Femen eyes U.S. branch as relevance fades

Submitted by Mastodon on Tue, 2014-02-25 00:19

Story here. Excerpt:

'The Ukraine-born leader of the radical feminist organization Femen, famous for its topless protests around the world, is planning to open an American branch. Inna Shevchenko’s announcement comes as the group’s reception in France, where the Femen leader sought and received political asylum in 2013, has cooled considerably.

Shevchenko and eight fellow Femenites were called before a Paris tribunal Wednesday on charges of damaging bells and religious articles at the Notre Dame Cathedral last year to mark the resignation of Pope Benoit XVI; the trial will formally begin on July 9. Another Femen activist will go on trial March 14 for simulating abortion in the famed Eglise de la Madeleine. The pending trials mark the end to a brief period of adulation, which saw France welcome Femen’s move from its headquarters in Kiev to Paris. Fascination with the charismatic Shevchenko extended even to the country’s national stamp – the Femen leader played the muse for the newest depiction of France’s cultural symbolic Marianne, which was approved by President Francois Hollande. Now, conservative lawmakers are calling for Femen to be labeled a sect (and thereby illegal).
...
Shevchenko has shrugged off Femen’s recent bad press, noting, “We are not a rock band. We’re a bunch of angry women.” But with Pussy Riot still making waves two years after its infamous “punk prayer” – minus the questions of credibility and relevance plaguing Femen – Shevchenko’s feminist group would be well served to take a cue from Russia’s most notorious “rock band.”'

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Wait 'til they find out that topless women running through the streets with words painted or magic-markered on their chests decrying something is old hat. Not that you see it every day, but there are places in the US where the press inquires "Gee, what's wrong?" if there isn't a protest, sit-in, or public lambasting of politicians, religions, religious leaders, and pretty much anyone else every week.

If they try one of their protests in NY City, does anyone who lives there imagine it will do anything more than catch the notice of a guy hawking iPods of dubious origin on a street corner?

If anything, they'll bring the US boundless entertainment. I could see them as part of a Jerry Springer "planned intrusion", like the ones he's known for using to boost ratings.

But you know, there is one place I know if where they could run around topless hollering their heads off and not have any problems with the law: the entire State of New York (discussed here. Other places in the US have varying degrees of permissibility for it, but NY's highest court ruled that the required-covering laws violated the state and US Constitutions since they were not applied equally to both sexes.

But I have to wonder about this kind of thinking. After all, only men in New York are defined under state law as members of the state's "unorganized militia" and therefore subject to the military command of the governor of NY, who may require such residents of the state to be "activated" into military service.

No new law required. Live in NY? Over 16 but under 46? Have a penis? You're in an army, whether you like it or not.

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Submitted by Matt on Tue, 2014-02-25 05:54