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Jessica Chastain:

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Jessica Chastain:

“ I know you, come here! » Jessica Chastain pulls us into her arms. This is the sixth time we have interviewed the American actress. “ I remember the first time you were pregnant!“, she says. She's right, it was our first interview in Deauville in 2014, where she received an honor. But our first meeting actually took place in February 2012. A villa on the heights of Los Angeles, one evening in honor of Sofia Coppola, who shot the commercial for the Marni collection for H&M, Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder and Liv Tyler strolled through the various rooms of the house. Bryan Ferry gave a private concert.

And then we noticed this sublime red-headed actress sitting on an armchair in the entryway. Alone. Without a photographer to bother him. Without a publicist getting in the way. So we stepped forward to tell him how much we loved him The Tree of Life, a film directed by Terrence Malick, who presented it to the world a few months earlier at Cannes, where it won the Palme d'Or. She smiled and blushed. “ It was the moment I realized my life was changing. It was very exciting“, she recalls. Jessica Chastain couldn't imagine at the time to what extent.

Seven years have passed, two Oscar nominations, a Golden Globe win, collaborations with the greatest directors – Kathryn Bigelow, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan, Guillermo del Toro, Jeff Nichols – and the founding of his own company, produced by Freckle Films. And even a Jay-Z clip, Family disputes, released in January and directed by Ava DuVernay. Not only has Jessica Chastain become one of Hollywood's most influential actresses, she has also proven to be the industry's best advocate for women's issues and is a founding member of Time's Up (an anti-sexual harassment movement founded on January 1, 2018). by several Hollywood stars in response to the Weinstein affair), an alleged feminist and passionate activist on social networks.

His next project in Cannes, 355, a 100% female spy film, was the most expensive film purchased by Universal at the Marché du Film this year, worth more than $20 million. On the set of our photo shoot, her social conscience is even reflected in her choice of look, in which she actively participates: a Dior sweater by Maria Grazia Chiuri from the May-68 homage that has “C” written on it. est non, no, no and no,” a direct reference to the issue of sexual consent that has been at the center of the news since the Weinstein affair began. Or suspenders with Borsalino that make her think she looks like ” a female version of Liberated.” Liberated, perhaps that's what describes her best.


It is interesting that you asked to offer a woman from the list of photographers for this photo shoot…

I've done some wonderful shoots with men. But most of the time I have no choice in the list of names presented to me. It seemed obvious to me to demand that women also appear there. And if their portfolio appeals to me, then I prefer them. In her destination I don't feel like eating sweets. It is often said that women are admired for the sexual desire they arouse, and this is reflected in photographs. When I work with a photographer who has a different perspective, she manages to capture something the public may not know about me.
You are one of the founding members of Time's Up and held the very first meeting in New York. When did you tell yourself it was necessary?

I'm not the only one! Two or three weeks after the Weinstein scandal, Reese Witherspoon called me and we asked ourselves what we could do to shift the industry to a healthier way of working. We met at her house and started sharing our experiences. Nobody said: ” We will start a movement“Little by little the idea took hold. And to be completely honest, I don't feel comfortable saying, ” I was there from the beginning“Because the people who were there from the beginning broke the code of silence. And without their courage none of this would have been possible. Silence is just as discriminatory as behavior. If you are successful where there is discrimination, you are by nature someone who practices that discrimination.
Are you already seeing changes thanks to the actions of Time's Up and the #MeToo movement?

Yes, it forced decision-makers to take a closer look at who they hired and to pay more attention to producing films that told stories centered around female characters. The platforms are becoming more inclusive and salary differences are becoming less common. The great thing about Time's Up is the growing number of women calling the hotline to get the resources they need to combat sexual harassment and assault across all industries.


What specifically could be done to give women access to the same positions and the same salaries as men?

Watch films written or directed by women and become familiar with the work of female artists. It is a matter of honor for me to work with directors like Susanna White, who directed me Woman goes ahead (2018) or Niki Caro in The zookeeper's wife (2017). Change is happening, and with this type of behavior we can be a part of it. According to a recent study, women do not get into high positions because they do not feel sufficiently qualified. But lately I've noticed that they have more confidence because they feel supported by other women. That's also one of the things that this movement has changed.
Do you think studios are finally ready to hand over the reins of blockbusters to female directors?

Yes, we're getting there little by little: Ava DuVernay directed A Wrinkle in Time, Patty Jenkins directed Wonder Woman, Niki Caro will direct Disney's new Mulan. I've seen a big difference in the last two years: women are directing films with budgets over a million dollars. We are at a monumental turning point and I firmly believe things will only get better.
Does change also happen through language?

Yes, when it is written that I play a “strong woman,” it means that most women are not. Why not just say that I play well-written roles? You never read about an actor being known for playing “strong male characters” simply because it is ingrained that all men are. We need to change the way we expect both genders to behave. And that goes through the words and vocabulary we use.
Have you ever felt like you should stay put as an actress?

I was told, especially in the beginning, that it could harm my career. But that always didn't matter to me: I don't want to work with someone who underestimates women. After filming, I began to speak out on this issue Zero Dark Thirty, where I observed sexist behavior, which was all the more shocking because the film was directed by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow. I think the industry now realizes how important it is to do this and it's been a while since I've received comments like this.
Was becoming a producer a way to take control of your career?

Producing has never been about advancing my career, but rather that of the actors I want to work with. Like Octavia Spencer, with whom I'm doing a Christmas comedy. When I learned that she earned five times less than a Caucasian actress despite winning an Oscar (in 2012 for his role in The color of feelingsEditor's note), I told myself that it was unimaginable. Equal pay for equal work! Others are more important to me than myself, I have always been lucky to have many opportunities. My production allows me to highlight stories and characters that are rarely told.


Like 355, unveiled at Cannes?

Yes. After doing some research, I realized that female-directed films work better than male-directed films and that there is a real lack of female-led spy films. The partners I personally sought out are all women and actresses I deeply admire: Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong'o, Fan Bingbing. I wanted to make sure we all got the same pay and had the same screen time. It's a real community project, not just another job.
Until then, see you in the next one X Men: Dark Phoenix. In what role?

That of Lilandra, a negative energy (his publicist interrupts him with a smile: “Are you really sure you want to cross this line?” “). True, I have no right to talk about it. But I enjoyed filming with Sophie Turner, for whom it was her first leading role. It's important to support young actresses and I was lucky to find James McAvoy, who I worked with The disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.


It was never released in France, although it was shown in Deauville… Still, it was a strong film.

Uh! Did you like it? (She seems genuinely surprised, and so are we. It marks a silence.) It was my first production. In fact, we made two films with director Ned Benson to tell the same story: one from the woman's point of view, the other from the man's point of view. When Harvey Weinstein bought the distribution rights, he decided to combine them into a single film. And it ruined it.
Do you want to tour outside the United States?

I would like to tour Europe. I admire Michael Haneke, Olivier Assayas… Hey, can you tell me the name of a French director whose work I should check out?
Katell Quillévéré, Lucie Borleteau, Julia Ducournau, Marie Monge, Céline Sciamma, Mia Hansen-Løve… I'll send you a list.

Yes, please ! Unfortunately, French cinema does not always reach the United States.
You have been a Piaget ambassador for three years. To what extent is this role a complement to your profession as an actress?

When I'm preparing for filming, they always suggest jewelry to production without ever imposing anything. For Miss Sloane (2016), they lent a male watch to a woman of power. For The big game (2017), in which I played a powerful but more glamorous woman, a very sexy long necklace “Possession”.
Looking back, what advice would you give the young Jessica Chastain?

To stop being so hard on myself. Not worrying about what others say to me. To have more self-confidence. Today I get along very well with myself.
X Men: Dark Phoenix, by Simon Kinberg. In cinemas from February 13th.

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Also read:
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Chloë Grace Moretz: “I want to make films in which young people can feel accepted”
Riley Keough: “I work really hard to earn my place”

The “Chad First” platform calls on women not to demonstrate naked

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The “Chad First” platform calls on women not to demonstrate naked

During a media outing this Friday, February 19, the coordinator of the “Chad First” platform, Mahamat Saleh Moussa, urged protesters not to walk naked.

During past marches, images of half-naked women circulated on social media. Since the initiators want to organize the marches every Saturday, the coordinator of the “Chad First” platform is addressing women.

For Mahamat Saleh Moussa, this “walking around” is a corruption of morals. “We can demonstrate with dignity, but not go out so naked. “That doesn’t fit with our culture, our religions,” he says. For him, these women are “manipulated by politicians with dubious mentality, who work for their selfish interests and care little about the well-being of these women.”

He therefore asks these women to find a way to demand their rights. And added: “Don't be fooled, they are using you.” If they want power, it will be at the ballot box, not through chaos and discord.” “Who would tell their sister, their wife or their mother to walk around naked? Why don't they ask their wives, sisters and mothers to go naked?

BACTAR Frank I

Isabelle Barth (EM Strasbourg): “For recruiters, boys want to rise in the hierarchy, not girls”

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Isabelle Barth (EM Strasbourg) : «Pour les recruteurs, les garçons vont vouloir monter dans la hiérarchie, pas les filles»

Do job profiles have a gender? To answer this question, Isabelle Barth, professor and general director of EM Strasbourg, conducted the survey among more than 300 business school students and 50 recruiters. A study presented on the occasion of Women's Day on March 8, 2013, which shows the weight of representations in both the professional and private spheres.

Why did you conduct a pilot gender career survey among recruiters and business school students?

It all started with a problem observed at the Strasbourg School of Management. While 50% of students are female, girls earn 12% less than boys in their first job. the school gate. And these gaps then widen with the arrival of the first child. This problem obviously affects not only EM Strasbourg, but all higher education and society in general.

What are the main differences in the career aspirations of the young people surveyed?

Rather, we have reassessed things on this topic, which is being widely discussed internationally. Boys are directly concerned with advancement and financial income, while girls are primarily concerned with balancing their professional and private lives. From this moment on they expect family life.

This study also led us to confirm women's need for legitimacy. They have a hard time feeling legitimate right away. For example, they wait patiently for a promotion, while boys clearly position themselves when they want it. Girls have a different relationship to power: they strive to achieve power not in terms of social status, but rather act according to the interests of the project. This attitude contributes to the consolidation of the “glass ceiling”, that is, the difficulty of women's access to leadership positions, also known as the “sticky floor” to refer to their difficulties in moving up the hierarchy.

Their survey focused particularly on young people's perceptions of the expectations of those around them based on their gender. What role does the entourage play?

We haven't defined the environment exactly. It is not necessarily the parents, but rather a reference person from our personal or professional environment that we ask for advice. It turns out that in young girls, the people around them always play a moderating or even overly moderating role. When a young woman asks for advice about whether she should negotiate, resign, or even go to war, those around her advise her not to, while they encourage a boy to take risks. The people around them tend to be much more protective of girls than boys. Child psychiatrists have already pointed this out. From early childhood, boys are more encouraged to take risks and girls to be patient. Willingness to take risks is “gender-specific” and is associated with masculine codes, such as the pursuit of power.

From early childhood, boys are more encouraged to take risks and girls to be patient.

What does the study of the cross depictions reveal, i.e. the perspective of girls and boys on each of the two genders?

Girls perceive boys to be much braver and more ambitious than they are. And boys judge girls to be more temperate and patient than they see themselves. Each gender represents the behavior of the other gender more stereotypically than each group does on its own. If we want to move towards equality, we need to work on developing representations of both girls and boys. I was actually quite surprised to see that not everyone was surprised by the results of the poll and the very conservative vision that emerged.

Do the recruiters surveyed also have a gender-specific job description?

We offered them the CV of an ambitious, dynamic, mobile and committed person, able to sell themselves. We called her “Dominique Martin.” After assessing the candidate's qualities, recruiters usually concluded that the candidate was male. A priori, According to her vision, boys will predominantly want to climb the ladder at full speed, while girls will not. It is a circle, at the center of which is the problem of representations. The process of categorizing men and women becomes prejudice. Given the same scenario, the students themselves largely expected to find a man.

How can these representations be put into practice?

For equivalent careers, the average salary difference between women and men across all professions is 17%. This is particularly due to the glass ceiling and therefore the gender-specific promotion differences. And then, when women are missing from the governing bodies, the system reproduces itself. The codes of power are male and women who access them tend to overcode their masculinity or “cover up” their femininity. The challenge is to work together to strip them of their representations. It is a question of education that begins at school. Just look at the roles assigned to men and women in school textbooks! Women need to have self-confidence from a young age.

The challenge is to work together to strip them of their representations. It is a question of education that begins at school

The work that needs to be done on sexual role portrayals therefore affects society as a whole…

Bourdieusian reproduction is not dead! In France we are moving in the right direction in 2013, but it is true that, despite the laws on the subject, there are still significant salary differences. The career takes place between the ages of 30 and 45, the age at which women become mothers. We need to encourage men who aspire to be more present in their private lives. Other countries can inspire us. Quebec is way ahead and has been working on these issues for years. In Norway, for example, family allowances were abolished when men did not take paternity leave. In Spain, too, they took the bull by the horns and penetrated through the private sector, particularly pushing for men to reinvest their own homes. This has visibly accelerated the advancement of women in the workplace. Everything must be tried to help young women have a child and at the same time balance work and career life.

Do you plan to work with EM Strasbourg students on these performances?

We are starting a forum day for representation work and an e-learning program with viewings of films, videos and plays to make them aware of prejudices in general. We go beyond portraying gender roles and also discuss physical appearance, disability, age…

The “first feminist government in the world” demonstrates veiled in Iran

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The “first feminist government in the world” demonstrates veiled in Iran

By Eugénie Bastié

Published ,
To update

Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Linde and Iranian Vice President for Family Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi shake hands in Tehran on Saturday.
Ebrahim Noroozi/AP

Swedish Trade Minister Ann Linde and several women in the Swedish government sparked outrage when they marched in veils in front of President Rouhani. However, the Swedish government claims to pursue “a feminist foreign policy.”

The photo caused a stir on social networks. It shows Swedish Minister for Trade and EU Relations Ann Linde and other female government members parading in hijabs in front of Iranian President Rouhani in Tehran on Saturday. It was a delegation led by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven whose purpose was trade transactions with Iran.

UN Watch, a Geneva-based NGO tasked with monitoring human rights protections implemented by the United Nations, issued a press release denouncing “a walk of shame” “despite the Stockholm commitment to promote and adopt “gender equality” internationally.” A feminist foreign policy.

The Islamic veil is mandatory in Iran, both for Iranian women, tourists and foreigners. In itself, the wearing of the veil by a foreign delegation is no exception: all women do it. Ségolène Royal also complied with this request during her visit last September. However, some opponents point out, not without malice, the hypocrisy between a Swedish government that calls itself “the first feminist government in the world” and this symbolic display.

The Swedish government website states: “A feminist government ensures that gender equality is promoted across the board, both nationally and internationally,” or even: “Equality between men and women is a fundamental goal Swedish foreign policy.” Ensuring that women and girls can enjoy their fundamental rights is both an obligation within our international commitments and a prerequisite for achieving broader goals.

Two weights, two measurements

In addition, the Swedish government's number 2, Isabella Lövin, recently “caused a stir” by posting a photo on Twitter of her and her team posing at the signing of a climate agreement after Trump's election. An image that was reminiscent of the photo in which Trump surrounded by men signed an anti-abortion decree, which aroused the ire of feminists. Many netizens mocked the government's double standards and the discrepancy between these two images.

Iranian journalist and feminist Masih Alinejad, who created the Facebook page “My Stealthy Freedom” in 2014 and invited young Iranian women to post photos of themselves removing their veils, sharply criticized the Swedish government. “European politicians are hypocrites,” she said. “They support French Muslim women and condemn the anti-burkini decree – because they think the ban is bad – but when it comes to Iran, they only care about the money.”

UN Watch President Hillel Neuer does not hide his outrage: “If Sweden really cares about human rights, it should not support a regime that brutalizes its citizens and commits genocide in Syria, and if it cares about women's rights, His female ministers should do the same. “I have never traveled to misogynistic Iran.”

The leader of the Swedish Liberal Party, Jan Björklund, spoke out: “I think this is a break in the feminist foreign policy that the government is supposedly pursuing. The veil is a symbol of the oppression of women,” he said. “Agreements between Sweden and Iran do not have to be signed in Tehran, they can take place in Stockholm.” Photos of veiled Swedish ministers should be avoided,” he tweeted.

Amineh Kakabaveh, a former Peshmerga of Iranian origin who became a member of the Left Party and founded the association “Neither Whores nor Submissives” in Stockholm, also reacted violently on her Facebook page: “Honestly, I don’t know whether I should laugh or in front of them “Swedish government officials are crying, supposedly feminists facing Islamic apartheid in Iran.”

Ann Linde justified herself by saying that she had no choice and reiterated that she would soon go to Saudi Arabia, where she would not wear the veil because it was not compulsory for foreigners. On Saturday, the government released a statement highlighting “the close relations” between Sweden and Iran without criticizing human rights or the status of women.

Work, family, Hungary

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Work, family, Hungary

Published on October 14, 2018

Updated September 27, 2023

“Hungarian middle school students learn this in their science textbooks 'Boys and girls (…) do not have the same physical abilities and intellectual abilities'”. With these words it is so The Obs warned of a worrying sexist trend last April just before the Hungarian parliamentary elections. A vote won by the party of Viktor Orbán, the ultra-conservative prime minister who has ruled the country since 2010 (and whom the European Union accused in September of violating democratic principles and human rights). This victory is bad news for Hungarian NGOs, especially those working on women's rights. The state makes life difficult for them, for example by stigmatizing the financing from abroad that is vital to them.
“There are so many examples like this in the textbooks here that I haven’t paid any attention to this one.” explains Kata Amon, political scientist at the Central European University in Budapest and activist for the right to housing for poor women. She contextualizes: “Two years ago the government introduced compulsory courses in school: religion or ethics. Everything is centralized and controlled by the state, and teachers are forced to order textbooks with conservative ideologies that talk about women and men in a very stereotypical way. » Overall: Madame does the cleaning, Monsieur makes decisions.

A pronatalist politics

The mainstream media, which is almost entirely under state control, also spreads the image of a woman who is, above all, a mother and whose destiny is to repopulate Hungary. There are no women among Orbán's ministers, who have recently introduced a tax system that greatly benefits middle-class families with three children. “Under communism, women were workers like everyone else, recalls Kata Amon. There was equality in the speech. In the 1960s and 1970s, fewer workers were needed due to deindustrialization. Therefore, to hide unemployment, we introduced a three-year maternity leave. » There are 100 euros per month at stake.
“It's a guaranteed income, argues Anikó Gregor, doctor of sociology. This is no small matter, because as an employee you can be terminated for reasons of internal restructuring even after returning from maternity leave. » Together with the political scientist Eszter Kováts, Anikó Gregor has just published a study on the situation of women. The result is that Hungary is an ultra-liberal paradise where multinational companies shamelessly trample on the rights of the most vulnerable workers, who are often female workers. The study also shows that Hungarian society is completely dependent on women to care for people in need of care, children, the elderly, the sick or the disabled.

Women have built-in patriarchal values

Sára Halász, activist at the NGO Patent, which fights patriarchy and defends female victims of domestic and sexual violence, welcomes victims for legal support and runs a sex education program in schools: “Women have built-in patriarchal values. In the study they clearly state that they are being exploited, but do not question that it is their sole responsibility to look after dependent people. They just demand more government help. » From the conversations she received, Sára Halász found that sexuality is often endured rather than experienced as a practice. in which they participate equally.

This is what sexual violence is like in her opinion “accepted by society as part of life”. Poverty is a catalyst: “With the legalization of prostitution in Germany in 2002, the demand for the exploitation of poor women exploded, and Hungary became a reservoir for the sex industry, be it prostitution or pornography. These are contexts in which women suffer violence. »

Feminist lobby

Despite the lack of serious statistics, the NGO Patent estimates that one in five women in Hungary is a victim of domestic violence. Nevertheless, Kata Amon remains hopeful: “There are two fronts on which we can hope for change: first, an ongoing campaign led by NGOs should reassess the services provided to women who care for people in need of care. The government admitted that this was a problem to be solved, but did not take any action; and then the medical conditions of pregnancy and childbirth, which are pretty bad here. Associations, including conservative ones, are fighting for their improvement. »

Sára Halász notes the success of Patent's sex education program: “Pornography leads to sexual violence against children. It is therefore possible to persuade the government to protect them more since it has made the family its benchmark. » The executive announced in August the end of public funding for gender studies (on the social relations between the sexes) at universities and demonized the “feminist lobby” in the media. The road is likely to be long for activists.

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And the countries in Europe with the most female managers are…

Djakotomey in Benin: The lives of women who care little about food

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Djakotomey in Benin: The lives of women who care little about food

Meals, money for cooking, allow the family to feed themselves. His administration in households in Benin appears to be a source of disagreement between spouses.


It is 8 o'clock. We are in Djakotomey in the Couffo department, in the west of Benin. Here women are better equipped and work hard to support their families. Baskets on their heads, babies on their backs, these brave ladies go to the field. In the convoy they often discuss everything and nothing. “There are four of us under our husband’s roof. And each of us has our own activity. When it comes to food, we do our best. It is rare for our husband to interfere in cooking matters. For example, I have 20 hectares of corn, peppers, beans and other things…” says Yawa relaxed because she is used to her married life. The women of this area who are experienced in this task are like the Amazons of modern times. The men are generally polygamous but hardworking and concerned about the development of the family… in short, it is a system of complementarity that is enshrined in these various family concessions. At the end of the day, women are adored by their men for their hard work. The atmosphere between the wives is very friendly, as they are sometimes tempted to compete fairly. “We are wives and proud of it. “Our husband owns a lot of farmland, which we use to provide for the needs of the children and ourselves,” says Yawa confidently.

In Djakotomey, old people, crowned heads, wise people and personalities are guarantors of this tradition. Coovi Isidore, traditional chief and resident of Djakotomey, admits that his wives seem to expect nothing from him. They fight alone, each for the basic needs of their children and for themselves. “It's like that with us and they know it themselves. The woman has to work just as much as the man so that the family is fulfilled,” he added.

Different points of view

Managing meals in households in Benin is proving to be an equation with several unknowns. To make your home an oasis of calm, there are requirements. And in this context the question of meals arises again. According to Achille Sodégla, sociologist at the Laboratory of Analysis, Research, Religions, Spaces and Development (Larred) of the University of Abomey-Calavi (Uac), the management of meals differs from ethnic group to ethnic group. According to him, in certain communities in Benin, this duty does not necessarily fall on the man. Rather, it is up to the woman to come back and regularly report to her husband about the benefits she derives from her work. “To say that the man is the head of the house and to stick to such an argument is absurd. There is no such thing in any official document,” he claims. Maurace Assogba, a journalist specializing in couples issues, believes that the responsibility lies with no one. However, when the daily needs of the house become too great and the man is no longer able to respond adequately to them, we speak of an escape from responsibility, while this is not the case. “I’m not necessarily saying women should take the lead. But to ensure balance we need the contribution of both sides,” he suggests.

A reality disturbed by intellectualism

In Cotonou the positions are clear even among the nationals of the Djakotomey region. The man must struggle to provide for the needs of his family without expecting anything from the woman. The weight of globalization and intellectualism has a lot to do with it. According to Emmanuel Houegnissan, a taxi driver in Cotonou, the man cannot miss giving meals at the risk of losing his place in front of his in-laws. “I fight every day to save my honor from my in-laws. Anyone who doesn't do this is nothing short of incompetent. However, if the woman herself decides to support additional costs, we can only be happy,” he admits. Elise, Emmanuel's partner, fits well into her husband's position. “I love my husband. That's why I won't leave him alone with all the burdens, as long as we join together to complement each other. Every woman must be part of this process,” she hopes. Whether in Djakotomey or elsewhere, the debate is still not settled for a long time. Every couple likes their reality. The main thing is how Elise wants the family to be well.

Arnaud SOGADJI (deer)

We spend an average of four hours a day with our bodies

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We spend an average of four hours a day with our bodies

A study shows that women spend 4 hours a day on their appearance, while men spend 3.6 hours.

Washing, combing your hair, applying tanning cream or even dressing fashionably… Four of the twenty-four hours that make up a day are spent on this Taking care of physical appearancesays a study published in the journal at the end of November Evolution and human behavior and discovered by 20 minutes.

The research is based on the analysis of data from more than 93,000 people aged 18 to over 90, living in 93 different countries. Many authors have been interested in the time spent “the application of form or the use of other products cosmeticsHairstyle, clothing style, maintenance of personal hygiene and movement or monitoring ofa diet specifically with the specific aim of improving physical attractiveness”they state in their report.

First result: 99% of participants declared they had passed more than 10 minutes per day Adopting behaviors that enhance beauty. On average, women in the study spent nearly 4 hours there per day, compared to 3.6 hours for men. The time varied depending on the age of the participants: those in old age 18 years old dedicated sixty-three minutes left per day compared to 44-year-olds, while women aged 60 spent 30 minutes more than 44-year-olds.

The mistake… social networks

For scientists, there are several factors that influence this need to give meaning to the physical. The first: social networks And TV. “The strongest predictor of attractiveness-enhancing behavior was the use of social media.” They add: “Most experts agree that the media often mediates unrealistic physical ideals, which are often inaccessible even for ordinary citizens. Confronting your body with photoshopped model silhouettes can trigger many negative feelings and behaviors, including: Feardepressive symptoms, body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.”

Other factors such as country of residence, socioeconomic status, political opinions or the level of education.

For the authors, this study, like the previous ones, shows that Men almost dedicate so much time to her appearance. “A few decades ago, body image concerns were considered a typically female issue. However, recent studies provide consistent evidence that men also care about their appearance.and they in turn come to the conclusion “that beauty-promoting behavior is a universal phenomenon”.

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Kerkennah: Who cares about the mussel fishermen? | The Press of Tunisia

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Kerkennah: Who cares about the mussel fishermen? | The Press of Tunisia

Shellfishing is seasonal and currently at high risk, providing a livelihood for hundreds of families in Kerkennah. But the harvest of these shellfish has been suspended by the authorities for two years and shell collectors are currently in a crisis situation. Reporting.

While Kerkennah still remains a wild and untamed area, rather forgotten on tourist maps, with a sea that tries to camouflage itself throughout the day as the tide ebbs and flows, its ecosystem continues to change to the despair of a population mainly from small fishermen.
For several years, kissing, poaching, unregulated trawling and other harmful practices in the Kerkennah Sea, once prodigious in terms of squid and fish, have caused significant damage to fishery resources and in particular to Posidonia meadows. Artisanal fishing with Charfiya, Gargoulette or Drina is disappearing day by day. Environmental pollution in the region, particularly from offshore hydrocarbon extraction, and more generally the pollution of the Gulf of Gabès, can only worsen the situation in the archipelago.
This crisis is impacting a community of foot-based fishermen, the so-called “laggata” or shell collectors of Kerkennah, who have always remained hidden from official statistics and shine a special light on the female rais, boat captains. About twenty in the archipelago.

Loose clothing, a modest look

At the beginning of summer, on the beach of Bounouma in the east of the island, six Lagata take out of their bag a falcon, a piece of toothed iron about 20 cm long and 1.5 cm wide, with which they dig up the shells. At low tide, the seabed is exposed and the women discover them, throwing them from the bottom of the sand thanks to the marks they leave on the surface and then placing them in a bucket or can with an enlarged mouth.
“Due to pollution caused by the exploitation of the island's gas and oil reserves and the use of the Great Kiss, this trawling fishery that casts a wide net, the sea is no longer the breeding ground we knew before.” The blue crab, here Daesh called, a voracious species, a formidable predator that devours good fish and cuts sailors' nets, has plagued our shores for the past decade. For all these reasons, the archipelago's artisanal fishermen are unemployed or changing jobs. And we only have the banks left to meet the needs of our families,” complains Laggata Amel, 52 years old.
A bag with some food on her shoulder, a container in her hand and a hat on her head – that's how you can recognize her from afar. Their loose dresses, their worn trousers and their subtle scarves are in every way reminiscent of the modest look of the farm workers of Sidi Bouzid, Regueb, Kasserine and Jendouba.
Shell collectors carry out a seasonal practice intended for the poorest. A niche reserved for women in Kerkennah, without boats, crew, nets and other equipment for offshore fishing. In the afternoon, as the sun begins to set, the women sell all their modest booty to the gachara (middlemen) who wait for them on the coast or on the wharves of the archipelago.

A growing gastronomic success

In the 90s, the success of mussels in tourist restaurants grew. The vein becomes increasingly juicy and the product is exported in foreign currency to Italy and Spain, where it is bought for up to ten times its original price. More and more intermediaries are stepping into the breach. The icing on the cake: the purchase price for women will not change at all and will be a maximum of six dinars per kilo until 2017.
With an uphill battle, 62-year-old Sabra, a Laggata who has been working in this niche for around forty years, will wrest the mussel market from the hands of the middlemen. She talks about the revolution she led on the island: “The middlemen have long benefited from our work. One day I realized that they were reselling the fruits of our hard work in the markets for ten to fifteen times more. You messed with us! I decided to take matters into my own hands and build my own distribution network.
Sabra doubles the purchase price for mussels and only receives a commission of 2 dinars per kilo. This corresponds to the price of transporting mussels to restaurants and sending packages via jetbox to the addresses of customers in its network, which extends to Tunis.

“The fisherman always makes it”

Since then, all the Lagata of Kerkennah, who work on the coasts of El Ataya, Mellita, Ouled Ezzedine, Jouaber, Erramla, Kraten, entrust him with their catch of the day. However, at the start of 2020, health authorities are banning the collection and sale of shellfish in Kerkennah. “As they do not meet the conditions of food safety, they pose a threat to health and allow the preservation of this fishery wealth by allowing its renewal,” says an official press release published in mid-2020, which does not lift its warning in the year 2021 in 2022. The mussel trade becomes illegal and the perpetrators face a great risk: two years in prison and a fine of 10,000 dinars according to the law. Much to the dismay of Sabra and everyone else… “Al ba7ar La ya7tar” (the fisherman always makes it) is a well-known saying in Karkennah. This largely applies to all these women, most of whom come from fishing families and are also married to a man from the sea, hence their entrepreneurial spirit in agriculture, albeit in farming, weaving or even fishing on the open sea a son, a brother or a husband.
And hence the membership of several fishermen on foot and at sea in the Faire project to support the socio-economic empowerment of women workers in agriculture and fishing. A project led by Amina Ben Fadhl, which has been working with the Italian cooperation for two years to find new alternatives to Laggata. For example, to transform them into other areas, such as processing fish into fillets and packaging seafood and squid, the white gold of the archipelago, into boxes ready for shipping. A know-how that the Kerkenniennes have always mastered and practiced in an artisanal and informal way.
This alternative would also protect the Lagata from this lean season, which extends over more than five months (the entire swimming period) when the sea rests and shellfishing stops to allow the species to regenerate.

Serena Williams denounces the treatment of black women giving birth in the US

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Serena Williams denounces the treatment of black women giving birth in the US

“Doctors don’t listen to us,” insists Serena Williams, who denounces the disparate treatment of women giving birth in the United States. While on the other side of the Atlantic maternal mortality is already at an unflattering level, the risk of death for black women is three times higher than for white women.

The tennis star that she is, the multimillionaire that she suffered under postpartum complications which resulted in her having to stay in bed for six weeks. The day after her cesarean section, Because Serena Williams was suddenly short of breath, she requested a CT scan, heparin and an anticoagulant. Neither the nurse nor the doctors took her seriously because they thought the painkiller would confuse her.

The scan ultimately revealed a pulmonary embolism. When she returned to the operating room, doctors found a large hematoma that was causing internal bleeding.

Sensitized by their own experience

This experience made her aware of the treatment of black women during childbirth. “We are three times more likely to die than white women. The fact that some doctors don't care that much about us is heartbreaking. Many African Americans and black people are not as fortunate as I am. Given what happened to me, it would have been difficult if I didn't have the care that I did. It's heartbreaking to imagine other women going through these complications without the same care. The bias still exists and needs to be addressed. We have to stand up (…) and say clearly that this is not normal.”

Due to a lack of reliable statistics, Washington has not published an official rate in a decade. But scientific work and international estimates point to the same observation: mothers die at a much higher rate in the world's leading power than in other rich countries.

Within the OECD, only Mexico performs worse. According to the organization, the American mortality rate in 2014 was 24 deaths per 100,000 births. About three times more than in France, four times more than in Canada and seven to eight times more than in Japan, the Netherlands or Norway.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy than white women.” »

After becoming a mother for the first time last September, the American tennis player won another women's match at the tournament in Indian Wells, California. The former world No. 1 won his first official singles match since the 2017 Australian Open last Friday.

Saudi Arabia, this country where women are not allowed to drive

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Saudi Arabia, this country where women are not allowed to drive

Equality between men and women is the result of slow and painful struggles with a precarious balance. Although vigilance is warranted given our fragile successes, some women are still fighting for issues that today go completely beyond our borders. Yes, ladies, it's 2015 and yet…

Saudi Arabia is an ultra-conservative kingdom and the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. Worse still, the ban is justified by a misconception of Western women. And what about the consideration of the female gender in general?

Our gender is “weak” there. » In fact, it is undeniable: drinking coffee on the terrace, having lunch in a restaurant with a man who is not related to him, exercising in public, bathing at the beach or swimming in the pool, without permission from one “male guardian” travel “… These ordinary freedoms simply do not exist in Saudi Arabia. Like traveling by bike or car.

The emergence of feminist movements

However, since 2011, activists have regularly carried out campaigns to obtain driving licenses. The photographer and psychologist Madeha al-Ajroush is a historical figure in the feminist struggle in Saudi Arabia. Back in 1990, she was among 47 women who brazenly took the wheel to imitate the American GIs in the first Gulf War. Goal: Walk and drive on the road without risking arrest. Force. In a word, live…

And on June 17, 2011, in her fifties, she became one of the initiators of the Women2drive movement: “Driving is a symbol for Saudi women. It’s not just about going to work or school, it’s also about gaining citizenship and sending a message.”

Feminist activists or women who are free, if not completely free, in their minds dare to defy the ban. During the demonstration, some were arrested and forced to pay a fine of 900 riyals (180 euros). But they went free. Others had to spend a few days in prison, like this other Women2drive icon: she posted a video of herself driving her brother Manal al-Sharif's car (article illustration) was detained for nine days. An affair that caused a stir and outrage in the international community.

Two years later, another symbolic day attempted to raise awareness. On October 26, 2013, three Saudi women officially called for the ban to be lifted “That there is no law that prohibits women from driving.”and proposes the establishment of driving schools for women. Unfortunately, the “Oct26” movement had been condemned by the authorities the day before and promised exemplary sanctions for those who dared to demonstrate in Riyadh. Fifteen of them were arrested in the capital. If the threat of a five-year prison sentence was not carried out, they were fined… and made to promise not to do it again! But on the following December 28th they took to the streets again. One more time. Vain.

A whole society to (re)awaken

Saudi women continue to make demands tirelessly. To negotiate. Because they know that their fight will not be won through violence, but through discussion. Because in the end it's not about convincing a few heads at the top, but an entire kingdom. Power will never enforce a decision that does not receive the approval of its subjects, whose mentalities struggle to emancipate themselves under the yoke of a strictly practiced religion.

Today the fight continues.

A year ago, a 28-year-old man left the wheel to his wife. The couple was arrested in April 2013 and then released on bail: the husband paid a fine of 900 riyals, or $240. His wife also had to pay a fine, but for not having a driving license. The vehicle was impounded for seven days and police forced the progressive couple to sign a document declaring they would not do it again.

Saudi Arabia, this country where women are not allowed to drive

Loujain Hathloul behind the wheel of his car

Last December, a woman was detained at the border for 24 hours because she wanted to return to her country by car. Driver's license holder “valid in all GCC countries” (namely the six monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia), Loujain Hathloul tweeted ironically: “If someone brought me a horse or a camel to the border, would I come back? » The Saudi Interior Ministry responded: “We will vigorously enforce the regulations against anyone who contributes to violating social cohesion.”

Because that's what it's all about, about society and its ancestral traditions: Officially, no Islamic text or court decision mentions a ban. Why are women still not allowed behind the wheel? How do you justify that?

“Western women drive cars because they are not afraid of rape”

Latest fact, and not the slightest. On January 11, 2015, historian Saleh Al-Saadoon caused controversy on a Saudi television. At the invitation of presenter Nadeen Bdeir as part of a program about the rights of men and women, the researcher tried a… disturbing explanation.

According to him, “Western women drive because they are not afraid of rape,” especially if your car breaks down on the side of the road. A statement that shocked the moderator: “Wait, who tells you they don’t care about being raped on the side of the road?!! » To which the historian calmly replied: “It doesn't matter to them, apart from the damage to their morale. In our case the problem is social and religious. »

Nadeen Bdeir's counterattacks: “What is rape if it is not a violent blow to the morals of women? This goes far beyond pure social damage! » An argument that did not shake the man for whom Saudi women are treated “like queens”that they can enjoy being driven in the car by all the men in their family “at your service”.

Saudi Arabia, this country where women are not allowed to drive

Saudi Arabia, this country where women are not allowed to drive

While the presenter finally mentions the possibility of women being raped by their drivers, the “intellectual” offers a solution that is surprising to say the least: “The solution is to hire foreign drivers to drive our women. » A suggestion that caused laughter from the presenter, who held her head in her hands: ” Seriously ?!!!! “

A gender crushed under the weight of traditions and perpetuated by some men who exploit religion for their sole advantage, with – no bad pun – a certain bad faith… The road is still long for Saudi women who still They must have patience and hope that one day they will be able to move freely within their territory.