She has drawn a line with her blood between barbarism and civilization, her father says.… Read the rest
Latest News
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Girl, 16, raped? Lower the age of consent! 
Nov 7th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“In the past, especially in Mughal era, people used to marry their daughters early to save them from such atrocities.”… Read the rest
Parents say death by acid was their daughter’s destiny
Nov 7th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“There was a boy who came by on a motorcycle. She turned to look at him twice.” So they killed her.… Read the rest
Girl child marriage in Pakistan
Nov 7th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A blood feud between two tribes was settled by a Jirga that decided to hand over as many as 13 young girls to settle the dispute.… Read the rest
Violence against women in Pakistan
Nov 3rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
As many as 2,713 cases of violence against women have been reported in southern Punjab since January 2012, a research by the Awaz Foundation Centre for Development states.… Read the rest
Neighbors quarrel, girl is decapitated
Nov 3rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
3 boys went next door and cut the head off Farkhana, age 17.… Read the rest
Egypt: Salafi thugs assault people for “insulting Islam”
Nov 2nd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
By which they mean anything they dislike.… Read the rest
Launch of the Council of Muslims Facing Tomorrow
Nov 2nd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Journalist and activist Raheel Raza founded MFT to amplify the liberal Muslim voice.… Read the rest
Kashmir: parents kill daughter by dousing her with acid
Nov 1st, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She was 15. They saw her talking to a boy. The father beat her up, and both parents poured acid over her.… Read the rest
Egypt: oh noes, a blasphemous film
Nov 1st, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There’s this scene with a belly dancer, see, and the music is a song that mentions Fatima. Blasphemy!… Read the rest
Honda releases a car “for women only”
Oct 31st, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s pink.… Read the rest
Samira Shackle talks to Mukhtar Mai
Oct 31st, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“As long as I live, I will keep fighting for the rights of women. Rape and cruelty happens everywhere, but here there is no justice for women when they fight.”… Read the rest
Poland: bible-tearer may have acquittal overturned
Oct 30th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Tearing up a bible at a rock concert is “the crime of offending religious sensibilities.”… Read the rest
Broadcast journalist’s open letter to Dear Mr Misogynist
Oct 30th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
”There’s a reason why you don’t hear women on commercial talkback radio,” he said. ”No one wants to hear the whiny sound of a female voice. Us blokes get enough nagging at home!”… Read the rest
Kunwar Khuldune Shahid on blaming the ideology, part 2
Oct 30th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Women were ordered to be killed for conspiring against the religion by their ideological predecessors, so is it entirely the Taliban’s fault for following precedent?… Read the rest
Turkish police fire tear gas at secularist march
Oct 30th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Thousands of secularists protested at a banned rally in Ankara against what they see as an increasingly authoritarian and Islamist government.… Read the rest
Here comes the hurricane theodicy
Oct 30th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Israel. Teh gaze. Abortion. Hard Left Fascism. Teh gaze. Don’t forget teh gaze.… Read the rest
Carl Zimmer in praise of the big old mess of science
Oct 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
When you find yourself captivated by someone talking to you about science in a way that makes you feel everything’s wonderfully simple, go look for the big old mess.… Read the rest
India: a rape, Dalits, silence, intimidation
Oct 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Higher-caste men gang-raped a Dalit girl, took pictures and passed them around. Her father saw them and killed himself.… Read the rest
A fragmented approach to eliminating violence against women
Oct 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
As politicians squabble about sexism in modern Australia, action on violence against women must be more visible and better-coordinated.… Read the rest
