Maryam Namazie

Tags: Bangladesh Bloggers

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Apr 22 2013

My Right, Woman’s Right

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From Fitnah – Movement for Women’s Liberation
Here is some interesting footage of women in Iran at a football stadium. The regime’s female security is warning women to behave via loudspeakers and telling them to stop dancing and shouting slogans.

As is the case in Iran, even attending a football match becomes political.

Women continue shouting slogans, including:

My Right, Woman’s Right: Half of Freedom
(Hagh e Man, Haghe Zan: Neemy az Azadi)

Entry to a Stadium is our Inalienable Right
(Vurud be Stadium, Hagh e Mosalam e Mast)

At the end of the footage, one woman says: “They keep telling us don’t behave this way, don’t give slogans, don’t do this and don’t do that. Men can do what they want… their rules and restrictions are for women only.”

Tags: Fitnah, Iran, women

Apr 22 2013

Support “red-clothed” women of Marivan

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You can see a video of it here.

Fitna – Movement for Women’s Liberation
Press Release

marivan

On Monday 15 April 2013, the Islamic regime of Iran’s security forces paraded a man dressed in women’s clothing and a hejab on the streets of Marivan, Iranian Kurdistan in order to punish and humiliate him. A judge had sentenced three men from two feuding families to be “humiliated” by wearing women’s clothing in public.

The regime’s anti-women laws mean that women are seen to be the source of fitnah, corruption and harm; the greatest humiliation that can be bestowed on a man is to have him dressed as a woman!

On Tuesday, red-clothed women started a protest and called on others to join. 400 men and women joined in a march throughout the city. The police arrested some of the protesters; all of whom were subsequently released.

On Friday 19 April, there was another public protest, in which there were banners saying:

“Being a woman is not a source of humiliation or punishment”.

Many of the protesting women are wearing red. The protests are gaining prominence in Iran and elsewhere.

On Monday 21 April, there was a gathering in Iraqi Kurdistan is support of this move. Petitions are being circulated in towns and villages in Iran in support of the “red-clothed” women.

menmarivan

Also, over the past few days, men from the region and abroad have begun to publish photos of themselves wearing women’s clothing as a form of protest and declaring that being a woman is not shameful.

As Maryam, one of the campaigners from Marivan, Iran says:

“Our protest is against misogyny and the humiliation of women but also against parading men in this way and the humiliation of human dignity. We ask the people of the world to support and defend us”.

Fitnah-Movement for Women’s Liberation wholeheartedly defends this protest, has initiated a campaign in their defence, and is calling for 27 April 2013 to be an international day to defend the “red-clothed” women of Marivan.

For more information, contact:
Mina Ahadi, +49 (0) 1775692413
Keyvan Javid: +44 (0) 7861476869
Maryam Namazie: +44 (0) 7719166731
BM Box 1919, London WC1N 3XX, UK
Email: [email protected]
Blog: http://fitnahmovement.blogspot.co.uk

Tags: Fitnah, Marivan, red-clothed, women

Apr 19 2013

Fitnah! Movement for Women’s Liberation

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To join Fitnah – Movement for Women’s Liberation, visit here.

Today, we establish Fitnah – Movement for Women’s Liberation.

Fitnah is a protest movement demanding freedom, equality, and secularism and calling for an end to misogynist cultural, religious and moral laws and customs, compulsory veiling, sex apartheid, sex trafficking, and violence against women.

We remind the Islamic regime of Iran and Islamists everywhere that the women’s liberation movement is a source of fitnah for their rule alone.

We are Islamism’s worst fitnah!

Click ‘like’ on our Facebook page.

Signed

Abdol Golparian, Labour Activist, Finland
Adam Lee, Blogger, Daylight Atheism, USA
Afsaneh Vahdat, Coordinator, International Campaign for Women’s Rights in Iran, Sweden
Amanda Brown, We are Atheism, Atheism Resource and Atheists Giving Aid, USA
Amina Tyler, FEMEN Tunisia, Tunisia
Amir Ilkhanzadeh, Communist Youth Organization, Iran
Annie Sugier, President, Ligue du Droit International des Femmes, France
Armin Navabi, Founder, Atheist Republic, Canada
August Berkshire, Atheist Speaker and Activist, Past Vice President of Atheist Alliance International, USA
Avijit Roy, Founding Moderator, Mukto-Mona, Science Writer and Activist, Bangladesh Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Fitnah, Women's Liberation

9 comments

Apr 19 2013

فتنه

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برای امضای این بیانیه و پیوستن به این جنبش می توانید به لینك زیر مراجعه كنید

بیانیه اعلام موجودیت

از نظر همه مذاهب، اسلام وحكومت های اسلامی زنان منبع فتنه تلقی میشوند.

امروز و به این وسیله ما آغاز به فعالیت “فتنه – جنبش برای رهائی زن” را اعلام می كنیم.

فتنه یک حرکت اعتراضی است در دفاع از آزادی، برابری و سكولاریسم و علیه:

- قوانین و سنتهای ضد زن در همه جوامع

- زن ستیزی مذهبی و بویژه قوانین شریعه و تعرض نیروهای اسلامی به حقوق و حرمت زن

- خشونت نسبت به زنان

- تابوها و تعصبات فکری و فرهنگی و اخلاقی و مذهبی علیه زنان

- بردگی جنسی زن.تجارت زنان و دختران توسط باند ها و مافیای سكس

- حجاب اجباری و آپارتاید جنسی

جنبش برای رهائی زن بویژه “فتنه” ای است علیه حکومت اسلامی ضد زن در ایران و علیه همه جریانات اسلامی در همه جا!

ما همه مبارزین برای آزادی و رهائی زن را به حمایت فعال از این حرکت فرا میخوانیم!

امضاها:

۱- آدام له وبلاگ نویس ٬ آتیسم در روز روشن٬ آمریکا

۲- آماندا براون٬ ما آتیسم هستیم٬ منافع و حمایتهای آتئیسم٬ آمریکا

۳- آمینا تایلر٬ فمن – تونس

۴- آنی سوگیر٬ مسئول نهاد بین المللی حقوق زنان– فرانسه

۵- آرمین نوابی ٬ موسس جمهوری آتیستی – کانادا

۶- آگوستو برکشیر سخنگو و فعال آتیسم ٬ معاون قبلی رئیس جبهه انترناسیونال آتئیستی – امریکا

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Farsi, Fitna, Fitnah, Women's Liberation

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Apr 16 2013

Hands off our freethinkers!

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Celebrated Turkish pianist and atheist Fazil Say has been given a 10-month suspended sentence for Twitter comments “insulting Islam”. He will face imprisonment if he “re-offends” and has shut down his Twitter account.

His Tweets included a verse from a poem by Omar Khayyám in which the 11th-century Persian poet attacks pious hypocrisy: “You say rivers of wine flow in heaven, is heaven a tavern to you? You say two huris [companions] await each believer there, is heaven a brothel to you?” In other Tweets, he made fun of a call to prayer that lasted only 22 seconds. Say tweeted: “Why such haste? Have you got a mistress waiting or a raki on the table?”

Emre Bukagili, a “citizen” (read Islamist) who filed the initial complaint against Say, said that the musician had used “a disrespectful, offensive and impertinent tone toward religious concepts such as heaven and the call to prayer.”

In other news, Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin who has faced numerous threats to her life has also been dragged into an Indian court and prevented from leaving the country by an Islamist because her Tweet on Muslim women “hurt his religious sentiments”.

Her Tweet?

“Muslim women deserve to have sex with 72 virgin men on the earth as they won’t get these things in heaven.”

And of course everyone knows about the threats of death against atheist, secularist and freethinking Bangladeshi bloggers. Islamists have called for the execution of 84.

Rather than arresting the Islamists, the Bangladeshi government has arrested four bloggers, namely Subrata Adhikari Shuvo, Mashiur Rahman Biplob, Rasel Parvez, and Asif Mohiuddin, who was brutally attacked in January. The four are still in detention and their bail applications refused. In the meantime, two more have been arrested from another district, one for ‘liking’ a Facebook page, the other for liking his ‘like’! There are reports that the government is now planning to arrest 7 or 11 more bloggers, An International Day to Defend Bangladesh’s bloggers has been called in order to stand with and support them.

Of course many Muslims also face attacks from Islamists and their supporters for questioning and challenging the status quo.

Canadian Muslim art student Sooraya Graham is one such case. She has had to leave her university and city of residence due to threats following an art work on women and the niqab.

As I have said many times, no society is homogeneous. Those who try to muzzle our freethinkers by claiming “offence” forget that we too are offended daily by their medievalism and barbarity. But freedom of expression does not include the right not to be offended.

Rather than being a question of offence, however, such charges and threats are further attempts at silencing criticism of Islam and/or Islamism by the powers that be.

Despite the threats, what is becoming very clear is that nothing will stop this wave of dissent.

Hands off and long live our freethinkers!

Tags: Bangaldeshi Bloggers, Taslima Nasrin

5 comments

Apr 16 2013

Amina: “I will continue the struggle in Tunisia”

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Amina’s first talk with FEMEN’s Inna Shevchenko after her escape from detention. Amina was kidnapped, denied contact with friends and FEMEN, beaten, taken to a psychiatrist, drugged, forced to read the Koran and taken to imams though she is an atheist, taught “morals”, given a virginity test… all because she posted a topless photo of herself with the slogan “my body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honour” and “fuck your morals”.

Amina says she will not leave Tunisia until she does another topless action; she will continue the struggle…

And we will stand with her.

Here is the wonderful Amina:

Long Live Amina!

***

Congratulations to all those who defended Amina on the International Day to Defend Amina and shame on those who chose to side with Islam and Islamism.

Freedom is my culture.

Tags: Amina, FEMEN, Tunisia

3 comments

Apr 15 2013

Defend Bangladeshi Bloggers, Events, Ex-Muslims in Morocco and More

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Hello

We are writing to give you an update on some important actions and events.

25 APRIL: INTERNATIONAL DAY TO DEFEND BANGLADESHI BLOGGERS

The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and others have called for 25 April to be an international day to defend Bangladesh’s bloggers and activists. Please spread the word, sign this petition today, and stand with and for Bangladeshi freethinkers.

As you may know, in January, 29 year old blogger Asif Mohiuddin was stabbed. In February, 35 year old atheist blogger involved in the Shahbag protests, Ahmed Rajib, was brutally killed. Islamists continue to threaten prominent bloggers and have called for the “execution of 84 atheist bloggers for insulting religion”. Rather than prosecute the Islamists, the government has arrested some bloggers and shut down blogs and sites.

We unequivocally condemn the attacks on and threats against atheist, secularist and freethinking bloggers and call on the Bangladeshi government to guarantee their safety, respect free expression and prosecute Islamists who threaten, attack and harm critics.

On 25 April, we urge groups and individuals to rally at Bangladeshi embassies, contact members of parliament in their countries of residence, highlight the situation, write protest letters, carry out acts of solidarity, Tweet #Bangladesh #Bloggers and more.

You can find more information here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Please don’t forget about our upcoming events and join us:

On 15 June, we will celebrate the CEMB’s sixth anniversary at a luncheon with keynote speaker Kenan Malik. Other speakers/acts include comedian Kate Smurthwaite and CEMB Spokesperson Maryam Namazie. The luncheon starts at 12pm for 1230pm start at a central London location.

Book your tickets today. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bangladesh, bloggers, CEMB, ex-muslim, Morocco

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Apr 13 2013

In defence of nude protest: freedom is my culture

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News Flash: 15 April 2013: There are reports that Amina has escaped from her detention but is still not fully safe or free. We await the day she is free and safe – hopefully soon. More information here.

13 April 2013: Today, FEMEN activists stormed a conference at which Tunisian president Marzouki was speaking at in Paris shouting “Free Amina”. They also chanted: “Who killed Chokri Belaid?” We continue to demand the freedom and safety of 19 year old Tunisian FEMEN activist Amina who is being detained by her family after receiving death threats for posting a topless photo of herself. Below is my response to criticism of topless activism in support of Amina:

****

The International day to defend 19 year old Tunisian FEMEN activist Amina was not “racism”, “colonialism”, or “cultural imperialism” as some have said.

It was just good old fashioned human solidarity – across borders and boundaries (many of them constructed).

Those who say otherwise have bought into the culturally-relativist notion that societies in the Middle East and North Africa (and even the “Muslim community” in the west) are “Islamic” and “conservative”.

Whilst those in power determine the dominant culture, there is no one homogeneous culture anywhere.

Those who consider nude protest as “foreign” and “culturally inappropriate” are only considering Islamism’s sensibilities and values, not that of the many who resist.

Clearly, in the same way that there are opponents of nude protest and supporters of the veil in the “west”, there are also supporters of nude protest and opponents of the veil in the “east”.

This shouldn’t be surprising. A large young population in many countries of the Middle East and North Africa brings with it challenges to the status quo as does the recent women-led revolutions and the backlash against Islamism. When one is faced with an Islamic movement that considers you to be worth half of a man and demands that you be bound, gagged, veiled, and segregated, then nudity becomes an important form of resistance and dissent as well as solidarity. Islamists want us covered up, hidden, and not seen and not heard; we refuse to comply.

Those who claim outrage at our nudity on behalf of all “Muslim women” are merely attempting to conflate Islamist with “Muslim” (who comprise of innumerable people with countless characteristics). They do it so that Islamism can feign representation, restrict dissent, and prescribe the limits of “acceptable” expression.

But no one speaks for everyone.

Amina speaks for me and us, and for a new women’s liberation movement that is confronting misogyny head on. It’s a movement where nudity is seen to be an important challenge to the veil and Islamism. And “Islamic feminists” speak for their movement; for the abomination that is Sharia law, gender apartheid, and the veil. They are deafeningly silent on the death fatwa against Amina and countless others. And they are more concerned with defending Islamism and Islam, than defending women’s rights and equality. One such critic of the nude protests, Shohana Khan, who is described as a “London based freelance writer” in the Huffington Post, is in fact the deputy media representative of Hizb ut Tahrir, a far-Right Islamist organisation. Another “journalist”, Yvonne Ridley, has worked for Press TV, the propaganda arm of the Islamic regime of Iran and is a patron of an Islamist-front organisation called Cage Prisoners.

The nude protest in support of Amina has nothing to do with “cultural imperialists” patronisingly “rescuing Muslim women” anymore than the fight for women’s suffrage was a rescue attempt and a form of cultural imperialism (after all the idea was “foreign” to begin with).

Only those who see their rights and lives as separate and different from those deemed “other” and who have bought into (or are selling) Islamism’s narrative can see solidarity and the demand for equality in this warped way. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Amina, Islamism, nude protest, Racism

12 comments

Apr 11 2013

On 25 April 2013 we stand with Bangladeshi bloggers and activists!

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In January, 29 year old blogger Asif Mohiuddin was stabbed. In February, 35 year old atheist blogger involved in the Shahbag protests, Ahmed Rajib, was brutally killed. Islamists continue to threaten prominent bloggers and have called for the “execution of 84 atheist bloggers for insulting religion”.

Rather than defend freedom of expression and protect freethinkers, the Bangladeshi government has arrested several bloggers, promised to pursue others, and shut down websites and blogs.

We, the undersigned, call for 25 April to be an international day to defend Bangladesh’s bloggers and activists. On this day, we urge groups and individuals to rally at Bangladeshi embassies, contact members of parliament in their countries of residence, highlight the situation, write protest letters, carry out acts of solidarity, Tweet #Bangladesh #Bloggers, and sign this petition.

Freedom of expression, including to criticise Islam and Islamism as well as to blaspheme, is a basic right.

Signed (organisations mentioned also endorse the day of action): Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Bangladesh, bloggers, Islamism

32 comments

Apr 07 2013

You must use the word Islamist!

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The AP has revised its stylebook to no longer include the term Islamist. They explain why:

Islamist” is frequently used as a label for conservative Islamic political movements, particularly Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, the group’s Palestinian offshoot. It generally carries a negative connotation.

Has the AP thought that maybe it carries a negative connotation because fascistic movements – religious or otherwise – generally do?

The disgusting Council on American-Islamic Relations which has previously lobbied AP to drop the term because they say it ”has become shorthand for ‘Muslims we don’t like’” and “is currently used in an almost exclusively pejorative context” is elated:

We believe this revision is a step in the right direction and will result in fewer negative generalizations in coverage of issues related to Islam and Muslims.

Of course Islamists and their lackeys will often interchange and conflate Islam, Muslim and Islamist in order to feign representation and to save Islam and Islamism by equating any criticism as racism and an attack on people. But Islam as a belief and Islamism as a far-Right political movement cannot be off limits to criticism.

Even if the AP drops the term by accepting the Islamist narrative and capitulating to it, we refuse.

As an aside, AP has also dropped using the term “illegal immigrant”, which is a good thing. No human being is illegal. They might be undocumented but they are not illegal. Human beings are more than their immigration status.

AP, see the difference? One is about real live human beings; the other is a far-Right political movement.

If Islamism is so concerned about negative generalisations, it can start by ending its very indiscriminate murder and mayhem.

(News via Terry Sanderson)

Tags: AP, Islam, Islamism

17 comments

Apr 05 2013

Yaay! Saudi Arabia lifts ban on female cyclists

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Yaay!

There are reports that Saudi Arabia lifted a ban on female cyclists!

A Saudi daily cited an unnamed official as saying women can now ride bikes in parks and recreational areas but must wear a full-body abaya, be accompanied by a male relative, and stay within certain areas. They are allowed to bike for recreational purposes only, not as a primary mode of transportation.

So no, not really… Unless of course you want to go out like this:

(Via Tarek Fatah)

Tags: cycling, saudi Arabia, women

16 comments

Apr 05 2013

Today is our day to defend our Amina

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Read the rest of this entry »

Updated 5 April, 22:00 hours

April 4 was our day to defend our Amina. The 19 year old Tunisian FEMEN activist whose only “crime” was to post a topless photo of herself saying: “my body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honour” and “fuck your morals”.

Whilst she has done nothing wrong, she has been effectively detained incommunicado by her family with the help of the police, and the latest reports say she has been drugged and beaten.

Amina says though that she has no regrets.

Our beloved Amina, this day is for you…

Some of the actions taken and statements made in support of Amina have been posted below.

On 4 April, there were actions in Berlin, Bonn, Bremen, Brussels, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Kiev, London, Malmo, Milan, Montreal, Paris, Rio De Janeiro, San Francisco, Stockholm, Vancouver, Warsaw and more to mark 4 April, the International Day to Defend Amina. You can see reports and photos from various events here as well as below:
A committee made up of Mina Ahadi, Nesan Nodinian, Gaby Schmidt, Eduard Von and Ahmad Rahmani met with the head of the Tunisian Consulate in Bonn to raise the demands of the International Day to Defend Amina.
Here are some photos from the Gothenburg protest:
Here is a television report and photos from Stockholm protest. Also another piece on Stockholm protest and here too. There are more photos on this site:
Here is a photo of the protest in Vancouver:
Here are photos from Frankfurt protest:

Tags: Amina, FEMEN, Tunisia

41 comments

Apr 04 2013

You just don’t get it!

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A group of women have set up a Facebook page called Muslim women against FEMEN…. Muslimah Pride Day.

They just don’t get it (or obviously choose not to).

On a day that has been set aside to defend a 19 year old woman who has been threatened by an Islamist with death by stoning, detained, drugged and restricted from communicating with her friends and FEMEN all for merely for expressing herself, they choose to mark the day by calling on women to oppose FEMEN and to veil.

As I have said before, nudity is the antithesis of veiling. Also it is clear that you cannot defend women’s rights and defend Islam and Islamism at the same time. You have to choose. FEMEN and we have chosen to side with women’s rights and equality; they have chose to side with the veil, Islam and Islamism no matter what it does to those who do not submit.

Long Live Amina!

Tags: Amina, Islam, veil

28 comments

Apr 03 2013

For Amina: My Body Against Political Islam. No Sharia.

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Tags: 4 April, Amina, Islamism, Maryam Namazie

16 comments

Apr 03 2013

On 4 April, we will breast them!

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On 4th April, actions will be held in Berlin, Bonn, Bremen, Brussels, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Kiev, London, Malmo, Milan, Montreal, Paris, Rio De Janeiro, San Francisco, Stockholm, Vancouver, Warsaw and more to mark 4 April, the International Day to Defend Amina. (See actions listed below.)

These actions along with countless other activities including posting topless photos, writing letters of protest to the Tunisian government, and Tweeting #Amina will aim to stand with 19 year old Tunisian and FEMEN activist, Amina, who has been threatened to death for posting a topless photo of herself in support of women’s rights. Amina has since disappeared and is being held by her family against her will.

Many have already taken a stand in her defence. Over 106,000 people have signed a petition and a large number have posted topless photos in her defence.

In the last interview she gave before she was kidnapped, she said women in Tunisia are ready for change: “That women have reached the height of self-determination: we no longer obey any authority, neither family nor religious. We know what we want and we make our own decisions.”

This is the wonderful woman we stand up for and with on 4^th April to call for her freedom and safety and demand the prosecution of those who threaten and detain her.

Islamist cleric Adel Almi called for Amina’s flogging and stoning to death because he said Amina’s revolutionary actions would bring misfortune by causing “epidemics and disasters” and “could be contagious and give ideas to other women…”

On 4 April 2013 – International Day to Defend Amina – we will remind him, the Islamists and the world that the real epidemic and disaster that must be challenged is misogyny – Islamic or otherwise.

On 4 April we will breast them! Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 4th April, Amina, International Day to Defend Amina, Islamism

Apr 02 2013

Why an International Day to Defend Amina?

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Below is a compilation of questions I have been responding to on 4 April for various journalists:

Why an International Day to Defend Amina?

When I heard that 19 year old Tunisian Amina had been threatened with death for posting a topless photo of herself bearing the slogan “my body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honour”, I knew we had to act.

Within 24 hours, a number of well known individuals and groups joined in a call to mark 4 April as an International Day to Defend Amina – both to unequivocally defend her and demand her safety and freedom whilst also demanding the prosecution of the Islamist who threatened her. Whilst Amina had done nothing wrong, the police aided her family in detaining her against her will and stopping all forms of communication with her friends and FEMEN rather than prosecuting those who detained and threatened her. She is still being held against her will and did not turn up at school this Monday as she was meant to. In a rare interview with a journalist, she said she was stressed but had no regrets.

In the last interview she gave before she was effectively kidnapped, she said women in Tunisia are ready for change:

“That women have reached the height of self-determination: we no longer obey any authority, neither family nor religious. We know what we want and we make our own decisions.”

This is the wonderful woman we stand up for and with on 4 April.

Signatories to the call include: Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Egyptian Nude Photo Revolutionary; Caroline Fourest, Writer and Journalist; most recent film: “Our Breasts; Our Arms”; Darina Al-Joundi, Lebanese Actress and Author of “The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing”; Deeyah, Music Composer and Filmmaker; most recent film “Banaz: A Love Story” about an honour killing; Elia Tabesh, Iranian Women in Support of Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar; Inna Shevchenko, FEMEN Spokesperson; Kareem Amer, Egyptian Blogger; Kian Azar, Communist Youth Organisation; Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist and founder of Secularism is a Women’s Issue; Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson of International Committee against Stoning and International Committee against Execution; Nadia El-Fani, Tunisian Filmmaker; most recent films “Neither Allah nor Master” and “Our Breasts; Our Arms”; Richard Dawkins, Scientist; Safia Lebdi, Co-founder of Neither Whores nor Submissives; and Taslima Nasrin, Bangladeshi Writer.

Are nudity and Islam completely incompatible? Do you see a time in which women in North Africa and the Middle East will be more free to show their bodies? How do you see what she did in a country like Tunisia?

All religions have a disturbing view of the female body. Islam is no different. The perfect woman under Islam is invisible. Islam is only worse in many ways because of its access to political power via the far-Right Islamic movement. Sharia law and Islamic states legislate and impose misogyny and perpetrate the debased view of women.

Women in North Africa and the Middle East will be freer the more Islam is relegated to a private affair and Islamism is pushed back from the public space. Actions like Amina’s help to challenge Islamism at its very core.

Islamism’s obsession with women’s bodies and its insistence that women be veiled, bound, and gagged means that nudity breaks taboos and is an important form of resistance.

Nudity is the antithesis of veiling. Of course it is not the only way to resist Islamism and the veil but it is a very modern way of doing so. Islamists want us covered up, hidden, and not seen and not heard; we refuse to comply.

But nudity is not just a protest against Islamism and religious misogyny. It is fundamentally a protest against discrimination, the commodification of women, and the religious and chauvinistic culture built upon it – which is why it is on the increase and has been a part of the women’s liberation movement for some time.

Commodification relies on an objectified image that is separate from the reality of women’s bodies, minds and lives. This image is used to regulate, control and suppress. And this is what religion and pornography share, albeit in different forms. The actuality and frankness of women’s bodies as a form of protest challenges and upsets both.

Nudity is deeply humanising and revolutionary because it challenges the religious/pornographic view of women’s bodies and reclaims a tool used for women’s suppression. Nudity outrages and offends because of this very challenge. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: 4 April, Amina, FEMEN, nudity, Tunisia

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Apr 02 2013

I have no regrets

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19 year old Tunisia Amina who bared her breasts against Islamism recently managed to tell a journalist that she has no regrets for her topless act.

Though she was meant to be back at school on Monday, she was not there and continues to be held by her family against her will and prevented from contacting friends and FEMEN.

In the last interview she gave before she was kidnapped, she says women in Tunisia are ready for change:

That women have reached the height of self-determination: we no longer obey any authority, neither family nor religious. We know what we want and we make our own decisions.

This is the wonderful woman we stand up for and with on 4 April, the International Day to Defend Amina.

Free Amina.

She represents me and us.

(News on Amina via Caroline Fourest).

(Photo by Cristina Mastrandrea. You can see more of her photos of Amina here.)

Tags: Amina, April 4, International Day to Defend Amina

5 comments

Apr 02 2013

We have changed with the revolution and will not go backwards

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34 year old Egyptian female cartoonist, Dooa Eladl who calls herself a Muslim anarchist is facing blasphemy charges for her political cartoons that poke fun of Islamists.

“The extremists don’t scare me,” she insists. “Whatever they do, I will continue to use my skills to poke fun at them. They must understand that we Egyptians have changed with the revolution, and we will not go backwards.”

Here are some of her brilliant cartoons:

One against FGM: Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Dooa Eladl, Egypt, Islamist