Ad features actual women who like Todd Akin

UPDATE: They pulled it. Also, this.

Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin may have lost support of his own party over his comments that women rarely get pregnant from "legitimate rape" and therefore rape survivors don't need access to legal abortion.

Now, in a pretty crappy piece of astroturfing organized by daughter Hannah, "Women for Akin"are trying to bring him the conservative woman vote. Titled "we think for ourselves," the video features a survivor of rape and addiction, women of faith, and women of various ethnicities shilling for the candidate. (And while they may think for themselves, some of them are clearly reading cue cards.)



The strangest aspect of the ad is the woman in silhouette. What is that supposed to mean?

There is also a brochure, archived by Talking Points Memo from a press sheet. It's pretty much the same, but without the mystery woman.

The campaign apparently launches tonight. The URL in the ad and the brochure's QR akin.org/campaign/women, leads to Akin's official site but yields an "access denied" code.)

2012 will be remembered as the Year of The Vagina

Via Strong Intelligent Women Choosing Equality & Freedom Instead Of Religion

Vagina, vagina, vagina. Rhymes with "Regina". Comes from the Latin word for "sheath". And it has become the defining word of the partisan split over women's health rights in the United States.

The word, both naughty and deeply personal, has been enjoying a renaissance of late, as advertisers have used it as the final frontier of sexuality in advertising. But surprisingly, it isn't usually aimed at men. Thanks to 16 years of The Vagina Monologues, the word has become an empowering shibboleth for women, inevitably being exploited to sell feminine hygiene products. Even cynically so.

But now it's political. With the "War on Women" being a defining issue in the 2012 US Presidential Election, "Vagina" is everywhere. In February, Oklahoma Sen. Judy McIntyre (D) protested the intrusiveness of that state's pending "Personhood" bill with a sign that read "If I wanted the government in my womb, I'd fuck a Senator." In May, a woman wearing that slogan on a tee shirt was refused boarding by American Airlines.

It seems that "vagina" is now symbolic of the divide between those who believe that human rights begin at conception, and trump the adult woman's, and those who think the opposite.

It has led to some really ridiculous scenes. This month, Michigan Rep. Lisa Brown (D) was officially banned from speaking on the house floor after stating (in response to a debate on restricting access to emergency contraception) "I'm flattered you're all so interested in my vagina. But no means no."

Republican Rep. Mike Callton, The Week reports, said Brown's choice of words "was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women. I would not say that in mixed company."

Vagina. (Just needed to get that out of my system.)

In retaliation, a number of women State Representatives joined Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler for a command performance of her groundbreaking play about women's sexuality.

Via CTV

As well, the incident has inspired some empathetic men to join in on the fun, via YouTube:





I am enjoying the mockery. Hopefully, it will motivate those who are already predisposed to this side of the issue to get more politically active, via groups like Rock The Slut Vote. Because it sure won't change the mind of anyone on the opposite side. When you're dealing with religious convictions, mockery only makes them stronger by validating their own fears of religious persecution.

This is going to be an interesting year in the United States. A year in the hands of people who have vaginas. And I wish them the best of luck. Not only because I support them politically, but also because they are reclaiming the true meaning of the word "vagina" — that is, the internal organ.

As a word man, I wince whenever people misuse the word when they mean to say "vulva"...

FEMEN invite the women of Islam to get naked with them

FEMEN are in Paris, demonstrating for Muslim women around the world to demand sexual freedom and equal rights.

     Allah made me naked from FemenFrance on Vimeo.

The demonstration, themed "Allah created me naked" includes slogans such as "Muslim women let's get naked", "Nudity is freedom", "I am a woman, not an object", "Naked war" and "Naked truth". (They also hold signs in Ukrainian, French and Arabic.)

While their hearts are all in the right place, the show of solidarity also reminds me of this cartoon:

The question being whether sexual freedom depends on sexual display. I'm sure the women of FEMEN would agree that the choice of dress or undress is every person's individual choice — as long as they are not being coerced or brainwashed.

On the other hand, women from more oppressive religious Muslim societies who choose the route of nude expression, such as Golshifteh Farahani or Aliaa Magda Elmahdy (who is name-checked in body paint), face disapproval, banishment, and even physical harm.

What do you think of this message and tactic?

You can see and read more about the demonstration (in Ukranian) at FEMEN's Livejournal.

Interview with FEMEN's founder, Anna Hutsol (reposted from Osocio)

Read the original post at Osocio.

A few weeks ago, I contacted Anna Hutsol, the founder and leader of Ukraine’s FEMEN movement, for an interview via Facebook. It proved difficult, as Anna is not only extremely busy but we speak different languages and required the services of a translator.

FEMEN have risen from being a local protest group in Kiev, known for their use of nudity and street theatre to protest Ukrainian sex tourism, to an international phenomenon tackling issues such a nuclear power and Saudi bans on women driving. The frank sexuality of their protests have gained them worldwide media attention, and they continue to build social media solidarity with other activist groups through FEMEN - International Support Team (FIST). They even, famously, bullied Mark Zuckerberg into reinstating their Facebook account after it was removed due to all the topless posts.

This morning, I finally received my answers in broken English. Anna did not address all my questions, but she did provide some insights into FEMEN’s origins, its mission, and its future.

OSOCIO: How was the idea of FEMEN first conceived?

Anna: It was not difficult, as everyone knows how many problems are here in Ukraine and as Ukrainian girls we feel that every day in our minds and bodies. So all we needed was to be brave enough to tell the world about it. That’s why we decided to show that women are protesting, and to use our bodies as weapon in the fight.

OSOCIO: Have your objectives changed since then?

Anna: Yes, we have added many objectives to our program. But like in the beginning we still demand to stop sex tourism and prostitution in Ukraine. We demand to let women develop themselves.

OSOCIO: How do you respond to critics who say that topless protest objectifies women?

Anna: As young, simple Ukrainian girls, we believe in what we are doing, and we know what we need to do to protect ourselves. FEMEN was trying different
ways of fighting and in our experience we understood that only radical things can change the situation. At this time, in this country, only radical women’s protest can shake the world of passive women.

OSOCIO: How do male supporters fit in to FEMEN?

Anna: We have many men who support us and even help in our work. Men who are ready to see women as strong people can help FEMEN girls. We have many supporters who help FEMEN with donations. Also we have photographers help us [by donating services] and even some men who come to our performances to protect the girls from police. So we are not against men, but we want to be independent from them.

OSOCIO: What will be the future of FEMEN in 5 years? In 10?

Anna: We want to create a new style of living for women that will mean to being active and developing themselves. For that we are planning to go to Europe to open branches in each European capital. We will teach all women to be free and always get all they need. Soon FEMEN will be an international movement.

More FEMEN on Work That Matters:

FEMEN do Julia
FEMEN go after Saudi Arabia
FEMEN fight the privatization of the Ukrainian uterus
FEMEN emasculates NZ men
Ethical nudity
From drive-time to human trafficking?
Protest in the raw