In case you missed it, on the 24th June 2009 Nicola Roxon (Federal Minister for Health and Ageing) introduced legislation that as part of the government’s maternity reform package includes a new government supported professional indemnity scheme for eligible midwives. This they say is one of the steps towards removing existing barriers to the provision of care, leading to better access and services for the community. ‘Homebirth Australia’ however, believes that as the insurance scheme only includes midwives in a clinical setting, it will have the effect of outlawing private practice midwives and deny access to homebirth to most women.
-Jo
Categories: Federal Minister for health and Ageing · Maternity
Tagged: Homebirth, Midwives
On 2nd May at age 79, prominent feminist author Marilyn French has died. Born 21st November 1929, her most famous book is her debut novel “The Women’s Room” which she wrote at age 48. This powerful book which is said to have changed women’s lives who read it, is also famous for the quote “all men are rapists”.This quote, not by Marilyn French herself but by a character in the book has been taken out of context and misused by those opposed to feminists at the time.
Our library holds many of her books, the titles and publication dates can be seen below:
The Women’s Room 1978 c1977
The Bleeding Heart 1980 c1980
Shakespeare’s Division of Experience 1983 c1981
Beyond Power: on Women Men and Morals 1986
Her Mother’s Daughter 1987
The War against Women 1992
Our Father: a Novel 1994
My Summer with George 1996
- Jo
Categories: Feminism · Women Authors
Tagged: Feminist authors, Marilyn French
Recently I saw the film version of the autobiographical graphic novel called ‘Persepolis’. It’s about the life to adulthood of Marjane Satrapi (also the film’s writer and co-director) who is an Iranian and who was about four or five at the time of the Iranian revolution when the film begins. Because this film is an animation I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was thoroughly drawn into it and found it moving and very entertaining. I highly recommend it.
PS If any kindhearted person out there is reading this, we would love to have either the graphic novel or the DVD in our library.
-Jo
Categories: Iranian Artists · Women in Iran
Tagged: Women in Iran, Marjane Satrapi, Film - Iran
When Anna Bligh won Queensland’s state government election (21/3/09), she became Australia’s first woman premier to be elected in her own right.
Categories: Politics · Women Politicians
Two new titles of interest on the subjects of prostitution and body image are as follows:
The Industrial Vagina: the Political Economy of the Global Sex Industry by Sheila Jeffreys
Bodies by Susie Orbach
For further resources check our Ready Reference Wiki on Prostitution and Body Image
Other titles by Sheila Jeffreys in our library are:
The Idea of Prostitution (1997)
The Spinster and her Enemies: Feminism and Sexuality 1880-1930 (1997)
The Lesbian heresy: a Feminist Perspective on the Lesbian Sexual Revolution (1993)
Other titles by Susie Orbach in our library are:
Towards Emotional Literacy (1999)
What’s really going on here? [about interpersonal relations] (1994)
Hunger Strike: the Anorexic’s Struggle as a Metaphor for our Age (1987)
What do Women Want? (1984)
Fat as a Feminist Issue 2 (1982)
Fat as a Feminist Issue (1979)
Categories: Book launch · Uncategorized