Blog posts by Laura Woodhouse: 2008
Discriminatory retirement home loses funding; Daily Mail blames the lesbians.
By Laura Woodhouse | 28 December 2008, 19:34
Were you not familiar with the Daily Mail’s particular brand of fact-contorting bigotry, you’d be forgiven for coming away from this article with the impression that elderly women at Brighton’s Pilgrim Home for retired Christian missionaries were being forced to…
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Cocky.
By Laura Woodhouse | 28 December 2008, 14:48
This is an incredibly powerful piece by trans activist Julia Serano. In my opinion she makes it abundantly clear that no matter what your perspective on gender, no matter what theories you hold dear, nothing is more important than an…
Grossness of the day
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 December 2008, 13:48
Via Sociological images. Well, this was going to be grossness of the day, but then I saw this ad at Jezebel for the, um, delicious pale, creamy liquid that is Bailey’s (you might want to finish your lunch first):…
Sponsor a girl with Plan UK
By Laura Woodhouse | 16 December 2008, 17:17
Just came across this wonderful looking charity on The Guardian website. Plan UK is a child-centred community development organisation, currently raising awareness of the plight of girls worldwide: Josepha, 17, from Haiti, says: “Our voices are never heard. All…
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Dr Humayra Abedin to return to UK
By Laura Woodhouse | 15 December 2008, 23:29
Good news: the NHS doctor alleged to have been held captive by her parents in Bangladesh after she refused an arranged marriage is on her way home to the UK. Although Dr Abedin is not a British national, the authorities…
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Wears The Trousers magazine
By Laura Woodhouse | 9 December 2008, 21:49
While at Ladyfest Manchester I met the lovely Charlotte Richardson who was busy interviewing bands for Wears The Trousers magazine. The online version has now been duly bookmarked in an effort to improve my woeful knowledge of lady centred music….
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Survey finds 1 in 5 girls suffer domestic violence
By Laura Woodhouse | 5 December 2008, 11:36
A survey completed by readers of teen magazine Bliss, carried out in partnership with Women’s Aid, has found that 1 in 5 girls aged 14 -15 and 1 in 4 aged 16 have experienced violence at the hands of someone…
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Amanda Palmer update
By Laura Woodhouse | 3 December 2008, 14:59
Just to clear up any confusion following my post on the Amanda Palmer belly story, Amanda has confirmed on her myspace blog that she is still with Roadrunner, though she did ask them to drop her following disagreements with the…
Hillary Clinton appointed US Secretary of State
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 December 2008, 16:16
US President-elect Barack Obama has announced that Hillary Clinton will take the role of Secretary of State under his administration. As a vocal supporter of women’s rights nationally and internationally, Clinton should help reverse the Bush administration’s pitiful record on…
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Female artist’s belly too fat for record label
By Laura Woodhouse | 26 November 2008, 20:16
Incredibly cool and beautiful singer Amanda Palmer (of Dresden Dolls fame) has been forced to search for a new record label after Roadrunner refused to promote her latest single, video and album. Why? Because she refused to let them…
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Abortion Rights comedy fundraiser
By Laura Woodhouse | 20 November 2008, 17:41
Abortion Rights are hosting a fundraising comedy night: When: Friday 28th November 2008, doors open 8pm, show starts 8.30pm. Where: Upstairs at the Round Table Pub St Martin’s Court, on the side of the Wyndham’s Theatre. One minute from Leicester…
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Sheffield anti-violence demo this Saturday
By Laura Woodhouse | 19 November 2008, 22:13
Sheffield Fems are holding a demo in Sheffield town centre this Saturday, coinciding with Reclaim The Night London, to raise public awareness about violence against women. Meet outside the town hall at 2pm, placards and flyers will be provided! This…
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Reclaim The Night London
By Laura Woodhouse | 19 November 2008, 12:59
EDIT: London Feminist Network members have confirmed that “women only” of course includes trans women. However, considering the confusion this has caused both this year and on previous occasions, I really think this should be made explicit on publicity for…
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Time wasting tool of the day: GenderAnalyzer
By Laura Woodhouse | 18 November 2008, 17:21
Look, look! Stick your blog or site address in here and it’ll tell you whether you write like a man or a woman! RESULTS: We guess http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog is written by a man (58%), however it’s quite gender neutral. Well, I…
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68th Carnival of Feminists, and some thoughts on waves
By Laura Woodhouse | 18 November 2008, 14:32
The 68th Carnival of Feminists went up last week at Fourth Wave. Highlights for me include a brief retrospective of the life of Olympe de Gourges, who in 1791 wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman as a counterpoint…
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New Cardiff Feminist Group
By Laura Woodhouse | 18 November 2008, 13:10
A new feminist group called The Waves has been set up in Cardiff: The Waves is a forum for feminist discussion and grassroots activism based in Cardiff. It’s a new group and welcomes anyone with an interest in feminism -…
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Ladyfest Manchester: Sunday
By Laura Woodhouse | 13 November 2008, 14:09
Like Catherine, I had a wonderful time at Ladyfest Manchester, and am thoroughly impressed by the lovely people who worked so hard to put it together. I spent the afternoon learning more about zines in a workshop with Melanie of…
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First female Commissioner of the Met?
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 November 2008, 11:35
The Metropolitan police are inviting applications for the post of chief Commissioner following Boris’s ousting of Sir Ian Blair from the position last month, and Cambridgeshire police’s Chief Constable, Julie Spence, could well be in the running. The Guardian reports…
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Met Human Trafficking Unit Forced to Close
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 November 2008, 14:03
The anti-human trafficking team which successfully brought six sex traffickers to justice last week will be forced to disband following the withdrawal of government funding. The Metropolitan Police do not have sufficient funds to keep the unit running. Really disappointing…
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Lads: your mags are bad for your self image, too.
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 November 2008, 20:24
Plenty of women have had negative reactions to the sexualised images of women on lads’ mags covers, but research conducted at the University of Missouri has concluded that reading lads’ mags also impacts negatively upon men’s self image, even a…
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Female influences on Obama.
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 November 2008, 14:52
Yesterday’s Guardian features Kira Cochrane’s profile of the key female figures in the President-elect’s life, including his grandmother: Born in 1922, [Madelyn] Dunham was raised in Kansas, and worked as an aircraft inspector during the second world war, before studying…
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Ladyfest Manchester this weekend!
By Laura Woodhouse | 6 November 2008, 15:50
Ladyfest Manchester kicks off tomorrow at the Zion Arts Centre in Manchester, and it all looks very exciting! Ladyfest is a female-focused, not-for-profit arts and music festival where, for once, women take centre stage. Events include cabaret, burlesque and bands…
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Obaaaaaaaaaaama wins!
By Laura Woodhouse | 5 November 2008, 05:27
Fantastic news, the first black family in the White House: if I was American right now I’d feel so proud! But even as a Brit I feel elated, I really hope he can bring the change he’s been promising,…
Sex traffickers convicted; 18% of British men have visited a prostitute.
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 November 2008, 20:32
A gang of six men have been handed down sentences of up to 14 years for their treatment of a 16 year old girl and 22 year old woman who they trafficked into sexual slavery: Their 16-year-old Slovakian victim had…
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Sexual Assault Referral Centre charges premium rates for helpline.
By Laura Woodhouse | 30 October 2008, 15:40
The Telegraph reports that a government-funded Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Gloucester has been making victims phone an 0845 helpline number for advice on dealing with their experience: Mobile users and callers from BT payphones will have to pay…
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Fantastic news: sex education to be made compulsory in all schools by 2010.
By Laura Woodhouse | 23 October 2008, 21:39
A government review has concluded that sex education should be made a compulsory part of the national curriculum in both primary and secondary schools. Religious schools will not be able to opt out of the curriculum, although they will have…
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Shameless Sheffield Fems Promotion
By Laura Woodhouse | 23 October 2008, 17:21
Just a little heads up for anyone living in or around Sheffield: Sheffield Fems have a new website, which includes details of meetings, campaigns and the group itself. And if you haven’t done so already, get yourself down to the…
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Harman looks set to block tomorrow’s abortion votes.
By Laura Woodhouse | 21 October 2008, 14:49
The Guardian reports that Harriet Harman is planning to block any vote on amendments to the Abortion Act in Parliament tomorrow by invoking a procedural motion to decide the order in which MPs debate the HFE bill. This would place…
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Dorries refuses to give up…
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 October 2008, 12:10
MPs Nadine Dorries and Frank Field yesterday tabled an extra amendment to the HFE bill ahead of voting this coming Wednesday. The amendment demands the creation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to review the 1967 Abortion Act. The Committee would…
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McCain: Women’s “Health” No Excuse For Abortion.
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 October 2008, 01:28
Try getting a damn uterus and hitting us with that again, John. Hint: not wanting to sacrifice my life for something that hasn’t even been born into this world yet is not an “extreme” position. Disgusting. (Obama states that…
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Defend and Extend Abortion Rights: Pro-Choice Protest
By Laura Woodhouse | 14 October 2008, 11:36
From Abortion Rights: Protest Tuesday 21st October - 5.30pm onwards Old Palace Yard, outside Parliament, St Stephen’s entrance. Emergency protest to show the strength of pro-choice opinion ahead of the final abortion votes in Parliament the following day. The protest…
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Defend and Extend Abortion Rights: Lobby Your MP NOW.
By Laura Woodhouse | 14 October 2008, 11:02
The final votes on abortion at the Report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill will take place in the afternoon of next Wednesday 22nd October. It is absolutely essential that we all lobby our MPs to support amendments…
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Pharma industry gives less than a crap about women’s health. Quelle surprise.
By Laura Woodhouse | 13 October 2008, 21:46
The American Bloomberg News reports that Johnson and Johnson has spent at least $68.7 million on settling hundreds of lawsuits filed by women who suffered serious illness after using the contraceptive patch Ortho Evra, so avoiding being legally condemned for…
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Dispatches’ The Hidden World Of Lap Dancing
By Laura Woodhouse | 9 October 2008, 19:40
Just caught this on the wonder that is Catch Up TV. Unsurprisingly, the hidden world of lap dancing was revealed to be highly unregulated, full of very naked women simulating sex acts on entitled menfolk (actually pretty shocking if you…
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Save Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 October 2008, 11:00
Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline is facing closure following the withdrawal of government funding. Please show your support for such a vital service, and for the women who dedicate so much of their time to providing it, by…
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Gay people have a “duty” to vote Tory!?!
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 October 2008, 13:39
Prospective Tory parliamentary candidate Margot James yesterday urged all gay people to vote Tory, arguing that: “Gay people are net contributors to public services through their taxes, because very few of them have children. I think gay people have got…
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Study of trans people’s earnings confirms workplace discrimination against women.
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 September 2008, 15:07
A US study based on data collected from 64 transgendered workers found that* trans women’s pay fell by around a third following their transition, while trans men saw their pay increase slightly. Trans women were also more likely to experience…
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Feminist Webs: Working With Young Women
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 September 2008, 12:09
A collective based in Manchester have set up the resource site Feminist Webs to facilitate women and girl positive youth work based on “possibility, creation not consumption and participation”, with a focus on women’s rights and experiences. The project is…
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The Ms Fitz Project
By Laura Woodhouse | 24 September 2008, 18:25
A group of lovely, lovely people from Leeds queer/feminist collective Manifesta have launched a project aimed at bringing feminist and queer positive events and activities to young people. Ms Fitz will provide a friendly, supportive space for young people who…
Nepal formally recognises “third gender”.
By Laura Woodhouse | 22 September 2008, 20:44
A 21-year-old lesbian has become the first person to be officially recognised as “third gender” since the country passed laws granting “sexual minorities” the same rights as heterosexuals in December of last year: Adhikari, a human rights officer employed by…
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Events
By Laura Woodhouse | 22 September 2008, 10:23
Just a quick reminder to check out our Events page for feminist listings throughout the year. Upcoming events include: * 23 September - New feminist and world-themed singing group- -WILDSING- - beginning in north London. * 26 September - Suck…
Manchester Abortion Rights Meeting and Northern Ireland Petition
By Laura Woodhouse | 18 September 2008, 20:55
An Abortion Rights public meeting will be taking place this coming Tuesday in Manchester as part of the Labour Party Conference fringe: Tuesday 23rd Sept 12.45pm The Rain Bar, 80 Great Bridgewater Street All pro-choice supporters welcome - this will…
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Donate to support families hit by storms in Haiti and Cuba
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 September 2008, 15:17
From international women’s rights organisation, MADRE: In Haiti, four back-to-back storms have caused severe flooding, destroying farmland and crops. Prices had skyrocketed in Haiti even before the storms. Bananas are $7 a bunch and on the rise. And the cost…
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But is it feminist?
By Laura Woodhouse | 15 September 2008, 15:48
I’m becoming little tired of the above question, this idea that being a feminist involves slapping pro- and anti- feminist labels on every little aspect of our lives. I can’t quite pin down exactly where this idea has come from,…
Abortion Rights Public Meeting
By Laura Woodhouse | 15 September 2008, 11:33
Campaigning to defend and extend women’s abortion rights in the final stages of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill: Tuesday 7 October 2008 7pm House of Commons Committee Room 10 Speakers include: Diane Abbott MP, Katy Clark MP, Evan Harris…
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More on the Poppy Project’s prostitution report.
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 September 2008, 13:28
From Julie Bindel at The Guardian: …our researchers discovered [that] brothels market women merely as merchandise. Frank was offered “two for the price of one” if he visited during “happy hour” (any time before 5pm). One brothel owner offered to…
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Overheard in the cereal aisle…
By Laura Woodhouse | 2 September 2008, 10:53
Slim, pubescent teen, approx. 13 years old, brandishes box of Special K under Mum’s nose: “Can we get these ones? They’ll make me thinner” Laura despairs. Fucking Special K; so damn tasty, such damn shitty advertising and downright noxious packaging….
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Welcome to Bilbao, unless you’re a wife beater.
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 September 2008, 20:21
Imagine my surprise upon arriving at Spain’s Bilbao airport a couple of weeks ago to discover that the vast majority of the advertising space throughout the airport - including the arrivals lounge - was dedicated to a government campaign…
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In which a cis feminist has a serious and long overdue rethink.
By Laura Woodhouse | 5 August 2008, 20:56
I want to address some issues raised in Helen’s latest post, issues that I myself have been grappling with recently. The ongoing results* of said grappling have made me feel very ashamed of my past thoughts and misplaced beliefs with…
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Kyle Payne: how not to support women, part deux
By Laura Woodhouse | 3 August 2008, 15:27
Remember Kyle Payne, the self proclaimed male feminist, anti-pornography and anti-violence activist who admitted to exposing and filming a female student without her consent? Well he’s now released a statement in which he piles up excuse after excuse for his…
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Dangerous Jobs for Girls: Thoughts on Equality and Liberation.
By Laura Woodhouse | 31 July 2008, 20:56
Intrigued by Barbara’s post and the ensuing comments, I caught up with Dangerous Jobs for Girls. Its merits were very similar to those of the old Channel 4 show Faking It: we see individuals taken out of their comfort zone…
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Murder law reforms to help victims of domestic violence.
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 July 2008, 21:00
Victims of domestic violence who kill their partners after sustained abuse would no longer automatically face murder charges should new proposals from the Ministry of Justice be given the go-ahead. The new laws would apply to both spontaneous and pre-meditated…
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News flash: paying bills causes ovary shrinkage. Or something.
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 July 2008, 00:16
EDIT: Oops - I see Holly and I are both into late night masochism when it comes to looking for blog fodder and simultaneously posted on the same infuriating article… Please, don’t read it more than once (assuming you’re made…
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I Kissed A Girl
By Laura Woodhouse | 19 July 2008, 14:02
F Word reader Erica referred to this song by Katy Perry (currently number one in the US charts) in the comments section of the latest Ask A Feminist, and the damn thing won’t get out of my head, for a…
Abortion votes postponed until the autumn
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 July 2008, 22:55
From Abortion Rights: Harriet Harman has announced that the Report stage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which was timetabled to be debated in Parliament on Monday 14th July, will now be debated after the summer recess ending on…
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MoD: But the boys need their pin-ups!
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 July 2008, 20:14
A survey of over 2,500 servicewomen has found that sexual harassment and sexist attitudes are rife among the armed forces: Between 2005 and 2007, servicewomen reported a rise in six out of nine types of inappropriate sexual behaviour, ranging from…
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Tennis star’s disgustingly sexist attack on Anna Kournikova.
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 June 2008, 17:04
The Times reports that former mixed doubles Grand Slam title winner Justin Gimelstob verbally laid into Anna Kournikova and made sexist comments about other female tennis players during a US sports radio show, resulting in a one match suspension without…
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Oh noes! The poor white mens!
By Laura Woodhouse | 26 June 2008, 18:23
The Daily Express’ take on Harriet Harman’s announcement: I can’t believe they actually used the word “ethnics”… Hat tip to the ever lovely Alex C….
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Noisy heels + bright lipstick = “rape me”
By Laura Woodhouse | 24 June 2008, 21:48
Yup, once again the onus is being placed on women to prevent rape, with men entirely absent from the equation, this time in the Malaysian city of Kota Bharu: Authorities in Kota Bharu have distributed pamphlets recommending that Muslim women…
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Assessment is not the answer.
By Laura Woodhouse | 18 June 2008, 21:04
Anyone who’s been through or worked in the state education system over the last decade and a half or so will be familiar with New Labour’s testing obsession, and with its outcomes: stressed children and pressurised teachers, the suppression of…
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Reform lapdance club licensing
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 June 2008, 10:31
Object and the Fawcett Society are asking supporters to write to their MPs before 18th June to ask them to support an early day motion calling for the relicensing of lapdance clubs: Lapdance clubs are licensed like any ordinary pub…
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Easy activism, and dickhead of the day.
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 June 2008, 21:29
Reaching for the as ever non-existent toilet roll in a club last night, I noticed a sticker on the dispenser which simply read “Sheffield Rape Crisis” followed by the helpline number. Someone had written “Thanks, this really helped me” on…
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No blood on the sheets? No marriage.
By Laura Woodhouse | 3 June 2008, 17:18
French front pages have been plastered with the story of the annulment of the marriage of a Muslim couple after the husband discovered his wife had lied about being a virgin: The wedding night party was still under way at…
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Carnivals, and a question for the sex positives.
By Laura Woodhouse | 3 June 2008, 10:06
The Sixth Carnival Against Pornography and Prostitution is here, while the Fourth Feminist Carnival of Sexual Freedom and Autonomy is here. Both offer plenty to get your teeth into, whatever your perspective! While I’m here, can I ask: why are…
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Hands up if you’ve experienced street harassment.
By Laura Woodhouse | 28 May 2008, 16:34
Cath Elliott has written an excellent piece on street harassment over at The Guardian’s Comment is Free, and once again the comments section has filled up with comments from arrogant little pricks whose thoughts on the matter can be summed…
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GHD: Dark or Pure?
By Laura Woodhouse | 25 May 2008, 17:22
Is it just me, or is the new GHD hairstyler advert which pops up every time I log out of my yahoo account a little, well, dodgy (aside from your bog standard women’s sexualised bodies being used to sell stuff…
March on the Daily Mail offices, anyone?!
By Laura Woodhouse | 22 May 2008, 20:51
Commenter Northern Jess informs us that fans of the band My Chemical Romance are planning to march on the Daily Mail offices on May 31st in protest at the portrayal of the band as a “suicide cult” responsible the death…
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What next for choice?
By Laura Woodhouse | 21 May 2008, 11:51
Last night was a great victory for choice, but it was only one of many battles that need to be fought and won to ensure UK women have a genuine right to choose. Ready? 1) We need to continue to…
Fucking yes!
By Laura Woodhouse | 20 May 2008, 23:04
MPs have just voted against reducing the abortion time limit to 20 weeks by 332 votes to 190. They have also rejected plans to include consideration for the supposed need for a father when allowing women access to IVF treatment….
Anyone else feeling physically sick?
By Laura Woodhouse | 20 May 2008, 14:40
After watching Nadine Dorries and her fundamentalist Christian lawyer sidekick Andrea Williams on Dispatches last night, I am feeling absolutely sick to my stomach about the potential for anti-abortion amendments to be passed today. From the programme it looked like…
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Where are women in the abortion debate?
By Laura Woodhouse | 19 May 2008, 12:41
The Guardian’s Kira Cochrane reports today on the no doubt delightful experience that was interviewing anti-abortion MP Nadine Dorries, who has been spearheading the move to reduce the abortion time limit. She highlights Dorries’ complete contempt for women who need…
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Another reason to emigrate to Spain
By Laura Woodhouse | 14 May 2008, 18:24
I’m doing some research for my Spanish oral exam tomorrow, and was pleasantly astounded to come across the headline ‘Man condemned to 27 years imprisonment for locking his wife and children in apartment for two days’. The man locked them…
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24 reasons for 24 weeks
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 May 2008, 14:28
Penny Red and Jess [ed: credit where credit’s due, I had some minimal input, along with others, but Laurie compiled this herself!], have put together 24 reasons for 24 weeks in response to anti-choice MP Nadine Dorries’ campaign 20 reasons…
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Emergency protest: MPs vote on abortion time limit
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 May 2008, 21:37
MPs will be voting on whether to lower the abortion time limit from 24 to 20 weeks on May 20th. Abortion Rights is organising an emergency protest outside parliament: Tuesday 20 May, 5.30pm Outside Parliament - details to be confirmed…
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More summery reflections: the boob taboo.
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 May 2008, 16:44
So I haven’t worn a bra for about 18 months now: I’ve never needed one for support and just got out of the habit while in Paris. This was when I decided to stop shaving, so I thought I’d get…
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Possession of extreme porn to be made illegal this week.
By Laura Woodhouse | 5 May 2008, 01:47
The BBC reports that the bill outlawing the possession of “extreme pornography” becomes law this week. The law forms part of a new Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, and defines extreme pornographic images as those which include any of the…
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FEM 08
By Laura Woodhouse | 30 April 2008, 12:41
This is my own personal write up and, as ever, views expressed should not be taken as representative of those of The F Word as a whole or of other bloggers. Thanks! Jess, zohra, Catherine Redfern and myself all attended…
Hooters update: Round one to the yapping virgins!*
By Laura Woodhouse | 28 April 2008, 22:43
I am delighted to announce that the No to Hooters in Sheffield campaign have successfully persuaded the developers not to take on Hooters in Sheffield’s Leopold Square. Of course, the articles in the local and national press, over one thousand…
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Disability Blog Carnival #36
By Laura Woodhouse | 28 April 2008, 17:35
While I’m on the subject of listening to those who don’t share my privilege, here’s the latest Disability Blog Carnival. Having spent many school holidays working with wonderful, happy children with a whole range of special needs, I want to…
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Feminism and race
By Laura Woodhouse | 28 April 2008, 15:54
I have recently come to realise that I am woefully uninformed on issues of race, particularly as they intersect with feminism and women’s lives. I grew up in what was more or less a sea of white in Cambridgeshire, went…
FEM08 this Saturday!
By Laura Woodhouse | 24 April 2008, 18:42
The national feminist conference, FEM08, is taking place this Saturday in my delightful home town, Sheffield. Germaine Greer will be there, people! I’ll be floating around in a lovely purple t-shirt doing various volunteery things, as well as helping coordinate…
Support the NUT strike
By Laura Woodhouse | 24 April 2008, 18:23
OK so I know this isn’t really a feminist story, although 87% of primary and 57% of secondary school teachers are women, but the BBC News coverage of the NUT’s strike action today has absolutely enraged me. Rather than focusing…
Rape Crisis Petition
By Laura Woodhouse | 13 April 2008, 17:00
Please sign this petition to demand the government provide proper funding for Rape Crisis centres. Charliegrrl reports that they need 2,500 signatures in the next week to make an impact. While you’re at it, why not get in contact with…
Porn and abuse.
By Laura Woodhouse | 12 April 2008, 18:13
Disclaimer: I’ve had to focus on heterosexual relations and sex here, as I have little experience of anything else. It’s always seemed logical to me that porn use could affect the sexual behaviour of the user. After all, there’s a…
Hooters debate on Five Live Tonight
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 April 2008, 17:48
I’ll be discussing the opening of Hooters in Sheffield and nationwide on BBC Radio Five Live tonight at 11pm: listen here. It’s a phone-in debate, so feel free to get involved! Call 0500 909 693 [free from BT landlines; charges…
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Dickhead of the day
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 April 2008, 13:13
With apologies to dicks and heads everywhere. Union electioneering is in full swing at Sheffield Uni, and as ever, there is one “funny” candidate. Said “funny” candidate has today placed a board in a prominent position on the Union concourse…
Defend the abortion time limit
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 April 2008, 21:33
Abortion Rights are urging all pro-choice supporters to write to their MPs quick smart urging them to protect the abortion time limit. Anti-choice MPs aim to use the Human Fertilisation and Embrylology bill to reduce the time limit from 20…
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Hooters: coming to a town near you?
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 April 2008, 18:04
Well, most probably, unless you do something about it! The tacky and sexist US chain is currently on the look out for “high visibility” restaurant locations in (take a deep breath): Aberdeen Basildon, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bournemouth, Bristol Cambridge Cardiff, Chelmsford,…
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Cissexual?
By Laura Woodhouse | 21 March 2008, 15:48
I’ve been thinking about this concept ever since I read Helen G’s latest article, where she defines cissexual as: […] people who are not transsexual and who have only ever experienced their subconscious and physical sexes as being aligned I…
Lap-dancing and objectification.
By Laura Woodhouse | 19 March 2008, 12:17
Rachel Bell brings us one woman’s story of lap-dancing in The Guardian today: It wasn’t only the earning potential that led Elena to try lap-dancing - she now believes that she, and women in general, are socialised to see it…
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The BNP stands up for women’s rights! (Or why they’re not only racist, xenophobic ballbags, but sexist as well).
By Laura Woodhouse | 18 March 2008, 18:15
Feel the love oozing from former BNP Youth leader Mark Collett as he proclaims his human right to look at boobies (warning: may make your skin crawl. Starts at 2.00): Not only is he a smarmy, sexist, racist little git,…
Callout: Cosmopolitan feature on sexual aggression
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 March 2008, 12:26
I received a message from a woman who is writing a feature for Cosmopolitan on the rise of aggressive sex / imagery in society and its effects on women. She is looking to talk to women who have been in…
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Sex Educate me!
By Laura Woodhouse | 17 March 2008, 10:38
The Scarleteen book and website are excellent sex education resources: a big feminist thumbs up! When Daily Mail-ites accuse government ministers of “brainwashing”, you know said ministers are probably onto a good thing. Secondary school teachers are being encouraged to…
Campaign to stop BNP festival
By Laura Woodhouse | 12 March 2008, 23:40
With Jess’s most recent post on racist anti-immigration politics in mind, I thought readers might be interested to know that a network has been set up to protest against the British National Party’s annual festival, Red, White and Blue (RWB),…
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Women-only space
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 March 2008, 22:42
Michelle at Lonergrrrl has a great post up explaining the importance of women-only space: Because it is in women-only space that a woman’s voice can be heard on her own terms. In women-only space she is free of the ‘male…
Feminist mental health blog up and running
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 March 2008, 08:53
Crazy Like Us? looks set to be a really interesting project. nectarine begins by explaining some of the reasons why she wanted to set up a feminist blog on mental health: When I first put the call out for this…
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Reproductive Freedoms Teach-In
By Laura Woodhouse | 11 March 2008, 08:45
Feminist Fightback have organised a teach-in on reproductive freedoms: We will be discussing ideas and planning action for a woman’s right to choose on 12 April, 12-5pm at Clement House Building, London School of Economics, London, WC2A (Holborn tube). Every…
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Huzzah!
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 March 2008, 14:20
Students at the University of Sheffield last night successfully defended our Union’s Women’s Officer position. A motion had been put forward to referenda to change the officer positions, getting rid of the Women’s Officer position and replacing it with an…
Senior Met officer talks sense on rape
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 March 2008, 02:12
From today’s Guardian: Police are contributing to the “appalling” conviction rate in rape cases because officers too often fail to take alleged victims seriously enough and settle for mediocrity in their inquiries, the senior policeman responsible for raising standards in…
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Get your “liberal” rhetoric off my damn body and get a clue.
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 March 2008, 01:31
Oh I am fuming. Absolutely fuming. Just… this: But “pro-choicers” aren’t short of poor arguments themselves. One goes a bit like this: “Male control over birth rights, over women’s bodies, has been a tool of patriarchal oppression for centuries.” True,…
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Reclaim The Night North
By Laura Woodhouse | 2 March 2008, 14:34
Sheffield Fems managed to survive a rather wet and windy Reclaim the Night march around Manchester last night! I’d estimate that there were probably around 300 people on the march, equally divided between the leading women only group and…
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Hooters comes to Sheffield
By Laura Woodhouse | 2 March 2008, 11:36
Yes, you read that right, the outdated and downright embarrassingly sexist US bar and restaurant staffed by sexyTM women is opening in Sheffield on the 22nd March. Female employees have to acknowledge and affirm the following: 1. My job duties…
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Fuck you, PETA
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 March 2008, 13:04
I’m a vegetarian, I care about animal welfare but, call me crazy, I’m actually more worried about the oppression and abuse of women across the globe than I am about animals. Not so for the delightful people at PETA. The…
Carnival
By Laura Woodhouse | 27 February 2008, 23:48
The second Carnival Against Pornography and Prostitution is here….
Wanky sexist product of the day
By Laura Woodhouse | 27 February 2008, 23:19
“No means no. Well maybe if I’m drunk!” From David and Goliath, who apparently ‘make stupid stuff so you don’t have to’. How incredibly thoughtful of them. As it happens, I’d been hankering after printing a t-shirt encouraging guys to…
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Cameron attacks women’s right to choose
By Laura Woodhouse | 25 February 2008, 23:27
David Cameron showed his true colours today when he voiced his desire to see the abortion time limit cut from 24 to 20 weeks, citing - like Ann Widdecombe - the supposed significant increase in foetal viability as justification for…
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Reclaim The Night Manchester
By Laura Woodhouse | 25 February 2008, 12:32
Get your stomping boots over to Manchester this Saturday to Reclaim The Night up north! Women (including transwomen) Congregate 6pm, Sackville Street, Manchester Mixed rally 7.30pm, University of Manchester Students’ Union (Sackville Street) A mixed-gender march following a different route…
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Blood on their hands
By Laura Woodhouse | 23 February 2008, 15:42
I just watched last night’s Unreported World on women’s situation in Nicaragua since the law banning all abortion was passed there in 2006 (you can watch it on 4OD online or catch-up TV if you’ve got it). Once again, I…
Feminist mental health blog
By Laura Woodhouse | 20 February 2008, 10:20
nectarine is looking for people interested in running/contributing to a group blog focused on feminist views of mental health: The requirements would be: you are female you identify as a feminist you have now or have had mental health issues…
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Ann Widdecombe, you will lose!
By Laura Woodhouse | 13 February 2008, 23:51
Defend a woman’s right to choose! I’d say about a hundred of us gathered to chant, wave placards and thrust Abortion Rights leaflets into the hands of unsuspecting pro-lifers outside the Liner hotel in Liverpool on Tuesday night. Widdecombe herself…
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Amazing
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 February 2008, 17:04
Unfortunately, as Allecto points out, the responses to this piece on YouTube are testimony to the utter hatred feminists and women are up against in our fight against male violence. She also links to a wonderful piece by a…
Sharia and women.
By Laura Woodhouse | 9 February 2008, 16:29
I know little about Islam so I’m not going to make any pronouncements on how Sharia law works in the UK, but I came across an interesting story on The Times’ religion blog which is relevant to the current debate:…
Insert preferred expletive here.
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 February 2008, 17:06
Smite Me! [.net] informs us that US news programme CNN reported the sexual harassment of a woman by police officers under the headline SLINKY BABE + 6 COPS = TROUBLE. The next day, they changed the headline to BEHAVING BADLY:…
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University of York Students’ Union opens Women’s Committee to men.
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 February 2008, 15:23
A motion put forward by the University of York’s Women’s Officer (no less) to open Women’s Committee to men has sadly been passed today. Opponents, myself included, have been battling against this motion, but unfortunately the vote was open to…
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No woman is ever to blame for rape. That includes sex workers.
By Laura Woodhouse | 7 February 2008, 11:47
One thing that I would have thought all feminists can agree on is that women are never to blame for being raped. Never. And whatever our position on sex work and porn, whether or not we think these things are…
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I heart this poster.
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 February 2008, 18:55
War on Women
By Laura Woodhouse | 4 February 2008, 00:24
Anji at Shut Up, Sit Down has done a stellar job of pulling statistics together to prove her assertion that violence against women is of such epidemic proportions globally that it should be categorised as a war on women. Just…
“All heterosexual women are rape victims”
By Laura Woodhouse | 3 February 2008, 17:01
EDIT: Debs has an interesting response to this post here. I just came across this quote in the comments section of a feminist blog. The commenter asserted that sex is a means to control and subjugate women, that it is…
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Daily Echo abortion article
By Laura Woodhouse | 2 February 2008, 10:45
I have wrongly been quoted as a ‘spokesman’ (no, I hadn’t realised I was a man either) for Abortion Rights in this article. I’d like to make it clear that I am a member of Abortion Rights, but not an…
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Lolita bed for girls. Good one, Woolies.
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 February 2008, 18:10
Woolworths has withdrawn a line of bedroom furniture for girls called “Lolita” after pressure from members of an online parenting forum, RaisingKids.co.uk. Yes, Woolies (or at least the designer) thought it would be a great idea to brand a little…
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Liverpool pro-choice protest, February 12
By Laura Woodhouse | 31 January 2008, 11:27
There will be a picket of Ann Widdecombe’s anti-abortion meeting in Liverpool: To join the picket, assemble outside the Liner Hotel, Lord Nelson Street (next to Lime Street Station) Liverpool. Tuesday 12th February, 6.15pm. This follows a successful protest against…
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Excellent news.
By Laura Woodhouse | 30 January 2008, 23:20
The rapist who won £7million on the Lottery can finally be sued by one of his victims, The Times reports: One woman’s quest for justice against the so-called Lotto rapist ended in victory this morning with a court ruling that…
Front Page Murder
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 January 2008, 16:44
This news story is on the BBC news front page today. It’s nasty: a man was left partially deaf, blind and with brain damage, in need of 24 hour care, after his wife tried to kill him by poisoning him…
Carnival
By Laura Woodhouse | 29 January 2008, 10:49
The first Carnival Against Pornography and Prostitution is here!…
Pro-choice protest, February 6, London
By Laura Woodhouse | 26 January 2008, 11:30
Abortion Rights has called a peaceful pro-choice protest against anti-abortion MP Ann Widdecome’s road show ‘Not on your life . .. or anyone else’s’ which is promoting anti-abortion goals around the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Assemble outside Central Hall…
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You know you're living in a patriarchy when…
By Laura Woodhouse | 23 January 2008, 11:54
…you can’t walk down the street of an evening without having groping motions made at you, being called both ‘ugly minger’ and ‘sexy bitch’ and just generally being laughed at in an aggressive manner. This all happened in the ten…
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A case in point.
By Laura Woodhouse | 22 January 2008, 18:34
Remember how I was saying that some men refuse to recognise that violence against women is a gendered crime? Well the same goes for prostitution; witness this comment from one of the posters on this Guardian Comment is Free piece:…
Reclaim The Night Manchester, Saturday 1st March
By Laura Woodhouse | 22 January 2008, 17:32
The first national Reclaim The Night March of 2008 is taking place in Manchester on Saturday March 1st. NUS Women’s campaign are working hard on this and it should be big, so don’t miss out (this means you too, Londoners!)…
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Blaming the man.
By Laura Woodhouse | 21 January 2008, 13:01
Do you know what I’m sick of? Men complaining that they are somehow being victimised by feminists pointing out that male violence against women is a problem. Sarfraz Manzoor’s response to Abby’s last Comment is Free piece is a perfect…
Glamour and the blame game.
By Laura Woodhouse | 10 January 2008, 22:09
Reading Hannah Whittaker’s recent article on the link between glamour models and her own body image and low self esteem really struck a chord with me. It wasn’t long ago that I felt just the same. I saw these images…
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Can I just say (close your ears, Grandma!) …
By Laura Woodhouse | 8 January 2008, 20:36
This quote, from Jess’s post below, is possibly one of the sickest, most angrifying things I’ve ever read: Aubert pictures men by the hundreds praying, chanting — and waving signs: “I regret my abortion.” It’s not your fucking body, and…
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More on surrogacy
By Laura Woodhouse | 5 January 2008, 15:51
Apu at Cubically Challenged makes some interesting points in response to my post on commercial surrogacy in India. She raises some issues that hadn’t occurred to me, such as the fact that Indian women often engage in heavy work while…
The latest in outsourcing: cheap wombs.
By Laura Woodhouse | 2 January 2008, 16:43
What to do when you can’t have a baby yourself, IVF isn’t working and a surrogate from your own country is just too expensive? Well, you could hire an Indian womb. For less than £5,000, couples from the US…
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Pill could be made available at pharmacies
By Laura Woodhouse | 1 January 2008, 16:21
Bit late on this one, but the Department of Health is thinking about running a pilot scheme to allow pharmacists to dispense the contraceptive pill without the need for a doctor’s signature. Pharmacists would be trained to deal with the…
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