Blog posts by Jess McCabe: 2007
If only instant soup really could end the patriarchy…
By Jess McCabe | 31 December 2007, 14:37
Presscue links to a series of Romanian ads for instant soup which I can’t help both loving and hating at the same time: On the one hand, these images rather effectively illuminate the way that sexism operates in the media…
Read 'If only instant soup really could end the patriarchy...'
Men want 'lobotomised' women
By Jess McCabe | 29 December 2007, 14:02
A woman carries out a speed dating experiment. She goes to one such event as a human rights lawyer, interested in economics, politics and Proust. She strikes out: the men are terrified. She goes to a second night as a…
Read 'Men want 'lobotomised' women'
Riot grrrl film on YouTube
By Jess McCabe | 28 December 2007, 15:45
Coilhouse points out that the entire film All Over Me is available on YouTube. In 1997, director Alex Sichel was given a grant to make a film about the riot grrrl music scene. She created the film All Over Me,…
Read 'Riot grrrl film on YouTube'
Government encouraging boys to play with toy weapons
By Jess McCabe | 28 December 2007, 14:59
The government has produced guidance advising nursery schools to let boys play with weapons, because it aids their learning development, reports the Guardian. OK, so there’s a lot to untangle here, but I want to particularly concentrate on the gender…
Read 'Government encouraging boys to play with toy weapons'
New method could determine time when drinks spiked
By Jess McCabe | 28 December 2007, 12:38
A scientist has developed a method which could help police determine when rapists spike drinks, down to a two-hour time frame, reports the BBC. The method obviously relies on the victim managing to keep a sample of the drink that…
Read 'New method could determine time when drinks spiked'
Careers advisor slams up against sexism in the workplace, etc
By Jess McCabe | 28 December 2007, 00:00
I have a love/hate relationship with careers blogger Penelope Trunk, but today I just feel really bad for her. After her popular careers advice column was dropped by Yahoo!, Trunk posted this missive on how to deal with being fired….
Read 'Careers advisor slams up against sexism in the workplace, etc'
Benazir Bhutto assassinated in suicide bombing
By Jess McCabe | 27 December 2007, 16:12
Former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated, reports the BBC and everyone else. Ms Bhutto had just addressed an election rally in Rawalpindi when she was shot in the neck by a gunman who then set off…
Read 'Benazir Bhutto assassinated in suicide bombing'
Some Boxing Day reading…
By Jess McCabe | 26 December 2007, 12:09
Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas/day off yesterday. If you’re looking for something to read today, you could do much worse than the latest Carnival of Radical Feminists. As usual with this particular Carnival, there’s lots of thought-provoking stuff, which…
Read 'Some Boxing Day reading...'
Who to blame for sexist Xmas cards? Feminists, obviously!
By Jess McCabe | 23 December 2007, 23:17
Today’s Sun features a column about ridiculing of men in Christmas cards. OK, so I agree with the basic premise of William Coulson’s column. Cards for all sorts of occasional tend to be rife with sexism. A few days ago,…
Read 'Who to blame for sexist Xmas cards? Feminists, obviously!'
The rise of the 'bridesman' and 'groomsmaid'
By Jess McCabe | 21 December 2007, 17:05
It sometimes takes a story like this one in the New York Daily News, to get your head around just how mired down in conventional gender-role thinking the world really is. Ostensibly a piece about the growing popularity of the…
Read 'The rise of the 'bridesman' and 'groomsmaid''
Testosterone causes humour? Oh, please
By Jess McCabe | 21 December 2007, 11:23
A Norfolk professor has concluded that women are naturally less funny because of lower testosterone levels. What evidence does he have for this? Women were less likely to make stupid jokes when they saw him ride a unicycle through the…
Read 'Testosterone causes humour? Oh, please'
Spice Girls feminism
By Jess McCabe | 21 December 2007, 08:46
The concept of ‘Spice Girls feminism’ has been resuscitated recently - perhaps unsurprisingly, given the group’s own reunion. Check out this snippet from the Today programme, split into two sections put together by different journalists. The first section is quite…
Oh so 'funny' satire on what turns girls on
By Jess McCabe | 20 December 2007, 21:15
For a minute let’s set aside the rights and wrongs of porn, to consider this hilarious take on what turns girls on. Brought to us by the cretins who thought ‘the internet in book form’ was a good idea, this…
Read 'Oh so 'funny' satire on what turns girls on '
What does the 50th 'anniversary' of the Feminist Carnival mean?
By Jess McCabe | 19 December 2007, 22:45
The 50th Carnival of Feminists has been published at Jaded Hippy. As is so often the case, the Carnival is hosted by a blog which is completely new to me. It is also stuffed full of feminist posts, branching out…
Read 'What does the 50th 'anniversary' of the Feminist Carnival mean?'
'Feminine' road signs banned in Sweden - but are they a good idea anyway?
By Jess McCabe | 18 December 2007, 21:26
You know how the green man telling you it’s OK to cross the street seems to be… well… a man? If a human needs to appear in a road sign, it’s more than likely to be a stick figure which…
Read ''Feminine' road signs banned in Sweden - but are they a good idea anyway?'
Bunny v Hefner
By Jess McCabe | 18 December 2007, 20:19
You can now watch the ‘Bin the Bunny’ trilogy on YouTube!…
Saudi rape victim pardoned
By Jess McCabe | 18 December 2007, 16:21
The Saudi woman who was sentenced to 200 lashes for the crime of being gang raped has been pardoned by the king, reports AP. Which is brilliant news, of course. However, before we get too excited, the king’s decision has…
Read 'Saudi rape victim pardoned'
'Protecting and maintaining your heterosexual house of cards'
By Jess McCabe | 14 December 2007, 21:14
This episode of the video blog Goodie Bag does a great job of sending up the lengths that men go to, in order to demonstrate that they are not gay. (Thanks to Irina from GETV for the link!)…
Read ''Protecting and maintaining your heterosexual house of cards''
Men looking for a quick way to demonstrate your feminism? Choose a pink phone
By Jess McCabe | 13 December 2007, 23:44
Jeff of the blog Feminist Allies has a very specific suggestion for how men can do a bit of feminist work: embrace pink phones. Here at The F Word, we’ve moaned about the tendency of tech and gadget companies to…
Read 'Men looking for a quick way to demonstrate your feminism? Choose a pink phone'
'If you're pre-born you're fine, if you're pre-school you're fucked'
By Jess McCabe | 13 December 2007, 22:23
George Carlin, a US stand-up comic, skewers the anti-choice crowd: (Thanks Graham!)…
Read ''If you're pre-born you're fine, if you're pre-school you're fucked''
More Joss Whedon
By Jess McCabe | 10 December 2007, 16:10
Fans of Joss Whedon rejoice! According to AfterEllen.com, Whedon is working on a comic book follow up to his space Western series Firefly. The comic is scheduled to hit the shelves of comic shops in March 2008, and will be…
The failings of the feminist blogosphere
By Jess McCabe | 10 December 2007, 00:12
Everyone has failings, and one of the major problems to be seen in the feminist blogosphere has been manifestations of forms of prejudice, such as racism, classism, transphobia and (perhaps to a lesser extent) homophobia. In the first episode of…
Read 'The failings of the feminist blogosphere'
When will the "slut" meme die?
By Jess McCabe | 9 December 2007, 21:14
Girls are now more interested in appearing sexy than intelligent, argues a new book by Carol Platt Liebau. As reported in the Observer today, the book sets out very sensibly that “popular culture is undermining girls’ sense of worth in…
Read 'When will the "slut" meme die?'
Latest Feminist Carnival up now!
By Jess McCabe | 8 December 2007, 21:04
The 49th ever Carnival of Feminists is up at Days in a wannabe punk’s life. One of our posts is up there, but as usual there’s loads of interesting stuff to read….
Read 'Latest Feminist Carnival up now!'
New features! New reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 8 December 2007, 19:37
Anorexia may be a very specific medical condition, but, argues Katie Muller, self-hating image-obsession is something most women experience. On the political front, Jessica Metheringham takes apart the way that women are dismissed as depoliticised, floating voters. Crime reporting of…
Read 'New features! New reviews!'
The 'full-on gender indoctrination mind-control programme'
By Jess McCabe | 7 December 2007, 15:43
I generally love ‘overheard’ posts, and this one by PortlyDyke at Shakesville is no exception. Here is the exchange overheard at a Safeway’s supermarket between a mother and her 18 month-old: Mommy: “No, that’s the little girl bear. See her…
Read 'The 'full-on gender indoctrination mind-control programme''
Latest fashion in Japan? Fake injuries!
By Jess McCabe | 6 December 2007, 12:29
TOKYOMANGO reports that the latest trend among Cosplayers in Japan is to fake injuries, with fake bandages and fake eyepatches. Mainichi news has more analysis of why this trend is popular, ranging from undertones of bondage, to overtones of virginity…
Read 'Latest fashion in Japan? Fake injuries!'
F Word shop is Go!
By Jess McCabe | 6 December 2007, 10:32
The F Word has launched a shop with Amazon. You can find it here, stocked with lots of lovely feminist potential Christmas pressies. Me and Catherine have had an enormous amount of fun stocking the shelves of our perfect virtual,…
Advice on how men can prevent rape, and more…
By Jess McCabe | 6 December 2007, 00:41
We all know about the rape epidemic. But what can male readers of this blog, and the men in our lives, do about it? Heather Corinna has a brilliant article on just this subject, up at Scarlateen. Here’s a small…
Read 'Advice on how men can prevent rape, and more...'
Round-up!
By Jess McCabe | 4 December 2007, 17:08
Is the new Beowulf film sexist? Revena at the Hathor Legacy thinks not, and she has an interesting perspective on why: Don’t get me wrong – the bulk of the characters in the film are pretty damn sexist. There’s much…
Pilot 'cut domestic violence by two thirds'
By Jess McCabe | 3 December 2007, 08:58
A scheme which gives victims of domestic violence their own advocate in dealing with police, social services, housing authorities and other services, has cut the incidence of violence by two thirds, reports the Independent. As well as helping women to…
Read 'Pilot 'cut domestic violence by two thirds''
Right-wing press jumps on opportunity to condemn women who have casual/non-vanilla sex
By Jess McCabe | 2 December 2007, 22:48
The British student Meredith Kercher was sexually assaulted and murdered while studying in Italy. The story, which is quite sensational, has been avidly reported in the media. Now, I hesitate before posting about this - there can be no doubt…
Read 'Right-wing press jumps on opportunity to condemn women who have casual/non-vanilla sex'
Latest right-wing conspiracy theory: soya will make your kids gay!
By Jess McCabe | 1 December 2007, 20:00
Jim Rutz is so convinced that soya will “feminise” children, and, as he puts it, lead to a reduction in penis size and homosexuality, that he has written a five part column setting out his views. I will sum them…
Read 'Latest right-wing conspiracy theory: soya will make your kids gay!'
Iran bans word 'women' from TV
By Jess McCabe | 1 December 2007, 18:51
Are you a fundamentalist regime, with a poor record on women’s rights? Getting a bad rep in the international community? Perhaps you’re coming under pressure at home, with grass roots activists gathering signatures in an attempt to get discriminatory laws…
Read 'Iran bans word 'women' from TV'
Hacking off your daughter's clitoris is not 'cultural heritage'
By Jess McCabe | 30 November 2007, 15:51
I generally consider myself in sympathy with ideas about not imposing Western ideas onto the rest of the world. But this blog post on the New York Times is a clear example of the manipulation of the concept of cultural…
Read 'Hacking off your daughter's clitoris is not 'cultural heritage''
Finally! Jurors to hear expert evidence on rape
By Jess McCabe | 28 November 2007, 17:37
After going backwards and forwards on this issue, the government finally seems to have decided to use expert witnesses to dispell the rape myths that may influence jurors to let rapists go free, reports ePolitix.com. The Solicitor General, Vera Baird,…
Read 'Finally! Jurors to hear expert evidence on rape'
The sexual politics of the supermarket
By Jess McCabe | 28 November 2007, 16:39
This week’s Cat and Girl strip confronts how snacks get ‘male’ names, while baking products get ‘female’ names. However, the first box is the best bit:…
Read 'The sexual politics of the supermarket'
Wonder Woman gets first female writer
By Jess McCabe | 28 November 2007, 00:02
Sixty-six years into her reign, Wonder Woman is to get her first regular female writer in the person of Gail Simone, reports Wired. Wonder Woman has become a bit of an icon for feminists, and you can buy a seemingly…
Read 'Wonder Woman gets first female writer'
Perfect post-Christmas present for any teenage girls you know…
By Jess McCabe | 27 November 2007, 23:10
It’s not coming out in time for Christmas, but that’s no reason not to pre-order Body Drama for your younger sister/cousin/daughter. As reported on Broadsheet, the book by Nancy Redd is a handbook about “boobs, vaginas, and everything in between”….
Read 'Perfect post-Christmas present for any teenage girls you know...'
Sign petition to stop cervical cancer
By Jess McCabe | 27 November 2007, 21:04
From smear tests to the new vaccine against the Human Papillomavirus, there’s plenty of options for reducing the number of women who get cervical cancer - yet 25,000 die every year in Europe every year from the disease. The…
Read 'Sign petition to stop cervical cancer'
The pen holder that you can 'rape'
By Jess McCabe | 27 November 2007, 20:36
Sharpening your pencil not misogynist enough for you? Would a rape toy just make your office complete? Why not buy a Lusty Linda pen holder, or stick your lead in this. The second link takes you to a pencil sharpener…
Read 'The pen holder that you can 'rape''
Sick of films that pair ugly men with beautiful women? Don't watch Superbad
By Jess McCabe | 26 November 2007, 16:13
Superbad is a teen comedy - and therefore it will probably only make you laugh if you have a fairly high tolerance for pretty juvinile humour. Clearly I fall into that catagory, because there were quite a few moments…
Read 'Sick of films that pair ugly men with beautiful women? Don't watch Superbad'
Worst tattoo ever?
By Jess McCabe | 26 November 2007, 14:11
Generally speaking, I don’t like to criticise specific women for their specific choices. But Cheryl Cole has had “Mrs Cole” tattooed on the back of her neck. For those who don’t follow these things, Cole is in Girls Aloud, and…
Our report on Reclaim the Night 2007
By Jess McCabe | 25 November 2007, 17:30
No word yet on how many women took part, [Edit: It was about 1,500 according to the police], but last night’s Reclaim the Night was quite an experience. We were protesting against the epidemic levels of violence against women -…
Read 'Our report on Reclaim the Night 2007'
Reclaim the Night tomorrow!
By Jess McCabe | 23 November 2007, 16:38
Another reminder for London readers that tomorrow is Reclaim the Night! Meet at 6pm in Trafalgar Square. Many F Word regulars will be in attendence, including yours truely. So do come and say hi! Edit: Anyone wondering why it’s…
Read 'Reclaim the Night tomorrow!'
Why would women in Britain seek illegal abortions?
By Jess McCabe | 23 November 2007, 10:57
Abortion has been legal in the UK for 40 years. So why has the BBC discovered that illegal abortions are still taking place? BBC Radio 5 Live undertook an investigation, after a discussion in a chat room suggested that women…
Read 'Why would women in Britain seek illegal abortions?'
Literary 'bad sex award' longlist
By Jess McCabe | 22 November 2007, 18:10
Jeanette Winterson and Ian McEwan have made it onto this year’s long-list of the Bad Sex award - for most cringe-inducing erotic scene in fiction, reports the Guardian. Descriptions of sex in the novel do have a tendancy to veer…
Read 'Literary 'bad sex award' longlist'
Attacking maternity leave and lesbians - 'Femail' roundup
By Jess McCabe | 22 November 2007, 15:54
The Daily Mail’s ‘femail’ section is so offensive, there’s only enough hours in the day to do a round up. Maternity pay, shmay First of all, we have a story arguing that because a minority of women in Sweden are…
Read 'Attacking maternity leave and lesbians - 'Femail' roundup'
The Page 3 'role model'
By Jess McCabe | 22 November 2007, 15:23
This is a bit of an old link, but a seemingly timeless subject: Jordan: why is she considered a role model?. This time it was the Scotsman asking, and I am quoted in there giving my own view on the…
Read 'The Page 3 'role model''
Right wingers obsess over homosexuality
By Jess McCabe | 21 November 2007, 11:44
Remember Conservapedia? If not, you might guess from the name that it is a supposed-alternative to Wikipedia, with a conservative slant. Their page about feminism includes plenty of choice quotes from the likes of Pat Robertson. Crooked Timber took this…
Read 'Right wingers obsess over homosexuality'
GTA for girls?
By Jess McCabe | 21 November 2007, 08:36
When I write about games aimed at girls/women, I very rarely suffer any wish to play them. Yet there is something weirdly intriguing about Coolest Girl in the School, dubbed ‘Grand Theft Auto for girls’, even if it does raise…
Will it soon be tougher to get an abortion in Scotland than in England?
By Jess McCabe | 19 November 2007, 14:43
This column is by Jacq Kelly, our guest Scottish affairs correspondent. Jacq Kelly is 27, comes from Lochgelly in Fife, and currently lives in Edinburgh. She got involved in politics at the age of 16 and stood for election to…
Read 'Will it soon be tougher to get an abortion in Scotland than in England?'
Can beauty contests ever be feminist?
By Jess McCabe | 19 November 2007, 12:46
Although the traditional beauty contest is probably never going to be salvaged for feminism, there are any number of alternatives that fall into much more of a grey area - and Miss Landmine Angola 2008 is definitely one of them….
Read 'Can beauty contests ever be feminist?'
Snoop from The Wire puts out autobiography
By Jess McCabe | 19 November 2007, 11:06
I started watching The Wire because of Felicia “Snoop” Pearson (or more properly, this post about her on AfterEllen). She plays a character of the same name on the show, which is probably some of the best television to come…
Read 'Snoop from The Wire puts out autobiography'
The more married women get paid, the less housework they will do
By Jess McCabe | 17 November 2007, 23:49
The number of hours a married woman spends with the duster and mop goes down the more she earns, according to research by the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Indeed, every $7,500 a married women makes will shave off an hour…
Read 'The more married women get paid, the less housework they will do'
Frida Kahlo… the moisturiser?
By Jess McCabe | 16 November 2007, 17:07
Here’s an good story for a Friday afternoon: a cosmetics firm in the US has launched a range of skin care products inspired by the depressive but brilliant artist Frida Kahlo. They seem to actually have registered Frida Kahlo as…
Read 'Frida Kahlo... the moisturiser? '
Buffy actor disappoints even more…
By Jess McCabe | 16 November 2007, 15:54
So, yesterday we heard saw that Sarah Michelle Gellar posed for Maxim. Today, Feministing brings us yet more depressing news: she has changed her name to Sarah Michelle Prinze as an anniversay present to her husband. USmagazine.com has more: A…
Read 'Buffy actor disappoints even more...'
Welcome to our new blogger… Carrie Dunn
By Jess McCabe | 16 November 2007, 14:25
I am pleased to announce that Carrie Dunn is joining The F Word’s blogging team. Carrie was the writer behind a couple of our recent features - including The media has failed women’s football, about the coverage of the women’s…
Read 'Welcome to our new blogger... Carrie Dunn'
Buffy wouldn't have posed for Maxim
By Jess McCabe | 15 November 2007, 17:06
I have to admit, my reaction to seeing Sarah Michelle Gellar’s photoshoot for Maxim was almost exactly the same as dorothy snarker from AfterEllen: what would Buffy say? Yes, I know, I know - I am over identifying Gellar with…
Read 'Buffy wouldn't have posed for Maxim'
Ho ho ho story a rotten Christmas chestnut
By Jess McCabe | 15 November 2007, 15:58
Dollymix alerts us to a story that has taken Australia by storm: a supplier of Santas apparently instructed its recruits not to say “ho, ho, ho” because it would be offensive to women. Of course, it’s already 15th of November,…
Read 'Ho ho ho story a rotten Christmas chestnut'
Pippi creator's 100th birthday
By Jess McCabe | 15 November 2007, 12:46
The creator of Pippi Longstocking would have turned 100 yesterday, reports AFP. Astrid Lindgren’s most famous creation was, according to Wikipedia, “very unconventional, assertive, rich and extraordinarily strong, being able to lift her horse one-handed without difficulty”. The first four…
Read 'Pippi creator's 100th birthday '
If turning an orangutan into a sex slave is evil, what does it mean to do that to a human?
By Jess McCabe | 15 November 2007, 10:59
An organutan has been rescued from a “prostitute village” in Indonesia, according to Vice magazine. The magazine interviewed Michelle Desilets, director of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation - incidental to this particular story, this organisation does some really good work…
Read 'If turning an orangutan into a sex slave is evil, what does it mean to do that to a human?'
UK drops from 9 to 11 in world gender rankings
By Jess McCabe | 14 November 2007, 17:56
The UK has dropped two places in the World Economic Forum’s annual rankings on gender equality - although our overall ‘score’ has increased a little bit. Last year, the UK was in ninth place - this year we’re in 11th…
Read 'UK drops from 9 to 11 in world gender rankings'
Maplin - stereotypes galore for Xmas!
By Jess McCabe | 14 November 2007, 17:12
Electronics retailer Maplin is starting early with its sexist Christmas advertising - I spotted this window display in one of its stores in the City yesterday. It’s a bit blurry, unfortunately, but those are video games, toy cars, strobe…
Read 'Maplin - stereotypes galore for Xmas!'
zohra is staying on
By Jess McCabe | 13 November 2007, 12:05
This is just a brief service announcement, to let you know that our guest blogger zohra moosa has agreed to stay on as a regular blogger. zohra started blogging for us back in July, and has been responsible for any…
New comments!
By Jess McCabe | 13 November 2007, 11:48
All the comments sent in during the month of October are now up and ready for your perusal. And boy, did people have a lot to say this month: in particular about Ruth Moss’ feature on the Facebook ban on…
Swedes fight for right to swim topless (…in November?)
By Jess McCabe | 12 November 2007, 19:49
Groups of feminists have been swimming topless in pools across Sweden, in wildcat protests against both official policy and social expectation dictating that women must cover up, reports The Local. I know those Swedes are tough, but they must be…
Read 'Swedes fight for right to swim topless (...in November?) '
Tories set out stall on rape
By Jess McCabe | 12 November 2007, 17:53
Cartoon by Jacky Fleming Teach children about consent in schools. Poor money into rape crisis centres. Overhaul sentencing of rapists. David Cameron’s speech today reads like a feminist wish list. Speaking to the Conservative Women’s Organisation in London, Cameron…
Read 'Tories set out stall on rape'
Making the blog easier for you to use!
By Jess McCabe | 12 November 2007, 00:32
Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed some changes here at The F Word’s blog. You told us that it wasn’t easy enough to find the permanent links for blog posts, so we changed it. Each post now has its own page…
Read 'Making the blog easier for you to use!'
Tampax will protect you from sharks!
By Jess McCabe | 11 November 2007, 20:07
In the annuals of tampon adverts, this one for Tampax in France and found on AdsoftheWorld.com is, at least, a bit funny. Swimming in shark infested waters is, I suppose, one of those occasions where a super efficient tampon…
Read 'Tampax will protect you from sharks!'
Sweden's new female equality ombudsman paid less than male predecessor
By Jess McCabe | 10 November 2007, 11:20
Some stories are enough to make you despair of every seeing the pay gap closed shut in this country, and this is one of them. Sweden, one of the most egalitarian places in the world, cut the wages of its…
Read 'Sweden's new female equality ombudsman paid less than male predecessor'
Sexist jokes cause discrimination - study
By Jess McCabe | 10 November 2007, 00:04
Researchers have found that exposure to sexist humour makes men who already have sexist tendencies more likely to discriminate, reports Yahoo’s LiveScience.com. The research was carried out by psychologist Thomas Ford and some of his graduate students at Western Carolina…
Read 'Sexist jokes cause discrimination - study'
Mind the Gap is back - and posting about Trinny and Susannah
By Jess McCabe | 9 November 2007, 16:14
The brilliant blog Mind the Gap has relaunched, keeping their promise not to be gone for long. Indeed, it’s only a matter of weeks since we were saying a fond farewell to the Cardiff-based group’s old blog. Based on the…
Read 'Mind the Gap is back - and posting about Trinny and Susannah'
Carrie from Sleater Kinney has a blog
By Jess McCabe | 9 November 2007, 15:54
Here’s some good news for the legions of Sleater Kinney fans who have been pining since the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2006, Carrie Brownstein, guitarist and sometimes-singer for the late, great SK now has her own music blog…
Read 'Carrie from Sleater Kinney has a blog'
Will Clinton fail at the polls because Americans want their presidents to play football?
By Jess McCabe | 9 November 2007, 13:53
Stories about the US presidential elections are coming in to my RSS reader thick and fast, not least from all the US feminist bloggers. But The Guardian adds to the ongoing debate over whether Hilary Clinton could become the first…
Read 'Will Clinton fail at the polls because Americans want their presidents to play football?'
Answering the question 'can fashion be feminist?'
By Jess McCabe | 9 November 2007, 11:31
If only photographer jeroen020 had also taken some close up photos of the clothes on sale at this ‘performance feminism fashion’ clothes shop in a mall in Gwanju, Korea….
Read 'Answering the question 'can fashion be feminist?''
Two feminist carnivals for the price of one!
By Jess McCabe | 9 November 2007, 11:20
The 47th Carnival of Feminists is up at Ornamenting Away. Also, the latest carnival of radical feminists is ready to read over at Angry for a Reason. Both look really good, and Louise even gets a mention over at the…
Read 'Two feminist carnivals for the price of one!'
Entry for best poster competition?
By Jess McCabe | 8 November 2007, 23:56
(Via Feminist Law Professors, who got it from Social Design Notes. It comes with a colouring book on the inside and is called “CrimethInc Gender Subversion Kit #69-B”.)…
Read 'Entry for best poster competition?'
First batch of November features, reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 6 November 2007, 21:00
The first batch of features are out of the oven and ready to munch. Or, if you prefer to ignore my over-stretched metaphor, read. First up, Joanna Whitehead considers why it’s not so great for femme lesbians when advertisers exploit…
Read 'First batch of November features, reviews!'
A new Liberal Conspiracy
By Jess McCabe | 5 November 2007, 10:20
This is a brief announcement: I am going to be blogging on feminist issues for Liberal Conspiracy, a new ‘super blog’ of the left. You can read more about the project, set up by Sunny of Pickled Politics, over here…
Read 'A new Liberal Conspiracy'
Damned if you do, doomed if you don't
By Jess McCabe | 2 November 2007, 11:08
There is no perfect way for women to act in the workplace, if they wish to get ahead - that is the conclusion Lisa Belkin comes to in this New York Times article on the contradictory research on the issue….
Read 'Damned if you do, doomed if you don't'
Joss Whedon, Faith back with new TV series
By Jess McCabe | 1 November 2007, 17:33
Joss Whedon is to film a new TV show with Eliza Dushku (who played Faith on Buffy), according to The Hollywood Reporter. The self-proclaimed feminist who created both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly has nabbed a seven episode commitment…
Read 'Joss Whedon, Faith back with new TV series'
Calling all pro-feminist/feminist men in London
By Jess McCabe | 31 October 2007, 22:32
This Saturday will see the first meeting of a new group set up for pro-feminist/feminist men in the capital. The group’s founder, Jon, says: “The group has no set objectives as such yet but will hopefully be a supportive environment…
Read 'Calling all pro-feminist/feminist men in London'
Deporting rapists doesn't solve anything
By Jess McCabe | 31 October 2007, 13:54
A judge has halted the deportation of 20 year-old Mohammed Kendeh, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in 2003, and has admitted to 11 cases of assault, reports The Metro. Last year, the Home Office tried to deport…
Read 'Deporting rapists doesn't solve anything'
From moist to Shampoo
By Jess McCabe | 30 October 2007, 22:59
Personally, I just don’t feel any disgust over the word “moist”. But the news that the word rubs women up the wrong way is all over the blogosphere. Dollymix is running a poll, and Pandagon has a great post summing…
Da boch chi, Mind the Gap
By Jess McCabe | 30 October 2007, 22:22
Cardiff-based activist group Mind the Gap! has announced that it is shutting down its blog. Winter posted a message today: After 3 years and 575 posts, we have decided that this blog project has run its course. However, it’s not…
Read 'Da boch chi, Mind the Gap'
Should feminists drop our surnames?
By Jess McCabe | 29 October 2007, 13:58
Today’s Guardian carries a very interesting column by Margaret Sandra, who ditched her surname in 1979 as a feminist statement. Of course, the naming conundrum is not new to feminists - if we decide to get married, do we take…
Read 'Should feminists drop our surnames?'
All 12 year-old girls to get cervical cancer jab
By Jess McCabe | 28 October 2007, 22:57
From September 2008, all 12 year-old girls in the UK will be inoculated against cervical cancer, in a national vaccination programme set to save the lives of 400 women a year, reports The Guardian. The vaccination has caused controversy, particularly…
Read 'All 12 year-old girls to get cervical cancer jab'
Maxim names 'unsexiest' women
By Jess McCabe | 27 October 2007, 22:02
We’re used to men’s mags like Maxim coming out with offensive lists of the ‘hottest babes of 2007’, etc. But now that this sort of thing has just become background-level annoying, they decide to go a little bit further with…
Read 'Maxim names 'unsexiest' women '
Getting women to buy insurance…
By Jess McCabe | 27 October 2007, 11:36
I’m divided over this ad for life insurance (I think?), which popped up on AdsOfTheWorld.Com recently. It originally appeared on Belgian television, and the basic premise is a good one - that it’s probably not a very good idea to…
Read 'Getting women to buy insurance...'
'Bin the Bunny' t-shirts, DVDs, etc…
By Jess McCabe | 27 October 2007, 10:30
The bunny-based protest in London against Playboy, kicked off when the porn emporium opened a store on Oxford Street, is now selling t-shirts, badges and DVDs. Hop on over to their blog to place orders - I’m getting one of…
Read ''Bin the Bunny' t-shirts, DVDs, etc...'
46th Carnival of Feminists up at Cubically Challenged
By Jess McCabe | 27 October 2007, 10:00
The latest feminist carnival is up and ready to read, over at Cubically Challenged. How cool is it that there have been 46 of these Carnivals? As usual, there’s enough tasty reading material for a reader to chow down on…
Read '46th Carnival of Feminists up at Cubically Challenged'
The Taleban would love Bob Jones University
By Jess McCabe | 24 October 2007, 11:29
I don’t like to blog stories about Christian fundamentalists in the US. It’s a bit too much like shooting fish in a barrel. But Bob Jones University’s instructions on dress and behaviour for prospective students is so creepy and ridiculous,…
Read 'The Taleban would love Bob Jones University'
At a loose end in our fine capital tonight? How about a WANC
By Jess McCabe | 24 October 2007, 10:55
The Women’s Anarchist Nuisance Cafe meets tonight in London to discuss “polyrhythmic living and loving with live music and guest speakers discussing different ways of conducting relationships”. More appealing still, WANC is holding a clothes exchange fundraiser - you bring…
Read 'At a loose end in our fine capital tonight? How about a WANC'
Not exactly reclaim the night…
By Jess McCabe | 23 October 2007, 16:42
A Japanese fashion designer has designed a dress which folds out into a vending machine costume. Why, you ask? For women to hide from potential attackers, reports the New York Times. The wearer hides behind the sheet, printed with an…
Read 'Not exactly reclaim the night...'
You don't own me
By Jess McCabe | 22 October 2007, 19:27
You know that song “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to… cry if I want to, cry if I want to…”? Well, Hazel from the fabulous Buffy blog Let’s Fold Scarves has tracked down some footage of…
Teachers advised on enforcing the gender divide through reading assignments!
By Jess McCabe | 22 October 2007, 17:19
According to the blog Collected Voices, a leading website for UK teachers is peddling a reading list for 14-15 year olds which splits its recommended books into a section for girls and a section for boys. Unfortunately I can’t find…
Read 'Teachers advised on enforcing the gender divide through reading assignments!'
Utilikilt
By Jess McCabe | 22 October 2007, 15:47
One of my favourite bloggers, Twisty from I Blame the Patriarchy, has semi-emerged from a posting hiatus to not-quite-blog about the utilikilt. Utilikilts, it amuses me to report, are nothing but skirts. Big whoop, you say? Well, they have giant…
Astronaut watch
By Jess McCabe | 22 October 2007, 10:20
If the Discovery shuttle launch goes ahead tomorrow, it will be the first time two simultaneous missions have been under the command of female astronauts, reports The Guardian. Retired US Air Force Colonel Pamela Melroy (pictured left), will lead a…
The F Word Podcast - episode two!
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2007, 17:05
UPDATE: You can now subscribe to The F Word podcast and review it on iTunes. Click here to subscribe. Some months ago, we recorded episode one of our brand new podcast. It’s taken us longer than we thought to record…
Read 'The F Word Podcast - episode two!'
There are more feminists out there than you realise
By Jess McCabe | 20 October 2007, 16:37
When people think about or talk about feminists, there is a tendency to look for the big-names. Whether that be Gloria Steinem or Jessica Valenti of Feministing. Feminist celebrities, in other words. But the worst-told story of feminism is just…
Read 'There are more feminists out there than you realise'
We missed love your body day…!
By Jess McCabe | 19 October 2007, 10:49
Yesterday was apparently Love Your Body Day. It’s a shame we missed it, but it’s not too late to point you to this presentation by the US feminist group NOW, about the impact of advertising. The whole presentation is really…
Read 'We missed love your body day...!'
More male geniuses?
By Jess McCabe | 18 October 2007, 12:59
There are more male geniuses than female geniuses - and more extremely stupid men than stupid women, according to research reported in the Daily Mail. I say reported, but actually I mean: “leapt on with glee by the Daily Mail”….
How A Baby Is Made
By Jess McCabe | 17 October 2007, 17:05
I feel compelled to draw attention to the illustration used in Abby’s latest post. It is from How A Baby Is Made, a book which unfortunately no longer seems to be available in the UK. The book is aimed at…
Rushdie calls on Dutch government to protect Ayaan Hirsi Ali
By Jess McCabe | 17 October 2007, 16:43
Readers undoubtedly know all about Ayaan Hirsi Ali - the former Dutch MP and advocate for Muslim women’s rights who was forced to flee from the Netherlands to the US in fear for her life. Undoubtedly, as well, readers will…
Read 'Rushdie calls on Dutch government to protect Ayaan Hirsi Ali'
Protecting women from discrimination by… banning them from 'unsuitable' jobs!
By Jess McCabe | 16 October 2007, 10:55
The Chinese government has passed legislation that sets out which jobs are “unsuitable” for women to perform, reports China Daily. It quotes a “senior labour official” as saying, with a notable lack of irony, that this will be an advancement…
Read 'Protecting women from discrimination by... banning them from 'unsuitable' jobs!'
Why wind turbines are feminist
By Jess McCabe | 15 October 2007, 15:13
Today is Blog Action Day, which sees tens of thousands of bloggers take a breather from writing purely about, say, vegan recipes, their day-to-day existences, or, um, feminism, to show how environmental issues are relevant to their readerships. Actually, I…
Read 'Why wind turbines are feminist'
Can 'female' hormones make you wear women's clothes?
By Jess McCabe | 12 October 2007, 22:42
A trader at the hedge fund SAC Capital is suing another trader for sexual harassment, reports CNBC. This is a really weird case: the trader alleges that his boss(?) required him to take “female hormones” (we must presume this means…
Read 'Can 'female' hormones make you wear women's clothes?'
Eggs=periods
By Jess McCabe | 11 October 2007, 15:59
PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - is such an easy target that we tend to ignore it. But I do get their newsletters in my inbox, and occasionally make the mistake of opening one. This caught…
Doris Lessing scores Nobel prize
By Jess McCabe | 11 October 2007, 13:12
Doris Lessing has become the 11th woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, reports The Guardian. Announcing the award, the Swedish academy described Lessing as an “epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has…
Read 'Doris Lessing scores Nobel prize'
Italian football club sponsored by 'brothel'
By Jess McCabe | 10 October 2007, 17:16
The Italian football team Trento Calcio 1921 has accepted sponsorship from a local brothel, reports Sky and Spiegel International. The team, based in Trento, in northern Italy, has swapped its reputation for a mere €10,000. Sky says: One offer is…
Read 'Italian football club sponsored by 'brothel''
Missing the point of a feminist critique of waxing by at least a kilometre (and inventing a 'feminist' critique of tattoos and threesomes that never was)
By Jess McCabe | 10 October 2007, 14:48
Today Regina Lynn posts about the non-event that was her decision to quit shaving her legs for a year, and then start again. But she also links to this ridiculous post which purports to puncture the bubble of the “rising…
Jonathon Coe on the forgotten classics of women's literature
By Jess McCabe | 9 October 2007, 16:34
Virago Press was set up in 1973 to publish work by female writers. Last Saturday in The Guardian, novelist Jonathan Coe drew a rich history of his own love affair with their line of modern classics, which brought back into…
Read 'Jonathon Coe on the forgotten classics of women's literature'
Warner Bros 'will not finance films with female leads'
By Jess McCabe | 9 October 2007, 00:17
The film studio Warner Bros has made an unofficial decision not to finance any more films with female leads, according to Cinema Retro. The story comes from Nikke Finke’s blog for LA Weekly, Hollywood Deadline Daily, where she alleges that…
Read 'Warner Bros 'will not finance films with female leads''
Take action on the pay gap
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2007, 16:53
We all know by now that the gender pay gap is alive and well. It seems like one of those problems it is hard to do anything about, but the Fawcett Society has put together some actions you can…
Read 'Take action on the pay gap'
US feds fail to defend Alabama's sex toys
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2007, 16:31
The people of Alabama are no doubt a bit miffed to say the least, as the US Supreme Court has declined to hear a case against the ban on sex toys in their state. As The Decatur Daily reports, the…
Read 'US feds fail to defend Alabama's sex toys'
Black European Women's Congress: five tasks for the EU
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2007, 15:32
Much as we love to do the EU down in this country, it can be quite useful. Especially on issues such as race and gender. Last week saw the first ever Black European Women’s Congress take place in Vienna. This…
Read 'Black European Women's Congress: five tasks for the EU'
Airline refuses to deport refugees
By Jess McCabe | 8 October 2007, 10:35
Although this isn’t specifically a gender issue, I can’t help but draw attention to this piece of good news reported in The Independent. An airline called XL Airways is refusing to take part in the forced removal of failed asylum…
Read 'Airline refuses to deport refugees'
'Daily feminist activities for boys' (and men)
By Jess McCabe | 6 October 2007, 20:15
Are you a man or a boy who would like some instructions on how to make a difference? You could do no better than to check out Laurie Penny’s ‘daily feminist activities for boys’, over at her new blog at…
Read ''Daily feminist activities for boys' (and men)'
New Features! New Reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 6 October 2007, 00:08
Are you based in Edinburgh? If so, get ready to Reclaim the Night on 11 October. Rebecca Heller, who has helped organise the march, explains some of her own conflicts about the concept, and why she thinks it is still…
Read 'New Features! New Reviews!'
The Color Purple, the musical?
By Jess McCabe | 5 October 2007, 14:49
Via AfterEllen, we learn that Chaka Khan, someone I’ve never heard of, is to appear in a broadway version of the Color Purple by Alice Walker. And by broadway, they mean musical. To which the only answer is, who came…
Read 'The Color Purple, the musical?'
Should Scotland set its own abortion law?
By Jess McCabe | 5 October 2007, 12:15
The Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, is calling for the power to legislate on abortion to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, with the intention of cutting the time-limit on terminations. As a first stage, reports the Scotsman, the Scottish…
Read 'Should Scotland set its own abortion law?'
No before and afters, please…
By Jess McCabe | 5 October 2007, 11:47
The blog Elastic Waist is collecting photos which show the “history of our bodies” (via Back in Skinny Jeans). You can see the photos on Flickr. This has the potential to be a really affirming project: We are not interested…
Read 'No before and afters, please...'
Afghanistan's Next Top Model?
By Jess McCabe | 3 October 2007, 13:59
A local Afghan TV station is broadcasting a low-budget version of ‘America’s Next Top Model’, challenging the traditional attitudes that still hold such sway nearly six years after the Taliban was ousted from power. Yahoo! News reports: Four girls in…
Read 'Afghanistan's Next Top Model?'
'Panic' over missing women hits English countryside
By Jess McCabe | 2 October 2007, 16:06
Men living in English villages are in a “panic”, because of the high number of women who are leaving the countryside to live, work and play in big towns and cities, reports The Guardian. A new campaign is aiming to…
Read ''Panic' over missing women hits English countryside'
Latest Carnival of Radical Feminists out now
By Jess McCabe | 1 October 2007, 16:59
Head on over to Laurelin in the Rain to check out the sixth radical feminists’ carnival. As usual, the carnival opens with Laurelin’s description of what radical feminism means to her, before moving swiftly on to the link-fest. One of…
Read 'Latest Carnival of Radical Feminists out now'
Unique women-only space under threat
By Jess McCabe | 28 September 2007, 21:03
Guest post and photo by Laura Kidd The future of the Lambeth Women’s Project is under threat from Lambeth Council, who are currently challenging the use of the building on Stockwell Road. LWP has been offering specialist services to women…
Read 'Unique women-only space under threat'
Hungarian prostitutes to be given entrepreneur permits
By Jess McCabe | 28 September 2007, 16:48
Hungarian prostitutes will be allowed to apply for “entrepreneurial” work permits, reports WayOdd and M&C. Prostitution was already legal in Hungary, making it a target for sex-slave traffickers. I am not one of these people who supports the legalisation of…
Read 'Hungarian prostitutes to be given entrepreneur permits'
Polish women's candidates strip off
By Jess McCabe | 27 September 2007, 23:30
A new political party has emerged in Poland, to champion the rights of women, reports the Telegraph. The Women’s Party puts issues like equal pay, public funding for contraception and access to abortion at the centre of its platform. But…
Read 'Polish women's candidates strip off'
Four more days to fill in advertising survey
By Jess McCabe | 27 September 2007, 13:55
Have you filled in our survey on whether The F Word blog should open up to advertising? The survey will close at midnight on 30 September, and we will collect the responses, muse over what you have said and make…
Read 'Four more days to fill in advertising survey'
Is anorexia a feminist issue?
By Jess McCabe | 27 September 2007, 12:05
Is anorexia caused, or exacerbated, or linked in any way to images of rail-thin catwalk models, actresses and other women who are held up to us as examples of what it means to be an attractive woman? We’ve considered this…
Read 'Is anorexia a feminist issue?'
Feminists fightback (again)
By Jess McCabe | 26 September 2007, 21:47
Feminist Fightback is organising a free conference on Saturday 20 October, to take place at the University of East London. With the tagline “we’re still here, we’re still angry, we’re still fighting”, the conference is now in its second year….
Read 'Feminists fightback (again)'
High heels - then and now
By Jess McCabe | 26 September 2007, 16:34
Modern Mechanix has dug out a brilliant clipping from a 1957 story printed in an unknown publication, on the ‘benefits’ of high-heel wearing. (Via Jezebel) Back then, Dr Reginald Payne noted that high heels can cause bow legs and knock…
Read 'High heels - then and now'
More women than men own consoles
By Jess McCabe | 26 September 2007, 14:50
More women than men own games consoles such as the PlayStation, Wii and Xbox, according to a survey reported in MediaPost. The website was so surprised at this finding, it couched it in these terms: ARE MALE VIDEO GAME ENTHUSIASTS…
Read 'More women than men own consoles'
Marriages end after seven years?
By Jess McCabe | 26 September 2007, 12:20
A Bavarian politician has proposed that marriage should last seven years, after which couples should make an active choice to renew their vows or dissolve their relationship, reports Reuters. Gabriele Pauli is standing for leadership of the Christian Social Union,…
Read 'Marriages end after seven years?'
Gender discrimination claims 'overload' employment tribunal
By Jess McCabe | 25 September 2007, 17:04
The employment tribunal system is buckling under the pressure of thousands of women who are bringing claims of gender discrimination against their employers, reports The Independent. According to the newspaper, the number of cases heard by the tribunal doubled between…
Read 'Gender discrimination claims 'overload' employment tribunal'
Annoying word of the day: "tramp stamp"
By Jess McCabe | 23 September 2007, 21:46
Jessica Valenti of Feministing posts about a new term in the misogynist lexicon: tramp stamp. This is apparently a term for lower-back tattoos. I have a “tramp stamp”, although it’s not my favourite tattoo and will soon be transformed into…
Read 'Annoying word of the day: "tramp stamp"'
Is porn getting worse?
By Jess McCabe | 23 September 2007, 16:09
The question of the day seems to be: is porn getting more violent and more misogynist? First up, Shalom Auslander describes how the porn popular today differs from the stuff that got him hot as a teenager. What happened? He…
More feminist plays please
By Jess McCabe | 23 September 2007, 15:29
Should theatres put on seasons of work grouped together on the basis that all the plays were written by women? This is the question addressed by the Guardian’s theatre blog. It’s a variation on an old quandary (do bookshelves dedicated…
Read 'More feminist plays please'
How's the petition on women's right to drive going, then?
By Jess McCabe | 21 September 2007, 16:02
As we blogged last week, a new group has formed to pressure the Saudi government to end the ban on women driving. Now MEMRI carries an extended interview with the leader of this movement, feminist Wajeha Al-Huweidar, about plans for…
Read 'How's the petition on women's right to drive going, then?'
Another feminist carnival out now
By Jess McCabe | 19 September 2007, 16:23
The 45th Carnival of Feminists is out now, over at Feminist Philosophers. As well as linking one of Samara’s posts, there’s plenty of great reading material, as per usual. I particularly liked this post from redjenny about a co-operative bank…
Read 'Another feminist carnival out now'
Poland vetoes anti-death penalty day; calls for anti-abortion day instead!
By Jess McCabe | 19 September 2007, 15:27
Warsaw has blocked plans for a Europe-wide anti-death penalty day, and instead called for an event to protest abortion and euthanasia, the BBC reports. Anti-death penalty day was meant to occur on 10 October. A conference organised by the EU…
Read 'Poland vetoes anti-death penalty day; calls for anti-abortion day instead!'
Win pushes women's football into the mainstream?
By Jess McCabe | 18 September 2007, 18:17
Could it be that women’s football is becoming a bit mainstream? Maybe this has been going on for ages, but yesterday was the first time I’ve seen a game make it to the evening news. And the commentator was naming…
Read 'Win pushes women's football into the mainstream?'
Tories would implement pay audits?
By Jess McCabe | 17 September 2007, 16:53
Tory leader David Cameron has promised to introduce pay audits to reveal wage-based discrimination against women, reports The Guardian. At first glance, this is great news. After all, I’ve been banging on about these audits for ages. The basic idea…
Read 'Tories would implement pay audits?'
Legislation only way for women to win the boardroom?
By Jess McCabe | 17 September 2007, 12:10
As zohra blogged last week, the pay gap between men and women is expanding, while only two of the top 100 biggest companies listed in the UK have female bosses. Well, Ethical Investment Research Services has put out a report,…
Read 'Legislation only way for women to win the boardroom?'
Saudi women push for end to driving ban
By Jess McCabe | 14 September 2007, 12:17
Saudi feminists have set up a new group to pressure the Kingdom into removing the ban on driving for women. The new, and wonderfully-named League of Demanders of Women’s Right to Drive Cars released a petition (which can be read…
Read 'Saudi women push for end to driving ban'
Why the games industry gets women wrong?
By Jess McCabe | 14 September 2007, 11:50
David Gardner from Electronic Arts, the company that brought the world The Sims, among other games, has given a speech pointing out that the industry is failing to get girls and women to play along, reports the BBC. Girl in…
Read 'Why the games industry gets women wrong?'
Bolivian women take back cholita
By Jess McCabe | 12 September 2007, 19:17
Can clothes be feminist? Bolivian women are giving it a good go, adopting a ‘cholita’ look worn by Aymara Indian women, reports Kansascity.com. The seemingly anachronistic style, cribbed from the closets of La Paz’s Spanish colonizers, is the daily dress…
Read 'Bolivian women take back cholita'
Bin the Bunny
By Jess McCabe | 12 September 2007, 15:00
Londoners can’t have failed to notice that Playboy is opening a shop on Oxford Street. According to Design Week, the porn emporium will spread over three floors and sell “men’s and womenswear, jewellery and accessories”. Vile, right? Well, the good…
Dodgy abortion survey?
By Jess McCabe | 12 September 2007, 12:23
A couple of days ago, the Daily Mail ran a story claiming that “seven out of 10 women want the 24-week upper limit for abortion to be halved”. What’s not clear until you get to paragraph eight, is that the…
Gender vs race
By Jess McCabe | 12 September 2007, 09:07
zohra has a really interesting article up at Catalyst about the pressures on ethnic minority women to align over race, rather than sex, and some of the implications of that. At an individual level, the decision is pragmatic – based…
Pregnant women to get £120 each; lose jobs
By Jess McCabe | 9 September 2007, 19:35
All pregnant women are to receive £120 to spend on fruit and vegetables, reports The Observer. Yet for the 30,000 women who lose their jobs every year when they become pregnant, as the paper also reports, this will surely be…
Read 'Pregnant women to get £120 each; lose jobs'
New Features! New Reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 5 September 2007, 16:44
As promised, the second set of features and reviews for September is now up and ready for you to read! First up, Catherine Redfern reviews Impeach My Bush by Peaches. All I can say is this: I downloaded the album…
Read 'New Features! New Reviews!'
Knocked Up is sexist tripe - Queenan
By Jess McCabe | 4 September 2007, 23:43
I’ve been a Joe Queenan fan since reading If you’re talking to me, your career must be in trouble. But I love him a bit more after reading his column on the misogyny of the film Knocked Up and other…
Read 'Knocked Up is sexist tripe - Queenan'
Australian Zoo in most offensive competition ever
By Jess McCabe | 4 September 2007, 21:58
If you have heard of Australian men’s magazine Zoo Weekly, it’s probably because they once offered a boob job as a competition prize. Obviously that wasn’t offensive enough, because they have now launched a competition to find “Australia’s sexiest feminist”,…
Read 'Australian Zoo in most offensive competition ever'
We want your opinion on advertising
By Jess McCabe | 2 September 2007, 16:13
The F Word has always been an ad-free space. But, with the development of BlogHerAds, and other possibilities for feminist-friendly ads, we are considering placing a limited number of ads on the blog, and other potential ways to raise revenue….
Read 'We want your opinion on advertising'
Exposing dodgy research
By Jess McCabe | 1 September 2007, 22:35
You may have read reports about some research purporting to prove that Jessica Alba “has the perfect wiggle”. It was covered in the Telegraph, for example. “A team of Cambridge mathematicians” apparently “found that it is the ratio between hips…
Read 'Exposing dodgy research'
Edit the Guardian's women's pages for a week
By Jess McCabe | 1 September 2007, 19:56
The Guardian is running a competition to edit the Women section of G2 for a week. The competition celebrates the women’s pages 50ths anniversary, and opened back in July (thanks Dollymix), but there are only a few short weeks to…
Read 'Edit the Guardian's women's pages for a week'
New Features! New Reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 31 August 2007, 16:37
This month’s update isn’t finished yet, but there’s already plenty of interesting stuff to read. First up, Irina Lester reviews One Hundred Strokes of the Brush Before Bed, by Melissa Panarello. It’s definitely an interesting contrast to last month’s interview…
Read 'New Features! New Reviews!'
Angela Merkel named most powerful woman in the world; Margaret Beckett falls off list
By Jess McCabe | 31 August 2007, 12:24
Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, is the most powerful woman in the world, according to Forbes magazine. Wu Yi, vice premier of China, came in second, while, interestingly US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dropped from second place to fourth…
Read 'Angela Merkel named most powerful woman in the world; Margaret Beckett falls off list'
Discrimination hits corporations in their wallets; surgically replace your eyelashes!
By Jess McCabe | 30 August 2007, 14:29
US firms lose out on $64 billion, or about £32 million, a year from professionals who quit their job when they are discriminated against on the grounds of gender, race and sexuality, reports the Financial Times. The research by the…
Read 'Discrimination hits corporations in their wallets; surgically replace your eyelashes!'
Playboy launches social networking site; has a confused boss
By Jess McCabe | 29 August 2007, 19:08
Playboy has already expanded its empire from porn to pencil cases, so it should be no surprise that it is responding to the Web 2.0 craze with a social networking site for students. The Chronicle of Higher Education suggests some…
Read 'Playboy launches social networking site; has a confused boss'
Married men do less housework than co-habitees
By Jess McCabe | 29 August 2007, 17:53
Married men report doing less housework than live-in boyfriends, regardless of whether or not the couple holds egalitarian values, according to research by George Mason University in the US. The research looked at married and co-habiting heterosexual couples from 28…
Read 'Married men do less housework than co-habitees'
Cardinal quits human rights champion because it does not support forced pregnancy for rape victims!
By Jess McCabe | 29 August 2007, 10:11
We’ve not mentioned it on the blog, I don’t think, but I’m sure readers will be aware that Amnesty International recently changed its policy, to support the right to abortion for cases where a woman has been raped, sexually assaulted,…
Is it better to pee like a man?
By Jess McCabe | 28 August 2007, 12:10
AdsoftheWorld.com highlights another interesting ad campaign, this time for a biodegradable thingymagig that allows women to pee standing up. Here’s a description of how the campaign worked in practice, seemingly in Canada: To drive trial where the product was most…
Read 'Is it better to pee like a man?'
Lingerie firm shuns photoshop in favour of real women
By Jess McCabe | 28 August 2007, 11:38
OK, it’s hideously expensive, but kudos to Lille Boutique for using non-photoshopped models to advertise their lingerie. The Portland, Oregan boutique sells ‘bralettes’ for $225 each. On sale. But at least if you do pay this much, you have a…
Read 'Lingerie firm shuns photoshop in favour of real women'
Love your hair as it is - buy our stuff!
By Jess McCabe | 27 August 2007, 10:07
Remember the video Dove put out last year, showing the transformation of a real-life model, with blemishes, etc, into the kind of perfect image you see in advertising? Well, they’ve done it again, this time with hair. The video (below)…
Read 'Love your hair as it is - buy our stuff!'
A social network for professional women?
By Jess McCabe | 26 August 2007, 22:56
Most websites designed “for women” tend to be dire, falling into the trap of assuming that it’s possible to meaningfully target something at half the population, and assuming the way to do that is through shoes, shopping and pink things….
Read 'A social network for professional women?'
Trafficked women auctioned in pubs
By Jess McCabe | 26 August 2007, 16:40
Trafficked women are being auctioned in Cambridgeshire pubs, before being locked away in brothels, reports the Observer. The discovery was made after police carried out a series of raids on 73 brothels in Cambridgeshire, which resulted in the rescue of…
Read 'Trafficked women auctioned in pubs'
Inside the host clubs of Osaka
By Jess McCabe | 26 August 2007, 10:14
The Great Happiness Space is a documentary by Jake Clennell about the hosts of Osaka, who entertain women for money. Not sleep with them for money - although they occasionally do have sex. They are charming, make their customers…
Read 'Inside the host clubs of Osaka'
PS2 - for panty-sniffers?
By Jess McCabe | 26 August 2007, 10:00
As regular readers know, you can always count on Sony to come up with a truly offensive advert for the PlayStation. Well, AdsoftheWorld.com has dug out some more examples in this genre, this time advertising the PS2 with… men sniffing…
Read 'PS2 - for panty-sniffers?'
Men let off with puny fines after viciously beating wives
By Jess McCabe | 24 August 2007, 19:04
A man branded his wife with an iron for not pressing his shirt. He slashed her feet with a knife while she slept, because she had not made his sandwiches. When she “complained”, as the Daily Mail puts it, he…
Read 'Men let off with puny fines after viciously beating wives'
Sweden only country to call out Sloggi's 'cynical and sexist' campaign
By Jess McCabe | 24 August 2007, 17:54
Underwear maker Sloggi has outraged many Swedes, with a competition which revolves around finding “the world’s most beautiful bum”, reports The Local. As far as I know, the same campaign has received exactly zero attention in the UK. Users on…
Read 'Sweden only country to call out Sloggi's 'cynical and sexist' campaign'
Six weeks without a toothbrush, shower or makeup
By Jess McCabe | 24 August 2007, 12:37
A woman went six weeks without makeup, washing or brushing her teeth, and recording the whole thing for the BBC, reports the Daily Mail. As usual with these types of ‘social experiments’, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. On…
Read 'Six weeks without a toothbrush, shower or makeup'
Quinceañera dolls 'a bit racist' and more
By Jess McCabe | 24 August 2007, 11:04
Dolls don’t have a good rep with feminists anyway. But Mi blog es tu blog has found a particularly hideous example. Laura points out that the porcelain doll is a touch racist, noting that the press release describes the doll…
Read 'Quinceañera dolls 'a bit racist' and more'
Workplace discrimination against ethnic minority women and what's being done about it
By Jess McCabe | 23 August 2007, 17:17
Women are subject to discrimination in the workplace, but for women from ethnic minorities the problem is often worse, as racism and religious and cultural ignorance come into play as well. Pickled Politics points to this feature in Personnel Today…
Read 'Workplace discrimination against ethnic minority women and what's being done about it'
Prostitutes told to reform or face jail
By Jess McCabe | 22 August 2007, 14:10
The government plans to put prostitutes behind bars if they are caught soliciting sex, reports The Guardian. Under the proposed legislation, the courts will be able to force women to attend three sessions with an “expert”, to talk about exiting…
Read 'Prostitutes told to reform or face jail'
Racism puts mothers at risk in Sweden
By Jess McCabe | 21 August 2007, 16:57
Sweden has a reputation as one of the best countries in the world to give birth. But, according to a new study, the outlook is not so good for mothers born outside the Scandinavian country. The Local reports that women…
Read 'Racism puts mothers at risk in Sweden'
Hair-raising interview
By Jess McCabe | 20 August 2007, 23:30
Pam Spaulding from Pam’s House Blend and Pandagon did a really interesting video interview for a project called Hair Stories. You can read more about it on her blog (sorry, I can’t get the embedded video to work): I am…
Silly survey links love of pink with cavewoman love of berries
By Jess McCabe | 20 August 2007, 22:36
The female love of pink has deep, deep roots, according to research by the University of Newcastle. The Times reports on a study which purports to trace girls’ and women’s preference for fluffy pinks to “humans’ hunter-gatherer days, when women…
Read 'Silly survey links love of pink with cavewoman love of berries'
Kenyans fail to secure 50 seats for women
By Jess McCabe | 20 August 2007, 18:49
Kenyan campaigners have failed in a bid to secure 50 seats in parliament for female politicians, reports the Feminist Majority Foundation. Out of 222 seats, women fill only 18. According to media reports, a bill to increase the representation of…
Read 'Kenyans fail to secure 50 seats for women'
The fashion mag lifestyle: really, really expensive!
By Jess McCabe | 20 August 2007, 18:02
There are plenty of reasons to diss fashion mags (I can’t quite bring myself to call them women’s magazines). But one of the easiest is the consumer fantasy they embody, a fantasy which is way out of pretty much everyone’s…
Read 'The fashion mag lifestyle: really, really expensive!'
Hockey film has audiences lapping up feminist message
By Jess McCabe | 20 August 2007, 17:27
A new Bollywood flick meshes together the best of The Mighty Ducks with an exposition on gender stereotyping. Chak De India follows the story of a once-successful (field) hockey star, who makes a come back as a coach for…
Read 'Hockey film has audiences lapping up feminist message'
PIs zone in on arranged marriages
By Jess McCabe | 20 August 2007, 12:47
Families in India are increasingly hiring private detectives to investigate potential son-in-laws, reports Women’s eNews. The trend has been fed by the use of internet dating sites to find matches for arranged marriages: “Since people who meet online know little…
Read 'PIs zone in on arranged marriages'
I'm a roller girl, in my roller world…
By Jess McCabe | 19 August 2007, 19:48
The London Rollergirls have already been getting some great press. Hell, they were even on Richard & Judy (that video is actually worth watching, if, like me, you have no idea what a roller derby is). Now they’re putting on…
Read 'I'm a roller girl, in my roller world...'
A police officer tells it like it is…
By Jess McCabe | 18 August 2007, 10:53
A female police officer has a blog. In that blog, she reveals some very interesting things about the way rape cases are treated by the police and criminal justice system. For example, in this post, PC Bloggs compares the notes…
Read 'A police officer tells it like it is...'
The life of a Hong Kong maid?
By Jess McCabe | 17 August 2007, 15:32
The BBC investigates the mistreatment of Filipino women when they go to Hong Kong to work as maids, as part of a series called Maids: The Untold Story You can download part one of the series here. In particular, the…
Read 'The life of a Hong Kong maid?'
Introducing our new blogger: Samara Ginsberg
By Jess McCabe | 16 August 2007, 23:52
We have a new addition here at The F Word family: Samara Ginsberg is joining us as a regular blogger. You might remember her name from her contributions to the main F Word site, such as ‘Honey! Your vagina needs…
Read 'Introducing our new blogger: Samara Ginsberg'
Matt Damon calls James Bond out as a misogynist
By Jess McCabe | 16 August 2007, 20:05
At the premier of the latest Bourne flick, actor Matt Damon called James Bond an “imperialist and misogynist”, reports the Daily Mail. “The Bond thing, I understand the comparison because they are both agents and it’s the world of espionage…
Read 'Matt Damon calls James Bond out as a misogynist'
Latest carnival of feminists out now
By Jess McCabe | 16 August 2007, 19:47
Click your way over to Femtique for the 43rd Carnival of Feminists. Interesting tidbits from this edition include this profile of a Thai artist who has set up an art gallery-come-laundrette-come-cafe in Bangkok, called Rinse and Relax. She has quite…
Read 'Latest carnival of feminists out now'
The bra you can never take off
By Jess McCabe | 15 August 2007, 08:54
Israeli researchers are developing a silicon bra - which is surgically implanted under your skin, to permanently prevent sagging! Yes, it’s really horrifying. Israel21c reports: Dr. Eyal Gur, head of microsurgery at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital: “I call it an…
Read 'The bra you can never take off'
Ladyfest lands in Bristol
By Jess McCabe | 13 August 2007, 16:47
Bristol is to host yet another Ladyfest I can’t go to. There’s only a few short weeks to go before the ‘fest kicks off, with gigs galore and arty fun lasting from 27 August to 2 September. To give you…
Read 'Ladyfest lands in Bristol'
Tattoo ladies on the TV
By Jess McCabe | 13 August 2007, 07:07
If tattooed ladies are still a bit taboo, how about ladies that tattoo? I have to admit, in all of the times I’ve been to tattoo parlours, I’ve rarely seen a female tattooist at work. So, I was pretty intrigued…
Read 'Tattoo ladies on the TV'
July comments out now!
By Jess McCabe | 11 August 2007, 23:20
Go check out the comments sent to us during the month of July, up now! People really tuned into Emma Hadfield’s feature on the stigma associated with the decision to stay single. We also got lots of comments about our…
New Reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 11 August 2007, 18:24
Men! Men! is more intelligent than other dating books, but still assumes that women are incomplete as single individuals. Diane Shipley reports The Great Big Glorious (Sexist) Book for Girls While boys are instructed on the art of the catapult,…
Men more confident than women on workplace equality
By Jess McCabe | 11 August 2007, 11:21
Men and white people are confident that women and ethnic minorities will have an easier time in the workplace a decade from now, according to a Business Week poll The magazine surveyed 2,000 executives, and found that folks with privilege…
Read 'Men more confident than women on workplace equality'
Why don't more women of colour identify as feminists?
By Jess McCabe | 11 August 2007, 10:23
Following on from zohra’s post yesterday, about the apparent paucity of black, British feminist bloggers, I highly recommend this recent episode of the Addicted to Race podcast, dealing with the issue of feminism and women of colour more generally. Sparked…
Read 'Why don't more women of colour identify as feminists?'
From protests in Kenya to Hello Kitty
By Jess McCabe | 10 August 2007, 08:14
10,000 women attended a rally in Nairobi, and 1 million have signed a petition, calling for a law to be passed reserving 50 seats in Parliament for female politicians, reports the BBC. A man has been sentenced to prison for…
Read 'From protests in Kenya to Hello Kitty'
New Features!
By Jess McCabe | 9 August 2007, 18:01
Skirting the issue From tampons with skirts to silky pads, sanitary product manufacturers will try anything to hawk their goods. Harriet Reuter Hapgood reports Abby Lee - girl with (not just) a one-track mind Sex-blogger Abby Lee faces down the…
Teachers pigeonhole black girls
By Jess McCabe | 9 August 2007, 11:53
Teachers tend to discipline black girls for not being “ladylike” enough, when they show traits such as assertiveness and curiosity, according to a Texas study. The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition reports that teachers at the Texas school were observed over…
Read 'Teachers pigeonhole black girls'
Against 'herstory'
By Jess McCabe | 7 August 2007, 19:21
The term herstory is used by feminists to call attention to the long-term failure of historians to record and explore women’s experiences and deeds. Of course, the term has come under attack plenty of times from the ‘political-correctness-gone-mad’ crew, mostly…
Female game characters tremble, while men kick ass
By Jess McCabe | 7 August 2007, 15:22
Girl in the Machine presents a well-argued case for sexism in the games industry, specifically in the way the protagonists are portrayed in “horror” games. I have limited experience of this one: horror games cause me to drop the controls…
Read 'Female game characters tremble, while men kick ass'
What happened in a place called Dunbar Village
By Jess McCabe | 7 August 2007, 13:39
Every once in a while a truely horrific story comes along, which undermines your belief in essential human goodness. This is one of those stories, so if you don’t want to read about it, stop right here. A Haitian woman…
Read 'What happened in a place called Dunbar Village'
Mothers raising sluttish preteens?
By Jess McCabe | 6 August 2007, 19:52
Today’s Daily Mail includes a long piece of hand-wringing journalism about the sexualisation of pre-teen girls. On the face of it, the natural feminist response is to join in the hand-wringing enthusiastically. Here’s a description of one nine-year-old’s daily routine:…
Read 'Mothers raising sluttish preteens?'
Sun has fun with women's body parts
By Jess McCabe | 6 August 2007, 12:30
Head on over to The Sun’s website to create a mashup of your favourite celebrity. As you can see from the example on the left, the tabloid has managed to eerily capture the media’s penchant for reducing women to tits…
Read 'Sun has fun with women's body parts'
Ex-Wonder Years star sells maths to girls with lipstick
By Jess McCabe | 3 August 2007, 17:55
Danica McKellar, who played Winnie on The Wonder Years, has just published a book on maths aimed at girly-girls. Wired briefly interviews her this issue. I have to admit to a bit of skepticism about this: I have to admit…
Read 'Ex-Wonder Years star sells maths to girls with lipstick'
Against women-only refuges from groping
By Jess McCabe | 3 August 2007, 17:44
Jessica Valenti from Feministing.com has a very well-argued piece in today’s Guardian, arguing that women-only train carriages and other efforts to segregate women in order to protect them from harassment are fundamentally flawed. As well as pinning down the way…
Read 'Against women-only refuges from groping'
The Daily Mail, foregoing sex and 'promiscuity'
By Jess McCabe | 1 August 2007, 21:21
The Daily Mail has profiled six women who, as the newspaper puts it, haven’t had sex for a combined period of 33 years. Here’s the lede: We live in a promiscuous society, but many women are choosing celibacy. Dismayed with…
Read 'The Daily Mail, foregoing sex and 'promiscuity''
Afghan women learn to box
By Jess McCabe | 1 August 2007, 20:13
A group of women in Afghanistan are taking boxing lessons in the football stadium where the Taleban once carried out public executions, reports the BBC. A new generation is challenging the usual stereotype of Afghan women as shadowy figures concealed…
Read 'Afghan women learn to box'
Bindel in trans debate
By Jess McCabe | 1 August 2007, 19:18
Over on Comment is Free, Julie Bindel revists the topic of transgender people, in anticipation of a Radio 4 debate going out tonight. A couple of years ago, Bindel wrote a thoroughly objectionable column called Gender benders, beware. She’s certainly…
Fourth carnival of radical feminists out now
By Jess McCabe | 1 August 2007, 14:32
The latest carnival of radical feminists has been published over at A Room of Our Own. There’s some really interesting posts linked to, so it’s definitely worth checking out! There’s quite a lot of controversial stuff in there, as has…
Read 'Fourth carnival of radical feminists out now'
A reality check for anti-choicers
By Jess McCabe | 31 July 2007, 22:01
‘Pro-lifers’ call for abortion to be criminalised. They stand outside clinics where the procedure is performed and harass patients and staff. But if abortion was outlawed tomorrow, what would the penalty be for women who had one anyway? Check out…
Read 'A reality check for anti-choicers'
Iran and US unite against women's rights treaty
By Jess McCabe | 31 July 2007, 15:43
Today the BBC runs a story noting that the only thing the US and Iran seem to agree on is not ratifying an international treaty calling for the elimination of discrimination against women. So why won’t Iran join the Convention…
Read 'Iran and US unite against women's rights treaty'
Mail annoys on princesses, gender stereotypes
By Jess McCabe | 29 July 2007, 21:14
Reading the headline to this story in the Daily Mail, you’d be forgiven for conjuring up images of Paris Hilton-esque princesses having a tantrum on a 747: Arab princesses kicked off British Airways plane to jeers and whistles after refusing…
Read 'Mail annoys on princesses, gender stereotypes'
Global peace index ignores violence against women
By Jess McCabe | 29 July 2007, 19:15
An index ranking countries on their peacefulness fails to take into account violence against women, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Norway tops the index, which was compiled by a commercial offshoot of The Economist magazine. The UK comes 49th, with…
Read 'Global peace index ignores violence against women'
The problem with Beowulf
By Jess McCabe | 27 July 2007, 19:32
Ordinarily, I would be quite pleased to hear about a new film version of the Old English poem Beowulf. And it would be easy to get excited about the latest adaptation: the screenplay was co-written by Neil Gaiman, for a…
Read 'The problem with Beowulf'
Disney's war on boys' self esteem?
By Jess McCabe | 25 July 2007, 22:08
Disney may be responsible for giving many millions of girls a series of weak, tiny waisted, overwhelmingly-white princess role models, but what effect do the films have on boys? This video (via Women of Color), looks at the images of…
Read 'Disney's war on boys' self esteem?'
Introducing our new guest blogger… zohra moosa
By Jess McCabe | 25 July 2007, 15:56
Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that we have a new blogger. zohra moosa is to join us for a guest blogging spot here at The F Word over the next three months, and she has already got off to a…
Read 'Introducing our new guest blogger... zohra moosa'
Latest feminist carnival out now
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2007, 20:09
The 41st Carnival of Feminists is up at Kate Smurthwaite’s Cruella-Blog. As usual, it’s packed full of great reading material, and indeed listening material, as it includes a link to our very own podcast. I particularly like this photo-blog dedicated…
Read 'Latest feminist carnival out now'
Commission tells European males to shape up
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2007, 17:09
The European Commission has warned that men must take on more housework and childrearing duties, in order to help close the pay gap, EUObserver reports. Europe-wide, women earn 15% less than men, only a 2% improvement in the last decade….
Read 'Commission tells European males to shape up'
Ghana girls lured back to school with better loos
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2007, 16:46
A project in Ghana is seeking to increase girls’ school attendance by installing better loos, notes A. from A Changing Life. Plan International is behind the project, and has more information. Apparently girls often stay away from school when they…
Read 'Ghana girls lured back to school with better loos'
Anthology to raise awareness on violence against women
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2007, 16:33
Remember Khalil Aswad? She was the 17 year old Kurdish girl stoned to death in Iraq for her relationship with a Sunni Muslim boy. Her death was videoed and circulated on the internet, prompting shocked responses from right-thinking individuals such…
Read 'Anthology to raise awareness on violence against women'
50 years of the Guardian's women's pages
By Jess McCabe | 18 July 2007, 11:44
The Guardian’s women’s page celebrates its 50th anniversary today. The women’s section takes over the G2 supplement for a special edition, packed with articles dug out of the archive and musings on its history, purpose and usefulness. The current editor,…
Read '50 years of the Guardian's women's pages'
Saudi women set back by night-owl hours?
By Jess McCabe | 17 July 2007, 17:20
Saudi women tend to sleep during the day and stay up all night, according to the blog Sand Gets in My Eyes. A byproduct of a society which limits female independence and job opportunities, SGIME argues that this night-owl behaviour…
Read 'Saudi women set back by night-owl hours?'
Steinem calls out "prick flicks"
By Jess McCabe | 16 July 2007, 22:47
Gloria Steinem calls attention to the sexism of the term “chick flick” in a post over at the Women’s Media Center. If we have chick flicks, Steinem proposes, we should have “prick flicks” as well (shortened for length): The simple…
Read 'Steinem calls out "prick flicks"'
Yoyo Girl Cop
By Jess McCabe | 16 July 2007, 22:31
Here’s one to look out for at the cinema: Yoyo Girl Cop, or Sukeban Deka. Based on a popular manga series from the late 70s to early 80s, Tokyomango describes it like this: What’s not to remember about a hot…
BBC debate on FGM
By Jess McCabe | 16 July 2007, 15:14
A BBC debate on whether enough is being done to halt female genital mutilation has produced a heart-breaking number of comments from women who endured this brutal practice. The Urban Feminist has picked out some of these responses, which are…
Girls play violent games too
By Jess McCabe | 15 July 2007, 00:15
Teenage girls overwhelmingly play video games, including violent games such as Grand Theft Auto, reports Indystar.com. In a survey of 1,254 US teenagers, only 80 had not played any video games in the last six months. If you’re thinking some…
Read 'Girls play violent games too'
Feminist magazines
By Jess McCabe | 13 July 2007, 10:22
Of course, regular readers will already know about all the feminist magazines that have launched in the last 18 months, but here’s a feature I wrote on the subject for The Guardian….
L'Oréal found out for hiring only white shampoo-promoters
By Jess McCabe | 12 July 2007, 22:01
A French division of make-up giant L’Oréal has been found guilty of racial discrimination and ordered to pay a €30,000 fine, reports The Guardian. L’Oréal instructed a recruitment agency - which has also been fined, and a “senior figure” given…
Read 'L'Oréal found out for hiring only white shampoo-promoters'
Knee replacements just for women
By Jess McCabe | 12 July 2007, 08:18
Firms in the US are marketing knee implants specifically designed for women, reports Orthopedic Technology Review. Currently, women are fitted with implants designed for men - but this causes some pain and discomfort: Hitt explains his involvement with Stryker. “In…
Read 'Knee replacements just for women'
'Nice guy' rapists should get off lighter - Australians
By Jess McCabe | 11 July 2007, 08:50
A survey of Australian men and women has revealed that “nearly all” believe that rape is less serious if it’s committed by a “nice guy”, or one who is sexually frustrated, if the woman is drunk or wearing revealing clothing,…
Read ''Nice guy' rapists should get off lighter - Australians'
Thatcher 'una bella gnocca' - Berlusconi
By Jess McCabe | 10 July 2007, 22:15
Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has called Margaret Thatcher una bella gnocca, or a “great piece of pussy”, reports The Independent. Not that I’m one to praise Thatcher, well, pretty much ever. But I guess this goes to show…
Read 'Thatcher 'una bella gnocca' - Berlusconi'
The F Word podcast: episode one!
By Jess McCabe | 10 July 2007, 21:19
[The podcast went down some time yesterday - if you were one of the people who could not download it, you should now be able to] Welcome to the first ever F Word podcast! A couple of weekends ago, bloggers…
Read 'The F Word podcast: episode one!'
Tories would use tax system to promote marriage
By Jess McCabe | 9 July 2007, 12:59
Tory leader David Cameron would shake-up the tax system to benefit married couples, in an attempt to keep mums and dads together, reports The Independent. I feel like a broken record writing about this again, but it’s hard for me…
Read 'Tories would use tax system to promote marriage'
Rape crisis centres face closure
By Jess McCabe | 8 July 2007, 00:52
As many as half of the Rape Crisis centres in England and Wales may have to close because of lack of funds, reports The Guardian. Nicole Westmarland, the chairwoman of Rape Crisis in England and Wales said the organisation “really…
Read 'Rape crisis centres face closure'
New Features! New Reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 7 July 2007, 19:36
‘Honey! Your vagina needs a mint’ The Vagina Institute purports to provide a public service to curious women. But Samara Ginsberg detects a rather different agenda Buying gunk When the latest anti-aging cream hit the shelves, queues of women scrambled…
Read 'New Features! New Reviews!'
Check the latest Feminist Carnival
By Jess McCabe | 5 July 2007, 10:59
The 40th issue of the Carnival of Feminists is up now, at the hidden side of the leaf. This one has a book theme, so anyone with a serious addiction to paperbacks might want to rush over or steer clear,…
Read 'Check the latest Feminist Carnival'
From a Moroccan brand of Muslim feminism to Catherine Tate on Dr Who
By Jess McCabe | 4 July 2007, 13:32
Nadia Yassine is the spokesperson for an illegal opposition group in Morocco. Check out her interview with Speigel Online on an Islamic type of feminism. I speak for a different culture, the Islamic one. Our religion is very much friendly…
Read 'From a Moroccan brand of Muslim feminism to Catherine Tate on Dr Who'
Something tells me Betty wouldn't approve
By Jess McCabe | 2 July 2007, 20:54
VH1 is planning to make a reality TV show based on Ugly Betty, according to TV Squad. It is called America The Ugly, inspired by ABC’s Ugly Betty, and will attempt to find out what happens when real unattractive,…
Read 'Something tells me Betty wouldn't approve'
Rape charge against former Israeli president dropped; 20,000 protest in Tel Aviv
By Jess McCabe | 2 July 2007, 14:30
Israel’s former president Moshe Katsav will not be tried for rape, after accepting a plea bargain which will see him admit lesser counts of sexual harassment, reports The Guardian. Understandably outraged by this announcement, as Israel’s attorney general had said…
Read 'Rape charge against former Israeli president dropped; 20,000 protest in Tel Aviv'
MoD apologises for persecuting gay service men and women
By Jess McCabe | 28 June 2007, 17:44
The Ministry of Defence has apologised for the suffering caused by its ban on gay and lesbian folk serving in the armed forced, reports The Guardian. Wing commander Phil Sagar issued the apology only a few days before London Pride….
Read 'MoD apologises for persecuting gay service men and women'
Brown appoints first female home secretary, but drastically cuts women in Cabinet
By Jess McCabe | 28 June 2007, 13:42
Jacqui Smith has been appointed as Britain’s first female Home Secretary, reports The BBC. She was formerly Chief Whip, but this seems to be a major promotion, as she has not headed up a government department before. On the plus…
Read 'Brown appoints first female home secretary, but drastically cuts women in Cabinet'
US woman charged after drugs discovered in still-born's system
By Jess McCabe | 25 June 2007, 23:10
An Oklahoma woman has been charged with first-degree murder, because her still-born baby had drugs in his system, reports KOTV. Tests on Theresa Lee Hernandez’s still-born baby found methamphetamines, but over 150 medical and health groups oppose the prosecution, and…
Read 'US woman charged after drugs discovered in still-born's system'
Man who raped 10 year old given two years
By Jess McCabe | 25 June 2007, 19:33
The Attorney General is to look into a case in which a judge gave a man who raped a 10 year old girl a sentence of two years, reports The Guardian. Keith Fenn, 24, was given concurrent two-year and 18-month…
Read 'Man who raped 10 year old given two years'
Harman wins race for deputy leader of Labour party
By Jess McCabe | 24 June 2007, 22:32
Harriet Harman has narrowly won the vote to become deputy leader of the Labour party, reports The Guardian. Beating Alan Johnson by only 1%, Harman has already pledged to put women at the centre of her agenda. “I have always…
Read 'Harman wins race for deputy leader of Labour party'
Will Dangerous Book for Girls close gender-book-gap?
By Jess McCabe | 23 June 2007, 19:04
The publisher of the Dangerous Book for Boys is to produce a version of the popular childrens’ book aimed at girls, notes Mother Talk. The Dangerous Book for Boys is, of course, part of a fantastically popular trend for books…
Read 'Will Dangerous Book for Girls close gender-book-gap?'
Kate speaks back to "critics"
By Jess McCabe | 23 June 2007, 19:01
Back in July, our guest blogger Kate Smurthwaite posted a review of a new site for women run by Gawker. Jezebel, as Kate pointed out, seeks to portray itself as different to the typical bitchy women’s magazine, but falls into…
Read 'Kate speaks back to "critics"'
Make-up addicts absorb 5lbs a year
By Jess McCabe | 22 June 2007, 11:11
Women who wear make-up every day could be absorbing nearly 5lbs of the stuff into their skin every year, according to research reported in The Telegraph. According to the Weird Converter, that’s equivilent to 13 hockey pucks. Many use more…
Read 'Make-up addicts absorb 5lbs a year'
PlayStation plays misogynist again
By Jess McCabe | 20 June 2007, 11:12
Of all the big companies in all the world, none do so much to alienate their huge female customer base as Sony - at least where its PlayStation brand is involved. (OK, these guys are worse.) Check out this ad…
Read 'PlayStation plays misogynist again'
One rule for rich fathers, one rule for poor fathers, the same rule for all mothers
By Jess McCabe | 20 June 2007, 10:36
While low-income fathers are admonished for not spending enough time with their kids, senior executives who shirk family duties to run big companies are rewarded with gigantic pay cheques and profiles in Fortune magazine, points out career blogger Penelope Trunk….
Read 'One rule for rich fathers, one rule for poor fathers, the same rule for all mothers'
Why climate change will hit women hardest
By Jess McCabe | 19 June 2007, 12:46
If you’ve walked past a newsagent today, you have no doubt noticed The Independent’s headline: “The Earth today stands in imminent peril”. Of course, the headline refers to the threat of climate change, and specifically a warning by six US…
Read 'Why climate change will hit women hardest'
From China to Colombia, by way of Southwark
By Jess McCabe | 18 June 2007, 21:36
The Mosuo people of China are that rare thing: a matriarchy. I posted about them briefly back in April, but if you’re curious to know more I’d recommend this radio documentary by the BBC World Service. Not only does it…
Read 'From China to Colombia, by way of Southwark'
Reforms could put more rapists behind bars
By Jess McCabe | 18 June 2007, 14:25
The government is planning a raft of reforms in a bid to drive up the low rate of rape convictions, reports The Guardian. The reforms sound great: first off, it will become possible to call expert witnesses about how rape…
Read 'Reforms could put more rapists behind bars'
Plan to force father registration on birth certificates
By Jess McCabe | 17 June 2007, 22:39
It could soon be compulsory to include the name of a new-born baby’s father on its birth certificate, reports the BBC. Ministers said they would push forward with the plans once safeguards to protect vulnerable women and children could be…
Read 'Plan to force father registration on birth certificates'
Selfish women cause neo-Nazi uprising?
By Jess McCabe | 16 June 2007, 12:20
The disproportionate number of young women leaving the former East Germany is driving men into the arms of neo-Nazis, reports Speigel Online, in a thoroughly objectionable feature. First off, someone at the German newspaper thought it was a good idea…
Read 'Selfish women cause neo-Nazi uprising?'
Carnival Against Sexual Violence out now!
By Jess McCabe | 16 June 2007, 12:17
Go check out the 25th Carnival Against Sexual Violence, over at abyss2hope. We’re pleased to say one of Louise’s posts got picked up by the carnival….
Read 'Carnival Against Sexual Violence out now!'
Whoever knew yoghurt could be so irritating?
By Jess McCabe | 15 June 2007, 22:42
This is one of a series of ads by a Brazilian diet yoghurt company, which seeks to sell its product with “fattened up” versions of actresses and the tag-line: Forget about it. Men’s preference will never change. Fit Light…
Read 'Whoever knew yoghurt could be so irritating?'
Toddlers recognise gender stereotypes
By Jess McCabe | 15 June 2007, 16:01
Toddlers begin to recognise and react to gender stereotypes when they are as young as two years-old, reports Salt Lake Tribune. Researchers at Brigham Young University showed 24 month-old children images of women and men engaged in stereotypical activities, then…
Read 'Toddlers recognise gender stereotypes'
One to keep an eye on: Asia Alfasi
By Jess McCabe | 14 June 2007, 18:59
The question “where are all the women in the comics industry” occurs with surprising frequency in these parts. Add to that, “where are all the women in the British comics industry” and the pickings get slimmer still. So it was…
Read 'One to keep an eye on: Asia Alfasi'
Golf is not enough
By Jess McCabe | 13 June 2007, 23:10
As we blogged earlier, the government has just put forward proposals to shake-up legislation on discrimination. Although the bill includes some welcome moves forward, for example giving women the right to breast-feed in public, the consensus seems to be that…
News flash! Women download porn
By Jess McCabe | 13 June 2007, 16:12
Some women like porn - and the internet has made it easier for them to access it, reports The Metro. While I’m sort-of amazed that this is news to anyone, the nub of this story is interesting: a book by…
Read 'News flash! Women download porn'
Beckham's outfits uncomfortable, reveals Daily Mail
By Jess McCabe | 13 June 2007, 15:37
Victoria Beckham’s wardrobe is impractical, constricting and impossible to wear, reports the Daily Mail. In the finest tradition of investigative journalism, the newspaper sent intrepid reporter Kathryn Knight out into the world dressed like the former Spice Girl, with predictable…
Read 'Beckham's outfits uncomfortable, reveals Daily Mail'
Women banned from working at night in Kuwait
By Jess McCabe | 13 June 2007, 11:36
The Kuwaiti parliament has passed a law banning women from working between 8pm and 7am, reports Gulfnews. The restrictions go further: The government also banned women from working in jobs that “contravene with public morals and in all-men service places…
Read 'Women banned from working at night in Kuwait'
Comments for May!
By Jess McCabe | 11 June 2007, 19:22
Comments received during the month of May are now available to read here. By far, you responded in greatest numbers to Eleanor Turner’s feature in which she documented the trials and tribulations she faced with her new husband when they…
Size 16 models shock Observer Woman!
By Jess McCabe | 10 June 2007, 18:58
A bit like the Daily Mail, there are few things as certain to provide blogable material as The Observer’s Woman supplement. Let’s just say that today’s issue was no exception. Unfortunately the cover story photo-shoot of size 16 models isn’t…
Read 'Size 16 models shock Observer Woman!'
Sierra Leone fails to ban female circumcision
By Jess McCabe | 9 June 2007, 16:01
Sierra Leone’s parliament has raised the age of marriage to 18, but removed a clause from the bill which would have banned the practice of female genital mutilation, reports the BBC. The press and public were asked to leave parliament…
Read 'Sierra Leone fails to ban female circumcision'
What's it really like for a woman in Saudi Arabia?
By Jess McCabe | 8 June 2007, 23:08
What’s it like to live behind a veil, in a country where women are forced to live like children, where driving is out, Starbucks is segregated and even a government spokesman is afraid of the moral police? LA Times reporter…
Read 'What's it really like for a woman in Saudi Arabia?'
Pink, glorious pink
By Jess McCabe | 8 June 2007, 16:05
A new airline is due to launch next month, supposedly aimed at women, reports The Guardian. All aeroplanes operated by Fly Pink will be painted in the colour, and passengers will be served pink champagne and complimentary manicures. It will…
Women dominate key art show; African scoops Orange prize for the first time
By Jess McCabe | 8 June 2007, 12:20
Tracey Emin has been selected to represent the UK at the Venice Biennale art festival, and other countries including Poland, France and the Czech Republic have also chosen female artists, reports The Independent. Emin is only the second woman to…
Read 'Women dominate key art show; African scoops Orange prize for the first time'
Female journalists on the front line
By Jess McCabe | 8 June 2007, 10:29
A second female journalist has been killed in Afghanistan in less than a week, reports ABC. Last night, Zakia Zaki, the head of a radio station, was killed in her home. The murder was particularly gruesome as she was shot…
Read 'Female journalists on the front line'
Make friends with The F Word on Facebook!
By Jess McCabe | 7 June 2007, 09:11
As though Facebook wasn’t addictive enough, you can now become friends with The F Word on the social-networking site. You can find our group here, but you will need to be a member to see it and join. It’s a…
Read 'Make friends with The F Word on Facebook!'
Another feminist carnival!
By Jess McCabe | 6 June 2007, 14:28
The latest feminist carnival is out now at Laurelin in the Rain. It’s a really good edition. As usual, here are a few of my favourite picks, after a quick skim read: Diary of a Goldfish posts about the many…
Read 'Another feminist carnival!'
Second Carnival of Radical Feminists
By Jess McCabe | 5 June 2007, 16:26
The Carnival of Radical Feminists hits one of my favourite blogs this month, Feminist Law Professors. One interesting post included in the Carnival comes from Feminists Don’t Bake Bread, and details the story of James Barry, a British Army surgeon…
Read 'Second Carnival of Radical Feminists'
Book puts Afghan women in danger
By Jess McCabe | 5 June 2007, 15:55
Women who told their stories to the author of a best-selling book on Afghanistan are being persecuted, reports NPR. In Kabul Beauty School, Deborah Rodriguez narrates her experiences opening the first beauty school in the Afghan capital, including the personal…
Read 'Book puts Afghan women in danger'
New Features! New Reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 3 June 2007, 00:13
In the first installment of this month’s bumper update, we have some fabulous stuff for you to read. But check back soon, because we’ll be keeping it coming over the coming days. First impressions Feminists are caricatured as ugly and…
Read 'New Features! New Reviews!'
Skin lighteners promise better jobs in India
By Jess McCabe | 30 May 2007, 17:46
Hawkers of racist, skin-lightening creams in India are now telling women that lighter skin will help them get ahead in their careers, reports the New York Times. Fair and Lovely, with packaging that shows a dark-skinned unhappy woman morphing into…
Read 'Skin lighteners promise better jobs in India'
Novel reveals plight of Afghan women
By Jess McCabe | 29 May 2007, 17:20
Just a quick book recommendation: go out and buy A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. Pick up his earlier book, The Kite Runner, at the same time. Hosseini is one of the most powerful novelists I’ve come across for…
Read 'Novel reveals plight of Afghan women'
Benetton uses domestic violence to sell clothes?
By Jess McCabe | 27 May 2007, 20:45
[UPDATE: Broadsheet is reporting that Benetton is denying having anything to do with these ads.] I’m a bit speechless about this one. Benetton has apparently released a series of at least three of these ads, “in the public interest”. You…
Read 'Benetton uses domestic violence to sell clothes?'
From the pay gap to the Tardis
By Jess McCabe | 27 May 2007, 12:23
The American Association of University Women has posted a press release about a sex-discrimination case recently won by a geriatric physician at the University of California campus in Los Angeles. Among other things, Janet Conney’s case uncovered the fact that…
Read 'From the pay gap to the Tardis'
Society founded to promote comics by black women
By Jess McCabe | 26 May 2007, 00:52
A new society has been formed to support black women comic creators. The Ormes Society is named after Jackie Ormes, who drew a comic strip for the Pittsburgh Courier called Torchy Brown in the 1930s. According to Wikipedia, the…
Read 'Society founded to promote comics by black women'
Big Brother bullying not racist, claims C4
By Jess McCabe | 25 May 2007, 15:09
Channel 4 is being forced to air three apologies for its handling of the racist bullying that took place on celebrity Big Brother, The Guardian reports. Aside from the appalling fact that the apologies will be shown before episodes of…
Read 'Big Brother bullying not racist, claims C4'
Strong women return to small screen
By Jess McCabe | 24 May 2007, 17:03
Prepare for square eyes. For once, those TV producers in the US are really spoiling us. The powers that be might have cancelled the Gilmore Girls and axed Veronica Mars, but there are some really interesting shows on the horizon….
Read 'Strong women return to small screen'
Take a pill, never have a period again
By Jess McCabe | 24 May 2007, 16:35
A birth-control pill that completely gets rid of your period has been approved by the US authorities, reports CNN. While many women might be keen to throw out their tampons/pads/keepers, I’m not sure I really get the appeal of this…
Read 'Take a pill, never have a period again'
Climbing the corporate ladder is easier if someone went before
By Jess McCabe | 24 May 2007, 14:51
Women do better in their careers if they work for a firm where at least 30% of senior executives are female, The Guardian reports. The researchers at the London Business School argue that there is merit in introducing targets to…
Read 'Climbing the corporate ladder is easier if someone went before'
Latest Carnival of Feminists out now
By Jess McCabe | 22 May 2007, 09:32
The latest Feminist Carnival is up over at Team Rainbow. As well as being impressively varicoloured, this festival is packed full of interesting stuff as usual. Check it out….
Read 'Latest Carnival of Feminists out now'
Feminist opera to hit London
By Jess McCabe | 19 May 2007, 17:57
A feminist opera composed by a suffragette is to get its first West End run in over 50 years. According to the production company, The Boatswaine’s Mate, by Ethel Smyth, involves: A feisty heroine – supposedly based on Emmeline Pankhurst…
Read 'Feminist opera to hit London'
Persepolis - the animation
By Jess McCabe | 18 May 2007, 20:29
Someone has made Persepolis, the graphic novel about cartoonist Marjane Satrapi’s early life in Iran, into an animation. It’s in French, but this trailer still gives a flavour of how promising this looks: (via Drawn)…
Read 'Persepolis - the animation'
Is your G-spot big enough?
By Jess McCabe | 16 May 2007, 22:56
A California doctor is offering to inject collagen into your G-spot to increase sexual pleasure, for only $1,800 a pop. That’s £600. Reports NBC: According to thegshot.com, the G-SHOT is a simple, nonsurgical, physician-administered treatment that can temporarily augment the…
Read 'Is your G-spot big enough?'
Johnson goes ahead with books for boys plan
By Jess McCabe | 16 May 2007, 21:27
Remember Alan Johnson’s plan to establish a special shelf for “boy’s books” in all school libraries? Back in March I pointed out that it would risk reinforcing all those tired gender stereotypes we know and love. Well, I guess the…
Read 'Johnson goes ahead with books for boys plan'
Nintendo targets Japanese mums
By Jess McCabe | 13 May 2007, 12:53
Forget flowers and cards, in Japan many mothers will be waking up to receive a games console today, reports Wired. With Mother’s Day fast approaching, Tokyo’s subways and billboards are plastered with advertisements for chocolate and flowers. But one of…
Read 'Nintendo targets Japanese mums'
Sex by deception wasn't rape - US court
By Jess McCabe | 12 May 2007, 18:45
A Massachusetts court has ruled that rape can only be rape if it involves force, not fraud, reports ABC News. The case involved a man who tricked a woman into having sex with him by pretending to be his brother…
Read 'Sex by deception wasn't rape - US court'
First Carnival of Radical Feminists
By Jess McCabe | 12 May 2007, 17:49
The first ever carnival of radical feminists has been published over at Women’s Space/The Margins. Cheryl Lindsey Seelhoff goes into a long and detailed explanation of exactly what she thinks radical feminism is, and why we need a carnival dedicated…
Read 'First Carnival of Radical Feminists'
Europe has less female bosses than Americas
By Jess McCabe | 11 May 2007, 17:53
Women in both North and South America have made greater inroads into legislative and management positions than us here in Europe, EUObserver reports. The figures come from the International Labour Organization (who confound us by using the US spelling of…
Read 'Europe has less female bosses than Americas'
Polish politician proposes mini-skirt ban
By Jess McCabe | 9 May 2007, 15:25
A Polish legislator has proposed a ban on mini-skirts, heavy makeup and see-through or low-cut blouses - in a bid to tackle prostitution, reports Spiegel Online. Incredibly, Artur Zawisza, a Catholic member of the “Right of the Republic” party (Prawica…
Read 'Polish politician proposes mini-skirt ban'
Comments for April!
By Jess McCabe | 9 May 2007, 12:48
Comments received during the month of April went online last night. Theadora Jean’s feature on Britney Spears stirred up most controversy this time, with some readers expressing their sympathy for the pop star, while others contended that she has not…
Review of Chilean version of Observer Woman
By Jess McCabe | 8 May 2007, 11:16
Women in Chile: Moving towards equality (but only if you look the part) Chile’s Mujer magazine is a bizarre juxtaposition of all that’s best in women’s journalism and all that’s worst in advertising, finds Laura Woodhouse Comments for April will…
Read 'Review of Chilean version of Observer Woman'
Raise age of consent for porn to 21?
By Jess McCabe | 6 May 2007, 16:43
Now that porn is edging into the mainstream, the age of consent for appearing in porn should be raised from 18 to 21, argues Garance Franke-Ruta in the Wall Street Journal. The idea has partly been conceived of in response…
Read 'Raise age of consent for porn to 21?'
Google search reveals bias towards he over she
By Jess McCabe | 5 May 2007, 17:38
Hoyden About Town has posted a really interesting entry on the proportion of mentions of the words she and he on feminist blogs and political party websites. Click over there for a full list, and then head over to this…
Read 'Google search reveals bias towards he over she'
AIDS awareness: women get their hearts broken, men bounce through life having orgies
By Jess McCabe | 4 May 2007, 21:01
While I hesitate to criticize any efforts to promote condom use and safe sex, these ads are just really annoying. Who made them? I’m not sure. The production values are great. Efforts to aim this at an age group that’s…
Read 'AIDS awareness: women get their hearts broken, men bounce through life having orgies'
Karnataka women banned from night shift
By Jess McCabe | 4 May 2007, 18:12
Women are to be banned from working the night shift in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, if the government gets its way, reports the Deccan Herald. Local blogger Apu, who is behind the brilliant Cubically Challenged, gives full vent…
Read 'Karnataka women banned from night shift'
How to achieve pay equity in five steps
By Jess McCabe | 4 May 2007, 17:57
KnowHRBlog has come up with a list of five steps to close the pay gap between men and women in the workplace. Aimed at human resources professionals, what is most interesting to me is that the list only starts with…
Read 'How to achieve pay equity in five steps'
Senate passes hate crimes bill; Prez threatens to block it
By Jess McCabe | 4 May 2007, 09:02
Attacks motivated by gender and sexual orientation could soon be added to US federal legislation on hate crime, after the Senate passed a bill to extend the current law, reports SignOnSanDiego.com. But don’t hold your breath, because the White House…
Read 'Senate passes hate crimes bill; Prez threatens to block it'
New features! New reviews!
By Jess McCabe | 3 May 2007, 16:28
This months features and reviews went up last night - well, most of them did: A hairy dilemma Women are signed up at puberty for a lifetime of relentless hair removal. But, asks Emma Chaplin, if the alternative is pariah…
Read 'New features! New reviews!'
Latest Carnival of Feminists out now!
By Jess McCabe | 3 May 2007, 16:16
The latest Carnival of Feminists is up now at KitKat Critique. It’s a mammoth issue this time round: I’ve only had a quick skim, but this post on the real cost of childcare in London at The Wood Vale Diaries…
Read 'Latest Carnival of Feminists out now!'
New Guest Blogger: Kate Smurthwaite
By Jess McCabe | 3 May 2007, 09:12
This month, stand up comic Kate Smurthwaite is going to be joining the regular crew of F Word bloggers to contribute a guest column. You can read more about her here. Kate also maintains her own blog at Cruella-Blog, so…
Read 'New Guest Blogger: Kate Smurthwaite'
An F Word podcast? We need your input!
By Jess McCabe | 2 May 2007, 19:28
We’ve been mulling over the idea of starting up a semi-regular podcast here at The F Word for a couple of months now. I love podcasts, but there don’t seem to be any decent feminist shows out there: so it…
Read 'An F Word podcast? We need your input!'
Danish teachers judge student strip contest
By Jess McCabe | 2 May 2007, 15:47
Students of a Danish secondary school perform an annual strip tease competition for teachers - and the winners get to sit in the best seats in the canteen. The Metro reports that the competition is provoking “outrage” among education chiefs,…
Read 'Danish teachers judge student strip contest'
Latest Carnival Against Sexual Violence up now
By Jess McCabe | 2 May 2007, 15:29
Go read the latest Carnival Against Sexual Violence at abyss2hope….
Read 'Latest Carnival Against Sexual Violence up now'
Girls shackled by ultra-feminine names?
By Jess McCabe | 30 April 2007, 17:44
Girls with “feminine” names like Elizabeth or Emma are less likely to study maths and physics after the age of 16, The Guardian reports. Both subjects, which are traditionally seen as predominantly male, are far more popular among girls with…
Read 'Girls shackled by ultra-feminine names?'
Rape in Second Life
By Jess McCabe | 30 April 2007, 11:38
Belgian police are “patrolling” the virtual world of Second Life, after a user reported being raped in the game. Local newspapers, as WTFsrsly has it, are reporting that the “Brussels Court will work together with the Federal Computer Crime Unit…
China's "matriarchal" tourist town sounds anything but
By Jess McCabe | 27 April 2007, 12:19
In an attempt to attract tourists to the little-visited city of Chongqing, the city is building a tourist town where “men had better watch their step”, reports The Independent. I’m a bit suspicious of this story. The way The Independent…
Read 'China's "matriarchal" tourist town sounds anything but'
Beth Ditto gets regular Guardian advice gig
By Jess McCabe | 27 April 2007, 08:55
Beth Ditto of The Gossip and general celebrity status, is to write a fortnightly advice column for The Guardian’s women’s pages. You can see her first column here, where she tackles to question of how to come out to your…
Read 'Beth Ditto gets regular Guardian advice gig'
Sexologist a hit in Middle East
By Jess McCabe | 26 April 2007, 20:26
A TV show about sex has become an unlikely hit across the Arab world, CNN reports. Dr Heba Kotb’s weekly advice show is broadcast by satellite from Egypt, and confronts sex head on - as long as it’s sex between…
Read 'Sexologist a hit in Middle East'
Saudi government cracks down on "runaway maids"
By Jess McCabe | 26 April 2007, 15:49
Saudis who hire “runaway maids” will be fined, although many of these women were forced to flee torture, rape, abuse or had their wages withheld, reports Arab News. Saudi Arabia’s labour ministry has responded to the large number of foreign…
Read 'Saudi government cracks down on "runaway maids"'
Israel's segregated buses
By Jess McCabe | 24 April 2007, 23:21
In Israel, women are segregated from men on 30 public bus routes, reports the BBC. The service has been requested by segments of Israel’s population of Orthodox Jews. Although the article doesn’t mention it, a woman was recently beaten up…
Read 'Israel's segregated buses'
An unlikely home for feminist blogging
By Jess McCabe | 24 April 2007, 22:15
“I am probably the only feminist in the building,” says Lauren Thompson. She is the Daily Express’ first feminist blogger - indeed, she says, hers is the first feminist blog launched by any national newspaper. But what is it like…
Read 'An unlikely home for feminist blogging'
Native American women falling through the net
By Jess McCabe | 24 April 2007, 15:12
The US police are failing to protect Native American women from sexual assault and rape, according to an Amnesty report. American Indian and Alaskan Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted - and if…
Read 'Native American women falling through the net'
World Bank backpeddling on family planning?
By Jess McCabe | 22 April 2007, 18:26
A high-up official at the World Bank ordered all references to family planning to be deleted from a report about Madagascar, according to The Guardian. According to a leaked email, Juan José Daboub, managing director of the World Bank, “ordered…
Read 'World Bank backpeddling on family planning?'
Game developer advertises for "right hand man"
By Jess McCabe | 22 April 2007, 12:41
More evidence if needed of sexism in the games industry comes from this ad, dug out by Wonderland, for a senior producer, which stipulates that applicants must be male. The £50,000 job is for a games developer in the Midlands,…
Read 'Game developer advertises for "right hand man"'
John Lewis to use average-sized models
By Jess McCabe | 22 April 2007, 11:06
John Lewis is to use a more diverse range of models and mannequins, in an attempt to counter the ‘size-zero’ culture, The Observer. John Lewis is now going much further by pledging to use a diversity of women in all…
Read 'John Lewis to use average-sized models'
Erase Racism carnival out now
By Jess McCabe | 21 April 2007, 21:58
The latest Erase Racism Carnival is up at Double Consciousness….
Read 'Erase Racism carnival out now'
From inside the games industry: game+girl=advance
By Jess McCabe | 21 April 2007, 10:57
There are no lack of girls and women who are committed gamers. But the industry itself is dominated by men, and games are suffering as a result, says Jane Pinkard. Working on one of the big conferences for game developers,…
Read 'From inside the games industry: game+girl=advance'
From Bollywood superstar to… housewife?
By Jess McCabe | 21 April 2007, 10:38
Has Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai’s recent marriage to fellow actor Abhishek Bachchan scupered her career? The question is being asked seriously in India, according to the BBC, which reports: The problem is that Bollywood does not take kindly to actresses…
Read 'From Bollywood superstar to... housewife?'
Internet moves away from porn - or does it?
By Jess McCabe | 20 April 2007, 14:46
It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that the internet is at least 99% pornography. Except, maybe not. According to figures in The Economist, social networking and chat sites have now overtaken porn in terms of internet popularity in the US. And,…
Read 'Internet moves away from porn - or does it?'
Feminist art in New York
By Jess McCabe | 20 April 2007, 13:50
The US seems to be having a bit of a feminist art revoltion right now, what with WACK! in Los Angeles, a major retrospective which is extensively covered on its blog. But Jewess has a great post up right…
Read 'Feminist art in New York'
Sign petition for UN resolution decriminalising homosexuality
By Jess McCabe | 20 April 2007, 13:32
We’re coming up to the International Day Against Homophobia, on 17 May, and this year the campaign will centre on procuring a UN resolution to decriminalise homosexuality. Over on the 10 Downing Street website, you can sign a petition asking…
Read 'Sign petition for UN resolution decriminalising homosexuality'
Feminist Carnival time again!
By Jess McCabe | 20 April 2007, 13:28
The latest Carnival of Feminists is up at Fetch Me My Axe. You can check out part one, part two and part three. Yes, it’s absolutely massive….
Read 'Feminist Carnival time again!'
A social networking site for women. The focus? Shopping
By Jess McCabe | 18 April 2007, 13:50
Osoyou, a social networking site for women in the UK, has just got $2 million of funding, according to Mashable. There’s not much to see on their website right now, but what there is is enough to annoy. Here’s their…
Read 'A social networking site for women. The focus? Shopping'
Half of India's girls want to be boys
By Jess McCabe | 16 April 2007, 11:41
Almost half of girls in India wish they were boys, according to a government survey which also uncovered widespread abuse of children. The Times of India reports that the government survey found 53% of five to 18 year olds in…
Read 'Half of India's girls want to be boys'
Nintendo's latest offering "for" girls: all makeup and boys
By Jess McCabe | 15 April 2007, 22:28
Nintendo has just released a new game for the Japanese market, aimed at girls, Cosmetic Paradise. Surely the best proof yet that games designed ostensible with the female gamer market in mind are universally awful and patronising, the game involves…
Read 'Nintendo's latest offering "for" girls: all makeup and boys'
Nuts, Ofsted and Sex Ed
By Jess McCabe | 14 April 2007, 23:28
Ofsted has published a report warning that teaching sexual abstinence in school sex-ed classes may increase the risk of unwanted pregnancy and STIs for teenagers. The Independent quotes from the school inspectorate’s report: “There is no evidence that abstinence-only programmes…
Read 'Nuts, Ofsted and Sex Ed'
Read the comments we received in March
By Jess McCabe | 14 April 2007, 20:12
I’ve just uploaded our comments section for March. What got the most responses? Well, it was George Mason’s story of his conversion to feminism and Joanna Tocher’s review of a feature in the much-maligned Observer Woman supplement, on the 50…
Read 'Read the comments we received in March'
Indian civil servants told to reveal "detailed menstrual history"
By Jess McCabe | 11 April 2007, 17:43
Female civil servants in India are in shock, after being told to fill out a detailed form about their periods and past pregnancies, the BBC reports. Women civil servants say the questions are a gross invasion of privacy. One told…
Read 'Indian civil servants told to reveal "detailed menstrual history"'
For the South Coast feminists out there…
By Jess McCabe | 10 April 2007, 22:46
A new activist and discussion group for feminists in Hampshire and West Sussex has just got off the ground. SouthCoastFems launched yesterday, and you can join the Yahoo! Group here. This group is for feminists in Hampshire and West Sussex,…
Read 'For the South Coast feminists out there...'
Tate admits anti-woman bias
By Jess McCabe | 10 April 2007, 13:49
The Tate Modern has admitted it needs to include more work by female artists, after revealing only 12% of artists represented in its collection are women, reports The Independent. That is 348 female artists out of 2,914 artists in the…
Read 'Tate admits anti-woman bias'
Female bosses more likely to opt for equal pay
By Jess McCabe | 9 April 2007, 23:41
A US study has found that women in managerial positions are more likely to pay female staff under their supervision the same as men, Women’s eNews reports. The findings flatly contradict the myth of the “pink ceiling”, which involves women…
Read 'Female bosses more likely to opt for equal pay'
Trainers and trousers compulsory for primary school girls?
By Jess McCabe | 9 April 2007, 12:05
In a bid to tackle the obesity epidemic, girls of primary school-age should be forced to wear trainers and trousers to encourage them to get involved in active play during breaks, according to a new study. As The Guardian reports…
Read 'Trainers and trousers compulsory for primary school girls?'
Tories sack woman for having breast cancer
By Jess McCabe | 8 April 2007, 22:34
An employee of the Conservative party has been awarded £38,000 in compensation, after she was fired for having breast cancer. Here’s a blog post about it: unfortunately no link to the original story, but More To Life Than Shoes appears…
Read 'Tories sack woman for having breast cancer'
Feminist Library is Time Out's "hero of the week"
By Jess McCabe | 6 April 2007, 12:52
As regular readers know, a number of us here at The F Word are involved as volunteers with The Feminist Library. Well, this week the library was featured as “hero of the week” in Time Out. Here’s the clipping: No,…
Read 'Feminist Library is Time Out's "hero of the week"'
Eritrea bans female circumcision
By Jess McCabe | 5 April 2007, 20:48
Eritrea has banned the brutal practice of female genital mutilation, the New Scientist reports. This is definitely a good news story, although who knows how long it will take to get rid of this practice, considering 94% of Etritraen women…
Read 'Eritrea bans female circumcision '
35th Carnival of Feminists
By Jess McCabe | 4 April 2007, 23:06
Welcome to the 35th Carnival of Feminists! We’ve had a blast putting it together, and hope you enjoy it. First up, since the last Carnival it has been impossible to escape from the issue of harassment of female bloggers. As…
Read '35th Carnival of Feminists'
Women in the military
By Jess McCabe | 2 April 2007, 22:40
The RAF is the least sexist of the armed forces, according to an article about women in the military in today’s Independent The feature is full of other interesting bits of information. For example, did you know that Nestle makes…
Daily Express launches feminist blog
By Jess McCabe | 30 March 2007, 23:56
The Daily Express has launched a feminist blog, under the auspices of journalist Lauren Thompson. Yes, it was a surprise to me too. Of all the unlikely folks to enter the universe of feminist blogging, the Daily Express, best known…
Read 'Daily Express launches feminist blog'
German girls to be given cervical cancer vaccine
By Jess McCabe | 30 March 2007, 17:55
Germany is the latest country to recommend the use of the HPV vaccine to protect girls against cervical cancer, Speigel International reports. The German Standing Vaccination Committee (STIKO) officially recommended Monday that all girls between the ages of 12 and…
Read 'German girls to be given cervical cancer vaccine'
New features and reviews on The F Word!
By Jess McCabe | 29 March 2007, 23:08
This month, our update comes a bit early because of preparations to host the 35th Carnival of Feminists on 4 April. There’s still time to get your submissions in, either by using our comments form or by filling in the…
Read 'New features and reviews on The F Word!'
97% of British women say Size 12 is too fat
By Jess McCabe | 29 March 2007, 22:38
An incredible 97% of British women think those who wear a Size 12 are “officially overweight”, according to a poll in New Woman Magazine. But before I get on to that mind-boggling statistic, let’s see how The London Paper covered…
Read '97% of British women say Size 12 is too fat'
An equation for prostitution?
By Jess McCabe | 27 March 2007, 16:45
Economists have come up with a mathematical equation which they say explains prostitution, reports The Guardian. The other economists concentrate on gender, pay and the “nature of forgone earning opportunities of prostitutes and clients”. But, say Della Giusta, Di Tommaso…
Read 'An equation for prostitution?'
Nigerian students held to ransom for grades
By Jess McCabe | 26 March 2007, 22:01
Male lecturers and schoolteachers in Nigeria routinely pressure girls for sex in return for passing grades, reports the Washington Post. When Nigeria’s education minister faced an audience of 1,000 schoolchildren, she expected to hear complaints of crowded classrooms and lack…
Read 'Nigerian students held to ransom for grades'
Orange Prize judge says women writers not imaginative enough
By Jess McCabe | 26 March 2007, 20:36
Novelist Muriel Gray has said that the entrants for the Orange Prize for women’s fiction lack imagination and are too personal in their focus, The Independent reports. Can I just say right away: why have they got an author who…
Read 'Orange Prize judge says women writers not imaginative enough'
Today in body fascism… Kate Moss
By Jess McCabe | 23 March 2007, 19:18
Londoners who picked up The London Paper were confronted by this photo of Kate Moss on the front page: For readers who can’t see the caption, it says: Millions of women can allow themselves a satisfied smile today at the…
Read 'Today in body fascism... Kate Moss'
The naming of spouses is a difficult thing
By Jess McCabe | 23 March 2007, 14:57
More and more men are chosing to take on their partner’s name when they get married, according to a report in USA Today. As Donna and Mike entered their wedding reception, an unwitting announcer told the expectant crowd, “Ladies and…
Read 'The naming of spouses is a difficult thing'
Feminist Carnival comes to The F Word
By Jess McCabe | 22 March 2007, 12:54
In three weeks time, The F Word is going to play host to the 35th Carnival of Feminists. For readers who aren’t familiar with this project, the Carnival is a twice-monthly celebration of the feminist blogosphere, collecting together posts from…
Read 'Feminist Carnival comes to The F Word'
From the blogosphere
By Jess McCabe | 21 March 2007, 22:45
Cassandra Says has declared this the week of female desire. In response, the feminist blogosphere has posted up lots of images of folks they find sexy. For example, Anti-Essentialist Conundrum and Renegade Evolution. Meanwhile, Women’s eNews has a really interesting…
Experts recommend vaccinating all teens against STIs
By Jess McCabe | 21 March 2007, 22:25
All teenagers should be inoculated against the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease which causes cervical cancer, according to specialists quoted in an Independent story The vaccine should be bundled up with five others in a comprehensive programme…
Read 'Experts recommend vaccinating all teens against STIs'
Disney's first black princess
By Jess McCabe | 21 March 2007, 01:32
Disney is to produce its first animation featuring a black princess, as reported on CNN. Called The Frog Princess, the movie will be set in “Jazz-age New Orleans”. John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Disney and the Disney-owned unit Pixar…
Read 'Disney's first black princess'
Buffy's back
By Jess McCabe | 20 March 2007, 21:42
Season eight of Buffy the Vampire Slayer has just started. OK, the TV show itself isn’t back on our screens, but creator Joss Whedon has revived the story of the Slayer one last time in a series of comics. Issue…
200 years since the end of the slave trade, slavery is alive and well in England
By Jess McCabe | 19 March 2007, 23:02
Two hundred years ago, the British Parliament outlawed the slave trade. As part of the events going on to mark the anniversary, the BBC is running a series of features on modern slavery. Every year, around 4,000 women are trafficked…
Read '200 years since the end of the slave trade, slavery is alive and well in England'
"Uber-hausfrau" movement sweeps Germany?
By Jess McCabe | 18 March 2007, 13:56
An uber-hausfrau movement is sweeping Germany, according to a report in Spiegel International. Das Eva Prinzip, sub-titled Towards a New Femininity, by Eva Herman, is apparently behind the “movement”, and Spiegel describes it as “full of anti-feminist anger”. Based on…
Read '"Uber-hausfrau" movement sweeps Germany?'
F Word Update
By Jess McCabe | 17 March 2007, 15:13
Lifting the veil on mothers and daughters Mother’s Day is an extravaganza of flowers and cards. But Rosjke Hasseldine asks why no one is paying attention to real mother-daughter relationships…
From weightlifting to "pussy cyclones"
By Jess McCabe | 17 March 2007, 11:26
Teenage girls in Florida are competing in weightlifting contests, and loving it, according to the New York Times. “It might not have been the most, like, girly or cool thing,” said Hannah Feliciano, a willowy freshman at Sarasota High School…
Read 'From weightlifting to "pussy cyclones"'
Clinton "sounds like a bitch"
By Jess McCabe | 16 March 2007, 15:50
Hilary Clinton should not become the next president of the US because her voice makes her sound like a “bitch”. Or so says Glenn Beck, a right-wing radio DJ, recently hired by CNN. Because what America needs is more misogynist…
Read 'Clinton "sounds like a bitch"'
Minister proposes boys' bookshelf in schools
By Jess McCabe | 15 March 2007, 14:40
Alan Johnson, our education secretary, has proposed that school libraries should be stocked with a special shelf of books with “fighting, spying and sporty working-class heroes” aimed at boys, The Guardian reports. The aims of the proposal are laudable: Every…
Read 'Minister proposes boys' bookshelf in schools'
Feminism 101
By Jess McCabe | 15 March 2007, 09:22
New to feminism? You might want to check out this Feminism 101 blog. Constantly updated, the blog collates posts from the feminist blogosphere to answer questions typically posed by those who are new to discussions of gender equality. The only…
Odds and ends
By Jess McCabe | 14 March 2007, 23:01
Abortion Rights is collecting stories of some of the one in three women who will have an abortion over their lifetime. The stories may be different from the ones you’re used to hearing in the media. They are not sensational,…
The Rabbi's guide to oral sex?
By Jess McCabe | 14 March 2007, 18:04
Here’s an interesting column over at Faithhacker about whether oral sex for women is permitted under Jewish law. Although some of the arguments are rather unfortunate/utterly misogynistic - for example, comparing women to meat and fish - I suppose you’ve…
Read 'The Rabbi's guide to oral sex?'
Women's prisons should be abolished - Labour peer
By Jess McCabe | 14 March 2007, 17:29
Women’s prisons should be shut down for good, according to a report out today. The government ordered Baroness Jean Corston to undertake the report in the wake of six deaths at Styal prison, and she has concluded that the current…
Read 'Women's prisons should be abolished - Labour peer'
Feminist rates songs about women
By Jess McCabe | 14 March 2007, 16:55
Over at the Guardian today, Laura Barton has awarded 10 songs about women a score out of 10 based on their feminist chops. Destiny’s Child comes in with the highest score at nine out of 10, for Independent Woman. Independent…
Read 'Feminist rates songs about women'
Dear readers…
By Jess McCabe | 13 March 2007, 08:24
I’m working on a feature about feminist activism in the UK - if you’re up to something interesting, please get in touch. You can email me at jess@thefword.org.uk…
Boo hoo
By Jess McCabe | 12 March 2007, 15:46
Men working in the public sector are seeing their salaries cut by up to £15,000 a year in order to bring them into line with female colleagues, The Times reports. Although the point of equal pay legislation should surely be…
Pupils to read children's books with lesbian and gay characters
By Jess McCabe | 11 March 2007, 14:38
Children in 14 schools will be introduced to books with gay and lesbian characters. The Guardian reports on some of the books to be included in the pilot, which will extended across the country if successful: King & King A…
Read 'Pupils to read children's books with lesbian and gay characters'
Update on pelvic exam post
By Jess McCabe | 9 March 2007, 16:59
Yesterday I blogged about this story of gynaecology students in the US being trained to perform exams on unconscious women who had not given their consent. I asked a recently-qualified doctor friend of mine whether or not this happens in…
Read 'Update on pelvic exam post'
Catching up with the blogosphere
By Jess McCabe | 8 March 2007, 22:18
If, like Zoe Williams of The Guardian, your feelings about International Women’s Day are a bit “meh”, check out this videoblog by Jessica Valenti of Feministing to remind yourself what it’s all about. And while you’re in video-watching mode, watch…
Read 'Catching up with the blogosphere'
Medical students perform pelvic exams on unconscious women without consent
By Jess McCabe | 8 March 2007, 21:15
It turns out that up until recently it was common practice in the US for medical students to practice pelvic exams on unconscious female patients before surgery, without their consent. Rachel over at Women’s Health News has the full story,…
Read 'Medical students perform pelvic exams on unconscious women without consent'
Blog against sexism
By Jess McCabe | 8 March 2007, 09:08
Today is Blog Against Sexism day, and it’s as good excuse as any to interrupt usual blogging to do something on gender discrimination. Of course, we can’t do that, because we blog against sexism every day. All that is…
Are we "so over" International Women's Day?
By Jess McCabe | 7 March 2007, 16:00
In today’s Guardian, Zoe Williams makes a convincing argument that International Women’s Day has been hijacked and diluted until all use has been wrung out of it. Tomorrow in Westminster, Hilary Benn chairs a panel of global experts addressing Women’s…
Read 'Are we "so over" International Women's Day?'
Creepy retouching software
By Jess McCabe | 5 March 2007, 16:48
Here’s a really creepy piece of software that retouches photos automatically. PortraitProfessional takes only five minutes to reconstitute your bone structure along more standard and very caucasian lines, as well as ironing out any individuality in the form of, say,…
Read 'Creepy retouching software'
Walk highlights black servicewomen of WWII
By Jess McCabe | 5 March 2007, 14:38
Women played a significant role in World War II, but when you think of a service woman of that era, it is likely you’re thinking of a white woman. The Imperial War Museum is putting on a walk on 10…
Read 'Walk highlights black servicewomen of WWII '
Yet another great blog - on the UN
By Jess McCabe | 4 March 2007, 20:40
Did you know that we’re in the middle of the UN conference on the Status of Women? If you want to find out more, you can check out Women UNLimited, which is live blogging the conference on behalf of openDemocracy….
Read 'Yet another great blog - on the UN'
Another feature!
By Jess McCabe | 4 March 2007, 20:04
Today I uploaded another feature onto The F-Word. I’ve also updated the resources section with some new websites and discussion groups. That said, I’m sure there is more out there, so please do use the comment form to email in…
Female genital mutilation - a personal story
By Jess McCabe | 4 March 2007, 19:36
Here’s a blog that should be required reading, but I can’t help but add a warning that it’s not for the faint of heart. Survivance is the story of a Parisian woman who is preparing for surgery to undo the…
Read 'Female genital mutilation - a personal story'
Attempted drug rapist out in three months
By Jess McCabe | 4 March 2007, 13:48
A man caught in the act of attempting to drug and rape a city banker has been given a paltry two year sentence. Although police found hundreds of Xanax pills in Rohail Spall’s car, and he was found guilty by…
Read 'Attempted drug rapist out in three months'
Holestar
By Jess McCabe | 4 March 2007, 11:29
How much of our femininity and masculinity is performance? Holly explored this question a little at a drag king workshop a few years ago. But here’s a new spin on it, and what sounds like a fantastic night out as…
And more on Britney
By Jess McCabe | 2 March 2007, 15:40
As though the collective opprobrium heaped on Britney Spears wasn’t enough, some bright spark has brought out a ‘Rehab Britney’ doll. The Metro has a photo, complete with this disgusting discription: The doll isn’t pulling any of the crazed faces…
SPITLIT
By Jess McCabe | 2 March 2007, 11:19
If you’re in London looking for something to fill your time up with over the next week or so, you could do much worse than check out the SPITLIT festival celebrating women’s writing. It includes a truely dizzying number of…
New features, new reviews
By Jess McCabe | 2 March 2007, 08:27
Who’s to Say Who Understands Us? From George Clooney to handbag merchant Stuart Vevers, the Observer Woman’s list of the 50 men who “really understand” women gets it badly wrong, argues Joanna Tocher Flicking the Bean Thanks to the media…
Read 'New features, new reviews'
Radical feminist romantic comedy - trailer!
By Jess McCabe | 28 February 2007, 20:40
Is Itty Bitty Titty Committee the first romantic comedy about radical feminists? Possibly not, but it’s the first I’ve heard of. Check out the trailer below: IBTC is directed by Jamie Babbit, of ‘But I’m A Cheerleader’, which I haven’t…
Read 'Radical feminist romantic comedy - trailer!'
Feminist pre-school opens in northern Sweden
By Jess McCabe | 28 February 2007, 17:06
Parents in the northern Swedish city of Umeå have banded together to set up a feminist pre-school for their young children, The Local reports. Caroline Ahlénius is one of those behind the initiative to expand the remit of privately run…
Read 'Feminist pre-school opens in northern Sweden'
Missouri rape victims billed for evidence kits?
By Jess McCabe | 28 February 2007, 00:07
Rape victims in Missouri, US, are routinely asked to pay for the rape kits used to collect evidence of the crime. Apparently a bill is currently being put forward which should change the situation, according to blogger Kelly Sue over…
Read 'Missouri rape victims billed for evidence kits?'
The end of marriage? Hardly
By Jess McCabe | 27 February 2007, 23:21
Secretary of State for Education Alan Johnson has given a speech saying he does not support a policy of reinstating tax breaks for married couples, because it is patently unfair to single parents. However, if you read The Telegraph (poor…
Read 'The end of marriage? Hardly'
New York Times thinks women can't review military history books
By Jess McCabe | 26 February 2007, 22:14
How do you become a book reviewer for the New York Times? Well, it turns out, if you’re a woman you might as well not bother applying, because editor Barry Gewen doesn’t think female reviewers can tackle “general audience” books…
Read 'New York Times thinks women can't review military history books '
One year to save the Feminist Library
By Jess McCabe | 25 February 2007, 22:18
Some readers might know this, but several of the bloggers at the F Word, including myself and Louise, are involved in volunteering at the Feminist Library. We had an emergency meeting over the weekend, and have come to the conclusion…
Read 'One year to save the Feminist Library'
Some members of the government not a complete lost cause?
By Jess McCabe | 25 February 2007, 13:14
It turns out that Cameron’s pro-marriage rhetoric, which in turn sparked more of the same from the Government, has caused a split in the Cabinet. The Guardian reports that Education Secretary Alan Johnson is set to give a speech next…
Read 'Some members of the government not a complete lost cause?'
Blears to go for Deputy PM position
By Jess McCabe | 24 February 2007, 18:11
Hazel Blears has put her hat into the ring for the position of Deputy Prime Minister. Blears is the second woman to put herself forward, after Harriet Harman. The BBC reports: Speaking in her Salford constituency as she launched her…
Read 'Blears to go for Deputy PM position'
Blogging from inside the comics industry
By Jess McCabe | 23 February 2007, 14:54
What does a comics editor do? If you’re interested in finding out, you could do much worse than read the new blog of Rachel Edidin, who works for Dark Horse Comics (the ones that do the Buffy comics). In a…
Read 'Blogging from inside the comics industry'
Drop in rape allegations and convictions in US
By Jess McCabe | 23 February 2007, 12:27
There has been a decline in the number of rape allegations and convictions among young women and men in the US, the LA Times reports. While questions remain about the reliability of the figures, the LA Times makes an explicit…
Read 'Drop in rape allegations and convictions in US'
Guest blog: Rachel Millward speaks on Birds Eye View film festival
By Jess McCabe | 22 February 2007, 23:31
The Birds Eye View film festival kicks off on the 8th of March, showcasing a week of films by emerging female filmmakers. Festival director Rachel Millward generously offered to put together a guest blog post, explaining why Birds Eye View…
Read 'Guest blog: Rachel Millward speaks on Birds Eye View film festival'
Woman wins top programming award
By Jess McCabe | 22 February 2007, 17:27
A female programmer has won the A. M. Turing Award for the first time. The LA Times reports that Frances Allen, “whose work helped crack Cold War-era code and predict the weather” is one of the few individuals to ever…
Read 'Woman wins top programming award'
Introducing Laura, our new blogger
By Jess McCabe | 22 February 2007, 12:17
Readers may well be familiar with our newest blogger, Laura from the excellent blog Not A Feminist But. Laura will be blogging for us about once a week, from her temporary new home in Chile. You can also check out…
Read 'Introducing Laura, our new blogger'
Berlusconi: what a guy
By Jess McCabe | 22 February 2007, 09:06
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has resigned, after his government lost a crucial vote on its involvement in Afghanistan. As Variety is reporting, this could mean that Silvio Berlusconi returns to political power. But look what turned up in my…
Introducing Abby, our new blogger
By Jess McCabe | 20 February 2007, 19:45
I’m excited to announce we have a new edition to our pantheon of bloggers. Abby O’Reilly has been a regular contributor to The F Word since August 2006, and you can read previous work for us over on our…
Read 'Introducing Abby, our new blogger'
Lads' mags post falling sales
By Jess McCabe | 19 February 2007, 16:43
Sales of lads’ mags fell a whopping 14.4% in 2006, according to reports in the Media Guardian (registration required). FHM’s circulation fell nearly 26%, and Arena 30%, but I take most pleasure from the falling sales of the vile Zoo…
Read 'Lads' mags post falling sales'
How to be the best gender-stereotyped boy/girl ever
By Jess McCabe | 18 February 2007, 11:05
Anyone who has had to shop for childrens’ books lately will have noticed the appearance of a number of books like The Dangerous Book For Boys. I must admit, I’ve even bought this particular book for my 10 year old…
Read 'How to be the best gender-stereotyped boy/girl ever'
Amanda Marcotte speaks about being chased out of job by right-wingers
By Jess McCabe | 17 February 2007, 12:20
Amanda Marcotte, from Pandagon, has been forced to quit her new position as blogger for the John Edwards campaign, after an onslaught of harassment from the right wing. Over at Salon, she explains why she decided to resign, and ponders…
Read 'Amanda Marcotte speaks about being chased out of job by right-wingers'
Portugal to legalise abortion
By Jess McCabe | 16 February 2007, 23:54
Portugal will legalise abortion, after a referendum demonstrated popular support for abortion rights. Voter turnout was not high enough to trigger an automatic change in the law, but with 59% support for reform, the Socialist government will now bring forward…
Read 'Portugal to legalise abortion'
Black Snake Moan - 'a bit problematic'?
By Jess McCabe | 16 February 2007, 17:30
I don’t like to judge films based purely on trailers. But with Black Snake Moan, it’s hard not to. I’ll quote Newsweek for the plot: There’s no polite way to describe Craig Brewer’s “Black Snake Moan,” so let’s get it…
Read 'Black Snake Moan - 'a bit problematic'?'
Only fathers can stop kids joining gangs?
By Jess McCabe | 16 February 2007, 12:11
David Cameron wants to “compel” fathers to play a bigger role in their children’s lives, in a big to stop gang violence, the BBC reports. He was speaking in response to the shocking series of murders in South London. He…
Read 'Only fathers can stop kids joining gangs?'
Harley Street 'bans' abortions
By Jess McCabe | 13 February 2007, 23:11
Doctors on Harley Street will not be allowed to perform abortions in the future, the BBC reports. Howard de Walden Estate, which owns much of the property on the street, has said it will not give out new leases, or…
Read 'Harley Street 'bans' abortions'
Japan's chauvinist husbands attempt reform
By Jess McCabe | 12 February 2007, 15:19
A group of self-confessed chauvanist husbands in Japan is forging ahead with a plan to stop their wives divorcing them by doing the dishes, listening to their partners and saying “I love you” unashamedly. Over on AlterNet today, Catherine Makino…
Read 'Japan's chauvinist husbands attempt reform'
Guest blogger explains Swedish prostitution law conundrum
By Jess McCabe | 12 February 2007, 10:32
Back in December, we blogged about new evidence that appeared to show that Swedish prostitution legislation - which criminalises the men who buy sex not prostitutes - was failing to curb the oldest profession. This is of particular interest because…
Read 'Guest blogger explains Swedish prostitution law conundrum'
Round Up
By Jess McCabe | 11 February 2007, 17:40
It’s been so busy over the last few days, there have been quite a few stories that have slipped through the net, so here’s a quick round up of interesting stuff from the blogosphere and beyond… Over at AlterNet, Robert…
Wal-Mart to be hit by massive sex discrimination lawsuit
By Jess McCabe | 8 February 2007, 08:49
Up to 2 million women may now sue Wal-Mart for sex discrimination, after a US court ruled that a class-action lawsuit against the retail behemoth could go ahead. The Independent reports that an original complaint by six women, who accuse…
Read 'Wal-Mart to be hit by massive sex discrimination lawsuit'
Get an F-Word widget for your blog
By Jess McCabe | 5 February 2007, 17:09
Can’t get enough of the F Word? Why not install an F Word widget on your blog, MySpace page or website? Click here for more information. You can even configure how it looks to suit your own layout. I’ve got…
Read 'Get an F-Word widget for your blog'
F-rated: party to support female filmmakers
By Jess McCabe | 4 February 2007, 18:53
If you’re in London on Saturday 17 February, why not drop in at F-rated, an event to support female filmmakers. It’s going down at Rush on Frith Street in Soho, and the music promises to be excellent: Le Tigre,…
Read 'F-rated: party to support female filmmakers'
It’s not a men’s club anymore: Antarctica
By Jess McCabe | 3 February 2007, 12:39
Antarctica is one of the toughest environments in the world. Allie Barden, better known as Sandwichgirl, has been working - and blogging - on the ice since 2003, when she got a job at the American McMurdo base. In…
Read 'It’s not a men’s club anymore: Antarctica'
'Rape might as well be legal'
By Jess McCabe | 1 February 2007, 21:50
So few rapists get put behind bars that it might as well be legal, says Julie Bindel in the Guardian. If a man commits a rape, then he has, on average, a less than 1% chance of being convicted. Those…
Read ''Rape might as well be legal''
Single-sex carriages prompt sexist backlash
By Jess McCabe | 31 January 2007, 22:57
In an effort to provide women with a safe space away from gropers, Tokyo’s subway has instituted single sex carriages. But, reports Mainichi Daily News, Japan’s biggest selling men’s magazine Shukan Post (2/9) has gone on a particularly misogynist…
Read 'Single-sex carriages prompt sexist backlash'
Women being murdered and sold as 'ghost brides'
By Jess McCabe | 31 January 2007, 22:46
A gang has been buying women from their families, supposedly to sell them as ‘wives’, only to kill them because they are worth more as ‘ghost brides’. Singapore’s Electric New Paper reports that Yang Donghai and two other men have…
Read 'Women being murdered and sold as 'ghost brides''
Rape victim jailed, denied morning after pill
By Jess McCabe | 31 January 2007, 22:33
A Florida woman was sent to jail and denied access to emergency contraception after reporting a rape to local police. FOX 13 reports that police officers initially took her to hospital and began processing her case. But a background check…
Read 'Rape victim jailed, denied morning after pill'
Perks to being in female minority, says gamer
By Jess McCabe | 31 January 2007, 16:55
Sometimes, being the lone woman - or one of a small minority - in a male dominated field like game development has benefits, says Michelle Clay over at WomanGamers.com. It’s like a sneaky little superpower, and I got it just…
Read 'Perks to being in female minority, says gamer'
Pillow fight!
By Jess McCabe | 30 January 2007, 20:23
It is not often that sports truly appeal to me, but I can safely say that pillow fighting does. Steven Wells over at the Guardian sports blog says: In December 2004 the competitive pillowfighting concept was tested at a Toronto…
Blair sees light on Catholic adoption row
By Jess McCabe | 29 January 2007, 19:27
Tony Blair has said that Catholic adoption agencies will not be allowed to discriminate against gay potential adopters. The Guardian reports that the Prime Minister has said agencies will have until 2008 to put the law - which bans discrimination…
Read 'Blair sees light on Catholic adoption row'
Wife still equals mother for many
By Jess McCabe | 29 January 2007, 19:13
Charlie Brooker, the irreverent and hilarious Guardian TV critic, is not in search of a wife. But, he reports in a column today, everyone else thinks he should get one, to sew his buttons on, keep him tidy, organise his…
Read 'Wife still equals mother for many'
Japan's health minister calls women baby machines
By Jess McCabe | 28 January 2007, 20:22
Japan’s health minister called women “birth-giving” machines, during a speech this weekend, according to The Japan Times. Addressing prefectural assembly members of the Liberal Democratic Party in Matsue, the 71-year-old Yanagisawa touched on the nation’s declining birthrate and said,…
Read 'Japan's health minister calls women baby machines'
Rape case raises questions about judiciary
By Jess McCabe | 28 January 2007, 15:01
A case in which a Scottish judge put a footballer’s career ahead of the needs of a teenage girl that police suspect was raped, has raised concerns about the Criminal Justice System. Reports the Scotsman, the case involves 16 year…
Read 'Rape case raises questions about judiciary'
Women and Work Commission will not back pay audits
By Jess McCabe | 23 January 2007, 23:29
A group set up by the government to investigate how to close the pay gap between women and men will not recommend mandatory pay audits, according to the Green Party. Jenny Jones, Green Party London Assembly Member, comments: “The increasing…
Read 'Women and Work Commission will not back pay audits'
Stuff that's bugging me about Betty
By Jess McCabe | 22 January 2007, 08:32
Ugly Betty has a lot going for it, but as the season goes on a couple of things are starting to get my radar twitching. I’m watching the show on the US schedule, so I’ll try not to include any…
Read 'Stuff that's bugging me about Betty'
Congresswoman applauds Ugly Betty
By Jess McCabe | 19 January 2007, 19:21
Ugly Betty has fans in Congress. According to People, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis told the House of Representatives that America Ferrera, the actor who plays Betty, “is breaking down barriers for Latinos in prime-time television” Ferrera, the daughter of Honduran…
Read 'Congresswoman applauds Ugly Betty'
Mail, Tories, scared of c**t documentary
By Jess McCabe | 18 January 2007, 20:13
The BBC is planning a documentary about the ‘c-word’, provoking cries of outrage from the Mail on Sunday. Capitalising on the nation’s reaction to the totally unacceptable and racist behaviour on Big Brother, the Mail took a similar line with…
Read 'Mail, Tories, scared of c**t documentary'
A headline writer with an empty brain?
By Jess McCabe | 16 January 2007, 22:09
When I read a headline like The Girl with a Boy’s Brain, I prepare myself to be annoyed. This is the headline Psychlogy Today decided to give to a profile of a 24 year old woman with Asperger’s Syndrome. Brains,…
Read 'A headline writer with an empty brain?'
Women you want to know…
By Jess McCabe | 14 January 2007, 23:41
When was the first time you were aware of your size? Piny at Feministe asked this question, and received (as of today) 151 responses, each more depressing than the last. In response, another Feministe blogger, zuzu, challenged readers to come…
Read 'Women you want to know...'
More on Hitchens
By Jess McCabe | 13 January 2007, 11:16
[Update: apologies to Mary Birdsong. I mistakenly credited Claire Zulkey with writing the satire of Hitchens’ rant] Remember that Christopher Hitchens article in Vanity Fair about how women aren’t funny? Claire Zulkey Mary Birdsong takes him down a peg. Another…
Observer Woman tries to regain credibility?
By Jess McCabe | 12 January 2007, 20:41
Is the Observer giving its monthly Woman supplement a dose of sobriety? As Dawn Kofie explained last week, the magazine is a disappointingly prosaic offering. Aside from a few serious features, it is packed with fluffy stuff about clothes. Marie-Claire…
Read 'Observer Woman tries to regain credibility?'
Another day, another dodgy study
By Jess McCabe | 8 January 2007, 22:09
Penetrative sex cuts your stress levels, according to the scientists hard at work in Britain’s labs. And by penetrative sex, Dr Stuart Brody, the report’s author, only means straight sex. Because only straight people do that. For a fortnight, 24…
Read 'Another day, another dodgy study'
I can't believe it never took off!
By Jess McCabe | 5 January 2007, 17:43
A sanitary towel with a fake vagina attached so your “husband” can have “external intercourse” with you while you’ve got your period. I wish I was making it up, but I’m not. One Abdul A. A. Al-Saleh was issued a…
Read 'I can't believe it never took off!'
200 years to equality
By Jess McCabe | 5 January 2007, 17:03
It will take women 200 years before we achieve equal representation in Parliament, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission. As reported in the Independent, it will also be 60 years before men no-longer outnumber women in City boardrooms and…
Why hasn't Christopher Hitchens been fired yet?
By Jess McCabe | 3 January 2007, 23:31
Sarah Silverman proving that only ugly women are funny Women are not funny, Christopher Hitchens insists. This is a point of view that gets bandied about surprisingly often. I have a theory about why some men and women think…
Read 'Why hasn't Christopher Hitchens been fired yet?'
Tories support EU anti-trafficking measures!
By Jess McCabe | 3 January 2007, 21:03
Here’s an unusual story. The Conservative party has given its backing to a proposal which would see victims of trafficking given the right to stay in the UK for 30 days while they decide whether or not to help the…
Read 'Tories support EU anti-trafficking measures!'
Blogger leaves stage
By Jess McCabe | 2 January 2007, 22:23
Blac(k)ademic has left the building. Actually, she gave her notice back in mid-December - it’s just been that long since I went through my blogroll. The archive is still online, and well worth a read before it is swallowed by…
Feeds