From my reader and other web plunderings…

• 3,000 women a year forced into marriage in UK, study finds

• 140 women have died in violent circumstances in Ireland since 1995 – 88 in their own homes. The Door was launched yesterday in ‘Ringsend to commemorate them.

• TCD’s new Science Gallery hosts an very interesting installation from next weekend – Pharmacopoeia – ‘installed’ (if that is the term) by two women. I will be interested to see if it reflects on the links between women and abuse of prescription medication and over prescribing in particular.

• There’s a war/US led invasion still going on in Iraq don’t you know. Women and girls are prevented from attending school and are not optimistic about their futures.

• Women in Karachi demonstrating on International Women’s Day.

• Sass.ie was launched yesterday at Creative Camp – it’s aimed at promoting events and strategies to support women with an interest in things online and technological. Go sign up.

We’re going to offer you daily news, posts and discussion; a list of events that might actually interest you; and monthly articles to help you do better on the web, whether it’s blogging, ebusiness, social networking or online marketing.

• Yesterday was an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Sort of like Mother’s Day. I wonder what the official delegates of those countries and their NGO’s were telling the UN about their circumstances at the recently ended UN Commission on the Status of women.

• Princess Brides, …ah yes another reminder about a problem or twenty with the great strive by the lesbian and gay movement for equality with this ‘fine’ institution.

• Portrait of early feminist and founder of the ‘Bluestocking Circle’ Elizabeth Carter discovered in the UK.

• Sinead wonders about the Women Empowering Women event in Dublin yesterday – did anyone go?

• Some other new feeds in my reader…

Feminist Response in Disability Activism
(FRIDA)
Crip Power
Kate Clinton (lesbian comic extraordinaire)

*I do women’s day most days of the year…and I spent a lot of yesterday in train stations or on a train having access problems but at least I could decide to do it. I didn’t get angry (well not too angry 🙂 ) because it’s part of the programme as Oprah might say and I have a choice to do it. Reading FRIDA on a regular basis reminds me of my choices and the lack of them for me and many many others.