Hijab - It's Nobody's Business

The hierarchical Islamic religion in Iran based in oppression and patriarchy is hopefully being successfully challenged and eroded.

"I told them that times have changed, and I respect my daughter's choice not to wear a hijab. It's nobody's business."

These are the words of Maryan who posted pictures online of her Iranian daughter not wearing a scarf. 

“The core and heart of this movement is really the revolutionary act of these women turning their head scarves into the most effective and most powerful weapon against religious dictatorship and deep layers of misogyny and patriarchy,” said Fatemeh Shams, a women’s rights activist and an assistant professor of Persian literature at the University of Pennsylvania.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/25/world/middleeast/iran-women-hijab-hair.html

Nine of the world’s top 20 most performed living composers are women

Where would our arts world be today if music composition had been equally open to everyone else in addition to white males over all these centuries? Now we know.

In 2022, according to an annual classical music statistics report, nine of the top 20 most performed living composers were women. 

In 2014, just one composer in the top 20 most performed living composers was a woman (Sofia Gubaidulina).  

In 2013, just one conductor of the 100 busiest conductors was a woman (Marin Alsop at No. 70), but now there are 12 women.

Progress.

https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/report-most-performed-living-composers/?fbclid=IwAR2h4SzR3B_MCHU5g6otNiSAdU2iHsjQqqvzn6kZ_pE6F0dtGSSK1hyxXkM

Wimbleton Will Allow Colored Underwear to Reduce Anxiety During Periods

Starting next year, female players at Wimbleton will be allowed to wear dark-colored underwear the All England Club announced on Thursday.

There has been calls for Wimbledon to change their rules requiring players to wear all white clothing to reduce anxiety around menstrual cycles.

Chief executive Sally Bolton said: 'We are committed to supporting the players and listening to their feedback as to how they can perform at their best.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-11439939/Wimbledon-allow-women-wear-dark-underwear-attempt-reduce-anxiety-periods.html 

Colleges Expel Few Sexual Misconduct Offenders While Survivors Suffer

Title IX was passed 50 years ago, and is supposed to ensure that students have a right to an education that is free from sexual harassment and gendered violence. Colleges are supposed to institute and support systems for investigating allegations, protecting complainants and disciplining perpetrators. 

However, USA TODAY, in an 18-month investigation, found that the system in colleges and universities is extremely flawed, and victims' complaints are rarely addressed adequately. Most likely perpetrators will not be addressed and victims are left feeling alone. Minimal actions are taken and light sanctions are imposed, undercutting findings of fault. 

https://www.registerguard.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2022/11/16/title-ix-campus-rape-colleges-sexual-misconduct-expel-suspend/7938853001/?for-guid=838884cc-6495-11ed-bba5-c6850bc7e2d6&utm_source=registerguard-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=NREG-OREGON-EUGENE-NLETTER65

Donald Trump Continues Building His Hierarchies

Surprising no one, Donald Trump announced today he will again run for president of the United States.

Being successful at using every control tactic in the book of Hierarchies, he continues to try to gain power. He lies, steals, condones violence, does what he can to keep resources going to those on top, avoids accountability, and believes in controlling the lives and bodies of those in lower groups, etc.

It will be interesting to see how the Republican Party fares with him in the race. Since the Republican Party has supported hierarchies virtually 100% in the last decades, they are perfect bedfellows with Trump. How farther will the Republican Party have to sell its soul in order to rid itself of Trump, or possibly once again embrace him?

Hierarchies make for very strange alliances. Evangelical hierarchial religions would rather support a man like Hershel Walker than vote for Raphael Warnock who has devoted his life to Christianity. Supporting hierarchies of the Republican party is on the very top of their agenda. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/politics/trump-2024-presidential-bid/index.html

Mormons Support Same-sex Marriage

Who would have ever thought that the Mormon Church would support same-sex marriage! 

Today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced support of a proposed federal law that would codify marriages between same-sex couples. 

Hierarchies can break down little by little, even among the conservative, hierarchy-based religions, even if it takes forever it seems. Here is a great example. 

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/11/15/lds-church-comes-out-federal/

India's top court grants all women the right to safe abortion

On Thursday, India's top court upheld the right of a woman to an abortion up to 24 weeks into pregnancy regardless of marital status, a decision widely hailed by women’s rights activists.

The right to abortion has proved contentious globally after the OR v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court that had legalized the procedure across the United States.

“Even an unmarried woman can undergo abortion up to 24 weeks on par with married women,” said Justice D.Y. Chandrachud of India’s Supreme Court, holding that a woman’s marital status could not decide her right to abort.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/india-top-court-grants-women-right-safe-abortion-rcna49943?fbclid=IwAR3mNJwaH4b7S_pnzWSyafR4BGCrlp3P_zWBZNz66HNBxgQTOlBMg3bjAqk