Watson, elevator, Dawkins, Jacoby, Gaylor, CFI “Women in Secularism” conference, Hensley, Myers, things getting better.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Women hardest hit by poverty but it’s a secret
Sep 15th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNeither The New York Times nor The Wall Street Journal even mentioned women in their front-page stories about the rise in the poverty rate.… Read the rest
The normalisation of misogyny is commonplace
Sep 15th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe objectification and dehumanisation of women is such an inescapable part of popular culture that it necessarily plays a part in the daily interactions of men and women.… Read the rest
Tom Martin replies: men are too so the victims
Sep 15th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“In a world which verbalises four times more sexism against men than it does against women, it’s high time gender studies set a better example.”… Read the rest
Jonathan Dean defends LSE’s Gender Institute
Sep 15th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonIf a gender studies scholar were to put forward a crude “women good, men bad” analysis, it would never stand up to peer scrutiny.… Read the rest
Johann Hari offers a personal apology
Sep 15th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonAdmits editing Wikipedia entries “of people I had clashed with in ways that were juvenile or malicious.”… Read the rest
Man sues LSE for “sexism”
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“Its programs actively block men’s discourse and perpetuate the men-bad, women-good dialogue.”… Read the rest
Couple on trial for letting their baby die
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonThe Oregon medical examiner’s office estimates that in the past 30 years, more than 20 children of church members have died of preventable or curable conditions.… Read the rest
Israel: cadets protest women singing at ceremony
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonFour of the nine religious cadets who walked out of a military event as a female
soldier began singing solo will be dismissed from their officers’ course.… Read the rest
Jacques Berlinerblau says how to do secularism
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDo it his way.… Read the rest
Why is US TV losing women writers?
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonWomen who hear that the television industry is not welcoming to them may be less
likely to become part of it in the first place.… Read the rest
Sexism alive and well in TV land
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonOnly 15% of the writers of broadcast network, prime-time programs were women in 2010-2011 season, less than half the number in 2006-2007.… Read the rest
Bachmann’s breathtaking ignorance about HPV vaccine
Sep 14th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“To have innocent little 12-year old girls be forced to have a government injection through an executive order is just flat-out wrong,” she proclaimed Monday.… Read the rest
Globe and Mail talks to Udo Schuklenk
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“Often when people talk about end-of-life decision making, the assumption is it’s about pain. But it’s not. The concern is more about losing control over their lives, the quality of their lives.”… Read the rest
Globe and Mail editorial: make right to die legal
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“Many people, once they know that if all else fails, this is an option, they won’t make that call. The stress is gone,” says Udo Schuklenk.… Read the rest
Iran: women’s rights activist badly beaten by cops
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHer charges were announced as “Insulting the Supreme Leader”, “Propaganda against the Islamic Republic regime”, and “Acting against national security”.… Read the rest
Nothing paranormal about near-death experiences
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHow neuroscience can explain seeing bright lights, meeting the dead, or being convinced you are one of them.… Read the rest
Near-death experiences found to have naturalistic causes
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonResearch is now revealing scientific explanations for virtually all of their common features.… Read the rest
Abuse survivors will try to take pope to court
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonRape and other forms of sexual violence are specifically included in the definition of crimes against humanity that are under the jurisdiction of the ICC.… Read the rest
Pope accused of crimes against humanity
Sep 13th, 2011 | Filed by Ophelia BensonVictims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests have accused the pope, the Vatican secretary of state and two other officials in a formal complaint to the ICC.… Read the rest