For this edition of New Histories, we wanted to provide a space for students to discuss Women’s History in Women’s History Month. While there has no doubt been much disruption due to the impact of COVID-19, it is hoped that this magazine will provide an outlet for students who are now locked down to engage …
‘We want to grow up before we blow up’: Motherhood and Women Strike for Peace in the New York Times
By Alex Boulton On 15 January 1962, nearly 2000 American women and their children picketed the White House in the pouring rain, posting soggy letters to incumbent President John F. Kennedy while juggling umbrellas, placards and strollers. With signs that read ‘Never Say Die’ and ‘When it rains, it pours- Strontium 90’, the women were …
Anne Lister’s Diaries: Decoding the Secrets of The ‘First Modern Lesbian’
by Hannah McCann The television drama Gentleman Jack, based on the life of 19th-century lesbian Anne Lister, has been ground-breaking in its portrayal of lesbian relationships. Lister is a significant part of queer and women’s history and her story has rightly been recently adapted for the screen. This article will not focus on Lister’s life …
Comfort Women – Shedding Light on the Imperial Japanese Empire’s Dark Secret
By Tia A. Giove In discussing the wide breadth of women’s history, many events become unearthed that deserve significant historical recognition. One area from the 20th century that has been greatly overlooked, despite occurring as a result of one of the most historical focused and revisited events, is the comfort women of the Japanese Empire …
Spartan Women: Equality in Cultural Repression?
By Melina Katsoulakis Sparta has a name for being the tough city of the Ancient Greek world. Films like ‘300’ represent the emphasis on warrior strength that was incredibly important to the Spartans. However, this was not simply important for the men, physical strength was also a trait cultivated by women. The Spartan social and …
The misogynistic history of mental health
By Tierney Rhodes The understanding and impact that mental health can have on people and society has become increasingly important. With more people in prominent positions using their voice and platforms to voice their own experiences with mental health, it has become something that is commonly referenced in day to day life, and rightfully so. …
Musings on the Menopause: Comparative analysis between the 16th century and modern-day perceptions of the female body and ageing
By Eleanor Richardson As we enter a new decade, women’s bodies continue to be a cultural reference and topic for discussion. They are politicised, used in illustrative comments, yet still remain a taboo. Ben Broadbent, the Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, caused controversy in late 2018 when he described a faltering, stagnant economy …
How Psychiatry Promoted the Patriarchy
By Hannah Ahmed Throughout the twentieth century we see the emergence of psychiatry as a branch of medicine and care. While a huge amount of progress has been made within the discipline with confronting biases within psychological theory and the implications this has on treatment, its foundations remain problematic. Linked to early ideas about biology …
Greta Thunberg: A New Milestone for the Feminist Movement
By Steph Ritson Women’s History Month calls for the celebration and reassertion of the role of women in history, society and culture. This ultimately leads to the celebration of women through their contribution to influential milestones. The work of Greta Thunberg is undoubtedly one of these vital milestones in the feminist movement.
The US Women in World War Two and Beyond: Rights, Struggles and Contradictions
By Rachel Yu Cheng Chan The United States of America has a very long and complex relationship with the Feminism movements from the 1940s to the current period. It is contradictory that the nation promotes freedom and equal opportunities for all and yet there are situations where females are given less power and rights than …