Harriet Harman's Equality Bill

Johann Hari writes about this. He gives interesting facts and figures, which I shall try to summarise later.

Is this feminine?

From an article in today's Independent -
World is 'effeminate' thanks to men's fashion, says President's daughter
By Raushan Nurshayeva

The influential daughter of Kazakhstan's President said that the world has become "increasingly effeminate" because of men's new interest in fashion and beauty.
"Men are now paying more attention to themselves and fashion," Dariga Nazarbayeva, 45, told a women's congress. "They have started going to beauty parlours and hair salons a lot more often. They have started doing manicure.
"Looking at the appearance of contemporary young men, one may notice how much their notions of masculinity have changed, how this masculinity is sometimes being replaced by femininity."
But, she added to the 400 women and the 10 or so men at the conference: "One cannot help but notice that the world of men has become increasingly effeminate... I don't know if we can see this as our gender's victory."

Why should these pursuits be categorised as essentially 'feminine' ? I'd prefer to ask whether it's not simply that the world in general has become more obsessed with trivia and keeping up appearances. At several stages in history similar phenomena have existed.

Rosie Swale-Pope

Rosie has run around the world and should arrive home in Tenby, Wales in a few weeks time.
She started the run in 2003, when she was 57, to raise money and awareness about prostate cancer, after her husband's death.

Now, while this is not strictly a feminist issue, I think she is a remarkable role-model to all women, and to older ones in particular.
I shall think of her next time I have doubts about trying something new or scary.

Naked old ladies of the world unite.

I bought a copy of the Big Issue this morning. It advertises today’s Naked Bike Ride ‘to protest against car culture and oil dependency’

I have no problem with that …, but then it adds ‘herds of naked cyclists will be scaring old ladies around Britain’.

My hackles rose – hang on folks, I bet some of those ‘old ladies’ will be joining in the ride! Less of the sexism and ageism in your 'humour', please.

Priceless and Sex in the City

I shall have to watch these films, not as I originally intended, in order to sneer comfortably, but in order to understand the motivation and how something that was once considered Bad has now become acceptable and desirable.

For an opinion on Priceless, this is worth reading. As for Sex and the City...I'm sure there's plenty to find. Is it all just harmless fun?