feminist news round-up 9.12.15

Girl’s speech against the running of her high school goes viral

The captain of an exclusive North Shore girl’s school was speaking out against the corporatisation of schools, saying that it fails the students when the school puts maintaining its reputation above all else. As the ultimate testament to her argument – the school even tried to censor her from delivering the graduating address. I hope she’s not expecting university to be any better.

Hear Guardian’s Global Development podcast on the lack of women in power

….featuring a host of prominent feminist activists across Europe, Middle East and Africa. They talk about how we are conditioned out of power and the rising number of studies that show countries with more female political leaders are stronger economically. Encouraging the greater participation of women in society is simply common sense, but is fixing a long history of oppression as easy as an equal opportunity quota? The podcast makes it clear that the challenges facing women in developing countries are complex and numerous.

Damning Junkee op-ed exposes pat-on-the-back brand of male feminism

Tough times for male feminists in the news after public allegations of rape and sexual abuse levelled at “feminist pornstar”, James Deen. The news follows the recent exposure of the mire of allegations surrounding high profile members of the White Ribbon Campaign. We, as a society, are so eager to praise men as feminists for the things they say, while simultaneously sweeping the things they do under the rug. You know the White Ribbon Campaign is broken when even Peter Dutton can tweet affirmative action with one hand and sign off on continued human rights abuses with the other.

Canada pledges to bring justice to Indigenous female victims of violence

For years now Indigenous groups and activists have campaigned for a national inquiry into its dark history of murdered Indigenous women. They currently account for 16% of female murder victims, despite comprising only 4% of the national female population. Previous Prime Minister Harper – who is, basically, Tony Abbott of the north – didn’t have the inquiry high on his list.

Pistorius released on bail

…and is all smiles as he leaves court following the killing of his partner in 2013. That’s a total of two months house arrest for shooting his partner four times. Right. Yet given the precedent of cases like President Zuma’s questionable rape trial, it is increasingly apparent that in South Africa justice bends for the rich and influential.