5th Down Under Feminists Carnival

Welcome to the fifth edition of the Down Under Feminists Carnival. It’s been an exciting month in the feminist blogosphere and it’s a privilege to present so many amazing works from so many different feminists. Thanks to everyone who submitted to the carnival. To start us off on a happy note, here is an amusing limerick by Zoe from this thread.

Women, come gather ye millions –
You need not chose a life as man’s pillion
The media’s wrong
we can all get along
And yes, you can still have brazilians!

General Feminism

Observer at The Glass Wall notes that women are still considered less worthy by Old Boy’s Clubs. Helen at the Cast Iron Balcony discusses those damn latte sipping liberals.

Let’s call this Roveian anti-elitism for what it is: an excuse for governments to neglect infrastructure and due process and private companies to extract maximum profits from the “ordinary Australians” they’re supposed to represent, and then move on. They are the out of touch elites.

Monica Dux comes under fire from Lauredhel at Hoyden About Town. The comments thread is well worth a read. Becsh contemplates some possible answers to the question “Are you a feminist?” Siobhan adds some insightful commentary.

See, I might qualify as an “acceptable” public face for feminism. I remove hair sometimes, I tend to have hetero relationships, and ooh, is that lipstick?

I have no interest in being that feminism’s marketing plan.

MsCate at the Dawn Chorus asks how many hours of your life are spent queuing up for the loo? Sophie at 2 B Sophora has uncovered the evil plan of the patriarchy. Andra at Andragy thinks that anti-feminists should be candidates for the Darwin Awards. Stephie Penguin recounts her day as a best “man” at her friend’s wedding.

Australian feminists aren’t adverse to reminding everyone of the advantages of living in Australia.

We have beautiful birds and a “socialist democracy.”

Family and Women’s Work

Anna at The Hand Mirror wishes a Happy Father’s Day to those that deserve it. The issues and ideas surrounding work/ life balance are discussed at WoLFi TaLEs. Undomestic Goddes at Real Mummy is unhappy with pinkness as a career option. Sophie muses about the challenge involved in being a “woman farmer”. Blue Milk republishes the words of a nineteenth century American woman explaining what happens when domestic labour isn’t recognised.

Married in pioneer times a poor man, and by our joint efforts have made us a home worth several thousand dollars; have borne nine children, and took the whole care of them… And now I want to go to the Centennial and cannot command a sixpence for all my labor. Husband owns and controls everything and says we have nothing to spend for such foolishness.

Unsuprisingly, Blue Milk was nominated for best parenting blog. Go here to vote for her.

GLBTQI

Queen of Thorns at Ideologically Impure lets Stephen Frank know he is officially scum. Hellonhairylegs writes about coming out to her parents.

Language and Literature

Lauredhel at Hoyden About Town questions the saying you’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Jo Tamar at Wallaby spots another example of rape being called sex.

Lauredhel plugs Little My while Alchymical Romance is gender flipped at Viola’s Bookshelf.

Sex and Relationships

Andra discovers the new phenomenon of virtual boyfriends in Japan and Hellonhairylegs lets you know how to be labelled a slut in an Australian high school.

Media

Julie at the Hand Mirror tells the tale of feminists at Auckland University putting together an insert for a magazine, only to have it surrounded by misogynistic crap. Queen of Thorns expresses her anger at the media reaction to a teacher working as a prostitute.

SCHOOL IN DILEMMA OVER PROSTITUTE TEACHER

I’m sorry, I think the headline you were looking for is

TEACHERS JOB THREATENED BY MORALISING BUSYBODIES

Lauredhel observed that the Ad Standards Bureau agrees with Jim Bean that lesbianism is a tragedy. Richie at Crimitism admits to seeing the movie Step Brothers.

Politics

Sandra Dickson at Luddite Journo investigates the myth that women are given preferential treatment in politics. Sarah at The Voice of Today’s Apathetic Youth discusses the financial burden of official hatred and asks why Australia isn’t doing better in regard to immigration. The Democracy Project is about to be launched.

By examining the way in which gender interacts with democratic processes and debates, The Democracy Project seeks to collapse areas that are currently considered ‘women’s issues’ into broader societal discourse and research, and show that a healthy, functioning democracy requires that we re-negotiate the way in which the boundaries between gender and society are drawn.

Race and Racism

MRAs have discovered a new low to sink to as displayed in Quick Hit: Perth MRA group says men’s “disadvantage” = Aboriginal disadvantage.

Sqbr at Roost of the Purple Chicken reviews Sister Girl, a collection of essays by aboriginal activist and historian Jackie Huggins. The Ex-Expat calls out racism in the New Zealand First party. Hexpletive points out that light skin privilege is not the same as white privilege.

My skin is pale… I’m wajin. I’m no less Koori, no less Wiradjuri because of my tint. I’m a child of my ancestors, and their stories are written on my skin.

Reproductive Justice

There has been a lot of drama over the proposed bill to legalise abortion in Victoria. Emervents skewers the Tell the Truth Coalition yet again while proposing an amendment of her own to the legislation. Helen notes the religious hijacking of the abortion debate is a reflection of their attempt to hijack our reproductive rights. Keri at This is My Truth Tell Me Yours gives her sympathies to catholic doctors but still expects them to save their patients lives. Lauredhel explores “pro-life” Archbishop Hart’s murderous misogyny.

This Bill is quite straightforward on the matter. It means that if you are a doctor or a nurse, and you have a women in front of you who will die in the immediate future unless she has an abortion, you have an obligation to save her life.

The Catholic Church is beside itself.

Tigtog is not suprised to find Guy Barnett pushing another punitive amendment  on abortion. Rebekka writes to all the senators regarding the amendment and the responses are illuminating: Simon Birminghand, Gary Humphries, Gavin Marshall, Scott Ryan, Cory Bernadi, Sarah Hanson-Young, Jacinta Collins, Nick Xenophon, Helen Kroger, Christine Milne and Marise Payne. Bek also has some suggestions for the Federal Maternity Services Review.

Violence

Sandra Dickson looks at domestic violence and suicide. The Hand Mirror suggests improvements to Sexual Violence Legislation in New Zealand.

Cupidsbow delivers a wonderful post titled Why ‘no’ means ‘yes’: a rant about suffering and sex. Fuck Politeness puts together a series of points on rape culture, language and society.

US Politics

Fuck Politeness takes Miranda Devine to task for assuming feminists should support Sarah Palin while providing a concise look at the feminist reactions to Palin’s nomination.

Lauredhel reveals the inherent sexism in the Republican campaign (Sexism Watch Part One and Two) and is disgusted by the US Republican Party feud against UN conventions for the rights of women and children. She also blogs about how McCain doesn’t want children to learn how to protect themselves.Tigtog finds it laughable that feminists are supposed to vote for Palin.

Rachel Hills at Musings of an Inappropriate Woman delights in how the rest of the world feels about the US presidential election.

The 115th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand

Heather Hapeta has some Kiwi Thoughts about the history of women’s suffrage. Deborah takes a look at suffragette Dora Montefiorde and celebrates women’s suffrage. AnnE at Elsewoman acknowledges the anniversary and our continued need for women’s studies. Idiot/ Savant at No Right Turn considers Suffrage Day but reminds us that we still have a way to go for equality in New Zealand.

To end the carnival Fifty-Two Acts presents us with this intriguing video.

Thanks all for reading and please remember to submit to next months carnival at Penguin Unearthed.