Articles by D H Kelly
Blogging Against Disablism Day – gender, health and responsibility
On Blogging Against Disablism Day, D H Kelly explores the way that women, in particular, are held responsible for their ill health
D H Kelly // 1 May 2015
Categories: Blog
“Protecting the life of my child”
D H Kelly has a look at Louis Theroux's recent documentary, focused on the experiences of transgender children and their parents, and considers whether the programmme does justice to their stories
D H Kelly // 26 April 2015
Categories: Reviews, Television
How can we change the status of our nipples?
The "Free The Nipple" campaign seeks to change our culture's anxiety about women's nipples. D H Kelly asks whether this is possible and how we might go about it
D H Kelly // 13 April 2015
Categories: Blog
There’s no justification for granting rape suspects anonymity
The Home Affairs Select Committee have proposed that people suspected of sexual offences should be granted anonymity in order to protect their reputations. D H Kelly argues that this would get in the way of bringing sexual offenders to justice
D H Kelly // 26 March 2015
Categories: Blog
Girls don’t need more information about what boys find attractive
Dr Aric Sigman suggests we can combat teenage girls' poor body image by asking teenage boys what they find attractive. D H Kelly discusses why this is a really bad idea
D H Kelly // 18 March 2015
Categories: Blog
ESA and gender differences in suicide rates
New guidelines for Employment and Support Allowance make it harder for women with severe mental illness to be relieved of work-related activity, a decision justified by the gender difference in suicide rates. D H Kelly explains how statistics cannot keep individuals safe
D H Kelly // 16 March 2015
Categories: Blog
Leave me alone
What role does gender inequality play in how we approach issues of privacy and autonomy? D H Kelly follows Gemma Varnom's Black Mirror review with an examination of the blocking theme in the show's most recent episode
D H Kelly // 26 February 2015
Categories: Reviews, Television
On Mansplaining
'Mansplain' has become the Macquarie Dictionary 'Word of the Year 2014'. D H Kelly examines whether the over-use of this humorous term might undermine the aims of feminism
D H Kelly // 6 February 2015
Categories: Blog
Broken Rainbow Helpline loses funding
The Broken Rainbow Helpline which provides support for LGBT victims of domestic abuse has lost its government funding and may be forced to close. D H Kelly explores why lesbian, bisexual and trans* women who are abused might struggle to get support
D H Kelly // 18 January 2015
Categories: Blog
Are fat people disabled?
The European Court of Human Justice has ruled that, in some circumstances, fat people will be able to use disability discrimination law to respond to discrimination. D H Kelly examines whether fat people can be described as disabled
D H Kelly // 19 December 2014
Categories: Blog
Restrictions on porn that protect no-one
Following amendments to the Communications Act 2003 which have banned a number of acts from on-line porn produced in the UK, D H Kelly questions whether this is the way to protect children and promote sexual equality
D H Kelly // 4 December 2014
Categories: Blog
What does it mean to be vulnerable?
A disability campaign group implores people to stop describing disabled people as vulnerable. D H Kelly explores what vulnerability means, and the degree to which it is worth acknowledging
D H Kelly // 8 November 2014
Categories: Blog
Sex, lies and statistics
As the Guardian publishes its British Sex Survey 2014, D H Kelly looks at some unlikely statistics and their influence on women's attitude to their own sexuality
D H Kelly // 30 September 2014
Categories: Blog
Reluctant Women
D H Kelly explores what being a cisgender woman means and doesn't mean and how a failure to acknowledge our own, often complicated, gender identities can lead us to let down our trans sisters
D H Kelly // 25 September 2014
Categories: Blog
Richard Dawkins and the logic of “date rape”
When Richard Dawkins used rape in an explanation of logical principles, he forgot to use accurate premises. D H Kelly warns against false assumptions about the nature of "date rape"
D H Kelly // 31 July 2014
Categories: Blog
When your lover says you’re ugly, it’s a low down lie.
Responding to a story in which a middle-aged woman is told by her new boyfriend that her body is too wrinkled, D H Kelly argues that men who criticise their lover's looks are interested in power rather than appearance
D H Kelly // 20 July 2014
Categories: Blog
Sexual assault allegations and attention seeking
Since Vanessa Feltz spoke of Rolf Harris putting his hand up her dress during an interview, she has been subject to a torrent of abuse, including the idea that she is seeking attention. D H Kelly explores this common accusation towards victims of sexual assault
D H Kelly // 8 July 2014
Categories: Blog
When break-up music turns sinister
Robin Thicke has named his latest album after his estranged wife and vows to win her back. D H Kelly examines the stories we tell about men winning back the women who have left them
D H Kelly // 27 June 2014
Categories: Blog
Permission to kiss: consent is simple
D H Kelly examines a recent BBC Article entitled, "Should you ask someone's permission to kiss them?" and argues that a greater emphasis on full consent makes sex much simpler, as well as safer
D H Kelly // 18 June 2014
Categories: Blog
On Self-Defence as Rape Prevention
Caroline Criado-Perez describes learning self-defence as "a solution" to rape, until we're able to stop people raping. D H Kelly argues this is no solution to the vast majority of rapes.
D H Kelly // 12 June 2014
Categories: Blog
Kirstie Allsopp and myths about women’s choices
D H Kelly discusses Kirstie Allsopp's recent recommendations that women should not go to university but instead focus on buying a home and having children as soon as possible
D H Kelly // 3 June 2014
Categories: Blog
On mothers-in-law
I came to the prospect of having a mother-in-law with some trepidation. At a point in my life when I was bruised and weary, I expected my then-boyfriend's mother to disapprove of me on sight. When that didn't happen, I waited for it to occur. By the time I realised we were going to be okay, we had become family.
D H Kelly // 1 November 2013
Categories: Blog
Why does disability make people more vulnerable to domestic abuse?
Before I came to terms with my own experience of domestic violence, I might have imagined that vulnerability to abuse would be about being attracted to a certain "type", being a little self-destructive,submissive or gullible. If I knew that disabled people were twice as vulnerable to abuse, I might have imagined that this was because disability throws up a load of stressful situations and - as I could testify - people like me were hard to live with. In fact, how vulnerable you are might be better understood as the number of excuses an abuser could find to mistreat and control you.
D H Kelly // 23 October 2013
Categories: Blog
A Looker Wins The Booker
This week, Eleanor Catton became the youngest ever winner of the Man Booker Prize with her epic novel The Luminaries. At only 28, there was bound to be some comment about the age of the author, but the Times seemed to forget that this was a literary prize.
D H Kelly // 20 October 2013
Categories: Blog
Sex Tips: Deepening The Divide
There’s nowhere in mainstream culture that’s quite so insistent on profound and deep-seated differences between men and women than sex advice. Men and women want different things, we are told,...
D H Kelly // 10 October 2013
Categories: Blog
