daily feminist news 18.09.13

In case you missed it: Ita Buttrose claims glass ceiling is very much alive in Australia.

Australian of the year and all-round-class-act, Ita Buttrose, has openly criticized the lack of women in Tony Abbott’s new cabinet, claiming that it is ‘unacceptable’ in 2013. A trailblazer and longtime women’s advocate, since her days as the founding editor of Cleo in the 70s, Buttrose argued that ‘a glass ceiling still does exist in Australia. We’re told it doesn’t, but that’s nonsense. It does exist.’ She also called Julie Bishop a ‘token woman’ in the new government. Bishop, somewhat comically, replied that she ‘doesn’t see a glass ceiling’. Which is kind of the point, you know, of a glass ceiling. Because it’s glass…
Racists on Twitter are racist over non-white Miss America.

Earlier in the week Miss New York, Nina Davuluri, was crowned the winner of this year’s Miss America beauty pageant. Because despite decades of feminist protest and theorizing against the treatment of women as objects/meat/prime stock to be paraded about like beautiful circus freaks/pedigree dogs, this is still a thing. Davuluri came out on top, but because she doesn’t resemble a Barbie an all-American-gal (ie. She’s Indian-American) ignorant racists on Twitter unleashed their racist racism.  She was called a ‘foreigner’ despite being born in Syracuse, an ‘arab,’ a ‘sand nigger’ and even a ‘terrorist’ despite well… All human decency, really.

Cher refuses to perform at Sochi 2014 because of the general anti-gay Russian shitstorm.

In the best thing she’s done since that scene in Burlesque where she crow-bars some husband-stealing-bitch’s car window, Cher has boycotted performing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. The performer stated that she immediately refused to become an ambassador for the games as an opposition to Russia’s homophobic legislation.

Blurred Lines isn’t that catchy when sung by rapists.

The rapey-ness of the lyrics in Blurred Lines is taken to a whole new level when compared directly to things actual rapists have said to actual victims. Project Unbreakable is an online photo essay exhibition featuring images of women and men holding signs with things their rapist said to them before, during and after their assault. Some are eerily similar to the lyrics in Thicke’s song. Which makes me want to hate-vomit.
Studies find that porn makes heterosexual, already a bit sexist men more sexist.

A study conducted by the Indiana University has found that people of both genders who watch a bunch of pornography are more likely not to support affirmative action for women. Feminist sad-face. In a similar study by the University of Copenhagen, repeated exposure to pornography made heterosexual men more sexist, but only if they were ‘low in agreeableness’ (aka arseholes) to begin with. A great quote from this article, and the take-home message here: ‘pornography can have a place in a healthy relationship among adults who are not complete dropkicks about gender politics, which isn’t really telling us much that we didn’t already know.’

The Labia Library is a great new website everyone should see.

To cheer you up after a few less than rosey stories tonight, here is a great new website that promotes feminine body positivity and self-care. The Labia Library is your intuitive go-to guide for everything about your lady-bits. There are handy FAQs and even a photo gallery to let everyone know that ‘normal’ labia can come in all shapes, colours and sizes. So don’t go cutting them up and stitching them back together unless you really, really want to. You do you and all.

 

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