Tribal Indian Women Voicing Change

It was July 2018 when I moved to the Jharkhand state of India, having very little to no idea about the tribal culture and traditions. The Chhota Nagpur Plateau is the home to Munda Tribe, a tribe that is culturally rich, diverse, and also patriarchal. It’s a society where women, who work in fields throughout …

THE OVERSEXUALIZATION OF BREASTFEEDING

Why do women have breasts? Are they used as a means of sexual gratification for male arousal? No, they are not. As mammals, the true purpose of breasts is to feed babies, as breast milk is often an infant’s main source of nutrition. As reported by Renee Kam, “The true biological importance of women’s breasts …

THE UNITED KINGDOM’S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PANDEMIC

The United Kingdom (UK) is said to be one of the most developed states in the world and is a member of the G-7, the largest economies in the world. With its glorious historical monuments and its respect for the monarchical system, one would think that the concept of ‘respect’ and ‘discipline’ would exist in …

Ukrainian Women at War

Women in Ukraine have few options available to them, none of which are good. They can flee, fight, or stay in their homes. Many women are choosing to flee to safer areas, especially when they have young children. Some women are taking up arms and fighting the Russian invaders. Others are making Molotov cocktails and …

Greg Abbott’s “Top Priority” Forgotten

As graduation steadily draws nearer, I have reflected on my time in Texas. Not surprisingly, as a student of public policy, this reflection includes the political shenanigans I have been witness to in the last two years. One episode that many seem to have been forgotten is Governor Greg Abbott’s promise to “eliminate rape.”[1] To …

Is it Domestic Violence or Romance?

I am twelve years old and on my way to my hip-hop dance class. I ask my mom to turn on the radio. She turns on a local pop station with all the recent hits. My favorite songs play, energizing me as I leap out of the car to my hip hop class. My dance …

The STEM of Stereotypes

Gender stereotypes have often insisted that women don’t belong in STEM fields. Starting in grade school, many girls are told that because of their gender, they lack the natural talent or ability to be successful in such careers. These incorrect assumptions and myriad others undermine the contributions that women have made in the past, and …

Indigenous People’s Month, 2021: Practicing solidarity for my missing and murdered Indigenous sisters

The Role of Public Service in Protecting Indigenous People November is Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month, and this year (2021), is the first year the celebration comes after President Biden formally recognized Indigenous People’s Day, October 11th, as a federal holiday– an alternative to the controversial Christopher Columbus Day. As I, a student at the Bush …

Missing White Woman Syndrome

Gabby Petito. Elizabeth Smart. Amber Hagerman. Diana Quer. Grace Milane. Sarah Everard. Chances are you will recognize one of these names. Lauren Cho. Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman. Ashley Loring Heavyrunner. Manuela Chavero. Evelyn Hernandez. Alexis Patterson. Chances are you will not recognize any of these names. Why? There is a phenomenon which occurs in …

Seeking Permanent Liberation: The Intergenerational Cycle of Oppression in Maternal Lines

The devastating images conjured after the fall of Kabul resonate in women’s hearts around the globe. Afghani women grew up hearing stories of their grandmothers wearing mini-to-knee-length skirts, pumps, and lipstick, and going to school and work in Kabul in the between the 20s and the 60s.[1] Their mothers donned the burqa in the face …