Gender

Women, Men and feminism

Digital Desperados FREE film -making course for women of colour 16-30

Welcome to Digital Desperados – the free DIY short film -making course for young women of colour e.g. black, asian, mixed race, south asian, roma, latina, middle eastern etc. etc. age 16-30 based in Glasgow.

Philippine women’s groups urge lawmakers to pass Reproductive Health Bill

MANILA, Philippines – A day before several lawmakers deliver their respective sponsorship speeches on the controversial bill promoting the use of both artificial and natural means of family planning, among others, a network of more than 50 non-government and people's organizations advocating women's and people's rights today urged other members of the House of Representatives to affirm women’s right to reproductive self-determination, and to support the immediate passage of the Reproductive Health Bill. The Welga ng Kababaihan (Women's Strike), which includes the Freedom from Debt Coalition Women’s Committee, stressed that it is a woman’s right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to her sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. In a statement of support to House Bill 5043 or An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, the group said the RH Bill embodies many aspects of the principle of reproductive health as a woman’s right. Central to overall health “The RH Bill promotes sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflects a commitment to women’s social and economic well-being, and affirms the moral capacity of women and men to make sound decisions about their lives,” the group said. It added that because reproductive health is central to overall health, fundamental aspects of women’s well-being are compromised when reproductive health is ignored. “Women are placed in bondage to reproduction and biology if only ‘natural family planning’ is tolerated,” the group stressed. Right to Choose

Feminism Backlash

Useful catalogue of the range of assaults on womens' rights that are apparent today from the Guardian. Includes the unbelievably depressing statistic that the "rape conviction rate in Britain has plummeted from 33% in the 70s to just 5.7% today" and puts it in the context of the 100s of "cry rape" stories seen in the news.

Feminist Self-defense: No God! No Master! No Sexist Aggressions!

* El Libertario published in its 51st edition (Venezuela, Novermber - Dicember 2007) a text compilation that expresses important aspects of what anarchism proposes may be done to face the growing problem of gender violence.

Mother who defied the killers is gunned down

Leila Hussein lived her last few weeks in terror. Moving constantly from safe house to safe house, she dared to stay no longer than four days at each. It was the price she was forced to pay after denouncing and divorcing her husband - the man she witnessed suffocate, stamp on, then stab their young daughter Rand in a brutal 'honour' killing for which he has shown no remorse.

It was two weeks after Rand's death on 16 March that a grief-stricken Leila, unable to bear living under the same roof as her husband, found the strength to leave him. She had been beaten and had had her arm broken. It was a courageous move. Few women in Iraq would contemplate such a step.

Leila turned to the only place she could, a small organisation in Basra campaigning for the rights of women and against 'honour' killings.

Since February 2006, two other activists from the same women's organisation have been killed in the city. One of them was reportedly raped before being shot. The other, the only man working for the non-governmental organisation (NGO), and a father of five who was responsible for the organisation's finances, was shot five months ago.

Black Flag 227 review

Black Flag is probably the longest-running anarchist magazine in the UK and it has recently returned, refreshed from a 2-year hiatus. Issue 227, published on May Day, is the second issue since the return and contains much of interest to activists in Scotland.

more t vicar?, @ the out of the blue drill hall

A queer, drag tea dance with dance step demos, merengue, foxtrots, waltzes, cha cha cha, tea, vegan cakes and more the out of the blue drill hall, 36 dalmeny street (off leith walk) **an ACE benefit**

**no high heels please**

(due to new dance studio floor)