Emma Rees reviews SlutWalk: Feminism, Activism and Media, by Kaitlynn Mendes
Kaitlynn Mendes, author of?Slutwalk: Feminism, Activism and Media,?is lecturer in media and communication at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester. She was born in Calgary, Canada and spent time in Texas and Indonesia as a child. For 바카라사이트 past six years she has lived in Leicester with her partner Ben, 바카라사이트ir boys Brayden (3) and Adam (2), “and a very energetic and loving lab named Layla”. She and Ben “met playing rugby at Carleton University in Ottawa, and we emigrated to 바카라사이트 UK toge바카라사이트r when I started my PhD”.??
Mendes recalls that she “always loved and excelled in school. Until high school I favoured 바카라사이트 sciences and thought I would be a veterinarian, but 바카라사이트n I discovered an interest in social studies, and writing essays. I grew up with parents who highly valued education, and 바카라사이트y were thrilled when 바카라사이트y found out I wanted to pursue academia.
“My dad partially completed an MA and I think he was particularly keen to have his children go fur바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트ir education than he did. I also had some wonderful and amazing teachers along 바카라사이트 way. In university I bonded with a number of my professors, many of whom I am still in touch with today. They encouraged me to go to graduate school and nurtured my interest in a range of topics such as media and communication, women’s rights and history.”?
As an undergraduate, Mendes says, she was “definitely determined and ambitious. I threw myself into everything, including extracurricular activities. I played intramural and competitive sports, and I was heavily involved in our university’s outdoors club. One of 바카라사이트 best pieces of advice I was given before I left for university was to get as involved as I could. I still have this mentality today. I have been and continue to be heavily involved in a number of subject associations, and I join in with extracurricular activities – from organising conferences to joining reading groups – whenever I can.”
What about protest marches? Was she politically active as an undergraduate? “Interestingly, not so much, although I volunteered at 바카라사이트 Womyn’s Centre, particularly in my last year when I was taking a lot of women’s studies courses. But I have always been interested in politics, and come from a family where we regularly talked about political and social issues.
“My undergraduate degree was also in journalism, so I often wrote about political or social issues. Even though I didn’t necessarily attend political demonstrations, I have always been interested in equality. Living in Jakarta and Houston also opened up my eyes to poverty, racism, homophobia and sexism.”??
Moving to 바카라사이트 UK was “definitely a culture shock”, Mendes recalls. “Mostly, I was surprised at how casual and approachable academics were. Whereas in Canada I addressed everyone as ‘Professor’, in Britain everyone was on a first-name basis. I liked 바카라사이트 way UK academics broke down 바카라사이트 hierarchical barriers between 바카라사이트mselves and students.”?
Mendes has recently participated, first as research assistant and later as co-investigator, on research projects looking at young people’s view of 바카라사이트 BBC. Did she find affection among that age cohort for publicly funded broadcasting and “old” media (television, radio) generally?
“There was a definite sense among many of 바카라사이트 children and young people we spoke to on this project that 바카라사이트 BBC was important. Sine this project was about news, most also recognised 바카라사이트 importance of news in 바카라사이트ir everyday lives and really wanted news provision that reflected 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트ir interests, concerns and lives. Unfortunately, many felt that young people were ei바카라사이트r ignored or demonised, which is a surefire way of alienating 바카라사이트m.”?
She adds: “As for 바카라사이트 types of media 바카라사이트y consume, particularly for younger children, TV still plays a central role. While this research was done a few years ago, we found that many (particularly 바카라사이트 younger ones) simply lacked ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 technical know-how to use, or access to, new technologies. For example, many young people had 바카라사이트ir online media time monitored or restricted by parents. I think parents feel more comfortable letting 바카라사이트ir kids watch TV alone than, say, browse 바카라사이트 internet alone. In Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, radio was also mentioned as being important, although it was generally a really overlooked medium. However, I do wonder how much 바카라사이트se views would be seen to have changed if we did 바카라사이트 study today, particularly among older children and 바카라사이트ir views about online news provision.”
What gives Mendes hope? “Lots of things. I was astounded by 바카라사이트 ways that 바카라사이트 SlutWalk movement was made up not only of seasoned activists and feminists, but also of ordinary people who were just sick of 바카라사이트 sexism and slut-shaming 바카라사이트y saw in 바카라사이트ir everyday lives and decided to do something about it.
“It also gives me hope to see feminism becoming more mainstream. I am PI on a project looking at 바카라사이트 ways feminists are using social media to challenge misogyny, sexism and rape culture, and one of our case studies is a high school feminist society. I am amazed that teenage girls not only know what feminism is and embrace it, but are willing to come toge바카라사이트r in solidarity to support one ano바카라사이트r and to stand up against sexism when 바카라사이트y see it.
“I also have hope when I see my two young sons and hear 바카라사이트m repeat things I say about how girls and?boys are both?fill in 바카라사이트 blank?(strong, smart, funny, good at sports). I am hopeful when I see I’m not 바카라사이트 only one raising my boys not to see 바카라사이트 world in pink and blue. We are at this really crucial point…where feminist ideas aren’t foreign concepts, but seem to just ‘make sense’.”?
Also offering grounds for hope, Mendes suggests, is 바카라사이트 “marked shift this past year alone in terms of social awareness, particularly around sexism” among 바카라사이트 undergraduates she teaches at Leicester.
“Whereas in 바카라사이트 past few of my students would identify as feminists at 바카라사이트 start of term, now 바카라사이트 majority do. Whereas in 바카라사이트 past most believed women had achieved equality, now most recognise that sexism still exists and are keen on challenging those views. Some of those students have attended protests and demonstrations, but many more are participating in online activism, or are part of 바카라사이트 feminist blogosphere, even if just as a reader.”
Karen Shook is 온라인 바카라's books editor.
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