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This Mouth is Mine

By Linda Anselmi on July 20, 2009 at 6:06 PM in Abuse, Sexism, Women, Women and Children

(expanded and bumped up from the weekend)

As I read Amy Suskind’s excellent piece “Sit Down and Shut Up” on the marginalization of American women in politics, I couldn’t help thinking about all that the suffragettes endured – ridicule, beatings, and imprisonment in their quest to gain the right to vote for American women. And just a few weeks ago, those courageous Iranian women who went out into the streets facing death and bodily harm to protest their country’s election.

The world wide oppression of women and women’s rights seem to be reaching epidemic proportions these days. Or would that be a pandemic? And yet, there are clear signs that the resolve of women to push back continues to gather strength. So I wanted take a moment to recognize and celebrate women from around the world– who stand up in the face of great opposition, who give voice to grave wrongs, and who take responsibility for trying to right those wrongs. And I wanted to let them know they are being honored and they are being heard.

So here is a small, international collection of videos honoring women for standing up and speaking out.

The title for my post was inspired by this first video. In it journalist Lydia Cacho Ribeiro tells a wonderful story of a rural Mexican phrase – Esta boca es mía. This mouth is mine. Ms. Ribeiro is the recipient of a 2007 Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation. As you listen to the video you realize that for her, speaking up is not about a personal right. Speaking up is about taking personal responsibility. And it is about recognizing the personal obligation each of us has to ourselves and our society.

Female Freedom of Expression in Mexico (Lydia Cacho Ribeiro)

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Some 500 protesters from the women’s wing of the Dahal party marched on President Ram Baran Yadav’s residence Thursday, chanting slogans while police used bamboo batons to beat back activists who tried to break through a cordon. Some of the women were lightly injured.

Women protest in Nepal

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Bahraini Women’s Rights Activist Ghada Jamshir Attacks Islamic Clerics for Fatwas Authorizing Sexual Abuse of Children. This is an excerpt from an interview with Bahraini women’s rights activist Ghada Jamshir , which aired on Al-Arabiya TV on December 21, 2005.

Women’s Rights in Islam: Sex with Infant Girls

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Thousands of women hold a massive rally in India protesting against an increasing number of abortions. In some areas of India an estimated 2,000 unborn girls are illegally aborted every day, according to the United Nations. This has led to disproportionate sex ratios where a 2001 census showed less than 800 girls for every 1,000 boys.

Indian Women Protest Sex-Selective Abortions

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The courage displayed by the women of Iran has become an inspiration to other women throughout the world. Despite the tragic death of Neda Agha Soltan, shot 6/20/09 by security forces during a protest against Iranian Presidential Election 2009.

The Women Of Iran

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This mouth is mine. And so is the right, the responsibility and the obligation to stand up for myself and others. We can not reserve our voice for only the chosen few that are deemed to be of the right age, race, sex, class, education or political views. Standing up and giving voice to wrongs and taking part in righting those wrongs- it is something that is required by all of us and for all of us.

And since I also believe “this mouth is mine” to give thanks and acknowledgement – a huge thank you to NQ’s American Girl in Italy. She is an amazing writer, as you all know, but she is also an awesome researcher who managed to find every one of these great videos (and a half a dozen more) and in record time. So thank you AGII!!

And for a fantastic piece (including video) on Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton’s outstanding speech at the Council on Foreign Relations, check out Hillary Clinton Delivers a Major Action Focused Foreign Policy Speech by NQ writer Bronwyn’s Harbor.

pm317

Where are the American women? They squandered their biggest opportunity to elect a well qualified woman (compared to the weasel we have in the WH) who is right now on a fantastic trip in India talking about women and children. Think how it would have been for the world if we had elected a woman of her caliber.
http://sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com sarainitaly

“Where are the American women?”

that’s what I was wondering, while searching for videos.
Linda Anselmi

Hey pm317-

Well, after looking at the women and their stories in the videos, I couldn’t help thinking – we have these rights and we aren’t using them. Shame on us.

I almost added a video of Hillary, because these are the women she is fighting for. But decided I could honor the women and their efforts best by letting them speak for themselves.
tzada

American women of all colors do not think any of this will ever effect them. hah It not only will, but it is.
jackie

What must be recognized nd may wake American Women…Our daughters this will limit and repress our most precious Children. It is as bad for the boys as it is the girls.

Good morning Ladies.
http://sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com sarainitaly

great post Linda! I love how you pulled it all together! glad I was able to help. :O)
Tess

Thank you for a wonderful post! Some of us, women and men and some of our daughters are always out there working. Our issues are not the emergency life-threatening issues of our sisters across the seas, but we keep at it. Monday through Friday stuff will never make up for the suffering of our sisters elsewhere, but by God, we keep trying.
A post like this reminds us why.
Tess

Just to keep track: my comments were written 7/18, 20:23.
rose

The media has done it’s job making women believe that appearances,what you can buy,who you are seen with,all those empty values are the most important things to aspire to. the most important especially is to follow the herd,in this case it is the wrong one. Women have been set back fifty years and a lot of it is this brainwashing, sexist, media bashing of women, in this last election process where women were the subject of the demonizing by media and politicians .
elise

These women are awesome. Thank you so much for the opportunity to hear them speak out for themselves, Linda. It’s a strange feeling listening to them express the outrage and articulate their concern for their sisters and realize some American women in positions to be heard are hurling sexist insults at Hillary and Palin.
PITA

The Woman’s Equality Amendment will be reintroduced on July 21 by Carolyn Maloney in the halls of Congress. Support it; push your mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, sons and daughters to support it. Write and call your national representation. We need to set our own house straight.
NOW blinked and turned it’s head at the innuendoes sexism of the 2008 campaign and we see no real push by NOW in any of the day to day sexist occurrences. Sexist discrimination needs a strong spokes person the likes of Al Sharpton to represent them by constantly confronting the media.
The Democratic Party denied the first viable female candidate for the office of President of the United States a full floor vote at their national convention. The “boys in the smoke filled room” decided that it just would not happen. My question for any woman who is still a registered Democrat is: if you are a woman of principle and you don’t need this party to maintain your position in office, why are you a registered Democrat? For that matter, why would any woman be a Republican? These parties have only supported women who support their patriarchal agenda.
Al Sharpton still needs to appologize to the women of the world for his handling of Tawana Brawley which set back women making legitimate complaints all over this country. While he maintained credibility because he’s male and the media allowed it, women lost ground. Our POTUS only sees discrimination against black women if we are to believe what he says. (NAACP convention.) I don’t see Obama taking on the “Women’s Equality Amendment” while he’s focusing on Health Care. We need to push it ourselves.
I’m waiting to see if some woman of stature will step up to be the figurehead we need.
http://noquarter foxyladi14

maybe GERI….
jeanniejo

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/7/20/755553/-Memo-to-CNN:-Dump-Lou-Dobbs-NOW

Memo to CNN: Dump Lou Dobbs NOW!!
Peggy Sue

Where are American women?

That is the question. We have rights under law but we’re squandering them, squandering the efforts of our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers.

But on the other hand, I find the stories of women in other parts of world wonderfully inspiring. Thanks for the material Linda and AGI.
Disgusted

Here, here Linda! Hillary is one of the few women around the world speaking on behalf of those who cannot. How different things would be now if she would have become President!
Ellen D

This is OT.
Peggy Sue

Just as aside but since this post is dedicated to women in action: Greta Van Susteren will feature an interview with our brilliant Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Eastern Standard Time [my area] will air at 10 p.m.

I’ll be watching. This is just a heads up to anyone interested.
Ellen D

Good idea. Haven’t seen her since the campaign when she got pilloried for her honesty.

One of the good things about aging is that people can’t tell you to sit down and shut up any more because now you don’t give a damn.
I was interested in this quote (sorry, I don’t know the origin) that Revolutionaries are young men and older women.
Ellen D

Thanks Peggy Sue!
gonzotx

Really a GREAT post. Yes, where are the American Women. Why don’t we become the “Band of Sisters” and start NOW
gonzotx

I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO JOIN UP WITH AN ACTIVE GROUP OF WOMAN. I WANT TO MAKE A REAL STATEMENT AND PUSH FOR CHANGE. WE NEED TO BE VOCAL AND ARTICULATE. KIND OF LIKE THE BASE HERE! WHAT IS LADY LYNN DOING?
Deborah

linda, thank you for posting these wonderful videos.