NASOG – FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT

I think it noteworthy that it has taken till 2009 for the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NASOG) to have a president who is a woman. Her name is Hilary Joyce and she spoke about being first woman president and other aspects of her work on Radio National’s “Life Matters” program of July 2nd.

-Jo

INSURANCE FOR MIDWIVES

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

Feminist Studies

Feminist Studies is enabling full text of ‘The 1970s Issue’  Volume 34 Number 3 fall 2008 online at http://www.feministstudies.org/.

Library and Information Week

It’s library and information week this week 25 – 31 May 2009 http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/liw/                                                                    the theme: ‘Libraries your passport to Discovery’

As such this Wednesday the 27th at 11.00am ’National simultaneous storytelling’ sessions will be held in public libraries all over Australia  http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/storytime/2009/

DEATH OF MARILYN FRENCH

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

DONATION ANYONE?

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

A FIRST FOR WOMEN IN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

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.

Two Recently Published Books

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)

Growing up before feminism

Lynn Barber writes an article in The Observer on her experiences of growing up before feminism.

Thanks to Danielle for this link.

Sheila Rowbotham

Sheila Rowbotham famous feminist, author of Hidden from History; Women, Resistance and Revolution; and Woman’s Consciousness, Man’s World all available at the WSRC, is interviewed by the guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/22/women-highereducation-sheila-rowbotham-feminism

Thank you to Danielle for this link