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.

Lets 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.

Anyway, 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.