Her Culture: April 2016

HERCULTURE

Issue 15 / April 2016

US-CUBA RELATIONS What will happen to both nations moving forward

THE BARBIE WORLD The newly diverse dolls of this famous brand are changing diversity discussions

A BOND THAT BREAKS 1

How examining the perils of child marriage across the globe can make a serious impact

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letter from THE FOUNDER Dear Culture Girl, As always, I want to begin by thanking you for reading Her Culture’s fifteenth magazine issue. We have been publishing every other month for almost three years now. It is crazy, wonderful, exciting, and intimidating all at the same time. I am continually inspired by all of you and I am lucky to be able to share your stories.

I recently attended the seventh-annual Women in the World Conference as hosted by Tina Brown in association with The New York Times. It was thrilling to be in a theater of hundreds of powerful women- and men - who have the greater global good in mind. Each speaker was a delightful testament to my reasons for fighting for equality. I hope that my work with Her Culture will live up to the incredible accomplishments of the female speakers at the conference. But, on a smaller level: we are all the catalysts for change in our own communities. It starts with a single voice to start a wave of equality. I encourage you to share your story about why you are a feminist 4

and what it means to be a leader. I believe in you completely.

Many thanks and much love,

Kate Avino

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reflect. relate. remember.

Culture Features

COVER 12

Perils of Child Marriage

Examine the ways in which youth marriages can impact the world

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US-Cuba Relations

ISSUE NO. 15

APRIL

/MAY

What happens now to these two nations?

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New Barbie Dolls

How this brand is changing the conversation about diversity

LIFE

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Nina Simone

The controversy behind the film

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The Flint Fiasco

How environmental racism effects America

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Female Infanticide This global issue is effecting women at large.

DIY Culture: Mother's Day

History of Feminism

Learn how this movement got started worldwide.

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Diverse Barbie Dolls

How this brand is changing the

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College Admissions

The plight of a high school senior

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Small Youtubers

These awesome vloggers will be your next binge-watch

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Int’l Working Women

What happened to the working women in this day?

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Learn to make the cutest marbled mugs for your special momma!

Eternal Learner Life Lessons

The best advice for that risk-taker

Black Girls in Government

Educating tomorrow's leaders

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Pakistani Women

They are fighting for protection

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The Best Wildlife Spots

You’ll be going to these places for your next trip.

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Future Collab Initiatives

How the educational system should change.

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Rooftops of Tehran

Add this to your reading checklist

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magazine sta executives KATE AVINO Founder & CEO

ALEXIS NEUVILLE Chief of Staff

NEELAM PATEL Chief Marketing Officer

DAKSHAYANI SHANKAR Chief Content Officer

MATT MAGGIO Chief Financial Officer

TUHFA BEGUM

Chief Marketing Officer

MEREDITH BOWMAN Chief Digital Officer

editors and writers Daniela Frendo Catherine Foley Radhika Sharma Claire Tran Nina Gayleard Anjali Patel

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Noorhan Amani Danyelle Carter Sherah Ndjongo Shaye DiPasquale Haley Samsel Michelle Dashevsky

Harika Kottakota Jem San Pedro Prathusha Yeruva Teamare Gaston Nikki Camera Shubhavi Arya

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Perils of Child Marriage

by Shaye DiPasquale

To celebrate International Women’s Day, two

United Nations agencies UNICEF and UNFPA officially announced their multi-country initiative to take action to end child marriage worldwide.

The UNFPA-UNICEF Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child is designed to protect the rights of millions of vulnerable girls worldwide. Throughout various countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, child marriage rates are still alarmingly high and there are only a few existing efforts in place to support those girls who were married off at young ages. The UNFPAUNICEF joint program will specifically seek to prevent girls from marrying too young by working with young people, families, communities and local governments.

In a recent press release, Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, stated, “Choosing when and whom to marry is one of life’s most important decisions. Child marriage denies millions of girls this choice each year. As part of this global program, we will work with governments of countries with a high prevalence of child marriage to uphold the rights of adolescent girls, so that girls can reach their potential and countries can attain their social and economic development goals.”

The European Union, Italy, Canada, Netherlands and the UK are among the first countries to publicly express their support for the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage. The international

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community as a whole has already demonstrated a shared commitment to ending child marriage by including this harmful practice as a target in the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

UNICEF and UNFPA hope to attract the support of more governments and partner organizations in order to eliminate child marriage by the year 2030.

Child marriage is a direct violation of the human rights of girls and young women. When a girl is married off at a young age, she is more likely to drop out of school, to experience domestic violence and to contract HIV/AIDS. Many young wives are more likely to experience complications during their pregnancies along with a variety of other health risks. The UNFPA-UNICEF global program will focus on combating these issues by increasing girls’ access to education and health care services and educating communities on the dangers of child marriage. The global program also seeks to strengthen and enforce laws that establish 18 as the minimum age of marriage.

“The world has awakened to the damage child marriage causes to individual girls, to their future children, and to their societies,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in the UNFPAUNICEF Global Program to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage press release. “This new global program will help drive action to reach the girls at greatest risk – and help more girls and young women realize their right to dictate their own destinies.

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IT’S TIME TO START A #CULTUREREVOLUTION Her Culture is the first magazine to explore culture through a woman’s eyes. Join us as we celebrate what makes us all unique, and make a change in the world.

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The Nina Simone Biopic Controversy: An Issue Of Colorism?

by Sherah Ndjongo Zoe Saldana is set to portray the influential civil

rights activist and iconic singer Nina Simone in the forthcoming biographical film Nina, but not everyone is ecstatic about it. Conversation revolving around race in Hollywood has sparked once again, and this time the debate has gotten more complicated. Many people on social media have been vocal about their disagreement with the decision to cast Saldana, who has a lighter complexion than Simone, but the major controversy is due to Saldana wearing makeup to darken her skin and a prosthetic nose that broadens her nose to resemble Simone’s.

In the United States, heated discussion regarding on-screen opportunities for minorities has resulted in strategies like the popular hashtag #OscarsSoWhite on social media in an attempt to garner attention for the issue. Saldana, a woman of color just like Simone, landed the lead role, which doesn’t seem controversial on surface level.

However, the fact that it was deemed necessary for Saldana’s skin to be darkened and her nose to be prosthetically widened in order to portray the musical legend makes it easy for many to call this an example of colorism – a criticism that draws many parallals to the use of blackface in Hollywood and the entertainment industry. In fact, in support of those who greatly disapprove this method of alteration, the Official Legacy for the Estate & Legacy of Dr. Nina Simone sent out a

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tweeted staying, “Hopefully people begin to understand this is painful. Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, nauseating, soul-crushing. It shall pass, but for now…”

So there's no denying that the makeup Saldana was instructed to wear when she was portraying Nina Simone has elicited strong reactions from quite a lot of people. However, there are still some who consider anger over a lighter skinned black actress being made up to look a few shades darker for a role as not being worth the outrage. For instance, Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the founder and chairman of RLJ Entertainment, who will be distributing the biopic remarked, “Zoe Saldana delivers an exceptional and mesmerizing tribute to Nina Simone. She gave her heart and soul to the role and displayed her extraordinary talent. The most important thing is that creativity or quality of performance should never be judged on the basis of color, or ethnicity, or physical likeness. Quality entertainment should be measured by the sheer force of creativity and the commitment that an actor or actress brings to the performance. We are proud to distribute the film headlined by Zoe Saldana...” Here, Johnson makes a few good points that also happen to miss the mark as he ignores the history of “quality entertainment” and how it has shaped the entertainment world, including the movie industry.

Let’s start with the history of the first minstrel shows which took place in the 1830s, where actors dressed up as black slaves and performed skits, dances, and songs that were meant to mock the appearance of African Americans. Using exaggerated body language and perpetuating stereotypes about African American culture, minstrel performers traveled and played to crowds across the country. Prejudice and stereotypes were common characteristics of minstrel show performances. Unfortunately, later on, black actors who could hide their skin color from audiences with the use of makeup eventually adopted stereotypical roles, too. Therefore, race and Hollywood have long been intertwined, but every so often the situation takes a different turn like the one concerning Nina. Arguments have been raised claiming that the decision to darken Zoe Saldana's skin color and change her features is disrespectful to the Simone and doesn't pay her proper homage at all.

It's widely known that Simone was a versatile and immensely talented singer-songwriter whose music will continue to leave its mark for many years to come, especially with the newly released Netflix documentary about her life called What Happened, Miss Simone? which was nominated for an Oscar this year. However, Nina Simone was as much of a dedicated activist as she was a committed musician. During her lifetime, Simone unapologetically wrote and performed protest songs. Among them were "Four Women," "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," and "Mississippi Goddam", all of which would later have an impact on the civil rights movement. However, the beginning of the end of Simone's career started with her condemnation of segregation in the 1960s, as it ultimately cost her mainstream airplay and resulted in angry fans. Simone's daughter, Lisa

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Simone Kelly, spoke of radio stations deciding to stop playing her mother’s songs in What Happened, Miss Simone?, recalling how numerous records were returned from radio stations across the country in boxes with the discs broken in half.

Although Simone tried to recover her career, the damage had been done. She did manage to garner some success after relocating to France, but it was never quite the same.

It's understandable why the very idea of having this brave, impactful woman portrayed by an actress in blackface can be viewed as upsetting and disappointing.

There are even petitions to boycott the movie despite the fact that only the trailer has been released. NewsOne Now panelist JeffriAnne Wilder, author of Color Stories: Black Women and Colorism in the 21st Century (Intersections of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture) said, “This was really a missed opportunity to highlight talent of darkerskinned actresses who also have musical talent, and I think we missed the mark here.” She is correct in her claim since there are other choices of actresses who could have taken on the role just as well without needing to go through the process of applying darker makeup.

Furthermore, Kierna Mayo, Editor-in-Chief of Ebony Magazine, said, “Typically speaking, if you want to get a film to theaters, you need to have a very marquee-type name attached to it. That doesn’t change the reality of African-Americans, black people in general, who are looking for authentic representation. The sensitivity here is particular of Nina Simone, who herself so embodied racial pride, who herself so did not fit the Hollywood package … image that we all have grown so accustomed to that we can spit off the names Paula Patton and Zoe Saldana with ease, but we cannot find their darker-skinned peers."

On the contrary, Simone’s daughter, Lisa, who did admit earlier that casting Saldana was “appearance-wise ... not the best choice”, gave a comment in Time that she didn't think the backlash being placed solely onto the actress was right. “It’s unfortunate that Zoe Saldana is being attacked so viciously when she is someone who is part of a larger picture. It’s clear she brought her best to this project, but unfortunately she’s being attacked when she’s not responsible for any of the writing or the lies."

In the end, reactions to this issue are divided with one side of the argument claiming Zoe

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Saldana in blackface as Nina Simone exemplifies the prevalent problem Hollywood has with colorism, which implies that black actresses and actors can’t appeal to audiences if they don't possess common Eurocentric features such as lightened skin, in this very situation. The other stands by the accusation that this is only pushing a "black versus black" agenda, which only results in further separation.

But quite frankly, the problem isn't Zoe Saldana or whoever may be on-screen. The problem is whoever is off-screen. As JeffriAnne Wilder claimed, “The backlash is reflective of colorism, because what does it say about our society when we really don’t value enough looking at dark skin — we have to cast someone who is a brown-skin or a lighter-skinned woman in this role when clearly it should have gone, in my opinion, to someone who is a more darker-complected actress." And she is correct. Hollywood and the movies it generates are not only reflective of the industry, but also of our culture as a whole.

Although it may be difficult to admit, colorism may dictate which opportunities one has available both in Hollywood and, unfortunately, in the rest of society.

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by Shaye DiPasquale

THE FLINT FIASCO: Environmental Racism in America

by Prathusha Yeruva

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In light of recent events that took place in Flint, Michigan, namely the Flint Water Crisis, in which the state government switched the city’s water over to the Flint River (which was so acidic that it corroded the lead pipes under the city) in an effort to save government money, it is important to talk about the factors that led the city to this horrific fate. It would have been much too easy to blame this event on a lack of government transparency.

Even though the governor and several state officials knew about this event, they were not required to disclose any information on any legal standpoint. Although Michigan is actually the least transparent state in the country, according to the Center for Public Integrity, there is a bigger quandary at play.

Environmental racism can be defined as the placement of low income and minority people in places with poor environmental quality.

Examples of these environments can include proximity to nuclear power plants or areas with a lack of access to clean water. Nearly 60% of Flint’s population is composed of people who identify as African American and the median income in the city is only $26,000. This issue is definitely correlated with socioeconomic standing. Troy, a community only 45 miles outside of Flint, has a median income of nearly $86,000. This type of crisis would have never happened in a city like Troy, with a high percentage of people who identify as white, good schools, and plenty of political power.

Although it is useful to identify the trends and patterns in crises like this one, inevitably they do not solve any problems. In order to truly learn

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from the disaster that has occurred in Flint, Michigan, there are several things that must change. The first, and perhaps most important, is increasing efforts toward greater transparency. The Flint Water Crisis would have probably never happened, or at least would have been resolved much faster, if the local government had been required to disclose this information to the public as soon as they were aware of it. In terms of the federal government, the Environmental Protection Agency must learn how to better alleviate these sorts of issues. There should be more funding allocated toward helping low income citizens deal with their local environmental issues. Unsafe water

crises should be unheard of within a developed country like the United States, thus it is our responsibility, as fellow Americans, to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again.

U.S. – Cuba Relations:

For the first time in almost 90

by Nikki years, a sitting U.S. president has set foot on the shores of Cuba.

President Obama began his trip to Cuba on March 21st, marking a historic day for U.S. –Cuba relations. Obama decided to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba about 15 months ago, with some serious changes having already occurred, such as flights from the U.S. to Cuba and direct mail between the countries. These changes come a long time after the full embargo against Cuba was first imposed in 1962 by John F. Kennedy. This is going to be influential for both countries and their people, as many of us who have grown up in the U.S. have known Cuba as a forbidden place. While the outcome of President Obama’s trip is uncertain, there is no doubt that U.S. – Cuba relations are progressing.

Many people are wondering why Obama wants to restore relations with Cuba, and many people also oppose the effort. An official statement from Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes at the White House describes the ineffectiveness of the embargo and the suffering it has caused the Cuban people, as it is unjust to cut off the Cuban people from a more global dialogue.

Basically, it is illogical to maintain the embargo, as it does not benefit the United States and only

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harms Cuba. He also addresses the argument that reopening the U.S. embassy is a concession to Cuba, saying again, that that logic does not make sense, for having an embassy in Cuba will only aid in the U.S.’s ability to influence Cuba’s policies going forward.

Rhodes’ statement refreshingly places some of the blame on the United States for the suffering of Cubans, whereas many other news outlets still use Cold War- style rhetoric when describing the Cuban government. This includes using the word “communist” like an insult or connotative to evil, which is completely out of fashion nowadays with many young people in the U.S. identifying as socialists. While the Cuban government has been accused of human rights abuse, that does not mean it should be the only focus of this visit to Cuba. It is not fair to the Cuban people to maintain this embargo and exacerbate any suffering with justifications from the ‘60s. Biased “red scare” style reporting is not going to heal U.S. – Cuban relations.

It must be understood that the history between these countries is long and complicated.The United States rightfully has a horrific reputation in Latin America for repeatedly supporting dictatorships, such as the Batista

moving forward

dictatorship that was in power in Cuba before the Cuban Revolution. There was also the United Fruit Company from the U.S. that was used as a vehicle for imperialism in many Latin American countries, including Cuba. The United Fruit Company would take Cuban land, gain control of surrounding communities, and leave them indebted to the company as it ruled their land, thus demanding the Cuban people pay the company they never wanted on their land in the first place. The company also exploited its workers and barely paid its fair share of taxes to the countries it operated in. The United States is, by no means, innocent in its relationship to Cuba.

Meanwhile, the Cuban revolution originally helped the most oppressed people. Its policies allowed for every Cuban to gain literacy and food security, and sought to uphold Marxist-Leninists traditions of socialism where distribution is equal.

Yet, this was impossible to maintain after the United States’ embargo against the country became increasingly influential; it was difficult for Cuba get the resources it needed. Today, Cuba has not lived up to its original revolutionary intentions.

That much is clear. Neither party is innocent, but the United States certainly had more power than Cuba when it decided to obliterate the island’s economy. It is also hypocritical of the United

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States to claim the moral high ground on “political prisoners” while Guantanamo Bay continues to stay open. Both countries have work to do in that realm. It would only be fair that the United States finally lift the embargo.

Ultimately, both countries should hope that Obama’s visit to Cuba goes well. A positive outcome will lead to improved lives for Cuban people and more opportunities for Americans. Yet, Obama has said that he does not believe the embargo will be lifted until the end of his term, showing that restoring diplomatic relations is a long process. Hopefully both countries can acknowledge their mistakes and be willing to compromise. The United States and Cuba have a long, rocky history, and this historic visit can reverse decades of animosity between the two countries. Even if President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro come to any agreements, the United States people will first have to accept that this is a necessary step towards progress for any real changes to be made.

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Mother’s Day MARBLED MUGS WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

mugs

nail polish

toothpicks

container

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill the container halfway with hot water.

The hotter the better!

2. With the nail polish bottle very close to the surface of the water, pour a drop or two of polish into the water.

3. Quickly use your toothpick to swirl the polish around in the water.

4. Dip your mug in the water!

5. Place the mug on a paper to dry. All done!

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DIVERSE BARBIE DOLLS: The solution or the problem?

by Sherah Ndjongo

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Earlier this year, the multinational toymaker company Mattel revealed that the world-renowned Barbie doll line would branch off to include more diverse models. It has been under fire for Barbie’s unvaried and, what many would consider, unrealistic appearance for more than five decades.

With the introduction of the recently released

“Barbie Fashionistas” line, dolls now come in four body types, seven skin tones, fourteen face sculpts, twenty-two eye colors, twenty-four hairstyles, and a multitude of outfits that are categorized as “sporty” or “boho,” to name a few. While this new and improved Barbie is also available in curvy, petite, or tall sizes, Mattel still decided to keep the original Barbie doll on store shelves.

After word broke out that Barbie’s signature look was going to be updated for the sake of representing multiple body types, debate sparked on social media. Numerous people expressed their approval for Mattel’s decision, but as always, there are two sides to every story. There were those who strongly disagreed with Mattel's move, voicing various claims about how Barbie’s renovation is problematic due to its overly political correctness, and how the changes are not the kind of advancement supporters are making it out to be.

To dig deeper into this subject, it's best to examine both sides of the issue.

Controversy has revolved around Mattel since it began manufacturing Barbie dolls in 1959 mainly because Barbie is considered by some to be the exact opposite of a good role mode for young girls. They believed the doll could negatively affect children in the long run if they attempted to copy her. The most common argument, which serves as the basis of this assertion, is that Barbie influences young girls to hold unrealistic body expectations that eventually cause low self-esteem as they grow older. This doesn't go unsupported as there have been studies -- like the 2006 study conducted by

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the American Psychological Association called “Does Barbie Make Girls Want to Be Thin? The Effect of Experimental Exposure to Images of Dolls on the Body Image of 5- to 8-Year-Old Girls” -- that have exposed the cultural icon’s unpleasant effect on young girls. In this particular case, it was discovered that girls who played with Barbie dolls said they had lower esteem when it came to their bodies and strived for a thinner figure than girls who played with dolls that had larger shapes or girls who never played with dolls at all. Findings like this explain why some are ecstatic that Mattel Senior Vice President and Barbie Global General Manager Evelyn Mazzocco approved the idea of altering Barbie to have more realistic proportions.

On the other hand, some are arguing that there is an underlying problem with people attempting to "fix" Barbie. According to them, children shouldn't feel pressured to look like a plastic doll in the first place. The apparent reason why Barbie’s body has been the culprit behind selfesteem issues affecting young girls is because her body is supposedly unrealistic, or in other words, it’s meant to replicate society’s ideal body, a standard that many have accused of being unattainable for the most part. While those opposed to Barbie's makeover would have to agree that the majority of the female population doesn't resemble a Barbie doll, they may also hold the belief that adding the Barbie Fashionistas line may seem to have resolved the problem on the surface, but in reality, it is doing the opposite of that by creating whole new issues.

For instance, if Barbie is responsible for a child having unrealistic body expectations, it is possibly because the parent or guardian left it up to a doll to do his or her job of teaching their child this incorrect meaning of self worth when, concisely, Barbie is just a doll. To expand on this, another counterargument against Mattel's new reinvention is that Barbie is a toy that is made and is meant only for the purpose of entertainment, not to teach kids about body acceptance.

However, how do Mattel's significant changes to Barbie’s appearance benefit its client base of young girls whose bodies don’t even remotely resemble those of the new dolls? Could gifting a petite, curvy, or tall Barbie to a similar looking child result in more problems than we expect this to? Not to mention, do we truly stand with what Barbie represents whether she is diverse or not?

While it is undeniably a great step forward for girls now that they have several options of Barbie dolls to pick from, this doesn't mean that we should turn a blind eye to the possibility that making these more varied dolls available could still challenge the self-esteem of young girls. First of all, Mattel’s Barbie Fashionistas line has four body types that customers could choose from.

Understandably, there are simply too many differing body types that people have for a toy manufacturer to recreate without having anyone feel left out. At the same time, Mattel just isn't representing enough body types. Because, as stated earlier, while there are countless body types that are unique to every individual, the newly added types may make Barbie appear to be a better role model for some girls who can relate to her, but there are still those who aren't one hundred percent curvy, tall, or petite, which can result in them feeling left out. Similarly, generating more and more labels for body types might lead to the increasing pressure from the public for Mattel to create even more labels, despite the fact that there will always be those who won't entirely belong to these incredibly broad categories.

What was originally the perfect solution to Barbie's diversity problem could quickly take a sharp turn for the worse. Young girls might be given the impression that there is something wrong with them for not being able to fit into any of the four body types.

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This shouldn't be taken as a claim that remodeling the Barbie brand for more diversity was a mistake because it is far from it. In fact, it could be generally agreed upon that what Mattel has accomplished is worthy of praise. However, what the introduction of the Barbie Fashionistas line means is that those who resonate with the new Barbie and any of the four body types will be satisfied, but simultaneously there will be others who don't completely fit in any of the labels who could feel further alienated.

Now let's take a look at the big picture. One perfect, absolute solution to this problem doesn’t exist, and it’s no easy task to pinpoint where the center of this issue is. However, one conclusion that can be drawn from this argument is that this problem goes beyond the Barbie brand and may not be related to the doll in any way. As stated once before, Barbie is merely a plastic doll and she is nothing more and nothing less. Mattel shouldn't be held responsible for Barbie’s body and the damage it has done to the self-esteem of young girls in relation to how they view themselves.

Basically, Barbie is a mirror of our society’s continuous obsession with superficial appearances and its narrowly constructed idea of beauty that is reflected in virtually all media and most aspects of our everyday life.

In the end, people can argue back and forth on social media about whether Mattel is to blame or whether parents should take responsibility for a child's body image struggles, but society as a whole is at fault for the self-esteem issues that people mistakenly attribute to only Barbie. Sure, Mattel can add four new body types. Certainly seven new skin tones and twenty-two eye colors would allow for more diversity. But until society directly addresses its unhealthy fixation with appearances, this ever increasing body image problem, as demonstrated by Barbie, cannot be resolved.

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by Harika Kottakota

COLLEGE ADMISSION: CONFESSIONS OF A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR Most high school seniors around the country, and the world, stumble into the college admissions process with few to no tools at their disposal and thus do not know what to expect. Personally, the college admissions process was brutal—alongside the other daily demands of family, sports, extracurricular activities, and academics, writing personal statements for college applications was no small burden. Throughout this long, turbulent process, there are many aspects that require careful scrutiny, timeliness, and patience. However, coming into the tail end of it all in March, college admissions decisions become the spotlight of seniors everywhere. Following the precariously close “Ivy Day” on March 31, 2016 (the day on which all Ivy League colleges will release admissions decisions), students will have until May 1, 2016 to finally choose their schools for undergraduate study, or in other words, their future homes for the next four to six years. But for those soon to enter this process themselves, let us delve deeper beneath the smoggy surface known as “College Admissions.”

Unfortunately for any Type A personalities (such as myself), the most important thing to keep in mind about college admissions is that absolutely nothing is ever certain. Ever. There have been countless instances in which applicants are rejected from their so-called “safety schools,” but admitted to top tier schools such as Duke, Johns Hopkins, UC Berkeley, or the Ivy League. There are also plenty of cases in which students are accepted to only their safety schools. I can almost guarantee that there is at least one applicant that fits every possible combination of acceptances, wait-lists, and rejections. Simply put, the admissions process is unpredictable. Thus, when you begin to hear college counselors speaking about the dangers of labeling schools as “dream schools” or “safeties,” it would be wise to keep in mind that this is important advice—not simply proselytizing speech.

Another pertinent aspect of college admissions is timeliness. Often, this translates into “submit your application as soon as possible.” Although submitting

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your applications earlier by no means guarantees an acceptance, the fact that an applicant was organized and timely really shows how much care and thought must have gone into an early application. The same concept applies to submitting transcripts, letters of recommendation, portfolios, and resumes. To a certain degree, the application process was designed to test the student’s ability to be punctual, responsible, and punctilious. However, remember that creating such an application requires a lot of time, revision, and patience.

So, to high school seniors everywhere, make sure to beat the hurdle that is procrastination. You will be so amazed at the results!

Women entering S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields have especially a great advantage in current college admissions. If you are girl with an avid passion for STEM, do not be shy in expressing it on your college application! Such interests are always received well by selection committees who are trying to follow the overall trend of increasing women’s voices in STEM fields. From personal experience, I hope this encouragement reaches to high schools everywhere. Whether it be computer science, biomedical engineering, theoretical physics, or any of the traditional subjects like biology and chemistry, females seeking to enter STEM majors should keep their heads high and express their passions. The movement for women in STEM has gained huge momentum in recent years—so, this is the perfect time to shine!

Last but not least, have faith in yourself! The application process is an impenetrable labyrinth that is near impossible to solve. The best way to approach the issue, no matter the applicant, is to keep confidence in your passions and let the dice fall where they were meant to fall. As a high school senior finally closing my experience with college admissions, I wish all of our high school readers the best of luck. Remember, do not be afraid to follow your dreams, but be prepared to work harder than you have ever thought possible at the same time.

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FEMALE INFANTICIDE: A global women’s issue

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by Prathusha Yeruva

Female infanticide is the deliberate killing of

female babies through gender-selective abortions or various, gruesome techniques hours or days after birth. There are nearly 200 million girls “missing” because of female infanticide. The gendercide mostly occurs in China and India, because of some seemingly “cultural” reasons. In China, because of the country’s one child policy, males are seen as more beneficial to the family, so families prefer to raise male children instead. In India, female infanticide occurs because of cultural practices like dowry- when a family has to pay to marry off their daughters, so families seem to see economic promise in only having sons.

In order to take action against female infanticide, it is important to understand where this issue stems from and what sorts of “ideologies” have contributed to the deep divide between girls and boys in countries such as India.

A boy is seen as an economic opportunity, whereas a girl is seen as an economic liability. This social norm delves into the gender roles of the country, which also need to be abolished. Women in poverty stricken areas are likely to participate in female infanticide because girls are perceived as more difficult to raise. Since the mothers don’t want their daughters to lead poor lives like them, they often feel as if their newborn daughters would be better off dead.

The sole act of female infanticide is horrifying, but it also creates many problems for society as a whole. There have been imbalances between the number of men and women, so this causes a lot of issues that don’t allow society to function as it usually would. These types of problems often stem toward violence against women.

There is legislation that is aimed work against female infanticide, however this problem seems to be so prominent that it isn’t actually effective.

Female infanticide is so culturally rooted into some places that the government can’t do much about it, since it often occurs behind closed doors.

However, there is still hope. There are many advocates for the removal of this practice from society, both in South Asia and the rest of the world, and they stage protests that demand more government involvement and the education of women in poorer places.

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SMALL YOUTUBE

DOING BIG THINGS

by Jem San Pedro 42

Youtubers are rapidly taking over the entertainment industry from television to film production to content creation. Since creation in 2005, Youtube’s statistics have only been growing. There are many unheard personalities, content creators and vloggers that create videos every day within the platform but only some are recognized world-wide. This community of Youtubers has made a name for themselves: Small Youtube. Here are 5 incredible faces from Small Youtube that you should check out!

JRALLI JR was born and raised in Canada. Through his passion for film making, photography, and international adventures, he has made Youtube his full-time job. During his childhood, he practiced making action films with his friends, which has led him to create bigger pictures for the world to see and learn from.

NEWAGECREATIVES New Age Creators is a collaboration channel that consists of 5 different youtubers around the globe: OrinsEyes, Ana Marta, Chase vs Everything, Croque’s Corner, and newest member, Marie Jacquemin. From different walks of life, these amazing vloggers and content creators make heart-warming and calm videos that are simultaneously full of life. They speak their minds and stand out in the most minimalistic way.

MARINASHUTUP Interested in feminism, social equality and overall interest in helping the world become a better? Check out Marina Watanabe! She has changed many people’s outlook on life’s greatest dilemmas by bravely speaking against the world’s biggest problems, such as stereotypes and feminist oppression. She points out everyone’s hypocrisy with the goal to teach people the right way to be human. She is nearly an angel sent from Heaven.

LUNCHCLUBCOLLAB Lunch Club is a comedy collaboration channel that puts the talent and spirit of the Asian Community back on the map. Asian representation is fading in the global media, thus the Lunch Club serves Asian culture with a bang to demonstrate its greatness. The collaboration channel consists of 6 individuals: Maddie Hah, JoshHasTime, Jem, G. Yee, ilikealison, & Varun Gupta. They post videos every day of the week with new themes and with special guests every Sunday.

ASHANTE THE ARTIST Ahsante is most famous for her school advice videos. Starting from her biggest hit video entitled ‘Harvard Freshman Year’ as a project to show incoming college freshmen a quick glimpse of how, why, what college is and how you could survive through all of it. It’s always good to learn insights from a college student, especially how different college is from high school and how adulthood comes so quickly. Ahsante is like a big sister showing you the ropes of adulthood and more.

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LIVE.LEARN.LISTEN. The revolution to cultural podcasts is on its way.

Tune-in starts in May. We hope to jam out with you. www.herculture.org 44

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by Nikki Camera

WHO TOOK THE “WORKERS” OUT OF INTERNATIONAL [WORKING] WOMEN’S DAY? On March 8th, the world celebrated International Women’s Day, which the UN defines as a day when women are “recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political.” This “recognition” implies historical achievements, or an appreciation for women and our work towards progress. Unfortunately, IWD (International Women’s Day) has been celebrated more like a “Mother’s Day” or “Valentine’s Day” where someone is appreciated and observed rather than empowered and supported. This is contrary to the the intentions of IWD’s founders and the history behind it.

There is much more to International Women’s Day than is apparent in the media.

In actuality, the first International Women’s Day was designated and celebrated by The Socialist Party of America in 1909. The party created this day to honor the women of a garment workers’ strike by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union in the same year, and was initially called “International Working Women’s Day.” This union was particularly notable, for it was the first union with a primarily female membership. The union was extremely successful when it came to mass strikes, gaining members as they continuously won demands from their bosses. As the membership grew, strikes became bigger and drew attention from all over the country; this included “the Uprising of 20,000” that lasted fourteen weeks from 1909-1910. Also, the union was primarily made up of immigrants and women, which made it one of the more diverse and powerful unions. Most labor leaders did not believe women and immigrants could organize themselves, let alone win their demands. The International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union proved that women are a revolutionary force, and The Socialist Party of America wanted to highlight that.

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It is no mistake that this history is left out every International Women’s Day. It is no mistake that “workers” have been taken out of the day’s name. Since the first International Working Women’s Day, capitalism has only grown the United States, which is inherently anti-union. We have also seen, in the last decade, the “Red Scare,” McCarthyism, the Vietnam War, and propaganda against socialism and communism. This again connects to the growth of capitalism, as socialism seeks to equally distribute according to need while capitalism encourages ruthless free-market competition.

The most powerful people in the world have gained their wealth through capitalism, which survives on the exploitation of the kind of workers the Socialist Party of America wanted to honor.

In all of its history, socialism has always sought equality for women. Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Russian Revolution, was demanding this equality as early as 1921. He writes in his piece literally titled “International Working Women’s Day” that, “you cannot draw the masses into politics without drawing in the women as well. For under capitalism the female half of the human race is doubly oppressed.” Socialism has always acknowledged women as a vital part to any sort of change or revolution. On International Working Women’s Day, the purpose was to draw attention to this potential; the day was a call to action rather than a passive appreciation. It is still relevant today to call on women to organize and fight against patriarchal oppression. We still have a long way to go in terms of equality. We are not yet at the time where we can look back and “recognize” the achievements of women. We have to take those achievements as examples of our potential when we join together and call upon our fellow humans for solidarity. We have to keep going because our fight is far from over.

Life Lessons From the Eternal Learner “I wouldn’t say I’m perfect – nobody would. But we all want to be better at this game called life, so here are five tips to make getting by easier from someone who’s still learning herself.”

by Radhika Sharma

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Accepting Myself

People Will Hate You

This has been a huge issue with me for a very long time. I drown my self-esteem and confidence every time I meet or speak to someone who impresses me, whether academically or otherwise. To appreciate aspects of other people’s personalities is fine, but wanting to be someone else altogether isn’t. For a long time, I hated on my shyness, my reserved nature, and the fact that I am not the chattiest person around new people or people with whom I am uncomfortable. But, as of late, I have realized that I am this way and I’m now comfortable with it. I’m neither the most social being nor do I feel like partying most of the time, but it’s OK. I love the fact that I enjoy my own company and have interests completely diverse from those of my friends, which helps me as they open me up to things I wouldn’t normally go for.

It’s a great balance.

It’s easy to know this simple fact but hard accept it and place it into your reality. It’s simple: there are people who absolutely loathe me and there are people who adore me; it’s a perfect balance which I don’t mind anymore.

Letting Go I have the horrible habit of sticking to situations and people longer than I should when things don’t work out. The sticking I am referring to is emotional and not physical (that’d be weird).

Recently, a close friend of mine turned into a stranger overnight due to reasons I still don’t know.

I was shocked and I pondered the reasons why it happened, to the point of obsessing over it and ultimately feeling confused and betrayed. But soon enough, I got over it. It’s okay to not have an explanation or a reason. People sometimes don’t care and their actions are enough to bring that into light; you don’t always need words. Unfortunately, I am very reliant on words and often miss out on actions. Eventually I realized how much time I was wasting on a matter that was over the minute it occurred. I couldn’t be happier once that extra load was off.

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Family Comes First Don’t neglect it and don’t take it for granted no matter how easily you get caught up with romantic relationships, friends, work, school, or stress. Your family will always be your biggest strength, your backbone, the people who will love you through thick and thin so I suggest that you remember this and give them the love, respect and attention that they deserve. At the end of the day, family is all we have.

Recognize the Bad Stuff: Don’t Ignore It I get intimidated and impressed too easily, I rush into things and I dig my own grave more often than not. Those are some of my flaws and it helps to know them. Until you recognize them, you won’t work towards improving them so get to know yourself and be your own critic and motivator. It is alright to ignore your flaws sometimes, but knowing your weaknesses, accepting them, and working with them can help you achieve a strength that nothing else can provide. It will make you more self assured, confident, and aware of who you are and what you stand for while also allowing you to recognize your limits and capabilities.

The History of Feminism

by Harika Kottakota in collaboration with Sabrina Bajwa

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1 GIRL, 3 CULTURES,

by Jem San Pedro

1 MILLION ADJUSTMENTS

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by Harika Kottakota

Today, women’s empowerment has become

omniprescent, constantly featured in the eyes of the global public through media outlets.

Organizations such as United Nations Women, the Nobel Women’s Initiative, Global Citizen, the Central Asia Insitute, Malala Fund, among many others, continue to move foward in women’s issues in health, education, social liberties, and gender equality. Vanguards like Malala Yousafzai spearhead powerful campaigns that advocate for empowerment of girls and children through the means of education while survivors such as Nadia Murad are relentlessly pushing for international awareness of the horrendous plights of women in war-torn and terrorist-invaded areas.

Yet, where did all these social movements stem from? Where could we trace back to the root of feminism, the idea that women are naturally equal beings and do not deserve to be socially marginalized by patriarchy? As most human phenomena, feminism began within the tangled ravines of philosophy.

The roots of feminism take us all the way back to Simone de Beauvoir, who is considered the preeminent feminist philosopher. In her essays examining the social marginalization of women, Beauvoir stipulated that although women and men are born as natural equals, societal constructs

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hinder women. In her philosophical theories, Beauvoir championed the idea of what is now called feminism. She constantly argued that women are regarded as “The Other” in society and that females must be empowered in order to reach a world of maximum potential. Not only were her ideas extremely novel at the time and became widely regarded, Simone herself lead an independent life to demonstrate her philosophy.

Today, we can thank Simone for her amazing tenacity in the male-dominated field of philosophy (during her contemporary time period). The fact that feminism has now become such a momentous area of social activism is owed to Simone de Beauvoir’s philosophy in combating the label of “The Other” on women everywhere. Although Simone did not live to see her philosophy reach fruition, as we step into the future, the world is slowly transforming with her principles—either consciously or unconsciously.

“The fact that feminism has now become such a momentous area of social activism is owed to Simone de Beauvoir’s philosophy in combating the label of ‘The Other’ on women everywhere.”

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by Sabrina Bajwa “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people” This sentiment beautifully articulated by feminist Marie Shear, illustrates the complexities and struggle our nation has faced throughout history in addressing gender equality. While the early part of the 20th century failed to recognize the fight for equal rights for women, by the mid 1900s, women began to demand equality in both the private and the public spheres. Substantive changes in gender equality included an increased participation of women in the workforce, politics, and education, along with a revolutionary transformation of gender roles in the home.

Although this period had a consequential and positive impact in moving the needle forward regarding gender equality, discrimination in the workplace, the dual mother/work burden and persistent sexist ideologies still continue to plague women today.

At the turn of the century, the movement for women’s rights across North America mobilized support from thousands of women and called for equality with men, particularly in the political sphere. William O’Neill, a professor and writer of American History at Rutgers University, argued that at the end of the 19th century, social settlements, originally created to facilitate interdependence between the poor and the rich in a community, were responsible for the popularity of the growing women’s movement. Originally led by women, the settlements encouraged education and promoted the increased participation of women in society. Although the settlements deteriorated at the end of the 19th century, they were a useful segway into 20th century feminism.

At a time both in the United States when women were governed by their marital status, had no right to control their reproduction, had no separate legal standing in court, no suffrage, and could not hold office or serve on juries, the modern feminist movement appealed to and united women across North America to demand equality once and for all.

This first major change in gender equality was an increase in the participation of women in the workforce throughout the 20th century. At the turn of the century, less than twenty percent of

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women worked outside of the home, due to the common belief that a woman’s sole purpose was to pro-create. However, this soon changed, and according to Ruth Weinclaw, a sociology researcher, women started demanding acceptance into the workplace. This trend continued during World War I; as men were sent away from the US and Canada to fight in Europe, women slowly entered the workforce, taking over their husband’s businesses or working in factories to manufacture goods for the war. However, after the end of this war, women left the workforce as the men returned to re-assume their roles. Furthermore, throughout the 1930’s Great Depression era, women found themselves as the head of the family while their husbands traveled struggling to find work. This inspired a new sense of independence in women that continued throughout the rest of the 20th century. As a result, during the 1940s, women steadily increased their participation in the labor force and by of the end World War II, six million women who had never worked outside of the home were employed in factories; in response to government propaganda, such as Rosie the Riveter’s “We can do it” poster, many volunteered with the Red Cross, drove ambulances, sold war bonds, and spotted airplanes for the Civil Defense.

Women enjoyed the freedom and opportunities that their jobs provided them. Consequently, when men returned home after World War II, many women decided to continue to work, instead of retreating back to the home as they had done previously. Thus, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, women’s presence in the workplace increased exponentially, and women made up forty-five percent of the labor force.

These women created a new labor force known as the “part-time workforce”. This trend continued into the 1990s, and by 1995, as many as two-thirds of the new generation of pre-school children had two working parents. Unfortunately, many of these jobs were only entry-level, low paying jobs that required little or no education.

Consequently, even though the early 20th century saw greater participation of women in the workforce, occupational segregation was actually at the same levels as it had been at the end of the 19th century, with women limited to factory, labor, or domestic work.

However, as the 20th century progressed, according to Eschel Rhoodie, a South African civil servant and civil rights author, more opportunities opened up for women in the workforce; women pursued alternatives to employment in factories, and began working as service workers. Moreover, Congress’ passage of Title XI in 1972, requiring universities to open their law, medical, business, and science programs up to women resulted in women’s increased participation in higher education and opportunities to pursue professional employment.

Nevertheless, it can be argued that although women gained access to higher education, their continued dominance in part time employment and in traditionally “female” fields such as teaching, social work, nursing, and secretarial duties led to what Gilda Berger, a women’s rights researcher, called the era of “pink collar” jobs.

Unfortunately, two thirds of women who worked in these “pink collar” jobs were still paid low wages and received minimal benefits. This was primarily because of the widely held view that women were inherently best suited to stay at home and lacked the intellect necessary to work in what were perceived as “male” jobs. It should be noted that this belief continues to negatively impact women today. Currently, only one-fifth of women hold managerial job positions, and occupational segregation, especially in the STEM fields, still exists. Eighty-percent of working women are still stuck in “female” service jobs, and less than onepercent are corporate managers. Moreover, women are still only paid 79 cents for every dollar their male counterpart receives. This is likely due to the persisting negative stereotype that women are still perceived as the “weaker” sex - incapable or unwilling to work and contribute on the same level as men.

Along with their increased participation in the workforce, women also began to play a much larger role in the political sphere after obtaining suffrage. A poster from the Women’s Suffrage Party of New York indicates that women justified their need for suffrage by arguing that in a country built upon democracy, it was only fair for women to have a say in the government. In contrast to women in England who had been granted suffrage in the 19th century, in 20th century America, suffrage was only guaranteed in four states:

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Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho. In a letter, Susan B. Anthony, one of the leaders of the suffrage movement, wrote that women will and must have “faith till the end”. She was not exaggerating; Alice Paul, founder of the Congressional Union, organized a march to argue for passage of the Suffrage Bill and mobilized women across America. Although the Suffrage Bill was rejected in Congress, a growing number of women continued to advocate for their rights, taking part in numerous protests and grassroots movements.

Eventually their efforts paid off; in 1910, Washington granted women suffrage and soon afterwards, California, Oregon, Arizona, and Kansas followed suit. A national victory finally came as Congress ratified the Nineteenth Amendment, an amendment that finally gave women the right to vote. However, feminist leaders were still not satisfied. After all, as Lucinda Robb wrote in her essay, “The Suffrage Movement's Lessons for Democracy”, “the vote alone should never be the goal; the goal is what you can do with the vote”. Throughout the latter portion of the 20th century, the right to vote opened the door for women to enter the political sphere. From more active participation in grassroots movements, to running for office, and becoming political activists, women enhanced their presence in the political arena. For example, Organizations like the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and National Congress of Mothers began to track political activities, while many women began writing letters to congressmen and publishing columns in the newspapers about their political opinions. In the late 20th century, women also became more involved in political office itself; the Carter administration was the first administration to include two women in its cabinet, and by 1978, two women had already become state governors. Thus, because of the suffrage movement, women have not only become actively engaged in the political process, but their roles as civil servants, judges, governors, representatives, inspectors, and clerks have resulted in women gaining the political skills necessary to become more effective advocates, and leaders in this realm.

However, it should be noted that even today, there are far fewer women holding elected positions in the local, state, and federal governments than their male counter-parts, and far less have been appointed to serve in the judiciary, most notably, The Supreme Court, which is still dominated by men. In fact, it is surprising that in a democracy such as ours that espouses equality and fairness, that it took until the 21st century for a woman to run for the highest office in the land!

In addition to gaining increased political rights and access, throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, women have also experienced greater personal autonomy concerning their reproductive freedoms; the birth control movement guaranteed women safe access to birth control, and abortions rights cemented the idea that a women had autonomy over her own body. In the beginning of the 20th century, Margaret Sanger, a nurse from New York, led the call for women’s reproductive freedoms.

Motivated by her experiences in working with poor families in New York, she tried to distribute birth control information, considered illegal under the Comstock Act. A 1917 study from the New York Department of Health, said that of 464 women in one survey, 202 had abortions, which at this time were extremely unsafe. Determined to put an end to unsafe abortions, Sanger pioneered the birth control movement.

As the 20th century progressed, contraception became commonplace, especially during the Great Depression Era. This was due to economic difficulties preventing families from having many children. Therefore, many marriages were delayed and fertility rates declined. However, this trend dramatically changed; in the 1940s, the Selective Service Act during World War II outlined that fathers did not have to be part of the draft. This led to an increase in the number of births, and as a result, more demand for legal contraception. In the 1960s, the birth control pill became legal during the Griswold v Connecticut Supreme Court Case.

This encouraged a much-needed separation between pro-creation and sex. This increase in reproductive autonomy came as a result of a change in mindset as more people believed that women should be able to control their own reproductive functions. This expansion in reproductive autonomy culminated with the passage of the 1973 Roe v Wade case that legalized

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abortion nationwide in the United States.In contrast to the previous period in which women had no reproductive rights, this paradigm shift symbolized greater sexual freedom and personal autonomy for women. Nevertheless, even though a woman’s right to choose has been legally protected for many years, access to safe, low-cost abortions as well as other preventative and necessary health care services for women, has dramatically declined in recent years. Moreover, with the continued criticism and de-funding of groups like Planned Parenthood and the shutting down of many women’s health care providers who perform abortions, many women are left with the reality that “choice” is merely a term that is enshrined in legislation, and has nothing to do with the reality on the ground.

Throughout history, women have also experienced a significant shift in their roles as wife and mother, as gender roles have also been altered to accommodate working women. Beginning in the early 1900s, “Victorianism” became archaic, and the image of the “passive and submissive housewife” crumbled. Changing views allowed for women to go out in public to movies, plays, and even amusement parks – places where they previously would not have been seen. Because women started taking an interest in their rights and demanded equality with men, the Victorian code of sex segregation was destroyed. As the century progressed, and more women began working outside of the home, it became the norm for women to contribute to the family income.

Because of women’s increased economic autonomy, the notion that a woman was subordinate to her husband also came under question and attack; laws such as no-fault divorce and marital rape being criminalized were enacted which further demonstrated the changing narrative surrounding gender equality.

According to Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, a women’s rights researcher, as the 21st century loomed near, many North Americans even argued that men should be responsible for more domestic tasks and that there should be a genuine partnership between men and women. Although it can be stated that women have experienced greater freedoms in the home and in their roles as wife and mother, the reality is that sexist ideologies still persist. Women continue to be sexualized

and objectified, especially in the media, and their clothing, behavior, and past sexual history remain unnecessarily relevant and is dissected in cases of sexual assault. Furthermore, women are still plagued by the dual mother/work burden; men are paid approximately eighteen percent more in equivalent jobs, and many US companies have no family leave or childcare programs, leaving women to juggle their ever-challenging responsibilities both inside and outside of the home.

In the end, although the words of an old television commercial tell women that 'you've come a long way, baby,' the reality is that as a society, we still have a long way to go before we truly have gender equality.� Despite the significant changes made over the 20th century such as the granting of suffrage to women, reforms to ensure equality in the workplace, and the protection for women in the home against domestic violence and abuse, women have still not achieved complete equality with men. Moreover, the continuation of sexist ideologies and stereotypes in our society still plays a critical role in disempowering women. Until our country recognizes the pervasive and on-going reality of gender inequality and makes an honest commitment to pursue consequential and substantive reform in this arena, true equality for all women will never become realized.

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Credit: Kelly Simpson

by Danyelle Carter

BLACK GIRLS IN GOVERNMENT: EDUCATING BLACK GIRLS TO BECOME ELECTED OFFICIALS As a young girl, I was encouraged to become a teacher, a doctor, or a lawyer. I was never encouraged to become a Representative, a Senator, or a President of the United States of America.

In fifth grade, I was elected the class representative of room 17 at North Miami Elementary -- the first Black and female to hold this position. My teacher even called me “incredibly special” as she handed me a plastic gavel. Back then I had no idea what she meant, but on my journey to find a woman of color working in government to be my mentor, I soon discovered the meaning behind her words.

I didn’t consider myself “incredibly special” for having an interest in advocating for others, but maybe I was special because I decided to campaign to be the class rep when no other ten-year-old Black girl had before.

Since fifth grade, I’ve served on numerous student councils or student government associations; I even served as a district student government association president to 28 college campuses. I enjoyed being able to represent others on the issues we cared for, spending late afternoons organizing and early mornings mobilizing, and, above all, making a difference.

While I had been in student government for the majority of my life, held leadership roles in Model United Nations and Democrats of America, and was empowered by a mother who told me that I could do anything I set my mind to, I fell short when it came to believing in myself. When I came to Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college, I learned of a certain Spelman Alumna: Stacy Abrams. Abrams is the House Minority Leader for the Georgia General Assembly and State Representative for the 89th House District.

Shortly after, I searched the internet for others like her.

Each day, I found more: Black assemblywomen, councilwomen, and congresswomen. I couldn’t believe it. So on 10 August 2015, I bought the domain BlackGirlsInGovernment.com so that I could build a platform for other Black girls to see themselves the way

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I saw myself and my potential reflected in Stacy Abrams.

Since 1917, when Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana became the first woman to serve in Congress, a total of 313 women have served as U.S. representatives, delegates, or senators. Since Hawaii Representative Patsy Mink’s election in 1964, more than 50 women of color have served in the U.S. Congress.

All of these women served in the U.S. House, with the exception of Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, who served only in the U.S. Senate (1993–1999). With her election to the U.S. Senate in 2012, Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii became the first woman of color to serve in both chambers.

In January, I moved to Washington, D.C. to intern in the office of Congresswoman Marcia Fudge and used this time to focus on building Black Girls in Government. Black Girls in Government is a national initiative that promotes, broadens, and cultivates civic engagement and leadership among Black girls and makes Black elected officials visible to the next generation. I want to inspire them to become Black female lawmakers who look like their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers.

The Black Girls in Government website and social media channels are resources to help all of us teach Black girls about Black female leadership and civic engagement. In the coming weeks, the BGiG’s application for schools, organizations, and associations interested in having a BGiG Ambassador speak to their students will open on BlackGirlsInGovernment.com.

BGiG Ambassadors will provide presentations on Black women in congress, Black state governors and legislators, Black mayors, women in the Selma Movement, and Black women in the Suffrage Movement.

My ultimate vision with Black Girls in Government is to see Black girls I’ve educated and empowered go on to be class council and student government association presidents to women in the House and Senate, creating a more inclusive point of view of America.

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DON’T STOP THE CHANGE: PAKISTANI WOMEN FIGHT FOR PROTECTION

by Shaye DiPasquale

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Pakistan is the world’s third most dangerous country in the world due to the prominence of acid attacks, domestic abuse cases and economic discrimination between groups of people. Last month in Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab, the Women’s Protection Act was passed to grant women with legal protection from sexual, domestic and psychological violence. This act also called upon the local government to create a toll-free abuse reporting hotline along with women’s shelters and district-level panels to investigate any reports of abuse or mistreatment. In terms of offenders, the act mandates the use of GPS bracelets to keep track of any and all registered sex offenders.

When the law was initially created, numerous human rights groups were very welcoming of its passage. But as various clerics call for its retraction, the excitement surrounding the law’s passage as gradually disappeared. Since the law’s passage, many Pakistani religious leaders have denounced it because they feel that it contradicts the Muslim holy book, the Quran as well as the Pakistani constitution. Many conservatives fear that this law will feed into what they view as an inundation of Western culture that will destroy the Pakistani family system.

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Recently, an all-parties conference was organized by Pakistan’s oldest Islamic political party, the Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam. Representatives from some of the religious groups in attendance called upon the government to retract the “unIslamic” law for giving female victims of violence unprecedented protection. Fazlur Rehman, the chief of one of the largest religious parties in Pakistan, has said that Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had promised him at a meeting that he would address the reservations of religious parties in regards to the Women’s Protection Act. Rehman told journalists that the Pakistani Prime Minister promised to amend the law so that it would not violate the teachings of the holy Koran.

Previously, the Council of Islamic Ideology, a powerful religious body in Pakistan that advises the government on the compatibility of various laws with Islam, declared the Women’s Protection Act un-Islamic.

It is unfortunate that so many powerful leaders and religious groups are in opposition to the Women’s Protection Law. This law has the potential to ignite great change for women in Pakistan, if it is simply given a chance.

TOP FIVE PLACES FOR WILDLIFE SPOTTING

by Shubhavi Arya

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BOTSWANA Botswana is famous for its various ecosystems, and there’s more than one way to explore the country’s wildlife. Besides sport-tracking with a four-wheel drive, you can also enjoy stunning views of Botswana’s salt pans and savannahs by going on a mokoro (a traditional dug-out canoe). Some places you shouldn’t miss include the Chobe countrywide Park, home to the country’s largest herd of elephants, and the Okavango Delta, a remarkable wetland region. Botswana boasts several world-class hotels and luxury campsites, some of which are found in the heart of the African desert.

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SOUTH AFRICA What distinguish South Africa from other African nations are the country’s metropolitan cities. Besides flora and fauna safaris, South African cities also boast a wealth of ethnic history and a cosmopolitan culture. Kruger National Park, the country’s biggest and most diverse safari reserve, is home to all of Africa’s Big Five – the African lion, Cape buffalo, African elephant, White/Black rhinoceros and the African leopard. Other malaria-free safari parks include KwaZulu Natal, Madikwe Recreation Reserve and the Waterberg.

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MADAGASCAR Some 65 million years ago, this African island broke off from the Gondawana supercontinent, and the flora and fauna of Madagascar developed in isolation.

Thus, most of the island’s plant and animal species are unique in the world.

Dozens of species of lemur, Madagascar’s most iconic animal, inhabit the island’s forests. One can also find many types of marine species living in the island’s coral reefs.

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BORNEO Borneo is without doubt one of the most ecologically diverse island on the earth. Not only does it contain hundreds of plant and animal species, but it also harbors one of the oldest rain forests in the world. Apes, elephants, rhinos, flying squirrels, and sluggish lorises are just some examples of extraordinary mammals found in Borneo. Scientists and biologists keep discovering new species in Borneo almost every month.

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TANZANIA A nation bursting with unspoiled landscapes, Tanzania has some of the most coveted flora and fauna observing spots in Africa. At daybreak, as the mist lifts, you can see the silhouettes of elephants, rhinoceros, lions and buffalos against the red morning sky. One thing you must do when in Tanzania is take a trip to the Serengeti National Park to witness the spectacular wildebeest migration. Whether you’re looking for a luxury safari or a basic one, you’re definitely spoilt for choice in Tanzania.

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by Anjali Patel

COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES ARE THE FUTURE Although high school students in the United States currently stress over AP exams, class rank, and GPA, these aspects prove to be of little significance in comparison to other factors. Considering how fast technology is advancing, it is merely impossible to prepare students for future jobs through reading a textbook that will be outdated before they even graduate college. New information is being released faster than the human brain can process.

This phenomenon did not strike me until I met my friend’s younger sibling who is in middle school studying geometric terms. Although by the eighth grade I had already learned the basics of geometry, my friend’s sister was learning about mathematical concepts that I had never even heard of until the sophomore year of high school. Across the United States, many elementary school students are expected to research various topics and write reports on them. They are also taught how to use laptops and smartphones. If one understands how to use these devices, any information is extremely easy to obtain. Therefore, it makes sense that the later generations will learn more from an early age.

Throughout their lives, they will possess more facts about the world compared to their elders.

With all of these advancements, it seems that the world is naturally progressing. However, high school students are still spending a tremendous amount of time stressing over and studying for SATs and AP exams. Subjects tested under these exams do contain information that could be important for the individual, but it is not necessary to have children spending hours memorizing a formula. The future is composed of collective ideas. Scholars could and should be spending that valuable time to brainstorm ideas and work together to come up with solutions to various global issues. In reality, people can easily look up a formula on their smartphones and electronic devices whenever they need it. It is what they will do with that formula and

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how they will use it that holds greater significance.

Creativity and dedication to a specific cause is something public education should be putting emphasis on, rather than demanding students to memorize a series of facts that one could easily look up within seconds if he or she forgets a particular detail.

It is worth noting, however, that some schools have already started taking a larger initiative to instill collaborative and creative assignments to stimulate ideas, both in the classroom and in after-school clubs. These programs are meant to encourage students to come up with ideas and ways to contribute to the community. For example, future engineers and students interested in improving the environment can join the eco-friendly club. These clubs offer the perfect environment in which students can think of ways to help the world and put these ideas into practice. However, excessive schoolwork limits the many ideas and innovative projects that could emerge from such sessions. Since high schoolers have to focus more on their homework and getting good grades, ideas tend to get blocked off and put to the side.

At the same time, there are a lot of notable young students who are implementing their ideas, and the number of young entrepreneurs is on the rise. It is not impossible to accomplish these goals, but the workload that a high school or college student is required to do places a tremendous obstacle on the slower but perhaps more creative individuals.

As a long term goal, schools should revise their examination procedures and introduce assessments based on projects and presentations. Grades should be earned on creativity, how well ideas are presented, and how well a student’s ideas and proposals can be implemented. Thankfully, some schools are already focusing on this effective method of assessment, and we can only hope that many others will follow suit.

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Why You Should Read Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Saraji

by Anjali Patel

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Everyone is aware that reading a good book has the power to transport us to another setting.

This seems to be the case whether one is referring to living in a society of multiple factions, embarking on an adventure with the good old Tom Sawyer, or simply resting on a rooftop in Iran.

We all have different preferences when it comes to reading fiction. Although it is typically assumed that teenagers like books such as Divergent and The Hunger Games, I personally prefer something a little more universal. As I was searching the internet for a good novel to read, I stumbled upon Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji. I was drawn to the title and immediately decided to order the book. Once the novel arrived, I started reading it straightaway and managed to finish the book in less than two weeks.

Rooftops of Tehran is a story about the narrator, Pasha, his best friends, and how he ends up falling in love with his neighbor, Zari. However, Zari is already supposed to marry another man whom everyone in the book calls “Doctor”. This makes it even more difficult for Pasha since Doctor is in fact a good friend of his. At the same time, however, something terrible occurs, leaving a gray cloud above the entire neighborhood and all of the characters. Here are a couple of reasons of why you should read this book.

It takes place in Iran This story is set in Iran prior to the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Therefore readers can pick up on a lot of Iran’s history and government. This aspect plays a major role in the plot and may even encourage one to do further research into Iran’s history and culture. In the United States, stories that take place in these types of nations do not have a place in mainstream media. History across the Middle East is also typically not as discussed in school compared to American and European history. Learning about a region, its people, and old traditions that are often overlooked or underemphasized is necessary in order to truly develop a global perspective.

It’s humorous Everyone enjoys a good chuckle. In the story, Pasha is pressured by his father to go to the United States to study and become an engineer.

Throughout the book Western culture is often brought up in conversation and comparison. One part of the novel was actually referring to how in America, children are taught how to survive on

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their own and how independence is strongly embedded in the culture. From a western perspective, I thought the way the characters were talking about the country was quite funny. It reminds us that what we perceive across the world could be distant from the actual truth. The witty enjoyable comments are also shared through humorous jokes between Pasha and his best friend, Ahmed. The book is filled with numerous funny quotes that might inspire one to use them in conversation.

There is a strong sense of friendship In the story, Ahmed spends a lot of time with his best friend, Ahmed. They also become close with two girls, Zari and Faheemeh. Their strong friendship is portrayed through the good times they had during the summer at each other’s houses, the rooftops, and outside in the ally. Their friendship is also depicted during times of tragedy and dreadful action. They have always been there for each other, supporting each other, and helping one another in good times and bad. This universal relationship is incredibly ingrained into the novel.

If there is one message that one should take from this book, it is to understand the value of friends and how important it is to preserve that relationship.

Pasha’s statements and quotes are worth the read Earlier I mentioned how this book is filled with humorous quotes. This story is also filled with quotes that dare to ask about some of the planet’s most contemplated questions. The main character and narrator, Pasha is very well read and often talks about his observations of the world and the way it works. Some of these quotes are so distinct that it makes us want to alter or embellish our previous views. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book by Mahbod Seraji.

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THANK YOU! Thanks so much for reading Her Culture's 15th magazine issue. Without a community of dedicated, sophisticated, culture-enthusiastic women, we would not be where we are today.

To keep up with all the latest news and culture stories, please visit www.herculture.org.

Special thanks to: the Mulloy family, the Miller family, issuu.com, Alexis Neuville, Matt Maggio, Neelam Patel, Tuhfa Begum, Dakshayani Shankar, World Reader, The Prospect, MissHeard Magazine, Luna Luna Magazine, Humans of Vietnam, The Wannabe Scientist, Hello Perfect, New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Molly and Fox Magazine, The Fem Lit Magazine, H.E.R

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