Women

A history of Mother's Day: From campaigns for peace to cards, flowers and family reunions

Some mums may be given cards, flowers and gifts, while others may enjoy breakfast in bed or a lunch out.

Mother's Day has long been a part of the Australian calendar, but where did the idea to dedicate the second Sunday in May to honouring motherhood come from?

The modern Australian celebration of Mother's Day actually grew out of calls for peace and anti-war campaigns following the American Civil War (1861-65).

Empowering women through sports

Ideally, the mention of Tahina Booth will always have avid local sport followers taken back to the 2015 Pacific Games when she fell short of representing the country in powerlifting.

She had not received her dual citizenship in time.

That would have been the end of it many would have thought.

Instead the part Iokea lass took a seed out from the experience and out from it sprouted the Grass Skirt Project, a Not for Profit charity. (www.grassskirtproject.org)

Canada province makes high heels optional

The government of British Columbia (BC) says the requirement is discriminatory as well as being a health and safety issue because they are dangerous.

It says that high heel wearers face a risk of physical injury from slipping or falling as well as possible damage to the feet, legs and back.

Footwear should be designed to allow workers to operate safely, it says.

The announcement of the ban comes after a provincial Green party politician in March introduced a bill in the BC legislature aimed at preventing employers from setting gender-based footwear requirements.

Nicole Kidman sparkes crucial conversation about domestic violence

But when you're playing the part of a woman who dabs makeup on bruises inflicted by the man she loves, incongruity is also apt.

Kidman has told reporters that immersing herself in the character of a woman married to an abusive, violent, controlling man was a gruelling one.

While filming, she would return to her hotel room at night hunting for painkillers, covered in bruises.

How 7 different women save their money

You're not alone if you feel way more comfortable dishing out the details of your sex life to your BFFs than you are revealing how much you earn. But money — earning it, spending it, saving it — is essential, and just having a casual convo about ca$h could inspire you to take a good, hard look at your own financial situation. Seven women from around the U.S. shared how much they're making and how much they're saving — and why they're saving it.

Music video highlights generational conflict between modesty and modernity

PNG has strict laws against pornography and strong censorship of sexually related content in movies and television.

But rapper Tati Mangi has pushed the boundaries of what's acceptable with a video clip that's got the whole country talking.

Who knew women's backsides could cause such a fuss?

Tati Mangi probably did, but he released a video clip for his song Bootilicious featuring young PNG women dancing in bikinis anyway.

Women entrepreneurs set up 54 stalls at open day market

The open day was hosted by the Westpac Waigani Branch.

The Women’s Entrepreneurs’ Market and Westpac Open Day in Port Moresby saw up to 54 stalls set up.

The event was aimed to support micro and small businesswomen show off their products to new customers and expand their networks.

There was something to interest all members of the family including household items, clothes, shoes, jewellery, cakes, food, jams, paintings, furniture, pot plants, toys and much more.

Why there is more to Middle Eastern art

I explained that the symposium, in part, responds to those who doubt the wealth, breadth and quality of modernism in this region. She laughed, knowing all too well the criticism that Middle East art practitioners face.

As an arts writer, I've heard the uninformed allegations countless times.

"The Middle Eastern art scene is a bubble."

"Its art arena is five minutes old."

"There is no institutional interest or acquisition."

Who orgasms most and least, and why

But why does this gender gap exist, and what can be done to achieve orgasm equality? After all, about 40% of women experience sexual dysfunction, associated with a chronic difficulty in achieving orgasm.

Experts are offering some answers.

Ireland protests abortion ban on International Women's Day

Traffic ground to a halt in parts of Dublin Wednesday as women and abortion rights activists sang along to Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and the Spice Girls' "Wannabe" during a raucous dance party on O'Connell Bridge.

After sundown, a second, separate demonstration -- also in protest of abortion rights -- commenced with Irish police estimating 10,000 to 12,000 people on the capital's streets.