The Daily Recap - Monday 22nd August 2022

Your daily dose of news stories in the world of intersectional feminism.

An Anti-Pronouns Conservative-Only Dating App Is Set To Launch Next Month

Three former Trump White House staffers have created an invite only, conservative-only dating app called 'The Right Stuff.'

The app is aimed at right-wing "ladies and gentlemen," and was created in reaction to "other dating apps" becoming "woke."

"Quit swiping, scrolling and trolling the wrong people," the app's website states, "connect with people who aren’t offended by everything."

Pronouns are deemed as "unnecessary" on the app, and according to the founders only heterosexual people can use the dating service.

“It’s an important, underserved market - liberals own the education, media corporations, and we can’t let them control our personal relationships,” says app co-founder John McEntee, "The Right Stuff has not really been done before."

Despite claiming 'The Right Stuff' is the first of its kind for rightwing people, numerous conservative-only dating apps including Donald Daters, TrumpSingles and Righter have already been launched.

Unsurprisingly all have since failed and evidently no longer exist in the apps store.

---

Andrew Tate Claims He's Donated Millions of Dollars To Women's Charities

The internet's most hated man, Andrew Tate, claims his sexist comments have been taken out of context.

In an interview with LADbible, he says he was simply "playing a comedic character."

"It is very unfortunate that old videos of me, where I was playing a comedic character, have been taken out of context and amplified to the point where people believe absolutely false narratives about me," says Tate.

Andrew Tate was recently banned from Instagram and Facebook. Source: Guardian

Tate claims he could not possibly be "anti-women" as he's apparently donated millions to women's charities.

"In the last two weeks I dedicated over one million dollars to charities supporting women," he claims, "I posted this on Instagram, but Instagram ignored it - internet sensationalism has purported the idea that I'm anti-women when nothing could be further from the truth.”

Despite being charged of sexual assault and accused of human trafficking, Tate still claims he's a "fantastic role model for all people, both male and female."

---

Saudi Woman Sentenced to 34 Years In Prison For Using Twitter

34-year-old Salma al-Shehab has been sentenced to prison for simply following women's rights activists on Twitter and retweeting their posts.

The PhD university student was visiting her husband and children in Saudi Arabia when police detained her in early 2021.

For 9 months she endured daily questioning before going to trial and was not allowed to hire a lawyer throughout the strenuous investigation stage.

Shehab was initially sentenced to six years in prison, however, the courts have since extended her sentence, claiming she was assisting "those who seek to cause public unrest and destabilise civil and national security."

Salma al-Shehab is first woman to be sentenced for tweeting. Source: NewsTimes

Shehab's did not have a large social media presence and wasn't a leading Saudi activist, yet she has been handed the longest known sentence given to a women’s rights defender in Saudi Arabia.

The Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCDH) has condemned Shehab's sentence, noting activists in Saudi Arabia continue to be subjected to unfair trials, arbitrary sentences and even "severe torture."

"GCHR believes that this ruling, which does not serve justice, is in reality a message of threats and intimidation, sent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is in control of the country now, to all Internet activists that this will be the fate of everyone who uses social media," as stated by the GCHR, "expressing in a civilised and peaceful way one’s views that support human rights in the country, and defending the innocent prisoners of opinion who are crowded in prisons, will be heavily punished."

---

The Daily Recap - Monday 15th August 2022

Your daily dose of news stories in the world of intersectional feminism.

Psychology Magazine Blames Women's High Standards For The Rise Of Lonely Single Men

According to an article written for Psychology Today, "dating opportunities for heterosexual men are diminishing as healthy relationship standards increase."

Board-certified couple and family psychologist Greg Matos found that men are now "more likely than women to be unpartnered, which wasn’t the case 30 years ago."

"With so many options, it’s not surprising that women are increasingly selective," says Matos.

However, according to Matos, men are "typically happier and healthier when partnered" as romantic relationships can be "healing" and "disrupt generational trauma."

He claims there is a "relationship skills gap" as the "dating theme" nowadays seems to be that women, "prefer men who are emotionally available, good communicators, and share similar values."

The article states men should address their "skills deficit" so they can attain a partner, however, why must men only adopt these skills if they're looking for a partner?

Why aren't men happy being single?

Why must they have a girlfriend?

Since publication the article has been shared on feminist platforms such as 'MFW' and 'Womens Right News.'

Many having criticised the article for blaming women for simply expecting the bare minimum in relationships.

"Won’t somebody - anybody - please, please get women back on the dating apps, since clearly those pesky single women with their unencumbered lives are badly letting the side down by refusing to date and mate with men who think a vacuum cleaner is nothing but something to trip over, a toilet brush magically scrubs the loo itself, groceries appear in the cupboard courtesy of the supermarket fairy, and foreplay is saying "honey, brace yourself”" wrote a member of MFW, "won’t SOMEBODY please do something for all the poor, hard-done-by and long-suffering men?"

---

70,000 People Sign Petition Asking For New Zealand To Change Its Name

There is renewed push for New Zealand to adopt the te reo Māori (Māori langauge) name and have the land be called Aotearoa.

A petition calling for the country to change its name has recently submitted to the nation's parliament for consideration.

It also calls on the government to officially restore the original te reo Māori names for all towns, cities and places right across the country by 2026.

Co-leader of the Māori party, Rawiri Waititi. Source: NZ Herald

The petition was launched by members of the Māori party, they say adopting the name 'Aotearoa' will "unify the country."

"Others are trying to use it is a divisive tool, but this is an inclusive tool, where our ancestors consented to us all living on this whenua [land] together," says Te Pāti Māori leader Rawiri Waititi, "New Zealand is a Dutch name - even the Dutch have changed their name – from Holland to the Netherlands, for Christ’s sakes!"

---

Grace Tame Receives Letter From Government Confirming They Will Review Sexual Assault And Consent Laws

Over the weekend, activist Grame Tame took to social media and shared a significant letter sent to her by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

In the letter the Attorney-General confirms the Federal and State Governments' have created an action plan to tackle issues relating to family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia.

He states the five-year plan would focus on strengthening legal frameworks, building justice sector capability and supporting greater research and collaboration.

"My department and the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) are conducting a national review and comparative analysis of sexual assault and child abuse legislation in Australia," the Attorney-General states in the letter, "the review will identify the impact of any substantive inconsistencies between legal frameworks, any gaps in criminalised conduct, and explore best practice approaches."

This letter is a huge win for Grame Tame and The Grame Tame Foundation.

"This is a very special letter - it is the result of survivors and advocates working tirelessly over many years," says Tame, "thank you, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, for taking the issue of sexual abuse seriously at a national level."

---

Man With No Medical Degree Posed As A Doctor For 6 Months At An Auckland Hospital

A man name Yuvaraj Krishnan is being investigated by police after he allegedly used fake documents to pose as a doctor at one of New Zealand’s most busiest hospitals.

After nearly 6 months of employment at Middlemore Hospital, Krishnan's qualifications were found to be forged.

By falsifying records, including a medical doctorate, the man was able to gain employment as a clinical researcher with the Counties Manakau DHB.

His employment in the respiratory department involved patient contact.

The DHB’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Andrew Connolly advised that they "have reviewed the care of every patient who was seen" by Krishnan.

This includes investigations, treatment plans and the dispensing of any medications during the time he was at Middlemore Hospital.

"[We're] now contacting all patients seen by this person - a thorough investigation of the clinical care provided by him has told us that there has been no compromise to any patient’s care," said Dr Connolly.

Yuvaraj Krishnan was stood down from his role at Middlemore Hospital in early August. Source: Stuff

However, this isn’t the first time Krishnan's been deceitful.

According to reports, in 2010 Krishnan applied to Auckland University’s medical school, but was rejected.

Despite this, he went on to attend classes and clinical tutorials for the next two years.

He evaded suspicion by not submitting any assignments or sitting exams, and was able to take part in ten hours of cadaver dissections, and non-sensitive clinical practices on fellow students.

Ultimately he was discovered by a fellow student who asked him to provide an ID number for a group project.

This student was reportedly extremely concerned as the class was set to begin patient-facing rotations in hospital the following year.

Other students were shocked and upset, particularly as many had given him their consent to perform practice procedures on them in class.

The result of this deceit was a trespass notice from the university, and an internal investigation into how this happened and how to prevent a recurrence.

When the university sat down with him and his parents to discuss the case, he could not provide an explanation for his deception.

---

Police and Counties Manukau DHB are continuing to investigate the matter at Middlemore Hospital.

The hospital and DHB have deeply apologised, and reassured the public that they are doing everything they can to find out how this happened.

The DHB have confirmed that the employment and vetting process is the responsibility of the hiring hospital.

Middlemore is looking into their vetting procedures, but many are concerned about the apparent ease with which the man’s scheme was pulled off.

Not only are standard reference and vetting checks required when applying for a medical doctor position, but the Medical Council of New Zealand is required to keep a list of all registered doctors in the country.

CEO of the council, Joan Simeon, confirmed Krishnan was never on that list.

---