Thursday, March 29, 2012

A woman full of principles


I have a new hero! Tehmina Durrani.
The woman who took care of Fakhra Yunas, the Pakistani victim of an acid attack. Fakhra committed suicide a couple days ago. But Durrani arranged to take her abroad, capturing media attention for acid attacks in Pakistan.
Her own life story is amazing too. She grew up in a wealthy family, but after being used in her own marriage, she wrote about it, and questioned women's issues in Pakistan. Not by publishing her own book, but by funding an NGO for protection and care for other women in Pakistan. She distanced herself from everything to get rid of the manipulative patriarchal society, even signing for distance from her kids, to be able to do her work...

A woman full of principles...

Normally I don't post pictures on my blog but look at this beautiful picture of two women, how they support each other, probably knowing that it could have been either of them. It can happen to any of us. Maybe not the acid attacks, but all sorts of violence against women. It makes me hate societies in which these things happen. And I just can't understand how people, men or women, can sleep while this is happening.
Here is the link to Tehmina's full biography, I insist you read it.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Fighting basic women's health issues in 2012? Seriously?

What the heck is happening with this country?! Who knew that in 2012 in the USA politicians would be fighting about contraception and basic women's health?

Tomorrow I am attending a great idea from my friend Sarah Bird and Marcia Ball.

"COME and SEE RED"

It started last week, but tomorrow and following Tuesday, between noon and 2:00 PM, everybody is putting on a red shirt and stand in front of the Texas State Capitol at the corner of Congress Avenue and 11th Street holding a sign decrying the defunding of women’s health services.

The calling is named SEEING RED and it may be just a few women with a few friends or a few hundred.

No keynote speakers. No podium. No PA. Just red shirts and signs. Spread the word.

By the way, this is not a “women’s movement”, so come on, come all!