Pro-choice

This article in today's Guardian about late-term abortions is interesting. And rare, in that we hardly ever get to hear voices of women who have had abortions, let alone late-term ones.
And as it's 40 years since abortion was made legal in the UK, I will state right now that I am a part of the pro-choice majority.

One of the big problems I have with anti-abortion campaigners is that pro-choicers are not saying that everyone should have abortions all the time, which is how we seem to be portrayed in their narrow view. We're saying that individual women have the right to choose whether they have an abortion or not. We're not stopping women who believe it's morally wrong from choosing not to have an abortion. All that we're saying is that each individual woman should be able to make up her own mind. Anti-abortion campaigners, on the other hand, are saying that no-one should be allowed an abortion, ever, that it should be against the law. If your religion tells you something is wrong, that's different. You can choose whether or not to be a part of that religion and its beliefs. It's when personal or religious views start trying to dictate laws for the entire population that it's wrong. No-one should have the right to force their views on others, especially through the legal system. Pro-choice allows individual women to choose for themselves. Anti-abortion campaigners believe women should not even get that choice.

I'm so thankful I live in a country where abortion is legal and safe. I see the 40 years as a reason to celebrate the tolerant, free society that we live in.

Outraged

Today's Guardian has an article about Joanna Bourke, and her new book about the history of rape:

'Bourke, who describes herself as a "socialist feminist", is clear that legal reform is needed, but also believes "that men should step up to the plate. Women are told how to fight back, to get good locks for our doors, to be sensible. It has become our responsibility to make sure 'they' don't do something to 'us'. And when you know that a lot of rapes are committed by husbands, boyfriends and acquaintances - well, it's outrageous. I can't work out why people aren't more outraged. But this epidemic of sexual violence doesn't do men any favours either. Not normalising it, not naturalising it, making it seem abhorrent - that's one of the ways forward."'

This is what always makes me angry as well - in the feminist blogosphere, we are all (rightly) outraged. In wider society, it's not seen as that big of a deal. If it were, the conviction rate for rapists wouldn't be so low, and judges wouldn't be able to get away with blaming 12 year olds for their own rapes.

Distraction

It is raining. I have taken the day off work to write. Which I will start it just a moment, really.
But before that, I read Beth Ditto's column in today's Guardian. Which is brilliant, as usual (the column, not the paper).

A newspaper that calls itself liberal?

I'm really, really, REALLY angry about this, and how something so ignorant, sexist, and disgusting could have been produced by The Guardian.

So instead of telling you how wrong it is, read this fantastic and well-written reply. And if you ever hear anyone using any of the standard rape myths, make them read it too.

Apologies for the short posts lately, writing course is coming to an end. But there are some things I can't ignore and must draw to your attention, and this is one of them. I'm ashamed of the Guardian at the moment. I'd thought better of it than that.

Feminist reader

Today's Guardian has an interesting piece on feminists and books:
Six leading feminists recall the writing that first opened their eyes to the women's movement.

Check it out.

Still writing...

I'm supposed to be working on my writing. Submitted one assignment on Friday, which I'm pleased with. However, I now have 2 and a half weeks to write the final one, which is actually two. Life writing AND fiction. Obviously, I'm supposed to have been developing these throughout the course. But clearly I haven't. I at least have the topic for the life writing, so I'm working on that. No idea what fiction to write yet though. So this is why I haven't been writing much here. I'm meant to be at martial arts class now, but I'm not, because some writing needed to be done.

Mr Huntress and I watched 1408 at the weekend, which was OK, but the plot was pretty rubbish - why was the hotel room evil? No reason, it just was. Oh, OK. I don't know if the story lacks plot, but the film certainly does. John Cusack was watchable though, as usual. The weekend before we saw Atonement, which was brilliant, but really, really sad. I recommend it. The film was beautifully shot too. Gorgeous.

It was cold enough to see my breath this morning. Autumn must be on its way.

Read this

I know I've been quiet lately, and still have very little time at the moment, but really wanted to point out this article in today's Guardian about successful actresses feeling the need to strip off for photo shoots. I'm just glad at least one major newspaper is printing an article like this.

Lies, damn lies, and...

Yesterday, I was researching something for work, and came across this data on the Equal Opportunities Commission website. Some lovely, life affirming statistics, such as the fact that only 20% of MPs are women, and at the current rate, it will take 195 years to achieve equality. Even more comforting is that while there is currently a 5% conviction rate for reported rapes, this statistic shows no improvement at all, and is likely to never improve, if things stay as they are.

Here's some more:
An estimated 1 million women in England and Wales experienced abuse from a current or former partner in the last year.
Women aged 16 or over are 5 times as likely as men to feel very unsafe walking alone in their area after dark.
On average, women spend 180 minutes per day on housework, that's 78% more time than men who spend only 101 minutes per day. This is getting worse, not better.
Retired women's income is 40% lower than retired men's.
In full-time work, female employees earn 17% less per hour on average than male employees.
Female employees in part-time work earn 38% less than the hourly rate of men in full-time work.

And they say we don't need feminism any more. I suspect "they" are mostly men.

Cheating again

Still working on the writing like mad. Assignment due Friday...not good. However, today I went to the botanic gardens in Cambridge, so enjoy these pictures.

Real entries will resume soon.

I am working on the writing course again. Somehow I have an assignment due a week on Friday. I have no idea what I'm going to write about.

Blehh.

Also, I'm back at work after a week and a half off. Which just sucks.

Photos

In lieu of a real post, some pics from the folk festival.


The main tent by day:

And by night:

Rachel Unthank and the Winterset play the main stage:

Festive

Lots to report, but too little time here in the Folknet cafe, as there are many other things going on. I will update fully when I get home, but there are some highlights.
Yesterday I was very excited to meet Kate Rusby, and get her to sign my copy of her new album, which is only available at the fest until September, when it comes out in shops. She was lovely and cheerful and very tiny. She later played the main stage, which was excellent, as expected.
I've also really enjoyed the Oysterband, and Rachel Unthank & the Winterset, who we have seen twice, once on the main stage and then today in the club tent. Beautiful harmonies. And I had a good dance to the Oysterband.
This morning we went to Martin Simpson's guitar workshop, which was inspiring and brilliant and fun, and later we saw him perform on the main stage, which was also really good.
So it's all fun here. Although, it having dried up and been gorgeous and almost mud-free, it then rained ALL last night, so there was mud again today. And some crazy person woke us up playing a banjo all around the campsite at 6am, which was both irritating and amusing.
Anyway, off to enjoy the last evening. Farewell for now...

Festival blogging

At the folk festival. So far it's rained torrentially, but we had already got the tent set up by then, thank goodness, so we sat in a little cocoon and read and sketched and listened to the rain on the roof. Very cosy.

So far we have found lots of things to purchase, but not bought all of them yet. Also saw Mabon who played funky accordian and fiddle stuff. There is lots of mud.

We ate veggie chilli with cheese, sour cream and cajun fries, gorgeous. Later a crepe with chocolate and nuts, and iced, freshly squeezed lemonade. Oh yes. Festival food rocks.

Folking

I am off tomorrow morning to the Cambridge folk festival, yey! I'm hoping it doesn't rain much, although a little bit would be OK, because then I can wear my new pirate wellies.

Besides them, the tent is all ready, and I have my notebook. I just need to choose some books to read, and I'll be all set. Looking forward to chilling out and listening to funky music for a few days.

Yee-hah.

Apparently, sexism is still "rife"

The Guardian has a not so shocking article about how sexism is still rife. Yes, we all know this. However, I suppose it's something that this is getting some attention in mainstream media, instead of ignorant articles about how feminism is irrelevant now.

"Sex equality will take generations to achieve at the current "painfully slow" rate of progress, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) said today in a final report before being wound up by the government after more than 30 years fighting gender bias across British society."

There are also other linked articles down the left hand side of the page that are worth a look.

Obviously

I read the book, of course. I didn't go at midnight because I was the only person who wanted to go who lived anywhere near me that I knew, and I thought going by myself would be a bit sad. So I picked up my copy on Saturday morning, when we went out to get the rest of the stuff for the folk festival. I started reading around 2pm, finished around 10pm with a half hour break. So 7 and a half hours, pretty good.

I enjoyed it a lot. I don't think JK Rowling is a brilliant writer, she's certainly nothing compared to Phillip Pullman. And you don't come away from reading her books thinking about important life issues. But she's a fantastic storyteller, and sometimes that's enough. Especially for a children's book.

Anyway, now I'm back working on my writing course. Life writing now. Not sure how it's going yet, we'll see in a few days.

Fighting sexism day by day

Mr. Huntress has been fighting against sexism this week, of which I am proud. He was buying me a Pirates of the Caribbean notebook in the Disney store, and the assistant was putting it into a blue bag.
Assistant: "Is it for a boy or a girl?"
Mr. H (not admitting it's for a 26 year old woman): "It's for a girl".
Assistant: "OK" (Gets out pink bag and starts putting the notebook into that)
Mr. H: "I'd rather you didn't do that, it's really sexist."
Assistant puts notebook back into blue bag.

And people say boys and girls aren't treated differently anymore. I especially love that the assistant clearly thought to begin with that because it was a Pirates related item and not the Little Mermaid, that it must be for a boy. Stupid sexist Disney store.

Also, feast your eyes on The Guardian's 50 Years of the Women's Page G2 special. Lots of interesting articles.

AND, somehow, I got 83 on my poetry assignment. I still can't believe it. It's shockingly good. Yey!

Oh yes

I have seen "Order of the Phoenix". And all I have to say is.... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

OK, a few things I meant to draw attention to yesterday, but didn't, because by the time the poetry was finished, I was too tired to bother.

52 Projects has a nice post on things you can do to keep yourself writing, and find inspiration, which I enjoyed reading. I used to read the 52 projects blog ages ago, and had somehow lost it, so I was glad to discover it again via Moleskinerie.

Friday's Guardian had an article about the rise of feminist magazines, which I enjoyed, especially as it was written by Jess McCabe of The F-Word, one of my favourite feminist sites. The F-Word has also recently put up its first podcast, which is worth a listen.

Since I've managed to hand the poetry in, I spent the day wandering around my city, eating lunch in one of my favourite cafes, and then, after a brief rest at home, doing a good workout at the gym. And now I'm going to have a Lush bath, and a face mask, and read the latest Robin Hobb book. Lovely.

Finally!

Poetry assignment is finished and submitted. Thank goodness that's over. Now I can go back to wonderful prose.

And now I need sleep.