in students 10 at a time to gather belongings from parts of the school that were not closed off, Braun said.

With assistance from the Red Cross, officials have set up an assistance center at a local Methodist church where affected families can receive emotional support, community services and food.

"This is the second time in eight months that we've gone through tragedy," Rep. Randy Weber, the area's Republican congressman, said at a news conference, noting Hurricane Harvey's assault on the area last summer.

"We will pull together," Weber said. "We will grieve together, we will love one another, we will work together. We did it after Harvey, still doing it after Harvey. We'll do it after this."

Times staff writers Hennessy-Fiske reported from Santa Fe and Pearce from Los Angeles. Special correspondent Jarvie reported from Atlanta.

Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce.

May 20, 8:35 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Shana Fisher's friends.

5:15 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details that include the gunman making advances on a classmate, she rebuffing him in class in front of others and he later shooting the girl.

3:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details that include the gunman taunting his victims.

This article was originally published at 1:55 p.m.

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Texas school shooter killed girl who turned down his advances and embarrassed him in class, her mother says - Los Angeles Times

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As he heard the gunshots approaching down the hall Friday morning, Santa Fe High School student Abel San Miguel, 15, hid with a few classmates in the art class storage closet. He wasn't sure if he was going to survive. Through the door, he could see the barrel of a shotgun.

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Those who have made a difference

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While the men gets all the attention for GE14, don't forget all these wonderful women who fought tirelessly for the country and they are the voices of equality for all Malaysians. Politicians, social...

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How could Shania have possibly succeeded? Dirt-poor, freezing cold, and abused, the odds were stacked against her from the start, but brave Shania stood tall in the face of struggle, and her unlikely...

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Happy World Book Day! To all you bookworms out there, this one is for you. 

Deaf, blind and mute, she was destined for a life of obscurity and pain. But, with the help of a water pump, Helen Keller...

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In 1989, a man armed with a hunting rifle and a knife entered a Montreal university and systematically killed 14 women, before killing himself. "I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker ... I have decided to put an end to those viragos," he wrote in his suicide note. One female student shouted during the massacre that she was not a feminist and did not hate men. He shot her anyway.

Twenty-five years later, a self-proclaimed "kissless virgin" named Elliot Rodger, who was active in the online "incel" community and felt rejected by women, drove to a sorority house in Santa Barbara and opened fire, leaving behind a YouTube video where he proclaimed, "I don't know why you girls have never been attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it. It's an injustice, a crime. I'm a perfect guy."

On April 23rd, a man named Alek Minassian, who posted on Facebook that the " the Incel Rebellion has already begun! " and "All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger," drove a van into crowds of pedestrians in Toronto, killing 10 people.

In the stories of angry Men's Rights Activists and incels - men who are "involuntarily celibate," and denied their "right" to sex - the women of the world are in control, teasing and taunting and withholding, even as men maintain incredible majorities in nearly every hall of power. A recent New York Times article illustrated just how ludicrous the imbalance of men to women is in management positions in virtually every industry, where women are outnumbered not just by men, but specifically by men with common names like John.

The world is not enough for many of the angriest, most bitter Johns, particularly the ones who felt that they were promised, on the basis of their gender, more of the world than the majority they have inherited. And as women push back against harassment, rape, and the basic dehumanization that accompanies being female, many of their most insulated and privileged opponents have coalesced into an online network. Loosely termed the manosphere, the movement has transformed the unquestionable cultural dominance of men into an identity based on a delusion of oppression, and even as they whine inconsolably about the identity politics they claim are ruining their lives.

Some of them kill us. Even more of them say they want to. Both in the most pedestrian of ways, through the casual and regular practice of domestic violence, or simply by assaulting or murdering any woman who does not immediately acquiesce to their sexual demands. More recently, the festering online wound of the incel community has begun to express itself in the form of mass murder. Online platforms have long been more concerned with free speech than the literal lives of women, and the vicious, lethal misogyny of incels has flourished in these spaces accordingly. Misogyny is water, and we are all swimming.

In the aftermath of the Rodgers massacre, Erin Gloria Ryan, a writer from Jezebel, did a deep dive into the incel community, which can best be described as harrowing. People posting in incel-identified spaces say many, many things, including demanding the "rape count" of other men as a form of competition, and asking for solidarity in their dreams of committing mass murder because they have not gotten off as much as they had hoped.

"Media doesnt aknolwedge [sic] the majroity [sic] of males' [sic] discontentment with current sexual distopia [sic] its all about HATING WOMEN," writes one man.

"It sort of boggles my mind."

"It sort of boggles my mind," writes Ryan, "that most women go through life simply hoping to have control over their own bodies, and that these fuckers feel entitled to not only themselves, but to other people. To an audience. To a platform. They exist, therefore we must all pay attention to them, like screaming infants."

This most recent demonstration of the lethality of male sexual frustration, via Minassian's mass killing, is linked inextricably to the internet, where the most pernicious ideas about male supremacy have flourished thanks to the superseding concern of doing whatever you want over basic human decency. Although Reddit finally, finally banned the r/incels subreddit in November for its open advocation of rape and other violence toward women, internet platforms at large have been fertile ground for men who openly hate women and wish to convene with other men who feel the same way. They have migrated easily and without restriction to other websites and subreddits, including Braincels, where these ideas persist and are deified. Minassian was subsequently declared a "new saint" on a prominent incel forum, with one poster saying, "spread that name, speak of his sacrifice for our cause, worship him for he gave his life for our future."

It was claimed, at least in The New York Times, that Minassian had "displayed extreme social awkwardness. But they said that he had seemed harmless." What a world, where an openly "troubled young man who harbored resentments towards women" could be conceived of as harmless, at best.

It is, again, difficult to be alive in an online world that regularly declares that men's right to vent their frustrations about literally wanting to kill women because they feel rejected, or are not getting laid, is a bedrock principle of liberty. We are complicit in these massacres insofar as we have facilitated them; enabling the mass murder of women under the flag of "free speech" is perhaps the most irresponsible and stupid thing that the men at the helm of the internet could do. And yet. (It is worth noting that most of these massacres also claimed male victims. The patriarchy, as is often the case, is happy to destroy men as easily as it does women. It is also worth noting that women, too, experience rejection and sexual frustration, and do not have a movement based around raping and murdering people who have turned them down.)

After Rodger's mass killing, one of the people who had interacted with him online wrote, far too late, "Could someone tip off the police just in case?"

"Don't," replied another man. "Whatever happens. We didn't do anything so just let it happen if it does."

But they did do something - by doing nothing. By saying nothing. This is the common practice of most major internet platforms and the reality of what it means to be online for women, and it is killing us.

Correction: 28 people were shot in the 1989 Montreal massacre, but only 14 were killed.

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The internet is enabling a community of men who want to kill women. They need to be stopped

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In 1989, a man armed with a hunting rifle and a knife entered a Montreal university and systematically killed 14 women, before killing himself. "I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker ... I have decided to put an end to those viragos," he wrote in his suicide note.

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Here's a raised glass (conjured up by "Wingardium Leviosa," no less) to the spell-busting, wand-snapping, potion-brewing, bookworm we love.

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What If The Advertising Industry Exploited Men The Same Way It Does Women? (Images)

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What If The Advertising Industry Exploited Men The Same Way It Does Women? (Images)

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In recent years, the world of fashion and advertising has distastefully blurred the lines between right and wrong, creating a pronounced grey area of supposedly acceptable imagery which includes everything from BDSM and rape to abuse, aggression, and underage perversion. And this phenomenon can't simply be narrowed down to 'artistry' when the symbolism is so blatantly sexist and even morbid.

I mean, is it appropriate for 4-year olds to have a lingerie line, never mind to be photographed in them? I have a 2-year old niece and while I think it's adorable for her to have cute bathing suits, I would never allow her to wear something provocative in any way. It's heavily insinuated that Americans are just uptight when it comes to sex, and in many respects this is true, but there is a line that must be drawn when it comes to children that culture cannot influence.

So while Luis Paredes, the publisher of The Lingerie Journal, may blithely assert that "while Americans may be shocked, the line of clothing wouldn't cause a ripple in Europe," the reality is that we are looking at the exploitation of children. We may have antiquated views about breastfeeding and sex, to be sure, but sexualized images of children are in a whole different ballpark, and considering the UK's current heavy investigation into pedophile rings being attended by high government officials, maybe these ads should be causing some ripples.

Kylie Jenner, an heiress of the Kardashian clan, has received heavy media attention over her recent lip injection (to each their own), but it was this particular photo shoot that brought her under major scrutiny. The cover image for Interview magazine features Kylie in a wheelchair. Why?

Shot by Steven Klein, the shoot is supposed to be reminiscent of work produced by Allen Jones, a British pop artist famous for his controversial sculptures of half-naked women on all fours and in other submissive positions being used as human furniture. Quite objectifying. (You can view the full gallery here.)

These next few images highlight the absurdity of advertisements today, switching the sex of the subject (or should I say object) in the ad to underscore how ridiculous and demeaning their roles truly are. Thanks to Lauren Wade from Take Part for creating these images.
Sisley ad, photographed by Terry Richardson, 2006
This isn't the first time we've seen sexual abuse in advertisements and it definitely isn't less upsetting when a guy takes her place. The disturbing tone of this ad is hardly surprising considering it was shot by the infamous Terry Richardson, who carries a string of sexual misconduct allegations with models under his belt. I mean the guy himself said, "It's not who you know, it's who you blow. I don't have a hole in my jeans for nothing."
Tom Ford for Men ad, photographed by Terry Richardson, 2007
Well we certainly know that sex sells, but why is this appropriate as an advertisement, yet women are still being shunned into bathroom stalls to breastfeed their babies? It's easy to see how much less appealing this is with men's breasts instead.
American Apparel ad, 2010

Wondering what the purpose of this ad is? You're not alone, since this is a product that is clearly marketed to women. But these images really come as no surprise. American Apparel CEO Dov Charney was unceremoniously dismissed from his position in December of 2014 because of the A.A. board's "ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct" - which includes (but is not limited to): holding an employee as a personal sex slave for eight months, sexually harassing multiple models and employees, assaulting a store manager, using ethnic and racist slurs with staff, and masturbating in front of a reporter in a 2004 Jane magazine article.
American Apparel ad, 2007
If this really is an ad marketed to women, what kind of message is it supposed to send? This image is pretty standard for the company though, considering they once featured then-CEO Dov Charney in bed with models in one ad and having his crotch licked in another. How did it get this far to publication? Even with a male on display it's pretty disturbing, but at least brings some humour. Interesting that one is sexy and the other comical.
Marc Jacobs ad, photographed by Juergen Teller, 2008
What do you think this ad is trying to illustrate? Why would a brand use a wrinkled bag to market their products?

These images only provide a glimpse at broad the spectrum of degradation toward women present in advertising and if you think the images itself are enough to make you ponder, imagine what goes on at these shoots or even at the castings.

Charlotte Waters was a 19-year-old art student when she contacted Terry Richardson for a shoot, having only heard he was a good connection to make and work with. "He had me unbutton his pants, and he took his penis out, and it was all completely downhill from there." She said in an interview with Vocativ. He even went as far as ejaculating on her face.

Sara Ziff, founder of advocacy group Model Alliance, was also 19 when her agency sent her to Richardson. "It was supposed to be for a mainstream fashion magazine, but when I arrived, he unexpectedly asked me to pose topless," she says. "I felt pressured to comply because my agent had told me to make a good impression because he was an important photographer who shot for all the major magazines and brands." On HuffPost Live, Ziff exclaimed, "[Richardson] will ask you to take your clothes off at the casting, and in some cases, give him sexual favors."

Model Alliance is Sara Ziff's effort to establish fair labor standards for models working in the American fashion industry. She hopes to protect working models from exploitation, especially from sexual abuse, and to improve the lot of its members in terms of pay and working conditions. It has drawn up a "Models' Bill of Rights."

Model Alliance was inspired by Sara's time working on the documentary Picture Me

Sara had this to say about the documentary in an interview with Fashionista:

["Picture Me"] was on the festival circuit in 2009, and it was really at Q&A discussions for the film that we started talking about the need for a union, like the equivalent of the Screen Actors' Guild, which is now SAG-AFTRA, for models. Models would come to these screenings and get really emotional talking about bad experiences they've had, and the film became this organizing tool to raise awareness publicly, but also within the industry. We wanted an existing union to extend membership to models, but when it became clear that that wasn't possible, I was crazy enough to take it upon myself and start up from scratch, which people warned me not to do, but I also was studying labor and organizing in college.

The majority of models start their careers before the age 16, with most working unchaperoned and far from home. This creates an unconscionable environment of coercion, where the incentive to get hired (and remain employed) is enough to keep most girls quiet. Sara Ziff talks about her own experience with this firsthand at the age of 14:

When I entered the business as a 14-year-old schoolgirl, I was routinely asked to do topless shoots and pose seductively. To this day, in an industry dominated by minors, there is no policy of informed consent for jobs involving full or partial nudity. A recent survey shows that 86.8% of models have been asked to pose nude at a casting or job without advance notice.

Girl Model is another documentary exposing the terrifyingly young age at which some models start working. The film follows 13-year-old Siberian-born model Nadya Vall on her quest to become a model, accompanied most of the time by Ashley Arbaugh, the American modeling scout (and former model) who discovers her.

In my opinion, to be successful and thrive in the fashion industry, you need to have a sound idea of who you are as an individual and what you stand for, and unfortunately, most girls who are recruited at 14 or younger are still discovering who they are and what their place is in the world. This makes it easier for agents and scouts to shape them into who they think they should be, almost inevitably promoting a mental instability and dependency on those around them.

This article can only provide for you a different perspective on the reality that certain individuals in the fashion industry must face. Like with all things in life, there are great things about this industry and there are terrible, but it just seems that most of the 'bad' has been swept under the rug, with little to no attention being paid to the bigger fallacies presented by advertising companies.

Images like these allow us to see the toxic leaks that are trickling into our society, helping us to be more critical about what we are ingesting visually and more proactive in learning more about a massive money making machine that bombards us with a skewed view of the world from all sides.

Stay critical and stay aware, it helps to shift perspectives and ultimately the industry.
Sources http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/feb/13/ugly-truth-fashion-model-behavior http://www.takepart.com/feature/2014/07/09/what-if-fashion-objectified-males-same-scary-way-it-does-females http://www.vocativ.com/underworld/sex/oh-god-whats-happening-close-personal-terry-richardson-model/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/17/fashion-ads-treated-men-and-women-same_n_5589243.html http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2012/feb/01/sara-ziff-models-workers-rights-group http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/feb/13/ugly-truth-fashion-model-behavior http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/06/terry-richardson-interview.html

The Facts:
Purdue Pharma is providing a $3.42 million grant to 'Harm Reduction Therapeutics' to advance the development of its low-cost, over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone nasal spray which purportedly can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

Reflect On:
Can we use the blatant deception that characterizes marketing efforts of Big Pharma as motivation to really spread awareness amongst our friends, family and our fellow humans about better practices of health and wellness?

In the CE article ' Study Reveals Big Pharma Paid Doctors Millions of Dollars To Push Opioids,' Kalee Brown makes a cogent argument that the Opioid epidemic, which is responsible for at least two thirds of the record 72,000 overdose deaths in the U. S. last year, is the product of a carefully crafted strategy that stems from a sinister alignment of self-interest between Big Pharma, doctors, and the government. This strategy, it would seem, has no limits to its wickedness:

It's no secret that Big Pharma is a money-making machine. Many even suggest that they design drugs with negative side effects so you remain sick, thus growing their market of sick consumers - a view supported by the reality that doctors get compensated for selling you drugs, not for getting you off of them.

It's not as though there is not a clear understanding about this among awakening individuals. There are numerous people who individually and collectively are fighting against this evil. Many have spurred efforts by city and state officials to sue Purdue Pharma, makers of the ruthlessly marketed opioid Oxycontin that is at the center of this epidemic. These efforts have made some inroads, in that they have stopped their aggressive marketing campaign in the US.

How They Defend Themselves

Typically, Purdue Pharma will argue in court that they should not be to blame for the recommendations of doctors or the free will choices of patients. This despite the fact that court cases have revealed that one of the prongs of their marketing strategy is to get doctors to minimize the dangers of Oxycontin in their discussions with their patients, or to deceive the doctors altogether about the dangers of Oxycontin.

Before becoming aware of how the pharmaceutical industry worked, I would have assumed (naively) that if a pharmaceutical company saw that its medications were causing harm to people (let alone an epidemic of overdose deaths) they would quickly take their product off the market. And short of that, doctors would simply stop prescribing the drug to their patients in deference to the Hippocratic oath they took which dictates primarily to "Do no harm." Alas, far too many doctors do not take their oath to heart, preferring instead to defer their responsibility to the recommendations of regulatory agencies like the FDA and continue to take their profits for writing up prescriptions.

As for taking Oxycontin off the market? Well everybody knows by now that profit, not human health or even human life, is the sole decision-making marker for pharmaceutical giants like Purdue Pharma. And despite the inconvenience of all these lawsuits, they are willing to deal with those so long as the legal costs remain covered by the outlandish profits that Oxycontin and other opioids continue to generate.

Staying In The Game

In their minds, there are still too many people who are in pain and want that pain alleviated the easy way, through drugs, they are willing to listen to their doctors, and trust the FDA and other government agencies. In other words, there is still too much money to be made to actually take the product off the market.

Having said that, with sales in decline, and restrictions now on their formerly successful marketing maneuvers, how can they position themselves to keep the lucrative Oxycontin game going longer?

Perhaps it was the new guy in the think-tank that raised his hand and came up with this outrageous idea one day. "Hey, why don't we fund and promote a drug that we can say prevents death by overdose from Oxycontin? We can say it's coming from some non-profit called, hmm, er, 'Harm Reduction Therapeutics.' Yeah. Some people will think we're heroes!"

Don't laugh. That's exactly what they've done. Whether 'Harm Reduction Therapeutics' is truly an independent non-profit or the brainchild of Big Pharma giants doesn't matter. The game remains the same.

New Wrinkle Of Depravity

And so just when we think we've seen and reported on all the possible depravity coming from Big Pharma, a new wrinkle appears on an already hideous face. And we don't need to read any anti-Big Pharma commentary to see it. The thinly veiled ruse is broadcast on their website for all to see:

STAMFORD, Conn. and PITTSBURGH, Penn., September 5, 2018 - Purdue Pharma L.P. (Purdue) and Harm Reduction Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that Purdue is providing a $3.42 million grant to Harm Reduction Therapeutics to advance the development of its low-cost, over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone nasal spray in the United States. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist used to reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid overdose.

Harm Reduction Therapeutics is an independent, non-profit pharmaceutical company whose mission is to "prevent opioid overdose deaths by making low-cost naloxone available to everyone." Purdue's contributions will help Harm Reduction Therapeutics accelerate the development of its OTC naloxone nasal spray by approximately 12 months.

This product will provide a low-cost alternative to prescription naloxone for both consumers and first responders. Given the nature of this grant, no revenues or royalties will be paid to Purdue.

The U.S. Surgeon General, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and The President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis all recommend expanded use of naloxone due to its potential for saving lives. Unfortunately, cost has been a barrier, especially in communities hardest hit by the opioid crisis. ¹

"Purdue is committed to advancing patient care and public safety. While naloxone accessibility cannot be seen as a single solution, it must be part of our collective actions," said Craig Landau, MD, president and CEO, Purdue Pharma. "This grant is one example of the meaningful steps Purdue is taking to help address opioid abuse in our communities. Collaborating with a variety of partners is crucial to address the crisis we're facing, and we are honored to support Harm Reduction Therapeutics as they work to prevent opioid-related deaths by increasing access to naloxone."

So follow along here: instead of taking Oxycontin off the market, they've decided to gift a 'Harm Reduction' non-profit organization with a research grant of $3.42 million (peanuts) to hurry up with their low cost death-defying product. Purdue will receive no revenues or royalties from this low cost product, and thus can now position themselves as a company that is committed to 'advancing patient care and public safety' by showing their heartfelt concern about the opioid epidemic (which they caused).

The reality? Getting this low-cost 'overdose prevention nasal spray' into circulation as quickly as possible will actually allow them to get more people on to Oxycontin and prevent some others from breaking their addiction to it. Purdue's hope is that the fear these patients might have about all the overdose deaths they've heard about may be assuaged by having access to a 'super nasal spray' to save them from the brink of death-if, that is, they are in any condition to properly operate the nasal spray in the throes of a drug overdose episode.

The Takeaway

Most of the readers of this article are likely aware of the nature of the Pharmaceutical Industry, and by extension the nature of the Western Medical Establishment in general. But reminders like this may help in giving us the courage to bring up such deceptive practices with friends and family who still think that Western medicine is geared towards our health, or that powerful opioids are really the best option for our symptoms.

Our compassion with others is fueled by our understanding, and in this way the blatantly self-serving actions like those of Purdue Pharma can help us to speak and act more effectively with our friends and loved ones, and help them reach a higher state of awareness about our health and how we can deal more safely with our pain.

The Facts:
Oil pulling has been shown to benefit oral health by several different studies. The best way to know is to experience and document it for yourself, but the research is there.

Reflect On:
Mainstream dental associations still label researchers who have found evidence of benefit as pseudoscientists. That's not rare, especially when something is found to greatly benefit human health and they can't make any profit off of it.

How many times have you come across a 'natural' or alternative health treatment, and, when you try to tell somebody about it, they completely dismiss the idea that it actually works? This is a problem in today's society, the 'natural' label is seen in the realm of alternative treatment, and what's solely emphasized today is the need and use for chemical medication. Prior to chemical medication, alternative treatment wasn't seen as alternative, it just was. Interventions that don't require medication are often shoved aside despite the fact that many of them show extreme promise and in some cases, the science is just as strong, if not more, than the chemical alternative without the harm that commonly comes as a trade-off.

This is the case with oil pulling, you'll see countless amounts of articles written on the internet brushing oil pulling off as a hoax, or an ancient belief that simply doesn't work. One thing is for certain, the writers of all these articles haven't really taken the time to examine the science and legitimacy behind such a practice.

There is extreme legitimacy, in some cases, when it comes to alternative treatment, this is exactly why more and more people every single year gravitate towards these options.

A study published in 2012 outlines how, "the interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased during the past decade and the attitude of general public is mainly positive, but the debate about the clinical effectiveness of these therapies remains controversial among many medical professionals."

It goes on to outline how the same resources that are poured into modern-day medicine, are not poured into alternative medicine, and, if they were, we'd know and learn a lot more about it. The lack of education is precisely why many medical professionals stay away from it and remain ignorant to some real solutions which exist.

There is no money in alternative medicine. Medicine today is completely dominated by big pharmaceutical companies, whose sole purpose seems to be profit over health.

So, what is oil pulling? A meta-analysis published in the Journal Traditional Complementary Medicine stats as follows,
"Oil pulling is a traditional folk remedy practiced in ancient India. It is believed to cure more than thirty systemic diseases when practiced regularly and as directed. Due to occurrence of side effects of modern medicines and oral hygiene products, people are increasingly attracted towards complementary and traditional practices. Oil pulling in addition to offering several oral health benefits also has beneficial effects on overall health."
We have so much to learn from our ancients, and this is clear across many fields, from health, all the way to neuroscience and quantum physics. It's truly amazing how many ancient cultures possessed the knowledge that they did, some of which we are just discovering now (or re-discovering).

Ancient eastern medicine considered the mouth as a mirror to the overall health of our body, and that our mouth, teeth and tongue were all connected to various organs throughout the body (heart, kidney's, lungs, small intestine, spine etc.) Today, we know that our oral cavities contain billions of microorganisms that contribute to the development of several diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and more.
"The oral cavity contains some of the most varied and vast flora in the entire human body and is the main entrance for two systems vital to human function and physiology, the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems. Several diseases involve these two systems and manifest in the oral cavity. In addition, a specific pathologic condition, such as periodontitis (ie, inflammation of the periodontal attachment of the teeth and the alveolar bone), may be present in the oral cavity. These specific conditions in the oral cavity may create foci of infection that can affect many other vital systems such as the cardiovascular and rental systems."
How To Do It & What It Does

So, how do you do it? Organic oils like sesame oil, sunflower oil and coconut oil, cold pressed, are the best options. It's best to do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach when you wake up, and a teaspoon of oil works best. You want to hold it in your mouth and swish it around occasionally for at least 10 minutes preferably 20. As the meta-analysis points out, it's vital not to swallow any of it, as it will be loaded with toxins that are being pulled from inside your blood stream as well as your mouth.
"Oil pulling is believed to help in the excretion of toxic heavy metals by saliva. Oil pulling activates salivary enzymes which absorb toxins such as chemical toxins, bacterial toxins and environmental toxins from the blood and removed from the body through the tongue. Thus oil pulling detoxifies and purifies the entire human body."
The meta-analysis goes on to explain how oil pulling generates antioxidants that actually damage the cell wall of microorganisms and kill them. These are the organisms that lead to the decay of the mouth, build up of plaque and several other factors mentioned briefly above.
"These oils will attract the lipid layer of bacterial cell membranes, and cause it to stick or get attracted, and pulled to the oil. During oil pulling, the oil gets emulsified and surface area of the oil gets increased....This oil will coat the teeth and gingiva and inhibits bacterial co-aggregration and plaque formation...Thus plaque-building bacteria responsible for dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis and bad breath are removed from the oral cavity. Gums become pink, healthier, and problem of bleeding gums is solved.
Each oil has benefits, for example, it explains how coconut oil has high amounts of lauric acid which reacts with components in our saliva that really makes it an ideal cleansing option.

It's recommended, to receive the full benefits, to practice this on an empty stomach three times a day, if possible. If not, it's best to do it right when you wake up, as mentioned above, as well as before bed a few hours after you've had dinner. When finished pulling, you want to rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth to clean the remainder of the oil off.

Brushing without toothpaste, or simply using your finger to clean and rub the oil that may remain around your teeth is a good idea. Compared to mouthwash, oil pulling is a no-brainer. Mouthwash brands, most of them anyway, contain fluoride which is a known neurotoxin. The meta-analysis points out how, "Chronic use of mouthwashes containing phenols and stannous fluoride produces staining."

The meta analysis is great, and references dozens of studies on oil pulling and how effective it is on oral hygiene. It is no doubt confirmed in scientific literature that it does have benefits, this much is clear, and emphasized by so many studies.

The Facts:
A study British Journal of Nutrition emphasizes how calcium supplements are linked with vascular pathologies associated with cardiovascular and how they may also be associated with the occurrence of brain lesions.

Reflect On:
Are calcium supplements necessary? Calcium is found in a wide variety of foods, even for those who are lactose intolerant, there should be no problem getting your daily dose of calcium without supplements.

This article written by Written by Sayer Ji, founder of Greenmedinfo.com, posted here with permission.
Most calcium supplements are just plain bad news. The idea of taking calcium in pill or tablet form to "keep the bones strong" just doesn't make that much sense given, first, that we are designed to get our calcium from food. Second, our bone is a living tissue, which requires vitamin C, amino acids, magnesium, silica, vitamins D and K, etc., not to mention regular physical activity, just as much as it does calcium. Taking calcium to the exclusion of these other critical factors doesn't make sense; nor does it make sense to look at osteoporosis or osteopenia (a misleading term) as a deficiency of calcium supplements!

As we have reported on extensively in the past, not only is consuming limestone, bone, and the shells of oysters and eggs not a good idea because the calcium can deposit in our soft tissues leading to heart attacks and strokes, but even the goal of maintaining bones as dense as a 25-year old late into life (known as the T-score) is fraught with danger, including a far higher breast cancer risk for those with the highest bone density. Instead of pathologizing aging, and focusing on making the bone denser by any means necessary, the focus should be on bone quality and agility and bodily self-awareness late into life, which helps the elderly prevent the falls that lead to fracture in the first place. In other words, simply having a gait or vision disorder can be at least as an important factor in fracture risk as bone mineral density.

The problem with poor quality, inorganic, calcium supplements, however, does not stop with their contribution to cardiovascular disease risk. A combination of factors including low magnesium, vitamin K2 and the presence of fluoride in the water and diet can lead to pineal gland calcification, as well as the calcification of other brain structures, which recently has been hypothesized to be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

A truly provocative study on this topic published in the British Journal of Nutrition somehow slipped through the cracks, because it did not receive mainstream medical reporting at the time of its release. Titled, "Elevated brain lesion volumes in older adults who use calcium supplements: a cross-sectional clinical observational study," the study looked at the possibility that since calcium supplements have now been linked in multiple studies with vascular pathologies associated with cardiovascular disease they may also be associated with the occurrence of brain lesions (known on MRI scans as hyperintensities) in older adults. These brain lesions, visible as brighter spots in MRI scans, are known to be caused by lack of blood flow (ischemia) and subsequent neurological damage.

According to the study,

Brain lesions,also known as hyperintensities, are areas of damage observed on brain MRI ( See Above). These lesions are common in older adults and increase the risk of devastating health outcomes, including depression, cognitive decline, dementia, stroke, physical disability, hip fracture and death. Postmortem studies have determined that these lesions form primarily due to ischemia, especially larger lesions (.3mm) and lesions found in depressed individuals.

The observational study enrolled 227 older adults (60 years above) and assessed food and supplemental calcium intakes. Participants with supplemental calcium use above zero were categorized as supplement users. Lesion volumes were assessed with MRI scans.
Key findings were:
Greater lesion volumes were found among calcium supplement users than non-users.

The influence of calcium supplements was of a magnitude similar to that of the influence of high blood pressure (hypertension), "a well-established risk factor for lesions."

The study found that the amount of calcium used was not associated with lesion volume and that "even low-dose supplements, by older adults, may be associated with greater lesion volumes."

Even after controlling for food calcium intake, age, sex, race, years of education, energy intake, depression and hypertension, the association between calcium supplement and lesions volumes held strong.

The study details were summarized as follows:

In the present cross-sectional clinical observational study, the association between Ca-containing dietary supplement use and lesion volumes was investigated in a sample of 227 older adults (60 years and above). Food and supplemental Ca intakes were assessed with the Block 1998 FFQ; participants with supplemental Ca intake above zero were categorised as supplement users. Lesion volumes were determined from cranial MRI (1.5 tesla) scans using a semi-automated technique; volumes were log-transformed because they were non-normal. ANCOVA models revealed that supplement users had greater lesion volumes than non-users, even after controlling for food Ca intake, age, sex, race, years of education, energy intake, depression and hypertension (Ca supplement use: β = 0.34, SE 0.10, F(1,217)= 10.98, P= 0.0011). The influence of supplemental Ca use on lesion volume was of a magnitude similar to that of the influence of hypertension, a well-established risk factor for lesions. Among the supplement users, the amount of supplemental Ca was not associated with lesion volume (β = - 0.000035, SE 0.00 015, F(1,139)= 0.06, P= 0.81). The present study demonstrates that the use of Ca-containing dietary supplements, even low-dose supplements, by older adults may be associated with greater lesion volumes. Evaluation of randomised controlled trials is warranted to determine whether this relationship is a causal one.

What is the mechanism beneath this association?

The researchers discussed the already established link between calcium supplementation and increased ischemic stroke risk, indicating that calcium supplementation may contribute to calcium deposits in the vasculature (i.e. arterial calcification), mainly in the fatty deposits (atheromas) that contribute to blocking the opening (lumen) of the blood vessels. They state that this process can lead to lack of blood flow and subsequent oxygen deprivation (ischemia), ultimately leading to the development of brain lesions. Another mechanism by which excess calcium may have a direct neurotoxic effect on the brain is the influx of excess calcium into brain cells, which lead to cell death. This possibility is greatly increased if the blood-brain barrier is compromised.

The researchers also highlighted the importance of the finding that calcium supplementation may have as significant a deleterious effect on brain lesions as high blood pressure (hypertension):

If this finding is confirmed in longitudinal studies, it could have important health implications - because it is obviously much easier to cease Ca supplement use than to medically manage hypertension."

In other words, hypertension is often caused by toxic antihypertensive drugs that may actually increase the risk of cardiac mortality. Why not remove one of the modifiable causes: calcium supplementation, which would strike to one of the root causes of the problem and resolve it.

The researchers concluded their study as follows:

"The use of Ca [calcium] -containing dietary supplements by older adults was found to be associated with greater brain lesion volumes, even after controlling for the usual amount of dietary Ca intake. Interestingly, neither the amount of supplemental Ca nor the duration of supplemental Ca use was associated with lesion volume. These findings indicate that adverse biochemical effects of supplemental Ca use may exist in older adults, regardless of the dose."

This is not the first study to point out this link. Another study, published in 2009 in the journal Medical Hypothesis links Alzheimer's disease to brain calcification of structures such as the pineal gland. Learn more by reading, "A Radically New Understanding of Alzheimer's Disease Causes and Cures."

So, what do we do instead of taking calcium supplements?

First, consider why you think you need calcium supplements. Is it because of the dairy industry promoting for decades the concept that we need calcium (from milk)? Or, is it because your doctor is throwing around terms like osteopenia and osteoporosis carelessly, without explaining to you that the present day bone mineral density (BMD) reference ranges assume that aging is a disease and even if you are 60 or 100 for that matter you are still supposed to have the BMD of a 25-year old young woman; an absurd and dangerous idea. Please read the expose, "Osteoporosis Myth: The Dangers of High Bone Mineral Density," in order to understand how millions of healthy women were made to believe that aging is a disease, with worse health outcomes as a result of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

Now, when it comes to calcium, focus on food sources. The site NutritionData.com lists about 1,000 of the highest calcium-containing foods, categorized by food group: Foods highest in Calcium. Consider that kale, for instance, has higher concentrations of calcium (and far higher magnesium and silica) than milk when compared milligram per milligram. Also, remember that the accelerated bone loss that occurs later in life in women, is triggered by hormonal changes associated with the exhaustion of the ovarian reserve. Nature, however, provides 'back up' support for the ovaries in the form of pomegranate. Other hormone-modulating foods include the fermented soy food miso, prunes, and even vitamin C, which has recently been found to regenerate steroid hormones.

For a far more extensive research resource on bone health, you can view our page dedicated to the topic here: Bone Health.

*This work is reproduced and distributed with permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

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What If The Advertising Industry Exploited Men The Same Way It Does Women? (Images)

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In recent years, the world of fashion and advertising has distastefully blurred the lines between right and wrong, creating a pronounced grey area of supposedly acceptable imagery which includes everything from BDSM and rape to abuse, aggression, and underage perversion. And this phenomenon can't simply be narrowed down to 'artistry' when the symbolism is so blatantly sexist and even [...]

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Tom Nakayama is Professor of Communication and Director of Asian Pacific American Studies at Arizona State University. He is an affiliate faculty of Women's Studies and Justice and Social Inquiry. He has held visiting positions at the University of Iowa, University of Maine, and was a Fulbright scholar at the Universite de Mon-Hainaut in Belgium.

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Tom Nakayama is Professor of Communication and Director of Asian Pacific American Studies at Arizona State University. He is an affiliate faculty of Women's Studies and Justice and Social Inquiry. He has held visiting positions at the University of Iowa, University of Maine, and was a Fulbright scholar at the Universite de Mon-Hainaut in Belgium.

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Male Who Suffered From Horrific Domestic Abuse Speaks Out As Ex-GF Is Jailed

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Male Who Suffered From Horrific Domestic Abuse Speaks Out As Ex-GF Is Jailed

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What started out as young love ended up becoming a nightmare for Alex Skeel. He was tortured, stabbed and starved, all at the hands of his former girlfriend of 5 years, Jordan Worth. The UK pair lived together and shared two children. From what police have said, Skeel is lucky to be alive.

It all started with morbid "pranks", like the time Worth told Skeel that his grandfather died when he hadn't. She began to act very controllingly, supervising his social media and telling him who he could or could not hang out with. Eventually, she decided to destroy his cell phone altogether leaving him without any way to contact family or friends.

When the couple moved in together, that's when things went from bad to worse. She made him sleep on the floor for nine months. "She'd wait until I was asleep then hit me on the head with a bottle. Then she moved on to a hammer. Started hitting me everywhere - shins, arms, head. She started stabbing me with a knife, hit me like it was a weapon. It would leave big gashes that were untreated," Skeel said to TV hosts of the show This Morning.

It was worried neighbors who ended up calling the police. Medics who responded found Skeel full of burns from being doused with boiling water and stab wounds. After not eating a proper meal in almost a year, he only weighed 90 lbs.

Worth was arrested and Skeel was taken to safety."I was told if I had stayed much longer I would have died. I had about ten days left," he said.

Worth was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for grievous bodily harm with intent as well as coercive and controlling behavior. According to the BBC, this was the UK's first conviction for coercive control involving a female offender.

Make sure to SHARE this post with all of your friends on Facebook. Click 'NEXT POST' for more stories.

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Male Who Suffered From Horrific Domestic Abuse Speaks Out As Ex-GF Is Jailed

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What started out as young love ended up becoming a nightmare for Alex Skeel. He was tortured, stabbed and starved, all at the hands of his former girlfriend of 5 years, Jordan Worth. The UK pair lived together and shared two children. From what police have said, Skeel is lucky to be alive.

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A Photographer Created a Reshoot of Ads From the 1950s to Show How the World Has Changed

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A Photographer Created a Reshoot of Ads From the 1950s to Show How the World Has Changed

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BrightSide - Inspiration. Creativity. Wonder.

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One Thanksgiving evening, 31-year-old photographer Eli Rezkallah from Lebanon was sitting at the table when he heard his relatives saying women had to perform their women's duties better, such as laundry and cooking. It inspired Eli to organize a reshoot of old ads of the 1940s, the 1950s, and the 1960s where he switched the roles of the men and the women. Eli says, "I know that not all men think like my relatives do, but I was surprised that such views still exist. That's why I created this project where they can taste their own sexist poison."

Bright Side wants to show you a series of In a Parallel Universe photos that demonstrate the changes that occurred in society during the last half of the century. We hope that Eli's art will be a reason to bury the stereotype that women have to do all of the house chores on their own.

Van Heusen ties

Chase and Sanborn coffee, the 1950s

Schlitz beer

Hardee's fast food restaurant chain

Mr. Leggs pants,1962

Chemstrand Nylon tights, the 1940s

Lux detergent, 1956

Hoover vacuum cleaners, the 1950s

Alcoa Aluminum ketchup, the 1950s

Eli Rezkallah began to work as a fashion photographer when he was 16 years old. Later, he became a creative director of fashion shows. Today, he earns money taking pictures and managing the Plastik Magazine.

Eli did really great work. He addressed a problem that sometimes still appears on the surface even nowadays. Do you agree that we shouldn't keep silent when it comes to such a sensitive subject? Share your opinion.

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A Photographer Created a Reshoot of Ads From the 1950s to Show How the World Has Changed

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One Thanksgiving evening, 31-year-old photographer Eli Rezkallah from Lebanon was sitting at the table when he heard his relatives saying women had to perform their women's duties better, such as laundry and cooking. It inspired Eli to organize a reshoot of old ads of the 1940s, the 1950s, and the 1960s where he switched the roles of the men and the women.

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18 around the world

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I can be my real self. I can play from the bottom of my heart, whereas in men's concerts you have to be really careful your scarf doesn't fall off or something like that. And this is the right thing, because this is our society and I have no complaints about it. But I have the constant fear that "oh no, my scarf is about to fall off" even when it's not, and then believe me, I can't focus on my instrument.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I'd really like to know a lot about ney-anbān and I'd like to be one of the best in ney-anbān.

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This is 18 Around the World - Through Girls' Eyes (Published 2018)

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I can be my real self. I can play from the bottom of my heart, whereas in men's concerts you have to be really careful your scarf doesn't fall off or something like that. And this is the right thing, because this is our society and I have no complaints about it.

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LENS

The New York Times asked 22 young women to take photos for a project exploring daily life for girls around the world who are becoming adults this year.

Image

Madison Justice, a teenage mother in Clarksdale, Miss., visiting where she grew up. Credit Credit Yasmine Malone for The New York Times

TiKa Wallace is not your typical New York Times photographer.

She's 17, competes in slam poetry events and describes herself as "an amalgamation of creative witticisms, music references and chocolate." Raised by a single parent from a blue-collar background, this "young, queer, black girl" attends high school in a wealthy suburb of Washington, D.C.

She is, as she puts it, "a square peg in a round hole."

She is also among 22 young women who took photos for the project " This is 18," which documents girls around the world. And now she has been published in The New York Times, in a special section devoted to exploring what life looks like for girls turning 18 in 2018. The project goes online today and will appear in print next week.

"What surprised me is that a major news outlet that is consumed by millions of people all over the world is allowing teenagers to tell teenager stories," she said. "Normally, when a story is told, especially for a major news outlet, it's told by someone who's 30 or 40 years old. It's just seen from a different lens versus when your peers get to tell your story."

Staff photographers for The New York Times usually have several years of professional experience at other news organizations, and even then, they usually have to wait awhile before they get to work on projects. But the visual journalists like Ms. Wallace whom we enlisted for this project were decidedly different. They were young women, mostly teenagers.

Image

Jessica Bennett, the paper's gender editor, realized early on that the key to success for this project was going to be getting an authentic view of the lives of 18-year-old girls. She and Jodi Rudoren, associate managing editor for audience - in collaboration with a team of editors and designers in Styles - decided the best way to assure that authenticity of experience was to have teenage photographers take the pictures and conduct interviews.

The project, managed by Sharon Attia, a 23-year-old photographer herself, became less hierarchal because most of the young women also choose their subjects.

The team decided not to take a set approach, but it did try to choose 18-year-old female subjects with various experiences from a variety of places. For the most part, it was an organic process, because it was led by the young women. And it was often an educational experience for the photographers, as Adèle Foglia, a 21-year-old photographer from Montreal, noted.

"What surprised me the most about this project was to realize how differently the world all experiences this transition to adulthood," she said. "And also it pushed me to reflect on my own experience and to see how sometimes the world may be such an unwelcoming space for women who have dreams and the determination to realize those dreams."

Many of the photographers felt empowered by the project and the opportunity to highlight their own concerns in their own communities.

Jessie Mirelas, 19, who grew up in Zacatecas, Mexico, has always been proud of living in "a diverse multicultural country with great architecture, great destinations and an exquisite gastronomy - a place where the peoples that preceded us remain alive."

She photographed Obdulia González González, an 18-year-old who is part of the indigenous Wixárika people of northern Mexico. She helps her parents sell traditional crafts and hopes to attend college.

"I believe this project is important because it's giving us a voice, an opportunity to tell our story not only just in Mexico, but to the world," said Ms. Mirelas, who studies at the University of Veracruz and wants to become a journalist. "To be able to show the legacy and cultural heritage of our indigenous peoples who are often neglected or ignored."

Some of the young photographers already had a mentor, but for the others, we asked photographers in their country to take on the role. Sandra provided guidance on how to take photographs and monitored the progress of participants to keep them on track. For three months straight, she was like an air traffic controller on the day before Thanksgiving - with some of the pilots speaking languages she did not understand.

Sarah Sunday Moses, 19, hails from South Sudan but grew up in Kenya after her parents fled the instability in their country. She photographed Wanjiku Muthoni Gakuru, who is studying urban planning at the University of Nairobi. What impressed Ms. Moses "the most in doing the project was the amount of people that were required," she said, and the complexity of the forms that we asked the photographers to fill out.

Share a photo of yourself at 18 with the hashtag #ThisIs18 on your favorite social platform.What advice would you give to the girl in the photo? Follow along on Instagram (@nytgender) as we feature some of our favorite TBTs.

James Estrin, the co-editor of Lens, joined The Times as a photographer in 1992 after years of freelancing for the newspaper and hundreds of other publications. @JamesEstrin

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Meet the Young Female Photographers Who Documented 18-Year-Old Girls

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LENS The New York Times asked 22 young women to take photos for a project exploring daily life for girls around the world who are becoming adults this year. TiKa Wallace is not your typical New York Times photographer. She's 17, competes in slam poetry events and describes herself as "an amalgamation of creative witticisms, music references and chocolate."

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LENS

The New York Times asked 22 young women to take photos for a project exploring daily life for girls around the world who are becoming adults this year.

Image

Madison Justice, a teenage mother in Clarksdale, Miss., visiting where she grew up. Credit Credit Yasmine Malone for The New York Times

TiKa Wallace is not your typical New York Times photographer.

She's 17, competes in slam poetry events and describes herself as "an amalgamation of creative witticisms, music references and chocolate." Raised by a single parent from a blue-collar background, this "young, queer, black girl" attends high school in a wealthy suburb of Washington, D.C.

She is, as she puts it, "a square peg in a round hole."

She is also among 22 young women who took photos for the project " This is 18," which documents girls around the world. And now she has been published in The New York Times, in a special section devoted to exploring what life looks like for girls turning 18 in 2018. The project goes online today and will appear in print next week.

"What surprised me is that a major news outlet that is consumed by millions of people all over the world is allowing teenagers to tell teenager stories," she said. "Normally, when a story is told, especially for a major news outlet, it's told by someone who's 30 or 40 years old. It's just seen from a different lens versus when your peers get to tell your story."

Staff photographers for The New York Times usually have several years of professional experience at other news organizations, and even then, they usually have to wait awhile before they get to work on projects. But the visual journalists like Ms. Wallace whom we enlisted for this project were decidedly different. They were young women, mostly teenagers.

Image

Jessica Bennett, the paper's gender editor, realized early on that the key to success for this project was going to be getting an authentic view of the lives of 18-year-old girls. She and Jodi Rudoren, associate managing editor for audience - in collaboration with a team of editors and designers in Styles - decided the best way to assure that authenticity of experience was to have teenage photographers take the pictures and conduct interviews.

The project, managed by Sharon Attia, a 23-year-old photographer herself, became less hierarchal because most of the young women also choose their subjects.

The team decided not to take a set approach, but it did try to choose 18-year-old female subjects with various experiences from a variety of places. For the most part, it was an organic process, because it was led by the young women. And it was often an educational experience for the photographers, as Adèle Foglia, a 21-year-old photographer from Montreal, noted.

"What surprised me the most about this project was to realize how differently the world all experiences this transition to adulthood," she said. "And also it pushed me to reflect on my own experience and to see how sometimes the world may be such an unwelcoming space for women who have dreams and the determination to realize those dreams."

Many of the photographers felt empowered by the project and the opportunity to highlight their own concerns in their own communities.

Jessie Mirelas, 19, who grew up in Zacatecas, Mexico, has always been proud of living in "a diverse multicultural country with great architecture, great destinations and an exquisite gastronomy - a place where the peoples that preceded us remain alive."

She photographed Obdulia González González, an 18-year-old who is part of the indigenous Wixárika people of northern Mexico. She helps her parents sell traditional crafts and hopes to attend college.

"I believe this project is important because it's giving us a voice, an opportunity to tell our story not only just in Mexico, but to the world," said Ms. Mirelas, who studies at the University of Veracruz and wants to become a journalist. "To be able to show the legacy and cultural heritage of our indigenous peoples who are often neglected or ignored."

Some of the young photographers already had a mentor, but for the others, we asked photographers in their country to take on the role. Sandra provided guidance on how to take photographs and monitored the progress of participants to keep them on track. For three months straight, she was like an air traffic controller on the day before Thanksgiving - with some of the pilots speaking languages she did not understand.

Sarah Sunday Moses, 19, hails from South Sudan but grew up in Kenya after her parents fled the instability in their country. She photographed Wanjiku Muthoni Gakuru, who is studying urban planning at the University of Nairobi. What impressed Ms. Moses "the most in doing the project was the amount of people that were required," she said, and the complexity of the forms that we asked the photographers to fill out.

Share a photo of yourself at 18 with the hashtag #ThisIs18 on your favorite social platform.What advice would you give to the girl in the photo? Follow along on Instagram (@nytgender) as we feature some of our favorite TBTs.

James Estrin, the co-editor of Lens, joined The Times as a photographer in 1992 after years of freelancing for the newspaper and hundreds of other publications. @JamesEstrin

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Meet the Young Female Photographers Who Documented 18-Year-Old Girls

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
LENS The New York Times asked 22 young women to take photos for a project exploring daily life for girls around the world who are becoming adults this year. TiKa Wallace is not your typical New York Times photographer. She's 17, competes in slam poetry events and describes herself as "an amalgamation of creative witticisms, music references and chocolate."

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As I dropped off one 18-year-old, I inherited more than two dozen other young adults: girls from around the world who were taking photos for an exciting, visually driven New York Times project.

Image

Shama Ghosh in Chandpur, Bangladesh. Credit Credit Tahia Farhin Haque for The New York Times

Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.
I stood on the stoop of my Brooklyn brownstone and proudly watched as my son gathered his keyboards, skateboard, two bikes and clothes and packed them into two cars for our trek to Ohio, where he would begin the next phase of his life: college. As we headed to the heartland, I wondered what was going through his mind as he transitions from childhood to manhood - and what I would face when I returned home with my husband to an empty nest.

But as I dropped off one 18-year-old, I inherited more than two dozen other young adults: girls from around the world who were taking photos for the visually driven New York Times project #ThisIs18.

The idea was simple. To commemorate the coming International Day of the Girl in 2018, we wanted to know what life is like for 18-year-old girls around the world, from Mexico to Mississippi, Ramallah to Russia, Bangladesh to the Bronx. But here was the catch: We wanted to see those girls' lives through the lens of other 18-year-old girls.

Image

Mahak Naiwal, left, with her best friend, in New Delhi. Credit Shraddha Gupta for The New York Times

It certainly would have been easier to assign a few professional journalists to create these profiles: We have an amazing network of correspondents and photographers in virtually every corner of the globe. But as I brainstormed with my partners in The Times's Gender Initiative and in its Styles department, we worried about the fact that we and other mainstream news outlets almost always channel the stories of young people through the eyes of adults. We wanted this project to be different, no matter the logistical challenges.

So how could we find 18-year-old female photographers around the world?

I reached out to a colleague and mentor, the staff photographer James Estrin. Between us, we had a large network of contacts among a close-knit community of photojournalists, editors, organizations and schools around the globe. We began by going to them one by one - about 75 individuals and organizations in all - and asking for their help: Could they recommend young female photographers in their communities? Would they be willing to act as mentors and shepherd them through the project?

Over the course of a month, we received dozens of portfolios to review. I pored over them, studying each photographer's visual "eye" - how did these young women view their world from behind the lens of a camera? Some came from challenging backgrounds but used photography to help themselves cope. One was a refugee. Others simply loved the art of photography.

Eventually we came up with a list of 26 photographers in a wide variety of cities and towns on every continent but Antarctica. We asked each photographer to do preliminary portraits of - and interviews with - three candidates in her community (from which we would ultimately choose one per photographer).

Keeping track of 26 photographers, 21 mentors and more than 50 potential subjects - across varying time zones - was initially daunting. (In the end, 22 photographers made the cut.)

It required color-coding spreadsheets. Communicating in numerous languages across half a dozen mediums: email, WhatsApp, text message, Facebook and more. Talking with parents. Providing a "playbook" and shot lists and interview questions. Our project manager, Sharon Attia, a 23-year-old photographer, kept us from losing our minds (though there were some very close calls).

At times, the photographers were dealing with their own personal problems while documenting the experiences of others. A young photographer in Saudi Arabia was struggling with family issues. It took her longer than others to complete her assignment. And though her work didn't make the final project, she would not give up. None of the photographers gave up.

Before we knew it, photos began coming in. I get emotional talking about it.

You don't realize how many young women there are in the world with extraordinary promise and potential until you spend time with a group like this. Each photographer reminded me of myself at a different moment during my teenage years - awkward, hopeful, obsessed with the future, eager to meet and join the rest of the world.

These budding photographers captured their subjects' authentic selves in a way that I don't think many professionals could pull off. The young women they featured were unapologetic about who they are - and so willing to allow their peers to document moments of real tragedy and joy.

One photographer, Adèle Foglia of Montreal, captured a girl named Lori'anne singing "God Is a Woman" by Ariana Grande on her iPhone before heading out for the evening.

Another, Julie Lozano of the Bronx, captured the mother of a girl named Maryclare brushing her daughter's hair out of her face before getting in the car to take her to Brown University. This particularly poignant image spoke to me on so many levels.

Now, two months after my own young adult left for college, I'm proud, and a bit tearful, to be sending 22 others out into the world. We hope you'll take a look at their stories.

Sandra Stevenson is an assistant editor in the photography department at The New York Times. #ThisIs18, which launched today, is a collaboration between the Gender Initiative, the Styles desk, the photo department and many other departments across the newsroom.
Help Us Celebrate Girlhood Around the World
Share a photo of yourself at 18 with the hashtag #ThisIs18 on your favorite social platform.What advice would you give to the girl in the photo? Follow along on Instagram as we feature some of our favorite TBTs.
Keep up with Times Insider stories on Twitter, via the Reader Center: @ReaderCenter.

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A Photo Editor's Nest Goes From Empty to Full, as #ThisIs18 Is Born

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As I dropped off one 18-year-old, I inherited more than two dozen other young adults: girls from around the world who were taking photos for an exciting, visually driven New York Times project. Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As I dropped off one 18-year-old, I inherited more than two dozen other young adults: girls from around the world who were taking photos for an exciting, visually driven New York Times project.

Image

Shama Ghosh in Chandpur, Bangladesh. Credit Credit Tahia Farhin Haque for The New York Times

Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.
I stood on the stoop of my Brooklyn brownstone and proudly watched as my son gathered his keyboards, skateboard, two bikes and clothes and packed them into two cars for our trek to Ohio, where he would begin the next phase of his life: college. As we headed to the heartland, I wondered what was going through his mind as he transitions from childhood to manhood - and what I would face when I returned home with my husband to an empty nest.

But as I dropped off one 18-year-old, I inherited more than two dozen other young adults: girls from around the world who were taking photos for the visually driven New York Times project #ThisIs18.

The idea was simple. To commemorate the coming International Day of the Girl in 2018, we wanted to know what life is like for 18-year-old girls around the world, from Mexico to Mississippi, Ramallah to Russia, Bangladesh to the Bronx. But here was the catch: We wanted to see those girls' lives through the lens of other 18-year-old girls.

Image

Mahak Naiwal, left, with her best friend, in New Delhi. Credit Shraddha Gupta for The New York Times

It certainly would have been easier to assign a few professional journalists to create these profiles: We have an amazing network of correspondents and photographers in virtually every corner of the globe. But as I brainstormed with my partners in The Times's Gender Initiative and in its Styles department, we worried about the fact that we and other mainstream news outlets almost always channel the stories of young people through the eyes of adults. We wanted this project to be different, no matter the logistical challenges.

So how could we find 18-year-old female photographers around the world?

I reached out to a colleague and mentor, the staff photographer James Estrin. Between us, we had a large network of contacts among a close-knit community of photojournalists, editors, organizations and schools around the globe. We began by going to them one by one - about 75 individuals and organizations in all - and asking for their help: Could they recommend young female photographers in their communities? Would they be willing to act as mentors and shepherd them through the project?

Over the course of a month, we received dozens of portfolios to review. I pored over them, studying each photographer's visual "eye" - how did these young women view their world from behind the lens of a camera? Some came from challenging backgrounds but used photography to help themselves cope. One was a refugee. Others simply loved the art of photography.

Eventually we came up with a list of 26 photographers in a wide variety of cities and towns on every continent but Antarctica. We asked each photographer to do preliminary portraits of - and interviews with - three candidates in her community (from which we would ultimately choose one per photographer).

Keeping track of 26 photographers, 21 mentors and more than 50 potential subjects - across varying time zones - was initially daunting. (In the end, 22 photographers made the cut.)

It required color-coding spreadsheets. Communicating in numerous languages across half a dozen mediums: email, WhatsApp, text message, Facebook and more. Talking with parents. Providing a "playbook" and shot lists and interview questions. Our project manager, Sharon Attia, a 23-year-old photographer, kept us from losing our minds (though there were some very close calls).

At times, the photographers were dealing with their own personal problems while documenting the experiences of others. A young photographer in Saudi Arabia was struggling with family issues. It took her longer than others to complete her assignment. And though her work didn't make the final project, she would not give up. None of the photographers gave up.

Before we knew it, photos began coming in. I get emotional talking about it.

You don't realize how many young women there are in the world with extraordinary promise and potential until you spend time with a group like this. Each photographer reminded me of myself at a different moment during my teenage years - awkward, hopeful, obsessed with the future, eager to meet and join the rest of the world.

These budding photographers captured their subjects' authentic selves in a way that I don't think many professionals could pull off. The young women they featured were unapologetic about who they are - and so willing to allow their peers to document moments of real tragedy and joy.

One photographer, Adèle Foglia of Montreal, captured a girl named Lori'anne singing "God Is a Woman" by Ariana Grande on her iPhone before heading out for the evening.

Another, Julie Lozano of the Bronx, captured the mother of a girl named Maryclare brushing her daughter's hair out of her face before getting in the car to take her to Brown University. This particularly poignant image spoke to me on so many levels.

Now, two months after my own young adult left for college, I'm proud, and a bit tearful, to be sending 22 others out into the world. We hope you'll take a look at their stories.

Sandra Stevenson is an assistant editor in the photography department at The New York Times. #ThisIs18, which launched today, is a collaboration between the Gender Initiative, the Styles desk, the photo department and many other departments across the newsroom.
Help Us Celebrate Girlhood Around the World
Share a photo of yourself at 18 with the hashtag #ThisIs18 on your favorite social platform.What advice would you give to the girl in the photo? Follow along on Instagram as we feature some of our favorite TBTs.
Keep up with Times Insider stories on Twitter, via the Reader Center: @ReaderCenter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Photo Editor's Nest Goes From Empty to Full, as #ThisIs18 Is Born

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As I dropped off one 18-year-old, I inherited more than two dozen other young adults: girls from around the world who were taking photos for an exciting, visually driven New York Times project. Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.

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Women and favours

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Little surprise here: women expected to do more at home - and at work | Heidi Moore

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Heidi Moore: A new study illuminates how 'favors' are expected of women at work, but they often go unacknowledged, keeping women down

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Hi, my name is Noreffa Bt Mohd Rozhi, people used to call me Effa but somehow, they managed to make it simple by shortening my name to the very most which is only Faa. I would love to share the meaning of my short name which it simply means light, forgiveness and respect derived from three Arabic words which is Nur, A’ffa and I’ffa. Back in China the Chinese called me Noulifa which maybe because they hardly pronounce the ‘Nor’ and ‘re’. A funny moment with my name is when the cashier called me ‘piao liang’ which I know what it means #beautiful. She said the Malaysians are very beautiful so she call every Malaysian she met as ‘piao liang’. Maybe that is the only way she knows to communicate with us. I respect their culture because they really put their language first before others. When I went to Korea, the hotel cashier gave me a name ‘Aryoung’ and everybody there started to call me that. They said its hard to call me by my real name and they always forgot that name. Thus, I got a few names called. I don’t know why she gave me that name but she once told me that I looked like a fighter which I don’t know what kind out fighter because I am not fluent in Korean and they hardly speak in English too.

Love. Not triangle but a Pentagon and not circle. I have no triangle love or so called as ‘kayu tiga’ but I have two complete Pentagon love. Not a circle. My family and Pillars of Islam.
I was born last, the 21st child. My mother is Asmah, the youngest wife. Having a polygamous family is indeed not an easy one. There is no such thing as it easy to get married because in every institution must have its history. My mother was married to my father who already has 3 wifes is surely not an easy one but my father managed to arrange it well. Salute to my father because he managed to handle all wifes equally harmonily but now maybe he is not as active as before because he is getting old and older and ageing person gets their feelings hurt easily. Due to this emotional changes, he somehow become very tampered and we got our feelings hurt too. Hey, don’t take it bad yet. Allow me to continue. Yes, getting older makes him more emotional than rational, he scolded me on simple things but in every of his irrationality he will become very loving. He knows he did wrongs to me but as a father and a man, he hardly say sorry. As an action of saying sorry, he will go out and buy me my favourite food even though it is raining, and he is riding a motorbike without rain coat. Now tell me, is my father a bad unloving guy? Not at all. He said sorry in his own way and I accept it. Same goes to my mother, where my father will calm her down just like how he did to me. It is very fortunate to live in a family that practice religious immensely. Maybe not a perfect one, but we did our best as a Muslim. What bonds us is the love taught by the religion. Forgive, respect and love each other because everybody is not made perfect. Living with four mothers separately and to share a father is not easy for the 21 of us. We demand his attention and he always give it but now he is getting weaker and sadly the 21 of us are hardly reunite. My father said ‘I have given them life to live to marry to have kids of their own, and I am happy that they are all successful but I hope they do remember me who worked hard to put them where they are now’. I understand his sayings which he tried to imply that his children is becoming very far from him and might not think of his condition now. It reminds me of Hari Raya where  he always bring us all to our first mother’s house to celebrate the eid together but now he no longer did that because nobody will come back and I don’t blame him. With the flaws I have lived in, with a very fierce and loving father, an open minded and strict mother and multi siblings’ behaviour I faced, I am now a very well-developed child. I am not saying I am perfect, but with the hardships I have live through has made me a stronger girl than before. Without my ‘haphazard’ family, I would never get this far in life and I don’t plan to only be this far. Since I would not stop at this far, I am planning to go further where I would want to be a nature guide or anything related to business. Being a guide requires me to talk a lot and my ability to talk in English puts me slightly higher than other guides because most of them could only talk in Malay but there are some guide who took English enrichment to be fluent in English and we are at par. What differ us know is knowledge. I plan to further exploring nature and learn about it. If I got the chance to study further, I would like to be a naturalist, conservationist and educator  just like  Irshad Mobarak – Naturalist – Conservationist – Educator who is very famous even in Google.

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Are our sexual preference and orientation biological?

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Many children with gender dysphoria are being prescribed puberty blockers. This pediatrician says it's "institutionalized child abuse."

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Do u

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HUMAIRAH BT ZAINAL
ABIDIN (18
1) How has the course been for you thus far in terms of delivery method, workload, communication between lecturer and students etc?
= The delivery method is clear and interesting since it's an open discussion in the class. The workload is not burdensome since the reading material is short. The communication is a two way communication, thus everything was delivered clearly.
2) Share the most important lessons / knowledge you have learnt throughout the first 7 weeks of the course.
= The most important lesson that I have learned is that everyone have their own private space and should be respected, regardless it's about their gender or opinion. I also learned a lot about other people culture especially in term of gender roles such as in short stories of Mala and Mariah.
3) What - if any - do you think should be improved / changed for the course which can be implemented in the second half of the semester?
= The class is interesting enough as it is.
4) What should be sustained / retained for the second half of the semester?
= The type of teaching method which is round table discussion.
5) What do you wish to learn more / discuss about for the second half of the semester?
=  I wish to learn more about other culture point of view regarding gender rights

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Dear all,

In addition to the teaching evaluation which you have to fill in through Putrablast, please reflect on the course thus far and share your thoughts guided by the following questions. Your response will count towards your attendance in the class. Thank you.

1) How has the course been for you thus far in terms of delivery method, workload, communication between lecturer and students etc?
2) Share the most important lessons / knowledge you have learnt throughout the first 7 weeks of the course.
3) What - if any - do you think should be improved / changed for the course which can be implemented in the second half of the semester?
4) What should be sustained / retained for the second half of the semester?
5) What do you wish to learn more / discuss about for the second hal
f of the semester?

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1. The course thus far has been great in terms of the delivery. I enjoy the lessons and the discussions we have in the class regarding gender inequality and it has opened my eyes to the oppression of women everywhere. The workload so far has been bearable as it was a group work or mini assignments like responses to an article and such. I also think that the communication between lecturer and student is great as Dr allow us a safe space to share our thoughts without judgements in class.

2. The most important knowledge I have learnt throughout this 7 weeks is that gender inequality exists everywhere and everyone should be aware of it to prevent further oppression.

3. I think that we have focused a lot of women that I would like to know more about the oppression of men as they also have their stereotypes and it must be difficult to live up to that sometimes.

4. I enjoy the discussions in class regarding gender and would love that to be practiced in every class of this semester as I learn, not just about gender but also how different cultures shapes the stereotypes and oppression.

5. I wish to learn more about men's oppression as stated for no. 3 as I am sure gender inequality happens everywhere but perhaps it is less obvious than women's sufferings. However, these subtle and silent oppression could be deadly in nature. I'd also like to learn more about the LGBTQ community and the oppression they faced in western and also asian communities.

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1. The method used by the lecturer is good and clearly written. The workload is just fine and the communication among us is well participated.

2. The one of the most important lessons I learnt is that, in order to live in satisfaction and calm, I need to appreciate myself first rather than bothering what societies created for me to follow.

3. I don't have any changes or improvements to suggest, because overall I think the class is held very well and we understood the lesson. It might be a heavy lesson and hardly portrayed into words for students but the understanding is there.

4. So far I like the class.  The discussion, exchange thoughts and knowledge and the open minded environment.

5. I wish to further learning about what actually we need to be. Listening to all the freedom of the women struggled for, the patriarchal society oppressing women, freedom on choosing gender and sex, i actually want to know what actually those people want to do if they are given those freedom? Is that makes them better or worst?

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HOO POH YING 188398                   1. I think so far the course is great for me. The delivery method is interesting and relatable. Workload is minimal which i appreciate, and communication is good. the two-way discussion in class is fun and informative.

2. The most important lessons i learnt is the knowledge about women's status in different cultures.

3. I think nothing should be changed:) Glad that we are not simply dealing with theories.

4. I hope the relaxed, sharing kind of discussion will go on.

5. I would like to know more about current issues related to women, and men as well to be fair. And also the history of the gender oppression in the east and west world. Maybe we can watch movies in the following weeks?                                          Thank you.

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So far, the course has been an eye opener for me. I've found out a lot of thing through the class. Instead of just learning about gender, I learnt a lot on other ethnic's culture and taboo etc. I love that the class usually consist of discussions and interactions between the classmates. We learnt a lot about each other and figured out the things that are different than what we have expected from them.

The most important lessons or knowledge that I have learnt throughout the first 7 week is on the oppression towards women. It could not be taken lightly and has been in the culture of almost every country in the world. It shows that even if we have change into a modern world, there is still oppression towards women in a different way.

I believe that the class is interesting enough and we should encourage more interaction in class.

We should kept on being open minded with the things we will discuss and able to discuss more things that are interesting and new to us.

I wish to learn more on queer and try to understand the decision that they made. It is interesting because althought it is not a new issue in Malaysia, we are still lacking in knowledge about them.

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1. I find this course very interesting, i like how Dr Flo opens up room for discussion in every single lesson. The workload is adequate which revolves around reading and analysing which are the basic things for literature students. For the communication part, I enjoy how Dr Flo is open for suggestions and also opinions of the students.2. I learnt a lot through out the 7 weeks and the my views on certain things definitely changed in a good way. The most interesting lesson i think when we watched the video of reversed gender roles in fairy tales. It’s weird and world view changer for  me.3. The classes have been great so far but its just it seems like we’re only covered feminism and a lil bit of masculinity. I’m still expecting for more on masculinity and also queers’.4. I perceive class room as free platform for us to learn as much as we can. So we should go all out in learning as much as we can.5. Definitely masculinity and also lgbtq literature and theory.

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1. I find this course very interesting, i like how Dr Flo opens up room for discussion in every single lesson. The workload is adequate which revolves around reading and analysing which are the basic things for literature students. For the communication part, I enjoy how Dr Flo is open for suggestions and also opinions of the students.2. I learnt a lot through out the 7 weeks and the my views on certain things definitely changed in a good way. The most interesting lesson i think when we watched the video of reversed gender roles in fairy tales. It’s weird and world view changer for  me.3. The classes have been great so far but its just it seems like we’re only covered feminism and a lil bit of masculinity. I’m still expecting for more on masculinity and also queers’.4. I perceive class room as free platform for us to learn as much as we can. So we should go all out in learning as much as we can.5. Definitely masculinity and also lgbtq literature and theory.

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1. I like the class as the class is a combination of lecturer in term of slides and fun videos, which also relate to the subject of learning. The workload is also reasonable and minimal as so far we only had to do a creative analysis on a text given to us. Those texts are also in our syllabus so the assignment will also be later focused in class, which allowed us to know from Dr Flo’s perspective of the text’s analysis. Communication in class is also good as we are comfortable with each other and the atmosphere also encourages different of opinions.

1. The most important lesson or the most interesting is the theory from Judith Butler about gender performativity as it is a new knowledge for me in the subject of feminism. To discover something more about feminist rather than the waves, but also an important theory in the movement.

2. I think the class is good enough with a laidback surrounding yet managed to get across all information about literature and gender.

3. I hope the class can keep on the open minded attitude and an environment that encourages opinions from everyone even if it is opposite. I also feel that the fun videos should also be retained cause it is a fun way to get the point across.

4. I am excited to learn more and get into the subject masculinity and the lgbtq group and its literature.

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1) Apart from giving me some ideas on what has the society done to most women, the course has been so fun and I enjoy Dr Flo's way of teaching (with vids, personal experience, students' opinions etc). The work you have given to us is bearable. My friends and i enjoy giving opinions and the communication in the class is very healthy.
2) important lessons I have got probably about how women created/started everything (according to the video about prostitution)
3) I like it more if we have more videos to watch so that we can have further understanding.
4) I would like to learn concepts of feminism too in your class.

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2. the most important lesson ive got from the course is that every gender receives their respective stereotypical view or expectations from others. the best solution to at least reduce this problem is to be less judgemental.
3. I dont think anything shd be added. i like it how its now
4. Everything that is implemented throughout the first half shd be sustained
5. I guess we should go through the experience or predicament of the lgbtq community

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1. For me, I do find this course is a fun course because we learnt a lot of interesting issues as well as other traditions. The lecturer also encouraged two ways communication which makes us to think more and relate with the discussion issue. 2. The most imporant lesson that I have learnt throughout the first 7 weeks is we must think carefully of choosing a partner and embrace ourself more 3. I think things that can be improved in this course is maybe we can get more perspective regarding the issue from the lens of men and women from different races. But I do think this class is fun and interesting 4. I think what should be retained in this class is how everyone can participate and openly give their views without being judge 5. I wish to learn more about queer and lgbtq in terms of their perception toward us as well as does they suffer any identity crisis 

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1. For me, I do find this course is a fun course because we learnt a lot of interesting issues as well as other traditions. The lecturer also encouraged two ways communication which makes us to think more and relate with the discussion issue. 2. The most imporant lesson that I have learnt throughout the first 7 weeks is we must think carefully of choosing a partner and embrace ourself more 3. I think things that can be improved in this course is maybe we can get more perspective regarding the issue from the lens of men and women from different races. But I do think this class is fun and interesting 4. I think what should be retained in this class is how everyone can participate and openly give their views without being judge 5. I wish to learn more about queer and lgbtq in terms of their perception toward us as well as does they suffer any identity crisis 

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1) So far, I like how the lecturer conducts the class as it is different from other lecturers. Her teaching method is interesting as her questions always trigger something in my mind. The workload that is given is bearable and also the short stories & poems used are related to the course as well as to our real life experience. The communication in class is two-ways communication hence what stays in class, stays in class

2) I learnt on how there are women being treated poorly in the short stories & poems that we have discussed in class. Some are being dominated by the husbands/fathers and there are also some women not empowering other women (women mistreated women as well). Women's status are not up to how men's status are. They are seen as lower as well as do not have voice to speak up. However, what I have learnt for the first 7 weeks is how women should live for themselves. We women also deserve to be happy & to be successful in life.

3) So far I like how the class has been conducted.

4) I think what should be retained is how open-minded the students & lecturer should be. This is due to literature & gender course would also touch on the matter of lgbtq that has been the talk of the town lately. Some might support but some might not. But as usual, what stays in the class stays in the class and it is for the sake of knowledge.

5) I would love to learn if there are stories that have male characters that are being dominated by patriarchal society. To me, that matter is new because we focus more on how female characters being dominated by the males but not males being dominated by males. I would also like to learn more of the matter lgbtq because I would like to know how to really deal with them because sometimes I can be really awkward with them (sorry!)

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Hello there
1) Literature and gender class is as I expected it to be. Speaking about females and males in terms of stereotypes can be controversial topic as the roles of gender in Malaysia are heavily influenced from the cultural perspectives and religions. However, Dr. Florence is open minded to any opinions and I personally love the class because each one of us are given the space for us to express our thinkings without any crude judgements. With the sharing of information about current issues related to genders via whatsapp is honestly good approach to make us aware as well as the videos are very helpful. Certain things are better to be shown rather than tell. 2)The most important lesson I have learnt for the first half of this semester is about feminism which does not come as easily as it is when we learnt about the history of feminism and a small portion of philosophical theory from Judith Butler. Judith Butler’s theory on gender performativity has captured my attention due to what she claims as genders are socially constructed. It gives me the impression of if what she stresses on about females and males, somehow against the “norms”, “biology” which can be skeptical to me. It can be, to me, very misleading, in a way which is what I am then.
3) I prefer if everyone could keep it cool between us because things may go a little bit sensitive. I believe that if we all keep the open minded mindset, I don’t think there will be any misunderstandings as long as everyone listens to each other well.
4)What can be sustained is everyone’s cooperation. Everyone is willing to communicate without prejudgement .
5)I would love to learn more about Queer Theory. Certain people would say it is cliche or perhaps it’s too much in the presses or social media. But I truly want to know why homosexuality especially in Queer theory, which is something I’m willing to learn about. There are too much ongoing debates about it, “nature of humans that they are attracted to opposite” which is very disturbing claim because homosexuality exists. Why we are “disgusted” and “shock” whenever we know someone sexuality that is oriented to the same gender. I wanted to know more because it’s not plain homosexuality as portrayed in films or any articles that propagate this lgbtq rights but there is more to it. It’s not just see and pass.

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1. The class has been giving me much information about feminism, gender equality and also about the queer society. In terms of delivery method, i can say that the lecturer has been extremely excellent in delivering the knowledge. The workload for this class is medium and not a burden since we can still finish other classes’ works. Besides, the lecturer’s communication with the students is casual and not that strict. This helps us to express our thoughts and be involve in the conversation with ease.

2. I have learnt a lot about gender equality. We not only will look on the female point of view but also the male. This is to ensure that both genders receive the same rights and justice. Also, we discussed about a play that we went on to watch, the “Bangsawan : Abu Hassan Pencuri”. It helps us to distinguish the gender stereotypes that has bern put into our minds since the beginning.

3. I love the class as it is. The lecturer is sporting and it helps me very much in understanding the course. There is no change needer.

4. I wish that the class can retain the open minded-ness. This is because it can improve our knowledge and he more attentive in class.wish to learn more about the queer LGBT society so that i can know their struggles. Also, not to forget about the masculinity as we want to have equality among the gender.

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1) In my opinion, so far the course is quite relaxed in terms of workload. I enjoy the "discussion-style" lessons we have in class, because not only does it feels less stressful or relaxed, it feels more intimate and gets me to think creatively and generate ideas in class, instead of just listening to lectures. In that way, the lessons become more interesting and interactive.2) I learned how to expand on umbrella terms and major frameworks like "feminism" as I've seen many examples provided by Dr Florence on how she explains and branches out the theories. Also, since the beginning of class, I learn about the differences between genders, which I find very amusing and relatable. I learn to appreciate these differences rather than to criticize them. Moreover, we are exposed to the gender stereotypes that lingers in our community and how gender inequality affects people all over the world.3) To be honest, I do not think that any change is necessary for this course.4) I would like us to keep on watching more related short videos on Youtube every now and then because I find that it is quite informative and fun at the same time. I would like us to keep on discussing current issues together to update our general knowledge. 5) I want us to study more poetry if it is possible. Also, I would like to analyse more non-Malaysian works for this course

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1) In my opinion, so far the course is quite relaxed in terms of workload. I enjoy the "discussion-style" lessons we have in class, because not only does it feels less stressful or relaxed, it feels more intimate and gets me to think creatively and generate ideas in class, instead of just listening to lectures. In that way, the lessons become more interesting and interactive.2) I learned how to expand on umbrella terms and major frameworks like "feminism" as I've seen many examples provided by Dr Florence on how she explains and branches out the theories. Also, since the beginning of class, I learn about the differences between genders, which I find very amusing and relatable. I learn to appreciate these differences rather than to criticize them. Moreover, we are exposed to the gender stereotypes that lingers in our community and how gender inequality affects people all over the world.3) To be honest, I do not think that any change is necessary for this course.4) I would like us to keep on watching more related short videos on Youtube every now and then because I find that it is quite informative and fun at the same time. I would like us to keep on discussing current issues together to update our general knowledge. 5) I want us to study more poetry if it is possible. Also, I would like to analyse more non-Malaysian works for this course

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Dear all,

In addition to the teaching evaluation which you have to fill in through Putrablast, please reflect on the course thus far and share your thoughts guided by the following questions. Your response will count towards your attendance in the class. Thank you.

1) How has the course been for you thus far in terms of delivery method, workload, communication between lecturer and students etc?
2) Share the most important lessons / knowledge you have learnt throughout the first 7 weeks of the course.
3) What - if any - do you think should be improved / changed for the course which can be implemented in the second half of the semester?
4) What should be sustained / retained for the second half of the semester?
5) What do you wish to learn more / discuss about for the second hal
f of the semester?