On the Sexualisation of Women in Fiction

Posted by Jenni



Before I begin this post in earnest, I would like to draw your attention over here (warning: possibly NSFW (lots of drawings of women in not very much clothing at all): http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/22/starfire-catwoman-sex-superheroine/#ixzz1YifXb88y

Whilst, yes, it’s another post about comics (I just really like comics…) but it’s one of the clearest examples I’ve seen discussing the problems of sexualising women characters. If you don’t have time to read it (though I highly suggest you do!) skimming the pictures will help, since I will refer to the characters as examples throughout. The main thing I want to discuss in this post is simple – the difference between a woman acting in a sexual manner, and a writer/reader sexualising a woman problematically, and how this then plays into ‘real life’.

Just for those of you who might not be able to see the pictures, some quick descriptions of the type of image can be found at the bottom of this post.

Academic roundup

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Information that may be of interest to students and academics in the fields of gender and sexuality.

Links round up

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

It's that time again. Enjoy our links, and as always, feel free to add your own! Shameless self-promotion is allowed, as long as your site is vaguely relevant to our interests.


Oxfordshire Reclaim the Night is this Friday: Facebook event

Welsh Women's Aid has recently launched a new website to promote events and campaigns taking place in Wales during the 16 Days of Activisim Against Gender Violence (25th November - 10th December): www.16dayswales.org.uk

Fawcett have called a day of action against the government's approach to cutting the deficit.

Awesome poster campaign from the University of Ohio raising awareness about the crapness of racist/appropriative party costumes: http://newwavefeminism.tumblr.com/post/11749947820/im-glad-everyone-likes-our-poster-campaign

[Triggers for rape culture, objectification and general creepiness]
Who says the Galatea myth is dead? The obnoxiously twee Olly Murs introduces a new generation to the joys of doll-like women who never answer back in his new music video.

A brilliant post about privilege within activist groups: Occupations, safe spaces and the privilege-denying left

It's Asexual Awareness Week!

Dancing for the Eyes of Men (triggers for rape culture)

Posted by Annalytica

I wrote "Eyes of Men" to explore the conflict between being a feminist and being sexually attracted to women, in a culture where attraction to women is represented as something which is only experienced by men, and which almost always involves some degree of objectification.

The song is about becoming aware that the way I look at women is shaped by the way I see men looking at women, and the by way male perspectives on women are represented in fiction and the media. When objectification is frequently represented as an intrinsic part of sexual attraction, it is difficult to reconcile attraction with respect. As a queer feminist woman, this is an issue I struggle with, and one I wanted to explore. In the fight against the kyriarchy I believe it is important to examine the ways in which we internalise oppressive attitudes and ways of relating to others, and to become aware of how we are each complicit in perpetuating oppression. For me, exploring  how I personally have internalised objectifying ways of looking at women is part of the process of challenging the culture of objectification.

Don't be "That Guy"

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

If you're in Dublin and you're either a trans* ally wanting to learn how to support trans* people, or a trans* person wanting to share your experiences with allies, come to this event:



Don't be "That Guy": How to be a good trans ally

When:  Sunday, October 23 · 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Where:  Exchange Dublin, Exchange St. Upper,
Facebook event

Links roundup

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Welcome to the weekly Lashings links round up! Feel free to add your own links in the comments, with a brief description and trigger warnings if appropriate.



Documentary about people born with ambiguous biological sex. This is only available online until the end of Tuesday 18th.

Linda Holmes at NPR: Congratulations, Television! You Are Even Worse At Masculinity Than You Are At Femininity -- this is a classic example of making an argument that patriarchy hurts men too, and making it in the appropriate place at the appropriate time.

I cannot help asking, even more than I usually do when I watch scripted comedies: Where, on television, are the men who both like football and remember birthdays? Where are the men who can have a highly insightful drink-and-talk with friends? Where are the men who are great dads, great husbands, great boyfriends?... Where are, in short, all the men I rely on in my day-to-day life?

Charlotte Cooper on synchronised swimming while fat.

Lashings show: 22nd October, EOCC, 7-11pm

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Just a reminder......if you're anywhere near Oxford next Saturday 22nd October, come to the East Oxford Community Centre at 7pm and see our show!



If you're not able to get to Oxford but know people who are, please tell them about it. It's going to be AWESOME.

That is all.

Queer Studies Circle - This Saturday 15th

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Queer Studies Circle is a discussion group that meets once a fortnight during Oxford University term time. They have a facebook page here. This Saturday they are starting the term with the topic "What is Queer?" Here's what they have to say:


TOPIC: What is QUEER?
TIME: 8pm, Sat 15th October
PLACE: Lecture Room A, Magdalen College
DIRECTIONS: Enter Magdalen through the Porters' Lodge, then go through the archway on the left, and it's the first door on the left

Feminism is not a club you join

Posted by Sebastienne





Recently, feminists on Twitter have been carrying out a #DiversityAudit on the representation of women in British TV and radio, with a particular focus on comedy panel shows.

It has, perhaps not unexpectedly, revealed that TV and radio panel shows have a rather strong bias towards the representation of one particular gender - and it's not women! Thefword have published an overview of the findings - with the most representative of shows just nudging 1 in 3 female guests, and Mock The Week just about managing 1 in 7. And lest you think these figures aren't too saddening, take note - they refer only to guests on the shows. When you take into account regulars, like hosts and team captains, no show manages more than 17% women. That's 1 in 6.

Lesbian History meetings

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

The Oxford Lesbian History group meets in the Castle Tavern at 8pm on the last Tuesday of each month. They have a Facebook group at Oxford Lesbian History Group. Their upcoming talks are as follows:

Tuesday 25 October - Talk on Mary Benson (the wife of a 19th century Archbishop of Canterbury who left diaries full of her love for other women).

 Tuesday 22 November - Talk on Jane Addams (Nobel Peace Prize winner)

 Tuesday 13 December - Christmas Quiz

 Tuesday 24 January - Talk on women's diaries and letters - the practical and interpretative challenges of working with them

Links roundup

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Welcome to the weekly Lashings links round up! Feel free to add your own links in the comments, with a brief description and trigger warnings if appropriate.



A muslim in the TARDIS! Woodturtle's analysis is sharp and spot-on, and I (Galatea) would like to add several million +1s to it.

... Imagine my absolute fan girl surprise when they introduced a Muslim character into a recent episode, “The God Complex.” For a few brief moments my heart soared with excitement at the very thought that there would be a Muslim in the TARDIS.
And then they promptly killed her off.

Philippa Willetts at The F Word discusses the stigmatisation of anti-depressants in
It's World Mental Health Day, so stop stigmatising my pills.

It's also National Coming Out day in the US.

So, we seem to be doing a lot of Dr Who links these days, but if they're all as awesome as this one I'm sure you won't mind. Tamsin Grieg and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Doctor and the Master

The typical visitor

Posted by Annalytica

Description of image:
The picture above is a screenshot from the admin pages of this website. The text reads:

Lashings of Ginger Beer Blog. Stats > Traffic Sources
4 Oct 2011 20:00 - 11 Oct 2011 19:00

Search Keywords
nala sex eyes 5
lion king nala sex look 3
nala lion king seductive look 3
nala sexy eyes the lion king 3
lion king nala sexy pose 2
lion king simba and nala sex 2
nala sex scene 2
nala's sex look 2
the lion king nala sex look 2
being bi and poly 1


I am well aware that by posting this I am probably increasing that kind of traffic, but I couldn't resist.

Public meeting: Women carrying Cameron’s cuts

Posted by Annalytica

Oxford Labour Party Women's Group have organised a public meeting on women and cuts.



Speakers:  
Fiona Mactaggart MP,   Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
Sarah Hutchinson, Oxfordshire County Councillor and researcher
Caroline Raine, Unison organiser and local anti-cuts activist

Venue:
Oxford Town Hall, With wheelchair access.


Date:
Thursday 10 th November, 2011 7.30pm.

Themes:
income, employment and promotion, job losses, balancing work and family, pensions, care of yourself, your elderly relatives, your disabled children, part time study, children’s development, your retirement

On feminism and submission [sexual assault triggers, possibly NSFW]

Posted by Goblin

I’m a feminist. Which is to say, I believe passionately in equality regardless of pretty much anything, and am frequently and uncomfortably outspoken about the numerous instances of misogyny, oppression, and sheer bloody impoliteness contemporary society all too often throws at us. Occasionally I have hour-long arguments with anyone from friends to virtual strangers because they tossed some casually gender-essentialist remark over their shoulders.
(Admittedly, I also have precisely no smalltalk, so almost any conversation with anyone is likely to head into more-or-less sociopolitical territory fairly early on, but I remain unconvinced this is entirely a bad thing.) I would fight for any human being’s right to opportunity, expression, ambition and fulfilment regardless of gender, race, sexuality, religious affiliation, or geographical situation (yes, this does get exhausting) and tend to find the deliberate abuse – or even exercise – of power in everyday life, particularly when this interacts negatively with various axes of privilege, pretty repellent, actually. Before I start enumerating my sexual proclivities in unwelcome detail, for ideological reasons which will hopefully become apparent, it's worth pointing out that I tend to fancy geeks, of any gender – people who have enough intelligence and individuality to question or bypass socially determined templates for success. FTR, in particular, anybody projecting the trappings of aggressive macho-linity leaves me completely cold.

Lashings show coming up!

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Lashings of Ginger Beer are very proud to be performing as part of the Oxford International Women's Festival Fringe. The Fringe Festival takes place over the weekend Fri 21st - Sun 23rd October.


We've got an epic setlist lined up for you, and some very exciting new support acts.

You can find out more about all the other awesome events taking place over the weekend here

Looking forward to seeing you lovely people there!


When: Saturday 22nd October, 7pm - 11pm

Where: East Oxford Community Centre, 44b Princes Street, Oxford OX4 1HU

Cost: £5

Accessibility: The venue has a gentle ramp up to the entrance. There are accessible toilets.
There will be plenty of seating. Please let us know if you have any particular accessibility needs - email feministburlesque@gmail.com

Links roundup

Posted by Lashings of Ginger Beer

Welcome to the weekly Lashings links round up! Feel free to add your own links in the comments, with a brief description and trigger warnings if appropriate.



Campaign action this weekend: UK Uncut are organising a protest against the Health and Social Care bill, on Westminster Bridge this Sunday. Help stop the privatisation of the NHS.


An interesting and thoughtful take on misogyny and bulling in geek culture at geekfeminism.org. Do read the comments!

When I read Bereznak’s original post, I didn’t just see an insult to geeks. I also saw a hell of a lot of gender policing. What is “mothers warn your daughters” supposed to mean to me, whose mother bought me my first Magic cards?...She wasn’t just insulting geeks, and the trolls who’ve harassed her aren’t just insulting women. They’ve both insulted women geeks, and we’re once again caught in the middle of a fight between two bureaus of gender police.

Christine 'The Princess' Smith, R.J. 'Riot Nrrd' Edwards and Samuel 'Rooster Tails' Orchard, three of Lashings' favourite webcomic artists, have formed an international anti-kyriarchy comics collective! Nerdy, queer, transpositive fun for all at The Unfactory!

Edited to add an extra link, because this one's really good:

Heroes, bumblers, abandoners, and patriarchs: Fatherhood on Doctor Who