"I did everything that Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels."
Ginger Rogers

Is it true that women have to work harder than men to achieve the same level of and success and recognition? I think Ginger Roger's words are still very poignoint even after all these years. Certainly in my experience in the Film industry women have to put in longer hours for less money and experience slower career progression. In comparison the men have extra time to network at the pub (always good for scoping out the next promotion) and spend with their families. Whereas women are sacrificing their chance of having a family for time spent in the office. Unfortuntely this seems to result much of the time in bitter and exhausted female workers and to be honest who wants to promote them or go for a jaunt to the pub? And thus the cycle repeats itself...

This weekend I travelled down to Manchester to attend pride with my bf. (I know, feminist with a cat and a gay best friend-stereotypes r us) Thoughts from the weekend were-

1. I normally HATE the pussy cat dolls, but watching a club full of men with men and women with women grinding away made me rethink my whole objection to them. It's all about the context. Young girls watching strippers lap dance for snoop (who is hardly known for his women friendly lyrics) is disgraceful, and that horrific "don’t cha" song boils my blood-regurgitating all the damaging myths about heterosexual relationships and competition between young women-BUT here it was in an out and proud environment where all this seemed to reflect nothing but entertainment. Grown men and women enjoying their day in their space and dancing to music they wanted too…
2. Dancing, drinking and laughing in an environment where I was completely free from grabs and gropes was excellent. I didn’t worry at all about someone saying/doing anything to me and I loved it. However, not so for my bf, he said it’s completely the opposite for him and he’s had numerous occasions where someone’s tried to put their hands down his trousers!
3. Dancing behind some drag queens made me think about the whole issue of gender behaviour. They were, dare I say it, acting like the worst kind of women. Giving the evil eye, coming over all swooning and incompetent, waiting for a big strong man to rescue them from not having a light. It just made me feel weird watching a man act out all the behaviours, I as a woman, feel uncomfortable with.
4. There was lots of semi naked dancing men giving it some on podieums and I’ve got to say, a man in nothing but hot pants is actually a very nice sight. I don’t like the idea of women dancing like that-but why is it ok for a man? Am I being completely hypocritical, or is it more about context? (A woman lap dancing in the context of societal gender exploitation is more degrading than a man doing the same thing)

Brought up a lot of interesting thoughts which we tried to talk over, unsuccessfully, with raging hangovers and we ended up watching the x factor instead. So, any thoughts?

There's a story in todays Independent about the prospects of having a male pill.

It's been researched for over 15 years now but still nothing has been released to the public.

There's the health argument (nobody knows the side effects for individuals) and there's the social argument (men can't be trusted to take the pill).

I think both these arguments are pretty poor, women have been taking the pill for about 40 years, and the health effects are still being debated (cause/prevent cancer?) but it is so much easier for women to "take care" of the issue of contraception. It is still a "woman's issue". Well, men can have children too! Albeit they can't actually give birth, but I like the idea that in a responsible relationship you both take control of contraception.

Many long term couples rely on the pill or the injection as a form of contraception, and ultimately it is the woman's responsibility. Therefore, if she gets pregnant it's her fault. Balancing the responsibility will be a huge step forward for sex. Imagine, not only will it be queues of 16 year old girls at the family planning centre, there will be boys too!

Boys will get the baby/period/contraception talk as much as girls. It wont neccessarily be a closed door conversation between girls and women.

The whole "men won't take it" argument is pathetic I'd trust my partner to take it, as much as he trusts me-but clearly we all still perpetuate the idea that contraception is a women's issue and men are just dithering, forgetful dunces who need a helping hand.

I'm not saying that in all contexts this would be appropriate, but I do think in many situations it would be great. What do you think?

Just pinched this off the guardian.

It's a game in which you work in a sweatshop trying to make trainers against the clock. Is a very good idea in raising awareness of where exactly those nikes come from. Go here to play

The idea that Big Brother is a social experiment has sort of fallen by the way side. The 15 minutes of fame has been exdended and editorial rigging (aka Nikki) have changed the programme extensively since its inception.

However...in the past years we've had a Porteguese transexual and this year a man with tourette looks ready to win. Fair enough, there has only been 1 female winner but look at the last three in for the last few years. It normally features a gay man. Pete, the expected winner of this years Big Brother, is a sensitive, open minded young man. A straight man who enjoys a cuddle with his gay buddy Richard, a man who agreed with Aisleyne that Spiral and Mikey had to no right to touch here just because they thought "she was asking for it". Spiral, Mikey, Sezar all horrible misogynist "geezers" who pride themselves on the notches on their bedposts came and went. (Mikey who famously proclaimed "I hate feminists")

It makes me wonder how much Big Brother reflects society (if at all). There are lots and lots and lots of disgusting, heat adorning people dying to get in that house, but ultimately, the winners and runners up are people who are or, at least seem, nice but not the norm. Nadia won huge support from the British public and therefore tabloids,and I think as a transexual that it is quite surprising.

Are we more accepting as a society than we may think? The most trashy, low brow programme manages to pull in millions of viewers around the UK, and seems to produce unexpected winners and runners up.

Did Big Brother make us (the sun reading great British public) more open? Are we more inclusive? More tolerant?

The Queen of Pop turned 48 today on the last day of her sell-out 'Confessions' tour. She has been criticised for continuing to persue her career 'at her age', wearing that leotard and her crotch grabbing dance moves. But why is the same never said of Mick Jagger or Bono, both middle age musicians still performing and bringing in large audiences (with even more crotch grabbing) as Madonna does. And oddly Rod Stuart wears spandex in his senior years but doesnt seem to cause the same offence. Plus, I am so bored of hearing people whine about Madonna being a bad role model. I would much rather encourage younger generations to become successful in their chosen career through hard work, determination and impose the importance of intelligence and inner-calm etc than show them a picture of Lyndsay Lohan falling out of a nightclub three days in a row and let them be inspired by that. Yes, Madonna did cultivate a very controversial image in earlier days of her career, but to have the kind of success she has achieved, as well as juggling (that awful word again) a marriage and children makes me really respect her. So what if she masturbates on stage in a wedding dress every now and then...

Canary Wharf is an incredibly male environment. There is a really small female population. Hmm... Are women really making a mark in professional high-powered industries..?

My blood started to boil when I read this in the Metro on the way to work this morning...
The son of an Oil Millionaire has essentially been let-off after sexually assualting a swedish fashion student because the Judge reasoned the 33-year-old from New Delhi knew no better. He will avoid a prison sentence by writing a letter of apology to his victim. After a night out clubbing in London with three female friends, the normally shy and 'geeky' Prashant Modi went back to a hotel room with the ladies where they ordered a meal and fell asleep. One girl awoke to see Modi on-top her friend, having removed her underwear and his jeans. The Judge deemed the circumstances as exceptional because Modi was not accustomed to 'Western ways.' Judge Jeremy Roberts said:

It's a situation he had never come across before. I am told in India it is not heard of...He found himself alone with three young women asleep in his room and had fallen into temptation.

I am appalled and disgusted. I do not believe it is human nature to force un-consented sex onto another person. I would argue that sexual violence is understood to be catagorically unacceptable, and not something that needs to be taught no matter where in the world you live. The fact he was 'unsocialised' does not make his behaviour understandable. The implication that the girls should not have shared a bedroom with their male friend knowing he was socially stilited makes me realise we really haven't come that far in terms of feminism in the courtroom.

Scary. My boyfriend is trying to fly back from London today. not any more. That man is getting on a train. This is horrible. It makes me angry, upset and scared. One of the best things about Britian is our multi-culturalism. We are all British.

Or so I thought... Another set of young British born men. Another denial that it has anything to do with foreign policy expected. I don't want to live in fear. Every time I go to London,when I think about my friends and family who live there, every time I get on a plane, train or tube. Is this now what we live in?
I don't buy the "if youre scared they'll win argument". It's not about "winning" it's about sharing the planet.

Here is a horrible story about the invisible victims of the Iraqi war-gay men.

One of the biggest cultural challenges-I believe- is reframing the apparent binary boxes of identity I.e-women are women because they're not men, women are soft vs men are hard etc etc. This process is continued in pretty much all aspects of life- you're gay because you're not straight, you're young because you're not old, and for me during the world cup, I'm english because I'm not scottish. Identity is often formed as a reaction, whether because you form that identity yourself, or you are told that is your identity by someone else. You are something because you are not the norm.

Whilst we may put ourselves in these boxes unconsciously, we are also forced to prescribe to certain behaviour's within the binary system and there is no possibility of a third, forth or even multi-layered identity.

There's a great article in the Independent regarding an inter-sex woman who wishes to be recognised as such. She may socially be a woman, but genetically she is a man. She does not automatically "fit" into he/she but has been forced to instead.

Binary sexaulities and gender's are the basis for western gender structures.Bisexuality is little understood, but gays are ok if they're in drag/acting like dale winton, because essentially gay men are women in disguise. Likewise, lesbians are often construed as either soft-porn girl on girl action (for straight men) or looking like men.

Therefore, there are only two camps men (or women who act like men-ie sleep with women) or women (or men who act like women).An example that springs to mind in regards to progressing beyond binary sexualties or genders is my sisters accounts of "lady boys" in Thailand, being quite accepted in the families they came from. It was accepted that they constituted a sort of third sex. Now, whilst there may be a whole host of issues surrounding "lady boys", especially sex tourism, what is interesting in this context, is that there is, for the most part according to my sister's experience, the acceptance of a third sex.

What would be the worst thing that would happen if there was an accepted third/fourth/fifth sex? Marriage and the family as a male/female instituion would be irrelevant? Sexuality would be more fluid, less restrictive? Prescribed gender roles such as nuturer vs carer would be eroded? Would we have to rewrite how we socialise our female children? Our male children? our x, y and z children?

Here it become clear just how important language is. Without the ability to name and to understand, people are left as a "silent minority" unable to see themselves in the rigid gender boxes they've been squeezed in to.

I've actually stopped watching the news of late, the whole world is imploding and it sickens and saddens me-

American soldiers "took it in turns" to rape Iraqi girl
Any attempt at open discussions of Isreal/Lebanon descend into spiteful personal attacks. (cant people DEBATE anymore?!)
(i personally thought this was a very good piece)

Climate change is more visible this summer than ever before

White establishment (aka the police) is radicalising Muslim youths

eugh...
As my friend said the other day- " a lot of the people in charge of countries are just big kids, who all want things their own way, and basically throw tantrums if they don't get what they want. tantrums with bombs. great."

yep..great.

The Monbiot article interests me a lot. The content itself is interesting, but it's the comments that come after. Spiteful, hateful and polemic it seems Monbiot's attempt to place a time line on this incredibly complicated history is met with horror and charges of anti-semetism.

I am fully aware of the controversies surrounding this conflict and whilst I am in no position to comment (my knowledge being limited), I think that the huge death toll, the destruction of homes, infrastructure, livelihoods and families is much much more important than the tit-for-tit "well they did x first".

That rather childlike argument, I'd like to imagine, has no place in international politics and is damaging, regressive and abhorent.
Some may say that I am niave and that yes, I am in no position to comment, but I can't see how any bloody conflict can be resolved whilst the international community argue about whose fault it is.

Unfortunately, there are times when right should always be right, for example in Rwanda, but with a long process of peace building ahead, the Rwandans are working to forgive not blame.

This model of peace building can therefore be applied in different contexts, we can only guess what the next two generations of Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinian children will grow up believing.Hate breeds hate after all.

The British, the French, American and Iranian governments should not pontificate on the "rightness" of this, or any conflict if they are supplying arms,intelligence and military support.

I appreciate that this is a bit of rant, pretty unconstructed and most certainly pessimisitc. I only hope that at some point we will see a true open dialogue between Irael and those who are not explicitly supportive of the Israeli cause.

Just read this in the Independent.

The Independent and Save the Children are launching an appeal for the children of Lebanon (see below), for urgent food, medicine and clothing desperately needed as the violence continues to escalate.

The UN and aid agencies say it is unclear why so many casualties in this particular war are children. Some have been victims of mass killings, such as the 37 who died in the Israeli bombing raid in Qana at the weekend that claimed 60 lives.

The disproportionately high death toll among children may be due to the fact that Lebanese families in the south of the country, the scene of the fiercest fighting, are traditionally large. It is also perhaps because of demographics - 30 per cent of the population of Lebanon are under 18.

The high rate of killings and injuries among the young are also said to be due to the fact that they tend to huddle together during the bombing and shelling.

Like the old, the children are the hardest hit by the lack of basic sustenance. They are also simply too young to make the long journey on foot to escape the combat zone. Children have been discovered left to look after younger brothers and sisters in place of dead or wounded parents.

Amelia Bookstein, the head of humanitarian policy at Save the Children, said: "Children who are wounded, separated from their families, or traumatised, may be too frightened or unable to leave their homes."

Anis Salem, a Unicef official, said: "Families with four, five and six children are seeking shelter together. Inevitably, a high proportion of children are killed. We estimated even before Qana that 30 per cent of the deaths were children. But it is a very fluid situation and that figure can quickly become redundant."

Save the Children stresses that just £1 will buy candles and matches for a family; £10 will help provide adequate hygiene for a child and £50 will pay for food for a family in the short term. But international agencies say the public response has been surprisingly slow to appeals for funds.

Please make a donation to Save the Children, this country is falling apart as we watch. No food, so schools, no roads,no homes; all gone. The article makes the point that no European or Amercian child will ever have the see or hear what these children have. That is tragic, no child should have to wake up in a basement surrounded by dead relatives, or lie awake listening to bombs fall on their towns.

This whole conflict is just unbearable to watch.
For those that haven't heard there's a march in Hyde Park this weekend,
there's also a petition on Stop the War coalition, urging Tony Blair to call for an immediate ceasefire. Go to their site to sign.

I know, i know, I really should stay away from celeb gossip-morally, ethically, politically it goes against everything I say and do. However, I can't help but love a bit of trash.

Paris Hilton is hardly the most imaginative celeb to bring up when talking about consumerism, entrenching images of brainless blondes, celeb worship and fame for fames sake. BUT just found this...
Three words- OH MY GOD.

Celebrity rich girl Paris Hilton has demonstrated her grasp of world affairs by asking: "Who's Tony Blair?"

The hotel heiress said she would not recognise the British Prime Minister.

Asked by GQ magazine if she fancied Tony Blair, a confused Hilton replied: "Who?"

After giving it some thought she said: "Oh yeah... he's like your president?" Then she admitted: "I don't know what he looks like."

Hilton also compared herself to Diana, Princess of Wales.

"I loved her. She was amazing. Her death affected me so much, such a strong and beautiful woman. I just cried for two hours non-stop when I heard she had been killed. I've been in cars trying to get away from speeding paparazzi before and it's horrible, so I can relate to Diana and the problems she had," she explained.

Asked who she would most like to be compared to, she replied: "Marilyn Monroe mixed with Diana."

Elsewhere in the interview, the 25-year-old socialite revealed how much money she rakes in. Her empire includes perfume and cosmetics lines, shoes and hotels, and she is paid millions to make personal appearances.

"I've made, like, 200 million dollars (£107 million) in the last year, while J-Lo's only made 150 million dollars," she explained.

"I get paid 500,000 dollars (£266,500) to go to Las Vegas or Japan and wave at crowds or go to a party. All the time. Only this week I met a family at the airport who wanted me to drop in to their daughter's 16th birthday party for 100,000 dollars (£53,310). Because I'm her idol. So I will. I'll take her a present, though."

Again from Yahoo

There's so many things wrong with this. Primarily lack of understanding of
a) the outside world
b) world politics
c) monetary value
But mainly-
d) her very existence

Also she's had loads of plastic surgery (I CANT HELP IT!!!)

I really really hope Tony Blair has finally recognised that the way to change peoples minds is not through bombing them..

(Yahoo front page)

Tony Blair has called for a rethink of the West's strategy to defeat extremism in the Middle East once the immediate Israel-Lebanon crisis is resolved.

In a speech to the World Affairs Council in California, Mr Blair also accused Iran and Syria of helping extremists in Iraq and backing militant groups in Lebanon and Palestine.

"There is an arc of extremism now stretching across the Middle East and touching with increasing definition countries far outside that region, he said.

The thrust of his address was that the West must win the battle of values if it is to defeat global extremism.

"This is war, but of a completely unconventional kind," he said.

"Unless we reappraise our strategy, unless we revitalise the broader global agenda on poverty, climate change, trade, and ... bend every sinew of our will to making peace between Israel and Palestine, we will not win," he said.

Blair, who has been heavily criticised at home for siding with the United States over the 21-day-old war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas, said the international community must continue to do all it can to halt the hostilities.

"Once that has happened, we must commit ourselves to a complete renaissance of our strategy to defeat those that threaten us," he added.

here's hoping...

I watched in horror last night as a perfectly attractive woman went under the knife to become a Jennifer Aniston look-a-like. She had a massive amount of surgery (chin resculpting, nose job, boob lift and implants, lipo over her bum and thighs and also a tummy tuck). Being an MTV show there wasn't much in the way of historical explanation of her decision although they did include a brief monologue by her to camera about her ex-boyfriends verbally abusive ways which had destroyed her self-confidence. This seemed to act as a validation to the massively invasive surgery that ensued. This woman was fit and healthy, not overweight and with two beautiful children and a supportive partner, she admitted all of this but said she would not be happy until she looked like 'Jennifer Aniston-the most beautiful woman in the world'. Does she not realise that not even Jen looks like Jen thanks to the modern wonders of airbrushing. Reality TV is the death of entertainment and it starts with 'I want a famous face'.

On August 11th it will be Lords Reform Day. 95 years ago on this date was the Parliament Act 1911 which received Royal assent. The preamble of which states:

"it is intended to substitute for the House of Lords as it at present exists a Second Chamber constituted on a popular instead of hereditary basis, but such substitution cannot be immediately brought into operation."

The desire to create an elected chamber has been knocking about British politics for a while then, but surprisingly, nothing has been done. (Maybe it’s all those rich peers or something…)

When Tony Blair first came to power, he was seen as a force for change and progression. Part of this was his project of constitutional reform including devolution of Scotland and Wales and Lords Reform.

There have been slight moves to reform the Lords including introducing elected peers, but these are still only elected by MPs.

The basic premise of a second chamber is democratically kosher-no one could disagree with that-but unelected hereditary peers in a democratic country is incredibly anachronistic. As charter 88 note, the cash for peerage row has speeded up calls for change and whatever the reasons, the Lords desperately needs reform.

yep,this is TOTALLY representative of British society..now where's my sceptre?

British society is unrecognisable from the early beginnings of Westminster. An unelected chamber of wealth is no longer acceptable. The house of commons was named as it housed “commoners” even this seems outdated- being the Oxbridge playground that it is.

The Lords should be reformed, and Tony Blair should not forget his early election pledge of constitutional reform.

Elect the Lords Campaign,Charter 88 and many other organisations are working to get lords reform back on the political agenda. So please go to their sites, sign the online pledge, contact your MP, talk to your friends, write to your local paper, put it on your blog. For a country that is currently embedded in a good few wars over “democracy” not to practice what it preaches (ie directly elected, accountable members of parliament) is despicable.