Sexting, Shame and Suicide: a shocking story of sexual assault in the digital age This essay was published last September but I’ve only just come across it. I keep thinking of Audrie and her body defaced and graffitied, the images shared and consumed. Her waking in horror to discover the markings all over her body […]
Encouraged, once again, by a man who cares about the (mis) treatment of women and girls in our world. I’ve published Melbourne writer Guy Sigley before, here he is again, in a perfect follow up to the previously published piece on ‘Hollaback!’, the new campaign against sexual harassment. Dear universe, can we have some more men […]
‘We have made huge gains in becoming aware of the realities of many women’s and girl’s lives, and have a greater understanding of what can be done to call men to account and invite them to change’ As readers would know, I’m always encouraged when men decide to speak out against the objectification of women, […]
Porn: the wrecking ball of authentic intimate relationships Came across this piece in the New York Magazine on the impact of pornography on male sexuality. It’s rare to see a man talk so honestly about how frequent on-line porn use impacts real world relationships. While of course the author appears to be writing from a purely […]
Men are stereotyped too Came across this father’s day ad in The Weekend Australia magazine. Right here we have a snapshot of the stereotypes that limit men and contribute to socialising them into standard – and often harmful – ways of behaving. The ad spruiks six SBS DVDs for dad. The first is ‘The Killing’, the second […]
What’s happening to our boys?: Maggie Hamilton’s new book When I first began turning my attention to the sexualisation of girls in the media and popular culture, a book that significantly echoed my own thoughts was What’s happening to our girls: Too much too soon, how our kids are overstimulated, oversold and oversexed (Penguin, 2008) […]
Last month I briefly mentioned a Tasmanian case in which a father, a registered sex offender convicted of possessing child pornography, was given visitation right to his two daughters. I thought the story warranted a more in-depth examination, so I asked Caroline Norma to take a closer look. Caroline is a PhD candidate with the […]
Women buying men for sex is not equality Women, we’ve arrived. We’re equal now with men. The conditions for equality have been met. Am I talking about political, social and financial equality? No. Access to maternity leave, child care, the opportunity to balance work and family life? No. The ability to live free from harassment […]
Here’s a letter to the editor I sent to The Australian in response to a piece on the Commentary page last Friday, ‘Hockey stays home holding the baby’ (The Oz didn’t run it – so I sent it to myself and I agreed to publish it). I’m concerned about what is implied in the heading […]
Plus: Grand Theft auto gamer’s instruction video for best way to murder prostituted women And Calvin Klein’s new men’s underwear ad: No, we don’t want to see your d—k. Elizabeth at My Milk Spilt, whose piece on Facebook and violence against women I published here the other day, has now written about an experience she had […]
Came across this on Girl w/ Pen. These tips put the responsibility where it should be: 1. Don’t put drugs in people’s drinks in order to control their behavior. 2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone! 3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to assault […]
Five days later, I’m still troubled by some paragraphs on the front page of The Australian on Monday. I haven’t noticed anyone drawing attention to them, even though they are deeply concerning. The article is about historian Keith Windschuttle’s questioning of the authenticity of the film Rabbit-Proof Fence (‘Rabbit-Proof Fence grossly inaccurate; Windschuttle’, The Australian, […]
