There is perhaps no phenomena so inexplicable as “corrective rape.”

A common practice in South Africa, corrective rape is an act of violence where lesbians are raped in order to “fix” them, because, you know, if we haven’t met the right dude yet, maybe it’s jut because the right one hasn’t raped us! (Same-sex marriage in South Africa has been legal since 2006, proving once again that marriage equality is unfortunately not synonymous with equal rights.) The practice was called out by human rights groups in 2009:

A report by the international NGO ActionAid, backed by the South African Human Rights Commission, said the horrific crimes against lesbians were going unrecognised by the state and unpunished by the legal system.

The report called for South Africa’s criminal justice system to recognise the rapes as hate crimes in an attempt to force police to take action over the rising tide of violence.

The ferocity of the attack became clear in April last year when Eudy Simelane, former star of South Africa’s national female football squad, became one of the victims. Miss Simelane, and equality rights campaigner and one of the first women to live openly as a lesbian, was gang-raped and brutally beaten before being stabbed 25 times in the face, chest and legs.

But scores more women have been deliberately targeted for rape, the Guardian reports.

Now, as charming as that sounds, it is clearly time to wave goodbye to that trend. Gay and lesbian activists have been lobbying in South Africa for corrective rape to be labeled a hate crime agree. They have been tireless in their efforts to not only spark conversation on the tragic practice of corrective rape, but to hear their government speak out against it with them.

In Cape Town, government officials have finally met with a group of those activists. This marks the first time the government has acknowledged the discussions surrounding corrective rape in the region.

The activists gathered outside of Parliament to spotlight the practice, and call out the perpetrators for targeting lesbian women based on their sexual orientation. Members of the group met with the Justice and Constitutional Development Minister (sounds fancy, right?) Jeff Radebe today – and they were ready. The activists’ demands were clear: for Radebe’s department to research, develop, and implement an action plan for the nation to tackle hate crimes and even other acts of homophobic violence.

Activists had circulated a petition calling him to take action; it was signed by over 170,000 people from 163 countries within 100 days. (The petition was one of the most popular / successful on change.org of all time.)

There’s no word yet on the outcome of the meeting; it may be too much to hope that all activists’ demands were met. But it’s not too much to hope that with the government finally meeting with LGBT activists, the road may be paved for further efforts to stop corrective rape and diminish its commonality.

This article was initially posted on Autostraddle and republished with the permission of the author.

Julian Assange faces rape charges in Sweden.

An update on Assange thanks to Feministing.com, who put it right:

Maybe Assange is confused because he doesn’t seem to grasp the basics of consent. He says one of the women “arrived at a lunch in a revealing pink cashmere sweater, flirted with him, and took him home.” And the other woman took a “’trophy photo’ of him lying naked in her bed.” Well, ok, that’s nice. And also totally irrelevant to the accusations against him, since both women have said that the sexual encounters began consensually but at some point stopped being consensual. That pink cashmere might have screamed “unprotected sex against my will” to Assange, but I’m guessing that wasn’t the woman’s intention.

Assange, who, as highlighted in this earlier post here, and this one, is currently wanted for interrogation on rape allegations being made abroad in Sweden, with two female accusers coming forward. Once he moved past his defense that he was a victim of “politics,” he opened his mouth- and revealed he also sees himself as a victim of “feminism.” This seems laughable, since the encounters he is facing interrogation for are those of having sex with a woman while she was asleep- always charming- and continuing to have sex with women after they asked him to stop – also charming. He has also been accused of using force to coerce these women into nonconsensual sex. Assange seems a little caught up in how this affects him, and not the impact he has had on these lives or the safety of these women and their health.

It is important to note that consent can be withdrawn. It is important to note that consent for one sexual activity is not consent for another, or for any others, or for sex at another time. Consent is borne of freedom of choice and open communication- which Assange resisted through physical force and the act of ignoring his sexual partner’s voices.

And it is important to note that sex without consent is rape, not a political act to be used to create sympathy for him. Perhaps next time Assange opens his mouth, he should talk a little more about himself, and what his actions really mean for these allegations.

Editor’s note: This post was edited on Dec 29. Assange has not been charged at this point; these are allegations. Sorry for the mistake.

Ah, did you hear that? It’s the sound of a feminist tornado occuring on your laptop.

If you’ve been at all active on Twitter, Facebook, or any blog; if you have read the news- or watched it, or even watched not news, like Keith Olbermann’s show perhpaps; if you have taken a gender class, or a sociology class, or an anthropology class- you get my drift. Chances are, you heard it: the massive swirl of four entirely large personalities (or I guess five, since the whole thing is about one man). They are Michael Moore, documentary filmmaker; Keith Olbermann, political talk show host; Naomi Wolf, feminist author; and Jaclyn Friedman, editor of Yes Means Yes! (and, admittedly, one of my own feminist sheros). All of these people are speaking out on the topic of Julian Assange and the rape allegations brought against him internationally.

Let’s start with a quick summary: Julian Assange was finally put in jail for the allegations (he avoided them for a while), and then celebrities- including Moore and Wolf- posted bail for him. Moore went on Olbermann’s show to discuss it and the two men ended up opining (and tweeting) about the “rape” and using words like “hooey” and lots of “quotation marks.” What occurred then was a shitstorm: Olbermann shut down his account on Twitter after receiving an abundance of criticism, and Moore has simply ignnored the voices talking united under the hashtag #MooreandMe.

And so, round two: Wolf and Friedman appear on Democracy NOW! with Amy Goodman and talk about the case, from woman to woman and famed feminist to another. How disappointing, then, that it was actually a debate on the merits of the allegations and how seriously they should be taken. Some excerpts from a transcript:

JF: No is not enough. Every sexual person has the responsibility to get affirmative consent from their partner.
NW: He then consulted with her and asked her what she wanted and she did not say no, she continued to have sex with him.
JF: She was afraid. He had held her down. She was in a state of fear. Many many women,this happens over and over — you talk to rape survivors I can’t believe you don’t know this. Many women are in a state of fear and unable — they’re in a panic situation, this is so common as to be laughable, and the reasons they don’t take these [fears?] seriously is because you tell them that. I travel–
AG: We have ten seconds, ten seconds, Naomi, you can respond.
NW: All I can say is that if a man or a woman who is engaging in sexual activitiy and never hears no, and hears “yes, yes, yes”, yes that’s go ahead.

The battle is between Wolf, Olbermann, and Moore- who say the prosecution of the case is misleading and politically charged, full of misunderstandings and unworthy of media attention, and unindicative of Sweden’s traditional rape process (which is not having one) – and tons of angry voices demanding justice for two women who are now jumping through hurdles to convince people they’re not motivated by conspiracy, government business, and fame. Sound just? Not quite.

Here is what’s just: the right, for both Assange and his accusers, to a fair trial; the right, for all rape survivors past, present, and future, to not be bogged down by their pasts, job occupations, friends, and lifestyles, and be given the right to assert what happened to them regardless of who it effects and what its implications are; and the expectation that media attention on rape cases not detract from the horrors of the act and the need for survivor’s voices.

The attention being paid to this case is unusual, but it is also important- to break the silence and to stop celebrities from always getting away with crimes of this nature. Assange’s case is his business, and it’s also the business of the women involved- it should not belong to Michael Moore’s wallet or to political pundits. Justice is letting justice be served by those who understand the law, and not hot air.

So get back to Twitter, folks- more work should be done. (Use the hashtags #MooreandMe and #TalkAboutIt to get in on a larger discussion, and watch our Twitter feed for updates!)

We hope you'll tell us about all of your holiday adventures- and more!Image Copyright of Le Portillon on flickr.

When school ends, it means the mass exodus home, the communal sigh of relief for all college students, anywhere, and an opportunity to sit back, relax, and talk.

I’m going to spend a lot of time reflecting, thinking, and writing this Holiday Break- and you should, too! Take advantage of the free time to stay happy and healthy. Do what makes you feel good, and never look back. There is no better time! You’ve got less obligations and a lighter backpack.

So what I’m really trying to say here is: why aren’t you writing for us yet? We’ve built a community and a dialogue with each other on this blog, and the submissions are always just as bold as the regular bloggers’ pieces. We listen to each other’s personal stories, we share news, we react to the media, and we generate entirely new opinions and place them out for discussion. It’s brave and rewarding, and you can always feel comfortable using your real name or a pseudonym.

Here at THE LINE Campaign, we’re looking for new interns, bloggers, and submissions- and I’m hoping you’ll help us out! I’ve spoken out before about the importance of our voices in shaping this movement and creating real, impactful change, and I meant it. I still do.

If you’re interested in writing for us on a schedule, you can email me at thelinemovie at gmail.com, with the subject line ATTN Carmen Rios. Please include a little bit about yourself and, if possible, some writing samples. We cover topics related to consent, sex, sexual assault and rape, relationships, and sexuality. (Keep in mind, the writing style here is concise and editorialized, polished but casual.)

Don’t get freaked out! We’re excited to hear from you, sample or not. If you’d just like to submit a story or a single piece, please do it here.

I hope to hear from you soon- and I’m excited to build our impact, one voice at a time.

Nicki Minaj’s album “Pink Friday” has received rave reviews and its fair share of criticism from critics since it’s release, but I’m still waiting on the feminist community’s applause.

Minaj, a member Young Money, has released an album that celebrates femininity, sexuality, and the ferocity of its maker. Minaj is already largely popular and has even managed to make Lil Kim, the original baddest bitch on the block, a little nervous.

So, let it be known that I have been spinning Pink Friday since its release and have memorized all of the words. And let it be known that Nicki, you are a great voice in the media and a woman finally doing it her way. You go hard, you remain honest, and you continue to show all the haters that your drive, passion, and talent are not to be ignored.

Here’s are some of Minaj’s lyrics on her debut album…

on women’s liberation (no, really) from “I’m the Best”

I ain’t gotta get a plaque, I ain’t gotta get awards
I just walk up out the door all the girl will applaud
All the girls will commend as long as they understand
That I’m fighting for the girls that never thought they could win
‘Cause before they could begin, you told them it was the end
But I am here to reverse the curse that they live in

on defying feminine stereotypes and the music industry from “Fly” –

I am not a word, I am not a line
I am not a girl that can ever be defined
I am not fly, I am levitation
I represent an entire generation

and on relationships from “Here I Am” –

So do you take me to be who I am?
To have and to hold till death do us part
Cause if not it’s just best we both part
Cause how am I supposed to finish what you start?
You got me thinkin’ twice to just breathe
Then you say I won’t survive if I leave
But I got a couple of tricks up my sleeve
I no longer need your attention, at ease

So c’mon, feminists, where have you been? I hope in your rooms listening to this album.

Tell us what you think of Nicki in the comments! We’re going to bring more coverage of her soon.

Photo via Kishore Photography on flickr.

There’s a lot going on in the news that relates to WIYL, and we want to make sure you don’t miss one story! In this round-up: Notre Dame silent on rape and a related suicide, the blogosphere fired up about corrective rape for lesbians in the military, and the truth about consent (everywhere).

Less than two weeks ago, it was reported by the Chicago Tribune that Notre Dame was staying stubbornly silent on the suicide of a freshman at a smaller college, St. Mary’s, who allegedly committed the act after being raped by a football player at ND. Her reported assault was not investigated as a reason for the suicide, despite the only nine days between the two acts. The incident took place over two months ago- and the football player is still in the game. Anna North at Jezebel hit the nail on the head in her piece on the news:

One of the incredibly sad things about this story is that Seeberg reportedly “feared people would dislike her for accusing a Notre Dame athlete of a sex crime and that she would wear the incident ‘like a scarlet letter’ throughout her college career.” And now both her school and Notre Dame are acting like her alleged assault is a matter to be hushed up, rather than addressed openly. Both are acting like the investigation and coverage of an assault are embarrassing to them, when the exact opposite should be true — institutions should be ashamed of themselves when they hide sexual violence, when they pretend it never happens, when they act like they are somehow above all that. Because that’s what makes victims — and there will be victims, even (especially?) if you pretend there aren’t — feel like they’re wearing scarlet letters.

Americans are battling something a little stranger than silence around rape now, though: we’re battling the advocacy of rape as a corrective measure for lesbians. (Read it again, it’s true.) Joe Rehyansky, a former Army soldier and District Attorney, wrote a piece recently on the Daily Caller called “Don’t Hint, Don’t Wink” in which he says, among a bunch of other ridiculous trash, that lesbians should be allowed in the military – because they can be fixed by male soldiers. The post was edited after original posting- but originally included the following ending (emphasis is mine):

“My solution would get the distaff part of our homosexual population off our collective ‘Broke Back,’ thus giving straight male GIs a fair shot at converting lesbians and bringing them into the mainstream.”

For a sassy play-by-play, check out Autostraddle’s coverage here. They pinpointed, among other things, his opinions on consent in their piece:

“How our ancient foremothers ever managed to establish any choice in the matter is utterly beyond me when one considers that they did not have access to Mace, police whistles, Lady Smith .38s, or domestic violence hotlines.”

Yeah Joe, what a thought: women desiring sexual freedom and not wanting it to involve acts of violence and retribution. Maybe Joe will realize someday that not all relationships need a battlefield- and that men deserve more credit than being told they are unable to control their sexual behavior.

(PS- Corrective rape for lesbians is a horrible trend in South Africa: you can read more about it here.)

Meanwhile, an American in Paris feels like maybe stopping the discussion on consent is exactly what we need. (He’s looking to “have as much guilt-free sex as possible.”) In a Jezebel piece called “American Guy in Paris is Freed From the Idea of Consent,” Edward Pasteck said acts like grabbing women’s bodies, touching their faces, persistently buying drinks for women, and “lobbying” for sex are commonplace in France- and should be here, because he observed that French women “derive a feminist power from this chauvinism.” Pasteck thinks women in Paris seem empowered, and suggested that we could be, too, if we stopped being so god damn repressed. Sadly, Pasteck is missing the beauty of consent – it doesn’t repress us, it frees us. By encouraging consent, we can derive more than feminist power from our interactions with other people, regardless of gender: we can derive real attraction, mutual passion, and a hell of a good time.

A recent response by an anonymous French woman said it all in the first sentence: “Going through the streets or subways of Paris is not the most pleasant experience.”

They just painted a new sign, a sign that did all the talking. And it worked. Discussion was provoked, people were intrigued, and a shift in the campus understanding of rape culture’s impact on women’s lives occurred. Kudos to the masterminds behind it!

Feminist Students United at UNC said:

While it can certainly seem daunting to attempt to change harmful cultural norms, remember that cultures (ours included!) are composed of individuals who can choose to act in ways that either reinforce or challenge sexism.  Although it’s clear that we still have a lot of work ahead of us, hard-working students, faculty, and staff have already made important steps in fighting rape culture and creating a safer and more equal campus community.

Moving forward, we need to unequivocally shift the focus of the conversation from how to deal with the problem of violence against women to working to change the fact that men overwhelmingly perpetrate violence in the first place.* Women don’t need more self-defense classes, more canisters of pepper spray, more advice about not walking home alone at night, or more blame when men perpetrate violence against them despite all of their precautions.  Everyone needs to speak up and refuse to allow actions/advertisements/jokes that promote men’s violence against women. We’re glad that our cube has generated so much buzz about the problem of rape culture—let’s keep the conversations and the actions going!

*Although most men do not commit violence, 95% of sexual violence is committed by men.

Read more at their kick-ass blog!

This, obviously....

It’s been a great year for THE LINE Campaign. We’ve made great friends, screened around the world, and started countless discussions. Our sticker collection is building up- and you can see all of it here on tumblr – and our impact has only grown from all of the countless love and support we’ve received.

So aside from the things we’re thankful for because we can’t live without them: our team, our partners, and our supporters, what are we thankful for? Well…

For women like this one who assert themselves against harassers and stand up for their rights everyday:

For movements like this that work, like we do, to break gender norms and be inclusive to all people:

And of course, most of all, for you.

Your voices have shaped this movement and always will. Keep talking, at home, at school, and in bed. And keep sharing with us! We can do even more. We will.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Photo via Eric Jusino on flickr.

This article originally appeared here.

Listen, we know the TSA’s been unpopular lately. But are they really so bad? What about this time a TSA screener pulled down a woman’s blouse while frisking her? And then laughed about it? Yes. Yes, they are that bad.

The incident occurred during the spring of 2008 at Corpus Christi airport, and has (shockingly!) prompted legal action on the part of the victim. And yes, she was a victim: “As the TSA agent was frisking plaintiff, the agent pulled the plaintiff’s blouse completely down, exposing plaintiffs’ breasts to everyone in the area,” say lawsuit documents. “As would be expected, plaintiff was extremely embarrassed and humiliated.”

The woman, highly upset, proceeded to leave the screening area to collect herself. You know, after forcibly going topless in the middle of airport security. And when she came back? A display of class about on par with a fraternity basement at 2 am: “One male TSA employee expressed to the plaintiff that he wished he would have been there when she came through the first time and that ‘he would just have to watch the video.’” Right on brah! Topless travelers! Molestation! Betraying your obligation to protect public safety!

We hope the woman’s attorney will be able to accomplish what an ignored complaint to the TSA failed to—get some assholes fired. [Amarillo Globe-News]

If it happened recently, you may have thought about Hollaback!, the global movement to end street harassment. The epidemic, one that especially affects LGBTQ persons and women around the world, is being challenged by Hollaback!’s chapters in cities across the world. The movement started in New York City and has since been transformed from a blog full of civilian submissions of stories and images of street harassers to a full-frontal campaign against one of the most pervasive forms of violence against women that incorporates mobile technology, the mapping of street harassment on ihollaback.org, efforts to increase dialogue and education in communities about street harassment and why it happens, and the empowerment of people everywhere to take action. The message and role of Hollaback! has remained: don’t just walk on, hollaback! Tell your story and expose your harasser.

What has also remained is you.

When Hollaback! NYC launched and began posting stories from women in New York, it was about you. And when Hollaback! Launched a successful Kickstarter campaign last summer to fund their expansion into a global non-profit organization creating new technologies and working on new strategies, it was you they counted on to show support and take that step toward changing the world with five or ten dollars. When Hollaback! posts stories on the website and tweets people’s experiences tagged with @ihollaback, it’s about you.

And now, with my.ihollaback.org, it’s all about you. The new website allows activists to create personal fundraising pages that feature their fundraising efforts and goals, a letter to potential supporters, and their own personalized URL and images. Hollaback! has been expanding and experiencing great success- including a recent mention in the New York Times and the release of the iPhone and Droid apps to make reporting street harassment faster, easier, and more effective. The more Hollaback! expands, the greater their successes: street harassment is now an issue of discourse in the mainstream media and a focal point for leading feminist blogs and activists. The campaign has created a vision of a world without street harassment, and now that we’ve all seen it, there is no other choice.

So get involved today. Small contributions make big changes, and big contributions make waves. Tell your family and friends with a simple click of a link and post your fundraising page on your Facebook and Twitter so that even your classmates can see that vision. The fundraising campaign (with a goal of 25,000 dollars) ends in under seven days. The time to start talking is NOW!

And when they ask what you’re doing, the answer is simple:

I Hollaback.