The Young Feminists' Network Newsletter- Issue II 2024

Author

Everystory Sri Lanka
November 04, 2024

The Young Feminist Network was established in July 2020 by Everystory Sri Lanka to bring together people interested in learning more about feminism, particularly from a Sri Lankan and South Asian perspective.

Reflecting on Beijing 1995: 30 Years of Gender Justice

“Over 30,000 voices converged in Beijing 1995 to make one resounding declaration: women’s rights are human rights.”

Feminism in India reflects on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, examining its impact on global gender justice since 1995. The article underscores the Declaration’s relevance, its unfinished goals, and the urgent need to reinvigorate the fight for gender equality worldwide.

feminisminindia.com/2024/10/28/reflecting-on-beijing-1995-30-years-of-gender-justice

3 Reasons Why Sri Lanka Should Consider Gender in Climate Finance

“Climate finance is growing globally, but women risk getting left behind. From the instruments we use to the climate actions we fund, women are impacted. Popular sectors attracting climate finance (e.g., in mitigation) tend to benefit men more, while sectors and regions that are highly climate-vulnerable and impact women more (e.g., for adaptation), are attracting less climate finance. As Sri Lanka attempts to accelerate climate finance, gender must be a leading consideration.”

www.csf-asia.org/3-reasons-why-sri-lanka-should-consider-gender-in-climate-finance

The Politics of Fashion: An Exploration of Clothing’s Complex Role as the Fabric of our Socio-Political Existence – The Yale Globalist

Sarah Ben Tkhayet explores how clothing shapes identity, reflects power structures, and influences social norms. She reflects on fashion’s complex role in activism, self-expression, and cultural movements, revealing how what we wear is deeply intertwined with politics.

globalist.yale.edu/2022-2023-issues/the-politics-of-fashion-an-exploration-of-clothings-complex-role-as-the-fabric-of-our-socio-political-existence

Our latest Reading List

Our latest Reading List delved into the theme of “Girlhood”, exploring this period as a “momentous time for adolescent girls as they begin to develop their own independent ideas and a sense of the world and a time when they first begin to experience how injustice and patriarchy have a direct impact on their lives.”

The list extensively explored novels and audiovisual media that captured the complex and layered experiences of girlhood, menstruation, and puberty—inspecting the puberty rituals of Sri Lanka and finding friendship, belonging, and community.

We also analyzed the duality of girlhood - the phenomenon where on the one hand, girls are only seen as children who are not ready to make decisions about their lives when it comes to expressing their opinions, choices, or mobility. On the other hand, girls are forced to mature more quickly than boys and pushed into circumstances that effectively stunt their childhood.

“All over the world, including in our own country, girls are pushed into adult roles of caregiving, marriage, and pregnancy. The roles which serve the patriarchy are deemed necessary or socially-appropriate, while they are considered too immature or uninformed to exercise agency about their own lives.”

- Everystory Sri Lanka’s Reading List on Girlhood

On the topic of girlhood, also explore:

Child Marriages in Muslim Families in Batticaloa and Ampara - Hasanah Cegu, Ermiza Tegal, and Nadia Ismail

“Child marriages occur in all communities in Sri Lanka, and teenage pregnancies are a concern nationwide. Unlike the approach towards this harmful practice in other communities, it is legitimised within Muslim communities by the State.”

Cegu, Tegal, and Ismail capture the adverse impact of the Muslim Marriages and Divorce Act (MMDA) of 1951 as a catalyst and the main culprit for soaring numbers of child marriages and teenage pregnancies across Muslim communities of Sri Lanka

Shreen Abdul Saroor with Hashtag Generation on the necessity of reforming the Muslim Marriages and Divorce Act (MMDA) of 1951

In a podcast episode by Hashtag Generation, Shreen Saroor, an activist with decades of dedication to women’s rights and peacebuilding, delves into the origins of the MMDA, the flaws of the Quazi Court System, and the pressing need for reforms to the MMDA's personal and family laws.

“Sephora 10 year olds” and the disappearing tweens

Khadija Mbowe is a cultural critic, and social commentator known for her nuanced and humorous takes on media, pop culture, and identity. The video essay explores the impact of early beauty marketing on young children, particularly the 'disappearing' tween demographic.

She examines Sephora’s approach to targeting younger audiences and the cultural shift toward encouraging makeup and beauty products for children as young as 10, delving into how social media, corporate beauty ideals, and consumer culture are reshaping childhood, impacting self-image and identity while pushing adult aesthetics on kids.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

“My Sister, the Serial Killer is a blackly comic novel about how blood is thicker - and more difficult to get out of the carpet than water...” - Goodreads

This month, we're reading My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, a dark comedic novel that intertwines themes of sisterhood, loyalty, and societal expectations placed on women. Set in Nigeria, the novel follows Koreda as she navigates her loyalty to her sister, Ayoola, a serial killer, as she tries to navigate the moral implications of her sister's actions.

The novel diverts from the orthodox depiction of women as victims or one-dimensional characters in the crime genre. The writing prompts discussions about the lengths women will go to for their families, the complexities of female relationships, and the moral ambiguities that arise when familial loyalty clashes with ethical dilemmas.

Bottoms (2023)

This month we’re watching Bottoms!

Bottoms (2023) is a comedy film that explores high school girlhood, centering particularly on the queer experience. Directed by Emma Seligman, the film follows two queer, unpopular teens, PJ and Josie, who start a self-defense fight club as a ploy to connect with their crushes and gain popularity.

The film took the internet by storm for its unapologetic approach to queer representation, subverting traditional high school movie tropes by positioning queer girls at the center of the narrative—not as sidekicks or tragic figures but as messy, funny protagonists driving the story. Bottoms resonated widely because it blends humor and satire with a genuine depiction of female friendship and the complexities of modern girlhood.

We’re looking for a Program Manager for our Young Feminists’ Network Program!

Everystory Sri Lanka is looking for a Program Manager to help us develop, manage, and run the Young Feminists’ Network.

Send us your CV, portfolios, writing samples, or other copies of your work to [email protected]. We’re always on the lookout for creative, passionate, and curious feminists. Women identifying, transgender, non-binary, and other queer-identifying people are encouraged to apply.

Applications are open for CREA’s “Feminist Leadership, Movement Building and Rights Institute – South Asia”

“CREA’s Feminist Leadership, Movement Building, and Rights Institute – South Asia is a residential programme designed to strengthen feminist solidarity, leadership, advocacy, and strategies for building collective power for social transformation.”

FLMBaRI South Asia is for activists, researchers, and human rights practitioners, working on issues ranging from sexuality, LGBTIQ rights, sexual and reproductive health and rights, rights of persons with disabilities, HIV/AIDS, public health, violence against women / gender-based violence etc.

Participants should be embedded in human rights and/or feminist movements or civil society, or be working closely with them. Full-time students are not eligible. Only individuals from the Global South are eligible to apply.

For more information on eligibility criteria check the FLMBaRI South Asia webpage

Application Deadline: 22 November 2024

The Collective for Historical Dialogue & Memory (CHDM) is hosting a Seminar for History Educators!

The Collective for Historical Dialogue & Memory (CHDM) is an interdisciplinary institution working to devise and implement processes that interrogate Sri Lanka’s complex and forgotten past, document the present, support its citizens' information needs, and promote the creation and exchange of knowledge.

They are hosting a Seminar for History Teachers and Educators on the 23rd and 24th of November 2024, in Matara. The seminar is free of charge and accommodation and transport will be offered by the organizers.

“Participants of the 2-day seminar will:

  • Be introduced to and trained on using teaching tools/strategies and sources that are relevant to the Sri Lankan classroom.

  • Network and build connections with history education professionals from across Sri Lanka and abroad.

  • Have the opportunity to get involved with the Histories that Connect project and develop their own educational resources”

To apply, fill out the Google Form attached here.

Application Deadline: 8th of November 2024

Sex Vs. Gender: What’s the Difference?

The Centre for Equality and Justice (CEJ) is hosting an interactive session on the basics of Sex and Gender on the 5th of November from 5.30 - 7.30 pm. CEJ is a women’s organization based in Colombo working primarily on the rights of war-affected women from the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities, Transitional Justice and Reconciliation.

University Students, School Leavers, Corporate Sector, and CSO representatives are encouraged to join the session.

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