New feminist blog

Hazel has just started a new blog which may be of interest.

Blogging for Backlash on the 9th October

On the 9th October parliament returns from the summer recess. Backlash is asking that anyone who opposes the violent porn proposals writes a blog about this on that date and has it listed on a master list - http://bloggingforbacklash.blogspot.com/

Blogs can and do influence opinions. The Blogging for Backlash day would enable us all to be heard in one concentrated effort. And we could repeat this after the Queen's Speech in November.

If you would like to take part, please go to the Blogging for Backlash blog and add a comment.

Please pass on this message to anyone you think might be interested.

Some "violent porn" article links

Links for posts and articles about the proposed legislation on "violent" or "extreme" pornography:

FAC member Holly Combe contributed to this Guardian article with various comments, pro and con.

Frank Fisher in Comment is Free, with a comment from Avedon.

Bobette's summary of the consultation paper and the submissions to it.

Val Dobson disagreeing with anti-porn activist Julie Bindel. FAC member Feorag comments at her own weblog.

More from Charlie Stross and Epicycle.

Download the petition

Unfettered is circulating this petition (click to download) to lodge objections to the proposed ban on "violent" or "extreme" pornography. The text reads as follows:

To: the Home Office and the Scottish Executive

It is proposed by the current UK government to criminalise the viewing of certain pornographic material. We, the undersigned have no objection to laws which make extreme violent and dangerous acts illegal, but feel current proposals are too vague and not defined tightly enough to implement fairly.

We therefore oppose government proposals to make it illegal to view these images because:

a) The proposals could lead to hundreds of thousands of ordinary, innocent people being sent to jail and possibly having their names added to the Sex Offender’s Register just because the government doesn’t like what they choose to look at;

b) If it becomes law it will put unnecessary strain on already stretched police resources.

We call on the Government to get out of our bedrooms and abandon the proposed legislation.

We encourage you to download a copy and try to get a few signatures, and forward them on to Unfettered.