Voice4Need Issue 2 (Feminism Mini Issue)

VOICE4NEED ISSUE 2

Read 5 pieces from 5 authors

CONTRIBUTORS

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR!

Heyeveryone!

I’msoexcitedtopresentVoice4Need’s 2ndIssue/FeminismMini Issue! Eachofthesepiecesfocusesonanaspectoffeminismand current issues affecting women! We collected submissions in March, which was Women’s History Month, and after a few setbackstheissueisfinallyhere! Wereceivedlotsofamazingsubmissionsforouranthologyand in this issue, and we plan on opening submissions for future magazineissuesandotherprojects! Youwillalsobeabletovote for your favorite piece (and that person will be given a Voice4NeedRisingVoicesAwardcertificate)! We hope that you enjoy this issue and stay tuned for future issues!

SasiKondru

Co-FounderofVoice4Need

UNITITLED

PARTHB.

THISPIECEISRELATEDTOBOTH MENTALHEALTHADVOCACY& FEMINISM.ITSHOWSHOWAGIRLIS SILENCEDANDAFFECTEDBYTHE SOCIETYASSHETRIESTOBREAKOLD TABOOS.

Originally published in Parth Bhawani’s poetry book “Undying Scars”

REMAINHEALED.

P R A R T H A N A N .

Let her dwell in the realm of healing tides, Where waves embrace their zenith's might, A query lingers on her soul's validity,

Unsettling the fragility of her identity. What trespasses has she committed, pray?

When all she craves is to serenade the day,

Grasping onto dreams, her voice to unfurl,

Yet eyes around linger, judging her twirl.

From distant shores, misconceptions unfurl,

They assume she's revealed her inner swirl, Alas it was just her feline friend, Chesterfield, Innocently adding to the lyrical field.

Testing her resilience, life's forge does mold, Discovering within, a spirit manifold,

For the metal of her being gracefully bends, Into shapes anew, as her journey extends.

Iwalkuponthemarblefloor

THE PINK TAX ESHAV.

To combat the Pink Tax and promote gender equality in pricing, efforts are needed at both the individual and systemic levels. Advocacy groups and consumer organizations are needed to raise awareness about the issue, conduct research, and pressure companies to adopt fair pricing practices. Additionally, legislative policies can be implemented to prohibit gender-based pricing discrimination and hold companies accountable for engaging in these practices.

One of the key strategies in the fight against the Pink Tax is promoting transparency and accountability within the retail industry. By advocating for clearer labeling and pricing practices, consumers can make more informed purchasing decisions and hold companies accountable for their pricing strategies. Moreover, increased public pressure can incentivize companies to reevaluate their pricing models and strive for genderneutral pricing across their product lines.

Beyond legislative action and corporate reform, challenging the cultural norms and stereotypes that produce the Pink Tax is essential. Educating consumers about the Pink Tax and its implications for gender equality can help establish a more informed and empowered consumer base. By promoting discussions about gender-based discrimination in pricing and challenging traditional notions of femininity and masculinity, we can work towards creating a society where everyone is treated equitably and fairly.

The fight against the Pink Tax is not just about price discrepancies on store shelves; it's about challenging systemic inequality and advocating for gender equality in all aspects of society

. Byraisingawareness, promotingtransparency, andadvocatingforlegislative reform, wecanconfrontthebarriersproducedbythePinkTaxandmovetowardsa futurewhereeveryonehasequalaccesstoaffordableandfairlypricedgoodsand services, regardlessofgender.

WorksCited

“WhatIsthe ‘PinkTax’ andHowDoesItHinderWomen?” WorldEconomic Forum, www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/what-is-the-pink-tax-and-howdoes-it-hinder-women/. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.

“ThePinkTax: HowGender-BasedPricingHurtsWomen’s ... ” JointEconomic Committee, www.jec.senate.gov/public/ cache/files/8a42

-4949b20b-6f40a326db9e/the-pink-tax---how-gender-based-pricing-hurtswomen-s-buying-power.pdf. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.

InvestigatingthePinkTax: EvidenceagainstaSystematic ..., FederalTrade Commission

www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/public events/1588356/mosharybhatiat uchman_updated2.pdf. Accessed 2 Apr. 2024.

Women’s expanding role in the workforce/ Military ANd discrimination

Kaushik S.

Introduction

Women’sroleinboththeworkforceandthemilitaryhaschangedalotinthe pastfewdecadesleadingtoincreasedsocialandprofessionalequalityand inclusivity. Byincreasingthenumberofwomenaswellastherangeofactivities thatfemalesonceperceivedasrestrictedtomen, thesewomenareactively challenginguniforms, breakingdownborders, andfundamentallychanging genderperceptionstoincorporatetheentiretyofsociety Nevertheless, positivechangestowardwomen'sequalityintheworkplaceandthearmyhave occurred, butwomenarestillgoingthroughdiscriminationandhurdlesintheir careerandmilitaryperformance, whichshowsthedifficultyofgenderequality andtransformationalchangeevennow

IncreasingOpportunitiesintheWorkforce

Womenhaveovertheyearsbrokenbarriers, winningpositionsinvarioussectors, suchas technologyandfinance, andotherslikemedicineandengineering. Legislationandpolicies thatpromotegenderequalitye.g. affirmativequotasandprohibitionofbiasedpracticeshave graduallyhelpedwomenreachhighpositionsintheirworkingenvironment. Onthecontrary, effortstomagnifywomen’sleadershipandentrepreneurshipalignthemtoobtaincareer opportunitiesandleadershiproleswhichwereneverinthepastpartoftheagendaforthe ladies

DistortingStereotypicalSentiments

Irrespectiveofhowfarwemoveforward, womenstillfaceallthehindrancesthatareintheir waytoascendingtotheleadershiplevelofanorganization Whiletheglassceilingseemsto beinvisible, itistheglassceilingthatpreventswomenfromhigh-rankingleadershipand decision-makingpositionsinorganizations Theglassceilingthatisbuiltforfemalesinvolves genderbias, stereotypes, restrictedaccesstoopportunities, andunsurmountablebarriers thatpreventwomenfrommovingforwardintheircareers.

GenderSocialExclusion/Discrimination

Thoughmanychangeshavebeenmade, genderdiscriminationstillexistsintheworkplace Thisproblemmaybeseeninanumberofways, including, payinequity, harassmentandlack ofadvancements. Whenitcomestowomen, biasandaggressionpeakintheformof microinsultsandmicroaggressionswhichgoaboutunderminingtheircontributionsand shatteringtheirconfidenceandsenseofbelonginginthe workplace Furthermore, thefactthatdifferentfactorsintersect (suchasrace, ethnicity, sexualorientation, anddisability) canleadtomultiplediscrimination, andwomenbelonging tounderrepresentedcommunities, maybefurtherdiscriminatedbecauseofthis intersectionality.

WomenJoiningtheMilitary

Thegenderlinehasbeensmashedcompletelyinthemilitaryfromthebeginning Women becamemoreinvolvedinallthebranchesinservice Inthebattlefield, toleadership positions, womenhaveshowntheirstrengthaswellasthetrueendeavorstheyputin runningthecountry. Genderbalanceanddiversityareactivelyencouragedinmilitary community, resultinginseveralpolicieswhichgrantwomengreaterrights, suchas participationinpreviouslyoff-limitsrolesandunits.

Obstructions/DiscriminationinMilitary

While womeninthemilitaryundoubtedlyhaveovercomemanyobstacles, includingsexual harassment, assault, andgender-baseddiscrimination, theexistenceofthesechallenges cannotbeoverlooked. Showofgenderrelatedviolenceandtoxicsremaincommonamong thecrewmemberswhichnotonlyaffectthementalhealthbutalsomoraleofthewomen Whereasalsothestereotypesandbiasesthatarerelatedtowomen’scapabilitiesand adequacyforspecificroleslinger, soastocreatemoreobstaclesontheirwayof employmentandintegrationintothecultureofmilitary.

TheJourneyAhead

Thetaskofachievingequalgenderstatusbothin professionalandmilitaryspheresdoesnotfallshort ofarequirementtodocomprehensivedeconstructing ofthesystemicbarriers, challengingstereotypesand changingtheculture. Theorganizationshavetodo packagepoliciesandpracticesthatcanassistthe processofdiversity, equalityandinclusion; andthis canbedonethroughpayingequalwages, creationof anti-harassmentanddiscriminationenvironmentand supportprogramsforwomenatworkandfor advancementoftheirleadership.

Conclusion

Asladiesgraduallytakeupmoreandmoredisciplines intheworkplaceandmilitary, theyshouldbehelped tosurmounttheproblemsthatmaycometheirway Femaleempowermentisthegoalthatshouldbe strivedforbysupportinggenderequity, shattering genderbias, andcreatinginclusiveenvironments. Theseeffortswillharvesttalentandskillneededinthe questforafairerandmoreintegratedsociety

Works Cited