Growing up in an Italian family, the gender boundaries have always been clearly laid out.  Men belong at the supper table, in front of the TV, or beside the BBQ.  Women belong in the laundry room, kitchen, and nursery.  As many leaps and bounds have been made so that women can vote, work, marry other women, it sometimes appears that newly immigrated families such as my own survive within their own patriarchal bubble.  Although it is generally accepted that the women can and should have professions, I have one grandmother …

Today, Barbie celebrates her 50th birthday.  For many, this doll is not only a reminder of childhood games but also the marker of what they thought a woman could be.  Barbie is, in my opinion, a paradox for feminism.  On the one hand, you have a woman who has tried and succeeded at every career under the sun, does not need a man for much other than a date to her many formal events or to be a companion on a camping or roadtrip.  On the other hand, you see …