We found this video from The Representation Project fascinating. Although women did well in 2013, this video shows that we still have a way to go. Let’s hope for better things in 2014.
What do you think?
Tag Archives: women
Britain is Lagging Behind Europe in Training Women
Only 7% of professional engineers in the UK are female and companies must take the lead in redressing the balance according to Scott Fletcher – chairman and founder of UK cloud infrastructure specialists ANS Group.
“Private companies are beginning to take the lead in providing skills training and they should seize the opportunity to provide more apprenticeships for women in male dominated sectors. This is particularly true in the IT industry,” said Mr Fletcher.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) 2013 skills survey discovered that only 7% of professional engineers in the UK were women and that this figure has only risen by 2% over the last five years.
This compares with 18% in Spain, 20% in Italy and 26% in Sweden.
The Science and Technology Commons Select Committee is currently studying the progress of female students and academics pursuing science, technology, engineering and maths careers and hearing evidence from education providers.
“We need to increase the flow of young talent into tech and engineering industries and attracting more women is an obvious answer. Currently a large proportion of female Stem graduates (science, technical, engineering and mathematics) are choosing careers in other industries,” said Mr Fletcher.
A report published earlier this year by the Institute of Physics (IOP) found that half of all the co-ed schools in the UK did not put forward a single female student to sit an A-level in physics.
“It seems that Britain’s schools have pigeon holed physics as a ‘boys’ subject which is a notion that needs to be eradicated immediately,” said Mr Fletcher.
Scott Fletcher has been a consistent campaigner for reform of the way computing skills are taught to young people.
“Providing on-the-job apprenticeship training is every bit as vital as finding tech and science graduates. We find time and time again that young people aren’t leaving school with the skills they need to begin a career in a tech industry.
“The IT industry is obviously fluid and businesses need to re-invent themselves every few years. There is no sitting back on past glories in our industry and young talent is the essential fuel for that re-invention,” said Mr Fletcher.
ANS Group has designed and created its own ‘Cloud Academy’ that will provide industry led training for approximately 60 apprentices in Cloud technology every year. It is hoped that the academy will see at least five new candidates joining the ANS team each month.
Our ANS Cloud Academy – which is based in Manchester – is part of the government’s ‘Employer Ownership of Skill Pilot’ which invites employers to develop any proposal that teaches skills, creates employment or drives economic growth.
Why do women cheat? Not enough sex, say 79.2% of survey
• 25-34 year old women most likely to seek an affair outside marriage
• 1-3 months is the typical life cycle of an affair for 60.3% of AshleyMadison.com members
• 76.9% of unfaithful women still love their husband or long term partner
A new survey of unfaithful British women from AshleyMadison.com, the world’s leading site for extramarital affairs, shows that for 79.2% the over-riding reason for cheating on husbands or partners is an unfulfilled sex life.
The survey of 10,245 UK women members of the website provides a snapshot of the changing face of infidelity in this country. Globally, female infidelity is on the rise and the UK is no exception.
Noel Biderman, founder and CEO of AshleyMadison.com says: “While women are gaining power in the work-place they’re no longer prepared to accept a disappointing performance from their man in the bedroom. Many work long hours, they juggle family and professional responsibilities and find that a busy lifestyle can be both an excuse and a cover for cyber affairs and physical affairs.”
The most common age group amongst unfaithful women is 25-34 year olds (35.1%), but the 35-44 year old age bracket is not far behind at 30.4%.
“Attitudes to infidelity amongst women are changing fast,’ adds Biderman. “The taboo is disappearing, it’s no longer a male preserve. With smartphones and access to the Internet 24/7, women have the tools to seek out and conduct discreet affairs that leave no ‘digital lipstick’ in the way that Facebook does. It’s as safe and easy as ordering a take-away!”
Unfaithful women seem to mirror cheating men who traditionally claim they still love their wives: 76.9% of Ashley Madison’s cheating women say they still love their husband or long term partner and an overwhelming 95.1% say they are not in love with their affair partner. In line with this, only 11.6% say they would like to leave their husband or partner
However, it seems that the one nightstand is still male territory, as an affair of one-three months is typical for 60.3% of the women surveyed and only 19.6% say they are looking for a one-night stand.
Noel Biderman comments: “Women tend to like a degree of stability; genetically they’re not wired for one-night stands. But women are good at multi-tasking so there’s no problem having an affair partner as well as a husband. 69% of the women we surveyed have only had one or two affairs.”
Do you agree?
Lynne Franks Announces Autumn 2013 Programme For Bloom Retreats
One of Frost’s favourite people and all-round inspirational person, Lynne Franks, author, entrepreneur and women’s empowerment champion, is launching a brand-new series of signature retreats for women at her beautiful home in Deia, Mallorca. BLOOM Retreats offer unique creative and wellbeing experiences in a deeply relaxing atmosphere surrounded by the exquisite local, natural beauty of the Mediterranean coastline.
The retreats take place at Lynne Franks’ beautiful property, part of an old monastery, with stunning views overlooking the Mediterranean and the Tramuntana mountains. The site is walking distance of the ancient village of Deia, which has been a hub for many artists, writers and creatives.
“I am delighted to be hosting these intimate retreats for women to heal, grow and connect with each other in such a nurturing, feminine space. There has been a tremendous response following each of my BLOOM Retreats over the last few years and it is clearly time to expand our offering and bring in other teachers and specialists,” says Lynne.
The BLOOM Detox & Wellness Retreat
16th – 20th September 2013
From €1,125
Led by Reiki Master Monika Evans together with 5-Elements nutritionist Ursula Peer, this retreat takes a holistic approach, designed to harmonize body, mind and spirit in a deeply relaxing atmosphere and surrounded by great natural beauty.
Your day starts with an (optional) morning meditation followed by a gentle yoga class or mountain walk and a warm breakfast based on 5-Elements Traditional Chinese Medicine Nutrition. During the day sessions are offered to inspire your inner Goddess with exercises and tools you can apply in your busy day-to-day lives for a sense of peace and wellbeing.
And there is also plenty of time for rest, relaxing by the pool, soaking in the hot tub, going for walks to the nearby beach and enjoying the magical island of Mallorca. A Reiki healing session, a personalised 5-Elements Nutrition Consultation tailored for your body type and a spa treatment are included in the package. Extra options such as massage and craniosacral therapy can be arranged upon request.
The BLOOM Fitness Retreat
22nd – 27th September 2013
From €1,325
Renowned fitness consultant and ambassador for Reebok Sarah Maxwell, together with BLOOM Retreats, have created an exclusive women-only 5-day retreat aimed to make you look and feel amazing.
During your stay you’ll tone up, lose weight and learn how to access your own inner resources for a calm life while enjoying wonderful food and great natural beauty in a nurturing and supportive environment.
Apart from Sarah’s signature fitness group activities we offer private sessions to develop an exercise, relaxation and nutritional programme tailored to your needs and lifestyle. Our delicious, healthy meals are prepared using local, organic ingredients wherever possible to boost flavour and nutritional value.
The BLOOM Creative Writing & Nature Walks Retreat
29th September – 4th October
From €950
Discover your true inner voice through a series of exploratory life writing and creative writing sessions and guided walks under the gentle guidance of professional writer, journalist and writing mentor Elaine Kingett.
This retreat is not so much about technique, academic ability or previous writing experience, more about delight in the written recording and expression of our individual existence. Each day, after relaxing Mindfulness Mediation, you will take part in a guided walk to fire up your imagination and to discover the supernatural beauty of northern Mallorca, which has inspired writers such as Robert Graves and Anaïs Nin.
During the rest of your day, Elaine will lead you through various writing exercises and you’ll also spend time on memoir and autobiographical writing, journaling and letter writing. In the evening you are encouraged to share your work with supportive, like-minded women to learn and grow as a writer.
The BLOOM Yoga & Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat
12th – 17th October 2013
From €950
Yoga & Ayurveda are two ancient healing arts with profound wisdom and insight into our human nature, revering life as a sacred system to which every living thing in the universe belongs. Both help us to develop awareness about our bodies and lifestyles guiding us towards balance, strength and wellbeing.
You will start the day with meditation and a gentle yoga practice. The postures have a beneficial impact on the whole body, toning muscles, ligaments, joints and nerves, stimulating circulation and helping to release stress and toxins from the body.
During the morning there are sessions presenting the principles of ayurveda and how to apply them in your daily life learning what your body needs to bring it back into balance.
Cooking is a very grounding practice, connecting us directly with the earth. There will be opportunities for hands on cooking, to learn and enjoy delicious recipes and share our experiences in the kitchen.
The BLOOM Inner Artist Retreat
4th – 8th November 2013
From €820
Join Frances Baxter and Mariana Alzamora, two renowned artists from Mallorca’s thriving creative community to explore and develop your own inner artist.
The retreat combines expert instruction in clay molding, drawing and painting with Lynne’s unique SEED coaching tools to help you lead a creative, abundant and purposeful life. International artists Frances Baxter and Mariana Alzamora will be your guides as you explore how to make clay goddess figures, draw your own self-portrait and paint through the magic of nature. You will get in-depth feedback about your work from Mariana and Frances and be able to share your experience and creative output with the other participants in a safe and nurturing environment.
The BLOOM Women’s Creative Leadership Retreat with Lynne Franks
14th-19th November 2013
From €1,690
After twenty years of business success, and ten years of developing programmes for women in leadership, Lynne has designed a unique process for the realisation of ones highest potential. In this retreat, she integrates spiritual values with professional insights and personal fulfilment techniques, to create a holistic blueprint for a healthy and successful life.
Alongside the enjoyable programme of transformation and change, Lynne will work with each member of the retreat on a one-to-one basis, coaching them personally and professionally to achieve their dreams. She will focus on all areas of life relevant to a modern woman including relationships, career, emotional wealth and physical well-being.
MonaLisa Twins | Music Profile
MonaLisa Twins have made an amazing collaborative time-lapse music video
The band said, “We were thinking about a creative way to get lots of people involved in a connecting, artistic project, all in the spirit of the song title “When We’re Together”. We were curious about how many people would pause their activities out of their love for adventure to be part of a spontaneous happening. We installed a canvas on the walls of Stables Market in Camden, London’s world-famous art district. We ourselves started with a big red heart in the center. Pedestrians joined in and added their ideas and colors to the painting.
We were overwhelmed by the dedication of stangers, joining in to
create a collective, beautiful artpiece together. Businessmen, cyclists, musicians, children and elderly people alike were painting side by side, laughing and sharing their thoughts and even very personal stories. This day was just more evidence for us how much the arts are able to lift spirits and make people happy. It was only later that we realized that the project also fitted quite well with our (band) name MonaLisa. Artistic all the way ;)”
The painting from the video is up for auction here.
Check out their other recent video with a distinctly different, more sombre feel for “The Wide, Wide Land”, a song written as a musical farewell for their Grandmother, who suffered with Alzheimer’s for many years.
Band: MonaLisa Twins
Location: Austria, UK
CD: “When We’re Together”
Styles: 60s Pop, 60ies Rock ‘n’ Roll, Beat music, British Invasion – with
elements of Folk, Latin, Psychedelic
Similar to: Jake Bugg, The Belle Brigade, She & Him, The Last Shadow Puppets, Never Shout Never
Influences: 60ies Backbeat music, The (Early) Beatles, The Easy Beats,
Donovan, The Monkeys, Bob Dylan, Simon&Garfunkel, Pink Floyd
Members/Instruments:
Mona Wagner – Vocals, Guitars, Blues Harp
Lisa Wagner – Vocals, Guitars, Ukulele
The Beat is back! The MonaLisa Twins are one of the very few modern bands
who write original songs in the 60’s Beat music tradition, reviving the
genre with a modern, fresh twist without sounding pop-ish or trivial. On
their debut album “When We’re Together” they present the finest Rock ‘n’
Roll and Beat music, skillfully venturing out in Psychedelic, Folk and even
Latin genres, inspired by the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Simon &
Garfunkel. Their signature features are polyphonic harmonies and a wiry,
bright guitar sound. The even mix of fun and depth in their music and lyrics brings back the spirit of this time and therefore speaks to a wide range of international audiences.
While listening to and playing all different kinds of music genres in their
youth the girls stayed with the 60’s songwriting style, something they think is way too much neglected these days: “We aim to write songs which we ourselves would like to listen to and we always loved the spiritual,
humorous and true-to-life mindset of the 60’s. However we aren’t nostalgic
about it or trying to be “retro”. We simply believe that something great had been started in this era that is worthy of being continued.”
The core of the band are two 19 year old girls, actual twins named Mona and
Lisa. Originally from Austria, they toured extensively, performing in the USA, Australia and UK in their teens. They started out with cover songs on YouTube and released two CDs with covers in 2007 and 2008. At 16 they
decided to go for a professional music career and began to record their debut album “When We’re Together” which was released in 2012. Since then they’ve played many live shows in small to medium-sized venues and festivals in Continental Europe, playing to new audiences and raising interest for their own music. Besides being played on Austrian radio stations they are increasingly conquering the Anglo-American music markets with regular airplay and doing radio and TV interviews in the USA and UK as well. They also produced a decent number of high quality music videos which have garnered a total of nearly 2 million views and over 4,500 subscribers on YouTube so far.
Moving forward, for the rest of 2013 Mona and Lisa are dedicated to work on releasing more music videos and writing new songs.
Should You Change Your Name After You Marry? | The Wedding Diary
We live in modern times and tradition is something ever-changing. Some traditional things last, and some just don’t. Others, like a woman taking her husbands name after they marry, actually become controversial. My favourite motto to live by in life is, ‘live and let live’. But, yet, it seems we can’t.
Some woman see submission or sexism when a woman changes her name. But where did that woman get her name? And where did her mother get hers?, and her grandmother? To stop it now feels like closing the stable after the horse has long bolted.
All of this does make me sound pro changing my name, I know. I am in a bit of a muddle with it to be honest. Part of my thinks it is something to do if you have children, so you can be a family u
nit, the stories of woman being stopped at airports because they have a different surname from their children are common. If I have children I certainly don’t want to have a different surname than them. It would just be too weird. This means I have to take my fiancee’s name, he has to take mine or we have to double-barrel our names. That is if we have children. If we don’t, does it really matter? Part of me thinks not.
There is a part in The Crucible when John Proctor has two choices: change his name or die. He chooses to die, “It is my name”, he says; “I cannot have any other”. This is a pretty extreme example but I remember watching TV with a friend. There was a woman with a very long double-barreled surname. My friend commented on the ridiculousness of her name; “Oh, just lose your ego woman!” But it is not just ego is it? It’s your identity. My name is me. Well, actually, my name is a stage name, albeit one that I use for everything now. It belonged to my grandmother, a Lithuanian who died when she was only 40 of kidney failure. Not surprisingly, I would like this to live on. I am only a handful of people in the world with the surname ‘Balavage’. An Anglo take on ‘Bullovich’. You see? Surnames, they change. As does identity. I even pronounce my surname differently than she would have: Ba Lav age, with a quiet ‘V’. At my friends Nick Cohen’s book launch, the amazing writer Francis Wheen complimented my on my surname, ‘Like a glamorous French actress’. I have pronounced it the way he said it ever since.
So when I marry I have a few choices: change my real name and keep my stage name, change my name completely and just keep Balavage for acting, or double-barrel my name. I have until next year to decide, but I am already in a pickle. What to do?
It is not about feminism or inequality. If a woman wants to take her new husbands name, she should be able to, if a man wants to change his, he should and if a woman wants to keep or double-barrel her name, she should be able to without rudeness: it’s her identity after all: Live and let live.
What do you think? Will you change your name?
Women’s vulnerability to mental illness may be underestimated by general public
Women’s vulnerability to mental illness may be underestimated by general public, cautions leading scientist.
The vulnerability of women to mental illness is being under-estimated by the general public and many mental health professionals too. Two-thirds of people believe that rates of psychological problems are the same in men and women, according to a new survey. Yet research suggests that women are between 20 to 40 per cent more likely than men to suffer mental health issues in any given year.
The survey of 500 people (204 men and 296 women) also revealed that most believe men are judged more harshly for showing emotional problems, with 76 percent reporting that a man saying they are miserable or anxious is generally considered worse than a woman saying the same thing.
However, while 43 percent of respondents believe that depression is as widespread in men as in women, 40 percent correctly say the condition is twice as prevalent among women. Similarly while 37 percent of those questioned believe rates of anxiety disorder are the same for both sexes, 50 per cent correctly say women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety as men. Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than 60 per cent of people believe that alcohol problems are more common among men than women. But this is one area where women are more harshly judged with 89 percent stating that a woman getting drunk is generally considered worse than a man doing likewise.
The survey was carried out by Professor Daniel Freeman of the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Oxford University Press. Professor Freeman, the author of The Stressed Sex, which addresses the gender imbalance among those suffering mental illness, said: ‘The survey provides a fascinating – and unprecedented – initial insight into everyday beliefs about gender and mental health, and the behaviours that can help determine our psychological wellbeing.’
As Professor Freeman points out, the research also highlights the common misconceptions held by both the public and many medical professionals. ‘The respondents underestimated the extent of psychological problems in women – and so do most mental health professionals.
‘The general view seems to be that overall rates of mental health are virtually identical for men and women, but when you examine the results of national health surveys the reality is quite different.
He added: ‘Women outnumber men for psychological disorders as a whole. Indeed the most comprehensive of the national surveys suggests rates are almost 50 percent higher in women than in men. However, this is not an issue that receives the attention it deserves.’
Boys don’t cry
The survey shows that we tend to be much harder on men who express fear or unhappiness than women. Professor Freeman said ‘While girls may be indulged in their fears and worries, boys are taught to overcome them. Big boys don’t cry. It’s not simply a case of boys learning to mask their feelings, though doubtless that happens too: they may actually feel less anxiety. When we avoid what we fear, we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to discover that, in fact, we can handle the situation. And thus our fear is maintained. But if we face up to our fear, it will dwindle and die.”
Women’s greater vulnerability to psychological problems, warns Professor Freeman, represents a major public health issue. “The lack of attention given to the issue of gender and mental health is striking – which no doubt helps explain why the survey respondents consistently underestimated the scale of the problem among women. By ignoring this important issue we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to change the situation for the better.”
The Stressed Sex Survey
Are men or women more likely to have a psychological disorder?
Men and women have about the same rates: 66%
Women have more: 25%
Men have more: 9.0%
Do men or women have more stressful lives?
Men have more stressful lives: 5%
Men and women have equally stressful lives: 77%
Women have more stressful lives: 18%
Do rates of depression differ between men and women?
Four times more common in men: 0%
Twice as common in men: 12%
The rate is equal in men and women: 43%
Twice as common in women: 40%
Four times as common in women: 4%
Do rates of alcohol disorders differ between men and women?
Six times more common in men: 6%
Three times more common in men: 63%
The rate is equal in men and women: 28%
Three times as common in women: 2%
Six times as common in women: 0.0%
Do rates of anxiety differ between men and women?
Four times more common in men: 0%
Twice as common in men: 5%
The rate is equal in men and women: 37%
Twice as common in women: 50%
Four times as common in women: 8%
In general, are men and women judged differently for getting drunk?
Men and women are judged equally: 10%
A woman getting drunk is generally considered worse than a man getting drunk: 89%
A man getting drunk is generally considered worse than a woman getting drunk: 1%
In general, are men and women judged differently for saying that they are miserable or anxious?
Men and women are judged equally: 15%
A man saying they are miserable or anxious is generally considered worse than a woman saying the same thing: 76%
A woman saying they are miserable or anxious is generally considered worse than a man saying the same thing: 9%
Do you think the links between gender and mental health receive sufficient attention from health professionals and the general public?
Yes: 30%
No: 70%
Five Times ASP World Champion Stephanie Gilmore Joins Roxy Surf Team
Roxy announces five-time Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Champion surfer, Stephanie Gilmore, is joining the ROXY Surf Team. ROXY, the world’s first and leading active board lifestyle brand for women and girls, has a long history of being a pioneering force within female action sports. Stephanie is a natural fit for the ROXY brand – a world-class, trailblazing athlete, who is the only surfer to ever have won a world title in her rookie year.
Stephanie Gilmore, 25, was born and raised in New South Wales, Australia. She was awarded ASP World Champion Titles in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012. Additional victories include three Hawaiian Triple Crown wins in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, she also won the prestigious ESPY Award, Female Action Sports Person of the Year, and was awarded the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year in 2010.
Stephanie’s move to the ROXY team is a natural transition for her. She has long admired ROXY’s position as both a leader and pioneer within women’s surfing. Of the announcement, Stephanie stated, “ROXY epitomizes the image and lifestyle I live, both in and out of competition. I’m excited to join forces with such an iconic brand during this powerful time in female surfing.”