Women
‘Are women too emotional to hold positions of leadership?’
Meet the Judge — In 2009, Kholoud Al-Faqih became the first female judge to be appointed to the Shari’a courts in Palestine’s West Bank. A new documentary shares her incredible story.
Written by: Hannah Clugston
In France, thousands protest violence against women
Paris goes purple — Around 30,000 people took to the streets of Paris on Saturday for a rally spurred by #NousToutes (#UsAll) – the feminist movement calling for an end to all forms of violence against women.
Written by: Alexander Durie
Brazilians rise up against a far-right future
Take it to the streets — Activist groups across the country are mobilising against presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro – a populist who has built a campaign from racism, misogyny and homophobia.
Written by: Kevin Damasio
Celebrating 150 years of the female gaze
Into The Light — A new exhibition, Into The Light, spotlights the rare and undervalued work of female-identifying photographers from the last century.
Written by: Miss Rosen
How a 14-year-old took on political corruption in Egypt
Prodigy in protest — From standing on the frontlines at Tahrir Square to rallying against the patriarchy, Amal became a revolutionary when she was just a teenager. Now, her steely determination is being celebrated in a new film.
Written by: Hannah Clugston
The women kayaking 4,000km from London to the Black Sea
Across the continent — Kate Culverwell and Anna Blackwell are more than a month into a mammoth, continental expedition that will see them paddle a tandem kayak named Benji across Europe. As they set up temporary camp in Belgium, we speak to the adventurers about the trials and tribulations of their journey so far.
Written by: Rachael Healy
How women radicalised the world of self-publishing
Inside the revolution — For decades, women have been using independent zines to discuss the issues that matter to them – rejecting the mainstream media’s misogyny to take issues into their own hands. We talk to the most revolutionary publishers about what spurned them on.
Written by: Emma Finamore
Twisted portraits of sex, power and feminine desire
The story of O — In her new mixed media project The Story Of O, New York artist Natalie Frank examines the good, bad and ugly of women's erotic imaginations.
Written by: Ione Gamble
Photos that flip the way we view sex, women and violence
The new LA noir — Pooling influence from Hollywood, old advertisements and porn, visual artist Camille Mariet uses explicit, bold photography to subvert sexist stereotypes.
Written by: Ione Gamble
The radical history of vaginas in art & popular culture
Pussy power? — In her latest video for ‘PYNK’, released this week, Janelle Monae pays tribute to self-love, pink and ‘pussy power’. But are vagina depictions in modern visual culture really all that empowering? Polyester Editor Ione Gamble investigates.
Written by: Ione Gamble
