Category: Feminism

When the green-eyed monster is female, my feminist heart dies a little

We envy only those whom we feel ourselves to be like—we envy only members of our reference group. There are few successes more unendurable than those of our ostensible equals.” Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton Once, I had pooh-poohed the idea that female friendships are tricky. What’s so difficult about maintaining friendships with another… Continue reading When the green-eyed monster is female, my feminist heart dies a little

Last Say on Niqab Should be From a Woman Who Wears It. Obviously.

(First published over at Muslimah Media Watch. To be honest, I’m pretty fed up about having to discuss and write on this topic ad infinitum. So let’s call for a moratorium from now on) I took the a brief moment from work to watch a 12-minute segment on BBC’s Newsnight about why British women choose… Continue reading Last Say on Niqab Should be From a Woman Who Wears It. Obviously.

My version of Godwin's Law

According to Godwin’s Law: As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1 In my version, (which extends beyond discussions on the internet) the probability of a comparison involving bikinis approaches 1 as debates on the burqa grow longer. I have heard statements like, “If women have… Continue reading My version of Godwin's Law

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Categorized as Feminism

Claudine, a transgender tragedy for girls: A critical review

From the start, a scene with a young child who steps into a psychiatrist’s salon because of a gender identity “problem” already seals the reader’s fate to a gloomy foregone conclusion. The young child is Claudine, the eponymous character of Ryoko Ikeda’s 1987 4-part manga and the central subject of much intrigue and heartbreak. The… Continue reading Claudine, a transgender tragedy for girls: A critical review

Is there such a thing as men's issues in Malaysia?

If we consider the major strides women have made and continue to make in education and employment in Malaysia, we think, ‘we’ve never had it so good’. Pro-women policies from the ground up; from the changing attitudes at home right up to the corridors of power, have placed women at the focus of many ‘development’… Continue reading Is there such a thing as men's issues in Malaysia?

Now that Sophie Dahl is out of our kitchen, who will be the next female TV chef?

First published at The F-Word Blog +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For the few people who care, Sophie Dahl will not be returning to our television sets to teach us how to make an eggs Benedict that’s saucy in more ways than one. Dahl had a shaky start, with mixed reviews from episode one and had more media buzz… Continue reading Now that Sophie Dahl is out of our kitchen, who will be the next female TV chef?

Show me authoritarian feminism, and I'll show you some poorly researched tosh: A letter to Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams

Dear En. Hafiz Noor Shams, Your article, Of it is not hard to choose between liberalism and authoritarian feminism, has pretensions of being an enlightening read on social liberty, but demonstrates the unforgivable laziness and neglect on your part to investigate the larger aims of feminism. To decide that feminism now has an authoritarian edge… Continue reading Show me authoritarian feminism, and I'll show you some poorly researched tosh: A letter to Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams

Privilege: A Reader

Edited by Michael Kimmel and Abby L. Ferber Westview Press A historian once said that the more one can know about something, the more you can control it. Michel Foucault was specifically talking about the control of psychiatric patients, prison inmates, and people’s sex lives, but we can certainly extend his thoughts to a plethora… Continue reading Privilege: A Reader