Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Diamond Jubilee this weekend. That’s 60 years heading up the UK and Commonwealth. In a world where, even recently, women have found it difficult to reach powerful positions, it seems something of a contradiction that a woman has been in such a prominent position for such a long period of ...
This week, for a change of pace, I’m looking at non-fiction online. Bookslut is an established and well-publicised e-zine dedicating much of its space to literary reviews, columns and features. The layout is impressive and the early work of the publication was groundbreaking, focusing on literature from both a feminist and grassroots perspective. The submissions ...
A big debate around modern weddings is the question of whether anyone changes their last name after marriage and if so, who should do so and to what. The origins of this tradition lie in the designation of wealth distribution — marriage was the conduit of wealth to spouses and women changed their names as ...
The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet. ~ Adrienne Rich
We’ve lost a brilliant mind this week. Adrienne Rich, the poet whose work has been infiltrating the written word since the 1960s, died 27 March 2012 at the age of 82. Rich’s work in the 1960′s grew alongside immense social change. While her work reflected the increasingly experimental lives and expanding scope for personal freedom, ...
Dear Madame X, I don’t know what to do. I just found out my boyfriend goes to prostitutes. We haven’t been dating very long and we aren’t exclusive. He didn’t want to tell me because part of the thrill is the taboo. I’m supposed to be a good feminist and support women’s rights to do ...
Feminists have a bad rap. And it starts with the word. For some men and even a number of women, it tends to leave a bad taste in the mouth. Though the concept has significantly evolved over time, some people figure it still has something to do with hating men. Consequently, self-proclaimed feminists may suffer ...
Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world. ~ Jane Addams
This phrase may be uttered more often by women than by men, and it’s not just because men are so tough and macho. Although it’s possible for men to underplay the pain they feel in the name of preserving their masculinity, researchers suggest there’s something much deeper underlying the difference between men and women when ...
You know those pseudo-astrological books with predictions of what’s to come in the next year? The ones that give you an insight into your zodiac sign and tell you what your vices are, who you’re most compatible with and even when to ditch your dead-end job? Well, I read one recently and under “Vices for ...
So, we’re having this baby. It’s due in a few weeks and we’re trying to get organized with all...
I recently heard about what is claimed to be the rising phenomenon of Japanese men remaining virgins for longer...
Ladders. Patriarchal conspiracy. I’ll explain… This week I climbed a ladder. I was trying to reach a loft space,...
Dear Madame X, My boyfriend needs to look at porn while we have sex. It bothers me because I...
Mrs. Dalloway is yet another feminist classic that I had to grow into. Wrapped up in Woolf’s instantly recognizable...
Last week saw a Big Thing come to our soggy little island. Well, it was a Big Thing for...
Last weekend I was entertaining a guest, you know, the sort I was planning to have lots and lots...
All little girls want to be princesses… right?! It’s bad enough that toy aisles are separated out by what...
