23 December 2007

Abortion Rights Public Meeting

Abortion Rights is holding a public meeting on January 16th 2008 entitled “Defend the Abortion Act - Campaigning for a Woman’s Right to Decide”. Details below. 7pm for a 7.30pm start, Committee room 10, House of Commons, nearest tube Westminster… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 23 December 2007

16 December 2007

Compensation payments for sex trafficking victims

The Guardian reports that four women have received £140,000 between them after suffering a ‘sustained period of abuse’ at the hands of sex traffickers and (I’d like to make clear) the UK males who exploited them. This is the first… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 16 December 2007

Toys R Strictly Gender Specific

Anyone else sick of seeing the Toys R Us Christmas TV advert for a toy kitchen set featuring three girls playing at cooking ‘just like Mum’? A quick newsflash for the Toys R Us adpeople: this is 2007. Dads cook… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 16 December 2007

14 December 2007

'This is why we need feminism' round-up.

Shakesville’s Melissa McEwan emphatically sets out why victim blaming is not only offensive and dangerous, but entirely wrong-headed: That’s the thing about rapists, you see. They rape people. They rape people who are strong and people who are weak, people… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 14 December 2007

"The advance of freedom in the Middle East has given new rights and new hopes to women…" George Bush.

Further to the report on women being killed for dressing in a ‘Western’ manner in Basra, yesterday’s Guardian featured a special report on the situation of women in Iraq since the invasion. Here are some of the highlights of… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 14 December 2007

13 December 2007

Violence against women petition

As Julie Bindel pointed out at the end of last month: Most women in the UK do not have access to a rape crisis centre, and fewer than one in 10 local authorities provide for minority ethnic women escaping or… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 13 December 2007

'Westernised' women being killed in Iraq

Another awful result of this disastrous war: Religious extremists have killed at least 40 women this year in Basra because of their “un-Islamic” dress, according to Iraqi police. The police said women were being apprehended by men patrolling on motorbikes… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 13 December 2007

12 December 2007

More on internal trafficking

Further to my post on internal sex trafficking, here’s a report from Amelia Cook, a member of Sheffield Fawcett Society, on a talk the group attended on Project Reflex. The project focuses on rescuing and caring for sex trafficking victims… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 12 December 2007

7 December 2007

More horribly offensive Christmas gifts…and Mens' Rights Activists

EDIT: Mankind Initiative contacted us to say that they now have a new chairman (as opposed to the one cited below) and the organisation has changed. Hot on the heals of the ‘rape-me-with-a-pen’ holder, allow me to introduce you… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 7 December 2007

Bin The Bunny Trilogy!

Produced by the Bin The Bunny campaign…. Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 7 December 2007

5 December 2007

The Women's Memorial

Debs at Feminist Fire has dedicated a page of her blog to women who have died as a result of unsafe, illegal abortion: The World Health Organisation estimates that 200 women a day die from unsafe abortions. If I knew… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 5 December 2007

Sex Slavery in the UK

I’m left feeling sick to my core after watching a BBC Look North report on sex slavery in the UK, specifically in the North (I’ll post up the link once it goes up on the BBC website). Police from the… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 5 December 2007

22 November 2007

Coach to RTN07 from Brighton/Hove

Sussex Uni’s women’s group have organised a coach from the Brighton area to Reclaim The Night in London on Saturday. Tickets are just £3.50: contact rach.george[at]gmail.com if you’re interested (all women wlecome, there’s a mixture of students and non-students going… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 22 November 2007

19 November 2007

Don't forget to Reclaim the Night!

Sick of being asked if you’re ‘OK to walk home’ after dark, assuring concerned friend that you are, and spending the whole journey home rehearsing what you’d do if you were attacked while simultaneously telling yourself to stop being silly… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 19 November 2007

17 November 2007

Write to The Queen

This is disgusting: Last week King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was being treated to lavish receptions with the Queen and assorted British dignitaries. This week, one of his courts has punished a women with 200 lashes and six months in… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 17 November 2007

Eating for feminism!

Women from Sheffield Fawcett Soc gleefully disregard beauty industry dictate on night out…. Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 17 November 2007

15 November 2007

Chuckle chuckle.

It always amuses me when a feminist challenges beauty norms and culture and receives the kind of response I got the other day: …for heaven’s sake get those dungarees off and comb your hair. A bit of lippy wouldn’t go… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 15 November 2007

13 November 2007

Afterthoughts, and a quandary.

It occurs to me that I have fallen once again into the trap of misdirected anger. Trinny and Susannah are, after all, also a product of the society that pushes the anti-women values I outline below, and as such should… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 13 November 2007

12 November 2007

Trinny and Susannah: fuck right off.

I see that while I’ve been immersed in mind-twisting Argentinean literature, Jess has beaten me to the Trinny and Susannah interview in the Guardian. But no matter, we seem to have quite different views on the subject, and as… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 12 November 2007

6 November 2007

And while I'm on the subject…

If I want to binge drink (and bear in mind that I need only consume a measly 6 units according to the government in order to do so) I will bloody well binge drink, and if some bastard decides to… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 6 November 2007

Dear Neighbours writers:

If, as I fear, you are indeed leading up to another ‘evil, conniving gold-digger cries rape for selfish personal gain to detriment of poor, upstanding, heart broken man’ type story line, I will reach out my infamously long limbs all… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 6 November 2007

2 November 2007

Merry-go-rounds and badge wearing coppers

The Sheffield branch of the Fawcett Society got down to some damn fine campaigning on Wednesday to raise awareness of the pay gap between men and women. Armed with home made placards, piles of leaflets and fistfulls of badges, we… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 2 November 2007

31 October 2007

The Truth Isn't Sexy Art Exhibition

Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 31 October 2007

29 October 2007

Abortion Article

Just thought I’d post up the link to the article Abby mentioned at the end of her last post. I wrote it for my university newspaper, but the Editor decided not to publish it. More details on the site, feel… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 29 October 2007

24 October 2007

Is it OK for disabled people to go to brothels?, asks BBC

Is it OK for anyone to go to brothels?, I ask. The title of this BBC online magazine article neatly sidesteps what I see as the rather more pertinent question, framing the debate as one of discrimination against disabled people… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 24 October 2007

19 October 2007

Hating the Man

That delightful old chestnut, “all feminists hate men” came up in my French Feminism class yesterday. A guy was giving a presentation on the first chapter of Simone de Beauvoir’s Seconde Sexe II and said he felt that de Beauvoir… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 19 October 2007

8 October 2007

Thoroughly depressing

An article in yesterday’s Observer magazine on the absence of male teachers in primary schools concludes with some incredibly disheartening remarks from a number of young boys on the roles of men and women: Thomas wants men to teach, but… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 8 October 2007

3 October 2007

Sheffield Fems are back!

Sheffield Fems will be meeting every Tuesday from 7pm in the University Arms pub, Western Bank, for discussion, activism and feminist friendship. The group is women only - we wish to foster a supportive space in which we can discuss… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 3 October 2007

1 October 2007

Getting on my feminist high horse

According to Londonist, some arsehole sticking a camera on his shoes and filming up women’s skirts with the intention of putting the images on the ‘net is really damn funny. Oh, and British women wear shit underwear. Well this woman… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 1 October 2007

Congratulations to the German World Cup Team!

Germany won the Women’s World Cup yesterday, beating Brazil 2-0 and managing to ellicit whoops of excitement from my footie loving boyfriend and, no, it had nothing to do with their legs. I know this year’s event has improved… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 1 October 2007

25 September 2007

Sexy, sexy war

According to American photographer Steven Meisel, the Iraq war, in which women have been raped and killed by soldiers, is the perfect setting for an oh-so-glamorous Vogue fashion shoot. Why? Because rape and violence against women are sexy of course!… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 25 September 2007

21 September 2007

Hairy Anniversary

I just realised that it’s a year now since I stopped shaving my armpits; over 14 months since I last shaved my legs, and in my eyes that’s call for a celebration, even if it does make one of… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 21 September 2007

13 September 2007

Doing my hair in the kitchen, stomping on Posh with my stilettos.

Tesco have it all figured out, ladies and gentlemen: men like music, playing guitar, DJing, watching films, buying cars and, of course, boobies, while women like fashion, gossip, hair and cooking. This invaluable information was imparted to me via my… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 13 September 2007

10 September 2007

Police actually take rape accusation seriously.

Shocked? With police officers assuming that around 23% of rape allegations are false, despite the figure being the same as for the majority of other crimes (3%), you’d be well within your right. Your shock will no doubt be banished,… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 10 September 2007

6 September 2007

Here we go again: women really do just want a sugar daddy.

An Indiana University research team have concluded that while women look for financial security and long term commitment in a potential partner, men are most likely to go for more attractive women. Yes, folks, based on a whopping sample size… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 6 September 2007

2 July 2007

Violence Against Women in the UK

V at reSISTERance posts an ever needed reminder of the extent of violence against women in the UK. Good fodder for antifeminists who claim feminism is now redundant, too. The list of stories taken from the BBC website is hard… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 2 July 2007

19 June 2007

Hostel II : Misogyny Sells

I was stopped in my tracks and turned into an expletive-spewing ball of anger earlier this week by the sight of this advert for the film Hostel II. Unpleasant to say the least. I don’t know whether the same image… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 19 June 2007

13 June 2007

I Did Not Ask For It UK

London Feminist Network have launched a great new campaign: Based on similar campaigns in India we are launching an “I DID NOT ASK FOR IT UK” campaign. We are asking women to send us garments they were wearing when they… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 13 June 2007

9 June 2007

Beth Ditto on street harrassment

Yet another reason to heart Beth Ditto: her advice column in The Guardian this week features a spot on feminist analysis of street harrassment and how to respond to those who tell us we should just put up with it:… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 9 June 2007

8 June 2007

What misogyny?

Apologies for blogging about something that’s a little out of date now in internet terms, but I was perusing the last week’s blog entries over at The Guardian and I really couldn’t let this perfect example of the male left… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 8 June 2007

29 May 2007

Shock news : Miss Universe degrades women

Miss Sweden has been pulled from the Miss Universe contest by the Miss Sweden organisers, who believe the parent contest is degrading to women. Apparently the Swedish contest is all good, however, as it scrapped its swimsuit competition and allowed… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 29 May 2007

24 May 2007

Scarleteen Sex Book

This book, written by the founder of US sex education website Scarleteen, looks to me like a must-read-and-pass-on-to-the-kids for any feminists worried about the state of sexual relations between young people, and I’m happy to put my head on the… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 24 May 2007

14 May 2007

Right to breastfeed in public could be enshrined in law

The Times reports that ministers committed to the Breastfeeding Manifesto are pushing for women’s right to breastfeed in public to be protected by law. Or rather, it reports that Women may get right to breastfeed in public, misleadingly implying that… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 14 May 2007

Ever seen this on the London Tube?

Imagine my delight when I jumped on the Santiago metro last week to find the train lined with pro-equality advertisements! The adverts are part of a campaign by the Chilean government’s ‘National Service for Women’, SERNAM, to promote equality… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 14 May 2007

7 May 2007

Muslim woman attacked for covering up in pool

Back in March, director of the NGO Women for Women International, Manal Omar, was publicly humiliated by a male member of the Oxford fitness club she was swimming at after he took offence at her five piece swimsuit. The swimsuit… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 7 May 2007

2 May 2007

Train nurses to perform abortions, suggests leading medical blogger

As The F Word reported last month, women in the UK may be facing a future of limited access to abortion due to a shortage of doctors trained in this area. Medical blogger Dr Crippen argues that the answer to… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 2 May 2007

27 March 2007

Snoop Dogg denied opportunity to spread peace and love

Misogynistic rapper Snoop Dogg has been denied a visa to enter the UK on his European tour with Sean ‘Diddy’ Coombs, reports Yahoo! News. Snoop will be contesting the decision as the pair apparently “feel strongly that the uniting message… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 27 March 2007

22 February 2007

Wimbledon introduces equal prize money for women and men – finally

The BBC reports that women players in all rounds of this year’s competition at Wimbledon will receive the same prize money as men, bringing the tournament in line with the US and Australian Opens. And guess what? The misogynists, the… Read more...

Posted by Laura Woodhouse at 22 February 2007