Climate change could make more turtles female – but some are starting to adapt: A loggerhead turtle nesting. Mollie Rickwood, CC BY-NC-ND Rising global temperatures are a particularly acute threat for the world’s sea turtles. That’s because the temperature of a turtle’s nest controls the sex of their offspring. Coming ashore onto a beach (often …
Why are female politicians more often targeted with violence? New findings confirm depressing suspicions: Shutterstock/Gannvector Despite some progress, women remain seriously underrepresented in politics globally. As of 2023, women held only 26% of parliamentary seats and 15.8% of the positions as heads of state or government. My new research with colleagues raises one possible factor …
Kenya’s female freedom fighters were the silent heroes of the anti-colonial movement – here are some of their stories: Each year in Kenya, familiar faces are feted at the national remembrance of the country’s heroes and heroines. Dedan Kimathi is arguably the most commemorated of figures. As one of the most prominent leaders of the …
The Substance: Demi Moore is ferocious in gloriously gory satire on Hollywood’s female ageism: Fans of body horror will not want to miss director Coralie Fargeat’s latest offering, The Substance, which bagged Best Screenplay for the Frenchwoman at Cannes this year, and features an astounding comeback performance from Demi Moore. There’s a sense of grim …
How The Bear sets up stereotypes of tough male and emotional female chefs – and then tears them down: This article contains spoilers for the second series of The Bear. The Michelin star chef Marco Pierre White said in 2019: “The real positive with men [in professional kitchens is] they are not as emotional, and they …
Female genital mutilation is on the rise in Africa: disturbing new trends are driving up the numbers: Thirteen-year-old Salamatu Jalloh had her whole future to look forward to. But in January 2023, her lifeless body was found wrapped in a pink and blue shroud on an earthen floor in a village in north-west Sierra Leone. …
The Gambia may allow female genital mutilation again – another sign of a global trend eroding women’s rights: The Gambia’s ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) since 2015 is under threat. Proposed changes before parliament could permit medicalised female genital cutting and allow it for consenting adults. This potential reversal has thrust the country into …
Kalahari weaver birds lay bigger eggs when they have female helpers to feed nestlings: Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a protected nature reserve at the southern edge of the Kalahari desert in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. It’s an arid area with high daytime temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. One of the species that lives in this …
Hollywood’s first major Black female superhero: how Wakanda Forever broke the mould: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever rewrote Hollywood’s script for superhero movies. English professor Diana Adesola Mafe was recently involved in an academic roundtable that offers a critical conversation about it and another film set in an African kingdom, The Woman King. She argues that …
Booker prize: rediscovering the first female winner, the often-forgotten Bernice Rubens: One of the most captivating and enigmatic novelists of the 20th century, Bernice Rubens remains largely unknown despite her remarkable literary achievements. She was the second recipient of the Booker prize in 1970 for her novel The Elected Member and its first female winner. …
Florence Bell died unrecognised for her contributions to DNA science – decades on female researchers are still being sidelined: Almost 80 years ago, Florence Bell quietly laid the foundations for one of the biggest landmarks in 20th century science: the discovery of the structure of DNA. But when she died on November 23 2000, her …
Female animals teach each other to choose unusual males – new research: alexroch/Shutterstock My friend recently changed their favourite celebrity crush from Anna Kendrick to Lily James. While some people could see the attraction, others might not. So, what is it that attracts us to potential mates? A new study suggests that female animals learn …
Rehab for South Africa’s female inmates focuses on domestic chores – instead of finding good work: Patriarchal norms influence the design of rehabilitation programmes for women in jail. Shutterstock Corrections facilities are supposed to help rehabilitate offenders. However, during apartheid, South Africa’s correctional system was a pillar of the repressive, discriminatory laws. It was used …
How our female athletes feel forced to choose between a ‘strong’ or ‘feminine’ look: Master1305/Shutterstock As I watched the Fifa Women’s World Cup, I was probably one of many who couldn’t help but feel inspired by the women on the pitch, showing their elite fitness and ability. However, many female athletes have spoken out about …
Women’s World Cup: why are there so few female coaches in football?: The enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the Women’s World Cup – fielding a record 32 teams – shows that women’s football is in a healthier state than ever. According to the FA’s women’s and girls’ football strategy update, across all levels the number of …
Women’s World Cup: what still needs to be done to improve the lot of elite female footballers: The Fifa Women’s World Cup is just 32 years old and on its eighth official edition, while the men’s competition began 93 years ago and has enjoyed 22 tournaments. After the success of the 2019 WWC in France, …
Women’s World Cup: five issues holding back the female game: The 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup is probably the most highly-anticipated women’s football tournament ever. Part of this hype and enthusiasm might suggest that women’s football has finally “made it” and that catching up with the men’s game is just a matter of time. But …
Women’s secret war: the inside story of how the US military sent female soldiers on covert combat missions to Afghanistan: US marines with a female engagement team in southern Helmand province, Afghanistan, in May 2012. Cpl. Meghan Gonzales/DVIDS A US Army handbook from 2011 opens one of its chapters with a line from Rudyard Kipling’s …