Saturday, 22 February 2014

The Second Book To Go

Free Book To A Good Home

In the second in my series of book give aways (see Dismantling The Book Shelf) is 'An Outdoor Book for Girls'. The back of the cover reads:

'From what to wear in camp to how to identify poisonous plants, making flapjacks in the outdoors to preparing a torniquet, An Outdoor Book for Girls is the perfect manual for all those tomoys out there who would rather be on the trail than tied to the kitchen sink.'

Now we could go down a long discussion on how they've uncomfortably used quite a few gender stereotypes in their marketing material, and whether they've done it to be ironic, but the truth is it has a lot of interesting information contained within.

It was first published in 1915, and so its creation lies more in the necessity of girls needing these skills due to World War I and the lack on menfolk, rather than haphazard quasi-feminism of 21st cenury publishers - though that is responsible for its republication.

**Update**

Claimed

This title is now on it's way to Our Chalet in Switzerland. Keep visitng back for the next book on offer.

Three Years On...

Outside UNHQ in 2011

Time Flies!

I set up this project in October 2010 after an inspiration week at the Young Women's World Forum. I then set up this blog proper when I set off to New York as part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts delegation to the 55th UN Commission on the Status of Women. My first day at the UN as part of that delegation was exactly three years ago today - and that week was a catalyst for my advocacy and adventures since.

The 22nd February is also important in Guiding and Scouting circles as it marks the founders' shared birthdays and is known as Thinking Day. And so it seems apt to make some important changes to this project on such a day.

The Big News


So the big news today is that this project has changed its name. I've changed it to be about the intended outcome, rather than the actions undertaken. 'Speak Out', 'Reach Out' and 'Camp Out' will still be the names of the three strands of activities with their respective logos (and badges) but the overall project, from now on, will be known as 'Out For Equality'. 

With the Post-2015 International Development Agenda building pace, and the previous commitment to the MDGs becoming clouded, it felt like the right time for a change. Regardless of what we call the big movement for positive global change, this campaign seeks to ensure the gender equality is right at the heart of it. I also don't want this campaign to get lost in the interntional context with it's terminology and processes and big big meetings. To achieve gender equality, we need to think about the little things, the everyday things, and everything in between that and the UN.

I also want to make sure that when we're talking about gender equality, we're talking about it in a true sense. It's not gender equality if we ignore issues of intersectionality - it's got to be equality for gender minorities (not just women and men), its got to be there for all sexual orientations (not just heterosexuals) and its got to be there regardless of disabilites, ethnicity, economics or age. That's why it's 'Out For Equality' - we're setting out on the road to equality, but it's important to be out about who I am to be that reminder that we need equality for all. 

Change And The Same

What I blog about won't really change and I will continue to develop activites within the three strands. It's the structure around it that needed to change to fit what I'm doing. The same issues are still at the heart of it.

It's a new logo, a new name, and a clearer, straightforward aim for everybody to see.

Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Drive-by Homo...philia?

The beautiful beach at Wells-Next-The-Sea
This weekend, being close to valentine's day, my partner and I had a short break on the North Norfolk coast. The weather forecast was not great, and when it came to it the wind was gusting and the showers kept passing through. But our dog needed to walk and so we headed out on Holkham Beach in the direction of Wells. Now this could be just a lovely post about what turned out to be a very energising and refreshing walk along the coast, but it's about a very specific incident that happened during that walk.

Crossing the Beach Car Park at Wells, about to start on the return two mile journey back to the car, a dark blue car pulled up to my partner and I and the driver rolled down the window.

'It's so great to see you two holding hands!'

We were slightly taken aback and not sure we heard correctly, but they repeated it again for us. By this point our dog had taken an interest in her dogs so much so that she was up on her hind legs peering in the oen window. We thanked her for the observation, exchanged some comments about the impending rain clouds and then headed in our separate directions. It took a while to actully sink in that a complete stranger had stopped purposefully to thank us for being out in public.

We hadn't even really noticed we were doing it, its not really a big deal concious decision we make to hold hands when we're out on a walk with the dog - though obviously sometimes we do make the concious decision not to.

An Experience to Remember


And now, four days later, the memory of that experience brings a smile to my face. Some might think that it's intrusive and presumptious to approach to two strangers in a car park with such a comment, but actually it makes a really nice change. I could reel off a long list of times when I've been subject to strangers shouting homophobic comments across the street, in a park or in a pub. They are generally incidents I do my best to brush off and instantly forget, but that never works completely. It always leaves the feeling of being different, being hated, and being worthless.

For the rest of the walk we were on a high. We were still saying 'I can't believe that just happened' two miles and three rain showers later when we finally got back to the car. Instead of being degraded in public, our Saturday had been brightened by a comment that made us feel valid, appreciated and in a way 'normal'.

I know this last point is debatable - why would she draw attention to it if it is seen as 'normal' behaviour - but it shows the direction we are moving in as a society, I hope.

One day I hope my partner and I holding hands in public won't ever draw a second glance, but for now I'd rather be thanked for it than insulted.

Saturday, 1 February 2014

Dismantling The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf


When I started this project I had quite a few books that I had read and that had inspired me to take action. Setting up a bookshelf that others could borrow from seemed like a great idea to share these publications with others.

The shelf of books and other resources, which is actually more of a big box for practical reasons, has travelled to various events including Camp Out in 2011 and a number of Girlguiding camps. Due it's size now, borrowing the whole shelf is difficult, and it's not living up to its desired purpose. 

That's why I'm proposing a different way to get the resources out there. One by one I'm going to review each resource and invite you to email me if you would like to give it a new home. The only condition is that you have to pay it forward - once your finished with it, be that in a week month or year as we all read at different speeds, you have to pass it on to somebody else. You can put it in a raffle, give it as a present, or donate it to a library, it's just got to continue its journey.

I'll post a little story about the book, a short synopsis and review, and if you want to give it a new home all you have to do is comment below and the first person to ask for it can have it.

The First Book To Fly


So our first title looking for a new adoptive parent is "Change The World For A Fiver" produced by 'we are what we do'.



This little book I got nearly 10 years ago now, and has perhaps been around the longest of any of the books on this shelf. I bought it for myself when I still had pocket money and enjoyed it so much I bought a copy for my firends birthday soon after. It contains 48 little actions that we can do to change the world around us a little at a time. They range from declining plastic bags to writing a postcard to somebody who inspired you.

The 'we are what we do' collective describe themselves thusly:

We Are What We Do is not a charity. It is not an institution. It is a new kind of movement - a movement with attitude. We are not trying to raise money. We are trying to show the power of a simple shift of atttitudes and day-to-day behaviour. 

It's an inspiring little book with great illustrations and even greater ideas for improving our communities. If you'd like to give it a read, just let me know.