patriarchy

Some French towns have banned the burkini bathing suit. Image: Shutterstock.

Banning The Burkini Reinforces A Single Story About Muslim Women: 'They Need Saving.'

The recent series of burkini bans in resorts across France was met with sensationalist global headlines about protecting national security and women’s lives. The interdiction does not protect either of these.

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We are all different, as we come from different backgrounds, experience different hardships, and come to have different perspectives on the world. Image: Thinkstock.

Saying “We Are All The Same” Will Not Unite Us

As much as you want to believe people are all the same, we don’t have the luxury of being seen as the “default” in the same way white, straight, cis people often are. We don’t have the luxury of dismissing our painful history and systemic issues for the sake of everyone getting along, because we’re still in the middle of them.

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It’s not that difficult. Image: Shutterstock.

Calling All Men! 5 Ways You Can Be A Feminist At Work

All men at work benefit from what Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell has named the “patriarchal dividend.” This is the unearned social or professional capital that men accrue. [...] This dividend doesn’t just happen — it has to be reproduced and maintained for future generations. If men recognise this and take responsibility for it, then we can start to make positive changes to workplaces.

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These stereotypes have not only been used in the past to perpetuate violence against Men of Color. They’re ever-present factors in how Black and Brown men navigate the world. Image: Thinkstock.

4 Racist Stereotypes White Patriarchy Invented To 'Protect' White Womanhood

Men of Color, especially Black men, have historically been coded as animalistic abusers and r*pists when it comes to white women. This stems from the idea that Men of Color literally want to steal and sully the belongings of white men. In turn, it becomes the “duty” of white men to protect white women — not because they truly care about white women, but because white women are the property of white men.

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The reason I love and respect the women of the show is their openness and hilariousness about sex. Image: MTV UK.

The Girls Of Geordie Shore: Unlikely Paragons Of Sex Positivity

Many criticize Geordie Shore as entertainment in its lowest form: fights, drinking, people falling over, nudity, swearing, and “bucking” (sexual intercourse). Yet, to me, it is so much more than that. As a fully qualified human woman, I can’t help myself analyzing the show through feminist-tinted glasses. The decisions and attitudes of the “family” represent, to me, a new kind of feminism.

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The Me of four years ago is shocked by this and doesn’t quite recognize the person she is staring at. Image: Thinkstock.

This Election Is Making Me Defend Hillary — And I Hate That

I may not be thrilled to vote for her, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to let the misogyny and toxic masculinity we fight so hard against control the campaign narrative of the first major woman presidential candidate.

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If you can commit to following the points in this guide, and to share and re-share this guide, you will be contributing to changing a culture that is indebted in the oppression of Black individuals.

Your Guide On How To Support Black People After Incidents Of Police Violence

This piece is for you, my non-Black friends, my non-Black family members, my non-Black activists, my non-Black educators, and my non-Black partner. This piece is for you, because whether you know it or not, you benefit from anti-Blackness.

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The young women interviewed described using fake orgasms as a tool to “escape” a situation in which they otherwise had no control. Image: Thinkstock.

Women Are Faking Orgasms In An Attempt To End 'Coercive' Sex

The tale of women faking the big O has been around forever, and is often bandied about as a joke. But when it becomes an act of self protection, it is a massive negotiation on a woman's sexuality.

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