“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.

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.