Stories about Women & Gender from October, 2013
Negahamburguer's Street Art Raises the Self-Esteem of Brazilian Women
Artist Negahamburguer works to spread messages of love in São Paulo for women that live in conflict with themselves because of their bodies.
Yelling and Fist-banging at UN Review of Uzbekistan's Torture Record
Authorities in Uzbekistan prefer to deal with allegations of torture, forced sterilization of women, and use of slave labor to harvest cotton primarily through yelling and insulting experts.
Massive Saudi Police Presence on the Day for Women Driving
Traffic police stopped Saudi women from defying a ban on driving. This action spells out the Kingdom's official position on driving, long blamed on a traditional society.
VIDEO: “No Woman, No Drive” Stuns Saudi Arabia
Today, October 26, was the day Saudi activists chose to protest against the driving ban on women in the Kingdom. As social networks were buzzing under increasing number of reports of women driving across the country, a brilliant a capella remake of Bob Marley's “No Woman, No Cry” spread at...
A Muslim Schoolgirl and the Volgograd Suicide Bombing
In the wake of the Volgograd bus bombing, a Muslim girl wrote a letter to the anonymous blogger hardingush. We chose to translate it in its entirety.
How Women Can Stay Safe In India
The crimes against women are on the rise in India. Writer and blogger Shilpa Garg provides some tips on how women can stay alert and safe.
The Guardian's (Mis)guide To Japanese Sex Trends
"Japan's under-40s appear to be losing interest in conventional relationships," said The Guardian. "Millions aren't...dating, and increasing numbers can't be bothered with sex." Not so fast, said Japanese netizens.
Saudi Women Gear Up To Defy Driving Ban
Saudi women are planning to defy a ban on driving on October 26. Many have already started driving, filming themselves doing so and sharing the footage online.
Video: Saudi Girls Blamed for Being Attacked Outside Mall
Girls are being blamed for being attacked by youth in a shopping mall in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, for not covering their faces - and actually going to a mall.
In Wake of Suicide Bombing Russians Question Their Security
An explosion aboard a Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) commuter bus caused a stir in Russia’s blogosphere on Monday.
Three Lessons on Dating in China
Jocelyn Eikenburg from Speaking of China shared her experience in cross-cultural dating in China. The three lessons she had learned are: 1. Actions matter more than words; 2. Keep that past relationship in the past; and 3. It takes a lot longer to meet the parents.
Saudi Clerics Protest Women Driving
‘A group of more than 100 conservative Saudi clerics gathered Tuesday at the Royal Court in Riyadh to protest against what they called “the conspiracy of women driving.”’ writes Ahmed Al Omran at Riyadh Bureau. Saudi women are planning to defy a ban on women driving in the absolute monarchy...
WhatsApp Sex Tape in Brazil Prompts Internet Meme Blaming Victim
A 19-year-old is the latest victim of a private sex tape going public without consent. The incident has sparked a debate about women's sexual liberty in Brazil.
‘Chayn’, a New Website for Pakistan's Victims of Domestic Abuse
The new volunteer-led, crowdsourced website is trying to help women in Pakistan, where an estimated 70-80 percent of women are subject to some form of abuse at home.
The Raqqa Woman who Faced the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
School teacher Suad Nofal, from Raqaa, Syria, will not abandon her country in its hour of need. Syria Untold has her story.
GV Face: Malala's Pakistan
This week we talk about why Pakistan feels so conflicted about Nobel Peace Prize nominee Malala and the role social media has played in spreading her fame and discredit.
Chile: Police Special Forces Evict Mapuche Community From Contested Lands
A self-denominated “autonomous” indigenous community, Temucuicui has occupied what they consider to be ancestral lands for over two years, resisting several eviction attempts.
Rise in Entrepreneurship Reveals Gender Tensions in Cuba
The transformation of the Cuban economic model has caused the flourishing of self-employed work, understood as not employed by the state.
Ecuadorian Women March in Defense of the Amazon
Women leaders from various communities in the Amazon have participated in a "Mobilization for Life" to show their opposition to the president's decision to suspend the environmental Yasuní-ITT initiative.
Saving Mothers and Babies in Laos
The group CleanBirth.org is committed to improving the maternal health care situation in several Laos rural villages by providing birth kits, training of new nurses and mobilizing village volunteers. In a recent update, the group highlighted why many rural Laotians are choosing homebirths over delivery at health centers. Among the...
“My Body is My Weapon!”, Femen in Spain to Claim the Right to Abortion
"Of course we will go further and of course we will continue protesting," said Lara Alcázar, leader of the Femen movement in Spain.
