f-word mixtape no. 1

din zina The F-Word, spring 2006:

“don’t give a damn ’bout my reputation” mix tape playlist —
1. joan jett & the blackhearts“bad reputation”
bad reputation (1981)
2. eve’s plum“lipstuck”
cherry alive (1995)
3. kendall payne“supermodels”
jordan’s sister (1999)
4. dixie chicks“goodbye earl”
fly (1999)
5. patty griffin“sweet lorraine”
living with ghosts (1996)
6. the nields“this town is wrong”
if you lived here you’d be home now (2000)
7. anne heaton“black notebook”
black notebook (2003)
8. tori amos“silent all these years”
little earthquakes (1992)
9. rasputina“girls’ school”
frustration plantation (2004)
10. cree summer“curious white boy”
street faerie (1999)
11. le tigre“fake french”
feminist sweepstakes (2001)
12. x-ray spex“oh bondage, up yours!”
germ free adolescents (1978)
13. the distillers“seneca falls”
sing sing death house (2002)
14. bikini kill“rebel girl”
the cd version of the first two records (1992)
15. ani difranco“not a pretty girl”
not a pretty girl (1995)

necesar, dar nerecomandat

mi-am amintit de niste rinduri scrise de mircea cartarescu la un moment dat:

Exista multe standarde pentru aprecierea gradului de civilizatie al unei societati. S-a vorbit despre cantitatea de sapun folosita anual, despre libertatile cetatenesti, despre calitatea invatamantului. … Dar eu cred ca unul dintre criteriile cele mai sensibile, care practic nu da gres niciodata, este felul in care, intr-o societate, femeia este privita si se priveste pe sine. Din acest punct de vedere, mai mult decat din toate celelalte, lumea romaneasca e una primitiva cu asupra de masura. Poate ca economia noastra o sa se acomodeze, cat de cat, in timp, cu cea europeana. Poate-o sa invatam mai multe limbi straine si-o sa renuntam la proverbiala noastra smecherie. Dar atata vreme cat nu respectam femeia de langa noi ca pe noi insine n-am facut nimic si nici n-o sa facem.

E inutil sa vin cu exemple din viata de zi cu zi, oricat ar fi de “picante“ sau de revoltatoare. Cu cat cobori mai mult in Romania profunda (care-ncepe dincolo de limitele unei mici lumi manierate si nu exclude nici universitari, nici ministri, nici alti oameni cu scoala si pretentii), cu atat sarcasmul impotriva femeii este mai mare. Vorbim azi cu oroare despre antisemiti si despre cei care mananca unguri pe paine, dar acestia sunt in Romania o (periculoasa) minoritate. Pe cand cei ce dispretuiesc femeia, care ii neaga tinuta morala sau intelectuala, care-o exclud sistematic din spatiul public sunt larga majoritate a romanilor de amandoua sexele. Nu rasismul sau sovinismul national sunt azi cea mai raspandita forma de discriminare, ci brutala sau discreta, instinctiva sau argumentata “stiintific“ discriminare a femeii. Pentru omul de rand (intrati in vorba cu taximetristii, de exemplu), “femeia nu e om“, “toate sunt curve cu exceptia mamei si surorii tale“, femeia la volan e o calamitate etc. Pentru autoritati, de asemenea, femeile sunt cetateni de rangul al doilea: codul lor numeric personal incepe (ce simbol mai bun sa gasim?) cu cifra 2… — “Nu avem primarite. Pacat!”, Jurnalul National, 29.6.04

chiar nu stiu ce i-a venit lui cartarescu, insa citind analiza asta in 2004 eu am fost in acelasi timp surprinsa de cit de bine si lucid puncta problema (ok, in afara de faptul ca rasistii nu sint chiar deloc o minoritate in romania – dar macar i-a numit “periculosi”), si complet ne-surprinsa ca articolul continua cu aceasta marturisire:

Ca orice ideologie, feminismul mi-e strain, desi ii recunosc necesitatea.

urmata de inca o declaratie din partea lui cartarescu, ca nu cumva sa mai ramina vreun dubiu (desi nu-l interogase nimeni):

In varianta lui radicala, [feminismul devine] la fel de odios ca orice alt sovinism. Nu observ toate cele de mai sus dintr-un punct de vedere feminist, ci pur si simplu din perspectiva bunului-simt.

da, sigur! eu n-am inteles niciodata: daca vezi ca ceva e necesar, de ce te-ai dezice de acel lucru (si oamenii fac asta foarte des)?! totusi, in cazul asta inteleg total, pentru ca din pacate problema e “built in”: a sustine feminismul ca ideologie si/sau ca practica inseamna ori sa n-ai acces ori sa intorci constient spatele la niste privilegii, prejudecati sau concesii care-ti fac viata mai usoara, indiferent daca realizezi ca sint nedrepte si daca ti se par impotriva firii si firii tale – inseamna, deci, a-ti asuma un risc, a nu disimula si a avea curaj. in fond recurgerea la sexism, in aceeasi masura cu inscrierea totala in rolurile de gen, este ceva ce garanteaza fiecarui om (femeie sau barbat) alinierea la mainstream si la valorile patriarhale pretuite dpdv social si cultural. in timp ce feminismul, anti-sexismul sint echivalente cu a merge impotriva curentului si traditiilor. adica lucrul cel mai greu.

cartarescu putea sa aleaga greul, pare sa inteleaga asta foarte bine, dar pina la urma alege clar cel-mai-usorul. mda. numai ca el se justifica spunind ca asta e de fapt o alegere “echilibrata” (ceea ce e ca si cum ai spune, de exemplu, ca ai vrea sa nu mai fie torturati oamenii dar tu nu vei merge atit de departe incit sa condamni tortura, deoarece nu vrei sa fii luat drept “extremist” – nu de alta, dar ai auzit pe undeva ca printre cei care se impotrivesc torturii sint tare multi ciudati si radicali).

newsflash to cartarescu: punctul respectiv de vedere este feminist. asa ca felicitari (imi pare rau). iar feminismul este bun-simt; daca ti s-a spus la televizor ca feminismul e doar de-un fel si este “sovinism”, mai inchide televizorul, nu te mai lasa spalat pe creier, informeaza-te, gindeste critic si fa ceva util – si eventual anti-sexist – cu timpul tau si talentele tale.

ce-i amuzant e ca, folosind “bun-simtul”, cartarescu descopera de unul singur definitia cea mai simpla a feminismului, adica: “notiunea radicala ca femeile sint oameni”. mai putin amuzanta: inconsecventa de care da dovada.

sa vedem, pe linga cartarescu insusi (in ipostaza explicit non-feminista), ce alte “exemple” care arata necesitatea feminismului ar mai fi?


si daca astea sint citeva din nenumaratele exemple, ce e “sovin” si ce e “de bun simt” dintre a imbratisa feminismul si a te dezice de el? (raspunsul intr-un numar viitor.)

Planting the future

“Wangari Maathai’s environmental activism in Kenya has earned her a Nobel peace prize – and a number of powerful enemies.” – article about Wangari Maathai, an amazing feminist environmentalist from Kenya!

Some other ecofeminists/feminist environmental activists:

  • Vandana Shiva
  • Arundhati Roy, Narmada Bachao Andolan
  • Marie Haisova, Agentura GAIA
  • Carol Adams
  • Winona LaDuke
  • Judi Bari, Earth First!
  • Dawn Moncrief, Farm Animal Reform Movement
  • Roger S. Gottlieb
  • Alice Walker
  • Campaign for Abolition of all Misogynic Gender Based legislation in Iran

    [See also: a feminist protest in Tehran violently repressed, June 2006]
    ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________

    8 March Women Organization (Iranian-Afghanistan), International Association of Advanced Women, Women’s Committee of the Iranian Association in London
    www.karzar-zanan.com, zan_dem_iran@hotmail.com

    To all women who suffer from inequality

    To all activists and organisations of the Iranian women’s Movement

    In the last 26 years, Islamic legislation has deprived Iranian women of the most basic human rights. Forced veiling has reduced women to second class citizens. Honour killing is legal and women are condemned to hanging and death by stoning for “unchaste behaviour”.

    Let us join forces and create a powerful united campaign to eradicate these unequal laws and Islamic punishments against women as soon as possible. Let us make our voice in opposition to these laws heard throughout the world. Let us create such a storm that no one would ever dare impose such retrograde laws on us.

    If you are against death by stoning!

    If you are against forced veiling!

    If you are against prosecution and imprisonment of women!

    If you are against lashing a woman’s body!

    If you are against any form of patriarchy!

    If you are against all the medieval laws of Iran’s Islamic Republic imposing inequality against women!
    ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________

    Press release: Women against unjust laws organise march on International women’s day
    Continue reading

    Portugal Abortion Referendum Fails, Government Moves to Legalize

    See also: pre-referendum, an open letter regarding the issue (Romanian)

    February 12, 2007: After a referendum on Portugal’s strict abortion laws failed due to low voter turn-out, the country’s Socialist government has announced that it will work to legalize abortion in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Portuguese voters yesterday decisively voted to liberalize Portugal’s extremely strict abortion law, but the results were considered invalid because only 44 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot; for a referendum to be considered binding, at least half of the country’s eligible population must vote. Currently, Portuguese legislation allows for abortion only in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy if a woman’s health or life is at risk. Women pregnant because of rape may be considered for an abortion until the 16th week.

    Luis Marques Mendes, who heads the Social Democratic Party, remarked, “The will of the Portuguese must be respected,” the BBC reports, suggesting that opposition parties will not attempt to veto new legislation that would liberalize the country’s laws. Supporters of lifting the abortion ban cited over 23,000 illegal abortions performed yearly. Currently Portugal’s abortion practices are some of most restrictive in the European Union. … more

    — from the Global Feminist Daily Newswire

    fete tipice

    apropos de mini-documentarul despre femei in punk numit “typical girls” [partea 1, partea 2, partea 3], doua piese clasice – si versurile:

    • the slits: “typical girls” (cut, 1979)

      Don’t create
      Don’t rebel
      Have intuition
      Can’t decide

      Typical girls get upset too quickly
      Typical girls can’t control themselves
      Typical girls are so confusing
      Typical girls – you can always tell
      Typical girls don’t think too clearly
      Typical girls are unpredictable
      Predictable

      Typical girls try to be
      Typical girls very well

      Typical girls are looking for something
      Typical girls fall under spells
      Typical girls buy magazines
      Typical girls feel like hell
      Typical girls worry about spots, fat, and natural smells
      Stinky fake smells

      Typical girls try to be
      Typical girls very well

      Don’t create
      Don’t rebel
      Have intution
      Don’t drive well

      Typical girls try to be
      Typical girls very well

      Can’t decide what clothes to wear
      Typical girls are sensitive
      Typical girls are emotional
      Typical girls are cruel and bewitching
      She’s a femme fatale
      Typical girls stand by their men
      Typical girls are really swell
      Typical girls learn how to act shocked
      Typical girls don’t rebel

      Who invented the typical girl?
      Who’s bringing out the new improved model?
      And there’s another marketing ploy
      Typical girl gets the typical boy

      The typical boy gets the typical girl
      The typical girl gets the typical boy

    • x-ray spex: “oh bondage (up yours)” (germ-free adolescents, 1978)

      Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard
      But i think
      Oh Bondage Up Yours!

      Bind me tie me
      Chain me to the wall I wanna be a slave
      To you all

      Oh bondage up yours
      Oh bondage no more
      Oh bondage up yours
      Oh bondage no more

      Chain-store chain-smoke
      I consume you all
      Chain-gang chain-mail
      I don’t think at all

      Oh bondage up yours
      Oh bondage no more
      Oh bondage up yours
      Oh bondage no more

      Thrash me crash me
      Beat me till I fall
      I wanna be a victim
      For you all

      Oh bondage up yours
      Oh bondage no more
      Oh bondage up yours
      Oh bondage no more

    [exista si typicalgirls, “an e-mail based music dialogue and discussion group for the discovery of (and appreciation for) the unknown legends in women’s punk/post-punk/underground music history. TG ideally focuses on pre-riot grrrl female innovators in music circa 1975-80s. Discussion includes, but is not limited to:
    the Slits, the Raincoats, Y Pants, Ut, ESG, X-Ray Spex (Poly Styrene), Essential Logic (Lora Logic), Young Marble Giants (Alison Statton), Gudrun Gut, Ikue Mori (DNA), X (Exene Cervenka), Delta 5, Alice Bag, Girls at Our Best! (Judy Evans), Patti Smith, Lene Lovich, Laurie Anderson, The Adverts, Jane Aire and the Belvederes, Lydia Lunch, Siouxsie and the Banshees (Siouxsie Sioux), LiliPUT/Kleenex, Rezillos/Revillos (Faye Fife), Shop Assistants, Penetration (Pauline Murray), Diamanda Galas, Yoko Ono, The Runaways, Lemon Kittens (Danielle Dax), Mo-dettes, Bush Tetras, The Avengers (Penelope Houston), Passions (Barbara Gogan), Helen Wheels, Moe Tucker, Wendy O. Williams (Plasmatics), Talking Heads (Tina Weymouth), Pretenders, Fastbacks, Martha and the Muffins, Dolly Mixture, Pearl Harbour, Phranc, Thalia Zedek (Come, Dangerous Birds, Uzi, Live Skull), Marine Girls, Palmolive, Catholic Girls, Toyah, Altered Images (Clare Grogan), Holly and the Italians, Rachel Sweet, Belle Stars, Snatch, Kirsty MacColl, The Motels, Romeo Void, Nina Hagen, the Au Pairs, Hazel O’Connor, Pauline Black (Selector), Marianne Faithfull, Girlschool, Debbie Harry, Poison Girls, Joolz, Vice Squad (Becki Bondage), Niagara Falls (Destroy All Monsters), Prag Vec,
    and many, many other innovative female musicians“]

    body image related stuff

    AnyBodya website giving women a voice to challenge the limited physical representation of females in contemporary society

    About-Face
    : Everywhere girls and women look, they see messages about their bodies and their selves, telling them they must be tall, blonde, tan, and sexually available. In fact, a woman can rarely separate her feelings about her physical body from her self-worth, especially in our media-saturated society. And the messages even the youngest girls are seeing and hearing are skewed, sexualized, and sexist.
    These messages — part of what About-Face calls the “toxic media environment” — are contributing to a host of girls’ and women’s ills, including low self-esteem, depression, persistent anxiety over weight and appearance, extremely unhealthy diets and exercise regimens, and eating disorders. All of these problems interfere with a woman’s ability to function to the best of her abilities.
    About-Face’s mission is to equip women and girls with tools to understand and resist the harmful stereotypes of women the media disseminates. There are three components to About-Face’s program, Education into Action: media-literacy workshops, action groups, and this resource-filled web site. ….

    “girl for all seasons”, northern state

    song lyrics

    “a girl like me”, short documentary by kiri davis

    “video”, india.arie

    song lyrics

    “typical girls”, a documentary film on women in (punk) rock:
    “Women were finally seen as equal in the punk movement. If you could pick up a guitar and play it – great. If you could sing and form your own band, even better. Women were finally getting a voice and not just as backing singers. We look at the women who rocked and discuss the great female punk performers – Siouxsie, The Slits, Pauline Murray, Poly Styrene, Debbie Harry and the seminal Patti Smith – and find out how true the idea that punk emancipated women from rock’s macho posturing really is.” – part 3, on poly styrene, riot grrrl, and images of women and femininity in music today:

    the butchies modeling for a photo shoot (kaia’s shirt says “PRADA”) :)
    Butchies-04-10.jpg

    ladyfest romania 2007

    declaratie de intentie, ladyfest romania (bucuresti) 2007:

    festivalul “ladyfest” a luat fiinta in olympia, sua, in anul 2000, si s-a extins de atunci la nivel international. din colectivul ladyfest romania fac parte fete si femei care au pus in scena si au participat la primul ladyfest din tara noastra in 2005, la timisoara, sau care s-au alaturat grupului ulterior. suntem o echipa din ce in ce mai inchegata dedicata organizarii acestor fest-uri diy, grassroots si non-profit, feminist- si queer-friendly, cu un continut cat mai diversificat.

    inainte de toate:
    – suntem de parere ca exista un consens social care perpetueaza/reproduce relatiile interumane si institutiile responsabile de asimetria de putere dintre sexe si la care contribuie barbati, cat si femei;
    – stim ca in societatea noastra violenta domestica, violenta sexuala, hartuirea sexuala, rasismul, homofobia, saracia, limitarea libertatii de reproducere si accesul neadecvat la servicii de sanatate sunt cateva din nedreptatile care ingradesc vietile femeilor in mod special.
    suntem
    — in mod vadit sustinatoare ale feminismului in versiunile cele mai diverse (asemeni lui bell hooks, vedem feminismul ca pe o “miscare [si a femeilor, si a barbatilor] pentru eradicarea sexismului, exploatarii sexiste si opresiunii”);
    — un grup cel putin non-profit, non-institutional, non-ierarhic;
    — nepasionate de jocuri cu suma zero, patriarhat si misoginism;
    — de diferite varste, identitati sexuale si nesexuale, preocupari si ocupatii;
    — critice la adresa institutiilor sociale existente pentru fete si baieti pentru ca nasc mai multe frustrari decat perceptii sanatoase despre sine;
    nu
    — facem atac la persoana si deci nu ne cerem scuze pentru opiniile onest formulate;
    — suntem sexiste si nici heterosexiste;
    — excludem pe nimeni.

    ca si in 2005, prin festivalul nostru urmarim sa punem in evidenta expresia artistica si implicarea sociala a fetelor si femeilor si in acelasi timp sa impartasim idei prin muzica, “spoken word”, “performance”, film si video, expozitii, prezentari, ateliere, discutii. organizam un ladyfest deoarece vrem sa promovam fetele si femeile active, care produc arta si muzica dar nu numai, si deoarece suntem de parere ca fiecare dintre noi poate sa contribuie cu ceva important. ne dorim un festival original, divers si plin de viata, care sa prezinte publicului unele din cele mai inovatoare fete si femei din mediul artistic underground, sa ofere o perceptie despre femei alternativa celei existente in cultura dominanta si sa dea peste cap conceptele conventionale despre gen.

    suntem ferm convinse ca activismul – actiunea directa cu un mesaj explicit – si implicarea pe baza convingerilor, in special pe principiul do it yourself (fa-o chiar tu), este un mecanism puternic de a ne face auzite si vazute si de a formula in public o alternativa la realitatea sociala ce privilegiaza doar pe unii.

    in acest spirit, al doilea ladyfest din romania va avea loc la bucuresti intre 12 si 14 octombrie 2007, impreuna cu un mars “take back the night” de protest fata de violenta impotriva femeilor, pe baza urmatoarelor considerente:
    * organizarea ladyfest nu se face in jurul unui nucleu organizatoric ierarhic-functional;
    * organizarea ladyfest se vrea o incercare de punere in contact a cat mai multor persoane pentru care feminismul este un modus vivendi;
    * organizarea ladyfest va insemna concertarea de idei si activitati intr-un mod non-ierarhic, deschis initiativei si in spiritul cooperarii;
    * ladyfest se vrea celebrarea tuturor fetelor pentru care societatea nu ofera posibilitatea recunoasterii si canonizarii;
    * ladyfest se vrea semnalarea unei prezente “feminine” care ramane putin vizibila in public;
    * ladyfest se vrea negarea stereotipurilor si normelor societale atribuite fetelor, femeilor si feminitatii;
    * ladyfest se vrea o actiune colectiva a celor care sunt ferm convinsi ca umanitatea ne uneste mai mult decat ne despart genul si sexul.

    in ultima instanta, speram ca ladyfest romania va inspira femeile din toate colturile tarii sa devina active in comunitatile lor si sa ia initiativa de a crea spatii similare ce le vor permite sa-si etaleze creativitatea, sa fie vazute si auzite.

    english version: Continue reading

    Peace Women

    The PeaceWomen.org website has many useful resources on women, peace and security issues and women’s peace-building initiatives in areas of armed conflict. Two reports:

    • • • • from the 1325 Peace Women E-Newsletter:

    Psychosocial Challenges and Interventions for Women Affected by Conflict
    – Critical Half, Bi-annual journal of Women for Women International, September 2006 Vol. 4 No. 1 –
    The articles in this journal edition highlight the psychological and social difficulties encountered by conflict-affected women. The general hardship and trauma of conflict is often compounded further by gender-based violence, which takes a heavy toll on women’s mental health. Both during war and afterward, women may feel ongoing anxiety and fear as they worry about soldiers who might torture or kill them and their loved ones. Women who have been sexually violated can suffer humiliation and shame, and even become ostracized by those who consider rape to bring dishonour to a woman’s family and community. Women may also lack the social support that normally provides solace or assistance in grieving. The authors discuss ways to design effective psychosocial programs that facilitate healing and encourage women’s active participation in the reconstruction of their communities. Case studies from Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Gaza, Croatia, and Nigeria are provided. Read the full report (PDF)

    • • • • from Women, Peace and Security Resources:

    Action on Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS: Bringing Together Research, Policy, Programming and Advocacy
    – Center for Women’s Global Leadership, January 2007 –
    In response to the human rights and public health crises posed by both the HIV pandemic and the unabating levels of gender-based violence (GBV), policy makers, activists and programmers at international, regional and national levels have in recent years bolstered attention to the conceptual and methodological intersections of work in these areas. A small group of organizations and experts working at the intersection of GBV and HIV came together to share lessons learned from working from a variety of entry points, including human rights, gender, feminism, sexuality, and sexual rights, at global, national and local levels, using various methods and within different country contexts. This brief report summarizes discussions, outcomes, and recommendations from the consultation. Read the full report (PDF)

    • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

    More about Peace Women: Continue reading

    xy: barbati, masculinitati si politici de gen

    am mai mentionat site-ul XY: men, masculinities, and gender politics. este excelent in general si toate articolele de-acolo ar trebui citite de toti, dar citeva texte afisate recent merita recomandari speciale:

  • “Won’t Believe the Hype” (Word)
    Bryan Proffitt outlines the ongoing struggle against sexual violence.
  • “Men As Partners In Primary Sexual Violence Prevention” (Word)
    Brad Perry explores the work of male allies in primary prevention with sexual assault crisis centers.
  • “Changing Men: Best practice in sexual violence education” (PDF)
    A review of what works and doesn’t work in violence prevention education with men, focused on educational strategies which are face-to-face.
  • What men can do to stop sexism and male violence (Word)
    A collection of lists and guides, compiled by Michael Flood.
  • “Gay Patriarchy” (PDF)
    Gay men didn’t escape patriarchal male conditioning.
  • “Feminist. Man. Feminist man.” (Word)
    By Alankaar Sharma.
  • “An Open Letter to Gentlemen” (Word)
    On behalf of feminists, Erica Little-Heron offers some simple truths for men.