L. Hunt Stand up an say NO

marriage is always considered a beautiful thing. Where a man and I woman become one because of the love they share for each other, Or at least here in the united states. In Nigeria they have arranged married where your family marries you off to the highest bid. There is a young lady by the name of Balkissa Chaibou, here family had arranged for her to be married to her cousin at the age of 15. Balkissa always loved school and to study and planned on being a doctor one day. But when you are married your job is to have children and raise a family. She didn’t want to get married she wanted to fulfill her dreams in her education so she asked for help from her principal who sent her to NGO called the Centre for Judicial Assistance and Civic Action. They would help her take legal action against her father and uncle. This was a risk in her country because he if you didn’t do as they said they would threaten to kill you. She took the risk and had to move out and live in a women shelter. After the case was over they didn’t go along with the marriage. she changed her parents point of view on this issue and said they wouldn’t do arrange marriages anymore.

Balkissa fought for here right to be her own woman and achieve her goals before marriage and to find a mate suitable to her. Not many women take stand on this issue and it comes with several problems. For example, infant mortality rate, because at the age of 15 your body is not prepared to have a child so the baby dies. Not only does the child die but you are also at a much higher risk of complications. This was a good example of standing up for women’s rights. When one person stands up it give someone else the courage. If everyone stands up on an issue, then they are able to have the rights they deserve.

#standup

#Formation

#womenrights

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35464262

J. Hannah: A Lingerie Brand Offers Real Women as (Role) Models

 
For the past decade, there have been some attempts to remove airbrushing from advertising. Now, Barbie even comes in petite, tall, and curvy and more retailers are starting to use more authentic-looking women to market their products. Aerie, an intimate-apparel brand owned by American Eagle Outfitters, features women of variety body types in their marketing campaigns to promote a more positive body image. To underscore the point, the company will begin a social media campaign this week to support the National Eating Disorders Association.
This year happens to be the second year that Aerie has created ads to highlight the association’s eating disorders week. The current ads, featuring an average-size model, are aimed at the brand’s target customers — women between the ages of 15 and 25 — and are intended to heighten awareness of the perils of bulimia and other eating disorders.
The “Strong, Beautiful, Me” campaign, which happens to appear on Instagram and many other social media, is not the only instance of a company’s trying to advertise a positive body image among women. David’s Bridal, which happens to be one of the country’s largest wedding gown retailers, had cast size 14 model, Mercy Watson to advertise its average customer size in its spring bridal season ad campaign. Christian Louboutin, famous for its red-soled shoes, had recently hired a plus-size model for the first time in its two-decade history, to be the face of a social media campaign for a new lipstick. Also, for the first time ever, Sports Illustrated put plus-size model, Ashley Graham on the cover of their 2016 swimsuit issue. Graham had appeared in a Lane Bryant commercial advertising lingerie for larger women.
For more information on this article, visit:http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/22/business/media/a-lingerie-brand-offers-real-women-as-role-models.html

M.McCray: Wage Gap in Mens and Womens sports

Minnesota Linx guard Maya Moore could easily be considered the LeBron James of the WNBA. However if you were to check their bank accounts another story would be told. Despite Moore’s Status as one of the best players in the League, she brings home a measly $107,000 compared to Lebron James $22 million and that does not include endorsements. coincidence? I think not, the WNBA has an amazing product, they just don’t have the buy in from the fans and corporate america. There are no Maya Moore shoes. I cannot purchase a Diana Taurasi jersey in the WNBA store. It is rare that I even see highlights of games on Sportscenter.

The underlying root paradigm of this discussion is sexism. There is a pervasive attitude in this country that assumes women’s basketball is a lesser sport than men’s basketball, simply because it is played by women. There are descriptors used to mask that sentiment, such as the notion that the game is “less interesting,” there aren’t any dunks, it’s slower, etc.

Professional women’s basketball is in a little bit of a crisis, and it is not a very talked about phenomenon. Earlier this year, Diana Taurasi announced that she would not play this WNBA season. Taurasi, who plays overseas during the months the WNBA is not in season, accepted a deal from UMMC Eketerinburg that would effectively pay her more to not play in the WNBA. The top WNBA salary is $107,000 per season. That salary is earned, however, by more than one player on each team, with many coaches (most whom are men) making double that.  In the NBA, only the top players in the league have maximum contracts, that pay on average between 19 and 24 million dollars  per year. But even without the comparison to the NBA, it behooves WNBA stars to play overseas, where their salaries can be 12 to 15 times their WNBA salaries. Taurasi makes 1.5 million playing for UMMC. This isn’t necessarily a global women’s basketball problem — it’s an American women’s basketball problem.

What makes the WNBA great is the players. Regardless of the money overseas, the American players continue to make it a priority to come home and play for very little money, and almost no glory. They do that because they believe in the league and want to make it work. The WNBA is the longest-running professional women’s sports league in the United States. There are improvements to be made, but overall, it is a successful league. The key to that success, however, has been not just the quality of play but also the quality of athletes. I am concerned that there could be more players who follow the lead of Diana Taurasi due to the many issues highlighted by Maya Moore. That would spell disaster for the WNBA, as well as all of women’s sports.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lindseyadler/wnba-finals-2015-laurel-richie-salaries#.na9MWqaWP

 

 

J:WARE; EQUAL PAY

Researchers preformed a study on the website Ebay. They tested more than 1 million sell accounts and found women make less that men. The items compared were the exact same or similar. When it came to the bidding part of the website the final price sold would usually be higher for men and lower for women. The site doesn’t show gender but it could be determined through the user names chosen.

This proof only shows and proves that women can and do work just as hard if not harder than men for lower and unfair pay. In 2016 the issue of equal pay for equal work among the genders is still not where it should be. Women have proven that they are capable of doing the work yet haven’t received the same financial respect .

A. Fuller: No Marriage?

She said no to marriage???? How many women you see turn down a marriage. Well when you’re being forced into a marriage is different. Bakissa Chaibou is her name. A young girl at the age of 12 who had dreams of being a doctor, but that would be cut short if marriage got into the picture. Her culture is a don what the man says type of culture.

She refused to marry and decided to fight for her rights even if it involved with taking her family to court. It wasn’t just any person she was marrying. She was being forced to marry her own cousin. A family member. She was a young lady who had a passion for what she wanted to do in life and being with a man meant she wouldn’t be chasing her own dreams. She had five other sisters and the sense of her parents were if they could marry one of their children off then that’s one less mouth they had to feed. Bakissa chosed to keep fighting.

Bakissa is currently still fighting for her rights, but their not coming as easy as she wanted them to come. She made a compromise with her father that she only sees her husband once a week because of the things she wants to accomplish herself. Her family looked at her differently because they never seen a woman that weren’t interested in marriage. The people of her community judged her but that didn’t kill her spirit. It wasn’t a norm in their culture for a woman to be independent. It was something they never seen before.

 

S. Bryan: Feminist Library in Danger of Eviction

The Feminist Library is an extensive archive of Women’s Liberation Movement literature housed on Westminster Bridge Road in London. The Southwark council is threatening to close it down unless they agree to an immediate change increase in its rent from £12,000 to £30,000 a year. The Library launched a petition on Wednesday, which has already been signed by more than 30,000 people, calling on Southwark to withdraw its notice to evict on March 1st, which just so happens to be the first day of Women’s History Month.

According to Dr. Laura Schwartz, associate professor of modern British history at the University of Warwick, “the library is now the only archive in London where a wide array of feminist publications are truly accessible to the general public and available on the openshelves. “It also provides one of the few spaces in central London where women and feminist activists can come together to meet and organize for a better world. If the Feminist Library is evicted from its current premises, Southwark council will not only be guilty of cultural vandalism but also of silencing women”.

The Southwark council is completely wrong for randomly wanting them to increase the price of rent without some form of notice and for not giving them enough time to find a new venue. It’s a place that bring women of all ages and backgrounds to learn about feminism and how far women have come. The Southwark council should be supportive and proud of. It’s obvious that the Feminist Library is a historical landmark that needs to be protected at all costs.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/18/the-feminist-library-faces-eviction-after-rent-hike

A.Cooley: was justice really served?

Singer, song writer kesha appeared in court as part of her ongoing legal dispute with her producer, Dr. Luke.

Kesha filed a lawsuit against her producer, Dr. Luke in 2014. Kesha reported that her producer drugged, sexually abused, and psychologically tormented her, He denies all allegations made against him.

In a court document, The singer also claims that producer Dr. Luke had forced her to do drugs and to drink alcohol in the past.

He claims that the alligations are malicious lies and defarmatory.

In her most recent hearing, the judge denied her request to leave her deal with the producers Kemosabe records, which is owned by Sony records.

The allegations began in 2005 when the singer was only 18, a little after she signed with him.

They denied the singers request to leave the label because they claimed there was no evidence of irreparable harm.

More than 119,000 people have signed an online petition to sony music president Doug Morris to allow her to not work with her current producer, Dr. Luke.

Because of the court’s verdict, the singer will now have to continue to work with her abuser. Justice was not served.

There are three possible factors on why Kesha lost her case:
1. She is a women
2. Dr. Luke’s status and role in this society
3. Lack of evidence

Singer, Kesha may have lacked evidence but is that the only reason she lost her case?

For decades, women have been looked upon as inferior, and not equal to a man’s status. There has been many cases where a women has spoken up about their abuse and was not given the justice they really deserved.

Because of Dr. Lukes role in society, Kesha was looked at as a joke. Society and the justice system is unfair.

The courts violated her constitutional protection. Its not fair to her that she still has to work with that producer. She isn’t asking for money she just wants to get away from her abuser.

If a women is screaming abuse loud and clear and is only asking for a new producer, why not help separate her from her abusive situation.

Society fails to look at things from a women’s perspective. The singer may be traumatized and now she is forced to continue to work with the man who has cause so much hardship in her life.

In the future, when she continues to work with him and something worse ends up happening it would be the justice systems fault. They have one job and that is to protect the people of the United States of America, including women.

A lot of people can scream rape but that should give investigators a reason to dig deeper into the allegations. Simply, because she is a women of lesser value her case wasn’t taken serious in many people’s eyes.

Producer Dr. Luke may have won this case, but as women we must fight for better investigations when it deals with abuse and rape. just because a case lacks evidence doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/35618067/kesha-stopped-from-leaving-dr-luke-recording-contract

Oooh They’re Mad

After Beyoncé’s SuperBowl performance of her new released song “Formation” people have been debating all over the world about it. The sinking of the car cop with Beyoncé on top is really the cause of debate. Apparently to police officers and those who support the Blue Lives Matter group, the song’s message degraded officers and caused officers to be murdered. Officers feel like they should be apologized from Beyonce if she plans on having protection at her tours, and to explain her intentions of the video, song, and performance. The message according to numerous of officers interviewed by CNN, that she’s sending an anti-cop message, a message to murder cops.

My issue is that one, a citizen of the United States, she has the right to freedom of speech, therefore, she can sing and speak freely on whatever she wants. Therefore, she doesn’t have to explain herself to the cops for tour protection. Two, if there weren’t so many African American people being killed by police then the song and performance wouldn’t have included that part. Oh and here’s a hint to reality, Beyoncé isn’t the only one to make a controversial song about police brutality. Three, your job (police officers) is to protect and serve, so if you protest to not protect Beyoncé at her tour, then the message may seem relevant and your opinion irrelevant.

I also do not like how CNN added degrading pictures of Beyoncé, rumors to be exact over the past three years. It’s like the old saying, when you know who you are they’ll try to destroy you. The song and video could have been a representation of Black History and a statement that we’re still here and will rise. A video of all that we’ve endured and what we love as a people, race.

Police call for boycott of Beyonce

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/19/us/beyonce-police-boycott/index.html

L. Hunt Ruth Bader Ginzberg

Ruth Bader Ginzberg was born on March 15, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. Ginzberg grew up in a low class working neighborhood. Ginzberg mother was a huge influence in her life and instilled how important getting an education and being independent were. She attended Cornell University for her bachelor’s degree and met her husband Martin D. Ginzberg. Ginznberg was very successful in school ranking at the top of her classes but still ran into problem because of gender discrimination in jobs. In the 1970s she served as the director of the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, for which she argued six landmark cases on gender equality before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg started her profession as an equity where she cleared out off as a promoter, battling for ladies’ rights. In 1996, Ginsburg composed the dominant part supposition in United States v. Virginia, holding that qualified ladies couldn’t be denied admission to Virginia Military Institute. Her style in pushing from the seat coordinates her style from her time at the ACLU: moderate yet unfaltering, and ascertained. Rather than making clearing restrictions on sexual orientation segregation, she assaulted particular territories of separation and infringement of ladies’ rights each one in turn, in order to make an impression on the lawmaking bodies on what they may or may not be able to.

Her mentality is that significant social change ought not originate from the courts, but rather from Congress and different governing bodies. This technique takes into account social change to stay in Congress’ energy while likewise accepting direction from the court. Ginsburg does not timid far from giving pointed direction when she feels the need. She also called for Congress to fix this despicable translation of the law in her dispute, and afterward worked with President Obama to pass the primary bit of enactment he marked, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, a duplicate of which hangs gladly in her office.

Ruth was one of those women who did it all. She worked and maintained and family even when her husband had cancer she makes sure she took notes in class for him at Harvard. She would be a modern matriarch. She took on the role as the leader in the family and took what her mother instilled in her and no matter what still finished her education. She also fought what she believed in which played a big part in her career.

https://www.oyez.org/justices/ruth_bader_ginsburg

 

 

A. Fuller: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman got to be well known as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad amid the turbulent 1850s. Conceived a slave on Maryland’s eastern shore, she persevered through the cruel presence of a field hand, including fierce beatings.

In 1849 she fled bondage, abandoning her spouse and family behind keeping in mind the end goal to get away. Regardless of an abundance on her head, she came back toward the South no less than 19 times to lead her family and several different slaves to freedom by means of the Underground Railroad. She freed up too 300 slaves. Tubman additionally served as a scout, spy and medical caretaker amid the Civil War.

Bold wasn’t the word to use for Harriet, she was unstoppable, she was fearless. There was two things she lived by two things in life and that was her pistol by her said and her faith in the good lord. She would not dither to utilize the gun in self-defense, however it was likewise a way to train slaves, making it clear that “dead Negroes tell no stories.” Timid slaves appeared to discover bravery in her vicinity; nobody ever sold her out . She certified her confidence in God.