The sexist pro-DSK comments have mostly been made by left-wing politicians and commentators who would normally position themselves as feminists.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Let Us Now Excuse Famous Men: Schwarzenegger, Strauss-Kahn and Male Entitlement
May 23rd, 2011 | By Phil MoléWe recently learned that former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who recently separated from his wife Maria Shriver, fathered a son thirteen years ago with another woman. Worse, the mother of this child was the family’s trusted housekeeper for 20 years, and Schwarzenegger did not tell Shriver about the infidelity or the child until earlier this year. We also saw the initiation of sexual assault charges this week against French politician, economist and International Monetary Fund (IMF) director Dominique Strauss-Kahn. According to police reports, Strauss-Kahn came out of the bathroom of a New York hotel room naked while a female housekeeper was cleaning the room, chased her through the hotel room, cornered her, and forced her to perform oral sex on … Read the rest
The barmaid explains about promiscuous teleology 
May 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Children see supernatural agency everywhere, then they grow out of it. Or not.… Read the rest
Catholic cardinal gives advice on ending child rape
May 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No really, he does. “We have lots of experience,” he says, “so we’re best placed to tell you what to do.”… Read the rest
Osez le féminisme on the Paris demonstration [French]
May 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We’ve waited enough. We don’t want declarations of intention, we want action to end sexism and inequality in our society.… Read the rest
Enfin, French women are getting pissed off
May 23rd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Journalist Jean-François Kahn said he was “practically certain” that what happened was not an attempted rape, but “an imprudence…the skirt-lifting of a domestic”.… Read the rest
Aboveground
May 22nd, 2011 6:08 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe How the Light Gets In festival invited Anjem Choudary to talk. That’s an odd choice – he’s a reactionary Islamist. Why invite him? The festival wouldn’t invite a Hitler, presumably, so why invite Choudary?
… Read the restFestival director Hilary Lawson said pushing unpopular views underground is “irresponsible and dangerous”. She said: “Choudary will take part in two debates. The first, When Women Rule The World, asks what would a world where women were dominant be like, and what will happen to masculinity in a modern, matriarchal society? Choudary will be up against Oxford evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar and feminist journalist Julie Bindel. In States Of Emergency, he will consider whether terror is a new tool of war with revolutionary philosopher Ted
Anjem Choudary says invitation to Hay is off
May 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The “How the light gets in” Hay festival has informed him that due to security advice the invitation has been withdrawn.… Read the rest
The revival of bigotry
May 22nd, 2011 5:25 pm | By Ophelia BensonGuest post by John Stuart Mill.
On Liberty, Chapter II: Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion
What is boasted of at the present time as the revival of religion, is always, in narrow and uncultivated minds, at least as much the revival of bigotry; and where there is the strong permanent leaven of intolerance in the feelings of a people, which at all times abides in the middle classes of this country, it needs but little to provoke them into actively persecuting those whom they have never ceased to think proper objects of persecution. 5 For it is this—it is the opinions men entertain, and the feelings they cherish, respecting those who disown the beliefs they … Read the rest
Anjem Choudary to speak at “How the Light Gets In”
May 22nd, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson
Festival director Hilary Lawson said pushing unpopular views underground is “irresponsible and dangerous”.… Read the rest
No rapture surprise and puzzlement
May 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No sign of Harold Camping.… Read the rest
Renewal
May 22nd, 2011 11:35 am | By Ophelia BensonWell now let’s see. Making women wear bags over their heads is a foible of Islam’s, and Islam=Muslims, and Muslims are mostly non-white, so making women wear bags over their heads must be somehow egalitarian and about justice and postcolonial and generally right on. Korrekt? You bet. Especially if it’s Leila Ahmed of the Harvard Divinity School – oh what a blissful combination! Leila! Ahmed! Harvard! Divinity School! – who has written a book about the subject.
… Read the restBy the 1970s, disillusioned students and professionals were turning to an activist Islam – Islamism – that promised social, moral and political renewal. Observing strict dress became one means of displaying egalitarian principles and conveying the wearer’s strength and authority. From a
The Observer on Leila Ahmed on hijab
May 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Observing strict dress became one means of displaying egalitarian principles and conveying the wearer’s strength and authority.” Srsly?… Read the rest
Telegraph spots more persecution of Christianity
May 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The General Medical Council reprimanded a GP for pushing his religion on patients. Telegraph says they could always just ask him to stop.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on libel law v free flow of information
May 22nd, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It is not as if the judges had to intervene to protect the public from information overload on the banking collapse.… Read the rest
Teacher pulled from class for some goddy reason
May 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There was this song about god, and the teacher said explain your thinking a little more, and we can’t have that.… Read the rest
India: mob blinds “witch” with scissors
May 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Eleven people stormed into a residence and assaulted a woman they accused of witchcraft, blinding her and her father by stabbing them in the eyes with scissors.… Read the rest
Out of the basket
May 21st, 2011 10:51 am | By Ophelia BensonSuch a pity about Jim Wallis and Sojourners (if you like that sort of thing, at least).
But the rejection of so mild a political message, by a magazine whose editor has laboured mightily to establish himself as the face of the religious left, has sparked recrimination and soul searching among progressive people of faith in the US.
Maybe that’s because “progressive people of faith” care way too much about unity and cohesion and community among progressive people of faith and not nearly enough about free inquiry and principle and substantive issues and dissent. We ornery disputatious gnu atheists are the opposite. We’ll be a community of one if that’s what it takes.
Seriously, “progressive people of faith” do seem … Read the rest
Tahmima Anam visits some madrasas for girls
May 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Rabeya and Ayesha are at the mission because they are poor; it is the only place where they are sure to be safe from hunger, abandonment, predators.… Read the rest
LGBT rights row undermines Jim Wallis
May 21st, 2011 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His detractors believe that his is largely a ministry based on media attention, painting him as a skilful straddler and self-promoter.… Read the rest
