By Kara Chyung
Normally I seek out the news, other feminist blogs, or my own life when looking for new blog topics, but this time I tried a slightly different route: I went to YouTube, typed in “feminism” and hit “Enter”. Let’s just say I was pretty surprised by what came up.
Below I’ve listed some of the highlights of my little exploration. If you’re ever in need of something to watch, search “feminism” on YouTube sometime and go wherever the mouse leads you. But be warned: it’s a jungle out there, especially in the comments sections.. .
1. Reinventing feminism - Courtney Martin - TED
Courtney Martin shares her story about growing up with feminism and why she eventually decided to call herself a feminist, giving insight into how feminism is changing since thirty years ago.
2. Myths About Feminism - marinashutup
This satirical, sarcastic video “debunks” popular stereotypes of feminism. Kind of a comic relief after watching videos filled with yelling and mocking of the movement.
3. Girls That Piss Me Off - JennaMarbles
Popular YouTube vlogger Jenna Marbles rants about double standards and gender roles in relationships. Her message: you can’t be a feminist while waiting around for Prince Charming to come and take care of you. Makes you wonder why it’s the guy who is expected to hold the door for a girl.
You might be appalled by the title of this video, but I clicked on it because I was interested in getting a different perspective. The Amazing Atheist addresses many issues that feminists often cite as reasons to be feminists. Despite some angry yelling (and a lot of cursing), he makes some pretty good arguments. I don’t agree with a lot of what he says (like how feminism is useless because it can’t bring about actual change), but I think it’s important to know the other side’s opinion. If you like this video, check out his other video called Failure of Feminism, which brings up a lot of good points about gender inequality with regards to men.
