29 June 2007

Gap selling suggestive clothing for toddlers

As the old adage goes, if you’ve got it, flaunt it, but where does this stop? Human decency should dictate that until you’ve reached physical maturity and adulthood that you should not be subject to the body fascism that makes… Read more...

Posted by Abby O'Reilly at 29 June 2007

28 June 2007

MoD apologises for persecuting gay service men and women

The Ministry of Defence has apologised for the suffering caused by its ban on gay and lesbian folk serving in the armed forced, reports The Guardian. Wing commander Phil Sagar issued the apology only a few days before London Pride…. Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 28 June 2007

Brown appoints first female home secretary, but drastically cuts women in Cabinet

Jacqui Smith has been appointed as Britain’s first female Home Secretary, reports The BBC. She was formerly Chief Whip, but this seems to be a major promotion, as she has not headed up a government department before. On the plus… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 28 June 2007

Australia launches Women-Only Political Party

Yesterday Brisbane saw the launch of the What Women Want Australia party which is an all-women political party. Spokeswoman and founder, Justine Caines said women needed better representation and were sick of being paid lip service on key issues (From… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 28 June 2007

26 June 2007

And whilst I'm spitting feathers….

Thanks to our eagle-eyed spotter of this new advertising campaign by Nila, catering industry company. Apparently other slogans include “corn star” (pun on “porn star”) and “just laid”. Any blog readers seeing similar adverts (for Nila or otherwise) can always… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 26 June 2007

Not sure how much I can say on this without spitting feathers….

Commentator Debbie Schlussel has interpreted the results of this study as follows: The conclusion they want you to get from this is that pro-life Congressmen are insensitive to women and don’t have contact with any.But I’d draw a different conclusion:… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 26 June 2007

Two good bits of news (because we can't say that often enough!)

From Thailand is the new that the government has now criminalized marital rape. The new crime carries a fine of 40,000 baht, or approx £625 and up to 20 years in jail. The new law also expands the definition of… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 26 June 2007

25 June 2007

US woman charged after drugs discovered in still-born's system

An Oklahoma woman has been charged with first-degree murder, because her still-born baby had drugs in his system, reports KOTV. Tests on Theresa Lee Hernandez’s still-born baby found methamphetamines, but over 150 medical and health groups oppose the prosecution, and… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 June 2007

Man who raped 10 year old given two years

The Attorney General is to look into a case in which a judge gave a man who raped a 10 year old girl a sentence of two years, reports The Guardian. Keith Fenn, 24, was given concurrent two-year and 18-month… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 June 2007

24 June 2007

Harman wins race for deputy leader of Labour party

Harriet Harman has narrowly won the vote to become deputy leader of the Labour party, reports The Guardian. Beating Alan Johnson by only 1%, Harman has already pledged to put women at the centre of her agenda. “I have always… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 June 2007

23 June 2007

Will Dangerous Book for Girls close gender-book-gap?

The publisher of the Dangerous Book for Boys is to produce a version of the popular childrens’ book aimed at girls, notes Mother Talk. The Dangerous Book for Boys is, of course, part of a fantastically popular trend for books… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 June 2007

Kate speaks back to "critics"

Back in July, our guest blogger Kate Smurthwaite posted a review of a new site for women run by Gawker. Jezebel, as Kate pointed out, seeks to portray itself as different to the typical bitchy women’s magazine, but falls into… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 June 2007

22 June 2007

Women in Computing - the debate continues

Prompted by this blog post by Tim Bray, Jeni Tennison has some interesting ideas about how we should encourage women into computer related industries. It’s worth quoting at length… First, we can shift the perception of the proportion of… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 22 June 2007

Make-up addicts absorb 5lbs a year

Women who wear make-up every day could be absorbing nearly 5lbs of the stuff into their skin every year, according to research reported in The Telegraph. According to the Weird Converter, that’s equivilent to 13 hockey pucks. Many use more… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 22 June 2007

News From Africa

Two interestingly different perspectives on women in Africa today. First up, women in Uganda are suffering health impacts after sexual violence above normal levels because of additional issues of poverty and bureaucracy. When Maggie Samula [not real names] of… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 22 June 2007

21 June 2007

Israel uses women's bodies for public image boost

Welcome to Israel’s new PR campaign… In an attempt to boost their PR profile the Israeli government approached Maxim magazine to run a feature on the “hot” Israeli national conscripts shown here (actually four were included of which we show… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 21 June 2007

20 June 2007

One step closer to a cervical cancer vaccine

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended that adolescent girls should receive a vaccination against HPV, the virus which causes cervical cancer. The recommendation is in principle only, and will be subject to further cost benefit analysis…. Read more...

Posted by Lynne Miles at 20 June 2007

Vilma Espin, Cuba's First Lady, Dies

Vilma Espin, wife of acting president Raul Castro, has died aged 77 after a long illness. Espin was considered Cuba’s unofficial first lady and was a key figure in advancing women’s equality in Cuba. Espin was part of the armed… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 20 June 2007

PlayStation plays misogynist again

Of all the big companies in all the world, none do so much to alienate their huge female customer base as Sony - at least where its PlayStation brand is involved. (OK, these guys are worse.) Check out this ad… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 20 June 2007

One rule for rich fathers, one rule for poor fathers, the same rule for all mothers

While low-income fathers are admonished for not spending enough time with their kids, senior executives who shirk family duties to run big companies are rewarded with gigantic pay cheques and profiles in Fortune magazine, points out career blogger Penelope Trunk…. Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 20 June 2007

Video Games Controversy

Three video games have come under fire recently, Manhunt II (by the makers of Grand Theft Auto, Rock Star Games), Law and Order: Double or Nothing (Global Software) and Resistance: Fall of Man. The first has been banned for “sustained… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 20 June 2007

19 June 2007

Katie Hopkins - TV villain or feminist icon?

It was once said that religion is the opium of the masses, although today in an essentially ecclesiastically apathetic country it’s more likely to be the voyeurism promoted by the cult of reality television. No other medium can as effectively… Read more...

Posted by Abby O'Reilly at 19 June 2007

Why climate change will hit women hardest

If you’ve walked past a newsagent today, you have no doubt noticed The Independent’s headline: “The Earth today stands in imminent peril”. Of course, the headline refers to the threat of climate change, and specifically a warning by six US… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 19 June 2007

Hostel II : Misogyny Sells

I was stopped in my tracks and turned into an expletive-spewing ball of anger earlier this week by the sight of this advert for the film Hostel II. Unpleasant to say the least. I don’t know whether the same image… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 19 June 2007

A degree in activism and social change

From The Big Issue In The North, 28/5/07 - 3/6/07: “Leeds University is to launch a new masters degree in activism and social change. The course will bring together the worlds of academia and radical social campaigning and is being… Read more...

Posted by Jane Eyre at 19 June 2007

18 June 2007

New bra for augmented breasts

The cult of celebrity has for a long time forced us to assess the shape and appearance of our own breasts. This has not been a good thing. As a lot of the women regularly gracing the pages of… Read more...

Posted by Abby O'Reilly at 18 June 2007

From China to Colombia, by way of Southwark

The Mosuo people of China are that rare thing: a matriarchy. I posted about them briefly back in April, but if you’re curious to know more I’d recommend this radio documentary by the BBC World Service. Not only does it… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 June 2007

Reforms could put more rapists behind bars

The government is planning a raft of reforms in a bid to drive up the low rate of rape convictions, reports The Guardian. The reforms sound great: first off, it will become possible to call expert witnesses about how rape… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 June 2007

17 June 2007

Plan to force father registration on birth certificates

It could soon be compulsory to include the name of a new-born baby’s father on its birth certificate, reports the BBC. Ministers said they would push forward with the plans once safeguards to protect vulnerable women and children could be… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 June 2007

16 June 2007

Selfish women cause neo-Nazi uprising?

The disproportionate number of young women leaving the former East Germany is driving men into the arms of neo-Nazis, reports Speigel Online, in a thoroughly objectionable feature. First off, someone at the German newspaper thought it was a good idea… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 June 2007

Carnival Against Sexual Violence out now!

Go check out the 25th Carnival Against Sexual Violence, over at abyss2hope. We’re pleased to say one of Louise’s posts got picked up by the carnival…. Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 June 2007

15 June 2007

UK cosmetic surgeons condemn website

Tits. Jugs. Mammaries. Boobs. For years those fleshy sacks attached to the upper part of our torso have been eroticised by men, and used as a means to assess our attractiveness. With the rise of the page 3 girl,… Read more...

Posted by Abby O'Reilly at 15 June 2007

Whoever knew yoghurt could be so irritating?

This is one of a series of ads by a Brazilian diet yoghurt company, which seeks to sell its product with “fattened up” versions of actresses and the tag-line: Forget about it. Men’s preference will never change. Fit Light… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 June 2007

Toddlers recognise gender stereotypes

Toddlers begin to recognise and react to gender stereotypes when they are as young as two years-old, reports Salt Lake Tribune. Researchers at Brigham Young University showed 24 month-old children images of women and men engaged in stereotypical activities, then… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 June 2007

Gatwick Flightpath Advertising causes controversy

This is the face of the man who sees nothing wrong in this advert visible only from a plane landing or taking off from Gatwick airport. Flightpath Media, the company who actually created the advert, are so proud of… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 15 June 2007

American Judge Rules phrases like "rape" and "sexual assault" are prejudicial to defendants

In a stunning piece of legalistic (un)reasoning, Lancaster County District Judge Jeffre Cheuvront ruled that the victim of a first degree sexual assault crime could not use the words “victim,” “assailant,” “attack,” “sexual assault kit” and “rape” when giving evidence… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 15 June 2007

Vatican calls for Catholics to Stop Supporting Amnesty International

News that the Catholic Church would rather condone (by ignoring) human rights abuses rather than support an organisation that supports women’s rights isn’t really news I guess, in the sense that the Catholic Church has a history of ignoring (or… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 15 June 2007

14 June 2007

One to keep an eye on: Asia Alfasi

The question “where are all the women in the comics industry” occurs with surprising frequency in these parts. Add to that, “where are all the women in the British comics industry” and the pickings get slimmer still. So it was… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 June 2007

13 June 2007

Golf is not enough

As we blogged earlier, the government has just put forward proposals to shake-up legislation on discrimination. Although the bill includes some welcome moves forward, for example giving women the right to breast-feed in public, the consensus seems to be that… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2007

I Did Not Ask For It UK

London Feminist Network have launched a great new campaign: Based on similar campaigns in India we are launching an “I DID NOT ASK FOR IT UK” campaign. We are asking women to send us garments they were wearing when they… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 13 June 2007

So, we all want to marry our father do we?

Fairy tales and popular culture have long promoted the concept of the ‘daddy’s girl,’ the infallible little angel and the over-protective patriarch who believes she’s sweeter than a doughnut. For those of us who know what it’s like to be… Read more...

Posted by Abby O'Reilly at 13 June 2007

News flash! Women download porn

Some women like porn - and the internet has made it easier for them to access it, reports The Metro. While I’m sort-of amazed that this is news to anyone, the nub of this story is interesting: a book by… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2007

Beckham's outfits uncomfortable, reveals Daily Mail

Victoria Beckham’s wardrobe is impractical, constricting and impossible to wear, reports the Daily Mail. In the finest tradition of investigative journalism, the newspaper sent intrepid reporter Kathryn Knight out into the world dressed like the former Spice Girl, with predictable… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2007

Women banned from working at night in Kuwait

The Kuwaiti parliament has passed a law banning women from working between 8pm and 7am, reports Gulfnews. The restrictions go further: The government also banned women from working in jobs that “contravene with public morals and in all-men service places… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2007

12 June 2007

Getting Engaged? Read These!

Anyone who’s feeling inspired to ponder the conventional rituals of marriage after reading Eleanor Turner’s recent F-word article should check out Meghan O’Rourke and Amanda Marcotte’s pieces on engagement rings (in Slate and Pandagon respectively). Actually, I must confess that,… Read more...

Posted by Holly Combe at 12 June 2007

Private Members Clubs Beware

Whilst the news coverage has been focussing on golf clubs, the review of Equality legislation has much wider implications. It will mean that mixed membership clubs cannot treat their male and female members differently. It doesn’t, sadly, force “male only”… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 12 June 2007

11 June 2007

Comments for May!

Comments received during the month of May are now available to read here. By far, you responded in greatest numbers to Eleanor Turner’s feature in which she documented the trials and tribulations she faced with her new husband when they… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 June 2007

Unmarried Partners to Gain "Divorce" rights

There are plans afoot to give cohabiting partners similar rights on relationship breakdown to married couples. The Law Commission is due to publish their recommendations soon which will include (if the rumours are true)… the ability to make claims for… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 11 June 2007

Fawcett launches new campaign

It’s twenty years since Diane Abbott was elected as the first black female MP. And twenty years on there are still only two - Diane Abbott and Dawn Butler. Fawcett are working on a campaign to gain support for… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 11 June 2007

Police using Cautions rather than charging sex offenders

“It is a slap in the face when the man is let off with merely a caution, a huge setback when you are trying to rebuild your life. Getting justice is essential to recovery after rape - cautions confirm that… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 11 June 2007

10 June 2007

Size 16 models shock Observer Woman!

A bit like the Daily Mail, there are few things as certain to provide blogable material as The Observer’s Woman supplement. Let’s just say that today’s issue was no exception. Unfortunately the cover story photo-shoot of size 16 models isn’t… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 10 June 2007

9 June 2007

Sierra Leone fails to ban female circumcision

Sierra Leone’s parliament has raised the age of marriage to 18, but removed a clause from the bill which would have banned the practice of female genital mutilation, reports the BBC. The press and public were asked to leave parliament… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 June 2007

Beth Ditto on street harrassment

Yet another reason to heart Beth Ditto: her advice column in The Guardian this week features a spot on feminist analysis of street harrassment and how to respond to those who tell us we should just put up with it:… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 9 June 2007

8 June 2007

What's it really like for a woman in Saudi Arabia?

What’s it like to live behind a veil, in a country where women are forced to live like children, where driving is out, Starbucks is segregated and even a government spokesman is afraid of the moral police? LA Times reporter… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 June 2007

What misogyny?

Apologies for blogging about something that’s a little out of date now in internet terms, but I was perusing the last week’s blog entries over at The Guardian and I really couldn’t let this perfect example of the male left… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 8 June 2007

Pink, glorious pink

A new airline is due to launch next month, supposedly aimed at women, reports The Guardian. All aeroplanes operated by Fly Pink will be painted in the colour, and passengers will be served pink champagne and complimentary manicures. It will… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 June 2007

Women dominate key art show; African scoops Orange prize for the first time

Tracey Emin has been selected to represent the UK at the Venice Biennale art festival, and other countries including Poland, France and the Czech Republic have also chosen female artists, reports The Independent. Emin is only the second woman to… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 June 2007

Female journalists on the front line

A second female journalist has been killed in Afghanistan in less than a week, reports ABC. Last night, Zakia Zaki, the head of a radio station, was killed in her home. The murder was particularly gruesome as she was shot… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 June 2007

7 June 2007

Make friends with The F Word on Facebook!

As though Facebook wasn’t addictive enough, you can now become friends with The F Word on the social-networking site. You can find our group here, but you will need to be a member to see it and join. It’s a… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 7 June 2007

Trafficking within countries - a hidden problem

Whilst most international attention focusses on women trafficked across borders there is a hidden epidemic in countries like India and Thailand of women trafficked within countries. Much of the attention on human trafficking focuses on the estimated 600,000 to 800,000… Read more...

Posted by Louise Livesey at 7 June 2007

6 June 2007

Another feminist carnival!

The latest feminist carnival is out now at Laurelin in the Rain. It’s a really good edition. As usual, here are a few of my favourite picks, after a quick skim read: Diary of a Goldfish posts about the many… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 6 June 2007

5 June 2007

Second Carnival of Radical Feminists

The Carnival of Radical Feminists hits one of my favourite blogs this month, Feminist Law Professors. One interesting post included in the Carnival comes from Feminists Don’t Bake Bread, and details the story of James Barry, a British Army surgeon… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2007

Book puts Afghan women in danger

Women who told their stories to the author of a best-selling book on Afghanistan are being persecuted, reports NPR. In Kabul Beauty School, Deborah Rodriguez narrates her experiences opening the first beauty school in the Afghan capital, including the personal… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2007

Campaigning just got easier…

news comes from the Big Issue In The North that a website has been launched by Advocacy Online to allow individual campaigners and small campaigns to set up online actions. Users will be able to customise every aspect and remain… Read more...

Posted by Jane Eyre at 5 June 2007

3 June 2007

New Features! New Reviews!

In the first installment of this month’s bumper update, we have some fabulous stuff for you to read. But check back soon, because we’ll be keeping it coming over the coming days. First impressions Feminists are caricatured as ugly and… Read more...

Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 June 2007