Blog posts by Jess McCabe: 2008
27 August 2008
Early Thursday round-up!
A 14-year-old girl was raped in a Glasgow bus station, reports the BBC. Abyss2hope has some questions about how the case has been framed: What stands out to me in this case versus other rape cases against teenage girls I’ve… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 August 2008 | Comments (0)
Del Martin dies aged 87
LGBT rights activist Del Martin has died, aged 87. Martin and her wife Phyllis Lyon were the first same-sex couple to marry after California’s court ruling around two months ago, cbs5 reported. Martin and Lyon were among the founders of… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 August 2008 | Comments (0)
Persepolis screening, plus Q&A
For London-based readers, another chance to see Persepolis (which Cazz Blase reviewed earlier this month). F Word reader Suzi sent in the details: SAT 13 Sep, 13.15pm, Hackney & Islington Amnesty Group presents Oscar nominated Persepolis (12A). Artist and novelist… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 August 2008 | Comments (0)
26 August 2008
Women’s boxing for 2012 Olympics
The Beijing Olympics may be over, but the fight is continuing to get women’s boxing included in the competition in London in 2012, reports Reuters, via Jezebel. The International Boxing Association (AIBA) will press for the introduction of women’s boxing… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 August 2008 | Comments (1)
‘Girls are chickens?’
Vegetarians, feminists, and feminist vegetarians may wish to look away. Is this a real Heinz ad? Only a few months after pulling their ad for mayonnaise showing two men kissing, they decided to just let go and aim full tilt… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 August 2008 | Comments (4)
The right to choose is not enough - Mexico DF
Abortion is now legal in Mexico City, but efforts to make sure all women are able to access their right to choose have run into problems, reports the New York Times. It’s really interesting (and fantastic) that right from the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 August 2008 | Comments (2)
‘Pro-feminist’ blogger gets six months, escapes sex offenders registry
Justice for one female student who was assaulted when she was unconscious? Perhaps. Kyle Payne has been sentenced to six months in prison, for “invasion of privacy”. You’ll remember Payne as the blogger who described himself as a radical feminist,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 August 2008 | Comments (0)
25 August 2008
Oh Jeremy…
Jeremy Paxman, surely one of the most high-profile TV journalists in the country, thinks that “the worst thing you can be in this industry is a middle class white male”, reports the BBC (via Anji). “If any middle class white… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 August 2008 | Comments (18)
Jessica Hoffman’s challenge on capitalism and feminism
Jess Hoffman wrote an interesting post at Feministe on “Toward a Liberationist Feminism (Or, I Hope Pro-Capitalist Feminism Is an Oxymoron)”. Hoffman, of Make/Shift magazine and other interesting projects, says: What does feminism, or sexism, mean in a vacuum? And… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 August 2008 | Comments (13)
24 August 2008
New feature: Million Women Rise - Reflections
Around 5,000 women gathered from across the UK and marched through central London. Although they received no mainstream media attention, the march and rally have since become the subject of much discussion. Louise Livesey talks to some of the people… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 August 2008
Next Reclaim the Night Edinburgh set for March 2009
Readers in Scotland, this is one for your 2009 diary. Another Reclaim the Night Edinburgh is scheduled, probably for March next year, possibly on International Women’s Day. From the message on the RTN Edinburgh blog, it looks like the march… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 August 2008 | Comments (1)
21 August 2008
Thursday mid-afternoon round-up
The latest Carnival of Feminists is out now at Mind of Genevieve. This one includes some great posts, including Kate Smurthwaite’s about the origins of her name: I personally like the word “cunt” as I have expounded at length on… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 August 2008 | Comments (5)
Is that bell hooks on your shirt?
KMstitchery’s Etsy store has hoodies, t-shirts, dresses and skirts galore featuring women such as bell hooks, Angela Davis and Emma Goldman. Wearing the image of people who help form your politics literally on your t-shirt has a mixed history to… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 August 2008 | Comments (2)
New feature: In the name of the father…
For many women, getting married still means changing their name. Sarah Louisa Phythian-Adams has an alternate proposal Very recently I was married. It was 10 years in the making, and still I did it with some trepidation - not because… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 August 2008
20 August 2008
‘Where is feminism now?’ zine calling for submissions
I’m not sure I ‘get’ the title of this conference at the University of Aberdeen: Ending International Feminist Futures? I know it’s an academic event, but still - or perhaps I’m being a bit dense?! However, the conference itself looks… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 20 August 2008 | Comments (0)
19 August 2008
New feature: Sisters! Some of us are mothers, too!
Mothers’ issues are feminist issues, argues Ruth Moss Some mothers feel alienated by what they see as “feminism”. They feel that feminism is right in there fighting their corner, until they decide to give birth and raise a child. They… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 19 August 2008
New feature: Why my son wears pink
At two year’s old, Penni F’s son happily enthuses over both fairies and trucks. But, she worries, what happens when pressure to be a ‘real man’ kicks in? I have a toddler, a two-year-old boy. Like ‘most boys’, he likes… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 19 August 2008
Women unpopular among Tories?
Tory supporters are rebelling against David Cameron’s efforts to promote women, according to Anne Perkins in Comment is Free: The Tory ginger group website, Conservative Home, runs regular popularity polls for the shadow cabinet. This month, Spelman is at the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 19 August 2008 | Comments (4)
18 August 2008
Games vs Girls - I don’t have the words
Games Radar begins its feature on “Games vs Girls: Which is better?” with the breathtaking revelation that “by far most GR readers are guys”. Probably need to tone down the lashings of sexist bullshit before attracting any female readers, “guys”…. Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 August 2008 | Comments (34)
Women in film event, Bristol
If you’re in the Bristol area, this event at the Watershed Media Centre, 7pm, 28 August, looks great: Of 2007’s top grossing 250 films, only 6.25% were directed by women. This, and the reports that only 12% of the film… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 August 2008 | Comments (0)
17 August 2008
Rape & the police & juries & drink
Lest we get too excited that a rapist ended up behind bars, consider the sobering news of an apparent drop in the number of rapes being reported to the police, and Neanderthal attitudes to women drinking among senior police officers… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 August 2008 | Comments (35)
16 August 2008
Woman gets voice, woman loses voice
In a silent movie, obviously, no-one can talk. So what happens if one woman finds her voice? That’s the premise of Silent, a film which has the potential to examine some interesting ideas about attitudes to women who speak out,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 August 2008 | Comments (1)
15 August 2008
Justice is sometimes done, after all
Readers will be familiar with the UK’s shocking 5% conviction rate for rape. Or, to put it another way, considering the high percentages of rapes that go unreported, the average rapist in this country faces only a 1% likelihood of… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 August 2008 | Comments (3)
Parenting & biology - the stepfathers edition
Research out of the US indicates that in so-called “fragile” families, mothers actually rate step-fathers’ parenting abilities as about equal to/better than biological fathers, as reported in The News & Observer. Mothers reported that stepfathers were more engaged, more cooperative… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 August 2008 | Comments (2)
14 August 2008
Ginger
Regular commenter Redheadinred sent in this link about the “myths and history of red hair”: Throughout history there have been many strange beliefs and ideas about red hair. In ancient Egypt red haired animals and people were associated with the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 August 2008 | Comments (27)
13 August 2008
Eleanor Coppola
The Coppolas are a talented, powerful bunch. Admittedly I’ve not exactly been keeping close track, but in all the fuss about the film-making family, I don’t remember hearing a word about Eleanor Coppola, married to Francis Ford. The Independent ran… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 August 2008 | Comments (5)
Walk through the night - this weekend
If you’re in London this weekend, you may want to take part in a sponsored evening walk to raise money for the excellent charity Eaves. Walk the Night London starts at 11pm on Saturday, and finishes at sunrise. From the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 August 2008 | Comments (0)
New feature: What Not To Wear say to your co-worker
How would you feel if you found out the people around you chat about putting you forward for How to Look Good Naked? Kelly Draper knows all too well “Miss, you know that show with two women?” This is not…
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Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 August 2008
Workshop on “queer, feminist & trans politics of prison abolition”
Just a quick note to highlight an interesting-sounding workshop in London this weekend. (Please get in touch if you are organising/hear of events anywhere in the UK that we should be highlighting): THE QUEER, FEMINIST & TRANS POLITICS OF PRISON… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 August 2008
New review: ‘Freedom always has a price’
Cazz Blase considers how Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical story of coming-of-age in Iran and Europe transfers to the big screen I first saw the film Persepolis in May at the Cornerhouse in Manchester, in French with English subtitles, and in high… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 August 2008
12 August 2008
Women of Colour and Beauty Carnival
The Women of Colour and Beauty Carnival is up now, over at yennenga. Some highlights: The difference between “pretty” and “beautiful” at Having Read The Fine Print: You see in my life as WOC , pretty has had fuck all… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 12 August 2008 | Comments (2)
F Word blog review - have your say
This weekend a few of the bloggers met up to talk about the direction of this blog, and The F-Word as a whole. We want to give readers a chance to feed into this process, too. What are we doing… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 12 August 2008
Somehow I’m not hungry anymore
Cake Wrecks is a blog which records “when professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong”. Some of the examples - well what to say: The bound foot cake (“Yes, it was for a podiatrist.”) Edible brides and headless pregnant torsos Says… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 12 August 2008 | Comments (9)
11 August 2008
Citigroup fires vice-president who runs sexist, racist, homophobic blog
A vice president at Citigroup has been fired, after the bank realised he was blogging as “Large”, of the hideous blog Take A Report, according to Shanghai Daily. The newspaper presents the story as “blogger fired, even though money raised… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 August 2008 | Comments (0)
6 August 2008
Clothes for white, teenage colonisers!
Via AdsoftheWorld… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 6 August 2008 | Comments (21)
5 August 2008
Gender stereotypes…
Via Feminist Philosophers - like jj, I’m not completely convinced that this successfully punctures gender stereotypes - as the last few frames suggest is the intention. I think it might rely overmuch on the idea that stereotypes are obviously… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 August 2008 | Comments (6)
4 August 2008
First Women of Colour & Beauty Carnival kicks off…
Soaring is launching a blog carnival dedicated to women of colour & beauty: Submissions from women and men of color are welcome, focusing on these areas: What does beauty mean to women of color? What is the difference between beauty… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 4 August 2008 | Comments (6)
3 August 2008
Sunday round-up
DeBeers has created a hideously offensive line of necklaces shaped like tribal masks. As What Tami Said points out, given the history and current practices of this company, this is beyond tasteless, it’s fucked up. Is Shirley by Charlotte Bronte… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 August 2008 | Comments (29)
Times publishes misogynist tract
Some quotes from Kathleen Parker’s book, extracted for today’s Sunday Times: While women have been cast as victims, martyrs, mystics or saints, men have quietly retreated into their caves, the better to muffle emotions that fluctuate between hilarity (are these… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 August 2008 | Comments (15)
Dame Eileen
Oh how the Press love it when any reasonably high-profile woman rips into feminism and other women in general. The latest culprit is Dame Eileen Atkins, an actor who, incidentally, is performing in The Female of the Species (yes, the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 August 2008 | Comments (6)
2 August 2008
Daily Mail blatently misrepresents single mums
“One in five CSA mothers name the wrong father,” screams the headline for this story about the paternity testing by the Child Support Agency. A shocking statistic? But one which is a total lie, contradicted only three paragraphs into… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 2 August 2008 | Comments (20)
31 July 2008
Her Naked Skin
I suspect I’m not alone in being a bit vague on my suffragette history. So I was really impressed with Her Naked Skin, by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, on right now at the National Theatre. The play is set in 1913, and… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 31 July 2008 | Comments (9)
30 July 2008
Makeup for men…
A few make-up products are to be sold in highstreet chain Superdrug, aimed specifically at men - prompting fascination in the Guardian offices. Not only have they interviewed a random selection of men on whether they would ever wear mascara… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 30 July 2008 | Comments (15)
29 July 2008
Late Portal convert
I am aware that I have been quite negative about various video games here in the past. To be honest, my feelings about gaming are not so much love-hate as hate, hate, love. But, finally, one to belatedly celebrate… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 29 July 2008 | Comments (15)
28 July 2008
Feminist fiction suggestions?
So, I’ve been having a bit of a fiction binge. Well, I was sick all last week and staring at a screen for more than 10 minutes at a time was not on the cards. I managed to demolish my… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 28 July 2008 | Comments (51)
Introducing our new guest blogger… Milly Shaw
I realised I should ask Milly Shaw to blog when I was wanting to link to her excellent website at least once a week. Well, she has kindly agreed, and so will be posting a couple of times a week… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 28 July 2008 | Comments (4)
New York Times thinks women bloggers are a fashion story
The New York Times ran a story about women bloggers facing a glass ceiling - and placed it in the Fashion & Style section. As Every Dot Connects (from whom I stole the screenshot) points out: Well, hello! Yes,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 28 July 2008 | Comments (5)
26 July 2008
June 2008 comments up now
All the comments received about features and reviews during June are now available for your reading pleasure. This time, Roske’s article about women attacking each other, and the lack of sisterhood between women garnered the most comments - although as… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 July 2008 | Comments (4)
25 July 2008
Round up
John Kerry said “tar baby” on US TV - what the fuck?! Two female lawyers in the US were fired after kissing at a work function - Jezebel has more. Lisa dissects the argument that transgender people reify gender. How… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 July 2008 | Comments (2)
Suicide - or rape and murder?
(Post may be triggering) Three years ago, a US soldier, also an African-American woman, was found dead - the US Army ruled it was suicide. Now consider this description of how LaVena Johnson was found: Her body was found in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 July 2008 | Comments (5)
24 July 2008
Inside film school
Why do so few films pass the Bechdel test? BetaCandy at The Hathor Legacy argues that it’s because film school teachs scriptwriters not to. I had to understand that the audience only wanted white, straight, male leads. I was assured… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 July 2008 | Comments (12)
23 July 2008
Tory plan to ‘provide’ more ‘marriageable’ working class men?
So, a shadow cabinet member went on the Today programme this morning, to explain its policy on apprenticeships for young ‘people’ “Not in Education Employment or Training”. Or, in the words of the Today programme presenter, “part of a far… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 July 2008 | Comments (25)
New all-genders London feminist group launched
The folks behind the London Pro-feminist Mens’ Group are launching a new group, open to all genders. Meetings will take place twice weekly, beginning on 31 July, 6.30pm, London Action Resource Centre. Alternatively, email them to get involved: For us,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 July 2008 | Comments (19)
21 July 2008
New York lap-dancing club raided
A lap-dancing club in New York has been raided and 19 people arrested on a number of charges. This - criminally, in my view - includes some women working at the club, who are up on charges relating to prostitution…. Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 July 2008 | Comments (2)
An apology
Earlier today, a post went up on the blog, following up on a Daily Mail story, which in itself was re-reporting a Nature story on the future of fertility science - including the prediction that women of 100 will be… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 July 2008 | Comments (16)
How not to advertise the cancer risk of tanning beds
Via AdsoftheWorld.com… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 July 2008 | Comments (22)
Parents spend more on boys, or boys cost more?
Survey finds parents spend: £32,000 on raising boys £24,739.03 on raising girls Hmmm, interesting. The Times reports this as simply girls costing less, or boys “asking” for more money during their school years. (This is all based on a study… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 July 2008 | Comments (14)
18 July 2008
New feature: The future of activism
Protests seem to be ignored, so what’s a disgruntled feminist to do? Deborah McAlister considers some of the options The government appears to have a policy towards protesters that bares more than a passing resemblance to a small sulking child… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 July 2008
New feature: Knife crime and masculinity
Forget single mums and absent fathers - the current spate of knife crime can be traced back to the so-called ‘real man’, argues Jennifer Drew One would need to live on another planet to escape the media’s constant preoccupation with… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 July 2008
Latest Target Women!
Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 July 2008 | Comments (2)
New review: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
What happened to the women in The Diving-bell and the Butterfly in its transition from memoir to film, asks Melanie Newman? The film of The Diving-bell and the Butterfly was released in 2007. Based on a memoir by Jean-Dominique Bauby,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 July 2008
Rounding down to Friday evening
Sudy continues her series of posts about her experiences in the Philippines, this time reflecting on the situation of women who leave the country, often a painful seperation with their family, often combined with abuse in the workplace: As I… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 July 2008 | Comments (0)
Photos from SBS protest!
Yesterday and today protestors are gathering outside the High Court in support of Southall Black Sisters, as the case is heard on whether Ealing Council broke the Race Relations Act when it acted to effectively pull funding from SBS… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 18 July 2008 | Comments (3)
17 July 2008
Harriet Harmen=praying mantis. Thanks Times.
(Via feminist bite) Because calling for legislation to counter discrimination in the workplace is EXACTLY THE SAME as biting a man’s head off…. Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 July 2008 | Comments (23)
Notice anything about this list?
Today The Independent reports that 60 Tory MPs have relatives on their staff rolls, who they pay £40,000 each. Shock! Horror! Right? Well, what the Independent fails to comment on, is that every single one of the examples they cite… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 July 2008 | Comments (4)
15 July 2008
‘Lauredhel’s toy-catalogue Annex of the Bechdel test’
1. One or more girls, playing; 2. with no boys around; and 3. with something that is not related to domestic work, mothering, being sexy, or ponies. Just what we need… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 July 2008 | Comments (7)
That New Yorker cover, a round up
So, the New Yorker ran a blindingly offensive cover (see right). It’s meant to be a satire of the racist & sexist bullshit aimed at Barack and Michelle Obama, but as you can see, manages to indulge and replicate that… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 July 2008 | Comments (24)
14 July 2008
Leftfield attack on rights for working mums?
The Times plastered the story on its front page. Nicola Brewer said that maternity leave is stopping women getting promotions. Feminist Avatar has written a great analysis of this story, from all angles: First off, let’s get rid of the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 July 2008 | Comments (26)
Women’s boxing on cusp of Olympic inclusion?
The exclusion of women’s boxing from the Olympics is set to end in 2012, according to Australia’s Herald Sun. “All the advice I’m getting is that it will be included in London,” Ted Tanner, chairman of Boxing Australia, said. He… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 July 2008 | Comments (5)
New feature: What a load of wank
Hordes of girls dream of becoming glamour models, but are too embarrassed to even talk about masturbation. Sophie Platt rages against a taboo which only affects girls and women One rainy day a couple of months ago, I sat down… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 July 2008
13 July 2008
Boris purges women from City Hall?
The Evening Standard reports that five top women in City Hall have been ousted since Boris Johnson won the election, and the position of women’s advisor scrapped. Challenged on this, Boris’ ‘chief of staff’ Tim Parker implied that women are… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 July 2008 | Comments (15)
New feature: Domestic violence and disabled women
Disabled women are twice as likely to experience domestic violence, and can face a range of additional barriers - from inaccessible shelters onwards, Clare Laxton reports It is a well known fact among women’s networks and feminists that two women… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 July 2008
12 July 2008
Ask a Feminist
Answers are provided by regular F Word contributors, and represent only their own potentially fallible opinions. In the spirit of pluralism, we will try and work in more than one response if we can. There is no definitive ‘F Word… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 12 July 2008 | Comments (13)
11 July 2008
Women who will ink you
There’s an excellent feature in today’s G2 about female tattoo artists. It includes an interview with Kat Von D, of LA Ink fame. But also women tattooing in this country. Such as Saira Hunjan: “All my friends were going off… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 July 2008 | Comments (9)
Off Our Backs in imminent danger of folding
[Update: Please read comments below - there are serious criticisms of this journal which I wasn’t aware of when writing this entry.] US feminist journal Off Our Backs is so short of funds it may be forced to cease publication,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 July 2008 | Comments (17)
10 July 2008
This week in things we’ve not had time to post properly about
The 60th Carnival of Feminists is out now! This issue is over at Unmana’s Words and features lots of posts from Indian bloggers - The Life and Times of an Indian Home Maker on joint families is particularly interesting. Jezebel… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 10 July 2008 | Comments (24)
7 July 2008
Eucalyptus is a feminist issue
Perhaps the title of this post seems ridiculous to some of you. But it will make more sense after reading a book by Gilsa Barcellos and Simone Ferreira of the World Rainforest Movement, focusing on the gendered impacts of monoculture… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 7 July 2008 | Comments (0)
Rounding up…
Rapists face little risk of being convicted in this country - that much we know. But research by Fawcett out today shows that the situation is much worse in some parts of the country than others. But the society said… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 7 July 2008 | Comments (7)
Coco Wang
Probably many readers saw Coco Wang’s series of comicbook strips capturing moments from the recent earthquake in China. (I don’t think we ever linked them on The F-Word, but they were widely talked about in the feminist blogosphere - you… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 7 July 2008 | Comments (0)
6 July 2008
Feminists in support of Tube cleaners strike
Reader Alice sent over this photo of the Feminist Fightback demo in support of the striking Tube cleaners, at the headquarters of Transport for London: Also see this excellent write up in the New Statesman: So, why is the tube… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 6 July 2008 | Comments (5)
5 July 2008
New feature: Kink 101
BDSM may set off red flags for feminists, says Kit Roskelly. But so does sitting in judgment on women’s sexual preferences “When we get freedom for all, you’ll do as you’re told!” It’s an old joke, and its origins have… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 July 2008
4 July 2008
Councillors think Jewish women never victims of domestic violence; all rich
In evidence submitted to a recent report by the Home Affairs Select Committee on domestic violence, Imkaan described how at a London Councils grants meeting, councillors said that Jewish women don’t experience domestic violence(!), and if they do, they’re rich… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 4 July 2008 | Comments (9)
LGBTory?
What to say about the name and logo of the Conservative Party’s group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, but presumably not trans members? Via Pink News - the story is actually about Boris Johnson preparing for his first ever appearance… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 4 July 2008 | Comments (27)
Action alert: email Virgin to protest deportations
Kemi Ayinde was trafficked to the UK seven years ago, where she was forced into prostitution. She faces deportation to Nigeria, with her 18 month old daughter and partner. She is five months pregnant. Bridget O’Koro came to the UK… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 4 July 2008 | Comments (0)
3 July 2008
New feature: Self harm
Self harm isn’t always about cutting, says Nino. Too many girls and women are holding themselves back from fully living Self harm doesn’t just mean cutting open your arms and pouring boiling water on them. It ranges from starving yourself,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 July 2008
Pixar and gender
Via Feministe I found this brilliant takedown of Pixar’s gender problem. Vast Public Indifference was inspired to come up with this rating because of Wall-E, but these are my favourite bits of analysis (some of this might only make sense… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 July 2008 | Comments (1)
15 years of Bust and more
Bust magazine is celebrating its 15th anniversary - more at After Ellen. Blog drama makes it to the LA Times! Boing Boing has deleted all posts by Violet Blue, only to produce this slightly mysterious non-explanation. Her latest column is… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 3 July 2008 | Comments (3)
2 July 2008
Summer of Our Lorde: Radical Study and Intentional Healing
brokenbeautiful press is putting on a study group centred on Audre Lorde. The readings for the group are available online, so everyone can participate. Via brownfemipower… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 2 July 2008 | Comments (0)
Survey shows politicians not immune from the rape culture
A small survey of Welsh Assembly members has uncovered some findings which will sadden but not surprise. According to the BBC, all 60 Welsh Assembly Members were sent a survey by Nerys Evans AM, asking questions about their experience with… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 2 July 2008 | Comments (2)
Majority of migrant domestic workers face abuse
Oxfam and Kalayaan today reveal that abuse of migrant domestic workers is mind-bogglingly widespread. The majority of these workers are women from developing countries, living in conditions close to slavery: Migrant domestic workers have the legal status of workers in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 2 July 2008 | Comments (3)
1 July 2008
Abortion - the fight continues
We always knew that the defeat of Nadine Dorries’ attempts to shrink women’s access to later term abortions was not the end of the fight. Many activists have been tallying up and shaking their heads at the small shift in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 1 July 2008 | Comments (1)
Rounding up and over
In the US, most completed rape kits are never sent on to be tested, meaning that women are put through the trauma of a rape exam essentially for no reason, we learn via Feministe. 400,000 kits are sitting untested across… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 1 July 2008 | Comments (2)
Kerosene
Aulelia from Charcoal Ink kindly sent me a copy of her excellent zine Kerosene. “The aim of this zine was to exhibit diverse voices of the diaspora,” Aulelia says in the editor’s letter. “I hope this slice of printed media… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 1 July 2008 | Comments (0)
Snog, Marry, Avoid?
It’s like the execs at BBC3 sealed themselves in a room and tried to think of the most sexist idea for a makeover show ever. Thanks Flying Saucer for letting us know about Snog Marry Avoid, a “make under” show… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 1 July 2008 | Comments (30)
30 June 2008
Turkey’s first women’s shelter
Muslimah Media Watch points us to a really interesting feature on Turkish Daily News, about the first women’s shelter in Turkey. When was it established? The late 17th century. The exact location of the world’s first women’s shelter is unknown,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 30 June 2008 | Comments (5)
More on medical rape
Debi formerly of The Burning Times has set up a project to collect women’s stories of medical and obstetric rape. MORAG: When most women go into hospital to give birth to their babies, or to attend for a gynaecological appointment,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 30 June 2008 | Comments (8)
Stephanie Toumi - an indictment of our immigration system
26-year-old Stephanie Toumi was on the first leg of a forced journey back to Cameroon. Her asylum claim had been rejected, and she’d already passed through the notorious Yarl’s Wood detention centre. Whether or not she ‘deserved’ to stay in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 30 June 2008 | Comments (3)
27 June 2008
Round up
It looks like Warner Bros has effectively ditched The Women, a comedy with an all-female star-studded cast, Nikki Finke says. It’s not my kind of film, and may well be terrible, but as Finke points out, it seems to be… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 June 2008 | Comments (1)
Ryanair calls business class service “beds and blow jobs”
Ryanair is courting publicity again, after announcing at a German press conference that the name for its business class service will be “beds and blow jobs” and the blow jobs will be “free”. According to the London Paper: Michael O’Leary,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 June 2008 | Comments (12)
‘Mainstream’ lefty blogs and feminism
Earlier this week, me, zohra and Holly trundled down to the Guardian for Blog Nation, arranged by Sunny from Liberal Conspiracy. You can see Sunny’s photos here. The second panel focused on women and feminist bloggers, and our interconnections to… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 June 2008 | Comments (18)
26 June 2008
May’s comments up now
Comments on features and reviews for May are up. This time round, there was plenty of discussion about Kit’s piece on abortion, Jennifer’s piece on vulnerability and Anji’s report on the launch of the ‘stripping the illusion’ campaign, among other… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 June 2008 | Comments (4)
In Albania…
Freya alerts us to this story about the dying tradition in Albania of women taking an oath of chastity, then living as men. For centuries, in the closed-off society of rural northern Albania, swapping genders was considered a practical solution… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 June 2008 | Comments (12)
25 June 2008
Take Care of my Cat - quick hit review
Last night I saw an excellent film, Take Care of My Cat, the first feature-length production by Korean director Jae-eun Jeong. It’s a coming-of-age movie set in Inchon, Korea, following the lives of five women who were a closely-knit group… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 June 2008 | Comments (6)
Retrosexism - Goodyear Tires
Via The Bilerico Project, this ad for Goodyear Tires from 1970 (according to YouTube) is actually kind of hilarious in how clearly it spells out the impression that women are in a constant state of panic on getting behind the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 25 June 2008 | Comments (7)
24 June 2008
Ask a feminist - the blog edition!
Our ‘Ask a Feminist’ feature has become so popular that the volume of questions is getting a bit out of hand, I think it needs to move over to the blog, where it can be updated more frequently. You can… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 June 2008 | Comments (14)
What’s up at The Skinny?
Scotland’s freesheet The Skinny has dropped its LGBT section, and replaced it with a much-smaller, less gay section named “Deviance” - which has been put down to an editorial push to make the listings-based mag more mainstream. As the editor,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 June 2008 | Comments (6)
Heinz ad withdrawn showing two men kissing
Edit - Oops! It turns out the Heinz withdrew the ad, not leaving the ASA time to ban it. A Heinz ad showing two men kissing has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, we learn from Milly of Lesbilicious,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 June 2008 | Comments (34)
BBC after young feminists for documentary
With the usual note of caution about what you’re letting yourself in for if you go on TV: BBC documentary series ‘WOMEN’ looking for young feminists ‘WOMEN’ is a three-part documentary series for BBC4 about feminism and its impact on… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 June 2008 | Comments (0)
23 June 2008
Michelle doesn’t need a makeover
Gina McCauley of the fabulous blog What About Our Daughters, has a great post on Comment is Free about the way the US media has leapt on Michelle Obama demanding a makeover. Gina puts it really well: Michelle Obama doesn’t… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 June 2008 | Comments (2)
Women trafficked to Afghanistan to meet ‘demand’ from Westerners
According to AP (via Womensphere), Chinese women are being trafficked into Kabul to meet demand for prostitutes from European and US men working on ‘reconstruction’ and ‘security’ in the city: Paradise is a brothel in an unmarked residential compound in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 June 2008 | Comments (2)
Gender studies in Israeli high schools…
This is an interesting one - there’s a feature up on Haaretz.com profiling a high school in Israel which has introduced gender studies classes. Girls and boys at Mevo’ot Eron High School are taught seperately in “feminist-oriented” gender studies… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 23 June 2008 | Comments (8)
21 June 2008
Cervical cancer in Ghana
I don’t really have anything to say about this description of both treatment and lack of detection and treatment of cervical and breast cancer in Ghana. But it has to be read: This hospital is one of just two with… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 21 June 2008 | Comments (4)
20 June 2008
Photoshopping women to show how they’d look ‘better’ with plastic surgery is creepy
Dollymix points out a horrible post on the celebrity blog Perez Hilton, which features a photoshopped image of an actor called Rumer Willis, ‘correcting’ her face. Check out the photo on Dollymix. The story just gets worse and worse as… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 20 June 2008 | Comments (1)
Friday Flickr
It’s Friday afternoon. There’s plenty of horrible things going on as usual. But, well, enough is enough some times. So here’s some inspiring photos from Flickr, all shared under Creative Commons licenses. Mural of Rigoberta Menchú Tum in San Francisco… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 20 June 2008 | Comments (3)
19 June 2008
Another round-up
Are feminists “fine with being bigots if it’s just ableism”? Tekanji over at the Official Shrub.com Blog urges feminists particularly to confront the use of discriminatory language, such as “crazy”, “lame”, “lunacy”, etc. Muslimah Media Watch considers the way this… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 19 June 2008 | Comments (18)
17 June 2008
Another round-up
The founder of La Leche League has died at 93, we learn from Our Bodies Our Blog. The group, which has not been uncontroversial, promotes breastfeeding. Target Women is brilliant. Via Punk Planning, The Girl Effect: Trevor Hoppe considers the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 June 2008 | Comments (2)
Rise festival not anti-racist anymore - thanks Boris
The Rise festival in London will no longer be advertised as specifically anti-racist, thanks to a diktat from the Mayor’s office, Dave Hill says over at the Guardian today. From its inception in the mid 90s - when it was… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 June 2008 | Comments (10)
Get back in the kitchen - Wired commenters to science writer
[Update - Extra reading assignment] Only a week after me and zohra spoke at the Guardian panel on online misogyny, before we’ve even had time to digest, a friend sent me a link to this post by Anna Kushnir, a… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 17 June 2008 | Comments (5)
16 June 2008
The Care Bears are next
News that a character called Strawberry Shortcake has been given a makeover has been all over the US feminist blogosphere. It’s been picked up by AfterEllen, ThinkGirl.net, Feministing, Broadsheet… But I just kind of ignored it. I don’t really know… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 June 2008 | Comments (8)
Refugee Week starts today
Refugee Week began today, and there is a full programme of events going on up and down the country. Also see this piece in the Guardian, in which Mark Haddon visits the Migrant Resources Centre in London. There’s a sharp… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 June 2008 | Comments (2)
Latest carnival of radical feminists up now…
The 15th Carnival of Radical Feminists is up at Rage Against the Man-chine. Loads of interesting stuff in this edition, including Editorializing the Editors on how holding a grudge can be a feminist act, Womanist Musing on wanting/needing a man,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 June 2008 | Comments (0)
15 June 2008
New review: Fragments from the Dark
Debi Withers reviews a book of writing by and interviews with female refugees and asylum seekers in Wales Fragments from the Dark is an important book for our times. Published by Hafan Books, a refugee charity based Swansea, Wales, Fragments… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 June 2008
New feature: Why are women so critical of each other?
All to often, the feminist promise of sisters supporting each other does not reflect reality. Rosjke Hasseldine considers what is holding women back from leaving the war of attrition behind in favour of solidarity Germaine Greer said at the Fem… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 15 June 2008
14 June 2008
Glasgow community rallies around failed asylum seekers
This report by the Guardian shows a Glasgow community coming together to block attempts to forcibly remove and deport asylum seekers who have become friends and neighbours. It’s frankly a relief; it’s a welcome break from endless anti-immigrant reporting in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 June 2008 | Comments (4)
‘Genderblind’ doesn’t cut it - the climate change edition
One of the challenges faced by feminists is getting across the fact that gender affects more than just issues like violence against women, pay equity, media representations. Indeed, feminists are often hard pressed to get people to recognise that even… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 June 2008 | Comments (2)
New feature: Men! Feminism needs you! (Not your privilege…)
Anne Onne dispenses some advice for men commenting on feminist websites and blogs Entering a feminist space - whether that be commenting on a blog or attending a meeting - can pose some unique problems for men. This isn’t about… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 14 June 2008 | Comments (2)
13 June 2008
YouTube footage of tonight’s vigil
Susannaaaa wrote in to tell us about this footage of the vigil in Glasgow this evening: From the Glasgow Feminist Network: Eleni Pachou. Moira Jones. Michelle Reid. Jeannette Cooper. These are the names of four women killed in Glasgow so… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2008 | Comments (1)
New feature: Mama’s mop and Bachelor’s soup
Although women shoulder most of the housework burden, men also vacuum, wash up and do the laundry. Kristine Bergström wonders why TV advertising persists in pretending otherwise? In an article relating to the controversial events surrounding the presidential election in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2008
New feature: Cartoon special…
In a break from our usual text-based programming, a selection of cartoons on the theme of men and women, by Yvonne Howard Glass half full? Click here to read on and comment… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2008
Teacher asks student to write report about being raped
A 16-year-old girl in Utah was told to write about her own rape as a homework assignment, by a teacher, we learn from abyss2hope. As reported in the Salt Lake Tribune: A state commission is sending a letter of warning… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2008 | Comments (1)
Man sentenced to eight years for second wife stabbing
An Ohio man has been sentenced to eight years for attempted murder, after stabbing his wife, we learn through The Curvature and abysstohope. That sounds like a low sentence, does it not? Well, consider this. Joseph Groth had already served… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2008 | Comments (3)
Site launched to monitor media portrayals of Michelle Obama
What About Our Daughters has set up a non-partisan site specifically to monitor how the media is portraying Michelle Obama. Check out Michelle Obama Watch here. Recent posts? Fox apologising for labelling Michelle as Barack’s “baby mama” in a broadcast…. Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 June 2008 | Comments (1)
12 June 2008
Brown sold out Northern Irish women to win 42 day vote
Gordon Brown won the vote, clearing the path for police to detain terror suspects for 42 days without charge. But it would never have happened without support from the DUP - according to the Telegraph, he secured this support by… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 12 June 2008 | Comments (14)
11 June 2008
Women in the future of journalism…
Me and zohra took part in a panel last night at the Guardian, looking at the hostile environment for women online. Check out Caitlin Fitzsimmons’ write up at the Guardian’s pda blog. Jessica Valenti of Feministing was also on the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 June 2008 | Comments (14)
The women who ran for US president
WOC PhD has a great post up, which includes a long list of the women who ran for president pre-Clinton. Hillary is the first woman to garner slightly less than 18 million votes but she is not the first woman… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 June 2008 | Comments (4)
Glasgow vigil on Friday
The Glasgow Feminist Network is holding a vigil this Friday, at 6pm in George Square: The women of Glasgow - the women of the world - should not have to live in fear of men’s violence. We will be… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 June 2008 | Comments (3)
Focusing schmocusing
The Washington Post ran a really infuriating article by Linda Hirshman, arguing against intersectionality. In fact, Hirshman argues, a focus on how sexism intersects with other oppressions, such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, class, poverty, and so on, weakens feminism and… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 June 2008 | Comments (31)
Addicted to Race is back!
Just a quick post to note that the brilliant Addicted to Race podcast is back, after a long hiatus. Since the relaunch, the podcast has already dealt with issues of particular relevance to feminists, including race and gender in the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 11 June 2008 | Comments (0)
9 June 2008
Pregnant 17 year-old dies picking grapes in California
[Edit: See also Brownfemipower’s post] Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez was 17 years old and pregnant when she died, having collapsed from the heat while picking grapes on a farm in California, reports KansasCity.com. San Joaquin County authorities are considering whether… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 June 2008 | Comments (3)
High heels for babies
“Extremely funny, completely soft, fully functional high heel crib shoes for babies 0-6 months,” is how Heelarious describes its products. Is it a joke? I can only hope so. They seem to be selling these little monstrosities for $35 a… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 June 2008 | Comments (32)
More pink toolkits
If you’re going to have pink tool kits, this one at least doesn’t actually state that it’s being marketed at women. Of course, it relies on the pink=women encoding we’re all too familiar with, but at least the website doesn’t… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 June 2008 | Comments (6)
Kanako Otsuji
Sayoni Speak has a great interview up with Kanako Otsuji, Japan’s first openly lesbian politician. According to Wikipedia, she is one of seven women in the Osaka Assembly, which has 110 members overall. A small excerpt: As I struggled to… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 June 2008 | Comments (0)
Yikes
PhotoshopDisasters has turned up a really extreme example, this time by Maxim Mexico. Check out the anatomically impossible waistline: Via Jezebel… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 June 2008 | Comments (8)
7 June 2008
Who should fund MPs’ nannies? And more
Over at Penny Red, Laurie alerts us to a story about the Tory party apologising for one of their MPs, who paid for a nanny out of her parliamentary allowance. Was the nanny found delinquently dancing on rooftops with rogue… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 7 June 2008 | Comments (3)
5 June 2008
New review: Sex and the City the movie - Having your (wedding) cake and eating it
The Sex and the City movie makes for a disappointing postscript to the more subversive TV series, argues Catherine Redfern This review contains spoilers after the first section. Read at your own risk. While obviously not perfect (frankly, what TV… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2008
Another Thursday round up
Hoyden brings us the first ever ‘Down Under Feminists Carnival’ - it looks brilliant. The Guardian has been hosting a bit of back-and-forth about the role recently-passed fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent played in the emancipation of women’s wardrobes. Linda… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2008 | Comments (0)
Jack the Ripper, the exhibition…
Over at the End Violence Against Women blog, Finn Mackay has a review up of the new ‘Jack the Ripper’ exhibition at the Museum in Docklands. Anyway, I’ve been hearing a lot about this exhibition - both complaints about the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2008 | Comments (3)
New review: Rape - an unfinished revolution
Joanna Bourke’s history of rape turns a steady and necessary gaze on an unsettling subject, concludes Louise Livesey Although at times distinctly uncomfortable reading and definitely one of those books for which the word “great” or “fabulous” is both apposite… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2008
New review: Haunted?
El Orfanato is a rare example of the ‘horror’ genre with a strong female lead. Or is it? Lindsey M Sheehan has more This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk El Orfanato - or ‘The Orphange’ - gained… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2008
Petition: 250 million women in the EU. Not a single one good enough?
We’ve just been observing Hilary Clinton make a play to become president of the US, and get further than any other woman has before. Setting aside whether she was the right candidate or not, the promise and possibility was dangled… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 June 2008 | Comments (0)
4 June 2008
New feature: Ask a feminist
In the third ‘Ask a Feminist’, our contributors answer questions from a woman who is seven months pregnant and needs help explaining why she wants to keep her name to her partner - and why their child won’t necessarily take… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 4 June 2008 | Comments (11)
Where’s the feminist theatre?
Where’s all the feminist theatre? asks Guardian theatre and performing arts blogger Andy Field, today. Lucinda Coxon’s Happy Now? was widely touted as a play written by a young woman, directed by one of the most exciting young directors in… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 4 June 2008 | Comments (1)