Pean Union at 11Pm on 29Th March 2019
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EACOCK by the pupils, for the pupils MayP 2018 In This Issue: 3. In the News 4. I am not a feminist 7. At the cinema 8.The Internet 10. Interview with Miss Alcoat 11. Football review 12. Summer book Chief Editors: reccomendations William Wale 14. Health and Wellbeing Sophie Puffett 15. The 617 squadron 15. Sports day photos The Editing Team: Thomas Mann Tom Ellis Thomas Onions Declan Musto With thanks to Mr Kidd and Mrs Kendall and all of our guest writers. Also, we would like to thank Mrs Hunt for allowing us to use her computer! 2 Commons and the Lords in the UK, meaning that very little can now be done without a Parliamentary majority to stop Brexit. However, many anti-Brexit Marches have been occurring across the UK, with a large march in London bringing together more than 100,000 campaigners for a second referendum. Their argument is that this country should be able to vote on the final Brexit deal, as so many lies and exaggerations were given in the run up to Two people have died after a bus collided with the original referendum. After all, why should a lorry that was pulling out of a transport depot people be expected to make the right decision at speed on the A47 in Cambridge. The First when they have no idea what the consequences Eastern Counties bus collided into the trailer are? of the lorry as it pulled out across the road without signalling. The driver and a passenger on the bus died, with seventeen on the bus also injured. The driver of the lorry was uninjured. On 5th July the National Health Service will celebrate its 70th birthday. Ever since Aneurin Bevan introduced “Universal Healthcare from the cradle to the grave” in 1948, there has been free healthcare for every British Citizen, no matter how great or grave their condition. Whereas before the war everybody had to pay for any medical attention they required, it is now considered a Human Right. Although many Americans would see our idea of entirely free healthcare for all who need it dangerously communist, there is little doubt that the country would collapse if this great service were to fail. The budget shop chain Poundworld has entered administration after it was unable to find a buyer. It is just one of many high-street shops, such as Toys-R-US UK and Maplin Electronics Ltd, to collapse this year due to higher price goods and the weak pound. Preparations are still under way for the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union at 11pm on 29th March 2019. Although very little is currently known about what the final deal with EU will be, the bill to fully authorise Brexit has successfully passed through both the 3 I am not a feminist Having taken my time to research a variety political, economic and social equality of of sources, I have chosen to not identify as the sexes” (Merriam-Webster). In theory, a feminist - a controversial stance to uphold the vast majority of people would support in the wake of today’s third-wave feminist the equality of the sexes, and it would take movement. I acknowledge that a refusal to a rather interesting argument to actively accept feminism may be met with outrage; oppose equality of opportunity in today’s however, I would be extremely willing to modern society. However, an idea is not the pursue the discussion beyond the printed page same as an ideology. Therefore, it is possible and to be receptive to any opinions that differ to support equality, whilst criticising an from my own. I also understand that I have ideology which includes equality as one of its not been able to fully develop every discussion key points. point, that much of my research comes from American feminism, that the meaning of Reality, not Theory the term is different for everyone, and not I don’t think it’s controversial to say that everyone who identifies as a feminist will philosophically, feminism got it right: All support the aspects I criticise. people, regardless of gender, should be afforded the same rights and respect. The Ideas, not Ideologies problem is that feminism is now more than It may seem paradoxical that I agree a philosophy or a group of beliefs. It is, now, with the views of several feminists such as also a political movement, a social identity, Christina Hoff Sommers and Camille Paglia, as well as a set of institutions. Feminism used and that I agree with the message conveyed to be outside the culture. It used to be a way by Emma Watson in her revolutionary He of imagining a different kind of culture, and For She speech at the United Nations. I criticising the one that exists. But somehow am grateful for the first and second-wave in the last decade or so, to me feminism has feminists who have fought for the rights that become another part of the culture. In fact, I enjoy today. However, I support the ideas, it has become increasingly apparent that and not the ideology, and the identities of feminism is moving towards an ideological the source of those ideas are not of utmost doctrine, which has splintered into too importance. (It could be comparable to many subcategories - which each place agreeing with some Christian teachings, yet their emphasis upon a different part of that not placing Jesus at the forefront of these ideology - for the movement to be considered beliefs. To many, this is not enough to be truly unified. considered a Christian. The same case applies for feminism.) A Brief History of Feminism The opening line of almost any feminist The first and second waves of feminism can rhetoric will point to the dictionary definition, be considered as movements for civil rights namely “the advocacy of women’s rights - the freedom to vote, the freedom to own on the ground of the equality of the sexes” property. In particular, 1918 saw the UK’s (Oxford), or “the theory of the Suffragette movement bringing women the right to vote (1920 in the US), which was 4 the prime concern of the first wave. From patriarchy implies that the power to achieve 1970 onwards, the UK Equal Pay Act made it is apparently not in our hands - it belongs legally obligatory for women to be paid and to a global, faceless concept. Rejecting the treated in the same way as men at work (this patriarchy as a defining part of our lives can is similar to, but not the same as the Equal allow us to regain autonomy and pursue Rights Act in the USA). The second wave also our own goals. It hardly does justice to sought to liberate women on the grounds women under fundamentalist religious of their reproductive rights, and to link the law to complain of apparent oppression public with the private aspects of life through in Western society with the right to vote, the statement “The Personal is Political”. As access to free contraception and mandatory third-wave feminism washed ashore, it sought education to age 16. Those incredible to continue pursuing the perceived failures women that did go on to achieve - Elizabeth of the first and second waves. As well as Blackwell, Katherine Johnson, Valentina enforcing further laws, third-wave campaigns Tereshkova, Malala Yousafzai - went seek to modify social norms and attitudes. on and did so anyway, regardless of the More recently, intersectional feminism presence of patriarchy. I find this message proposes that ethnicity, religion, class and far more empowering - that success comes disability must all be considered alongside from within, from a personal choice to gender in order to fight for true equality. conquer challenges rather than relying on Some would consider the third wave to external conditions being right for you (an advance the shortcomings of the second wave, individualist approach). whilst others would deem it redundant or in Whilst it may seem that acknowledging need of modification in order to be beneficial patriarchy is the only way to defeat it, to society. The main critique of the third wave overstating women’s vulnerability is not the is that it has moved from uniting all women, way to do so. Neither is replacing patriarchy to becoming an excuse for self-empowerment, with “matriarchy”, if the feminist ideal of and for the obligatory support of the entire equality is to be achieved. I do not have liberal political agenda. This form of feminism enough knowledge or experience to suggest speaks out against constraining women into the ultimate solution, but all I know is that fixed categories, and yet seems to despise society is a complicated mix of benefits and people who do not conform to a constraining burdens for both sexes, and that demonising ideological mould. men is not an effective way to promote social change. The Patriarchy and Victimhood A major component of feminist academia Toxic Masculinity and Mansplaining concerns the patriarchy - the domination of Feminism attempts to put an end to assigning society by men. I would not be so naïve as to certain traits to people simply because of deny that many societies in the world today their gender. By definition, the movement is place greater importance upon men than supposed to be about not putting down any upon women. However, I do not believe the particular gender. But paradoxically, this is way to resolve this is for women to declare the very basis of terms such as mansplaining, their strength by presenting themselves as manterrupting and bropriation.