Blog posts from January 2008
Strictly for fans of Buffy and Veronica Mars
by Jess McCabe // 31 January 2008, 19:50
This one will probably fly right over the head of anyone who is not a fan of two feminist-pleasing American TV series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars. Some clever person has cut this together, playing off the fact...
Liverpool pro-choice protest, February 12
by Laura // 31 January 2008, 11:27
There will be a picket of Ann Widdecombe's anti-abortion meeting in Liverpool: To join the picket, assemble outside the Liner Hotel, Lord Nelson Street (next to Lime Street Station) Liverpool. Tuesday 12th February, 6.15pm. This follows a successful protest against...
First Anti-Abortion Amendment Defeated
by Louise Livesey // 31 January 2008, 08:48
Abortion Rights reports that the first anti-abortion amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill has been defeated in the House of Lords. The amendment, which would have banned abortion on the grounds of severe foetal abnormality, was defeated 22...
Afghani Student Sentenced to Death for Reading About Women's Rights
by Louise Livesey // 31 January 2008, 08:21
Todays headlines show both how the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating but also how women's rights are still seen as a threat. Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, a 23 year old journalism student, has been sentenced to death for downloading and distributing...
Excellent news.
by Laura // 30 January 2008, 23:20
The rapist who won £7million on the Lottery can finally be sued by one of his victims, The Times reports: One woman’s quest for justice against the so-called Lotto rapist ended in victory this morning with a court ruling that...
The Feminist Case for Gossip Mags?
by Holly Combe // 30 January 2008, 18:50
I'm sure we've all done it. We groan when we see yet another front-cover revelling in the cellulite, spots and general physical imperfections of the nation's "favourite" celebrities. We righteously tut when it seems that, yet again, women in...
Am I the only one who didn't know they make moisturiser from sharks?
by Jess McCabe // 30 January 2008, 15:55
My vegetarian heckles have been raised. According to the Guardian firms such as L'Oreal and Unilever have only just recently stopped using shark oil in their moisturisers and cosmetics. And by shark oil, I mean oil made from the livers...
Front Page Murder
by Laura // 29 January 2008, 16:44
This news story is on the BBC news front page today. It's nasty: a man was left partially deaf, blind and with brain damage, in need of 24 hour care, after his wife tried to kill him by poisoning him...
Carnival
by Laura // 29 January 2008, 10:49
The first Carnival Against Pornography and Prostitution is here!...
Iranian feminist magazine gets license revoked
by Jess McCabe // 29 January 2008, 10:46
Zanan - a feminist monthly magazine - has had its license revoked by the Iranian press supervision board, "on the grounds that it endangered spiritual, mental and intellectual health of its readers". A "well-informed source" told the Iranian Students News...
End Violence Against Women - UniFem Campaign
by Louise Livesey // 28 January 2008, 15:10
Launched back in November but not sure we covered it then. For every signature for the first 100,000 there is a £1 donation promised to Unifem so please, sign it and get your friends to sign it too. So...
Super-sexist ad by Dutch optician...
by Jess McCabe // 28 January 2008, 14:56
This series of ads for Dutch optician Oogmerk starts out kinda funny, and quickly progresses to teeth-grittingly sexist. Under the slogan "get the respect you deserve", we start off here: Then we get this one: Still kinda funny? What about...
More on those pink toy irons...
by Jess McCabe // 28 January 2008, 13:45
Remember the pink toy irons that Marks & Sparks is hawking to girls? Well, I was moved to write a letter of complaint as well as just blog about it, and got this reply: Thank you very much for your...
India: where class, caste and sexism collide...
by Louise Livesey // 28 January 2008, 10:22
India faces many problems as a nation but internal differences reinforce the position of some of the most oppressed. In face of the discrimination faced by some members of society women have banded together to form the Gulabi Gang....
Women of color have brains!
by Samara Ginsberg // 28 January 2008, 09:31
Remember that whole business of black women having to choose between their race or their gender? CNN readers have been up in arms about it too: An e-mailer named Tiffany responded sarcastically: "Duh, I'm a black woman and here I...
Manchester Reclaim the Night
by Jess McCabe // 27 January 2008, 19:00
Northern readers might be interested to hear there will be a Reclaim the Night march in Manchester on 1 March. Charliegrrl has more info....
Rapist gets Military Honours
by Louise Livesey // 27 January 2008, 12:27
This case from America has to raise questions for us all.... James Allen Selby entered the flat of Jenny Bush, gagged and bound her with duct tape and rapes her at knifepoint before fleeing. Bush frees herself, reports the crime...
New Scientists reveals sexism in research publishing
by Louise Livesey // 27 January 2008, 12:23
According to a story in the Jan 18th edition female scientists are less likely to be published if the peer reviewers know they are female. Gender, nationality and nepotism have also been implicated in decisions for research fellowships. It's based...
Pro-choice protest, February 6, London
by Laura // 26 January 2008, 11:30
Abortion Rights has called a peaceful pro-choice protest against anti-abortion MP Ann Widdecome’s road show ‘Not on your life . .. or anyone else’s’ which is promoting anti-abortion goals around the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Assemble outside Central Hall...
Gross
by Jess McCabe // 26 January 2008, 09:51
A feature headlined "why companies need female managers" might, you imagine, presage an interesting dissection of the effects of discriminating against half the population on the workforce. But, no, the BBC instead treats us to an breathlessly uncritical profile of...
Police call for register of domestic abusers - and other stories
by Jess McCabe // 25 January 2008, 16:05
The Association of Chief Police Officers has called for domestic abusers to be put on a register, along the lines of the sex offenders' register, reports the BBC. I say that sounds like an extremely good idea. Even better, the...
Walking into kitchen cabinets
by Jess McCabe // 24 January 2008, 23:50
(Via Dollymix)...
Carnival(s) time!
by Jess McCabe // 24 January 2008, 18:06
The 52nd Carnival of Feminists is up at Figure: Demystifying the Feminist Mystique. Meanwhile, the latest Carnival of Radical Feminists has gone up over at femtique. Happy reading!...
More random acts of feminism...
by Jess McCabe // 24 January 2008, 00:16
Remember the Random Acts of Feminism article in last week's Guardian? Well, Wendy Roby who wrote the piece has sent in some extras that they couldn't fit in, but are nonetheless wonderful: LADS’ MAGS The berks what produce these things...
Sexist shorthand?
by Jess McCabe // 23 January 2008, 23:26
[Inspired by the concept of using Spare Rib to teach shorthand - here!] Shorthand is a skill which has only really ever been of use to journalists, secretaries and the stenographers you see in court and Parliament. And, let's face...
I guess this means I'm going to have to start reading the Huffington Post
by Jess McCabe // 23 January 2008, 23:04
Margaret Cho has started blogging for the celeby-lefty Huffington Post. So far she's posted about her reasons for postponing an appearance on Ellen's chat show. And messy menses....
Last Chance to Listen: Chivalry Debate on R5
by Holly Combe // 23 January 2008, 21:20
It looks like the internet archive for the Richard Bacon show on Radio Five Live only goes back a week so click here now if you want to check out Kate Smurthwaite in last week's discussion on chivalry. Also speaking...
You know you're living in a patriarchy when...
by Laura // 23 January 2008, 11:54
...you can't walk down the street of an evening without having groping motions made at you, being called both 'ugly minger' and 'sexy bitch' and just generally being laughed at in an aggressive manner. This all happened in the ten...
Saudi women to get behind the wheel
by Jess McCabe // 22 January 2008, 23:38
A brief blast of good news: the Saudi government has relented in the face of protests, and will remove the ban on women driving. According to the Telegraph, the decree will be issued later this year. However, the paper reports...
A case in point.
by Laura // 22 January 2008, 18:34
Remember how I was saying that some men refuse to recognise that violence against women is a gendered crime? Well the same goes for prostitution; witness this comment from one of the posters on this Guardian Comment is Free piece:...
Reclaim The Night Manchester, Saturday 1st March
by Laura // 22 January 2008, 17:32
The first national Reclaim The Night March of 2008 is taking place in Manchester on Saturday March 1st. NUS Women's campaign are working hard on this and it should be big, so don't miss out (this means you too, Londoners!)...
Get your free clitoridectomy here!
by Samara Ginsberg // 22 January 2008, 13:24
This article from the New York Times also put me right off my breakfast this morning. It's a report from a centre in Indonesia that offers free female circumcisions. That's right girls, get your free clitoridectomy here! Sponsored by the...
In praise of pants
by Samara Ginsberg // 22 January 2008, 10:01
Whoever knew that men's underpants were so important? I certainly didn't until I read this highly entertaining article in The Independent this morning. Apparently, for the first time in ages, women aren't purchasing the majority of men's pants (hooray!) and...
Sugar and spice and all things nice
by Carrie Dunn // 22 January 2008, 08:20
I hate feeling that I ought to start a blog entry with a disclaimer, but I want to be very sure that I'm not misconstrued. So let me say that I think learning to cook is a Good Thing. Everyone...
The flip-side of all those tax-breaks for married couples
by Jess McCabe // 21 January 2008, 16:06
Regular readers will realise I am no fan of the Tories' plan to give tax credits to married (straight) couples, as a sort of superglue to fix the breakdown of society into the proverbial shattered vase of single parents and...
An 'eco-brothel'? Give me a break
by Jess McCabe // 21 January 2008, 15:29
Being an environmental journalist by profession, I've seen my fair share of greenwashing. In its purest form, this practice involves taking an inherantly resource-intensive or polluting product and adding a tiny environmental element, then selling the whole kaboodle as 'green'....
Oprah is "a traitor"
by Samara Ginsberg // 21 January 2008, 14:22
Apparently Oprah Winfrey is in trouble with her female fan base for backing Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton, The Times reports. Oprah has been very publicly backing Obama by accompanying him on a tour of Iowa, New Hampshire and...
Blaming the man.
by Laura // 21 January 2008, 13:01
Do you know what I'm sick of? Men complaining that they are somehow being victimised by feminists pointing out that male violence against women is a problem. Sarfraz Manzoor's response to Abby's last Comment is Free piece is a perfect...
Million Women Rise - march on 8 March
by Jess McCabe // 21 January 2008, 12:56
Get out your diaries, Londoners. It's time to block off the afternoon of 8 March, or as it's better known, International Women's Day, for the Million Women Rise march to protest male violence against women. The march starts at 12pm,...
The day today: from female genital mutilation to segregated buses
by Jess McCabe // 21 January 2008, 10:39
As a journalist, I understand the desire to tell stories, be fair and get access. But I felt sick to my stomach when I happened on this story in the New York Times - accompanied by a totally inappropriate slideshow...
Selling toy irons to girls
by Jess McCabe // 20 January 2008, 19:50
I happened to be in M&S today and spotted this pink toy iron on sale: And, yes, that is a toy kettle and toy toaster you see next to it. Here's the blurb from the website: You little angel will...
Ipswich Murders: "No Great Loss" says Littlejohn
by Catherine Redfern // 19 January 2008, 16:15
I didn't think it was possible that the Daily Mail's Richard Littlejohn could become more hateful than he already is, but apparently he can. Writing about the five murdered women who worked as prostitutes, he says: It might not be...
'Equality' commission leaves women in the lurch
by Jess McCabe // 18 January 2008, 13:58
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has unbelievably withdrawn support from female council workers taking their employers to court over years of pay discrimination, according to The Times. The commission is backing the line taken by the unions, that fair...
Perfect storm of a movie?
by Jess McCabe // 18 January 2008, 12:25
Last night I had a very interesting chat with film-maker Rupert Howe about the lessons we can draw from the fact that women can be found vlogging and making online video in roughly equal numbers to men, but still find...
Random Acts of Feminism
by Samara Ginsberg // 18 January 2008, 11:52
Head over to the Guardian today for a fab article by Wendy Roby about how we can improve the state of the world with "Random Acts of Feminism" (Roby's capitalisation!) A subversion of Professor Chuck Wall's schmaltzy but ultimately rather...
Feminist Fightback picket of the Christian Medical Fellowship
by Abby O'Reilly // 17 January 2008, 19:02
I was forwarded this information today... The Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) is lobbying the Government hard over the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill currently being discussed in Parliament, in favour of reducing the time limit on abortions. The CMF was...
Feminist Coalition Against Prostitution launches February
by Jess McCabe // 17 January 2008, 11:46
A new coalition to put forward a feminist perspective against prostitution is to launch on Monday 11 February. The launch is a public event, with the invite extended to "all those who believe in real women's-rights rather than men's right...
Harvey Nicks and the annoying shoe ad
by Jess McCabe // 16 January 2008, 13:43
An ad for Harvey Nichols' shoe department has been doing the rounds. I had to share: Yep, that's right - as your shoes get more precarious to your ankles, your ability to bag that hot man increases. Copyranter has a...
Hollaback Girls
by Louise Livesey // 16 January 2008, 10:43
Annoyingly this is a take two entry due to the system eating the last one, so forgive me if it's shorter and terser than the defunct, disappered original! I am sometimes behind the times (like I hadn't read Lynne's excellent...
Femail watch
by Jess McCabe // 15 January 2008, 22:04
I was inspired to do another round-up post on the excesses of the Daily Mail's 'Femail' section by this story by a self-confessed 'female chauvinist pig'. While Angela Epstein sheepishly recognises that what she calls "my latent male chauvinism" is...
More answers on upping the rape conviction rate
by Jess McCabe // 15 January 2008, 14:42
In today's Guardian, a detective, a victim, a campaigner and at QC all answer the question 'why is the conviction rate for rape so appallingly low'? And their responses prove brutally honest reading indeed. For example, assistant commissioner at Scotland...
The F Word Podcast - episode three! Download it here!
by Jess McCabe // 14 January 2008, 22:08
Click here to download episode three! You can also subscribe to The F Word podcast feed on iTunes here. Pornography is one of those topics that can lead to heated arguments between feminists. And by heated arguments, I mean pistols...
Feminism is not man-hating!
by Abby O'Reilly // 14 January 2008, 20:37
Feminism gets a bad press. As I, and most feminists I have met, understand it's an ideology that promotes the achievement of gender equality. It is not about 'man-hating,' nor is is about elevating women as the superior sex. However,...
Now Magazine's BMI Blunder
by Holly Combe // 14 January 2008, 17:47
For an example of how reports about celebrity weight loss can get the whole weight debate completely out of proportion, take a look at Now Magazine's interview with Natalie Cassidy (AKA "Sonia" from Eastenders): After playing Sonia in EastEnders for...
Get your toes removed here!
by Jess McCabe // 14 January 2008, 16:05
When I wrote about Mikhaela Reid's comic satirising the trend towards body-hating feats of surgery, I assumed that her depiction of a toe-bypass was an exaggeration to make a point. After all, it was listed next to the 'belly-dectomy' (the...
Rapists to be snared by text messages
by Samara Ginsberg // 14 January 2008, 13:44
The police have unveiled plans today to experiment with gathering evidence for rape trials by encouraging suspects to incriminate themselves with texts and phone calls to the victims. "Police get the victim to send a text saying something like 'how...
French president may marry "man-eater" former model
by Jess McCabe // 14 January 2008, 12:10
Because the British press don't care at all about French politics, it was only when listening to the usually-excellent From Our Own Correspondent podcast that I heard that a) the French president Nicolas Sarkozy is divorced (I know, I'm so...
The Booby Wall
by Abby O'Reilly // 13 January 2008, 21:13
Canadian-based chartiy Rethink Breast Cancer has initiated a new campaign to encourage women to pay attention to their chests - the Booby Wall! Women are encouraged to take photographs of their breasts either using Booby Booths, based in Canada,...
We don't need 'feminine-ism' thankyou - we've already got feminism!
by Jess McCabe // 13 January 2008, 11:38
Feminism has apparently been replaced by 'feminine-ism' (in the US). So says this column by Harriet Rubin in today's San Francisco Chronicle. Why does she say this? Because, if Hillary Clinton is selected as the Democratic candidate; if, come 4...
VW paid for union leaders' brothel visits
by Jess McCabe // 11 January 2008, 18:03
Today we learn that Volkswagen ran a slush fund to pay for prostitutes "and mistresses" for union leaders, courtesy of The Times. Why are prostitutes and 'mistresses' lumped together, I wonder? Perhaps that should be no surprise in a company...
Seduced
by Samara Ginsberg // 11 January 2008, 12:38
Last night I went to see the Seduced exhibition at the Barbican. This has been on for months and I expect that many of our London-based readers will have seen it already. The idea behind the exhibition is that it...
Sexual Harassment on CiF
by Abby O'Reilly // 11 January 2008, 12:08
A lot of you will probably be familiar with a post I wrote a while back about being followed on the tube. A lot of you kindly shared your experiences with me, and it became clear that street harassment is...
Women are property that can be stolen - US court
by Jess McCabe // 11 January 2008, 11:44
A Mississippi man has won £750,000 in damages for the "theft" of his wife, in a truly unbelievable verdict, reports The Guardian. Yes, you read that right. Sandra Valentine divorced her husband Johnny and re-married a man she'd been having...
Glamour and the blame game.
by Laura // 10 January 2008, 22:09
Reading Hannah Whittaker's recent article on the link between glamour models and her own body image and low self esteem really struck a chord with me. It wasn't long ago that I felt just the same. I saw these images...
‘Iron my shirt’ as political commentary
by Jess McCabe // 10 January 2008, 01:12
You probably noticed, but Hillary Clinton won the New Hampshire primary, bringing her back into the race for president. You might also have noticed the hysterical level of sexism that has been directed towards her. Of course, this will all...
Quick stats - sexual violence is unusual?
by Louise Livesey // 9 January 2008, 14:23
I just put this together quickly for something else put thought it worth sharing here. You know those moments when people claim that violence against women is rare and the majority of men are being harshly and unfairly judged on...
In praise of big pants
by Jess McCabe // 9 January 2008, 13:58
Today's Times carries a hilarious column about the benefits of big pants. If nothing else, you have to give Caitlin Moran credit for working Time Team into a homage to large knickers: Pencil skirts, skin-tight jeans and leggings – they...
Simone de Beauvoir's centenary - and bottom
by Jess McCabe // 9 January 2008, 11:46
The great French feminist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir was born 100 years ago today. However, reports the Independent, the French press' coverage of this event has left a lot to be desired. Of course, de Beauvoir has had a tremedous...
Pre-pubescent Brazilians (no not the country.....)
by Louise Livesey // 9 January 2008, 10:41
We've all seen how children's clothing has become more and more sexualised, well the next move is apparently waxing for pubescents. Oh yes braxilians for the pre-teens.... girl.au.com, a website for the nine-fifteen year market contains a couple of articles...
Get Skinny!
by Samara Ginsberg // 9 January 2008, 09:38
It's that time of year again! If you're a walking stereotype you'll have stuffed yourself silly over the festive season and gone up to - gasp! - a size 12. 'Tis the season to nibble Ryvita, squeeze yourself into a...
Can I just say (close your ears, Grandma!) ...
by Laura // 8 January 2008, 20:36
This quote, from Jess's post below, is possibly one of the sickest, most angrifying things I've ever read: Aubert pictures men by the hundreds praying, chanting — and waving signs: “I regret my abortion.” It's not your fucking body, and...
Oh those poor 'post-abortive men'
by Jess McCabe // 8 January 2008, 17:43
The LA Times has published a particularly creepy article about men who feel all upset and stuff about the fact their long-ago girlfriends and fiances had an abortion rather than keep their baby. As Broadsheet's Catherine Price says: "I think...
Female ski-jumpers may get to compete in 2010 Olympics
by Jess McCabe // 8 January 2008, 11:48
If you are a sport ignoramus, like me, it may come as a surprise to you that female ski-jumpers are not currently allowed to participate in the Olympics. However, it looks like pressure is building to end this discrimination, as...
Anti-feminism, from 1971 to today
by Jess McCabe // 7 January 2008, 22:18
Back in 1971, Parley J Cooper was busy penning a pulp novel set in the far off world of 1992 which he imagined would be dominated by evil feminists. io9 explains the plot: It's the story of cubicle drone Keith...
Is 'yo' emerging as a new grass-roots, gender-neutral pronoun?
by Jess McCabe // 6 January 2008, 13:35
Have you ever heard anyone use the pronouns 'ze' or 'hir' in conversation, rather than their gendered alternatives, he, she, her and him? Other than in specific, mostly online communities, the practice seems fairly unusual, albeit a potentially interesting tool...
Big breasts transform everyone's lives!
by Carrie Dunn // 5 January 2008, 18:13
I couldn't sleep last night, and switched on the television at about 4am. I was greeted by an advert that totally confused me. As I recall, it was for Stagecoach, and focused on a wacky professor-type named Harold Hooterson (Hooterson!),...
More on surrogacy
by Laura // 5 January 2008, 15:51
Apu at Cubically Challenged makes some interesting points in response to my post on commercial surrogacy in India. She raises some issues that hadn't occurred to me, such as the fact that Indian women often engage in heavy work while...
Just when you thought I was gone forever...
by Samara Ginsberg // 4 January 2008, 21:42
The more eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed a distinct lack of posts from me recently. This is not because I have seen the light and decided to abandon my stint at The F-Word for a career as a glamour...
My Fake Baby
by Abby O'Reilly // 4 January 2008, 17:40
My Fake Baby was the title of a documentary aired on Channel 4 this week, which explored the growing popularity of replica babies or “reborns.” These are dolls designed to look like living babies. They can wriggle. They can...
Hand-made feminist stuff...
by Jess McCabe // 3 January 2008, 23:08
I've been browsing Etsy today - an online marketplace for handmade stuff. I was actually looking for a new wallet, and I came across this one (right), made from the cover of Bitch Magazine. It didn't fit my (admittedly a...
Condensed feminist reading
by Jess McCabe // 3 January 2008, 16:22
A senior doctor in Scotland has called for sex education at school to start much earlier, reports the Scotland on Sunday. Cara at The Curvature dissects the hysterical response to the suggestion, and the way it has been interpreted/presented as...
Rejection lines given by women
by Abby O'Reilly // 3 January 2008, 15:10
There's a post over at dyoks by Joel Badinas listing the top ten rejections given by women. So, here they are in descending order: 10. I think of you as a brother. (You remind me of that inbred banjo-playing...
New Features! New Reviews!
by Jess McCabe // 2 January 2008, 22:54
As usual, I'm posting this in the knowledge that the update is only half finished. But there's some really good stuff in there already, so I couldn't resist. A period of transition Helen G considers why some feminists are hostile...
The latest in outsourcing: cheap wombs.
by Laura // 2 January 2008, 16:43
What to do when you can't have a baby yourself, IVF isn't working and a surrogate from your own country is just too expensive? Well, you could hire an Indian womb. For less than £5,000, couples from the US...
Pesky women want the pay they're owed
by Jess McCabe // 2 January 2008, 14:22
Being employed in the public sector has some advantages, not least that the government is relatively keen to get its own house in order on the issue of the pay gap and discrimination. So local councils have been carrying out...
don't look don't touch
by Abby O'Reilly // 1 January 2008, 20:08
I wrote a post a few weeks ago about my experience on the London underground, when I was followed and stared at by a man. Firstly, I would like to thank all the women who so kindly shared their experiences...
Pill could be made available at pharmacies
by Laura // 1 January 2008, 16:21
Bit late on this one, but the Department of Health is thinking about running a pilot scheme to allow pharmacists to dispense the contraceptive pill without the need for a doctor's signature. Pharmacists would be trained to deal with the...
Happy New Year!
by Jess McCabe // 1 January 2008, 13:41
It's New Year's day, 2007 has drawn to a close and almost every feminist blog in my RSS reader seems to have compiled 'best of' posts to finish off the year. But we didn't. The reason, though, is a good...
Inside the mind
by Abby O'Reilly // 1 January 2008, 13:14
The image below was posted over at denchaoot, and claims to illustrate the intricate differences between male and female thought processes: What bothers me most here is not that John and Jane are both dressed for a funeral, nor the...
Founder of The F-Word, Catherine Redfern, has co-authored a new book with Kristin Aune. Find out more at the 
