Feminism Is For Everyone

Sep 30, 2010,2:29 PM

Healthy Woman ≠ Healthy Adult?

In case you haven't heard of the classic psychology experiment conducted in 1971 by Broverman & Broverman on gender stereotypes, here's a quick summary:

The two researchers asked groups of mental health workers to make lists of characteristics describing a healthy male, then a healthy female, and finally a healthy "person." The results: there were expectedly large differences observed between the descriptions of a healthy female and a healthy male, but there were also markedly large differences between the descriptions of a healthy person and a healthy female.

Hmm... 1971 was quite a long time ago. Maybe attitudes have changed since then?

Nope. The study was replicated in 2006 by Susan Seem and Diane Clark and found pretty much the same results. Have a look at the abstract:

"An important question often asked when counselors-in-training read textbook discussion of gender role stereotypes, especially of older work such as the classic study by the Brovermans and their colleagues, is “Haven't these biases been eliminated or at least reduced?” The current study was designed to replicate the work of the Brovermans and their colleagues to answer that specific question and to determine how current counselors-in-training perceive healthy adult women, healthy adult men, and healthy adults. As in the prior research, initial ratings of the social desirability of traditional gender role stereotypes were conducted, and the findings showed many similarities to past research. That investigation was followed by a modified Stereotype Questionnaire, based on the original work of Rosenkrantz, Vogel, Bee, I. Broverman, and D. M. Broverman (1968). Healthy adult women were found to be significantly different from healthy adult men as well as from healthy adults. In addition, the results suggest that there have been changes in counselors' perceptions of healthy adults. Counselors-in-training were found to hold two standards for mental health—one for women and another for men."

To those who argue that there is no longer a need for a feminist movement in today's society because outward, blatant expressions of sexism are not as common, I would say that the existence of these implicit attitudes and beliefs certainly proves otherwise.

Read more details on the Broverman study here.

Labels: broverman study, feminism, gender, health, psychology

Sep 23, 2010,6:24 PM

the latest axe masterpiece.

I don't feel like much commentary is necessary here. Comments on why this is offensive to you are encouraged.

Labels: axe, commercial, feminism

3:41 PM

"I'm not a feminist...I hail men!"

ugh, typical. spouting feminist ideas left and right and then denying the title because apparently all feminists are man-haters, right? Lady Gaga is the bomb.com in lots of other ways, but it's really a shame that she had to add to the erroneous stereotypes associated with feminism like this.

Labels: feminism, lady gaga, men

Sep 21, 2010,8:32 PM

truth.

from FIFEr emily's blog!

Labels: feminism, gender, gender roles, stereotypes

Sep 16, 2010,2:23 PM

http://www.kiva.org/

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

or a WOman!

This website is absolutely amazing. Rather than simply donating money to provide aid to those in need, why not provide loans to people in impoverished countries so they are able to start businesses and continue to make profits of their own?

On a more feminist note, it is a proven fact that women who are given economic opportunity are more likely than men to use the funds to provide for their family, thus increasing the overall health and well-being of the entire community. Furthermore, women in impoverished areas who are able to start their own businesses are simultaneously liberated from the economic dependence on men that may be holding them in a subordinate position in society.

Here's how it works: go to the kiva website and click on the "Lend" tab. This will take you to a list of groups/individuals in need of loans, including pictures and background information on what they plan to do with their loan. You can filter this list by gender as well as the country of those asking for loans. This is different from simply giving to a charity because you actually get your money back (which you can then re-lend to another group, if you want)

You have nothing to lose!

Labels: feminism, global feminism, kiva

Sep 6, 2010,10:40 AM

2nd Annual NEDA Walk Charlottesville!

The National Eating Disorder Association's annual fundraising walk is coming to Charlottesville this Sunday, September 12th. Get to the UVA Park Pavilion at 9am to register. (or register online here) The walk will officially begin at 10am and of course lunch will be served afterwards.

"A cultural fixation on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty but an obsession about female obedience"
-Naomi Wolf, The Beauty Myth

The bottom line: Eating disorders are a FEMINIST issue. Get involved, raise awareness, and do your best to combat our culture's unobtainable/unhealthy beauty ideal in your daily life.

**On a related note, stay tuned for next week's FIFE meeting - "Feminism Loves Your Body"

Labels: eating disorders, feminism, NEDA

Sep 3, 2010,12:44 PM

Totally Awesome Feminist Boot Camp in NYC -- January 2011!

Hi all from sunny NYC!

Just wanted to give a little shout-out from the land of FIFE alumni and let you amazing feminists know about a project I'm working on: Feminist Winter Term!

FWT, sometimes called (by me) "Feminist Boot Camp" is a week of immersion into the professional feminist world in NYC. Along with other college students from around the country, you'll get an inside look at organizations like the Women's Media Center, BUST Magazine, Babeland, and way more! I myself went to this program back in 2008, and your very own Nora Eakin attended the 2010 session! Your guides will be none other than author extraordinaires Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner (authors of Manifesta and Grassroots) and I promise you you'll have a blast.

Check out the website for more info! This is my first year working for Soapbox and I'd love to see some new UVa feminists up in here!

If you have any questions at all, email me - carly@soapboxinc.com

Have a great semester!
xoxo
c