Lauren Dobson-Hughes
@ldobsonhughes.bsky.social
I run an organisation that designs policy and campaigns on foreign policy, gender, health and rights. Used to work in two Parliaments. Mancunian in Canada
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
People love to pretend like pastel QAnon and RFK and anti-vaxx moms are just a function of bored privilege and ignorance, but the reality is much more complex.
These anti-medical birth movements cross class and race lines and exploit very real gendered trauma from medical sexism related to birth.
These anti-medical birth movements cross class and race lines and exploit very real gendered trauma from medical sexism related to birth.
November 22, 2025 at 2:40 PM
People love to pretend like pastel QAnon and RFK and anti-vaxx moms are just a function of bored privilege and ignorance, but the reality is much more complex.
These anti-medical birth movements cross class and race lines and exploit very real gendered trauma from medical sexism related to birth.
These anti-medical birth movements cross class and race lines and exploit very real gendered trauma from medical sexism related to birth.
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
Please hear me when I say that
1) these anti-medical woo birth movements have been a primary feeder into anti-vaxx eugenic movements
2) they pre-date the age of social media
3) they exist because we have not addressed medical sexism and specifically obstetric violence
1) these anti-medical woo birth movements have been a primary feeder into anti-vaxx eugenic movements
2) they pre-date the age of social media
3) they exist because we have not addressed medical sexism and specifically obstetric violence
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Please hear me when I say that
1) these anti-medical woo birth movements have been a primary feeder into anti-vaxx eugenic movements
2) they pre-date the age of social media
3) they exist because we have not addressed medical sexism and specifically obstetric violence
1) these anti-medical woo birth movements have been a primary feeder into anti-vaxx eugenic movements
2) they pre-date the age of social media
3) they exist because we have not addressed medical sexism and specifically obstetric violence
Every time I laugh at the UK preparing for -2 C and an inch of snow, I remind myself I had to stop my dad shovelling the drive with a garden spade last time it snowed
November 22, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Every time I laugh at the UK preparing for -2 C and an inch of snow, I remind myself I had to stop my dad shovelling the drive with a garden spade last time it snowed
Canada reduced its pledge from $1.2bn to $1.02bn. The first time Canada has cut its contribution to HIV-AIDS, and a sign of the times under Carney
Still, could have been worse, and it's in line with other donors' 15% cuts
Still, could have been worse, and it's in line with other donors' 15% cuts
Important, complex day on AIDS, TB, Malaria. Those saying Global Fund is dead=wrong. US surprise $4.6b pledge, total $11.34b. South Africa, India, New Zealand, Cote D'Ivoire, foundations increase. BUT still billions short of what's needed. France, EC, Japan missing in action. Complex....
November 21, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Canada reduced its pledge from $1.2bn to $1.02bn. The first time Canada has cut its contribution to HIV-AIDS, and a sign of the times under Carney
Still, could have been worse, and it's in line with other donors' 15% cuts
Still, could have been worse, and it's in line with other donors' 15% cuts
Germany was planning to cut funding for global polio eradication. Then it found polio in its own wastewater in Hamberg. And suddenly, Germany found 4 million Euros for global polio eradication efforts
www.reuters.com/business/hea...
www.reuters.com/business/hea...
www.reuters.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Germany was planning to cut funding for global polio eradication. Then it found polio in its own wastewater in Hamberg. And suddenly, Germany found 4 million Euros for global polio eradication efforts
www.reuters.com/business/hea...
www.reuters.com/business/hea...
The US has begun bilateral health discussions with low income countries. In return for small amounts of aid, the US is demanding exclusive IP, and medical and pandemic intelligence that it won't share with anyone else healthpolicy-watch.news/us-steams-ah...
Former DOGE Official Driving US Bilateral Health Agreements With African Countries - Health Policy Watch
Some commentators have described the terms of the bilateral MOUs as "extractive" as they fail to offer African countries access to the health products that
healthpolicy-watch.news
November 21, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The US has begun bilateral health discussions with low income countries. In return for small amounts of aid, the US is demanding exclusive IP, and medical and pandemic intelligence that it won't share with anyone else healthpolicy-watch.news/us-steams-ah...
WHO plans to terminate 25% of its workforce by 2026, and it'll still be $1bn in the red. Good luck with your next pandemic!
apps.who.int/gb/MSPI/pdf_...
apps.who.int/gb/MSPI/pdf_...
apps.who.int
November 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
WHO plans to terminate 25% of its workforce by 2026, and it'll still be $1bn in the red. Good luck with your next pandemic!
apps.who.int/gb/MSPI/pdf_...
apps.who.int/gb/MSPI/pdf_...
The panic over a male crisis in Britain is overblown www.economist.com/britain/2025...
November 21, 2025 at 5:58 PM
The panic over a male crisis in Britain is overblown www.economist.com/britain/2025...
South African women protest at G20 over gender-based violence. South African government finally names GBV a national disaster
15 South African women are killed by men EVERY DAY
www.bbc.com/news/article...
15 South African women are killed by men EVERY DAY
www.bbc.com/news/article...
South Africa declares gender violence a national disaster after protests
Fifteen women are killed every day in a country with one of the highest rates of gender violence in the world.
www.bbc.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
South African women protest at G20 over gender-based violence. South African government finally names GBV a national disaster
15 South African women are killed by men EVERY DAY
www.bbc.com/news/article...
15 South African women are killed by men EVERY DAY
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Ramaphosa doing what others can’t - naming the US’s behaviour as bullying and refusing to bend to it. You do not get to storm out of the room in a huff, then threaten and dictate vetos from outside www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
South Africa’s dispute with US escalates amid row over G20 handover event
Trump press secretary accuses Cyril Ramaphosa of ‘running his mouth’ after US boycott of summit in Johannesburg
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Ramaphosa doing what others can’t - naming the US’s behaviour as bullying and refusing to bend to it. You do not get to storm out of the room in a huff, then threaten and dictate vetos from outside www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
Training a single teacher (the "gender focal point") in each school in Mozambique reduced sexual abuse of girls by school staff by 67%
November 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Training a single teacher (the "gender focal point") in each school in Mozambique reduced sexual abuse of girls by school staff by 67%
So my friend runs an estate sale company, and is finalizing the Harvey Glatt estate. Harvey was a Canadian music giant for 50 years. He first brought Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen to Ottawa in the 1960s. He worked with Jonny Cash’s manager
November 20, 2025 at 9:30 PM
So my friend runs an estate sale company, and is finalizing the Harvey Glatt estate. Harvey was a Canadian music giant for 50 years. He first brought Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen to Ottawa in the 1960s. He worked with Jonny Cash’s manager
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
November 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
VERY funny that Labour are being pointlessly cruel and haemorrhaging support from their base and yet none of what they're offering is ever going to be enough for the people whose approval they're seeking, WHO could have predicted it
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
If this isn't rather too on the nose: the pavilion at COP 30 has caught fire.
🚨 URGENTE | Pavilhão de negociações da COP30 pega fogo. Local é evacuado. Ainda não se sabe a causa do incêndio.
—
🔁 Em atualização
—
🔁 Em atualização
November 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
If this isn't rather too on the nose: the pavilion at COP 30 has caught fire.
I very much like @moreincommonuk.bsky.social. Their work on bridging divides is critical to tackling far right and anti-democratic slides. However, this polling on disillusioned men is a huge missed opportunity to engage critically with men and masculinities www.moreincommon.org.uk/media/bjxgkk...
www.moreincommon.org.uk
November 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM
I very much like @moreincommonuk.bsky.social. Their work on bridging divides is critical to tackling far right and anti-democratic slides. However, this polling on disillusioned men is a huge missed opportunity to engage critically with men and masculinities www.moreincommon.org.uk/media/bjxgkk...
48% of UK welfare spending is on pensioners. I assume this is a bold call to end the gerontocracy that privileges the most wealthy and protected demographic
Exclusive: Labour MP Calls For Welfare Bill To Be Slashed By £20 Billion
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
Exclusive: Labour MP Calls For Welfare Bill To Be Slashed By £20 Billion
Chris Curtis said the government had not been "ambitious enough" when it failed to shave £5 billion off the bill.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
November 19, 2025 at 3:42 PM
48% of UK welfare spending is on pensioners. I assume this is a bold call to end the gerontocracy that privileges the most wealthy and protected demographic
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
"FURY as asylum seekers are shown being happy"
There is so much messed up about this front page Express story today.
There's no suggestion or evidence ANY alcohol or drugs was consumed. This is literally just people dancing.
And buried in the piece: "The footage is believed to have been filmed just before Labour took power in July last year."
There's no suggestion or evidence ANY alcohol or drugs was consumed. This is literally just people dancing.
And buried in the piece: "The footage is believed to have been filmed just before Labour took power in July last year."
November 19, 2025 at 11:45 AM
"FURY as asylum seekers are shown being happy"
I would read a behind-the-scenes piece on what prompted this climbdown from Australia. Allowing Turkey to host COP makes no sense unless there’s something else at play
November 18, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I would read a behind-the-scenes piece on what prompted this climbdown from Australia. Allowing Turkey to host COP makes no sense unless there’s something else at play
Listening Professor Nancy Folbre, who has studied feminist economics and care for 30 years. Particularly struck by her idea that our tax system ensures the benefits of care work are socialized, but the costs are individually borne mainly by younger women who provide care
carethink.org
carethink.org
November 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Listening Professor Nancy Folbre, who has studied feminist economics and care for 30 years. Particularly struck by her idea that our tax system ensures the benefits of care work are socialized, but the costs are individually borne mainly by younger women who provide care
carethink.org
carethink.org
It is a real skill to make the bone sawing autocrat come out of the Trump meeting as the more likeable and dignified of the pair
November 18, 2025 at 6:38 PM
It is a real skill to make the bone sawing autocrat come out of the Trump meeting as the more likeable and dignified of the pair
I feel if you’re able to orchestrate an elaborate scheme involving spiriting a 15-man death squad into a country to kill then chop up one of your critics, you can probably cope with a little light embarrassment when asked about said murder
November 18, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I feel if you’re able to orchestrate an elaborate scheme involving spiriting a 15-man death squad into a country to kill then chop up one of your critics, you can probably cope with a little light embarrassment when asked about said murder
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
I never tire of seeing the amazing success of HPV vaccination. We are seeing the elimination of a leading oncogenic virus pathogen in real time
(Source: GAVI)
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...
(Source: GAVI)
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...
November 18, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I never tire of seeing the amazing success of HPV vaccination. We are seeing the elimination of a leading oncogenic virus pathogen in real time
(Source: GAVI)
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...
(Source: GAVI)
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...
South Africa is proposing a mature, mutually beneficial relationship with Canada. The question is whether Canada can get out of its old silos and thinking about Africa, and make concessions on domestic industry to deliver more together
nationalnewswatch.com/2025/11/18/g...
nationalnewswatch.com/2025/11/18/g...
'Gas-for-wine': South Africa seeks deal to boost trade, investment…
National Newswatch: Canada's most comprehensive site for political news and views.
nationalnewswatch.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:59 PM
South Africa is proposing a mature, mutually beneficial relationship with Canada. The question is whether Canada can get out of its old silos and thinking about Africa, and make concessions on domestic industry to deliver more together
nationalnewswatch.com/2025/11/18/g...
nationalnewswatch.com/2025/11/18/g...
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
We found some interesting results.
➡️ First, male and female participants in our study do not differ much in their own beliefs about gender norms, and more educated individuals tend to have more progressive beliefs. However, both men and women tend to overstate how conservative others are.
➡️ First, male and female participants in our study do not differ much in their own beliefs about gender norms, and more educated individuals tend to have more progressive beliefs. However, both men and women tend to overstate how conservative others are.
November 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
We found some interesting results.
➡️ First, male and female participants in our study do not differ much in their own beliefs about gender norms, and more educated individuals tend to have more progressive beliefs. However, both men and women tend to overstate how conservative others are.
➡️ First, male and female participants in our study do not differ much in their own beliefs about gender norms, and more educated individuals tend to have more progressive beliefs. However, both men and women tend to overstate how conservative others are.
Reposted by Lauren Dobson-Hughes
💥New Working Paper!💥 Women in Peru🇵🇪 spend 3 to 4 hours per day more than men in unpaid domestic and care work, regardless of their labour force participation. With colleagues @mcgill.ca and GRADE, we wanted to see whether beliefs about gender norms could help explain this pattern.
November 18, 2025 at 1:56 PM
💥New Working Paper!💥 Women in Peru🇵🇪 spend 3 to 4 hours per day more than men in unpaid domestic and care work, regardless of their labour force participation. With colleagues @mcgill.ca and GRADE, we wanted to see whether beliefs about gender norms could help explain this pattern.