Germany: Women on Corporate Boards

In other news, Germany has not implemented the law that calls for women to be seen in Boardrooms just as much as men. With the uproar of feminists around the world dating back to the 1960's, Germany has decided to take matters into their own hands and show that they believe women's ideas and lives do matter by giving them just as many jobs in boardrooms as men.

Read more here

Japan: Women Crying Rooms

Recently in Japan, a hotel has implemented "crying rooms" for women. This begs two huge questions: why is the room only for women and why does Japan need a crying room? Japan is known historically for being a hard-working country. Furthermore, women are expected to work far more than men, having a job and also being a housewife who raises the kids, and cooks and cleans. This could be the reason why Japan has adopted the notion of a "crying room" for women to leave the house, get their sorrows out, and go back home like nothing is wrong. Is this a good or bad thing? I feel oppressing the Japanese even more could not be a good thing.

Read more here

Africa: Women Farmer Oppression

In Africa, a country with a lot of agricultural work, there seems to be a gender gap between the workers. Working as a farmer is a good job in Africa, a job that women hold almost half of. Although women are seen almost as much as men in farm work, their farms are much smaller and less productivity is seen compared to men farms. Women are unable to make as much money as the men in these farm jobs, oppressing them even more in the work field.

Read more here

India: The Gender Gap Widens

It is no secret that society places men above women. Even worse, women are affected by violence more than men. In India, the gender gap is reported to be growing even wider with the complaints of assault and rape charges that are pouring in to every police station. Women are treated far less than men in India, and are the victims of much more assault and violence.

Read more here

India: Transgender IS a gender

A rather exciting news break in India is the implementation of a new gender: the right to choose your own gender. Up until recently, transgender was seen as a choice and maybe an outcry for publicity, something not taken seriously. India has chosen to recognize transgender as a gender, and leave the identification up to the citizen. Other places in the world have not come this far at all, but it will be interesting if this starts a trend in the near future.

Read more here

Islam: Social Media Tactics

The internet-and social media-has been a big part of modern society for years. Recently, the Islamic State has been using social media to win recruits in the U.S. The terrorists over in Islam are directly contacting citizens in the U.S. to try and recruit them on their side. It's extremely shocking to know that the terrorists of Islam-people who attacked the U.S. in 2011-are contacting citizens of the U.S. for help.

Read more here

Saudi Arabia: The Norm of Beheading

Recently in Saudi Arabia, a woman was publicly executed for sexually abusing her step daughter and then killing her. This is the fifteenth public execution by beheading since the beginning of this year. Although the crime may fit the penalty, public execution is gruesome and beheading is even more grotesque. Contrast to the USA, Saudi Arabia uses the death penalty for crimes as small as burglary. Knowing the death penalty and the value given on life in different countries is essential to understanding the way of life of different cultures.

Read more here

Delhi: War on Sexual Violence

Source: India Today

indiatoday.indiatoday.in

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

 In 2012, a young woman was gang raped in Delhi. This violent act created an uprising of women trying to take control and fight for equal rights. Now, in 2015, Kavita Krishnan who is a leader of the Communist party of India, is actively trying to engage women in work and to fight for the dignity and rights of Dalit (lower caste) women. She plays a big part in the war against sexual violence. Krishnan is actively engaged in the war on rape culture, especially gang rape that happens quite frequently in India.

Africa: Human Rights Overcome Hate Crimes

Source: Amfar

www.Amfar.org

 Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Africa is one of the countries that still outlaws homosexuality. Without accepting same-sex relations, it's no surprise that Africa also has a ban on transgender people, who are ostracized and punished simply for being themselves. It's important to note that not only the government puts a ban on transgender, societal norms make it impossible to show one's true self. Transgendered citizens are violated in the following ways: “raped to prove your gender, humiliated and beaten, thrown out of home, job loss, psychological abuse, undressed and humiliation” and the list could only go on. Africa is working on getting Human Rights organizations over to help overcome the social stigmas, the abuse and rape culture, as well as implementing protections for people victimized by gender stereotypes.

read more here

India: First Transgender Mayor

Source: Star Observer

http://www.starobserver.com.au/

 Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Madhu Bai Kinnar is the face of a big revolution in India right now. Although gender hasn't been a huge issue in India-they have a gender just for transgendered peoples-it is still a big revolution to empower a transgendered woman into the seat of Mayor. Kinnar is the first transgendered woman to become mayor in India's history. Although Kinnar was from the lowest caste, she still beat her oponent by 4,500 votes; perhaps this is the start of a revolution to have complete equal rights for all citizens in India.

 Read more here 

Ireland: Breaking Gender Norms

Source: Irish Examiner

http://www.irishexaminer.com/

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

In Ireland, where women aren't outwardly oppressed, the societal norms and government implement sets of rules to lead the male gender above the female gender. In recent news, fashion shows have been arguing the norm and having collaborative catwalks for males and females to walk together, regardless of the gender the clothes are “meant” for. Brands like Prada, Armani, Saint Laurent, and Moschino all shared his idea of including men and women on stage at the same time. It was even noted that Prada Milan herself stated that she was having the genders share the stage to “create an opportunity to measure what genders share and what they take from each other” (Irish Examiner, 2015). rguing the stereotype that only women are models is one thing, but having genders mix while up on stage is an amazing statement that challenges the binary system as a whole. Ireland has taken one step towards equal rights for men and women by implementing these fashion shows.

Read more here 

Malawi: Outlawing Child Brides

Source: AllaAfrica

http://allafrica.com/

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Malawi, a place where women are disregarded and often given away as child brides, has now passed a bill to ban child marriage and raise the legal age to wed to 18. It has been reported that half of the girls become child brides, meaning half of the girls don't have a say in the rest of their lives. This new bill is working towards the creation of equal rights for women and men, something quite foreign to Malawi.

Read more on this article here

Delhi: Victim to Blame

Source: The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Recently in Delhi, a man by the name of Mukesh Singh was convicted of raping Jyoti Singh, a 23 year old woman. Singh reported in a jail interview that he simply is not to blame for raping the young girl, as she was asking for it by being out late at night. He stated that women out late at night are only there "to attract the attention of gangs and male molesters" (The Telegraph) and are therefore to blame for what happens to them. This speaks monstrosities to the way women are treated, portrayed, oppressed in Delhi. Women are subject to blame for anything that happens to them, because they are to subdue to their male inferiors. Other recent news reported on the rape have Singh's names in headlines while the victim, Jyoti Singh, remains but a number. The disturbance that is victim blaming is not an uncommon occurrence, even in the United States. Victim upon victim are blamed for being in the wrong place, wearing the wrong clothes, saying the wrong thing, whatever will get the perpetrator painted in a new-perhaps in a good-light; what is left to the fine print of these reports is the wrong doing of the male rapist.


The more infamous picture to go along with this story is this:

Source: The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

This is the picture of the rapist, who seems to be receiving more attention than the victim herself.

Click here to read the full article on this issue.

Angola: LGBT on Screen

Source: BBC News

http://www.bbc.com

Date accessed: 3 February, 2015

Gender roles in Angola aren't as broad as gender roles in America. In an article I read in recent news, an Angola television channel was being questioned due to the homosexual activity it showed. Although America still has gender issues regarding the LGBT community today, it has come a lot farther, especially in media, with showing and being accepting of homosexuality. In America, television shows with homosexual scenes are widely accepted, a couple being Orange is the New Black and Modern Family. After seeing this article and the not-so-revealing picture that accompanied it, I decided to read up on current gender roles in Angola and see why this picture, or television show, was such a big issue. [Read the article: here]

As it is today, gender roles in Angola are that of a patriarchal society. Males are much more dominant and hold higher power in the job world, at home, and in families; polygamy is still a big issue. Women are often illiterate while men usually have a higher education. The women are sent to do more dangerous jobs, thus their mortality rate is also higher. Similarly in America, women are also valued less in the work world, but in contrast women usually have higher educations and aren't as valued to do the more dangerous jobs (crane work, mining, etc.) [to read more on this click here]. 

Moving forward from the common gender role questions, I looked at the relationship patterns and if homosexuality was illegal, socially unacceptable, or the norm. The relationships in Angola are very much heterosexual, with homosexuality actually being illegal, even between two consenting adults in their own home. Harassment against the LGBT people is not frowned upon, in fact its a commodity. There has been some talk of a change of discrimination against gender biased, but probably not any time soon (and not LGBT focussed). A head member of the government has never been homosexual and recently a homosexual government member tried to come out and was kicked off.