‘Gender-neutral’ simply means stereotype-free – and starting with clothes labels is a step in the right direction to expressing full humanity, academic potential and healthy relationships
Category: Culture
Being A Man Starts with Challenging Gender Stereotypes Age 3
"Will people laugh at me if I colour a princess?" asked my five year old son, when we were talking our regular talk about his friendship woes at school. "Jayden said to me ‘You’ve got a purple hoody,'" my eldest, age seven, confided, a bit downcast. Jayden will have said this in a mocking way. I … Continue reading Being A Man Starts with Challenging Gender Stereotypes Age 3
A last word on lad mags: The real reason they closed
I was one of the first people to write about the disgustingness of lad mags, along with a brave blogger called Charliegirl, so, ten years later, I thought it fitting that I be one of the last. FHM and Zoo have closed, joining Loaded, Nuts, Maxim and Front in the ‘end of the lad mags era.’ … Continue reading A last word on lad mags: The real reason they closed
I’m beginning to think we need to find our idols elsewhere
After a youth spent with Jagger and Warhol, Jerry Hall is marrying patriarchal conservatism made flesh, Rupert Murdoch. Of course Jerry’s ex, Mick Jagger, IS the establishment too, accepting his knighthood whereas David Bowie, always the subversive outsider, wanted nothing to do with it. The death of a great idol, David Bowie, and the marriage … Continue reading I’m beginning to think we need to find our idols elsewhere
Challenge Porn on International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women
Sentencing the murderer of teenager Becky Watts, the judge, Mr Justice Dingemans, broke down and cried. The sixteen year old's step brother, Nathan Matthews, inflicted over 40 injuries on the school girl and dismembered her body. November 25 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In court, Matthews confessed to watching porn … Continue reading Challenge Porn on International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women
Speak up like a woman
I had never heard of the BBC broadcaster Barbara Sturgeon and now I want to be one of the girlfriends who do karaoke with her, and I’ve never cared much for that. This week I met Barbara as she trained a group of women, including me, in public speaking. We are to become a group … Continue reading Speak up like a woman
Rape in schools and universities is killing girls’ education
In the last decade I’ve heard myself and other feminists refer to our culture as a ticking time bomb. We call our culture ‘rape culture’ because the conditions for rape are facilitated through the sexualisation of girls, a narrow masculinity that tells boys that violence and power over women is the way to be a … Continue reading Rape in schools and universities is killing girls’ education
Kids day in: Dreamland’s Octopus Garden
A woman asks the kids if they want to be shown around and I say ‘Yes we do!’ loudly for everyone because the place has so many intriguing doorways and rooms and nooks and crannies and everything to fire up a child’s imaginative play.
Dreamland digested
Read my review of Dreamland, where environmental pleasure counts
Know about porn… because your kids will
This post is an insight into Gail Dines findings on what a 12 year old boy will find today, because that’s the age a boy will typically look for free porn on google. It can be younger. And in the words of the anti-porn academic, author and campaigner, the porn he’ll find makes the magazines of the 1970s such as Playboy and Hustler, look like ‘the good old days.’
Betty Bandit 