by Artemis
Susan Brownmiller in 1974. Wikipedia, fair use.
On May 25, radical feminist journalist, writer and organizer Susan Brownmiller died at age 90. She credited learning about the Holocaust with inspiring her “chosen path”: fighting violence against women. In 1968, she discussed surviving her illegal abortions at a New York Radical Women consciousness raising session. Realizing it was a political cause, she signed her name to the Ms. Magazine “We Had Abortions” campaign. Previously participating in Civil Rights Movement activism including Freedom Summer, she co-organized several Women’s Liberation actions. These included the 1970 radical feminist sit-in at the Ladies Home Journal offices and the 1971 New York Radical Feminists’ Speak-Out and Conference against Rape. In 1979, she co-founded the activist group Women Against Pornography.
Her book Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape (1975) describing rape as a weapon of patriarchy was instrumental in changing public perceptions and legislation. She recognized the book as a product of the work of the Women’s Liberation Movement but resisted pressure from some feminists to publish anonymously. The writing and four years of research were her own labor. Her seven books include In Our Time: Memoir of a Revolution (1999).
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On June 18 the UK government announced amendments to a Crime and Policing bill that would criminalize pornography depicting strangulation. This followed the recent Independent Porn Review conducted by Baroness Gabby Bertin showing porn has made strangulation a “sexual norm” in many people’s lives. The possible ban is the result of years of campaigning by the End Violence Against Women Coalition and other organizations. Director Andrea Simon stated, “There is no such thing as safe strangulation; women cannot consent to the long-term harm it can cause, including impaired cognitive functioning and memory. Its widespread portrayal in porn is fueling dangerous behaviors, particularly among young people. This is a vital step towards recognizing the role violent pornography plays in shaping attitudes to women and regulating an industry which promotes and profits from violence against women.”
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June 16 was International Domestic Workers Day, the 14th anniversary of the 2011 Domestic Workers Convention (No. 189) held by the UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO). “Convention” also refers to a statement of standards the ILO wants governments to ratify into their national laws. This groundbreaking first global set of standards for domestic workers was formulated after campaigning by the International Domestic Workers Federation. It acknowledges domestic workers are mainly women, often migrants or members of disadvantaged communities. Their paid labor of housework and caregiving is real work, and they deserve the same protections as any other laborers. They contribute to economies and provide important services during emergencies and crisis events.
In 2025, demonstrators worldwide called upon their governments to “ratify C189.” So far, 40 countries have done so in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South and Central America. On social media, supporters posted self-photos with “C189” written on a hand placed over their hearts.