Bust bigotry

Its right to call for an end to topless women appearing on page 3 (see report here). Its not simply an exposed pair of breasts that's the issue as some seem to think however. Exposed breasts in some contexts other than as seen in certain daily newspapers, magazines are not an issue.

The thing is that women are being portrayed as mere sex objects much more often and in a much more narrow and ignorant way than men are. The evidence is common experience.

Would it make sense to approach it the other way and ensure that both men and women are equally seen only in a narrow, ignorant, sex object way?? Or should we instead try to ensure that all people are seen in a more rounded, fair and complete way?

Please sign Lucy Holmes petition on this issue here, and join over 47,000 other people (figure correct 17 Oct 2012 but growing fast!).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2012/sep/17/sun-women

Sherrie Eugene Hart: questions for the Pope??

Bristol-based TV broadcaster and presenter Sherrie Eugene-Hart will play a leading role when the Pope comes to London later this month, leading in prayer a large crowd plus all those watching on TV ('TVs Sherrie to lead prayers with the Pope', Post 13 Sept). I wonder if she shares the deep concerns that many Catholics and people in general have on issues of equality and human rights? I've written a letter to the local paper along the lines of this blog post, inspired by the work of Peter Tatchell on this issue (see link below and The Trouble with the Pope, Channel 4, tonight, 13 Sept, 8PM).

Sherrie will be yards away from the Pope on this occasion and will have had close contact with the Pope's staff. Will she ask questions about his offensive, anti-humanitarian polices, such his opposition to women priests, gay equality, fertility treatment for childless couples and
condom use to prevent the spread of HIV? Will she ask him to reverse his decision to lift the excommunication of the holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson?

Will she ask the Pope to apologise for his own personal failure to bring child sex abusers and request that he hands over to the relevant police forces worldwide the Vatican’s sex abuse files?

In 2001, when he was a Cardinal, the Pope wrote to every Catholic Bishop in the world, requiring them to report all child sex abuse cases to him in Rome. He thus was fully aware of the abuse that was happening. Incredibly his letter did not urge the Bishops to report abusers to the police. The Pope bears co-responsibility for inaction and cover-up and should apologise for his own personal shortcomings.

http://www.sherrieeugenehart.com/

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-trouble-with-the-pope

Time to kick sexism out of football | Beatrix Campbell | Comment is free | The Guardian

Excellent piece about sexism, racism, football, Rooney, Ferguson...

Time to kick sexism out of football Beatrix Campbell Comment is free The Guardian

Football has dealt with racism on the terraces, but still ignores sexism among the players

The News of the World devoted its first five pages today to yet another sleazy story about a footballer's private life (sordid allegations about Wayne Rooney this time). But for all the sound and fury, footballers' misogyny is apparently sanctioned. When footballers sexually exploit women, go to lap dancing clubs, buy sex or "harvest" local girls to line them up for shagging parties, it still doesn't count, somehow, as sexism. It attracts only a fatalistic sigh; a notion that there's nothing you can do about young men with more money than sense – often shadowed by a kind of class contempt that these working-class heroes can't cope with the ludicrous wealth that people who are born to rule somehow manage instinctively.

The campaign against racism – once routine, embedded and sanctioned in football – has been a triumph. What was once regarded as ungovernable and inevitable in popular culture has been transformed – football's governing bodies have been forced to confront it. Now, clubs, players and fans all know what racism is, what it does and why it won't be tolerated. Everyone has been enlightened, and football culture has been redeemed. Why then does sexism – an equivalently embedded culture of contempt – attract so little interest, so little comprehension? Why does anti-sexism carry no commitment or confidence in football?

Footballers' ridiculous and indefensible earnings apparently generate a sense of masculine entitlement. And there's nothing in the club culture that challenges that: managers don't engage with players about what sexism is, or why it is unacceptable, nor do they take responsibility for helping these young men "not to be sexist and not to behave like a pillock", as one Man U fan put it.

Clubs do not, it seems, include sexism, sexual exploitation and sexual betrayal in the portfolio of their duty to care. They certainly don't see it as part of their duty of care to the game itself. It is as if blokes cannot be blamed for blokey bad behaviour.

But racism was once an ingredient of popular culture, too: racism and sexism were the vernacular of sport talk. Now racism has lost its legitimacy. Fans explain that booing the black players in the other team lost its logic when black players acquired critical mass, when all the great teams hired black players. Mark Perryman, the convener of the London England Fans supporters' group, reckons that the anti-racism is fragile, but agrees that it became nonsensical with the rise of black players.

Perryman does see some cultural shuffles around sexism, however. Ashley Cole lost his allure not because of his performance as a player but because of his performance as a man, he says: "Cole was very rich, very bling, but he became one of the most unpopular players in England because of his treatment of Cheryl Cole."

Sexism may not yet be recognised for what it is, but something about masculine attitudes to morality is shifting on the terraces. Men taking their kids to the game don't want them to hear the c-word any more than they want to hear the n-word.

But if there is a critique of sordid, cheating, whoring sexism, then it isn't coming from the places with the institutional power to do something about it: club management.

When Sir Alex Ferguson was asked at a press conference to comment on the scandal involving an estimated 30 Manchester United players whose Christmas 2007 bash resulted in allegations of rape and "roasting", he said he had nothing to say about it, except that he'd been "dealing with situations like this for 21 years. I know exactly what to do." He fined the players – who included Rooney – and ruled that the next Christmas knees-up would be a family affair. The club announced: "He doesn't expect them to be virtual saints but he puts a lot of store in them involving partners, and knows it will keep them all on the straight and narrow."

The fact is, Ferguson doesn't know what to do. He refuses to know: "I will not be guided or instructed by anyone," he said after the Christmas bash. And so he continues to rely on the Wags to sort out a cultural crisis that he won't confront.

Archbishop’s fear of unruly demonstrations by the Protest the Pope campaign is ill-founded

Received via Facebook: Archbishop to meet Pope protesters...Catholic Church requested meeting...Post-meeting press conference at 12 noon Wednesday 8 Sept...on the pavement outside New Scotland Yard immediately after their meeting with the Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, Peter Smith.

The meeting has been called at the Archbishop’s request and with the approval of the Catholic hierarchy and Papal visit organisers.

In response to the Archbishop’s request for a “neutral” space, New Scotland Yard has agreed to host the meeting. It is being facilitated by Sergeant Nicholas Williams, head of the Met’s Communities Together Strategic Engagement Team.

The meeting will start at 11am, tomorrow, Wednesday.

The Archbishop will meet a delegation of Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society, Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association and Marco Tranchino and Peter Tatchell of the Protest the Pope campaign.

“The Archbishop’s fear of unruly demonstrations by the Protest the Pope campaign is ill-founded. We plan no disruptions,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who is also a spokesperson for Protest the Pope.

“When I meet him, I will advise the Archbishop that the best way for the Pope to avoid protests is by dropping his offensive, anti-humanitarian polices, such his opposition to women priests, gay equality, fertility treatment for childless couples and condom use to prevent the spread of HIV. Many people would also like him to reverse his decision to lift the excommunication of the holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson.

“The Pope should apologise for his own personal failure to bring child sex abusers to justice and he should agree to hand over to the relevant police forces worldwide the Vatican’s sex abuse files.

“It is no use Benedict meeting victims of priestly sex abuse if he is not willing to hand over his own bulging files on clerical abusers.

“In 2001, when he was a Cardinal, the Pope wrote to every Catholic Bishop in the world, requiring them to report all child sex abuse cases to him in Rome. He cannot claim that he was unaware of the abuse that was happening. His letter did not urge the Bishops to report abusers to the police.

“As the Catholic theologian Hans Kung has said, the Pope bears co-responsibility for inaction and cover-up. That’s why he should apologise for his own personal shortcomings, instead of apologising for the behaviour of other clergy,” said Mr Tatchell.

More from:

http://www.protest-the-pope.org.uk/

http://www.secularism.org.uk/

http://www.humanism.org.uk/about

The Trouble with the Pope

Pope challenged - Channel 4 TV, Mon 13 Sep at 8pm

...Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell presents an hour-long examination of Pope Benedict XVI...three days before the Pontiff's State Visit to Britain.

Summarising the documentary, Peter Tatchell said:"The programme questions the Pope's policies on a range of issues including his opposition to contraception, condom use and embryonic stem cell research, as well the Pope's mishandling of the child sex abuse scandal, his distortions of the life and ideas of Cardinal Newman and his readmission to the church of the holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson.

"It examines the impact that Benedict XVI's pronouncements have had on both the developing and western world - with filming in the Philippines, plus Italy, Germany and the UK.

"Interviewing both critics and supporters of the Pope, many of them Catholics, the programme explores Benedict's personal, religious and political journey since the 1930s, from liberal theologian to conservative Pontiff. It shows how he was once a supporter of the liberalising, reforming Second Vatican Council but has since undermined it, including by the appointment of many ultra-conservative bishops.

"In the film, we go back to the 1960s, when the Pope was a young theologian and lecturer, then known as Joseph Ratzinger. We hear from fellow theologian, Hans Kung, who was with him at university in Tubingen, Germany, and discover the events that led him to become an arch conservative.

"The documentary also includes interviews with British sex abuse survivor, Sue Cox, who was raped by a priest at the age of 13, and the Catholic historian, John Cornwall.

"During his visit to Britain, the Pope will beatify the nineteenth century English theologian Cardinal Newman. We discover the way the Pope is manipulating and distorting Newman's relationships and ideas to serve his own autocratic, homophobic leadership.

"The documentary interviews Chris Olly who is dying of motor neurone disease and Chris Denning, a Nottingham University scientist, who is using embryonic stem cells in a bid to develop new medical procedures to help combat a range of terrible diseases. We also hear a defence of this research by Professor Colin Blakemore. The Pope has condemned embryonic stem cell research and wants it banned.

"In the Philippines, we discover how the Pope's teachings have a social and political impact, restricting contraception, sex education and condom distribution. We hear from a poor Filipino family, headed by Wilma and Ramon, whose following of Papal teaching against birth control has resulted in them having more children than they can care for adequately.

"The Pope provides a serious assessment of the impact of Benedict XVI after five years in office and examines the conflict between some of his key values and those held by people in Britain and the world, including dissent from his policies by many Catholics.

"We hear from Benedict's defenders in the Philippines and the UK.

"Our programme is not anti-Catholic. I have great sympathy with grassroots Catholics who want a more open, democratic, accountable, liberal and inclusive church. The We Are Church movement is admirable, as is the UK group, Catholic Voices for Reform. I salute them.

"Some of the inspirations of my own human rights campaigns have been Catholic humanitarians, including the editor of the Catholic Worker, Dorothy Day, US anti-war activists, Fathers Daniel and Philip Berrigan, Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador and theorists of Catholic liberation theology such as Gustavo Gutierrez and Leonardo Boff," said Mr Tatchell.

Explaining some of the difficulties that arose during the making of the documentary, Peter Tatchell added:"Most of our interviewees are Catholics; some are supportive of the Pope, others critical.

"Our aim was to include all viewpoints, so we made great efforts to seek the participation of leading Catholic figures.

"When we went to Rome, we requested an interview with Pope Benedict or a senior Cardinal. We were told that such an interview was not possible.

"Alexander DesForges of the Catholic Communications Network in the UK was approached to facilitate an interview with Archbishop Vincent Nichols. Our request was turned down.

"This is very disappointing. We wanted to give the Catholic leadership in the Vatican and in the UK an opportunity to present their perspective. Sadly, they declined our offer

"Although the Catholic Communications Network did put up a spokesperson at the last minute - Fiona O'Reilly, from the pressure group, Catholic Voices - this is not the same as having Catholic leaders defend the Pope and his teachings.

"It strikes me as a sign of weakness that neither the Vatican nor the Catholic Church in Britain was willing to be interviewed in defence of the Pope.

"When church leaders see the programme I suspect they will be surprised by its tone and content. They will probably regret not taking part.

"This is a very thoughtful documentary. Many of the voices we feature are Catholic ones," said Mr Tatchell.

When announcing the documentary in June, Channel Four said:"Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, a long-term critic of the Papacy, will challenge Pope Benedict XVI's beliefs and positions on a range of issues - including condoms, homosexuality and fertility treatment - and examine the impact his policies have had on both the developing and Western world. The programme will give voice to a range of views on the Pope - featuring interviews with both critics and supporters."

Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual programming at Channel Four, said: "The Papal visit in September provides an ideal opportunity to examine the impact of Benedict XVI after five years in office. In keeping with Channel 4's remit to provide a platform for diverse and alternative perspectives, equality campaigner Peter Tatchell will assess the effect of the current Pope's teachings throughout the world and the conflict between some of his values and those held by modern Britain."

The programme, due to air in a prime-time slot in the autumn, is being made by Juniper TV. Samir Shah is the executive producer and the director is Chris Boulding.The film's production company, Juniper TV, said: "Juniper TV is making an hour long documentary for Channel 4 on Pope Benedict XVI to coincide with his State visit to Britain in September. The programme will be presented by Peter Tatchell and be an exploration of the Pope's life - exploring his ideas, values and thoughts. It will provide a thoughtful perspective on the Papacy's present condition, and make a serious assessment of the impact of Pope Benedict's views and policies on Catholics and non-Catholics around the world. To ensure this, we currently plan to film in the UK, Europe and South East Asia."

Further information:
Marion Bentley, Channel 4 - 020 73063747 mjbentley@channel4.co.uk
Peter Tatchell - 0207 4031790 peter@petertatchell.net

Why vote Green? Part Seven

We believe health and wellbeing should be the measure of progress in society. Public health issues are thus a high priority for Greens and above all we favour the prevention of ill-health and the promotion of good health. We would: abolish prescription charges; re-introduce free eye tests; ensure NHS chiropody is widely available; fight to restore free dental care; provide everyone with the choice of an NHS dentist.

A poor quality environment produces ill-health, so Greens lead on campaigning against all pollution and for high air, water, land and food quality. We very strongly favour sex education, health education and economic incentives to cut the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Greens were prominent in opposing genetically modified food, including keeping them out of school dinners. We oppose the fluoridation of our water supplies, an issue that has reared its head last year in Bristol, because it does not work, is not safe, is unethical and is not wanted.

More information:

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/policies/nhs_2010.html

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/policies/nhs_2010/nhs_detail.html

Promoting sex education and sexual health

Its disappointing to see that the Govt have watered down plans for compulsory sex education in schools via an amendment to a...bill [that] gives faith schools more freedom to tailor teaching to their own beliefs. I agree with a lot of what humanists have said about this eg British Humanist Association Chief Executive Andrew Copson is quoted on the BBC as saying that the amendment effectively gave a licence to faith schools to teach sex and relationships education in ways that were homophobic, gender discriminatory and violated principles of human rights.

Coincidentally, amongst the growing number of requests to general election candidates to sign up to support various campaigns that I'm now receiving was one on sexual health from SHout loud. I agree very strongly with the background and the committments indicated below. We need much more emphasis on problem prevention and on leading healthy lives in our health, education and social systems. Its makes great sense in economic as well as health and wellbeing terms. We need to make health and wellbeing the key indicators of progress in society.

Dear Mr Vowles, We are writing to you because the UK faces a major challenge with poor sexual health. Despite progress in recent years, the UK still has high levels of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and new HIV infections, as well as high levels of unwanted pregnancy and teenage conceptions. Without sustained action and investment, this situation will worsen. That’s why we’d like you to think about how you can play a part in improving the sexual health of your community. Below is a brief policy statement, agreed by the eight leading voluntary sector and professional associations in the sexual health field.

Please take five minutes to read the statement below and show your support for sexual health by replying to info@shoutloud.org.uk . You can also log onto the Political Exchange and comment on the Joint Policy Statement 2010 issue.

You can contact the partnership with any questions or to arrange a local meeting at a time convenient to you by emailing info@shoutloud.org.uk SHout Loud is a collaborative online project designed to support public involvement in sexual health services. The SHout Loud contact address can be used as a quick and easy way to respond to this email, but should you have a request for further information or a meeting, this will be followed up by one of the individual partner organisations listed below.

BASHH, BHIVA, Brook, FSRH, FPA, MedFASH, NAT, THT

ACTING RESPONSIBLY FOR SEXUAL HEALTH

The UK faces a major challenge with poor sexual health. Despite progress in recent years, the UK still has high levels of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and new HIV infections, as well as high levels of unwanted pregnancy and teenage conceptions. Without sustained action and investment, this situation will worsen.

It makes good economic sense to invest in sexual health and HIV services. Every pound spent on contraception prevents more money being spent on abortion services and maternity services; money spent on preventing and promptly treating STIs prevents onward transmissions as well as preventing more serious health conditions developing. Every pound spent preventing HIV infection saves thousands of pounds later in treatment costs.

Good sexual health is important for everyone in the UK and is a major part of general health and wellbeing. To achieve this requires a reduction in unwanted pregnancies, reduced levels of STI & HIV transmission, timely diagnosis and treatment of STIs and HIV, and the promotion of positive and responsible relationships.

Because of this, the leading sexual health & HIV organisations in the UK call on all Parliamentarians and Parliamentary Candidates to commit to this vision by supporting the following:

*ensuring 48 hour access and confidential open access to all sexual health services

*preventing poor sexual health by ensuring high quality local and national sexual health promotion programmes

*ensuring all children and young people get high quality sex and relationships education at school by making this a statutory curriculum subject

*ensuring all women have information about and access to the full range of contraception methods, including long acting contraception

*increasing access to HIV testing especially for those who need it most

*ensuring that all women across the UK, including Northern Ireland, have access to NHS funded abortions

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) is a professional association for UK clinicians that aims to promote, encourage and improve the study and practice of the art and science of diagnosing and treating sexually transmitted diseases including all sexually transmitted infections, HIV and other sexual health problems.

The British HIV Association (BHIVA) supports clinicians who specialise in HIV, acts as an advisory body to those working in the field of HIV and promotes medical education within HIV care.

Brook is a voluntary sector organisation providing sexual health services and advice for all young people under 25. Brook's mission is to enable young people to enjoy their sexuality without harm.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FRSH) of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists sets standards, provides educational events and expert clinical advice, and awards qualifications in recognition of specialist knowledge and skills in the field.

The sexual health charity FPA provides straightforward information, advice and support to all people across the UK on all aspects of sexual health, sex and relationships.

The Medical Foundation for AIDS & Sexual Health (MedFASH) is a charity dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the healthcare of people affected by HIV, sexually transmitted infections and related conditions.

NAT is a charity dedicated to transforming society's response to HIV – providing fresh thinking, expert advice and practical resources, and campaigning for change. Shaping attitudes. Challenging injustice. Changing lives.

Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is an HIV and sexual health charity, which provides a wide range of clinical and support services and also campaigns for greater political and public understanding of the personal, social and medical impact of HIV and sexual ill health.