justkate

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By justkate • 16 years ago

Women of Zimbabwe Rise Against Sexual Violence

In 2008, political violence erupted throughout Zimbabwe as a result of highly contested national elections. Between May and July alone, local organizations estimate that state-sanctioned groups abducted, raped, tortured, and beat over 2,000 women and girls due to their political affiliations. Local police have ignored these women’s pleas for protection, justice, and accountability, and national leaders have been equally unresponsive. Hear Us – a video co-produced by Zimbabwean Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) and WITNESS – features four of these women who have come forward to demand justice from the Zimbabwean government and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Next month, the SADC summit is being held in Kinshasa from September 2-8 2009. Help us collect 2,000 (or more!) messages of support to be delivered to SADC leaders at the summit. Add your voice to the call for justice for the Zimbabwean women – sign our petition , record a video message , tweet the campaign , or leave a comment below.

Support the women of Zimbabwe by going to http://hub.witness.org/HearUsStandWithUs and adding your voice to the call for justice. Here are 5 ways to take action now:

Sign the petition calling for justice and accountability
Record a video message of support to be delivered to the leaders of SADC and the Zimbabwean government (we can help you do this via skype if that is easiest for you).
Ask your networks, friends and colleagues to ...

By justkate • 16 years ago

Adventures of XX in XYLand

I have been working in the legal/compliance dept. of a small investment advising firm in Manhattan for two and a half years. I began as a temp., then was offered a full-time position as a legal assistant. In February, I asked for and received a promotion. I’ve risen quickly, despite my incongruent educational bg (MS in Art History) and and work experience (mainly civil litigation). I also founded the staff newsletter and serve as its Editor in Chief. No one at my firm would dare call me lazy or stupid, but I still receive plenty of marginalizing and xenophobia, mainly for my creativity and especially because of my gender. Here’s a prime example…

Thursday was my first time sitting in an ...

By justkate • 17 years ago

While We Were Sleeping

On Monday, Tennessee’s House of Representatives made great strides in limiting its citizen’s reproductive rights by paving the way for a state constitutional amendment to ban abortion. State Dems made a case for rape, incest, and the life of a mother, but such exceptions were roundly rejected by a vote of 76 to 22 on SJR127. Next stop: a General Assembly vote, in which a supermajority in the House and Senate moves this amendment further along. Assuming it passes (and it probably will, with an estimated 10 votes to spare), the end game would be a ballot vote in 2014, in which every registered voter in TN can exercise their opinion on the health, bodies, and rights of their fellow ...

By justkate • 17 years ago

Catherine Opie: American Photographer

"I have represented this country and this culture. And I’m glad that there is a queer, out, dyke artist that’s being called an American photographer." ~Catherine Opie Catalog Interview

At the time of her mid-career survey at the Guggenheim last year, American photographer Catherine Opie visited the Center to talk about her work. She told us it was her first time doing a presentation in an LGBT space. It was a fascinating evening in which she explained the background motivating much of her work. You should be aware that some of the images are explicit.

Watch Catherine Opie at the Center

"I have represented this country and this culture. And I’m glad that there is a queer, out, dyke artist that’s being called an American photographer." ~Catherine Opie Catalog Interview

At the time of her mid-career survey at ...