Volop leven en volop liefhebben

by Mylene van der Scheer In deze serie duik ik diep in de boeiende wereld van polyamorie. Samen gaan we op ontdekkingsreis om te begrijpen wat polyamorie precies inhoudt, hoe polyamoreuze relaties eruit kunnen zien, en welke uitdagingen polyamoreuze individuen in het dagelijks leven tegenkomen.

Experimental Archeology and the History of Pockets with Marjolein Kik – Culturally Curious Ep.5

In this installment, I’m joined by Marjolein Kik, a Dutch academic specializing in dress history and experimental archaeology. Their research into the history of Dutch pockets takes center-stage in this episode. We start with the question: What is experimental archaeology? Marjolein explains the nuances of this new and unique research method and how they created an educational tool for museums, based on this research. We discussed materials, sewing techniques and designs used to make pockets between 1650 and 1950.

Why your Feminism should be Socialist – An introduction to Socialist Feminist theory

By Ava Wood On 24th October, Iceland’s women left their workplaces and went on strike, protesting the 10.2% gender pay gap in the country. The movement is inspirational for those of us who come from countries where mobilisation on this scale is unthinkable, and puzzling in the context of the country’s status as the most gender equal in the world (Barry, 2023).

Interrogating Street Harrasment with Judith and Roos of Catcalls of Nimma – Culturally Curious Ep.4

In this episode we are focusing on the work of Catcalls of Nimma who highlight and fight street harassment. I’m joined by the founders Judith Holzmann and Roos van den Oever to dive deeper into their process, from collecting the stories to putting chalk to the pavement.

Trans healthcare now! A 1050 minutes long demonstration in front of Radboud UMC

by Plamena Dimova The protest for transgender* rights took place in front of Radboud UMC on the 30th of September, lasted from 7 in the morning until midnight. This is no coincidence. Currently, the waiting time for trans healthcare in the Netherlands is approximately 150 weeks (3 years!), which means 1050 days of waiting – and thus, 1050 minutes of protesting as a form of resistance.

Queer Asylum – The impact of Western queer coding

By Giulia Ghidelli As a social scientist, I have always found cultural relativism and its interaction with reality fascinating and unsettling, especially in its most dramatic impacts on people’s daily lives.

“Girls just wanna have fun(damental rights)”: A review of Bucharest Feminist Film Festival

by Alex Banciu The Bucharest Feminist Film Festival took place from September 14 to September 17. It was its third edition. The theme for this year was consent, and each day had its own sub-theme. On the day I was present, the subject was body politics.

One day, you will all listen! Lucien von Römer, one of the first advocates of gay rights in the Netherlands [Raffia Archief]

Door Wouter Egelmeers
Lucien von Römer (1873-1965) was one of the first physicians in the Netherlands whose goal it was to examine the issue of homosexuality from a scientific position. Up until the eighteenth century, homosexuality or ‘sodomy’ had been an ‘unmentionable vice’ in the Netherlands.

“It’s me, I’m the problem, it’s me” – On Taylor Swift’s White Feminism

by Lelia Erscoi Many “swifties”, myself included, inevitably feel disappointed with her very public relationship now with Matty Healy, the lead singer of the band The 1975. How does this tie into Taylor’s public image, and why are fans hurt and even enraged by this? Yes, here we are once again, delving into Taylor’s love life. What’s a girl gonna do?

The new Mulan: Empowered heroine or neoliberal propaganda?

by Alex Banciu A Guardian review called Mulan “the most empowered Disney heroine of all.” One could argue that there is some truth to this statement. Mulan manages to infiltrate the imperial army as a man.

Reflections of a Feminist – International Women’s Day 2023

By Elna Schmidt I am resisting the urge to begin with a quote by Virginia Woolf. It seems too cliché to start writing an article in a university magazine concerned with gender equality, feminism and diversity in this way. And yet, I could not help but think of “A Room of One’s Own” when entering Theaterzaal C of the Elinor Ostrom building at Radboud University, one of the only buildings on our huge campus named after a woman. The sight of a room full of women taking up space always is a sight for sore eyes…

The Colonial Legacy in France’s Citizenship Dilemma

by Roisin Moreau France’s history and the daily experiences of French people of colour (a primary example described above) proves that this fetishization of citizenship does not play out on an even playing field for many of its subjects. In reality, many ethnic minorities experience a lack of social acceptance, and are denied “cultural citizenship” (Rosaldo, 1994), proving that identity papers are not always sufficient. 

What HBO´s “The Deuce“ can teach us about the intersection of sex work, power, class and capitalism

by Laura Schranz Due to new court rulings that loosened obscenity rules and left them rather ambiguous and open to interpretation, New York experienced a boom in sex work, leading to the so-called “Golden Age of Porn”. Place of action was mostly the so-called Deuce, a street in Manhattan between Times Square and 8th Avenue.

The importance of safe spaces

by Hanna Eisen There are multiple known cases of power abuse and “inappropriate behaviour” by staff members and professors towards students and other staff members within the Netherlands. Two of those cases have been revealed within Radboud University in the last two years. Additionally, cases of sexual misconduct between students happen regularly, but most of them are not being reported.

De vrouwen van Mad Men – De ruimte van Betty, Peggy en Joan [Raffia Archief]

Door Maartje Willemijn Smits De televisieserie Mad Men schetst een zeer gedetailleerd tijdsbeeld van de jaren zestig in Amerika. Met de tweede feministische golf nog in het verschiet, is seksisme aan de orde van de dag. Hoe deze problematische verhouding tussen mannen en vrouwen precies in elkaar zit, kunnen we beter begrijpen door te kijken naar hun gebruik van ruimte.

How Frida Kahlo’s representation of miscarriage challenges cultural expectations of women’s bodies – An analysis of My Birth (1932)

by Nanette Ashby The representation of the pregnant body is a rare theme in visual arts, especially if it doesn’t represent a happy ending. Visualizing the pain and sorrow of a miscarriage is a traitorous endeavour. Miscarriages are, even today, largely taboo even though they are relatively common. Art interrogates and dissects the lived experience.

Queer cinema en de seksualiteitscrisis in Hollywood

Dit onmenselijke ideaal is echter volledig in lijn met bestaande schoonheidsidealen. Mannen zijn mooi wanneer ze mannelijk zijn. Bizar gespierd, lang en breed. Vrouwen zijn mooi wanneer ze lang haar hebben en een zandloperfiguur. De blockbuster esthetiek probeert zoveel mogelijk de status-quo van het ideaal te representeren. Deze idealen zijn gefilterd door de heteroseksuele verwachtingen van de maatschappij waar rigide gender normen en verwachtingen gelden. 

Caring for those who care: a call for action.

by Elna Schmidt Those who have already experienced a moment in their life where control slips through their fingers know the pain that comes with the realization that for life to be the same again, it needs to be static. It is not. There is no default to which life can return; it has changed. March 2020 marks for many the beginning of such a drastic change, causing life to be altered for good. However, for me, March 2020 also signifies immense pain and the beginning of a horrific journey.

Sophia the Robot and What it Tells Us about the Current State of AI

By Lelia Erscoi The choice of pronouns is no arbitrary thing- Sophia’s (“Sophia – Hanson Robotics”, 2022) creators are doing all they can to make you think of it as a “her”. From its appearance, modeled on a mix of women’s faces – Audrey Hepburn’s, Egyptian Queen Nefertiti’s, and its own inventor David Hanson wife’s (Chung, 2022) – to the fact that it was granted human rights in Saudi Arabia (Parviainen, Coeckelbergh, 2021), the whole story behind Sophia is a very fascinating one that aims to inspire. However, that’s what it mostly is – a story.

On being young and gay in Europe: “It’s not yet ok as long as you don’t dare to be who you want to be”

by Catarina Vila Nova During the Summer months, Esther and Carmen will be riding their motorcycles across 15 European countries in search of what it means to be young and gay in Europe. They will be connecting with partners in film festivals and organizations that advocate for LGBTI+ rights to create a movie platform targeted to professors to get the conversation going in the classroom.

A Look Back at Loving Day

By Kyra-Lianne Samuels Laws in opposition to interracial marriages and relationships are known as ‘anti-miscegenation’ or ‘miscegenation’ laws. The intention behind these laws was to further support white supremacy. By punishing interracial couples with fines, arrest, imprisonment, or the refusal to legally acknowledge their marriages, segregation was being enforced (“The Loving Day Story,” n.d.).

Sexually liberated or slutty? The harm of slut-shaming

By Hanna Eisen Are you a prude, a good girl, or a slut? It seems like these are the only categories women can fall into regarding their sexuality. While women learn from a young age that they have to act according to societal standards, none of the possible decisions seem to be good enough. One should be flirty, but not too sexy; being a virgin is something to be embarrassed about, but enjoying casual sex is shameful. It seems impossible to walk the fine line of being a “good girl”, especially if that does not fit with the (secret) desires one has.

The Silenced Screams of Kubra Khademi

by Nagham ElRawi An artist’s canvas has always been known to be their voice and their free form of expression, often serving as a reflection of social and cultural conditions in which they exist. As a result, their art becomes a gift, a voice, and a mic connecting them to world speakers. Unfortunately, many parts of The Middle East have resorted to silencing opposing voices which sadly leads to their amplification elsewhere. One of the most current exhibits of this phenomenon is the Afghan artist, Kubra Khademi who has recently made several headlines with her current exhibition at The Eric Mouchet Gallery.

Women, violence, and war: “It’s the unexpected”

by Catarina Vila Nova Western societies aspire to ideals of equality but it’s in moments of crisis that the reality of where we still are comes to the fore. When it comes to war, gender norms are almost as rooted as they’ve always been. Even with catchy stories of female soldiers in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine flooding our timelines, traditional gender roles still take hold.

An Ode to My Mental Health

by Kyra-Lianne Samuels I wake up and feel the sorrow wash over me and smile into the familiarity. The comfort is soon followed by guilt, shame, dread. “It’s not supposed to be like this,” I think. “I wasn’t put on earth to suffer,” and yet. And yet. The indignity of my reaction leads to a new wave of remorse. At least I’m already in bed. I never got up anyway.

“Can you even have sex?” The importance of inclusive relationship and sex education to fight false ideas of sex and disability 

by Nanette Ashby „To realize our sexual freedom, our goal must be to infuse the dominant sexual culture with the richness of our own experience. We must celebrate our differences from those without disabilities. We must see that our differences in appearance and function which are the sources of our degradation also contain the seeds of our sexual liberation” – Barbara Faye Waxman (Kaufman 1).