NO TAV Women’s Day: Reclaim Dissent!

Responding to a call out made by women within the movement a few days ago, today around 100 NO TAV women met up in Susa to “have a chat” with the local Mayor (a woman herself). The protesters bumped into the Mayor just outside the Council House and informed her they would “make a visit” to the meeting that had been planned in the morning.

Austerity is violence on the bodies of women

In Rome, activist women responded to the #occupypatriarchy call out initiated by the Occupy Wall Street Movement. The group, composed of students, precarious workers and migrants, marched through the city centre’s high streets on November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Video of Womyn’s Protests (with English Subtitles)

Indecorous and Free!

In the palace the cock rules: let's cut it!

In this latest phase of widespread political and economic crisis, the subject of sexuality has become crucial. In this context the role of women is once again determined and exploited by those in power, within an old traditional ideological perspective. We’ve surely needed a women’s mobilisation against the government and its PM for some time now, and not just because of the sexual scandals. Italy is ranked amongst the lowest in Europe for freedom and quality of life for women  – especially in a context where the government combines the dogmas of unconditional allegiance to Catholic fundamentalism on one hand and unrestrained liberalism on the other. Berlusconi has been the maker of brutal laws that victimise and stigmatise women’s bodies: the law on IVF*, the repealing of the law that made it illegal to “fairly dismiss” pregnant women**, the increase of state pension age. These are just some striking examples of the government’s politics. Other examples are the relentless attacks against the abortion law, the disqualifying and privatisation of the infrastructure (like sexual health centres), the war against the Month-After pill.

Women’s Body

This project took off as a matter of urgency. It all started with the observation that women – real women – are an endangered species on television, one that is being replaced by a grotesque, vulgar and humiliating representation. We sensed the enormity of this loss: the erasure of women’s identity is happening right before our eyes, but without a proper reaction, not even from women themselves.