humanrights - Jezebel

posts about #humanrights more →
Zimbabwean Women Receive Award For Human Rights Campaign
Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
When A Fashionista Turns On Fashion
Not Yet Rain: Ethiopian Women Struggle To Obtain Abortions

Partying For Sex Workers Rights

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Cimorene
11/23/09

In reply to Zimbabwean Women Receive Award For Human Rights Campaign
Why should you leave medications at home when you are preparing to be arrested? I understand leaving your kids in responsible hands, but I don't understand the medications thing.

Also, these women sound like the type of person I would like to be, but know that I will never be as strong or courageous as that. Awe-inspiring, truly.
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Zombie Ms. Skittles
11/23/09

In reply to Zimbabwean Women Receive Award For Human Rights Campaign
Those are some incredibly ass kicking ladies.
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englishbreakfasttasteslikedarjeeling
08/24/09

In reply to Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
this practice should be looked at with as similar of hate as genital mutilation.
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CherriSpryte
08/25/09

@englishbreakfasttasteslikedarj...: I know next to nothing about this practice, but I have to ask - really? Is the death rate as high? Are as many women affected? Are the side effects from this comparable to those of FGM? I'm honestly asking, and please prove me wrong, but I don't see how this compares to genital mutilation. I'm not saying this isn't a problem, and it is definitely a practice that should be stopped (especially if its done to please tourists), but your comparison seems a bit extreme.
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Lymed
08/24/09

In reply to Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
"The only danger" is that they can't live without the rings? Yes, that is something I would describe as "only danger."
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schweppes
08/24/09

@Lymed: Though there is some evidence that the danger of removing the rings really isn't as grave as people make it out to be. Grey's article repeats the misconception that it's the neck that's being elongated - the WP article rightly describes it as affecting the collarbone - which isn't a real health hazard (lots of instances of women -slowly- removing their rings without any health issues). Not saying it's a great thing or anything like that, but the whole "neck muscles so weak it'll cause you do suffocate" just (as far as I've read) isn't that big of a risk.
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Her Grace
08/25/09

@schweppes: As I have understood it, what happens is the rings slowly push the bones of the clavicle and shoulders down, creating a strong artificial slope. Because the rings are there to obscure where the clavicle ends and the neck begins, we visually perceive everything that is ringed as "neck". Their necks are as long as usual. If the rings come off with care, they are at no risk (and I believe I've heard of some women having rings removed to clean every year or so?).
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Her Grace
08/24/09

In reply to Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
I knew that it was a disappearing practice before the Padaung fled Burma, and that not all girls and women wore rings, but the tidbit about which girls were given rings was interesting. I'll have to do some research of my own to learn more, if I can find anything, about why these girls (if this isn't another bit of urban legend) were chosen specifically.
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colormeroutine
08/24/09

@Her Grace: I was actually just trying to find something about that, and nothing is popping up...
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a_girl_called_toby
08/25/09

@Her Grace: I remember taking a body modification class for my religion minor and these women were discussed. from what i remember it was a tradition that the women elongated their necks so that they would not be "stolen" from their village and so that they could find a good man to marry within their village. now, this info may not be 100% correct, but there was never any mention of only certain girls being chosen for this practice. the teenage girls they interviewed for the video we watched said that they were doing it to find a good husband (and yes they did mention selling handicrafts to tourists). the teenage men mentioned that they would only marry a girl who lengthened their necks. those are the bits and pieces i remember of it
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jooly
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
Who does the stoning? Is it done by executioners, or does the general public do it? I just can't imagine throwing stones at some poor woman until she died. What is wrong with people?
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CatherineSloper
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
"Note: The Muslim pilgrims pictured are stoning a pillar as part of a religious ceremony; they are not participating in an execution."

So why use this photo at all? What does it add to the article or the discussion at hand? For me, this is uncomfortably close to perpetuating the idea that all Muslims are violent and primitive (especially considering the "Heil Hitler" arm positions).
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Pandorasvoicebox
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
How can they do this to someone who just had a CHILD, leaving the poor thing motherless? According to the article, "She persuaded the court that if she returned to the Gulf state she and her child would be subject to capital punishment under Sharia law." Um, so not only does the Saudi government support stoning women for adultery, they also condemn the BABIES?

I give up.
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morninggloria
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
Nothing makes me want to buy a hybrid car like reading about how terrible things are for women in Saudi Arabia.
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howdybeep (runs with monkey wrenches)
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
Sometimes, when I watch Star Trek or read a book with a united-Earth concept, I think about how impossible it is that such a dream will come to fruition. We are living in twenty-first century, where I can beam my thoughts across the internet -- and women like this Saudi princess can be murdered via a crowd casting stone for the crime of having a child out of wedlock.

I despair on days like today.
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Alessar
07/20/09

@howdybeep (runs with monkey wrenches): Well said.
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Pilsu
07/20/09

The article explicitly states that she's married yet conceived a child with another man. Now, death penalty is of course absurd but I would not despair over a person getting punished for a calculated act of betrayal
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formergr
07/20/09

@Pilsu: I'm truly curious-- do you think Americans who cheat on their spouses should also be punished?

You've stated that the death penalty is taking such punishment absurdly too far-- but if that's the case, what punishment do you see as fitting for adultery?
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Edited by formergr at 07/20/09 12:30 PM formergr was starred formergr was unstarred

queenjulie
07/20/09

@Pilsu: You think having consensual sex with someone you aren't married to should be a criminal act? Seriously?
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Pilsu
07/21/09

@formergr: It is a difficult matter. Pain has been deliberately caused so some compensation at the very least seems appropriate. I suppose the easiest way would be to determine whether one party is blatantly to blame for the ensuing divorce and treat the following financial and custody issues in the context of that. I would not entrust children or a large share of the common funds to a betrayer as long as divorce is a valid legal option. I would probably also make the reason behind the divorce available in public records in such cases as fair warning to anyone else intending to wed said person but I suppose that might violate some section of your constitution. Marriage is a powerful legal contract, I do not believe justice is being served if the party breaching it via adultery or worse, cuckolding gets no punishment. I might add some of your states force the husband to pay child support even if DNA evidence proves that he is not related to the child in question. Prenuptial agreements can be made void simply by the judge arbitrarily defining them as "unjust," something which renders them rather impotent to say the least.

Now, I'm not familiar with the Saudi marriage habits or the legality of divorce in the region but as I said, I would not despair over a traitor getting his or her due. The existence of forced marriage and treatment of daughters as property seems like a more appropriate culprit for such feelings. Two wrongs don't really make a right here.

I wonder how the Saudi men feel about forced marriage
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Edited by Pilsu at 07/21/09 4:35 AM Pilsu was starred Pilsu was unstarred

LaFemme
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
Well, it doesn't sound like a great idea to make public deals for the additional reason that it threatens the safety of the woman seeking asylum. I would prefer to see this woman protected, and remain as anonymous as possible, than have her case thrown about in the media as a means of condemning the Saudi government. Especially since she is a royal. The Saud family could feel even more embarassed and therefore more likely to send someone to hunt her down and kill her. And they certainly have the resources to do so.
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Edited by LaFemme at 07/20/09 9:54 AM LaFemme was starred LaFemme was unstarred

Anna N.
07/20/09

@LaFemme: Absolutely, it makes sense for her to have anonymity. But there are ways to put pressure on the Saudi government without revealing the names of asylum-seekers. It's admirable that Britain helps women who actually make it to Britain, but women in Saudi Arabia are still subject to draconian punishments.
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sportz.star
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
I'm glad the administration is softening the stance on asylum for abuse victims. The irony, however, that we'll protect people from being murdered by their own governments while maintaining our own government-sanctioned capital punishment regime iis too much for me, though. Hopefully we'll fully evolve at some point.
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Laulau
07/20/09

@sportz.star: To be fair, I do not believe that the UK executes people for adultery. I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty, but it's a far cry from extramarital sex to capitally-punished murders.
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gherkinfiend
07/20/09

@Laulau: The UK stopped applying the death penalty in 1964. All EU member states have to have banned capital punishment to qualify to join.

Many asylum cases are granted in the UK from all round the world when someone is threatened with death in their own country. It's one of the few things I feel quite pleased with our current government on.
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Laulau
07/20/09

@gherkinfiend: Thanks, that's helpful - I didn't think the UK used the death penalty, but really didn't know either way. I assume sportz.star was referring to the US. It's really quite disturbing how many otherwise thoughtful and liberal people here support the death penalty. I can't say how I'd react if a member of my own family were brutally murdered, but I've never understood why that was supposed to be a good benchmark for justice in the first place.
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Anna N.
07/20/09

@gherkinfiend: The UK stopped applying the death penalty in 1964. All EU member states have to have banned capital punishment to qualify to join.

Wish the US would do the same.
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sportz.star
07/20/09

@Laulau: Yes, thanks -- I was being referential to where *I* am and re: the US policy, speaking of how we still have CP while most "civilized" (I hate that term - -industrialized is perhaps better) nations, including the UK, do not.
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mbprice
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
Cheap oil? Not hardly, if this is the price we pay for our silence.
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queenjulie
07/20/09

In reply to U.K. Gives Asylum To Saudi Princess Fearing Death For Adultery
The fact that making "public such deals 'would...highlight the persecution of women in Saudi Arabia, which would...lead to embarrassing publicity for both governments" makes me want to cry.
If every world leader got together and said, "Hey, Saudi Arabia, how about you stop murdering women?" maybe it would be less embarrassing for them.
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Maritsa promoted this comment Edited by queenjulie at 07/20/09 9:45 AM queenjulie was starred queenjulie was unstarred

Maritsa
07/20/09

@queenjulie:Can't call Saudi Arabia out on their treatment of women, because (1) they're our supposed "ally" in the "war on terror" and (2) they have oil. Wait. Switch those.
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Cimorene
07/20/09

@queenjulie: Seriously. It is far more embarrassing to sit by and say nothing in the face of gross violations of human rights, and disgusting misogyny.

Oh wait, that's basically what every government does. See also: torture in the US, the US military's response to sexual assault of female service members, etc etc.
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kityglitr
05/13/09

In reply to When A Fashionista Turns On Fashion
Can't afford much else, honestly. I'm a musician for crying out loud. Also, since I've recently gained weight, I am no longer able to just log on and buy clothes from the internet. I absolutely MUST try everything on. It always ends in tears of frustration, otherwise.
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