Tag: Feminism

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. 

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. 

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.

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.