Category Archives: Politics

Politics

The danger of outsourcing

The mess on the London Tube is one example of the danger of commercial outsourcing, but it would seem to be harder to argue against “outsourcing” government services such as drug treatment, help for families etc, to non-government organisations that might already have skills in the area. But there’s a powerful argument in this American piece about homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth:

…with the Black Church whoring for Bush’s faith-based monies coupled with its particular brand of homophobia has both unapologetically and unabashedly closed its doors to its LGBTQ population. And despite the fact these kids looked to the church for help these youth have neither a chance nor a prayer for assistance.

Environmental politics

Caroline Lucas selected for Brighton

Interesting. Caroline Lucas has won the pre-selection for Brighton Pavilion, generally considered the best chance for the Greens to win a Westminster seat at the next election (although there are a couple of other possibilities coming up close behind).

This is the first time the Green Party has had a pre-selection for a winnable seat, and it has gone better well – despite a snide report about it in the local paper, to which I won’t link.

She was selected by 55%, with Keith Taylor, who has previously contested it, and who leads the party on council, with 45%.

Update: Jim has written more on the selection.

Feminism

Safety first for sex workers

Over on Comment is Free I have a piece about the need for complete decriminalisation of sex work, the only way to ensure the safety of the women, and men, involved.

(And, thus far anyway, haven’t had as tough a time in the comments as I expected…)

Environmental politics

Small piece of good news

China has ordered hotels to neither over-refrigerate with air-conditioning nor over-heat, and to meet other eco-standards.

It would be lovely to see this in Bangkok, where you frequently need to pack your woollies to visit second-class hotels with pretensions, which turn up the air-con in an attempt to show their “class”.

Feminism

Brave, brave women

Two former prostitutes are running for the Turkish parliament with the aim of raising awareness of the treatment of sex workers there. It might surprise you to know that prostitution is, it seems, legal, and there are 3,000 registered prostitutes. But while that list is supposed to be secret, it is clear that the stigma follows women, and even their daughters…

…her daughter’s hopes of becoming a police officer collapsed when her mother’s record was revealed in a background investigation.
“I haven’t seen her for two years and I don’t know where she is,” Ermez says. “All I know is that she refers to me as ‘that woman’ and vows to kill me if she meets me.”

Blogging/IT Environmental politics Feminism

Coupla links

The Green Party leadership debate has finally hit the MSM, with a thoughtful piece in the New Statesman by Mark Lynas. Now all we’ve got to do is get him back in the party…

Six new feminist magazines in the UK – well this article might be stretching most people’s understanding of magazine a little, but nevertheless it does help to give lie to the claim that the upcoming generation is anti-feminist or agnostic on the subject of women’s rights. (And thanks for giving the Carnival of Feminists a plug!)