Blog

Eva Ladva

De-nudifying Humanity: On the Reasons Why We Need to Talk About Image-Based Sexual Abuse

In an age when undressing someone in an online environment can happen with one click, we need to look for solutions on how to combat a new worrisome trend that is defined as ‘image-based sexual abuse’ (IBSA) by the European Commission. Although the majority of victims are women and teen girls, it does concern men and boys as well (Dodge, 2021). There are some highly publicized cases of IBSA like Taylor Swift’s deep fake nudes spread on social media platform X in early 2024 (Verma and Mark, 2024). These images were most likely created by  AI and Taylor Swift fans started a massive support campaign, yet most of the cases of IBSA are much more mundane than this. 

Hasara Thennakoon

Women Helping Women: A Legacy of Empowerment and Growth

In a world often divided by boundaries and biases, there is a quiet revolution led by women, for
women—a movement rooted in the understanding that when women help each other rise, they
don’t just lift individuals but entire generations. Studies show that when women are empowered
through education and resources, their impact extends beyond themselves, positively influencing
families and communities. For instance, research indicates that women who earn higher incomes
are more likely to invest in their children’s education and health, improving outcomes for future
generations (World Bank, 2012). This sentiment underscores the ripple effect of investing in
women, as they are the architects of their futures and society’s collective progress.

Mana Taheri

Gendered Spatial Injustice: Use of Urban Spaces by Iranian Women

Mohammad Reza Shah ruled Iran prior to 1979. His main goal was good relations with the United States and westernisation of Iranian society (Iranian Revolution of 1979, 1994). He created opportunities for women to advance in the administration and be involved in decision-making processes. Women could dress as they wished and follow the fashions of the time. The Shah focused on improving levels of higher education and allowed people to behave in a more secular manner. His focus on westernisation sparked opposition and he ignored poorer regions. Anti-western Islamist movements led the revolution in 1979, the establishment of the Islamic Republic and an ultra-conservative religious regime. One of the earliest acts was that women gradually lost their basic rights, with the requirement to be veiled being an early and especially symbolic effect, and that freedom for young people of both sexes to meet became strictly limited, a trend that has continued until now when women are demonstrating for their freedom (Kazmir, 2019).

Palina Yaroshyk

Why Slurs Are More Than Just Words: Challenging the Myth of Free Speech Protection

“Words cut deeper than knives. A knife can be pulled out; words are embedded into our souls.”   ― William Chapman It can be difficult for some people to find the right words for conversations, while others are less concerned with being polite. For example, we are all familiar with bad and dirty words — those that refer to body parts, bodily functions, and sexual acts. In certain circumstances, you should not use them if you don’t want to be frowned upon. However, if a person does not like strong language it is simply because it triggers her sensibilities. The “bad words” do not denigrate a person’s identity. They do not “hit to the core”. Some might argue that such words, while impolite, are even relatively harmless. However the “bad words” function in the language in a much different way than slurs. Bad Words vs. Hate Speech There is one main contrast between such words and hate speech. Bad or dirty words are not meant to target an individual or hurt them. Hate speech, on the other hand, comprises words that are directed at a group (usually minorities) or members belonging to this group. These groups are based on something central

Palina Yaroshyk

Why Slurs Are More Than Just Words: Challenging the Myth of Free Speech Protection

“Words cut deeper than knives. A knife can be pulled out; words are embedded into our souls.”   ― William Chapman It can be difficult for some people to find the right words for conversations, while others are less concerned with being polite. For example, we are all familiar with bad and dirty words — those that refer to body parts, bodily functions, and sexual acts. In certain circumstances, you should not use them if you don’t want to be frowned upon. However, if a person does not like strong language it is simply because it triggers her sensibilities. The “bad words” do not denigrate a person’s identity. They do not “hit to the core”. Some might argue that such words, while impolite, are even relatively harmless. However the “bad words” function in the language in a much different way than slurs. Bad Words vs. Hate Speech There is one main contrast between such words and hate speech. Bad or dirty words are not meant to target an individual or hurt them. Hate speech, on the other hand, comprises words that are directed at a group (usually minorities) or members belonging to this group. These groups are based on something central

Eva Ladva

De-nudifying Humanity: On the Reasons Why We Need to Talk About Image-Based Sexual Abuse

In an age when undressing someone in an online environment can happen with one click, we need to look for solutions on how to combat a new worrisome trend that is defined as ‘image-based sexual abuse’ (IBSA) by the European Commission. Although the majority of victims are women and teen girls, it does concern men and boys as well (Dodge, 2021). There are some highly publicized cases of IBSA like Taylor Swift’s deep fake nudes spread on social media platform X in early 2024 (Verma and Mark, 2024). These images were most likely created by  AI and Taylor Swift fans started a massive support campaign, yet most of the cases of IBSA are much more mundane than this. 

Mana Taheri

Gendered Spatial Injustice: Use of Urban Spaces by Iranian Women

Mohammad Reza Shah ruled Iran prior to 1979. His main goal was good relations with the United States and westernisation of Iranian society (Iranian Revolution of 1979, 1994). He created opportunities for women to advance in the administration and be involved in decision-making processes. Women could dress as they wished and follow the fashions of the time. The Shah focused on improving levels of higher education and allowed people to behave in a more secular manner. His focus on westernisation sparked opposition and he ignored poorer regions. Anti-western Islamist movements led the revolution in 1979, the establishment of the Islamic Republic and an ultra-conservative religious regime. One of the earliest acts was that women gradually lost their basic rights, with the requirement to be veiled being an early and especially symbolic effect, and that freedom for young people of both sexes to meet became strictly limited, a trend that has continued until now when women are demonstrating for their freedom (Kazmir, 2019).

Hasara Thennakoon

Women Helping Women: A Legacy of Empowerment and Growth

In a world often divided by boundaries and biases, there is a quiet revolution led by women, for
women—a movement rooted in the understanding that when women help each other rise, they
don’t just lift individuals but entire generations. Studies show that when women are empowered
through education and resources, their impact extends beyond themselves, positively influencing
families and communities. For instance, research indicates that women who earn higher incomes
are more likely to invest in their children’s education and health, improving outcomes for future
generations (World Bank, 2012). This sentiment underscores the ripple effect of investing in
women, as they are the architects of their futures and society’s collective progress.