tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61921133896342949892023-11-16T08:28:42.503-08:00Lady SophiaFeminism and human rightsJillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-63430384023807400222011-06-09T06:48:00.000-07:002011-06-09T06:52:16.016-07:00Beauty Salon for girls as young as ONEI am completely lost for words by the article in today's Daily Mail which describes a beauty salon for girls under the age of thirteen and for girls as young as one year old.<br /><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2001148/Trendy-Monkeys-Essex-beauty-salons-make-overs-spray-tans-girls-young-1.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2001148/Trendy-Monkeys-Essex-beauty-salons-make-overs-spray-tans-girls-young-1.html</a>Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-88968208352167065682011-05-25T05:37:00.000-07:002011-05-25T05:51:39.356-07:00Freedom of speechOnce again - long absence of posts.<br /><br />I have read <strong>Kate <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">McCann's</span></strong> book <strong>Madeleine</strong> recently and found it very interesting and well written. Naturally I posted a review of it on Amazon as I post reviews of nearly everything I read on there. I have also posted a review of it over at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jillysheep</span> where it has attracted a thoroughly obnoxious comment - which I have left on there because it shows up the author of the comment in his true colours. <br /><br />Anyone it seems who expresses any support or empathy whatsoever for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">McCanns</span> on any <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">internet</span> site will attract the attention of certain people who have their own agenda when it comes to this tragic case. I feel a great deal of sympathy for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">McCanns</span> and if two police forces could not find evidence to mount a prosecution then I'm not about to start pointing fingers. I'm for freedom of speech but in my opinion the freedom to express one's opinion does not include making criminal allegations against people. <br /><br />A quick perusal of the reviews of <strong>Madeleine</strong> on Amazon will reveal some very aggressive and vitriolic comments against anyone expressing the slightest support for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">McCanns</span> or even taking a neutral stance. Many have been deleted by Amazon and rightly so in my opinion as they were libellous.<br /><br />This tragic case has shown up so many people as being lacking in compassion. This is a lynch mob mentality which makes me ashamed to be living in the same country as this heartless bunch of people.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-31251374804042262512011-03-04T05:26:00.000-08:002011-03-04T06:54:23.727-08:00Appearances or something else?What attracts you to other people? Is it appearances, the way they dress, their face, the way they speak, the clothes they wear? For me - and I'm beginning to think I'm in a minority of one here - it is far more than that. I am attracted to people I can talk to and who understand where I'm coming from. That does not mean I have to agree with them all the time - just can I hold a conversation with them. Personality as well - can they laugh at themselves - do they have a good understanding of how they tick.<br /><br /><br /><br />I would almost say appearances are irrelevant to me as I never seem to agree with the majority about which celebrity is sexually attractive. I can't understand what people see on George <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Clooney</span>, Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom etc. Now Sean Connery, Roger Moore or Hugh Grant I find attractive and I always used to like George <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Peppard</span>. But again I can't rave about them and I could only get really interested in them if I could hold a conversation with them.<br /><br /><br /><br />Is it perhaps an age thing? I don't know. My other half is always asking me what attracted me to him over 20 years ago now and I keep saying it wasn't anything physical - just his personality and the fact I could talk to him. He says he wouldn't be with me if he hadn't thought I looked beautiful. If I'd been ugly however well we got on he wouldn't have been interested.<br /><br /><br />Someone started a discussion on a forum about a woman on television saying he was distracted by her appearance and couldn't concentrate on what she was saying. I took issue with that and said it was how the person did her job that mattered not appearances. I was called everything under the sun including a plug ugly feminist and a lesbian. I also said a handsome man would not distract me in the same way though clearly I can only speak for myself!<br /><br />Everyone seemed to be saying that I was wrong to criticise those who focus on appearance and that everyone does it. But not everyone does do it. I know some men - and yes I'm generalising here - are only interested in what a woman looks like and nothing else. There are also women who do the same. But just because there are many people who think like that doesn't make it right. It also doesn't mean you're <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">bigoted</span> if you happen to think it's wrong to insist that a woman's appearance is the most important thing about her.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-88596266213695729342010-09-21T02:44:00.000-07:002010-09-26T05:41:01.826-07:00Lack of postingSorry for the long gap. I just got so fed up with seeing so much anti-women stuff wherever I went that I just couldn't find the energy to write anything. Now the computer has been re-loaded and I've lost my favourites list I don't think I shall be seeking out the men's rights sites any more. They just depress me. So I have stopped reading them - for the moment.<br /><br />Instead I'm busy reading e-books because I've just bought an Amazon Kindle. Not too many feminist books available for it yet but I'm sure that will change! I am reading a great many of the free classics available such as Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, George Eliot, etc etc. Free books are always a good thing.<br /><br />I was thinking the other day about Jane Austen's attitude to marriage as demonstrated in her books. It seems clear to me that she thought the ideal marriage was one of equals - not necessarily in the financial sense - but in the sense of well matched <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">characterwise</span>. Emma and Mr <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Knightley</span> don't always agree and Emma has no qualms about arguing with him. The same with Elizabeth and Darcy.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Nowehere</span> in her books are there downtrodden women subservient to men - except to point up the moral as in Colonel <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Brandon't</span> first love and her daughter. In fact it seems Jane Austen thought the idea that women should <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">regard</span> men as superior to their own sex was rather stupid. Was she ahead of her time? Maybe not as I think the idea of women playing a more equal part in society had started to emerge - most notably in Mary <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wollstonecroft</span>' Vindication of the Rights of Women published at the end of the 18<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> century. Talking of which - I'm off to find a free copy to download!Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-89175479550855838962010-08-22T05:43:00.000-07:002010-08-22T06:01:27.572-07:00Women and drinkingI have done my share of drinking in the past but rarely drink very much at all now. This is partly because I never know when the other half might suddenly need driving to hospital and I really would hate to have to say sorry I've drunk too much. So my drinking is mainly confined to Christmas and a wine box which usually lasts me well into January. I do have the occasional vodka and tonic as well - when I remember to buy the tonic.<br /><br />I don't understand the attraction of drinking to excess so that you're falling down drunk and have a hangover in the morning. I have had my share of hangovers and I basically don't like them - which is another reason for not drinking to excess. That said I really don't like to see anyone in public drunk - whether it's a man or a woman. I find it odd the the media only ever seem to concentrate on young women who get drunk. Don't men get drunk any more?<br /><br />I came across this comment on a Daily Mail story about the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ladette</span> culture leading to promiscuity and abortions which had me laughing out loud - not probably the reaction the author intended:<br /><br /><em>Young unmarried women should not be allowed to purchase or consume alcohol when not under the supervision of a man. It has too much of a destructive influence on their brains which have developed through evolution to be suited to bringing up a family and making a home for their man, not engaging in the complexities of social networking. We need sensible moralistic laws to ban this behaviour.</em><br /><em></em><br />So men have a monopoly on wisdom do they? This is the sort of patriarchal attitude which feminism was set up to challenge - it seems women are still not capable to thinking for themselves - well not according to some men who might find themselves more at home in a previous century. As someone once wrote on a similar story - 'The Dark Ages just rang - they want their attitudes back.'Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-6651980943731700282010-08-13T02:44:00.000-07:002010-08-13T03:05:48.375-07:00Fat women are easy laysI read an article on the Daily Mail's website yesterday about several women who were prepared to say how many lovers they'd had. One of them was still a virgin from choice and another had had fifty lovers. To me all the article demonstrated was that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">everyone's</span> an individual. There were photos of all the women featured and they varied from skinny to pleasantly plump - well that was my opinion anyway. None was outstandingly beautiful by current standards. It was the comments which had me screaming at my computer monitor and foaming at the mouth.<br /><br />The lady who had had fifty lovers was the pleasantly plump one and the one who seemed to be enjoying life the most and who had made a success of her career and was relatively recently married. But the comments from men and women were mainly along the lines of: fat women are easy lays because otherwise they wouldn't get anyone; it's a well known fact that fat women are promiscuous; can't imagine why anyone would want to sleep with her - they must have all been drunk etc etc.<br /><br />Identifying the stereotypes and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-conceptions:<br /><br /><ul><li>Fat women sleep with anyone who asks them</li><li>Fat women are desperate to get a man</li><li>Men don't fancy fat women</li><li>All women lie about sex</li><li>All women are <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">desperate</span> to have a man in their lives</li></ul><p>I've never been skinny. I've always had at least one man in my life since I was about 17 - and often more than one. In total I reckon I've had 14 lovers and unless my current partner dies before I do I'm unlikely to have any more. I've probably turned down at least as many. I've never really tried to attract anyone to me and I've certainly never gone out looking for men. So I'm sorry but I don't fit into any of those stereotypes/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-conceptions and I doubt if most women do.</p><p>And finally - there were far too many people commenting that women should be virgins when they marry but men should have as much experience as they can before marriage. There was also a joker claiming he'd had sex with 1000 women - what's the male version of slut anyone?!!</p>Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-85127615196368522572010-08-08T03:59:00.000-07:002010-08-08T04:15:56.968-07:00RespectI've just skimmed through an article on this site <a href="http://www.henrymakow.com/">www.henrymakow.com</a> and come across this written by someone who lives in Denmark.<br /><br /><strong>'Gender role confusion is rampant: particularly in young men and teenage boys. My own step son has confided in me many times that he just doesn't understand what girls expect of him. He tells me they are impossibly argumentative, confrontational [and] show no respect for the masculine at all. He says he would like to meet a nice girl and settle down, but he cannot imagine ever meeting one'.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />So this guy thinks there should be gender roles - why? What is wrong with men doing traditional women's jobs or vice <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">versa</span>? Why shouldn't women argue? If men say something women don't agree with are women supposed to just accept it because the man is always right? In my book respect has to be earned, it should not be granted just because a man is a man or a woman is a woman.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-18282610921030735062010-08-02T02:45:00.000-07:002010-08-02T03:10:04.841-07:00Driving a wedge between men and womenMany men - and some women - say feminism was designed to drive a wedge between men and women. But is this really true? I don't think so. Feminism was - and is - aimed at giving women equal rights and equal responsibilities as well as equal opportunities as men. How can this be wrong?<br /><br />Of course some men see women gaining power and independence as taking power away from them. But is this really true? I don't think so. If you as a man have to negotiate on equal terms with the woman in your life in order to decide where you go on holiday, whether you have children and how you bring them up - how can this be wrong? Femimism is all about giving women choices. It is not about depriving men of anything. The reason why so many men don't like it is that they're no longer allowed to beat their wives for their own good. Women can earn money just the same as they can and therefore are not dependent on the man dishing out the money as they see fit.<br /><br />Is the reason why men don't like feminism that they can no longer control the women in their lives and tell them what to do? That's what I think it boils down to. If a woman can earn money she is always going to be in a position to say to a man she doesn't want him in her life - just as men have always been able to do to women. Men obviously prefer being in a position to call the shots and don't like it if women can do the same thing. I think there is an increasing trend for men to just want women for sex and nothing else - which is worrying. Did they ever want to have a real relationship with women? Obviously some do but an increasing number don't.<br /><br />Men also seem increasingly worried that women only want them for their money but surely it was always like that - just dressed up in nicer clothing. Before it was possible for women to work outside the home they always needed to marry someone with at least some money. Men also married for money though they conveniently forget that. I would think that now women are able to earn money they're less likely to put money at the top of their reasons to marry.<br /><br />So all feminism has shown is something that women probably always knew - there are some men who just want you for one thing. In that feminism has shown up many men as being shallow and not really worth bothering with for a serious relationship I suppose it has driven a wedge between the sexes - or has it caused many men to be displayed in their true coloours for the first time?Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-66351779734216436112010-07-23T05:47:00.000-07:002010-07-23T05:51:27.404-07:00New blog - MFIFThe new blog called My Fault I'm Female is well worth reading. It has only been in existence for 8 days and has received over 60 'entries'. It's about those really irritating incidents which happen in every day situations because people make incorrect assumptions about women. <a href="http://www.myfaultimfemale.wordpress.com/">www.myfaultimfemale.wordpress.com</a> or there is a link at the top of this page. Brilliant reading - long may it continue. Except that you could say it would be a very pleasant world if there was no need for it . . .Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-23600764257291198882010-07-23T04:41:00.000-07:002010-07-23T05:00:49.642-07:00BileI find the sheer unpleasantness of some people involved in bolstering the egos of down trodden men completely incomprehensible. The comment posted on my last entry demonstrates the vitriol quite nicely. I say I can't understand anyone wanting to subvert the justice system in the way <a href="http://www.avoiceformen.come/">www.avoiceformen.come</a> advocates and they respond in such a violent way. I thought men were always held up to be the reasonable and logical sex?<br /><br />I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that they're not at all reasonable and certainly not logical. They're always on about how all laws favour women and men are side lined. If men are really side lined - which I don't accept - then they only have themselves to blame. They have - in some cases - not adapted to the modern world and the way society has changed. It is no longer acceptable to behave as though women are inferior to men and just a little bit thick.<br /><br />Unfortunately some men do not seem to have realised that and want to turn the clock back to when women knew their place. If that actually happened and women were returned to the home and not allowed to work unless they were unmarried - how would this benefit men precisely? They complain now that they have to pay child support when there is a divorce. If they had a stay at home wife who had never worked they would find a divorce would cost them even more. Or are they saying they should be allowed to keep everything and throw their wives on the street when they want to trade them in for a younger model?<br /><br />It seems some men only ever read <strong>The SCUM manifesto</strong>. They haven't read any of the thoughtful and thought provoking writing by such feminists as <strong>Natasha Walter, Kat Banyard, Sheila Jeffreys, Rosalind Miles</strong> et al. But of course they write in rational language quoting research studies to back up their statements so they aren't of interest to these men - I would say they needed a higher IQ than they possess to even understand them. I always compare such writers favourably with <strong>Neil Lyndon</strong> and his personal rant - <strong>No More Sex War</strong> - in which no reserach is quoted and women are the ONLY source of trouble in the world. I still haven't managed to finish that by the way because it is just a rant and not cogently argued at all.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-91569066402213601802010-07-21T02:54:00.001-07:002010-07-21T03:06:59.611-07:00How would you vote?If you were picked to be part of a jury and the case you were hearing was a rape case - how would you vote?<br /><br />Speaking for myself I hope I would consider all the evidence as objectively as I could and decide whether the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">defendant</span> was guilty or not guilty on that basis. I would not decide in advance that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">defendant</span> was guilty - whether or not there was sufficient evidence against him.<br /><br />But this is what the web site <a href="http://www.avoiceformen.com/">www.avoiceformen.com</a> is advocating in an article posted on 20 July 2010 entitled 'Jury duty at a rape trial? <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Acquit</span>' - except that the article says the writer will vote not guilty - regardless of the evidence. Because women lie. Men of course are plaster saints who never ever tell a fib - not even a white lie - and will always admit if they are guilty of such a heinous crime. And I'm the Queen of Sheba!<br /><br />Whether this article is talking about America or the UK I think it is disgusting and disgraceful and I would be saying that even if I found something similar on a feminist web site saying the writer would always say the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">defendant</span> was guilty.<br /><br />And they say men have a sense of justice and fairness which women lack? Men are always logical and reasonable? No I don't think so somehow.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-87020046534599191322010-07-13T03:24:00.000-07:002010-07-13T03:31:02.734-07:00Roman PolanskiSo Roman Polanski will not be extradited to face jail for raping and drugging a 13 year old girl. He admits he committed the crime but says he's got away with it because everyone including judges and juries would do the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">same</span> thing if given the chance. That was the gist of what he said. What message does this send out to everyone? That such 'crimes' aren't really crimes at all - or they aren't if you've made some good films. Art excuses bad behaviour I suppose.<br /><br />I for one will never watch a Roman Polanski film again - though I'm sure that won't bother him. I am just completely disgusted by the whole thing and equally disgusted by the men and women who have defended him in the media by saying the girl grew up without any problems and anyway she'd been abused before so it didn't matter - or she wanted it so that's all right. NO ONE wants to be raped - unless perhaps they have some sort of mental illness.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-19817228637443436922010-07-09T02:55:00.000-07:002010-07-09T03:03:54.019-07:00Body modificationsI've just been reading something about voluntary surgery to change the appearance of female genitals. As ever my question is why? In conversation with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">MJR</span> he said some people might feel very miserable because <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">their genitals</span> didn't look right. My answer - what is right? He'd seem a programme in which someone felt really worried about having sex because she didn't think she looked normal and so she had surgery to change the appearance of her labia. But I still say - as I always do - whose to say what's normal? We're all different and why would we all want to be the same?<br /><br />I don't have pierced ears. I have had many people say - why don't you get them pierced so that I can buy you earrings? I used to wear clip <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">ons</span> at one time - but having left them in many different places by accident I stopped wearing them. I've never felt the need to have my ears pierced - and certainly not so that people can buy me presents of earrings! I think I must be in a small minority as most people seem to have pierced ears. As for piercing anything else - no way!Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-78982585793695970922010-07-01T04:31:00.000-07:002010-07-01T04:45:15.579-07:00Twilight and other thingsWhy have so many people gone all 'holier than thou' about the <strong>Twilight</strong> films and books? Many journalists have commented - favourably and unfavourably about the appeal of both films and books to middle aged women and how dangerous this is. Well why? I haven't read the books or seen the films because vampires don't really interest me - though I can understand the attraction. But I really cannot see anything wrong with middle aged women loving the books or the films. If you don't know the difference between real life men and vampires by that age then you probably have other problems as well for which you possibly need expert help. <br /><br />I don't understand the sheer vitriol directed at the adults who enjoy this latest vampire craze. Taste in books is always going to be personal and shouldn't be a matter of snobbery, shame or guilt - unless perhaps you're indulging in something that is forbidden by law. <strong>Twilight</strong> is as far as I can gather not breaking any laws. So why criticise someone for liking it? Too many people have this idea that if a book is aimed at children then it should not be read by adults. Yet the books were written by an adult, printed by adults, published by adults, sold by adults . . . . . <br /><br />This seems to be yet another stereotype - adults read books for adults; children read books for children. Oh right then - not sure what that makes me since I read Harry Potter and I do read so-called children's books from time to time - and very good they are too. No I'm not ashamed of it and no I don't think it makes me any less of an adult.<br /><br />I came across an excellent comment in a book by <strong>Mike <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pannett</span></strong> - a Yorkshire policeman - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">about</span> rape stating categorically that rape is a violent crime and has nothing to do with sex. We are getting somewhere when members of the police say that. The book in which I read the comment is called <strong>Not on My Patch, Lad</strong>.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-74232969110994530082010-06-28T03:43:00.000-07:002010-06-28T03:59:17.077-07:00Sexist advertisingI don't watch television but from what I read there are an increasing number of advertisements which portray men as helpless when it comes to domestic tasks. I am against <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">stereotypes</span> of any description so I don't like the idea of this at all. Really all these adverts are doing is perpetuating the myth that women are all good at household tasks and that men are all hopeless at them.<br /><br />Men unfortunately have contributed to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">stereotype</span> that they are now objecting to. Most men are capable of performing domestic tasks - many make a mess of them so that they are not expected to do them again - and some of them even admit they do this. So this is a myth that men will need to do something about dispelling. Though I'm not suggesting that women should pretend to be bad at domestic tasks even if they are good at them but we need to stop seeing people as good or bad at things according to their gender.<br /><br />It does make a change though to have men laughed at for being helpless and hopeless - now they know how women have felt for centuries. Neither sex can be said to be generally good or generally bad at anything. Individuals have skills - or not - as the case may be.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-47077045021962838932010-06-26T02:27:00.000-07:002010-06-26T02:42:25.699-07:00Why some things are just not saidI'm sure I'm going to offend someone by this post but here goes.<br /><br />Someone made a comment on an Amazon forum about <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Down's</span> syndrome children stating that in his opinion they should never have been born. OK the comment wasn't expressed very well but we have freedom of speech so I didn't really have a problem with the comment. The lynch mob of course appeared threatening to report the person for hate crime and me for supporting his right to make the comment- even though I didn't agree with it or the sentiments behind it.<br /><br />No one will address the apparent opposition to the comment and the right enshrined in law of the mother of a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Down's</span> syndrome foetus to have it aborted. It seems as though - to me - they're fudging the issue. You can't say it - but you can do it - legally.<br /><br />I deleted most of my posts in the end because I did not want to be part of the argument - especially when people were threatening legal action though I have made one or two pretty tame posts since as other people have got involved in the argument pointing out the inconsistencies. Some also can't see the irony of the thoroughly nasty insults being hurled at me and at the original poster. It's apparently acceptable to bully and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">denigrate</span> people whose views you don't like but not <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span> to express controversial views which go against what the majority think are right. Of such things are lynch mobs made.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-39865439128905718152010-06-25T03:09:00.000-07:002010-06-25T03:16:36.609-07:00Pregnant women and smokingIt is fairly well known that smoking is not a good idea if you're pregnant but I found the idea that pregnant women will be breath tested to see if they smoke. Why test them to see if they smoke when they know whether they do or not? What about passive smoking - which is apparently just as bad? Shouldn't they be <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">targeting</span> the pregnant woman's partner/husband as well to make sure they're not smoking? This is bad as the supermarket worker who refused to serve the pregnant woman with soft cheese in case she ate it herself. <br /><br />What are they going to do to the woman if she is smoking? Lock her up and take away the fags?Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-26864961052196846892010-06-23T03:57:00.000-07:002010-06-23T04:20:35.738-07:00Is feminism a trade union?I've never understood why some people describe feminism as a trade union. What does a trade union do?<br /><ul><li>Provision of benefits to members - in a similar way to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Friendly</span> Societies</li><li>Collective bargaining</li><li>Industrial action</li><li>Political activity</li></ul><p>Does feminism do any of these things? Political activity perhaps but that's about it. Feminism in the 21st century is much too diverse to be considered any sort of organised activity. As women don't have one employer or one type of work I can't really see how anyone can think of it as a trade union. <a href="http://www.theantifeminist.com/">http://www.theantifeminist.com/</a> has a bee in his bonnet about this and seems to think referring to feminism as a trade union is to insult it. </p><p>Sidney and Beatrice Webb's definition of a trade union is ' a continuous association of wage earners for the purposes of maintaining or improving their conditions of employment' Does this really fit with feminism? Individual women may belong to a trade union to do with their employment but are we saying they are also 'employed' in their private lives? If so who by?</p>Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-88658027207794812472010-06-18T04:41:00.000-07:002010-06-18T04:46:37.946-07:00Outraged!I have just read an article on the F Word which has totally outraged me. An individual called Dr Dix Poppas in the USA is performing operations on small girls to reduce the size of their clitorises which he deems to be too big. <a href="http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2010/06/first_do_no_har">www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2010/06/first_do_no_har</a> <br /><br />The follow up annual checks are just plain disgusting. How on earth he got this past any ethics <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">committee</span> is beyond me.<br /><br />Words have completely failed me at the moment but I may add to this post later.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-84699310551363516102010-06-15T05:34:00.000-07:002010-06-15T05:46:37.859-07:00ViolenceIt has been suggested in various places that domestic violence will increase during the World Cup. Many reasons are put forward for this. But why is no one looking at domestic violence with men as the victim? I have read many books which include sections on violence in the home but it is not always instigated by men against women. I'm not trying to downplay or trivialise violence against women here but trying to raise awareness of violence against men as well.<br /><br />There are more men in prison than there are women so I think few people would deny that more men commit crimes of all types including violence. In young men up to the age of 24 the most common cause of death is violence I think. But this is men on men violence. Why then do men frequently argue when domestic violence against women is discussed that there are more male victims of violence all together and that is a more important subject? It's as though they're trying to play a game of one <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">upmanship</span> - my risks are greater than your risks and this attitude doesn't help anyone.<br /><br />Why aren't men's rights groups campaigning for reducing violence? Aren't they missing something here? Instead of attacking women as though they are the enemy they need to look at the enemy within their own ranks - the men who think it is acceptable to settle an argument, however trivial, with physical violence. Now there's something worth tackling.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-68951583062355091982010-06-15T05:24:00.000-07:002010-06-15T05:34:06.316-07:00Do women have a sense of entitlement?I frequently read comments on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Internet</span> - usually from men - about how women always have a sense of entitlement. But what exactly does anyone mean by this? You often see it attached to news stories about sexual <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">harassment</span> or discrimination claims made by women. I would say yes anyone - male or female is entitled to the following:<br /><ul><li>To be treated politely</li><li>To be offered the same goods and services at the same prices and not to be offered less favourable terms because of their gender</li><li>To have a safe working environment</li><li>Not to be constantly <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">harassed</span> by sexual innuendo, physical <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">harassment</span> or pictures of nude members of the opposite sex</li><li>To feel safe in their own home</li><li>To feel safe when they go out at night - whether on their own or in groups</li></ul><p>If that is having a sense of entitlement - then why not? Don't most people want these?</p><p>I think what people who make this comment usually have in their minds is the perception that women feel they are somehow more entitled to better treatment than anyone else. But I haven't come across any woman who thinks she somehow deserves more and better treatment than a man because she's a woman. Equal treatment would be just fine.</p>Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-55875752140897980562010-06-14T05:01:00.000-07:002010-06-14T05:05:44.626-07:00NOMASThis seems like a good site <a href="http://www.nomas.org/">www.nomas.org</a><br /><br />These are men against sexism and pro feminism and gay rights. Their 12 steps men can take to end sexism are excellent and should be a way of behaving applicable to everyone - not just men.Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-63768878646421490762010-06-14T03:49:00.001-07:002010-06-14T04:18:37.204-07:00Reclaiming the F Word: review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeR_2RIwP8b-5POK7ncwdsLBatk9_GPr4UkKwbqIJpu9e94M9X5Lxkc9MaS8h9dHDWrJOUiRvnyZE_j_jjIwHWvbXkA2AjaaW9jkNJ3x2dscpvWd1CT-8_s8f6ZOC-V-g-obSDrzEEeg/s1600/fword.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482587200048899362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDeR_2RIwP8b-5POK7ncwdsLBatk9_GPr4UkKwbqIJpu9e94M9X5Lxkc9MaS8h9dHDWrJOUiRvnyZE_j_jjIwHWvbXkA2AjaaW9jkNJ3x2dscpvWd1CT-8_s8f6ZOC-V-g-obSDrzEEeg/s320/fword.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong>Reclaiming the F Word by Catherine <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Redfern</span> and Kristin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Aune</span></strong> is excellent and well worth reading. It provides a round up of feminist activity going on today and shows the sheer diversity of feminism. The authors show conclusively there is still a need for feminism. The laws have changed but culture and people's opinions haven't changed at all. The misogyny has become much more subtle and insidious and therefore much more difficult to fight. It is almost impossible to challenge humour and thus stifling gender stereotypes continue to be propagated - to both men and women.<br /><br />The book is written in a very down to earth and approachable style with plenty of references to research and other printed and electronic material. The authors analysed a survey to provide some of their material for the book and the survey results are reproduced in an appendix at the end of the book. There are notes to each chapter and a useful list of further reading arranged under the chapter headings.<br /><br />I found the book fascinating reading and it does highlight the relevance of feminism today and shows how people can become involved. It also analyses the way women are manipulated into looking and dressing a certain way as though their bodies are imperfect in their natural state. Advertising and the media are discussed and the way they portray gender <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">stereotypes</span> analysed. Politics and religion are covered as are work and home life.<br /><br />It is clear to me from reading this and other recently published books that both men and women need to study their own behaviour and see if they are not making some very dated assumptions about the people they come across every day. The quotes from individuals who have experienced discrimination and prejudice are enlightening - and frightening. I find it shocking that statements made about women in the media and on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Internet</span> pass almost without comment yet if the same things were said about people of colour they would be <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">unacceptable</span> or even illegal. sexism is alive and well in the UK today and this is what everyone needs to challenge as we are wasting the talents and abilities of too many people because of gender stereotypes.</div>Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-9183130982775245462010-06-13T04:54:00.000-07:002010-06-13T05:01:13.865-07:00Women clergy in the Church of EnglandI was astonished to read that Tessa Sanderson - the Olympic athlete - refused to be married by a female vicar. While I am all for freedom of choice I can just imagine what would have happened if she'd refused to be married by a male member of the clergy. I can understand why some people might wish to discuss their health with a member of their own sex - impossible where I live as our <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">GPs</span> are three men. But I actually cannot understand the preference when it comes to almost any other service. When it comes to professional services I'm far more interested in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">someone's</span> qualifications than I am in what they wear, what sex they are, what religion they practice or what country they come from.<br /><br />I am concerned at the slant the media will put on it. There will be all the comments about if woman can't even support each other why should anyone else support them?Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6192113389634294989.post-49198944681202492132010-06-10T02:34:00.001-07:002010-06-10T02:49:30.726-07:00Inventing the wheelI was musing last night about the oft repeated statement that if it had been left to women we'd still be living in caves. But how do they know? How does anyone know for example that it was men who discovered fire, smelted metal to produce weapons and tools or invented the wheel? The answer is of course that no one knows who invented/discovered these things. I imagined this scenario:<br /><br /><strong>Caveman</strong>: That mammoth isn't where I left it this morning. What have you done with it?<br /><strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span></strong>: I had to keep climbing over it so I got together with the neighbours and we moved it<br /><strong>Caveman</strong>: (Snorting in disbelief) You're just not strong enough to move it even if you all get together. A man must have helped you.<br /><strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span></strong>: Believe what you like - we moved it.<br /><strong>Caveman:</strong> (Scratching head) Well show me then.<br /><strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span></strong>: (Hands on hips) You don't believe me?<br /><strong>Caveman:</strong> I can't see how you did it.<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span> stumps off to the other side of the clearing and points to mammoth - skinned and partly dismembered on a platform of round logs and matting.<br /><strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span></strong>: (Pointing) Like this. You just have to push it then you can move it wherever you want it to go. (demonstrating)<br /><strong>Caveman</strong>: So how did you manage to attach the mat to the logs?<br /><strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span></strong>: Reeds - how do you attach the thatch to the hut stupid!?<br /><strong>Caveman:</strong> That's really good I'll have to tell the lads - but I'm sure you women can't have done it without the help of a man.<br /><strong><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cavewoman</span></strong>: (Stomps back to the hut in disgust muttering about nothing getting done if it wasn't for women)<br /><br />Could it have been like this? Who knows and we'll probably never know but this is just as likely as a man inventing the wheel. How do we know it wasn't a co-operative effort as many scientific advances have been?Jillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.com0