Stories about Women & Gender from September, 2011
Cuba: Talented Singers
Havana Times interviews Cuban singer Evelyn Garcia Marquez “who comes from a family of recognized musicians” and posts an update on the health of popular singer-songwriter Sara Gonzalez, who is recovering from surgery.
Philippines: Filipinos Abuzz With Miss Universe Results
And third runner up goes to…Miss Philippines! Shamcey Supsup's success has been the cause for much celebration and cheering in the Philippines at the conclusion of the 2011 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant held at Sao Paolo, Brazil. Filipinos both online and offline are talking about the result.
Iran: Female Blogger Receives 50 Lashes
These are the words Iranian blogger Somayeh Tohidloo wrote in her blog, after receiving 50 whip lashes in Evin Prison: “Be happy, for if you wanted to humiliate me, I confess that I feel my entire body is suffering with degradation.”
Jamaica: “Ma Lou”‘s Art
National Gallery of Jamaica Blog profiles another art pioneer: “Louisa Jones…popularly known as Ma Lou…a national treasure and a master practitioner of the African-Jamaican pottery tradition.”
Cameroon: Women Must Vote During Presidential Election
Le journal du Cameroun notes that “civil society organizations are rallying to encourage women to vote [fr] during the upcoming Cameroon presidential election, on October 9″.
Pakistan: Speaking Out the Unspoken – Gawaahi
Information and communications technology (ICT) has long been hailed as a harbinger of a global change. Gawaahi is one such venture that aims to bring to fore underrepresented voices of Pakistani society by coupling ICT with social activism.
Bahamas: Convicted Child Molester May Walk
“It is shocking to me that a judge in this country can sentence a man to freedom after a jury has found him guilty of a violent crime”: Womanish Words is demanding jail time for a twice-convicted child rapist, saying: “This family, this child, deserves justice. Violent crime against women...
Cuba: Repressive Action
Bloggers chronicle the latest wave of repression in Cuba, here, here and here.
Trinidad & Tobago: Sylvia Hunt's Legacy
“Even as a young child I was attracted to her warm, charismatic persona and soothing voice. She had a way of making every dish seem undaunting, approachable, and effortless. Unfortunately no reruns of her shows appear, nor do any substantial photos or citations exist online. A shameful gap in our...
Haiti: UN Troops Must Go, Say Haitians After Rape Scandal
An online video showing four UN peacekeepers from Uruguay allegedly raping a 19 year-old man at a military base in Port-Salut has generated outrage and renewed calls for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to withdraw.
Guinea: Nadine Bari's Fight to Reduce Poverty in Guinea
Nadine Bari is a French citizen who has created one of the oldest humanitarian organizations in Guinea, Guinée-Solidarité. With donations from Europe they have helped supply schools, hospitals, and helped homeless, orphaned and disabled children to receive an education.
China: Sex, Censorship and the Rise of ‘People's Porn’
Katrien Jacobs, author of new book 'People's Pornography: Sex and Surveillance on the Chinese Internet', discusses the emergence of an online erotic culture in China that openly describes individuals' personal sexual activities - in other words, amateur Internet pornography.
Morocco: SlutWalk Gets a Toehold
"Stand out for yourselves and demand respect. Shame has to switch sides!" This is the cri de guerre of Majdoline Lyazidi, the 20-year-old founder of SlutWalk Morocco, a Facebook page which aims at raising awareness against sexual harassment in the Moroccan society.
Puerto Rico: “Machismo” and the Judicial System
Aníbal Rosario Lebrón analyzes [es] the gender biases entrenched in Puerto Rico's judicial system.
Thailand: Yingluck and Feminism
Kaewmala analyzes if the election of Yingluck Shinawatra as Thailand's first female Prime Minister is a victory for feminism as well.
African Women Striving to be Heads of State
Since Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became President of Liberia in 2006, several other African women have decided to run for the continent's top level political jobs. The increase of female candidates is undoubtedly a step in the right direction; Lova Rakotomalala introduces some of the rising stars.
