Friday 8 March 2013

go tell your friends I'm still a feminist

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It's easy to forget that not everyone defines him-/herself as a feminist. Since moving back to Austria I've had to explain repeatedly why I consider feminism to be so important. On occasion I've had to explain this to female friends, a fact that baffles me more than anything. Austria is a country where sexual harassment (as in, touching someone inappropriately) is not considered a crime, a fact that has only recently become the subject of debate; it is a country where the (female) minister of justice opposes the push for a women's quota in the EU (and, presumably, at home); it is a country where 70% of MPs are male. The other day a ten-year old girl told me that she 'liked robots - even though I am a girl and I'm not supposed to be that interested in robots'. It makes me pretty fucking sad to be living in a society which is so slow to change, not just on women's rights, but also on other issues close to my heart, especially LGBT rights.
But for now, here are a few links for your consideration: the Bechdel test on women in fiction; a thoughtful post on Beyonce and feminism; Euke Frank on sexism in Austria.

3 comments:

  1. "Happy" International Women's Day!

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  2. This often astounds me as well. That and the concept of it being a dirty word.

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  3. I think the more and more people say they are feminist, no matter differing views on certain issues, the more people will begin to understand it's a force for good and something everyone should identify as. Kudos on the post!

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