from postsecret
Monday 30 June 2008
vogue's black issue
The fashion industry has never exactly been a paragon of diversity, but when Naomi Campbell was a star of the catwalk and not the front page it may have seemed that racism in fashion was being overcome.
As I mentioned in my Beaver commentary about Miss LSE, there is racism implicit in the ideals of the fashion industry which fetishes 'neat' curves and facial features together with hair 'like that of a monkey'. However, the debate around the recent Black issue of Italian Vogue shows that fashion still has to deal with racism even on the level of skin colour.
Sunday 29 June 2008
guess the countries with low fertility rates
Cuba, Costa Rica, Iran and Sri Lanka, among others, have fertility rates below the replacement level; so it is not limited to 'advanced economies' as is often thought. Tyler Cowen has some interesting thoughts on why the rates differ between superficially similar countries, based on the expectations of and opportunites available to women.
Friday 27 June 2008
'Late' abortion permitted in Romania.
An 11-year old allegedly raped by her uncle is being allowed an abortion at 21 weeks (the national legal limit is 7). Story in the guardian.
Sunday 22 June 2008
More Sex is Safer Sex
..or so say economists.
The argument runs: (some?) men will always want sex, so they will either get it for free in relationships etc., or use prostitutes. Women in 'traditional societies' who are more promiscuous than the norm; having affairs or sex before marriage, help control the spread of STDs as they are likely to have had fewer sexual partners than the prostitutes men might otherwise go to to fulfil their 'needs'. (Yes, it's heteronormative, sexist and arguably racist).
The important thing to disease control is who is having the sex. It's suggested that widespread use of prostitutes helps spread STDs because prostitutes have so many sexual partners. However, the number of partners is not the only risk factor: if prostitutes are not in a position to negotiate safer sex, then this disempowerment will in itself allow disease to spread, and is fundamental to whether the sheer number of sexual partners becomes a risk factor.
Of course, there are wives, girlfriends and other unpaid sources of female sex who may be unable to negotiate protection: prostitutes are generally especially vulnerable.
The argument runs: (some?) men will always want sex, so they will either get it for free in relationships etc., or use prostitutes. Women in 'traditional societies' who are more promiscuous than the norm; having affairs or sex before marriage, help control the spread of STDs as they are likely to have had fewer sexual partners than the prostitutes men might otherwise go to to fulfil their 'needs'. (Yes, it's heteronormative, sexist and arguably racist).
The important thing to disease control is who is having the sex. It's suggested that widespread use of prostitutes helps spread STDs because prostitutes have so many sexual partners. However, the number of partners is not the only risk factor: if prostitutes are not in a position to negotiate safer sex, then this disempowerment will in itself allow disease to spread, and is fundamental to whether the sheer number of sexual partners becomes a risk factor.
Of course, there are wives, girlfriends and other unpaid sources of female sex who may be unable to negotiate protection: prostitutes are generally especially vulnerable.
What is obscene?
We've had a bit of a break over the exam period; let's start again with things that always spark a debate in feminist circles - censorship and pornography.
Here's an interview with the head of the Met's Obscene Publications Squad.
Link to photo
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