Advance fair New Zealand

21st March 2013 - Race Relations Day

New Race Relations Commissioner Susan Devoy may not be starting until the 1st April 2013, but she has hit the ground running in her role with the Human Rights Commission.

Today is Race Relations Day, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and Ms Devoy has some innovative ideas she's launching to "encourage harmonious relations between the diverse peoples of New Zealand by encouraging respect for human dignity and the realisation of the human rights of all people in New Zealand."

"We only need to look across the Tasman to witness how Australians celebrate their day," says Ms Devoy, calling for a brand new national day.  "They may be our arch-enemy on the sports field, but you do have to admire the way they celebrate their national day with a great showing of patriotism."

Ms Devoy is concerned about Waitangi Day having lost it's way as a time for New Zealanders to have a "good ol Kiwi barbecue."  So she's keen to reframe it, in line with the lead on racism shown by Australia, and set up a completely new opportunity.  "Waitangi has been hijacked and if it can never be really seen as a day of national celebration then perhaps the time has come to choose another true New Zealand day.  We deserve a day of true celebration and pride."

So this Race Relations Day, the new Commissioner is launching a new slogan:

"Advance fair New Zealand!" 

Ms Devoy is hoping all New Zealanders will rally behind her cry to be more like Australia when it comes to race and diversity.  The Human Rights Commission is very proud of the leadership Ms Devoy is showing before her role has even officially begun.

Ends 

STOP: National Party press release: Vasectomies and limited liability

A new policy to address government spending has been announced, and while it may court controversy in some corners, John Key is personally championing the initiative.

"It's time we stopped irresponsible and violent men from increasing the burden on the taxpayer," said the Prime Minister.  "We've been too timid to go there before, but this government is making available vasectomies to men we believe should no longer be reproducing."

Of course Mr Key has first-hand experience of his reproductive capacity being curtailed, and speaks highly of the choice.  "It's been nothing but wonderful for my sex life," he smiles.

The government plans to offer vasectomies to all men convicted of domestic or sexual violence, and these offers will take place in prison.  "We know those men make poor fathers, and their children are likely to need more support from the state than other children, so let's just cut our costs."

"But we're going beyond that too," Mr Key said winningly.  "We're targetting those deadbeat dads who leave women and children to fend for themselves.  They cost us billions, and it's time we put a stop to them having more children."

These men will be offered the opportunity to control their future reproduction for free by IRD employees as part of the Child Support changes proposed by National.  "It's a win-win.  No more unsupported children, and those guys will get to have as much fun as I do," said the ebullient Mr Key.

"National are more and more interested in limiting reproductive liability for the state.  This proposal should ensure the taxpayer pays only for important things like new roads, maps to facilitate the oil and mining industries making profits, subsidies for industries we support, and contracts for consultants for the public sector.  Alongside our plans for increased tax cuts for the productive members of our country, vasectomies may just be the pick-me-up our economy needs."

The new government policy will be trialled over the next twelve months.  Mr Key says if it's as successful as National hopes "We'll be making vasectomies available to more and more groups of men from communities which cost taxpayer dollars."

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

It's just a joke

Occupational hazard of wanting to end rape culture: you spend lots of time designing training and education packages for people around the ways alcohol facilitates sexual violence which try very hard to avoid traditional victim blaming ideas.

The simplest way to do this is to remind people that drinking (unless you're underage, or in the wrong place) isn't a crime, but sexual violence is.

Another way I've done this in the past is by asking people to think about the messages alcohol manufacturers and sellers give us around alcohol. What's going to happen when we drink?

Well, if we drink beer:

Or how about this one?

These are real advertisements, and hopefully I don't need to explain why they are deeply problematic in terms of messages around sex, consent, masculinity and femininity. Hint: if I do, you're less media literate than young people going to VIBE Youth Health Service in Lower Hutt, where I first focus grouped these images. They were pretty clear in what they thought the key messages were "girls who are drinking are up for it."

(And you know what, we just might be. But to find that out, you'll have to talk to us, and listen to what we say, even when that's different to what you want to hear.)

What can be harder to unpack is humour. When we make something a funny, any criticism risks the defence of bigots everywhere "can't you take a joke?" That's why the Tui beer ads have run so long, despite continued real offensiveness. Because they are funny. Yeah, right.

I'm not able to comment on Tui television adverts, I hardly ever watch tv, and I don't think I've ever seen one. But Tui billboards - there's the homophobic one, the transphobic one, the one about children lying about sexual abuse, and far, far, far too many to mention that have been about treating women like we are stupid barriers to men drinking and having fun.

There's been several explicitly supporting male violence against women - the sexual harassment one, the one bemoaning Tony Veitch's inability to pay his way out of assaulting his then partner, and this little gem from 2005:

I'm going out on a limb here and saying making fun of violence against women, and queer people, and transpeople, and childhood sexual abuse, is part of creating a tolerance for violence and hate. It is part of victim blaming when violence is perpetrated against those groups. It makes us see domestic violence from the role of the perpetrator, as a bit of a laugh. It makes us look at people who say they have been sexually abused, or assaulted because they were queer/trans, with cynicism rather than compassion.

It is part of sustaining a culture which puts a particular kind of straight men at the top of the pile, where, with irony of course, some might think they belong.

It's time to put Tui billboards where they belong - on the scrapheap - by supporting Feminist Action. Watch this space.

Sorry

...for posting so many pictures of cupcakes.  Hope this makes up for it.  ;-)

not quite so funny?

some anonymous person just posted a link to this clip on my blog, which i thought deserved to be shared more widely. it an interview with josie long about the discrimination she faces as a woman comedian:



i always find the "women aren't as funny as men" line quite telling. it's possibly because men are quite happy to laugh at male comics denigrating women, talking about their wives as irrational jailers who stop men from enjoying life at all. or any of the other sexist stuff that is supposed to be hilarious. but suddenly it isn't funny if a woman is doing something similar about men. they're not laughing so hard when it's their own foibles pushed out in nasty stereotypes for the entertainment of everyone.

surely if they find the one funny, they should find the other just as hilarious? but watching the audience reactions to female comics, the men are still laughing when the women talk about weight issues or how bitchy/slutty other women are, but quite a few barely manage a smile when she dares to turn her attention on to men.

so perhaps it isn't that the women aren't as funny, it's just that the man making that complaint just doesn't know how to laugh at jokes about his own demographic? could it be that this guy just needs to get a sense of humour?? or the better option is that they stop tolerating nasting shit about women that isn't actually all that funny either.

If you like it, then you should put a thing on it

This is just brilliant, starts my weekend off with a big grin:



Could just about be Family Planning’s new contraceptive slogan I reckon.

A little light heartedness

Motivational poster:  Stereotypical 1950s housewife in kitchen photo.  "Feminists:  They make sandwiches of hate"

I'm all about the cupcakes of hate, but whatevs.

the art of scruff.

Cross posted from ScubaNurse’s Blog.

I went to a shopping mall today to grab some birthday presents and do some chores.
While I was there I passed a stand designed to promote some kind of fancy-pants-hair-straightening-miracle- treatment-thingameebob. As I passed, looking completely disinterested and focused on something else, the two women working the stand went BANNANAS.
It was like a kid seeing candy in the checkout isle.
Like a girl spotting her crush.
Like a rugby fan in 2000 seeing Jonah Lomu.
Like a sceptic seeing a crack in someone’s iridology theory.
If my startled reaction hadn’t been to leap backwards, eyes wide and alarmed looking, I’m pretty sure they would have had me on the seat and being wrangled with the fancy-pants-hair-straightening-miracle- treatment-thingameebob in an instant.
As it was, they kept a bit of distance but began hollering at me (at the same time).
“Oh my god your hair is Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing.”
“you would looooooove this product.”
“The curls are soooooooooooooo awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwsome”
“Do you love to straighten?”
“We can heeeeelp yoooooooooooooooooou.”

I vanished as fast as I could, trying very hard not to laugh.

One of the things I like very much with my curls is that I can deliberately appear homeless. If I don’t put product in it, it takes on a life of its own and develops a protective radius around me which strangers avoid.

I suspect they saw the hair and assumed no one would DELIBERATELY do that to themselves, and assumed they could save me from my ignorance.

Ha, I pity the fools.
The maintainance of hair that can look wayward and terrifying for doing chores, then look fab for tapas with my best friend tonight is ENTIRELY deliberate, and I feel sorry for you, only using your hair for good, not evil.

Embrace your inner anti-social hair, and enjoy the benefits you shall reap.
Shorter queues
Less annoying shop keeper questions.
No small talk (people assume you are having a REALLY bad day, and don’t ask)
People you know pretend they never saw you (see above)
Staff will help you efficiently without silly banter.
Clothing shop staff automatically direct you to the sales racks.

Brilliant. Have fun!

On an associated note, I went to go and put on make-up last night and couldn’t find my mascara or key pieces anywhere.
I found them in my work bag which I haven’t opened since I left almost three weeks ago.
No make-up in three weeks, and I didn’t even notice. I’m going to call it effective minimising of annoying chores while on holiday.

Mum raised a good daughter.

Clever kitten

I'm not just a vagina who likes men.

Cross posted from Well behaved women rarely make history

My name is Scuba. Danger. Nurse. – yes my middle name is danger. I am THAT awesome!!
I was born with a fully formed vagina.
As a child I self identified as female with occasional yearnings to be a boy, when I realised I couldn’t climb trees that well.
As an adolescent I developed late at around 16, with acceptable female hormone levels and a socially acceptable female mammarys.
I became attracted to men once the hormones kicked in. Previous to that they were there to take me for bike rides and make dinner (dad) or fight (every other boy).
I occasionally feel that being a lesbian would be an acceptable choice for me when I see a petite masculine featured woman, but don’t really feel like the sex stuff with them, which makes it all a bit half hearted really.
I am in a long term, committed relationship with a man, and if the cysts on my ovaries are not an impediment I would like to one day become a mother by means of sexual male-female reproduction.

Are you confused about why I shared all of this?
It all seems a bit freaking pointless really, since it tells you exactly jack about who I actually am.
It tells you nothing about my hopes, dreams, personality, ethics, morals, lifestyle, and sense of humour, strengths or weaknesses (unless you count climbing trees).

So why do people who are Gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans have to explain every facet of their lives?
Why, when someone comes out as Trans, do people feel an explanation is due as to what “level/stage” they are at?
Why do people feel that if someone is not straight, they can quiz someone on when, where, how and what they like as if they should validate what they feel?

People are people, no matter who they love, and what their junk is.
Let people tell you who they are, in their way, on their terms.
Find out the usual way, by leering at strangers in bars, and comparing notes on your favourite films.
Because my vagina and sexuality tell you zilch about which film stars turn me on, and whether I want kids or can have them, or what I want to do with my life.

Judge people by the sum of their parts. Not their parts, or who they bump parts with.
(sorry had to do it!)

funny

via facebook, university of oregon acapella group "on the rocks" doing lady gaga's bad romance. i just had to share.

Like

This one's for Nikki
From here.

For Enid

Fuzzy argyle beanie tipped to Alas.

Some weekend funny

Many thanks to captiver for sending this in (potentially NSFW, depending on your workplace):

Forehead Tittaes w/ Marion Cotillard from Marion Cotillard

yeah, idiots all right

i've just done a write up on the bollywood film "my name is khan" on my own blog. as i wrote there, i've pretty much gone off bollywood films, but have managed to catch 2 in the last month. the other one is "3 idiots", which was recommended to me by several people who thought it was hilariously funny.

well, yes, it was laugh-out-loud funny in parts, and yes, it did deal with a very serious issues for young people in india: the pressure to study (and excel) a degree course chosen by your parents with very little input from yourself. it pushed boundaries for a bollywood film, particularly in terms of the child birth scenes, with detailed diagrams and all.

but the one thing that soured it for me was the inclusion of rape jokes, reasonably liberally throughout the film. not just because i don't like them & particularly not in the way that these jokes were presented, but also because this is not a part of indian culture. at least not what i've seen of it.

i haven't heard rape jokes in bollywood films, unless by the evil villain to show just how wicked he really is. it's not something that normally happens in conversation amongst the indians i know. this seems to me to be a definite import from western culture, and that's what annoys me the most. there are so many wonderful aspects of western culture that could happily be adopted by bollywood, but somehow they always seem to take the worst of MTV and appatow movies and present it as if it's all so edgy and modern. spew.

and just as an aside, i really am not interested in watching people sitting with their pants down on the toilet, in hollywood or bollywood films. what is it with that? nowadays, we even have to get shots of them wiping their bums (bollywood hasn't got quite that far yet, but this movie has started moving in that direction), and really, i'd put it under the category of "too much information". but i suppose that's just me.

Nom nom nom

Mmmmmmm, cake.

Who's LOLing now?

Found at Hello Kitty Hell.

Inadvertent Xmas vileness

Snapped outside the Greenlane Presbytarian Church in Auckland today.

McLeod skewers Henry

And roasts him searingly. Here's a few highlights:

..."Paul," said I, "never have I seen such a vaulted and noble forehead! Surely you do not shave your hairline, thus cheating, to seem intellectual?"...

...Using my own studies as a guide, it's not hard to see Ms Boyle's problem. It's in the unplucked eyebrows she first appeared with, her bad frock and unkempt hair. Her high and apparently noble forehead is deceptive, since it balances far too symmetrically with her jaw. Had her jawline been daintier, it would have been quite another matter. She might have proved to be a useful parlour maid. But as it is, she's condemned to be a mere singing sensation.

I must deal swiftly with any imputation that Paul laughed insensitively at the mention of oxygen deprivation. This was merely evidence of his inquiring mind at work, and he is naturally joyful. Everyone knows, too, how he chuckles at the mention of playground bullying such as Ms Boyle was said to experience as a child. But this is only because it calls to mind the jolly times he had in the playground himself, configuring trigonometry whilst playing virtuoso violin and chewing bubblegum, all at the same time. He was ever of a forward, as opposed to a retarded, nature.

Click through for the whole column.

This latest ridiculousness from Paul Henry seems to have been the last straw for many. Over 200 complaints to the Human Rights Commission, and who knows how many people have, like me, complained to TVNZ directly. (On that note, has anyone who has emailed Breakfast had a response? I haven't...)

More Sarah Haskins fun