Naomi Wolf: live webchat TODAY, Thursday 6 September, 12pm to 1pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Naomi Wolf is joining us for a live webchat on Thursday 6 September at 12 noon. Naomi's latest book, Vagina - A New Biography, has attracted major media attention this month and we're delighted she's joining us to tell us more about the book and answer your questions.

Described as 'exhilarating and groundbreaking', Vagina combines cultural history, physiology and personal memoir to explore the role of female desire and how it affects female identity, creativity and confidence.

Naomi Wolf is author of seven books including the bestseller, The Beauty Myth. She travels regularly to speak about gender equality and social justice. She lives in New York and is working towards a doctorate at New College, Oxford University.

Please post your question to Naomi in advance, or set the date in your diary to join us this Thursday at midday to chat to Naomi 'live'.

Mine too - almost weeps, BOF

What's your favourite biscuit?

I studied Neuropsychology (to a point) and found that you could essentially back up any theory you wanted with "areas of the brain that light up" because actually bugger all is really truly understood about it still. So all depends on what you are looking for.

@MmeLindor

Naomi Do you think that the rights of Assange are more important than the rights of two women who accused him of serious sexual assault and rape?

And what does that signal to any woman raped by an important political figure?

Should DSK not have been investigated because of his political standing? Maybe that was a conspiracy too.

This is why it is important that these cases come to trial. Because it is not up to journalists or bloggers to decide, but a judge and jury.

I completely agree, a judge and jury should decide and I think progress is being made by Hague suggesting that if the US seeks to extradite (to send Assange to GTMO for reasons completely unrelated to the sexual allegations, they want to extradite him under the Espionage Act for releasing state secrets) Sweden should not extradite. Of course everyone should have a fair trial.

@Greythorne

Naomi - what are your favourite feminist blogs / online fora?

I love 'The F-Word'. I think Feministing does really exciting writing and discussion and I love their fearlessness. Jezebel is interesting very often.

The condom didn't break. He stopped the woman reaching for it.

This is quite basic research really.

@StewieGriffinsMom

Naomi published this letter in the Huffington Post without bothering to research the case properly. She based her opinion on an entirely discredited article in the Daily Mail and a retraction was printed since Wolf got the facts wrong. In this letter, she writes numerous rape myths. The actual title is Julian Assange: Captured by the World's Dating Police. This is only one instance where Wolf's words make a complete mockery of the We Believe You campaign.

www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/interpol-the-worlds-datin_b_793033.html

Dear Interpol:

As a longtime feminist activist, I have been overjoyed to discover your new commitment to engaging in global manhunts to arrest and prosecute men who behave like narcissistic jerks to women they are dating.

I see that Julian Assange is accused of having consensual sex with two women, in one case using a condom that broke. I understand, from the alleged victims' complaints to the media, that Assange is also accused of texting and tweeting in the taxi on the way to one of the women's apartments while on a date, and, disgustingly enough, 'reading stories about himself online' in the cab.

Both alleged victims are also upset that he began dating a second woman while still being in a relationship with the first. (Of course, as a feminist, I am also pleased that the alleged victims are using feminist-inspired rhetoric and law to assuage what appears to be personal injured feelings. That's what our brave suffragette foremothers intended!).

Thank you again, Interpol. I know you will now prioritize the global manhunt for 1.3 million guys I have heard similar complaints about personally in the US alone there is an entire fraternity at the University of Texas you need to arrest immediately. I also have firsthand information that John Smith in Providence, Rhode Island, went to a stag party with strippers! that his girlfriend wanted him to skip, and that Mark Levinson in Corvallis, Oregon, did not notice that his girlfriend got a really cute new haircut even though it was THREE INCHES SHORTER.

Terrorists. Go get 'em, Interpol!

Yours gratefully,

Naomi Wolf

So that headline is not mine: editors post their own headlines and I do not agree with it. It was an immediate reaction of frustration to how millions of other women are completely neglected as I wrote above and I certainly regret my phrasing.

why do you think there is so little gender study in science? I mean most stuff involves looking at gay men!

Iawncont
mine was a serious question!

I do not write or post rape myths. My concern is always to support rape victims and support prosecution and conviction of rapists.

Can't believe a feminist would take that trivialising, minimising and silencing tone about alleged rape victims, tbh.

Bloody shocking, that letter.

Who are your feminist role models today?

@ethelb

why do you think there is so little gender study in science? I mean most stuff involves looking at gay men!

That is a great question. So one amazing fact scientists have found that there is a 'neural arm' in the anterior wall of the vagina such that there 'war' between clitoris and vagina, clitoris and g-spot, is just wrong they are north and south of the same neural structure! But I think news media is squeamish about devoting space to treating this seriously and making room for it, because the link of female sexual knowledge and self-awareness to female empowerment is so strong that many cultures including the US and UK tend to trivialize or ignore research on the vagina and female desire.

Do you think the media is more comfortable looking at the anatomy behind male sexual enjoyment then?

@Greythorne

Who are your feminist role models today?

I love Germaine Greer always. Gloria Steinem never takes her eyes off the prize. But I am really interested most these days in the work of emerging countries' feminist leaders like the women bloggers of Tahrir Square they are refreshing and reinventing feminism in a human rights/democracy model that I think is really necessary. Mary Nazzal who advocates for women in Gaza is my current personal heroine. BTW so many of the issues that these feminists face have to do with targeting female sexuality from forced marriage to FGM.

I think women generally do know how to have sex and what feels good with decent men Naomi, why is all this emphasis on the biology necessary?

Essentially, bad, abusive, narcissistic men = bad sex, bad vagina moves.

That letter is disgraceful.
You should be ashamed.

This the Twilight Zone

@FastidiaBlueberry

Can't believe a feminist would take that trivialising, minimising and silencing tone about alleged rape victims, tbh.

Bloody shocking, that letter.

see my statement.

This is embarrassing.

@Badvoc

That letter is disgraceful. You should be ashamed.

I do totally regret it.