(More Than) Grrrl Power! Girls Studies at UCF

I honestly don’t think we give children the benefit of the doubt when it comes to creating or grasping with their own identity. They would see many cartoons and play with action figures in which a superhero is to hide their identity from the public eye. Yet, if this was the reverse issue would we ask our own kids to hide themselves? To not mention our sexuality or the way that we portray our behavior all for the sake of embarrassment that is imposed on our parents than thinking of the children. See if we see different scenarios in which action-figures, wrestlers, or even the key to be open to the invisible door how can children ever be closer to being comfortable within their skins. We should identify these behaviors and then have the indecency to respect it by not shunning it away in the shadows. This is important especially for future pro-feminist that in identifying their needs they will soon grow to understand the awareness especially for the right of women. To further gain advocat...

Much has been said about masculinity in media platforms especially in commercial, movie, and television work where potential buyers and clients see a strong persona. Little boys might take notes and soon influence is established. I think in order to fight this so influence from going into homes is to finally create our own materials as feminist to create creative content of advertisement that support the stand where men are to be portrayed in a different light. In creating a different light, it will soon expand and then the direction of abusive masculinity identity would reverse. I think in showcasing men whether if it is selling cologne in a suite or helping a woman in need besides of using ads that support sexual desire or of abusive content that demonstrate dominance to both men and women.      I think in also rethinking about special programs that also target many age groups would be beneficial especially in trying to reach out to those as a young age that is still de...

As we encounter a time where women are to be respected in the offices and sexual harassment is not okay by any means there is still worked to do. We as a society have to do more than seeing the roots of toxic masculinity but to also figure out how to pluck it and redefine the terminology of masculinity and then obtain it in a substantial way where men and women are treated equally. Much of what need to be address is the upbringing of male roles in which a child is to follow obligations and high expectations as a child to which then develops overtime.  When a son grows up, he is told to portray a sort of character or a particular persona where he is able to gain dominance over those around him. Sway women into his grasp and enact an armor of protection that is supposed to work all their lives. It seems as though there is a thin line where boys are unable to cross and as long as that happens, and the parental guidance is not betrayed the all seems fair play when really it isn't. I th...

     Motherhood: Yay or Nay?           Despite the title of this post, I wanted to make one thing clear, there is no right answer. In fact, that is the very purpose of this post. Women are allowed to want whatever they want out of their lives without fear of disapproval. As a child, I remember being obsessed with baby toys, playing house, etc., as many young girls are pushed to enjoy. It’s interesting to assess the degree to which society pushes motherhood onto young girls from such ages and completely disregards it for boys. This only reinforces the idea that women should aspire for motherhood as it seems to be their main purpose in life, based on social stereotypes. This also creates a disparity in an adult woman’s life when their “reproductive years” are at their peak. I have found myself reflecting multiple times throughout my life on this idea of motherhood and wondering to myself “would you actually enjoy dedicating a huge part of your ...

3 Historically Relevant Feminist, Movies to Watch      The history of feminism is often misunderstood, if not completely washed out of the contemporary historical textbooks taught in schools. I did not learn of the feminist movement and each wave until my junior year in college and was shocked at the accomplishments of women across time. These women are often erased from the very confinements of history books and only regarded in specific courses or in higher education which is not affordable or even an appealing option for some people. Today, I set aside three movies that represent the accomplishments of women in history whether it be in the feminist movement, STEM, or the civil rights movement.     1.       Iron-Jawed Angels (2004)   This movie follows the first wave of feminism when liberal feminists were attempting to gain the right to vote. It follows Alice Paul, a suffragette in 1917 whose sole commitment was to push for the r...

  Feminism and the Inner Child                Psychologists have spent decades analyzing the concept of the inner child as established by Carl Jung and the way it impacts our daily lives. An inner child, as stated by Crystal Raypole on Healthline, is the expression of your child self and the life experiences of all your life stages. Connecting to your inner child comes more complex as the years pass and adulthood creeps into every aspect of one’s life. The inner child is noted as a significant part of who we are as people because of the experiences we have as children play an enormous role in our adult lives and our qualities. This topic is especially interesting when you apply it to the notion of girl’s studies and assess it from the feminist perspective.               Feminist scholars who specialize in Girl Studies assess the dimensions of what it is ...

  Instagram: Empowerment or Pressure?               As a user of social media, I can firmly say that I have been on social media platforms since about fifth grade. Beginning with Facebook, where I got my first glimpse into cyberbullying and the social pressures applied right through your computer screen, I knew social media was never going to be an easy thing to use. I was relatively young when I saw the double-edged sword that was social media and the impact that it can have on people outside of the computer and phone screens.                          Around middle school, I was introduced to Instagram while it was all the rage within my class. From then on, I realized that social media was nothing short of a performance for your peers and people whom you do not even know. Many people can relate to ...

  3 Feminist Quotes that Everyone Should Hear At Least Once               Across time, there have been many, many words iterated from civil advocates, activists, feminists, womanists, and many more. These sentences and phrases hold immense power over the feminist movement and it’s developing objectives. We’re going to highlight a couple of quotes from authors, activists, and anyone else who has spoken powerful words onto the feminist movement and potentially even shifted the movement for the better.   1.       “I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. … We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back” – Malala Yousafzai   This quote from the well-known activist for women’s rights and education, Malala Yousufzai, holds immense power and can be interpreted in many different lights. For instance, this quote highlights the way in wh...

For this blog post, I want to dedicate it to a wide range of influential female figures that have made significant contributions to the US. These women serve as role models for young girls, other women, anyone who identifies as female, and men as well. They lead in their unique career fields and all have worked tirelessly to get to where they are today. I hope to inspire you as well, to defy racial, sexual, cultural, or societal limitations you feel and work hard to achieve your goals. Maybe you can join the list of historical women figures. First Black Female Doctor Rebecca Lee Crumpler made history in 1864. She became the first African American woman in the US to earn an M.D. degree and became a role model for many girls. She continued her path to becoming a physician and went on to write a book of medical advice for women and children that became published in 1883. Her book, Book of Medical Discourses, provides a brief background on Crumpler’s life and path to her career. She prac...

  Normalizing the Menstrual Cycle   Individuals who have a period know one thing from the moment they get it for the first time and that is that it’s never an appropriate topic of conversation. Periods have always held a reputation of embarrassment, silence, and discretion to those who get them. They have very minimally been a topic of empowerment or easily spoken of without feeling the underlying judgment. To anyone with a period, it can seem extremely ridiculous that we share a collective shame about our body’s natural, healthy process but the social perspective outweighs our own every time. Even in my own experiences, attempting to be open about one’s period whether that means carrying a tampon or pad without being discreet, can be immensely conflicting.    When you are told constantly that something is not socially appropriate, even if that thing is your body’s natural way of being, it can be difficult to unlearn those behaviors. So that bears the question, why i...

Feminism, Intersectionality, and the Youth                Feminism has been a topic of conversation that has held immense weight since it’s introduction into society. Adults often have complex beliefs surrounding feminism and more often than not, that makes a complex topic of discussion. However, I believe feminism can be just as easily explained and discussed as any other subject. Gender roles, typically, can be traced down to the very beginning of childhood and are reinforced throughout every phase of one’s adult life. The question is, can feminism be seen from early childhood as well?               From my own personal experiences, growing up there was always an endless tug of war between girls v. boys. The girls versus boys’ struggle and the phrases that came with it such as “girls rules boys drool” etc. are interesting facets of child behavior in terms o...

  LGBTQ+ Women and Representation in the Media               It does not come as much of a surprise to women of any minority across the spectrum that LGBTQ+ women have been adamantly underrepresented over the years. Today, we’ll discuss that underrepresentation and even pick out some individuals or tv programs that have helped shape the imminent growth of representation among LGTBQ+ women.                Women of the LGBTQ+ community have not only been vastly underrepresented they have often been simultaneously oversexualized and often the victims of incredibly atrocious acts of violence. One statistic that perpetually pains me and many other women of the LGBTQ+ community to hear is that “in the past five years, 80% of transgender homicides were black women, and less than half of those cases led to arrests” as stated by Jessica Richardson (2020). It...