Blog posts from November 2009
11th International Transgender Day Of Remembrance, 20th November 2009
By Helen G | 20 November 2009, 08:07
For many trans people, life is not easy. Nobody said it would be. But being trans is not something we choose and as a consequence transitioning may not be optional either. For some of us it’s something which we must…
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A Tweet Too Far?
By Philippa Willitts | 19 November 2009, 18:53
Guest blogger Philippa Willitts discusses the controversy which arose after a woman posted on twitter about having a miscarriage.
New feature: A gude cause maks a strong arm
By Jess McCabe | 18 November 2009, 21:49
Wisrutta Atthakor reports back from the Gude Cause march through Edinburgh, 100 years to the day since Scottish suffragettes took to the city’s streets On Saturday 10 October, thousands of women, children and men took to the streets of Edinburgh…
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Transcribers wanted
By Holly Combe | 18 November 2009, 21:36
As part of the ongoing initiative to make this site more widely accessible, we are looking for volunteers to transcribe videos and provide subtitles. While researching recent posts on accessibility, we’ve followed up one potential lead so far and are…
New feature: Bright Star and women in film
By Jess McCabe | 18 November 2009, 15:16
Producer Jan Chapman spoke to Jess McCabe by phone from Sydney about women in the film industry - and her latest movie Bright Star We have two problems when it comes to representations of women in film: not enough films…
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New feature: Gender and sentencing
By Jess McCabe | 18 November 2009, 15:13
Are the scales of justice in alignment? Rachel Thwaites looks at how women and men are so often treated differently by the system if they commit violent crimes When discussing a recent high profile child abuse case on The Ten…
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TDOR photo exhibition, Brighton, 19-21 November
By Helen G | 17 November 2009, 10:30
From Thursday 19 November to Saturday 21 November, in the Entrance Foyer of the Jubilee Library in Brighton, there will be a public exhibition of photos of some of the people who have been killed in the last year. Some…
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Reclaim the Night London
By Laura Woodhouse | 16 November 2009, 21:00
London’s Reclaim the Night march kicks off at 6.30pm from Whitehall Place this Saturday 21 November. The march itself is women only, and will be followed by a mixed rally for women and men in the Camden Centre, Kings Cross….
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Strictly all-female
By Carrie Dunn | 16 November 2009, 15:47
If you’re a follower of Saturday night light entertainment, you’ll probably know that Bruce Forsyth had to pull out of hosting Strictly Come Dancing this weekend because he has flu. The BBC announced this on Friday morning, saying that his…
New feature: A streamlined new me
By Jess McCabe | 13 November 2009, 14:53
Laura Thomas talks through her experience going from red mane to shaved head It was 1997, and I was seven years old; my friend and I were sat in her lounge practising our times tables and discussing the Spice Girls….
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London woman’s murder: cis man arrested
By Helen G | 13 November 2009, 14:01
At around 1am on Thursday 5 November, Destiny Lauren was found strangled at her home in Kentish Town, north London. Although she was rushed by ambulance to the Royal Free hospital, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Detectives from…
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Major legislative news this week
By Lynne Miles | 13 November 2009, 13:55
A major piece of legislation was given Royal Assent and signed into law yesterday, containing two significant clauses which will be of interest to feminists. Firstly, Clause 13 (formerly Clause 14) of the Policing and Crime Bill was passed without…
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Guest Post: Misfits and rape culture
By Guest Blogger | 13 November 2009, 11:59
Longtime commenter JenniferRuth on rape culture in a new E4 superhero show On Thursday evening the pilot episode of Misfits was broadcast on E4. It seems that E4 has decided to jump on board the current superhero revival and make…
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Representations of Women in Media - back for 2009
By Guest Blogger | 12 November 2009, 11:25
The F Word reviewer and commenter, Sian Norris, tells us about an exciting upcoming West Country project … The Representations of Women in the Media Project was set up three years ago by the Bristol Fawcett Society, who spent a…
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Redesign… slowly commences! Help us get it right
By Jess McCabe | 11 November 2009, 20:00
The long prefaced redesign of The F-Word is looking like it might happen in the near future. We want to start by asking for some reader feedback to help influence this process: particularly - What are the top five things…
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Going to hell in a eunuch-shaped handcart.
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 November 2009, 20:30
I think we all know that Daily Failers live on another planet, but this article by Quentin Letts - taken from his fourthcoming book ‘Bog-Standard Britain’ - is so out of touch I was almost sick with laughter. In a…
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Disabled Feminism
By Philippa Willitts | 10 November 2009, 17:41
Guest blogger Philippa Willitts continues a discussion on disabled feminists, the validity of online activism, and the accessibility of feminist groups.
Broadcasting Round-Up (Oxfordshire RTN, Sex Education, Body Hair & Calendar Girls)
By Holly Combe | 10 November 2009, 13:04
There have been a few radio ventures on the F-word front over the past week. You can catch Louise Livesey talking about last Friday’s Reclaim the Night in Oxford on BBC Radio Oxfordshire (2.04.15) and regular guest blogger Kate Smuthwaite…
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October comments on features & reviews up now!
By Jess McCabe | 10 November 2009, 10:42
The round-up of comments in response to features and reviews from October is up now! Thanks once again to Helen G who has compiled and coded the comments. Her help means this month’s comments are up once again in a…
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Another Reclaim the Night: Portsmouth!
By Laura Woodhouse | 9 November 2009, 20:26
Portsmouth’s Reclaim the Night is taking place on Wednesday 25th November. Meet at 7pm by Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf. This Reclaim the Night is part of the White Ribbon Campaign, is supported by Portsmouth Football Club and is open to…
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‘Impossibly perfect’, music video edition
By Jess McCabe | 7 November 2009, 13:36
There’s been a lot of awareness raising on use of Photoshop to make women’s bodies look impossibly beautiful. But what about in video? Via Sarah at Uplift!, this showreel advertising work by post-production firm Room demonstrates how much ‘correcting’…
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Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven
By Jess McCabe | 6 November 2009, 10:41
There’s a chance this Sunday to see a reading of the early women’s liberation play Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven in London. According to Arts Admin, Jane Arden’s play “was the first theatre work to come out of the…
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Women and Silent Britain
By Jess McCabe | 5 November 2009, 17:57
The BFI is holding a study day on women’s role in the film industry back in the days of silent movies. This study day will consider all aspects of writing for or about the screen by the large number of…
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First Weekenders Club x2
By Jess McCabe | 5 November 2009, 16:29
Two films by female film-makers are out in the UK tomorrow - Birds Eye View highlights films and encourages those interested in support women in the film industry to see them in the first weekend they’re showing. One of the…
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Send a card, save a life?
By Philippa Willitts | 5 November 2009, 16:09
Guest blogger Philippa Willitts writes about the importance of the Amnesty International greetings card campaign, and gives some examples of women you can send cards to this year.
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Oxfordshire Reclaim the Night - tomorrow!
By Jess McCabe | 5 November 2009, 10:11
Clare Cochrane from the Oxfordshire Reclaim the Night collective, talks through tomorrow’s Reclaim the Night march Here in Oxford we’re all getting excited as we build up to Oxfordshire Reclaim the Night 2009. Tomorrow, straight after work, we’ll march from…
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Forced marriage and ‘honour’ based abuse helpline faces closure.
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 November 2009, 21:13
The Karma Nirvana Honour Network Helpline provides help and support to victims and survivors of forced marriage and ‘honour’ based violence and abuse. It has received over 6,700 calls since it was launched in April 2008, but despite being praised…
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Reclaim the Night Leeds
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 November 2009, 20:48
Reclaim the Night Leeds is taking place on Saturday 28th November. Meet outside Leeds Art Gallery at 6pm for a 6.30pm start. The main march is open to all self-defining women and other supporters are welcome to join the end…
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Feminist Spoons
By Philippa Willitts | 3 November 2009, 18:19
Philippa Willitts presents her first guest post, talking about disability and the Spoon Theory in relation to feminist activism.
New piece on CiF - ‘Population control is not what makes climate change a feminist issue’
By Jess McCabe | 2 November 2009, 13:16
Just a quick note to say I’ve got a new piece up on Comment is Free, Population control is not what makes climate change a feminist issue. (Edit: Vikki Chowney has posted a nice follow-up about an Oxfam event which…
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Introducing our new guest blogger!
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 November 2009, 08:00
A big welcome to Philippa Willitts, who has kindly agreed to guest blog for The F Word throughout November. Philippa has been blogging under the name of incurable hippie since 2004. She particularly addresses feminism, disability, lesbian identity and mental…
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