Stories about Women & Gender from May, 2015
More and More, LGBT Japanese Are Coming Out of the Closet
An Internet survey conducted by international PR and advertising giant Dentsu has found that 1 in 13 Japanese people (7.7%) between the ages of 20 and 59 identify as LGBT.
What Happens When Japan Goes on a Week-Long Vacation?
There are mixed emotions as Japan's extended holiday ends. Some are sad to return to work, while others welcome life's return to normal.
Did a Journalist Save a Chechen Teenager from Marrying a 57-Year-Old Police Captain? No.
Last week, we reported that a journalist had succeeded in preventing a Chechen teenager from being married against her will. It now appears the marriage will go through, after all.
Macedonian Women Form Human Shield Around Police to Keep Protests Peaceful
The women were participating in a second day of protests demanding justice after leaked recordings seemed to show officials tried to cover up a 2011 murder by a police officer.
Mother Regains Custody of Child Following Social Media Pressure in Ecuador
The battle of a French mother to recover her son held in Ecuador by his Ecuadorian father, a case characterized by sexism and misogyny, had been followed closely on Ecuadorian social networks. Valeria Coronel and Antonio Jurado relate for the blog Plató Mundo: Arianais Alezra, la madre de Gaspard Bruzzone, denunció hace...
How Twerking May Destroy a Russian Small Business
A Russian cosmetics company is using a scandalous dance in its marketing, and a Russian politician says the ad commits a “depraved act” against minors.
Former French Defense Minister Finds Excuses for the Alleged Rape of Central African Children by French Soldiers
Afrique Info reports that JP Chevènement, a former defense minister of France, stated on public radio Europe 1 on May 3 that the challenging conditions that French soldiers face in the Central African Republic could explain “behavior of that kind” (see video above). Chevènement was referring to the allegation of child...
Iran's Leading Women's Magazine Suspended After Covering Cohabitation Outside of Marriage
Managing editor Shahla Sherkat says she's hopeful she can convince the court to allow publication to resume. Iran’s Press Oversight Committee suspended Zanan-e Emrooz, reportedly for writing about "white marriages."
Blunt Pro-Abortion Campaign in Chile
The NGO Miles (Thousands) and the advertising agency Grey Chile are taking a provocative approach to showing the problem that thousands of women face in Chile with respect to abortion, using three fictitious tutorial videos that show the only legal way to have an abortion in the country. The “advice”...
Workers Celebrate Labor Day by Joining Street Protests Across Southeast Asia
Tens of thousands of workers across the region trooped to the streets to demand higher wages, benefits, and other improvements amid rising living costs.
World Press Freedom Day 2015: “Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, and Media Safety in the Digital Age”
As the planet marks World Press Freedom Day 2015, journalists the world over face more challenges than ever to deliver the truth while keeping themselves safe.
State Department Responds to Turkish Official's Criticism of Police Brutality with Tepid Humour
"Maybe she is doing what your dog media was doing during the Gezi protests and licking the government’s ass!"
The Heartbreaking Story of a Woman Enslaved in Mexico
A chilling case of modern enslavement has shocked Mexico and raised awareness about a problem many don't know still exists.
The Troubling State of Abortion Rights in Ecuador
This text is part of the 49th edition of #LunesDeBlogsGV (Monday of blogs on GV) on April 13, 2015. Underage pregnancy has been rising in Ecuador for the past several years, while abortion even in cases of rape or incest remains criminalized. According to the State Prosecutor, 98 percent of rapes in Ecuador last year occurred...
How a Russian Journalist Ruined a Chechen Wedding
How an independent Russian journalist averted the forced marriage of a 17-year-old Chechen girl to a high-ranking, 57-year-old police official.
