Hags, nerds and feminists, lend us your ears!
It is the season of the witch, and thus, the first official issue of HEX Science. We may be a bunch of science writers (and we take that pretty seriously) but each of us has a special place in our hearts for The Witch. Why? I’ll tell you, my pretties.
First, we like to think of witches as proto scientists. These women, subversives, healers – they experimented, they shared knowledge, they administered medicines and birthed babies. We tip our pointed hats to them.
Second, they did all these while having – let’s be frank – a bloody hard time of it. One of us hails from Lancashire, well-known for its former treatment of witches. Some of the local buses are even named after women who fell foul of the witch trials. Sorry we hanged you, Alice Nutter, but at least you made it onto the side of the X43 as a busty broom-riding blonde. Swings and roundabouts!
Third, we’ve all been referred to as witches at some point. Not because of all the passing beggars we’ve cursed, or even because we have loads of cats, but because we’ve called out dickheads (male) for their shitty behaviour. We stand by that. We’re owning it.
So witches combine the three things we care about – women, knowledge and taking back power. Today, the ducking stool may be a distant memory, but many of us still get dunked in one way or another. It may now be more about menstrual huts than the scaffold, but women’s bodies — and women’s powers — still invoke fear and disgust.
For all the women whose pain has been dismissed as “lady times”, for all the pregnant women who’ve been treated like birthing vessels on legs, for all the brilliant women overlooked for mediocre men… this newsletter is for you. Let’s have less bullshit, more honesty, and a lot more respect.
That’s our kind of brew. RT
TIT BITS
Keeping abreast of the latest news, views, and research
Women continue to labour alone
According to The Guardian, 43% of NHS trusts have not eased lockdown restrictions preventing partners of pregnant women from attending prenatal appointments, supporting them throughout labour, and remaining with them after birth. This directly contradicts the official advice given by the NHS, and research suggests that women who are continuously supported during childbirth tend to have shorter labours, manage their pain better, and need less medical intervention. The organisation Birthrights is considering legal action. Women in most parts of the UK can currently go for a haircut, but may have to find out about pregnancy loss or go through labour unsupported. Do better, UK. JS
Fat lot of good
A recent open letter to the UK government has pointed out the obvious shortfalls in their obesity strategy and health campaign, showing that the proposals fail to address multiple factors influencing weight and health, and ignore the high failure rate of low-calorie diets. People who know their shit, 1; politicians, 0. 💃 RF
Hand job?
This week in patriarchal bullshit, a handshake cost a woman the post of maths “master” at an elite boarding school. The qualified maths teacher lost out to a man who had never taught maths... because he had a “strong and firm handshake” and could coach rugby. She took a sex bias discrimination claim to court and won, but the case shows that everyday sexism is still alive and well in the job market. RF
Reproductive rights (and wrongs)
Low birth weight is an important marker of maternal and fetal health. A new study finds that women (and especially Black women) living in US states with more restrictions on reproductive rights (e.g., restricting access to abortion) are more likely to deliver low-birth-weight babies. The authors conclude, “Reproductive rights policies play a critical role in advancing maternal and child health outcomes.” It’s almost as if reproductive rights are a crucial part of women’s health or something. CRAZY. MF
SOFIA Star
Nice interview with NASA’s Naseem Rangwala, whose work with the SOFIA telescope played an important part in the recent discovery of water on the moon. MF
To the Kraken
Unfortunately for men behaving inappropriately, the Kraken never works remotely.
Heading for our tentacled terror this week are men who have taken the advice to “keep your hands to yourself” ALL WRONG.
This really shouldn’t need saying, but do not handle your genitals in front of another person in a professional context. Just. Don’t. Do. It. Not when you “thought the camera was turned off.” Not when you “need to remove your mic.” Follow this simple rule and dramatically reduce your chances of being accused of inappropriate behaviour. Break it, and the briny depths await. MF
HEX Education
Get your geek on
This week we’re focusing on endometriosis – did you know that some endometrial lesions form their own nerve supply? 🤯 Interactions of these nerves with the central nervous system are thought to be one reason why pelvic pain from endometriosis can occur anytime during the menstrual cycle. With a new report showing no improvement in endometriosis diagnosis in a decade, isn't it beyond time we take women's pain seriously? Guys? GUYS? RF
Read more: Endometriosis facts and figures; Bloomin’ Uterus blog.
Feminists Ruin Everything
What we’re reading, watching, loving and loathing
This week the coven gathered (virtually, of course) to watch the new Netflix film based on Daphne du Maurier’s classic novel Rebecca. Needless to say, we have some thoughts.
TL;DR: #TeamDanvers, romanticized abuse, THAT MUSTARD SUIT. Spoilers await you here...
More things lighting our fire this week: The Guilty Feminist podcast with inspiring codebreaking sisters, Zoe Ayres' #100voices mental health project, Oti Mabuse coaching Bill Bailey to within an inch of his life on Strictly, this chilling AF short story by Joyce Carol Oates.
PS – By the next edition we will know the outcome of the US election… for now, feel free to join us as we click our heels and burn sage in hopes that a certain pumpkin will disappear at the stroke of midnight…
The HEX Science team
🧬Jean Splicer | ☢ Marie Fury | 🧠 Rorschach Tess | 🔬 Rosalind Frankly