Women's Fightback, Feminism

Julian Assange, free speech and rape

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is now holed up in Ecuador’s Embassy, west London, having been granted political asylum by Ecuador’s president, Rafael Correa. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is now holed up in Ecuador’s Embassy, west London, having been granted political asylum by Ecuador’s president, Rafael Correa. Correa says he granted asylum to prevent Assange being extradited to a “third country”, meaning the US. There is now a stand-off between the British state — which wants to send him to Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape and sexual assault, following a completed process in...

Wikileaks yes, Assange no

Several months ago, there was an image going around social networking sites of Julian Assange and Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire owner of Facebook. The caption next to the image of Assange was: “I give private information on corporations to you for free, and I’m the villain”. The caption next to Zuckerberg was: “I give your private information to corporations for money, and I’m man of the year.” While Zuckerberg is obviously a class enemy, Assange is a suspected rapist. Yet many comrades – some who describe themselves as feminists — were still posting this image. In recent weeks many leading...

Save the Women's Library campaign discusses strategy

Campaigners hoping to save The Women’s Library at London Metropolitan University held their first public meeting on 6 July. This follows the campaign’s success in garnering support with an online petition that has attracted 12, 000 signatories. The Women’s Library, currently housed in Lottery-funded, purpose-built premises, is under threat from management cuts. This is not only about a detrimental cut to a vital women’s service but about the future of Higher Education. It will contribute to the government’s vision of a two-tier Higher Education system, in which wealthy “Russell Group”...

Women's Fightback blog

The Women’s Fightback blog has just been set up by members, supporters and friends of Workers’ Liberty. It’s a socialist feminist blog. A space to write about, talk about, moan about and plot how to get rid of class exploitation, sexism, racism and homophobia. It’s going to include history, politics, poetry, campaigning, jokes, stories and ranting and raving. And most especially debating ideas. Want to write something for the blog? You are very welcome to become a contributor. Find out how by clicking here . Latest posts: Anti-capitalism and pride Save the Women's Library

Feminism vs religion

This year in Britain we’ve seen Christian fundamentalism asserting itself. In London, Brighton and Manchester we have seen pro-life pickets outside abortion clinics, where women are harassed and told lies about the effects of abortion. Fourtunately those pickets have not gone unchallenged by pro-choice campaigners. But increasingly, on our streets and university campuses, pro-life organisations hold stalls and workshops distributing anti-abortion propaganda. Now Catholic (“pro-life”) charity Care Confidential is seeking to bring all its affiliated centres up to “commissioning status” standard...

RadFem and transphobia

RadFem 2012 (14-15 July) is billed as the place to explore “the realities of women’s lives”. There’s plenty I could say about how and why I disagree with RadFem 2012’s politics — it’s anti-porn, anti-men, anti-sex worker, and more. But something else stands out, and is making many feminists (justifiably) angry. The conference slogan is “women together for liberation”, but on closer inspection what they mean is “women born women living as women” (an amendment from earlier “biological women”). “This isn’t transphobia!” cry RadFem 2012 organisers — it’s not about excluding some people but “assert...

French right defends bosses' right to sexually harass

We have heard shocking words from the UMP [Sarkozy’s right-wing party which ruled until the last French election], such as “scum” [“racaille”] or “cancers” when talking about young people from poor areas or the unemployed. We also have seen the right pin the bill for the economic crisis on the workers — for example, with the pensions reform. This open aggression, this class hatred, at least had the merit of being a straightforward attack to which we could react. But the establishment has also passed a whole number of reforms in great secrecy, during the school holidays or even at dead of night...

Challenge “rape culture”!

The sorry saga of Ched Evans, the Sheffield United player found guilty of rape, has revealed the alarming prevalence of what has become known as “rape culture” — the unquestioned acceptance of myths around sexual violence. Rape Crisis identifies these myths as including: that rape happens because women are outside alone at night; because women dress or behave “provocatively”; because women don’t say “no” clearly enough; because women were drunk; because women don’t fight back, scream or run away; because men cannot control themselves; because some men are psychopaths; because men who have no...

Anti-fascism must not be anti-women

Hope Not Hate’s efforts to bring down fascist organisations in the UK are admirable. I’m sure Nick Lowles, the main force behind the campaign, was pleased with the wipe-out of local BNP council seats in the recent elections. For his efforts in these results, I commend him. However, my initial response to seeing his blog post on 30 March “Let’s stop the racist pornographer” was derision. Of course I agree that Steve Squire, owner of a sex shop and alleged seller of date rape drugs is not a suitable person to be in the London Assembly. But on reading other posts Lowles has placed on his blog, I...

Can drama be feminist?

In the study of arts-based subjects, the tendency might be to apply theories (“isms”) to pieces of art as a kind of critique, as a way of approaching a text, etc, from a certain perspective, in order to write a convincing essay. For example, I remember being asked to write an essay by choosing a play, and choosing two critical theories to critique it with. Although I think it is more insightful to approach a playtext with the broadness of a political or social context, trying to interpret anything I could find in Aphra Behn’s The Rover as “socialist feminist” is not very helpful. First, “isms”...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.