Blog posts from July 2008
Dangerous Jobs for Girls: Thoughts on Equality and Liberation.
By Laura Woodhouse | 31 July 2008, 20:56
Intrigued by Barbara’s post and the ensuing comments, I caught up with Dangerous Jobs for Girls. Its merits were very similar to those of the old Channel 4 show Faking It: we see individuals taken out of their comfort zone…
Read 'Dangerous Jobs for Girls: Thoughts on Equality and Liberation.'
Happy National Orgasm Day! How should we celebrate?
By Abby O'Reilly | 31 July 2008, 15:23
There’ll be those of you who think the allocation of just one official day a year to celebrate the almighty O is not enough, and I’m inclined to agree. However, the delineation of 24-hours to commemorate the exquisite delight of…
Read 'Happy National Orgasm Day! How should we celebrate?'
Her Naked Skin
By Jess McCabe | 31 July 2008, 11:04
I suspect I’m not alone in being a bit vague on my suffragette history. So I was really impressed with Her Naked Skin, by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, on right now at the National Theatre. The play is set in 1913, and…
Cervical Cancer Vaccine: New Twist
By Barbara Felix | 30 July 2008, 18:36
I have just finished reading M.D’s column in the current issue of ‘Private Eye’ (25/7-7/8/08), in which the anonymous doctor poses the following question: “Why has “new” Labour chosen not to protect girls from genital warts as well as cervical…
Read 'Cervical Cancer Vaccine: New Twist'
Larry Summers, Women and Maths
By Lynne Miles | 30 July 2008, 13:44
You may remember a controversy a couple of years ago about remarks made by Larry Summers, former President of Harvard University. He suggested that the reason there are fewer women than men at the high end of scientific research…
Read 'Larry Summers, Women and Maths'
Makeup for men…
By Jess McCabe | 30 July 2008, 10:15
A few make-up products are to be sold in highstreet chain Superdrug, aimed specifically at men - prompting fascination in the Guardian offices. Not only have they interviewed a random selection of men on whether they would ever wear mascara…
Gender-testing for ‘suspicious-looking’ female Olympic athletes in Beijing
By Milly Shaw | 29 July 2008, 22:50
Women athletes who might secretly be men (or, as the Times Online charmingly phrases it, “suspicious-looking” woman athletes) will be forced to take a sex test in the Beijing Olympic Games, Olympic officials have announced.
Read 'Gender-testing for 'suspicious-looking' female Olympic athletes in Beijing'
Murder law reforms to help victims of domestic violence.
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 July 2008, 21:00
Victims of domestic violence who kill their partners after sustained abuse would no longer automatically face murder charges should new proposals from the Ministry of Justice be given the go-ahead. The new laws would apply to both spontaneous and pre-meditated…
Read 'Murder law reforms to help victims of domestic violence.'
Computer says…
By Helen G | 29 July 2008, 17:11
Mike On Ads has a mildly amusing toy which analyses your web browser history to estimate your gender… (Or should that be "construct your gender"?) Mike says that the idea of this kind of analysis is far from new and…
Fat Friends
By Abby O'Reilly | 29 July 2008, 15:22
I’ve had a piece on The Guardian’s Cif published today about scientific claims that having a fat friend is likley to promote weight gain. I’ve not had an opportunity to look at the comments yet, but thought I’d flag it…
Dangerous Jobs For Girls, Dubious Fetishism For Women, and Sheer Blinding Hatred…
By Barbara Felix | 29 July 2008, 11:50
I see there’s a programme on T.V next week called ‘Dangerous Jobs For Girls’ and, to be fair, I have no intention of watching it, but, having seen the adverts for it and read some blurb on it in listings…
Read 'Dangerous Jobs For Girls, Dubious Fetishism For Women, and Sheer Blinding Hatred...'
Late Portal convert
By Jess McCabe | 29 July 2008, 11:02
I am aware that I have been quite negative about various video games here in the past. To be honest, my feelings about gaming are not so much love-hate as hate, hate, love. But, finally, one to belatedly celebrate…
News flash: paying bills causes ovary shrinkage. Or something.
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 July 2008, 00:16
EDIT: Oops - I see Holly and I are both into late night masochism when it comes to looking for blog fodder and simultaneously posted on the same infuriating article… Please, don’t read it more than once (assuming you’re made…
Read 'News flash: paying bills causes ovary shrinkage. Or something.'
And Now for Something Really Annoying…
By Holly Combe | 29 July 2008, 00:00
No-Follow tags at the ready! If you fancy reading a real howler, check out this prime piece of retrogressive poppycock from the Daily Mail that I discovered through Polly Styrene’s blog today: …Clearly, men and women are increasingly out of…
Read 'And Now for Something Really Annoying...'
Feminist fiction suggestions?
By Jess McCabe | 28 July 2008, 17:40
So, I’ve been having a bit of a fiction binge. Well, I was sick all last week and staring at a screen for more than 10 minutes at a time was not on the cards. I managed to demolish my…
Read 'Feminist fiction suggestions?'
Introducing our new guest blogger… Milly Shaw
By Jess McCabe | 28 July 2008, 17:15
I realised I should ask Milly Shaw to blog when I was wanting to link to her excellent website at least once a week. Well, she has kindly agreed, and so will be posting a couple of times a week…
Read 'Introducing our new guest blogger... Milly Shaw'
New York Times thinks women bloggers are a fashion story
By Jess McCabe | 28 July 2008, 08:47
The New York Times ran a story about women bloggers facing a glass ceiling - and placed it in the Fashion & Style section. As Every Dot Connects (from whom I stole the screenshot) points out: Well, hello! Yes,…
Read 'New York Times thinks women bloggers are a fashion story'
Women in London: questionnaire
By Abby O'Reilly | 27 July 2008, 11:01
I am involved in a project about women’s sex lives in London, and we are currently asking women if they could complete quite a candid questionnaire about their intimate schenanigans. It consists of twenty short questions and you can maintain…
Read 'Women in London: questionnaire'
Latest cartoon
By Yvonne Howard | 27 July 2008, 10:34
Daily irritations this week
By Catherine Redfern | 26 July 2008, 16:27
The following are the latest entries in the “little things that bug me on a daily basis on the London Underground” files: Item 1, the adverts for V Water. They all show a figure in profile drinking the water with…
Read 'Daily irritations this week'
June 2008 comments up now
By Jess McCabe | 26 July 2008, 11:55
All the comments received about features and reviews during June are now available for your reading pleasure. This time, Roske’s article about women attacking each other, and the lack of sisterhood between women garnered the most comments - although as…
Read 'June 2008 comments up now'
Fat and content in Never-Never Land?
By Abby O'Reilly | 26 July 2008, 01:36
When I was a chubby little girl my chubby little hands liked to do nothing more than flick through the pages of my favourite book, The Hefty Fairy by Nicholas Allan. The title is pretty self-explanatory and as I have…
Read 'Fat and content in Never-Never Land?'
Criticism and Obligation
By Holly Combe | 26 July 2008, 01:25
Regular readers of the F-word will probably be aware that a post about speculated future scientific advances in women’s fertility attracted criticism this week. I’m not about to needlessly parrot what has already been said but, as it happens, I…
Read 'Criticism and Obligation'
Round up
By Jess McCabe | 25 July 2008, 21:37
John Kerry said “tar baby” on US TV - what the fuck?! Two female lawyers in the US were fired after kissing at a work function - Jezebel has more. Lisa dissects the argument that transgender people reify gender. How…
Never Fear, Ladyfest Is Here (Again, well, in November…)
By Barbara Felix | 25 July 2008, 21:37
Still feeling wistful after Ladyfest London? well, never fear, because Ladyfest Manchester is due to happen in November, and events are underway to raise money, including a compilation CD. So, if you didn’t make it to London, or fancy a…
Read 'Never Fear, Ladyfest Is Here (Again, well, in November...)'
Suicide - or rape and murder?
By Jess McCabe | 25 July 2008, 20:50
(Post may be triggering) Three years ago, a US soldier, also an African-American woman, was found dead - the US Army ruled it was suicide. Now consider this description of how LaVena Johnson was found: Her body was found in…
Read 'Suicide - or rape and murder?'
Crap Word of the Week: Gastrosexual
By Holly Combe | 25 July 2008, 17:33
We’ve seen the so-called metrosexuals and ubersexuals (courtesy of the trend experts) and now we have the food company PurAsia commissioning a report on the apparent “Emergence of the Gastrosexual.” We’re told (click on the PDF on the left…
Read 'Crap Word of the Week: Gastrosexual'
Rape - It’s everyone’s fault except the perpetrators.
By Louise Livesey | 25 July 2008, 07:52
According to the International Centre for the Advancement of Reproductive Health (CIFARH) men rape because they lack a “sound religious background”. Now aside from the dodgy methods on this (they asked a general population sample, not a perpetrator sample, for…
Read 'Rape - It's everyone's fault except the perpetrators.'
Inside film school
By Jess McCabe | 24 July 2008, 11:30
Why do so few films pass the Bechdel test? BetaCandy at The Hathor Legacy argues that it’s because film school teachs scriptwriters not to. I had to understand that the audience only wanted white, straight, male leads. I was assured…
Tory plan to ‘provide’ more ‘marriageable’ working class men?
By Jess McCabe | 23 July 2008, 22:59
So, a shadow cabinet member went on the Today programme this morning, to explain its policy on apprenticeships for young ‘people’ “Not in Education Employment or Training”. Or, in the words of the Today programme presenter, “part of a far…
Read 'Tory plan to 'provide' more 'marriageable' working class men?'
This is a quick one…
By Lynne Miles | 23 July 2008, 22:32
… but those interested in Mamma Mia should check out this Shapely Prose review of the film from a feminist perspective (and check out the blog more generally - it’s one of my favourites)….
Read 'This is a quick one... '
New all-genders London feminist group launched
By Jess McCabe | 23 July 2008, 21:19
The folks behind the London Pro-feminist Mens’ Group are launching a new group, open to all genders. Meetings will take place twice weekly, beginning on 31 July, 6.30pm, London Action Resource Centre. Alternatively, email them to get involved: For us,…
Read 'New all-genders London feminist group launched'
Violence Against Women
By Louise Livesey | 23 July 2008, 17:05
In case people haven’t seen it, Julie Bindel writes a very eloquent and passionate piece in the Guardian on Violence Against Women here. She’s reflecting particularly on the tenth anniversary of Emma Humphries death and the implications and shortfalls of…
Race is a feminist issue
By Louise Livesey | 23 July 2008, 09:59
This is the picture that has to give us pause for thought. It shows the towel covered dead bodies of two Roma girls, Cristina, aged 16, and Violetta, 14, whilst Italian crowds sunbathe around them. As the Independent has…
Read 'Race is a feminist issue'
When is a Lesbian not a Lesbian?
By Helen G | 23 July 2008, 08:28
A couple of months ago, three islanders took gay rights group OLKE, the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, to court to get a ban on anyone except islanders and their descendants using the term Lesbian. The issue was about…
Read 'When is a Lesbian not a Lesbian?'
Street Harassment Specialised - road harassment
By Louise Livesey | 22 July 2008, 08:42
Further to this and other posts on the same issues I was prompted to wonder about harassment and violence when driving or driving related. The prompt? A guy threatening to dowse me in petrol today for daring to question his…
Read 'Street Harassment Specialised - road harassment'
Victory for SBS!
By zohra moosa | 21 July 2008, 23:03
Sorry, a bit delayed, but to officially report: SBS has won their court case. From their press release (word doc):UPDATE: Southall Black Sisters’ Victory against Ealing Council ‘There is no dichotomy between funding specialist services and cohesion; equality is necessary…
New York lap-dancing club raided
By Jess McCabe | 21 July 2008, 21:49
A lap-dancing club in New York has been raided and 19 people arrested on a number of charges. This - criminally, in my view - includes some women working at the club, who are up on charges relating to prostitution….
Read 'New York lap-dancing club raided'
An apology
By Jess McCabe | 21 July 2008, 17:17
Earlier today, a post went up on the blog, following up on a Daily Mail story, which in itself was re-reporting a Nature story on the future of fertility science - including the prediction that women of 100 will be…
How not to advertise the cancer risk of tanning beds
By Jess McCabe | 21 July 2008, 10:49
Via AdsoftheWorld.com…
Read 'How not to advertise the cancer risk of tanning beds'
Parents spend more on boys, or boys cost more?
By Jess McCabe | 21 July 2008, 09:14
Survey finds parents spend: £32,000 on raising boys £24,739.03 on raising girls Hmmm, interesting. The Times reports this as simply girls costing less, or boys “asking” for more money during their school years. (This is all based on a study…
Read 'Parents spend more on boys, or boys cost more?'
Whose taboo?
By Abby O'Reilly | 21 July 2008, 08:46
Casual sex, as I understand it, is the act of indulging in coitus with someone you have no intention of having an exclusive, committed relationship with. It is a term used to define the mutual use of one person by…
Handbag babies for the geriatric
By Abby O'Reilly | 20 July 2008, 18:20
[Editor: please see here for more information on this post] When the late, great Hunter S Thompson said that “reality is more twisted than fiction” he could not have been more accurate. Imagine a world in which dandruff flakes could…
Read 'Handbag babies for the geriatric'
“So, fuck that or what?”
By Abby O'Reilly | 20 July 2008, 16:28
Last week I was walking home, across the railway bridge and down the little one-way street that leads me back to chez Abby. It’s a very quiet street, but during the daytime it is safe. On this day three men…
Read '"So, fuck that or what?"'
Apparently men know better….
By Louise Livesey | 20 July 2008, 11:39
Gary Nunn, in the Guardian, has committed that cardinal error trying to determine for feminism what feminism is. His target - weddings. Now he makes some interesting points, albeit to back up some spurious argument (like the reason business…
Read 'Apparently men know better....'
I Kissed A Girl
By Laura Woodhouse | 19 July 2008, 14:02
F Word reader Erica referred to this song by Katy Perry (currently number one in the US charts) in the comments section of the latest Ask A Feminist, and the damn thing won’t get out of my head, for a…
New feature: The future of activism
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2008, 23:45
Protests seem to be ignored, so what’s a disgruntled feminist to do? Deborah McAlister considers some of the options The government appears to have a policy towards protesters that bares more than a passing resemblance to a small sulking child…
Read 'New feature: The future of activism'
New feature: Knife crime and masculinity
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2008, 21:55
Forget single mums and absent fathers - the current spate of knife crime can be traced back to the so-called ‘real man’, argues Jennifer Drew One would need to live on another planet to escape the media’s constant preoccupation with…
Read 'New feature: Knife crime and masculinity'
Latest Target Women!
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2008, 20:38
New review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2008, 20:31
What happened to the women in The Diving-bell and the Butterfly in its transition from memoir to film, asks Melanie Newman? The film of The Diving-bell and the Butterfly was released in 2007. Based on a memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby,…
Read 'New review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'
We are the robots
By Helen G | 18 July 2008, 20:28
Kate Bornstein has posted quite an imaginative take on the genders of the two robots in the animated movie WALL•E. She considers it from the point of view of being: ‘[…] a feature length cartoon about a pair of lesbian…
Women being held back by equal rights legislation… or by anti-women business owners?
By Louise Livesey | 18 July 2008, 14:01
Further to this story, Woman’s Hour had a “conversation” (aka row) between Sylvia Tidy-Harris, the Managing Director of womenspeakers.co.uk and Sarah Veale, Head of Equality and Employment Rights at the TUC. Sylvia Tidy-Harris basically says, as a small business owner,…
Read 'Women being held back by equal rights legislation... or by anti-women business owners?'
Post-feminism….?
By Louise Livesey | 18 July 2008, 12:10
In Surviving Sexual Violence Liz Kelly talks about the Woozle Effect - the notion that something repeated often enough will attain the status of a common-sense “fact” whether it has any truth to it or not. I start with this…
Rounding down to Friday evening
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2008, 11:31
Sudy continues her series of posts about her experiences in the Philippines, this time reflecting on the situation of women who leave the country, often a painful seperation with their family, often combined with abuse in the workplace: As I…
Read 'Rounding down to Friday evening'
Photos from SBS protest!
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2008, 11:09
Yesterday and today protestors are gathering outside the High Court in support of Southall Black Sisters, as the case is heard on whether Ealing Council broke the Race Relations Act when it acted to effectively pull funding from SBS…
Read 'Photos from SBS protest!'
Harriet Harmen=praying mantis. Thanks Times.
By Jess McCabe | 17 July 2008, 17:53
(Via feminist bite) Because calling for legislation to counter discrimination in the workplace is EXACTLY THE SAME as biting a man’s head off….
Read 'Harriet Harmen=praying mantis. Thanks Times.'
Notice anything about this list?
By Jess McCabe | 17 July 2008, 12:04
Today The Independent reports that 60 Tory MPs have relatives on their staff rolls, who they pay £40,000 each. Shock! Horror! Right? Well, what the Independent fails to comment on, is that every single one of the examples they cite…
Read 'Notice anything about this list?'
In other news….
By Louise Livesey | 17 July 2008, 09:39
For the first time the Suzy Lamplugh Trust has issued safety advice to men. Not sure whether to view that as a victory for parity or just a way of ensuring we all feel vulnerable all of the time (note…
ICC Indites Al Bashir - charges include sexual violence and rape in Darfur
By Louise Livesey | 17 July 2008, 09:30
Sudan’s president Omar Al Bashir has been indited for genocide by the International Criminal Court for the crimes in Darfur including the murder of hundreds and thousands of people and the sexual abuse a systematic rape of women and children….
Read 'ICC Indites Al Bashir - charges include sexual violence and rape in Darfur'
Welcome to the world….
By Louise Livesey | 17 July 2008, 08:03
where crimes against women are fair game for “edgy” comedy. Fast on the heels of Vegas-gate (and I’m really not reopening that discussion) comes Russel Brand’s belief that ringing the Police purporting to have seen a serial sex offender is…
Read 'Welcome to the world....'
To make-up or not to make-up?
By Abby O'Reilly | 16 July 2008, 23:50
The recent media attention paid to Gwyneth Paltrow for attending a red carpet event au naturel centralises the social pressures placed on women to adhere to the rules of self-perfection. The story was shat across the pages of the vast…
Read 'To make-up or not to make-up?'
We don’t like cricket - oh no?
By Carrie Dunn | 16 July 2008, 23:21
So I was watching Sky Sports’ coverage of the cricket Test match between England and South Africa on Monday, and they had an interview with Piers Morgan at tea-time. They asked him why he liked cricket so much, and he…
Read 'We don't like cricket - oh no?'
Crappy articles of the day
By Lynne Miles | 16 July 2008, 16:02
Checking the news today I decided to take a break from the usual suspects and catch up with the world’s happenings via The Telegraph. Granted, its editorial stance is usually not in line with my personal politics, but it’s good…
Read 'Crappy articles of the day'
Women’s Studies alive and kicking
By Louise Livesey | 16 July 2008, 08:25
Further to rather overblown press presumptions that Women’s Studies is dead (see here, here and here, there is good news on the horizon. As hinted at here Ruskin College Oxford is recruiting for it’s Y1 course in Women’s Studies….
Read 'Women's Studies alive and kicking'
Subvertising on Facebook!
By Holly Combe | 16 July 2008, 01:37
Today, I belatedly discovered an interesting project that my Facebook friend Corinna posted a link to a couple of days ago. Basically, Teresa of Teresacentric.com got so sick of complaining about the endless “self-serve” ads for weight loss products…
Read 'Subvertising on Facebook!'
‘Lauredhel’s toy-catalogue Annex of the Bechdel test’
By Jess McCabe | 15 July 2008, 12:07
1. One or more girls, playing; 2. with no boys around; and 3. with something that is not related to domestic work, mothering, being sexy, or ponies. Just what we need…
Read ''Lauredhel’s toy-catalogue Annex of the Bechdel test''
That New Yorker cover, a round up
By Jess McCabe | 15 July 2008, 11:14
So, the New Yorker ran a blindingly offensive cover (see right). It’s meant to be a satire of the racist & sexist bullshit aimed at Barack and Michelle Obama, but as you can see, manages to indulge and replicate that…
Read 'That New Yorker cover, a round up'
Leftfield attack on rights for working mums?
By Jess McCabe | 14 July 2008, 21:48
The Times plastered the story on its front page. Nicola Brewer said that maternity leave is stopping women getting promotions. Feminist Avatar has written a great analysis of this story, from all angles: First off, let’s get rid of the…
Read 'Leftfield attack on rights for working mums? '
Women’s boxing on cusp of Olympic inclusion?
By Jess McCabe | 14 July 2008, 21:29
The exclusion of women’s boxing from the Olympics is set to end in 2012, according to Australia’s Herald Sun. “All the advice I’m getting is that it will be included in London,” Ted Tanner, chairman of Boxing Australia, said. He…
Read 'Women's boxing on cusp of Olympic inclusion?'
New feature: What a load of wank
By Jess McCabe | 14 July 2008, 21:22
Hordes of girls dream of becoming glamour models, but are too embarrassed to even talk about masturbation. Sophie Platt rages against a taboo which only affects girls and women One rainy day a couple of months ago, I sat down…
Read 'New feature: What a load of wank'
Boris purges women from City Hall?
By Jess McCabe | 13 July 2008, 12:50
The Evening Standard reports that five top women in City Hall have been ousted since Boris Johnson won the election, and the position of women’s advisor scrapped. Challenged on this, Boris’ ‘chief of staff’ Tim Parker implied that women are…
Read 'Boris purges women from City Hall?'
New feature: Domestic violence and disabled women
By Jess McCabe | 13 July 2008, 12:14
Disabled women are twice as likely to experience domestic violence, and can face a range of additional barriers - from inaccessible shelters onwards, Clare Laxton reports It is a well known fact among women’s networks and feminists that two women…
Read 'New feature: Domestic violence and disabled women'
Ask a Feminist
By Jess McCabe | 12 July 2008, 12:48
Answers are provided by regular F Word contributors, and represent only their own potentially fallible opinions. In the spirit of pluralism, we will try and work in more than one response if we can. There is no definitive ‘F Word…
Abortion votes postponed until the autumn
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 July 2008, 22:55
From Abortion Rights: Harriet Harman has announced that the Report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which was timetabled to be debated in Parliament on Monday 14th July, will now be debated after the summer recess ending on…
Read 'Abortion votes postponed until the autumn'
Women who will ink you
By Jess McCabe | 11 July 2008, 17:58
There’s an excellent feature in today’s G2 about female tattoo artists. It includes an interview with Kat Von D, of LA Ink fame. But also women tattooing in this country. Such as Saira Hunjan: “All my friends were going off…
Off Our Backs in imminent danger of folding
By Jess McCabe | 11 July 2008, 15:52
[Update: Please read comments below - there are serious criticisms of this journal which I wasn’t aware of when writing this entry.] US feminist journal Off Our Backs is so short of funds it may be forced to cease publication,…
Read 'Off Our Backs in imminent danger of folding'
Whose cup floweth over?
By Helen G | 11 July 2008, 14:09
Marks & Spencer has defended its policy of charging typically £2 extra on some of its bras that are bigger than a size DD. The retailer said that the additional cost is "standard industry practice". The policy has drawn protests…
Read 'Whose cup floweth over? '
Abortion by Internet
By Lynne Miles | 11 July 2008, 12:38
The Indpendent are reporting on an internet site, Women on Web, who are selling abortion pills online to women in countries with heavily restricted access to abortion. The drugs cost £55. This originates from a British Journal of Obstetrics and…
Sexual violence campaigner gets fewer votes than Miss Great Britain
By Lynne Miles | 11 July 2008, 09:49
As Louise reported a few weeks ago, Jill Saward - campaigner against sexual violence - stood in yesterday’s Haltemprice and Howden by-election. This was the by-election called by David Davis in protest over the 42-days detention proposals, CCTV and DNA…
Read 'Sexual violence campaigner gets fewer votes than Miss Great Britain'
This week in things we’ve not had time to post properly about
By Jess McCabe | 10 July 2008, 10:59
The 60th Carnival of Feminists is out now! This issue is over at Unmana’s Words and features lots of posts from Indian bloggers - The Life and Times of an Indian Home Maker on joint families is particularly interesting. Jezebel…
Read 'This week in things we've not had time to post properly about'
Ctrl+Alt+Shift? How about Delete
By Guest Blogger | 10 July 2008, 10:24
In this guest post, Charlotte Cooper considers how Christian Aid’s new user-generated magazine stumbles on issues of women’s oppression User-generated content has been the bon vivant of publishing for the last few years: engaging people, breeding loyalty and ensuring a…
Read 'Ctrl+Alt+Shift? How about Delete'
RIP Jana Mackey
By Lynne Miles | 8 July 2008, 12:58
Feministing and many other blogs carry the incredibly sad story of Jana Mackey, a feminist activist who worked to stop violence against women, volunteered on a rape crisis helpline, and who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend last weekend. Jana…
Church votes to allow women bishops
By Lynne Miles | 8 July 2008, 08:58
For those interested in such things, the Church of England’s ruling body, the General Synod, has voted to allow women to be consecrated as bishops, despite opposition from some 1,300 clergy members of the Church who have threatened to leave…
Read 'Church votes to allow women bishops'
MoD: But the boys need their pin-ups!
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 July 2008, 20:14
A survey of over 2,500 servicewomen has found that sexual harassment and sexist attitudes are rife among the armed forces: Between 2005 and 2007, servicewomen reported a rise in six out of nine types of inappropriate sexual behaviour, ranging from…
Read 'MoD: But the boys need their pin-ups!'
Eucalyptus is a feminist issue
By Jess McCabe | 7 July 2008, 18:50
Perhaps the title of this post seems ridiculous to some of you. But it will make more sense after reading a book by Gilsa Barcellos and Simone Ferreira of the World Rainforest Movement, focusing on the gendered impacts of monoculture…
Read 'Eucalyptus is a feminist issue'
Rounding up…
By Jess McCabe | 7 July 2008, 14:44
Rapists face little risk of being convicted in this country - that much we know. But research by Fawcett out today shows that the situation is much worse in some parts of the country than others. But the society said…
Coco Wang
By Jess McCabe | 7 July 2008, 10:28
Probably many readers saw Coco Wang’s series of comicbook strips capturing moments from the recent earthquake in China. (I don’t think we ever linked them on The F-Word, but they were widely talked about in the feminist blogosphere - you…
Feminists in support of Tube cleaners strike
By Jess McCabe | 6 July 2008, 23:26
Reader Alice sent over this photo of the Feminist Fightback demo in support of the striking Tube cleaners, at the headquarters of Transport for London: Also see this excellent write up in the New Statesman: So, why is the tube…
Read 'Feminists in support of Tube cleaners strike '
New feature: Kink 101
By Jess McCabe | 5 July 2008, 19:50
BDSM may set off red flags for feminists, says Kit Roskelly. But so does sitting in judgment on women’s sexual preferences “When we get freedom for all, you’ll do as you’re told!” It’s an old joke, and its origins have…
Councillors think Jewish women never victims of domestic violence; all rich
By Jess McCabe | 4 July 2008, 18:26
In evidence submitted to a recent report by the Home Affairs Select Committee on domestic violence, Imkaan described how at a London Councils grants meeting, councillors said that Jewish women don’t experience domestic violence(!), and if they do, they’re rich…
Read 'Councillors think Jewish women never victims of domestic violence; all rich'
LGBTory?
By Jess McCabe | 4 July 2008, 18:10
What to say about the name and logo of the Conservative Party’s group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, but presumably not trans members? Via Pink News - the story is actually about Boris Johnson preparing for his first ever appearance…
My amendment is bigger than yours
By zohra moosa | 4 July 2008, 14:09
Last week I reported on Nadine Dorries’ latest attempt to restrict access to abortion: she has tabled another amendment on reducing the time limit to twenty weeks onto the HFE Bill currently working its way through Parliament. Unity picked it…
Read 'My amendment is bigger than yours'
Action alert: email Virgin to protest deportations
By Jess McCabe | 4 July 2008, 14:01
Kemi Ayinde was trafficked to the UK seven years ago, where she was forced into prostitution. She faces deportation to Nigeria, with her 18 month old daughter and partner. She is five months pregnant. Bridget O’Koro came to the UK…
Read 'Action alert: email Virgin to protest deportations'
“Pregnant man” gives birth
By Helen G | 4 July 2008, 08:14
Thomas Beatie, the so-called "pregnant man" (see also these previous posts here, here and here) gave birth to a baby girl on 29 June in Oregon, according to this report by Reuters. Father and daughter were said to be "healthy…
Read '"Pregnant man" gives birth'
New feature: Self harm
By Jess McCabe | 3 July 2008, 21:44
Self harm isn’t always about cutting, says Nino. Too many girls and women are holding themselves back from fully living Self harm doesn’t just mean cutting open your arms and pouring boiling water on them. It ranges from starving yourself,…
Pixar and gender
By Jess McCabe | 3 July 2008, 17:53
Via Feministe I found this brilliant takedown of Pixar’s gender problem. Vast Public Indifference was inspired to come up with this rating because of Wall-E, but these are my favourite bits of analysis (some of this might only make sense…
15 years of Bust and more
By Jess McCabe | 3 July 2008, 11:05
Bust magazine is celebrating its 15th anniversary - more at After Ellen. Blog drama makes it to the LA Times! Boing Boing has deleted all posts by Violet Blue, only to produce this slightly mysterious non-explanation. Her latest column is…
Read '15 years of Bust and more'
Summer of Our Lorde: Radical Study and Intentional Healing
By Jess McCabe | 2 July 2008, 23:10
brokenbeautiful press is putting on a study group centred on Audre Lorde. The readings for the group are available online, so everyone can participate. Via brownfemipower…
Read 'Summer of Our Lorde: Radical Study and Intentional Healing'
Another quick round-up
By Louise Livesey | 2 July 2008, 13:38
Gosh it’s blogging overdrive from me today, makes up for being quiet for a few days I guess! So….pertinent to other discussions by gendered violence deniers on this site here’s a study from Wales which shows that 4 in 10…
Pentameter 2 Trafficking Operation Frees Trafficked Women and Children
By Louise Livesey | 2 July 2008, 12:53
The BBC has just reported that 500 trafficked people including 12 children have been freed at the end of the Pentameter 2 operation. Lets just hope the Government does treat the trafficked women as victims of crime and not as…
Read 'Pentameter 2 Trafficking Operation Frees Trafficked Women and Children'
Survey shows politicians not immune from the rape culture
By Jess McCabe | 2 July 2008, 12:18
A small survey of Welsh Assembly members has uncovered some findings which will sadden but not surprise. According to the BBC, all 60 Welsh Assembly Members were sent a survey by Nerys Evans AM, asking questions about their experience with…
Read 'Survey shows politicians not immune from the rape culture'
Majority of migrant domestic workers face abuse
By Jess McCabe | 2 July 2008, 11:12
Oxfam and Kalayaan today reveal that abuse of migrant domestic workers is mind-bogglingly widespread. The majority of these workers are women from developing countries, living in conditions close to slavery: Migrant domestic workers have the legal status of workers in…
Read 'Majority of migrant domestic workers face abuse'
Sexual Violence in the news
By Louise Livesey | 2 July 2008, 10:40
Further to this Jill Saward has written this piece on why she’s standing for the by-election. Needless to say, it being a Comment is Free piece so far she’s been described as “pathetic” (robertdaniel), told to “grow up” (GoingGoingGordon), that…
Read 'Sexual Violence in the news'
Abortion - the fight continues
By Jess McCabe | 1 July 2008, 22:27
We always knew that the defeat of Nadine Dorries’ attempts to shrink women’s access to later term abortions was not the end of the fight. Many activists have been tallying up and shaking their heads at the small shift in…
Read 'Abortion - the fight continues'
Rounding up and over
By Jess McCabe | 1 July 2008, 18:30
In the US, most completed rape kits are never sent on to be tested, meaning that women are put through the trauma of a rape exam essentially for no reason, we learn via Feministe. 400,000 kits are sitting untested across…
Kerosene
By Jess McCabe | 1 July 2008, 15:12
Aulelia from Charcoal Ink kindly sent me a copy of her excellent zine Kerosene. “The aim of this zine was to exhibit diverse voices of the diaspora,” Aulelia says in the editor’s letter. “I hope this slice of printed media…
Call for Contributions for New Zine
By Louise Livesey | 1 July 2008, 10:01
Is midwifery a feminist issue? How do feminists practice midwifery? What are feminists currently thinking about childbearing? What do feminists think about midwives? This is a ‘call out’ to feminists who would like to contribute to an upcoming ‘zine’ about…
Read 'Call for Contributions for New Zine'
Backlash alive and well - as if we hadn’t noticed…
By Louise Livesey | 1 July 2008, 09:56
Kira Cochrane has written a very cogent analysis of the ways in which women are still discriminated against. I found myself tripping over signs, left and right, that not only does the feminist movement still have far to go, but…
Read 'Backlash alive and well - as if we hadn't noticed...'
Snog, Marry, Avoid?
By Jess McCabe | 1 July 2008, 00:05
It’s like the execs at BBC3 sealed themselves in a room and tried to think of the most sexist idea for a makeover show ever. Thanks Flying Saucer for letting us know about Snog Marry Avoid, a “make under” show…
Feeds