Katy Preen
Bio
Research scientist, author & artist based in Manchester, UK. Strident feminist, SJW, proudly working-class.
Stories (58/0)
Telling Tales: Why Survivor Stories Matter
Earlier this year, I attended a recovery program for survivors of domestic violence. The abuse had taken place more than 10 years previously, and it had haunted me ever since. The first time around, I tried to seek help, but I was let down by all the agencies that I sought help from: my doctor, social workers, the police. My abuser’s stalking behaviour and his tactic of threatening and harming anyone close to me left me isolated and without support. He was a charmer and the master of telling a good tale himself; with no evidence to back up his often extraordinary claims, those in authority took his word over mine.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
The Politics Of Dick Pics
I was 22 when I received my first dick pic, before I even knew it was a thing. It was sent to me by a married man I was seeing back then (yes, do judge me on this one — he was a total jerk and my standards have improved tenfold since then), and I wasn't sure what to think at the time. It was sort of sexy, and secret, and a prelude to the bedroom activities we had planned for later in the week. He was hiding in the garden shed when he sent it, while his wife was in the kitchen doing housework. I wish I'd been able to see how skeevy and weird it was at the time, but in my naivety, I thought it was romantic and edgy. But with time, I learned for myself what type of man he was, and it sits neatly alongside the dim view I have of men who randomly broadcast photos of their willies to unsuspecting recipients.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Filthy
"But Women Abuse Men, Too..."
Well, yes, there are women who abuse men. This well-known fact is brought to our attention whenever violence against women is discussed, just so the men don’t feel left out (nothing to do with derailing the original conversation, of course.) But we also know that there are far fewer women that abuse men, than there are men who abuse women. Nothing new learned here. But there is something that can be learned from the domestic violence statistics that may change our assumptions about the way intimate partner abuse manifests itself. There is a pattern along gender lines, but it might not be what you think.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Viva
On Punching Nazis
Do you know when there's a fashionable idea going around, but there's something that feels a bit “off” with it? I spend a lot of time in skeptical and atheist circles, and there is always some real-world issue reduced to a vague abstraction, to be resolved with “logic.” Inevitably, the removal of any human element leads to a completely abhorrent solution, and yet the “rationalists” stand by it even when the consequences of their thought experiment are revealed in horrifying technicolor. This never-ending quest for simple, neat solutions completely ignores the fact that life is messy and does not lend itself to unambiguous certainties.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
Matters of Life and Death
There have been a number of high-profile cases involving end-of-life care, and the “right-to-die” (or to live). Medical professionals are bound in their duty by their training and the law, and must do what is in the patient’s best interests. Unfortunately the relatives of the patient are not always willing to accept the medical verdict, and we run into conflict. When this is discussed in the media, the conversation tends to focus on science vs. religion, emotion vs. reason; portraying distressed relatives as selfish and delusional. Taking a detached and dispassionate stance, we look upon the situation “rationally” and side with the facts, but we’re not reviewing all of the evidence.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Families
Goop and the Monetisation of Female Empowerment
Lately, there has been a lot of coverage of the ludicrous claims made by Goop, the “modern lifestyle brand” owned by Gwyneth Paltrow. A few weeks previous, it was the preserve of a particular niche of the market, but now we all know about it due to an incisive blog by Dr. Jen Gunter, an OB-GYN devoted to promoting evidence-based health care, you know, the kind that actually works. Paltrow made things worse for herself by attempting a rebuttal of Dr. Gunter’s criticism, only to reveal the secrets of her playbook for selling snake oil.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in Journal
Westminster's DUP Deal Could Bring Equalities Reform
Finally, we actually have a government in Westminster. Sure, it’s not the greatest option, but the Conservative-DUP amalgam is the best we could hope for in the present circumstances. It’s been something of a worry to commentators across the political spectrum, as the DUP are extremely socially conservative, and Northern Irish politics, in general, are held back by religious influences.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
Strong And Stable, But At What Cost?
“Strong and stable” has been repeated over and over during the last two months, since UK Prime Minister Theresa May called a General Election on 18th April. But what does that mean? We have been asking the same question of “Brexit means Brexit” and we still don’t have an answer. But we can shed some light on the former by analysing her behaviour since the Brexit vote.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp
Manchester's Defiance in the Face of Violence
This morning I woke up to the news that there had been a terrorist attack in my home city. It seemed unreal, like it was almost a dream. The last time that I woke up from what I thought was a lucid dream, the 8 o'clock news announced that Donald Trump had been elected US president. It's a weird world that we live in. But last night's events occurred less than a mile from where I live, and the reality of that hits one square in the face. I didn't hear the explosion, even though the Manchester Arena is so close to my apartment. I had the TV off, and was insulated from the Internet. I was blissfully unaware until I woke up today.
By Katy Preen7 years ago in The Swamp