daily feminist news: 28.10.13
In case you missed it: Australia ranks 24th in global gender equality.
Well, great, according to the latest World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap report, Australia ranks a pitiful 24th in terms of gender equality. The report measures progress in closing the gender gap in terms of health, education, economics and politics. Although Australia is the top ranking country in terms of educational equality, it still lags behind countries such as South Africa, Cuba, and Latvia. The top 5 countries with the smallest gap, according to this latest report, are Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and The Philippines. Despite all that postfeminist ‘women have pretty much equal rites to men in contemporary societies’ rhetoric, the gender gap has actually widened since 2006, when Australia ranked 15th out of the 136 nations included in the report. What are we doing wrong?
Women go on ‘sex strike’ in Colombia.
We’ve seen hunger strikes and topless protests, but women in Colombia are taking things a step further, by going on strike, not from work, but from sex. In a small part of south-west Colombia, the women have banded together in order to protest for fully paved roads, and are renouncing sexual activity with any partners until their demands are met. Is this a legitimate tactic? Will it work?
Touching pregnant women’s tummies now illegal in Pennsylvania.
The American state of Pennsylvania has made it illegal for people to treat pregnant women like public property by touching their bellies without permission. Too much? Or a justified act against a seriously annoying invasion of personal space?
Saudi Arabian women drive cars in protest against ban.
To protest the crazy potential bans on women in Saudi Arabia from driving (because according to one cleric it’s harmful to your lady bits) more than 60 women took to the streets in their cars. Numerous activists filmed their defiant drives to show they had protested and none were arrested or given tickets. Though there are no specific laws preventing women from driving in Saudi Arabia, women are generally not issued licenses, meaning they have to rely on male relatives to get around.
One in three women lie about their relationship status in job interviews.
A recent study has found that one in three women have purposely removed their wedding ring for a job interview to hide their marital status. According to the study, the main reason women chose to do this was so that their relationship status did not harm their chances of getting the job. Many felt that potential employers would decide against hiring them if they saw they were married, because they may assume they would wish to have children/take maternity leave/be un-flexible/bring down the productivity of the workplace.
What’s been on your news radar today? Anything interesting we’ve missed? Share it with us in the comments!
