SlutWalk NYC 2011

“NO ONE has the right to touch you without your consent!” is what thousands of people chanted down the streets of Union Square in New York on October 1st.

On January 24, 2011, a Toronto Police Representative stated, “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not be victimized.” This comment sparked a fuse in the minds of five womyn who decided enough was enough; they sought to seek accountability and speak out against the constant victim blaming associated with sexual assault. Now, womyn all over the world are using their freedom of expression to speak against the ignorance of society.

More than 3,000 people marched and rallied in efforts to be heard in the NYC SlutWalk. Womyn, some top-less, and men walked around displaying signs with powerful messages. SlutWalk supporters stressed messages such as teaching men not to rape and teaching womyn not to be silenced because of shame.

According to The National Center for Victims of Crime, in 2006, research found that rape victims accompanied by an advocate were more likely to have police reports filed and to be treated less negatively by police officials. A survey taken by approximately 9,700 people found that 10.6% of womyn and 2.1% of men reported experiencing forced sex sometime in their lives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

 “SlutWalk is a worldwide grassroots movement challenging rape culture, victim blaming, and slut shaming, and working to end sexual and domestic violence.” SlutWalk also takes place internationally in countries such as: Argentina, Chile, Denmark, Australia, France, and the UK.

(Information courtesy of http://www.slutwalknyc.com/, http://www.slutwalktoronto.com/)

Visit the sites listed for extra coverage from the walk and to SUPPORT!

"Mini skirts don't= yes!" "Real men don't rape!"

"The future will be ashamed of our rape culture"

 (Photo(s) Source: My sister and her iPod)

 

 

 

Brief Overview(s)…

"Neither saints, nor sluts, just women."

You may be asking yourself why “womyn” is spelled as it is. Allow me to explain.

Thought to have first appeared in the early 1970s, the word “womyn,” most widely used within feminist literature was presented as a variation to the spelling of the word woman. It has continued to be used as an expression of female independence. Dictionary.com defines it as “an alternative spelling to avoid the suggestion of sexism perceived in the sequence m-e-n.”  There are other alternative spellings to the word woman, including: wimmin, wom!n, and womban.

This brings me to my next topic of brief overview: feminism. The word feminist, when proclaimed by a womyn, is usually met with the misconception of a bitter, lesbian, man- hater. False.  Feminists come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and orientations. Men can be feminists too!

As described by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, feminism is an “intellectual commitment and a political movement that seeks justice for women and the end of sexism in all forms.” Feminism deals with a variety of topics: popular culture, human rights, the body, sex work, race and racism, sexuality, class and work, etc.

There isn’t much of an agreement on when feminism started. As a sort of political movement, it is said that feminism links to women’s activism from the late 19th century in the United States and Europe. Countries and people hold different beliefs for when feminism started, or if such a date exists, being that feminism can manifest in various ways that may not be documented in history. Many think to separate feminism into either a political movement or a belief but I believe it is both. In my opinion, feminism is a anti- sexism movement and a belief that seeks to achieve social justice and liberate womyn from oppression.

I hope these brief overviews gave you a clue of what to expect from this blog. Comments and questions are appreciated.