I recently finished a Masters degree in peace studies. Throughout the course, a lot of emphasis was placed on Johan Galtung’s idea that peace is commonly defined negatively- that is, that peace is often referred to as the absence of war, rather than the presence of something else. That “something else,” peace, has to include … Continue reading Women are not an interest group
Category: gender
Why the racist, sexist backlash against Cecile Kyenge is a good thing
In April, Cecile Kyenge was appointed minister of integration by Italy’s prime minister, Enrico Letta. She is the first black person to serve in Italy’s cabinet, and has lived in the country for the past 30 years after moving to Italy to study medicine at the age of 18. An ophthalmologist by trade, she has … Continue reading Why the racist, sexist backlash against Cecile Kyenge is a good thing
Gender Discrimination v. Abortion Rights
I am 100 per cent behind a woman’s right to choose what to do in the event of an unwanted pregnancy. I am completely against “informed consent” laws that require a woman to have an extremely invasive ultrasound before being allowed to go through with the procedure. It seems like a complete waste of time … Continue reading Gender Discrimination v. Abortion Rights
On Gender Nonconformity
Gender is everywhere. Although there is evidence that suggests that, for example ancient Yoruba culture had no gender roles, it is hard to deny their pervasiveness today. From FGM and foot binding (now outlawed), to rigid expectations of manhood, the socially accepted ways in which we are expected to behave are arbitrarily decided on what … Continue reading On Gender Nonconformity
Doreen Akiyo Yomoah 