Pig Mario

Ok, so it was my own fault for watching Big Brother in the first place. I’m not proud, it’s not big, and its not clever. That said, what I saw today was so unbelievable it left me agog, staring at a blank screen, long after I’d turned it off, jaw still firmly on the floor.

‘Italian stallion’ and Sly look-alike Mario – which, by the way, isn’t his real name, and he hasn’t set foot in Italy in his entire life – got nominated for eviction. On mulling his imminent possible ejection from the house over with girlfriend of 3 years Lisa, who is also in the house, the sexist pig told Lisa that if he left her days would also be numbered in the house ‘without your man here’ because she ‘isn’t strong like him’. Is he kidding? I mean is he actually yanking my chain? No one on God’s green earth could possibly say that and mean it could they?

Mario is not known for is liberal thinking when it comes to gender equality, however. Lisa’s father has branded Mario a bully, after he reportedly bullied and manipulated Lisa into having her breasts enlarged. More seriously though, the red tops have been chocker block with allegations of his past domestic violence, and even forcing a 19 year-old ex-girlfriend into an unwanted abortion.

Whether these allegations are true are not, what is perfectly clear is that Mario apparently thinks himself to be God’s gift, and clearly needs taking down a peg or two. The best thing that could happen to that guy is to leave the house in a cloud of shame next week, then watch Lisa become a more accepted part of a group she’s been isolated from because she’s been tied to Mario’s apron strings. Come on Lisa – it’s time to grow some balls and stick up to that sexist pig of a boyfriend.

Calling all women

Don't be one of the silent complainers (see Sitting on your hind below...)
The Guardian is doing a series on feminism to celebrate 90 years in Britain since women won the right to vote. Be heard. Join the debate: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/awomansplace

Sitting on your hind

"Further to this Jill Saward has written this piece on why she’s standing for the by-election. Needless to say, it being a Comment is Free piece so far she’s been described as “pathetic” (robertdaniel), told to “grow up” (GoingGoingGordon), that her writing is “spurious” (RoadRiverandRail), that women reporting rape are all liars (comment detailed but quoted in another one), that women shouldn’t make this a gender/feminist issue (tangerinedream), that talking about rape is “sneaky” (Kvasnik) and that her campaign is “absolute bollocks” (funwithwhips). Lovely."

And needless to say, it being an F-Word piece, they love nothing better than to bitch into the wilderness without actually, err, doing anything. I know it's a new concept. But how about in loving to hate the misogynists, one actually logged into commentisfree and wrote in defense of Jill? Or complained about some of the more undesirable comments by reporting the abuse? Isn't the whole point that misogynists are heard too much, too loudly? Why not just stand up to them there and then, instead of creating a safe environment where no one else is allowed to speak? Why can't we have the courage of our convictions to be heard on the same stage as our opposition?

Or is it just that its so much fun complaining, if we actually took the bull by the horns and changed it ourselves, we'd have nothing left to bitch about. That is true feminism - an actual desire to change, not a desire to winge.