London gets its SlutWalk
THOUSANDS of women have taken part in a so-called SlutWalk in London, insisting they should be able to wear as much or as little as they like without facing sexual harassment by men.
Others carried placards reading “It’s a dress, not a yes”, “Women against rape”, “No means no” and “Hijabs, hoodies, hotpants, our bodies, our choices”.
One sign read “We are all chambermaids” – a reference to the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sex case.
However the President of the Women’s Islamic League for Equality, Rashaid Mustafa, released a statement condemning the protest and other like it.
Ms Mustafa stated that in a world where women are routinely murdered, beaten, refused basic rights like to vote or to drive or even to show their face in public, these indulgent protests are a slap in the face of women who are genuinely at the coalface of discrimination.
‘Women protesting for their right to dress like prostitutes and provoke men sexually is not what equality is about. These type of protests, which have been widely reported in Muslim countries, only make the genuine struggle for equality all the more difficult”, Ms Mustafa said.
meanwhile, the former International Monetary Fund chief has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of sex crimes, including attempted rape, against a 32-year-old woman cleaning his New York hotel suite.
“It’s not the victim’s fault if they’re raped. Some men think they own the right to women’s bodies,” 25-year-old student Sofia Capel said. “Women should be proud of their rights, not be restrained by their responsibilities”, she said.
Casually dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, Rachel Sullivan, 35, who works with adults with learning difficulties, said: “I reserve the right to dress as I like.
“It’s unusual for us in England to demonstrate like this, but this is too much, what this policeman said.”
A man and a woman, walking arm in arm, both wore bras and had the offensive term written across the midriff. Student Liz Kedde, 27, wore a see-through top over her bra.
“I think it’s important that women are not seen as disposable,” she said, adding: “I never dress like this in the daytime, of course.” Several men joined the protest, among them Andy Fell, a 27-year-old sound engineer.
“I came to show my solidarity with my girlfriend, and with the issue as well,” he said.
- Excited
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- Angry
