Recommended Reading – A Woman Among Warlords by Malalai Joya

This is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to understand the REAL situation that women in Afghanistan are facing today.

Malalai Joya has been called "the bravest woman in Afghanistan." At a constitutional assembly in Kabul in 2003, she stood up and denounced her country's powerful NATO-backed warlords. She was twenty-five years old. Two years later, she became the youngest person elected to Afghanistan's new Parliament. In 2007, she was suspended from Parliament for her persistent criticism of the warlords and drug barons and their cronies. She has survived four assassination attempts to date, is accompanied at all times by armed guards, and sleeps only in safe houses.

Often compared to democratic leaders such as Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, this extraordinary young woman was raised in the refugee camps of Iran and Pakistan. Inspired in part by her father's activism, Malalai became a teacher in secret girls' schools, holding classes in a series of basements. She hid her books under her burqa so the Taliban couldn't find them. She also helped establish a free medical clinic and orphanage in her impoverished home province of Farah.

While many have talked about the serious plight of women in Afghanistan, Malalai Joya takes us inside the country and shows us the desperate day-to-day situations these remarkable people face at every turn. A controversial political figure in one of the most dangerous places on earth, Malalai Joya is a hero for our times, a young woman who refused to be silent, a young woman committed to making a difference in the world, no matter the cost.

Fashion & Feminism: Will They Be Friends?

This article on feminism and fashion is a bit old but very relevant for me these days. It briefly discusses Fresh Lipstick: Redressing Fashion and Feminism, a book by University of Illinois professor Linda M. Scott. A woman's interest in the way she looks and the possibility that this interest can be used to question her integrity as a feminist is a fascinating investigation, I find. I've been musing over this subject a lot and I want to know what other women's thoughts are. In a previous post observing riot grrl Tobi Vail's thoughts on the matter, I alluded to my personal battles with fashion and feminism wondering, at points, if the battle was fictitious; forged within myself in order to convince my inner monologue that I was indeed only a real feminist if I neglected the oppressive culture purportedly established by the fashion industry.
However, I still don't really think I've talked that much about it with other women, nor have I heard many firsthand opinions on the matter being voiced by my fellow feminists. I adore dressing up. I have time and time again come to realizations on how what we wear speaks wild volumes about our identities... sexually, intellectually, and influencially. I can't help but see "fashion" as a mysterious and very beautiful artform - a documentation of human history as with body modification, paintings and photographs. Are these not things that feminists have the freedom to enjoy and acknowledge unforgivingly? Where do we stand in this whole thing?

More Gender Profiling; This Time, In Children's Books

Speaking of forced gender roles (and we'll hear a little bit more about that on tomorrow night's show), I feel obliged to re-post the following from a blogger who'd discovered this book in a library. Apparently it was a satirical book created by Whitney Darrow, Jr. and published in the 1970's. My guess, however, is that it would not be all too satirical in the hands of a 4 or 5 year old kid.

Have a look.

Tonight's Show - Women & Travel Adventure

Tonight we're interviewing local entrepreneur, Carol Patterson. Carol owns an ecotourism consulting firm in Calgary and is an author, lecturer and traveller. Her book, Reinventure: How Travel Can Change Your Life is about how travel allows us to reinvent ourselves over and over again. Travel helps us grow in ways we could never imagine and discover strengths within us we never knew we had.

I think this is particularly interesting for women because as a woman who has traveled alone before, I can honestly say it was the best thing I've ever done. It forced me to constantly meet new people and to rely on my own instincts and judgment. It gave me a confidence that nothing else could.

To hear our interview with Carol, tune in to CJSW 90.9 fm (or www.cjsw.com) from 8:30 to 9:00 pm on Monday, March 2.

Charlotte Roche's "Wetlands" is Causin' Some Controversy.

A novel by Charlotte Roche entitled Feuchtgebiete, which roughly translates to “Wetlands” in English, has sparked a number of debates within and extending beyond the worldwide feminist community. The novel is told from the perspective of 18-year-old Helen whom examines her sexual self in ways that are apparently quite graphic according to reviews. Responses to the book vary; some say the book is a groundbreaking piece of feminist literature while others are saying it’s plain old pornography and that it holds no particularly feminist value. First of all, why should it matter? I mean, who says porn and feminism can't be friends? Second, most pornography relies on heavily exploitative images, leaving very little room to appreciate the real
human body and its functions. Considering that mainstream porn is designed to get you off quickly, I think it’s high time we bring a little intellect and some curiosity back into the sexual realms of ladies and gents alike. If we can do that by turning to a provocatively written novel (as this one seems), then so be it!

The author herself seems to have suggested in a recent interview that the book may not speak of feminism in an outwardly political sense but that it may shed light on a different kind of exclusively female complex: our sexual self-awareness. In my opinion, social politics cannot and do not make up the prime interests of feminists; the politics of body image are quite relevant to all women, feminists or not. So, why all the controversy? It seems women’s erotica is so carefully critiqued and evaluated for its morale… much more than the average misogynistic porn flick to say the least.

Feel free to browse through this interview with the author or check out a
fabulously witty review of the book from our dear friends at Jezebel.

Mon Dec 15 - Interview with a young feminist authour

When we found out that a 17 year old high school student in Calgary recently wrote (and published!) a feminist-themed book, we knew she had to come on the show!

Join us on Monday December 15th for our interview with Megan Ryland, author of Beauty and the Beast: Ending the Love/Hate Relationship Between Girls and Their Bodies.

We think it's pretty rad that such a young author has written a book about a major issue facing young women in North America today. It's wonderful to see that the feminist movement is still relevant and exciting to young girls today!

To learn more about Megan and her book, visit her website: Beauty and the Beast.