I've given birth after my unique baby news left men stunned – I have no regrets
A MUM has told how giving birth is a doddle when you do it without the dad.
Model Heather McCartney, 36, welcomed her second child last week after opting to use a sperm donor.
3
3
3
The single parent received stick from men who branded her desperate because she wouldn't entertain a new relationship.
But Heather, who left Ayrshire for Australia, was ecstatic as she welcomed her daughter exactly a decade after she beat cancer.
She said: 'I had a planned C-section and no partner there.
"But my mum came all the way from Scotland to be with me, which made all the difference.
'Having a team of supportive women around, including the medical staff, felt really empowering and reassuring.
'I'm glad I did it that way—it felt right for me.
"As for offers to be the dad, I've had a few messages.
"But I'm just taking things as they come and enjoying this new chapter.'
Heather decided to put on make-up and give herself a glam look so she could take some special selfies after giving birth.
She received lots of compliments afterwards from folk who thought she looked incredible considering what she'd just endured.
The blonde pin-up added: 'My C-section was calm and smooth.
'So I felt pretty relaxed afterward. People mentioned I was glowing, which was really kind.
'But honestly, I was just happy everything went well.
'Feeling sexy wasn't really on my mind yet—more like taking it one day at a time.
'People will always love a MILF, so I'm happy to embrace that with a smile.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Summer reading: the 50 hottest books to read now
Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieA rich exploration of female experience, Adichie's first novel in 10 years charts the lives and loves of four women in Nigeria and the US, from a 'dream count' of ex-boyfriends to a section inspired by Dominique Strauss-Kahn's alleged rape of a Guinean hotel worker in 2011. Magisterial, wide-ranging and delicately done. Flesh by David SzalayThis spare account of the rise and fall of a contemporary everyman, from small-town Hungary to London's elite, and back again, gains an extraordinary power through what is left unsaid: buried emotion, the silent depths of trauma, the ultimate unknowability of the self and others. A propulsive investigation into sex, power, class and masculinity. Slags by Emma Jane UnsworthNot so much a beach read as a caravan comedy. Fortysomething Sarah takes her younger sister on an ill-advised holiday through the Highlands of Scotland: drink is taken, food is cobbled together, there is bad weather and worse parking as unsuitable men and unresolved teenage trauma intrude. This exuberantly funny road trip is also a love letter to the fractious bond between siblings. Dream State by Eric PuchnerIn this big, bittersweet American family saga, golden couple Cece and Charlie are preparing to marry – and then she meets his difficult, unhappy best friend … Mistakes are made and decades sweep by in an immersive panorama of friendship and rivalry, marriages and children, tragedy and love. Meanwhile, the climate crisis bites, and the sands of time are only running in one direction. A book to lose yourself in, but one that doesn't duck the big issues. The Names by Florence KnappThis year's buzziest debut lives up to the hype. It's a sliding doors story where the narrative splits into three paths after a mother registers her baby. We follow the lifelong implications of choosing three different names: Gordon, as her abusive husband (also Gordon) demands; the solid and confident Julian; or the wild yet cuddly Bear. The high concept is carried off with flair, in a tender, clear-eyed portrayal of the horrors of domestic violence and joys of family life. The Land in Winter by Andrew MillerUnseasonal reading, but Miller's tale of two young couples in the West Country who get snowed in during the big freeze of 1962-63 has an uncanny beauty and depth. The legacy of the second world war reaches into a present on the brink of seismic change, in a novel that travels into the darkest places of history and the strangest corners of the human mind. The Pretender by Jo HarkinBilled as 'Demon Copperhead meets Wolf Hall', this historical rollercoaster has a charm all of its own. In the chaotic wake of the Wars of the Roses, a farm boy is plucked from obscurity and groomed as the rightful heir to the throne. From Burgundy to Ireland to the paranoid court of Henry VII, Lambert Simnel's coming-of-age journey is wild indeed – but who is he really? A brainy, heartfelt delight. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean VuongThe follow-up to On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a lushly written panorama of unexpected connections and second chances, set in the struggling blue-collar town of East Gladness, Connecticut. Young Hai forges an unlikely friendship with elderly widow Grazina in a tale of precarity, endurance and small joys. Gunk by Saba SamsSams made a name with her spiky stories, Send Nudes; her first novel is an equally fresh and funny portrait of unexpected motherhood and alternative families, as thirtysomething Jules, the manager of a grimy Brighton club, finds herself in a not-quite-love triangle with her useless ex-husband and an unconventional young woman called Nim. Raw, tender and unusual. The Proof of My Innocence by Jonathan CoeCoe has enormous fun with a cosy crime spoof set against the strange days of Liz Truss's time as PM. The mysteries – about a sinister rightwing thinktank, and a cult novelist – extend back to the 80s, in a book fuelled with bittersweet nostalgia as well as righteous contemporary anger. The Benefactors by Wendy ErskineThis polyphonic portrait of class, power and social exclusion in Northern Ireland – the debut novel from an award-winning short story writer – is centred on the assault of a teenage girl, and the reactions of the boys' parents. Erskine is a nimble, prodigiously talented author: funny and brutal by turns, with an extraordinary immediacy. Our Evenings by Alan HollinghurstSweeping yet intimate, Hollinghurst's seventh novel becomes a bravura history of English gay life from the 60s through to the pandemic, as it follows Dave Win from his schooldays, an outsider in a world of privilege, through an acting career and into late-life contentment. The Latehomecomer: Essential Stories by Mavis GallantA vital introduction to one of the greatest short-story writers, selected by Tessa Hadley. Canadian Gallant was a sharp-eyed observer of the migrations of the 20th century, imbuing her tales of ordinary people caught up in the tides of history with merciless comedy and flinty compassion. The Tiger's Share by Keshava GuhaA novel of ideas crossed with a juicy family saga, this state-of-the-nation snapshot of contemporary India wittily anatomises the battle for resources – environmental, financial, social – in a clash between ambitious daughters and complacent sons. Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico, translated by Sophie HughesAn expat couple, digital nomads in a rapidly gentrifying Berlin, meticulously curate their lives – from recipes to LPs, houseplants to sex parties. But meaning and happiness remain stubbornly out of reach … A cool indictment of modern emptiness and global anomie; shortlisted for the International Booker. The Death of Us by Abigail DeanA horrific home invasion breaks open the cracks in a couple's relationship. Decades later, their attacker is caught and they must finally face up to the repercussions of that night. A crisply written, slow-burn psychological thriller from a crime writer at the peak of her powers. Audition by Katie KitamuraThis daring, riddling novel hinges on the relationship between a successful New York actor and a man young enough to be her son. It's a literary hall of mirrors that explores the deepest questions about performance, identity and how we relate to each other. Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica StanleyAustralian Coralie falls for single dad Adam and they make a perfectly imperfect life together. So why, a decade on, does she feel so lost? This relatable romcom explores what happens after the happy ever after (who gets the home office, and who does the childcare). Clever, funny, politically aware and full of literary in-jokes. We Do Not Part by Han Kang, translated by e yaewon and Paige MorrisAn investigation into historical atrocity from the Korean Nobel laureate and author of The Vegetarian. Kyungha travels to Jeju Island, answering a cry for help from an old friend; there, in an uncanny snow-filled landscape, a buried story comes into the light. A strange, beautiful and vital work. Fundamentally by Nussaibah YounisShortlisted for the Women's prize, this daring blackly comic debut follows a British academic who goes to work for the UN in Iraq, rehabilitating Islamic State brides – including bolshie east Londoner Sara, who joined IS at 15, and reminds her irresistibly of her younger self. A smart, informed critique of the hypocrisies of international aid that's also jampacked with action and jokes. Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt The poet and memoirist's debut novel is an achingly beautiful story of first love in the English countryside, recalled 20 years on. Sensitive teenager James falls for enigmatic Luke, but are his feelings requited? Lyrical, atmospheric and transporting. Men in Love by Irvine WelshWelsh pays another visit to Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie, now scattered across Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and Paris in the wake of the double-crossing drug deal that closed Trainspotting. These are the post-heroin years, chasing romance, dance culture and material success, as the 90s dawn and a new era begins. Out on 24 July. Spent by Alison BechdelA new graphic novel from the author of Fun Home is always a joy. Spent finds Alison in midlife, running a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont with her wife, Holly, and considering late capitalism, evolving sexual etiquette, ethical living and her own privilege in a country on the verge of civil war. Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní ChuinnThere's excitement building around this young writer from the north of Ireland, whose debut collection comes out in mid-July. Ranging from the generational trauma of the Troubles to medical students' first dissection, the stories are scrupulous, surprising and entirely gripping. The arrival of a stunning new voice. Endling by Maria RevaA maverick scientist obsessed with rare snails, a marriage industry offering submissive brides for wealthy westerners, a country on the brink of war. Following an excellent short-story collection set in 1980s Soviet Ukraine, the Ukrainian-born Canadian writer comes right up to the minute with a fierce and funny road-trip novel which is – literally – interrupted by Russia's invasion. Careless People by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsAs a senior adviser at Facebook, Wynn-Williams saw how its leaders operated at close quarters, wielding influence at home and sowing chaos abroad. Meta has called her account a 'false and defamatory book [that] should never have been published' – but since it was, readers are in a position to judge for themselves. When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines by Graydon CarterAs editor of Vanity Fair while it still had money coming out of its ears, Carter entertained the stars, nurtured great writers and even (occasionally) broke stories. Come for the gossip about Anna Wintour's table manners and Donald Trump's fingers, stay for the finely observed portrait of New York media before the fall. The Memoir, Part One by CherAs she charts her journey from poverty to the brink of superstardom, Cher remains 'as keenly sensitive to her own absurdity as she is to that of others', according to our reviewer. This first instalment of the singer's life story covers her childhood and early success with Sonny Bono. John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs by Ian LeslieThere have been many histories of the Beatles, emphasising splits in the band, coming down on the side of either McCartney's or Lennon's genius. Leslie takes a different approach, focusing on the intense bond between the two lead songwriters. Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen by Hallie RubenholdShe was described in contemporary accounts as 'a flashy, faithless shrew'. In reality, she was the blameless victim of a brutal psychopath. Here, Rubenhold, who brought Jack the Ripper's victims to life in The Five, gives Cora Crippen her due. Looking at Women Looking at War by Victoria AmelinaUkrainian novelist Amelina was recording her own wartime experiences – and those of the women around her – when she was killed at the age of 37 by a Russian missile. Our critic described the resulting book as 'an important piece of testimony and a precious, powerful work of literature: a steady beam of light born amid darkness and violence'. Minority Rule by Ash SarkarCampaigner and commentator Sarkar surveys the political landscape and finds the left ailing and unsuccessful amid resurgent populism. Where did it all go wrong? Her analysis calls for progressives to ditch identity politics and unite to topple the right. The Loves of My Life: A Sex Memoir by Edmund WhiteA riotous and raw account of gay sex spanning seven decades, this 'erotic almanac' turned out to be White's final work: he died, aged 85, at the beginning of June. A fitting signoff by onewriter called the 'patron saint of queer literature'. The Golden Throne: The Curse of a King by Christopher de BellaigueImmersing the reader in tales of power and intrigue at the Ottoman court of Suleyman the Magnificent, this propulsive history in novelistic mode has been dubbed by one critic 'Wolf Hall with sultans and eunuchs'. The Age of Diagnosis: Sickness, Health and Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far by Suzanne O'SullivanWhat do you get with a medical diagnosis? Relief? Effective treatment? Or a self-fulfilling prophecy? Neurologist O'Sullivan believes that doctors are casting the diagnostic net too wide, but she approaches her subject with compassion, wisdom and expertise, rather than culture-war carping. The CIA Book Club by Charlie EnglishCan literature bring down totalitarian governments? The CIA thought so, covertly funnelling Orwell, Solzhenitsyn and the occasional Agatha Christie to hungry readers in the Eastern Bloc. English's spy-inflected history makes the case for the political power of literature. Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global by Laura SpinneyBillions of people now speak languages descended from Proto-Indo-European, once the mother tongue of a small group of nomadic herders on the Eurasian steppe. How did their influence spread so widely? Spinney traces the indelible imprint of their culture and lexicon. Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference by Rutger BregmanSo you've been blessed with the skills, self-discipline and means to succeed: what should you do? Don't work for a blue-chip law firm or financial services company, argues Bregman in this blend of manifesto and career manual, which encourages bright young things to use their talent in the service of climate action and human rights. A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda ArdernThe former prime minister of New Zealand navigated sexism, violence and a global pandemic during her time in office, becoming a household name in the process. She shares hard-won lessons on life and politics. Is a River Alive? by Robert MacfarlaneStanding in the middle of a torrent in Ecuador, Macfarlane begins to wonder why we restrict ideas of 'life', and the rights that come with it, to human beings. Nature, he argues, should be afforded the same respect. Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance by Joe DunthorneNovelist Dunthorne had always believed his family story was one of heroic escape from Nazi persecution. The truth, as he discovers after finally reading his great-grandfather's impenetrable memoir, is far more complicated – and much darker. The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and the Plot to Infiltrate the West by Shaun WalkerGovernments usually know about the foreign spies in our midst – attached to embassies, with diplomatic cover stories, their existence is a mutually agreed on open secret. But there's another category – those who go deep underground, mingling with civilians and fooling everyone around them. Guardian reporter Walker tells their stories. The Heart-Shaped Tin: Love, Loss and Kitchen Objects by Bee WilsonWhen her husband left her, Wilson found herself surrounded by objects that reminded her of their life together, including the heart-shaped tin she used to bake their wedding cake. This is the jumping off point for a moving meditation on the role household items – 'kitchenalia' – play in our lives. No Straight Road Takes You There: Essays for Uneven Terrain by Rebecca SolnitIn an inspiring series of essays, activist and author Solnit addresses the question of how to avoid despair, and keep engaged, in a world that seems to be stumbling from crisis to catastrophe. Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark by Frances WilsonA new biography of the singular writer examines her life up until the publication of her first novel at the age of 39, shedding light on her abusive marriage, the 'abandonment' of her son, and her religious conversion. Homework by Geoff DyerDyer, author of The Last Days of Roger Federer, returns with a wry but loving homage to small-town 60s and 70s England, conker fights and all. Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline FraserWhy has the Pacific Northwest been home to so many murderers, from Ted Bundy to the Green River Killer? The author of Prairie Fires weaves a different kind of true-crime narrative, in which the industrial history of the region plays a pivotal role. I Regret Almost Everything by Keith McNallyThe founder of Balthazar and a slew of other taste-making restaurants blundered into his job as a New York busboy after just two weeks of trying to make it as a film-maker, and the rest is culinary history. From serving Patti Smith and Ingrid Bergman to hanging out with Lorne Michaels and Oliver Sacks, all New York life is here. We Were There by Lanre BakareIn this acclaimed cultural history of 1970s and 80s Britain, Guardian journalist Bakare uncovers lesser-known stories of Black life and activism outside London. Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness by David Attenborough and Colin ButfieldBritain's greatest naturalist teams up with producer and environmentalist Butfield for a lavishly photographed and scientifically rigorous look at how life in the seas is being affected by climate change. Matriarch by Tina KnowlesBeyoncé's mother has been intimately involved with her daughter's work, designing outfits for Destiny's Child and helping craft her solo image. But she has a story of her own to tell, of a family shaped by the legacy of slavery and a hardscrabble childhood in 1950s Texas. Intermezzo by Sally RooneyRooney's fourth novel takes us inside the minds of two very different brothers, a worldly-wise lawyer and a shy young chess prodigy, as they navigate bereavement and romance. A tender, thoughtful page-turner about the meaning of life. James by Percival EverettEverett retells the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of the enslaved character Jim, exploring the silences and erasures of Mark Twain's problematic classic in a rollicking adventure that combines philosophical profundity with bitter black comedy. All Fours by Miranda JulyThis playful, no-holds-barred account of one woman wrestling with – and newly energised by – the life-upending changes of menopause has become a phenomenon. It's provocative, mind-expanding and always surprising. You Are Here by David NichollsTwo mismatched, disappointed midlifers; a hike across the Lake District; a tentative romance that is warmly hilarious but never sentimental. Pure pleasure in a paperback. The Safekeep by Yael van der WoudenIn the wake of the second world war, in the quiet Dutch countryside, repressed Isabel finds her beliefs and desires turned inside out. Shortlisted for the Booker and winner of the Women's prize, this striking debut is a measured excavation of 20th-century horrors as well as a subtle family saga and intense queer love story. The Secret Public by Jon Savage: How LGBTQ Resistance Shaped Popular Culture (1955–1979)Savage, a veteran chronicler of music culture, charts the slow but steady emergence of the queer sensibility in pop from Little Richard to David Bowie and Donna Summer, showing how it helped pave the way for social and political liberation. Broken Threads: A Family From Empire to Independence by Mishal HusainThe personal is geopolitical for the former Today programme presenter, who uses her own remarkable family as a lens through which to view the partition of India. Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie ElmhirstWhat happens to a marriage when the couple are forced to spend 118 days adrift in the ocean after a terrifying incident involving a whale? Elmhirst's Nero-prize winning true story asks deep questions about our capacity for hope and resilience. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan HaidtIn his urgent warning about the damaging effects of smartphones on the lives of children and teenagers psychologist Haidt analyses the evidence and offers advice for concerned parents. Question 7 by Richard FlanaganFlanagan's uncategorisable fusion of memoir and history tackles physics, war, childhood and environmental change – with a riveting near-death narrative thrown into the mix. A deserving winner of last year's Baillie Gifford prize. Recommended by Imogen Russell Williams Mouse by the Sea by Alice Melvin This gorgeous 4+ picture book is full of seaside delights – ice-creams, dunes and rock pool treasure hunts – with flaps to lift and a nature guide at the back. Pandora in Puzzlevale: The Secret Town by Paul Duffield, Poqu and Siobhan McKenna Puzzle lovers of 7 or 8+ will devour this brainteasing, interactive story, helping Pandora solve riddles to track down her missing parents and uncover the mysteries of Puzzlevale itself. Naeli and the Secret Song by Jasbinder Bilan After losing her mother, Naeli leaves India to find her father with only a ticket to England, his name and her beloved violin. Her quest takes her from Hyderabad to a remote Northumberland farm, plunging her deep into a devious family plot in this absorbing, atmospheric 8+ historical adventure. Paddock Grove: A Pony to Own by JP Rose Winning a scholarship to Paddock Grove equestrian school is George's dream come true. But when her parents surprise her with scruffy, naughty pony Bear, it turns into a nightmare, especially when the other students make fun of them. Will George and Bear ever learn to trust each other and work together? A joyously satisfying pony book, first in a new 8+ series (out 3 July). Shadow Thieves by Peter Burns In an alternative London, Tom picks pockets to stay out of the workhouse – until his friends are caught, and a stranger offers him the chance to free them by joining an elite school for thieves. Can Tom adapt to his new milieu, save his friends and ward off the dangers threatening the school? This high-octane, fast-paced debut will be impossible to put down, especially for 9+ Skandar fans. Grimstink by Daniel Peak When alien warrior Grimstink arrives to annihilate life on Earth, 13-year-old Layla Tenby gets displaced to the planet he's just left. She's trying to dodge deathbots while Grimstink battles traffic wardens, the Subway ordering system and being hero-worshipped by Layla's younger brother. Is this the end of everything or the start of a beautiful friendship? An outrageously funny 9+ sci-fi caper by a Bafta-winning author (out 10 July). Kill Creatures by Rory Power Last summer, Nan's three best friends were lost, presumed drowned. Their fading tourist town has been in mourning ever since. Now, a year on, one of the girls has returned – to the joy of everyone but Nan, who killed them in the first place … A tense, enthralling psychological thriller for 14+, by the author of Wilder Girls. Lady's Knight by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner Blacksmith's daughter Gwen knows how to forge a sword – and also how to swing one. When she catches the eye of Lady Isobelle, promised in marriage to the winner of the upcoming tournament, Gwen quickly becomes Sir Gawain – but what will happen when their deception is unmasked? This riotously feminist YA romp is full of heart-fluttering queer romance, bitchy knights and angry dragons. Embrace the Serpent by Sunya Mara After escaping the palace, imperial ward Saphira lies low, letting her new master take credit for her skilled jewel-smithing. When the charismatic Serpent King comes searching for a bride, Saphira strikes a dangerous deal. Trapped in a marriage of convenience, can she ever win her liberty? A wild, intricate, romantic YA fantasy. Run Away With Me by Brian Selznick, Scholastic, £19.99 In 1986, 16-year-old Danny spends the summer in Rome, falling in love for the first time with a boy called Angelo and the many layered histories of the city. Selznick's soft, shaded images and lyrical storytelling combine to create a work of dreamy, poignant beauty. To explore all the books in the Guardian's summer reading list visit Delivery charges may apply.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
When did ‘feminist critique' of celebrities become nothing more than a snide telling-off?
Sabrina Carpenter was accused of dragging women back into an unenlightened past last week, as the controversial cover for her new album was met with (apparently) feminist furore. It's ironic, then, that the past is precisely where Carpenter's most outspoken critics could do with looking. It's clear that the general consensus is lurching grimly to the right when it comes to gender, and a new generation of young, female critics should be wary of falling into step. The debate about how we look at women, and what they want, risks limply missing the point. In the past few weeks, Sydney Sweeney has been chastised for selling sexy soap, and Addison Rae scolded for dancing in her underwear on stage. It's odd that the backlash has been so immense, given the celebration of Halina Reijn's Babygirl film just a few months ago. The SheEO Nicole Kidman slurping milk out of a saucer? Hot. Sweeney's dirty bathwater? Degrading and vapid. Seemingly, Kidman's age made the former radically feminist, and by extension, permissible in the eyes of the kink police. It is relevant that these debates now take place on online platforms. At their best, these spaces could provide a rare forum for popular culture to be taken seriously. From uses of the 'sexy virgin' trope to golden-age glam fantasies of whiteness, to the transformative influence of a queer audience, there are so many interesting things to say about women such as Carpenter, Sweeney and Rae, and how we are encouraged to read them. Instead, the conversation is dictated by sexist algorithms, financially rewarding those with the most extreme views. Liberation no longer brings clicks, and so to open TikTok is to fall headfirst into a sea of diatribes so puritanical they'd bring a tear to Oliver Cromwell's eye. None of this is to say that to criticise the pop girlies is blasphemy, but vitriolic chastisement is no substitute for meaningful critique. One TikTok user, priding herself on inspiring tellings of 'Herstory', asserts: 'Sabrina knows nothing … [she is] a disgrace to every woman that has ever lived.' Oddly, accounts like this have a fetishistic preference for girlbosses centuries dead, happy to build a brand around celebrating 'first' women (authors, chemists, queens, you name it), while throwing abuse at those making headlines today. If only, the inference usually seems to be, young women such as Carpenter could be as good at feminism as Jane Austen or Anne Boleyn. In fact, the real lessons are to be learned from histories a little more recent. These critiques seem largely ignorant of the 'sex wars' of the 1970s, which saw militant feminists such as Andrea Dworkin argue that whatever the context, pornographic imagery was hateful, exploitative and male. Against her were sex-positive feminists such as Angela Carter, attempting to think generously and with complexity about desire and domination in women's lives. If anyone could be bothered to dig it out, Carter's 1978 book The Sadeian Woman might turn the argument about Carpenter on its head. There, she historicises the 'good bad girl', 'blonde, buxom' with a 'childlike charm', suggesting the impossibility of writing about power and sex without writing about capitalism too. For Carter, pornographic imagery, playing on domination and subordination, wasn't to be straightforwardly judged or disregarded, but might instead be seen as 'a critique of current relations'. For all that the sex wars were aggressively fought, they were also full of rich argument, breadth and a long-lost awareness of economic forces. One thing Dworkin did get right was pornography's grim realities when constrained to a ruthless commercial sphere. When it comes to the multibillion-pound porn industry and the world of pop, those with the real power, much like the anonymous, suited man on the cover of Carpenter's album, rarely appear in frame. It's ironic, then, that in January, no less than the record producer Pete Waterman singled out Carpenter as a small blond symbol of sexism. She was, he claimed, setting women's rights back years, adding: 'If you're asking to be respected, don't come on in a G-string.' I'm not sure Carpenter needs to beg for respect from those cooped up in the retirement home for pop producers presumably still profiting from Kylie's hotpants, but those comments serve to remind us that little has changed when it comes to raking in the cash. That latter-day Pete Watermans are still those benefiting, in this case from charged debates about violence against women, is what socialist-feminists would have been pointing out decades ago, and precisely what we should be talking about today. If images of sexual subordination make some feminists uncomfortable, we should talk about that too. Instead, we're reverting to ironically paternalistic tellings off. Of course, it should come as little surprise to find the parameters of feminine sexuality being policed under the patronising pretence of concern for women's safety. It's precisely this logic that has been weaponised against transgender women for years. The result? A feminism that packs women into smaller and smaller boxes with every convenient transgression that comes along. We might ask questions about the unhappy marriage of capitalism and kink, but suggesting that women who want to experiment consensually with images of domination should in some way take the blame for male violence is dangerous, distracting and ignorant of history. Decades of work (against, for instance, the so-called 'rough sex defence') have been spent protecting women's right to express themselves sexually without fear of harm – it isn't 'choice feminism' to try to hold that ground. 'I can't escape your history,' sings Carpenter on a 2022 track. If only those attacking her felt the same way about the feminism they invoke, they might see what's really going on here. It's not so much a return to sexy pop that is restricting women as the censorious criticisms that pop's profit-driven branding seems perfectly calculated to provoke. Jennifer Jasmine White is a writer and academic
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Georgia Love and ex Lee Elliot reunite at their Hampton house auction and enjoy a trip to their local cafe - just a few months after their shock split
Georgia Love and Lee Elliot may have shocked fans with their split, but they proved on Saturday there is no bad blood between them. The former couple appeared very friendly with each other over the weekend as they attended the auction of their Hampton East love nest in Victoria. And they had plenty to be happy about as the 'SOLD' sticker outside their marital home proved they managed to off-load the $1.35million property. The exes were all smiles as they then went out to a local cafe together to celebrate the sale. Georgia, 35, was rugged up for the occasion, wearing a thick jumper and grey skirt over opaque black stockings. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The former couple appeared very friendly with each other over the weekend as they attended the auction of their Hampton East love nest in Victoria And they had plenty to be happy about as the 'SOLD' sticker outside their marital home proved they managed to off-load the $1.35million property The former Bachelorette star, who met Lee, 44, on the 2016 season of the show, covered up her ensemble with a black puffer jacket. She added a pair of matching ankle boots and pulled her brunette tresses back from her face, at one point accessorising with dark sunnies and a nude handbag. Lee also opted for a casual all-black look on the day, as he was spotted blowing leaves out of the yard ahead of the auction. He slipped on a pair of tights beneath running shorts before adding a puffer vest over his jumper. It was revealed earlier this month Georgia and Lee were set to put their marital home in Melbourne under the hammer this weekend. The high-profile pair, who announced their split in February, listed the spacious Hampton East pad with a price range of $1.5million to $1.58million. Georgia and Lee paid an estimated $1.35million for the chic ultra-modern two-storey townhouse in 2021. Located 17km from the CBD in the upmarket Bayside area, the property boasts a thoughtful open-plan layout and an alfresco dining area with a BBQ kitchen. Highlights include a main bedroom with a private balcony, a fitted dressing room, and a dual vanity ensuite. Design features include double-glazed windows and doors, Caesarstone benchtops, Tasmanian oak flooring, hydronic heating, and reverse-cycle air conditioning. Georgia and Lee fuelled rumours they had split for some time as it had been more than four months since they were seen together. The pair spent Christmas apart with their respective families before Georgia jetted off to New York City for a holiday without Lee. They were also both spotted without their wedding bands, which led to a wave of speculation online suggesting they had ended their relationship. The pair met and fell in love on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette, which saw Georgia, a former TV news reporter, choose tradie Lee as her winning suitor. They married in 2021 at the Frogmore Creek Winery outside Hobart, followed by an outdoor reception at the Shene Distillery. The lovebirds had been due to marry in Italy the year prior, but were forced to cancel due to Covid travel restrictions. The following year, they moved into their townhouse in Hampton East.
