feminism

Pinky Violence: Shock, Awe, and Liberation in Japanese Exploitation Films

Matt Kennedy

These films are still considered exploitation films in the same sense that most 1980s  horror and comedy films from the U.S. can also be categorized as exploitation. They have nudity, violence, and sometimes even torture and bondage, but what separates the Toei films from their lesser  competitors are the victories achieved by the protagonists – often against incredible adversity, and invariably with a social message.

The Role of Feminism in Action Movies

Megan Walsh

It is unequivocally a good thing that feminism is at the forefront of the public mind, and that media is being held accountable for failing female narratives. There has been a definite clamor for more female-led projects, particularly in regard to popular mainstream films, most especially action movies, considering they are currently dominating the market. With such a suffusion of films dealing in similar subject matters, it's hard not to notice that they've been telling the same stories for years, and those stories all revolve around white men.

Is Krista Heflin the New Face of Feminism?

Stephanie Stark

Heflin— who asks that most of the details about her personal information be withheld because of the many threats she is faced with— says that contrary to the speculation from most, her ideals are not products from traumatic personal experiences. Instead, she says it’s based on the simple desire to make men safer in order to create a better world.  “A great deal of violence is carried out against men, by other men... and even some women,” she says “Most documented crime and violence is, and has essentially always been, male-on-male or male-on-female.”

Miley Cyrus’ Sexual Politics

Mary Kinney

 Cyrus came from the world of Disney, growing up as Hannah Montana, and was supposedly contractually obligated to keep her hair long. The VMAs has historically been a breeding ground for “shocking” sexual stage work. Cyrus’s twerking was definitely sexual, but was it sexy? She came out of a bear and stuck her tongue out: the statement wasn’t sexy, but the gesture of sex in pop culture will, almost without fail, make audiences’ jaws drop

What Would Gloria Steinem Think?

Nancy Lackey Shaffer

When Gawker Media’s Jezebel debuted in 2007, its mix of pop culture and feminist snark garnered some 10 million monthly page views, stealing thunder (and traffic) from its parent site, Gawker.com. At the same time, statistics showed that women were surpassing men in terms of Internet usage. Women were going online in unprecedented amounts, and the public was starting to notice. Women continue to use the Internet as a tool for organizing and discourse, largely through blogs and social media sites.

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