Live webchat with Natasha Walter, Thurs 4 Feb at 12.30pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Natasha Walter, one of Britain's foremost feminists, has a new book out on Thurs 4 Feb called Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism, about the effect our hypersexualised culture is having on young women and girls.

We're delighted to say that Natasha is coming to the Towers for a live chat on Thurs, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

So please post your questions here and hope you can join us.

[squeaver]

I am actually quite excited about this because I think she's a very intelligent writer (and she lives near me I think [stalker]).

Hello Natasha. Please don't pay any attention to biscuit questions.

Like you, I am increasingly dismayed by how overtly sexualised our culture has become. But at a practical level, what can we do? I think Object are doing some really interesting work but they're still considered a fringe group. What can we do to make the debate more mainstream and make our actions count?

[polestar]

Natasha isn't the hedonistic interest in sex and ones own (and others) appearance the offspring of a feminism which encouraged women to put themselves and their own interests first?

[Zellie]

I have a little boy and I am worried about how to teach him to respect women as equals when girls' attitudes towards themselves doesn't seem conducive to that.

I don't think I'm being a classic old fogey when I say that the attitude of girls 10 or 20 years younger than me seems to have changed and they now want to present themselves as silly and easy.

Do you have any advice for the mothers of young boys to help stop the next generation of men contributing to or perpetuating the problem?

[LoveBeingAMummy]

Hi natasha

If you could give one piece of advice to young teenagers today what would it be?

tia

[squeaver]

Oh polestar, you're so funny...

[polestar]

I'm being completely serious.

[ppeatfruit]

polestar you are quite right there's no such thing as having it all; for both sexes.

[HelloThisIsJoanie]

ooh tell Nat i have already pre ordered.

[HelloThisIsJoanie]

( and as the teacher of girls am HORRIFIED by the lack of feminism in... well everything)

[squeaver]

Very interesting that this is your only post, polestar.

[morningpaper]

Oooh this is super-exciting

Walter is one of those people which make me think: I wish I was HER...

I don't know want to ask but will think of something....

[cakeywakey]

Hello Natasha,

What main step would you like to see the newspaper and magazine industry do to combat the hypersexualisation of our culture?

I for one find the covers of many 'lads mags' offensive, especially when they're on open display, and the pictures and headlines on redtops can also be very questionable.

[CantucciniVS]

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[CantucciniVS]

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[CantucciniVS]

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[TheElephant]

Natasha

what is your take on WAG being a viable career choice for a woman - is it all our own fault for reading about the dimbos?

[scrappydappydoo]

Hi Natasha,

I have 2 girls (4yr old and 2yr old). I am horrified at this culture they are growing up in. Have you any advice as to what I can do now to help them grow into strong, confident women who make the right choices?? Thanks

(sorry for sounding like a tampax ad )

[drivingmisscrazy]

Natasha

The (positive) Observer review picked up on the fact that you didn't engage in the book with anything other than heterosexual culture (I'm a gay mum). There's surely a sense in which these apparently alternative identities have also been assimilated into commodity culture to. Could you address this? Might straight culture be able to learn from GLBT cultures/identities?

[drivingmisscrazy]

too, even

[poshsinglemum]

Hi Natasha,
I read your articles in the Times and I found them very interseting.

Do you think that men are also alienated by the hyper-sexualisation of women.

How can we teach young men to respect women and women to respect themselves and can true equality be attainable given the obvious differences between teh sexes?

[poshsinglemum]

Sorry- that was three questions and I'm sorry about the terrible spelling.

[dawntigga]

I have a question I'm having ishoos phrasing it.

WillBeBackWhenShe'sHadAThinkTiggaxx