Just published. An extract:

Ahead of the parliament discussion about the bill, Iceland’s Bishop Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir criticized the proposal for criminalizing religious practices. “On the one hand, there’s an irreversible intervention in a child’s body, but on the other hand, it’s the right of the child to grow up in the religious and cultural practices of his parents, practices that mold the identity of every person,” she explained.

She believes it’s the “right” of boys (she uses the word “child” but later refers to “his” parents) to have their genitals mutilated on religious or cultural grounds. Would she deny female minors be denied this “right”? Of course:

The bill equates male circumcision to female genital mutilation, which has been outlawed in Iceland since 2005. Sigurðardóttir stressed, however, that male circumcision is different from the banned practice for females and that the parliament should “provide room to discuss this sensitive matter.”

Our thanks to Steve for this. Extracts, emphases ours:

A woman who was caught handing over a loaded gun at Connolly Station last year has been released from custody on the basis of time served.

Nikita Murtagh, from Mariners Port, Sheriff Street in Dublin, pleaded guilty at the Special Criminal Court to the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol on 19 July.

The young mother was sentenced to three years in prison, but the outstanding two years and five months were suspended due to her personal circumstances…

Gardaí and her defence team said Murtagh was used by devious people to move a loaded gun from Dublin to Belfast. [J4MB: Murtagh herself was blameless, obviously, because women shouldn’t be held responsible for their actions and inactions.]…

Detective Inspector Noel Browne told the Special Criminal Court that Murtagh did what she did out of misplaced family loyalty [J4MB: So Murtagh’s actions were wrong, but commendable…?] and that family members were connected to some of the most extreme violence in recent years…

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the appropriate sentence in this case was three years and in an unusual move, which he insisted should not be seen as a precedent, he suspended the remainder of the sentence on the basis of the time already served. [J4MB: On the basis of serving (cough) seven months out of 36 months. That makes sense.]

As Murtagh sobbed in court, Mr Justice Hunt told her the offence she committed did not deserve the approach taken, but the three judges believed that her loyalty should now be to her young child.

He also warned her that next time there would be no allowances made and no such mercy if she came back before the three judges. [J4MB: Presumably they’ll find another three judges next time to treat her absurdly leniently again, because vagina…]

 

An insightful piece on Fox News.

Beer writer Melissa Cole is backing calls to put an end to sexist beer marketing. She claims that at one industry event in her 20-year career [J4MB: That’s damned nearly twice daily…] a man grabbed her breast. Even if true – which we doubt – does it give her the right to dictate to breweries how they name their beers? Of course not.

Miserable women are turning beer sour. Is nothing sacred? An extract:

Pictures of scantily-clad women and risqué names have long been used as a ploy by savvy brewers to entice punters to buy their beer.

But times have changed, bringing with it a backlash against the likes of ales called Top Totty and Dizzy Blonde.

It’s a row that has been brewing since at least 2012, when the former was removed from the bar at the House of Commons amid complaints.

Five years on, the battle against misogynist marketing is still being fought – as recently as October, an Irish brewery came under fire for its tagline “Dublin Blonde goes down easy”.

I happen to live near a public house in Bedford, which serves very good real ales. I don’t go in there any more because the landlady and one of the barmaids are two of the most miserable women it’s ever been my misfortune to encounter. The place would surely have many more customers if they left.

Emily Maitlis is a presenter on BBC Newsnight. The double standards on male and female “objectification” in her piece on the BBC website are breathtaking, even by feminist standards.

Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir

Our thanks to Tim, a dedicated intactivist, for alerting us to John Humphrys’ interview of an Icelandic MP, Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir, on this morning’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme. The whole 3-hour show on iPlayer is here. The interview with an Icelandic imam and, more importantly, the MP. runs from 2:43:26 – 2:48:00. Humphrys is predictably uninformed about the relative harms caused by MGM and FGM – all MGM is more injurious than most FGM – but the MP responds well. We look forward to this story developing over the coming weeks and months.

Our thanks to John for this.

Just published. Needless to say the BBC only quotes British proponents of MGM, not opponents:

Jewish campaign group Milah UK stated that comparisons with female genital mutilation are unwarranted, given that in the case of male circumcision there is “no recognised long-term negative impact on the child”.

A female bishop is all for mutilating male minors’ genitals in the interests of avoiding “extremism”:

The Bishop of Reykjavik, Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir, warned Jewish and Muslim people could feel “unwelcome” in Iceland.

“The danger that arises, if this bill becomes law, is that Judaism and Islam will become criminalised religions,” she said. “We must avoid all such forms of extremism.”

Our thanks to Anthony for this. Extracts, emphases ours:

A judge said the offences were so severe as to warrant prison.

But because she was sorry for her “moment of stupidity,” Prosser was given a suspended sentence…

 

Prosecutor Lawrence Jones said: “Miss Rees was left unconscious and needed a CT scan in hospital where she spent the night.

“Her boyfriend needed oral surgery and treatment for an injury to his eye socket.”

Judge Richard Twomlow told her: “Your behaviour was disgraceful and unnecessary.

“These offences merit a prison sentence, you have never been in trouble before and this serves as a salutary lesson.

“You have shown genuine remorse for a few moments of real stupidity.”

Our thanks to Keith for this. A paragraph echoing what we know of women and STEM subjects in Scandinavia:

The upshot of this research is neither especially feminist nor especially sad: It’s not that gender equality discourages girls from pursuing science. It’s that it allows them not to if they’re not interested.