Is there anything feminist at all about the Femen?
March 28, 2013 2:04 PM Subscribe
Is there anything feminist at all about the Femen? The Ukrainian protest group, mainly known for showing their boobs(nsfw link, obviously) in support of various causes, has an easy time getting mentioned in the press. But when they do get interviewed, they seem to lie quite a bit. And since setting up shop in France, they seem mainly intent on provoking anger among local Muslims(NSFW), which is a pretty good way to get popular in France. A telling quote from one of the group's founders (in first link): "We live under male domination, and nudity is the only way to get their attention." Being feminist by bowing to male domination and the male gaze: curious.
The Atlantic post was riddled with inaccuracies, apparently introduced by the writer's only source, Inna Shevchenko: Amina Tyler was never sent to a mental hospital. Her last name (Tyler) has been known from the get-go and was probably suppressed because it has a suspiciously Western ring to it. She was interviewed on Tunisian TV the same day the article was posted. And the 'Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice' in Tunisia, is not some kind of official organization as implied; it's a private outfit run by a couple of Salafi nutbags who are mostly ignored in Tunis.
The Femen seem to mostly about titillating a male audience for exhibitionist publicity. Am I missing something? Is there anything inherently 'feminist' about the act of taking your clothes off in public?
The Atlantic post was riddled with inaccuracies, apparently introduced by the writer's only source, Inna Shevchenko: Amina Tyler was never sent to a mental hospital. Her last name (Tyler) has been known from the get-go and was probably suppressed because it has a suspiciously Western ring to it. She was interviewed on Tunisian TV the same day the article was posted. And the 'Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice' in Tunisia, is not some kind of official organization as implied; it's a private outfit run by a couple of Salafi nutbags who are mostly ignored in Tunis.
The Femen seem to mostly about titillating a male audience for exhibitionist publicity. Am I missing something? Is there anything inherently 'feminist' about the act of taking your clothes off in public?
This post was deleted for the following reason: This is really not the way to write this up for MetaFilter. It seems more like something for your own blog? -- jessamyn
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