A lot of people have liked this page recently. Welcome! It's really good to have you here.

But in the interests of productive dialogue, I want to set down some house rules.

1. This is a feminist page. It is my page. I post about things that I'm passionate about or that interest me, or issues in society that I want to see change. These things include, but are not limited to, men's violence against women; exclusion of marginalised groups including disabled people, trans and g...

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Content note: sexual assault, suicidal ideation, PTSD from sexual assault

This is infuriating and heartbreaking and galvanising all at once. This week alone, three different women have told me about being sexually assaulted or raped by a close male friend. One of these women is someone very dear to me. The biggest threat to women's bodies and sexual safety isn't just men, but men known to them. That is a FACT. So many women are betrayed every day by men they believed they co...uld trust. And every time we try to have this conversation, to talk about the kind of male entitlement that has perpetrators telling survivors "it wasn't that big a deal" or their supporters calling for them to be protected from consequences, we not only have to field ridiculous rhetoric about hating men but we make it easier for this harm to continue being done. If we don't want to create a world that's safe for our girls, can we at least start considering whether we want to uphold a world that makes it easy for our boys to hurt people?

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Bustle
18 hrs

How sexual assault survivors feel about Brock Turner: http://bsl.io/lKR

Warren always was the scariest Big Bad.

Sarah Andra
12 hrs

Whenever I watch Buffy I'm always struck by Joss Whedon's use of Warren, Jonathan, and Andrew as the villains for those episodes. It seems slightly ridiculous t...o think of these three as even vaguely realistic threats to the world. Then you watch the episode where they use the cerebral dampener to turn Warren's ex into a sex slave, and how readily Jonathan and Andrew were willing to go along with essentially raping her until they realise she knows Warren. And then it dawned on me. That's why this plot device is so bloody genius. Warren literally would be the greatest threat to high school and uni age girls. And then I get the happies again when I remember Willow skinning him alive.

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Sept 26! Get it before it sells out.

Readings
August 30 at 11:49pm

Tickets are selling fast to see writer and social commentator Clementine Ford at our event at 6:30pm on Monday 26 September at Melbourne Athenaeum theatre. Don't forget the ticket price includes a signed copy of her new book, Fight Like a Girl.

Event: Clementine Ford in conversation with Julia Baird
Readings — independent Australian retailers and online merchants of fine books, music and film.
readings.com.au
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Kai Clancy's photo.
Kai Clancy's photo.
Kai Clancy added 2 new photos.
August 30 at 10:14pmAlice Springs, NT, Australia

Tw: rape, murder

9 years ago we were at school and an emergency assembly was called. I remember all us kids, fidgety and unruly as kids are sitting down in a h...ot Townsville afternoon.

9 years ago, we were told our friend Jessica was killed in an 'accident'. We later learnt that 9 years ago to this day my friend Jessica Namok was murdered and sexually assaulted by an older man. She was only 13 years old. This broke an entire community in Townsville, leaving us with memories that will last a lifetime.

The death of 14 year old Elijah yesterday caned my heart and put me through so much familiar pain. I can only begin to imagine what their community and his friends are going through right now. This shit will stay with them for life

I'm still in shock over the crimes committed. Violence against children is the utmost heinous of crimes. I can't believe I have to witness something like this in my lifetime again.

2 beautiful smiles, 2 beautiful lives, 2 black babies gone at the hands of monstrous men who think the world is theirs.

❤️ RIP JESS, RIP ELIJAH ❤️

#handsoffourkids #blacklivesmatter

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"So I went home. I bounced on my ball, ate yet more spicy food, expressed colostrum and went for long walks around the neighbourhood. And when labour still failed to take hold, I walked into the hospital 36 hours later on my own terms, finally prepared for the induction I hadn't wanted and had been so sure I wouldn't need.

Grow up with a body like mine, with its height and girth and wide hips and legs that are genetically coded to trek up mountains, and it seems like childbirth is something you'll almost snooze through. I had been confident labour was mine to master. It never occurred to me that I might need help."

I wrote about childbirth and my experience of it. It turned me inside out both literally and figuratively. I can't believe women do this every minute of every day and still garner so little respect for what we are capable of.

How I added my voice to the war cry of millions of women who have given birth before me
"No matter what your feelings on children are, childbirth itself is a mystical event," writes Clementine Ford.
smh.com.au|By Clementine Ford

#justiceforelijahdoughty
#blacklivesmatter

Read this.

White Man's Manslaughter. Black Man's Murder. White Man's Riot. Black Man's Uprising. - New Matilda
The violent clashes between police and protestors in Kalgoorlie yesterday followed the charging of a 55-year-old man with manslaughter over the death of a 14-year-old Aboriginal boy, Elijah Doughty. Twelve police officers were injured, dozens of Aboriginal people are expected to be arrested, police…
newmatilda.com|By Chris Graham

Many of you know that I spent most of this year writing a book, 'Fight Like A Girl' (due for release on Sept 28!) It is one of the most challenging, exciting things I've ever done and I can't wait to see what people think of it (although that's also pretty scary).

But I've also spent almost the same amount of time doing something else this year. I've mostly kept this out of public discussion, but it's going to become obvious soon enough. It is also one of the most challenging... and exciting things I've ever done - you might remember I wrote a few months ago about my anxiety returning. I didn't want to be explicit at the time, but it was related to this.

I'm posting this now because my life has changed dramatically as a result. There are hundreds of unread emails and messages that I almost certainly won't have time (or hands) to answer in the immediate future. I hope everyone will be understanding about this - I'm not ignoring anyone deliberately, but I'll be necessarily preoccupied for the foreseeable future until things calm down a bit.

I'll still be doing some speaking events and the book tour has been planned around this (with great thanks to my publishers and editors for being so accommodating, which is exactly as it should be for everyone). My column is on hiatus for 6 weeks while I'm on leave, but I'll be back with that asap. I'll continue posting here, but possibly doing more sharing than discussing. Please be aware that I will not be reading all of the comments - again, if I don't respond to you, it's not because I'm ignoring you.

One of the reasons I kept this so private was because I'm afraid of how the abuse towards me will be broadened now to include my family. All I'll say is this - if you feel at all tempted to direct the vitriol you save for me towards a tiny human, stop for a minute and think about what kind of person that makes you.

Anyway, with that all said, here is my second big project launched this year. Three weeks old tomorrow, the love of my life so far.

PHOTO: JESSE BOOHER (www.jessebooher.com)
TATTOO: CLARE HAMPSHIRE (www.instagram.com/clareclarity)

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Amy Gray
August 28 at 5:21pm

As a busy working single muvva* with an opinion on the internet, I'm used to getting into arguments. Hell, I was getting into arguments before the internet beca...use I have unique social skills and a need to annoy people.

But goddammit, if you want to argue, if you want your argument to be taken seriously and credibly, many people need to reconsider how they argue. You seriously want to make change? Learn how to argue.

A few pointers:
* your experience or your friend's experience does not constitute a social model.
* Please note that some people have more expertise than you - to claim otherwise is a continuation of the "freedom of speech, my opinion is equal to yours, etc". No. Not all opinions are created equally. I have expertise in some areas, I have zilch in others. Sometimes it's humbling to realise - but own it.
* Don't mistake experience with expertise. A moment of you is not a lifetime of immersive research or community immersion.
* Statistics and theory is your friend
* That means reading. Read widely, read those you disagree with, read back into history, read wider than your identity.
* Listen. Not every argument needs you, especially if you have no expertise or research to back up your argument.
* You may not be represented in every single argument on the planet. That's ok. You can augment it to show a contributing theory, but not everything is about you.
* No, really. Not everything is about you. Not in day to day life, not in activism. Not only is everything not about you, but sometimes people don't care about your identity. What's the answer to that? Go build. Activism isn't only about conversion, sometimes it's about building and you don't always need everyone on board to build something for you.
* Irrationally angry about someone's view but not entirely sure why? THAT IS A MAGICAL FUCKING TIME. Sit with that reaction, explore it, research it. You're about to challenge yourself.
* Recognise that "gut instinct" and "intuition" are culturally conditioned responses and not the basis of an argument.
* Debate ideas, don't debate personalities. Feminism is a series of theories (MANY of which are worthy of critique and improvement) and very definitely NOT a Miss Universe contest.
* If you want people to accept you as a complex individual of contradiction, un/learning, emotional responses, experience and expertise please extend the same as others. No one is perfect and fully enlightened, including you.
* Be polite with polite people. If someone's being hostile, sure, go ham. If they're not, no one is entitled to wear your rudeness. The moment you get rude is the moment people shut down and stop listening to you - and when you get to that point, you have to ask yourself if you want to have a conversation with potential of conversion or just yell at someone who hasn't consented or shown hostility to you. So, have some fucking grace, mate.

If you want to learn about argument traps and how to debate, I'd recommend Tara Moss's "Speaking Out". I'm also a fan of "Thank you for arguing" by Jay Heinrichs and "How to think about weird things: critical thinking for a new age".

*I'm really not that busy.

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Keo Moni Chan to Kat Blaque
August 27 at 11:32pm

#dragthemneil

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Edit: CRAP. I thought I was sharing this with Catherine Deveny's comments. That was what the claps were for. Copied below.

"I've worked out that every extra day that I work beyond three days a week costs me $7500 a year in childcare fees," she says.

...

FARK! FARK! FARK!

1. Childcare is NOT the cost of the mother if she's partnered. It's a JOINT cost.
2. Money is not the only reason to work.

'Childcare costs are so high it doesn't make financial sense to work' says random mum.

Err what? What about super? What about building your careers and keeping your skills up?

What about if you split up and you're on your own and getting work again is so much more difficult because you have been out of the work force? It'll much harder to get a job and you'll be paid less. What if your partner loses their job, becomes sick, injured, disabled or dies? What if your partner's business or area of employment dries up?

What about if your partner doesn't want to be working long hours full time for ANOTHER 15 years. What if they are unhappy? What if they want some time and space to reskill or recharge? What if they want to spend more time with their kids?

What about setting an example that women aren't just slaves and incubators? What about your self-respect? What about making it possible for your partner to spend more time with the kids? What about enabling your kids feel safe and cared for with people other than you?

Yes childcare costs are too high. They should be free, excellent and accessible.

No I am not talking full time work for both parents with babies in full time childcare. I don't think anyone should work full time. It's a false economy.

I am talking about sharing the load and seeing the big picture. Toggling up and down the domestic and financial roles.

Men, don't just fall into the default setting of full time work after having children. It's bullshit. And women, don't fucking expect them to."
"

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Paying more than $115.50 a day for childcare? Coalition reforms leave you dudded
This is the formula to figure out if you'll be worse off under the Coalition's childcare changes.
theage.com.au|By Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon

This is probably the greatest charity song ever conceived. MARRY ME, JEMAINE.

Life Bursts 88.9FM Hills Radio
August 16 at 11:21pm

Here at Life Bursts we love supporting great causes. That's why we're proud to be sponsored by #local charity, Kids Arthritis Australia. Our #LifeVideo this wee...k shares with you an equally as important cause from across the Tasman, Cure Kids.

Flight of the Conchords teamed up with other artists to raise funds for this New Zealand organisation.
Love the video? Donate here: https://heroix.everydayhero.co.nz/…/connecttothecure…/donate
Don't forget to click LIKE and tune in 4pm to 6pm every Wednesday on Life Bursts 88.9FM Hills Radio www.hillsradio.com.au
#LifeBursts

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This is coming out on Sept 23. Must see viewing. #audrieanddaisy

Posted by Netflix
287,854 Views
287,854 Views
Netflix
August 23 at 2:45am

These are the stories that need to be heard. #AudrieandDaisy arrives on Netflix 23 September.

Allen & Unwin Books
August 25 at 7:05pm

On Women's Equality Day our staff explain why we need feminism, and join Clementine Ford in urging women everywhere to Fight Like A Girl.

Why do you need feminism? Some of the folks at Allen & Unwin explain in the lead up to the release of #fightlikeagirl!

Welcome to the war room, ladies. #FightLikeAGirl
Here are all the reasons that we, and Clementine Ford, are urging women everywhere to Fight Like A Girl.
youtube.com

I fail to see why this is a punishment.

Via Jane Gilmore.

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This is brilliant and brutal from Hannah Gadsby.

Hannah Gadsby
August 24 at 4:21am

Oh hey guys… this plebiscite thing is a very bad idea. The very idea of an ongoing debate around marriage equality makes my stomach turn. It’s not a pleasant ...turn either.
Let me be clear. I don’t care about marriage equality for myself because I do not have an aptitude for relationships. The reason I care about this is because I don’t want young kids to hear the kind of horrific bile I was forced to listen to in the 1990s when Tasmania debated on whether to legalise homosexuality. For many, the debate was theatre. For me, it made me hate myself so deeply I have never been able to develop an aptitude for relationships.
In the mid nineties I was the age when I should have been learning how to be vulnerable, how to handle a broken heart, how to deal with rejection and how to deal with all the other great silly things about young love which help pave the way to the more substantial adult version. But instead I learnt how to close myself off and rot quietly in self-hatred. I learnt this because I learnt that I was subhuman during a debate where only the most horrible voices and ideas were amplified by the media. These voices also gave permission for others to tell me that I was less than them, with looks, words and on one occasion, violence.
Every day of my life I deal with the effects of anxiety and low self esteem. It is not nearly as debilitating as it used to be but I don’t imagine I will ever be truly free of it. Just imagine how brilliant I could have been if I hadn’t been given such a shit show at such a vulnerable time in my life.
I am very concerned that the plebiscite debate is going to be another open season for hate. I fear for those, particularly in regional Australia, who are isolated from positive voices.
If this plebiscite has to happen then lets try and drown out the hate filled commentators. They might not have the numbers but they will no doubt be handed a megaphone in the name of entertainment. But this kind of entertainment will not only ruin young lives…it will end some of them. Speech is not free when it comes at such a cost. This plebiscite is FUCKED.

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Posted by Hint Fashion Magazine
2,884,865 Views
2,884,865 Views
Hint Fashion Magazine
August 23 at 2:54pm

Björk, at 17, performs 'Matahari' with her band Tappi Tíkarrass in 1982, nearly 5 years before joining The Sugarcubes...