Not in Afghanistan or Somalia, but Missouri.… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Disney animator says it’s so hard to animate women 
Oct 9th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why? “Because they have to go through these range of emotions, but you have to keep them pretty.”… Read the rest
Ally Fogg on Jesus & Mo and LSE
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Jesus and Mo is anti-religious satire at its best, invariably humane, intelligent, and often very funny.… Read the rest
AHS statement on LSE incident
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies strongly condemns the actions of the LSESU.… Read the rest
Independent on Jesus&Mo and LSE Student Union
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Includes an example of the cartoon – the one where Jesus says “Hi I’m Jesus.” Daring.… Read the rest
How bishops pushed for a shutdown over birth control
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No cardinal was ever made to interrupt his education for an unplanned pregnancy; no bishop ever endured the pain, blood, and terror of a life-threatening labor.… Read the rest
Elizabeth Smart on her nine months of hell
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Smart says Mitchell believed that anything in the world was his for the taking, and that he was a man who never cared for anyone even as he ranted about God.… Read the rest
Nebraska Supreme Court to foster child: no abortion for you
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She’s 16: not old enough, the judges ruled, to decide on her own to have an abortion. Old enough to bear and raise a child though.… Read the rest
Bishops make it official: forced childbirth more important than feeding babies
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter urging House Republicans to shut down the government over insurance coverage for contraception.… Read the rest
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan vow to target Malala Yousafzai again
Oct 8th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Islam prohibits killing women…except those that support the infidels in their war against our religion,” said their spokesman.… Read the rest
Atheism added to Irish non-denominational schools
Oct 1st, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
7% of pupils will receive instruction on secular belief systems starting next year. The other 93% of students go to schools run by the Catholic church.… Read the rest
Leo Igwe on witchcraft mentality and freethought in northern Ghana
Sep 12th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Witchcraft accusation in Africa is still a reason to kill, torture, murder, lynch, abandon and exile children and elderly persons from their homes.… Read the rest
Bangladesh: 4 atheist bloggers charged with “defaming Islam”
Sep 10th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“They have been indicted…with defaming Islam, the Prophet Mohammed and other religions through their Internet writings. They spread malice against all religions,” the judge said.… Read the rest
Malala Yousafzai opens the new Library of Birmingham
Sep 3rd, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Addressing the public, Malala said she was feeling very proud the building had been designed by a woman and the city was now her second home after her “beloved Pakistan”.… Read the rest
David Robert Grimes on six stubborn myths about cancer
Aug 30th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Cancer rates are rising” – true, but that’s because we’re living longer.… Read the rest
The Guardian on John Scalzi the internet troll-slayer
Aug 27th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This weekend, he again turned the tables on a troll who seemed to think calling Scalzi a feminist would be an insult.… Read the rest
Scalzi on what a feminist looks like
Aug 27th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The right way to use the meme generator.… Read the rest
Syria: MSF says symptoms suggest a neurotoxic agent
Aug 27th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Medecins Sans Frontieres says hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with “neurotoxic symptoms”, of whom 355 have died.… Read the rest
Finally, polyandry gets a chance
Aug 26th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A woman in Kenya refused to choose between her two partners, so they agreed to share.… Read the rest
On blasphemy, wielding both standards and stories
Aug 26th, 2013 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Michael DeDora on using personal stories of persecution as well as arguments to enlighten.… Read the rest
