Femividual

The Feminist Reading Challenge is back and fashionably late for 2017! This reading challenge focuses on reading nonfiction and fiction that is about feminism, sexism, and gender.

I've added some fun new challenges to the 2017 version including levels and even a feminist reading Bingo card. The Bingo card will be optional but I do want you to choose a level which are based on female superheroes.

The Levels are:

Batgirl 1 - 4 books read
Catwoman 5 - 9 books read
Poison Ivy 10 - 14 books
Harley Quinn 15 - 19 books
Storm 20 - 24 books
Supergirl 25 - 29 books
Wonder Woman 30+ books

Here is the Feminist Bingo Card:

The Rules:

This challenge began January 1, 2017 and ends Dec 31, 2017.

Since I am starting a month late all books read in January may count towards the challenge. This includes the Bingo card.

You may sign up anytime during the year.

Please choose a level. You may move up or down if your goals change.

Books may be nonfiction, fiction, or poetry. Nonfiction books need to be about feminism and any related topic. Fiction and poetry need to be about girl's and women's issues. Young adult books will be allowed. Here is a list at Goodreads for book suggestions.

You may include books of any format including traditional books, ebooks, or audiobooks.

You may reread books.
The Feminist Bingo card is optional. Books may count for only one square.

Books may count towards other reading challenges.

Use the hashtag #2017FeministRC on social media

If you could be so kind, please place the 2017 Feminist Reading Challenge banner on your blog to help spread the word.

Please link back to this blog, post about it on Facebook, Tweet about it, and so on to help spread the word.
Please leave a comment with the level you are choosing and if you are doing the Feminist Bingo challenge.

Come back to this post throughout the year and share your book reviews and progress in the comments.
I've created a group for the challenge at Goodreads.

To sign up add your link to the Linky Tools below. You may use your blog, social media account such as Facebook or Twitter, your Goodreads account, etc.

I decided to create this blog with a goal in mind. Some people create a feminism website to inform others about current events in culture and politics. Some people create a feminism website to defend feminism. Some people create a website to teach about feminism. And lastly some people create a website because they are antifeminism.

I'm not doing any of that. You see those people create a website because they care about what other people think of feminism. This blog isn't about convincing you, the reader, of anything. I'm not here to convince anyone to become a feminist. Maybe it's almost selfish, but I've created this website, this blog, for me. It's an online journal of sorts.

It took me many years to be able to say that I'm writing just for me. When I first started out in the feminism community I fell into a trap of wanting everyone to think I know it all, that I'm a "real" feminist, and that I'm as radical as they come.

What I know now at the age of 41, is that I don't know it all, that no one truly gets to decide who the real and fake feminists are, and that I hate radical feminism. But that's okay because radical feminists tend to hate me.

Why? Because I question things in feminism. I disagree with some things in feminism. And like a child in Sunday School, I'm told I shouldn't question these things. I should just agree they are so. When I start questioning things I would often be told, "Oh you're one of those people. Like Christina Hoff Sommers." It was usuallly meant as an insult. I always take it as a compliment. It means I'm not a brainwashed sheep that thinks what all feminists "should." I think for myself. I'm a...femividual.

This isn't the first time I created this blog. The first time I was that girl trying to write about a feminism that everyone agrees with. I tried to be someone I'm not. And you can't please everyone. It was a disaster. I didn't know what I was doing. Still don't to be honest.

This time I'm a woman who wants to find out exactly what kind of feminist I am. Which brings me to my list of questions about feminism that I want to answer, for myself, on this blog. I want to explore these questions and come to my own conclusions. That's why this blog isn't about trying to convince anyone else of anything. Because I honestly don't know what I believe myself. I figure it's important to find this out first and then I'll work on convincing other people.

Some of the questions are about current events. Some are about sexism in general. Some are about feminist philosophy. And the most embarrassing ones are about the history of feminism that I don't know but should. I nearly called this blog The Education of a Pop Feminist. The truth is I know feminism in popular culture but I don't know the history, philosophy, and theory.

Here are my 100 Questions About Feminism:

1. Did the Women's March actually accomplish anything?
2. Does the organizer of the Women's March Linda Sarsour really support Sharia Law?
3. Why do some feminists dress as vaginas when they protest?
4. Why did 53% of white women vote for Trump?
5. Does the previous fact mean feminism is no longer wanted or does it mean feminism is failing?
6. When did each wave of feminism occur and how are they different?
7. What is the history of women's suffrage?
8. Did white suffragists support black people voting?
9. What is the story behind Rosie the Riveter?
10. Was birth control and/or Planned Parenthood created out of the belief in eugenics?
11. How does white feminism hurt the feminism of women of color?
12. How can white feminists make their feminism intersectional?
13. Does pop culture feminism hurt or help feminist activism?
14. Why is Gloria Steinem the face of feminism?
15. Does American feminism hurt or help feminism for women in other countries where suppression is harsher?
16. What can I do as a feminist to help women in other countries?
17. Can you be a feminist and a Muslim?
18. Can you be a feminist and support women who choose to be Muslim?
19. Does feminism as a whole truly hate men?
20. Why are some stereotypes about feminists and why do they exist?
21. Is patriarchy real?
22. Is the wage gap real?
23. Does feminism really break up marriages and families?
24. Can you be a prolife feminist?
25. Is an embryo and fetus a person?
26. Is abortion murder?
27. Should abortion remain legal?
28. Should other people help pay for women's abortions?
29. Can a stay at home wife and mother be a feminist?
30. Is it harmful for women to believe being a mother is the highest aspiration a woman should have?
31. Are children better off with a stay at home mother or a mother who works?
32. Are children of single mothers worse off than those with two parents?
33. Can single mothers do well are raising boys?
34. How oppressed are American women, really?
35. Can a women be interested in losing weight, wearing makeup, and fashion and still be a feminist?
36. Can a woman who focuses on being married still be a feminist?
37. Can you be a Christian and feminist?
38. Was Jesus a feminist?
39. What privileges do men have that women don't?
40. What privileges do women have that men don't?
41. Is it truly a man's world and women are just in it?
42. How are men and women truly different?
43. Should the differences be acknowledge or downplayed?
44. Is it harmful for women to embrace femininity?
45. It it harmful for women to reject femininity?
46. What privileges do cis-gendered people have?
47. Can you be woman positive without excluding people who are trans?
48. What does it mean to be a woman?
49. What does it mean to be a man?
50. What does it mean to be gender fluid?
51. Is it time to leave behind the binary genders and embrace the gender spectrum?
52. Does embracing the gender spectrum eradicated womanhood?
53. What does the TERF, trans exclusive radical feminist movement believe?
54. What is radical feminism?
55. Are men necessary?
56. Can you be a feminist and support sex work?
57. Can you be a feminist and support porn?
58. Can a woman be a slut?
59. Is it wrong to slut shame?
60. What does it mean to be sex positive?
61. Is it harmful for men to be encouraged to embrace sensitivity?
62. Is it harmful for men to be encouraged to embrace masculinity?
63. Should baby boys be circumcised?
64. Should women be included in the draft?
65. Are men really to blame for taking over the birthing industry and eradicating midwifery?
66. Did the witch persecutions of the Burning Times happen because of sexism?
67. What religions allow women to become spiritual leaders?
68. How are gendered toys harmful to children?
69. Is rape culture real?
70. Is college rape exaggerated?
71. Is military rape exaggerated?
72. How prevalent is female gentical mutilation and why is it done?
73. Is it really harmful to tell girls they are "bossy?"
74. Is there truth to the saying "boys will be boys?
75. Is the idea of "not all men" a myth? Are they really all to blame?
76. Why are so few women in politics?
77. Why are so few women executives?
78. Is Lean In feminism beneficial only to white women?
79. Was Hillary Clinton treated really treated so harshly because she's a woman?
80. How are Republican women treated by their base?
81. Why do so many Hillary supporters hate Bernie Sanders and his supporters?
82. Is it okay to vote for someone simply because they are a woman?
83. Can a man truly be a feminist?
84. How much did President Obama do for feminism?
85. How much did Hillary Clinton do for feminism?
86. How much has Bernie Sanders done for feminism?
87. How much has Elizabeth Warren done for feminism?
88. Is the Republican war on women really happening?
89. Are American feminists just whining?
90. Historically did Republicans or Democrats do more for women's rights?
91. Is catcalling blown out of proportion?
92. How are women treated differently for aging?
93. Why do antifeminists call feminism cancer?
94. Is there a real need for the men's right movement?
95. Is it better to be a feminist or an equitist?
96. Can women and men ever be truly equal?
97. How does popular culture contribute to women's body image?
98. How does popular culture contribute to men's body image?
99. Is feminism truly needed?
100. Am I a truly a feminist?

Friday, March 3, 2017

#FEMPOWERATHON ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

2017 Feminist Reading Challenge Info and Sign Up Page

100 Questions About Feminism I Want to Answer