♀♀♀
above: Landen Gambill faces the press after the rally to support her at UNC. Breaking the Silence - Rape culture on campus in the US & UK (tw: This article discusses themes of rape and sexual violence) I started my semester abroad at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in January. The campus, voted one of the United States’ best, was beautiful and expansive, spanning almost an entire town with leafy trees, quads and impressive buildings. But I soon discovered that the beauty was hiding something. A secret lingered in the bedrooms of the imposing Fraternity houses, the mornings after parties. It was in the dorm rooms, in the bathrooms of the bars and nightclubs. For a long time, it was unspoken, veiled by an administration concerned with keeping up appearances. But the secret emerged, no longer held back by shame and silence. A word that for so many had been impossible to speak was suddenly on the tips of everyone’s tongues. It was on the front page of the newspaper; it was being discussed by reporters on local news channels. The word was ‘rape’.  Tired of an ineffective, victim blaming administration, which underreported sexual assaults in annual reports and implicated survivors by placing emphasis on how they should have acted in order to avoid being raped, a group of students filed a complaint with the Department of Education. UNC, they claimed, violated their civil rights under Title IX, an act introduced in 1972 to end gendered discrimination in state funded education. I first read the name Andrea Pino in the article that broke the news of the complaint. When other students approached her about their own attacks, Pino decided it was time to act, having herself been called ‘lazy’ by administrators when Post Traumatic Stress Disorder meant she fell behind in class. Over the months I was at Carolina, she grew to be a dear friend, and a constant source of inspiration and bravery. Pino, in a piece for the Huffington Post, recounts her experiences waking up, bruised and bloody after her own assault on campus. She says, however, that ultimately ‘What’s worse than rape is betrayal’ – the consistent failures of the administration in handling cases like hers. It was from Andrea that I heard that a fellow complainant, Landen Gambill, had been charged for violating the ‘honour code’ – a code of student conduct – by discussing her rape after the ‘honour court’ decided there wasn’t enough evidence against her accused rapist. This ‘honour court’, however is comprised of a group of students, established to deal more with claims plagiarism than sexual assault, for which they had received no training. In continuing to speak out about the way the administration had failed her and other students (including allowing her accused rapist to move in across the street without warning her), she was charged with creating an ‘intimidating’ environment for him – despite never having named him. For this, she could be expelled. The news went viral, sparking reports from major outlets like Jezebel, the Huffington Post and the Daily Mail. A rally was organised, where survivors and allies faced the media in a show of solidarity. Things needed to change. But this isn’t just a problem in Chapel Hill. In fact, the US Department of Justice estimates that one in four women will be raped, or suffer an attempted rape, whilst attending university. Cases at colleges like Occidental in California – where one rapist found guilty was punished with writing a five-page book report – Amherst, Yale and others, reveal the national epidemic of rape culture in the shadows of these great institutions. An episode of Law and Order SVU was even aired, a mishmash of the stories of Pino, Gambill and others. But Pino, along with other survivors from colleges across the United States, is doing something exceptional: creating a national network that connects other students, aiding them in making their own legal complaints against the administrators who have failed to support them. Along with another survivor and Chapel Hill alum, Annie Clark, she was photographed for the New York Times in front of the wall in Clark’s bedroom, which displays a map, dotted with flags and post it notes of those who have reached out from across the country, with sadly similar stories. Together, these young people are launching ‘Know Your IX’, a campaign to educate other students about their rights. It has garnered widespread funding, and has even been reported on MTV. So what about here in the UK? Watching these events unfold made me question the methodology of my own school in handling cases of sexual assault – and the answers were not especially forthcoming.  Apart from the college apparently taking ‘matters of sexual assault very seriously’, I could find little information that stipulated how the university deals with accused students, or those found guilty. The NUS states that 1 in 7 female students in the UK has been a victim of serious physical or sexual assault (Hidden Marks report, 2010). The majority of perpetrators are fellow students. Of those who did not report their assaults to police, 50% attributed shame and embarrassment, and 43% the fear of being blamed for what happened. One in three was afraid of not being believed. In light of these findings, it is important to ask: are UK universities betraying survivors of sexual violence too? Shanice Octavia McBean, Women’s Officer for King’s College London, believes that a ‘collective denial’ of sexual assault that exists on UK campuses ‘means collective silencing of victims’. She says, ‘It’s no surprise that a recent study showed that annually many, many universities never get a single report of sexual violence from a student. Meanwhile we know - as the facts from Hidden Marks show - that sexual violence is very much prevalent.’  Our universities must to more to provide students with resources on how to deal with sexual and physical assault. We must create an environment that protects survivors of rape rather than shaming them, and encourages them to come forward. Thanks to the bravery of people like Andrea Pino, the silence is being broken about rape in American universities: we too must face the truth of sexual violence on our campuses.  Ps: Know Your IX is in its last days of fundraising! you can consider donating here - Emma Hope Allwood Originally published in The London Student.
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above: Landen Gambill faces the press after the rally to support her at UNC.

Breaking the Silence - Rape culture on campus in the US & UK (tw: This article discusses themes of rape and sexual violence)

I started my semester abroad at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in January. The campus, voted one of the United States’ best, was beautiful and expansive, spanning almost an entire town with leafy trees, quads and impressive buildings. But I soon discovered that the beauty was hiding something. A secret lingered in the bedrooms of the imposing Fraternity houses, the mornings after parties. It was in the dorm rooms, in the bathrooms of the bars and nightclubs. For a long time, it was unspoken, veiled by an administration concerned with keeping up appearances. But the secret emerged, no longer held back by shame and silence. A word that for so many had been impossible to speak was suddenly on the tips of everyone’s tongues. It was on the front page of the newspaper; it was being discussed by reporters on local news channels. The word was ‘rape’. 

Tired of an ineffective, victim blaming administration, which underreported sexual assaults in annual reports and implicated survivors by placing emphasis on how they should have acted in order to avoid being raped, a group of students filed a complaint with the Department of Education. UNC, they claimed, violated their civil rights under Title IX, an act introduced in 1972 to end gendered discrimination in state funded education. I first read the name Andrea Pino in the article that broke the news of the complaint. When other students approached her about their own attacks, Pino decided it was time to act, having herself been called ‘lazy’ by administrators when Post Traumatic Stress Disorder meant she fell behind in class. Over the months I was at Carolina, she grew to be a dear friend, and a constant source of inspiration and bravery. Pino, in a piece for the Huffington Post, recounts her experiences waking up, bruised and bloody after her own assault on campus. She says, however, that ultimately ‘What’s worse than rape is betrayal’ – the consistent failures of the administration in handling cases like hers. It was from Andrea that I heard that a fellow complainant, Landen Gambill, had been charged for violating the ‘honour code’ – a code of student conduct – by discussing her rape after the ‘honour court’ decided there wasn’t enough evidence against her accused rapist. This ‘honour court’, however is comprised of a group of students, established to deal more with claims plagiarism than sexual assault, for which they had received no training. In continuing to speak out about the way the administration had failed her and other students (including allowing her accused rapist to move in across the street without warning her), she was charged with creating an ‘intimidating’ environment for him – despite never having named him. For this, she could be expelled. The news went viral, sparking reports from major outlets like Jezebel, the Huffington Post and the Daily Mail. A rally was organised, where survivors and allies faced the media in a show of solidarity. Things needed to change.

But this isn’t just a problem in Chapel Hill. In fact, the US Department of Justice estimates that one in four women will be raped, or suffer an attempted rape, whilst attending university. Cases at colleges like Occidental in California – where one rapist found guilty was punished with writing a five-page book report – Amherst, Yale and others, reveal the national epidemic of rape culture in the shadows of these great institutions. An episode of Law and Order SVU was even aired, a mishmash of the stories of Pino, Gambill and others. But Pino, along with other survivors from colleges across the United States, is doing something exceptional: creating a national network that connects other students, aiding them in making their own legal complaints against the administrators who have failed to support them. Along with another survivor and Chapel Hill alum, Annie Clark, she was photographed for the New York Times in front of the wall in Clark’s bedroom, which displays a map, dotted with flags and post it notes of those who have reached out from across the country, with sadly similar stories. Together, these young people are launching ‘Know Your IX’, a campaign to educate other students about their rights. It has garnered widespread funding, and has even been reported on MTV.

So what about here in the UK? Watching these events unfold made me question the methodology of my own school in handling cases of sexual assault – and the answers were not especially forthcoming.  Apart from the college apparently taking ‘matters of sexual assault very seriously’, I could find little information that stipulated how the university deals with accused students, or those found guilty. The NUS states that 1 in 7 female students in the UK has been a victim of serious physical or sexual assault (Hidden Marks report, 2010). The majority of perpetrators are fellow students. Of those who did not report their assaults to police, 50% attributed shame and embarrassment, and 43% the fear of being blamed for what happened. One in three was afraid of not being believed. In light of these findings, it is important to ask: are UK universities betraying survivors of sexual violence too?

Shanice Octavia McBean, Women’s Officer for King’s College London, believes that a ‘collective denial’ of sexual assault that exists on UK campuses ‘means collective silencing of victims’. She says, ‘It’s no surprise that a recent study showed that annually many, many universities never get a single report of sexual violence from a student. Meanwhile we know - as the facts from Hidden Marks show - that sexual violence is very much prevalent.’  Our universities must to more to provide students with resources on how to deal with sexual and physical assault. We must create an environment that protects survivors of rape rather than shaming them, and encourages them to come forward. Thanks to the bravery of people like Andrea Pino, the silence is being broken about rape in American universities: we too must face the truth of sexual violence on our campuses. 

Ps: Know Your IX is in its last days of fundraising! you can consider donating here

- Emma Hope Allwood

Originally published in The London Student.

thoughtswithoutborders: simonedeboudoir: fuckyeahfeminists: rhrealitycheck: Know Your IX aims to educate every college student in the U.S. about his or her rights under Title IX by the start of the next academic term. In 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools, guaranteeing students essential and extensive rights to freedom from sexual violence necessary for equal access to education. In 2011, Vice President Biden clarified the standards to which higher education institutions must adhere, including specific guidelines for addressing reports of sexual misconduct. Yet too many colleges today are failing to fulfill their legal and ethical obligations. In the past year, sexual violence survivors have shared their experiences of administrative neglect, disregard, and abuse at institutions including Amherst College, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Yale University, Occidental College, Northwestern University, and Rice University. Their experiences are not unique but representative of sexually hostile campus environments across the country. We believe it is time for change. Let’s make next semester better than this one. They just have a few days to reach their goal! Please contribute and signal boost! This is so important. Our close friends are heading this campaign! Please help them. They have under $1000 to raise in the next seven days, youreally can make a difference! THANK YOU! They’ve reached their funding goal six days early! Please feel free to donate if you haven’t already— every dollar counts towards making campuses safer and more just. Let’s eradicate gender-based violence and discrimination!
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thoughtswithoutborders:

simonedeboudoir:

fuckyeahfeminists:

rhrealitycheck:

Know Your IX aims to educate every college student in the U.S. about his or her rights under Title IX by the start of the next academic term.

In 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools, guaranteeing students essential and extensive rights to freedom from sexual violence necessary for equal access to education. In 2011, Vice President Biden clarified the standards to which higher education institutions must adhere, including specific guidelines for addressing reports of sexual misconduct.

Yet too many colleges today are failing to fulfill their legal and ethical obligations. In the past year, sexual violence survivors have shared their experiences of administrative neglect, disregard, and abuse at institutions including Amherst College, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Yale University, Occidental College, Northwestern University, and Rice University. Their experiences are not unique but representative of sexually hostile campus environments across the country.

We believe it is time for change. Let’s make next semester better than this one.

They just have a few days to reach their goal! Please contribute and signal boost! This is so important.

Our close friends are heading this campaign! Please help them. They have under $1000 to raise in the next seven days, youreally can make a difference!

THANK YOU! They’ve reached their funding goal six days early! Please feel free to donate if you haven’t already— every dollar counts towards making campuses safer and more just. Let’s eradicate gender-based violence and discrimination!

Source: indiegogo.com

photojojo:

In searching for a special way to photograph her daughter Emma on her 5th birthday, Jaime Moore decided to dress her up as the most influential women in history. She writes about the series:

I wanted her to know the value of these amazing women who had gone against everything so she can now have everything.

5-Year-Old Dresses Up as the Most Influential Women in History

via Bored Panda | Facebook

fuckyeahfeminists: rhrealitycheck: Know Your IX aims to educate every college student in the U.S. about his or her rights under Title IX by the start of the next academic term. In 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools, guaranteeing students essential and extensive rights to freedom from sexual violence necessary for equal access to education. In 2011, Vice President Biden clarified the standards to which higher education institutions must adhere, including specific guidelines for addressing reports of sexual misconduct. Yet too many colleges today are failing to fulfill their legal and ethical obligations. In the past year, sexual violence survivors have shared their experiences of administrative neglect, disregard, and abuse at institutions including Amherst College, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Yale University, Occidental College, Northwestern University, and Rice University. Their experiences are not unique but representative of sexually hostile campus environments across the country. We believe it is time for change. Let’s make next semester better than this one. They just have a few days to reach their goal! Please contribute and signal boost! This is so important. Our close friends are heading this campaign! Please help them. They have under $1000 to raise in the next seven days, youreally can make a difference!
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fuckyeahfeminists:

rhrealitycheck:

Know Your IX aims to educate every college student in the U.S. about his or her rights under Title IX by the start of the next academic term.

In 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibited sex-based discrimination in schools, guaranteeing students essential and extensive rights to freedom from sexual violence necessary for equal access to education. In 2011, Vice President Biden clarified the standards to which higher education institutions must adhere, including specific guidelines for addressing reports of sexual misconduct.

Yet too many colleges today are failing to fulfill their legal and ethical obligations. In the past year, sexual violence survivors have shared their experiences of administrative neglect, disregard, and abuse at institutions including Amherst College, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Yale University, Occidental College, Northwestern University, and Rice University. Their experiences are not unique but representative of sexually hostile campus environments across the country.

We believe it is time for change. Let’s make next semester better than this one.

They just have a few days to reach their goal! Please contribute and signal boost! This is so important.

Our close friends are heading this campaign! Please help them. They have under $1000 to raise in the next seven days, youreally can make a difference!

Source: indiegogo.com

aloverthatsighs:

This body of work is an exploration of the extent of cultural appropriation and encourages a discussion about it. I give the appropriator and the appropriated the opportunity to defend themselves and create a dialogue between them, while maintaining a neutral stance myself. I am not attacking those who appropriate, merely educating and creating awareness. I’m also exploring appropriation myself, and discovering the carying degrees of it within this visual conversation.


I’d like to make this a long term exploration, with a lot more participants as a form of generation-wide debate. If you’d like to be photographed to add your point of view, please do not hesitate to pop me a message here or an email at sanaahamid@yahoo.com and we could work something out!

We’re going to interview Sanaa about her latest project as soon as I get done with finals ;D

3 percent of the decision-making in media comes from women. That means 97 percent of how women are portrayed is decided on by men.

Independent Lens, PBS
“Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines” (via ihopeyoucontinue4ever)

It also means that 97 percent of how men are portrayed in media are decided on by men. Something to remind MRAs and their ilk of when they complain about the stereotype of men as inept slobs, bad fathers, etc in media and advertising.

Men have the power. So when we men are shat on by the powers that be you don’t get to try and blame women for that.

(via karethdreams)

How much of that is white men tho?

(via howtobeterrell)

Also of that 3% it’s mostly white women

(via strugglingtobeheard)

(via woluf)

Source: ihopeyoucontinue4ever

Hindu leaders want Selena Gomez to apologise - Hindustan Times

fuckyeahsouthasia:

Officials at the Universal Society of Hinduism have demanded an apology from Selena Gomez after she performed at the MTV Movie Awards with a religious bindi symbol on her forehead.

The Hindu leaders have branded the pop star’s appearance during her Come And Get It song ‘insensitive’ and 

have urged her not to repeat it as she plans for an upcoming world tour, Contactmusic reported.

Hindu statesman, Rajan Zed, said that the bindi on the forehead is an ancient tradition in Hinduism and has religious significance.

Zed said that it is also sometimes referred to as the third eye and the flame, and it is an auspicious religious and spiritual symbol, which is not meant to be thrown around loosely for seductive effects or as a fashion accessory aiming at mercantile greed.

He added that Gomez should apologise and then she should get acquainted with the basics of world religions.

The 20-year-old singer has also come under fire for her alleged culturally insensitive performance at the awards ceremony on Sunday, from her Twitter followers.

In a post, one fan wrote: “Deal (sic) Selena Gomez the bindi is not just some fashion accessory you can throw on, cultural appropriation man.”

Another said: “Selena Gomez, take that bindi of (sic) your head, cultural appropriation is not cute.”

A third follower said: “Cultural Appropriation At It?s Finest, My Respect For Selena Is Fading As We Speak.”

A fourth viewer tweeted: “@selenagomez Hi, leave Bindis for Indian women.”

(via seancing)

Source: fuckyeahsouthasia

heartbreakhotelhoneymoonsuite:   Study shows watching TV boosts self esteem of White male children, decreases self esteem of Black male and all female children. (x) Boys making the transition from elementary to middle school are probably exposed to superhero cartoons, Jordan said, adding, ” ‘Superman,’ ‘Batman,’ X-Men.’ The lead characters of these shows tend to be male.” But Jordan added, “In recent years, creators of children’s programming have worked hard to improve diversity and include strong female characters.” For white boys, “regardless of what show you’re watching … things in life are pretty good for you,” Martins, an assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University Bloomington, said in a statement. “(White males) tend to be in positions of power; you have prestigious occupations, high education, glamorous houses, a beautiful wife, with very little portrayals of how hard you worked to get there.”
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heartbreakhotelhoneymoonsuite:

 

Study shows watching TV boosts self esteem of White male children, decreases self esteem of Black male and all female children. (x)

Boys making the transition from elementary to middle school are probably exposed to superhero cartoons, Jordan said, adding, ” ‘Superman,’ ‘Batman,’ X-Men.’ The lead characters of these shows tend to be male.”

But Jordan added, “In recent years, creators of children’s programming have worked hard to improve diversity and include strong female characters.”

For white boys, “regardless of what show you’re watching … things in life are pretty good for you,” Martins, an assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University Bloomington, said in a statement. “(White males) tend to be in positions of power; you have prestigious occupations, high education, glamorous houses, a beautiful wife, with very little portrayals of how hard you worked to get there.”

(via divination)

Source: afternoonsnoozebutton.com

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