NOVANEWS
FEMEN – Ukranian Women Protest Topless !
by Gennady Sevastynov and Jane Rosenstein
In Kiev, Ukraine in 2008 a group of daring young women led by Anna Gutsol,Alexandra Shevchenko, Irina Shevchenko, Evgenia Kraizman organized a group called Femen as a human rights protesting movement.
They wanted to do something original and unique to promote their cause so they marched in cities topless!
They are continuing to protest for sexual exploitation of women, breaching women’s rights, political chasing and against the sex brothels in Ukraine. They have been active in many countries including Ukraine, Poland, Switzerland and France.
These volunteers fund their campaign with their own money and also donations. They sell T shirts and special art made by imprinting their breasts on paper with their slogans.
Media such as BBC, Germany’s Die Welt and Spiegel and France’s L’Express and France 24 took note of their slogan “ Ukraine – not a brothel” which protested the sex tourism in Ukraine. They are concerned because the soccer championship Euro 2012 will be held in Ukraine this summer.
Another slogan that was popular is “Ukraine is not Alina” referring to the visit of Prime Minister Putin from Russia, who visited Ukraine about the gas treaty.
Russia must supply Ukraine and Europe with gas. Almost every year since Ukraine’s 20 years of independence from Russia, Russian authorities have tried to alter the treaty.
Today there are some rumors in Ukraine that the Ukrainian government is going to sell the Ukrainian gas supply system back to Russia. This is the cause of Femen’s protest.
Alina Kabaeva, former gymnast and Putin’s mistress had a baby from an “unknown” person and then became a deputy of the Russian parliament.
“Victor, don’t do grandma shaggy” is another cause of protest aimed at Victor Yanukovich president of Ukraine. An old women cut off the president’s name on a ribbon on a memorial wreath he left as a means of protesting cruel conditions of life in Ukraine and was arrested and sent to jail. When she was arrested the policemen made her hair “shaggy”.
Several European cities were selected by Femen for their protests
In the famous Club 44 in Les Chaux-de -Fonds, the women met with locals and were not topless. In the audience of about 300 people were civic activists, journalists, politicians and locals.
The FEMEN activists spoke about the philosophy and ideology and how they were fighting for women’s rights and civic rights. The guests were impressed and did not leave until midnight!
In October, FEMEN demonstrated outside of the Paris residence of the famous DSK Dominique Srauss Kahn in outrage against his treatment of a maid in New York.
His behaviour is symbolic of the impunity of high-ranking officials and example of hypocrisy lust. DSeK’s staff called the Paris e police who drove them away in police cars. In this way they did not persecute the protesters and even wished them “Bon courage.”
In November, the daring FEMEN activists went to the Vatican to protest in front of the pope to protest sexist policies of the Vatican. Special services and Rome’s police forces staged a raid on the activists. Two participants were detained on the way.
Alexander Shevchenko got past the police and security services and appeared topless in St. Peter’s Square under the balcony of the pope holding a banner” Freedom for women.” No comment was made by the pope.
In Paris, we called two of our friends who are a married Ukrainian – French couple. Alexander, the Ukrainian husband supports FEMEN and even thinks that they should do something more provocative but his wife has other ideas.
Valery thinks DSK is a real man with lots of energy. His trial in New York provoked many men into thinking that flirting with women can leads to calls of rape.
Millions of women fear they will lose their joy of being flirted by men! They are the real victims of the American justice!Therefore, Valery supports DSK and not FEMEN and would like to vote for DSK as the next president of France!
Recently Femen visited Turkey to protest against the terrible tradition insidious to small Turkish towns of splashing sulphuric acid on faces of women when they refuse to have close relationships with men they do not want.
FEMEN is continuing their campaign to protest civil and human rights by going topless. It is their unique way of getting attention to their campaign.
