Calling on Federal Minister Peter Garrett and Victoria counterpart Wendy Lovell to intervene Collective Shout has initiated a petition in response to the news that a US pageant company plans to import its child beauty competitions to Australia. You can find the petition on the Care2 petition site . Please sign and circulate it through […]
Nina Funnell writes that girls are learning to read their value as a person in terms of how their physical appearance is received by others. “Destiny enjoys singing, dancing and, of course, pageantry” announces the beauty pageant’s MC as a made-up blonde in a white gown sashays across the stage. Did I mention that Destiny […]
Teaching girls their value is in their physical beauty Many readers will have seen the documentary Toddlers and Tiaras revealing the child exploitation that is the US beauty pageant industry. A five year old begging not to have her eyebrows ripped out. Little girls preening, strutting, pouting, beckoning to the judges ‘come here baby’, kissing their […]
The ongoing terrorism of sexual violence Violence against women is a scourge on the planet. When I’m asked what is the greatest human rights violation in the world today, I respond, violence against women. Female genital mutilation, honour killings, dowry deaths, forced marriage, sexual slavery, trafficking to serve the demands of prostitution and pornography, female […]
And another sexual assault survivor who isn’t laughing Late yesterday afternoon Brian McFadden sent these tweets: So, it seems he’s upset his song is “getting attention for the wrong reasons”. Lyrics about doing damage to an inebriated women were just meant as a bit of fun. And anyway that woman was his fiance Delta Goodrem, […]
Woman shares impact of McFadden ‘Can’t wait to do some damage’ song *Trigger warning for survivors of sexual assault Yesterday ABC The Drum Unleashed published my piece ‘New song by Delta’s man promotes rape myth’ about Brian McFadden’s new single, released Monday, titled ‘Just as you are (Drunk at the Bar)’ which contains the lines: […]
New song by Delta’s man feeds rape myth Can someone please tell Brian McFadden that ‘taking advantage’ of a woman when she’s drunk is sexual assault and against the law? Because he seems to have missed the announcement. The Irish singer-songwriter and ‘honorary’ Australian on account of his four-year engagement to songstress Delta Goodrem, McFadden […]
Nena + Pasadena’s fashion statement celebrating the objectification of women Wondering how some of our footballers are putting their Code’s ‘Respect and Responsibility’ policies into practice? Curious as to whether all the effort that has gone into addressing sexual misconduct, harassment, indecent exposure, violence and other myriad manifestations of disrespect for women? (You’ll find some […]
Return to school special at Melbourne sex shop Blackboard, schoolbooks, pencils, apple. You associate these things with children right? Children in classrooms, children learning, children bringing an apple for the teacher. Not the sort of things you would usually associate with a sex shop. The “Love Play” adult store in St Kilda, Melbourne, has no […]
Etsy’s sadistic greeting card for rape survivors I was just about to post this blog when I got news through twitter that the on-line seller of vintage and handmade products Esty had changed its policy and was prohibiting items and listings that disparage or promote hate. However, as the rape cards and other offensive cards […]
Sign petition – say no to eroticised violence against women On December 10, I wrote an opinion piece titled ‘Who says female corpses aren’t sexy?’ for ABC The Drum Unleashed, reprinted here the same day. The piece has so far received 1086 comments (many helpfully informing me I am mentally ill and hung up about sex). Here’s an […]
Who says female corpses aren’t sexy? Two dead women in lingerie swing back and forth from the ceiling from a chain around their necks. Two young women are slumped on a silk-sheeted bed, like corseted lifeless mannequins. A man advances on them. His intentions are clear. Another woman in fetishized clothing lies spread-eagled on […]
