For some time now the Government have been toying with the idea that women should be able to go to their local GP for an abortion rather than the current system that involves two doctor's signatures (the Abortion Act of 1967).
The Government yesterday confirmed reports that trials are now taking place, testing whether abortions can safely be carried out in GP surgeries.
This pilot is testing drug-induced abortions up to the ninth week of pregnancy. As expected this has caused controversy and some anti abortion groups including Pro-Life are against the decision claiming it is just a way of cost-cutting.
According to the BBC in 2006 there were almost 200,000 abortions in England and Wales with a further 13,000 in Scotland. These may be shocking figures but many women would argue that the have good reason for wanting an abortion.
My personal opinion is that a woman should have the right to choose for herself. It is not something that a woman would make a snap decision about and it must be very difficult having to live with what they have done.
The argument that some are using is that with teenage pregnancy of the up young people are using abortions as a form of contraception! (Actually this doesn't surprise me, we live in a chav culture where binge drinking and unprotected sex is the norm). The worry is that if abortions become more accessible people will put less thought into their actions.
I'm sitting on the fence on this one, I think both sides have good reason to fight their corner. The Government trials are going ahead regardless of what people think, but at least they haven't made a snap decision without first considering the consequences which is a first for them!
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
isshoes
As this is a blog for women it was inevitable that a conversation about shoes would eventually stride their way onto the site, and here it is.
The great Ugg debate. lets face it they are everywhere you go. Turn around and another pair of frumpy looking dead sheep are stuck to someones feet.
I am all for staying warm in winter and it makes a nice change to see celebs at least keeping their feet warm (even if everything else is exposed). The problem I have with them is purely and simply that they are the ugliest f-ing shoes that have ever walked the earth (no pun intended).
Women up and down the country are all asking themselves the same question - "should I look a complete idiot and have toastie feet, or should I keep a little dignity but freeze my ass off?". It's a toughie.
Now when I say Ugg, I'm not specifically talking about the Australian company who created Ugg, I just mean the style - you know the one I mean - makes people look like the just stepped out of a bad ABBA musical.
If Kylie, Paris and Pamela can't pull them off what hope do the rest of the public have? My advice: Unless you want to look like Jade Goody on a 'good day' (if there is such a thing) buy Ugg boots. If not steer clear.
The great Ugg debate. lets face it they are everywhere you go. Turn around and another pair of frumpy looking dead sheep are stuck to someones feet.
I am all for staying warm in winter and it makes a nice change to see celebs at least keeping their feet warm (even if everything else is exposed). The problem I have with them is purely and simply that they are the ugliest f-ing shoes that have ever walked the earth (no pun intended).
Women up and down the country are all asking themselves the same question - "should I look a complete idiot and have toastie feet, or should I keep a little dignity but freeze my ass off?". It's a toughie.
Now when I say Ugg, I'm not specifically talking about the Australian company who created Ugg, I just mean the style - you know the one I mean - makes people look like the just stepped out of a bad ABBA musical.
If Kylie, Paris and Pamela can't pull them off what hope do the rest of the public have? My advice: Unless you want to look like Jade Goody on a 'good day' (if there is such a thing) buy Ugg boots. If not steer clear.
Monday, 3 December 2007
Anorexia
I've been researching for that topic i mentioned i was doing, about body image and i came across some disturbing articles on pro anorexia websites. Call me naive but i was oblivious to the fact that people are so desperate to stay thin they ask other sufferers for advice on new ways to starve yourself.
I feel so sorry for people who suffer with what can only be described as a horrible disease, and i feel for their families who can only sit back and watch the people they love waste away in front of them, knowing there is very little they can do to stop it.
Although this site is mainly about women, it has to be said that men suffer from eating disorders just as much as women but sadly there is far less coverage. Men must feel that they have very limited choices when it comes to getting help. Not so long ago on GMTV there was a story about a man who got turned away from his doctor when he confessed that he had an eating disorder.
In this modern society we live in, where men and women are equals why is it that something as simple as an illness - which has been proved to affect both sexes - is overlooked by medical professionals no less, because it is deemed girly?
Both men and women should be entitled to help and support when it comes to this kind of illness, and lets not forget things such as breast cancer. Yes it is more common in women and they do 'women's race for life' (which is sexist and a form of discrimination) but it is something often overlooked in men who also suffer.
Equality should mean just that.
I feel so sorry for people who suffer with what can only be described as a horrible disease, and i feel for their families who can only sit back and watch the people they love waste away in front of them, knowing there is very little they can do to stop it.
Although this site is mainly about women, it has to be said that men suffer from eating disorders just as much as women but sadly there is far less coverage. Men must feel that they have very limited choices when it comes to getting help. Not so long ago on GMTV there was a story about a man who got turned away from his doctor when he confessed that he had an eating disorder.
In this modern society we live in, where men and women are equals why is it that something as simple as an illness - which has been proved to affect both sexes - is overlooked by medical professionals no less, because it is deemed girly?
Both men and women should be entitled to help and support when it comes to this kind of illness, and lets not forget things such as breast cancer. Yes it is more common in women and they do 'women's race for life' (which is sexist and a form of discrimination) but it is something often overlooked in men who also suffer.
Equality should mean just that.
Friday, 30 November 2007
Gillian Gibbons
I'm sure you will have all seen on the news recently the story of Gillian Gibbons. If you haven't what planet are you on?
Gibbons is a teacher from Liverpool who was out teaching in the Sudan, she made the stupid mistake of being ignorant. She allowed her class to name a teddybear after the prophet Muhammed, which subsequently got her thrown into prison for 15 days.
A silly mistake one might think but her actions however trivial they may seem to us in the UK, have caused outrage amongst the Muslim community in Sudan. Thousands of people have marched to call for her to be shot no less! Hundreds of riot police were deployed to try and calm the situation aswell. The Government have decided she must be deported.
This is a high profile case now and it highlights the cultural differences between the UK and other countries. It also serves to show people what an ignorant bunch of people we really are. Yes she may not have thought her actions were that serious but it has cost her dearly, as she just managed to escape a thrashing.
I admit i do feel sorry for the poor woman. What she must have been through since the ordeal started does not bear (get the joke?) thinking of. I myself would not have thought anything of it. If a class of school children were so proud of their religion, and felt that much affection for their Prophet that they wanted to name their favourite toy after him them so be it.
All I can say on my admittedly limited knowledge of politics is that our Government should help this poor woman before another good teacher gets put off for life. One silly mistake should not ruin her life and all of those around her. As for the people shouting that she should be killed - well they should take a closer look at their religion because it is only against the law to use his name in a defamatory or demeaning manner - neither of which she did.
Gibbons is a teacher from Liverpool who was out teaching in the Sudan, she made the stupid mistake of being ignorant. She allowed her class to name a teddybear after the prophet Muhammed, which subsequently got her thrown into prison for 15 days.
A silly mistake one might think but her actions however trivial they may seem to us in the UK, have caused outrage amongst the Muslim community in Sudan. Thousands of people have marched to call for her to be shot no less! Hundreds of riot police were deployed to try and calm the situation aswell. The Government have decided she must be deported.
This is a high profile case now and it highlights the cultural differences between the UK and other countries. It also serves to show people what an ignorant bunch of people we really are. Yes she may not have thought her actions were that serious but it has cost her dearly, as she just managed to escape a thrashing.
I admit i do feel sorry for the poor woman. What she must have been through since the ordeal started does not bear (get the joke?) thinking of. I myself would not have thought anything of it. If a class of school children were so proud of their religion, and felt that much affection for their Prophet that they wanted to name their favourite toy after him them so be it.
All I can say on my admittedly limited knowledge of politics is that our Government should help this poor woman before another good teacher gets put off for life. One silly mistake should not ruin her life and all of those around her. As for the people shouting that she should be killed - well they should take a closer look at their religion because it is only against the law to use his name in a defamatory or demeaning manner - neither of which she did.
Strictly come dancing!
Wow, don't you just love this series of Strictly? The contestants this year are brilliant with the exception of mrs garraway and he two left feet.
I'm getting pretty sick of all the hype surrounding Kelly Brook, she's okay but she's nothing special. Which is funny because she seems to think she is! My favourite this year has to be Alesha Dixon. She's sassy and full of energy and not to mention gorgeous (i'm not jealous honest!) but the nicest thing about her is that she's modest and always seems genuinely surprised that she does so well.
I'm voting for Alesha all the way, show that good for nothing ex husband of hers Mc Harvey what he's missing. Yes, unless you didn't know that idiot of a man cheated on elegant Alesha with trashy Javine - her so called friend - who is now 6 months pregnant with his baby. All I can say is good luck Javine because soon enough he'll do the same to you and you'll know how it feels to be betrayed by a man, just don't expect anyone to care. I'm usually all for women who have been s**t all over by men but when it comes to betraying friends you crossed a line.
I'm getting pretty sick of all the hype surrounding Kelly Brook, she's okay but she's nothing special. Which is funny because she seems to think she is! My favourite this year has to be Alesha Dixon. She's sassy and full of energy and not to mention gorgeous (i'm not jealous honest!) but the nicest thing about her is that she's modest and always seems genuinely surprised that she does so well.
I'm voting for Alesha all the way, show that good for nothing ex husband of hers Mc Harvey what he's missing. Yes, unless you didn't know that idiot of a man cheated on elegant Alesha with trashy Javine - her so called friend - who is now 6 months pregnant with his baby. All I can say is good luck Javine because soon enough he'll do the same to you and you'll know how it feels to be betrayed by a man, just don't expect anyone to care. I'm usually all for women who have been s**t all over by men but when it comes to betraying friends you crossed a line.
Monday, 5 November 2007
National Television Awards 2007
While I'm on here I thought I should probably make a few comments on this years NTA's.
The National Television Awards were on recently and I - like many others - tuned in for what I hoped was going to be a great show.
I was wrong.
Host Sir Trev, was not on form and most of his jokes... well they just weren't funny.
When Dr Who won most popular drama I can't say I was surprised (Still not a fan though), but what shocked the hell out of me was how long they let him talk for. I mean for Christ sake just say thank-you and leave. David Tennant and Freema Agyema talked about crap for 2 minutes and 4 seconds exactly thanking everyone they have ever met!!!
I'm not surprised that Ant and Dec the cheeky Geordie duo scooped three gongs either, despite their recent phone scandal allegations, and I don't know about you but the legend that is Jeremy Clarkson deserved his special recognition award. I am not a fan of cars at all but I wouldn't dream of missing Top Gear on a Sunday night. Ledge!!
As a girly girl it wouldn't be right for me to watch that many celebs gracing down a red carpet without a mentioning the dresses. There were some beautiful gowns at the show and some questionable outfits, not mentioning names Sharon Osbourne . Kelly Brook looked like a washed out Greek Goddess wannabe and Ferne Cotton was actually wearing a black bin bag. Apart from that they all looked lovely.
So all in all the night was not exactly a success - some highs, mainly lows - but at least I got to curl up in a warm bed and eat lots of sugary goods.
The National Television Awards were on recently and I - like many others - tuned in for what I hoped was going to be a great show.
I was wrong.
Host Sir Trev, was not on form and most of his jokes... well they just weren't funny.
When Dr Who won most popular drama I can't say I was surprised (Still not a fan though), but what shocked the hell out of me was how long they let him talk for. I mean for Christ sake just say thank-you and leave. David Tennant and Freema Agyema talked about crap for 2 minutes and 4 seconds exactly thanking everyone they have ever met!!!
I'm not surprised that Ant and Dec the cheeky Geordie duo scooped three gongs either, despite their recent phone scandal allegations, and I don't know about you but the legend that is Jeremy Clarkson deserved his special recognition award. I am not a fan of cars at all but I wouldn't dream of missing Top Gear on a Sunday night. Ledge!!
As a girly girl it wouldn't be right for me to watch that many celebs gracing down a red carpet without a mentioning the dresses. There were some beautiful gowns at the show and some questionable outfits, not mentioning names
So all in all the night was not exactly a success - some highs, mainly lows - but at least I got to curl up in a warm bed and eat lots of sugary goods.
Breast cancer awareness month
Hi everyone.
Just in case you have been on another planet for the last month may I remind you that October was in fact Breast cancer awareness month.
I'll admit I didn't really get into the swing of things and participate in any baths of baked beans etc but I did buy a cute pink ribbon badge and pen. These small contributions can make a huge difference to peoples lives and as Breast cancer affects 44,000 people each year in the UK it's the most common cancer affecting women. (It also affects men - so this means you too!)
I personally would much rather buy a pen for charity costing what £1, £2 at most, as opposed to being guilted into handing over all my spare change to people rattling collection tins at me in supermarkets, or being chased down the high street as I'm sure many of you will have been too.
On the subject of charity - and I openly admit I only support one (The Kidney foundation) so I'm not going to preach to you to give up your life savings. It is nearly Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, or even Poppy day if you like.
Every year people participate in the two minute silence to commemorate all of the soldiers who died during the war and those who are still fighting now. It's important to also remember all of the women who take part and especially the women and children who are left to pick up the pieces when things go wrong.
So don't forget your poppy this year!
Just in case you have been on another planet for the last month may I remind you that October was in fact Breast cancer awareness month.
I'll admit I didn't really get into the swing of things and participate in any baths of baked beans etc but I did buy a cute pink ribbon badge and pen. These small contributions can make a huge difference to peoples lives and as Breast cancer affects 44,000 people each year in the UK it's the most common cancer affecting women. (It also affects men - so this means you too!)
I personally would much rather buy a pen for charity costing what £1, £2 at most, as opposed to being guilted into handing over all my spare change to people rattling collection tins at me in supermarkets, or being chased down the high street as I'm sure many of you will have been too.
On the subject of charity - and I openly admit I only support one (The Kidney foundation) so I'm not going to preach to you to give up your life savings. It is nearly Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, or even Poppy day if you like.
Every year people participate in the two minute silence to commemorate all of the soldiers who died during the war and those who are still fighting now. It's important to also remember all of the women who take part and especially the women and children who are left to pick up the pieces when things go wrong.
So don't forget your poppy this year!
Friday, 19 October 2007
'Do gooders?' No thanks
In this weeks news a woman has asked doctors to give her disabled daughter a hysterectomy to stop her having periods. The 15-year-old has cerebral palsy and her mother feels that menstruation will be undignified and unnecessary.
On the other hand human rights campaigners are against her decision saying it is not a necessary operation and Katie Thorpe should make the decision for herself.
Lets be honest this isn't the first time 'do gooders' have got involved in what seems to most people a straight forward issue. A mother who cares for her disabled child 24/7 knows her daughter better than those idiots at Scope, who feel the need to get involved - easy when they won't be the ones changing sanitary towels! Katie has no hope of ever having a child so why must she be subjected to the annoying and often painful monthly cycle?
This is by no means a one off. Just last year the parents of a disabled American girl, known as Ashley X, who has a mental age of just three months, decided their daughter should have operations to stop her developing into an adult. This attracted the usual circus of media and 'charity' organisations who know best. The American parents won their battle. One can only hope that people realise the difficulty in caring for a disabled child and let Alison and Katie Thorpe get on with their lives with as much dignity as possible.
On the other hand human rights campaigners are against her decision saying it is not a necessary operation and Katie Thorpe should make the decision for herself.
Lets be honest this isn't the first time 'do gooders' have got involved in what seems to most people a straight forward issue. A mother who cares for her disabled child 24/7 knows her daughter better than those idiots at Scope, who feel the need to get involved - easy when they won't be the ones changing sanitary towels! Katie has no hope of ever having a child so why must she be subjected to the annoying and often painful monthly cycle?
This is by no means a one off. Just last year the parents of a disabled American girl, known as Ashley X, who has a mental age of just three months, decided their daughter should have operations to stop her developing into an adult. This attracted the usual circus of media and 'charity' organisations who know best. The American parents won their battle. One can only hope that people realise the difficulty in caring for a disabled child and let Alison and Katie Thorpe get on with their lives with as much dignity as possible.
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Beauty issues
I started researching for a project i'm doing on image and the media and I came across Dove's 'campaign for real beauty'. The short films they have created are what I can only call disturbing but definitely worth taking a look at.
The more I look into this topic the more concerned I become at society. I know we women all have issues with some part of our body or other (I have plenty) but I never realised how far some will go to change it. Weight especially.
'The Eating Disorders Association has estimated that at least one million people in the UK are affected with an eating disorder, both male and female, the overwhelming majority of them aged 14 to 25 years old'. How scary are those facts!!!
Maybe it's about time people stopped being so superficial about others so that we can all learn to be happy just being ourselves.
Monday, 8 October 2007
Women and technology
I'm not sure if it's just me, in fact I know it's not, but women and technology just don't go. Take for instance this blog. Hours spent figuring out how to set it up and it's still pretty basic (I'm working on it)!
It's not just blogging, any equipment that requires an 'on' 'off' switch makes us tremble - not every woman I hear you scream. But honestly they call them boys toys for a reason. Like YORKIE bars - it's not for girls.
One thing I must admit though...
When it comes to on-line shopping it is a totally different story.....
It's not just blogging, any equipment that requires an 'on' 'off' switch makes us tremble - not every woman I hear you scream. But honestly they call them boys toys for a reason. Like YORKIE bars - it's not for girls.
One thing I must admit though...
When it comes to on-line shopping it is a totally different story.....
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