Esha Ac

Dove Isn't Just Sexist, It's Racist
By Esha Ac
I was 15 and visiting a cousin in India when I saw my first container of skin-lightening cream. Although I found it slightly puzzling, I had no idea what it represented in terms of deeply ingrained social issues, with long roots in Indian history. I…
I'm Proof That Teaching to the Test Doesn't Work
By Esha Ac
We've all heard a lot about standardized testing over the last decade. George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind act was a huge catalyst for this increase, calling for institutions to enforce 14 standardized tests in order to be granted federal…
Tech Needs Women, But Women Don't Necessarily Need Tech
By Esha Ac
If we know anything, we know we need more women in tech. Goals range from how we can design programs to help women become more interested to what tech companies can do to "attract" more women. Do a quick search for "women in tech" and you’ll find…
Marketing Firms Are Feeding Off Your Insecurities
By Esha Ac
If you have ever felt personally targeted by a Facebook ad, you are far from alone. Targeted advertising has become a boon for marketers, and ranges anywhere from mildly helpful to downright offensive in the eyes of the average user. I personally…
Why Students Judge Female Professors More Harshly
By Esha Ac
University students are used to male professors. It’s not surprising — as of a few years ago, women held only about 24% of full professor positions in the U.S., despite the increasing presence of female students on campus for the past 25 years. At…
The Number One Reason 'Young Invincibles' Should Get Behind Obamacare
By Esha Ac
If you’re still unsure about how the Affordable Care Act benefits women, Planned Parenthood is a good place to start. As an organization that often targets young people in order to improve access to information about reproductive health, the group…
A Canadian Politician Thinks Banning "Religious Symbols" Will Empower Women — This Woman Disagrees
By Esha Ac
While Quebec's proposed "values plan" has divided the public and earned its fair share of criticism, one of its most distinguishing (and misguided) aspects is its claim to feminism. The heart of the charter, which aims to ban all religious symbols…
These Ivy League Colleges Will Give Students Credit For Making Wikipedia More Feminist
By Esha Ac
Ivies Yale and Brown have found themselves on the receiving end of intense criticism for their course "Wikistorming: Feminists Engage Wikipedia." Critics charge that integrating feminist theory into technology-related Wikipedia articles will…
This Sexist Male Conductor Should Orchestrate Some Respect
By Esha Ac
In the symphonic music industry, the issue of low female representation is not a new topic of discussion. Last week, however, well-known Russian composer, and Saint Petersburg Conservatory alumni, Vasily Petrenko found it acceptable to inform…
France Has a New Plan to Get Rid of Sexism in Schools: Ignore It
By Esha Ac
In gender theory, there is the classic battle between the idea that gender is a social construct, and the idea that gender roles are biologically inherent. Either theory can be a catalyst for both good and bad social changes. But in France, a new…