Were early human societies egalitarian? How can we know about this? And how far are gender perspectives addressed in these questions? And does it ultimately matter? Anthropologist Camilla Power asks the questions. It is a longstanding position in anthropology that hunter-gatherers, especially nomadic groups who consume all they forage the same day – known as
Tag: Feminism
‘Cool girl activism’ and why I’ll no longer stand with groups that include the SWP
CW: rape, PTSD, social exclusion We all go through our ‘cool girl’ stage. When you’re young, a rejection of the societal image of femininity others you. It feels like a rejection of other women. ‘Not like other girls’ is a natural refuge. My first year of FE college I was the absolute queen of it.
When abusers hijack the language of feminism
This text was submitted by Forth Wave: London Feminist Activists. Some of you may find it a little unusual for Freedom News. Some others may find it controversial. However, I think it is important to publish it. In my 15+ years of activism I saw the behaviour described below countless times. The kind of abuse
Feminists to the Front: Call to Action
We have received this important call out from Women’s Strike Assembly. Well worth a read, endorsement, and action. (zb) Summer is over and the far-right have not gone away. On October 13th the far-right Democratic Football Lads Alliance plan to march in London. In the last year thousands of them have taken to the streets,
Get TERFs out of Feminism
The London Pride parade was derailed this year by a transphobic group of women who broke into it and despite not having parade passes were then allowed to lead. They held up large signs that said: “Transactivists erases lesbians,” “Get the L out of LGBT.” They had smaller signs and leaflets which claimed transgender people
London: protest against Trump-inspired law that would endanger sex workers
Sex workers yesterday joined with other feminists and human rights activists to voice their opposition to a Trump-inspired ‘anti-trafficking’ law – in the US known as SESTA/FOSTA – ahead of a debate on mirroring them in the UK, which was held in the House of Commons on Wednesday. The proposed legislation, brought to the Parliament
History biography: Helen Blackburn
Pauline Murphy writes on the pioneering Suffragette author who helped found the Women’s Employment Defence League. Helen Blackburn was born into an Anglo-Irish family on May 25th 1842 at Knights Town on Valentia island County Kerry. She was the only daughter of Isabelle Lamb from Durham and Bewicke Blackburn, she had one other sibling, a
Tribute to the victims of feminicide
On Thursday and Friday night (Nov 24th-25th) the Insomnia collective conducted a series of actions across Paris, France to highlight patriarchal murders. Male violence is the leading cause of death for women aged 16 to 44 worldwide. Acts of violence against women are very diverse in nature, ranging from verbal harassment and other forms of psychological
Women in charge is not feminism: the fight against institutional patriarchy
On a surface level, it seems as though feminism is winning the gender war. Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee for the President of the United States, Theresa May has just become PM, and Angela Eagle is challenging Jeremy Corbyn to the most boring duel ever. In the cabinet reshuffle, a third of posts have