There is this news: bare breasted women standing against women oppression. Amina Tyler and FEMEN sparked a new debate in the international community when this Tunisian girl Amina, being a FEMEN activist, posted her topless photos on her facebook page against misogyny. Starting from three girls 6 years ago, the girls have been joining them from all over the world, especially during last few months. After the uproar created by Aalia Al-Mahdy of Egypt, Amina has started a new episode of uproar and debate on the methods and forms of activism and protests. Golshifteh Frahani of Iran and Veena Malik of Pakistan spurred similar responses. Not to forget Manal Sharif from Saudi Arabia who was arrested just to dare taking a picture (of course covered) behind wheel in protest to the law against driving of women there.
Tunisia is a country where minister of women affairs defends the nursery where a 3 years old girl was repeatedly raped by the caretaker. The Minister Sihem Badi shifted the blame to the family of the toddler instead and hinted that the caretaker will not be punished, after his arrest few days ago.
Showing the glimpses of women oppression from all of the world, Laura Bates runs a project “The Everyday Sexism”, where more than 25000 women from all over the world have submitted their stories. She recently wrote an article (Thanks to Anila Athar for the share) where she told a few stories in a paragraph,
“When the project was launched, with no funding or publicity, I thought it might provide a talking point for my friends and hoped that some of them might have stories to share. I hoped to gather 100 women's stories, if I was lucky. Instead, it spread like wildfire, as more and more women began to add their experiences – women of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the world. A seven-year-old disabled girl and a 74-year-old wheelchair user recorded almost identical experiences of shouted jibes about "female drivers". A video-shop cashier, a midwife and a marketing consultant suffered indistinguishable experiences of sexual assault by senior male colleagues.
A schoolgirl and a widow reported being pressured and pestered for sex. A reverend in the Church of England was repeatedly asked if there was a man available to perform the wedding or funeral service: "nothing personal". A man was congratulated for "babysitting" his own children. A 14-year-old schoolgirl wrote: "I am constantly told I can't be good at things because I'm a girl. That I need to get back in the kitchen. That all I'm good for is cleaning, cooking, and blowjobs." A DJ explained how constant harassment and groping had made her dread the job she once loved.
A girl in Pakistan described hiding sexual abuse for the sake of "family honour". A woman in Brazil was harassed by three men who tried to drag her into their car when she ignored them. In Germany, a woman had her crotch and bottom groped so frequently she described it as "the norm". In Mexico, a university student was told by her professor: "Calladita te ves mas bonita" (you look prettier when you shut up). In Israel, a teacher with a master's degree who speaks six languages was told she "wasn't a good enough homemaker for my future husband". In France, a man exposed himself to 12- and 16-year-old sisters as they tried to picnic in a public park. On a bus in India, a woman was too afraid to report the man pressing his erect penis into her back.”
The miserable condition of women in Middle East is not a secret anymore. Where for example, in Saudi Arabia, they are thankfully allowed to vote and to drive last year, while allowed cycling a few days ago.
This is what led to this war of sextremism, as called by FEMEN, in which they either appear topless as a protest during some event (April 9th attack on Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel’s ambush by FEMEN activists in Hanover against “dictatorship, homophobia and theocracy” and om President of Tunisia, Moncef Marzouki, during his visit to Paris demanding release of Amina Tyler after her possible forced isolation) or they post their topless pictures on the FEMEN website and facebook page against worldwide misogyny and orthodox patriarchy. It would not be fair to mention blue bra revolution and its reasons here. The enraging image of a girl whose abaya was ripped off by three soldiers in Egypt exposing her bare torso with a blue bra on it. This was the last year's rage.
There are these above new changing shapes of misogyny than those orthodox forms of women oppression that are providing a driving force to change the shape of feminist movements, also incorporating the other forms of women oppression ad provoking people against them. It is this oppression which is making the world hear new stream of slogans, such as My body-My Manifesto, My Body belongs to Me, My nudity is my protest, No to Hijab and Topless Jihad.
But the astonishing factor here is that the forces rising against FEMEN do not only include the natural rivals; Salafists, Islamists, Orthodox Jews and Orthodox Christians - but many liberals and feminists as well.
Liberals are divided into two groups on the support of FEMEN. One group calls the other group anarchist while the second group calls the first one apologist and misogynist. The arguments from the former group (liberals opposing FEMEN), however, seem startling to the other side. To the later group those arguments seem similar to those of the Sheikh Adel Almi who issued religious decree of stoning Amina Tyler to death. According to this side (Supporters of Femen), centuries old patriarchy is being challenged by a creative activism which is quite symbolic. While former are of the view that it is provocative and offensive on the grounds that it hurts the religious sentiments and attacks the cultural norms of societies. Besides, they think these are violent and extremist attacks. Mariam Namzie, an iranian feminist and blogger puts it this way.
"When you are faced with demands that you be bound, gagged, veiled and segregated, then nudity becomes an important form of resistance and dissent as well as solidarity.
In many places - from Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq to even Islamist strongholds in Britain and the West - it is a crime to be an unveiled or improperly veiled woman. In such a situation, nudity is an important way of saying: “Enough! No More!”"
Nevertheless, the noteworthy thing here is that all these protests were not carried out in Middle East or any other Muslim Country where religious symbolism of Hijab is sacred. Neither were these acts brought about any bloodshed or suicide bombing, instead they were symbolic in nature. So it will be a gross exaggeration to call them against Eastern/Middle Eastern culture or violence. However, It can be called a “weird(?)” reaction. Unfortunately, even calling it a reaction will also direct the attentions of the people towards the “action”, which many would feel reluctant to challenge.
Anarchy can not be favoured in any way but it is not anarchy. FEMEN is a slap on the face of misogynists. It is making them rethink their sick and pervert understanding of a woman as an object. During a discussion with a friend on the same issue where he was opposing Femen and their method of activism, the argument presented in the response was that they are not forcing anyone to go nude. They are just showing their anger and are protesting in their own way, showing their own bodies, unlike anarchists who would’ve forced others to do the same. The women sending their pictures from all over the world to FEMEN are also not forced; they are being inspired and motivated. The repression in those societies is showing its colour.
Here is another argument that there is this time to move on from philosophical debates and arguments because patriarchy would never listen to those voices, but such an activism can literally prove to be a nightmare for them. Besides, it will make simpletons to ponder that why this reaction from women, why this uprising? This uproar can make world listen. In addition, sometimes such activism proves more useful than hundreds of books written on feminism, which a common man would hardly bother to read.
There is this great force of rebellion in the opposition to patriarchy and misogyny. Wrongly presumed as violence, this method is rather a symbolic activism. Suicide bombing is violence, rape and misogyny is violence. If a dozen petite girls are posing some danger to established institutions, then there is something seriously wrong with those institutions. Readers may disagree here but it reminds me of Martin Luther King Jr.
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