Davblog

In which someone you've never heard of writes about things you have no interest in

Posts Tagged ‘sexism’

1970 Calling

Nadine Dorries seems to be writing her blog today from about forty years ago. She’s talking about single mothers.

I like the idea that we can introduce a structure that will capture 16 and 17 year old girls and teach them parenting skills, help them to acquire the knowledge which will enable them to run a home, manage a budget, cook meals, feed
and nurture a baby and learn to value and respect themselves.

How you got that? Parenting skills, running a home, cooking meals and looking after babies – that’s all woman’s work. Presumably the men are all too busy off hunting mammoths.

Oh, she mentions boys too. But only insofar as we should stop them getting young girls pregnant. Of course the whole thing is driven by Dorries’ belief that the way to stop children having sex is to stop sex education classes in school. Because, of course, without measured and practical advice from school children would never get the idea to experiment with sex. I mean they’d never get that idea from, oh pretty much anywhere they look in society.

The people of Mid Beds elected her to represent her. If she’s at all representative, then I’m really glad I don’t live in Mid Beds.

Oh look. Now I’ve gone and got all angry.

Update: A far more measured dissection from Sara Bedford.

Understatement

From a geek mailing list where they are currently retreading the endless arguments about why there aren’t more women in Open Source.

Now arguably, “chick” is a bit derogatory.

It’s not even ironic British understatement – the writer isn’t British. But it’s a good indication of just how far we still have to go.

Misogyny is Alive and Well in 2007

I’ve read two things this morning that show that even in the 21st century, misogyny and sexism are alive and well.

Firstly, here’s brian d foy writing about a nasty advert that was published in a Linux magazine recently. The company involved seem to think that drawing a comparison between their products and oral sex is a reasonable way to act.

And then there’s a (female!) Daily Mail reporter explaining why women shouldn’t object to having their bottoms pinched. In fact she thinks it should be encouraged. She goes on to say that she enjoys it when she attracts wolf-whistles.

It’s like it’s still the 1950s. I despair.

And Finally…

Kudos to the Guardian‘s Rosie Swash for pointing out that sexism is alive and well in the music industry.

And finally, good news for Kate Thornton during this most difficult of weeks. She may have been axed from prime-time TV, but she can be comforted by the knowledge that Louis Walsh thinks her breasts are “firm” and has confirmed they are definitely “her own.” Gentleman that he is, Walsh shared this info with Chris Moyles on his BBC One radio show. So while Thornton’s professional woes are running high right about now, at least she has two fat men discussing the merits of her chest on live radio to lift her spirits.

Sexism in IT

So overnight I was planning another entry that would explain further why I don’t think that “tequila slammer girls” are appropriate entertainment for a professional software conference.

But this morning I read this and this. Pointing out the offence in what Russ Michaels is doing is one thing, but submitting his web server to denial of service attacks and subscribing his wife and him to porn mailing lists is something else completely. That’s not something that I could ever condone. Russ might be a bit of an idiot, but no-one deserves that.

If it’s any of my readers who are perpetrating these attacks then please grow up and stop it.

I’ve removed the original piece (and replaced it with this) to prevent anyone else coming across it in the coming weeks and thinking it would be clever to wreak fuckwitted vengence on Russ or his family.

Why is the world so full of idiots?