Europe | Great Britain | Ethics

‘Consent in childbirth is a joke’: How British women are silenced in the delivery room

The case of an American woman, who was unwillingly cut by doctors during birth, has shocked many. But this problem isn't confined to the US, says Milli Hill. British women find it just as hard to get their voices heard. Two years ago, in a California hospital, a woman named Kelly was told she needed an episiotomy while giving birth. Kelly questioned the decision to make the cut in her perineum – between her vagina and anus. “I haven’t pushed yet”, she exclaimed. But the doctor approached her with scissors, saying, “I’m the expert here”. Although the 27-year

Europe | Great Britain | Activism

Women’s war stories are finally being told. But let’s not pretend war is romantic

Source: theguardian

If you accept, as I do, the notion that feminism is by nature anti-war, then the increased presence of women in warmongering action blockbusters like Man Of Steel (which was used by the National Guard as a recruitment drive) and Battleship should not be applauded. This “feminising” of traditionally boys-own pop culture ties into the ongoing debate about whether or not it is a “feminist issue” to have women on the front line. On the one hand, there’s a school of thought that says equality is reached when female soldiers are considered as capable as their male counterparts. The logi

Europe | Great Britain | Ethics

Royal succession shake-up makes female monarchs more likely

Source: Pangea Today

Thanks to a radical shake-up in the U.K.’s royal succession rules, a new law has been enforced to remove male bias. With the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge expecting another baby, the rules were altered to ensure that if their second child is a girl, she won’t be overtaken by any future younger brothers. The law to change the rules of succession was passed by parliament in 2013. However, all countries in which the Queen is head of state were required to pass it before the rule came into effect. Before now, the ancient rules of male primogeniture meant that male sons took precedence o

Europe | Great Britain | Ethics

Fair pay, ma’am! Queen’s staff prepare to take industrial action over low pay

Source: RT

For the first time in history, the Queen could face industrial action among disgruntled palace staff. Workers at one of the royal family’s most iconic residences, Windsor Castle, are preparing to ballot in a dispute over pay. The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) confirmed more than 100 of the lowest-paid workers at Windsor Castle are due to be balloted from Tuesday, and will decide whether to take non-strike action in a dispute over pay. Mark Serwotka, the PCS general secretary, called the royal family’s treatment of workers “scandalous.” “These workers are loyal t