Sophia Network

How pink is your Christmas?

Last year in the run-up to Christmas, we highlighted the gender-stereotyping of toys. This year, Pinkstinks - the campaign and social enterprise that challenges the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls' lives - has a Christmas campaign calling for the Early Learning Centre to stop its pinkification and gender-stereotyping of children’s toys. They are quick to point out that ELC is not the only culprit but as they claim to be centres for learning, it's only fair to critique exactly what our children are learning from them. And if it's that girls and boys should be channelled into narrow gender stereotypes rather than having a wide world opened up to them, then parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents would be wise to ask themselves if that's what they want to support.

You can read more on their blog where there's an inspiring story about 13-year-old Philipe Johansson and Ebba Silvert from Sweden who reported Toys 'R' Us to Sweden's Advertising Ombudsman because all the boys in their Christmas catalogue were portrayed as active, and all the girls were portrayed as pink and passive. The Ombudsman decided that the Toys ‘R’ Us catalogue “discriminates based on gender and counteracts positive social behaviour, lifestyles, and attitudes” and the company was issued with a public reprimand. So this year the catalogue will be different!

UPDATE: There's an interview in The Guardian with Abi and Emma Moore who launched PinkStinks which begins: 'Towards the end of the great war, in June 1918, America's most authoritative women's magazine, the Ladies' Home Journal (it still exists), had a few wise words of advice for fretting mothers. "There has been a great diversity of debate on the subject," it wrote, "but the generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger colour, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl." '

Start Freedom

Start Freedom is a new international project from Stop the Traffik for schools and youth groups to inspire young people to learn more about the issues of trafficking and what they can do to eradicate it. Half of all trafficked people are children under the age of 18, and it's vital to raise awareness of what goes on as well as what action young people can take in response.

Start Freedom launches on 14 October 2009 with a live broadcast in collaboration with the UN to be streamed into schools around the world. Afterwards, registered schools and youth groups will be able to access educational resources that cover what trafficking is, the link between trafficking and what we consume, global and local gender issues in trafficking and action that young people can take. As part of the final lesson, young people will be invited to creatively express their response to trafficking in their local community. March 2010 will see the first Global Start Freedom Week when that creativity can be shared via the internet with more opportunities to raise awareness and take action.

Visit the Start Freedom website to sign up to receive news about the resources and to find out more about the broadcast or download the Start Freedom Flyer here.

Lubna Hussein fined for wearing trousers

Lubna Hussein has been convicted by a court in Sudan for indecency after wearing trousers in public. As reported earlier, she was arrested on 3 July along with a dozen other women who were all wearing trousers at a restaurant. She resigned her job with the UN in order to fight the charge and highlight the arbitrary nature of the indecency law. The judge ruled that she shouldn't face the punishment of 40 lashes that had been expected, perhaps because of the international attention the case has gathered. Lubna has said she will not pay the fine and is prepared to face a month in prison instead. Amnesty says that the decision to fine Lubna is 'disgraceful and has revealed that in spite of international outrage and attention, authorities in Sudan will continue to approve laws which so flagrantly discriminate against women.' According to the Independent, one of her supporters said, 'Lubna has given us a chance. She is very brave. Thousands of girls have been beaten since the 1990s, but Lubna is the first one not to keep silent.'

Pink knickers to you!

I liked this report about creative campaigning by women in India, who were fed up with being policed by radical Hindu groups. Women who visited pubs and unmarried couples celebrating Valentine's day were targeted by self-appointed guardians of 'Indian culture' who didn't approve of their actions. Social change in India means that  a younger generation want to enjoy the freedom of dating and drinking, while traditionalists think they should stay at home. A 16-year-old girl committed suicide this month after being publicly humiliated by Hindu groups for being on a bus with a Muslim boy. And then the Sri Ram Sena, a Hindu group, threatened to forcibly marry unwed couples found together on Valentine's Day.

So women sent in pink knickers to the offices of Sri Ram Sena in protest - round 40,000 pairs, some of them unwashed. "I think we saw physical assault and criminal conspiracy as a step too far," said Mihira Sood, a 25-year-old lawyer who was part of the "core group" of the consortium, according to the Guardian. She said the reason that the pink chaddi – Hindi slang for knickers – was chosen was that it was an "irreverent" riposte to rightwingers who claimed they were saving "women from shame and dishonour".

Reflection: Public obedience - Zelophehad's daughters by Anna Rossignoli

Watching the news during the Olympics I was aware of how futile public declarations can be today. As a handful of devoted individuals, with ‘free Tibet’ emblazoned on their t-shirts were desperately clinging to their protest, passersby watched but continued walking. In seconds the Chinese police had swiftly removed the protesters and their posters from public view. A blip on the radar of Olympic news coverage. To do anything publicly is to invite the opinion of many, the news reporter who is later ordered to leave the scene, or the police officer dealing with the commotion and his own frustration. So why are people driven to make a stand, to speak out concerning injustice and look to the world in order to right its wrongs. How should we, as Christians, address our burning discontent in a manner honouring to God? Having read Numbers 27, Zelophehad’s daughters provide a beautiful example of how to be obedient to God while addressing the cause of their discontent.

Think back then, to a time when the Israelite community lived, worked and existed together. The people have been in the desert now for several decades awaiting the fulfilment of God’s promise and the second census has just been taken (Numbers 26). Verse 33 in the census documents record that Zelophehad, son of Hepher had no sons but five daughters. Although rightful descendants these women were not entitled to any of their father’s land as there was no legislation in place to allow it. What could they do? Placards and t-shirts weren’t quite the order of the day. No, instead they “approach the entrance of the tent of meeting”, which admittedly sounds simple enough. However, another use of the word in Hebrew was to describe those who were unclean or contaminated, revealing a sense of keeping their distance and maintaining respect. These daughters came before Moses, not with brashness, nor aggression, not even angry or above their station but humbly and with conviction. (Numbers 27:1-11)

Girls shout out!

Each year for the last three years, Girlguiding UK has published a report to give girls a voice on issues that matter to them. They say 'As a truly girl-led organisation, we’ve always sought and acted upon the views of girls. To help make sure girls’ voices are heard outside guiding as well we’ve conducted one of the most extensive surveys of girls’ and young women’s views by any organisation in recent years,representing their views to decision-makers and the public in a series of landmark reports. Because our report series helps 500,000 girls to pump up the volume in expressing their views we’ve called it Girls shout out!'

This year the report is on Teenage Mental Health and the pressures that girls and young women find themselves under. From their website: 'Pressure to grow up quickly, materialism, boredom, bullying and premature sexualisation are taking a heavy toll on the emotional well-being of girls and young women. This, our latest report, published in July 2008 in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation, reveals the complex spectrum of emotional difficulties facing young women – and how we can provide the spaces and opportunities they need to flourish.'

The whole report is available to view as a Flash website or you can download a PDF of the report from this page, where you can also find last year's report on self-esteem and the initial report that kicked off the series. Well worth a look.

The right to vote

Ninety years ago today, women in the UK were given the right to vote. Well, those who were married or over 30 were. It was 80 years ago this year - in 1928 - that women were given equality with men in terms of voting. And 50 years ago this year, legislation was passed that allowed women to become members of the House of Lords - although they clearly didn't change the name to reflect the fact that the second chamber was no longer to be all male. There is more about women and voting on the Fawcett Society website.