Blog posts from October 2008
September comments on features and reviews
By Jess McCabe | 31 October 2008, 10:31
The comment round-up for September is up….
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P.S. - Notes from an apologetic polyamorist, by Red Chidgey
By Guest Blogger | 30 October 2008, 22:49
Last month we published a review by Red Chidgey of Tristan Taormino’s latest book, a guide to open relationships. We ended up changing the headline for this review - in this post-script, Red explains why and elaborates on some of…
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Times Online indulges in a bit of ‘slut’ shaming
By Guest Blogger | 30 October 2008, 21:39
Jonathan Ross has got himself suspended for three months, while Russell Brand quit his radio rob. But The Times is more interested in attacking Georgina Baillie - the butt of Ross and Brand’s joke. In this guest post, Amity Reed…
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Sexual Assault Referral Centre charges premium rates for helpline.
By Laura Woodhouse | 30 October 2008, 15:40
The Telegraph reports that a government-funded Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Gloucester has been making victims phone an 0845 helpline number for advice on dealing with their experience: Mobile users and callers from BT payphones will have to pay…
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Domestic violence photo and script competition for Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot women in the UK
By Jess McCabe | 30 October 2008, 12:46
The Turkish Women’s Speaking Group - IMECE - has launched a photo competition, in order to draw attention to the issue of domestic violence. From the Facebook group: IMECE Turkish Speaking Women’s Group presents… Script and Photography Competition On…
BUST magazine Craftacular comes to London!
By Jess McCabe | 30 October 2008, 10:28
The US feminist magazine BUST holds annual “craftaculars” on the other side of the pond - and this year they’re holding one in London for the first time. Check out the FAQ for more info on the 6 December event,…
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The Femilist
By Jess McCabe | 30 October 2008, 10:17
Feminist voices in the media are often… sparse. And when journalists do seek comment from feminists, it’s often the same few voices. Occasional F-Word guest blogger Charlotte Cooper is working on a project which hopes to provide access to a…
No prison for young mums?
By Jess McCabe | 29 October 2008, 16:49
The conditions in prison may no longer be Dickensian but young mothers are still going to jail for the same reasons they were in Victorian times: poverty, debt, addiction and mental illness. In yesterday’s Guardian, Juliet Lyon set out the…
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Commenters, oh, commenters
By Jess McCabe | 29 October 2008, 16:34
Cath Elliot has published on her blog a selection of delightful comments she received recently on a Comment is Free post about strip clubs. Setting aside where we individually stand on this particular issue, the comments left speak volumes about…
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Lost a tampon?
By Jess McCabe | 28 October 2008, 22:12
This instructional video on what to do if you lose a tampon is funny. And informative: I was actually under the impression it was impossible to lose a tampon. Oh well, at least I’ll be prepared for any future eventuality!…
Man apologises to other men
By Carrie Dunn | 28 October 2008, 22:04
It’s taken me a good 12 hours to work out what’s been bugging me about Allen Stanford apologising to the England players. For those of you who don’t follow cricket, Mr Stanford is a very rich man who is currently…
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One Million Signatures Campaign For Equality
By Helen G | 28 October 2008, 21:33
Women in Iran face widespread discrimination under law. Evidence given by a woman in court is considered only worth half that given by a man. A girl under the age of 13 can be forced to marry a much older…
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Some things to muse on….
By Louise Livesey | 28 October 2008, 17:13
Racialious has an interesting piece here on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Woman is the Nigger of the World and thoughts on oppression, misogyny and racism. Worth a read and a ponder, really it is. In the same way Stroppyblog…
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Madre one minute video challenge
By Jess McCabe | 28 October 2008, 15:09
Madre is a campaign group that focuses on “demanding rights, resources and results for women worldwide”. While US election fevour continues unabated, Madre is gazing beyond election day to focus on what comes next. Whoever ends up in the White…
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Rosie the Riveter and more
By Jess McCabe | 28 October 2008, 11:22
For those, like me, with a serious weakness for Rosie the Riveter-esque photos, Flickr has become a bit of a goldmine. Loads of Library of Congress photos make their way onto the site: Original caption: ‘Dora Miles and Dorothy Johnson…
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Models
By Barbara Felix | 27 October 2008, 23:04
On the 3rd November, Manchester Cornerhouse is showing the film ‘Models’ as part of ‘Between Heaven and Hell: The films of Ulrich Seidl’ it’s Cert 18, and starts at 18:05 and is described thus: “Far from glamourous and more melodramatic…
And some more….
By Louise Livesey | 27 October 2008, 10:42
A few more stories…. A US-Iranian student has been arrested for her work on the women’s signature campaign in Iran which aims to change gender discriminatory laws. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has released some interesting reports on child poverty looking…
In the news…
By Louise Livesey | 27 October 2008, 10:08
A round up of some stories: Firstly violence against women is adapting to new technologies - a stalker used Facebook to facilitate his crimes which resulted in a woman having acid thrown over her. The perp has been found guilty…
New feature: We’re all in this together
By Jess McCabe | 27 October 2008, 00:00
Irish and British women must unite in the battle for reproductive rights, argue Ariel Silvera and Sinead Ahern, as they sketch out the history of abortion in Ireland and the UK As oppression has gone global, so too has the…
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New feature: Confidential?
By Jess McCabe | 26 October 2008, 23:58
We don’t expect our reason for seeing a nurse or doctor to be broadcast to the waiting room. But that’s exactly what happened to Rachael Halemor, when she wanted to get hold of emergency contraception I live in Nottingham, and…
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Photos from Department of Health protest
By Jess McCabe | 26 October 2008, 20:17
As we’ve mentioned already, the government blocked attempts to debate liberalising amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. One of those amendments could have extended abortion rights to Northern Ireland, and Northern Irish feminists, supported by feminists from other…
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Glasgow Feminist Network - readings and discussion against gendered violence
By Jess McCabe | 25 October 2008, 13:05
In the run-up to the 16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign (for more info see http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days/about.html) Glasgow Feminist Network would like to invite you to a reading and discussion on Saturday the 8th of November from 6-8pm…
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Mayuma Oda and more (arts-themed Friday mini-round up)
By Jess McCabe | 24 October 2008, 14:18
Mayuma Oda’s work is fascinating - I came across her via AfterEllen’s post about the documentary Who Does She Think She Is? Sounds like a great film. But the image of Oda’s work Mamala the Surfrider struck me immediately -…
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Jezebel interviews Sarah Haskins
By Jess McCabe | 24 October 2008, 12:18
Jezebel scored an interview with Sarah Haskins of Target Women fame! DODAI: Do you ever get recognized, and what do people say to you, if so? SARAH HASKINS: My favorite exchange was this - Drunk Guy With Glitter In Beard…
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Fantastic news: sex education to be made compulsory in all schools by 2010.
By Laura Woodhouse | 23 October 2008, 21:39
A government review has concluded that sex education should be made a compulsory part of the national curriculum in both primary and secondary schools. Religious schools will not be able to opt out of the curriculum, although they will have…
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‘Planet of the guys’
By Jess McCabe | 23 October 2008, 17:59
“So long as we live among men, let us cherish humanity” Andre Gide “It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.” Bertrand Russell “The world…
Shameless Sheffield Fems Promotion
By Laura Woodhouse | 23 October 2008, 17:21
Just a little heads up for anyone living in or around Sheffield: Sheffield Fems have a new website, which includes details of meetings, campaigns and the group itself. And if you haven’t done so already, get yourself down to the…
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Photos from bittersweet Abortion Rights protest
By Jess McCabe | 23 October 2008, 14:36
Tuesday evening’s protest calling for MPs to pass amendments liberalising the abortion laws and extending them to Northern Ireland carried on, despite the government manipulating the debate so they didn’t even have a chance. From the BBC: Labour MP Diane…
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Women’s football coaching project launched by England team’s Hope Powell
By Milly Shaw | 23 October 2008, 12:03
England’s women’s football coach Hope Powell and England and Arsenal captain Faye White have launched a new project to increase the number of female football coaches. Just one in four coaches in the UK are women, and of these, just…
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New feature: From the front lines
By Jess McCabe | 23 October 2008, 11:58
One in four women experience domestic violence during their lifetime. Ella Alexander spent a day at a women’s refuge learning about the human toll of a crime so common it is no longer considered newsworthy Sitting in her office in…
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Fun times with London AnarchaFeminist Kolektiv
By Jess McCabe | 23 October 2008, 11:12
The London AnarchaFeminist Kolektiv is holding a creative day on Saturday, with art, screen printing, web design, badge making and more. It’s all at the fabulous Lambeth Young Women’s Project, in Brixton, and the day is women and trans only:…
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Latest Carnival of Feminists up now!
By Jess McCabe | 23 October 2008, 11:10
The 67th Carnival of Feminists is up at Jump Off the Bridge….
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Feminists, Sarah Palin, Rachel Maddow
By Jess McCabe | 22 October 2008, 23:13
Via Feministing…
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Transgender Carnival official launch
By Helen G | 22 October 2008, 11:44
The Transgender Carnival website is officially launched today (22 October 2008); with the first Transgender Carnival itself scheduled to be hosted at Bird of Paradox on 16 November 2008. The Transgender Carnival aims to recognize and celebrate the full spectrum…
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Calling bullshit on Pepsi
By Lynne Miles | 22 October 2008, 02:05
You may have seen stuff on other blogs about the recent supposed Pepsi ad, depicting an unconscious ‘hawt’ woman, the lifeguard who has apparently just dragged her out of the sea, and a leery teenage boy. The deal is that,…
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Fundraiser for Edinburgh Reclaim the Night!
By Jess McCabe | 21 October 2008, 22:31
Reclaim the Night Edinburgh is holding a fundraiser on 30 September, with music (Fool for a Pretty Face, Victoria Bennett), feminist comedian Liz Ely, mini-massages and a clothing swap. Starting 7.30pm at the Forest Cafe (3 Bristo Place), entry is…
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Fawcett action ideas
By zohra moosa | 21 October 2008, 15:18
In Birmingham: Are you an ethnic minority woman who isn’t registered to vote? Come join Fawcett’s femocracy campaign this Thursday morning for an event where you can: speak directly to Birmingham’s ethnic minority women councillors and local activists (including…
Harman looks set to block tomorrow’s abortion votes.
By Laura Woodhouse | 21 October 2008, 14:49
The Guardian reports that Harriet Harman is planning to block any vote on amendments to the Abortion Act in Parliament tomorrow by invoking a procedural motion to decide the order in which MPs debate the HFE bill. This would place…
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Tuesday roundup
By Jess McCabe | 21 October 2008, 14:32
“This is not an invitatation to rape me” is the slogan of a new campaign run by Rape Crisis Scotland. If you’re south of the border, you can see the whole campaign online. It deals head-on with the myths that…
Last chance - Abortion Rights protest tonight
By Jess McCabe | 21 October 2008, 10:15
Just a quick reminder: if you’re in London, get yourself to Westminster from 5.30pm today, to protest in favour of women’s right to choose and control our own bodies. The protest has been organised by Abortion Rights, and they have…
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Yarl’s Wood staff steal legal guide from asylum seeker
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2008, 19:37
“What does it mean when the authorities can change the rules and deny me help to make my case to the Home Office? Are they aiming to deliberately sabotage our legal cases?” Mercy Wanjiku* ran a clinic in Kenya, to…
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White, heterosexual man is the medicine’s ‘universal model’
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2008, 15:35
Anecdotal evidence abounds that doctors and researchers work from the assumption that the standard body is white, male and heterosexual. But a researcher in the US has conducted a study of the images appearing in text books used in some…
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Maternity leave, flexible working for parents put on hold by Mandelson
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2008, 12:19
Peter Mandelson has put on hold plans to extend the right to ask for flexible working hours to all parents with children under 16, and may ditch an extention of paid maternity leave from 39 to 52 weeks, reports the…
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Prossy Kakooza granted asylum
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2008, 11:01
Prossy Kakooza has been granted asylum, according to the website set up by a Manchester LGBT church to campaign on her behalf. She writes: Dear friends: I get to stay!! Am still in shock, and am so sure it’s going…
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Your Stories - Rhannu Profiad
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2008, 10:36
Welsh women who have experienced domestic violence are being invited to contribute their stories to a blog, Your Stories - Rhannu Profiad. Set up by Nerys Evans, a Plaid Cymru member of the Welsh Assembly, the “aim is to show…
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Men are from Earth, women are from Earth
By Helen G | 20 October 2008, 07:53
Interesting article in yesterday’s Sunday Times (link here) about the Conservative party seeking advice from a marketing agency on “deciphering the female psyche”. Apparently: The consultants use research drawn from brain science, anthropology and marketing to help their clients to…
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Target Women does Disney
By Jess McCabe | 19 October 2008, 10:53
Latest from Sarah Haskins:…
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Friday afternoon round-up
By Jess McCabe | 17 October 2008, 15:31
Victim blaming carries on as usual: Anthony Francis has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for raping a woman seven years ago. He was caught on DNA evidence. During the trial, reports the Daily Mail, the…
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Feminism in London 2008
By Guest Blogger | 17 October 2008, 14:51
Last weekend was the first Feminism in London conference. Charlotte Cooper reflects on the day in this guest post. You can also see Jess’ photos from the day on Flickr While the word conference would normally rouse feelings of fear…
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Dorries refuses to give up…
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 October 2008, 12:10
MPs Nadine Dorries and Frank Field yesterday tabled an extra amendment to the HFE bill ahead of voting this coming Wednesday. The amendment demands the creation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to review the 1967 Abortion Act. The Committee would…
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McCain: Women’s “Health” No Excuse For Abortion.
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 October 2008, 01:28
Try getting a damn uterus and hitting us with that again, John. Hint: not wanting to sacrifice my life for something that hasn’t even been born into this world yet is not an “extreme” position. Disgusting. (Obama states that…
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‘Love your (drawn) body day’
By Jess McCabe | 16 October 2008, 18:18
Rachel at Inside Out has compiled an excellent list of “Five Characters Who Break the Paradigm of Feminine Beauty in Comics”. Because of my hate-hate-love relationships with the graphic novel ouvre, I’ve only heard of a few of these, and…
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Northern Irish women sold out on abortion
By Jess McCabe | 16 October 2008, 10:48
Amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill which could have legalised abortion in Northern Ireland have been shelved, reports the Telegraph. MPs who put forward the amendments: …have changed their minds after being privately warned by ministers that with…
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Some words of wisdom from Naomi Wolf
By Louise Livesey | 16 October 2008, 10:44
Despite controversy Wolf hits the nail on the head with some of this. Her advice to young women (written in 1992)? 1. Redefine what being a woman means. 2. Break the taboo around being self-sufficient including in terms of asking…
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A Place of Rage screening, chat with director Pratibha Parmar
By Jess McCabe | 16 October 2008, 10:37
Haringey Independent Cinema is screening a documentary about African American women’s role in the civil rights movement, two weeks from today, followed by a discussion with the director, Pratibha Parmar. From HIC’s description: This exuberant celebration of African American women…
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New feature: Incitement to rape
By Jess McCabe | 16 October 2008, 00:11
Denying women’s sexuality won’t prevent rape, argues Victoria Dutchman-Smith “If a girl goes to a man’s room and takes her clothes off and engages in sexual activity, should she be charged with inciting the crime of rape if she then…
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When a beauty contest allegedly isn’t a beauty contest…
By Louise Livesey | 15 October 2008, 10:05
Gok Wan continues his controversial and maybe confusing approach to women (see here and here) by hosting a naked beauty contest programme for Channel 4. Channel 4 have claimed it as a way of reintroducing feminism to a new audience…
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Some news stories
By Louise Livesey | 15 October 2008, 09:11
There is a film coming out called Trade which covers trafficking of women for sexual purposes into the US. It draws on a phenomenon coined the “Fields of Shame” in which trafficked women are forced to engage in prositution in…
Royal Mail stamp issue to honour ‘Women of Distinction’
By Lynne Miles | 15 October 2008, 00:03
The Royal Mail have issued a special series of stamps to honour six women who “took on the establishment and won”. The stamps feature: Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, both the first female doctor and the first female mayor in England; Millicent…
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Harry Enfield
By Jess McCabe | 14 October 2008, 20:08
The Harry and Paul show is under fire, after it ran a sketch which revolved around encouraging a man to “mount” a Filipina maid. Really, I’m not going to attempt to describe the sketch, but you can see it here:…
Israeli paper refuses to print photos of PM-in-waiting
By Jess McCabe | 14 October 2008, 16:35
An Orthodox Jewish newspaper in Israel has refused to print photos of Tzipi Livni, set to become the country’s second female prime minister, because she is a woman, reports Reuters*. Citing concerns for feminine modesty, the ultra-Orthodox refuse to publish…
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Defend and Extend Abortion Rights: Pro-Choice Protest
By Laura Woodhouse | 14 October 2008, 11:36
From Abortion Rights: Protest Tuesday 21st October - 5.30pm onwards Old Palace Yard, outside Parliament, St Stephen’s entrance. Emergency protest to show the strength of pro-choice opinion ahead of the final abortion votes in Parliament the following day. The protest…
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Pregnant women to be targeted under draconian plans to deny medical care to asylum seekers?
By Jess McCabe | 14 October 2008, 11:34
The government have relented, abandoning plans to “crack down” on asylum seekers being able to use GPs, the Guardian reports. Plans were afoot to bar the door to GP surgeries to asylum seekers who’s claims have been rejected, but are…
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Defend and Extend Abortion Rights: Lobby Your MP NOW.
By Laura Woodhouse | 14 October 2008, 11:02
The final votes on abortion at the Report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will take place in the afternoon of next Wednesday 22nd October. It is absolutely essential that we all lobby our MPs to support amendments…
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Pharma industry gives less than a crap about women’s health. Quelle surprise.
By Laura Woodhouse | 13 October 2008, 21:46
The American Bloomberg News reports that Johnson and Johnson has spent at least $68.7 million on settling hundreds of lawsuits filed by women who suffered serious illness after using the contraceptive patch Ortho Evra, so avoiding being legally condemned for…
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Feminism in London photos…
By Jess McCabe | 13 October 2008, 17:52
No doubt we’ll have a proper write-up soon, but the photos I took at the Feminism in London conference on Saturday are up on Flickr: Here’s a shot I took of the volunteers who organised the whole event, and got…
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Monday mini-round-up…
By Jess McCabe | 13 October 2008, 16:33
This weekend saw National Coming Out Day celebrated in the US and the UK. There’s so many posts on this floating around, it’d be impossible to link everything - but Sinclair’s at Sugarbutch Chronicles is a must read: Like Jesse…
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New feature: HPV vaccination - the debate isn’t over yet
By Jess McCabe | 13 October 2008, 14:27
St Monica’s in Manchester does not want girls vaccinated against HPV on school grounds. Kit Roskelly argues that all schools have a responsibility to protect their pupils’ health All girls aged 12 and 13 will be provided with vaccinations against…
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Latest Carnival of Feminists up now!
By Jess McCabe | 13 October 2008, 11:44
The 66th Carnival of Feminists is up over at Apu’s World….
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Jess says: Find Me
By Jess McCabe | 12 October 2008, 22:26
A treasure hunt is going on today, to raise awareness of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (or XDR-TB). 43 items are being squirreled away in a series of locations, and the clues are spread out across participating blogs. Are you nearby?! XDR-TB…
Good News
By Barbara Felix | 11 October 2008, 17:08
Some good news at last… it’s an old story, but still worth mentioning, Moving People, a consortium of mental health charities that includes Mind, Mental Health Media, and Rethink, amongst other, has won £18m to continue its campaign to combat…
General round up
By Barbara Felix | 11 October 2008, 16:22
Over in Amsterdam, a study has taken place to gain insight into the fit and feel of condoms, …Meanwhile, over in Manchester, the student paper Student Direct is disturbed by the sentiments expressed by a number of university students in…
Satire round up: Private Eye and Schnews, mainly…
By Barbara Felix | 11 October 2008, 16:00
Private Eye’s current issue is an absolute blinder, I believe Catherine has already blogged on their Roger Alton/Independent story, but I specifically wanted to mention M.D’s column this issue (Eye 1220). It’s very short, but is a follow up to…
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First public statue of a black woman in England
By Jess McCabe | 10 October 2008, 15:58
This week the first ever public monument in England representing a black woman was erected in Lambeth, as part of Black History Month. (I briefly mentioned this sculpture last month, as part of a post on the lack of statues…
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The Independent: “Pictures of semi-naked women…”
By Catherine Redfern | 9 October 2008, 22:07
A bit late on this one, but I read in Private Eye today (No.1220) that the new-ish Editor of the Indpendent, Roger Alton, previously Editor of the Observer, has said: Froth is fun. Pictures of semi-naked women basically make the…
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Dispatches’ The Hidden World Of Lap Dancing
By Laura Woodhouse | 9 October 2008, 19:40
Just caught this on the wonder that is Catch Up TV. Unsurprisingly, the hidden world of lap dancing was revealed to be highly unregulated, full of very naked women simulating sex acts on entitled menfolk (actually pretty shocking if you…
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Polish women may be forced to register with government if they become pregnant
By Jess McCabe | 9 October 2008, 16:43
The Polish government wants to introduce a database of pregnant women, in an attempt to stop illegal abortions, we learn from Feminoteka, by way of the Feminist Peace Network. Effectively, Feminoteka points out, this would put pregnant women under state…
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Get involved: disABILITY in feminist, queer & DIY communities
By Jess McCabe | 9 October 2008, 13:59
This project, organised by members of the Feminist Activist Forum, sounds interesting: We are writing to invite people to become part of an organising committee who are planning on creating a series of resources & discussions around disABILITY issues in…
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The Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize 10th Anniversary Awards Ceremony
By Helen G | 8 October 2008, 21:05
The Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize is awarded each year to an individual woman who has worked to stop violence against women; there is also an annual group award. These awards were set up in memory of Emma Humphreys: writer, poet,…
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Hallowe’en fun in aid of RTN
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2008, 15:51
This sounds really fun: Spend this Hallowe’en drifting through the bat-black night on London’s dark canals. Shiver as ghost stories, songs and poems merge with the sounds of the unknown… Performances Beauchamp Lodge Electric Barge Thursday 30th and Friday…
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Working towards non gender-specific legal and social recognition in the UK
By Helen G | 8 October 2008, 14:21
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Christie Elan-Cane’s request for support in per fight for legal and social recognition outside the societal gender system in the UK. Christie’s now provided an update of per progress: Working towards non…
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Save Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 October 2008, 11:00
Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline is facing closure following the withdrawal of government funding. Please show your support for such a vital service, and for the women who dedicate so much of their time to providing it, by…
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“She’s a powerful woman; he’s a powerful man. It’s basically the female equivalent of the Clinton cover”
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2008, 10:51
Via Jezebel: The photographer, Cliff Watts, composed the cover featuring Halle Berry because she has been named Esquire Magazine’s “Sexiest Woman Alive”. It’s a homage to the older cover, featuring Bill Clinton, on the left. But are the images equivalent,…
Target Women: ‘Number Two’
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2008, 10:44
Sarah Haskins, hilarious as always:…
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Only 85% of high court judges men
By Jess McCabe | 7 October 2008, 10:43
The number of female High Court judges is set to rise to “record levels”, reports the Independent. While this is good news, don’t get too excited - 85% of them are still men. Baroness Prashar, JAC [Judicial Appointments Commission] chairman…
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The homophobic rants of the LSE chaplin
By Jess McCabe | 6 October 2008, 16:02
Rev Dr Peter Mullen, chaplain to the London Stock Exchange, posted vile homophobic rants and “satirical” poems on his blog, reports The Daily Telegraph. One of Mullen’s posts stated that gay people should be tattooed, a comment which calls up…
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Podcast addresses race & gender in the US election
By Jess McCabe | 6 October 2008, 14:02
Addicted to Race tackled some interesting issues in the latest episode on “Race, Gender and the Election”. Carmen is joined by Jenn from Reappropriate, and they talk through claims that Sarah Palin is a feminist, when so many of her…
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Combahee Survival
By Jess McCabe | 6 October 2008, 11:08
A project is underway which invokes the spirit of the Combahee River Collective, which was a key US, black, lesbian feminist group active from the mid-1970s to 1980s. Combahee Survival includes resources for study groups, a zine and more: In…
This is a shampoo ad?
By Jess McCabe | 6 October 2008, 10:08
There’s no explanatory text on the ad itself, but according to the commenters at AdsoftheWorld, it may have run with the caption: “Ensure that your hair will be the second thing he will look at”. See also the “blond”…
ASA - lets do something about this…
By Louise Livesey | 5 October 2008, 13:37
You can’t have failed to notice that the Advertising Standards Agency (in the UK) has absolutely no conception of gender issues at all. In fact it really, really, really doesn’t get why women get so angry at both advertising and…
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Book Club Choice #1: We Need To Talk About Kevin
By Barbara Felix | 5 October 2008, 07:00
The first choice of the F-Word book club/reading group is Lionel Shriver’s ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’. This book was nominated by Aideen Johnston, who described it as being “Not only [is it] a very interesting critique on motherhood,…
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New feature: So, you really think we’re stupid, do you?
By Jess McCabe | 4 October 2008, 17:47
10-year-old Ananya is frustrated by magazines aimed at girls There are quite a few magazines available in the shops aimed at girls of around the ages of seven to 12. These magazines suggest that girls only be interested in certain…
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Petition on prostitution legislation
By Jess McCabe | 3 October 2008, 16:16
Just a quick note - the Feminist Coalition Against Prostition are petitioning the Prime Minister “to criminalise the purchase of sexual services so as to curb demand for prostitution and reduce sex trafficking; to decriminalise the sale of sex, and…
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Sarah Palin debate strategy [pic]
By Milly Shaw | 3 October 2008, 16:05
Diagram created by Daily Kos…
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Victorine Meurent
By Jess McCabe | 3 October 2008, 16:01
Victorine Meurent has, for the most part, been known to the world only as Edouard Manet’s model in a number of controversial paintings. Over at the Guardian today, V R Main provides a different perspective: It was more than a…
Feminism in London 08 approaches…
By Jess McCabe | 3 October 2008, 14:05
Only a few short days until the first Feminism in London event takes place! The organisers sent us this message: FEMINISM IN LONDON 08 An exciting event will take place on Saturday, 11th October, 2008. It is called Feminism In…
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On spinsters
By Jess McCabe | 2 October 2008, 16:09
Spinsters - not a word you hear so often anymore. I’ve always understood it as a term of abuse for women who don’t marry men, a cultural archetype meant to keep women in their place - the flip side of…
Obit - Louise Armstrong
By Louise Livesey | 1 October 2008, 14:11
I first came across Louise Armstrong when I read Rocking the Cradle of Sexual Politics. I’m not going to say that it changed my life in a moment, but it had a pretty profound impact on my work and on…
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Gay people have a “duty” to vote Tory!?!
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 October 2008, 13:39
Prospective Tory parliamentary candidate Margot James yesterday urged all gay people to vote Tory, arguing that: “Gay people are net contributors to public services through their taxes, because very few of them have children. I think gay people have got…
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