Tax Reform and You//Valerie Ryan

Photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/trialsanderrors/4327173385 

If you’re like me, when you hear the words “tax reform” you sort of shrug and attempt to slowly back away from whoever uttered the phrase. I don’t know much about the tax code and I don’t want to be pulled into a boring conversation to which I can’t contribute anything meaningful. Until this month, all I knew about taxes is that, like many graduate students, I qualify for a refund every year: my stipend is large enough to live on, but small enough to put me in the second lowest tax bracket.

I started caring about taxes two weeks ago when House Republicans proposed taxing the tuition waivers many of us rely on to fund our educations. As an out-of-state student with no chance of qualifying for in-state tuition (at my school you have to own a home or business in the state or marry a state resident to qualify) my taxable income would more than double, resulting in my small stipend shrinking so much I won’t be able to afford rent and groceries.

The “good” news is that the Senate version of the tax plan does not include taxing tuition waivers. The bad news is that the House and Senate need to come to an agreement and they could decide at any time that our tuitions should be taxable income (1). The resulting increases in taxes discourages those of us who are not independently wealthy from pursuing an advanced degree in the United States (2).

But if we look past the sections of the tax plans that affect graduate students, we see a much bigger problem: the rich benefit the most from the tax reforms and the poor benefit the least. According to the Senate version of the proposal, big corporations receive an enormous tax cut, which adds to the wealth of those in the highest corporate positions and does very little to grow the economy. The wealthy would receive a 1% deduction in taxes from the current rate, they will become eligible for the child tax credit, they can deduct interest paid on mortgages worth up to one million dollars, and they benefit from an increase in the threshold of tax free inheritance (3).

The Senate plan won’t take away any of the tax credits already in place for those who don’t make enough money to pay federal income tax, but those in the lowest tax bracket won’t receive any benefits from the plan, either. The proposal raises the United States’ debt, which will lead to funding cuts in programs that benefit those in the lowest economic brackets (4, 5). Republicans included cuts to programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in their budget, which passed the House and Senate last month but will need to be approved by Congress (6, 7). This tax plan attempts to use taxes generated from the middle and working classes to cover tax cuts given to the wealthiest Americans by targeting education and the poor.

As feminists, graduate students, and psychologists we need to use our privilege to advocate for those with less privilege. We’ve seen the research – we know that living in poverty adversely affects mental and physical health (8). We know that those living in poverty are disproportionately disadvantaged groups, such as children and people of color (9). We can’t start caring about these issues only when our stipends are threatened.

We need to contact our representatives. We need to educate others about what’s happening. We need to protest unfair bills and policies. We need to conduct research that doesn’t blame the victims of economic hardship. And we need to pressure our professional organizations to end institutional distancing from the poor (10). The tax system may indeed be broken, but stealing from the poor and giving to the rich is not the way to fix it.

~ Written by Valerie Ryan

References

1. Kreighbaum, A. (2017, November 10). Higher ed in the Senate tax bill. Retrieved from: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/11/10/senate-tax-bill-has-some-not-all-provisions-alarmed-higher-education-leaders-house
2. Kirby, J. (2017, November 7). The GOP bill could be a disaster for PhD students. Retrieved from: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/7/16612288/gop-tax-bill-graduate-students
3. Rappeport, A. (2017, November 9). House and Senate have big differences to bridge on tax plans. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/09/us/politics/tax-plan-house-senate-differences.html
4. Golshan, T. (2017, November 2). 2 winners and 3 losers from the Republican tax bill. Retrieved from: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/2/16595980/winners-losers-house-republican-tax-bill
5. Long, H. (2017, November 10). Winners and losers in the Senate GOP tax plan. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/11/10/winners-and-losers-in-the-senate-gop-tax-plan/
6. Bacon, P. (2017, October 26). What the GOP budget taught us about the party’s tax reform plans. Retrieved from: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-the-gop-budget-taught-us-about-the-partys-tax-reform-plans/
7. Shapiro, I., Kogan, R., & Cho, C. (2017, September 5). House GOP budget cuts programs aiding low- and moderate-income people by $2.9 trillion over decade. Retrieved from:  https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/house-gop-budget-cuts-programs-aiding-low-and-moderate-income-people-by-29
8. Evans, G. W. (2004). The environment of childhood poverty. American Psychologist, 59(2), 77 – 92.
9. Dreyer, B. P. (2013). To create a better world for children and families: The case for ending childhood poverty. Academic Pediatrics, 13, 83 – 90.
10. Lott, B. (2002). Cognitive and behavioral distancing from the poor. American Psychologist, 57(2), 100 – 110.

An Ode to My Girl Boss BFFs//Shelby Madison Burton

Photo Credit: http://www.tameramowry.com/ask-tamera-rise-negativity-together/

At 24 years old, I spent the first 75% of my life looking for female friendships that would complete a missing part of me and the latter 25% of my life being transformed by them.  And during this time, I learned that if I wanted to attract Girl Boss BFFs, then I had to embody the qualities of one, too.  In retrospect, with the best intentions and the utmost humility, I must admit that I was doing it all wrong.  This is hard for me to disclose because I have always defined myself as being both a Girl Boss and a good friend, but it was not until recently that I had an epiphany: not only were some of my values and assumptions about female friendships inaccurate, but they were also contributing to the disturbing narrative of cattiness and shame related to being a woman in itself.

I have been lucky enough to assemble an amazing crew of Girl Boss BFFs from various ages, cultures, disabilities (visible and invisible), religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and these are just some of the lessons I have been inspired to share with others:


1. Replace the thought that “girls who wear make-up are so high maintenance” with the words, “You go, girl! You rock that eyeshadow!”

This one goes out to the friends who taught me that make-up and self-worth are unrelated.  I spent so much time ignorantly shaming others for not being natural and for defining high maintenance based on stereotypically effeminate activities that I never realized that, for many, make-up can be a form of self-expression and self-care.  If you want to do a Sunday night charcoal face mask to relax before a busy week or paint on a pop of lipstick to give you that extra boost of confidence, who am I to judge?


2. Replace the common line that “I get along better with boys” with the more empowering “I get along best with individuals who are [insert adjective].”

I used to say this. A lot.  It makes me sad to think that I was putting my own gender down, rather than lifting us up.  This simple statement insinuates that women are inherently flawed.  The narrative that female friendships are dramatic, competitive, or fragile is only endorsed by declaring that men are easier to befriend and get along with.  But we all know that there are more differences within groups than between them.  Thus, this says more about the person making the judgment than the individual being judged, begging the question: what traits are you projecting onto women to make them appear dramatic, competitive, or frail?


3. Replace passive aggression with assertiveness.

As women, we are socialized to be indirect and obsessively concerned about others’ well-being.  But here is the deal: stop pretending you are “fine.”  If you are upset with a friend, and she is decent enough to authentically apologize and put forth effort into healing the friendship, do not passive aggressively pretend that you are okay.  You may justify this by saying that you want to move on, but in actuality this is a relationally aggressive way to instill guilt in your friend and contributes to the narrative that women are not allowed to be assertive—not only because you strategically chose not to be assertive in a way that benefits you, but because you shamed your friend for assertively and bravely apologizing in the first place.

If you are not okay because of something unrelated to a friendship, help us help you.  Empowered women empower women.  Even if you assertively state that what you need is some personal time to process life on your own, that is more direct than saying that you are “fine.”  We should be empowered to feel the emotions we are feeling, and communicate how we wish to deal with those emotions accordingly.  We must assert our ability to be assertive so that others can feel freedom to do the same.


4. Replace 24/7 happiness with raw, vulnerable emotion.

I thought that by masking my emotions with a consistent state of disingenuous happiness, I was promoting happiness in others.  In fact, what I was doing was promoting the disingenuousness itself.  It was not until my best friends found me in a year-long sobbing puddle of depression after hearing of my loved one’s passing that I understood that the thickest of friendships is built on a foundation of vulnerability.  Once I shared these experiences with them, we were better able to connect over the terrible, beautiful tragedies of life.  We must challenge the idea that anything other than happiness is weakness, and vulnerability is one of our greatest tools in ending this conflict.


It is through humble introspection that we must confront the microaggressive reality we are encouraging through commonly held beliefs about female friendships.  And in case you are wondering, the clearest indicator of how much you adhere to the title of a Girl Boss BFF is by examining the female friendships that surround you.  I am always surprised to see how high they have lifted me, how far they have pushed me, and how full they have filled me. And guess what? Some of them rock BECCA highlighter while others have never seen a tube of mascara but we are all united by our mutual camaraderie, assertiveness, and vulnerability.

XOXO to my Girl Boss BFFs. You inspire me endlessly.

~ Written by: Shelby Madison Burton 

The Angry Feminist//Renee Mikorski, M. S.

Photo from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/349380883567638119/?lp=true

        Anger has been on my mind as of late because I have been experiencing a lot of it. We as women are not supposed to be angry- we are supposed to be complacent, compliant and pleasant. Anger is reserved for men to use against women and against other men. Anger is violent and is not a “good look” for a woman.

However, I have been thinking about the pros and cons of experiencing and utilizing anger in feminist and social justice work. Audre Lorde states that “[Anger], focused with precision … can become a powerful source of energy serving progress and change” (Lorde, 1984/2007). Anger can motivate and energize marginalized individuals to action against the forces of oppression and fuel that momentum for progress and change.
However, when does anger become destructive? Not to the oppressor but to the oppressed? As women, even if we are angry, there is an expectation that we will keep this anger inside because women are not supposed to be angry. Therefore, I think because of socialization we still keep these feelings inside, especially when we are not in circles where expressing that anger will be validated. On the flip side, how might consistently expressing that anger affect our interpersonal relationships and our mental health?
There seems to be a double-edged sword in terms of the role of anger in feminism and social justice. On the other hand, I do recognize my own biases in writing this article as someone who, on the spectrum of introvert-extrovert, falls more towards the side of introvert. It is my nature to keep things in and internalize. But, despite this predilection I imagine there are women out there who feel the same as me. And when this anger is held inside (whether due to introverted-ness or through socialization), it can be extremely destructive.
I’m sure most of you reading this have heard the phrase “anger directed inward is depression”. But, what if that anger is still directed outward but is not expressed? What does that mean and how does it affect our work as social justice advocates and as clinicians who are supposed to be emotionally available for our clients?
Anger can motivate and empower but it can also harm us mentally and interpersonally. I don’t know how to let go of my anger without also losing my passion for this work. I realize I am still growing in my development as a social justice advocate and radical feminist, but this is one growing pain that is hard to adjust to.

~Written by: Renee Mikorski, M. S.

Lorde, A. (1984/2014). Anger as a response to racism. In P.R. Grzanka (Ed.), Intersectionality: A foundations and frontiers reader (p.171-175). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Feminist Men in a Closet//Giazú Enciso Domínguez Ph.D

Photo from: http://jimcookeillustration.tumblr.com/

My optimistic friends tell me that step by step people will understand feminism. They tell me that it is a matter of time before heterosexual women realize how important a feminist partner is. That when we realize, male macho men will be single, because women will not want to go out with them anymore. I am not so optimistic;  although I know the way is to educate people, I do worry about the Feminist Men in the Closet.

I define Feminist Men in a Closet as men who do not take action. Those who decided to be quiet, when their words are required. Those who could use their privileges in favor of the women, and they decide not to do it. It is like watching men, enter a closet and decide to lock the door from the inside and stay quiet.

Feminist Men in the Closet are men who know about gender perspective, men in favor of equality, men who consider themselves feminist… in silence. They say it between whispers. Men who truly believe in equality are more informed and try to make their fight; but they do it once a week, as long as it is not on Monday Football. Men who profess feminism outside their homes, but inside is another story.

I do worry about Feminist Men in a Closet. I see my female friends - independent women who are strong, happy, determined, but crying because when those men are around   they won’t take them seriously. Those men used to think inside their closets: “my female friends are wonderful and empowered!”, but in reality, when they are outside, they choose a woman whom they wish to control.

I do worry about Feminist Men in a Closet. I see informed me who read about feminism; men who know Butler, Haraway, Beauvoir; men who know concepts and handle theories. Men that learn about new masculinities, but at home they do not know where the broom is, how to clean a bathroom, who the pediatrician of their children is or what the weekly food budget is; or on the other hand, those who wait for his reward for "helping" at home.

I do worry about Feminist Men in a Closet. Men who share videos about women's achievements, or the speeches of Madonna, Emma Watson or Reese Witherspoon, but at the same time their WhatsApp groups are full of tits, butts, moans, and pornography (consensual or not).

I do worry about Feminist Men in a Closet. Those who give couples advice and comfort to their female friends, but they are controllers and jealous of their own partners. Those who have in their vocabulary words like heterosexism, heteropatriarchy, intersectionality, but cannot pronounce words like menstruation, period, bleed or tampon. Those who had an amazing brotherhood but do not speak up and silence their male friends when they make jokes about a woman or stop the objectification.

What is more, now I think I am more concerned about the Feminist Men in a Closet than the macho one. I am more concerned about an “informed man,” than an everyday man who does not know the topic. Feminist Men in a Closet are not men who do not know, but men who decide when it is convenient to know. When to shut up and raise his voice. When it is convenient to lose privileges and in front of whom. When it is convenient to come out of their closet to enter into a female feminist bed. I'm preoccupied with these Feminist Men in a Closet. It makes me doubt the title of “Feminist” and it leaves me wondering about what will be inside that closet ...

This does not mean that feminism does not want Feminist Men at all. I do not intend to distance men from the feminist movement. On the contrary, this is a call to get men out of their closets. I understand the difficulty that this entails. I ask myself why would men renounce their privileges? Why should men justify themselves when they are questioned about the relationship between feminism and their manhood? Why would men want to be mocked among their peers? I have seen how men diminish other men whom claim to be feminists, but I also have seen the strong brotherhood among men and I am sure it would endure the backlash. I would like to understand how the closet could be a “male survival strategy” but we have to remember that Feminism is a fight about our literal survival too.

This is a call to get out of your closets. To speak your feminism. To use your male privileges, your position in this world, your brotherhood. The feminist fight will not be won only among women. We need feminist men, but not in their closets. As paradoxical as it sounds, in 1920 USA won womens suffrage rights because men went and voted for it. Men fought for us. This is an inclusive battle. We want you on our side. We want you outside your closet.

~Written by Giazú Enciso Domínguez Ph.D