Author Spotlight
Susannah Mitchell
I don’t consider myself an obnoxious person. I don’t speak very much around people I don’t know well and I don’t assert myself. However, certain issues make it difficult for me to hold back my words. Issues relating to the mental health stigma, LGBTQ activism and feminism are the most prominent in my mind.
This blog happens to be about feminism and women’s issues/rights. How women are abused, beaten down and silenced by society and the patriarchal system imposed upon them. Through years of reading about, talking about and even facing (however minor) inequality because of my gender, I find it impossible to stay silent.
I don’t consider myself an angry person. I’m not someone who is quick to accuse or point fingers or yell. I’m pretty laid-back. But I’m tired. I’m so, so tired. I don’t want to keep hearing about the restrictions lawmakers are attempting to put on my reproductive rights. The fact that the wage gap still exists sickens me. So does the disgusting realization that next year, when I attend college, I have a one in four chance of becoming a rape victim by the time I graduate.
These abject examples of inequality due to gender are utterly ridiculous. I find myself getting worked up, perhaps too worked up, over the blatant sexism women face not just in this country, but around the world. It’s because of this sexism that I call myself a feminist. But that’s not the only reason.
I consider myself a feminist because I am a woman. Because I have grown up with a certain amount of privilege that has allowed me to feel little of the effects of sexism. Because I am white, middle class and will receive a college education with little difficulty. Because my mother, her mother and so on had fewer advantages in society than I do, and because the daughters and nieces and girls of the future should have more than I do.
Until this is the case, I must use my words. In the words of writer Roxane Gay, “I am not brave. I am just tired of silence.” I will continue to fight for women and against gender discrimination in my community and in others, not because I am brave, but because I believe my voice will help.
Feminism has its faults, and I have my faults. The world is an imperfect place. However, in this blog, I hope to encourage others to advocate for women, to believe in the feminist cause or to simply listen to what I have to say. And I can only hope that I make a difference. That is all we can hope for.
A successful newspaper takes criticism to its advantage, not ignore it.
Feminism has become a reoccurring article topic for the past two years in the SME harbinger, and honestly, readers are tired of it. Just like how women are tired of the wage gap and tired of being suppressed. A successful newspaper has diversity in the staff, which isn’t the case here. A successful article has articles that ALL students can relate to and be interested in, which isn’t the case here. A successful newspaper has unbiased columns, which isn’t the case here. The numerous feminist articles truly haven’t raised awareness for feminism, but has pissed off the readers because they are sick of reading about how horrible women are treated by men. Feminism to the Harbinger has become the Lebron James of Sportcenter, excessively talked about. Please switch it up for once, were sick of biased articles from biased women.
Feminism has becoming a reoccurring article topic for the past two years in the SME harbinger, and honestly, readers are tired of it. Just like how women are tired of the wage gap and tired of being suppressed. A successful newspaper has diversity in the staff, which isn’t the case here. A successful article has articles that ALL students can relate to and be interested in, which isn’t the case here. A successful newspaper has unbiased columns, which isn’t the case here. The numerous feminist articles truly haven’t raised awareness for feminism, but has pissed off the readers because they are sick of reading about how horrible women are treated by men. Feminism to the Harbinger has become the Lebron James of Sportcenter, excessively talked about. Please switch it up for once, were sick of biased articles from biased women.