Women's Views on News |
| How a convention should be run Posted: 20 Aug 2014 03:44 AM PDT
Geek conventions have a bad reputation for being a generally white straight male dominated field – but Nine Worlds is something entirely different. It was my pleasure and privilege to attend the convention last weekend, from 8-10 August, and what I saw gave me very real hope for the future of geekdom and inclusivity. Not only were there tracks for Geek Feminism, LGBTQAI Fandom, and Race and Culture, exploring how these things relate to our various nerdy pursuits, but minorities of all kinds were very clearly welcomed. At registration, you could pick up a badge to signal whether you wanted to be social or not – a great help for those with social anxiety disorder, or other conditions that could make talking to strangers difficult. Similarly, there was a quiet space where people could take a break if the buzz of the convention became too much. You could write your own name on the badge – helpful if you were transitioning or had a preferred name – and gender neutral toilets were available. There were priority seats at each talk, as well as accessibility information about the hotel and surrounding businesses on the website and in the booklets. There were lifts in the hotel to each floor where talks were being held, as well as carers being given free tickets and assistance animals welcomed. Young children were welcomed everywhere; there were special sessions running for under-12s, a kid’s area, and an ad hoc child minding service. What I especially noticed was that in the accessibility information, it was mentioned that “parents are welcome to breastfeed anywhere at the convention”. Not only was this statement welcoming to those who wish to breastfeed, but it was also gender neutral. I was especially glad to see in the anti-harassment policy an acknowledgement of the racism that lingers in some of the most outwardly liberal of spaces – and that it was explicitly ‘not tolerated’. However, there were still not many ethnic minorities around. I didn’t see more than a few dozen out of hundreds of people, including myself; but I imagine this number will rise substantially in the future as the inclusive nature of Nine Worlds becomes well known, and it continues to grow in size. All in all, job well done to the organisers – I’ll definitely be attending next year. Nine Worlds is a shining example that inclusivity isn’t hard, isn’t “political correctness gone mad” (though this is a phrase generally said by bigots), and that it doesn’t get in the way of having an amazing convention about all the things we get passionate about. Highly recommended to anyone who is put off by the stereotypical view of what a convention is like – and to fans of geek culture in general!  |
| Give Irish women the right to choose Posted: 20 Aug 2014 01:09 AM PDT
A staggering 70 women a week gave Irish addresses when having an abortion in the UK last year. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. On June 12, the UK’s Department of Health (DoH) released information detailing the number of women who, when accessing abortion services in the UK, gave an Irish address. While they reported a drop from past years – they are down to approximately 10 women per day – these statistics do not include all the women who travelled from Ireland to have an abortion in 2013. Women who gave a friend or relative's address in the UK are not included, nor are the women who travelled to other countries in the EU to access abortion services. Excluded entirely, are the – increasing – numbers of women who took abortion pills in Ireland, risking a possible 14 year jail term. There is no way to assess the numbers who carried a pregnancy they didn't choose to term. The system in Ireland failed more than the 3,679 who provided Irish addresses in UK clinics. How to interpret the numbers? Many of the articles discussing the UK’s DoH statistics seek to explain the drop in numbers. In pursuit of 'balance' in their work, journalists have quoted the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) right alongside anti-abortion groups. The IFPA highlights the issue of under-reporting and the urgent need for the government to provide abortion services in Ireland for the thousands of women who chose them every year. Anti-abortion groups are presenting the data as proof positive that fewer women are choosing abortion. These statistics tell us that 3,679 women residing in Ireland were able to access abortion in the UK last year. They tell us nothing about those unable to travel. They cast no light on any of the thousands of reasons there are for choosing abortion. Until the 8th Amendment to the Constitution is repealed and there is access to safe and legal abortion in Ireland – through the public healthcare system – we will never really know what women are choosing. Please sign this petition in support of a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of the Republic of Ireland. Choice is an illusion for women in Ireland. What we need instead? What we need in response to statistics like this is not more debate. This 3,679 is only a percentage of the total number of women who were denied abortion services in Ireland last year. Rather than fantasise about a future when the numbers accessing abortion will be 0, the [Irish] government must look at these statistics and realise abortion will always be necessary in a society where women can get pregnant. The personal cost and individual story of each woman hasn't been recorded in these statistics. While the state continues to shirk its duty of care, women continue to access abortion. Obliging them to travel or to act outside of the law (while also being shamed for their choice by anti-abortion groups and a government that would rather count numbers than listen to the stories of its constituents) has not and will not end the need for abortion in Ireland. Abortion in Ireland must be decriminalised, the 8th Amendment to the constitution must be repealed and women in Ireland must be free to choose abortion. A version of this article appeared on the Ireland-based Abortion Rights Campaign website.  |
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