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A conference paper on Rape in Aotearoa, New Zealand in the newspapers between the span of 1975–2015 is presented. It discusses the current scenario of silencing and objectification of women covered in various range of media forms including newspapers, women's magazines and pornography. The author presents his views regarding the representation of rape in newspaper articles and the language usage that objectifies women.

Information about several papers discussed at a conference held on September 17-18, 2016 sponsored by the University of Canterbury Feminist Society on feminist studies is presented. Topics include motherhood and body politics, feminism in philosophy and ethnographic fieldwork in South India on gender distinctions. The conference featured several researchers including F. J. Dalzell, Kyra Gillies and Chandan Bose.

The passing of the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) in 2003 has resulted in Aotearoa/New Zealand being in a unique position internationally in terms of the regulation of sex work. In this paper, I provide an overview of the history of sex work in Aotearoa/New Zealand leading up to and subsequent to the passing of the PRA. Underlying this overview are theoretically informed discussions considering how discourses of heteronormative sexuality result in sex work being gendered in particular ways, and how different models of regulating prostitution reflect different ideological and political concerns, and have different outcomes. The specifics of the gendering of sex work means that these understandings and outcomes have particular effects on women. While the interests of women are thus prioritised in recent theorising and, in some instances, in the regulation of prostitution, it is apparent that what is considered to be in 'women's interests' varies. I conclude by suggesting that while the PRA may not challenge the gendered nature of the industry, it protects the immediate interests of the women who work within it. This paper is intended to serve the dual purpose of providing the reader of this special issue of the Women's Studies Journal with some relevant background, and giving students interested in the area -- especially those in Aotearoa/New Zealand - a starting point for their research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marginalised groups often experience silencing through language and tone policing. For example, those speaking out against gendered and racialised violence may be told they are 'too angry.' This paper suggests spoken poetry is an impactful platform for feminist thought as it can be free from sexist, racist, classist, and ableist language and tone policing that individuals often encounter in academia or in informal social settings. This paper was delivered at the third annual UC FemSoc conference predominantly through performance poetry to demonstrate the power and potential for poetry to overcome and disrupt silencing of marginalised voices. As the poems performed are spoken poems (poems written to be heard and seen), the page does not do them justice. However, I have included the transcript of two poems, New Zealand and How we learn to hate (This is not an apology), that were performed at the conference to give an idea of the content and potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voices of assertion and resistance do not necessarily emerge within a defined space and time waiting to be theorised but rather appear and disappear through daily rhythms and routines. Based on ethnographic fieldwork with an artisanal family in the Telangana region of South India, this paper addresses the way in which gender distinctions performed through a craft practice are constructed and subverted within everyday language. By looking at how a craft skill is perceived as a male quality, the objective of this paper is to focus on narratives of women artisans that, on the one hand, re-write such a perception while, on the other, innovatively craft their own selves through the practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers and compares two academic areas of feminist interest within Aotearoa/New Zealand - veterinary medicine in the 1970s and philosophy in the present. The veterinary profession is of interest because in the last 30 years the profession has moved from complete male dominance to gender parity (Allen, 2016). However, the position of women in philosophy has declined markedly in both numbers and seniority over the same period (Rini, 2013). Although each discipline has produced internal research examining the position of its own women members, an interdisciplinary approach has yet to be attempted. This paper attempts to take the first steps on this interdisciplinary journey using as a starting point personal anecdotes from a veterinary surgeon who is now in postgraduate philosophy. One possibly significant difference between philosophy and veterinary medicine is the approach of each to the concept of 'human exceptionalism.' This is the belief that humans are in some way 'exceptional' and different from other species in a morally significant way. The number of philosophers who consider animals to be potentially of equal worth to humans is small. The most notable of these is Peter Singer, who is regularly vilified for his beliefs that humans are just another animal (Singer, 1976). The vast majority of veterinarians, on the other hand, express strong beliefs that humans are just another animal and as a profession do not privilege their own species with any special elevating properties (Kirwan, 2005). The default assumption of a feminist veterinarian, unlike a philosopher, is that humans are just another type of animal and that, although some humans may display rationality some of the time, few, if any, display it all the time. Males of many species tend to be more aggressive and more dangerous when challenged during periods of declining testosterone (Lincoln, 2001), which in a human can start at age 35 (Donca et al., 2012). Considering the progress female veterinarians have made in a short period of time, this assumption of human rationality might be one area worthy of challenge and exploration. My initial hypothesis, therefore, is that treating male philosophers as rational animals may not be in and of itself a rational act, and that feminist progress in philosophy will only come about by embracing a Kantian 'animality' rather than 'rationality', and will require methodologies other than rational discourse to ensure progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'FeminEast' is a feminist club that was founded by students at Wellington East Girls' College in 2013. At the time of writing, the club's popularity is growing and has attracted attention from national media. This paper reports on a pilot study based on conversations with FeminEast co-founder Jess Dellabarca and analysis of media texts by and about the club. The author contextualises FeminEast in a neoliberal climate, focussing on the neoliberal discourse usually called 'postfeminism', the widespread belief that feminism is no longer needed because we have achieved gender equality. This paper foregrounds efforts by FeminEast's leaders to mobilise feminist anger and contend with contemporary gender norms and postfeminist discourse. These efforts are discussed particularly in relation to the 2013-2014 'Roast Busters' scandal. FeminEast members adeptly navigate postfeminist social dynamics; ultimately, they succeed in developing and disseminating their view that the Roast Busters are a product of persistent and pernicious rape culture, a key weapon of contemporary patriarchy. This paper shows that girls can and do engage activistic practices that are more worthy of scholarly attention than the dearth of recent research on girls' activism would suggest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of rape culture has been firmly established in feminist discourse since the 1970s. This paper examines and challenges the arguments of rape culture deniers, with particular emphasis on one prominent UK representative, Luke Gittos, author of Why rape culture is a dangerous myth: From Steubenville to Ched Evans (2015). This article argues that Gittos' case affirms rather than denies the toxicity and ubiquity of rape culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex work policy is a highly contentious topic. Various political approaches attempt to repress it, restrict it, or integrate it. This paper canvasses repressive approaches, restrictive approaches and the New Zealand model, which decriminalises sex work. The latter is then examined through a human rights lens, with five specific human rights discussed: the right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment, the right to safety, the right to respect for private and family life, the right to freedom of association, and the right to health. This is accompanied by an examination of how the New Zealand judiciary have used the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 and other laws to protect and promote the rights, welfare and health and safety of sex workers. The article concludes by expressing a hope that the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 and New Zealand case law can serve as precedent for other jurisdictions when considering sex work law and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Sex work' and sex workers have been constituted in conflicting and contradictory ways, within both academia and wider society. Many theorists argue that sex work is inherently exploitative, although much of this research is predicated on the idea that sex work involves being physically co-present with those who buy it or otherwise facilitate the process. The development of computer-mediated communication and digital technology has led to various new forms of sex work, including 'camming'. In this context, 'webcam models' perform sex acts, often while alone in their own homes or in other private indoor domains, for online audiences who pay them. As a relatively new practice, camming is currently under-researched and under-theorised. This paper will explore some of the ways in which sex work has been discursively constructed and theorised about, as well as the legal context in which it operates, before discussing the practice of camming in relation to these and to recent research. Overall, we argue that camming challenges some of the conventional understandings and critiques of sex work, and that sex work-oriented research should consider more critical perspectives that take into account the hybridity and complexity of contemporary sex work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003, New Zealand passed the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA), becoming the first country in the world to decriminalise sex work. Aotearoa/New Zealand's model of decriminalisation is internationally regarded as an ideal model for prioritising sex workers' rights and safety, and is understood to have had several positive impacts in these areas. The decriminalised model is often described as 'full decriminalisation', to distinguish it from legal frameworks which decriminalise sex workers while still criminalising clients and/or third parties. However, an infrequently discussed aspect of the Aotearoa/New Zealand model of 'full' decriminalisation is that it prohibits migrant sex work as an anti-trafficking measure. In this paper I discuss the contradictory nature of Aotearoa/New Zealand's sex work law in relation to the precarious legal status of migrant sex workers. I explore the disconnect between the intention and consequences of this policy, outlining the challenges this poses for sex workers, and those committed to the full realisation of sex worker rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat pregnant women are being targeted with obesity management strategies in maternity care as a result of contemporary anxieties about the future health harms and health care costs of obesity in pregnancy. This paper reports on interviews with 27 self-identified fat, ethnically diverse pregnant women and new mothers. It asks what it is like for fat pregnant women to be on the receiving end of discourses and practices in maternity care that problematise their bodies and whether this contemporary approach to maternal fatness fulfils its ambition of improving population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores beauty ideals prevalent among young women in Chennai, India. It is part of a larger project that contributes to the emerging scholarship around women's experiences in the rapidly changing landscape of urban India, with a focus on young female rural to urban migrants living in the city of Chennai (their destination). Drawing on findings from an ethnographic study of women living in hostel accommodation conducted in 2015 and 2016, I consider the talk, observations, and beauty practices of the research participants. In particular, I explore the ways in which 'lighter' skin colour is privileged as more desirable and how participants both reproduce and contest this construction. The discussion here delves into the obsessive aspiration for lighter skin, its gendered dimensions, and its reflection in online spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At any given time, multiple and potentially conflicting discourses are circulating in public policy debates. This article uses critical discourse analysis to examine why and how the discourses about the prevalence, causes, and remedies for exploitation in sex work that won the day in the Prostitution Reform Act 2003 debates in Aotearoa/New Zealand have been reinterpreted and reordered in recent debates on trafficking provisions (Section 98D) in the Crimes Amendment Act 2015. Gender equity and human rights were successfully married to a social welfare and harm-minimisation approach in the Prostitution Reform Act debates, whereas they were tied more closely to a law-and-order framework in the latest revisions to Aotearoa/New Zealand's anti-trafficking policies. This paper argues that the influence of the United States in interpreting and enforcing international anti-trafficking treaties - particularly the 'Palermo Protocol' - has facilitated shifts in Aotearoa/New Zealand's domestic policy and provided leverage to discursive framings that were less successful when prostitution reform was debated at the turn of the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to an invitation to contribute to an ongoing feature on contemporary feminist thought in Aotearoa/New Zealand, this article provides an overview of some key aspects of feminist psychology. Feminist psychologists1 have had a strong influence in the improvement of the status of women in Aotearoa/New Zealand and elsewhere in areas such as addressing domestic violence. Feminist psychologists have also been influential in the development of research methods for exploring feminist issues, for example, discourse analysis and conversation analysis. This paper provides an overview of some key psychological contributions to feminist scholarship, with a particular focus on the work of New Zealanders. It includes a brief disussion of the context, both within academia and more broadly, before moving on to specific areas of endeavour, including the development of research methods and research into violence, body image, objectification and sex, and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Philosophy has always had, and continues to have, a 'Woman Problem'. Women remain under-represented as students, as scholars, in journal publications - especially in 'top' journals - and as philosophical subjects. In this paper, I discuss recent feminist philosophical scholarship on this issue, differentiating what I identify as three related but distinct Woman Problems. I consider each of these, focusing in particular on what I label 'The (Anti) Feminist Problem'. I continue by analysing the marginalisation of feminist voices in philosophical discourses as a case of epistemic injustice. Employing elements of a feminist standpoint approach to enquiry, I go on to consider the way in which experiences and reflections that start from lives lived on the margins of the discipline can be a rich source of philosophical insight that is neglected because of philosophy's problem with feminism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been substantial research conducted in New Zealand over the last 20 years into prostitution, there has been no enquiry into the lives of strippers, strip clubs or the striptease industry in general. Yet, women who take their clothes off for a living are a discrete group in the sex industry with distinct motivations who occupy a different habitus to prostitutes or pornographic actresses. This paper, based on undergraduate research, is a review of international literature pertaining to strippers from the year 2000 onwards. The review revealed that, in contrast to the research conducted on the industry before 2000, current feminist scholarship has moved away from a polarised narrative of stripping work as either oppressive or emancipating. Instead, recent research has been concerned with the complexities of the occupation of stripping for young women, both in the workplace and in their wider lives. In particular, this study identified four dominant thematic areas where current research was focused: (a) othering (or the differentiation of strippers from other women); (b) sexualisation (self-worth as based on their sexuality); (c) gender performance (stripping on a spectrum of femininity), and (d) emotional work (stripping work and its emotional demands). In summary, it would seem that the strip-club is a site of both oppression and resistance, a space where women can use their sexual power for financial gain if they are willing to make compromises at work and in their personal lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a couple has a baby, one of the first significant decisions they make is who will be primarily responsible for care of that baby. Biological considerations, social norms, a range of policies, and various other structural factors have an impact on how parents make decisions regarding the care of their new-born babies, with outcomes that can be significantly gendered. In this paper, I examine the ways in which 12 Pakeha middle class heterosexual couples who were first-time parents made decisions regarding who would be their babies' primary carer, and how much leave each person would take, when their babies were born. Among those with different income levels, their decisions were rationalised on the basis of this difference. However, among those with roughly equivalent incomes, other reasons were given, including breastfeeding. In all but one case, the couples conformed to normative gendered roles, with the mothers taking extended leave and being the babies' primary carers for the first year. The effects of this on both mothers and fathers are discussed, with mothers feeling both satisfaction and constraint, and fathers being framed as 'helpers' in some instances. I conclude with suggestions as to how parental leave policies might be structured so as to minimise the 'motherhood penalty' and allow for greater gender equity in parenting, while also meeting the needs and preferences of parents themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been a growing body of research that claims that there is a link between abortion and mental health problems among women. While there is extensive critique of this research, there is less of an understanding of the wider social and political implications of disseminating the idea that women who have abortions are mentally troubled. This paper examines the political and performative effects of this body of psychological research that represent abortion as pathological and those who seek it as needing legal protection, focusing particularly on the context of New Zealand. A two-fold critique is developed: first, I look at the political implications of this research; namely, the way that anti-abortion groups in New Zealand have used this research to galvanise support to restrict access to abortions. Second, I also consider its performative impact, in terms of the ability for such research to be constituted as 'truth', edging out alternative explanations of women's heterogeneous experiences of abortions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the passing of the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA) in 2003, New Zealand became the first country to implement a full decriminalisation of street and in-house prostitution, nationwide. As few New Zealanders have direct regular contact with prostitutes, the media has a strong role in shaping public discourse in relation to the sex industry. Using Foucauldian inspired poststructuralist analysis, from a critical feminist perspective, this paper investigates the representation of prostitution in the New Zealand print media before and after the passing of the PRA. Newspaper articles from 2000 to 2013 were analysed to identify key discursive constructions of the PRA, prostitution, sex workers, and other key players in the New Zealand sex industry. The main representations identified in the data were adult or child street prostitution, those who sell sex were always depicted as women (or girls) and those who buy sex, as men. Discussions of men who buy sex were noticeably absent, except in coverage of men who had been violent towards sex workers and men who bought sex from children. Inhouse prostitution was depicted as a more legitimate profession than street prostitution and the (street) sex worker was portrayed in disparaging ways. We conclude that although New Zealand has decriminalised prostitution, visible sex worker activity on the street continues to be deplored, due to its violation of various codes of traditional femininity and female sexuality. The media also work to individualise issues related to the sex industry, which require a more social, structural, and economic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]