Feminism Archives - The Culture Mom

08Mar

In Honor of International Women’s Day: Poverty is Sexist

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Now this is a campaign I'm thrilled to get behind...every step of the way. It has to do with girls, equality, equity and fighting extreme poverty to make the world a better place. The name of the campaign: POVERTY IS SEXIST. According to new analysis published by The ONE Campaign today, International Women’s Day, girls and women are hit hardest by extreme poverty across every area of life, but they also hold the key to change. ONE’s report, “Poverty is Sexist: Why girls and women must be at the heart of the fight to end extreme poverty” shows how Read More

09Feb

Highlights from the Athena Film Festival

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This past weekend I had the ultimate experience for a female culture vulture like myself at the Athena Film Festival. Several days prior to the festival, I interviewed Melissa Silverstein, editor of Women & Hollywood and co-founder of the festival, about the event. We were talking about why there is a need for a festival for and about women's equality in 2015 and she told me this: “There is not a lack of talent for women in film, there’s a lack of opportunity.” She and her co-founder, Kathryn Kolbert, weren't the only ones aware of the lack of Read More

22Oct

Why New Yorkers Need a Women’s Equality Party #voteWEP

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It's probably not news to you when you hear that women’s equality is suffering across the country. Women are making, on average, 77 cents on the dollar and continue to face discrimination in the workplace. A man is 32 times more likely to become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company than a woman. Every woman deserves the opportunity to become a powerhouse in her field. 25% of women experience domestic violence in her lifetime. These women need a break. And if you live in New York state, listen up. There's a better chance this could happen in just three Read More

10Aug

Srugim’s Three Feminists

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I've just spent three weeks completely glued to an Israeli show called Srugim. To be honest, I've been completely obsessed and of course, now wish I had spread it out over a longer period of time. Srugim was broadcast in Israel between the years of 2008-2011. The plot revolved around a group of friends in Jerusalem -- Yafit, Amir, Nati, Reut and Hodaya-- all in their 20s, all single, all Orthodox Jews, all looking for meaning of life and love but with Jewish rituals in mind. Kind of Friends, kind of Sex and the City with a Jewish slant. I first Read More

30May

Review: Maleficent, a Feminist Film

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I always worry about Disney movies, as much as I love them. The female characters always seem to need me. Or to be saved by men. Of they need to be kissed by men in order to live. That has been the story of several of their fairytales, including the very popular Sleeping Beauty. In that story, a handsome Prince breaks a spell cast on the Princess by Malifecent and not only are they reunited, she is saved and the palace awakens. Everyone lives happily ever after as a result of the Prince's actions, even though he is a minor character in the story. Oh, Read More

26Jul

Cross-post: Is Netflix the New Feminist Hollywood Leader?

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This is my latest post on the web site The Broad Side, the newest, coolest, must-read magazine that features the best women’s commentary from around the web and real women writing about their real opinion commentary and real political views. Things haven’t been looking good for women in the television industry for a long time. According to the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, only 7% of directors, 13% of writers, and 20% of producers are female. With such a dearth of female representation in front of and behind the camera, it’s been a Read More

07Jul

Mr. and Mrs. ?

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A recent Facebook study showed that a third of married women in their twenties decided against adopting the surnames of their husbands, compared to the majority of those in their sixties, according to a new study. It also found 62 per cent of married women in their twenties took on their spouse’s surname, while 74 per cent did in their thirties and 88 per cent did in their sixties. More younger women are embracing feminism today than ever before. When I got married, my husband and I talked about changing my last name, but I resisted at first. I felt Read More

12Apr

Because life’s like that.

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This week I read a brilliant article by Deborah Copaken Kogan, a well-known writer and feminist. I was attracted to the title of the article about her so-called post feminist life “Life in Arts and Letters”. It immediately brought to mind the TV show with almost the same name that I relished in the 1990s and I was curious what Kogan had to say about her life as a feminist. And her piece hit me like a bomb. As I am sure it hit the whole of the Internet. I read how it hit the writers at Women & Hollywood and Jezebel hard – 17,000 shares on Read More

06Apr

Inspiration Found at Daily Beast’s Women in the World: The Lost Orphans

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I feel lucky. I've spent the last two electric days mesmerized by the likes of the most incredible women in the world at Daily Beast's Women in the World conference in NYC at Lincoln Center. I listened to the Honorable Hillary Clinton motivate the audience to get out there and fight for women's rights on a grassroots level, Meryl Streep salute her idol Irish feminist Inez McCormack, Angelina Jolie salute Malala who loved wearing a pink dress and said "All I want is an education and I am afraid of no one" and got shot by the Taliban in the head, Tom Read More

15Mar

Will I “Lean In”?

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I have to admit that I've been mystified by all the criticism of Sheryl Sandberg new "Lean In" movement. Here we have a female who's making every attempt to help women rise up and succeed and there is a large group of women (and men) criticizing her for what she's trying to do. And why is that? She wants every little girl who people perceive as bossy to know they have leadership skills and potential. I certainly want my daughter to grow up feeling that way. I've been sitting on the sidelines watching the debate unfold online about her because she is Read More