The origins of sexism: How men came to rule 12,000 years ago By Anil Ananthaswamy and Kate Douglas THE vast majority of cultures are patriarchies, where men are more likely than women to hold positions of social, economic and political power. So it is tempting to assume that this is the natural state of affairs, perhaps because men are, on average, stronger than women. But a study of humanity’s roots suggests this answer is too simple. Chimpanzees are not a proxy for our ancestors – they have been evolving since our two family trees split between 7 and 10 million years ago – but their social structures can tell us something about the conditions that male dominance thrives in. Special report: The origins of sexism The imbalance of power between men and women is being hotly debated. Males also spend their lives in the group they were born into, whereas females leave at adolescence. Advertisement The same is true in human societies: in places where women move to live with their husband’s family, men tend to have more power and privilege. anthropology
Oiimysize Misogyny And Sexism Often Start Young And That Is Why The School Systems Need Change Changes that may ensure that a more gender inclusive and sensitive culture exists, where a child does not grow up with a sense of entitlement and toxic power. The Nirbhaya case verdict against the four convicts made me introspect a lot. While the entire nation celebrated, I had mixed thoughts and a lot of questions to ponder upon. As society, are we trying to numb the sharp and painful jibes of rape and gender violence by categorising Nirbhaya’s case as the rarest of the rarest? Aren’t they all equally heinous? I still remember what my driver told me about what he felt about the rape of Hyderabad doctor last year. Have we normalised rape and consider a case an extreme one only when the victim is killed? Would Indian laws and society recognise that men can also be raped and not limit to the concept that men can be sodomised but not raped? Amnesty International and The International Court of Justice condemned the death penalties of Nirbhaya’s convicts and pressed for systemic changes.
BattyMamzelle “Sexism is a problem in every school. Now we must take action”, by Sally Thomas : Worlds of Education In December last year, the National Education Union and UK Feminista launched a ground-breaking report on sexism in schools: “It’s Just Everywhere”[1]. The report found that sexual harassment, sexist language and sexist stereotypes are commonplace in schools. Over a third of girls in mixed sex schools said that they had personally experienced some form of sexual harassment at school. Nearly one quarter had been subjected to unwanted physical touching of a sexual nature.Gender stereotyping and discrimination were witnessed on a daily basis by a quarter of all secondary school teachers. This rose to over a third in primary schools. The fact that these behaviours and attitudes are witnessed frequently, sometimes everyday and ‘everywhere’, makes it seem normal and acceptable for many young people. It is clearly unacceptable that boys think they have a right to girl’s bodies without consent and without consequence.This behaviour harms girls both physically and psychologically. What next?
Feminist Activists Feminist Fightback Feminist Fightback is an activist collective developed out of conferences in 2006 and 2007, inspired by the politics of a range of anti-capitalist feminist struggles. FF believe that no single oppression can be challenged in isolation from all other forms of exploitation that intersect with it. They are also committed to fighting for a feminist perspective and awareness of gender issues everywhere in our movement – not marginalising ‘women’s rights’ as a separate issue. Feminist Fightback are a trans friendly group, whose planning meetings are open to all-self defining women and who involve all genders in their wider activities, working on a non-hierarchical and consensus basis. New people are very welcome to attend any meeting simply to find out more about FF. 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Website An international campaign running annually in November, raising awareness about gender violence and working to end it. Demand Change! Website WebsiteFacebook Website
Why We Must Dismantle Sexism In South Africa’s All-Boy Schools - Warren Chalklen, Ph.D. During my student tenure in a semi-private all-boy high school in Johannesburg, a handful of teachers and students pushed back against sexism, and many educated us about the dangers of unchecked masculinity. However, when we boys grouped together, we bonded through displays of sexual dominance and expressed attitudes similar to the men in the above conversation. The physical school space itself did not foster patriarchy, although certain spaces such as locker rooms and hostels certainly did, but rather our acceptance of patriarchal actions strengthened its existence. All-boy schools are capable of, and do, nurture oppressive culture. South Africa is the most unsafe place for womxn on earth. Womxn, and some men, across the world coalesced in outrage. I strongly aligned with the #MenAreTrash movement as I worked through what I read, what I watched, and what I experienced during this month. How does rape culture explain parts of my schooling experience? What can we men do about it?
SLUTEVER Diary + Mistakes + Outtakes Back to top The trans performers merging art, fashion and fiction 2015 was the year that gender fluidity and trans visibility went mainstream, but has amidst all the breakthrough in thinking, has gender become a buzzword? Wading through the think pieces and academic discussions, one thing remains clear – out of all the debate that emerged from the year just gone by, the most passionate and creative thought pertaining to issues of gender generally comes from those who have some sort of lived experience relating to the cause they are fighting for. Poetic duo DarkMatter are the perfect example of this. Alok Vaid-Menon and Janani Balasubramanian define themselves as a non-binary trans South Asian art collaboration. While their poetry creatively discusses and challenges the issues they care about, the curation of their online identity is an equally important part of their presence. Their newsfeed is a politically charged commentary covering issues that range from the trans movement to prison reform, creating the perfect matrimony of art and politics.