feminism Archives - Queen's Journal

Girlbossing too close to the sun

Written on February 4, 2022. Posted in Lifestyle.

Since the eruption of the #girlboss era, I’ve seen the term emerge as a driving force for feminism and die as a meme making fun of a capitalist-propagated attempt for equality. Sophia Amoruso, CEO and founder of NastyGal, coined the term ‘girlboss’ in 2014. It was defined by corporate success and...

We should all do our best to be chivalrous

Written on July 26, 2021. Posted in Lifestyle, Student Life.

As a feminist, I’ve always wondered if chivalry exists anymore, and whether or not accepting and appreciating it conflicts with my moral compass. I believe that all working individuals—women, genderfluid, and non-binary individuals alike—should receive the same pay for the same job, but that shouldn’t...

What we can learn from ‘Not All Men’ but 97 per cent of women

Written on April 8, 2021. Posted in Lifestyle.

This article discusses sexual assault and may be triggering for some readers. The Journal uses “survivor” to refer to those who have experienced sexual assault. We acknowledge this term is not universal. The Kingston Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour crisis and support phone line can be reached at 613-544-6424...

The integrity of women’s sports must be made a priority

Written on April 2, 2021. Posted in Opinions.

Sports have never been played on an even field. For college basketball fans, March is synonymous with March Madness. All Division 1 teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) compete in the revered championship tournament. Coverage usually consists of the highlights. However, the...

Men should be feminists, but not just for themselves

Written on March 12, 2021. Posted in Editorials.

Anyone who considers themselves a feminist must be actively participating in dismantling misogyny in all its forms, not just those which directly impact them. This standard has to extend to men in feminism as well. Many of the pieces I’ve read encouraging men to support feminism make their appeal...

Burger King doesn’t care about you, but neither do other marketers

Written on March 12, 2021. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

On International Women’s Day this past Monday, Burger King UK tweeted “Women belong in the kitchen.” Its goal was to promote its new culinary scholarships for women. The chain apologized and took down the tweet after public backlash. The funniest part of this entire debacle is that all this professional...

The MCU is finally making strides in women representation

Written on March 9, 2021. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Last week, when I opened Disney+, I was met with a banner promoting Captain Marvel with the caption “Celebrate International Women’s Day.” I was infuriated. Not only was I frustrated because, as many critics have articulated, Captain Marvel isn’t a groundbreaking feminist film—and it doesn’t celebrate...

In global politics, this fall feels like a step backward for women

Written on November 13, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard someone use the word ‘feminist’ as an insult. I’ve been told feminism is greedy, it oppresses men, it’s obsolete. We have the vote—what more could we possibly want? I’m exhausted by the narrative that women in North America have achieved perfect, utopian...

Barbie is a feminist, and she always has been

Written on October 2, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle.

Girls start to feel the effects of the patriarchy from the moment they first walk through a toy aisle. Boys are encouraged to play with toys which inspire curiosity and adventurism, like LEGO or Nerf toys. Girls, on the other hand, tend to get stuck with baby dolls or kitchen sets—toys geared toward...

Reflecting on the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Written on September 25, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle.

In the 1970s, the fight to grant women equality under the US constitution was a losing one, but Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who would become a Supreme Court Justice, convinced the all-male court to take sex discrimination seriously by defending a case on a man’s right to drink beer. At the time, the women’s...

Call it what you want, “WAP” is overdue

Written on September 3, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

“WAP,” the highly anticipated collaboration between Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, has set tongues wagging over its explicit lyrics and raunchy music video. Aside from being an objective bop, Cardi and Megan’s track is making waves because it’s occupying a theme of mainstream music often reserved...

Celebrating women one day a year isn’t enough

Written on March 20, 2020. Posted in Editorials.

International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8 gives the global community a chance to acknowledge women, past and present, who have made political, economic, social, and cultural strides toward gender equity. However, when it comes to addressing the struggles women face on a day-to-day level, IWD still...

Trans-exclusionary feminism isn’t true feminism

Written on March 6, 2020. Posted in Editorials.

Feminism is for all women, not just cisgender women. In 2017, the Canadian government passed Bill C-16, which introduced human rights protections for transgender Canadians. This was a landmark decision for transgender rights, prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of gender identity and expression. This...

Campus equity groups can do better to consider the needs of those who occupy multiple oppressed identities

Written on February 7, 2020. Posted in Opinions.

In early January, Queen’s Female Leadership in Politics (QFLIP) held their fifth annual conference. If you’re unfamiliar with the conference, their website states they work “towards the intersectional empowerment of women in the political realm.” I was intrigued by their mandate, and sincerely thought...

Media should spotlight women’s successes, not gender biases

Written on January 28, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

Due to a historical lack of representation in the media to normalize their power, women face more scrutiny than men when they hold influential positions. Although there are many instances in the past where the legitimacy of a woman in power has been overtly questioned (Hillary Clinton is just one...

Little Women brings modern feminism to a familiar story

Written on January 10, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

2019 was the year of movie reboots, remakes, and questionable sequels. In a renaissance of retreading familiar stories in film, Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women proves that some stories do deserve to be retold. There’s certainly no shortage of adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little...

Calling a woman ‘badass’ isn’t empowering

Written on November 29, 2019. Posted in Editorials.

It’s counter-productive to use gendered language to reward women for their success. A recent opinion in The Guardian calls for the retirement of words like ‘badass’ and ‘gutsy’ when referring to women and their accomplishments. These terms are often used as labels to slap on influential women....

The racialized intersections of women’s rights deserve more space

Written on October 29, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Student Life.

It’s difficult enough to be a feminist, regardless of your skin colour. You’re policed and dismissed. Your frustration is interpreted as rage, and you always seem to be ‘asking for too much.’ Up until very recently, you’ve even been compared to Nazis—until, of course, internet misogynists started...

Where did all the feminism go?

Written on October 18, 2019. Posted in Features, History.

Second-wave feminist issues, like birth control and abortion, don’t have the same visibility on campus today that they had in the 70s. Last week, Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), a national anti-abortion organization held protests across Canada—including here on Queen’s campus. The event went unreported...

Educated women are pursuing ambitions, not marriages

Written on October 8, 2019. Posted in Editorials.

Of all the criticisms facing women today, the view that university-educated women’s supposed high standards destroy their chances to find love has to be among the most ridiculous. A recent column published in The Wall Street Journal saw the author disparaging the “college gender gap,” pointing to...

Female-focused research is a worthwhile investment

Written on September 17, 2019. Posted in Editorials.

Female-identifying university students have the power to generate and advocate for female-focused research on the ground level—and that’s something we should take advantage of. There’s a significant gap in modern data: research on women is severely lacking. From anthropology to biology and...

Serial Killers in television reflect a hostile society

Written on March 22, 2019. Posted in Arts, Film.

When crimes against women are sensationalized in pop culture, viewers need to step back and reassess. As an artform, TV and film are more frequently viewed than any other, and when a common theme permeates every genre, it speaks to the interests and values of the viewer. In a Feb. 11 Frieze article, entitled...

Captain Marvel shows necessity of female critics for female stories

Written on March 15, 2019. Posted in Lifestyle, Pop Culture.

This past week, Marvel released its newest film, Captain Marvel, with Brie Larson as its titular hero. And while the film’s generated a lot of hype, it’s largely been met with mixed reviews. Captain Marvel is the 21st motion picture to feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet it’s the first...

Women of colour need their own feminist narratives

Written on February 28, 2019. Posted in Editorials.

Mainstream feminism’s advocacy for equal gender rights is important, but it lacks sufficient recognition that no two women share the same experiences. Today’s “white feminism” exists without consideration of the other forms of oppression impacting women, whether as a result of sexual orientation,...

Women's magazines promote women's public health

Written on September 7, 2018. Posted in Editorials.

Women’s health and government policy go hand-in-hand. In a year that highlighted gendered abuses, women’s magazines have provided essential information. In the past year, the value of women’s magazines has become more evident than ever. The volatile political climate in the United States has seeped...

Miss America’s axed swimsuit competition sends mixed messages

Written on June 25, 2018. Posted in Lifestyle.

The recent changes to the Miss America pageant are said to mark the end of an era and spark newfound empowerment. However, these decisions may come with troubling consequences. The official Miss America Twitter account tweeted a video last week supported by the hashtag #byebyebikini. The short clip...

Other women’s successes aren’t your failures

Written on March 23, 2018. Posted in Editorials.

I firmly believe female friendships are one of the greatest gifts the world can offer. Despite their value, there’s a culture of resentment amongst women that can make it harder to form and develop relationships, be it friendly or professional. Why is this resentment such an automatic reaction to...

An introduction to Kingston’s zines

Written on March 16, 2018. Posted in Arts.

On Mar. 10, the Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre hosted the works of local artists, writers and ziners who were united by their alternative artistic sensibilities. The event presented a book club-sized gathering of amateur artists, preoccupied with eager customers from the very start of the fair. Many...

Campbell’s comments are out of touch with modern feminism

Written on March 2, 2018. Posted in Editorials.

In the past, Kim Campbell very much represented the way forward for women in Canada and continues to hold influence across the country to this day. Unfortunately, many of her ideas, such as how women should dress, haven’t aged quite as well. Former Prime Minister Kim Campbell recently admonished...

Hefner's death no loss to the feminist movement

Written on October 2, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

A person who repeatedly declares their love for women isn’t necessarily a women’s rights activist. An aggressively sexual image doesn’t equate sexual liberation or empowerment. This couldn’t be clearer than in the case of Hugh Hefner. Since his September 27 death, many have mourned Playboy magazine...

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