Top of the posts: Breastfeeding, vegetarians and photography

Those on Disability Living Allowance were told this week that health minister Iain Duncan Smith has called for a reform, expected to result in half a million people losing this benefit over the next four years. Laurence Clark points out that, as someone with cerebral palsy, his doctor has informed him that he will need support for the rest of his life – so why the need for more costly and time-wasting reviews?

With the recent arrest of two men for performing female genital mutilation (FGM) on girls as young as ten, Natalie Dzerins speaks to Daughters of Eve, who plan to educate people about what FGM means, and what can be done about it. It’s estimated that 100,000 women living in the UK have survived the illegal operation, with a further 22,000 girls under 16 at risk.

When Time released a cover featuring an image of a woman breastfeeding her three-year-old son, with the tag line ‘Are you Mom Enough?’, many were quick to judge how long a mother should breastfeed her baby for. Dr. Charlotte Faircloth looks at Attachment Parenting and argues that although mammals can breastfeed for an extended period of time, this doesn’t mean that they should and that ultimately, the choice between bottle and breast is a personal decision.

John Rentoul and Matthew Bell debated whether Amazon should sell new Nazi flags on its site, which drew some interesting responses from readers. Some agreed that it was morally wrong to profit from selling the items, whereas others deemed a ban would only act to reinforce the fascist ideology.

Our new photography blog by Alex Hare kicked off last Sunday to a warm reception – and this Sunday he’ll be taking a look at photography apps. Is there room for smartphone photography in photojournalism?

Here are the top blogs from the past week, as determined by stats:

1. A bikini is not the same as a niqab By James Bloodworth

2. Female Genital Mutilation might be illegal, but it still takes place in the UK By Natalie Dzerins

3. Vegetarians: We’re not just feckless hippies By Lee Williams

4. The Debate: Should Amazon be selling Nazi flags? By John Rentoul and Matthew Bell

5. Are you Mom Enough? Putting parenting choices under the microscope By Dr. Charlotte Faircloth

6. Why doesn’t Iain Duncan Smith trust a doctor’s decision? By Laurence Clark

7. Bayern Munich out to restore broken pride with two finals in a week By Kit Holden

8. Nearly one in four people experienced sexual abuse as a child. Why is this swept under the carpet? By Anna Nathanson

9. Cameron’s legacy could be leaving the EU By John Rentoul

10. The Photography Blog: The winner takes it all By Alex Hare

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• http://www.facebook.com/jamie.bloodworth James Bloodworth

  “FGM should be rendered as Female Genital Modification, you are putting a Eurocentric spin on it.”

  Yes, because the hacking away of the genitalia with a blunt instrument followed by a lifetime of discomfort is only reprehensible if you are European, isn’t it?

  The irony is that you probably believe you are staunchly anti-racist.

  While we’re at it, perhaps we should start referring to the blowing up of Israeli schoolchildren as “resistance”, and characterise the destruction of European embassies everytime a certain religion is saterised as based on “legitimate grievances”.

  Oh, wait.

• FergalFury

  First of all “The Only Way Is Norfolk” is banned by the Indy, just as Jody McIntyre, Ron Broxted & Ciaran Rehill were. Speaks volumes, n’est pas? Secondly the Feminazis are always on about “subconscious phallocentric oppression” so let them deal with it. Oh wait, the Indy banned comments on why Ched Evans was named before his rape trial but women are not. Thirdly, what has Palestine to do with clitori? As for trashing embassies, Islam is the only faith that stands up to the police state thatthe UK has become.

• http://www.facebook.com/jamie.bloodworth James Bloodworth

  “As for trashing embassies, Islam is the only faith that stands up to the police state thatthe UK has become.”

  So when Muslin “community leaders” call, as they do from time to time, for the arrest of those who criticise Islam, they are “standing up to the police state the UK has become”?

  Don’t. Be. Silly.

• PlasticBiddy

  Why are you reading a rag?  

• FergalFury

  Linked your FB acc here? Smart move;)

• FergalFury

  Each day that passes I ask that. When the Police Federation start liking the Indy (as they did recently) it is time to go back to the Grauniad.

• http://www.facebook.com/jamie.bloodworth James Bloodworth

  Yes.