by Artemis
The girls who started the petition. Photo: The Cooper School, UK.
In September, in the UK, Alyn and Mae, both aged 15, started a petition for the Prime Minister to ban the use of school uniforms in pornography. They got the idea during a discussion at the Little Feminist Book Club at their school, the Cooper School in Bicester, Oxfordshire. They learned of girls at other schools petitioning to ban the sale of school uniforms at sex shops. Mae said, “We just want to prevent people from thinking about children and school uniforms in that way. Hopefully, we’ll be able to actually turn the ban into legislation.”
The petition cites a Plan International study from 2018 showing 35% of respondents reporting unwanted sexual attention while wearing a school uniform and 8% filmed or photographed by strangers. Alyn and Mae confirm their classmates describe harassment as early as age 11 leaving them “frightened, ashamed, and insecure.” As of Oct. 5, the petition had over 24,000 signatures, and two members of Parliament supported debating the issue.
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On Oct. 7, in Delhi, India, hundreds of women university students marched in a “Smash the Patriarchy” demonstration, chanting “We Want Justice.” This is one of many demonstrations in major cities against recent, especially violent cases of rape and femicide. They are also protesting the worsening culture of rape and sexual harassment. Women have better education and job opportunities than ever but face rape on campus, even from professors. Many choose work opportunities based on the closeness of the job to their homes due to extreme street harassment.
Signs read, “Girls Don’t Need Curfews, Rapists Need Consequences,” “Our Bodies are Our Own,” “Stop Moral Policing, Start Arresting Rapists” and “Imagine if Women Felt as Safe as Men Feel Offended.” One sign had “Protect Your Daughter” crossed out, replaced with “Educate Your Son.”
Aranya Rathore, age 25, stated, “Instead of going after criminals, you’re going to tell women to sit at home. A demand for more surveillance is not a solution. In fact, it’s going to curtail our freedom more.” Subhani, age 17, stated, “My generation is not afraid to stand up and protest. We know that society has to change. The days of women being silent are over.”
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On Oct. 22, in Warsaw, Poland, hundreds of women demonstrated in front of Parliament, demanding free and legal abortion. More marches took place in over 20 other cities and towns. Since 1993, abortion has only been legal for rape, fetal abnormality, or risk to a woman’s life or health. Demonstrators accuse Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his liberal Civic Coalition party of betraying his 2023 campaign promise to women to relax the anti-abortion laws. Parliament had just passed two bills to ease restrictions, but they are expected to be vetoed by conservative President Karol Nawroki. Zofia Marcinek of the Abortion Dream Team called the passage of the bills a “token gesture” to get women’s support in next year’s election. Protesters held red cards to warn politicians, a symbol borrowed from soccer referees ejecting players from games. Signs read, “Women’s Hell Continues” and “Men of Quality Don’t Fear Women’s Equality.”