Thursday 29 June 2017

Did you know that abortion is a crime?

Doctors have backed decriminalising abortion.

What?
Yes, we are talking about the UK.

In the United Kingdom, having an abortion is a crime if a woman doesn't have permission from a doctor.

Permission is only obtained if a pregnant woman can "prove to a doctor that carrying on with the pregnancy is detrimental to health or wellbeing"

We shouldn't need 'permission' to make decisions on our health. Or make any decisions about our bodies for that matter.

Guidance, yes. Permission, no.

Of course abortion needs to be regulated for it to be safe, but a women shouldn't have to explain their reasons for making such a complex and sensitive decision.

For example, a anti-choice male doctor could just say "no I don't think you need an abortion".
She could of course ask for a second opinion, but what if that "no" left her too traumatised and scared to ask again.

This really needs sorting.


Have a beautiful day x

References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40418986

Is this one step forward for abortion provision for Northern Irish women?

I have previously written about Northern Ireland's damaging abortion laws, and it remains my most popular post.

Today there has been an update on this issue.
Northern Irish women will now be able to have an abortion free on the NHS. Currently if an woman in Northern Ireland wants an abortion she has to travel to the mainland and be treated in a private centre. This is expensive, often costing £1,400, time consuming and traumatic.

Northern Irish women pay taxes towards healthcare and are UK citizens so this is a small celebration. However, abortion services really should be available in Northern Ireland so that women don't have to travel. If a women is vulnerable, for example in an abusive relationship or part of an anti-abortion household, traveling for a long period of time could be risking her life.

Life aren't pleased at all. 
But I'm not going to give those anti-choice trashcans any publicity.


Have a beautiful day x


References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40438390
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40429164

Tuesday 20 June 2017

I'm on Facebook!

Follow me at https://www.facebook.com/thegirlinthegreencardigan.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Have a beautiful day x
 

Monday 19 June 2017

Emmerdale: Rhona's story

Those who watch Emmerdale will know that Rhona's recent story involves domestic violence leading up to rape by her husband Pierce on their wedding night. Overall I would say that Emmerdale are doing a fabulous job and have clearly done very thorough research. Both Zoe Henry who plays Rhona and Jonathon Wrather who plays Pierce have done a phenomenal job at portraying their respective characters. Every time Pierce is on screen it makes my skin crawl and I want to reach into the TV to pull Rhona to safety.

Emmerdale are trying to strike the important balance between the story being realistic, as only 2% of rapists are convicted and so much victim blaming occurs in courts, and encouraging women to come forward about their experiences.

As soon as Rhona confided in her friends Vanessa, Paddy and Marlon about her rape they instantly believed her. They also didn't shy away from hugging her and Vanessa fiercely protected Rhona from Pierce when she found him in her house. I think this is such an important message to send.

However, the episode on Friday showed a massive flaw in. When questioned by police, Pierce lied and said that Rhona had been "off her face" on alcohol and painkillers so would be unable to remember what had happened. He continued to paint her as unstable throughout the interview, talking extensively about her painkiller addiction which had actually only reemerged after the rape.

She was intoxicated.
She could not consent.
That is rape.

He was let go without charge, after confessing to rape, because the sex he described wasn't consensual.

However, the blame lies with the UK court system and not Emmerdale, as unfortunately a disgusting amount of gas lighting a victim blaming occurs when a rape is reported.
As Rhona says "We're married, and I know that shouldn't matter...but it does.", it's a sad fact that so many people looking from the outside will say, 'he didn't rape you, he's your husband.' So I invite those thick, ignorant specimens to watch the episodes of Emmerdale leading up to the rape and see if you would be happy for yourself, your family or your friends to be treated that way.

I massively applaud everyone involved in this frighteningly real story line and all the actors involved, thank you for shedding light on such an important and taboo issue.


Have a beautiful day x

If you have been affected by the scenes in Emmerdale, support can be found through Rape Crisis’ website or via their confidential helpline on 0808 802 9999.


References:
http://metro.co.uk/2017/06/16/emmerdale-spoilers-pierce-harris-to-get-away-with-rape-leaving-rhona-devastated-6714086/
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-06-16/emmerdale-pierce-walks-free---what-next-for-rhona
http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/818107/Emmerdale-spoiler-Pierce-Harris-Rhona-Goskirk-rape-ITV-Zoe-Henry-Jonathan-Wrather

Saturday 17 June 2017

Gender colouring

"I haven't bought anything for the baby yet because I don't know if it's a boy or a girl so I don't know what colour clothes to get."

Why not?
All colours are unisex.

89% of toys aimed at girls are pink.
31% of toys aimed at boys had a STEM focus.

Children learn through play, so restricting the choices of both girls and boys isn't helpful.
On the other hand, forcing children to play with toys traditionally for the opposite sex if they don't want to isn't helpful either.

However, due to publicity on this issue, this is getting much better.

Let Toys Be Toys is a campaign "asking the toy and publishing industries to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys and books as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys." The campaign sent mystery shoppers around the UK to look for 'Girls toys' and 'Boys toys' signs. They only found two, both in Tesco, who have said that they no longer use these signs. 

21% of shops online still use gender to sort toys, although this is a 70% since 2012.
This is still a massive pink/blue divide in toy stores.

The Early learning Centre was the only retailer showing images of boys with dolls in their catalogue but sorted toys by gender online. 
So toys pictured with boys disappear when the ‘boys’ filter is used.
One step forward, then one step back.

Just let children be how they want to be.


Have a beautiful day x 



References:
https://www.livescience.com/22037-pink-girls-blue-boys.html
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/05/girls-aisle-sexist-toys-clothes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-38250674
http://lettoysbetoys.org.uk/
http://lettoysbetoys.org.uk/girls-and-boys-toy-labels-on-the-way-out-survey-results/#more-6863
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/barbies-for-girls-cars-for-boys-let-toys-be-toys-and-get-them-gender-neutral-presents-this-christmas-9011155.html

What's the buzz about fertility apps?

It's so important to use fertility apps responsibly; they can be amazing, but can also can have risks.

Clue is the best rated app by doctors and medical professionals and is free and available on iOS and Android. Clue allows you to track your cycle including flow, pain and emotions. There are a huge range of trackers available and algorithms are used to predict when you ovulate and when your period will start. So the more you use Clue, the more used to you it gets and the better the predictions become. 

You can also share your cycles with others with the app which can be really helpful for letting partners, friends and those you live with know. I have synced my app with my best friend who I live with and it's been super useful because we can keep an eye on each other, and if there are any issues nudge each other in the doctor's direction. The Clue team are amazing and really quick to reply to any issues you are having.


If you are taking contraception Clue can remind you to take it every day. However it is so important to remember than Clue or any other tracking app is not necessarily an effective form of contraception. As it isn't actually affecting your hormones, just increasing how informed you feel about your body. I have also noted that if you are irregular then predictions are unlikely to be accurate, so it's important to take this into account.


Clue is a really good app for teenagers who have just starting their periods and learning about how their body works. One of the main messages put forward by the app is that your body is not a clock and each person is individual.

Clue also recently conducted a survey to see if women living together have similar cycles, which I was lucky enough to be part of. The survey found that there isn't any significant evidence but none of the less, Clue is producing important research that others skirt around. They also publish loads of useful information on their blog which can be found here.

Overall, I think that using tracking apps like Clue are great for tracking your period but shouldn't be used as a substitution for birth control.


Have a beautiful day x


References:
https://www.helloclue.com/app.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/06/11/the-period-tracking-app-helping-women-and-scientists-understand/
http://blog.helloclue.com/post/161239003521/are-you-in-sync-responses-to-our-research
http://blog.helloclue.com/
http://vitals.lifehacker.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-a-fertility-app-to-try-to-ge-1785341014

Full face covering bans

Recently, Norway has proposed a ban on full face covering in nurseries, schools and universities. This would include the niqab, burqas, balaclavas and masks but excludes head scarves and hats.

The Minister of Education and Research Torbjorn Roe Isaksen said the ban is because "These clothes prevent good communication, which is important for students to receive a good education."

However, Linda Noor of the Minotenk think tank has stated that"there are very, very few who use the niqab, so this is marginal problem in the integration context. Therefore, I believe the proposal is not necessary," 

Why are the government trying to control the clothes that women wear?
Telling women what to wear is oppressing them.

Norway isn't the only country to attack women's rights. 

In 2010, Barcelona in Spain banned full face coverings.

On 11 April 2011, France was the first country in Europe to ban the full-face veils in public places. Any women in public, either a German citizen or a tourist, will be fined. The French President has said that "veils oppress women" and were "not welcome" in France.The irony.

Belgium banned the full face veil in July 2011.

Several towns in Italy have local bans.

In November 2016, the Netherlands proposed a ban on the full face veil.

In December 2016, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said full-faced veils should be prohibited in Germany "wherever it is legally possible". Over half of Germany's states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves and in Hesse this also includes civil servants.

In Austria in January 2017, full-face veils were banned in public spaces including schools.

These are only a few examples.


Have a beautiful day x 


References:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40251760
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13038095

Wednesday 14 June 2017

Body autonomy

A dead woman has more rights than a living woman.

Read that again and let it sink in.

No one can force you to give blood. It's illegal.
No one can take organs from a corpse. It's illegal.
No one can perform an operation without consent. It's illegal.
It's simply against body autonomy.
But women have to sacrifice their body autonomy for nine months to carry another human being because some people view a foetus as a human life.

For any other medical procedure which is partially self inflicted, it seems to be fine...
Smoked 50 cigarettes a day and need chemotherapy for lung cancer? That's fine.
Drunk 10 bottles of vodka and need your stomach pumped? Fine.
Drove recklessly and need plaster casts to fix four broken bones. Fine.
Fallen pregnant and need an abortion. This is your fault and you will have to live with the consequences. 

If pregnancies could be transferred to men if the woman didn't want to carry a child there would be calls of "it's unethical to force someone to carry a baby!"
Yes we know. Sort it out. 


Have a beautiful day x


Self esteem

If you need a boost in self esteem today keep reading...

Fairy lights, flowers and snow are all beautiful but are all different. It's the same with people.

Remember there are people that you haven't even met yet who will be a massive part of your life and love you for you.

Every time you think something bad about yourself imagine Donald Trump, or another misogynistic Republican male who thinks he knows everything, is saying it. It's super easy to tell the thought to get lost that way.

There are people looking up to you, even if they don't tell you that they are.

Remember that cookies are made from lots of ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, chocolate.... And individually you might not like the taste of each one, but together they taste amazing.You are made up of lots of ingredients too and even if you don't love every single one they come together to make a beautiful person.

As Roal Dahl said "If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."


Have a beautiful day x

YouGov

What is YouGov? It's an website set up by the government where you can register to take surveys. These results are collected and used as official data, for example, most recently in the election polls.

Today I was both exceptionally pleased and disappointed. I'll start with the bad news first.

A few days ago there was a poll that asked the following question..."Do you think that wolf-whistling is a compliment and just a bit of harmless fun?" I was appalled to see the results below... only 23% thought that it was sexist and unacceptable.


I was expecting a gender split in the results....but it appears not as fewer males thought it was acceptable and more males thought it was unacceptable. This is definitely a step in the right direction. 



It seemed that the major fact here was age, as 76% of the oldest age group thought it was okay compared to 32% of the younger age group. This agrees with my person experience that it's generally older people who catcall. But this is great news for my generation.



Now onto the good news. I filled out a survey this morning and the following question was asked....
SO THANK YOU YOUGOV FOR HELPING TO SMASH THE TABOO.

If you'd like to register for YouGov and make your voice heard here's the link.

Have a beautiful day x

Tuesday 13 June 2017

Amber's law

If you are under 25 you can't have a cervical cancer smear test.
Even if you have cancer.
Even if you're dying from it.

What is a smear test? It is the collection of cells from the cervix to look for any abnormalities that could possibly lead to cancer.

In 2003, the age guideline for a woman's first test was increased from 20 years of age to 25.

But 1 in 50 women diagnosed are under 25.

Currently, your GP may allow you have have a smear test, but the lab that will analyse the test has the right to not analyse your results if you are under 25. Surely if your doctor suggests you should have a medical test it's for a reason?

This year, Amber Rose Cliff died of cervical cancer.
She was diagnosed at 21.
She visited the doctor over 20 times because she had severe sickness and bleeding, but was continually denied a smear test.
She was told her symptoms were due to the pill, hormones or a water infection.
She died in January at 25. 

Since her death her brother has started up a campaign called Amber's Law.

The campaign isn't saying that everyone between the ages of 18 and 25 will have to be screened, just that if you have reason to believe you may have cervical cancer and have visited the doctor twice then you can make an informed choice on whether to be screened or not.

More simply, you have the right to practice body autonomy.
Which should be a legal right. 

I would urge anyone reading this, if they have any symptoms they're not happy with or feel that something isn't right you should talk to your GP.
You are not wasting their time, it's what they're there for.
Remember that you know your body best.

You can sign Amber's Laws' petition here.
And here is a useful guide on the symptoms of cervical cancer. 

Have a beautiful day x
 

References:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4108688/Graduate-died-diagnosed-cervical-cancer-just-21-begged-doctors-smear-tests-told-young.html
https://www.change.org/p/the-government-lower-the-age-of-cervical-cancer-screening-to-18-for-high-risk-groups
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/lorraine-kelly-backs-calls-ambers-12462976
 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/11820318/Cervical-cancer-Should-women-be-allowed-screenings-before-25.html
https://www.jostrust.org.uk/about-cervical-cancer/cervical-cancer/symptoms
https://www.jostrust.org.uk/about-cervical-cancer/cervical-screening-smear-test-and-abnormal-cells/cervical-screening-under25

#freeperiods

Period poverty is when women and girls struggle to pay for basic sanitary products on a monthly basis which has a significant impact on their hygiene, health and wellbeing.

Sara Barrie, safer schools officer for West Yorkshire Police, reported that many girls were having to rely on teachers to provide them with sanitary products, and others didn't attend school for several days a month. We can't allow this to affect girls' education.

Many girls also reported that they only used one tampon a day, which massively increases their risk of developing toxic shock syndrome and urinary tract infections. The use of socks, sellotape and newspapers is also common. So girls' health is being affected too.

Many girls wouldn't know how to turn to to ask for others and others will simply be too embarrassed to talk about it.

Amazingly, the houses of parliment have been discussing how to create a solution to this problem...

13th March
Labour MP Helen Goodman asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: "whether the Government offers any provision of female sanitary products for women who consider themselves unable to afford such products."
The response from Conservative Minister Damian Hinds was that: ‘Benefits do not include a specific amount for sanitary products, just as they do not include a specific amount for any other item such as food or fuel charges. Instead, an “applicable amount” is set through legislation passed by Parliament for each benefit."

14th March
The House of Lords had a debate on the provision of sanitary products and Baroness Burt of Solihull asked "Could we not give sanitary towels to girls who qualify for free school meals? We already know who they are, and the cost of setting up the system would, I am sure, be very small. It would mean that all girls in school could confidently attend school all month round without having to worry about the embarrassment of their period letting them down."  
Conservative Lord Porter of Spalding said that this was "one of the best suggestions I have heard in here, which is to allow girls on free school meals access to free sanitary products. If there is a way of exploring that, I would welcome it, and I hope my noble friend the Minister can at least ask whether it is feasible."

15th March
13 MPs have shown their support and signed a petition to provide sanitary products to girls from low income families which was started up by Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland. Other MPs are also becoming involved with Labour MSP Monica Lennon calling for sanitary products to be given out free in Scotland.

It's fantastic to see many parties in parliament, especially male MPs, acting to smash the period taboo and help girls in need.

You can sign the campaign lobbying the government for the provision of sanitary products for girls at school who have free meals here.


Have a beautiful day x 


References:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/12/period-poverty-call-to-tackle-the-hidden-side-of-inequality
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/girls-skipping-school-periods-cant-afford-tampons-sanitary-pads-a7629766.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/women-are-using-newspapers-because-they-cannot-afford-tampons-warns-salvation-army-food-bank-a6932111.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39266056
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/17/girls-from-poorer-families-in-england-struggle-to-afford-sanitary-protection
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/laura-coryton/the-lords-and-commons-are_b_15569270.html
https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-free-sanitary-products-for-girls-on-free-school-meals-freeperiods?source_location=minibar

Monday 12 June 2017

"That means he likes you..."

The following conversation is between a six year old and her Mum...
"The boy I sit next to in class kept pulling my dress and calling me names at break time."
"Don't worry sweetheart, he only does that because he likes you. He's trying to get your attention."

Now read it again as a conversation between a sixteen year old and her Mum. Suddenly it's unacceptable isn't it?

Can we please stop telling little girls that boys are nasty to them because they like them.

This is a phrase that I remember hearing when I was young from various different people. It is important that we call out this behaviour to benefit both girls and boys...
  • It will teach boys that violence is never okay and is not a way to communicate your feelings.
  • It will teach girls that there is a massive difference between love and abuse.
Abuse is not affection at any age.



Have a beautiful day x

Talking to my (male) best friend about abortion

Abortion is often thought of as a female issue but all too often male opinion seems to be the dominating voice we hear. So how is the best way to talk to guys about it? After watching Stacey Dooley's 'Brainwashing Stacey: Anti-Abortion Camp', I spoke to my closest male friend about abortion. He's super easy to talk to about anything because he's completely supportive and thinks in a very similar way to me. He brought up some really important points. Including if people really are pro-life it's so hypocritical that they turn guns onto abortion clinics. 

He also massively opposes the use of children in anti-abortion protests. In the documentary, American families were treating the camp as a family holiday- removing the ability of the child to form their own opinion on such a controversial issue. As my friend put it, they should "just go and sit in a caravan in Devon".

What we hate most are the pro-life signs that say "God sent you a child that could cure cancer but you aborted them." Our response is "Maybe God sent someone to cure cancer but she killed herself after being raped and not allowed an abortion." It's no secret that a fully grown female has fewer rights than a foetus in some states of America because there's a 50% the foetus could be male.

My partner in crime also pointed out that the majority of pro-life leaders are male and said that for some incomprehensible reason they can't really seem to grasp the concept. He seems to have managed it so why can't the majority of the others? I googled from a male perspective of how to help a female loved one through an abortion. Most of the pages that came up were how to 'gently' deter them from having an abortion, including making sure you only allow them to visit a pro-life doctor and to refer to the foetus as a 'baby' as it induces a stronger emotional connection.

However, it's really important not to tar all men with the same brush, there are good ones like my friend out there. Men carry out abortions every day, men are affected by abortion every day and men support women making the very difficult decision about termination every day. I personally feel that if a man can't respect a women's rights and decisions then he has no right to an opinion. However, if he is supportive like my friend then they really can be the best person to talk to.

Interestingly, I couldn't find any statistics on how many women turn to a male friend when considering an abortion, although I can hazard a guess that it would be quite a low percentage. This is likely because she may fear judgement, being steamrollered by a male opinion or being told what to do. But I can safely say that if I was deciding whether to have an abortion, he would probably be the person I would feel most comfortable turning to. Because friendship is always much stronger than a gender difference. 

I would definitely recommend talking to friends of all genders about abortion as it is such an important and taboo topic, and knowing that you would support them no matter what could make a massive difference.

My friend concluded that people who can't respect the rights of women to have an abortion should "go and get in a bin". And I fully support him on that.


Have a beautiful day x

Sunday 11 June 2017

Catcalling

Catcalling isn't a compliment. It is street harassment.

The guy in question knows that I'm not going to turn around and instantly fall in love with him because he's yelled something disgusting at me.

"How did you two meet?"
"Well he yelled at me out a car window and it was love at first sight."
Yeah. I don't think so.

It's about having power over a woman, and attempting to humiliate her in public.

During semester one this year at uni I walked to lectures on my own, I was catcalled around 40 times. All by men much older than me and including once by a drunk man who decided to follow me with a lighter.

During semester two I began walking everywhere with a male friend, I was whistled at once.

I don't think that's a coincidence.


Have a beautiful day x


Who are the DUP?

After the election resulted in a hung parliament, Theresa May has controversially attempted to team up with the DUP. But who are they and what are their views on important issues?

Abortion:
The DUP are one of the main reasons that women are unable to have an abortion in Northern Island. Arlene Foster, who is the party's leader, vowed last year than she would make sure women are prevented from having an abortion unless their life was in danger and would "carefully consider" if an abortion was acceptable after rape. Because of course she's an expert in the lives of every single woman in Northern Ireland and would DEFINITELY know if a pregnancy was putting their life at risk...The DUP's manifesto includes a section on 'Perinatal hospice care for life limiting conditions' and pledges to give the best medical and emotional support possible to women carrying a child with a life limiting condition. They claim to be committed to 'establishing a perinatal care service or facility in Northern Ireland.' Which really seems like too little help and too little choice.

HIV:
Trevor Clarke, a DUP assembly member, stated last year that he believed only gay men could contract HIV. This lack of knowledge of such an important topic is a serious concern.

LGBT+:
Arlene Foster has previously supported the 'conscience clause' which allows religious people to openly discriminate against anyone from the LGBT+ community without legal consequence. This can lead to LGBT+ people being turned down for jobs due to their sexuality or gender and being refused service.
It's no surprise that the DUP are also against the adoption of children by same-sex couples. And in fact seem to be against the LGBT+ community completely as in 2013, Tom Buchanan, a member of the party, informed schoolchildren that homosexuality is "an abomination". The party also strongly opposes same-sex marriage and have attempted to block gay men from donating blood throughout their lives.

Unfortunately, to obtain a majority government Theresa May has no other choice but to ask nicely if she can team up with the DUP. This gives them a huge amount of power. 
The DUP can ask for anything and Theresa May will give it to them.... a vote against same-sex marriage? 
A vote for banning abortion? 
A vote for halving the wages of the LGBT+ community?
How far will this disgraceful party go?


Despite this, have a beautiful day x


References: