Blog posts from November 2009
Disability, sexuality and rights online training
By Helen G | 30 November 2009, 20:57
CREA, the feminist human rights organization based in the global South and led by women from the global South, is to run a 9 weeks (5 hours a week) online course for practitioners and activists in human rights, public health…
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Four Ways to Speak Out campaign
By Laura Woodhouse | 30 November 2009, 19:05
Refuge have launched a new campaign in conjunction with Avon to encourage people to speak out against domestic violence and demand an end to the postcode lottery for domestic violence service. One in three local authorities do not have any…
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ID cards now available to people living in Manchester
By Helen G | 30 November 2009, 10:48
Via the UK Press Association (link here) and the Guardian (link here) comes the confirmation that, as promised by the Home Office six months ago, the ID cards scheme has finally been launched in Manchester. However, as seems to be…
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TfL’s latest Cabwise campaign
By Carrie Dunn | 28 November 2009, 22:11
Warning: could be triggering I can’t find a graphic of it on the net, but I was rather surprised to see Transport for London’s Cabwise campaign has opted for a rather distressing image in its latest poster. If you’re not…
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Gift ideas from The F Word shop!
By Catherine Redfern | 28 November 2009, 16:00
Hi readers As the festive season approaches (sorry, sorry, I know it’s only November), we’d like to remind you about our F Word shop (more background here). If you click through from our links and then buy books, Amazon gives…
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Not-So-Helpful Advice from Women’s Magazines
By Philippa Willitts | 28 November 2009, 12:04
A blog post by guest blogger Philippa Willitts about the messages that women’s magazines send us all.
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Presentation and debate in Bristol tomorrow
By Holly Combe | 27 November 2009, 14:42
As Sian Norris mentioned a couple of weeks ago, in her post about the Representations of Women in the Media Project , there will be a presentation and debate at the Malcom X Centre in St Pauls in Bristol tomorrow,…
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It’s 16 Days - get active
By zohra moosa | 27 November 2009, 10:30
There’s a number of live call outs for support if you want to help end violence against women. Here’s three from the Association for Women’s Rights in Development. Click on the links to take action. Please add any more you…
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Het couple’s campaign for civil partnership
By Laura Woodhouse | 26 November 2009, 21:57
As I explained back in May, marriage isn’t something I would personally consider or feel comfortable entering in to. I do believe that people should have the opportunity to designate (an)other individual(s) as their legal partner(s), however, so I was…
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Vigil
By Guest Blogger | 26 November 2009, 19:34
For those of us who couldn’t be at the vigil in London yesterday, Gem, who is on the co-ordinating group for Million Women Rise, sent in this which she read out. The photos are by Sarah from Uplift Magazine and…
Govt’s VAW strategy is good news
By zohra moosa | 25 November 2009, 22:09
Following Jess’ post on today - the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - just a quick note to let readers know I’ve written a response to the Government’s new violence against strategy on Comment is Free….
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“It’s not meant to be a slight on women at all”
By Carrie Dunn | 25 November 2009, 13:14
Some interesting stories involving women and sport in today’s Metro (I know, I know)… First up, Sir Ian Botham talks about his new book, My Sporting Heroes, and the interviewer asks him why all but one of his heroes are…
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Bristol mural
By Jess McCabe | 25 November 2009, 12:12
Sian sent us a photo of this mural by Jan Martin, painted with help from the Bristol Feminist Network. It’s only going to be up for a month, so if you’re in Bristol head over to Jamaica Street to see…
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
By Jess McCabe | 25 November 2009, 09:54
Today is the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of the 16 Days of Action. There’s a few events going on today up and down the country - including tonight’s vigil in Trafalgar…
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Edinburgh Vigil to End Gender Violence - Weds 25th 6pm
By Catherine Redfern | 24 November 2009, 23:43
Vigil to launch 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Violence The Edinburgh University Feminist group would like you to join them in a candle-lit vigil to remember all victims of gender based violence and to call for an…
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Reclaim the Night Glasgow - tomorrow
By Jess McCabe | 24 November 2009, 22:10
Details of tomorrow’s Reclaim the Night in Glasgow, via womensgrid: Back with a bang for the 3rd year running. Glasgow Rape Crisis are organising Reclaim the Night 3. The march as ever will be led with some big noises from…
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Trans inclusion in the Equality Bill - ACT NOW
By Helen G | 24 November 2009, 19:33
Via Facebook (link here): Trans inclusion in the Equality Bill - ACT NOW This group is designed to raise awareness of two amendments that are being tabled to extend trans protections in the Equality Bill. You can make a difference…
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Eight rooms, Nine lives
By Helen G | 24 November 2009, 16:54
This Thursday, 26th November 2009, sees the opening of a new exhibition, focusing on identity and called Eight rooms, Nine lives at the Wellcome Collection (link here) in London. What influences or determines our sense of who we are? What…
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Million Women Rise vigil
By Jess McCabe | 23 November 2009, 17:18
Following on from the assualt which happened during Reclaim the Night: Immediate call for action - Peaceful candle light Vigil in Trafalgar Square In Remembrance of women who have been murdered and effected by male violence . Wednesday 25th November…
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NUS survey on violence against women students
By Jess McCabe | 23 November 2009, 14:28
The NUS has launched a survey on students’ experiences of violence against women. The survey will be live until 4 January and all women students, including trans women, are invited to complete it on the NUS website: The NUS Women’s…
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More on RTN London
By Jess McCabe | 23 November 2009, 12:55
This weekend around 2,000 women marched through central London to Reclaim the Night and demand an end to violence against women. For me, it was a fantastic (if very damp) experience of being out on the streets with thousands…
Sexually assaulted during Reclaim the Night London
By Jess McCabe | 22 November 2009, 19:32
I’m planning to post something more about Reclaim the Night later. But I wanted to right away post about how a sad incident that happened. The blogger Noble Savage was sexually assaulted during the march: Last night, I marched through…
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Kate Moss: ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’
By Laura Woodhouse | 21 November 2009, 17:28
Kate Moss has been criticised this week for telling an interviewer that one of her mottoes is ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’. The Guardian reports today that the motto is popular on pro-anorexia websites. While I agree that…
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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 ed, 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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