via U-turn over ‘segregating’ children at London housing development – BBC News
How to Stay Safe as a Female Solo Traveler
raveling on your own is an incredibly rewarding experience, but it has its dangers. The number of women traveling alone has been on the rise in recent years, and the tactics for staying safe while on the road have gotten increasingly sophisticated—and important.
In a recent article, the New York Times interviewed female travelers, some of whom have survived assaults or violence while abroad. The piece touches on how the rise of women taking solo trips is being connected to the rise of violence against women. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of non0profit UN Women, told the Times that most countries don’t accurately track data regarding threats to women travelers—they don’t want to discourage tourism, for one thing. But it’s also not necessarily about a specific country having a problem:
“The root cause of this kind of violence against women in communities and in public and private spaces has a lot of do with the underlying gender stereotypes, social norms, entitlement and patriarchy,” Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
This may all sound very grim; yet, most of the women interviewed say that the potential for violence, or actual dangerous encounters, isn’t enough to stop them from exploring. In emails with Lifehacker, Dianelle Rivers-Mitchell, the founder and creator of Black Girls Travel Too, and Tracey Nesbitt, editor of Solo Traveler and moderator of the Facebook page Solo Traveler Society, both shared their safety tips that help them keep exploring.
Stephanic Borowicz’s Racist Prayer as Movita Johnson-Harrell Sworn-in
s Pennsylvania made history on Monday, swearing in the first Muslim woman elected to the state House, one Republican lawmaker prayed to Jesus for forgiveness.
State Representative Stephanic Borowicz, a newly-elected state representative who opposes abortion and loves Donald Trump, kicked off the Pennsylvania House session’s opening prayer by asking God to watch over fellow Republican leaders, including the president. “Lord thank you that he stands behind Israel, unequivocally.”
She continued in a 100-second display of pure Islamophobia: “God forgive us. Jesus, we’ve lost sight of you, we’ve forgotten you, God, in our country, and we’re asking you to forgive us.”
via Stephanic Borowicz's Racist Prayer as Movita Johnson-Harrell Sworn-in
How can we achieve true ‘balance for better’ this International Women’s Day and beyond? — Entrepreneurs | Startups | Small Business Owners
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, educators should be compelled to champion the status of women in STEM professions to give real-life role models for the next generation of female scientists. Whether it is by organising successful women in technology to offer talks and presentations to schools on their job and their journey, or celebrating the achievements of female pioneers in the field such as Ada Lovelace, Valentina Tereshkova and Grace Murray Hopper. Championing the achievements of women in technology, science and maths can only empower the next generation and it is our duty to remind ourselves of that, not just on International Women’s Day, but throughout the year. It is less about what we do in the workplace and more importantly, what we do before these young women enter the workplace.
How to create a period-friendly workplace – BBC News
A football app start-up in Gothenburg is set to become the first business in Sweden to be certified as menstruation-friendly. But how much do employees really want to talk about their periods?
Rows of top-division European football kits hang from a giant goal net hooked to the ceiling, while two male developers kick a ball around on a green fake grass carpet. This isn’t the most obvious place to be championing a more supportive environment for women during their periods.
Indeed, Forza Football’s chief executive Patrik Arnesson admits he “didn’t think about the menstrual cycle at all” before a female employee asked if the firm could take part in a pilot scheme designed to break down taboos around menstruation.
“No one had actually told me they had to leave work to go home because of PMS,” he says. “And then I actually realized that this is a problem and I haven’t even reflected on it.”
‘Outrageous’ and ‘disgusting’: segregated playground sparks fury | Cities | The Guardian
The government has joined widespread condemnation of developers who blocked children living in social housing from using the playground on a London development.
The Conservative housing minister, James Brokenshire, called the situation on the Baylis Old School site in Lambeth “outrageous”. He said the developers, Henley Homes, and the local council should immediately change the site.
via ‘Outrageous’ and ‘disgusting’: segregated playground sparks fury | Cities | The Guardian
Rebecca Kenna quits snooker league over ‘men only’ rule – BBC News
A snooker player says she has been forced to turn her back on her local league after being barred from matches because she is a woman.
Rebecca Kenna felt “abandoned” after being stopped from playing in two fixtures due to some clubs in Keighley operating a “men only” policy.
Mrs Kenna, 30, who is ranked third in the World Women’s Snooker rankings, wants to see the gender-bar scrapped.
The league said “there’s nothing we can do to overturn the decisions”.
via Rebecca Kenna quits snooker league over ‘men only’ rule – BBC News
Find and Support Women-Owned Businesses Using Yelp
Yelp is making it a little bit easier to find and support women-owned businesses. To celebrate Women’s History Month this month, the site launched a “Women-Owned Business” attribute which highlights when a business is female-owned.
The label appears under “More business info” on the right side of a business’s page, the same place where you’ll find whether or not a spot has bike parking, accepts credit cards, or requires appointments.
How to Help Prevent Sexual Assaults on Flights
No matter how friendly the conversation seems to start off, you could inadvertently reveal something about yourself that makes you more of a target.
Tammy Yard-McCracken, owner of Personal Defense Industries in Virginia and a certified conflict communication instructor, told the New York Times that passengers need to be mindful about what they divulge to strangers.
Find LGBTQ-Friendly Accommodations When You Travel With Mister B&B
When you’re searching for accommodations online you can often find information about how big the place is, what kind of bed you’re sleeping in, and what sorts of restaurants are nearby. However, what you might not be able to find out in a listing is whether or not your hosts are LGBTQ-friendly.
Mister B&B is a website that exclusively lists gay-friendly accommodations around the world. The website and app work a bit like Airbnb, in that individuals can list rooms or apartments for rent. Nightly rates are determined by hosts. Unlike Airbnb, Mister B&B also lists booking options at local gay-owned or gay-friendly hotels (you can toggle the hotel option on or off when you search).
via Find LGBTQ-Friendly Accommodations When You Travel With Mister B&B