Blog posts by Laura Woodhouse: 2010
Legal aid cuts will disproportionately affect women
by Laura Woodhouse // 30 December 2010, 12:15
Cuts to legal aid for people facing issues relating to divorce, housing, employment, immigration, debt and welfare benefits will amount to £600m per year and hit women hardest, according to the government's own equality impact assessment of the proposal. The...
A very quick note on Assange
by Laura Woodhouse // 23 December 2010, 21:02
Unfortunately I haven't had the time to blog about or fully research the Assange case, but I do want to quickly say that: 1) Certain people on the Left need to realise that all kinds of men commit sexual assault...
On comments: part II
by Laura Woodhouse // 23 December 2010, 19:36
Previously, I described some of the challenges we face moderating comments on the blog, and highlighted the fact that we feel we are spending too much time and energy on the process, resulting in reduced blog content. We have discussed...
Media adds insult to injury for disabled protester
by Laura Woodhouse // 14 December 2010, 20:44
My Facebook feed is full of people up in arms about this BBC interview with Jody McIntyre, a political activist with cerebral palsy who was pulled from his wheelchair and attacked by the police during last week's student protests in...
4Thought: Jesus just part of the patriarchy
by Laura Woodhouse // 13 December 2010, 21:51
Tonight's 4Thought provided a sharp counterpoint to the episode I blogged a few months back, in which Miranda Threllfall-Jones argued that Jesus was a feminist. In this episode, radical feminist Julia Long asserts that Jesus promoted patriarchy and patronised disabled...
On Comments: Part I
by Laura Woodhouse // 9 December 2010, 19:44
If there's one thing everyone who has blogged at The F-Word can agree on, it's that moderating comments is hard work. We think it's about time we let you in on our behind-the-scenes conversations and frustrations, plus the solutions we...
Punishing the "workshy"
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 November 2010, 19:38
Channel 4 News reports that 66% of the public support withdrawing job seekers' allowance from people who turn down the offer of a job or job interview. This comes on the day when Iain Duncan Smith revealed his "three strikes"...
Anglican bishops resign over ordination of women
by Laura Woodhouse // 8 November 2010, 22:25
Five male Anglican bishops have resigned from the Church of England and will join the Catholic church in protest at the prospect of women becoming bishops, which should happen in around five years' time. This follows the Bishop of Lewes'...
Women At The Cutting Edge: Feminist Fightback event this Saturday
by Laura Woodhouse // 27 October 2010, 22:24
Feminist Fightback are hosting "Women At the Cutting Edge" in London on Saturday, a day of discussion and networking that will enable participants to "put these cuts in a political context, link up, and share ideas and skills as we...
A day in a life that means nothing to Cameron and his cronies
by Laura Woodhouse // 27 October 2010, 20:46
Like many of you, no doubt, I've spent the past week screaming at the TV. This country is run by people who would rather stamp in the faces of those who are already at the bottom of the social...
The Cuts Won't Work
by Laura Woodhouse // 13 October 2010, 21:04
The Cuts Won't Work (Facebook) provides links to campaigns against the Coalition's cuts, and suggests five other ways to deal with the current financial situation (edited version, see more on the website): **CUT LATER** About 1 in 5 of our...
Monday round-up and open thread
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 October 2010, 21:59
Here's our latest collection of links we haven't got round to blogging in the past week, feel free to have at 'em and add your own in comments. Jessica Valenti asks who stole feminism. V at Feminazery shares her personal...
"Should we be paying people to have children?"
by Laura Woodhouse // 10 October 2010, 20:41
Thus ran the not-at-all-leading title of a debate on BBC1's Sunday Morning Live earlier today. Apparently it was not obvious to the programme-makers that a maximum of £20.30 extra per week per child isn't really enough to support said child,...
Feminist football in London!
by Laura Woodhouse // 10 October 2010, 12:22
This sounds great: Feminist Fightback FC is a football team open to all self-defining women of all sporting abilities and all ages. Our team members include beginners working through their PE lesson traumas and experienced players who want to improve...
Disabled model in nationwide Debenhams campaign
by Laura Woodhouse // 29 September 2010, 20:15
Not being a fan of Gok Wan's How To Look Good Naked, I hadn't heard about the show's campaign to get disabled models into high street stores, so I was pleasantly surprised when I walked past Debenhams at the weekend...
CPS apologises to sexual assault victim
by Laura Woodhouse // 20 September 2010, 19:37
Channel 4 News reported earlier that the Crown Prosecution Service has apologised to a woman who was blamed for the breakdown of the trial against the man who sexually assaulted her. "Josephine" had been told that her anonymity would be...
Girls just love clothes!
by Laura Woodhouse // 18 September 2010, 17:49
I hate clothes shopping. The whole experience is so migraine-inducingly frustrating for so very many reasons that it often makes me quite genuinely wish I had been born a man. Essentially, I can really see no good reason why the...
50:50 gender split for shadow cabinet rejected
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 September 2010, 12:26
I'm a wee bit late to this, but the Labour party has voted to ensure that 31.5% of the shadow cabinet will be made up of women, rejecting a 50% quota: [Harriet] Harman had called for a 50:50 split in...
4Thought: "Jesus was a feminist"
by Laura Woodhouse // 10 September 2010, 07:58
Last night's 4Thought featured Church of England priest Miranda Threllfall-Jones discussing gender, feminism and the Church. Unfortunately the video cannot be embedded, but you can watch it here. Transcript: "It does make me angry that there are still people trying...
Protest the Pope!
by Laura Woodhouse // 6 September 2010, 20:00
If you're none too thrilled with the fact that millions of pounds of our money is being spent on the Pope's state visit to the UK next week (16-19 September) - not to mention the untold suffering inflicted by papal...
Boyfriend pressing you for sex? Buy him a scented candle!
by Laura Woodhouse // 4 September 2010, 16:42
I've read some crappy advice columns in the past, but this one, from Pamela Stephenson Connolly in The Guardian, may just take the biscuit. Here's the question: I enjoy sex with my boyfriend of two years - he has a...
Coalition will not endorse EU directive against trafficking
by Laura Woodhouse // 31 August 2010, 21:54
The Guardian reports that the coalition government has chosen not to opt in to the EU directive designed to coordinate efforts to combat human trafficking, suggesting that the Tories' euroscepticism is to blame. But as Klara Skrivankova of charity Anti-Slavery...
Cheers, Doc.
by Laura Woodhouse // 22 August 2010, 17:36
I went to see my GP a while back as I'd been having a number of mildly unpleasant downstairs issues and the usual at-home treatments didn't seem to be working. (I realise the state of my ladybits is probably not...
Met police name and shame sex workers
by Laura Woodhouse // 8 August 2010, 13:28
The Met's Operation Monaco team have issued ASBOs to six street sex workers in London and published their full names, photos and dates of birth on their website because they were "persistent offenders". Quite how naming and shaming women...
Birth choice and human rights
by Laura Woodhouse // 7 August 2010, 12:10
The bastards hard-working bods at Sky/BT have deigned to return the internet to me after more than two months in the web-free wasteland, and while I feel like a fish that's finally been returned to water after some dude with...
Introducing our second June guest blogger...
by Laura Woodhouse // 8 June 2010, 13:55
A big welcome to our second guest blogger for this month (and into July, as we're a bit late getting her started - blame my crappy internet access!), Naomi Mc: Naomi Mc blogs at Vagina Dentata, a feminist blog on...
New EFC blog
by Laura Woodhouse // 1 June 2010, 18:46
Missing our Education For Choice guest bloggers? Never fear! They've now set up their own blog at www.educationforchoice.blogspot.com. Recent posts highlight the Marie Stopes Helpline advert aired last week, celebrate a reduction in the UK abortion rate last year and...
Help fund our redesign, donate now!
by Laura Woodhouse // 31 May 2010, 12:00
Please scroll down for new posts - we're still updating below! The F-Word’s long awaited redesign is finally upon us, and we need your help to make it happen! Since Catherine set the site up in 2001, hundreds of feminists...
Welcome to our new bloggers!
by Laura Woodhouse // 24 May 2010, 17:33
I'm delighted to announce that Jolene Tan, Josephine Tsui and Shiha Kaur will be joining The F-Word blogging collective as permanent bloggers following their guest blogging stints earlier this year. Syma Tariq will also be joining as a permanent blogger,...
IDAHO: Save Kiana Firouz
by Laura Woodhouse // 17 May 2010, 07:00
Kiana Firouz is an Iranian lesbian activist, filmmaker and actress who has been living in the UK since the Iranian Intelligence Service caught wind of her documentary work on the plight of homosexuals in Iran. They began following her...
Sack Theresa May campaign
by Laura Woodhouse // 16 May 2010, 15:17
A campaign has been launched to sack the homophobic new Women and Equalities Minister, Theresa May. As you can see above, May has repeatedly voted against measures to improve gay rights. She also voted to reduce the abortion time...
Any feminists in Huddersfield?
by Laura Woodhouse // 16 May 2010, 12:38
If so, please join Beth, the author of www.secretideas.co.uk ,for some tasty feminist activism! Contact Beth here. UK Feminista have further feminist group listings here....
Yet more global victim blaming news
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 May 2010, 21:09
In which a woman not wearing a headscarf becomes an unwrapped lollipop attracting flies. I won't repost the image here because the crowning of Prime Minister Cameron has turned my stomach enough for one day....
Jeans or short skirt, we still wanted it
by Laura Woodhouse // 9 May 2010, 17:47
Trigger warning - victim blaming. An Australian woman saw the man she accused of rape walk free last week because his defence lawyer asserted that her jeans were too skinny for the accused to have removed them without her help....
In case you need a reason not to vote Tory tomorrow
by Laura Woodhouse // 5 May 2010, 21:07
I'd like to write a whole screed on the election, but as you've may have noticed from my recent inactivity, a new job has somewhat curtailed my blogging capacity for the time being. So I just want to point you...
New Leeds Rape Crisis helpline launches
by Laura Woodhouse // 7 April 2010, 20:41
Support After Rape & Sexual Violence Leeds (SARSVL) supports women and girls who have been affected by sexual violence at any time in their lives, promoting their needs and working towards the elimination of sexual violence. For the past year...
Welcome to our April guest bloggers!
by Laura Woodhouse // 1 April 2010, 07:25
I'm pleased to introduce our guest bloggers for this month. First up is Shiha Kaur: Shiha Kaur comes from a British-Asian background. She worries about the lack of feminists from her community and the social pressures and demands inflicted on...
Mini feminist victory for Pink Stinks!
by Laura Woodhouse // 31 March 2010, 16:15
Well done to the Pink Stinks! campaigners for persuading Sainsbury's to stop the gendered labelling of their kids dressing up clothes. Doctors' outfits are currently labelled specifically for boys, while nurses' uniforms are for girls. Pilots, superheros and soldier kits...
How you can support Gail Sherwood
by Laura Woodhouse // 30 March 2010, 13:16
Women Against Rape have put together a number of actions you can take to support Gail Sherwood, the woman who was sentenced to two years in prison earlier this month for "falsely" claiming she had been raped and harassed by...
Calling het couples who want a civil partnership!
by Laura Woodhouse // 29 March 2010, 10:31
Katherine Doyle and Tom Freeman, the couple who are aiming to make civil partnerships available to heterosexual couples, are looking for co-appellants to bring their case before the European Court of Human Rights: We have got some gay couples on...
Some Friday afternoon reading
by Laura Woodhouse // 26 March 2010, 16:39
Laurie Penny's produced one of the most reasonable, balanced pieces on feminism and sex work / prostitution I've read over at The Samosa. I thoroughly recommend reading it. I'm not going to be online very much over the weekend to...
Labour would give pregnant women legal right to home births, dads right to stay overnight in hospital after birth
by Laura Woodhouse // 25 March 2010, 10:59
I'm a bit late to this one, but the government has announced plans to give women the legal right to choose where they give birth, and wants to overhaul maternity wards so that fathers can stay overnight rather than leaving...
Pharmacists can continue to refuse to provide medication based on their beliefs
by Laura Woodhouse // 25 March 2010, 10:31
Amy Clare mentioned the recent case of a Sheffield woman who was refused the contraceptive pill by a religious pharmacist and told to come back the next day when a different pharmacist would be working. Sadly, the new industry regulator,...
UK Feminista launch
by Laura Woodhouse // 23 March 2010, 10:53
UK Feminista is a new feminist campaigning organisation aimed at bringing UK feminists together to fight for an end to gender inequality. It was co-founded by Kat Banyard, author of the recently published Equality Illusion. UK Feminista will provide campaigning...
What About Women?
by Laura Woodhouse // 16 March 2010, 10:42
The Fawcett Society's What About Women? campaign is designed to push gender equality onto the political parties' agendas in the run-up to the election. Fawcett have asked the parties a series of questions on women and the economy, work and...
The Second Sex: lost in translation?
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 March 2010, 08:33
As a French student I was fortunate enough to read and study Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex in the original French, but I imagine many of you have read it in the English translation. Any translation will inevitably lose...
Demonstrate in solidarity with Yarl's Wood hunger strikers
by Laura Woodhouse // 10 March 2010, 14:06
There will be a demonstration at Holloway Prison (Parkhurst Road, London, N7 0NU) at 6.30pm tonight, in support of the five hunger strikers imprisoned there as well as the twenty women still refusing food at Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre. The...
Clearing out my inbox round-up
by Laura Woodhouse // 9 March 2010, 16:47
Apologies for not having time to blog all these properly! The Observer profiles four women who gave birth in prison, one of whom was shackled while pregnant and during hospital treatments. Human Rights Watch are calling for the release of...
International Women's Day 2010: celebrate the women in your life
by Laura Woodhouse // 8 March 2010, 15:51
International Women's Day is a fantastic opportunity to draw attention to women's continued fight for liberation across the world. Harpymarx has written a comprehensive post detailing many of the reasons why this struggle continues, from the gender pay gap to...
Rape victim jailed for making "false" allegations
by Laura Woodhouse // 5 March 2010, 12:27
This is frightening. Amy Clare shared this BBC story about Mrs Gail Sherwood, who has been sentenced to two years in jail for perverting the course of justice by making false rape allegations. This follows claims that she was stalked...
Assistance to live
by Laura Woodhouse // 2 March 2010, 12:16
The Director of Public Prosecutions issued new guidelines on Friday for the prosecution of people who assist others to commit suicide. The guidelines do not change the law on assisted suicide (euthanasia), but could enable individuals to walk free from...
Female MCs and women in hip hop culture
by Laura Woodhouse // 26 February 2010, 12:05
Female MCs are 'ruling UK clubs again', according to an article published in The Guardian earlier this week. As with most proclamations that women are now 'ruling' a male-dominated arena - be it a music scene, politics, Hollywood - the...
Spratz - a feminist kidzine
by Laura Woodhouse // 24 February 2010, 11:07
The CRAP! (Child Rearing Against Patriarchy) Collective's kidzine is now available in readable and downloadable PDF format at the zinelibrary. It's packed full of patriarchy-smashing stories, poetry, games and pictures for children of all ages, plus delightful mottoes such as...
Scotland Yard staff to be trained in psychological effects of rape
by Laura Woodhouse // 24 February 2010, 10:01
Det Chief Supt Caroline Bates, head of Scotland Yard's first dedicated rape intelligence unit, has pledged that every woman reporting a rape will be interviewed by an officer trained in the psychological effects of the crime: "I train my staff...
Faith schools could be given chance to opt out of providing effective sex education
by Laura Woodhouse // 19 February 2010, 14:38
The Catholic Education Service claim that their campaigning has led to Ed Balls tabling an amendment to the Children, Schools and Families Bill regarding Sex and Relationships Education that could effectively enable faith schools to opt out of providing sex...
More Polanski apologists
by Laura Woodhouse // 18 February 2010, 17:25
Struck off my beautiful list: Ewan 'it's none of my business' McGregor Johnny 'he's an old married father so he can't possibly be a threat' Depp Shame on both of you....
Object strip club licensing campaign success
by Laura Woodhouse // 15 February 2010, 16:35
Following a hard-fought campaign by Object, the government announced on Friday that existing lap dancing venues can be compelled by local authorities to apply for a sexual entertainment license. It had already ruled that any new lap dancing venues could...
New Home Office campaign against teen domestic violence
by Laura Woodhouse // 15 February 2010, 12:03
The Home Office has launched a new £2 million TV, radio, internet and poster campaign in response to NSPCC research indicating that a quarter of girls aged 13 to 17 have experienced physical violence from a boyfriend and a third...
Cheated
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 February 2010, 14:53
Was anyone else appalled by Labour's proposals, announced earlier this week, to give a monetary reward to people who inform on benefit 'cheats'? I think it's a disgusting way to exploit people living in poverty and encourage them to turn...
Say NO to nuclear weapons
by Laura Woodhouse // 6 February 2010, 18:10
If you're disgusted by the government's decision to spend billions and billions of pounds producing more weapons and instruments of mass murder you might like to join the women's contingent at The Big Blockade, Aldermaston on Monday 15th February: The...
Asylum seeker mothers fight to be reunited with their children
by Laura Woodhouse // 6 February 2010, 16:53
Mothers in the London-based All African Women's Group are campaigning for the right to be reunited with their children following the successful settlement of their asylum claims. Many of the women, most of whom have experienced rape and torture, felt...
Quick rant: marriage tax breaks
by Laura Woodhouse // 4 February 2010, 19:49
I got sent an invite to a Policy Exchange Debate entitled 'Should the State Support Marriage Through the Tax / Benefits System?'. Apparently, 'the debate about whether the state should support marriage raises many important philosophical and economic issues'. Really?...
State of Isolation: abortion restrictions in Ireland
by Laura Woodhouse // 29 January 2010, 10:22
Human Rights Watch have released an in-depth report on access to abortion (or, rather, lack thereof) for women in Ireland, called State of Isolation. It highlights the Irish government's wilful refusal to respect the human rights of women seeking abortion,...
Women of Steel honoured at last
by Laura Woodhouse // 26 January 2010, 17:46
Transcript below. Four Sheffield women travelled down to London last week to receive official thanks from Prime Minister Gordon Brown on behalf of the hundreds of South Yorkshire women who worked in the region's steel factories during World War...
Baby taken from mother with learning difficulties
by Laura Woodhouse // 25 January 2010, 21:43
Kerry Robertson, a 17-year-old with learning difficulties who was prevented from marrying her boyfriend of one year back in September because social workers believed she was unable to understand the meaning of the contract, has now been forced to give...
Hairy sister on the red carpet, whoop!
by Laura Woodhouse // 22 January 2010, 18:19
As a committed hairy feminist, I was delighted to see actress and comedian Mo'Nique happily baring her hairy legs at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this week. It wasn't a one-off, either: she shared all on American TV in...
Cover up and close your legs, ladies, or we'll all be blown to pieces!
by Laura Woodhouse // 13 January 2010, 18:09
In an Independent piece that must have turned Daily Fail darlings Melanie Philips, Jan Moir and Richard Littlejohn green with moral panic-filled envy, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown argues that the "wanton" clothing and sexually promiscuous behaviour of Britain's female yoof is fuelling...
Detention and deportation: hear women's uncensored experiences
by Laura Woodhouse // 11 January 2010, 18:29
On Thursday 14 January, the All African Women's Group, Black Women's Rape Action Project and Crossroads Women's Centre are hosting a public meeting on women's experiences of deportation and detention in UK centres such as Yarl's Wood. Speakers include Fatma...
Mumsnet takes on the ad man
by Laura Woodhouse // 7 January 2010, 12:57
An advert reading 'Career women make bad mothers' has been pulled following complaints from members of parenting forum Mumsnet. The advert was part of a campaign to promote outdoor advertising (as opposed to online forms), and was designed to provoke...
Women's Aid Survivors' Forum
by Laura Woodhouse // 5 January 2010, 17:53
Women's Aid have launched an online survivors' forum for women affected by domestic abuse: We hope that the Survivors’ Forum will help abused women by enabling them to support each other and share their experiences. At Women’s Aid we know...
Introducing our January guest bloggers
by Laura Woodhouse // 1 January 2010, 07:00
We've got a great line up of guest bloggers for 2010; I hope you enjoy their contributions and make them feel welcome! First up are Syma Tariq and Grace Fletcher-Hackwood. Syma is a freelance journalist based in London and sometimes...
Founder of The F-Word, Catherine Redfern, has co-authored a new book with Kristin Aune. Find out more at the 
