Jezebel: Activism

What Does It Mean To Protest Like A Girl?

Erin Gloria Ryan — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:40:00 EDT

Depending on who you ask, Occupy Wall Street is either the inevitable outpouring populist outrage resulting from decades of corporate greed and abuse or a goalless collection of spoiled unemployed hippie sex fiends who just want to complain about something. Regardless of what you think about the protesters, the cause has grown from one mid-September march to a bona fide movement in dozens of cities. With voices from the far right claiming that the people protesting abuse of power by white men are mostly other white men, how are women in the movement making sure their voices aren't drowned out? More »

When You Drag The Butter Cow Into It, You've Crossed A Line

Anna North — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EDT

A group of animal rights activists broke into the refrigerated room housing the Iowa State Fair's butter cow sculpture on Sunday morning, and hung a small sign on it that read "Go Vegan." They explained in a statement, More »

International Women's Day: What You Can Do

Sadie Stein — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:35:00 EST

Today marks the 100th International Women's Day. Here, some of the many events to help you get involved — today and the other 364. More »

Is Undercover Police Sex Abuse?

Irin Carmon — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:06:16 EST

About 35 women protested today in front of London police headquarters, targeting undercover police officers who had sex with women in the left-wing groups they were infiltrating. "These women were not able to give informed sexual consent," said a protester. More »

The UK Campaign Against Street Harassment

Sadie Stein — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

Women in the UK are standing up to street harassment. They're also being told to get over it and learn to take a joke, of course. More »

RAINN Raises Cash, Lobbies For SAFER Act

Nisha Chittal — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:57:00 EST

The Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Registry (SAFER) Act would allocate some $10 million to targeting the rape kit backlog which, in the words of RAINN president Scott Berkowitz, is "a crazy situation." And that's why RAINN is lobbying for it. More »

Protest At Marie Claire's Offices Tomorrow

Sadie Stein — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:10:00 EDT

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Readers outraged by Marie Claire's refusal to issue a proper apology for Maura Kelly's fat-shame screed are taking it to the streets. And making them watch all kinds of people kissing, whether they find it "aesthetically displeasing" or not. More »

Does NiqaBitch Enrich The Burqa Ban Debate?

Fatemeh — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:05:00 EDT

Two self-described web-activists called Niqabitch are making a splash in the French (and European) media landscape. To protest France's burqa ban, they're mixing things up a bit and throwing together a niqab with a miniskirt. More »

"I Will Rip Your Balls Off", Bare My Breasts In Subway

Sadie Stein — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:17:00 EDT

Ukrainian activists Femen strike again! Their bare-breasted message in the Kiev metro was directed at "the rush hour perverts that like to trespass up our skirts and undo their pants." More »

Bullfighting Ban Approved In Catalonia

Katy Kelleher — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:40:00 EDT

Lawmakers in Catalonia voted yesterday to approve a ban on bullfighting, thus becoming the first region in Spain to do so. Conservatives call the ban an "attack on tradition," but the activists won out with their arguments against institutionalized cruelty. More »

Sexual Assault In Congo: Activists Speak Out

Katy Kelleher — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:20:00 EDT

Lisa Shannon became an activist in Africa after watching a moving episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Alice Walker has played a key part in the feminist movement for years. Recently, they shared their thoughts on rape in the Congo. More »

Emma Thompson To Remove Name From Polanski Petition?

Kate Harding — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Those of us who are fans of Emma Thompson but not fans of child rape were disappointed to learn the actress signed Bernard-Henri Lévy's petition to free Roman Polanski. But a Shakesville reader might just have changed Thompson's mind. More »

On Dead-Fetus Pictures & The Pitfalls Of Activism

Anna North — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:40:00 EDT

Graphic images of aborted fetuses have become central to the anti-abortion message. Saturday's Times explored where these images come from, and what they say about not only the anti-abortion movement, but about activism in general. More »

The Vegan Streaker Strikes Again

Sadie Stein — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:20:00 EDT

The notorious "Vegan Streaker" of Amsterdam, famed for crashing a TV set "wearing only string underpants and 'Stop Animal Suffering' on his bare chest" has been arrested on suspicion of planning an attack against fur-wearing Queen Beatrix. [Reuters] More »

Mia Farrow's Hunger Strike Has Not Gone Viral On YouTube

Sadie Stein — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:40:00 EDT

Conscientious readers of the HuffPo will be aware that Mia Farrow has embarked upon a 21-day hunger strike to draw attention to Darfur. Conscientious viewers of YouTube will be more familiar with "Cop Tasers Child!!!" More »

Graffiti "Vigilantes" Create Art, Unease Among Assault Survivors

Sadie Stein — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EDT

A new wave of vigilante feminist art is making some sexual assault survivors angry. More »

You've Been Poked: Facebook As Freedom Fighter

Sadie Stein — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST

It's a far cry from Scrabulous: according to a nifty piece in the upcoming New York Times Magazine, for young Egyptians, Facebook is an agent of political change. More »

Helen Suzman, Anti-Apartheid Activist, Dead At 91

Maria — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

Helen Suzman, a leading anti-apartheid activist and founder of the liberal Progressive Party in South Africa, died peacefully on Thursday in Johannesburg at the impressive age of 91. More »

Day Without A Gay

Maria — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:20:00 EST

Are you going to call in gay tomorrow? Wednesday marks the first "Day Without A Gay," a day for gays, lesbians and their supporters to "call in gay" at work and volunteer for gay causes to heighten the straight community's awareness of gay rights (it is also International Human Rights Day). Film producer David Craig says it is about "placing your rights above your pocketbook" but some are critical of the day. The owner of a sex shop in California says that it is a "misguided effort" considering the state of the economy and that similar efforts in the 1970s didn't produce the desired results. What are you going to do tomorrow: gay or nay? [UPI] More »

Do You Know Where Your Clothes Come From?

Sadie Stein — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST

In researching his new book, Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People That Make Our Clothes author Kelsey Timmerman, who traveled all over the world visiting centers of garment productions, came to one conclusion that, to our ears, sounds shocking: he's not "always opposed" to child labor. As he says in this audio interview for US News & World Report's "Alpha Consumer" column, the issue is a "more complex" one than we care to acknowledge. More »

On October 16, 1916, Margaret Sanger opened...

Sadie Stein — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:20:00 EDT

On October 16, 1916, Margaret Sanger opened America's first birth control clinic in Brooklyn. Within 9 days, the clinic was raided and Sanger was jailed for a month for "maintaining a public nuisance" and flouting the Comstock Act of 1873. Upon release, she reopened the future Planned Parenthood, and was arrested again. Sanger's activism sprang in part from the hypocrisy of wealthy people using illegal birth control while it was unavailable to those who really needed it. While her organization's early "more from the fit, fewer from the unfit" stance is an ugly reflection of the times, Sanger's courage and conviction resulted in an invaluable legacy we can all stand to appreciate right about now. Good "day" trivia, right? [Wired] More »

Designer: "I Was Raped" T-Shirt Intended To Empower

Jessica G. — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Prominent third-wave feminist activist and writer Jennifer Baumgardner (Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism And The Future) made a splash three years ago when she distributed a controversial t-shirt that had, writ large on the front: "I Had An Abortion," and was worn by Gloria Steinem, Ani DiFranco, and countless women's studies majors and Take Back the Night attendees. Baumgardner is making headlines again today with a new tee, one that says "raped" on it. The letters are smaller this time — it's a pale pink shirt with an illustration of a safe, and inside the safe is a note emblazoned with the words "I was raped" — but the spirit of provocation remains the same. "By having an object like this," Baumgardner explains to the New York Times, "that's so mundane, it sort of forces [rape] into everyday conversation." More »

Will Britney Grovel for America's Forgiveness? Should She?

amparry — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:00:00 EDT

Rumors are flying that Britney Spears might appear on Sunday's Emmy Awards to apologize for her performance at the VMAs. WTF? What does she have to apologize for? She gave a shitty performance, she didn't go on a racist tirade or run over a crowd of schoolchildren. Britney, babe, don't let those assholes convince you to humiliate yourself even more for their ratings pleasure. Go home, take a shower, and play with your kids. [US Weekly]

Scary Form of Crotch Rot Makes a Comeback

amparry — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:40:00 EDT

The STD of yore, syphilis, is back, baby, and on the rise in New York City! This obviously has nothing to do with Zach Braff being in town all summer. [NY Times]