It Affects Us All: Feminism as a Transnational Cultural Movement

In this week’s blog post, rather than primarily studying particular areas of popular culture and their effects on international relations, I have decided to focus on an issue which I have not touched on before, and which both affects and is affected by all areas in this field. The topic to which I am referring is feminism. While I do not personally consider myself an avid feminist, I am a modern woman in America, whose upbringing has been sprinkled with teachings about equality and women’s rights. As such a writer, my blog today explores two interesting posts on the topic of feminism. The first post refers to a news article found in the Washington Post about an Ultra-Orthodox newspaper in Israel that used the Photoshop program to remove images of ministers Limor Livnat and Sofa Landver from the inaugural photo of the Israseli Cabinet (see photo below), in which I discuss the disparities between the accepted rights of women that are demonstrated by their positions in government and the societal disapproval of their prominence in politics and media. The second post, The Modern Girl Around The World: Consumption, Modernity, and Globalization comes directly from a blog titled Feminist Review whose posts deal with issues regarding women’s rights and gender equality. In this post, writer Claire Burrows reviews the newly published book The Modern Girl Around the World, which she says, “demonstrate[s] that modernity is not a Western creation with foreign copycats, but rather a simultaneous movement.” In my response to Ms. Burrow’s post, I analyze this quote, and its significance to scholars of international relations, westernization, and globalization.

Orthodox Paper Photoshops Women Out of Israeli Cabinet
Comment

Thank you for drawing attention to this matter. While I am not going to specifically respond to your political views regarding Foreign Miniser Avigdor Lieberman, I would like to comment on the fact that the topic of this post is particularly shocking to those of Western cultures who are accustomed to a more equal treatment of women. For a form of public media to go through so much trouble to remove and replace the images of two women in a government photograph, it seems that there are extreme feelings of distaste for these women and their prominence coming from the editors of Yated Neeman. According to the Washington Post article you linked to in your article, “Ultra-Orthodox newspapers consider it immodest to print images of women.” I find this to be especially disheartening because these women have risen out of a culture that is not traditionally accepting and encouraging of feminine participation in politics and media publicity, only to be erased from the archives of history because a newspaper felt that their pictures were indecent. This act goes to show that while women have accomplished so much in being recognized for their efforts and their talents, there is still a long way to go in some places before equality can really be accomplished.

I recognize that this is a very Western opinion, and that there are many who disagree with my position on gender equality. From the perspective of the Ultra-Orthodox writers for Yated Neeman, it would seem that I advocate globalization and the spread of Western cultures into other areas of the world. While I cannot deny that I support learning things from other peoples as a positive way to improve oneself and one’s own global understanding, I sympathize with the fact that some of the things Western countries consider to be essential clash with the religious and traditional cultural foundations of others. However, I would simply like to point out the irony presented by this post: women are allowed to lead and to hold office, but cannot be published in photos doing so.

The Modern Girl Around the World: Consumption, Modernity, and Globalization
Comment

Thank you for posting an article regarding such an interesting publication, and for acknowledging the fact that while this was printed by an academic press, its appeal stems to anyone interested in gender related studies. In this age where gender equality is fast growing as a global discipline, it is crucial that popular culture joins in this global movement. You mention in your review that, “the authors demonstrate that modernity is not a Western creation with foreign copycats, but rather a simultaneous movement.” While I have yet to read the book to understand this comment, it seems that such a statement is broad and seemingly dangerous. How do you define the modernity to which you are referring? If this modernity entails women coming into the public eye, opening their mouths, and stepping away from tradition, is it possible that this movement could have happened independently of Westernization? Is it possible for women in other countries to realize their worth without the encouragement of western thought and popular culture? While I do agree that it may be possible that the modern feminist movement is independently expanding in other countries, I have to argue that popular culture and the spread of Western democracy is essential in planting the seeds and ensuring that women are supported in the global arena. Without the constant reminder that women in other countries are struggling through this battle as well, it would seem that the goal might be lost in discouragement. It is through publications like this one, as well as more subtly through TV shows, films, newspaper articles, and the Internet that women are empowered to move into the modern.

I was, however, pleased with your recognition of the extreme interconnectedness that defines our present world. You state in your post that, “We live in a global world, and this compilation recognizes transnational trends.” It is important for scholars in any discipline to recognize that the situations are widespread that have truly domestic implications without some sort of international ripple. With media readily accessible to wide numbers of people through the Internet, television, and radio, these “transnational trends” support each other. Thank you, again, for reviewing such an interesting and currently relevant publication.