I will confess, I used to be a bit squeamish about calling myself a feminist. I thought it meant that I had to stop shaving my legs and wearing a bra, neither of which I’m prepared to do. But as I’ve grown older and, y’know, grown up a bit, I’ve realised that’s really not the case. Feminism, and women’s rights, are about issues far more fundamental than my personal grooming habits.
I probably can’t put it better than Caitlin Moran, who has this to say.
“Here is a quick way of working our if you’re a feminist. Put your hand in your pants.
a) do you have a vagina?
b) do you want to be in charge of it?
If you said ‘yes’ to both, then congratulations! You’re a feminist.’
It really is that simple.
Today is International Women’s Day.
This year, Save the Children has chosen to focus their International Women’s Day campaign on exactly this simple an issue – a woman’s right to have control over her own body – her access to reproductive health care, and her right to choose when and how to start a family.
Around the world millions of women and girls can not make independent decisions about their healthcare – in Burkina Faso 75% of husbands make decisions about their wives healthcare on their own. In Nigeria the figure is 73%, in Nepal it’s 51%.
Right now, 215 million women who want to avoid pregnancy don’t have access to effective family planning: they can’t get advice from health workers, they can’t afford contraception and they don’t have the choice we take for granted here in the UK.
If you believe, like I do, that this is wrong and that all women should be able to make choices about her own body, please take two minutes of your time to sign this petition.
You might also want to check out the EQUALS website – run by Save the Children and some of its coalition partners – to see some of the actvities they have planned over the next few days.
Happy International Women’s Day.
(You can take your hand out of your pants now)
Dorkymum | Stories from Tasmania 
signed it. one of the first petitions i ever signed! 🙂 xxx
You are the best xxx
I really like your post – and Caitlin Moran’s book – but her definition excludes men from being feminists! And I think we need to be able to include men in feminism…
I completely agree with that (I think I might have even done a post on it sometime last year!) so thanks for calling me out on it 🙂 x
Fab post.
Shocking stats and right of you to make the link between these vulnerable women and ourselves through our lady bits! I wish sometimes there was more to make me conscious of this global sisterhood. (Maybe I need to put my hands down my pants more)
Have signed. Thanks for linking up!
Happy International Women’s Day! Thanks for linking up.
Brilliant. Love the connection you have made between the global sisterhood. Am inspired, have signed.
(Sorry if this is second comment, I tired earlier but seemed to disappear)
Sorry – not sure why you ended up in my spam folder, but rescued now! Thanks for popping over and for signing up! xx
Pingback: 12-03-12 Love Politics Weekly Showcase | Love All Blogs
Sorry, I read this on my phone and then forgot to pop back to leave a proper comment. This is such an important issue for STC to focus on. I really feel that until a woman has control over her own body any other moves towards equality are pretty much wasted. That’s why we should also be aware of the number of women in the UK whose access to healthcare is limited (either due to education, language barrier or just that they aren’t allowed to speak to their healthcare provider in private) in spite of our strong equalities legislation. Thanks for linking up to the Love Politics Blogs Showcase.
Always a pleasure – thanks for coming over to comment x
Wicked post! Wish I’d read it nearer the time. Funny how becoming a mum, spesh to a daughter, focuses your mind on the true state of equality and equivalence in this country and around the world.
Oh my. I don’t have a daughter but can only imagine how difficult that must be. Tricky waters to navigate — good luck! x