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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


The battle against sexist sci-fi and fantasy book covers *

Jan 18th, 2013 | Filed by

Many science fiction and fantasy readers are disappointed to encounter everyday sexism in a medium that is supposed to offer an escape.… Read the rest



Acid attack on Bolshoi artistic director *

Jan 18th, 2013 | Filed by

Sergei Filin had already received numerous phone threats, and his email and Facebook accounts had been hacked.… Read the rest



Another gang rape on a bus in India *

Jan 17th, 2013 | Filed by

The bus driver and his helper took the woman to an undisclosed address where five others joined the two men and raped her throughout the night, police said.… Read the rest



Obama unveils gun control proposals *

Jan 17th, 2013 | Filed by

He signed 23 unilateral orders, including an end to a ban on gun-violence research by the CDC.… Read the rest



Islamists flee Timbuktu *

Jan 17th, 2013 | Filed by

The people of Timbuktu are overjoyed. “Today everyone can do as they please. We would like the French to come to Timbuktu.”… Read the rest



Selective abortion of girls taking place in the UK *

Jan 12th, 2013 | Filed by

Officials have found signs that birth rates for girls and boys vary noticeably according to where their mothers were born.… Read the rest



Pakistan: 10 years in jail for misquoting a Hadith *

Jan 11th, 2013 | Filed by

The accused was acquitted of blaspheming the prophet, but imprisoned for ten years and fined Rs200,000 for outraging religious feelings.… Read the rest



Delhi rape victim’s friend gives his account *

Jan 4th, 2013 | Filed by

“We tried to resist them. Even my friend fought with them, she tried to save me,” he said.… Read the rest



The rapes that India forgot *

Jan 4th, 2013 | Filed by

On most days, Indian newspapers report atrocities – a 10-month-old raped by a neighbour in Delhi; an 18-month-old raped and abandoned on the streets in Calcutta…… Read the rest



Malala has left the hospital *

Jan 4th, 2013 | Filed by

She will continue to receive treatment as an outpatient.… Read the rest



Jesus and Mo discuss sex and hedonism *

Jan 3rd, 2013 | Filed by

Hedonism is wrong. Wrong wrong wrongity wrong.… Read the rest



Abortion website hacker caught *

Dec 30th, 2012 | Filed by

A hacker broke into the website of Britain’s biggest abortion provider because he “disagreed” with the decisions of two women he knew over their pregnancy terminations.… Read the rest



The year it became okay to blame victims of sexual assault *

Dec 29th, 2012 | Filed by

Reddit has entire categories dedicated to “raping women”, “hot rape stories”, and “choke a bitch”.… Read the rest



The progress of Nirmukta *

Dec 29th, 2012 | Filed by

Nirmukta has successfully brought together a diverse group of people from all over the world who share our passion for promoting Science and Humanism.… Read the rest



India: rape victim kills herself *

Dec 28th, 2012 | Filed by

An 18-year-old girl who was gang-raped last month committed suicide after a police officer pressed her to drop the case and marry one of her attackers.… Read the rest



Uganda: gay rights group office vandalized *

Dec 28th, 2012 | Filed by

The office of the Sexual Minorities of Uganda (SMUG) has been vandalized and robbed, potentially putting gay Ugandans at risk.… Read the rest



Delhi gang rape victim dies *

Dec 28th, 2012 | Filed by

She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain.… Read the rest



Iowa Supreme Court: ok to fire a woman for being too hot *

Dec 23rd, 2012 | Filed by

Hey it’s better than putting her in a burqa, right?… Read the rest



Timbuktu: Islamists destroying remaining mausoleums *

Dec 23rd, 2012 | Filed by

“Allah doesn’t like it,” said Abou Dardar of Ansar Dine. “We are in the process of smashing all the hidden mausoleums in the area.”… Read the rest



Pakistan: polio campaign will go on despite murders *

Dec 21st, 2012 | Filed by

The CIA may have used a vaccination programme (though not of polio) to find bin Laden, but polio still needs to be eradicated.… Read the rest