Archive for the “Published” category
Equality begins at home: bringing feminism and parenting together
by Rachel Bell on December 21, 2010
With the Pink Stinks campaign calling for positive role models for girls and Mumsnet’s Let Girls Be Girls campaign demanding an end to products that sexualize children, awareness of damaging and limiting stereotypes is reaching parents way beyond feminist circles. Group Blogs such as mothersforwomenslib.com are bringing feminism and parenting together while this year’s Feminism in London conference saw a Feminist Parenting workshop, How To Break The Stereotypes at Home for the first time, as well as a workshop for teenagers, Dealing with Pressure, inviting 12-18 year olds to voice their feelings around media imagery. So why the need now? And what do these parents want to do differently?
I was seen as an object, not a person
by Rachel Bell on March 19, 2008
Human rights group, Object, are among those calling for a review of the 2003 Licensing Act, which has allowed strip and lapdancing clubs to be licensed in the same way as a pub or café. Rachel Bell talks to a former lap-dancer about her experience, and why she supports a change in the law.
‘I’m no sad victim, I’ve seen and survived the darkest side of life’
by Rachel Bell on March 10, 2008
A groundbreaking new scheme is helping women who’ve experienced sexual violence by pairing them up with a volunteer with similar experiences. Rachel Bell finds out how the Amina scheme isn’t just giving women a chance to get their power back, it’s turning their perceived ‘victim’ status on its head.
Equal play for women
by Rachel Bell on April 6, 2007
With a male-centric mainstream and so-called ‘alternative’ culture giving limited space to female creativity, worldwide DIY festival, Ladyfest – where all bands are totally female or female fronted – parties on underground. Rachel Bell talks to some of the hugely talented women who will create, network and rock at upcoming Ladyfest Leeds.
Sexualisation damages boys as well as girls
by Rachel Bell on February 22, 2007
It’s official: sexualisation harms girls. Of course it does. It harms all of us. It doesn’t just make girls ill, it harms boys too, teaching them to be sexually violent.
University challenge
by Rachel Bell on February 9, 2007
With the sex industry now targeting students, more and more young women are taking a stand against lads’ mags and lap-dancing clubs. Rachel Bell reports.
Love in the time of phone porn
by Rachel Bell on January 30, 2007
With sex education failing to teach young people about relationships, pornography – on mobiles, online and in magazines – is increasingly filling the gap. Rachel Bell reports.
Students move into pole position
by Rachel Bell on January 8, 2007
While many students embrace raunch culture, a growing number are refusing to accept sexism on campus says Rachel Bell.
Objecting to lads’ mags
by Rachel Bell on October 1, 2006
The so-called lads’ mags that have sprung up over the past few years aren’t only sexually explicit, they are contemptuous of women and therefore harmful argues Rachel Bell. But reactions to MP Claire Curtis Thomas’ bill to have them classed as pornography and put on the top shelf have been frustratingly predicatable. She calls for more understanding of the movement and women’s voices behind the MP.