Road-Trip

Emily Ellis

Strange U.S. Laws Regarding Women
The United States, a country traditionally proud of its liberated women, there still exists a multitude of ridiculous, ancient, and un-repealed laws regarding the fairer sex. In New Mexico,
women are strictly forbidden to appear unshaven in public. In Arkansas, a man is legally allowed to beat his wife, but only when he uses a stick that is no more than three inches wide. Female visitors
to the U.S.A. may wish to check out the local laws before their trip – one might find herself jailed for the heinous crime of adjusting her stockings in public.

Night Witches in Russia
During World War II, Josef Stalin ordered the formation of three all-female Soviet squadrons to assist in the fight against the Nazis. The women of the Soviet Air Forces’ 588th Night Bomber
Regiment would become military legends, nicknamed the “Night Witches” by their enemies. The Night Witches had one of the hardest tasks in air force, flying awkward plywood planes entirely in
the dark. One German commander summed up their skill and bravery in 1941: “We simply couldn’t grasp that the Soviet airmen that caused us the greatest trouble were in fact women.
These women feared nothing.”

Diana Nyad Swims from Florida to Cuba
In Greek mythology, a “naiad” is a female spirit who presides over bodies of water. 64-year old Diana Nyad lived up to her last name when she became the first person to swim from Cuba to
Florida without a protective shark cage. It was the American’s fifth attempt to swim the distance, and on September 1rst, 2013, she crossed the 111 miles of shark-infested water in 53 hours. Upon
the completion of the race, Nyad had this advice for hopeful athletes : “One is we should never, ever give up. Two is you never are too old to chase your dreams.”

Sweden Introduces Feminist Film-Rating Scale

If you live in Sweden and decide to go to the cinema, you can now select your movie based on how equally women are represented. The new rating scale, introduced in November 2013, is based on the Bechdel Test, which aims to judge gender bias in
works of fiction. For example, in order to earn an “A” rating, a film must contain at least two women who have a conversation about something other than a man. Apply the Bechdel Test to your favorite films, and you will be surprised how many fail!