I have now recovered the software function that did not save my first two
files. I hope that at least some of it will help to minimise the work
involved in pinpointing issues and framing questions,
Some political questions for feminist freethinkers - Election 2010
All issues affect women, but some affect them more than others.
Women maybe cynical about male dominated party politics, but they are prominent in
working the community and pressure groups and many are very interested in politics -
but Feminist Freethinkers also have a particular perspective on why progress to a
better, more equal - altruistic, gender balanced society is so slow.
I have questions to any candidate seeking my vote. I know what most of the answers
will be having heard them over many years to no effect. But they will I hope
encourage them to think differently about the issues in the future.
They are all human rights issues linked to each other:-
Allienation
Traditional Attitudes to women and sexuality
Violence
Children's Rights
Reproductive issues at home and abroad
Religion in Schools
International issues
Allienation
Women’s views are and always have been consistently ignored and issues that are of
particular relevance to women have been shoved in box with a lid on labelled
Women’s Issues. Women only shortlists and more women MPs are only one part of
the answer because women MPs do not necessarily recognise or represent most
ordinary women.
What we need is a parliamentary committee with a wide remit to examine the impact
that all laws and proposals have on women.
Attitudes to women and sexuality
e.g. Today’s ideas of the role of women in society and the prejudices and punitive
attitudes (at least for women) for sex outside marriage are based on the patriarchal
religion that has shaped our society and distorted ideas on sexuality and the role of
women - Judaism, Christianity and Islam
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Q. Do you openly question the acceptance of traditional religions and their
attitudes towards women and sexuality based on patriarchy that are still taught
in British schools?
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There is currently a significant pay gap and options for women in the workplace and
career prospects are frequently unfairly limited.
Q. Do you support a timetable to implement equal pay for work of equal value
for women, and requir open policies by companies on wage structures and
differentials to ‘out’ any discrimination, so that women can see if they are being
underpaid.
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‘Liberal’ reform of the law and social policy such as accepting Assisted Suicide;
banning biased RE or RI in schools; the wearing of religious symbols in public
service jobs, the acceptance of religious law tribunals and full face covering are
frustrated because MPs are subject to pressure from church, mosque and members –
and Bishops in the HOL
Q. Do you recognise the dangers to a cohesive society of allowing political
religious groups to frame political policy?
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Retired women, mothers and lone parents currently have to rely financially upon a
man who is supposedly ‘responsible’ for them – father, husband or partner- for
pension income and child support. This is a relic based on the notion ownership of
women by men. If you are interested in the welfare of women and children,there are
better solutions than the CSA chasing individual men to pay-up with all the problems
that has..
Q. Do you think that women should still have to rely on their male partner for
pension rights and support for them and their children during child bearing
years or should they receive support as citizens?
In a post religious society in which we have small families, freedom to live where and
how we wish, leave broken relationships and make other lifestyle choices, we cannot
rely on the family and the wife and mother to be the primary source of welfare and
social support. Many people have no family or other sources support and advocacy –
particularly vulnerable children and adults and the elderly. These people are
frequently stranded in this society.
The adequate funding and development of local services is crucial if people are not to
be stranded, lonely and their needs neglected. The funding of local government has
been a low priority for too many years and must be overhauled to meet the needs of
local democracy and the community.
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Q, What is your parties policy concerning the funding of local authority services.
in order for it to respond to the needs of the residents.
Violence
Male Violence - men on men, boys on boys and men on women.
Vandalism and crime, bullying, physical and sexual attacks.
Q. Do you think that the resentment and lack of respect that leads to such
behaviour could be related to the way young people are treated by society and
shaped by harsh and combative attitudes in the home and lack of facilities? And
do you realise how commercial and media stereotyping of boys and girls
exacerbates this problem and elitist, ultra competitive nature of current society
in the UK?
Q. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to address the problem of bullying, violence,
crime, sex abuse and discrimination by covering it in greater depth in schools
from a motivational angle instead of promoting religion?
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Children's Rights
Q. Do you support the rights of children to an honest and objective education
and not suffer discrimination because of parental wealth or status or religion?
Lone parents usually mothers are being forced out to work in low paid jobs, often at
times when their children need them most, early mornings, evenings and week-ends,
and often in tiring part- time jobs – not ‘careers’.
Q. Do you think that at least one parent should be in a position to stay at home
with children and young people who are dependent upon them for care, support
and guidance and not be forced out into the job market?
Q. Do you ever consider the damage to society of children who are not well
socialised in communities that should be embracing them and providing a rich
environment in which their best instincts are nurtured not ignored?
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Religion in Schools
Q. Do you support honest and objective education about religion in schools,
including teaching the validity of non-religious perspectives and accurate and
timely sex education?
The teaching in schools - of opinion as fact - that maintains outdated patriarchal
attitudes to women and sex and the acceptance of faith schools not teaching accurate
and timely sex education is a major reason for the British failure to improve rates of
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under-age sex and pregnancy. It is also responsible for ignorance and confusion on the
rationale for good behaviour and morality.
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Reproductive issues at home and abroad:
Population control, contraception late abortion and condom use, to prevent poverty
and HIV/AIDS are all issues that many politicians avoid, because of pulpit, or mosque
pressure, so progress is slow and has to be fought for despite the available evidence
Late Abortion is a current case in point:-
Foetal viability was rigorously examined by the House of Commons Select
Committee on Science and Technology in 2007. The Committee concluded, in a view
shared by the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists, that:
“while survival rates at 24 weeks and over have improved they have not done so
below that gestational point. Put another way, we have seen no good evidence to
suggest that foetal viability has improved significantly since the abortion time limit
was last set, and seen some good evidence to suggest that it has not.”
Q. Do you agree that parliament should have to revisit such issues every time
religionists or anti-abortionists manage to get them onto the agenda without any
evidence for change?
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International issues
Many women empathise with their ‘sisters’ all over the world who suffer ill-treatment
under religious laws, e.g. discrimination, lack of freedom and autonomy, cruel
punishments, violence and sexual abuse often for violating religious dogma. FGM
whether religious or cultural in origin is an indirect cause of death in childbirth to
thousands of women and infanticide and selective abortion of girl foetuses is
widespread in some countries.
Q. What do you do to support the UN and its agencies in organising action
against these practices e.g. Peace Keeping in The Congo and the war against the
Taliban in Afghanistan?
Q. Do you support the UN in its efforts to provide health and population
control programmes in order to prevent poverty, slum conditions, starvation and
HIV/AIDS that decimates societies in developing countries?
Q. Do you support the EU in helping poorer countries to provide better living
conditions and jobs in the poorest countries so that men are not driven to leave
their families to find work abroad in order to support them?
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Short list of specific questions on important issues
Questions from Peter Futymed :-
i. Will you be banning Faith Schools ?
ii. Will you remove the Tax Exempt status of Faith-Based Organisations,
including any voluntary donations?
iii. Will you Bring Faith Based organizations and their Places of Worship in line
with The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 which
came into force on 26 May 2008 ? IE: They must clearly display a disclaimer stating
"entertainment only" and their work is not "experimentally proven" , both outside and
inside the Churches, Mosques, Temples, Chapels, Synagogues etc and on all their
literature.
iv. Will you Protect children from Religious indoctrination and allow the child
the Freedom to manifest his or her own religion and beliefs as per the
Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 14 ? – What actions will you take to
ensure the child manifest his or her own religion and not that of the parents as is the
case in most households? ( Would you consider raising the age of admittance to
places of worship to 18? )
v. Will you allow any tax-payers money to fund visits by religious leaders, such
as the Popes visit in 2010?
vi. What is your timetable for banning the full-face veil in public places?
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