Blog posts by Catherine Redfern: 2005
One in ten men now pay for sex
By Catherine Redfern | 1 December 2005, 12:51
The BBC reports that “twice as many men” now pay for sex than did ten years ago. “Surveys of 11,000 British adults in 1990 and 2000 found the rate increased from one in 20 to nearly one in 10 men.”…
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Carte Blanche to Rape
By Catherine Redfern | 21 November 2005, 23:33
Well, hopefully this (covered by Jess earlier) will be the final kick up the arse some people need to make them realise that they are feminists and that feminism is necessary. Seriously - is there any young woman alive in…
The waiting could be over
By Catherine Redfern | 3 November 2005, 21:40
Can it be done? Could it really be happening, finally? A feminist magazine for the UK? Let’s hope so! Subtext Magazine: “We want to offer an alternative to the women\x92s glossies on the market, a space that\x92s challenging, interesting, supporting…
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Countering Anti-Feminist Arguments
By Catherine Redfern | 30 October 2005, 12:56
I don’t normally post on this blog to simply direct you elsewhere, but this is an exception. Mind the Gap has a brilliant, really interesting post on countering anti-feminist arguments. Go - read! Now! Bravo to Winter Woods for some…
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Insult to Injury
By Catherine Redfern | 26 October 2005, 12:35
Not only has Gordon Ramsay shamelessly ripped off this website’s name for his new show, The F Word , but he has compounded the injury by apparently claiming that “women can’t cook” “Oh Gordon, get off your high horse and…
Reclaim the Night 2005 - spread the word
By Catherine Redfern | 19 September 2005, 22:38
“Calling all women and girls to march together in protest at the rising number of reported rapes in the UK compared to the falling conviction rate and the fact that women still cannot live their lives without the fear of…
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Objections to Cosmetic Surgery
By Catherine Redfern | 14 September 2005, 22:01
The Guardian had a depressing article today entitled: Most British women now expect to have cosmetic surgery in their lifetime. How did the ultimate feminist taboo become just another lifestyle choice?. Decca Aitkenhead looks at the media’s involvement in promoting…
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Setting up a feminist group
By Catherine Redfern | 14 September 2005, 21:37
Mind the Gap, a group blog and real-life group based in Cardiff, have a really interesting post on the trials and tribulations of setting up a feminist group, covering issues such as whether the group should be affiliated to a…
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Miscellenea
By Catherine Redfern | 5 September 2005, 21:31
Okay, there’s no point pretending any of the following is connected, it’s just a load of stuff I saw recently that I think’s interesting. So here goes! First off, the BBC has apologised after 200 complaints were received about a…
The Editors of Bliss Magazine are hypocrites
By Catherine Redfern | 14 August 2005, 23:45
Whilst doing some research on body image amongst girls and teenagers, I found this report on the BBC site from January which states that four in ten teenage girls have considered plastic surgery, only 8% were happy with their bodies…
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More 'Stupidity Myth' news
By Catherine Redfern | 8 August 2005, 22:59
Whilst I’m on the subject of prevailing theories about men, if you heard anything about the University of Sheffield study, which, as The Mirror puts it, proves that “men’s brains simply aren’t designed to listen to women’s voices”, you must…
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Damned if you do, damned if you don't
By Catherine Redfern | 8 August 2005, 22:18
Gendergeek has an excellent post on recent research on the prevalence of date rape drugs, which found that there were fewer doing the rounds than were originally thought. The research has sparked comments about women’s “responsiblity” when it comes to…
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Dove "Real Women" ads hit U.S.
By Catherine Redfern | 23 July 2005, 12:07
The Dove “Campaign for Real Beauty” adverts, which have been over here since April 2004 and again more recently have started to incite debate in the U.S. Msmusings has a good summary of the reaction. When the ads were first…
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It's not feminism
By Catherine Redfern | 19 July 2005, 22:54
Confusing article in the Guardian today entitled “Women getting rich faster than men”. It claims that “women are becoming increasingly more wealthy than men” and “it is estimated that by 2025, women will own 60% of the nation’s personal wealth”….
Islamic feminists key to anti-terrorism
By Catherine Redfern | 19 July 2005, 22:18
Further to Louise’s post below about the London bombings, on Friday last week Johann Hari took an interesting perspective on this in The Independent, in a comment piece called “The best way to undermine the jihadists is to trigger a…
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Woman refused contraception
By Catherine Redfern | 11 July 2005, 21:53
F Word reader Helen has alerted us to a shocking news item from early July. The BBC reports that in February, a Cardiff couple whose contraception failed went to buy emergency contraception from their local Asda store. The on-duty pharmacist…
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Now Who's Being Judgemental?
By Catherine Redfern | 14 June 2005, 20:37
Julie Bindel, the generally fabulous and well respected feminist founder of Justice for Women, has caused ructions with her recent Guardian piece “Why I hate Vegetarians”. In a bafflingly vitriolic article, she brands vegetarians (except, for some reason, those who…
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Actually, I prefer mine warm
By Catherine Redfern | 29 May 2005, 17:06
There are some new Fosters billboard ads out at the moment showing people trying to keep their lager (sorry guys, but it’s not beer) cold by holding their pint underneath something which casts a shadow. One shows a bride and…
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Metro Petty Criticism Corner
By Catherine Redfern | 22 May 2005, 15:53
(With apologies to Bitch Magazine’s “Jane Petty Criticism Corner”). Ooh, the Metro. Given away free every weekday to stressed out commuters, owned by the Daily Mail / Evening Standard - there’s always some subtle but annoying gender stereotype being perpetuated…
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Reach for the Mags, Lads
By Catherine Redfern | 11 May 2005, 22:45
Last week The Guardian reported that Tesco, one of the UK’s most powerful (and scary) supermarkets, plans to move some men’s magazines (Nuts, Zoo, Front, Loaded, Maxim, FHM) higher up the shelves, after having received complaints about the front covers…
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Need More Reasons?
By Catherine Redfern | 4 May 2005, 21:33
Need even more inspiration to vote? Check out the women who fought for your right to do so, and the ones still fighting today. Yeah, we know the system’s not perfect, but at least take some comfort from the fact…
Hot Child in the City
By Catherine Redfern | 3 May 2005, 21:17
Over the weekend The Observer ran a story about a trend for girls as young as 5 being taken by their mothers to salons and spas for facial treatments, manicures, pedicures and makeovers. All together now: BLECCH! Apparently, “eyebrow shaping…
Tick, Tock
By Catherine Redfern | 25 April 2005, 22:25
So, the best age for women to start a family is apparently 34. You have to take all these soundbite generalisations with a pinch of salt of course, but at least it’s more refreshing than those doom laden, backlash inspired,…
Selfridges Boob?
By Catherine Redfern | 23 April 2005, 11:57
The window displays at Selfridges, Oxford Street, London are “legendary” and “groundbreaking”; they also seem to have somewhat of an obsession with stripping and sex work. A few years ago, in collaboration with Stringfellows, the windows contained live pole dancers;…
Today's Gender Transgressors
By Catherine Redfern | 18 April 2005, 23:39
I just realised why I stopped reading the METRO; it’s guaranteed to make any commute more infuriating. For starters, Page 3 of today’s issue highlighted the apparently newsworthy fact that at the Bafta TV Awards, David Walliams from Little Britain…
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The Dove Effect
By Catherine Redfern | 16 April 2005, 15:43
Dove have recently brought out a new wave of adverts under the banner of its “Campaign for Real Beauty”. Feminists have been divided over the ads. Some expressed concerns over the term “real women”, the emphasis on selling “firming products”,…
Vive La Similarite!
By Catherine Redfern | 16 April 2005, 14:36
I always thought it was really cool when a close male friend would drop the phrase “male intuition” into conversation. “How’d you guess?” I’d say, and he’d shrug nonchalantly: “Male intuition”. It made me smile, and I appreciated the anti…
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