The deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of police, along with the clear abuse of white privilege by a woman letting her dog poop all over the park, perhaps along with pandemic stress, stirred things up in this country this week. Some say to unprecedented levels. So let’s note some of the women deeply involved in this fight. They’re saying you’re not going to intimidate us anymore.
For a bit of perspective on how protests are supposed to go (and often do not), here is an article from March on International Women’s Day protests against inequality and violence against women: Women fill streets of world's cities with call for justice. In some places things were peaceful, in some places authorities PROTECTED protesters (kudos, Pakistan!), in some places things got ugly including property damage by protesters, and various assaults by police including tear gas and water cannons.
Back to this week in this country: Men get far more attention than women:
The NYT's June 5 "In Her Words" “We’re not trying to compete with Floyd’s story, we’re trying to complete the story.” — Andrea Ritchie, author of “Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color” This website includes a study and discussion guide:
“I was shocked that I didn’t hear anyone say Breonna Taylor’s name at any point,” Ritchie said, referring to the black emergency medical technician in Louisville, Ky., who was killed by the police in March, just weeks before Floyd’s death. Officers burst into Taylor’s apartment while she was asleep during a late night drug investigation using a so-called “no-knock warrant” and shot her at least eight times in her own home.{Note: in her own bed, I believe?]…. Still, Taylor’s case remains largely disconnected with the broader national conversation that’s happening around George Floyd — no celebrities have offered to pay for her funeral or taken out full-page ads in newspapers across the country dedicated to her and few brands have started campaigns in her name. None of the officers in her case have been arrested or fired, though the F.B.I. is currently investigating the case.
In an effort to resurface Taylor’s story on social media, users started using the hashtag #SayHerName in the last week. But even that, Ritchie noted, has been turned into #SayHisName.........
Still, in an attempt to keep things peaceful, Breonna Taylor's mother calls for peace.
Women put themselves on the line to protect others: This young woman is held up by black women as a hero:
At the request of Chanelle Helm, white women in Louisville KY line up arm in arm between black protesters and police. Beautiful (click link for photo): https://thegrio.com/… From ramara in the Comments:
Druck told the Courier Journal that Chanelle Helm, who is the lead organizer for Black Lives Matter Louisville, used a bullhorn and said, “If you are going to be here, you should defend this space.” After the command, they instructed those present to form the line facing police at 6th and Jefferson streets.
“She was asking for white folks to use their privilege, and put their bodies between police and the other demonstrators,” Druck said. “And people responded. They didn’t, they didn’t need to be convinced. Everybody willingly and enthusiastically did it.”
And women work to defuse tension:
The above was also shown on ABC News: From David Muir: “From hurt to hugs to hope”.
And women tried to stop *Rump’s little stunt:
Women Episcopal clergy stand up to *Rump's Gestapo, get tear gassed and shot with rubber bullets.
In Other News:
rape culture
The linked article is from 2018, but apparently only one state has made progress since. If you live in one of these 34 states, please check your state laws and consider writing your representatives about outlawing police sex on the job and making it a felony. Of course if they’re wearing the uniform and a citizen thinks s/he may be arrested, it’s coerced!
From Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/...
On May 28, Vera Uwaila Omosuwa, a 22- year old microbiology student at the University of Benin, Edo State was raped and brutally assaulted after she went to study in a church, according to reports received by the National Human Rights Commission. She died two days later. The incident sparked public outcry and demands for #JusticeForUwa have spread across Nigeria. The Police Chief has said perpetrators will be held accountable.
But even while this brutal incident shook the country, media reported the harrowing case of a 12-year-old girl gang raped by 11 men in Jigawa state emerged, generating further outrage. The Police have arrested the 11 suspects.
Violence against women and girls is all too familiar, prosecutions and convictions are not. Nigerian media regularly carry stories of gruesome violence against women and girls, and an ensuing lack of justice. An estimated two million Nigerian women and girls are sexually assaulted annually, according to Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, but few of these cases are reported, let alone prosecuted, due to the stigma associated with being a rape survivor, fear of reprisals, and distrust of the authorities….
adultery
Taiwan's Constitutional Court struck down the law criminalizing adultery, which was disproportionately used against women.
https://international.thenewslens.com/…
My response was “What? Don’t men commit most of the adultery?” but I was reminded that in Biblical times only women could commit adultery - men simply took another wife or concubine. The point was to assure paternity where inheritance was concerned. Note also at the link that the “other woman” could also be charged even if the husband was not!
covid
"New Zealand is squandering an opportunity to help women in prostitution during COVID, thanks to decriminalization," https://www.feministcurrent.com/… :
What other “independent contractor” has standard 12 hour shifts where they cannot leave or take breaks, with intense pressure to never reject a “client,” and are eventually paid under 40 (sometimes only 30) per cent of the money they earned and told they must return the next shift to collect it? Women can end up being paid nothing at all or in debt to the brothel on a quiet night, where they only get one “client.” The accumulative penalties (which are routinely over-imposed) — “shift fees,” “laundry fees,” “clothing and appearance fines,” and “late fees” — that women must agree to pay in their contract see to that.
On a lighter note: Mother-daughter duo use animation to help kids cope with Covid-19 fears.
Sydney is also using her videos to encourage kids to find ways to get involved, including reaching out to school officials to ask if they have any extra supplies they can send to local hospitals....
"Maybe if kids see through an animation that other kids are feeling the same way then they won't be so worried about what's going on right now," Melissa said.
Lgbtq rights
Costa Rica, May 26: "As a result of a Costa Rica supreme court ruling it became the first Latin American country to recognize and perform same-sex marriage
politics
Human Rights Campaign Endorses Sara Stapleton Barrera for Texas State Senate:
“Sara Stapleton Barrera is a true champion for the LGBTQ community,” said HRC Texas State Director Rebecca Marques (@RebeccaMarques). “By electing Sara, Texas-27 can turn the page and work toward giving more than 850,000 LGBTQ Texans the protections they deserve -- protections that 70% of Texans support."
action items:
From Daily Kos’ own Prism: You can still support the Black Lives Matter movement without going to a protest. Here’s how: Donate, know the demands, understand their context, remember and honor black lives.
Daily Kos petition: Planned Parenthood health centers do not need to return federal COVID-19 relief loans
This WOW column is always a group effort! Many thanks to officebss, mettle fatigue, ramara, SandraLLAP, J Graham, and Tara the ASSW! Extra hat tip to mettle for the placeholder diary whilst I helped Mom get ready for bed.
Please add any other items to comments if you wish.