Monday 1 October 2012

Picture In My Download Folder

Ok, I'm off being stupid at university right now so I'm posting less.  However, I found this picture in my downloads folder that I'd like to post here.  Quite adept I feel.

Saturday 18 August 2012

It's Hard To Be A Female Gamer

Just recently I've come out to my friends and family as a Gamer.  Being a Gamer is something I've always been, something they've always known, but we never acknowledged it officially.  But after my most recent love affair, The Legend of Zelda, it has become obvious that this is more than a phase like we originally thought. I've finally dumped The Sims franchise after an eight year relationship and began playing other games.  The break-up was tougher on The Sims than it was on me, after all I have recently I've realised that our political aspirations don't match up and I'm fed up being a home-maker all day long whilst my creations get to go out and experience a digital world. 

Which leaves me wondering what games are out there that I am prepared to play; a recent experiment with Red Dead Revolver and Tekken 5 tell me that I do not appreciate out-moded "masculine" formulas, whereas my experience with The Sims  leaves me suspicious of anything seemingly friendly to female players.  Why do video games have to be designed with either gender as the perceived audience of the game?  I think that is why I enjoy The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess so much; the protagonist, Link, is male but his game companion is female, Midna.  Midna is pretty powerful in her own right and has the ability to conjure a Dark Energy Field to dispatch some pretty nasty enemies.  Not to mention the Princess Zelda holds the Triforce of Wisdom and is shown as being willing to defend her Kingdom by force with her own sword (sure, she surrendered, but that was after she saw defeat was inevitable).  Poke'mon is another nice-and-gender neutral game; in some of the games you can pick the sex of the avatar and in all games there are equal amounts of female rival trainers of all difficulty levels.  

Why can't there be more of these games out there?  Games that don't need big explosions, typically male-centred story lines or highly sexualised women to make them worth playing?  Why don't Game Developers not release that the best way of tapping into the female game playing market isn't to develop games like Animal Crossing or Mama's Kitchen but to provide more gender-neutral gamesAy, ay, ay.  

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Thoughts and Feelings

I have just finished Female Chauvinist Pigs; in a previous post I stated that I was conflicted about Ariel Levy's writing.  I'm still a little bit confused as to where I stand with Levy, but I've come to more of an understanding.  At first I thought her prudish, but in the chapter entitled Pigs in Training, I saw that she isn't; rather than teaching teenagers to practise abstinence they should be taught about how to achieve pleasurable sexual relationships and how to obtain contraception.  

Female Chauvinist Pigs reads like a piece of journalism, not surprising considering Levy's credentials as contributing editor of New York Magazine; most of her information comes from interviews and personal experiences rather than from studies or surveys (although these do appear from time to time).  Sometimes I feel that Levy is making huge leaps between arguments whereas at others that she is being perfectly coherent.  Her book explores the effect of Raunch Culture in America as well as its proliferation.  She does make some pretty good points about how women feel the need to "be like a man" in order to succeed and this shouldn't be a societal expectation.  However, her chapter on "Womyn  and Bois" looks at LGBT a little bit too simplistically for my liking; the impression that I got from her discussion of female-to-male transgenders is that she feels that they are women hoping to adopt a male gender role by escaping the female role.  Firstly, I thought there shouldn't be a gender role to escape.  Secondly, I think the issue is a little bit more complex than a simple women "trying to be like a man" because men are seen as somehow superior.  If that were there the case why are there male-to-female transgenders at all?  

I'm going to keep my copy, but I don't consider this book essential reading to aspiring feminists in the same way as the Feminine Mystique (which I still have yet to finish) or The Female Eunuch is.   And on a final note, does anyone have any book suggestions for me?

Over and Out,
Faye Stone
xxx

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Wigtown: Scotland's National Book Town

At the moment I am currently vacationing in Scotland near Wigtown, the Scotish National Book Store.  Needless to say I splashed out on a couple, well actually half a dozen, pre-loved books.  Half of my newly-acquired books are going straight on my Summer Feminist Reading list, including Rowbotham's Woman's Consciousness, Man's World, Beauvoir's The Second Sex and finally Coward's Female Desire.  I've not done any research prior to buying, unlike my recent Internet purchases, so I am not sure what to expect from these books.  If anyone has read of these please feel free to enlighten me as what I can expect from them by leaving a comment on this post.

I was particularly expressed by the book selection on sexuality in Readinglasses, which advertises itself on being "the only specialist women's bookshop left in the UK".  Combined bookshop and Cafe'.  That is where I picked up Female Desire for a mere £2.50.  If you are ever in the area, I would recommend a visit to Readinglasses in Wigtown.  I only stopped for the books, not for the food, so I cannot honestly comment on their cooking or coffee but it is well worth a visit.  

At the moment I think it is time to sit down in a cozy chair and start reading.  I've got enough to read, after all.

Over and out, 
Faye Stone
Xxx

Monday 23 July 2012

High Street Feminism

Today I saw an interesting charity stall in Coopers Square, Burton-on-Trent.  Normally I avoid fund-raisers in the street like the plague; Birmingham City Centre is full of charity employees giving passers-by the hard-sell and I've learnt to avoid eye contact at all costs. My form of philanthropy is to volunteer for organisations or frequent charity shops.  With a bit of anticipation and mental preparation I approached a young, friendly looking woman to ask about how I could get involved in her organisation's campaign.


What was it about this particular campaign that caught my attention?  The campaign was called Because I Am A Girl and the posters displayed facts about the fate of young girls and women in other countries, with particular emphasis on child marriage.  After reflecting on what feminism means to me and assessing where I stand on current debates, I feel the need to actually contribute.  The young woman running the stall told me that across the world there are girls as young as five being forced or coerced into marriage with grown men.  The Human Rights Act states that the minimum age of marriage is 18 years old, or 16 with parental consent; these marriages of young girls are therefore violating the rights which are taken for granted in the UK.  

What is my plan to contribute to the Because I Am A Girl campaign?  I asked about volunteering for the campaign and was provided with the details for Plan UK.  For now, I have Taken the Vow and signed the petition to end early and forced marriage by applying political pressure to the UK's Secretary of State to work with other governments to end child marriage.  The aims of the campaign can be found on the website, including providing at least nine years of education to all girls and to protects the right of girls to the same extent as boys' rights.  For instance, sponsorship of the campaign is put towards the training of clerks across the world to record and issue birth certificates for baby girls as well as boys, so that it will be harder to marry girls before the age of 18.  

Please can you spare a few minutes to sign the e-petition and learn a bit more about this important campaign to find out how we can give young girls in other countries the same opportunities that we, our sisters, our mothers and our daughters have. It is only because of the geography of our births that this is not something that we struggle against ourselves.  

Over and Out,
Faye Stone
xxx

Saturday 21 July 2012

Derby Council Complaint Response

So, last week I wrote about the inappropriate Derby Olympic Torch Celebration; after publishing the post, I sent an email to Derby City Council.  Since then I have received three responses.  The first was a acknowledge of my email, then the "Contact Us" Department informing me that they are now forwarding my email to the Complaints Department.  Finally, the Complaints Department informed me that I had not gone through their official complaints procedure and that a formal investigation will need to occur.  This could take up to two weeks whilst the relevant departments are informed of my complaint and then a solution is found.


Will keep you posted,
Over and Out
Faye 
xxx 

Friday 20 July 2012

A Review of The Noughtie Girl's Guide to Feminism

In The Noughtie Girl's Guide to FeminismEllie Levenson expresses her opinions regarding a wide-range of topics, including reproductive rights, career progression and sexual violence.  


However, I can't help but feel that Levenson has cut herself short on some very interesting topics.  For instance, I can feel Levenson's passion emanating from her writing but I do feel that she is stifling this to discuss as many issue as possible.  The result is a book which feels more like a brief dictation as to what Feminism (wait, Levenson's Feminism) is really about.  I personally wanted to see more analysis of current perceptions of sexual violence and also more of Leveson's own thoughts about this subject.  There were too many topics for any to have justice done to its current debate.  Having said this, The Noughtie Girl's Guide is indeed a guide for the hitherto uninitiated reader.  If I look at it as an introductory text to allow others to develop an interest in Feminism, then this book is fabulous!  


The language is quite basic, but this is a deliberate effort on Levenson's part to make her book accessible to a younger generation of feminists.  I would have preferred The Noughtie Girl's Guide to Feminism to have contained a slightly more sophisticated vocabulary, but acknowledge that Levenson was attempting to appeal to as wide an audience as possible and not narrow herself to an academic readership.


Levenson references other current polemics in her writing, explaining how she came to formulate her opinions or the interactions between herself and these other writers.  She even quoted Germaine Greer upon occasion, so she clearly has done a lot of research even if the book is rather condensed overall.  The facts contained within were interesting and relevantly used to highlight as well as effectively support her many viewpoints.


Overall, I found this a delightful book and couldn't put it down.  However, I was left wanting to know more; more about the topics covered within and about Levenson's own views.  After a quick bit of on-line research, I was disappointed not to find any other books by Levenson.  This book would have been a great foot-in-the-door to further writing in the same vein where her topics are even further analysed. 

Sunday 15 July 2012

Derby Olympic Torch Celebration Hosts Inappropriate Children's Choreography

Today I was going clearing my SD Card on my camera for my upcoming camping trip when I found some footage that I'd taken at the recent Olympic Torch Celebrations in Derby; there was a child dance group who were dancing to songs such as Sexy and I Know It and Moves Like Jagger.  

When I saw these children, who look between the ages of five to eight, dancing to LMAFO's club hit my jaw dropped.  I wasn't the only one; the friends I were with mirrored my complete shock.  For years I've been reading or hearing about the apparent "sexualisation" of children but treated this with suspicion.  After all, I remember wanting to appear more like an adult or teenager when I was a child.  Yet, when I took this footage I remember feeling that this was definitely a step too far! 


However, I was in for a even more shocking surprise when the music changed to Maroon 5's recent hit Moves Like Jagger; the children proceeded to straddle each other suggestively on floor and then slide their bodies together!  I was appalled!  Surely the choreographer of the children's group would have realised the implications behind this before broadcasting this as part of the Olympic Celebrations?  And why didn't the council politely ask the choreographer to change certain elements of the routine?  


I think now I am beginning to understand Levy in Female Chauvinist Pigs.  This is clear evidence of the introduction of children into Raunch Culture, and I wouldn't want my nephews or niece or be a part of a group like this.  This type of music is quite clearly sexual, something which I doubt the children were able to understand in its entirety.  What does it say about our culture when this type of sexualisation of children occurs right in the open, in a highly publicised event?  Maybe it's time we had a good long look at ourselves and the music we pipe down the radio into our children's ears.  That's not to say that this type of music is inherently bad, I rather enjoy both of these songs myself, but I'm not sure anyone is paying attention to the effect it is having on children.  

The rest of the celebration wasn't a completed wash-out, my friends and myself had front-row view of the Olympic Torch as it passed us on Full Street Derby and we finished off the night in the local Book Cafe' listening to some live music; the evening entertainment arranged by the Council was three women dancing on stage to Brazilian music... in bras and thongs.  


Over and Out,
Faye Stone 
xxx

Saturday 14 July 2012

Female Chauvinist Pigs?

I've just started reading Ariel Levy's Female Chauvinist Pigs; this might be something that I need to reread several times just to form a solid opinion on her writing.  At least when I was reading Greer or Levenson I knew as I was reading what I identified with and what I rejected.  With Levy I'm torn.  On one hand, I agree that (some) women are demeaning their selves and flaunting themselves as objects; I've lived in Birmingham for two years and been to the party scene, witnessed this degradation and even borne the brunt of it myself when two men decided to push their luck with my boundaries.  I've always been morally against Playboy and Hugh Hefner, even when as a teenager most of my friends had pencil casing sporting the Bunny Logo.  However, there is something in the writing style of Levy that baffles me.  Hopefully I'll understand why there is a niggling feeling inside of me that says, Something is not quite right with this book.  


Keep your eyes on this space for more of my thoughts of Female Chauvinist Pigs.  

Over and Out,
Faye Stone
xxx

Friday 13 July 2012

Maternity and Paternity Leave

I've been reading more of The Noughtie Girl's Guide to Feminism by Ellie Levenson and have come across the topic of parental leave.  I never knew that I had an opinion on this topic until recently when I was discussing my expectations for parental leave with my partner.  I personally don't feel, like Levenson, that women should be expected to take more parental leave than men; granted having a baby is physically exhausting and this needs to be taken into consideration when calculating parental leave, but I do think that both parents should be entitled between them to take a year off from work.  At the moment (as far as I am aware) men are only entitled to two weeks leave, whereas a woman can take six weeks at 90% of their earnings and then another 36 weeks with some sort of pay.  Their job is secured for them if they return within a year after their babies birth.  


In my ideal world, I'd prefer have enough time to recover physically and then share days off with my partner.  Maybe I'd work Monday and Tuesday with at home, both of us have Wednesday as a family day or use childcare provision and then him spend Thursday and Friday with the baby whilst I work.  Maybe, given my own ambitions and my partners, we will be able to achieve this.  Maybe we won't.  


I must say, though, that I am heartened to see that Parental Leave (available for thirteen weeks a year, until the child is up to the age of five) is applicable to both parents.  How disheartening would it be to put my career on hold whilst I watch my partner continue to progress; I've never considered myself as a career woman but recent experiences at my work experience placement have left me with a thirst for more.  And I'm sure that my partner wouldn't want to miss out on experiencing important moments, like discovering their first favourite foods or watching our child develop from independent baby to fully-fledged individual.  


Finally, I know that I won't have to worry about this for a loo-ooo-oong time (after all, I'm a young woman in my final year of university who  aspires to start her career next year) but it doesn't hurt to start pondering now, does it?  Besides, it means that should an opportunity present itself where I can apply some political pressure to change this situation occur, I can grasp it with both hands already secure in the knowledge of my own opinion.


What are your thoughts and opinions on this topic?  Feel free to comment!


Over and Out,
Faye

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Another Trip to the Library

Another trip to the Library today and checked out a copy of The Noughtie Girl's Guide to Feminism.  I sat down in a local cafe' to read the introduction and was blown away.  I was struck by the writing style that Leveson used when writing The Noughties Girl's Guide; she spoke with perfect common sense and does not over-complicate her ideas.  This is a perfect book for the modern reader.  It outlines issues affecting both men and women in the 2000's and I'm already on chapter three.  Keeps your eyes on this space for my official verdict.

Friday 29 June 2012

Romance and Love

Recently I have been reading Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch.  She has some interesting ideas on Love; genuine love can only occur between equals.  This I recognise and agree with it to a point; for a relationship to work there needs to be a basis of mutual respect and understanding, not adoration, obsession or pity.  One partner cannot feel superior or inferior to the other, it would undermine their entire romantic relationship.  


However, Greer expands upon this by saying: 
"If a person loves only one other person, and is indifferent to the rest of his fellow man, his love is not love but a symbiotic attachment, or an enlarged egotism."
This  is where I begin to deviate from Greer; Helen Fisher believes that humans have evolved to develop long-term romantic relationships.  She came to this conclusion after studying brain scans of individuals in varying levels of love, some recently heartbroken and some married for quite significant portions of their life.  Fisher found that the love is a chemical reaction in the brain similar to that of taking drugs.  One could argue that this proves objectively the existence of love, but that would be another point entirely.  


My own opinion is romance does not mean that a woman, or indeed a man, has to subordinate their own personal desires outside of the established relationship.  Commitment to another individual, or group if that is your thing, does not mean subjugation.  In some cases this will happen and it is up to the individual to assess if this the case and take measures to correct it.  Love will always be a risk, but it's a risk worth taking.  


Romance and heterosexual love do not spell out the end of emancipation of women at the hands of men; your partner, if they are your partner in the truest sense of the word, should be able to support you make your own way in the world.

Faye Stone

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Complacency

At University it seems that whenever I get passionate about an issue regarding women in some way, usually after my friends in Psychology or Counselling attend a lecture about are exposed to some angry revolutionary from the Second Wave, I am met with a disgusted, "Are you a feminist?"

Well, yes I am, thank-you very much.



What angers me in this situation is that no matter how calmly I express my point, using as much reason and restraint I can muster, the chauvinist merely smirks and cracks a joke about how a "woman's place" is in the kitchen.  Sometimes, when the man is completely lacking in the required creativity it takes to repeat a joke that someone else has has already told me too many times, he simply demands a sandwich.


I guess part of the problem is that, men and women, have been allowed to become complacent.  I see it all the time at university, students drifting about and using the three years it takes to obtain a degree as a buffer between adolescence and adulthood.  Some have absolutely no direction at all and merely attend university to escape their parents.  Others are truly inspiring individuals who cling to every opportunity presented to them because they need it to grow and develop into self-actualised human beings; but these are disappointingly a minority at my university.  University has become a time-consuming transaction to purchase access to the middle-classes.  This change in student's expectations has altered the type of education we therefore receive; it is changed into a hoop jumping exercise with learning objectives aimed at passing assessments rather than developing life skills.


Where are the mass student demonstrations that occurred in history?  After all, was it not students who began the Hungarian Revolt?  Was the White Rose group in Nazi Germany not a student organisation aimed at proliferating anti-Hitler propaganda?  I have known of only one student protest in my two years as a student, The Demo-lition.


It is this level of complacency that is allowing ignorance in both men and women to breed; If this is allowed to continue unchecked then what we will soon face is social regression.  Violations upon our rights will go uncontested, resulting in evermore disastrous infringements until nothing is left but the life that women have previously striven so hard to improve.  The Glass Ceiling Effect needs to be challenged, as do gender roles and the UK's Government Budget Cuts.  If we want changes we need to be prepared to make them happen.


My generation, like those before, needs to join the debate and start questioning the world around them.  Is this the world you want to live in?


Faye Stone

Friday 22 June 2012

My Feminism

The belief of many, or at least some of the “jokingly” chauvinist male or deluded females that I consort with, is that feminism is irrelevant.  I would argue that it is not.  I can sit in any high street coffee shop and observe the victims of the The Feminine Mystique or objectification.  I myself have tottered off to meetings in a pair of high heels which hamper my ability to walk and cause pain with every step.  Why?  Because I allowed myself to be seduced by the media’s representations of “successful” women and bullied into buying irresponsible shoes by a friend too meek to forge her own personality but strong enough to attempt to subdue mine. 

As a young woman who has grown up in during the Third Wave of Feminism it is easy to take for granted the opportunities I have.  After all, the protesters of the First and Second Waves engaged in the hard fight to secure the female right to vote, to pursue education and engage with our destinies.  I feel my generation has become complacent, all too ready to submit once more, firm in the belief that there is someone else out there who is fighting for our rights.  But what if there isn't?  What if we are merely being lulled into a false sense of security by the world in which we live, the communities which we belong to?  There is no choice but to use our own voice. 
"To be nobody but yourself- in a world which is doing its best to make you like everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting."
E.E Cummings
In feminism I have a true passion, and potentially a vocation if I apply my skills as writer successfully in the advancement of sexual equality.  At the moment I am making it my purpose to research those who trod this path before me so that I may develop my views further.  Hopefully, one day I will have made a difference.

Faye Stone