Ranting about sex and children

This morning a news story made me have a quick twitter rant. (just look at the poster ad!)

The rant was only a few tweets long. 

Rant mode engaged 

Free contraception for 13 year old girls to prevent teen pregnancy! Really? Not free condoms? Not any sort if support? 

Because of course, GIRLS getting pregnant is obviously GIRLS fault. No boys involved. No young men. And if 13 year olds don't get pregnant.. 

We can then ignore the fact that children are having sex. Having sex might be fun, but it's not a game. Pregnancy is not the only risk 

But hey, we can vaccinate GIRLS against hpv, we can give GIRLS drugs so they don't get pregnant...GIRLS are not sex toys 

 End rant (thanks radio 4) 

And then the more I read in replies and saw on twitter the more rage I felt. And while 140 characters is too short to express my rage I think maybe an unlimited blog is too many. I will waffle and go off the point (see I’m doing it already) So I shall attempt to briefly explain my concerns. 

I am not anti contraception for people that are going to have sex and don’t want to get pregnant. 

I am keen that children are allowed to be children and that they are not growing up to see sex as something that is ‘normal’ to do at an age that is illegal and physically (in many cases) dangerous. 

I do not want to see young girls controlled by boys who use sex as a way of dominating while declaring ‘love’.

I want all children, young adults and adults to have access to safe and reliable contraception and sexual health advice and treatment. 

I want the world at large to stop implying that ‘getting pregnant’ is the ‘teen mum’s’ fault. That girls are the only ones that need ‘watching’ and ‘controlling’. 

I want young women and young female children made aware that hormonal contraception carries a risk and won’t protect against many of the other dangers of sex. 

I want children to learn that sex is ace, but that it is a responsibility as well as fun and that waiting for the right person (or people) is not silly – it’s nice. 

I want young women and men to know that penetration is not all it’s about. And that sex and love are not the same thing. 

I want roses round the door and blue birds to sing when you meet ‘the one’ and I’d like hearts to appear in your eyes when you are looking at the one you love. 

That’s not too much to ask surely? 

My Top Ten Celebrity Beards

I'm a tad tipsy, it's Sunday afternoon and I'm on a second glass of wine, I'm blogging about beards.

I love beards. I'm a feminist, I like that woman can do anything that men can do and vice versa - but obviously that is 'within reason' - biology makes us different and I love those differences. I like women to be 'feminine', soft, hair free, (also 'within reason') pretty, (I'm sorry but I do!). I like men to be rugged, manly, hairy (yes all over) muscular, and BEARDED. I love the beard.

So here is my top ten of sexy famous beards.

In at Number 10, Brad Pitt, now I'm not one of his crazed fans that adores his 'perfect good looks' but I admire his facial hair, it has a 'devil may care' attitude that I like, he wears it trimmed or wild and wild is good, no 'namby pamby' designer stubble for Brad, oh no, Angelina gets the full tickle.

At number 9, Johnny Depp, now I know his beard is very small, and maybe even puny , but it's still a bit 'rough and ready' and seriously, johnny Depp is under it! and imagine running your hands through his beard....mmmmm

at number 8, George Clooney - I've never been a huge George fan but he does have 'come to bed eyes' and he rocks a beard

at number 7, Sean Connery, yes yes I know he is a bad man and a mediocre actor but still his beard calls to me, that and hish schotish accent.....yes please Sean

at number 6.5, Tom Selleck, who slips in with a moustache to die for and awesome chest hair. Yes he looks like a 70s porn star, but I still would

at Number 6 I'm sneaking in the sneaky Rowan Atkinson, and the sneaky Blackadder, Suave, bearded and slightly evil

At Number 5,  Sendhil Ramamurthy, remember him in Heroes? oh yes! Lovely facial hair my friend.

and at number 4, Will Smith, yum yum, what's to say Will is lovely in every way and despite his daughter's awful song, I still love him, with a beard, even more so.

and at 3.5 (is this cheating?) Bruce Willis - sexy in stubble, and gorgeous in beard!

at Number 3, Aidan Turner, he is my dream man with out a beard, I almost faint when I see him with a beard....mmmmmmmmm

at Number 2, Hugh Jackman...I can barely speak....

and at Number 1, the KING of the BEARD, BRIAN BLESSED

How about you? Beard fan? or beard hater? why? Do leave a comment, and a link to any fabulous beards I missed from my list!! Thanks

PS I'm faint with excitement. The KING OF BEARDS himself has seen my post. 

If you are visiting because you saw the tweet I thank you. (and my twitter name is @tattooed_mummy sorry Mr Blessed) 

A Week In Tweets

Thanks to Slummy Single Mummy for the idea, and to Very Bored in Catalunya for reminding me about it!

Here is my week in (7 or so) tweets (and yes I know it's the wrong day - rules are meant for breaking)

Saturday 7th April

Haha all the beard talk last night. I had the funnest dream. I was reading a book about "dating for bearded men" on a train when...

..a guy got on and sat behind me and started to shave his chest hair with an electric razor...lol

Sunday 8th April

You know when you buy curry on Saturday night but you only eat half.....STUFFED WITH LEFT OVER CURRY NOW! (I won't comment on what time of day this tweet was written)

Monday 9th April

I'm a bit bored. I might take some pictures and share them on instagram. Not tweet them though. Just pictures of my house..

Tuesday 10th April

I do love sock monkeys, I would like to try and make one . I wonder who invented the sock monkey? #socks

Wednesday 11th April

I just used the word Tallywhacker in a conversation with a work colleague

Thursday 12th April

I need to book at @DernwoodFarm or my bro will kill me (still haven't done it - now waiting on work to confirm the time off I can have)

and

My favourite festival @CampBestival is following me! *does hippy joy dance*

Friday 13th April

oh yay! I'm talking #mooncup again! (we should have a mooncup twitter party with a free mooncup on offer @mooncupltd )

So there you have it - anyone reading this who has never ventured onto twitter can now confirm that we do indeed talk about a whole lot of random useless crap

But anyone that is already there will know that the conversations these tweets sparked or related to, were fantastic! Are you on Twitter? Why not come and play.

It is fine to be offended by public breastfeeding...

It is fine to be offended by public breastfeeding...or any breastfeeding.
You can be repulsed by it, loathe it, find it vile and disgusting.
You may if you like actually feel physically sick when you see a woman breastfeeding.
That is your right.
I myself find spiders to be loathsome and vile.
Everyone has a right to be disgusted by anything.
We can't help it.

I could tell you that breastfeeding is natural (it is), beautiful (it is), that it is brilliant for both mum and baby (it is), I could tell you that it can be hard and that mums need a medal even for trying to breastfeed in many cases (they do) but just as you could tell me that spiders are harmless (yeah yeah) that they are miracles of nature (I hear you) that they rid the house of nasty dirty flies (yep again) and neither of us would be convinced. I would still feel disgust when i see an arachnid and you would still feel ill seeing a woman breastfeeding. It's your right of course, I can't tell you how to feel. Neither can any one else.

You are allowed to be disgusted by a perfectly natural and beautiful thing.

What you are NOT ALLOWED to do is ask a woman to stop, to ask her to 'be more discreet' or to 'cover up'. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to ask a cafe owner to move the lady to another table 'at the back' YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to ask her to feed her baby in the toilet, or to point at her, to make a fuss, to embarrass her. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to complain to her or those around you, to harass her.

You are allowed to look away. To move away, to use another cafe, to eat your sandwiches in the toilet.

You are free to be disgusted, just as I am of spiders, but you are not suddenly allowed to assume the world is an adult only space, or that a baby eating should be hidden away.

And to all breastfeeding mums reading this. I salute you.

oh and I don't kill spiders - I know it's my problem, not theirs

Awarded 5th April 2012