Latest news with #feminist
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
How 'fiercely feminist' Queen Camilla has committed to championing charities helping women for more than three decades
She was once described as a 'fiercely modern feminist'. Queen Camilla, who turns 78 today, has spent more than three decades championing charities helping women - following some tragic family losses. As patron of more than 90 charities, the Queen has worked to highlight organisations supporting victims of rape and sexual assault, as well as bone diseases. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK! magazine: 'You don't look at Camilla who has never had a career and who was always linked in with the horsey, aristocratic crowd and think "Oh, there walks a feminist". 'But she absolutely is a feminist. She has stood up, first of all quite quietly, but now very noisily for women's rights and equality.' Camilla's work with survivors of domestic abuse and campaigners was covered in the ITV documentary Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors in November 2024. In the documentary she said: 'One of the most difficult things about domestic abuse, to understand, it's not the bruises and the black eyes, which, unfortunately you see, through violence, this is something that creeps up very slowly and, far too often, it ends up with women being killed. 'By scratching the surface, you get a terrible shock. It's a heinous crime.' She added: 'If we could just get more people discussing it, talking about it, people are so shocked by what they hear that, rather like me, they want to say "oh, hang on a minute" perhaps there's something we can do to put an end to it.' Camilla visited nine rape crisis centres in 2009 and began her advocacy work after hearing victims' accounts. In 2011 she opened the Oakwood Place Essex Sexual Assault Referral Centre at Brentwood Community Hospital. She is patron of the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust which provides home security for victims of crime and domestic abuse and of SafeLives, a charity that campaigns against domestic abuse and violence. In 2013 the then Duchess of Cornwall held a reception at Clarence House bringing together an important group of national stakeholders and key decision-makers. This was the first time in the UK that such a wide range of organisations had been drawn together specifically to discuss rape and sexual abuse. At the occasion, she introduced a plan to help the victims: about 750 washbags, created by her Clarence House staff and packed with luxury toiletries, were distributed to victims at the centres. She partnered with Boots in 2017 to create a line of washbags to be given to sexual assault referral centres around the country. As of 2024, it had donated more than 50,000 washbags. Camilla also lent her support to a family campaigning to lower the age of domestic abuse classification to include under-16s. She also described the scale of violence within the home, coupled with social media, as 'terrifying'. The Queen spoke with the parents of Holly Newton, a 15-year-old who was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in Northumberland in January 2023, at a reception held at her London residence, Clarence House. Holly's mother Micala Trussler said that it was 'really amazing' to meet the Queen, adding: 'She was really down to earth and lovely and she was really passionate about our campaign. 'She is supporting us in our campaign and she's looking to help young people as well. She said she's sorry for our loss and we shouldn't have to be here doing this.' Her husband Lee Trussler said that the Queen's support meant that their campaign was 'getting heard in the highest place in the country'. He added: 'We're hoping other people are going to take notice that the Queen's paying attention so they can get behind us and get the law changed to protect the kids.' In 2016 at a reception hosted by the Duchess in Clarence House author Kathy Lette praised Camilla as a 'feminist' who 'takes no prisoners'. Lette said the choice of charities and causes the Queen supported showed she was a feminist, adding: 'She surrounds herself with strong women, strong female friends. She's earthy, she's witty, she's wise and deliciously self-deprecating. 'I don't know that she calls herself a feminist, but her behaviour is certainly of one. I would say she is a feminist, for sure.' As well as championing charities which support women going through domestic violence or abuse, the Queen has been involved with the Royal Osteoporosis Society since 1994 after losing her mother and grandmother to the disease. Camilla described her anguish at watching her beloved 'Mama', Rosalind Shand, die a 'crippling, slow and agonising death' from the fragile-bone disease in 1994, aged 72. Her maternal grandmother, Sonia Keppel, died of the condition just eight years earlier. 'Seeing someone you love die slowly, in agony, and knowing nothing about the disease that killed them is heartbreaking,' she told the Daily Mail in 2011. Camilla was made patron of the charity in 1997 and ultimately president in 2001. In 2002 she launched a mini book, A Skeleton Guide to a Healthy You, Vitamins and Minerals, which aims to help women protect themselves from the disease. This led to her receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Southampton in 2016 in recognition of her efforts to raise awareness about osteoporosis. Camilla held a royal reception for bone disease campaigners last year, which the Mail's Group Business Editor Ruth Sunderland was invited to attend following her work for the War on Osteoporosis campaign. The Queen is president of the Women of the World Festival, the globe's largest women's festival, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The festival champions gender equality, celebrating the achievements of women worldwide and examining the obstacles that stop them from fulfilling their potential. At an International Women's Day event in 2017, Lette jokingly described Camilla as like a 'human Wonderbra' for women – 'uplifting and supportive'. Camilla has proven herself to be a feminist through her support for wide-ranging charities and campaigns helping women and girls. As she celebrates her birthday, she can reflect on more than 30 years dedicated to her charity work - honouring her late mother and grandmother.
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
JENNI MURRAY: Why no one would want to wear this T-shirt now... it's poisoned
Back in the day, it seemed anyone who was anyone wore them: those T-shirts which declared in large letters across the chest: 'This is what a feminist looks like.' The actor Benedict Cumberbatch showed his off, as did politicians Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Harriet Harman. I did, too, back in 2014, as I was the president of The Fawcett Society – an organisation that has long campaigned for greater equality between women and men. It was such a simple, yet powerful message, that both men and women of all political shades could be proud of being feminists. Just over a decade on, though, I doubt anyone would wear such a slogan. The word 'feminist' has been poisoned by the phenomenal power of trans activists. Indeed, I believe we've lived through the worst years ever for those feminists who, like me, have held fast to the belief that women's welfare must always be the priority. To my mind, the rot set in around 2012, when Maria Miller became Minister for Women and Equalities under the Tory/Lib Dem coalition. Since then, women have slid down the political agenda in favour of biological males who identify as women. I remember interviewing Miller on Woman's Hour and being shocked when she told me her primary concern was for the trans community who, she said, had told her they suffered terrible discrimination. I challenged her, pointing out that a Minister for Women should have more responsibility for women than for trans women. She ignored me. Those of us who refused to accept trans women were women suffered a great deal back then. And any woman who agreed with me was disparagingly dubbed 'TERF' – a trans exclusionary radical feminist. I received worse than just this label, though. An article on the issue that I wrote in The Sunday Times in 2017 saw me threatened with rape and murder on social media. Trans women, I said, deserved respect and consideration but must not see themselves as women with the right to be welcomed into single-sex spaces or be housed in women's prisons if they committed a crime. Harriet Harman wears a shirt reading 'this is what a feminist looks like' - also sported in the past by Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg Jenni Murray believes women have slid down the political agenda in favour of biological males who identify as women since Maria Miller (pictured_ became Minister for Women and Equalities in 2012 My perfectly reasonable views not only brought me those horrifying threats, but the BBC declared I must not be allowed to discuss the issue on Woman's Hour. And when my alma mater, Hull University, wanted to name a lecture theatre after me, the noisy trans activists tried to stop it. All this kind of intimidation is still happening – despite the ruling from the Supreme Court that the legal definition of a woman within the Equality Act should be based on biological sex. But now it appears that the latest clever, outspoken woman who is suffering for her feminism is Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, the Prime Minister's choice to lead the Equality and Human Rights Commission when Baroness Falkner ends her term in November. Mary-Ann was director of The Fawcett Society in the mid-2000s when I was appointed president. She went on to become director of the Women's Budget Group – a feminist think-tank that provides evidence for the benefits of a gender-equal economy. And as well as working on equality and human rights issues for three decades, she holds a PhD in equality law. You'd imagine that, as she appears to be perfectly qualified to lead the equality watchdog, the suggestion of her appointment would be met with praise. But enter the trans activist, and Mary-Ann's commitment to feminism is called into question. Should she head the watchdog, they ask, when she has been open about her concerns for women whose careers were damaged by what are known as 'gender-critical' views? As far back as 2015, she co-signed a letter to The Guardian decrying 'the worrying pattern of intimidation and silencing of individuals whose views are deemed transphobic'. Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson (pictured) is Sir Keir Starmer's choice to lead the Equality and Human Rights Commission when Baroness Falkner ends her term in November She also donated to the legal fund of Allison Bailey, a barrister who took her chambers to court when they asked her to remove two 'gender-critical' tweets. Trans activists have clearly been successful at lobbying the Lords and Commons' equalities committees, as they challenged her decision to sign the letter to The Guardian. They had, they said, received hundreds of emails and letters from transgender people with concerns about her appointment. Mary-Ann defended her statements because, she said, she was opposed to 'attempts to close down debate'. She said her £25 donation to Allison Bailey's legal fund 'was very specifically because I was upset at seeing women being harassed or sacked from their jobs for peaceful expression of legally protected beliefs'. Those two committees who've been so influenced by the trans lobby have only an advisory role. It will be Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, who will make the final decision. Surely ministers will not allow the transgender rights groups to stop her getting the job? She must not be silenced. Mary-Ann is a woman who knows what needs to be said in support of women who've had to beg for their safe places. Biology trumps gender. The Supreme Court said so. It must be repeated over and over until it sinks in and we don't have to worry any more about being bullied for our beliefs. Hands off our Bayeux tapestry! The Bayeux tapestry should not be coming here 'on loan' from the French. It's not theirs. It's ours, exquisitely stitched by hard-working English women, telling the story of the Battle of Hastings with lots of humour. William the Conqueror features, obviously, but why has France held on to him as a truly French conquering hero? His ancestors were actually Viking invaders of Normandy. Maybe invasion runs in families... The Bayeux tapestry was exquisitely stitched, likely by hard-working English women, to recount the story of the Battle of Hastings Top of a recent list of all-time favourite toys are Lego and Rubik's Cubes. Not my favourites, though. I've stood on far too many Lego pieces in bare feet and the Cube defeated me completely. Sons one and two both did it in a flash. Children are the real victims Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd has received texts from his girls – 15 and 11 years old – begging for money as they're about to become homeless. He says he is releasing the disturbing messages to show the children are being involved in his ex-wife Alice Evans' 'false and manufactured claim' that she is in financial crisis as he had been paying child support. Frankly, I think both parents are a disgrace. Marriages end and there's grief, but it's up to the adults – not their poor children – to sort things out. Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd pictured with wife Bianca Wallace. He has two children with ex-wife Alice Evans Smutty Gregg needs to grow up I remember Gregg Wallace when he and his late pal Charlie Hicks, a keen advocate for the home-grown produce industry, came on Radio 4 to talk fruit and veg. There was lots of barrow-boy bonhomie, but nothing too offensive. Gregg's wrong to say, in the light of his disgrace, that working class guys no longer have a place in broadcasting. Of course they do – but only if they've grown up enough to know women tend not to like smut with their apples and pears.
The Guardian
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire review – the legacy of a dissident and inspirational surrealist author
This brief work from New York film-maker Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich is the equivalent of a platform performance in the theatre: a look at the works of Caribbean feminist, anti-imperialist and surrealist partisan Suzanne Césaire, played by Zita Hanrot; Hanrot, rather, plays an actress musingly preparing to play her. Césaire's brief, intense flowering of work occurred in second world war Martinique, then a colony of France, controlled by the collaborationist Vichy government. Paradoxically liberated by this oppressive situation, Césaire co-founded a journal called Tropiques and published an influential series of essays on politics, literature and art, which showed how passionately inspired she was by her encounter with the great surrealist André Breton. For Césaire, surrealism was a revolutionary mode of thinking and feeling: a battle cry and a challenge to the accepted order, and as she puts it here, the 'tightrope of our hope'. This is an image that conveys vertiginous excitement and danger, although Césaire was a surrealist in the sense of being an evangelist for and a theoretician of surrealism, rather than a practitioner. Her essays do however have a prose-poetic quality. If this chamber-piece film is a little opaque, perhaps that is because Césaire herself is opaque. After 1945, she stopped publishing her own work, transferring her energies to teaching in Martinique and elsewhere, and in looking after her large family. Perhaps the liberation of France, an event that certainly did not presage its colonies' liberation, was not an inspiring moment. And perhaps also her story is all too familiar; she found herself crowded out of the spotlight by a prominent husband, in this case Aimé Césaire, whose literary and political career made him a substantial public figure in France into the 21st century. Suzanne died in 1966, by which stage the record shows that she and Aimé were in fact divorced. A calm and interesting introduction to an important dissident author. The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire is in UK cinemas from 18 July.
Malay Mail
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
French Legion of Honour: Gisele Pelicot hailed for bravery, Pharrell Williams recognised for fashion impact
PARIS, July 14 — Gisele Pelicot, who became a feminist icon by publicly testifying over the mass rapes she endured, and rapper-turned-fashion designer Pharrell Williams were among 589 people awarded France's top civic honour yesterday. Pelicot, 72, and Williams were both named knights of the Legion of Honour on a list announced ahead of France's July 14 national day. Pelicot earned international tributes for her courage in testifying at a trial in 2024 against her former husband, who drugged her and arranged for her to be raped by dozens of men over a decade. She has since been named on lists of the world's most influential people by international media and the case helped forced a change in France's rape law. But Pelicot has remained silent since the trial. Her lawyer says she is concentrating on writing a book giving her side of the mass rape story which is to be released in 2026. Williams, 52, made his name as a rapper and singer but earned a second fortune as a music producer and after designing clothes and accessories for several brands. He has been Louis Vuitton's men's creative director since 2023. His recent Paris show attracted a host of international celebrities, including Jay Z and Beyonce, film directors Steve McQueen and Spike Lee and football and basketball stars. Actor Lea Drucker, veteran singer Sylvie Vartan, writer Marc Levy and Auschwitz deportee Yvette Levy, 99, were also among the figures awarded the Legion of Honour along with a host of former ministers, academics and top legal names. — AFP
Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Dating and politics don't mix. I learnt the hard way
I'll always remember the morning I discovered that red flags in dating go beyond being rude to waiters or refusing to go to therapy. I was lying in bed with a new boyfriend — or almost boyfriend — who I was, at the time, deeply and naively obsessed with. He was creative, sensitive, sweet and gave off the vague impression of being a feminist. I could easily imagine him reading Margaret Atwood or enjoying Greta Gerwig films. • Read expert advice on sex, relationships, dating and love It was one of my first mornings staying over, so to seem mature and well informed — the kind of woman who follows elections in obscure European countries and can speak confidently about the government's budgets— I decided to put the news on while he made breakfast. As he scrambled eggs, we both half-listened to the soothing drone of morning headlines until I heard the familiar grating voice of Nigel Farage. I rolled my eyes, sighed and joked about changing the channel — only to be met with an immediate, and alarmingly sincere, defence from the other side of the room. He called Farage 'a decent guy with some good ideas'. Then, without hesitation, added that he would vote for him. I didn't know what to say. Not only was I shocked, I was mildly heartbroken. But it was far too early in the morning — and far too soon in the relationship — to get into a heated debate about immigration policy. Still, the illusion shattered. My carefully constructed fantasy of him — a liberal-minded creative with a collection of progressive literature — dissolved on the spot. And I'm sure my swift dismissal of his political hero was a turn-off for him too. • Millennial men, dating and gender politics But neither of us are alone in our quiet disillusionment. Now more than ever, politics is becoming a sign of compatibility — or a dating deal breaker. According to research by Tinder and Censuswide last year, over a third of 18 to 25-year-olds say they feel comfortable discussing politics on the first date. Possibly this is to ward off future heartbreak — or at the very least to avoid wasting time — 'since 60 per cent of young singles in the UK believe the person they're dating should respect their political views'. That figure jumps to 65 per cent for young women. Despite my degree in the subject, I file politics under 'second date territory' — after siblings, zodiac signs and favourite films. But it needs to be brought up carefully, since asking someone for their comprehensive voting history feels like an overly intense icebreaker. Instead, I'd suggest easing in with something subtle: 'What do you think of the [insert current protest]?' or 'Are you a fan of Ken Loach films?' It needs to be casual but clear enough to gauge if you're ideologically aligned — or dangerously opposed. You wouldn't want to end up like my friend who, months into her first relationship, found herself arguing over dinner with her boyfriend about whether gay people should be allowed to start families. In case anyone's concerned: yes, she was in favour. And no, they did not last. Then there's another friend who was whisked away on a romantic weekend to Mont Blanc, only for her boyfriend to declare — without irony — that the political unrest of our time signified the second coming of Jesus Christ. • Why politics could ruin your marriage — and lead to a break-up With an increasingly polarised world, it's no wonder that young daters are paying closer attention to political values. Many dating apps allow users to list their political affiliations in their bio — giving the same importance as age, height and relationship goals — and sparing us the awkwardness of discovering someone's incompatible views during a candlelit dinner. Like an American friend of mine (and staunch Democrat) who discovered her recent fling was an avid Trump supporter. She described the feeling of 'needing to bleach her entire body'. But it isn't just differing political opinions that are giving people the ick — it's apathy. The same study by Tinder and Censuswide found that 'one in five admitted to ending a relationship or saying they would do so if their partner was not politically engaged'. A third said it's important their date is registered to vote. I tend to agree. There's a kind of privilege in being able to opt out — to casually avoid the news, claim neutrality. I find ignorance towards this deeply unattractive. I'm not alone: I've witnessed more than a few friends fall victim to — and then swear off — the apathetic type, including 'ignorant skater boys who proudly bragged about not following politics or current events'. • I'm an American woman. Trust me, British men are better dates Still, as much as I believe politics matters in relationships, should we really be nitpicking every opinion, every post, every offhand comment? Especially when so many of us are stuck in the purgatory of situationships? A successful serial-monogamist friend once told me about an ex who would ferociously shut down his progressive politics any time the subject was breached. Although he found it frustrating, he admitted it wasn't a dealbreaker. Because, as he put it, 'Does it matter all that much if we just wanna kiss 'n' stuff?' A fair point. In the end, maybe it's not about demanding perfect ideological alignment, but recognising that politics — whether it's about protest, climate change or women's rights — is a reflection of how someone sees the world and the people in it. And while kissing might not require a shared manifesto, surely building something real does. Even if that does mean weeding out half your dating pool.
