Women's Views on News |
- Facebook and gender-based hate speech
- Events 27 May – 2 June
- Sports round-up: 20-26 May
- Lose the Lad’s Mags campaign launched
| Facebook and gender-based hate speech Posted: 28 May 2013 08:19 AM PDT
In an open letter to Facebook, various women’s groups and feminist sites are urging people to contact advertisers whose ads appear next to content that targets women for violence, to ask these companies to withdraw from advertising on Facebook until Facebooks ban gender-based hate speech on its site. We reported on the letter last week, but thought we would post here just exactly how Facebook is specifically hurting women. There are, say Women’s Action Media (WAM), four primary ways. For a start, Facebook’s own rules prohibit hate speech, so the objection here is to Facebook's inconsistency in deciding what constitutes hate speech, and who is treated as a valid target of hate. The company's moderators deal with content that is violently homophobic, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic every day. So, for example,"I hate Muslims" or "I hate Jews" is not allowed. Which is of course excellent. However, pages that express similar sentiment, but are targeted at girls and women – and often through the use of misogynistic and sexist language – are not considered hate speech. Secondly, Facebook employs a grossly sexist double standard when it comes to representations of women's bodies. And I mean ‘gross’ly. Photographs that are pornographic – also not allowed, according to Facebook's terms – and display women's bodies as sex objects, remain on the site, even when they have been reported. And these include pictures of women fully exposed, women tied up, women in extreme pain, dead women and abused women. But content posted by groups that represent women's bodies for other purposes – either for health and education, in art, or part of a political protest – are rejected and removed. For example, breast-feeding mothers, or pictures of placentas or medical illustrations of women's sexual and reproductive organs are regularly banned. As MotherWise found out recently, for example. The point being that Facebook moderators remove content created by women for women – but routinely allow photographs of girls and women to be used without their consent for the purposes of harassment, bullying, slut-shaming and sexual ranking, review and commentary. Third point: Facebook excludes women's speech as ‘political’ while arguing that it is dedicated to enabling free speech in the service of social justice. A common refrain in Facebook's defence of its commitment to allow certain content, including content containing graphic violence – also in violation of its own terms – is that the company wants to reveal the real world and help catalyse social change. But Facebook routinely penalises activist feminists on the site by removing their content, suspending their accounts, and disabling their links, as in the case of the Uprising of Women in the Arab Word. Or, as another example, in the way Hildur Lilliendahl, an Icelandic feminist, was treated. She established a page to protest images like a picture of a woman in her underwear, tied up with ropes, gagged with an apple like a suckling pig on a spit, suspended from a long metal pole carried in procession by a gang of men. The caption to the picture read: "Feminist found in town this morning – captured and put on the grill." When Lilliendahl reposted a threat made against her, her page was suspended, and her account was blocked at least four times. The threats stayed up. Facebook eventually apologised, but made no statement regarding how its policies or processes were changed to make sure this does not happen again. Other examples involving similar circumstances include: Rapebook, The Uprising of Arab Women, Women on Waves, The Girls Guide to Taking Over the World, Rabid Feminist, Thorlaug Agustsdottir, Mama to Mama, Feminists at Sea. In many instances, after the fact, Facebook apologised and restored the account or content. However, there does appear to be a bias in favour of censoring the political speech of women, while allowing hate speech against women. And fourthly: the way in which Facebook's moderation process is structured. It treats each incident and report as isolated and unrelated on a case-by-base basis, and in doing so fails to address the overall environment created by this failure – namely one of harm and hostility towards women users in which we are disproportionately silenced. Women's groups – and this campaign – focus on ‘girls and women’ and not on ‘violence in general’ because women are universally marginalised and subjected to high levels of violence. And Facebook's approach, WAM points out, exacerbates this reality. In order to effectively and fairly enforce its own guidelines, Facebook really should not ignore the effect of speech on the social status of women as a group. Click here, here, here and here for statistics regarding violence against women and for statistics regarding attitudes towards violence against women. Click here to find out how you can join us and help us persuade Facebook to address the representation of rape and violence on its site properly – with comprehensive and effective action. Facebook is now claiming that because they took down all the images in WAM’s original sample set, there is no more problem. This is not the case. Until Facebook recognises that the problem is their policies and procedures, not just individual pages, WAM will keep posting fresh examples that are still live each day. To see some examples of gender-based hate speech on Facebook click here. Trigger warning: they are vile and very disturbing. Many of these have already been reported and allowed by Facebook moderation. They may come down now when we shame Facebook with them, but that will not solve the problem. Only new Facebook policies and procedures designed to ban gender-based hate speech will solve the problem. To help, join in.  |
| Posted: 28 May 2013 04:12 AM PDT
Entertainment: 30 May: Nineties Woman With Rosie Wilby: at Battersea Arts Centre, London, SW11 Nineties Woman is award-winning comedian Rosie Wilby’s brand new show, and uses interactive storytelling interspersed with video interviews, music and photo archive to journey through early 90s feminism, refracted through a very personal lens. Read our post about her. 1 June: Kate Smurthwaite presents The News at Kate Upstairs at Three and Ten, 10 Steine Street, Brighton at 10pm The News at Kate is comedian and activist Kate Smurthwaite’s unashamedly left wing, highbrow show – as seen on BBC1, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV and SKY. June tour: Emily Wilding Davison: The One Who Threw Herself Under the Horse London, Cambridge, Guildford, Kent, Manchester, Oxford and Knebworth On the centenary of her death at the Derby in June 1913, this iconic but enigmatic suffragette’s life is movingly portrayed by Elizabeth Crarer. Set in the context of the struggle for women to have the vote in the first half of the twentieth century, Emily resonates with questions that still challenge the world today: repression of public protest, militancy, torture, women’s rights and self-sacrifice. Yet at the heart of this play is a real woman with her own hopes, beliefs, frustrations and deadpan sense of humour. Exhibitions: 7 May – 27 July: Dying for the Vote Bourne Hall Museum, Spring Street, Ewell, Surrey Epsom and Ewell commemorates the centenary of the death of Emily Davison, and the cause for which she died, with a pivotal free exhibition. On Derby Day 1913, Emily Wilding Davison sacrificed her life for the cause of women’s rights. The coroner recorded misadventure but was it an intentional sacrifice? Weigh the evidence for yourself at the exhibition – Dying for the Vote. Fundraisers: 29 May: 2nd Table Quiz for Choice! Doyles, College Green, Dublin 2 at 7.30pm With all proceeds going to the Abortion Rights Campaign, this second quiz for Choice also includes a raffle. Tables of four are €20, so €5 per head, so even if you’re on your own go down and make so new pro-choice friends. 2 June: Swapiddydoodaa A Swap Shop Fundraiser for the East London Fawcett Group at St. Margaret’s House (behind the Gallery Cafe), 21 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 from 1pm-4pm Bring you unwanted clothes, books, DVDs and swap them for something (not-quite) new! All proceeds will go to the East London Fawcett Group (ELF), a local grassroots organisation campaigning for gender equality. There will be vintage clothes, books and crafts for sale, as well as a cake stall and BBQ. £5 entry. Lectures: 1 June: Emily Wilding Davison 100th Anniversary Event Swansea Women’s Centre, 25 Mansel Street, Swansea from 11am-1.30pm At this women-only event, you can listen to a presentation on the remarkable life and death of militant suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, who was killed after running in front of the King’s horse at the Epsom Derby. Workshops: 29 May: a discussion on Sex, Pornography and the Law Hosted by Southwark LGBT Network at The Flying Dutchman, 156 Wells Way, London, SE5 at 7pm Join the Network for a round-table discussion of current sexual obscenity laws and their impact on the liberty of individuals; artists; pornography; sexual depictions; and sexual subcultures. 30 May: A Workshop on Women and Disability With Clare Cochrane: at the Feminist Library, 5 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7XW at 7pm Disabled and non-disabled feminists exploring personal & political responses to disability in a supportive atmosphere. We will explore questions such as: What does ‘disabled’ mean? How do feminism and disability interact? How can experiences of disability transform society? This will be a workshop, not a lecture – so come ready to share your thoughts and learn together. 1 June: Street Harassment Workshop Equity Centre, 1 Longlands Road, Bradford from 1.30pm-3.30pm Have you been affected by street harassment? Is it an everyday occurrence to be shouted at or commented on in the street? Or have you witnessed this and wanted to help? Join Hollaback! West Yorkshire to explore this issue, discuss responses and collaborate on a booklet/zine about the problem. Places are limited so booking is essential. Email us or Tweet: @hollabackWY  |
| Posted: 28 May 2013 03:30 AM PDT
Gymnastics: Olympic bronze medallist Beth Tweddle, who has been taking time out of training to take part in ITV's Dancing on Ice, has confirmed that she will not compete at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. However, she has not ruled out competing in next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Athletics: Christine Ohuruogu was unable to improve on her 400m third place finish in the Doha Diamond League, struggling to sixth place at the third event in the series in New York on May 25. With Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross absent, Ohuruogu was expected to do well, but she was unable to find her form. She finished in 52.08 seconds, almost two seconds slower than her Doha time. Holly Bleasdale finished sixth in the pole vault, while Eilish McColgan claimed eighth in the 3000m steeplechase. Meanwhile, Jess Ennis has announced that she will begin her outdoor season at the UK Women's Athletic League Premier Division meet in Edinburgh in June. She is expected to compete in the hurdles, javelin and long-jump. Ennis, who is one of the favourites for the World Championships in August, is also scheduled to compete in individual events in the Oslo Diamond League on June 13, before competing in the heptathlon in Tallinn, Estonia at the end of June. Cycling: Victory in the Giro d'Italia may have eluded Bradley Wiggins, but British cycling fans have another tour victory to celebrate in Emma Pooley’s victory in the inaugural Tour de Languedoc-Roussillon in France this week. The British rider took the lead after winning a hilly third stage, and pulled further ahead with a second place finish in the time trial on the penultimate day. It was hoped that the race would replace the Tour de l'Aude, which has been the longest-running event on the women's calendar until it was cancelled in 2010. However, the Tour de Languedoc-Roussillon was beset by sponsorship and organisational problems. The race was almost cancelled, but went ahead at the last minute, one day late and with several teams having pulled out in protest. Pooley called the race "chaotic". Cricket: After several below-par performance in recent months, the England women's cricket team is to make two new appointments to its coaching team. Former coach Mark Lane, who resigned last week, is to be replaced by a cricket manager and a head coach, bringing the women's coaching set-up in line with that of the England men's team. Lane coached the team for five years, leading them to victory in the 2009 World Cup and World Twenty20, and to a successful defence of the Ashes. However, England have not won a major trophy since then. The new appointments will be announced later this week. Tennis: British number two Heather Watson is back in action this week at the French Open, following weeks out of the game recovering from glandular fever. Watson has not played since the Sony Open in Miami in March, when she lost in the opening round to Japan's Ayumi Morita. "It has been so frustrating not to be able to do the thing you enjoy the most," she said. "I've been training but not played any tournaments, but my goal was the French."  |
| Lose the Lad’s Mags campaign launched Posted: 28 May 2013 01:09 AM PDT
Campaigners say high street retailers should remove magazines that display naked and near-naked images of women on their covers or risk facing legal action. Pressure groups UK Feminista and Object said that displaying such publications in stores or requiring staff to handle such magazines could amount to sex discrimination or sexual harassment. And 11 equal rights lawyers have written a letter to the Guardian to this effect. ‘The Lose the Lads’ Mags campaign by UK Feminista and Object is calling on high-street retailers to immediately withdraw lads’ mags and papers featuring pornographic front covers from their stores. Each one of these stores is a workplace. Displaying these publications in workplaces, and/or requiring staff to handle them in the course of their jobs, may amount to sex discrimination and sexual harassment contrary to the Equality Act 2010. Similarly, exposing customers to these publications in the process of displaying them is capable of giving rise to breaches of the Equality Act,’ the letter starts. It continues: ‘High-street retailers are exposing staff and, in some cases, customers to publications whose handling and display may breach equality legislation. Displaying lads’ mags and pornographic papers in “mainstream” shops results in the involuntary exposure of staff and, in some cases, customers to pornographic images. ‘Every mainstream retailer which stocks lads’ mags is vulnerable to legal action by staff and, where those publications are visibly on display, by customers. There are, in particular, examples of staff successfully suing employers in respect of exposure to pornographic material at work. Such exposure is actionable where it violates the dignity of individual employees or customers, or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. We therefore call on such retailers to urgently heed the call to Lose the Lads’ Mags. And it is signed by: Aileen McColgan Matrix Chambers, Sarah Ricca Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors, Anna Mazzola Bindmans, Mike Schwarz Bindmans, Harriet Wistrich Birnberg Peirce & Partners, Helen Mountfield Matrix Chambers, Elizabeth Prochaska Matrix Chambers, Tamsin Allen Bindmans, Gwendolen Morgan Bindmans, Salima Budhani Bindmans, and Nathalie Lieven QC Landmark Chambers. Kat Banyard, director of UK Feminista, told The Independent: "The bottom line is that [these magazines are] deeply harmful. Up until now customers and employees have thought they have to put up with it." Please click here to sign – and share – the petition asking retailers to lose the lads’ mags. Thanks.  |
Here are some national events for and about women for your diary for the week 27 May – 2 June.
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