Saturday, August 4, 2012

Women's Views on News

Women's Views on News

YouTube music competition to highlight violence against women

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

Joanna Perkin
WVoN co-editor

Global social enterprise, The Pixel Project, is using YouTube for a music competition aimed at raising awareness of violence against women.

Participants are being asked to submit cover versions of Kelly Clarkson's Dark Side via YouTube.

Although mainly an awareness raising campaign, funds from digital downloads of an EP version of the cover, to be available via iTunes and other digital music retailers, will be used to fund and raise awareness of the organisation’s signature fund-raising campaign, the Celebrity Male Role Model Reveal campaign.

This in turn will benefit the USA's National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and a number of other anti-violence against women charities.

The song was chosen for its lyrics:

“We selected 'Dark Side' because of its poignant yet positive lyrics which many survivors of violence against women can relate to. It is about accepting and loving people for who they are,” explained Regina Yau, founder and president of The Pixel Project.

The competition, which is one of three campaigns under the ‘Music for Pixels’ banner,  will run until 21 August.

Ten semi-finalists will be announced on 1 September. The public will then be given ten days to vote for five finalists. The three winners will be announced on 14 September.

The semi-finalists and final winners will be selected by The Pixel Project as well as the ‘Music for Pixels’  YouTube music ambassador, R&B group AHMIR, recording studio Lost Monkey Studio and UK music company Horus Music.

The winning music video will be featured on AHMIR's YouTube homepage for three days.

The winner will also benefit from the free production and distribution of one of their original songs.

For the Celebrity Male Role Model Reveal campaign, a portrait of each role model is created using a one-million pixel collage. The image is then hidden and viewers reveal the mystery celebrity by purchasing a piece of the image, one pixel at a time (each costs US $1).

Judoka to become first Saudi woman to compete in Olympics

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 10:30 AM PDT

Liz Draper
WVoN co-editor

Wojdan Shaherkani may have spent less than two minutes on the mat in the women’s heavyweight judo competition today, but she has made history as the first Saudi Arabian woman to compete at the Olympics.

Her road to the games has not been an easy one. Her participation was only guaranteed last Friday, when a dispute over whether or not she could wear a headscarf was resolved.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) had previously insisted that the 16 year old judoka fight without a hijab, in order to comply with “the principle and spirit of judo”.

Officials had also raised safety concerns, as judo involves chokeholds, and clothing is frequently used to gain leverage for throws.

One of the conditions placed on competing Saudi women is that they wear “suitable clothing that complies with Sharia” (see WVoN story). Shaherkani’s father was quoted as saying that she would withdraw if she was not allowed to wear a headscarf.

However, the IJF and the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee reached a compromise earlier this week after several days of negotiations.

According to a spokesman from the International Olympic Committee (IOC): “the judo federation will allow her to wear something which will not compromise her safety, which I think they use for competitions in Asia”.

Saudi Arabia only confirmed in June that it would allow women to compete. Even then, it seemed unlikely that the country would actually send a female competitor due to the lack of women meeting minimum qualifying standards.

Shaherkani and her compatriot Sarah Attar, and 800 metre runner, will compete under special invitation from the IOC.

Shaherkani, who wears a blue belt, is believed to be the only judoka ever to compete in the Olympics without a black belt. Although she was knocked out in the first round, the obstacles she overcame to get there make her worthy of her place in history.

Stars demand release of members of Pussy Riot

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 08:30 AM PDT

Rachel Salmon
WVoN co-editor

Some of the world’s top musicians have signed a letter demanding the release of members of jailed Russian punk band Pussy Riot.

Corrine Bailey-Rae, Kate Nash and Martha Wainwright are among those who have signed the letter which said:

"”Dissent is a right in any democracy and it is entirely disproportionate that [the punk band's members] face seven years in jail for what we consider a preposterous charge of ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred".

In February three members of Pussy Riot Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Mariya Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich, were arrested after performing a 'punk prayer' in Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral blasting Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church (see WVoN coverage).

Since then they have been held in custody until the start of their trial this week when they pleaded not guilty.  If convicted they could face up to seven years in jail.

“We believe firmly that it is the role of the artist to make legitimate political protest and fight for freedom of speech,” the letter read.

The supporters were also concerned “about recent reports that food is being withheld from them and that they have appeared in court in a cage.”

One of the women was given medical treatment in court on Wednesday.The letter was timed to co-incide with a visit to London by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“As he visits the United Kingdom this week, we ask President Putin to ensure these three women receive a fair hearing,” said the letter.

Domestic violence marches sweep across the West Bank

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT

Rachel Salmon
WVoN co-editor

Demonstrations took place in the West Bank this week to demand tougher sanctions for men who kill their wives and daughters.

Yesterday several women marched through Bethlehem carrying placards saying 'No to Murder Yes to Life' and 'Shame on us Palestinians who kill our women.'

The silent protest was organised by the National Union of Palestinian Women, after a man stabbed his wife several times in the chest and slashed her throat in broad daylight in a busy street in the town in front of horrified onlookers.

Police said the woman, 28-year-old Nancy Zeboun had filed for divorce.  The couple's three children are now in foster care.

Khaula al-Azraq, a counsellor based in the West Bank, said Zeboun had been beaten and on several occasions hospitalised during her 10 year marriage.

Zeboun's family initially refused to bury her unless her husband was put to death, but later agreed to the burial.  Her husband is now in police custody and is expected to be charged with murder.

This was the fourth murder of a woman in the West Bank this month.  Three other women were killed by their fathers in so-called honour killings.

A father allegedly killed his daughter, who was still in high school, in the West Bank town of Tulkarm, another  is accused of beating his daughter to death in the city of Hebron and a third allegedly killed a daughter in the Gaza Strip. All are in custody facing murder charges.

The demonstrators say the police are doing too little to protect women and call on President Mahmoud Abbas to order a full investigation into the killing in Bethlehem.

Support grows for teenage Chinese gold medal swimmer

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 06:00 AM PDT

 

Suzannah von Strandmann
WVoN co-editor 

Ye Shiwen, the 16 year old Chinese swimmer who took gold in the women’s 200m and 400m individual medley events, has received support from swimming’s governing body FINA, after US swimming coach John Leonard questioned the legality of her success.

Ye’s world record time in the 400m event shaved seven seconds off her time at the 2011 World Championships, recording a final split which was faster than that of the male winner in the equivalent race.

Glory, however, was short-lived, as Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, inferred that doping may have been involved.

Within hours of the accusations, China’s anti-doping chief and Ye’s own father spoke out in her defence, asking why nobody had scrutinized the success of Michael Phelps when he won eight gold medals in Beijing.

Support has also been forthcoming from the International Olympic Committee, and fellow athletes.

Finally, on Wednesday, FINA issued a press release stating that ‘there is no factual basis to support this kind of insinuations’ and emphasising that she had met all her obligations relating to Doping Control.

So why then did Leonard speak out, despite an apparent lack of evidence?

Chinese media labelled it an act of ‘petty’ jealousy, stemming ‘from deep bias and reluctance from the Western press to see Chinese people making breakthroughs.’

Perhaps, though, it is not the record-breaking achievements of ‘people’ in general,but of women in particular that triggered Leonard’s response.

“Where someone could out-split one of the fastest male swimmers in the world, and beat the woman ahead of her by three-and-a-half body lengths. All those things, I think, legitimately call that swim into question.”

It wasn’t “someone” who out performed US gold medal winner Ryan Lochte, it was some woman and Leonard’s comments bring back uneasy memories of another female athlete who faced public scrutiny after significantly improving her performance.

Caster Semenya carried the South African flag at the 2012 Opening Ceremony, but not before an eleven month investigation into her gender by the International Association of Athletics Federations finally cleared her to compete against other female athletes.

Although the two cases are clearly unconnected, they draw attention to the unprecedented suspicion to which female athletes can be subjected in response to their successes – unlike their male counterparts.

Semenya begins her Olympic campaign next week, no doubt hoping to clinch gold in the women’s 800m athletics event. Nonetheless, the shadow of those 2009 accusations hang heavily over her, so we can only hope that the same will not be the case for Ye in Rio 2016.

Lizzie Armitstead talks about “overwhelming sexism” in cycling

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 04:30 AM PDT

Jem McCarron
WVoN co-editor

British silver medal winner Lizzie Armitstead used her Olympic success on Monday to raise awareness of the "overwhelming sexism" in cycling and sports in general.

Armitstead came second in the 87-mile women’s road race and caused a stir at the following news conference by talking about sexism within cycling.

She pointed to inequalities in the financial support available and the media coverage of female versus male participants.

Armitstead also suggested that the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCL), the ruling cycling body, should force big sponsors and other organisations to provide equivalent support for female cyclists.

Adding: ”The problem, as a female athlete, is that you don't want to come across as negative and moaning….

“If we joined together we would have a stronger stance and it's something we need to do. But it's very difficult to tackle that massive issue when you are working as an elite athlete."

Armitstead’s comments echo those of her colleague Emma Pooley, who came a disappointing eighth in the women’s time trials yesterday.

In the Guardian in July Pooley said: “Women’s cycling really does have a problem. It’s not a lack of enthusiasm or willingness, it’s just the races aren’t televised for the most part, so, for sponsors, it’s like night and day compared with men’s cycling.

“TV time is everything and the best thing the UCI could have done was to get a deal to get our World Cup races on Eurosport.

“It doesn’t need to be luxurious, but with a lot of women’s teams you’re lucky if they buy you a sandwich at the race.”

There is no UCI Women’s World Cup in Britain, forcing women to go abroad.

UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani told Bloomberg that whilst they were putting efforts into improving things, he said: “What we cant do is to impose on a sponsor to do something. You can’t force a private company to do something.”

The entire set up seems designed to disappoint and dishearten those who are prepared to put in the enormous amount of time and effort required to compete at this level.

Sadly, it is not just the cyclists facing sexism and inequality; it runs through the entire sporting world.

A fortnight ago the Huffington Post ran a piece about Japanese women’s footballers and the Australian women’s basketball team having to travel to the Olympics in standard class, while their male counterparts were put up in business.

The Japan Football Association said that this was because the men are professionals. The Australian governing body (whose female team is far more successful than the men’s), said it would review their policies for future Olympics.

One thing that seems to be clear about these 2012 Olympics is that they are raising awareness of the issues facing female athletes.

This year’s competitors may come from many walks of life, cultures and sporting specialties, but they are bound not only by their Olympian status, but also by the challenges they face simply because of their gender.

Chris Brown album ‘misogynistic’ and ‘repugnant’ says one reviewer

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 02:30 AM PDT

Naomi Wilcox
WVoN co-editor

Rapper Chris Brown’s new album Fortune last month shot to the top of the billboard charts, despite shakey reviews.

This week, however, a reviewer in Australian music mag X-Press had one simple message for her readers “Don’t buy this album”.

Critic Chloe Papas described the album as ‘repugnant’ and ‘misogynistic’, words many people would use to describe Chris Brown himself, since he violently abused his then girlfriend Rihanna three years ago.

Papas has no compunction about reminding people of this:

"Regardless of whether Chris Brown has any musical talent (he doesn’t) or whether this album is any good (it isn’t), the man recently brutally assaulted a woman, and is still regularly invited back to award shows and worshipped by ‘Breezy’ fansworldwide.

“Which is, frankly, disgusting. And for those of you saying you need to separate the music and the man; screw you, don’t encourage his actions.”

For those who are willing to give his music a listen, there’s plenty to be found in his lyrics which are cause for concern.

While Papas picks up on the song Till I Die, describing it as ‘a catastrophic, misogynistic shit of a song’, I found that the dark undertones, and clues to Brown’s character aren’t confined to it.

The lyrics to Biggest Fan,  which describes sexual encounters with fans, include the disturbing lines:

“When you scream I need
To pull your body closer, let me sex you baby
Girl you better not change your mind…”,

“…No is not an option”, and later in the song “I’m ‘a take what’s mine”.

The implications of these lines are not hard to miss, and certainly don’t sound like they come from a person who has any respect for women, or who feels he needs their consent before having sex.

Despite Brown’s public apologies, lyrics like these reveal that he’s still scarily off the mark in his attitudes towards women.

Even more disturbing is the fact that the album has had such huge sales, and that a large proportion of Brown’s fanbase are teenage girls, the same girls who caused a Twitter storm when he performed at the Grammys earlier this year.

Countless of these young fans posted tweets which all very much said the same thing -”I’d let Chris Brown beat me up any day”.

You can see a very representative sample of them here. These fans haven’t attempted to separate the man from the music, they have merely embraced the man – and his violent, illeagal actions, along with the music.

Papas’ review is refreshing, as it comes amidst a sea of celebrities who are happy to promote Chris Brown and call for his forgiveness.

It’s depressing that Papas reminds us of Brown’s horrific actions during a week when reports surfaced of Brown and Rihanna rekindling their relationship.

The message that this sends to their young fans about violent relationships is worrying indeed.

Pregnancy no obstacle for Malaysian athlete

Posted: 03 Aug 2012 01:00 AM PDT

Liz Draper
WVoN co-editor

Pregnant women achieving incredible athletic feats never fail to make the news, and seem to inspire awe and criticism in equal amounts.

When Paula Radcliffe won the 2007 New York marathon just ten months after giving birth to her first child, fans praised her for her dedication and in awe at the idea of training throughout her pregnancy.

However, even established athletes like Radcliffe faced judgement for her decision to keep running.

In an interview with Runner’s World magazine, she spoke of the reactions she faced, saying: “You feel like saying, I’m not sick. There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m just pregnant.”

True to form, a heavily pregnant woman competing in the Olympic Games this week has faced mixed reactions from the press and the public.

Malaysian shooter Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi, who came 34th in the ten metre air rifle shooting shooting event on Saturday, attracted a huge amount of attention in the run up to the Games for her decision to compete while eight months pregnant.

Taibi has faced opposition in her home country ever since she qualified for the Olympics in January, just two days after finding out she was pregnant. She told the BBC, “some people say I’m crazy. Some people say I’m too selfish”.

Although doctors allowed her to train “until eight months or nine months”, she had to wear a special suit and belt for support. She also had to withdraw from the 50 metre event, as her bump prevented her from lying down in the required prone position.

Then there’s the risk of the baby kicking at a key moment, which Taibi says she averted by telling her baby to “behave… and let mummy shoot”.

Despite the challenges, Taibi enjoyed the full support of her family. Her husband encouraged her to take part and her father, who watched her compete on TV at home in Malaysia, told AP:

“I’m proud of her. I’ve told her: if you can compete in the Olympics, that’s such an achievement already – all the more when you’re pregnant”.

Despite not making the final in her event, Taibi has proved her naysayers wrong, and has shown that when that support is available, pregnancy is no obstacle to athletic achievement.

In her own words: ”A pregnant woman can do whatever they think they can do… The most important thing is how they think.”