Theresa May? Come on!

Does anybody know what on earth was going through the heads of the Fawcett Society when they decided to recruit Conservative MP Theresa May to speak at their Inspiring Women event? I can't think of anything less inspiring or less feminist than listening to the women responsible for the Tory's highly offensive 'Shoes, Shopping and Politics event'. And paying for the privilege to have my inteligence insulted! The event also clashes with Abortion Right's Pro-choice National Lobby, which I would suggest everyone should attend instead. Perhaps I'll write to the Fawcett Society and tell them what I think. Do other people find this a little beyond the pale?

Women=objects=family values

This is an election advertisment for the US Republican party developed for the recent election which they thankfully lost. Fair to say this churns my stomach. Clearly, the assault of this woman and ‘family values’ are discursively tied together. Yet another example of woman’s bodies representing honour, family, virtue etc rather than having meaning themselves. The message is that women assaulted by men are no longer ‘virtuous’ and therfore they are ‘destroyed’ objects. This is incredibly offensive and tiresome. The comments on Alas, a blog (which I know nobody reads after the whole porn fiasco) look like they need a bit of a feminist shake up. Add yours here

I'm going to start posting more of this garbage because I need to get away from my pay-gap Fawcett style feminism and into more feminist cultural representation/image deconstruction.

Global Conference on Abortion 2007

This just came through on the email, and I'm so excited! Even though it's a year away, lol. Hope I'll still be in the UK to get behind it.

November 2006

Marie Stopes International

Global Conference on Abortion

23-24 October 2007

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre Westminster

It's to mark the 40th Anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act in the UK (itself a paternalistc piece of legislation which we need to lobby to change). The conference will not address the clinical issues around abortion, but will instead call on governments, funders, and decision makers from the UK, Europe and in the developing world to do something concrete to reduce the appalling loss of life due to unsafe abortion.

At least 70,000 women die every year due to unsafe abortion.

Despite all the rhetoric, promises and international commitments to reduce maternal mortality and provide women everywhere with access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, this death toll has remained unchanged for decades. This will be a great opportunity to lobby governments, hold them accountable and put abortion at the top of the national and international agenda!

For more information, please contact Tony Kerridge on+44 (0)20 7574 7353 or Diana Thomas on +44 (0)20 7574 7416 or email press@mariestopes.org.uk

If you are interested in attending this event, please contact LauraBrownlee on0207 324 4372 or email laura.brownlee@neilstewartassociates.co.uk

Gumtree nightmares

I'm once again going through the trauma that is flat-hunting in London, which means revisting the awful yellow and green website that I think everybody dreads. I've become quite taken with my lovely London Bridge place, but will probably end up heading north once again. Although, it is definitely cooler on the 'bad' side of the river. One thing is for sure, I must resist all antipodean flat shares!

Positively Women!

Positively Women is an organisation I have recently come across in regards to AIDS research and services. It's World Aids Day on the 1st of December, and I am looking at helping out in some capacity. I'd never heard of them before, but it looks like they do great work helping women who are living with HIV/AIDS in London. Plus they are the only national charity giving specific support services to women and families with HIV/AIDS!

So if you're thinking of distributing ribbons and the like on the day, it might be a very cool feminist thing to go through them and maybe donate some cash at the same time.

email amailey@positivelywomen.org.uk

website http://www.positivelywomen.org.uk/index.html

Uncovered meat and short skirts

Decent article in the latest edition of the New Statesman about rape and the disgraceful comments from an Australian Muslim cleric that sexual assault is the fault of the victim. So incredibly tiresome that people stil have to come out and argue against views such as this. Though misogynistic views operate universally, it certain doesn't encourage me to return to the motherland any time soon!

http://www.newstatesman.com/200611060025

IKWRO Annual Conference on "honour killings"

There are at least twelve murders in the name of 'honour' every year in Britain!

IKWRO are holding a conference on "honour" killings on the 1st December 2006 at the Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre. The conference will be a place for learning from different experiences, with case studies, discussion and networking. It's only £10 to attend, just email them to book.

The underlying purpose of “honour crimes” is to maintain men’s power in families and communities by denying women basic—and internationally recognized—rights to make autonomous decisions about issues such as marriage, divorce, and whether and with whom to have sex, in order to control female sexuality and reproductive function.

Download a location map, as well as flyers and posters to advertise the event as much as possible!

Stop the anti-choice offensive!

Please see the following press release from Abortion Rights regarding the very important pro-choice national lobby coming up later this month:

Public meeting 22nd November, 7pm — 9pm Room 10, House of Commons, Westminster

All pro-choice supporters welcome!

Speakers include:

• Polly Toynbee Guardian Columnist
• Dr Kate Paterson MRCOG, NFFP Consultant in Community Gynecology and Reproductive Health
• Laura Moffatt MP Labour Party
• Not-yet-announced Liberal Democrat MP
• Jacqui Lait MP Conservative Party
• Lorene Fabian AMICUS
• Rebecca Gill TUC Women's Officer
• Kat Stark NUS Women’s Officer

Following two years of relentless and misleading media campaigning, the anti-choice lobby has now turned to drive its dangerous agenda through parliament. Notwithstanding the defeat of a cynical anti-choice backbench bill at the end of October, the anti-choice lobby has pledged to continue with a Private Members’ Bill, an Adjournment debate and a Westminster Hall debate. The strategy is designed to ratchet up pressure for incremental restrictions in women’s crucial abortion rights – starting with later abortion.

This public meeting in Parliament, on the eve of the ballot for a Private Members’ Bill, is an opportunity to send a strong message to MPs that any attempts set back women's rights will be met with widespread and determined opposition. We look forward to seeing you there. Please email info@abortionrights.org.uk to register your place and for further details.

Organised by Abortion Rights. Abortion Rights is supported by: T&G, FBU, CWU, AMICUS, BECTU, UNISON, ASLEF, RMT, UCU, TSSA, NAPO, NUS Women’s Campaign and many others. Abortion Rights and NUS Women's Campaign are also organising an opportunity for you to lobby your MP and take part in a media photo event during the day.