Category Archives: Viva!

Together in heart by HikingArtist.com

People together in heart of love illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt, landscapesofunderstanding.com CreativeCommons license

via Flickr http://flic.kr/p/AhAHTg

Teenage Girls are the Future — and Present — of Feminism | National Women’s Law Center

Let’s Hear It For the GirlsChronically undervaluing teenage girls like this hurts everyone. Sure, there are practical reasons to support them, like the impact of the youth vote in an increasingly polarized political atmosphere. But more important is that each and every one of these girls matters. Each one deserves to hear, directly and repeatedly, that her ideas are worth sharing, her feelings are valid.Her selfies aren’t shallow — they’re feminist self-construction, an “I was here” painted on the entire Internet. She’s singing on the train because she deserves to take up as much space as anyone else.Some teenage girls don’t care what you think anyway, and that kind of confidence is not easy to come by. Some really do care what you think, and that’s okay because it shows their deep capacity to offer and demand empathy.  My feminism is rooted in supporting these girls no matter what. The ultimate goal is a world in which it’s not just girls themselves who believe they can do anything, but we all know it’s true — and see them accomplish their dreams every day.

Source: Teenage Girls are the Future — and Present — of Feminism | National Women’s Law Center

Protest march of women workers for higher wages, and against male domination in trade union politics in tea plantations at Munnar in southern Indian state of Kerala. Credit: K.S. Harikrishnan/IPS

IPS Inter Press Service posted a photo:

Protest march of women workers for higher wages, and against male domination in trade union politics in tea plantations at Munnar in southern Indian state of Kerala.  Credit:  K.S. Harikrishnan/IPS

Protest march of women workers for higher wages, and against male domination in trade union politics in tea plantations at Munnar in southern Indian state of Kerala. Credit: K.S. Harikrishnan/IPS

The Mothers of Mexico’s Disappeared Organize in the Face of State Violence

It’s been a year since the disappearance of the Ayotzinapa students—now the most emblematic and publicized case of disappearances in the history of the country. When speaking of the anniversary, Nava expresses herself with the resolve and frustration characteristic of many other mothers, many of whom have searched for their children for much longer.“Many are saying that one year is a long time. But for us, no time has passed at all. We are still living on the night of the 26th. For us time is at a standstill. For us it is the same day when our children were disappeared. In my case, I had to go to the morgue to claim my son’s body. I never thought I would have to go recognize his body. But we’re still here, to ensure that the death of my son and the disappearances of these young men doesn’t stay in impunity.”

Source: The Mothers of Mexico’s Disappeared Organize in the Face of State Violence

The Israeli soldier who arrested me wore faux leather army boots

"And you shall teach this to your children"

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By Ariel Gold

We were at the weekly nonviolent demonstration in the West Bank village of Bil’in trying to get away from the army jeep when two female soldiers jumped from it and grabbed us. They held us by the jeeps twisting our arms behind our backs as we watched another international and a Palestinian get arrested as well. The other international, who was from Italy, was being badly beaten and pepper sprayed in his eyes. Me and the other woman were each being held by the women soldiers. The soldiers were in full head to toe protective gear and holding each of us in front of front of them in line of rocks being thrown by young Palestinian teenagers who could not see that their rocks were hurling forward toward unarmed unprotected civilians. I tried to bend my head forward to protect my face and neck from the oncoming…

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