I read a lot, and in my perusal of the Interweb today I came across several international television commercials that had me wrinkling my nose, furrowing my brow, and rolling my eyes. I’m not easily offended, and really, I’m not sure it’s a feeling of offense that has me writing this post. It is more a response to my disappointment with the lack of creativity on the part of advertisers, feeling of boredom with their attempts at sensationalism, and surprise at the lack of sensitivity regarding a recent act of terrorism that has had global repercussions.
For the judges of Miss Moral Beauty, beauty is something that is (and should be) located beyond a woman’s physicality, and instead of focusing on a woman’s body, they believe one should determine beauty by a person’s thoughts and actions. Pretty feminist-y... right?
When a group of hairdressers called The Hair Bares phoned the Scottish Women’s Aid (SWA) to inquire about making a £600 donation (that’s nearly $100 USD), they received something of a shock. The organization refused to take it.
Trouble, thy name is woman. India is a country in the throes of a sexual revolution, and young women are firmly planted at the center of the controversy.
In some of the world’s most populous cities, generational and ideological divides have become starkly visible. Saris, salwaar kameez, and kurtas are being replaced by jeans and t-shirts—or, even more scandalous, mini skirts and tank tops!—and the once-standard British English is being drowned out by the American pop cultural slang in the under thirty crowd who grew up watching Friends and Adam Sandler flicks instead of Absolutely Fabulous. While there’s definitely a widespread adherence to conservative social norms, there are an increasing number of young people who push the boundaries of what’s acceptable.
Artwork: Pink Chaddi Campaign
Mandy Van Deven is a freelance writer, the founder of the Feminist Review blog, and the Associate Editor of GirlFuture. She's worked as a community organizer and nonprofit administrator for ten years in Brooklyn and Atlanta on issues such as educational equity for low-income girls of color, reproductive and sexual health, safety, queer rights, and economic inequality. Mandy is the co-author of Hey, Shorty!: A Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment in Schools and on the Streets and a contributing writer for the Cultural Encyclopedia of Vegetarianism, both of which will be released later this year.
What I'm reading:
Best Sex Writing 2010 (Kramer Bussel), Committed (Gilbert), Tunnel Vision (Minhas), Nine Lives (Dalrymple), 250+ blogs and news feeds in my Google Reader
What can I say? I like to read.
What I'm listening to:
cars honking, crows squawking, and my ceiling fan spinning at top speed
What I'm watching:
The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Lost, House, Grey's Anatomy