Women: We Won't Put Up & Shut Up

From Sydney Morning Herald:

It is unlikely a little more than 200 complaints go anywhere near demonstrating the true extent of sexual harassment in the workplace. Many women will not know they can lodge a complaint and others will shrug their shoulders and deal with the behaviour as best they can. Women who eke out existences in poorly paid casual positions are never going to complain. And some women won't even know that a reference to the size of their tits is sexual harassment.

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has been quoted as saying there is continuing confusion about what constitutes sexual harassment. Some of this confusion may well rest in the language we use: McInnes's behaviour has been described in various accounts as ''flirtatious'', ''unbecoming'' and ''inappropriate''.

Women Bishops: Plan to stop rift

From BBC News:

The archbishops of Canterbury and York are planning a bid to stop a Church of England split over women bishops.

Draft legislation on women bishops will be debated by the Church's governing body, the general synod, next month.

Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu will propose a new concession to opponents of women bishops.

It involves "co-ordinate jurisdiction" between a woman bishop and another bishop caring for traditionalist parishes in her diocese.

The proposal by the two most senior figures in the Church of England is aimed at catering for objectors in dioceses where a woman is consecrated a bishop.

Legal System Inaccessible For Women With Mental Illness

From ABC News:

A report looking at the ACT's legal system has found many women with mental illness find it impossible to access support.

The report by the Women's Centre for Health Matters tells the stories of Canberra women with mental illness and their dealings with the legal system.

It says women with mental health issues feel discriminated against and socially isolated, and often simply give up.

One of the report's authors Kate Judd says the legal profession and the mental health sector need to work more closely together.

May - June Recap

Some items that may not have made the post in May & June:

• Housewife seeks refuge from fatwa in law
• Women-friendly mosques
• Kingslover wins Orange prize for fiction
• Women's group demands probe into killings
• Kenyan women seek justice from Hague
• US State Department - roundtable on Afghan women
• Abandoned women fight for respect
• Emirati women love their jobs
• Sexual harassment of Israeli women
• Qatar calls for protection of womens rights

As mentioned, just a few they may have missed being posted .

Updates

Dear Fellow Bloggers,

Updates will be added over the next couple of days (as you may have noticed, posts have been on the rather rare side - though mounting up).

Will also be updating links, etc.

Happy blogging!

Top 100 Women Financial Advisors 2010

From the Wall Street Journal & Barrons, the annual listing of the Top 100 Women Financial Advisors in 2010:

The ranking, which Barron's has been publishing since 2006, includes 25 new members this year and a number of position switches.

See the Full list of the Top 100 as listed by Barrons.

Muslim Women in Kanodar

From the Times of India:

When Aalmin Mansuri of Kanodar village stood fifth in Banaskantha district, it did not come as a surprise for this 13,000-strong village on Ahmedabad-Delhi Highway, about 140 km from Ahmedabad. Aalmin is an example of the progressive outlook of the Shia Muslim community of the village, which comprises 90 per cent of the population. She scored 93.69 per cent marks.

There may be myths attached to women of this community across the country, but things are different in Kanodar. The women are considered equal to men in every respect. And, the village is close to achieving cent per cent literacy.

"Girls' education is the top priority in the village. If a girl is educated a generation is educated," said Banglawala. "We have been awarding cash prize of Rs 500 and a citation to the girl who tops in class XII in the village," she said.

"Our women are teachers, nurses, entrepreneurs and doctors," she said, adding that "My daughter was a medical student but after her marriage she settled in Canada," Banglawala said.

"Over 600 women in our village are earning members of the house," she said.

Farewell to Stereotyping Women in Film

From 234Next:

The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and the Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts (LAPA) recently held a press conference for the upcoming Women in Film Forum. The forum, scheduled for June 16 and 17, is themed ‘Women and the Dynamics of Representation.’

According to a statement released by the Fund, “This activity is... a crucial component of AWDF’s Popular Culture project, which is supported by the MDG3 Fund.”

Speaking at the press conference, Executive Director of the AWDF, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, said the involvement of the grant-making body was to see “how we can engage more with practitioners in popular culture.”

Adeleye-Fayemi said what little many people abroad know about Nigeria is courtesy the indigenous film industry. But matters have arisen over the portrayal of women in many of these films. In this regard, AWDF and LAPA convened the forum in the hope that there will be “more affirming images of women.”

The Tale of Matilda FitzWalter

Situated between two pillars in the Priory Church, Little Dunmow, Essex lies the tomb of one known as Matilda.

Her story, as told by Edward Brayley in “The Graphic and Historical Illustrator” (1834):

Matilda was the daughter of one Robert, Baron FitzWalter, castellan of Castle Baynard, and one of those who opposed King John and forced him to sign the Magna Carta.

Aged 18yo, she was among many neighbouring nobles who were invited to a banquet hosted by Prince John. There were three days of jousts and tournaments which entertained those assembled. The young Matilda was the “queen” of the event. On the fourth day a mailed knight entered the field, vanquishing all those who came before him, and enamouring the fair Matilda, who duly awarded him a fine collar of gold. He left as he had arrived.

During the course of events, Prince John found himself also smitten by Matilda’s charm, and “basely endeavoured to take her for a mistress”. Her father’s indignation so enraged the Prince, that he attacked Baynard Castle, taking advantage of the king’s absence in the Holy Land. Her father slain, Matilda escaped into the nearby forest, coming upon none other than the knight. No long clad in mail but dressed in "Lincoln Green", he revealed himself to be one Robin Hood, outlawed Earl of Huntingdon, and insisted on keeping both her and her honour safe from the Prince.

However, Prince John discovered her escape and attacked the foresters – in the course of the battle, the Prince met the fair Matilda (now in male attire) and engaged in battle. She put up a “stout defence” and as such, the Prince was obliged to withdraw.

Matilda married Robin, who upon Richard’s return, was restored to his lost earldom, and she became Countess of Huntingdon. When Robin was outlawed by King John, she joined him. Following his death, Matilda took refuge at Dunmow Priory – which had been patronized by her family.

King John, learning of her refuge, sent the knight Robert de Medewe to the priory with a small token – a poisoned bracelet. Robert was received by Matilda, who though no longer in the fresh bloom of youth, still could flutter the heart of a hardened warrior. Robert hastily left – not as a result of his mission but due to his growing passion for Matilda. Absence did not curb his desire, and he returned to the priory. He was greeted by the sounds of a funeral dirge echoing through the church. There in the chancel, on a bier of flowers, was the lifeless body of Matilda.

The poisoned gift had “eaten its way to her bone, and the fiery poison had dried her life blood". Robert flung himself upon her corpse and could not be persuaded to return to court. He instead gave up his knightly was for the cowl and became an Augustine monk.

The Case for Matilda as Maid Marion:
The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntingdon, afterwards called Robin Hood, with his Love to Chaste Matilda, the Lord Fitzwater's daughter, afterwards his faire Maid Marian, and The Death of Robin Hood with the lamentable Tragedy of Chaste Matilda, his faire Maid Marian, poisoned at Dunmowe by King John by Henry Chettle & Anthony Munday (1601)
The Tragedy of King John and Matilda by Robert Davenport (p.1639)

Matilda, the faire and chaste Daughter of the Lord Robert Fitzwalter by Michael Drayton (c.1594)