October 21, 2020
Katy Knuckles ’21
Hayley Headley ‘24 explores femicide, women’s rights issues in magazine series
Hayley Headley ‘24 is working on a series of articles highlighting pressing women’s rights issues around the world and in modern culture.
Headley learned last spring of a number of protests surrounding a global phenomenon called femicide. Moved, she set out to “really understand the issue” and to help raise awareness of the problem. Femicide has a “tumultuous history, and it has been overlooked, especially in Latin American, since the 1990s,” Headley said.
Through her work, Headley sought to shed light on the “macro problem” of femicide, explain why it is hard to successfully combat, and bring awareness to ongoing efforts of women activists in Mexico. Hoping to get her work published, Headley connected with the editor of The Whorticulturalist magazine through Instagram.
Her pitch accepted, Headley is in the midst of writing a series of articles on femicide, as well as other topics related to women’s rights, for the online publication. Through her pieces, Headley highlights art by Latinx women and incorporates a word in Spanish first before finishing the rest of her titles in English.
Planning to major in politics and international relations, Headley is particularly interested in individual sovereignty and aspires to one day serve in The United Nations Development Programme. When asked why she chose Lake Forest College, she spoke highly of what she called “the most personable application process.” Though she had already heard of the school and was interested, the welcome she received was a major deciding factor.