Stories about Women & Gender from November, 2011
Cuba: “Antunez'” Wife Tries To Reach Hospital
Pedazos de La Isla reports that “Yris Tamara Aguilera [wife of the dissident ‘Antunez’] was victim of a brutal beat down at the hands of the Cuban political police” and is in need of medical attention which may prove impossible thanks to the fact that “the dissident couple has their...
Saudi Arabia: Outrage Over 10 Lashes for Female Driver
Shaima Jastaniya, a Saudi woman who was arrested after driving her car in Jeddah six months ago, has been sentenced to 10 lashes. The two female journalists who reported her punishment have been summoned to appear in court.
Sahel Region: Slavery still very much a Reality for Some
In an interview carried out by François Mauger with Mme Sophia Lakhdar [fr], Director of the Comité Contre l’Esclavage Moderne (Comittee Against Modern Slavery) published on the mondomix.com blog, she states: “Today human trafficking has taken over as the notion of modern slavery, which is a bit contrived. However it helps...
Bangladesh: A Bold Protest Against Dowry
Farzana Yasmin, a young Bangladeshi bride sent ripples across the country when she divorced her husband right after the wedding, after his family, with his consent, asked for a dowry from her family.
Cuba: Reports from Diaspora Bloggers
Pedazos de La Isla reports that “Antunez” has been released, babalu has what he laments is a “regular” report on “on Ladies in White being arrested by the Castro dictatorship for attempting to attend Sunday church services” and Uncommon Sense suggests that an independent journalist may have been arrested “because...
Puerto Rico: Politicians under Gender Watch
The feminist organization Matria has started the project “Ruta de las Mujeres” (The Path of Women) [es] (@RutaMujeres2012), to inform people about the positions of political candidates on issues related to women, gender and the LGBT community. The website includes the form to participate in the “election” on the most...
Puerto Rico: “Until Death Do Us Part”
Artist Anaida Hernández presents a slideshow of the travels of her iconic piece “Hasta que la muerte nos separe” (Until Death Do Us Part) about domestic violence in Puerto Rico.
India: Aishwarya Rai's Baby and Media Madness
The latest hype in Indian media is the pregnant Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her impending child birth. Twitter users discuss all the rumors, news, controversies and opinions on this issue.
Egypt: Feminist Publishes Nude Photograph to “Express her Freedom”
An Egyptian feminist posted her nude photograph on the internet to express her freedom. Netizens react to the move in this post by Tarek Amr.
Yemen: Taiz is Bleeding while the UN Envoy is in Sanaa
Yesterday's arrival of the UN envoy Bin Omar to Sanaa didn't seem to deter president Ali Abdullah Saleh or his forces from defiantly committing more violence and atrocities in Taiz. The continuous and random shelling by Saleh forces on Taiz's residential areas has caused many deaths and injuries to civilians and destruction of many homes. Noon Arabia takes us to the heart of the suffering of Yemenis in this post.
India: Love Marriage And Arranged Marriage
Anjali Garg discusses why Indian families are reluctant to accept love marriages and they tend to get their daughters married early as a consequence.
China: No Justice for Sex Assault Victims
Zeng Jinyan discusses about the fate of sex assault victims in China. Instead of justice, they are consumed by media and some of them have to face further prosecution by the government authorities.
Malawi: Women in Prison
Sonya Donnelly writes about the plight of Malawian women in prison: “Prison is often a very expensive way of making vulnerable women’s life situations much worse. Once a woman is incarcerated miles from her home, sometimes for months or years without the case progressing, she may lose her home, her...
Russia: Radical Feminist Band Dedicates Debut Clip to Arab Spring
“Egyptian air is good for lungs,” “Make Tahrir at the Red Square”, “Feminist whip is good for Russia” and other provoking slogans sing 3 women from the new radical feminist band “Pussy Riot.” The debut clip [ru] of the band, inspired by the Arab Spring events, features mask-wearing females with guitars...
Cuba: Catholic Solidarity with Dissidents
Pedazos de La Isla is heartened by this weekend's “display of solidarity [by] loyal churchgoers [who] showed solidarity with the Ladies in White, joining the religious figures in their successful attempt to deter a savage beat down of the non-violent women who simply demand freedom.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Controversial Show Suspended
Plain Talk “congratulate[s]…the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago for their intervention in the issue surrounding the continuous breaches of the law, the Broadcast Code and common decency that has become the hallmark of the Crime Watch show and its subsequent suspension from broadcast”, while Facebook comments left by the...
China: Husband hid next door while wife being abused and raped for 1 hour
What makes a husband hid next door while his wife being abused and raped for one hour? What is he afraid of and what makes him give up his manhood and conscience as a human being? Annie Lee from China Hush has translated a local news story that sheds some...
China: Chinese power couples
Mary Ann O'Donnell has some interesting observations on Chinese power couples’ the division of labour.
Myanmar: Military and Violence Against Women
Khin Min Zaw writes about a film documentary which links the Myanmar military to several cases of violence against women in the country's war-torn northern state.
Slutwalk Singapore
A Slutwalk event is scheduled to take place in Singapore next month. Slutwalks are organized to protest sexual violence and victim blaming in rape cases
Egypt: Men Should Wear the Veil!
With Islamists rising in post-revolution Egypt, fear of religious oppression is growing among youth, minorities, and women. A new Facebook group encouraging men to wear Hijab or veils, in solidarity with women has just popped up. Here are some reactions to the initiative from Egyptian and Tunisian netizens.
