Tag: feminism

I Started Watching ‘Sex And The City’ Again From Season 1 and This Is What I Noticed Is Different In Modern Times

Published on by The April Diaries2 Comments

Since its debut in the late 1990s, “Sex and the City” has left an indelible mark on popular culture with its portrayal of four women navigating relationships, careers, and life in New York City. However, revisiting the series today prompts a reflection on how societal norms and values have shifted, significantly altering the landscape of relationships and representation in media.

One notable difference between “Sex and the City” and modern times is the evolving emphasis on representation and diversity. Critics have pointed out the show’s lack of racial diversity and narrow focus on a specific demographic of women. In contrast, contemporary media prioritizes inclusivity, with a push for diverse casts that reflect a broader range of experiences and backgrounds, acknowledging the importance of intersectionality.

Another key distinction lies in the impact of social and technological changes. When “Sex and the City” first aired, smartphones and social media were not yet ubiquitous. Today, technology plays a central role in dating and relationships, influencing how people connect, communicate, and navigate intimacy.

The shifting landscape of gender roles and feminism is also evident. While “Sex and the City” celebrated independent, career-driven women, today’s narratives delve deeper into issues of intersectional feminism, gender equality, and inclusivity, reflecting a more nuanced understanding of women’s experiences and challenges.

Attitudes towards sexuality have evolved as well. “Sex and the City” was groundbreaking for its frank discussions about sex and relationships. However, contemporary media embraces a broader spectrum of sexual orientations and identities, fostering greater acceptance and representation.

Fashion and lifestyle choices depicted in “Sex and the City” reflected a specific era of luxury and materialism. Today, there’s a broader range of styles celebrated in popular culture, with increasing emphasis on sustainability and ethical consumption.

Critically, modern narratives engage with societal issues more explicitly. While “Sex and the City” was criticized for glamorizing consumerism, contemporary media often critiques materialism and explores its impact on personal well-being and society at large.

In conclusion, revisiting “Sex and the City” in the context of modern times highlights the profound shifts in societal norms, values, and perspectives on relationships. While the show remains iconic for its era, contemporary media reflects a more diverse, inclusive, and socially conscious landscape, reflecting the ongoing evolution of culture and attitudes towards love, sex, and urban life. As we continue to progress, it’s essential to embrace these changes and celebrate media that resonates with the rich tapestry of human experiences in today’s world.

Government data reveals the industries with the largest gender pay gap

Published on by The April Diaries2 Comments

In light of the recent scrapped government menopausal leave trial,  it has become apparent that women continue to face barriers to progression in the UK workforce. This in combination with ongoing disparities in male and female pay, it is likely that women in Britain will seek out industries that treat them more fairly.  

[Although I am not from Britain, I found this research to be quite fascinating.]

Key findings: 

  • Out of the twenty sectors analyzed, there are just three industries whereby women receive higher pay than men. These are activities of households as employers of domestic personnel, construction, mining and quarrying. 
  • In 80% of industries, men are paid more than women – the highest of this being the real estate industry whereby men are paid 31.12% more than women.
  • A quarter of industries pay men over 20% more than women. 
  • There were zero industries whereby men and women are paid equally, however the sector that had the closest to equal pay with a 0.98% pay difference is ‘Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies’. This includes activities of international organizations, such as the IMF, the World Bank, the UN. 

Industries that women are paid the least, compared to men 

IndustryPay gap (%)
Real estate activities-31.12%
Information and communication-26.07%
Education-25.82%
Financial and insurance activities-22.81%
Accommodation and food service activities-21.82%
Public administration and defense; compulsory social security-19.59%
Administrative and support service activities-19.17%
Professional, scientific and technical activities-17.19%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing-17.15%
Human health and social work activities-13.37%

* for comprehensive industry descriptions see here. 

For a quarter of the industries analyzed, men get paid at least 20% more than women. These are real estate activities, IT, Education, financial and insurance activities. The industry that has the biggest gender pay gap is ‘real estate activities’, whereby women receive a whopping 31.12% less than men. This sector is described as Activities of real estate investment trusts which includes buying, selling and renting own real estate. 

There are great gender disparities within the IT industry since women represent just 30.31% of the workforce and there is a severe imbalance on male and female pay – with women getting paid 26.07% less than men. The education sector, whereby women represent 69.71% of the workforce, has a shocking 25.82% gender pay difference. The financial sector has a much more equal balance of female to male representation, with women representing 44.04% of the workforce, yet women are still paid a whopping 22.81% less than men. 

 Industries that women are paid the most, compared to men 

IndustryPay gap (%)
Activities of households as employers of domestic personnel +36.94%
Construction+17.68%
Mining and quarrying+9.64%

The industry with the best pay for women compared to men is Activities of households as employers of domestic personnel, with a whopping 36.94% pay increase compared to men. This industry includes jobs such as maids, cooks, gardeners and babysitters – and women represent 72.31% of the workforce. Following this is the construction, mining and quarrying industries whereby women are also paid more than men, on average. In the construction industry, it is unsurprising that females represent just 14.66% of workers, but what is surprising is that women get paid 17.68% more than men on average. Tasmyn Brittain, who works in construction provided some comments on her experiences working in the industry:

“I chose construction as there were very few women within the industry so I wanted to be able to break that barrier, and also knew that within the construction industry there is plenty of space to move up the ranks and learn as much as possible. However, there is a slight surprise if I turn up on a building site – most men seem taken aback to see a woman on site in full PPE. I’m definitely outnumbered in the office in terms of women versus men. A lot of the women in construction, or at least my place of work tend to be in admin or HR roles, rather than physically working in the factories or on site.”  

Industries that have the worst female representation

IndustryFemale representation (%)
Construction14.66%
Transportation and storage21.54%
Mining and quarrying25.14%
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply25.18%
Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities26.79%
Manufacturing27.12%
Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies27.72%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing28.73%
Information and communication30.31%
Financial and insurance activities44.04%

As well as the gender pay gap being a barrier to female success, there are major disparities in female representation across industries. In eight of the twenty industries analyzed, less than 30% of the workforce are women. The industries with the worst female representation (%) are the construction, transport and storage, and mining and quarrying industries. 

Data commissioned by https://www.rebootonline.com/digital-pr/digital-pr-consulting/ 

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Fight For Your Dreams, Fight The Patriarchy, And Support One Another In The Process

Published on by The April Diaries1 Comment

Every Academy Award show, year after year, there are speeches that may as well go down in history, especially this past award show. I would have liked to compile a “top ten best dressed: Oscars 2019,” but there is more that needs to be said.

Can we all just be in awe of the fact that Lady Gaga is halfway towards being an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner)!? That’s right, for those who missed it, Lady Gaga won an Oscar for “Best Original Song.” Everyone around me questioned Lady Gaga when I was growing up, but I’ve always liked her for being different. I read magazines that reported, “oh, she just likes the attention.” No. She embodies theater and performance. Don’t get me wrong, we’re supposed to question everything in life, and no one can exactly stop anyone for having opinions. But one thing is true is that opinions should be backed up by fact and not plain prejudice and self-importance.

Moreover, this part of her acceptance speech struck a chord of truth in me:

“If you have a dream, fight for it. It’s not about how many times you get rejected or you fall down or get beaten up. It’s about how many times you stand, are brave and keep on going.”

Oftentimes, I find myself questioning (there’s that word again!) my future based on what people say to me. Granted, especially if you’re in the arts, you’re going to have critics. I have/had many critics, no matter what the situation. But I’ve kept on going. I auditioned for dance theatre last month, and auditioned for two dances for the dance club and didn’t get into either one of them. But it was no belittlement of my talent because I know that I put in the effort and I tried. They even took the time to acknowledge how much effort I put in. I hated that people tried to talk me down from being “too passionate” when dancing. In fact, having passion while dancing is a good thing.

I then saw this Facebook post, post-victory and it was a picture of Gaga with a quote from her above it that read:

“I had a boyfriend who told me I’d never succeed, never be nominated for a grammy, never have a hit and hoped I’d fail. I said to him ‘someday, someday when we’re not together anymore, you won’t be able to order a cup of coffee at the fucking deli without hearing or seeing me.”

Did I mention some idiot she went to college with made a Facebook group titled, “Stefani Germanotta, you will never be famous?”

I know both those feelings all too well — to have people close to me not supporting me and, instead, hoping that I’d fail or do less. And I do recall being added to a random-ass Facebook group as a joke by people I didn’t even know in eighth grade. Who knows? There were probably Facebook groups or group chats solely made to diss me. Again, I don’t know, and I never will.

And my point? What you say will come back to unapologetically bite you. But I’m not here to give you karmic facts.

Also, today also happens to be International Women’s Day — one of my favorite days of the year! No, really, it is. I’m also very excited to announce that I will be returning to RWU next year as VICE PRESIDENT, for the second year in a row, of the Women’s Collective for Violence Prevention and Victim Empowerment!!! I remember, at my previous college, I tried to start a women’s empowerment group, and to this day, I feel like I failed my interested peers because of the illnesses that overcame my life that semester. When I first announced it to my (then) class group on Facebook, it was mocked. I was often labeled a “third-wave feminist,” but that was just one source of ridicule on my ever-growing feminism. But look at me now! I could go completely off-topic if I wanted to, but I shall not.

But my point is? Instead of tearing each other down, support one another and build each other up. Many people have tweeted this, so much that it should just be a rule of thumb, at this point. Envy and hatred are never in style, and I’m not just saying that because I’m a fashion blogger (see what I did there?) It’s true, no matter what gender you are. Don’t write-off someone’s vision as “stupid” or something that should be “held off,” but a possibility. Who knows? That vision could be a good idea to others.