20th March
The Economy needs changing
The New Statesman has an article this week regarding equal pay and flexible working for families. The jist of it is that the economy needs to shift to encompass how people work and why they work as they do. Without a real change in working patterns combined with a concerted effort to change attitudes around parenting, women will always remain in the more low skilled, low paid positions. However, I do have slight problem with the article in that 1) it assumes there is no misogyny any more and 2) that pay is pretty much equal. It isn’t.
17th February
Fashion is racist
Not so surprising, but still shocking. Read more at the Guardian
7th February
Rachel Manners brilliant challenge to the misogynists drink of choice-Pussy
Unfortunately, this article is not online, but was published in the Student paper at Edinburgh University, and is brilliant. Kudos to Rachel for being wonderful!
Truth and Reconcilliation forum announced for survivors of child sexual abuse
Forum to be established for survivors who experienced sexual abuse whilst in the care system.
Trial of Steve Wright
The Scotsman reports that the man accused of ”vice-girls” murder is son of military policeman. Two things-one, they were grown women, with names, not “vice-girls” and two, this story simply perpetuates the tired, well-worn, and plainly ridiculous notion that rapists and murders are “crazy”. The media is still unable to get it’s head round the fact that “normal” men, from “normal” families rape and murder women.
Police to blame for woman’s death
This story is horrible… A brutal murder of a woman, and the police officer who told her partner she had received gender reassignment surgery. The logic being that of course this heterosexual man was going to murder his partner after being told of her treatment. Sure sign that transphobia and gender based hate crimes continue.
3rd February
Shake up of Rape case handling
Scotland on Sunday reports that soon all police forces in the country will standardise their handling of rape cases. About time to. As the report notes, Scotland has the lowest prosecution figure in western Europe. Whilst more women are coming forward to report rape, securing a conviction is highly unlikey. To put it another way- according to some juries and forces 97.6% of women are lying.
31st January 2008
Local Authorities-gender blind?
This story looks at a recent report that only 4 of 32 Scottish local authorities are run by women, but seems to be saying that this is just a coincidence. Both stressing societies views on women and the family set up of the one woman they interview, it’s a strange article… These reports always highlight to me that is anyone listening to their own gender duty obligations?
This is a fantastic article to get your feminist ideas going. My fave is the post-it on a men’s mag
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2242747,00.html
Sunday 20th January
From UKfeministaction
Richard Littlejohn in the Daily Mail launches a misogynist tirade against the women who were murdered in Ipswich. He says their deaths are “no great loss” and talks of “drug addled street whores”. Apparently the “assorted Glendas” are using the “All Men Are Bastards/Rapists/Murderers mantra” when really these women are totally culpable for their own murders.
Read with caution, it is horrific.
