The Fedora’s Feminist Origins: From Women’s Rights Symbol to Fashion Statement

The fedora, often associated with mobsters, originally held significance as a representation of the Women’s Rights Movement. Initially, the fedora was designed as a hat for women and gained popularity through the influential actress Sarah Bernhardt, who was known for her cross-dressing roles. Making its debut in 1882 as women’s headwear, the fedora quickly became a fashion staple among women, particularly those advocating for women’s rights.

A Memorial in Turkey Commemorates the Women Killed by Their Husbands Last Year

Violence against women is an epidemic worldwide, but in some countries, it’s more extreme than others. In Turkey, for example, 42% of women over the age of 15 have suffered from physical or sexual violence.

Last year in Turkey, 440 women were murdered by their own husbands. An artist decided to come up with a powerful memorial to pay tribute to the murdered women and to bring awareness to the problem in his country.

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#KahveDünyası’nın 2017 yılında hayata geçirdiği sanat platformu #Yanköşe, dördüncü edisyonunda #VahitTuna’nın “#İsimsiz” adlı çalışmasını ağırlıyor. 440 çift siyah kadın ayakkabısından oluşan “İsimsiz” projesinin çıkış noktası, Türkiye’de sayıları gitgide artan kadın cinayetleri. 2018 yılında Türkiye’de erkekler tarafından çeşitli şekillerde ve sebeplerle öldürülen kadınların sayısına işaret eden ve Yanköşe’nin her iki duvarını da nizami bir şekilde kaplayan 440 çift ayakkabı, neredeyse bir tür soykırım ya da kadınkırım anıtı gibi yükseliyor. Ölen kişilerin ayakkabılarının evlerinin kapısının önüne bırakılması geleneğine de işaret eden çalışma, kadına yönelik şiddetin hafızasını tutarak sokağa taşıyor; kamusal bir tartışma ve bilinçlenme için bir aracı olma görevi üstleniyor. Sanat üretiminde iktidar, iktidarla hesaplaşma ve ona göre pozisyon alma konularına odaklanan Tuna, bugün her üç kadından birinin fiziksel ya da cinsel şiddet mağduru olduğu bir dünyada şiddetin, özellikle de bu coğrafyaya ait şiddet olgusunun temellerine bakıyor. • ℹDaha detaylı bilgi için yankose.org adresini ziyaret edebilirsiniz. • • • Daha fazlası için ? @ajans.isleri • • • #ajansisleri #arts #creative # #staj #stajyer #seo #AdAgency #reklam #stratejist #arayüztasarımcısı #stajyer #markatemsilcisi #MarkaYöneticisi #ArtDirector #DijitalAjans #DijitalReklamcılık #ReklamAjansı #Advertising #Agency #DigitalAdvertising #grafiktasarım #socialmedia #dijitalajans

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Vahit Tuna said he had seen a lot of posts about the Turkish problem on social media, but he also realized that the stories came and went with a disturbing quickness. Tuna was determined to keep the issue in the public eye somehow.

Tuna chose to use 440 pairs of high heels in his memorial as a sign of female empowerment and independence that he sadly wishes was more of a reality in Turkey. In some parts of Turkey, it’s a tradition to put a person’s shoes outside after they pass away, so the memorial has even more cultural significance in the country.

The memorial is set up in central Istanbul so it will be seen by many people in the busy city. Tuna said, “We wanted everyone passing by the road to see [the work]. This is why we did not want to host the exhibition in a closed area.”

The 440 pairs of shoes are set to remain on exhibit for six months. Hopefully, as many people as possible will see the memorial and it will spark some painful and necessary conversations in Turkey.

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A New Planned Parenthood App Will Let Users Order Birth Control in Every State in the U.S.

This is important news, so pay attention.

Planned Parenthood (and women’s reproductive rights in general) has been the subject of a lot of scrutiny and argument over the past several years from some politicians and people, but I, for one, think that this is a great development. Why you wouldn’t want affordable birth control to be available to all women in every corner of the United States is beyond me, but that’s just where we are right now.

Luckily, a lot of people and women are still fighting the good fight. It was recently announced that the Planned Parenthood Direct app is now available in 27 states across the U.S., and it will be available in all 50 states in 2020.

In 2019, pretty much everything is on-demand. Why not #birthcontrol, too? Check out Planned Parenthood Direct, the…

Posted by Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson Action on Monday, May 13, 2019

The app allows users to order birth control, make appointments at Planned Parenthood clinics, and get prescriptions for antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections.

Alexis McGill Johnson, the acting President and CEO of the organization, said, “As politicians across the country try to restrict or block access to critical reproductive and sexual health care, the Planned Parenthood Direct app is just one part of the work we do to ensure that more people can get the care they need, no matter where they are.”

Planned Parenthood pulled out of the U.S. government’s Title X funding program in August because the Trump administration passed new rules wherein the organization would no longer be allowed to refer patients to abortion services. Planned Parenthood would have received $60 million in federal funding if they had stayed in the Title X program, but its leaders decided to withdraw.

We're committed to helping all patients get the care they deserve. Through the Planned Parenthood Direct app, you can…

Posted by Planned Parenthood of Southern New England on Saturday, September 7, 2019

The Planned Parenthood Direct app doesn’t take insurance, but birth control can cost as little as $20 for a three-month supply, and users can get birth control just by answering standard questions.

You can check to see if the app is available in your state HERE. This is definitely a small step in the right direction, despite all the negative news surrounding reproductive rights in America right now.

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8 Women from History Who Were Scandalously Awesome

These women were ahead of their time, knew what they wanted, and were unwilling to take any amount of sh*t from the men telling them how they ought to be acting.

Harumph.

These 8 ladies were unapologetically themselves, and that’s about the best thing anyone can be.

#8. Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette

Image Credit:CeCILL

The subject of the recent Kiera Knightly movie, 20th century novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette – or just Colette – wrote themes into her novels that were considered taboo for women to discuss at the time.

Her first husband, Henri Gauthier Villars locked her into her rooms so that she could write – and so he could put his name on her novels and keep the money and fame for himself.

She was married three times, and her final husband was a huge supporter of her writings…let her publish books with her name on them and everything.

#7. Julie d’Aubigny

Image Credit: Public Domain

Julie d’Aubigny was a bi-sexual fencer and opera singer who lived during the late 1600s and early 1700s. She also frequently dressed as a boy and – surprise – was not terribly adored by her parents. They put her female lover in a convent to try to discourage their relationship, but the two set the place on fire (literally) and managed to escape together.

That relationship ended, and Julie formed another with a man she once stabbed during a duel.

I wish we could have been friends.

#6. Tallulah Bankhead

Image Credit: Public Domain

This 20th century actress had no shame (rightfully so) when it came to her sexuality (she was bi-sexual) – she wore what she wanted, said what she wanted, and slept with who she wanted.

In an interview, she once said “I haven’t had an affaire for six months. Six months! Too long…I want a man.”

#5. Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll

Image Credit: Public Domain

Wealthy heiress Margaret Campbell married English Duke Ian Campbell in 1951…and by 1954 she’d had enough, and in 1959, the two filed for divorce.

Things got ugly when Margaret’s diary and some scandalous photos of her in compromising sexual positions came to light – the judge in the case said she was “a highly sexed woman who has ceased to be satisfied with normal sexual activities and has started to indulge in disgusting sexual activities to gratify a debased sexual appetite.”

To which I say, you go girl.

#4. Mae West

Image Credit: Public Domain

Mae West was a writer, actor, and director who shocked and appalled early 20th century audiences with her racy, explicit behavior. She was arrested on charges of moral indecency after police raided a showing of her Broadway play Sex in 1926, and more than a few of her films were censored under the Hays Code.

She left behind the knowledge that a woman could be both sexy and successful – a worthy legacy indeed.

#3. Mary Wollstonecraft

Image Credit: Public Domain

Mary Wollstonecraft was active in the 1700s women’s rights movement as a writer, philosopher, and advocate. She argued for a better education for women in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, stating that women could be not only capable wives and mothers but also capable workers, if only women were given the same opportunities as men.

In her day, opponents used the fact that she struggled with mental health issues and had children out of wedlock to discredit her ideas, but she’s remembered as a key figure in the women’s movement.

#2. Hypatia

Image Credit: Public Domain

This ancient Greek woman was a mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher, though most of her written work did not survive due to the extreme misogyny of her day.

She was raised and educated by her forward-thinking father, and she worked as a teacher and scholar, roles dominated by men. Unfortunately, the rise of Christianity spelled doom for her and all women with non-traditional aspirations. In 415 CE Hypatia was beaten to death by a Christian mob.

#1. Sophie Germain

Image Credit: Public Domain

The Frenchwoman lived at the end of the 18th century and was passionate about one thing – mathematics. She spent her life studying classics like Archimedes, even learning Greek and Latin in order to better understand the primary texts.

Her parents didn’t consider mathematics an appropriate pursuit for a young woman, but Sophie didn’t care, adopting a gender-neutral pen name in order to obtain lecture notes and correspond with her (male) peers.

Sophie’s work on Fermat’s Last Theorem has been widely regarded as her  greatest contribution to mathematics, though one could argue that her example to young women everywhere runs a close second.

You can add these to the list of women you thank the next time you put on pants, file for divorce, or go to the polls. They deserve it!

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A Survey Shows That 60% of Male Managers Are “Uncomfortable” Working with Women

Many men have stepped up to the plate in the era of #metoo and #timesup, amplifying the voices of women and believing them.

Men are also re-evaluating how they interact with women, and in many ways, that’s a good thing. But it seems some men are confused about how to interact with women in a way that’s appropriate.

Leanin.org released a survey that said 60% of managers who identify as men are uncomfortable participating in a common work activity with a woman, such as mentoring, working alone, or socializing together – a 32% jump from the previous year.

60%. More than half!

This “discomfort” hurts women in the workplace. Studies show that people who are mentored receive higher compensation and have more job satisfaction. So when bosses withdraw from women and work activities involving women, it hurts hurts women and sets them back in the workplace.

And we’re already at a disadvantage when it comes to compensation.

Is it that difficult to act appropriately toward women?  Just treat them with the same respect you would show a male colleague.

Withdrawing from women instead of evaluating your actions and committing to do better is just a sad way to approach things. If you aren’t sure how to act toward your female colleagues, you could do something really wild and ask them how they would like to be treated.

My guess is that they might want something crazy like respect and inclusion. To be trusted with important projects. To have their voices heard at meetings, and, when they are ignored, to have someone amplify their voice and credit their ideas.

Seriously. It’s not that hard to be a decent human.

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Gynecologist’s Viral Twitter Thread Sets People Straight on Late-Term Abortions

Late-term abortions have been in the news quite a bit lately due to recent decisions by some states to allow abortions after 24 weeks when medically necessitated.

But, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about late-term abortions.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Like, a lot.

The phrase “late-term abortion” is used to refer to abortions later in pregnancy, typically those after 21 weeks or more of pregnancy.

Dr. Jennifer Gunter, a board-certified gynecologist, took to Twitter to share her experiences and drop some truth regarding these abortions.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Non medically indicated = for no health-related reason. Dr. Gunter means that every single late term abortion she ever performed was for a significant medical reason.

Photo Credit: Twitter

She can think of one case where there are no fetal anomalies, and that one has some pretty horrific circumstances. The rest …

Photo Credit: Twitter

Clearly, no one is making these decisions lightly.

Photo Credit: Twitter

These are tragic situations, and those who are facing these decisions should be treated with empathy and understanding, not judgment.

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Viral Facebook Post Shows Just How Men Can Be Allies

For those who may be unfamiliar with the term, “mansplaining” is the incredibly frustrating experience when a man explains something to a woman under the assumption that she has no knowledge or experience on the subject. While it’s always rude and patronizing, it’s even worse when the subject at hand is one the woman actually has professional expertise in.

Hilary Jerome Scarsella is a Ph.D. candidate in Theological Studies at Vanderbilt University whose work focuses on the relationship of traumatic experience to religious faith and liberation theology. She recounted an experience of mansplaining, and how men can respond, in a viral Facebook post.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Honestly, she’s already been much kinder than I would be in similar circumstances. She listened to him respectfully, challenged his points, and he doesn’t engage productively; he doubles down on his opinions and leaves. In many cases that would be the end of the story.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Her new friend pointed out this guy’s mistake, and that it was too late for him to rectify it. He had a subject matter expert right there, and he didn’t take the time to listen or to learn.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Her friend speaking up created a safe space, and it stemmed from a practiced commitment to challenging male patterns of behavior. He isn’t a savior; he was simply doing what decent men can and should be doing whenever they see sexism in their daily lives.

Just taking on one or two of these guys a month would make a big difference.

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Tweet Perfectly Captures Why Women Are Furious About Sexual Assault

Without first-hand experience, it can be difficult for some men to understand exactly why survivors of sexual assault are so enraged right now. It’s a turbulent time…and the #metoo movement has shed new light on sexual assault. But for those who still don’t quite comprehend its significance, this Tweet will help.

Writer A.R. Moxon shared an analogy on Twitter that might make this rage more understandable to men.

Photo Credit: Twitter

He goes on to express the powerlessness many assault victims feel…

Photo Credit: Twitter

And how many of them are blamed for their assaults.

Photo Credit: Twitter

He explains rape culture:

Photo Credit: Twitter

And how many victims were betrayed by people they trusted.

Photo Credit: Twitter

He explains the difficulties victims face when they report.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Photo Credit: Twitter

He sheds light on our current political reality.

Photo Credit: Twitter

Photo Credit: Twitter

Photo Credit: Twitter

And perhaps one of the worst realities of sexual assault for women:

Photo Credit: Twitter

In light of everything, it’s important to be kind and stand up to abuse.

Photo Credit: Twitter

But here we are…

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