When: 26 March · 11:30 - 15:30
Where: London
Meeting point: Victoria Embankment Gardens
Nearest tube station: Embankment (District and Circle lines)
Meandering from Embankment to Hyde Park
_______________________________
Babies and buggy boarders, spread the word... kids against cuts being seen
and
heard!
Joining the myriads to oppose the squandering of our future.
For details of the day visit marchforthealternative.org.uk
Showing posts with label Children/Kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children/Kids. Show all posts
Friday, 25 March 2011
Saturday, 6 November 2010
towards a family-friendly radical movement; Inter-generational liberation for all.
Excellent post from eleven o clock alchemy about the need for creating family-friendly radical and inclusive movments-
http://elevenoclockalchemy.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/towards-a-family-friendly-radical-movement-intergenerational-liberation-for-all
http://elevenoclockalchemy.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/towards-a-family-friendly-radical-movement-intergenerational-liberation-for-all
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Guide to Feminist Parenting
[Article below written by CRAP! Collective and recently published in Red Pepper magazine (Guerilla Guides, Issue 173, Aug/Sept 2010). For a copy of the magazine with the article in full, head to http://www.redpepper.org.uk/]
Feminist Parenting?
It’s as easy as chaining yourself to a runaway rollercoaster...
1. Integrate:
Feminists should confront all forms of oppression, exploitation and hierarchy. Parents, carers and children are often marginalised and discriminated against, even in radical political organising. Insist that childcare is provided at every single meeting or event. Understand that ‘mothering’, ‘parenting’ and ‘childrearing’ have different connotations: the next generation need people of all genders, races, classes, sexualities, ages and abilities to help them develop healthy attitudes to life. Involve children and treat them as equals worthy of respect.
2. Bin the Box:
Television only makes the gender divide worse. As a compromise, try using the set just to watch videos or DVDs. Until your kids are old enough to sneak Ben10 box-sets in under their jumpers, you can more-or-less censor what gets played, without any annoying adverts. However, if the electronic babysitter is your lifeline to parental sanity then keep it on. TV provides a parent with a wealth of material that highlights the inequalities in society- and therefore gives lots of opportunities to talk constructively about the realities of patriarchy with your child.
3. Be Honest:
You may try to kid yourself that the media and peer pressure are the biggest influences on your child, but actually it’s you! The main parent or carer is a child’s most influential role-model. Are you sexist, racist, homophobic...? What not even a little bit? Children can subconsciously absorb even the most subtle of parental behaviours. It’s ok to make mistakes- no-one is perfect. But it’s important to deconstruct our own words, actions and attitudes, to ensure that we don’t inadvertently pass our own prejudices onto our children. Be honest with yourself and your kids- talk openly about sex, relationships and sexuality. Encourage children to freely express all of their emotions- no matter how painful they are.
4. Express Yourself:
Creatively expressing the often intense feelings that come with parenthood can be a great emotional release- whether through art, writing, music or dance. Bringing up children can seem like a lonely business at times, but there are lots of parenting blogs, networks, groups and resources out there. If it’s more anger-management therapy you need, then try this: find a magazine photo of the latest yummy-mummy-female-celebrity, stick it onto on a dart-board, and get throwing those arrows! You will begin to see the cracks appear in the smooth airbrushed image of maternal perfection...and feel a devilish sense of satisfaction!
5. Research the Issues:
Research the many conflicting feminist and parenting schools of thought. Natural Parenting options may work for some, but others argue that it’s pushing more burdens upon the mother. For example, using washable nappies isn’t only the eco-option; it also increases parental autonomy and challenges the capitalist-consumption machine. But what about the extra housework that washable nappies can bring? Will it really be shared equally amongst family members? Work out what’s best for you and your family- a critical factor of feminist parenting is to stop pretending we are perfect parents!
6. Pick your Battles:
Constantly nagging your kids to over-analyse sexist books or toys, will only push them further into the open arms of Mattel and Co. Sometimes it’s best to accept minor defeat, in exchange for fostering a close mutually-respectful parent-child relationship. Finding other ways to help build a child’s self-esteem or emotional intelligence may be more important in the long-run, than bickering over Barbie.
7. Develop Emergency Tactics:
As a last resort, when all else has failed and you find yourself in the depths of a feminist parenting emergency, non-violent direct action can be deployed. Don’t be afraid to discretely dispose of the Action Man machine gun given by Uncle Bobby last Christmas, or the Bratz bikini-set for your four year old from your so-called best mate. However, donating an offending item to a charity shop is only dumping the burden onto others!
8. Self-Organise:
Set up a childcare or home education collective, together with parents or friends who have similar ideals. Providing your own curriculum can be empowering for both adult and child, and give you much needed support. Or start a feminist children’s book-club and swap revolutionary bedtime stories!
9. Raise Some Hell:
Getting involved in activism is the best thing a feminist parent can do. If we want our children to live in a world free from oppression, then we need to actively work towards creating a world that is freer and fairer. Parents and carers will continue to be marginalised until we get out there, with our kids, to demand and organise for change. Set a good example. Show your children that they are worth fighting for, and instil in them the courage and confidence to stand up for themselves and their future.
Written by CRAP! Collective: Child Rearing Against Patriarchy
Feminists should confront all forms of oppression, exploitation and hierarchy. Parents, carers and children are often marginalised and discriminated against, even in radical political organising. Insist that childcare is provided at every single meeting or event. Understand that ‘mothering’, ‘parenting’ and ‘childrearing’ have different connotations: the next generation need people of all genders, races, classes, sexualities, ages and abilities to help them develop healthy attitudes to life. Involve children and treat them as equals worthy of respect.
2. Bin the Box:
Television only makes the gender divide worse. As a compromise, try using the set just to watch videos or DVDs. Until your kids are old enough to sneak Ben10 box-sets in under their jumpers, you can more-or-less censor what gets played, without any annoying adverts. However, if the electronic babysitter is your lifeline to parental sanity then keep it on. TV provides a parent with a wealth of material that highlights the inequalities in society- and therefore gives lots of opportunities to talk constructively about the realities of patriarchy with your child.
3. Be Honest:
You may try to kid yourself that the media and peer pressure are the biggest influences on your child, but actually it’s you! The main parent or carer is a child’s most influential role-model. Are you sexist, racist, homophobic...? What not even a little bit? Children can subconsciously absorb even the most subtle of parental behaviours. It’s ok to make mistakes- no-one is perfect. But it’s important to deconstruct our own words, actions and attitudes, to ensure that we don’t inadvertently pass our own prejudices onto our children. Be honest with yourself and your kids- talk openly about sex, relationships and sexuality. Encourage children to freely express all of their emotions- no matter how painful they are.
4. Express Yourself:
Creatively expressing the often intense feelings that come with parenthood can be a great emotional release- whether through art, writing, music or dance. Bringing up children can seem like a lonely business at times, but there are lots of parenting blogs, networks, groups and resources out there. If it’s more anger-management therapy you need, then try this: find a magazine photo of the latest yummy-mummy-female-celebrity, stick it onto on a dart-board, and get throwing those arrows! You will begin to see the cracks appear in the smooth airbrushed image of maternal perfection...and feel a devilish sense of satisfaction!
5. Research the Issues:
Research the many conflicting feminist and parenting schools of thought. Natural Parenting options may work for some, but others argue that it’s pushing more burdens upon the mother. For example, using washable nappies isn’t only the eco-option; it also increases parental autonomy and challenges the capitalist-consumption machine. But what about the extra housework that washable nappies can bring? Will it really be shared equally amongst family members? Work out what’s best for you and your family- a critical factor of feminist parenting is to stop pretending we are perfect parents!
6. Pick your Battles:
Constantly nagging your kids to over-analyse sexist books or toys, will only push them further into the open arms of Mattel and Co. Sometimes it’s best to accept minor defeat, in exchange for fostering a close mutually-respectful parent-child relationship. Finding other ways to help build a child’s self-esteem or emotional intelligence may be more important in the long-run, than bickering over Barbie.
7. Develop Emergency Tactics:
As a last resort, when all else has failed and you find yourself in the depths of a feminist parenting emergency, non-violent direct action can be deployed. Don’t be afraid to discretely dispose of the Action Man machine gun given by Uncle Bobby last Christmas, or the Bratz bikini-set for your four year old from your so-called best mate. However, donating an offending item to a charity shop is only dumping the burden onto others!
8. Self-Organise:
Set up a childcare or home education collective, together with parents or friends who have similar ideals. Providing your own curriculum can be empowering for both adult and child, and give you much needed support. Or start a feminist children’s book-club and swap revolutionary bedtime stories!
9. Raise Some Hell:
Getting involved in activism is the best thing a feminist parent can do. If we want our children to live in a world free from oppression, then we need to actively work towards creating a world that is freer and fairer. Parents and carers will continue to be marginalised until we get out there, with our kids, to demand and organise for change. Set a good example. Show your children that they are worth fighting for, and instil in them the courage and confidence to stand up for themselves and their future.
Written by CRAP! Collective: Child Rearing Against Patriarchy
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Don't Leave Your Friends Behind - Issue 3
Issue 3 of the fantastic Don't leave your friends behind (to which the CRAP! Collective has contributed) is available to read or print from here. Dont leave your friends behind is produced by north American anarchafeminists China Martens and Vikki Law. Please see their call out below for submissions for the next issue.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
Don't Leave Your Friends Behind a Handbook for Radical Parenting Allies
Deadline: September 15, 2010!
Don't Leave Your Friends Behind is a book geared toward the non-parent radical community about how to be an ally to the parent(s) in their midst.
This book is going to be a collection of some of the best minds out there. We're looking for activists, allies, and radical parents to submit the most kicking stuff to make this the best book ever for getting down to business: let's make a better world WITHOUT leaving out the mamas (and papas, partners, child-care providers) and children this time!
We want to know how you do support children and their caretakers in your collectives, organizations or communities.
Parents: What concrete things can those around you do to support you and your family? Send us your list of suggestions!
Radical Childcare Collectives: What are your concrete tips on how you organize with your collective? How do you organize childcare?
We are especially interested in experiences that also take into account factors such as race, class, gender, single parenthood, immigration, disability, and/or mental health issues.
Word limit is from one sentence suggestions to 5.000 word essays.
Deadline for Zine #4: Sept. 15, 2010
dontleaveyourfriendsbehind.blogspot.com/
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
Don't Leave Your Friends Behind a Handbook for Radical Parenting Allies
Deadline: September 15, 2010!
Don't Leave Your Friends Behind is a book geared toward the non-parent radical community about how to be an ally to the parent(s) in their midst.
This book is going to be a collection of some of the best minds out there. We're looking for activists, allies, and radical parents to submit the most kicking stuff to make this the best book ever for getting down to business: let's make a better world WITHOUT leaving out the mamas (and papas, partners, child-care providers) and children this time!
We want to know how you do support children and their caretakers in your collectives, organizations or communities.
Parents: What concrete things can those around you do to support you and your family? Send us your list of suggestions!
Radical Childcare Collectives: What are your concrete tips on how you organize with your collective? How do you organize childcare?
We are especially interested in experiences that also take into account factors such as race, class, gender, single parenthood, immigration, disability, and/or mental health issues.
Word limit is from one sentence suggestions to 5.000 word essays.
Deadline for Zine #4: Sept. 15, 2010
dontleaveyourfriendsbehind.blogspot.com/
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Pinkstinks' Victory Over UK Supermarket's Sexist Labelling
PINKSTINKS FORCES SAINSBURY’S SUPERMARKET CLIMBDOWN OVER ‘SEXIST’ LABELLING:
Pinkstinks has forced UK supermarket giant Sainsbury’s to withdraw the ‘sexist’ labelling on some of its children’s clothes. The retailer – which has more than 500 stores nationwide – has agreed to re-label thousands of children’s dressing-up outfits after pressure from Pinkstinks and the group’s 13,000 supporters.
Sainsbury’s has now admitted that its gender-specific product-labelling was ‘not acceptable’. The store was selling princess outfits and a ‘circa 1940s’ nurse outfit labelled GIRLS, while pilots, superheroes, soldiers and most astonishing of all, even doctors white coats were marked BOYS.
Abi Moore, Pinkstinks co-founder said: “We asked what sort of message this was sending to girls about what they are ‘fit’ for and what their aspirations might be. As far as we are aware, there are more women at medical school than men nowadays. On our website – www.pinkstinks.co.uk - one of our most popular role models is Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore, the first female Red Arrows pilot. An amazing achievement and yet Sainsbury’s pilots’ outfits were also labelled ‘boys’. As were the army outfits even though women have been fighting alongside men at the front line for years. We simply drew to Sainsbury’s attention the fact that it would be a hugely confident and independent little girl who would dare risk the ridicule of her friends by asking for a costume in-store clearly ‘meant’ for boys, no matter how much she wanted to dress up like a doctor, while the nurses outfit sends a message to boys that they are not ‘meant’ to be nurses either.”
Sainsbury’s has pledged the outfits with new non-gender specific labels will be in-store from July. Sainsbury’s customer director, Gwyn Burr, told Pinkstinks: “It isn't
acceptable to suggest certain professions are the reserve of any gender. This is an error and one I am seeking to address ASAP. The new labels which will be non gender specific will go on the next allocation of clothing, so will be in store from July.”
Says Abi: “Though this may seem trivial, it is important. This kind of labelling is
part of the drip, drip of messages that girls (and boys) receive on a daily basis about their roles in life and the expectations that they should have. Pinkstinks is committed to tackling any kind of gender stereotyping, in particular that which is aimed at children, which we see as damaging, limiting or just plain old-fashioned. We want to congratulate Sainsbury’s on its swift action to redress this matter and hope other retailers will follow their lead. We will be watching.”
For further information contact Lucy Lawrence, Head of communications, at media@..., or on 020 8318 4582. For out-of-hours enquiries please phone 07887 635698.
MORE INFO ON PINKSTINKS:
Pinkstinks was established in 2008 to challenge the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls' lives. In 2009 its founders won the Sheila McKechnie Foundation’s campaigners award in the Women Creating Change category.
Last December, Pinkstinks ran the campaign Early Learning Centre – Early Learning Emergency, to try and raise parents’, educationalists’ and other concerned parties’ awareness of the widespread gender-stereotyping of the toys and dressing-up outfits being sold in its stores. We felt very strongly that, although the ELC is by no means the only such offender on the high street, its commitment to stretching children’s boundaries was being directly undermined by the products it was marketing towards girls while, at the same time offering boys all manner of exciting action,
adventure, educational and other toys. That campaign received coverage on hundreds of websites, in newspapers, on TV and radio, in 43 countries around the globe and gained us more than 11,000 supporters on Facebook alone.
Pinkstinks aims to counteract the national obsession with celebrities and to champion women who we see as inspirational, important, ground-breaking and motivating. Our website is for parents and non-parents alike and aims to gather support, promote discussion and ultimately to mobilise that support to influence commerce and the media about the importance of promoting positive gender roles to girls.
Also, under development, is our project cooltobe.me, aimed directly at children themselves. Using the best in design, writing, interactivity and content, we will use the power of the web and multi-media to challenge the norm. Unlike many toy manufacturers we will credit our audience with intelligence. We will engage with girls - and boys - to give them something real and cool to aspire to be."
VIVA LA REVOLUCION FEMINISTA!
Pinkstinks has forced UK supermarket giant Sainsbury’s to withdraw the ‘sexist’ labelling on some of its children’s clothes. The retailer – which has more than 500 stores nationwide – has agreed to re-label thousands of children’s dressing-up outfits after pressure from Pinkstinks and the group’s 13,000 supporters.
Sainsbury’s has now admitted that its gender-specific product-labelling was ‘not acceptable’. The store was selling princess outfits and a ‘circa 1940s’ nurse outfit labelled GIRLS, while pilots, superheroes, soldiers and most astonishing of all, even doctors white coats were marked BOYS.
Abi Moore, Pinkstinks co-founder said: “We asked what sort of message this was sending to girls about what they are ‘fit’ for and what their aspirations might be. As far as we are aware, there are more women at medical school than men nowadays. On our website – www.pinkstinks.co.uk - one of our most popular role models is Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore, the first female Red Arrows pilot. An amazing achievement and yet Sainsbury’s pilots’ outfits were also labelled ‘boys’. As were the army outfits even though women have been fighting alongside men at the front line for years. We simply drew to Sainsbury’s attention the fact that it would be a hugely confident and independent little girl who would dare risk the ridicule of her friends by asking for a costume in-store clearly ‘meant’ for boys, no matter how much she wanted to dress up like a doctor, while the nurses outfit sends a message to boys that they are not ‘meant’ to be nurses either.”
Sainsbury’s has pledged the outfits with new non-gender specific labels will be in-store from July. Sainsbury’s customer director, Gwyn Burr, told Pinkstinks: “It isn't
acceptable to suggest certain professions are the reserve of any gender. This is an error and one I am seeking to address ASAP. The new labels which will be non gender specific will go on the next allocation of clothing, so will be in store from July.”
Says Abi: “Though this may seem trivial, it is important. This kind of labelling is
part of the drip, drip of messages that girls (and boys) receive on a daily basis about their roles in life and the expectations that they should have. Pinkstinks is committed to tackling any kind of gender stereotyping, in particular that which is aimed at children, which we see as damaging, limiting or just plain old-fashioned. We want to congratulate Sainsbury’s on its swift action to redress this matter and hope other retailers will follow their lead. We will be watching.”
For further information contact Lucy Lawrence, Head of communications, at media@..., or on 020 8318 4582. For out-of-hours enquiries please phone 07887 635698.
MORE INFO ON PINKSTINKS:
Pinkstinks was established in 2008 to challenge the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls' lives. In 2009 its founders won the Sheila McKechnie Foundation’s campaigners award in the Women Creating Change category.
Last December, Pinkstinks ran the campaign Early Learning Centre – Early Learning Emergency, to try and raise parents’, educationalists’ and other concerned parties’ awareness of the widespread gender-stereotyping of the toys and dressing-up outfits being sold in its stores. We felt very strongly that, although the ELC is by no means the only such offender on the high street, its commitment to stretching children’s boundaries was being directly undermined by the products it was marketing towards girls while, at the same time offering boys all manner of exciting action,
adventure, educational and other toys. That campaign received coverage on hundreds of websites, in newspapers, on TV and radio, in 43 countries around the globe and gained us more than 11,000 supporters on Facebook alone.
Pinkstinks aims to counteract the national obsession with celebrities and to champion women who we see as inspirational, important, ground-breaking and motivating. Our website is for parents and non-parents alike and aims to gather support, promote discussion and ultimately to mobilise that support to influence commerce and the media about the importance of promoting positive gender roles to girls.
Also, under development, is our project cooltobe.me, aimed directly at children themselves. Using the best in design, writing, interactivity and content, we will use the power of the web and multi-media to challenge the norm. Unlike many toy manufacturers we will credit our audience with intelligence. We will engage with girls - and boys - to give them something real and cool to aspire to be."
VIVA LA REVOLUCION FEMINISTA!
Monday, 29 March 2010
Too Much Too Soon: the UK Early Years Foundation Curriculum
Please see the video below, which briefly outlines the legislation controls the government has been placing on our children's early years education (0-5yrs). The OpenEYE campaign (www.savechildhood.org) has raised awareness of this legislation, and demands our children's right to childhood.
Monday, 15 February 2010
"Spratz - a feminist kidzine" available on-line now
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Celebrity Culture Intruding on Children's Understanding and Exploration of Nature
[This article is from www.kidsloveearth.co.uk and research carried out by Robinsons be Natural products. Please contact them for more info if necessary]
"School children know less about nature and more about David Beckham
Research released today has found that British primary school children can list almost four times as many celebrities as they can wildflowers, birds and wild animals. The research, which sought to uncover how much children know about nature, also found that one in four children are not aware that a tadpole develops into a frog in later life.
When asked to identify celebrities, children aged 6-11 years could list on average 8 celebs with pop sensation, Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) as the number one pick, followed closely by David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Zach Efron from High School Musical. Other popular picks for girls included Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue, whilst boys reeled off famous faces such as Steven Gerrard, Simon Cowell and Michael Jackson.
Conversely, when asked to turn their focus to the British countryside, children could only name on average 2 wild flowers, 3 wild animals and 4 garden birds. Children were however able to spin off the names of 10 cartoon characters in addition to the 8 celebrities.
Interestingly, almost half of children surveyed (47%) said playing outside was their favourite playtime activity. Yet despite this passion for the outdoors, the research results showed that children know very little about the world around them.
The survey, undertaken by Robinsons be Natural involved more than 1,000 families across the UK. Other key findings from the research are listed below.
- 1/4 of children in the Midlands believe the dolphin is a common wild animal found in the UK
- 14% of children could not list any wild animals in the UK countryside. The figures were highest in Wales with 25% of Welsh children unable to list any wild animals
- 27% of children in Northern Ireland were not aware a caterpillar develops into a butterfly in later life
- Children in London listed the tomato as a common British wild flower, whilst children in the North West named the penguin as a garden bird residing in the UK
Top 5 Celebrities Named:
1. Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana)
2. David Beckham
3. Wayne Rooney
4. Zach Efron
5. Britney Spears
Top 5 Cartoon Characters Named:
1. Spongebob Squarepants
2. Simpsons Characters (Bart/Homer)
3. Tom and Jerry
4. Scooby Doo
5. Mickey Mouse
Top 5 Wild Flowers Named:
1. Daisy
2. Buttercup
3. Dandilion
4. Bluebell
5. Poppy
Top 5 Wild Animals Named:
1. Fox
2. Rabbit
3. Squirrel
4. Deer
5. Badger
Top 5 Garden Birds Named:
1. Robin
2. Blackbird
3. Pigeon
4. Blue Tit
5. Chaffinch
http://www.kidsloveearth.co.uk/downloads/School%20children%20know%20less%20about%20nature%20and%20more%20about%20David%20Beckham.doc "
Readers must bare in mind that this research has been carried out by a corporation (Robinsons be Natural) in pursuit of profit, but nevertheless its research results have been constantly replicated by many other studies and research in this field.
We are witnessing the first generations of children and young adults that understand and experience more from the media than the natural world, and whom are influenced more by celebrity culture than ever before. All at a time when the need for action to counteract climate change is long overdue, and many studies on the topic show what we already know: that the media perpetuates sexist, racist and homophobic influences within society, and therefore within the individual: especially the growing child.
Is this a harmless societal 'progression' (or 'regression') that we must accept? Or are we shamefully failing the next generation of young adults by not addressing these issues?
"School children know less about nature and more about David Beckham
Research released today has found that British primary school children can list almost four times as many celebrities as they can wildflowers, birds and wild animals. The research, which sought to uncover how much children know about nature, also found that one in four children are not aware that a tadpole develops into a frog in later life.
When asked to identify celebrities, children aged 6-11 years could list on average 8 celebs with pop sensation, Miley Cyrus (aka Hannah Montana) as the number one pick, followed closely by David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Zach Efron from High School Musical. Other popular picks for girls included Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue, whilst boys reeled off famous faces such as Steven Gerrard, Simon Cowell and Michael Jackson.
Conversely, when asked to turn their focus to the British countryside, children could only name on average 2 wild flowers, 3 wild animals and 4 garden birds. Children were however able to spin off the names of 10 cartoon characters in addition to the 8 celebrities.
Interestingly, almost half of children surveyed (47%) said playing outside was their favourite playtime activity. Yet despite this passion for the outdoors, the research results showed that children know very little about the world around them.
The survey, undertaken by Robinsons be Natural involved more than 1,000 families across the UK. Other key findings from the research are listed below.
- 1/4 of children in the Midlands believe the dolphin is a common wild animal found in the UK
- 14% of children could not list any wild animals in the UK countryside. The figures were highest in Wales with 25% of Welsh children unable to list any wild animals
- 27% of children in Northern Ireland were not aware a caterpillar develops into a butterfly in later life
- Children in London listed the tomato as a common British wild flower, whilst children in the North West named the penguin as a garden bird residing in the UK
Top 5 Celebrities Named:
1. Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana)
2. David Beckham
3. Wayne Rooney
4. Zach Efron
5. Britney Spears
Top 5 Cartoon Characters Named:
1. Spongebob Squarepants
2. Simpsons Characters (Bart/Homer)
3. Tom and Jerry
4. Scooby Doo
5. Mickey Mouse
Top 5 Wild Flowers Named:
1. Daisy
2. Buttercup
3. Dandilion
4. Bluebell
5. Poppy
Top 5 Wild Animals Named:
1. Fox
2. Rabbit
3. Squirrel
4. Deer
5. Badger
Top 5 Garden Birds Named:
1. Robin
2. Blackbird
3. Pigeon
4. Blue Tit
5. Chaffinch
http://www.kidsloveearth.co.uk/downloads/School%20children%20know%20less%20about%20nature%20and%20more%20about%20David%20Beckham.doc "
Readers must bare in mind that this research has been carried out by a corporation (Robinsons be Natural) in pursuit of profit, but nevertheless its research results have been constantly replicated by many other studies and research in this field.
We are witnessing the first generations of children and young adults that understand and experience more from the media than the natural world, and whom are influenced more by celebrity culture than ever before. All at a time when the need for action to counteract climate change is long overdue, and many studies on the topic show what we already know: that the media perpetuates sexist, racist and homophobic influences within society, and therefore within the individual: especially the growing child.
Is this a harmless societal 'progression' (or 'regression') that we must accept? Or are we shamefully failing the next generation of young adults by not addressing these issues?
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Eco-Feminist Storytelling Workshop for Kids at Climate Camp 2009
On Tuesday 1st September 2009, members of the CRAP! Collective (Child Rearing Against Patriarchy) led an ‘Eco-Feminist Storytelling’ workshop, in the autonomous Kidspace at this year’s Climate Camp in London. The kids ranged in ages from 2-11 years.
The workshop began with introductions. There was a name go-around, and each person talked a little about their favourite book, and what they liked best about it. The adults from the Collective then introduced some of the stories they would be reading to the kids that day: ‘Rainforest’ by Helen Cowcher, ‘Dinosaurs- and all that rubbish’ by Michael Foreman, ‘Spacegirl Pukes’ by Katy Watson and Vanda Carter, and ‘Fantastic Daisy Artichoke’ by Quentin Blake. These books were chosen due to their ‘eco’ or ‘feminist’ credentials, and also because they suited the ages of the kids in the workshop that day.
After each book was read, there was a brief chat about what we liked best and what we liked worst about the book. What messages was it trying to give the reader? What was special about the characters in the book? Were there elements of the stories that seemed unusual to find in a kids storybook? Then there was chat about the lead characters in the stories- in the two ‘eco’ books there were no female characters, whereas the two other stories had either strong female characters or a gender-neutral balance. There was talk about why we may think many ‘eco’ stories have male lead characters, and the difficultly that the adults leading the workshop had, in finding books for young children that were both ‘eco’ and also ‘feminist’ with a strong female lead character, or even with just a non-sexist outlook.
A circle was formed by the workshop participants, ready to create their very own collective story! Now they were to play the ‘Circle Stories’ game: kids create a story together- one line at a time. Going round in a circle, each kid takes turns adding a line building up the story to an often crazy end! There was an improvised ‘Story-stick’ which was passed around from kid to kid so everybody knew whose turn it was to say their line. An adult was present to write down the finished story in the kids’ own words.
Thanks to the kids and their excellent imaginations, we all had great fun. And here is their story…
Once Upon a Tuesday, Climate Camp Saved the Trees
Written collectively by the kids at Climate Camp Kidspace 2009
Once upon a Tuesday, I was going to the park. There was a crash! I wondered, ‘What was that noise?’. There was a car crash. All the birds flew out of their trees. It was Karen. Then a bird landed on Karen’s shoulder, and Karen said ‘Hello!’ to an Anarchist. A Butterfly came past, and a Snail. All the animals and Karen had a picnic. At the end, there was a ginormous Tortoise, which suddenly started to fly. And then it landed, and it ‘pogged in a poggy dog’! In animal language that means, ‘A car is on fire!’.
The Tortoise went to Climate Camp. A Caterpillar walked past with boots on, and fired the boots off! All of a sudden it started to rain, and then the Tortoise sheltered everybody under its shell. The more it rained the more the Tortoise grew and grew, and his belly grew bigger and bigger. Then the Tortoise did the biggest wee in the world, and put the car out that was on fire! And then a big wave of wee fell over everyone.
There was a big Mirror with boots on going past. The Firemen came and cut some trees down. Everyone was sad. And then the Snail had an idea… ‘I know!’ she said, ‘Why don’t we dig underground to live?’. A little Mole came out, and the Mole said to a passing Punk, ‘Do you know where Climate Camp is?’. Then they soon got to Climate Camp and they stayed in a giant Snail tent! And where they were, a Superhero was putting all the trees back, by planting some new ones.
More fire came, and the trees fell back down. Then the Firemen came back. The Firemen were really sorry for taking the trees down before. The Firemen said, ‘I’m very sorry, I’ll help you plant some new ones’. The Punk popped up again and said ‘It’s true, Climate Camp isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for life!’ And Gordon the Big Engine said ‘Where are all the Firewomen?’. Someone said they had all gone to space. The Mirror zoomed past and said ‘You’ve got no seeds to plant the trees, but with my Magic Mirror Spray- I can put the trees back, just like they were yesterday! Pazzeeee!’ The seeds that had been sprayed filled the Earth, and the Earth was re-tree’ed once again. And they all lived happily ever after.
The End!
The workshop began with introductions. There was a name go-around, and each person talked a little about their favourite book, and what they liked best about it. The adults from the Collective then introduced some of the stories they would be reading to the kids that day: ‘Rainforest’ by Helen Cowcher, ‘Dinosaurs- and all that rubbish’ by Michael Foreman, ‘Spacegirl Pukes’ by Katy Watson and Vanda Carter, and ‘Fantastic Daisy Artichoke’ by Quentin Blake. These books were chosen due to their ‘eco’ or ‘feminist’ credentials, and also because they suited the ages of the kids in the workshop that day.
After each book was read, there was a brief chat about what we liked best and what we liked worst about the book. What messages was it trying to give the reader? What was special about the characters in the book? Were there elements of the stories that seemed unusual to find in a kids storybook? Then there was chat about the lead characters in the stories- in the two ‘eco’ books there were no female characters, whereas the two other stories had either strong female characters or a gender-neutral balance. There was talk about why we may think many ‘eco’ stories have male lead characters, and the difficultly that the adults leading the workshop had, in finding books for young children that were both ‘eco’ and also ‘feminist’ with a strong female lead character, or even with just a non-sexist outlook.
A circle was formed by the workshop participants, ready to create their very own collective story! Now they were to play the ‘Circle Stories’ game: kids create a story together- one line at a time. Going round in a circle, each kid takes turns adding a line building up the story to an often crazy end! There was an improvised ‘Story-stick’ which was passed around from kid to kid so everybody knew whose turn it was to say their line. An adult was present to write down the finished story in the kids’ own words.
Thanks to the kids and their excellent imaginations, we all had great fun. And here is their story…
Once Upon a Tuesday, Climate Camp Saved the Trees
Written collectively by the kids at Climate Camp Kidspace 2009
Once upon a Tuesday, I was going to the park. There was a crash! I wondered, ‘What was that noise?’. There was a car crash. All the birds flew out of their trees. It was Karen. Then a bird landed on Karen’s shoulder, and Karen said ‘Hello!’ to an Anarchist. A Butterfly came past, and a Snail. All the animals and Karen had a picnic. At the end, there was a ginormous Tortoise, which suddenly started to fly. And then it landed, and it ‘pogged in a poggy dog’! In animal language that means, ‘A car is on fire!’.
The Tortoise went to Climate Camp. A Caterpillar walked past with boots on, and fired the boots off! All of a sudden it started to rain, and then the Tortoise sheltered everybody under its shell. The more it rained the more the Tortoise grew and grew, and his belly grew bigger and bigger. Then the Tortoise did the biggest wee in the world, and put the car out that was on fire! And then a big wave of wee fell over everyone.
There was a big Mirror with boots on going past. The Firemen came and cut some trees down. Everyone was sad. And then the Snail had an idea… ‘I know!’ she said, ‘Why don’t we dig underground to live?’. A little Mole came out, and the Mole said to a passing Punk, ‘Do you know where Climate Camp is?’. Then they soon got to Climate Camp and they stayed in a giant Snail tent! And where they were, a Superhero was putting all the trees back, by planting some new ones.
More fire came, and the trees fell back down. Then the Firemen came back. The Firemen were really sorry for taking the trees down before. The Firemen said, ‘I’m very sorry, I’ll help you plant some new ones’. The Punk popped up again and said ‘It’s true, Climate Camp isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for life!’ And Gordon the Big Engine said ‘Where are all the Firewomen?’. Someone said they had all gone to space. The Mirror zoomed past and said ‘You’ve got no seeds to plant the trees, but with my Magic Mirror Spray- I can put the trees back, just like they were yesterday! Pazzeeee!’ The seeds that had been sprayed filled the Earth, and the Earth was re-tree’ed once again. And they all lived happily ever after.
The End!
Monday, 29 June 2009
New Book Extract: 'Turning Children into Consumers' by Sharon Beder
[This book report is from Media Lens- "Correcting for the Distorted Vision of the Corporate Media" www.medialens.org, please sign up to their emailed 'media alerts' to receive more info about media-related books like this one]
Introduction
Sharon Beder, visiting professor at the University of Wollongong, Australia, is one of our favourite political analysts. Her book ‘Global Spin’ (Green Books, 1997), is a devastating exposé of corporate, including corporate media, manipulation of politics and culture. Like Mark Curtis’s ‘The Ambiguities of Power,’ it is a book that defies attempts to underline the interesting bits - it’s all interesting! The title of Beder’s new book is self-explanatory: ‘This Little Kiddy Went To Market- The Corporate Capture Of Childhood.’ (Pluto Press, 2009)
Once again, this is a must-read analysis explaining how people and planet are being systematically subordinated to profit. We were so impressed by the second chapter, ‘Turning Children Into Consumers,’ that even before finishing the book we wrote to Beder asking if we could use some of it in a guest media alert. She has very kindly agreed. You can order a copy of ‘This Little Kiddy Went To Market’ at a specially discounted price from Pluto Press here: http://www.plutobooks.com/beder/ Sincere thanks to Sharon Beder and Pluto Press for letting us publish this tremendous material.
We invite you to imagine a world in which Beder’s work was “on every school curriculum”, as John Pilger recommends. Imagine if children were provided with tools of intellectual self-defence to counter the relentless campaigns of corporate manipulation. It is simultaneously depressing and heartening to consider how much happier, healthier, more compassionate our society would be as a result.
David Edwards and David Cromwell
Media Lens
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TURNING CHILDREN INTO CONSUMERS
Sharon Beder
Extracted from “This Little Kiddy Went to Market: The Corporate Capture of Childhood”, Pluto Press, London, 2009.
Children are naïve about advertising and can easily be manipulated and exploited by marketers to want and demand their products. Corporate marketers believe that overtime they can be shaped into lifelong consumers with brand loyalties and that can be profitable for decades to come. What is more, children influence family spending decisions worth hundreds of billions of dollars on household items like furniture, electrical appliances and computers, vacations, and even the family car.
Corporations began targeting their marketing messages directly to children during the 1980s, as affluent adult markets became saturated with consumer goods. Large firms established ‘kids’ departments and smaller firms specialised in marketing to children. A number of advertising industry publications were created such as Selling to Kids and Marketing to Kids Report. The academic literature began to feature studies of children as consumers. In the US the amount corporations spent marketing to children under twelve increased by five times between 1980 and 1990 and ten times more during the 1990s. In 2004 around $15 billion was being spent marketing to children.
Conferences on the best ways to market to children are held all over the world. There are also awards for the best advertisements and marketing campaigns with hundreds of entries. Much marketing to children now consists of sales promotions such as direct coupons, free gifts and samples, contests and sweepstakes, and public relations exercises such as using celebrities and licensed characters to visit shopping centres and schools. These additional forms of marketing have supplemented rather than replaced advertising as the importance of the children’s market has grown. Their aim however is the same as advertising.
The international children’s market is increasingly attractive to transnational corporations who seek to make their brands and products popular in different cultural milieus. The food industry was a pioneer in these efforts. In 1997 Brandweek magazine noted that McDonald’s was the favourite fast food all over the world and Coca-Cola the favourite drink.
To read the rest of this media alert, please go to: http://www.medialens.org/alerts/index.php
Introduction
Sharon Beder, visiting professor at the University of Wollongong, Australia, is one of our favourite political analysts. Her book ‘Global Spin’ (Green Books, 1997), is a devastating exposé of corporate, including corporate media, manipulation of politics and culture. Like Mark Curtis’s ‘The Ambiguities of Power,’ it is a book that defies attempts to underline the interesting bits - it’s all interesting! The title of Beder’s new book is self-explanatory: ‘This Little Kiddy Went To Market- The Corporate Capture Of Childhood.’ (Pluto Press, 2009)
Once again, this is a must-read analysis explaining how people and planet are being systematically subordinated to profit. We were so impressed by the second chapter, ‘Turning Children Into Consumers,’ that even before finishing the book we wrote to Beder asking if we could use some of it in a guest media alert. She has very kindly agreed. You can order a copy of ‘This Little Kiddy Went To Market’ at a specially discounted price from Pluto Press here: http://www.plutobooks.com/beder/ Sincere thanks to Sharon Beder and Pluto Press for letting us publish this tremendous material.
We invite you to imagine a world in which Beder’s work was “on every school curriculum”, as John Pilger recommends. Imagine if children were provided with tools of intellectual self-defence to counter the relentless campaigns of corporate manipulation. It is simultaneously depressing and heartening to consider how much happier, healthier, more compassionate our society would be as a result.
David Edwards and David Cromwell
Media Lens
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TURNING CHILDREN INTO CONSUMERS
Sharon Beder
Extracted from “This Little Kiddy Went to Market: The Corporate Capture of Childhood”, Pluto Press, London, 2009.
Children are naïve about advertising and can easily be manipulated and exploited by marketers to want and demand their products. Corporate marketers believe that overtime they can be shaped into lifelong consumers with brand loyalties and that can be profitable for decades to come. What is more, children influence family spending decisions worth hundreds of billions of dollars on household items like furniture, electrical appliances and computers, vacations, and even the family car.
Corporations began targeting their marketing messages directly to children during the 1980s, as affluent adult markets became saturated with consumer goods. Large firms established ‘kids’ departments and smaller firms specialised in marketing to children. A number of advertising industry publications were created such as Selling to Kids and Marketing to Kids Report. The academic literature began to feature studies of children as consumers. In the US the amount corporations spent marketing to children under twelve increased by five times between 1980 and 1990 and ten times more during the 1990s. In 2004 around $15 billion was being spent marketing to children.
Conferences on the best ways to market to children are held all over the world. There are also awards for the best advertisements and marketing campaigns with hundreds of entries. Much marketing to children now consists of sales promotions such as direct coupons, free gifts and samples, contests and sweepstakes, and public relations exercises such as using celebrities and licensed characters to visit shopping centres and schools. These additional forms of marketing have supplemented rather than replaced advertising as the importance of the children’s market has grown. Their aim however is the same as advertising.
The international children’s market is increasingly attractive to transnational corporations who seek to make their brands and products popular in different cultural milieus. The food industry was a pioneer in these efforts. In 1997 Brandweek magazine noted that McDonald’s was the favourite fast food all over the world and Coca-Cola the favourite drink.
To read the rest of this media alert, please go to: http://www.medialens.org/alerts/index.php
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Children and Parents in Feminist Activism
“We expect to struggle against the world; we don't expect to struggle in our own community.” Radical Anarchist Mom and Baby League
In this vast metropolis that is London, it is sometimes hard to feel a sense of community. Caught up in the rat race that is survival in this city, we can sometimes feel isolated from our near neighbours and may not feel a sense of belonging to the area in which we live.
Fortunately there is a strong feminist community in London. We share some common values, we struggle together, we socialise together, we look out for each other, we care for each other and it is a community that I feel privileged to be part of.
However as a mother of young children I’ve got to say that I do feel that just like I struggle in the wider community, I also struggle in this community of ours.
I don’t know how many times I’ve raised the issue of childcare when we organise, I don’t know how many emails I’ve sent asking whether there will be childcare available or whether children are welcome at certain meetings and events, I don’t know how many meetings or actions I’ve just not gone to because I feel that I cant bring my children, I don’t know how many workshops I’ve walked out of coz my children start getting loud and I can see that it’s just not appreciated. But the thing I notice most is that, unlike most other communities, within the feminist community there just aren’t many children around.
Maybe it’s just I’m going to the wrong meetings, but I don’t think so because I speak to other mothers and they seem to feel the same way too.
We want to spread this movement of ours yet we don’t make our activism accessible to parents. Many of the women in this country are mothers yet we don’t provide childcare at our meetings. Is feminism for everyone or just for a small clique of childless women?
We rally en masse for abortions rights (rightly so!) but where are the rallies to protest against single-parents being forced back to work, for better childcare for working parents, for better maternity services, for recognition of the unpaid work parents do raising children and what exactly are we doing in our activism to facilitate parents attending?
Sometimes I feel like we’ve fallen for the idea that mothers should be home, tied to the kitchen sink, cooking and changing nappies, voiceless and uncomplaining and that children should be seen and not heard. I suppose it’s so ingrained in all of us that there is a time and place for children that meetings aren’t seen as one of those times or places. I think like that too sometimes, but its ageist against children and sexist against mothers and we all need to address and confront it within ourselves and as a group. Maybe a meeting isn’t the most suitable place for young children but if parents are going to be there we need to accept that children will be too and sort out ways to deal with it.
Everyday as mothers we challenge patriarchy; a system, society and culture that sees us as just women with children, needing and worthy of little space besides the home, school and playground. We’re not welcome in the workplace, in education, on public transport, in the pub, yet we still go there. Capitalism places no value on our work, but we know the true value of what we do, and as such we see the fallacy of capitalism, we feel its injustice in our bones. Even though its difficult we leave our homes to work, we educate ourselves, we realise the value of the work we do raising children and we celebrate it, thus challenging false notions of true fulfilment through career, we find ways to support each other, we find solidarity through motherhood, we know in a very real way the strength of women and we know true exhaustion yet keep on going. Many of us became feminists at the same time as we became mothers, because it was then that we truly collided with patriarchy. Feminist parenting is a truly political, radical and effective form of direct action and is an everyday form of feminist activism.
That’s why I find it so weird that feminism in London does not seem to be welcoming parents with children or addressing our needs or campaigning for our wants. Parents are political, passionate, caring, strong, organised people, used to working for free and dealing with frustration, we are an asset to any movement.
Mainstream feminism like mainstream society and culture is (I think) hierarchical, with value, respect and power being given to those who are the most “active”, the most educated, with the best jobs, the loudest voices, the most money, and unfortunately mothers are near the bottom of this hierarchy. Sexism isn’t just something that exists out there in the big bad world; it also exists in each one of us. It isn’t our fault but it is something we must accept and try to unlearn and dealing with sexism in activism in this context means recognising the value and needs of parents and children.
We also need to think about children and the benefits they gain from being involved with feminism and what we gain from them being involved. Personally I am so glad that my children know feminism and feminists. It’s all very well me talking to them about gender roles, stereotypes and sexism but for them to actually see feminism in action, positive female role models and alternative ways of working and being together privileges them and reaches them on a much deeper level. I want my children to understand feminism on a day-to-day level, so that for them it is the norm.
Feminism has so much to gain from children being involved. Children can bring creativity, imagination and freshness to activism and a definite impetus to dissent, protest and organise against the status quo. Why are we feminists if not for future generations! At the end of the day if we really want to end the cycle of sexism and sexist oppression then socialising our children in a non-sexist way, as well as educating them about feminism and showing them how it can work is the only way.
Butterflea 2009
Copyleft (original article published in Raise Some Hell - A Feminist Childrearing Zine for Everyone)
In this vast metropolis that is London, it is sometimes hard to feel a sense of community. Caught up in the rat race that is survival in this city, we can sometimes feel isolated from our near neighbours and may not feel a sense of belonging to the area in which we live.
Fortunately there is a strong feminist community in London. We share some common values, we struggle together, we socialise together, we look out for each other, we care for each other and it is a community that I feel privileged to be part of.
However as a mother of young children I’ve got to say that I do feel that just like I struggle in the wider community, I also struggle in this community of ours.
I don’t know how many times I’ve raised the issue of childcare when we organise, I don’t know how many emails I’ve sent asking whether there will be childcare available or whether children are welcome at certain meetings and events, I don’t know how many meetings or actions I’ve just not gone to because I feel that I cant bring my children, I don’t know how many workshops I’ve walked out of coz my children start getting loud and I can see that it’s just not appreciated. But the thing I notice most is that, unlike most other communities, within the feminist community there just aren’t many children around.
Maybe it’s just I’m going to the wrong meetings, but I don’t think so because I speak to other mothers and they seem to feel the same way too.
We want to spread this movement of ours yet we don’t make our activism accessible to parents. Many of the women in this country are mothers yet we don’t provide childcare at our meetings. Is feminism for everyone or just for a small clique of childless women?
We rally en masse for abortions rights (rightly so!) but where are the rallies to protest against single-parents being forced back to work, for better childcare for working parents, for better maternity services, for recognition of the unpaid work parents do raising children and what exactly are we doing in our activism to facilitate parents attending?
Sometimes I feel like we’ve fallen for the idea that mothers should be home, tied to the kitchen sink, cooking and changing nappies, voiceless and uncomplaining and that children should be seen and not heard. I suppose it’s so ingrained in all of us that there is a time and place for children that meetings aren’t seen as one of those times or places. I think like that too sometimes, but its ageist against children and sexist against mothers and we all need to address and confront it within ourselves and as a group. Maybe a meeting isn’t the most suitable place for young children but if parents are going to be there we need to accept that children will be too and sort out ways to deal with it.
Everyday as mothers we challenge patriarchy; a system, society and culture that sees us as just women with children, needing and worthy of little space besides the home, school and playground. We’re not welcome in the workplace, in education, on public transport, in the pub, yet we still go there. Capitalism places no value on our work, but we know the true value of what we do, and as such we see the fallacy of capitalism, we feel its injustice in our bones. Even though its difficult we leave our homes to work, we educate ourselves, we realise the value of the work we do raising children and we celebrate it, thus challenging false notions of true fulfilment through career, we find ways to support each other, we find solidarity through motherhood, we know in a very real way the strength of women and we know true exhaustion yet keep on going. Many of us became feminists at the same time as we became mothers, because it was then that we truly collided with patriarchy. Feminist parenting is a truly political, radical and effective form of direct action and is an everyday form of feminist activism.
That’s why I find it so weird that feminism in London does not seem to be welcoming parents with children or addressing our needs or campaigning for our wants. Parents are political, passionate, caring, strong, organised people, used to working for free and dealing with frustration, we are an asset to any movement.
Mainstream feminism like mainstream society and culture is (I think) hierarchical, with value, respect and power being given to those who are the most “active”, the most educated, with the best jobs, the loudest voices, the most money, and unfortunately mothers are near the bottom of this hierarchy. Sexism isn’t just something that exists out there in the big bad world; it also exists in each one of us. It isn’t our fault but it is something we must accept and try to unlearn and dealing with sexism in activism in this context means recognising the value and needs of parents and children.
We also need to think about children and the benefits they gain from being involved with feminism and what we gain from them being involved. Personally I am so glad that my children know feminism and feminists. It’s all very well me talking to them about gender roles, stereotypes and sexism but for them to actually see feminism in action, positive female role models and alternative ways of working and being together privileges them and reaches them on a much deeper level. I want my children to understand feminism on a day-to-day level, so that for them it is the norm.
Feminism has so much to gain from children being involved. Children can bring creativity, imagination and freshness to activism and a definite impetus to dissent, protest and organise against the status quo. Why are we feminists if not for future generations! At the end of the day if we really want to end the cycle of sexism and sexist oppression then socialising our children in a non-sexist way, as well as educating them about feminism and showing them how it can work is the only way.
Butterflea 2009
Copyleft (original article published in Raise Some Hell - A Feminist Childrearing Zine for Everyone)
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
We will not be Sassified! a poem for grrls
We are Girls.
We are Sassy Girls.
Are we Sassy, Girls?
We are wild!
We love rainbow colours!
We wear dungarees and get all muddy!
We ride bikes- faster than the boys!
We play pirates, spaceships and pretend to be dinostegleosauroctopusses!
Girls, we aren’t Sassy.
Sassy is Silly!
We are …
Smart
Strong
Successful
Scary
Skateboarders
Sorcerers
Special
Solar-powered
Super
Splendid
Subversive
Supportive
Survivors
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
We are Sweet Sea-faring Songstresses Sizzling Soya Sausages for Sunday Supper with our Sisters.
Sorcerers
Special
Solar-powered
Super
Splendid
Subversive
Supportive
Survivors
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
We are Sweet Sea-faring Songstresses Sizzling Soya Sausages for Sunday Supper with our Sisters.
But…
We will Slingshot you into Space with our Self-made Scuzzle-guns if you dare Step aboard our Ship!
So.
Screw you!
We ain’t Sassy, Sir.
So.
Screw you!
We ain’t Sassy, Sir.
anti-copyright (taken from Spratz! a feminist kidzine. For those of you that haven't heard of 'Sassy Girls', they are a cheaper Bratz doll substitute. But they sting just as bad)
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
QUIZ for KIDZ!
1 - How many of the 646 mps (members of parliament) in the British house of commons are female?
a) 323, b) 200 or c)125
2 – How many mps in the UK are from an ethnic minority?
a) – 15, b) 119, c) 35.
3 – In what year were women first allowed the vote in the UK?
a) 1850, b) 1918 or c) 1925
4 - What date is International Women’s Day?
a) 25 December, b) 15 January, c) 8 March
5 – Who in June 1963 became the first woman to go to space?
a) Margaret Thatcher, b) Valentina Tereshkova, c) Mary Flybot
6 – What act made it illegal for a woman to be excluded from a job because of her sex?
a) Sex Discrimination Act, b) Sex Disqualification Removal Act, c) Equal Franchise Act
7 – In the UK, Women working full-time earn on average how much less than men?
a) – 17%, b) – 5%, c) – 33%
8 – How many of the world’s poor are women and girls?
a) 3 out of 10, b) 7 out of 10, c) 10 out of 10
9 – Of the 800 million people in the world who can’t read or write, how many are women?
a) one third, b) two thirds, c) all 800 million
10 – Who were the real ‘witches’, and what did they do?
a) women who used herbs to heal the sick, b) black-hatted women who invented the flying broomstick, c) men who sang karaoke
11 – How many women and children were murdered in total as part of the ‘witch hunts’ between the 14-17th century in Europe?
a) over 700 b) over 7000 C) over 7 million
12 – Which of these statements is in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights?
a) “All human beings should be judged by the United Nations and given rights accordingly, b) “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”, c) “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, unless they have committed a crime”.
Answers: 1- c)125, 2 –a)15 (there are only 2 black female mps, there has never been an asian woman mp), 3 – b)1918 (although this was only for women over 30 who owned houses. It was only in 1928 that all women over the age of 21 were allowed to vote)., 4 – c)8 March., 5 – b) Valentina Tereshkova, 6 – b) Sex Disqualification Removal Act which was passed in 1919, 7- a) 17% (women working part-time earn on average 36% less than men), 8- b) 7 out of 10 (study by World food programme), 9 – b) over two thirds. 10 – a) witches were real women who healed people in villages using herbs and other natural medicinal practises. 11 – c) a shocking 9 million people (85% women and kids) were probably burned at the stake for ‘witchcraft’. 12 – b) although this statement is ideological, and in real life not everybody is treated with dignity and have rights, especially women and kids.
a) 323, b) 200 or c)125
2 – How many mps in the UK are from an ethnic minority?
a) – 15, b) 119, c) 35.
3 – In what year were women first allowed the vote in the UK?
a) 1850, b) 1918 or c) 1925
4 - What date is International Women’s Day?
a) 25 December, b) 15 January, c) 8 March
5 – Who in June 1963 became the first woman to go to space?
a) Margaret Thatcher, b) Valentina Tereshkova, c) Mary Flybot
6 – What act made it illegal for a woman to be excluded from a job because of her sex?
a) Sex Discrimination Act, b) Sex Disqualification Removal Act, c) Equal Franchise Act
7 – In the UK, Women working full-time earn on average how much less than men?
a) – 17%, b) – 5%, c) – 33%
8 – How many of the world’s poor are women and girls?
a) 3 out of 10, b) 7 out of 10, c) 10 out of 10
9 – Of the 800 million people in the world who can’t read or write, how many are women?
a) one third, b) two thirds, c) all 800 million
10 – Who were the real ‘witches’, and what did they do?
a) women who used herbs to heal the sick, b) black-hatted women who invented the flying broomstick, c) men who sang karaoke
11 – How many women and children were murdered in total as part of the ‘witch hunts’ between the 14-17th century in Europe?
a) over 700 b) over 7000 C) over 7 million
12 – Which of these statements is in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights?
a) “All human beings should be judged by the United Nations and given rights accordingly, b) “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”, c) “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, unless they have committed a crime”.
Answers: 1- c)125, 2 –a)15 (there are only 2 black female mps, there has never been an asian woman mp), 3 – b)1918 (although this was only for women over 30 who owned houses. It was only in 1928 that all women over the age of 21 were allowed to vote)., 4 – c)8 March., 5 – b) Valentina Tereshkova, 6 – b) Sex Disqualification Removal Act which was passed in 1919, 7- a) 17% (women working part-time earn on average 36% less than men), 8- b) 7 out of 10 (study by World food programme), 9 – b) over two thirds. 10 – a) witches were real women who healed people in villages using herbs and other natural medicinal practises. 11 – c) a shocking 9 million people (85% women and kids) were probably burned at the stake for ‘witchcraft’. 12 – b) although this statement is ideological, and in real life not everybody is treated with dignity and have rights, especially women and kids.
Herstory of Witches for Kids: Re-writing, Re-learning, Re-membering
Who were the real witches? Traditionally witches were ‘wise women’, poor women in the village that knew how to use herbs and other healing practises. So witches were real women who healed real people: they were ‘doctors without degrees’, passing down their knowledge by word-of-mouth from grandmother to mother to daughter. Instead of the ‘Devil worship’ they were accused of, they mostly were Pagans, and had a much more indepth understanding of nature and the human body than we could ever dream of.
If they were so good, then why does everyone think witches are bad? The very idea that, with some knowledge, you could heal your own illnesses with herbs growing wild or in your own garden, annoyed a lot of people. In the middle ages, no money was to be made from witches and their craft, and a new invention called ‘science’ was intended to take over, with professional male doctors charging for new medicines in central hospitals. This made more money for the rich in power, whilst the poor suffered. Witches were demonised as being evil, so they could be gotten rid of, and so that the new scientific medicine could take its place. Whilst the women healers were still around, people wouldn’t want to pay for the new medicines from the professional doctors.
What does ‘witchcraft’ mean? It’s the use of supernatural or magical powers. Witches were blamed for many things: disagreeing with the Government, disobeying the Church, for being sexually-aware women, for organizing amongst themselves, and for using magic powers both to harm and to heal. The Church and the State (those in power) saw their attack as being upon pagan magic: to them herbalism was not medicine, it was magic. Although many of the modern medicines we take today were derived from herbs and their healing uses- probably discovered by witches! The equivalent of the Church’s prayers, were the witches charms, and so the beginnings of modern medicine had more similarity with the witches crafts than with science as we see it today, and many doctors actually learnt about the body parts from witches.
What were the witch-hunts? They were the pre-planned hunting down, torture and murder of people accused of ‘witchcraft’, by those in favour of a new political, medical, and scientific system. Namely, the rich men in power within the Government and The Church. It is thought that, in Europe over 9 million people were killed, often burnt alive at the stake, for ‘witchcraft’. Over 85% of these deaths were of women and even children. They occurred in Europe between 400 and 700 years ago. In the witch trials, Women were accused of practising ‘witchcraft’ (healing the sick, of being ‘witches’, for unexplainable events like the death of cattle) and the professional ‘doctors’ would decide if the action was ‘witchcraft’, or natural body illnesses. The witch-hunts did not totally wipe out the poor women healers, but it labelled them as magical and possibly bad, and they have been demonised ever since.
Is this a Feminist issue? Yes! The main crime that the witches were accused of committing is that of being a woman! And a woman with healing knowledge, at that! Herbalism meant that poorer people could heal themselves for free, and meant that women (who were banned from studying/working as doctors) could also be involved. When learning about the herstory of witches, you are learning about the beginnings of institutional sexism itself. The beginnings of capitalism. The beginnings of the patriarchal system that governs us today. Over 7 million women and children are estimated to have been murdered in Europe alone, in the most horrible way, over a period of hundreds of years! This is an important part of women’s history, and essential to understand how we live today. The witch-hunts were deeply political, religious and- of course- sexist to the core.
Why weren’t we taught this in school? Good question. The History you are taught in school is only a small selection of the major events that have happened. In a nutshell, rich men in charge of popular education narrowed the History that THEY see as important down, and sexism is still affecting History education today. Feminist Herstory should be part of school History lessons. You have a right to question the education you receive in school, and to learn about topics that were essential to our lives then, as they are today. Many topics that are taught do not include enough work, history, thought, on by or about, women- especially poor women This is sexist. Both boys and girls will miss out on the knowledge that women’s herstory could bring. Don’t accept what they tell you- ask the questions they don’t want you to ask! Ask about the witch-hunts.
Anti-copyright: article taken from 'Spratz! a feminist kidzine'. Most of this info was adapted from ‘Witches, Midwives and Nurses’ zine and http://www.suppressedhistories.net/
Which Witch? a herstorical poem for kids
I am a witch.
A which?
A witch! A witch with an itch.
Yes. There’s something bothering me just a titch.
Y’see, I don’t have a black cat.
Or a tall pointy hat.
Or long ginger hair that I wear in a plait.
Fancy that!
I AM a witch…
But I don’t dress in black.
And a steel cauldron I lack.
And legs of a frog?! Well, you can put them RIGHT back!
Yet, I am a witch.
A which?
A witch! Are you thick?!
A witch who’s never even SEEN a broom-stick!
Don’t you understand?
We’re not like Dorothy’s witches in OZ-land!
Real witches aren’t like those for Hallowe’en,
We’re not scary with faces all green.
In fact, we’re not like any good or bad witch in a book.
So forget what you’ve learnt, and take another look!
Put those useless stories back on the shelf,
Learn something new- become a witch yourself!
Witches are wise women,
Wiccans, Pagans, Herbalists too.
Healing the sick and cheering up the blue:
Those old wives tales were true!
So. I am a witch.
Ahh a WITCH? So am I!
I never knew it ‘til now, and now I know why...
I thought witches flew in the sky!
Relearn the history!
Rewrite the books!
Ask teacher about the Witch-hunts,
And the true numbers THEY took.
Millions of women and children,
Killed by Church and State.
For crimes of ‘witchcraft’: burnt at the stake.
Learn about THIS- for goodness sake.
So next Hallowe’en- dress up and have fun.
But understand that real witches aren’t like those ones.
And if you understand that, then ask yourself this:
Whose truth are you believing?
Are the textbooks really teaching…or ARE they deceiving?
I am a WITCH! Shout it out loud.
I’m a witch too! And PROUD!
We both are witches. It’s great and it’s true.
But the big question is…
Which witch are YOU?
Anti-copyright Tumbleweed 2009 (Taken from Spratz! a feminist kidzine)
If they were so good, then why does everyone think witches are bad? The very idea that, with some knowledge, you could heal your own illnesses with herbs growing wild or in your own garden, annoyed a lot of people. In the middle ages, no money was to be made from witches and their craft, and a new invention called ‘science’ was intended to take over, with professional male doctors charging for new medicines in central hospitals. This made more money for the rich in power, whilst the poor suffered. Witches were demonised as being evil, so they could be gotten rid of, and so that the new scientific medicine could take its place. Whilst the women healers were still around, people wouldn’t want to pay for the new medicines from the professional doctors.
What does ‘witchcraft’ mean? It’s the use of supernatural or magical powers. Witches were blamed for many things: disagreeing with the Government, disobeying the Church, for being sexually-aware women, for organizing amongst themselves, and for using magic powers both to harm and to heal. The Church and the State (those in power) saw their attack as being upon pagan magic: to them herbalism was not medicine, it was magic. Although many of the modern medicines we take today were derived from herbs and their healing uses- probably discovered by witches! The equivalent of the Church’s prayers, were the witches charms, and so the beginnings of modern medicine had more similarity with the witches crafts than with science as we see it today, and many doctors actually learnt about the body parts from witches.
What were the witch-hunts? They were the pre-planned hunting down, torture and murder of people accused of ‘witchcraft’, by those in favour of a new political, medical, and scientific system. Namely, the rich men in power within the Government and The Church. It is thought that, in Europe over 9 million people were killed, often burnt alive at the stake, for ‘witchcraft’. Over 85% of these deaths were of women and even children. They occurred in Europe between 400 and 700 years ago. In the witch trials, Women were accused of practising ‘witchcraft’ (healing the sick, of being ‘witches’, for unexplainable events like the death of cattle) and the professional ‘doctors’ would decide if the action was ‘witchcraft’, or natural body illnesses. The witch-hunts did not totally wipe out the poor women healers, but it labelled them as magical and possibly bad, and they have been demonised ever since.
Is this a Feminist issue? Yes! The main crime that the witches were accused of committing is that of being a woman! And a woman with healing knowledge, at that! Herbalism meant that poorer people could heal themselves for free, and meant that women (who were banned from studying/working as doctors) could also be involved. When learning about the herstory of witches, you are learning about the beginnings of institutional sexism itself. The beginnings of capitalism. The beginnings of the patriarchal system that governs us today. Over 7 million women and children are estimated to have been murdered in Europe alone, in the most horrible way, over a period of hundreds of years! This is an important part of women’s history, and essential to understand how we live today. The witch-hunts were deeply political, religious and- of course- sexist to the core.
Why weren’t we taught this in school? Good question. The History you are taught in school is only a small selection of the major events that have happened. In a nutshell, rich men in charge of popular education narrowed the History that THEY see as important down, and sexism is still affecting History education today. Feminist Herstory should be part of school History lessons. You have a right to question the education you receive in school, and to learn about topics that were essential to our lives then, as they are today. Many topics that are taught do not include enough work, history, thought, on by or about, women- especially poor women This is sexist. Both boys and girls will miss out on the knowledge that women’s herstory could bring. Don’t accept what they tell you- ask the questions they don’t want you to ask! Ask about the witch-hunts.
Anti-copyright: article taken from 'Spratz! a feminist kidzine'. Most of this info was adapted from ‘Witches, Midwives and Nurses’ zine and http://www.suppressedhistories.net/
Which Witch? a herstorical poem for kids
I am a witch.
A which?
A witch! A witch with an itch.
Yes. There’s something bothering me just a titch.
Y’see, I don’t have a black cat.
Or a tall pointy hat.
Or long ginger hair that I wear in a plait.
Fancy that!
I AM a witch…
But I don’t dress in black.
And a steel cauldron I lack.
And legs of a frog?! Well, you can put them RIGHT back!
Yet, I am a witch.
A which?
A witch! Are you thick?!
A witch who’s never even SEEN a broom-stick!
Don’t you understand?
We’re not like Dorothy’s witches in OZ-land!
Real witches aren’t like those for Hallowe’en,
We’re not scary with faces all green.
In fact, we’re not like any good or bad witch in a book.
So forget what you’ve learnt, and take another look!
Put those useless stories back on the shelf,
Learn something new- become a witch yourself!
Witches are wise women,
Wiccans, Pagans, Herbalists too.
Healing the sick and cheering up the blue:
Those old wives tales were true!
So. I am a witch.
Ahh a WITCH? So am I!
I never knew it ‘til now, and now I know why...
I thought witches flew in the sky!
Relearn the history!
Rewrite the books!
Ask teacher about the Witch-hunts,
And the true numbers THEY took.
Millions of women and children,
Killed by Church and State.
For crimes of ‘witchcraft’: burnt at the stake.
Learn about THIS- for goodness sake.
So next Hallowe’en- dress up and have fun.
But understand that real witches aren’t like those ones.
And if you understand that, then ask yourself this:
Whose truth are you believing?
Are the textbooks really teaching…or ARE they deceiving?
I am a WITCH! Shout it out loud.
I’m a witch too! And PROUD!
We both are witches. It’s great and it’s true.
But the big question is…
Which witch are YOU?
Anti-copyright Tumbleweed 2009 (Taken from Spratz! a feminist kidzine)
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Children's Television - Sexist media representing a sexist world.
I’m the first to admit that I am at times a slack mum. What with two children, two jobs, a partner, activism, a social life, a flat and garden and the rest, I wasn’t going to beat myself up for leaving my daughter in front of the telly, sometimes for hours at a time so that I could just get on with it. However it wasn’t something I often admitted to others and I did used to feel guilty. I knew it was bad parenting but the quiet time it gave me was precious and necessary, I thought. Molly loved tv, and could literally watch it for hours, leaving me time to have a cigarette, send some emails, tidy the house, sit and chill for five minutes, whatever!
It did however come as a shock when, surprise surprise, despite all my best efforts at feminist parenting, age four my daughter transformed from a happy-go-lucky confident unselfconscious grubby child into a pristine pink princess with a “passion for fashion”. Her sexist utterances were even more surprising, “girls can’t have short hair”, “boys can’t play fairies” and her refusal to wear anything that wasn’t a dress and pink or sparkly ensured mornings were traumatic for all involved.
Although I tried to deny it for a while, I knew it was my fault, after all mothers are the primary passeroners of patriarchal values. My slackness, my desire for a few quiet moments, had left my daughter vulnerable to the brainwashing. I knew the risks, I knew the danger of the mainstream media, its power to corrupt, and I deliberateraly sat her down in front of it. I thought I could beat it. I couldn’t!
Its sexist, its racist, its homophobic, its classist, it twists reality, it makes us feel insecure, its pushes consumerism down our throats, it promotes violence, competition, vanity, selfishness, and that’s just the children’s programmes, never mind all the rest.
Bob the Builder, Postman Pat, Underground Ernie, Lunar Jim, Gordon the Gnome, Bottletop Bill, Mr. Men Show, Thomas the Tankengine, Roary the Racingcar, eh hello, say no bloody more! Its obvious what the problem is, isn’t it? The whole plotline is based around boys and men, the main character is male. There are sometimes female characters but they’re always the sidekick. Even when the main character is an inanimate object, like a train or car or robot, or an animal, its still blatantly a male character. Even if I had a son I would find these characters deeply sexist, they’re so 2d, strong, clever, they work hard in traditional male roles, they don’t show emotion, etc.
Where are the programmes with girls or women as the stars, where are the female role models? Although few and far between there are programmes where girls and women star such as Peppa Pig, the Little Princess, Bratz, Fifi and the Flowertots. But then these types of programmes are even more disturbing than the overtly sexist ones mentioned above. The female characters in them are kind, caring, passive, spoilt, and immature, they love cooking and ballet and very little more, and they’re all bloody pink!
And it’s not just me with my “warped” feminist mind making problems where there’s none, last year a comprehensive study of children’s television was done and it proved rather conclusively that it is a biased media representing a biased world.
The International Central Institute for Youth Educational Television (better known by its German acronym IZI) released findings on gender representation in 19,664 programmes from 24 countries in what was according to them “the worlds large quantitive media analysis of children’s television so far”. The survey showed very clearly that there IS a gender imbalance in favour of male characters in television programming for children in public and private programmes, domestic and international programmes and in animated and real life formats and that this is the trend all over the world. Surprisingly, to them perhaps, public and state broadcasters have a worse gender balance ratio (31%:69% female to male representation) than their private counterparts who stand at 33%:67%. The reports authors consider this a remarkable result “since public broadcasters – with the public mandate – have the responsibility for representing reality in a balanced way. The reality of human life is 51% female to 49% male (unfortunately the report does not consider those people who are trans, intersex or do not identify as male or female), which could not be found in children’s TV anywhere”.
The researchers found that girls and women account for only 32% of lead characters compared to 68% for boys and men. In some series girls and women are almost absent. Animation programmes have 87% male characters as compared to 13% female and this leads the researchers to conclude that “the reality of children’s television proves. that today gender equality is still a long way off”, but hey we already knew that.
And this is just the gender bias, children’s tv is also racist. 72% of all main characters in children programmers around the world are white. I would also like to know what the figures are in relation to representations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in children’s programming, as well as people with disabilities and I don’t think that I have ever seen any representation of any other family structures other than that of the traditional nuclear family.
Basically this report backs up what many of us have observed, the media, in this case children’s media, as a cultural vehicle only presents an extremely limited, sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist view of society where women and girls are portrayed as beautiful, underweight, sexualised, modest, tidy and moral beings who are motivated by a romantic interest and are dependant on males who, in their turn are leaders, heterosexual, able-bodied and white!
What are we saying to our children? In particular what are we saying to our daughters? We’re saying to them that they can’t be builders, or postmen, or astronauts, or whatever they want, that they can merely aim to being feisty yet fashionable. Little girls are presented as only valid as princesses, pretty in pink, secondary to males. Our daughters are not secondary, they are the primary characters in their own lives, and so should be represented as such.
I hate it on so many levels, for what it does to me, my children, women, and the world. I got so fed up of shouting at the telly, of trying to critique the propaganda with my daughter, of seeing little fairy princess dvds, of seeing advertisements aimed at parents through their children, where girls wear pink and play with dolls and boys wear blue and like transformers. I was going to try to write a letter to the heads of broadcasting for children at the various tv channels, but I reckoned we’re too far gone for that. This rubbish has become an institutional part of our life and we just accept it. Even if I did complain, nothing would change.
Then about six months ago sister fate played her hand and provided a solution for my family that was so simple yet so effective. One night, thank the goddesses, our tv died. It choked, it spluttered and before our very eyes, it passed away. I admit at first I was gutted, what would I do without my almost daily dose of Eastenders, and Neighbours, and Home and Away, but then almost immediately I felt better. Molly cried for a while, but she quickly got over it, after all there are so many things for a five year old to do. She still loves pink, and dresses, and glitter and all that, but maybe that’s just what she likes. But instead of sitting in front of the tv, she spends hours drawing, or reading, or just playing. I have no more or no less time than I had before, but we are all a lot happier doing the things we want to do.
For a practical and immediate solution to the nightmare that is the television just throw the bloody thing out, after all the television will not be revolutionised!
The full report can be found at http://www.br-online.de/jugend/izi/english/publication/televizion/21_2008_E/21_2008_E.htm.
Butterflea, 2008
butterflea@riseup.net
Anticopyright
It did however come as a shock when, surprise surprise, despite all my best efforts at feminist parenting, age four my daughter transformed from a happy-go-lucky confident unselfconscious grubby child into a pristine pink princess with a “passion for fashion”. Her sexist utterances were even more surprising, “girls can’t have short hair”, “boys can’t play fairies” and her refusal to wear anything that wasn’t a dress and pink or sparkly ensured mornings were traumatic for all involved.
Although I tried to deny it for a while, I knew it was my fault, after all mothers are the primary passeroners of patriarchal values. My slackness, my desire for a few quiet moments, had left my daughter vulnerable to the brainwashing. I knew the risks, I knew the danger of the mainstream media, its power to corrupt, and I deliberateraly sat her down in front of it. I thought I could beat it. I couldn’t!
Its sexist, its racist, its homophobic, its classist, it twists reality, it makes us feel insecure, its pushes consumerism down our throats, it promotes violence, competition, vanity, selfishness, and that’s just the children’s programmes, never mind all the rest.
Bob the Builder, Postman Pat, Underground Ernie, Lunar Jim, Gordon the Gnome, Bottletop Bill, Mr. Men Show, Thomas the Tankengine, Roary the Racingcar, eh hello, say no bloody more! Its obvious what the problem is, isn’t it? The whole plotline is based around boys and men, the main character is male. There are sometimes female characters but they’re always the sidekick. Even when the main character is an inanimate object, like a train or car or robot, or an animal, its still blatantly a male character. Even if I had a son I would find these characters deeply sexist, they’re so 2d, strong, clever, they work hard in traditional male roles, they don’t show emotion, etc.
Where are the programmes with girls or women as the stars, where are the female role models? Although few and far between there are programmes where girls and women star such as Peppa Pig, the Little Princess, Bratz, Fifi and the Flowertots. But then these types of programmes are even more disturbing than the overtly sexist ones mentioned above. The female characters in them are kind, caring, passive, spoilt, and immature, they love cooking and ballet and very little more, and they’re all bloody pink!
And it’s not just me with my “warped” feminist mind making problems where there’s none, last year a comprehensive study of children’s television was done and it proved rather conclusively that it is a biased media representing a biased world.
The International Central Institute for Youth Educational Television (better known by its German acronym IZI) released findings on gender representation in 19,664 programmes from 24 countries in what was according to them “the worlds large quantitive media analysis of children’s television so far”. The survey showed very clearly that there IS a gender imbalance in favour of male characters in television programming for children in public and private programmes, domestic and international programmes and in animated and real life formats and that this is the trend all over the world. Surprisingly, to them perhaps, public and state broadcasters have a worse gender balance ratio (31%:69% female to male representation) than their private counterparts who stand at 33%:67%. The reports authors consider this a remarkable result “since public broadcasters – with the public mandate – have the responsibility for representing reality in a balanced way. The reality of human life is 51% female to 49% male (unfortunately the report does not consider those people who are trans, intersex or do not identify as male or female), which could not be found in children’s TV anywhere”.
The researchers found that girls and women account for only 32% of lead characters compared to 68% for boys and men. In some series girls and women are almost absent. Animation programmes have 87% male characters as compared to 13% female and this leads the researchers to conclude that “the reality of children’s television proves. that today gender equality is still a long way off”, but hey we already knew that.
And this is just the gender bias, children’s tv is also racist. 72% of all main characters in children programmers around the world are white. I would also like to know what the figures are in relation to representations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in children’s programming, as well as people with disabilities and I don’t think that I have ever seen any representation of any other family structures other than that of the traditional nuclear family.
Basically this report backs up what many of us have observed, the media, in this case children’s media, as a cultural vehicle only presents an extremely limited, sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist view of society where women and girls are portrayed as beautiful, underweight, sexualised, modest, tidy and moral beings who are motivated by a romantic interest and are dependant on males who, in their turn are leaders, heterosexual, able-bodied and white!
What are we saying to our children? In particular what are we saying to our daughters? We’re saying to them that they can’t be builders, or postmen, or astronauts, or whatever they want, that they can merely aim to being feisty yet fashionable. Little girls are presented as only valid as princesses, pretty in pink, secondary to males. Our daughters are not secondary, they are the primary characters in their own lives, and so should be represented as such.
I hate it on so many levels, for what it does to me, my children, women, and the world. I got so fed up of shouting at the telly, of trying to critique the propaganda with my daughter, of seeing little fairy princess dvds, of seeing advertisements aimed at parents through their children, where girls wear pink and play with dolls and boys wear blue and like transformers. I was going to try to write a letter to the heads of broadcasting for children at the various tv channels, but I reckoned we’re too far gone for that. This rubbish has become an institutional part of our life and we just accept it. Even if I did complain, nothing would change.
Then about six months ago sister fate played her hand and provided a solution for my family that was so simple yet so effective. One night, thank the goddesses, our tv died. It choked, it spluttered and before our very eyes, it passed away. I admit at first I was gutted, what would I do without my almost daily dose of Eastenders, and Neighbours, and Home and Away, but then almost immediately I felt better. Molly cried for a while, but she quickly got over it, after all there are so many things for a five year old to do. She still loves pink, and dresses, and glitter and all that, but maybe that’s just what she likes. But instead of sitting in front of the tv, she spends hours drawing, or reading, or just playing. I have no more or no less time than I had before, but we are all a lot happier doing the things we want to do.
For a practical and immediate solution to the nightmare that is the television just throw the bloody thing out, after all the television will not be revolutionised!
The full report can be found at http://www.br-online.de/jugend/izi/english/publication/televizion/21_2008_E/21_2008_E.htm.
Butterflea, 2008
butterflea@riseup.net
Anticopyright
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Out Now- our feminist zine for kids: 'Spratz!'
Our first edition of 'Spratz! a feminist kidzine for children of all ages' is out now. Thanks to everyone (kids n adults) who contributed, its fab! Please email feministchildrearing@riseup.net if you want to get a copy/copies. We are hoping to put the zine up online as a pdf sometime in the near future. The zine is mostly anti-copyright, and is not-for-profit- any profits made will be put right back into printing more zines. If you want to contribute to the next 'Spratz!' kidzine, then email feministchildrearing@riseup.net, or post to: Spratz!, c/o The Feminist Library, 5a Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7XY, UK. We hope you enjoy the zine! Love the CRAP! Collective x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)