What is feminism?
Learn what feminism is really about, from its origins in women’s sufferage to its maturation over the last century.
There have been three major “waves” of feminism thus far, the first rising as recently as the 19th century. Feminism is an awareness that dawned openly as a response to the Abolition Movement in the mid-nineteenth century and it has matured over the last century. Currently, there are many different expressions of feminism, but the core value of feminism remains. To be feminist is to actively recognize the need for, and work to create equality for women. By definition, there is no dependence upon female superiority, man-hating, or other negative approaches toward equality. Feminism is simply a movement intending to enlighten people with a goal of improving the quality of life for women and their society. However, many people possess images of feminism that fit into the previously mentioned destructive patterns. The confusion about feminism is a result of many factors.
Women have been oppressed for as long as history. This oppression is a very similar tragedy to the oppression that occurs daily towards all kinds of minority groups, but women are not a minority group. There are actually more women on Earth than there are men. Women are not defined by skin color, by spoken language, or by class. Since women are not a minority group, their unequal treatment has gone unnoticed by many. Once talk of feminism is uttered people easily may interpret it as just another reason to complain, due to their blindness to the inequality. It is difficult to publicize an issue and expect change when that issue does not appear to exist.
Another factor that interferes with the appropriate publicity for a controversial cause is the press. In the mid-twentieth century, when mass communication boomed with the invention of the television, the media designed the public’s image of feminism. The way that people learned about this movement was through the filter of journalism. Unfortunately the media’s motives are not solely based on clear, unbiased reports of news. The influences of ratings, public interest, and the government’s economical goals caused the portrayal of feminism on television to focus on scenes that were not the feminist norm. Images of mean, angry and violent women flashed before television viewers and they attracted attention. The general public witnessed feminism as a negative force while watching the evening news.
A concluding point, which is very powerful, is that women are not always actively oppressed, and for the most part women are part of a lot of the actual oppression. The unequal treatment of women in society originates not in men, but from underneath the obvious surface, where social structure dwells. It is difficult to determine exactly where female oppression began; so many people interpret feminism as a movement that blames men. This interpretation of feminism is incorrect, yet popular.
It is important to know that feminism is about equality, not anger. To involve oneself in the feminist movement is to search for a higher quality of life for all people. The misconceptions that commonly arise out of the lack of understanding of feminism can be and must be easily cleared away in order for the truth about feminism to surface.
1. Know What You Want (Figuring Out What You Want)
2. Know Who To Ask (Figuring Out Who To Talk To)
3. Know What You’re Talking About (What You Want…Policy Resources)
4. Be Polite, Personal, Thoughtful, and Rational (Delivering Your Message)
5. Pick a Method of Communication that Works for You and Your Message (Delivering Your Message)
6. Know When to Ask (Legislative Process)
7. Don’t Underestimate the Value of Staff (Who to Talk To…Staff)
8. Follow Up (Delivering Your Message)
9. Understand the Limitations of the System (Key Themes)
10. Have fun!
What you can do right now about the Federal Abortion Ban
The Supreme Court just issued its decision to uphold the Federal Abortion Ban. The ban, which has no exception for women’s health, opens the door for further political interference in our personal, private medical decisions.
Here are several things you can do right now to help fight back and protect a woman’s right to choose as recognized under Roe v. Wade.
1. Make a donation.
If you believe that women and their doctors should never be forced into making difficult, personal, medical decisions based on extremist politics – then you must stand up and fight back. Click here to find out how we’re fighting back, and how you can help.
2. Support the Freedom of Choice Act.
Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), to secure the right to choose by establishing a federal law guaranteeing reproductive freedom for future generations of American women.
3. See how real women are affected.
Read the story of a woman whose health would have been in danger under the Federal Abortion Ban. Then, share this story with your friends.
4. Share your thoughts.
Visit our blog to read and comment on pro-choice news and the future of a woman’s right to choose.
Abigail Adams:
If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.
Anna Quindlen:
It’s important to remember that feminism is no longer a group of organizations or leaders. It’s the expectations that parents have for their daughters, and their sons, too. It’s the way we talk about and treat one another. It’s who makes the money and who makes the compromises and who makes the dinner. It’s a state of mind. It’s the way we live now.
Barbara Strickland:
What I am proud of, what seems so simply clear, is that feminism is a way to fight for justice, always in short supply.
Betty Friedan:
It is easier to live through someone else than to become complete yourself.
The Feminine Mystique, 1963
Betty Friedan:
If divorce has increased by one thousand percent, don’t blame the women’s movement. Blame the obsolete sex roles on which our marriages were based.
speech, New York City, January 20, 1974
Elaine Heffner:
Women do not have to sacrifice personhood if they are mothers. They do not have to sacrifice motherhood in order to be persons. Liberation was meant to expand women’s opportunities, not to limit them. The self-esteem that has been found in new pursuits can also be found in mothering.
Erma Bombeck:
We’ve got a generation now who were born with semiequality. They don’t know how it was before, so they think, this isn’t too bad. We’re working. We have our attache’ cases and our three piece suits. I get very disgusted with the younger generation of women. We had a torch to pass, and they are just sitting there. They don’t realize it can be taken away. Things are going to have to get worse before they join in fighting the battle.
Faith Whittlesey:
Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.
Gloria Steinem:
This is no simple reform. It really is a revolution. Sex and race because they are easy and visible differences have been the primary ways of organizing human beings into superior and inferior groups and into the cheap labour in which this system still depends. We are talking about a society in which there will be no roles other than those chosen or those earned. We are really talking about humanism.
Lya Sorano:
When we talk about equal pay for equal work, women in the workplace are beginning to catch up. If we keep going at this current rate, we will achieve full equality in about 475 years. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait that long.
Margaret Atwood:
Does feminist mean large unpleasant person who’ll shout at you or someone who believes women are human beings. To me it’s the latter, so I sign up.
Mary Wollstonecraft:
Women are systematically degraded by receiving the trivial attentions which men think it manly to pay to the sex, when, in fact, men are insultingly supporting their own superiority.
Maureen Reagan:
I will feel equality has arrived when we can elect to office women who are as incompetent as some of the men who are already there.
Michele Le Doeuff:
A feminist is a woman who does not allow anyone to think in her place.
Nancy Astor:
No one sex can govern alone. I believe that one of the reasons why civilization has failed so lamentably is that is had one-sided government.
Pearl S. Buck:
The basic discovery about any people is the discovery of the relationship between its men and its women.
Rebecca West:
I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute.
1913
Rita Mae Brown:
Any woman whose I.Q. hovers above her body temperature must be a feminist.
Susan B. Anthony:
Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.
Susan B. Anthony:
It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.
After generations of taking a back seat in a male-dominated society, a whole new women’s movement was shaping up in the early 90’s. Dubbed riot grrrls (note the growl), this phenomenon started as an underground movement fueled by the punk scene of the 80’s. Before long, girls were proving that they could be just as aggressive as men, without losing their feminine edge.
Tired of having to live up to the impossibly thin and slick images of women from magazines and television, girls wanted to show that they could just be themselves and not lose any of their self-esteem. The word was spread through the music of bands like Bikini Kill and magazines like Girl Germs with their credo of “Revolution Girl Style Now!” Indie music labels and ‘zines sprouted, and t-shirts appeared with slogans like “Girl Power” and “Girls Rule.” Punk bands like Sonic Youth (Kim Gordon) and X (Exene Cervenka) showed that women could rock just as hard as men.
Indie magazines, called ‘zines, spread the riot grrrl manifesto in publications like Valerie Solanas’ (who became famous by trying to kill Andy Warhol) SCUM manifesto (Society for Cutting Up Men) and later in modern ‘zines like Satan Wears a Bra. These magazines spoke out against sexual abuse, patriarchal oppression, and promoted the new feminism.
Riot grrrls developed a new standard of female beauty. Frustrated with the unhealthy body images girls were getting from the media, they started support networks to encourage healthy eating and loving the body you were born with. Girls didn’t have to be submissive – aggression could be redefined as a feminine quality. Fashion choices reflected that philosophy. They combined combat boots with fishnet stockings and baby doll dresses, tattoos with ribbons and lace. They bared their midriffs with cropped shirts and wrote the words “slut” and “whore” on their stomachs. Subtlety wasn’t their style.
The band Hole’s lead singer, Courtney Love, brought this style to the mainstream. The wife of grunge superstar, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Love sported the “kinder-whore” look, with smeared red lipstick and ripped up little girl dresses. The message was also a part of the Spice Girls, whose girl power image was framed in a more traditional sexy style. But both images reinforced the idea that girls could be who they wanted to be and still be sexy.
Of course, the media flocked to this new feminine idea, and bands such as L7 and Babes in Toyland, who had worked for years in obscurity, now hit the media spotlight. Lilith Fair, developed by singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan, gave girl rock a traveling venue for musicians such as Fiona Apple and Jewel, while indie darlings Ani DiFranco and PJ Harvey spread the message on their own labels.
Drugs were never a part of the riot grrrl movement; the idea was to promote a healthy image, both inside and out, much the same way as punk’s “Straightedge.” They changed the rules of femininity and broadened the concept of what sexy could be. They weren’t afraid to speak their mind and spread the word. While the tag “riot grrrl” has generally fallen out of the lexicon, the idea that women could be who and what they wanted, without sacrificing any of their feminine qualities, is an idea that continues to be a powerful factor in a new generation of women.
The following article was taken from: wisegeek.com
The riot grrrl movement is an alternative subculture that was extremely popular in the 1990s, but still remains active in some areas of the United States today. Riot grrrls, sometimes referred to as riot grrls or riot girls, are often considered to be part of third wave feminism. However, many people believe the riot grrrl emphasis on a universal female identity is more closely aligned with the philosophy of second wave feminist activities.
Indie-punk music that addressed issues of sexuality, rape, domestic abuse, and female empowerment was a primary key component of the riot grrrl movement. Many of the original riot grrrls were teenagers and college students who felt left out of the existing music scene. By joining together, they created an independent female-centric subculture.
In addition to attending concerts and music festivals, active members of the riot grrrl movement were heavily involved in feminist political causes and social activism. Riot grrls also published a number of underground fanzines providing details about their favorite bands and leftist political views, as well as an opportunity for aspiring writers and artists to showcase their creative talents.
The origin of the term “riot grrrl” is still unclear. However, the Riot Grrrl fanzine started by Allison Wolfe, Molly Neuman, Kathleen Hanna, and Tobi Vail may have been responsible for popularizing the usage of the term to describe this female-centric movement. Vail also used the term “angry grrrls” extensively in her fanzine Jigsaw .
Although one might assume all members of the riot grrrl movement were female, it is interesting to note that there were plenty of men involved in riot grrrl activities as well. Bikini Kill and Huggy Bear, two of the most popular riot grrrl bands, both had male musicians as active performers. There were also a number of men who could be seen attending riot grrrl events with their girlfriends, sisters, or female friends. Although riot grrrls were often mistakenly characterized as “anti-boy” in the mainstream media, most considered themselves to simply be “pro-girl.”
In popular culture, references to the riot grrrl movement have appeared in movies such as All Over Me and Tank Girl, as well as the book Tales of a Punk Rock Nothing . The legacy of riot grrrls can be seen in the continued popularity of Ladyfest and other female-centric music festivals that combine music with a feminist philosophy. In addition, there are a number of websites still active today that offer forums and message boards for visitors who identify with the subculture of the original riot grrrls.
The first 3 lists below were taken from: http://altmusic.about.com/od/genresstyles/p/riot_grrrl.htm. The “Other Bands Considered Riot Grrrl” list was made by Greta/grrrlriot. (me) Some of the bands I made in my list are from all over the world.
Run Date: 04/23/08
By Allison Stevens
Washington Bureau Chief
Women once again gave Clinton a critical primary victory, delivering her enough votes to give her a 10-point edge in Pennsylvania. She may not yet be able to overcome Obama.
WASHINGTON (WOMENSENEWS)–Women helped Sen. Hillary Clinton knock out another must-win victory Tuesday night in Pennsylvania’s presidential primary, giving her enough political–if not financial–fuel to keep her campaign running through the remaining nine Democratic contests through June 3.
Clinton was beating Sen. Barack Obama 55 percent to 45 percent with 94 percent of the vote counted, according to CNN.
“We all knew Pennsylvania was either going to be the semi-finals or the finals of the game,” said Gloria Feldt, former president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in New York and a vocal Clinton supporter. “So the game goes on.”
Clinton carried 54 percent of female voters while Obama got 46 percent of women, according to CNN.
1.) Plant trees. As the date also roughly coincides with US Arbor Day, over time Earth Day has taken on the role of tree-planting. Planting trees helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean pollution, secure soil in place to prevent erosion, and provide homes for a lot of biodiversity.
2.) Make nature crafts at school or home. Get together with your family and build a birdhouse or make a bird feeder to encourage the local bird population, which plays an important role in every ecosystem. Use objects that would’ve otherwise been thrown away to create beautiful works of art…Here, the possibilities are endless:
*Turn used guitar strings into a centerpiece,
*make a basket from an old orange juice carton,
*convert an old floppy disk into a Starship Enterprise,
*or wear a skirt made out of old umbrellas
3.) Learn more about the environment. Earth Day is a good time to make a commitment to learning more about the environment and how you can help to protect it. Borrow some library books and read up on an issue such as pollution, endangered species, water shortages, recycling, and climate change. Or, learn about a region you’ve never considered before, like the Arctic, the deserts, or the rainforests. Think about the issues that concern you the most and if you haven’t done so already, join a local group that undertakes activities to help protect the environment in your area.
4.) Reduce, reuse and recycle all day long. Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products – these don’t have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Take your drink container with you, and don’t use any disposable plates or cutlery. Recycle all the things you do use for the day or find other uses for things that you no longer use. Carry a cloth bag for carrying things in and recycle your plastic bags.
5.) Get children to recycle their old toys and games. By giving their old toys and games to younger children who could make use of them, older children learn two lessons: One is about giving to others and the second is about reusing and recycling instead of throwing things away. Adults can also do this with clothes, electrical items, books and more. Learn about product exchange communities like Freecycle and other alternatives.
6.) Rid Litter. Rid litter from our roadways. Many groups use the weekend of Earth Day to clear roadways, highways and neighborhood streets of litter that has accumulated since the last clean-up day. Many companies donate gloves and bags for clean-up groups and villages organize bag pick ups. Once the group has collected the trash and placed the recycled bags along the road, get the village public works department to pick the bags up. It’s a wonderful community project. Great for scout troops, rotary clubs and the like.
7.) Sing or listen to “Earth” songs. There are many Earth Day song lyrics available on the Internet. Many follow well-known tunes. These make a fantastic classroom activity and help younger children to become interested in environmental topics. For listening, even iTunes has songs about the Earth for downloading: try searching for words such as “planet”, “Earth”, “endangered”, “pollution” etc.
8.) Hold an Earth Day fair. Maybe your school, your street, your local neighborhood is interested in getting together to have an environmental fair. Things to have at the fair include demonstrations of environmentally-friendly products, children’s artwork, healthy/locally grown foods to eat, animal care demonstrations (including wildlife rescue), games for the children made of recycled products, musicians and actors performing environmental music and skits, stalls which are recycling unwanted treasures and books, local environmental organisations presenting their issues and wares. Money raised can go towards a local environmental restoration project or to an environmental group agreed upon by all the participants running the fair.
9.) Teach others about the environment. Teachers, professionals, students, in fact anyone who cares about the environment and is willing to teach others, can all provide environmental lessons for others. Most schools already celebrate Earth Day in the classrooms with activities but there are many other ways you can teach about the environment. For example, give a speech at your local library on how to compost with worms; take a group of children down to the recycling center to show them how things are recycled; recite nature poems in the park; offer to teach your office colleagues how to make environmentally-friendly choices at work during one lunch hour. Everyone has environmental knowledge they can share with others.
10.) Wear green and/or brown. Dress in environmental colors for the day; think “tree”! Wear badges if you have them that carry pithy summaries of your environmental views.
11.) Engage others in conversations about your environmental concerns. Don’t be bossy or pushy, just tell people some facts and then explain your feelings about them. Encourage them to respond and if they have no opinions or they seem to not know much, help them learn some more by imparting your environmental knowledge in a friendly and helpful manner.
12.) Cook a special Earth Day meal. Plan a menu that uses locally produced foods, is healthy and has minimal impact on the environment. Favour vegetable and bean products, as these use less resources to grow than mass-farmed meat. If you still would like meat, look for locally produced, organic meat. Try and have organic food completely. Decorate the table with recycled decorations made by you and your friends.
13.) Consider buying a carbon offset to make up for the greenhouse gas emissions you create on the other 364 days of the year. Carbon offsets fund reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through projects such as wind farms, that displaces energy from fossil fuels.
14.) Ride your bike. Use your bicycle or other forms of human powered transportation to commute to work or school and to run errands.
15.)Remember: Every day is Earth Day. Anything to help our environment is a perfect thing to do on Earth Day and every day. Don’t restrict yourself to just one day a year; learn about how you can make a difference to environmental protection all the time. And put it into practice – every day!
I was fourteen when I first heard about riot grrrl. By that time it had been all over MTV, fashion and news magazines and newspapers yet this was the first time I had heard of it – in a small local entertainment newspaper. I don’t know how long riot grr rl had existed before the media got its slimy hands all over it but I know, from experience, how much it changed afterward.
I was attracted to the idea of riot grrrl initially because the beliefs I thought riot grrrl was about were ones I had always had myself. The San Jose punk scene isn’t very political or issue oriented (not to say that it should or shouldn’t be) so I of ten felt alienated and isolated in my beliefs which were all generally anarchistic, anti fascist, anti sexist, and anti homophobic. Most of the time I was the only girl around, when there were others everyone knew they wouldn’t stay long – they were al ways just fucking one of the guys in the scene and they were never punx. I was surrounded by “punks” to whom punk had no meaning and my motivation was suppressed. My impression of riot grrrl as conveyed by that small article was: punk rock girls having the beliefs fore mentioned, creating a scene alternative to the one that they found themselves rejected by. It was that simple. Who can argue with that? The early riot grrrl scene was inclusive of boys and girls, preserved D.I.. punk rock methods and morals, and wasn’t threatening to any oth er groups, people or interests. Riot grrrl -the idea, the movement, the non localized group, whatever -inspired literally hundreds of girls to do zines, start bands, collectives, distributions, have meetings etc. The uprising of riot grrrl has been the only activity in the scene most of us have seen in years yet most of you probably don’t know what a riot grrrrl is and does, why we face so muchopposition or who started it.
I wont offer a definition because it wouldn’t be fair to other grrrls to whom riot grrrl may mean something totally different. I will however offer my insight on what I have seen happen… After the height of mainstream media coverage, many of the more productive and popular chapters such as Olympia and D.C. decided to sort of “close up shop”. Refusing to answer most of their mail, rejecting interview requests, changing meeting locations or canceling them all together seemed like the only way to stop further exploitation, misquoting, and such. If a barrette wearing, magic markered, thirteen year old looking 20 year old was what the words “riot grrrl” would be translated as, they didn’t want it. The mainstream media-what seemed like the best medium for communication, the best way to spread “girl love” – had failed us. In fact, it had come close to destroying us. In some ways I think it did. Lots of girls have been inspired by the idea of riot grrrl after having heard about it through some maga zine or TV show. They’ve begun to question, challenge, create, demand…others have learned nothing more than a hot, new, cute way to dress.
The most destructive and inaccurate image of a riot grrrl portrayed by the media was that of a lesbian, man hating, ignorant, violent, bitter, bitch, an image that has followed feminism before it was feminism. Unfortunately, some girls, imitated the most negative aspects of this image blindly, giving riot grrrl a bad name. I disapprove of all violence outside of self- defense and am hurt when I hear stories of riot grrrls beating up boys “for no reason” or “because they are boys”. Usually these storie s are bunk by the time they get back to us but I know this sometimes (rarely but sometimes) happens and it’s embarrassing. Does this scenario sound familiar? It should…to each and every one of you. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, turn on MTVright now. Chances are there’ s a Green Day, Rancid, Nirvana, or clone of one of those three bands on. Is a rich, homophobic, sexist, jock with a wallet chain and Doc’s a fair representation of a punk rocker? Is Sid Vicious even a realistic punker? What’s happening to punk right no w and what happened to it in the early 80′s is exactly what’s happened to riot grrrl. For those of you who have had bad experiences with girls who call themselves riot grrrls, please remember that we are all fucking different! In every class, race, scene , etc. there are pollutant people – people who just want to get a piece of the action or feel like they belong
How can we fight the patriarchal, corporate, racist system when we’re fighting each other? When punks are rejecting riot grrrl for not being punk enough, when riot grrrls are rejecting punks for not being conscious enough, it is apparent that all of us h ave let the media’s image of us affect our behavior and treatment of each other. Riot grrrls – the strongest, the truest of us will outlast the trendiness. Our networking through mail, the inter net, through music, through zines and through the punk sce ne keeps us closely knit and strong. Just as the punk scene itself does the same – no matter how many records Offspring sells or how many cheerleaders wear Doc Martens with 100 dollar outfits.
So where’s the riot? The riot can happen inside each of us, male and female. The riot is something that happens everyday. we are changing the rules, the codes, the fucking standards.
Think of Crass, Vice Squad, The Avengers, Blondie, Naked Aggression, Spitboy….think of Emma Goldman, Valerie Solonas… riot grrrl didn’t invent punk rock feminism. We are simply reclaiming our place/voice in punk rock- a voice we’ve always had that’s been trampled on.
The following quote is from Jennifer Miro of the old punk band, “The Nuns”. She is commenting on what she saw happening towards the end of 1977. *”Later it became this macho hardcore thrasher punk scene and that was notwhat it was about at first. There were a lot of women in the beginning. It was women doing things. Then it became this whole macho, anti-women thing. Then women didn’t go to see punk bands anymore because they were afraid of getting killed. I didn’t even go because it was so violent an d so macho thatit was repulsive. Women just got squeezed out”. I’ll be damned if I ever let that happen to me or any grrrl I know again.
DISCLAIMER: I don’t consider myself a spokesperson for riot grrrl, only for myself and I happen to consider myself a riot grrrl. My word is no more than my word of experience and indirect knowledge (reading, stories I’ve been told,etc..). Therefore what i say about riot grrrl should be considered only onegirls p.o.v.
* Quote by Jennifer Miro from Punk “77 by James Stark.
*This was an assignment for my Women’s Studies class and figured I’d share it.
I’m proud of my age
The number that gauges experience
I’m proud of my voice
The noise that exposes my worldliness
I’m proud of my DIY
The scraps thrown together when my voice fails
I’m proud to be assertive
The strength and ability to refuse
I’m proud to insult
The man who doesn’t understand ‘no’
And to practice the lines:
“Vete la meirda,” and “¿Entiendes?”
when the language barrier becomes a cage
I’m proud to be a feminist
And enlighten people that we’re not man-hating lesbians
I’m proud to wear a “boy’s haircut”
One that originated as a symbol of bravery and strength
I’m proud to “wear the pants”
Alongside with every other strong leader
I thought this might be interesting to read about. It is a women’s issue and it seems to be a problem. I got the information below from here.
Stalking Facts and Information
10 Things You Need to Know About Stalking
1. Stalking is a crime.
Stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that places a reasonable person in fear for her or his safety. It is against the law in every state. Stalking across state lines or in federal territories is illegal under federal law.
2. Many people are stalked.
1 in 12 twelve women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetimes. 1.4 million people are stalked every year in the United States.
3. Stalking can be very dangerous.
76 percent of women killed by their intimate partners were stalked by these partners before they were killed. All stalkers should be considered unpredictable and very dangerous.
4. Stalking is harmful and intrusive.
Stalking victims often lose time from work or never return to work, and some even relocate to regain a sense of safety. Many suffer from anxiety, insomnia, and severe depression as a result of being stalked.
5. Anyone can be stalked— not just celebrities.
The vast majority of stalking victims are ordinary people. Furthermore, most stalkers are not strangers, but are known by their victim.
6. Stalking can occur during a relationship, after a relationship, or in the absence of a relationship.
Stalking often begins during a relationship. Stalkers may keep the victim under surveillance or threaten her or him. Others begin stalking after the victim has ended the relationship, and the stalker feels desperate to maintain or regain control. Still others become fixated on a victim without ever having had any relationship with the person. All forms of stalking are unpredictable, and all should be considered dangerous.
7. Technology can be used to stalk.
Although newly-developed technology enhances our lives, it can also empower criminals. Cell phones, computers, and surveillance equipment are just some of the technologies stalkers now use.
8. An effective response to stalking includes the entire community.
Police, prosecutors, advocates, educators, reporters, neighbors … everyone can and should play a part in stopping stalking. Working together, we can make victims safer.
9. You can make a difference.
Visit http://www.ncvc.org/src to learn more about stalking and how to fight it.
10. Help is available.
If you or someone you know is being stalked, call 1-800-FYI-CALL for assistance.000 M Street, NW Suite 480, Washington, DC 20036, Tel. 202-467-8700, 1-800-FYI-CALL / TTY: 1-800-211-7996, http://www.ncvc.org,
If You Are Stalked
These are common reactions to being stalked. You are not to blame for a stalker’s behavior. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. These are common reactions to being stalked. Stalking is a crime.
These are common reactions to being stalked. You might:
• Feel fear of what the stalker will do.
• Feel vulnerable, unsafe, and not know who to trust.
• Feel nervous, irritable, impatient, or on edge.
• Feel depressed, hopeless, overwhelmed, tearful, or angry.
• Feel stressed, including having trouble concentrating, sleeping, or remembering things.
• Have eating problems, such as appetite loss, forgetting to eat, or overeating.
• Have flashbacks, disturbing thoughts, feelings, or memories.
• Feel confused, frustrated, or isolated because other people don’t understand why you are afraid.
If Someone You Know is Being Stalked, You Can Help
Listen. Show support. Don’t blame the victim for the crime. Remember that every situation is different, and allow the person being stalked to make choices about how to handle it. Find someone you can talk to about the situation. Take steps to ensure your own safety. For more ideas on how you can help, call 1-800-FYI-CALL.
Stalking is unpredictable and dangerous. No two stalking situations are alike. There are no guarantees that what works for one person will work for another, yet you can take steps to increase your safety.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Trust your instincts. Don’t downplay the danger. If you feel you are unsafe, you probably are. Take threats seriously. Danger generally is higher when the stalker talks about suicide or murder, or when a victim tries to leave or end the relationship.
Contact a crisis hotline, victim services agency, or a domestic violence or rape crisis program. They can help you devise a safety plan, give you information about local laws, refer you to other services, and weigh options such as seeking a protection order. Develop a safety plan, including things like changing your routine, arranging a place to stay, and having a friend or relative go places with you. Also, decide in advance what to do if the stalker shows up at your home, work, school, or somewhere else. Tell people how they can help you.
Don’t communicate with the stalker or respond to attempts to contact you. Keep evidence of the stalking. When the stalker follows you or contacts you, write down the time, date, and place. Keep e-mails, phone messages, letters, or notes. Photograph anything of yours the stalker damages and any injuries the stalker causes.
Ask witnesses to write down what they saw. Contact the police. Every state has stalking laws. The stalker may also have broken other laws by doing things like assaulting you or stealing or destroying your property. Consider getting a court order that tells the stalker to stay away from you.
Tell family, friends, roommates, and co-workers about the stalking and seek their support. Tell security staff at your job or school. Ask them to help watch out for your safety. Stalking is a series of actions that make you feel afraid or in danger. Stalking is serious, often violent, and can
escalate over time.
A stalker can be someone you know well or not at all. Most have dated or been involved with the people they stalk. About 75 percent of stalking cases are men stalking women, but men do stalk men, women do stalk women, and women do stalk men.
Global Feminism is a feminist theory concerned with the forward movement of women’s rights on a global scale. Global Feminists adopt global causes and start movements which seek to dismantle the currently predominant structures of global patriarchy. Global Feminism is also known as Transnational Feminism, World Feminism, and International Feminism.
Global Feminists might argue, for example, that such structures enable the adoption of misogynistic cultural practices such as honor killings, genital mutilation, and human trafficking. Another concern of many Global Feminist activists is the impact of First World women’s movements within the global economy as consumers upon the living and working conditions of Third World women. For example, if an average feminist in the United States purchases a pair of athletic shoes without first researching the corporation through which they were produced, she may be buying a pair of sneakers that were sewn under sweatshop conditions and/or sewn in an offshore factory that is polluting the local land and water supply.
Manifeste Anarchoféministe
Anarchafeminist Manifesto
Translated from French (Bulletin C.R.I.F.A. No 44 mars -avril 1983 p. 12)
The Anarchafeminist Manifesto
All over the world most women have no rights whatsoever to decide upon important matters which concern their lives. Women suffer from oppressions of two kinds: 1) the general social oppression of the people, and 2) secondly sexism – oppression and discrimination because of their sex.
There are five main forms of oppression:
- Ideological oppression, brainwash by certain cultural traditions, religion, advertising and propaganda. Manipulation with concepts and play upon women’s feelings and susceptibilities. Widespread patriarchal and authoritarian attitudes and capitalistic mentality in all areas.
- State oppression, hierarchical forms of organization with command lines downwards from the top in most interpersonal relations, also in the so-called private life .
- Economic exploitation and repression, as a consumer and a worker in the home and in low-salary women’s jobs .
- Violence, under the auspices of the society as well as in the private sphere – indirectly when there is coercion because of lack of alternatives and direct physical violence.
- Lack of organization, tyranny of the structurelessness which pulverizes responsibility and creates weakness and inactivity.
These factors work together and contribute simultaneously to sustain each other in a vicious circle. There is no panacea to break the circle, but it isn’t unbreakable.
Anarcha-feminism is a matter of consciousness. The consciousness which puts guardians off work. The principles of a liberating society thus stand perfectly clear to us.
Anarcha-feminism means women’s independence and freedom on an equal footing with men. A social organization and a social life where no-one is superior or inferior to anyone and everybody is coordinate, women as well as men. This goes for all levels of social life, also the private sphere.
Anarcha-feminism implies that women themselves decide and take care of their own matters, individually in personal matters, and together with other women in matters which concern several women. In matters which concern both sexes essentially and concretely women and men shall decide on an equal footing.
Women must have self-decision over their own bodies, and all matters concerning contraception and childbirth are to be decided upon by women themselves.
It must be fought both individually and collectively against male domination, attitudes of ownership and control over women, against repressive laws and for women’s economic and social autonomy and independence.
Crisis centers, day care centers, study and discussion groups, women’s culture activities etc. must be established, and be run under womens’s own direction.
The traditional patriarchal nuclear family should be replaced by free associations between men and women based on equal right to decide for both parts and with respect for the individual person’s autonomy and integrity.
Sex-stereotyping in education, media and at the place of work must be abolished. Radical sharing of the work by the sexes in ordinary jobs, domestic life and education is a suitable mean.
The structure of working life must be radically changed, with more part-time work and flat organized cooperation at home as well as in society. The difference between men’s work and women’s work must be abolished. Nursing and taking care of the children must concern men just as much as women.
Female power and female prime ministers will neither lead the majority of women to their ends nor abolish oppression. Marxist and bourgeoisie feminists are misleading the fight for women’s liberation. For most women it is not going to be any feminism without anarchism. In other words, anarcha-feminism does not stand for female power or female prime ministers, it stands for organization without power and without prime ministers.
The double oppression of women demands a double fight and double organizing: on the one hand in feminist federations, on the other hand in the organizations of anarchists. The anarcha-feminists form a junction in this double organizing.
A serious anarchism must also be feminist otherwise it is a question of patriarchal half-anarchism and not real anarchism. It is the task of the anarcha-feminists to secure the feminist feature in anarchism. There will be no anarchism without feminism.
An essential point in anarcha-feminism is that the changes must begin today, not tomorrow or after the revolution. The revolution shall be permanent. We must start today by seeing through the oppression in the daily life and do something to break the pattern here and now.
We must act autonomously, without delegating to any leaders the right to decide what we wish and what we shall do: we must make decisions all by ourselves in personal matters, together with other women in pure female matters, and together with the male fellows in common matters.
***********
The origin of the Anarchafeminist Manifesto.
8 March, International Women’s Day, is a special relevant day to remember the Anarchafeminist Manifesto. The origin of the Anarchafeminist Manifesto is in Norway. The Anarchafeminist Manifesto is the summary of the feminist political program unanimously agreed upon by the third congress of the Anarchist Federation of Norway 1 – 7 of June 1982. The manifesto was first published in Norwegian in Folkebladet (IJA) no 1 1983 pp. 4-5. Soon after the Manifesto was published in CRIFA-Bulletin no 44 mars-avril 1983 in French (p. 12) and English (p. 13) language. Later on the French version was used as the basis for a translation to English that was published on the Internet, see above. The Manifesto is also translated to other languages.
This post refers to my previous post located here.
If you read that post, you know that you can create your own profile on the website. Did you know that you can create other profiles too, if you want? Feel free to create your own band, zine, riot grrrl chapter, feminist chapter, feminist organization, activist, ladyfest, etc. profiles on there as well. For your information, The profiles are the same as personal profiles. There’s no difference between them. You can also create groups on the website as well.
For more information, go to the social network website below.
The following story was taken from: Feminist Daily News Wire. I know this news story is 2 days old. At the end of this story it says, “Feminists in Iran are frequently arrested for their activism.” It’s sad that women’s rights in Iran don’t exist. I think all countries should have rights, especially the women. I believe in global awareness and I am really into Global/International Feminism. This is why I shared this news piece.
April 14, 2008
Iranian Women’s Rights Activist Arrested
Khadijeh Maghaddam, an activist working to end discrimination against women in Iranian law, was arrested on April 8. Three police officers forcibly entered her house and mistreated her before arresting her on charges that she spreads propaganda, disrupts public opinion, and threatens national security, according to Changes for Equality.
Maghaddam is a member of the campaign “One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws.” The campaign is a response to the peaceful protest in 2006 in Tehran to end the discrimination against women in Iranian law. Maghaddam had held meetings in her home, which the police cited as one of the reasons she was arrested.
She explained her situation to Changes for Equality, saying, “An order for bail amount of 100 Million Tomans was issued for my release (roughly $110,000). I explained that I am unable to provide such a heavy bail amount for my release, and the investigative judge told me that I will be transferred to prison for a week, after which I will provide the names of Campaign members and also the bail amount. When asked to provide my last defense, I explained that my way of life is my defense and also told the investigative judge that it is in fact the security authorities with their actions who are endangering national security.”
Feminists in Iran are frequently arrested for their activism.
If you want to ask a question about riot grrrl, Feel free to comment in a reply to this entry. I will make a new post with my own Riot Grrrl FAQ and will post your questions and I will post my answers. If you want to ask one of the same questions that is listed below, that’s fine. You will get my own answer.
Riot Grrrl FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Question 1: Who started the riot grrrl movement?
Answer: As far as I know, it started in Washington, DC in 1990 by a bunch of girls who started having meetings to talk about issues that were bothering them and to start bands and fanzines together. Molly, Erin, and Allison from Bratmobile were involved with this. In fact, Molly Neuman was the one who coined the term “riot grrrl” as a joke, but somehow the title caught on. There was never a set agenda made by these girls. Soon after, Washington State, most notably, Olympia. After a heavy circulation of riot grrrl oriented fanzines circulated the country, so did upstarting riot grrrl chapters.
Question 2: What exactly constitutes a “riot grrrl band”?
Answer: This is a question I’m going to have a hard time answering because I’ve never actually heard of what you may think of as “riot grrrl bands” (e.g. Bikini Kill, The Lunachicks, L7, Babes in Toyland, and so on…) call themselves such. In fact, I’ve heard a lot of those bands reprimand journalists for calling them “riot grrrl bands”. Members of Bikini Kill and Bratmobile did have ties to the movement. So did Lois Maffeo, Kim Gordon, and Courtney Love. But they never necessarily wanted their music to get dubbed as “riot grrrl”. It’s almost as though if you were in a female or predominantly female band in the early 90′s, especially, you’d get called a “riot grrrl band”. But it’s not a form of music, contrary to popular belief. It’s a feminist movement.
Question 3: Is Courtney Love a riot grrrl?
Answer: No. She was very interested in it when she first heard about it, and she spread the word to everyone. Many riot grrrls didn’t like the fact that she spread it to the mainstream media, which was seen as the enemy. At the end of 1991, she had told Melody Maker that the riot grrrls really made her year, in all seriousness. By 1992, she had written a couple songs with anti-riot grrrl lyrics since she had been ostrasized from the group. She no longer identifies or involves herself with riot grrrl at all.
Question 4: What is the definition of a riot grrrl?
Answer: There is no set definition. Every riot grrrl has a different definition for it, and that’s one thing that makes it so different than other social movements- the personal freedom that’s involved.
Question 5: How does one start a riot grrrl chapter?
Answer: If you already have a group of friends together who would be interested, simply find a time and place to have meetings, and go for it! If not, then make flyers about it. Make sure to include yr name and address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address, or some way to contact you. Post them anywhere you can in yr area. Run ads in fanzines or even the newspaper. And never underestimate word of mouth! When people contact you about it, make sure to take down their information, too so you know how to get ahold of them once you want to start having meetings.
Question 6: Are boys allowed in riot grrrl?
Answer: Yes! Equality can not be achieved unless effort is put forth by everyone! Therefore, boys are encouraged to get involved with riot grrrl.
Question 7: What do you have to do to be a riot grrrl?
Answer: All you have to do is simply proclaim yrself as one.
Question 8: What are the beliefs of riot grrrl?
Answer: We believe in girl love, not girl competition… supporting eachother and sisterhood and all that sweet stuff. We believe in fighting against discrimination based on gender, race, class, sexual orientation, religion, and appearance at all costs. We believe in creating our own means of getting these messages across such as starting fanzines, bands, and making stickers rather than using the mainstream media as a tool.
I’m sure most of you have heard about the riot grrrl documentary called “Don’t Need You”. Below is the trailer of the movie.
For more about this documentary go here for more information. I got the following information from that website as well.
“don’t need you” is a documentary film that tells the story of the origins of Riot Grrrl in the American independent music scene of the 1990s, and how this feminist movement evolved into a revolutionary underground network of education and self-awareness through music, writing, activism, and women-friendly community. The film gives audiences a chance to meet key figures in the development of Riot Grrrl and see for themselves how these women have changed the history of music and feminism forever. The film features one-on-one interviews interspersed with rare, archival materials, including original Riot Grrrl fanzines, flyers, and photographs, as well as seldom seen footage from pioneering Riot Grrrl bands like Bikini Kill, Heavens to Betsy, and Bratmobile.
Kathleen Hanna, Allison Wolfe, Corin Tucker, Sharon Cheslow, Madigan Shive, Julie Lary, Ramdasha Bikceem, Natalie Cox, Mark Andersen, and Ian MacKaye are featured in this film.
As a huge fan of music and a regular national and local gig goer, something has been bothering me just recently. It’s all about support acts at any tour or gig in this country, I won’t speak for other countries as I don’t know if it’s the same worldwide, I’ve not been to any gigs anywhere else in the world (yet).
My problem is us British people show no enthusiasm at all for any support acts. Every gig I’ve been to recently, while the support act is on, people just stand there not moving, not even tapping their feet and giving the least exciting applause you can get.
I appreciate that the majority of people are not there to see the support act, of course they are there to see the main headliner. But does this really mean we shouldn’t show them any interest? If the shoe was on the other foot, and you were there to see the support act mainly, you’d be quite upset that no one else was interested in them. I know when I saw Joan Jett and the Blackhearts supporting Motorhead and Alice Cooper, I felt quite sad that I couldn’t get up and dance as I felt uncomfortable as no one else around me was moving at all or even smiling! And this was someone as famous as Joan Jett!
My theory is even if we don’t know the support act or particularly like them, we should either not come until the person we want to see is on, so that the people that have come to see them can enjoy them, or we do our best to show them our support! This band/s has probably either been asked by the band you’ve came to see or is perhaps on their record label or needs exposure. In any which case, if you’re a real fan of the band you’ve came to see, you will be happy that they’ve provided you with some other music to enjoy whilst you wait for them to get ready to perform!
So my thought is to have this manifesto, the Support the Support Act Manifesto! This the manifesto itself:
I will show my support for support bands at every gig/tour I go on. I will dance to them even if no one else is, I will at the very least tap my feet or nod my head, I will clap loudly after every song. I will not say how terrible they are to other members of the audience. If I think they are, I will talk about it to my friends away from the gig itself. I will be thankful that the band I’ve came to see has bothered to put some more entertainment on for me, I will appreciate that the band needs exposure and that there may be some people that have came just to see them. I will support the support act!
If you agree with this manifesto, please copy and paste it and put it into your myspace/face book/blog wherever you can where people will see it!
