Women's Views on News |
- Film policy against sexual violence updated
- Numbers of female breadwinners rise
- Events: 12 – 19 August
- Sports round-up: 5 – 11 August
- Gender pay gap starts at home
| Film policy against sexual violence updated Posted: 12 Aug 2013 08:00 AM PDT
Sexual violence has continued to prove divisive in the popular press, never more so than with the publication of E.L James’s erotic fiction book, Fifty Shades of Grey in 2011. The book caused outrage for its sexually violent, sadistic and abusive themes, but it is still going to be made into a film. Should we expect the same blatant themes from the film? It would appear not. Fifty Shades of Grey was the preferred choice of literature for millions of people worldwide in 2012, and saw author E.L James ranked by Forbes Top Celebrities List as officially the most powerful author in the world right now. But critics wondering just how the graphic and abusive elements of the book will be portrayed on screen can find some solace in the fact that since the publication of the book, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has updated its policy on the rating of films containing depictions of sexual violence. Research in 2012 reaffirmed that adults should have the capacity to choose what they view – provided it is within the law and is not potentially harmful. However, the research also showed that many film-viewing members of the public found certain depictions of sexual and sadistic violence unacceptable. The research highlighted a concern that sadistic and sexually violent content could serve to normalise rape and other forms of sexual violence and contribute to a distorted view of women, especially when seen by young men with little experience, or more vulnerable viewers. As a consequence of this research, the BBFC has revised its policy on the classification of films containing such material. Tougher regulations have been introduced for films depicting scenes of rape and sexual violence and films showing them could now be given a much higher rating and film makers forced to make scene cuts. The BBFC’s policy now includes ‘aggravating factors’ which include normalising rape, identifying with perpetrators and showing an attack from the perpetrator’s perspective. If these aggravating factors are present, films will be awarded a higher rating and possibly referred to the BBFC Presidents Board for compulsory cuts. Talking at the launch of the BBFC 2012 Annual Report in July this year, BBFC’s director David Cooke said “[These aggravating factors] include anything that supports some version of the ‘rape myth’; the notion that it is OK because the woman enjoys it.” It also includes the idea that the viewer is somehow complicit, as in the showing of rape through the eyes of the attacker meaning viewers could be more likely to identify with them. The research concluded that sadistic and sexual violence are considered legitimate areas for film makers to explore, but films should not make sadistic or sexual violence look appealing, and should not reinforce the suggestion that victims enjoy rape or invite viewer complicity in rape or other harmful violent activities. David Cooke went on to say: “The decision as to whether and how to intervene in scenes of sexual and sadistic violence is complex, but drawing out and applying these aggravating and mitigating factors is helpful in arriving at a decision which balances freedom of expression against public protection.” The good news is that the revised policy will undoubtedly have implications for films – like Fifty Shades of Grey – which want to show a woman enjoying acts of sexual violence, or films which normalise rape. And what is reassuring is that it appears that some areas of the media are willing to listen to and act on public opinion in relation to the portrayal of violence against women.  |
| Numbers of female breadwinners rise Posted: 12 Aug 2013 06:17 AM PDT
The number of working mothers has increased by one million since 1997, with more than 2.2 million now the main wage-earner in their family. Initially that sounds like good news, as if women are beginning to earn more equitable wages. The reality is more complex, with many single mothers driven to find work because of the loss of benefits and some families struggling with the decline of what had been traditionally male industries such as manufacturing. Sponsored by counselling charity Relate, recent research on breadwinning by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) concluded that 'the current policy landscape is not geared up to deal with the reality that many families now face'. The IPPR's report focused on maternal breadwinning, defining breadwinning as ‘the act of earning the same as or more than a spouse or partner, or earning the family's sole wage if a single parent’. The research found that the trend of increased numbers of mothers working 'is not restricted to one group of mother, but can be seen across all age groups, income groups, and family types'. The IPPR calls this 'a significant finding', demonstrating 'unequivocally that mothers' incomes are vital to the economic survival and wellbeing of a rising number of families' and that 'it is hard to see how this trend could possibly be reversed in the future'. With two incomes increasingly necessary for families to survive, UK policy is lagging behind the needs of much of society in several important ways. "The inflexibility of parental leave and the high cost of childcare are making it more difficult for families to decide what works best for them, in terms of who goes out to work and who cares for children", said Relate’s chief executive Ruth Sunderland. And while women today are far less constrained by expectations and experiences of having children, there remains considerably more pressure, particularly societal and financial, on them than on men regarding their choices about work. Even the language used in discussions about work and parenting can be part of the problem. The former political editor of The Observer, Gaby Hinsloff says in her book 'Half a Wife: The Working Family's Guide to Getting a Life Back' that ‘working mother’ is a very commonly used phrase, whereas ‘working fathe is a rarity. She recommends 'working parent' as the most equitable. Broad changes to the gendered approach to the division between work outside the home and childcare are needed to create a more equitable situation for parents deciding who works what hours and who has the most responsibility for caring for the children. Specifically, IPPR recommends 'higher quality and more accessible flexible working arrangements' that 'would benefit all workers, particularly women'. Such a change would help women be less likely to get trapped in low-paid part-time work and make it more acceptable for men to ask for and receive family-friendly working patterns. Additionally, by making universal childcare 'affordable and accessible', families would have more options to consider in finding the best combination of childcare and work for themselves. In the current situation, the 'high cost of childcare exacerbates the pay penalty for mothers'. The IPPR calls on the government to make a policy that better reflects the current reality of work and childcare specifically 'to enable women to make choices about work, and to mitigate the obstacles which face working mums as well as mums who are not currently working.'  |
| Posted: 12 Aug 2013 04:39 AM PDT
Workshops: 14 August: Choicework: Pro Choice Embroidery Workshop and Discussion - Feminist Library, 5 Westminster Bridge Rd, London, SE1 7XW at 7pm. Choicework is a participatory patchwork piece celebrating and increasing awareness of the worldwide growing pro-choice movement. In this series of workshops held at the Feminist Library, you can learn new craft skills whilst participating in the project and engaging in conversations around reproductive rights and issues. Free Entry Walks: 16 August: Sheffield Walk for Women at Wortley Hall, Sheffield, at 5.45pm. A 1-hour walk to celebrate 100 years since 50,000 women marched for the right to vote. Wear sashes and rosettes! Talks: 16 August: The 2013 Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture at Wortley Hall, Sheffield, at 7.00pm. Women and the 1913 Dublin Lockout British solidarity: Sylvia’s part, including her visit to Ireland in 1914 A talk given by Theresa Moriarty, an independent researcher on Irish women workers' history, member of the Irish History Society. Art: Until 26 August: Leaps Jumps and Bumps at the Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA from 10am-6pm. The first solo exhibition of the work of Elaine Sturtevant to be held in a public institution in the UK. Sturtevant has made ground-breaking and enigmatic work since her first exhibitions in New York in the mid-1960s. In the last two decades, Sturtevant has evolved a highly structured and rigorous exploration of current events, using multi-screen video works and installations. Admission free: £1 donation appreciated. Until 8 September: Keep Your Timber Limber (Works on Paper) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), The Mall, London, SW1Y. 'Keep Your Timber Limber (Works on Paper)' explores how artists from the 1940s to the present day have used drawing to address ideas critical and current to their time, ranging from the politics of gender and sexuality to feminist issues, war and censorship. The exhibition brings together the work of eight artists: Judith Bernstein, Tom of Finland, George Grosz, Margaret Harrison, Mike Kuchar, Cary Kwok, Antonio Lopez and Marlene McCarty. Exhibitions: Until 3 November: Women in the Workhouse at The Workhouse, Upton Road, Southwell, Nottinghamshire NG25 0PT. Drawing on oral history archives, the exhibition focuses on the involvement of women in workhouses in a range of areas, through testimonies including those of a former Matron, nurse, seamstress, hairdresser, cook and inmate, all of which help to provide an insight into the changing nature of workhouse life. Artefacts, correspondence and photographs provide further insight into the often harsh reality of women's lives during a period of great social change. Women also played an important role in bringing about change within the workhouse system through their involvement as social reformers and Guardians. The exhibition is brought up to date with current staff reflecting on their roles on what The Workhouse means to them. See website for admission prices. Film: 'Wadjda': This landmark film was written and directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour. It was shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and is the first feature-length movie made by a female Saudi director. The plot revolves around a young girl's resolute determination to become the owner of a beautiful green bicycle – an item which society, and her own mother, perceives as dangerous to her virtue. Screenings around the country, include 12-14 August: Newcastle upon Tyne 12-15 August: Sheffield 20 August: Aberdeen Music: 7 – 14 August: Women in Tune Music Festival near Lampeter, SA48 8ND. This is your opportunity to socialise and do your own thing, whether it is music making, craft making, sharing your skills, walking, communing with nature, relaxing, exploring the area – doing all the things you never get time to do. Even though this year's festival is described as an Idle Women in Tune Musical Festival, with organisation and other work being kept to a bare minimum – there will be no crew or performers. Women are encouraged to share skills and entertainment and other fun. There will, however, be the usual 'Giveaway Corner', which provides the opportunity to declutter and pass on your unwanted stuff! Tickets for the festival are £35; for the low/unwaged and £50 full price. Until 7 September: Marin Alsop conducts at the Proms, at the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP. On 15 August: Edu Lobo – Pé de Vento from Suíte Popular Brasileira, orch. Nelson Ayres; Antonín Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 in E minor, ‘From the New World’, Op 95; Joan Tower – Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman; Alberto Ginastera – Estancia, Op 8a – suite; Hector Villa-Lobos – Momoprécoce; Aaron Copland – Fanfare for the Common Man On 17 August: The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Choir of the Enlightenment in a rare performance of Brahms's ‘A German Requiem’ on period instruments. Brahms's ‘Tragic Overture’ and Schumann's Fourth Symphony complete a powerful programme of mourning and consolation. On 7 September: Alsop will be the first woman to conduct the Last Night of the Proms. Theatre: Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Until 13 August: Vinegar Tom at C venues – C nova, India Buildings, Victoria Street, Edinburgh, from 7.10pm. 'I'm not a witch. But I wish I was'. In 17th-century England, the signs of witchcraft blight the land. Cattle are dying, butter won't churn and the infidelities of men cause their privates to wither. Who's to blame? The women of course – the young unmarried mother, the beggar woman, the wise crone, the women that no man loves nor wants. Expect black comedy and Brecht set to a soundtrack of funk and punk as Warwick University Drama Society revives Caryl Churchill's classic feminist play for the new millennium. Until 25 August: Crying Out Loud presents La Poème at 1 Summerhall, Edinburgh, from 7.45pm. Joyously strange, with great femininity and bestiality. An intense play where Jeanne Mordoj – a ventriloquist, juggler and contortionist – delves deeper into her reflections on femininity. Exploring both the infinitely gracious and the monstrous, each potentially present within the other. Jeanne Mordoj is a stubborn feminist. Not a fury in battle, but mischievous and unshakable. Until 26 August: Nirbhaya at the Assembly Hall, Mound Place, Edinburgh, from 4-5.30pm. The play tells the story of medical student Jyoti Singh Pandey, who was savagely raped and killed on a bus in Delhi last year, with interweaving real testimony about sexual violence from Indian actresses. “One of the most powerful pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen”, according to a five-star review by The Telegraph‘s critic, Laura Barnett. The Stage judged it to be “one of those wonderfully compelling, if hard to watch, shows that could well turn into a force for change”. Tickets £14.  |
| Sports round-up: 5 – 11 August Posted: 12 Aug 2013 03:00 AM PDT
Tennis: Laura Robson was forced to pull out of her first round match at the Rogers Cup in Toronto with a wrist injury. She was due to face Belgian player Yanina Wickmayer on 5 August. Robson is now taking time out to get fit before the start of the US Open on 25 August. Johanna Konta had a better week, winning the Vancouver Open by beating Canada's Fichman in the final 6-2 6-4. This was her second title in a week on the second-tier of women's tennis, the Pro Circuit. The two wins take her to a career-high ranking of 115. Horse racing: In the Shergar Cup at Ascot on 10 August, the "Girls" (yes, I'm afraid so) team comprising American Rosie Napravnik, New Zealander Lisa Allpress and Irish jockey Cathy Gannon finished a distant last. They were competing against men's teams from Great Britain and Ireland, the Rest of the World and Europe. It was the second time an all-female team had taken part. The points totals ended as follows: Europe – 97; Great Britain and Ireland – 61; Rest of the World – 46; Girls – 40 Football: One tight affair and one drubbing saw Lincoln Ladies and Arsenal win their respective semi-finals this week to go into the final of the Continental Cup. Lincoln were clear underdogs in their tie against Liverpool on 6 August, and indeed it looked a foregone conclusion when Natasha Dowie scored for the Merseyside team in just 24 seconds. However, Lincoln dug in and equalised in the fourth minute of the second half through new signing Courtney Sweetman-Kirk. Stalemate ensued and when extra time couldn't produce a winner, the tie went to penalties. England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley was on fire for Lincoln, saving spot kicks from both Dowie and Louise Fors ensuring a Lincoln win 4-2. In the other semi, on 7 August, Arsenal had a field day against Everton, scoring four without reply. The Londoners were 3-0 up at half time with goals from Jordan Nobbs, Danielle Carter and Ellen White. A fourth from Steph Houghton 10 minutes into the second half made sure of the win. This will be Arsenal's third Continental Cup final in succession, and they will be looking for their third win in a row. In the WSL this week Liverpool beat Bristol Academy 4-3 with a winner from Gemma Bonner in the 86th minute. In a topsy-turvy match Anne-Marie Heatherson's penalty gave Bristol the lead, but Liverpool were level only seven minutes later through Louise Fors. Liverpool went 2-1 up when Nicole Rosler scored. They looked to have sealed it early on the second half when Katrin Omarsdottir made it 3-1, but Bristol were not in the mood for giving up. They seem to have gained an unlikely point when Spaniards Laura Del Rio and Natalia Sanchon scored in the space of two minutes. However, Liverpool were not to be denied and took all three points with the winner from Bonner. The fixtures on 11 August saw Arsenal thrash Everton for the second time in a week, this time 5-0. Two goals from Danielle Carter plus one each from Kim Little, Gemma Davison and Jordan Nobbs and took Arsenal into third behind Liverpool and Bristol Academy. In the day’s other matches Lincoln beat Chelsea 2-0 with goals from Bonnie Horwood and Carla Cantrell, while Birmingham defeated Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-0 at home with a late winner from Melissa Lawley. Rugby Union: England failed to retain the Nations Cup in Colorado when they lost in the final 27-13 to Canada. They had lost to Canada at the group stage, but went through to the final due to wins over South Africa and the United States. It was still a good result for England's young squad. Head Coach Graham Smith tried out 11 uncapped players and was pleased with his team's performance, saying: “This was a great effort by the players in a hugely physical match with England giving it their all. "We may not have defended our title but for many reasons this has been a successful tour. All of us will be better for the experience and we look forward to meeting them again soon.” Gymnastics: Britain's best known female gymnast, Beth Tweddle, announced her retirement from the sport this week. During her career Tweddle, 28, won three world and six European gold medals. The highlight of her career, though, was the brilliant bronze she won at the London Olympics last year. In a career spanning ten years she won 20 golds in major championships all over the world. There can be no doubt that she has almost single-handedly caused an increase in the popularity of women's gymnastics in the UK. British Olympic Association chairman Sebastian Coe called her “an inspiration and a role model for a generation”. Cricket: In case I haven't made it plain enough for you all, the Women's Ashes are here! Just to recap the essentials: The Ashes will be decided over a series of matches comprising one four-day test match, three one day internationals and three T20s. Points will be awarded for winning each game: Test 6 points; ODI 2 points; T20 2 points. The dates for your diary are: All seven fixtures are covered by BBC Radio (or the BBC website), and the three T20s will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. At the risk of repeating myself, give it a go! Golf: The Solheim Cup gets underway on 13 August at the Colorado Golf Club, Parker, Colorado. The biennial cup is the women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup and features the best 12 US players versus the 12 best from Europe. Europe know they face a tough task as the USA have never lost the competition on home soil. The tournament comprises three days of match-play in a similar format to that of the Ryder Cup with the first two days consisting of a total of eight foursomes and eight four-balls. The third, and usually decisive, day is a chance for everyone to make their mark with 12 singles matches. The defending champions need 14 points to retain the Cup while the challengers require 14½ to win. Europe's non-playing captain, Liselotte Neumann, has gone for a mix of youth and experience in her four captain's picks. The other eight players qualify to play through an accumulation of ranking points. Neumann's most exciting pick has to be 17-year old English player Charley Hull. After only six months on the tour she has finished second in five tournaments. The European Team: Suzann Petterson (Nor); Catriona Matthew (Sco); Carlota Ciganda (Spa); Caroline Masson (Ger); Beatricz Recari (Spa); Anna Nordqvist (Swe); Karine Icher (Fra); Azahara Munoz (Spa); Caroline Hedwall (Swe) (captain's pick); Jodi Eward-Shadoff (Eng) (captain's pick); Giulia Sergas (Ita) (captain's pick); Charley Hull (Eng) (captain's pick)  |
| Posted: 12 Aug 2013 01:22 AM PDT
A number of years ago, the Equal Opportunities Commission, as it was then, ran an advertising campaign for equal pay. The poster featured two children – one a girl and one a boy. The caption read 'Prepare your daughter for working life – give her less pocket money than your son'. Pretty effective, isn't it? Sadly, however, it has turned out to be depressingly predictive, as new statistics show that boys do indeed get paid more pocket money than girls for carrying out the same tasks. Apparently boys are paid on average around 20p more than girls for carrying out the same household chores. The findings are a result of an analytical exercise run by the pocket money savings website called, most expediently, PktMny. The analysis looked at around 3,800 typical chores carried out in British households by young people The study group was between the ages of eight and eighteen, both boys and girls. Results showed that girls were paid an average of £1.25 per task, while boys typically received £1.45 for performing the same jobs. That's around fifteen per cent more, which, ironically, just about matches the national gender pay gap for full time employees. The absurdity of the practice is borne out in the detail. The biggest discrepancy in chore-related payment was for laying the table, where boys on average commanded a fee of £1.59, while girls received a comparatively paltry 51p. Not surprisingly, the analysis also uncovered a degree of gender segregation in the way household chores were carried out. According to Louise Hill, chief operating officer of PktMny: ‘The findings of our research into household chores reveal some significant divides based on gender, age and the nature of the task being undertaken by each child.’ It's over 40 years since the Equal Pay Act was passed. Don't these parents watch the news or read the newspapers? Mind you, current statistics around equal pay might suggest that only a scant few have taken much heed of the Act, given that the current gap based on mean hourly earnings between male and female employees who work full time is 14.9 per cent. When you put all workers into the pot – both full time and part time – the gap is 18.6 per cent. There is – quite rightly – a sustained and robust campaign for equal pay in the workplace, as progress towards pay equity still seems to be tortuously slow. Yet, while we openly castigate employers who do nothing to address this inequality, we are replicating and propagating it in our own behaviours with our children. By paying our children based on their gender, we are reinforcing practices of gender bias – and, most worryingly, at a time when they are at their most formative. When I was growing up, with a brother and a sister to call my own, it was in a household that very much held with the antiquated notion that the girls/women did all of the household chores, and the boys/men did none. Many of my peers and contemporaries had the same experience (those who actually received pocket money). In all my teenage years spent with an iron in one hand and a vacuum cleaner in the other, as my brother gleefully gadded about doing exactly as he pleased, not once was this ridiculous gender bias addressed. I remember asking why it was that my sister and I had to undertake the tedium of family upkeep while my brother did not. I was simply told – over and over – 'Because he's a boy'. Can you imagine the sheer head-banging frustration that ensues when those four words are so totally and inexorably unchallengeable? And it looks as though that mantra still hasn't changed. Why did Johnny get more pocket money for doing his homework than Jane? Because he's a boy. We are still teaching a generation of young people that boys are worth more than girls. I sometimes think it is astonishing that there is still a gender pay gap (for whatever age group), because it is really not a problem of great proportions. The solution is not a complex one. Think tanks need not apply. Equal pay for equal work. What's so difficult about that?  |
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