Blog posts from December 2008
Feature and review comments - November edition
by Jess McCabe // 31 December 2008, 11:59
This regular, monthly round up of comments on our features and reviews comes not a moment too soon - blame the holiday season, please! Comments received during November are presented here for your reading pleasure. Readers responded en masse to...
Marge or Homer?
by Abby O'Reilly // 30 December 2008, 11:41
I have just been surfing the web and came across this beauty summarising the differences between male and female biology. What an image, eh? Good ole Matt Groening....
More hassle for male teachers?
by Abby O'Reilly // 30 December 2008, 00:45
The Independent published an article yesterday claiming that male teachers are more likely to be subjected to aggressive student behaviour than their female colleagues. This generalisation is based on the findings of a report released by the University of Warwick,...
Facebook: where no breast goes uncovered
by Abby O'Reilly // 29 December 2008, 23:47
I’m not entirely averse to taking the odd topless shot of myself (sometimes to sate my boredom, if for no other reason - they’re just boobs, after all), but I would never upload photos of myself, breasts out (flashing nipples...
Last round-up of the year?
by Jess McCabe // 29 December 2008, 22:30
The Washington Post reports on female genital mutilation among Iraq's Kurdish population. This one is brutal, be warned - particularly the photos. Via Jezebel Shark-fu has a must-read post, over at Shakesville: The first time I was gay bashed I...
Discriminatory retirement home loses funding; Daily Mail blames the lesbians.
by Laura Woodhouse // 28 December 2008, 19:34
Were you not familiar with the Daily Mail's particular brand of fact-contorting bigotry, you'd be forgiven for coming away from this article with the impression that elderly women at Brighton's Pilgrim Home for retired Christian missionaries were being forced to...
Oh, Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy...
by Abby O'Reilly // 28 December 2008, 16:56
Jeremy Clarkson courts controversy. It’s no secret. He’s forged a lucrative career for himself out of his capacity to offend. He claims to be a satirist, but he’s not. He’s just not clever enough, and so his infantile attempts to...
Cocky.
by Laura Woodhouse // 28 December 2008, 14:48
This is an incredibly powerful piece by trans activist Julia Serano. In my opinion she makes it abundantly clear that no matter what your perspective on gender, no matter what theories you hold dear, nothing is more important than an...
January at the ICA
by Jess McCabe // 27 December 2008, 21:46
London's Institute of Contemporary Art is showing a some shorts organised by Club des Femmes, a "positive female space for the re-examination of ideas through art". Yep, I'm not sure what that means either, or "a much-needed open platform for...
Merry Yule...
by Jess McCabe // 25 December 2008, 13:29
...and/or Christmas, and/or Hanukkah, and/or whatever other winter Saturnalia you might be celebrating today.... Photo by tobym, shared under a Creative Commons license...
What's it like for Irish women who have to travel to England to get abortions?
by Jess McCabe // 24 December 2008, 13:03
Something like this:...
Another round-up
by Jess McCabe // 23 December 2008, 18:51
The number of reported rapes in the US has soared by 25% in only two years, while reported domestic violence has sky-rocketed by 42%, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. Full details at Feminist Peace Network. Four men...
Female lawyers told to wear high heels, skirts
by Jess McCabe // 23 December 2008, 16:25
The 'magic circle' law firm Freshfields has advised its female lawyers to play up their femininity, wearing high heels and skirt suits, reports the Daily Mail. But they can't embrace it too much. Necklaces, they have been warned, should be...
Gender theory will destroy 'man' - Pope
by Jess McCabe // 23 December 2008, 11:08
I think that the Pope's choice of the term "man" in his horrific speech arguing that gender theory (and, implicitly, blurring gender or gender roles in any way, being lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans) is comparible to destroying the rainforests,...
Unbelievably wrong...
by Jess McCabe // 22 December 2008, 12:03
12-year-old Dymond Milburn was sent outside by her mum to turn the electricity back on, after the circuit breaker flipped, Houston Press reports on what happened next: As Dymond headed toward the breaker, a blue van drove up and three...
Anastasia watch: PDC World Championships
by Carrie Dunn // 22 December 2008, 01:52
After the griping from Wayne Mardle and Eric Bristow, Anastasia Dobromyslova made her PDC World Championships debut today, losing five legs to three to Remco van Eijden (but still finishing with the third-highest three-dart average of any player in the...
Seasons Greetings
by Sokari Ekine // 21 December 2008, 14:00
I am planning to make some changes in the new year as one does. Part of that change is I will stick to blogging on my own blog - Black Looks - in an attempt to reduce my online presence...
Oh, journalism...
by Jess McCabe // 21 December 2008, 11:42
So, I was quoted in this story about feminism in The Times. I spoke to the journalist for over half an hour, and made it clear that I support the protests against the series of beauty pagaents taking place at...
Another round-up!
by Jess McCabe // 19 December 2008, 14:02
The Manchester branch of Women Asylum Seekers Together is setting up a solidarity group. The 'Yes Means Yes' anthology has been published - it was co-edited by Jessica Valenti from Feministing, and includes an array of brilliant writers from the...
Volunteer at Crisis this Christmas
by Guest Blogger // 17 December 2008, 21:18
Crisis' women's centre is understaffed this Christmas. Charlotte Cooper puts a call out for volunteers Every Christmas for the last 37 years, the charity Crisis opens the doors of several special centres across London to accommodate a large community of...
Foster carers needed for LGBT youth
by Jess McCabe // 17 December 2008, 17:25
The Albert Kennedy Trust is in need of women foster carers, according to a profile by Julie Bindel in today's Guardian: When she was 16 and, in her own words, "a real mess", Alex was given a placement at the...
Boris backtracks on rape crisis funding
by Jess McCabe // 17 December 2008, 16:58
The one bright-spot in Boris Johnson's election as London Mayor was that he promised to fund four new rape crisis centres. He's already cancelled the Capital Woman conference for International Women's Day. He cut funding for Soho Pride. Purged his...
Grossness of the day
by Laura Woodhouse // 17 December 2008, 13:48
Via Sociological images. Well, this was going to be grossness of the day, but then I saw this ad at Jezebel for the, um, delicious pale, creamy liquid that is Bailey's (you might want to finish your lunch first):...
"If I had lost I would have emigrated to Vegas"
by Carrie Dunn // 16 December 2008, 22:40
The wise words of darts player Wayne Mardle, who was given a run for his money by leading female arrers thrower Anastasia Dobromyslova in last month's Grand Slam of Darts. If she'd triumphed, she would have been the first woman...
Sponsor a girl with Plan UK
by Laura Woodhouse // 16 December 2008, 17:17
Just came across this wonderful looking charity on The Guardian website. Plan UK is a child-centred community development organisation, currently raising awareness of the plight of girls worldwide: Josepha, 17, from Haiti, says: "Our voices are never heard. All...
Round up
by Jess McCabe // 16 December 2008, 15:55
Bitch Ph.D uncovered a shower-radio which boasts among its features... a hidden camera. (Via Melissa at Shakeville) A 12-year-old girl was paralysed after being vaccinated against HPV, reports The Telegraph - was it co-incidence or was it a direct result?...
Micro loans end up with women in debtors' prison
by Jess McCabe // 16 December 2008, 14:57
Microcredit is often framed as a feminist, pro-poor facet of the finance industry. This is because it provides tiny loans to people who are otherwise ignored by the banking sector, without access to bank accounts and overdrafts, to help support...
Intersexuality - XXY
by Sokari Ekine // 16 December 2008, 11:08
In XXY, a film from Argentina, Alex, the film’s protagonist, is a 14 year old intersex child who comes face to face with society’s prejudice.1 The close knit community of this small fishing village is populated by people this child would have viewed as neighbours. However because of the child’s intersexuality which in this case shows a female bodied child gradually turning male which is suggested abundantly throughout the film.
Dr Humayra Abedin to return to UK
by Laura Woodhouse // 15 December 2008, 23:29
Good news: the NHS doctor alleged to have been held captive by her parents in Bangladesh after she refused an arranged marriage is on her way home to the UK. Although Dr Abedin is not a British national, the authorities...
The pay gap is insulting
by Jess McCabe // 15 December 2008, 20:00
I can imagine some people will not like this, but I think it gets the point across really well about a basic inequality which is so ingrained, I think a lot of people don't realise how messed up it...
Suffragettes 'most hardcore girl gang'
by Jess McCabe // 15 December 2008, 12:25
I love suffragette stories as much as the next feminist, but this story by Julie Burchill in The Sun is... baffling. The story is full of breathless lines like this: Those prim and proper Edwardian ladies looked so weak and...
New feature: ‘Hasn’t anybody ever told you a handful is enough?’
by Jess McCabe // 15 December 2008, 00:05
Boys groped her, men shouted at her on the street, and girls and women reacted with hostility. Samara Ginsberg reports on growing up with large breasts I was saddened to read Hannah Whittaker's article about her eating disorder a while...
New review - Out of Place: Interrogating Silences in Queerness / Raciality
by Jess McCabe // 15 December 2008, 00:02
debi withers reviews a collection on the intersection of race and queer politics, which slips between first-person narratives, manifestos and academic tracts Out of Place: Interrogating Silences in Queerness / Raciality is the latest book from Raw Nerve, the independent...
Yellow Rage
by Jess McCabe // 14 December 2008, 22:01
This video of spoken word poets Michelle Myers and Catzie Vilayphonh (Yellow Rage) has been doing the rounds of various feminist blogs all week, but on the offchance you've not seen it: Via Womanist Musings...
Joan Jett
by Jess McCabe // 14 December 2008, 00:24
Kristen Stewart has been cast to play Joan Jett in a film about the Runaways. AfterEllen has posted an analysis of the casting decision, and Kelsey at Bitch Magazine is less than impressed. It's a good excuse to post these...
Target Women: Jewellery edition
by Jess McCabe // 14 December 2008, 00:19
Reclaim the Night Birmingham postponed...
by Jess McCabe // 14 December 2008, 00:16
Birmingham Feminists have postponed their planned Reclaim the Night march: Just a quick post to say that Birmingham Feminists have made the executive decision to postpone our first Reclaim The Night march as we are under prepared at present. We...
Round-up: the UN, Jade Goody, Sleater-Kinney, iron collars, WoW and Repo Chick
by Jess McCabe // 12 December 2008, 13:47
Next week the UN will vote on a declaration decriminalising homosexuality. Jade Goody's at it again: The reality TV star is talking on her latest show Jade on Living TV, which follows the star as she battles cervical cancer and...
Fantastic News!
by Louise Livesey // 12 December 2008, 11:27
A long post is due from me, I know, and will be put together over the weekend. I just wanted to flag this news - The International Criminal Court has appointed Professor Catherine Mackinnon as it's advisor on gender crimes....
How can washing machines connect up to sexism in tech?
by Jess McCabe // 12 December 2008, 09:32
To find out, follow these simple steps. Step One: Watch this advert for a Seimens washing machine (but not if you're at work!) Link: Step Two: Read this post about it, on TechCrunch, by high-profile tech blogger Michael Arrington. Via...
Press release from Miss-Ogynists
by Jess McCabe // 11 December 2008, 23:04
You're probably aware of the protests against beauty-pageants held at universities across London, and if not your can check out the Miss-Ogynist University of London Facebook group for the full story. Today we received a press release from the company...
Charity Porn
by Sokari Ekine // 11 December 2008, 19:10
They've sent some porn actresses to Kenya, and filmed them having sex with impoverished local Africans for their Naked Continent series. The production company, Natural High, has proudly proclaimed that the director made an $11,000 donation to a local charity, and will donate another $10 for the purchase of every DVD of that particular film.
Bonfire Madigan to play UK shows
by Jess McCabe // 11 December 2008, 10:58
Bonfire Madigan has announced a series of UK shows: BONFIRE MADIGAN SHIVE is a visionary cellist, composer, vocalist, performing artist, community activist, and international touring musician from the United States. Shive has collaborated onstage and in studio with artists as...
UK government opposes Austrian gay marriage
by Milly Shaw // 10 December 2008, 13:45
The UK government has tried to block other European countries from allowing same-sex marriage and civil partnerships, despite claiming to be in favour of LGB equality. The Guardian newspaper reports that the UK government had made legal submissions to the...
Bratz
by Jess McCabe // 10 December 2008, 10:47
The controversial line of dolls Bratz has been ordered off the shelves by a US judge, over a copyright infringement issue. Elle, phd posted a very good analysis of the whole Bratz issue: My point is, that Bratz did not...
It's Christmas, time to reinforce those gender roles!
by Jess McCabe // 10 December 2008, 10:42
Via Miriam at Feministing...
Virginie Despentes to speak on femininity
by Jess McCabe // 10 December 2008, 10:34
The director Virginie Despentes is speaking at the ICA in London next year, about her new book which argues, from her experience working in porn and prostitution, that "feminism is needed to rip away the trappings of femininity in a...
Wears The Trousers magazine
by Laura Woodhouse // 9 December 2008, 21:49
While at Ladyfest Manchester I met the lovely Charlotte Richardson who was busy interviewing bands for Wears The Trousers magazine. The online version has now been duly bookmarked in an effort to improve my woeful knowledge of lady centred music....
New feature: Time to end parental leave discrimination
by Jess McCabe // 8 December 2008, 23:30
Jennifer Gray argues that parental leave laws must become more flexible In Victorian times, the ‘separate spheres’ idea was popular: men were naturally good at working and leading, women were naturally good at domestic tasks, and everyone would be happy...
New review - Cunning Stunts: women’s theatre in the 1970s and '80s
by Jess McCabe // 8 December 2008, 23:21
The Unfinished Histories CD provides a tantalising window into the history of women’s theatre troupes, says Red Chidgey They had fiesty names like Cunning Stunts, Beryl and the Perils, Monstrous Regiment and Gay Sweatshop; their goal was to use theatre...
Rounding up & out
by Jess McCabe // 8 December 2008, 16:03
Jezebel confronts the statistic that 40% of women cannot orgasm - and only 12% care about it: The fact that many women are still so uncomfortable talking about sex and/or the idea of masturbation undoubtedly contributes to their lack of...
Ch-ch-ch-changes
by Helen G // 8 December 2008, 10:49
Two related articles in The Independent this weekend making a good point (the effects of chemical pollutants in the environment on sex/gender) in a bad way (sexism, misogyny, you name it). I’m not sure which is the most offensive, but...
Where are women now? asks Observer Review
by Jess McCabe // 7 December 2008, 21:13
A good portion of today's Observer Review was dedicated to the status of women in our society 80 years since women won the right to vote. I'm quoted (very briefly!) in Rachel Cooke's overview. She has some interesting things to...
Of interest today...
by Louise Livesey // 7 December 2008, 19:45
I'm fairly sure we must have done this one before, but in case we didn't, here's 12 helpful suggestions for men in feminist settings (including this one, by the way). And, y'know, they are really worth reprinting here: 1. Realize...
Feministing's Friday Fuck Yeah - feminist bloggers edition
by Jess McCabe // 6 December 2008, 17:46
Feminist bloggers, this one's for you. Samhita suggests calling out to your favourite feminist bloggers in comments on her thread. I realise there's a lot of stuff to be said said about whether feminist blogging is ultimately worth it,...
Target Women: Vampires
by Jess McCabe // 5 December 2008, 23:18
Feminist youth work in the North West
by Jess McCabe // 5 December 2008, 12:13
This sounds like a great project: From a base in Manchester, and with a focus across the North West, a collective of academics, youth work practitioners and young people have come together to ‘do something’ about young women and girls’...
Survey finds 1 in 5 girls suffer domestic violence
by Laura Woodhouse // 5 December 2008, 11:36
A survey completed by readers of teen magazine Bliss, carried out in partnership with Women's Aid, has found that 1 in 5 girls aged 14 -15 and 1 in 4 aged 16 have experienced violence at the hands of someone...
New feature: Now That’s What I Call Misogyny!
by Jess McCabe // 5 December 2008, 10:38
Molly Lavender is exasperated at gender segregation in music - and the way pop songs valorise abusive relationships Gird your loins, ladies! The X Factor has returned! And with it the unquestioned assumption that women up and down the country...
New feature: Why feminists shouldn't have to keep mum
by Jess McCabe // 4 December 2008, 19:50
A feminist challenge to sexism within the current cult of motherhood is needed, argues Victoria Dutchman-Smith Before I became a mother myself, among my favourite works of feminist literature were The Women's Room and The Feminine Mystique. These remain favourites...
New feature: Choice and disability
by Jess McCabe // 4 December 2008, 19:47
Are feminist pro-choice politics on selective abortions sidelining the concern of disabled people? Victoria Al-Sharqi argues the case Recently I stumbled across Clare Laxton’s thought-provoking article, Abortion and disability - whose voices are heard? As a disabled woman, I have...
From here to there
by Jess McCabe // 4 December 2008, 17:31
US feminist bloggers and activists are organising a conference next year in DC, called Fem2.0. I like their list of conference goals: To harness the power of women on the Internet to promote women’s issues. To create a forum -...
Stripping the Illusion Awards!
by Jess McCabe // 4 December 2008, 09:01
Object held a protest outside the lap-dancing club For Your Eyes Only, which was hosting the Lap Dancing Association Awards Ceremony. The protest was in the form of their own, Stripping the Illusion Awards:...
Queens speech
by Lynne Miles // 3 December 2008, 18:02
The Queen's speech today contained the government's legislative agenda for the next year. Amongst economic measures to help with the banking and housing crisis, and some shonky-looking proposal to subject benefits claimants to lie detector tests (wtf?!), there will be...
Silent auction sent to tempt!
by Jess McCabe // 3 December 2008, 16:58
I can't pretend it'd be anything but an excessive present to myself to bid in a WOMANKIND auction to win a limited-edition short story written collaboratively by three of the UK's most talented writers. But let's just say the words...
Amanda Palmer update
by Laura Woodhouse // 3 December 2008, 14:59
Just to clear up any confusion following my post on the Amanda Palmer belly story, Amanda has confirmed on her myspace blog that she is still with Roadrunner, though she did ask them to drop her following disagreements with the...
The Sun and its slideshow of "ugly" sex workers
by Jess McCabe // 1 December 2008, 19:24
The Sun has posted a gallery of photos of women arrested by the Tennessee police - to demonstrate how unattractive they perceive them to be. The headline given to this story is "All American beauties hooked", and the Sun proceeds...
Round Up
by Louise Livesey // 1 December 2008, 16:38
Yesterday I made a note to blog about the three women and one man short list for the Turner Prize. I optimistically wrote might help with their dreadful gender ratio for winners as only three women have won it since...
Take Back the Tech?
by Jess McCabe // 1 December 2008, 16:30
As Sokari blogged last week, we're right in the middle of the 16 days of activism on violence against women. But how can we use technology to further that activism? Take Back the Tech is an interesting campaign, and has...
Hillary Clinton appointed US Secretary of State
by Laura Woodhouse // 1 December 2008, 16:16
US President-elect Barack Obama has announced that Hillary Clinton will take the role of Secretary of State under his administration. As a vocal supporter of women's rights nationally and internationally, Clinton should help reverse the Bush administration's pitiful record on...
Some articles of interest
by Louise Livesey // 1 December 2008, 10:54
Today is World Aids Day - there is a film screening over at SnagFilms showing several films for free including We Will Not Die Like Dogs and India's Hidden Plague. Of course the UK government is responsible for deporting people...
Comments for October
by Jess McCabe // 1 December 2008, 00:18
Just a quick note to say I've finally put up the comments on features and reviews received during October. You can find them here! Anaya's piece about magazines for young girls got an overwhelming (and positive) response. Rachael Halemor's article...
Founder of The F-Word, Catherine Redfern, has co-authored a new book with Kristin Aune. Find out more at the 
