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'.

Naomi, your response to the Assange matter is disingenuous at best. You haven't responded to the criticisms of your assertions made by people with a lot more knowledge of Swedish law, and law generally, than you eg:

samtycke.nu/eng/2012/09/checking-naomi-wolfs-8-big-problems-in-the-assange-case-and-coming-up-empty/

I find it gobsmacking that you have bought into the conspiracy theory myths put forward by the nutty Assange supporters without taking the time to actually research UK extradition law or indeed read any of legal blog posts written for lay people (eg: the David Allen Green article in the New Statesman cited above).

So disappointed. If this is how you research law, then I worry about how you research science.

Your sloppy research and willingness to manipulate research and conclusions to suit your assumptions discredits your academic credibilities I am afraid. Good luck for getting through the Oxford DPhil.

it's a little light that comes on in the bright pink area of the brain just next to the 'likes kittens' zones slug

hth.

PMSL bof

@slug

"Because it covers up malfeasance and prosecutorial neglect"

Can you explain that a bit more clearly please? Are you only referring to the American or UK justice system?

You are aware, aren't you, of the strong societal pressures against women reporting rape and the persecution (see the Assange case) of any women who does publicly name their rapist? Surely working, as you have claimed, in rape crisis centres has made you aware of this? How then, do you propose to defend women who do report rape from the societal backlash that she will inevitably suffer?

Rapists rape with impunity in the US the UK and throughout western europe. In the UK only sic per cent of REPORTED rapes are ever prosecuted and you can't even find conviction rates. In two years at the UK rape crisis center where I worked we had ONE prosecution, zero convictions.

What I see if that rape survivors are treated like shit with or without anonymity -- by the courts and by the outcomes and by not enough helplines or centers etc etc etc. There will be a backlash just as there was when gay people started to eschew anonymity and come out to fight back against homophobic assaults. Their position was: this is not my shame. And now homophobic attacks are better documented, better prosecuted and paradoxivcally perhaps there is far less shame in being the subject of such an attack. I believe this is the analogy. It is not rape victims' shame, it is the rapists' shame.

God, is it nearly over yet. I've got cramp in my feet from all the cringing.

dear lord please beam me up.

the tories are in for another couple of years and feminists are telling us we just need to shag better and patriarchy will fall.

i can't cope anymore.

But anonymity is OPTIONAL - the rape victim can waive that right. You are trying to take away that option.

So this had certainly been a very frank discussion and that is good. I appreciate the chance to talk directly with you and hope to do so more. Thank you for your time and comments and please do reach out if you have more you want me to think about -- yours Naomi

it's a conspiracy to stop us getting dopamine sgm - labiaplasty the hell of out of them. probably why they're so keen on episiotomies as well.

hold onto your lips ladies.

Disagree with a lot of what you say, but thank you for coming in to discuss things.

Are you fucking insane? Do you know how it feels to know that someone hostile to you, who may be bigger and stronger than you and may have power over you, knows you've been raped?

How do the rape victims you say you've worked with, respond to this suggestion?

swallowed

I've not had an orgasm today yet. Must try harder to be a good feminist.

I wish you hadn't bothered. I'd rather not know that someone who used to be a feminist could support the removal of the right to anonymity for rape victims.

women wanking their way to freedom.

overthrowing the patriarchy one orgasm at a time.

fucking for freedom?

so many slogans.

Thanks Naomi- I'll reach out when I've checked my vagina says its ok

swallowed

Just ha fucking ha

ahh. this was worth revisiting mn feminism for. nice to see old faces

keep up the good fight sisters - and remember to crack one out hourly.

Is she gone?

Me and the vagina are off for some lunch now- laters!

So rape victims aren't getting convictions because they're not fighting back hard enough? And if we take away their anonymity they will be stop being ashamed, like the gay people, and their shame is the reason why they're not getting convictions and when gay people stopped being ashamed it got better for them?

Do you see how victim-blaming and unkind your suggestion is?

I will be having stern words with my vagina this evening.