Latest news with #SimonedeBeauvoir
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Less than men?
Listen to article Among the countless barriers to Pakistan's sociopolitical and economic sphere that women of this country face in their daily lives, the gender pay gap in Pakistan's labour market particularly stands out as a glaring indicator of institutional inequality. The recently launched 'Pakistan Gender Pay Gap Report 2024' by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) declares that women in Pakistan, on average, earn 25% less than their male counterparts in hourly wages and 30% less based on monthly wages. This is unfortunately one of the highest income disparities compared to other lower- and middle-income countries. This irrefutable proof of wage inequality comes armed with rebuttals to common societal scenarios that question women's aptitude and worth. The report highlights that the wage gap persists even when women possess qualifications and experience equivalent to their male counterparts. In fact, women in wage employment are often more likely to hold higher levels of education than men. The stark reality for women — who constitute only 13.5% of Pakistan's workforce - reveals entrenched systemic biases. Not only are women significantly less likely to be selected over male candidates, but those who are hired often receive lower wages than men. On top of this disparity, employed women often have to go home to clock in for what Simone de Beauvoir called a 'second shift' — he household responsibilities that men did not pick up when women started to join the workforce. Ultimately, not only do they work two 'jobs', but women in Pakistan are significantly underpaid and underappreciated for both. Calls for gender parity will continue to ring hollow without legislative teeth, transparent implementation and a cultural reset. A strategy that involves wage transparency is also largely needed to push for accountability by those responsible. The issue is long overdue.
Local France
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Local France
Paris dusts off statues of trailblazing women from 2024 Olympics
The 10 statues featured as part of the French capital's boundary-breaking opening ceremony for the Summer Games in July last year. They include Simone Veil, who spearheaded the legalisation of abortion in France, and the feminist writer Simone de Beauvoir. The first of them, a golden representation of the campaigning lawyer Gisele Halimi, was set up in the capital's northern La Chapelle district on Friday. Halimi, a Tunisian-born French lawyer who died five years ago aged 93, earned national fame for her role in a 1972 trial defending a minor who had an abortion after a rape. She ensured not only that the young woman, Marie-Claire Chevalier, was acquitted but also helped swing public opinion on the issue of reproductive rights. She was one of the most prominent of 343 women who in 1971 signed an open letter saying that they had had abortions. Advertisement Michele Zaoui, an architect working for the city of Paris, said the plan was to keep the statues in the neighbourhood for a least a few more years until the opening of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. During artistic director Thomas Jolly's Olympics opening ceremony, the statues surged up from the waters of the Seine.
Local France
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Local France
Where in Paris you can swim the Seine this summer
In recent years the city of Paris has been engaged in a massive clean-up project aimed at making the Seine safe to swim in. Last year's Olympic and Paralympic Games saw open-water swimming races held in the river in the heart of the city - but the end goal was always to make swimming available to everyone. This will finally happen in July, when for the first time in more than 100 years, the Seine will be open to the public for swimming. You can listen to the team at The Local discuss the swimming situation in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast - download here or listen on the link below The finishing touches are being put to three supervised swimming areas at Bras Marie, Bercy, and Grenelle that will allow hundreds of people to dive into the river, a century after taking an al fresco dip was banned for health reasons. Advertisement They are scheduled to open, conditions permitting, on Saturday, July 5th. READ ALSO Paris makes clean water bet for River Seine bathers Because the Seine is a busy commercial river, swimming will only be permitted in the designated areas. Bras Marie - near the pont de Sully, overlooking the Île Saint-Louis, right in the heart of the capital, up to 150 people can get in the water at the same time – while lockers, outdoor seating, showers and a first aid station are all on hand. The area is handily close to the Paris Plages summer-time city 'beaches' and will be open from 8am to 11.30am Monday to Saturday and 8am to 5.30pm on Sundays. Bercy - In the 12th arrondissement, the Bercy site – opposite Bibliothèque nationale de France and on either side of the Simone de Beauvoir footbridge, near Parc de Bercy – has two designated swimming areas, and all the necessary amenities, and will be open from 11am to 9pm daily. Grenelle - Opposite the Île aux Cygnes and a stone's throw from the Eiffel Tower, the Grenelle area, in the 15th arrondissement offers secure swimming for families – the water is at a depth of 40cm to 60cm, while a nearby water sports centre offers free kayaking. Opening hours are 10am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday; 10am to 4.45pm Saturday; and 10am to 12noon, 12.30pm to 2.15pm, and 2.45pm to 5.30pm on Sundays. Safety Swimming at all sites will be supervised by lifeguards, and people who are not judged to be strong enough swimmers may be asked to leave the water. Advertisement Water and weather conditions will be monitored continuously, and decisions taken daily whether to open the three river sites. If last year's Games are anything to go by, the period immediately after heavy rain is most likely to have unsafe water quality, in which case the pools will temporarily close. Visitors will be informed on arrival, or by logging on to the city's website . River traffic in the parts of the river close to the swim suits will be limited during opening hours, although popular boat services like the Bateaux Mouches and the Seine river cruises will continue to run as normal throughout the summer.
Irish Examiner
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
‘Lived experience' is valued in activism – but is it doing more harm than good?
The idea of 'lived experience' – knowledge gained through direct, personal experience – is now central in activism, academia and politics. Popularised by feminist thinkers like Simone de Beauvoir and concepts like standpoint theory, it makes sense that people see the world differently based on what they've been through. And movements like #MeToo showed how sharing personal stories, particularly for oppressed, marginalised or victimised groups, can drive real change. Lived experience lends authority to those long excluded from public debate, offering insight traditional expertise may miss. But it also raises questions about who gets to speak. Those without direct experience of an issue can find their place in activism questioned. High-profile cases like Rachel Dolezal and Andrea Smith, activists who falsely claimed black and Native American ancestry, respectively, highlight how powerful the claim to lived experience has become – so much so that some feel compelled to lie about it in order to be heard. My research, based on in-depth interviews with 20 activists from a range of movements and backgrounds across Europe, India and the US, shows what challenges arise when lived experience is treated as the ultimate credential in activism. The interviewees revealed how emphasis on personal testimony can shift activism away from political action, toward guilt, polarisation and disengagement. This matters, because it affects who feels able to participate in movements pushing for social change. One trans activist stressed the importance of lived experience in leading the fight for transgender rights, warning that without trans voices at the centre, the movement risks overlooking key perspectives that are often absent from research and politics. For others, the emphasis on lived experience creates internal dilemmas. Activists without lived experience can feel unsure of their place. One white anti-racist activist based in the UK put it this way: I would definitely be silent in a lot of things, and I wouldn't be proud of it. But I wouldn't have the right to speak up. Another white female activist working in international development described a growing discomfort with her role: 'I fundamentally question whether I have legitimacy in leadership. Can I legitimately show up? Or do I just need to leave the development sector entirely?' In some activist spaces, speaking without relevant lived experience is seen as a transgression. Identity becomes a kind of moral litmus test for who gets to speak and lead. Activists described an overwhelming sense of guilt about their own social advantages. One reflected on how acknowledging those advantages, by recognising the privileges they hold (and their subsequent lack of marginalised lived experience) can be a barrier to activism: 'I think it is important to engage in self-awareness, but sometimes it moves into self-criticism. You can stall if you're always feeling guilty.' One interviewee observed a 'collective inertia' among allies, activists and academics who, unsure of their place, chose silence over action. Another described how guilt about having a privileged lived experience shifts the focus away from collective political action and toward perfecting the self — a kind of confessional self-work that risks becoming inward-focused, rather than leading to meaningful social change. These comments reflect concerns raised in social justice research about how guilt, humility and lived experience can shape or stall activism. My findings suggest that while lived experience remains vital, the way it's used matters — when it isolates rather than unites, or fuels self-focus over action, we need to use it more carefully, in ways that build connection and drive change. Identity, experience and diversity of opinion Some activists strongly defended the idea that those with the least privilege should have the most say. As one LGBT+ activist put it: 'The person who has the least privilege in society gets to decide what is true. If you're straight and cis, and you're a guy, middle-aged, and white, check your privileges.' While this perspective centres voices long pushed to the margins, it can also wrongly assume everyone with a particular lived experience will have the same views on an issue. Many writers and philosophers, such as Frantz Fanon, have challenged the idea that identity alone dictates political outlooks. As British writer Kenan Malik recently argued: Black and Asian communities are as politically diverse as white communities. Latino and black voters' support for Donald Trump in the US has challenged many people's assumptions about how identity dictates political allegiance. This tension has prompted some activist organisations to rethink their approach. The UK charity Migrant Rights Network shifted their messaging from 'lived experience-led' activism to 'lived experience and values-led' activism in 2023. They argued that figures like Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman demonstrate that lived experience alone does not guarantee shared values. Both come from immigrant backgrounds and have experienced racism, yet their support for restrictive immigration policies has led critics to question whether their personal histories count as valid lived experience. At the heart of this is an uncomfortable question: should lived experience only be recognised when it aligns with certain political values? My research suggests that if we only value lived experience when it confirms our own views, we risk turning it into a selective tool rather than a genuine commitment to listening. If we say lived experience matters, we have to be willing to engage with it across the spectrum — even when it challenges us. That doesn't mean we have to agree, but it does mean staying open to dialogue. None of this means lived experience should be dismissed – it provides essential insight into how injustice is felt, understood and navigated by those most affected. However, when it becomes the sole measure of credibility, it can create divisions within activist spaces and silence people who want to contribute. A more productive approach would be to view lived experience not as the final word or the end of a conversation, but as a starting point — one that invites listening, dialogue and ultimately, collective action. As one activist in my study reflected: 'If you take the time to talk and listen, you're not disqualified just because you didn't grow up in that context. The key is humility.' Dr Jody Moore-Ponce is Assistant lecturer in Sociology at University College Cork Read More Young people understand the urgency of the climate crisis
Associated Press
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Art PR Agency JPR Media Group works with Hélène de Beauvoir exhibition at Amar Gallery
London, UK - 18 March, 2025 - Top Art PR agency JPR Media Group delivers art press coverage for the Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed exhibition at Amar Gallery. Amar Gallery's exhibition Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed, is the first ever solo exhibition of Hélène de Beauvoir's work in London. Often overshadowed by her older sister, the writer Simone de Beauvoir, this exhibition features paintings & works on paper from the 1950s to 1980s. Amar Gallery's founder, Amar Singh, was recently described by The Telegraph as a 'farsighted art dealer' for consistently discovering overlooked artists and being the first gallerist to show the work of Lynne Drexler in London. The Woman Destroyed is an exhibition which took Singh three years to put together, sourcing works from around the world, meeting patrons of de Beauvoir and discovering how important Hélène de Beauvoir was to her sister and the global feminist movement. Editor Annalisa Tacoli notes Picasso was an admirer of Hélène's paintings. Picasso became familiar with de Beauvoir's work when the artist had her first solo exhibition in Paris in 1936 at Galerie Jacques Bonjean, a gallery cofounded by Christian Dior, who began his career as an art dealer before becoming a fashion powerhouse. Galerie Bonjean also exhibited the work of Picasso, Braque, Dali and much like Hélène even gave Leonor Fini her first solo exhibition. In Tout compte fait (1972), one of Simone de Beauvoir's autobiographical works, she wrote collaborating with Hélène was something she had long wished for. In 1967 one and forty-three first edition copies of Simone de Beauvoir's The Woman Destroyed were published by Gallimard with sixteen etchings by Hélène. First editions of this book are extremely rare, and one copy is on view at Amar Gallery. This incredibly important book in feminist ideology was the first time the de Beauvoir sisters collaborated together. Publisher Gallimard was afraid that the publication of such 'feminine' 3 literature would give it the mark of a publisher intent on overturning the social order. The main themes covered in Simone de Beauvoir's The Woman Destroyed are echoed in the individual memoirs of the de Beauvoir sisters, with particular regard to their mother's confined domestic life in their family home in the rue de Rennes, Paris, and Simone's later experience as the second woman in her relationship with philosopher, novelist and political activist Jean-Paul Sartre. Referring to her sister, Hélène wrote, 'I was her first reader…and I would draw' in her book Souvenirs, where she recalls how, in the early years, she came to choose the vocation of artist, whilst her elder sister preferred to write. In 1964, Sartre was awarded the Nobel prize in literature which he rejected as he did not wish to be 'transformed' by such an award. After rejecting the award Sartre tried to escape the media by hiding in the house of Hélène in Goxwiller, Alsace. Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir remained close with Hélène, regularly attending her exhibitions and immersing her with their electric circle including Cocteau, and Lionel de Roulet, whom Hélène married. Claudine Monteil, former French diplomat and women's rights specialist, presented a special talk at Amar Gallery about her relationship with both Simone and Hélène de Beauvoir. Claudine details in her book The Beauvoir Sisters, that the two sisters shared a close bond and artistic influence on one another, but also about the jealousy and rivalry. Monteil also highlights how these two remarkable women came together to help launch the modern women's movement and make a mark on the world. HÉLÈNE DE BEAUVOUR IN SELECTED COLLECTIONS & MUSEUMS Centre Pompidou Uffizi Museum Florence Oxford University Musée Würth France Erstein The royal library of the Netherlands JPR Media Group JPR Media Group secured top art press coverage in UK, France, and USA newspapers and magazines in both print and online. Media Contact Company Name: JPR Media Group Ltd Contact Person: Jessica Patterson Email: Send Email Phone: 07950977765 Address:14th Floor 33 Cavendish Square City: London State: Greater London Country: United Kingdom
