For this assignment I chose to explore the Association for Feminist Anthropology’s website. I consider myself a feminist and I am a strong advocate for women’s rights so I couldn’t have found a more fitting subfield to learn about. I learned that the association was formed under a unanimous vote in 1988. Sylvia Forman was a founding member of the AFA and she created the “working commissions” to draw a tie between feminist academic and policy work. The three main subjects focused on were Women’s Body Control, Women and Human Rights, and Gender and the Curriculum. The Association for Feminist Anthropology works to promote some of my core values which are equity, inclusiveness and human rights.

The work of the Association for Feminist Anthropology clearly ties into the broader themes of anthropology, because they focus on human behaviors through not only a biological lens, but also a cultural and medical one. Studying the evolution of human relationships, specifically those between males and females can be extremely beneficial in creating policy and ensuring equality. Women’s biological health is extremely important to not only the women, but humanity as a whole. Without women, no new life can ever be created. Also, when paying attention to the health of women around the world, it is proven that women with better sex education and access to reproductive health care are overall healthier than those without it. Feminism, and this association in particular clearly contribute to biological anthropology in various ways.

The Association for Feminist Anthropology also plays a part in cultural anthropology. When studying women from different cultures, it is important to focus on their customs and traditions. Women in many cultures are still oppressed and have to face horrible endurances such as genital mutilation. This variation between different cultures is crucial to understand in order to figure out how to best treat women’s health, reproduction and overall wellbeing. For example, increasing women’s education in a developing country can lead to lower birth rates, higher life expectancies and overall better quality of life. A lot of the points I’ve mentioned also show how Feminist Anthropology ties into medical anthropology. Paying attention to have women in different cultures are influenced by health care policies is important in figuring out which best policies to enact in each culture.

The Association for Feminist Anthropology also puts a strong emphasis on child care by providing women more freedom to breastfeed in public and providing services in academic institutions that would put less pressure on employees who have young children. They are also aiming to establish more equitable employment practices by pushing progressive agendas that relate to not only gender, but also race, class and social justice in general. I think that anyone interested in women’s health and rights should visit the Association for Feminist Anthropology’s website. I was able to expand my knowledge on many topics I am extremely interested in, such as women’s rights across nations. Women are the future and by studying their biological, medical and cultural anthropology, we can ensure that only the best policies and practices are put forth and that women continue to have full rights to their own bodies. This is a very controversial topic in the news right now, and I believe that exploring these topics can help someone to better form an opinion on where they stand about this issue.