Women's studies is now well entrenched in the university curriculum. But why isn't it a core part of high school education? The Miss G___; Project for Equity in Education, founded in 2004 by two first-year university students, is lobbying the Ontario government to make this happen. The group's namesake is the historical Miss G___;, who was among the first wave of young women to attend university in the United States in the 1870s. During her studies, Miss G___; died suddenly and her death was used as proof that women put ...
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Women's studies is now well entrenched in the university curriculum. But why isn't it a core part of high school education? The Miss G___; Project for Equity in Education, founded in 2004 by two first-year university students, is lobbying the Ontario government to make this happen. The group's namesake is the historical Miss G___;, who was among the first wave of young women to attend university in the United States in the 1870s. During her studies, Miss G___; died suddenly and her death was used as proof that women put themselves at risk when pursuing higher education, a theory that was once used to bar women from higher education. Today the Miss G___; Project has chapters in eleven universities across Ontario. As third wave feminists, the members of the group understand just how difficult it is for feminist organizations to win the media attention crucial to their lobbying efforts. As a strategy to gain more exposure, they have created a public image that relies heavily on heterosexual femininity -- casting themselves as ladies, posing coyly in skirts, wearing full makeup and offering perfect smiles. The author herself is a member of the Project. While she supports the group's initiative, she has serious concerns about the appropriateness of a feminist organization using personal appearances as a political tool. Will this strategy help the Project reach its political objective? Or will the media reframe the image to shape a negative public opinion that erodes the Project's overall support? To answer these questions, Miller interviews the group and contrasts their interpretation of their strategy against critical media analyses to better understand how their message isbeing communicated and how it is likely to be taken up by the public. Branding Miss G___; is an exciting and insightful discussion that takes a fresh look at how third wave feminists are engaging with the media to foster social change.
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