Quick hit: Lying lies and the lying liars who tell them: “Abortion-for cash”
I’m not trusting myself to come up with words here, so here’s a quick hit on what the forced-birthers in Australia are up to right now. Put sharp objects down before reading. Emphasis is mine. Discuss. “Loophole allows baby bonus for abortions” Fixing a loophole that allows the $5,000 baby bonus to be claimed for [...]
Obstreperation round-up
Just the most recent posts from my feed-reader that have made me stroppy: Yarl’s Wood staff steal legal guide from asylum seeker from The F-Word Blog by Jess McCabe Anti-choice website: Being a teen mom is cool! from Feministing by Jessica Man Grabs Women’s Breasts; Hilarity Fails to Ensue from Shakesville by Guest Blogger (Aunt [...]
Reclaim The Night, 30 October (and thereabouts)
I was just reading the comments on this Shakesville thread, “Feminism 101“, when a press release for Reclaim the Night, from the Cross Campus Womyns Network in Melbourne, dropped into my inbox. The Shakes thread opens: The Right To Go Out by Echidne. Discussion Question: In what ways has the idea of sexual assault and/or [...]
I shall wear purple
I have grey hair! Last time I went for a haircut, I had about two grey hairs on the right temple. Now I’m quite distinctly going salt ‘n’ pepper at the temples, if you look closely. I have half a dozen or so silver hairs on each side. Thus passes my first step on the [...]
Linkfest: from steampunk to flamingos
Check out Sophie’s Steampunk Suffragette costume, now at the Hoydens About! flickr pool. She wore this for the Wasteland Steampunk convention. ~~~~ I’ve a guest post up at Shakesville, reprising the Monica Dux saga and responding to her article which repudiated blogospherians in general and the Hoydens in particular as a shameless, hysterical lynch mob. [...]
John McCain: Sarah Palin a direct counterpoint to feminism
OK, so can we stop talking about how feminism and feminists should rally behind Sarah Palin now? John McCain, answering “Hasn’t Governor Palin become a drag on your ticket?”: “As a cold, political calculation, I could not be more pleased. She has excited and energised our base, she is a direct counterpoint to the liberal [...]
Mandatory Australian Internet Censorship: Conroy’s Bait and Switch
[Edit 24 Oct 08: The current post on this issue can be found here: "Wild claims hysteria enthusiastic commentary on internet censorship: Ludlam in Senate Estimates"] Australia’s Labor government is now set on instituting mandatory across-the-board internet censorship for every internet connection, with no opt-out facility. If this eventuates, we will join such countries as [...]
Whoydensday: The Sarah Jane Adventures
Author: Hoydenizen Beppie Once upon a time, the Doctor had a Companion, whom he left behind quite suddenly in the wake of an emergency. This Companion expected that the Doctor would come back, but he never did—at least not for a long time. Never one to live quietly, however, the Companion dedicated their life to [...]
The most potent weapon in the PC arsenal
Disgust Disgust, originally uploaded by Spencer Batchelder. Yep, that’s the nastiest munition we have here at PC Universal (Hoydenspace sub-branch), and the damage it does to people who make insensitive and/or bigoted remarks is that – wait for it – we look at them as if they are a prejudiced lout for making an insensitive [...]
Angst in the papers
This morning’s editorial in The Age is muted with respect to the two laws passed regarding reproductive choice in Victoria last week, opining that the abortion decriminalisation legislation goes too far with its explicit negation of a conscience clause, and the fertility intervention extension legislation (allowing access to IVF for single and lesbian women) doesn’t [...]
Victim-blaming by the Queensland government
The Queensland Government has taken a leaf out of ALAC New Zealand’s book, launching a new victim-blaming campaign. The “Safer Drinking Cultures” programme aims to address binge drinking among young people. Unfortunately, they’ve decided to go with the old saw “Women drink, and get raped. Therefore, women should stop drinking in order to prevent rape.” [...]
Midwifery-led care, the AMA, and the Cochrane Collaboration: who do you believe?
The Australian Medical Association on midwifery-led care in maternity services, September 2008: “[...] midwifery services were expanded without any reference to the medical profession and without any clear evidence base around the impact on safety and clinical outcomes for patients. This has introduced significant uncertainty about the lines of responsibility for patient care and increased [...]
Mount Franklin Breast Cancer ads. Let’s start a Brown Colon Cancer Awareness campaign.
Oh, for fuck’s sake. The latest in the Mmm, Sexy Pink Breast Cancer! Save The Boobies Awareness sweepstakes comes from Mount Franklin, purveyors of pointless, wasteful, plastic-ridden, environmentally unfriendly bottled water. They’ve been doing the pink lids for a while, but these “every mouthful” advertisements are new. Two water bottles with pink lids, photographed from [...]
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