Women's Views on News |
| Daily Mail disgusts with ‘catwalk’ coverage Posted: 21 Jul 2014 06:57 AM PDT
Last week's big political news may have been the Cabinet reshuffle, but the Mail was preoccupied with women MPs’ wardrobes. The 16 July (2014) edition of the Daily Mail dedicated much of its front page and a double-page spread to dissecting the anatomy, dress and makeup of nine cabinet ministers. Esther McVey, who has served as Minister of State for Employment, appeared in the Mail's front page alongside the title: 'Thigh-flashing Esther and the battle of the Downing St Catwalk'. In the following pages the paper described McVey as ‘sashaying’ into Downing Street while wearing a dress that 'cinched in her waist and emphasised her bust', throwing her ‘blonde mane backwards as in a shampoo advert’. The Mail slammed Liz Truss, the new Environment Secretary, for looking ‘a little bit too Eighties air hostess’, a critical observation which Nick Clegg later mocked on Twitter. John Prescott also satirised the Mail's coverage online, tweeting an all-male ‘Downing Street catwalk’. The Minister for Planning and Coastal Communities, Penny Mordaunt, was slammed for her choice of ‘wrinkly nude shoes and big bag’, while Nicky Morgan, newly appointed Education Secretary, received the Dacre stamp of approval: ‘At least she looks as if she's going to the office’. Other subjects of the Mail's cutting political analysis included Energy Department Minister Amber Rudd, Junior Transport Minister Claire Perry, and the Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, Anna Soubry. Writing for The Guardian, Hadley Freeman described the Mail's coverage of the cabinet reshuffle as ‘predictably demented’. Even the Mail's own Business Correspondent, Becky Barrow – who is moving to the Sunday Times – tweeted: ‘One thing that I will not miss about working for the Mail: unspeakably awful and demeaning spreads about women’. The Mail was mocked widely on social media for its bizarre, sexist spread, with one user producing a handy translation of Dacre-speak:
Frances Scott, of the 50:50 campaign for a gender balanced Parliament, said: “Like many of the Daily Mail readers we like fashion, but this was an example of newspaper reporting trivialising women. “A comment on an MP’s dress should not exclude or preclude some serious comment about these amazing and accomplished women’s abilities, expertise, experience and politics. “This is more important information given their new appointments.”  |
| Posted: 21 Jul 2014 04:05 AM PDT
London: 22 July: Girl Summit 2014 in London. Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) and female genital mutilation (FGM) affect millions of girls and women every year, limiting not just their health and rights but also their opportunity and potential for contributing to their families and communities. Investing in the rights and wellbeing of girls is essential for accelerating national and international progress against poverty, inequality and discrimination. But there is a movement for change. More and more women, girls, boys and men are speaking out; more and more individuals, communities, leaders and champions around the world are taking action to address these practices, invest in girls and advance their rights and potential. The UK government and UNICEF will host an event to bring together community leaders, grassroots organisations, governments, international organisations and the private sector to build on current efforts and rally a global movement to end FGM and CEFM in a generation, everywhere, for ever. 23-24 July: She Grrrowls and Not So Popular at a secret location in London from 7.30pm. She Grrrowls and Not So Popular are joining forces for a summer special of poetry and spoken word. Taking place at a secret venue in London, performers lined up so far include: Hannah Chutzpa, Selina Nwulu, Amy Acre and Kemi ‘Demerara’ Taiwo. Oxford: 23 July: Shades and Mermaids: A Double Bill of Poetic Edinburgh Previews at the Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse, Gloucester Street, Oxford, from 7.30pm. Join Lucy Ayrton and James Webster for previews of their Edinburgh shows, The Splitting of the Mermaid and 50 Shades of Webster. The Splitting of the Mermaid – Is there anything you want so much you’d tear yourself apart? May longs for a baby, but mermaids don’t have wombs. When she’s offered that chance, in exchange for her voice, her body and her culture, should she take it? Updating The Little Mermaid to post-industrial Hull, PBH's Free Fringe Spoken Word Newcomer winner Lucy Ayrton weaves a dark feminist fable with poetry, music and a little bit of magic. 50 Shades of Webster: James Webster is a douche bag. He knows because his future self came back in time to tell him. Can he learn to be a better person? Will he master the power of time travel? Why is every past and future version of himself such a massive tool? One thing’s clear: he really needs to get over himself. Join him on a quite literal journey of self-discovery. Warning: contains time travel, poetry and hilarity. Tickets £8. 26 July: Disco for Choice at the Corner of Staunton Road and Headley Way, Oxford, from 2.30pm. Counter-protest against Oxford Pro-Life Witness. Party for the Right to Choose!  |
| Posted: 21 Jul 2014 01:09 AM PDT
End child, early and forced marriage and FGM for all girls within a generation. Introducing the world's first Insta-documentary, created from Instagram footage in honour of girls affected by child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). The film calls for an end to these harmful practices ahead of the world's first Girl Summit. Read on to find out why you should be pledging your support to end these two practices. Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) affects millions of girls every year. One in three girls in developing countries is married by the age of 18. Some are as young as eight. Girls who marry young have babies while still children, putting them at risk of death or suffering for the rest of their lives. They are more likely to be poor and stay poor. In the UK, hundreds of girls risk being forced into marriage, violating their human rights. Forced marriage victims can suffer physical, psychological, emotional, financial and sexual abuse. Female genital mutilation (FGM) removes a girl’s right to have control over her own body. Traditionally considered essential for marriage and inclusion in the community, it is an extreme and violent way in which girls are controlled and disempowered. It can result in a lifetime of pain and difficulty in childbirth. Trends suggest at least 30 million girls will be at risk over the next decade – with more than 20,000 at risk in the UK every year. The Girl Summit on 22 July will rally a global movement to end child, early and forced marriage and FGM for all girls within a generation. Doing this will help preserve girls’ childhoods, promote their education, reduce their exposure to violence and abuse, and allow them to fulfil their potential in life. Everyone has a part to play in achieving rights for girls and women around the world. Take a stand against FGM and child marriage today – pledge your support through Twitter and Facebook in the pink box on this page. Your voices will be heard at the #GirlSummit.  |
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