The Fem Word Vol. 35
curating stories of bold women in creative spaces.
weekly dose of female excellence ahead xx
FEM NEWS
1. Mattel continued their endeavor towards more inclusive toys last week with the introduction of their first gender-neutral doll. Part of the Creatable World series, this doll is meant to appeal to all children, proving that anyone can play with whatever they like. Read More
2. Egyptian Minister of Tourism Rania al-Mashat announced last week that Egyptian tourism is focusing on women’s empowerment. The country has experienced a large increase in women holding public office, and Mashat plans to share the love, bringing more powerful women to Egypt through tourism. Read More
3. Chinese culture is all about entrepreneurship right now - and women are stepping up to the challenge. The rise of the “girl boss” has led to a large market for signature luxury clothes that hint at femininity while proclaiming power - and luxury brands are beginning to answer the demand. Read More
4. Model Ayesha Tan-Jones is taking a stand against Gucci’s offensive depiction of mental health. “Mental health is not fashion,” she claimed. This bold proclamation is turning heads - and bringing attention to a very real issue. Brands should take note. Read More
5. A recent and beautifully described interview from the New York Times with Renee Zellweger pulls the heartstrings. With a tasteful eye towards the character of the woman, the interview focuses on Zellweger’s reluctance to skip over even a moment of life. Despite a six year hiatus from the screen, Zellweger steals the breath in the film Judy, a biopic of Judy Garland’s last year of life. Full Interview
6. The young men of South Korea are frustrated with feminism. They believe they have become a societal punching bag, and a large source of their frustration is forced military conscription for male citizens only. Ma Kyung-hee, a gender policy researcher, stated that South Korea “must find help men find a new masculinity, instead of anti-feminism.” Read More
FEM FUNDING
A gender equality initiative has been formed between USAID, ANDE, and the Visa Foundation to address and correct the systematic gender inequality for women in emerging markets. The initiative aims to release $1 million over two years in south and southeast Asia. The fund will also work to develop strategies for getting more women into positions that make them more money. More Information
SHE’S SO COOL
For thousands of years, marriages in India have involved a man walking to his bride-to-be’s house, celebrating, and the wife moving back with her husband to his home. Last week, Khadiza Akter Khushi walked to her husband-to-be’s home, and he moved in with her. Despite protest from both of the couple’s families and the public, Khadiza’s response is simple. “If boys can bring girls to marriage, why can’t girls?” Read More
What were you doing when you were nine? Because Ridhima Pandey is taking the Indian government to court for not taking the climate crisis seriously. Pandey recently signed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and has asked the court to lay out a solidified plan to effectively lower carbon emissions in the country. Read More
Spanish rapper Mala Rodriguez recently released a single all about female empowerment. Titled Aguante (“stamina” in English,) the song seeks to call out the injustices women are required to deal with in their everyday lives. “There are certain things that should not be endured, and that is what the song is about.” Read More
FEM BOOKS - WHAT WE’RE READING
A journal by Renia Spiegel, a Polish teenager in the 1930s, has recently been published and is being called the counterpart to Anne Frank’s diary. The journal is recognized by historians as an extremely valuable text, because it depicts life under both German and Soviet rule in Poland during World War II. Renia did not survive the war, and was killed shortly after her 18th birthday. The entries depict a teenager working hard to live her life in a world being torn apart around her. Read More