Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Carnival #11 Gender and sexuality

Welcome to Carnival of Socialism #11 on Sex and Gender. If there are posts I've missed be a love and pop them in the comments section would you? Oh, and I did recieve a number of good left articles on the theme which weren't from the blogosphere - I'll try to find a use for them, but not in this entry - apologies.

C of SLets begin the carnival with a stiff drink. Kit, in Cained and unable, discusses one of the media's favourite scandals "Booze Britain" and wonders if ladylike behaviour is so important, perhaps we should go the whole hog and reintroduce the chastity belt.

Christina, in Divorcing Masculine from Macho, muses on how men could find a place in a truly equal society. How they might go about liberating themselves from the patriachy? And when are they going to start?

Derek muses on the unlikely topic of whether oral sex is the answer to climate change. The answer, very disappointingly, is no - it isn't. Ho hum.

April Reign blogs on the Canadian Conservative administration's attempt to take "equality" off the agenda in her post Lessons from 1984. She notes that Minister Bev Oda stated that "All I know is that I stand for what’s right and what’s wrong" and replies "Exactly! She stands for the right and as usual they are wrong."

Sofie blogs on organising for abortion rights showing us that we can import praxis into the blogosphere. She's rightly frustrated and says "it’s time we stopped just asking MPs not to make things worse and started demanding the government give us real abortion rights." As Rosa Luxemburg said - if we're not pushing forwards, we're getting pushed back.

Lenin discusses the murders in Ipswich and Louise Feminista disagreees vehemently. Of course, unsurprisingly, the general blogosphere has been a-buzz with the horrible events including bolshevichka, socialist unity, Liz, Antonia, Disillusioned Kid, SouthpawPunch and, of course myself (no need for a link, you're here already, just scroll down I guess). Obsolete attacks the press coverage letting loose a fine blistering volley against the tabloid agenda. Which reminds me - if you can get to Ipswich on Friday 29th there is a reclaim the night event at 7 pm on the town hall steps.

On a related theme Collette raises the worries about possible abduction and enforced prostitution in Iraq in stolen away.

Polly, at Marginal Notes, has this interesting post on fighting for your right to pay for your own meal, which brings in lots of interesting points and ends with a terrible pun about having your cake... least said about that the better though.

From Cat and girlAnyway, that's it, hope you liked the carnival - it's my first stab at one but I think we got through unscathed didn't we?

If you want to pitch in and herd next month's socialist bloggers into a carnival drop by the c of s and let John know, he'd definately appreciate the help.

Update: I've had a few late suggestions which certainly merit inclusion so here they are; unknown conscience muses poetically on the fusion of personal and political aspects of sexuality and Mr Osler (twice) gives a Trotskyist master class in picking up those that take your fancy in a manner in which the "old man" might approve - how could I have missed this post, I even commented on it? Drink soaked trots for war expand on the theme. Good luck everyone.

11 comments:

Disillusioned kid said...

Cheers for the link. (What is appearing in a socialist carnival going to do for my anarchist credentials though?!)

Generally a carnivalistic success. Making them interesting is a real challenge. Well done.

Louisefeminista said...

Hey Jim,

Thanks for the link.

I know it is late but it only appeared in the past day or so but on Unknown Conscience (TWP) blog there is a really cool post on sexuality and bisexuality. It is really good and captures a lot of my own personal/political feelings around sexuality. I am sure I am not the only one who can relate to what TWP says.

http://unknownconscience.blogspot.com/2006/12/bisexual-anthem-ani-ds-in-or-out.html

stroppybird said...

Jim

Stroppyblog is hosting the next carnival !

Jim Jepps said...

DK: political categories are pretty fluid I reckon, don't let anyone fit you into too tight a box

I wish I'd had a couple more days on this really but Xmas, family etc.

Louise: I'll check it out and if I get time tomorrow I'll add it and perhaps a couple of others thigns on - *if* I get time

Stroppy: what were they thinking!!!!

Incidently the best thing so far about coming back to Essex has been my Mum noticed I'd dyed my hair... I dyed it Saturday and she's the first person to bloody mention it - I thought I was imagining it all, grrrrr....

April Reign (aka Debra) said...

Thanks for considering me worthy!

stroppybird said...

Jim

"Stroppy: what were they thinking!!!!"

What can you me :-)

Oh and what colour is your hair ?

The Sentinel said...

Interesting...

MC Fanon said...

I thoroughly enjoyed the carnival. I'm going to go through for a deeper reading when I get some time on my hands but it looks wonderful. Way to go, Jay.

Frank Partisan said...

Very good choices.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Jim, for the link and for the excellent carnival! That round-up of opinion on Ipswich murders was particularly enlightening!

AN said...

Worth mentioning on the Xmas theme, many years ago Cambridge SWP held a meeting with the title: "child abuse in the family - not such a happy Xmas for everyone"

No really, that's true.