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.
Category: Articles
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.
Women’s informal labour: Invisibilized but crucial nonetheless
by Elna Schmidt What do a white, middle-class, teenage private math tutor in the Netherlands and an Indonesian street food vendor in the heart of Manila have in common?
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.).
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.
Raffia 