Engender blog

Guest Post: Hyper-sexualising queer women is a social injustice - it's time to change the narrative

Denisha Killoh is a proud member of the LGBT+ community with experience of fighting for change for marginalised groups. As Pride month draws to a close, she reflects on the need to take action to end discrimination against lesbians.

Follow Denisha on Twitter @denishakilloh

We live in a day and age where people are quicker than ever to call out injustices in society. Recently, we’ve seen an unprecedented rise of social activism, as a direct influence of social media, allowing anyone with a cause and a platform to fight for change.

Guest Post: Why contraception needs a Me Too moment

As discussions around schemes which offer women support on the condition they utilise long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) continue, we'll be hosting a series of blogs by Elspeth Wilson discussing her research into how LARC has historically been - and continues to be - used to control the fertility of marginalised people.

In this first blog, Elspeth discusses ideas around contraception and consent.

I am being told for the third time in a row that there is no possibility that the coil I have fitted could be causing any of the repeated vaginal discomfort and infections that I have been experiencing for months. I explain, again, that I previously had a coil before and that this was the only other time in my life where I had consistent infections but that, because it was my first time using a coil, I had been more easily placated when told there was no possible link. Now, faced with the same difficulties (which ironically made the point of the contraception moot in the first place due to the severe irritation) my literal lived experience of my body caused me to suspect that the coil was the cause of my woes.

Menopause Matters: Share your experience in our survey

Our survey is out, and we can´t wait to hear what you have to say about the menopause! There is no expert like yourself. Every woman has a different and personal experience of the menopause, and it's time for us to listen to you.

If you've already gone through the menopause, are in the middle of it or just starting, your experiences and opinions are invaluable as it could help us guide future support services and policies that really answer to women´s needs.

The survey covers some common problems which have come up through our research so far, such as your experiences of learning about the menopause, and starting conversations about it with friends, colleagues, or managers, amongst others. We want to hear from your experiences and your ideas for solutions - you're the one going through it and who knows what's best for you.

Scotland & the European Elections: What's in it for women?

As Scotland prepares to go to the polls in the European Elections on 23rd April (you can find out who the MEP candidates in Scotland are here), we've looked at the manifestos to create a gender summary of what's in it for women.

“Unexpected.” “The election that no one wants.” “The chance for Scotland’s voice to be heard.”

Britain’s last-minute decision (if it can be called a decision) to take part in the 2019 European Election has caught many of our political parties off guard. In the scramble to find candidates willing to fight an election on the key issue of our times and possibly take up a role as an MEP due to cease with the new Brexit date on 31 October, the elections on the 23rd of May still feel a rather distant prospect.