Self-care note: This week’s wrap-up includes discussion of sexual violence, discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, abortion, and violence against women. You may prefer to read small sections, wait until you feel ready to read it all, or choose not to read it at all.
1. Scottish comedian calls out inappropriate behaviour towards women in comedy 🎤
Scottish comedian Susie McCabe has called on women in the comedy industry to speak out about inappropriate behaviour, after receiving numerous messages from female comedians sharing their experiences.
McCabe spoke out following controversy over a rape joke made by comedian Vittorio Angelone about a sexual assault survivor during The Roast of Have A Word at Glasgow’s King’s Theatre. She said women had since contacted her with accounts of male comedians discussing sexual encounters and making inappropriate comments in backstage areas and during journeys home from gigs.
Arguing that the #MeToo movement and previous sexual harassment controversies had failed to bring about sufficient change, McCabe urged women to document and expose inappropriate behaviour. She also challenged male comedians to intervene when witnessing such conduct, calling for greater accountability and a change in the industry’s culture.
Source: The National
2. Glasgow museum removes Egyptian mummy from public view over consent concerns 🏛️
The Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow has removed the mummified remains of an ancient Egyptian woman from public view, following a review of the ethics of displaying human remains.
The remains of Lady Shep-En-Hor have been exhibited at the museum almost continuously since 1820, making them one of its most popular attractions. Following consultations with experts, including Egyptologists, the museum has decided to keep her sarcophagus on display while covering the mummified body to protect her dignity and privacy.
The decision is part of a wider review of the Hunterian’s collections and efforts to adopt more ethical museum practices. Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has also removed Egyptian mummies and other artefacts from public display over concerns about consent from the deceased.
Source: STV News
3. NHS hospitals remove more than 1,500 objects from patients’ rectums 🍑
More than 1,500 people attended A&E departments in England in 2022 with foreign objects lodged in their rectums, according to data obtained through Freedom of Information requests to NHS hospital trusts.
The objects removed by medical staff in recent years included sex toys, household items, food, Lego bricks and electronic devices. Of the 106 hospital trusts contacted, only 11 provided detailed lists of the objects removed, meaning the findings do not provide a complete national picture.
Doctors stressed the importance of seeking medical attention promptly rather than attempting to remove objects without professional help. A&E consultant Chris Nordstrom said such incidents were relatively uncommon and emphasised that patients should receive safe, compassionate and non-judgemental care.
Source: The Independent
4. Up to 20 maternity units in England may shut, NHS leader says 🏥
Up to 20 maternity units in England may have to close due to a shortage of doctors and rising caesarean section rates, an NHS leader has said.
Matthew Hopkins, the NHS Alliance’s acute care director, said that centralising maternity care in fewer hospitals was the “right thing” to do, as a shortage of healthcare professionals puts women at risk.
However, closing maternity units would mean that many women would have to travel further to receive care and give birth. Those most at risk are women living in rural and coastal areas.
Source: The Guardian
5. Poland protests for free access to legal abortion ✊
On Thursday, hundreds of people took to the streets in more than 20 cities across Poland to protest against the lack of access to free and legal abortion.
Demonstrators held up red card signals and banners with slogans to express their dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to change the law, as the Prime Minister had promised.
Currently, abortion in Poland is legal only in cases of severe foetal abnormalities, when the mother’s life or health is at risk, or when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.
On Tuesday, Parliament passed two bills aimed at easing the law. However, they are likely to be vetoed by the conservative President Karol Nawrocki.
Source: AP News
6. Fathers receive eight times less paid parental leave than mothers worldwide 👶
Governments around the world still offer mothers more paid leave than fathers, contributing to unequal caregiving responsibilities and the so-called “parenthood gap”, a policy brief by UN Women and the World Bank Group has found.
Across 190 economies, 66 offer no paid leave for fathers, while around 60 guarantee less than two weeks. This means mothers receive nearly eight times as much paid leave as fathers.
The parenthood gap limits gender equality, makes it harder for mothers to return to work and progress in their careers, and affects relationships between fathers and their children.
Research also suggests that children whose fathers are involved in caregiving have better cognitive functioning, language, emotion regulation, and behaviour.
Source: UN Women
7. Menopause-related psychological symptoms linked to women considering leaving their jobs 💼
The psychological impact of menopause may lead people to leave their job, a new study has found.
Conducted in Japan among more than 1,600 working women who were perimenopausal and postmenopausal, the study found that the psychological effects of menopause were a significant factor in women’s decision to leave their jobs.
The researchers suggest that workplaces should introduce effective measures to support menopausal individuals, including access to medical care and psychological support.
Source: News-Medical
8. Women with postpartum psychosis seek help repeatedly before receiving diagnosis, study finds 🧠
A new study conducted in Australia has found that women experiencing postpartum psychosis do not receive immediate and effective care.
Many had to contact health services an average of seven times before receiving the care they needed and an accurate diagnosis.
Researchers interviewed 15 women diagnosed with postpartum psychosis and found that before receiving the diagnosis they were dismissed and misunderstood, with their symptoms considered normal or attributed to the baby blues.
Postpartum psychosis is a rare and sever mental health illness that can cause symptoms such as hallucinations, depression, paranoia, and mania.
Source: News-Medical
