SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
women's rights
Women, We Will Not Capitulate to the Likes of Trump, Musk, and Hegseth!
The slogan “We won’t go back” is even more essential right now.
Jan 05, 2025
For the last 48 hours, one of the most horrifying quotes I have read during the past decade—and the Trump boys have provided a lot of material—is one from the pastor of one of the worst people on the planet: Pete Hegseth. This quote is haunting me. Hegseth is a strong supporter of an unordained pastor from the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, Doug Wilson—Hegseth’s whole family is heavily involved in this far-right outfit, his kids being brainwashed daily, as they are taught this nonsense in their “school.”
Here are the words of this “man of God.”
“The sexual act cannot be made into an egalitarian pleasure party. A man penetrates, conquers, colonizes, plants. A woman receives, surrenders, accepts.” The alleged failure of women to submit leads men to the “dream of being rapists” deprived of the “erotic necessity” found in women’s submission. Wilson also believes God created women “to make the sandwiches” and thinks giving women the right to vote has led to a long, sustained war on the family.
These men are trying to do the impossible: create 1950s stay-at-home wives when the super-rich have made it impossible for the working class, and even the middle class, to survive on one income as they could in 1952.
We need to worry here. A lot. This ideology must be nipped in the bud! Anyone can see what this guy, and Hegseth, and any of the other rapists attending his church believe: that God loves them for committing rape. The implications of this toxic talk is pretty obvious: If you, like U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth, Matt Gaetz, and a number of the other good ol’ boys have raped a woman, you can now pat yourself on the back because you are doing God’s work. If we allow it, these men will be weakening the already poorly enforced laws protecting women from sexual violence, destroying rape kits in police stations, and attempting to force women to have the babies from the rapes. In some legal cases, rapists have demanded rights to raise the child—and judges have sometimes sided with violent rapists.
Women have fought long and hard for the few rights we thought were safe. The Trumpers overturned the big one—the right to reproductive care—and are bullying large companies into eliminating “DEI,” much of which was helpful for women in career options. More Trumpers than the creepy Doug Wilson have questioned women’s right to vote. In some of the most egregious cases of women’s oppression in Texas and a few other states, the right of child-bearing-age women to cross state lines is being stolen from them, as well as the most basic right to healthcare as more women bleed out in hospital parking lots—and we will hear less and less about these cases as the states responsible are trying to keep the state-sponsored murders of young women quiet.
Women got together in the late 1960’s and rose up, because many of us grew up in a moment of great change: Women were out in the streets protesting the Vietnam War and were an integral part of the civil rights movement. We were not going to be secretaries in polyester suits making coffee for the boss. The book Our Bodies, Ourselves taught many of us a tremendous amount about our own selves that we never had access to before: what is healthy in a cycle, a pregnancy, a miscarriage, a relationship, a woman’s life. We created safe spaces for women to gather. Women were not able to access credit without a male cosigner as recently as 1974. This includes a mortgage—so as recently as 50 years ago, a woman could not purchase a home without a male cosigner. With a seriously few exceptions, all the doctors were male, so women really were on their own unless they lived in one of the very few families where sex talk was acceptable.
The best aspect, by far, of the Harris campaign was the focus on women’s rights. Too bad Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t care about the rights of the women in Gaza—she might have won the election. The slogan “We won’t go back” is even more essential right now. These men are trying to do the impossible: create 1950s stay-at-home wives when the super-rich have made it impossible for the working class, and even the middle class, to survive on one income as they could in 1952. The Trump-Musk economic plan is basically to impoverish anyone who is not already struggling or who is not in the highest earning class. The Musk dream of every white woman producing a plethora of babies is never going to happen unless they are able to create a Handmaid’s Tale-type situation: compulsory breeding. And Elon Musk has implied that is exactly what he is shooting for.
Women: no capitulation! Rape is a crime. Rape destroys lives, rape creates unwanted and unloved babies. Rapists are violent criminals—their wealth, class, race, ethnicity are irrelevant. Men who violently rape women are all guilty of a major sin. Rape is not a sacrament.
Keep ReadingShow Less
International Progressives Applaud Gisèle Pelicot's Courage as French Rape Case Ends in Guilty Verdicts
"Today, we stand with all survivors of sexual violence and against the systems that intimidate them into silence," said British lawmaker Jeremy Corbyn.
Dec 19, 2024
As the horrific rape case in southern France that has captured international attention came to an end Thursday, with the former husband of survivor Gisèle Pelicot and 50 other men found guilty, the response of Pelicot's supporters outside the courthouse and of politicians across the globe made clear that the case has been a "rallying cry against the epidemic of rape and a system that silences survivors."
Pelicot's ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, was sentenced to 20 years in prison—the maximum sentence for rape in France—for drugging his wife and recruiting dozens of other men to join him in sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious over a period of 10 years.
The case was remarkable both for the shocking allegations against the defendants—who came to be known as "Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde," or "Mr. EveryMan" across France—and for Gisèle Pelicot's adamant decision to open the trial to the public, a choice she said on Thursday she has "never regretted."
"When I opened the doors of this trial on September 2, I wanted society to be able to seize the debates that took place there," said Pelicot. "I now have confidence in our ability to collectively grasp a future in which everyone, women and men alike, can live in harmony, mutual respect, and understanding."
Pelicot's case inspired anti-sexual violenceprotests across France and Europe in September, with marchers displaying banners that echoed the words that Pelicot's attorney shared on her behalf when the decision to make the trial public was announced: "Shame must change sides."
That phrase became a rallying cry during the trial, with women's rights advocates demanding that France's criminal code be changed to affirm that sex without consent is rape—and Pelicot expressing hope that her case would inspire other sexual assault victims to come forward and seek justice.
In France, 86% of police reports of sexual violence have been dropped, with just 14% making it to trial. Only 13% of suspects have been convicted of faced consequences, and 40% of women who have reported attacks to the police have said they were treated poorly by the authorities.
"I am thinking of the unrecognized victims, whose stories often remain in the shadows," said Pelicot after the verdict was read on Thursday. "I want you to know that we share the same fight. I would like to express my profound gratitude towards everyone who has supported me throughout this ordeal. Your messages have deeply moved me and have given me the strength to come back every day to face these long, daily hearings."
By allowing the media access to the trial, University of Liverpool criminology professor Fiona Measham said Pelicot "flipped the script" regarding how rape is often viewed and discussed.
"Quite often, survivors are blamed for doing something wrong—like going to bars or meeting men online—but Gisèle showed that she was victimized by her husband and dozens of men while in her home," psychotherapist and author Amy Morin toldUSA Today.
Reneé Carr, a psychologist, told the outlet that Pelicot's "courage to shine a light on what happened to her... can, hopefully, give strength to other victims to also speak out and to see themselves as blameless."
The progressive French journal L'Humanité featured Pelicot on its cover this week, with the headline expressing thanks: "Merci Madame."
Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn also acknowledged the case on Thursday, saying Pelicot "will forever be the face of dignity and resilience."
"Her bravery is truly remarkable—and she has empowered millions of women around the world," he said. "Today, we stand with all survivors of sexual violence and against the systems that intimidate them into silence."
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez used the phrase Pelicot's case has made famous: "What dignity. Thank you, Gisèle Pelicot. Shame must change sides."
Keep ReadingShow Less
In New African Protest Movements, the Youth Are Leading the Way
African youth, leveraging social media and operating without funding, have emerged as a powerful force for change, echoing the historical independence movements of the mid-20th century.
Dec 15, 2024
“Africa is Rising!”—or so the narrative goes. But the sun of economic growth does not shine on everyone. African youth face record-high unemployment, political underrepresentation, and limited access to resources. In 2024 alone, 19 African countries have held elections, yet young people—one-third of the continent’s population—remain largely excluded from leadership. So, it isn’t surprising that in this same year, African youth, mobilizing on digital platforms, have come out loud and clear against economic hardship and government inaction.
The first time we felt digital and social media mobilization in Kenya was in 2019 in the weeks leading up to the 2019 International Women’s Day. Feminists in Kenya planned and digitally mobilized nationwide protests against femicide to draw attention to the rising cases of femicide and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the country that went with no arrests of the perpetrators or the government addressing the issue. The protests were mobilized on social media under the hashtag #EndFemicideKE/#TotalShutdownKE.
As seen in the #RejectFinanceBill protests in Kenya, the #FearlessOctober protests in Nigeria, and youth-led movements in Uganda and Mozambique, today’s youth are not merely reacting to the rising cost of living but are pushing for profound systemic change.
Between August and October, the Kenya National Police Service reported 97 cases of femicide. The real numbers must be higher since some of the cases don’t get reported to authorities. During the 16 Days of Activism 2024, Kenyans across the country held forums to highlight the femicide issue. This culminated in nationwide protests held across the country on the International Human Rights Day 2024, calling on the president to declare femicide a national disaster. As usual the peaceful protests were met by police brutality, with the police teargassing innocent protestors.
This social youth-led movement, started by Gen Z protesters in Kenya in June, has now spread to Uganda, Nigeria, and Mozambique. Waves of young people are rising to challenge electoral malpractices, bad governance, corruption, and tax hikes. African youth, leveraging social media and operating without funding, have thus emerged as a powerful force for change, echoing the historical independence movements of the mid-20th century. With the majority of the protests driven by men and women under 30, there’s significant potential to create long-lasting momentum for good governance, economic justice, an end to corruption, and better electoral management.
#RejectFinanceBill2024 in Kenya
The weeks leading up to the first physical #RejectFinanceBill2024 protests in Kenya on June 18 and 19 were dominated by general discontent with proposed taxes on basic commodities like sanitary products, cooking oil, and bread. Social media platforms were abuzz with calls of “enough is enough” as platform users explained how much the bill would drive up the cost of living for most average citizens. The general feeling was “we need to do something” about this bill before life got much more difficult than it already was.
Within days, users had circulated a date, venue, and dress code on social media and were downloading the Zello walkie-talkie app en masse. What followed next was historic as young Kenyans in all parts of the country took to the streets to protest the Finance Bill in what became known as the #RejectFinanceBill2024 and #OccupyParliament protests.
Uganda, Nigeria, and Mozambique: Social Media and Youth
Following Kenya’s example, anti-corruption protests erupted in Uganda in July. Then August and October saw Nigeria’s #EndBadGovernance protests and #FearlessOctober protests against the cost-of-living crisis and bad governance. In Mozambique, citizens took massively to the streets to protest against electoral malpractices following the October 9 elections.
As in Kenya, all these protests have more in common than how violently they were dealt with: excessive police force, extra-judicial killings, abductions, torture, and hundreds of injuries.
The vast majority of protesters are young people, and social media played a pivotal role in getting them out on the street. It helped them facilitate real-time updates, coordinate demonstrations, counter misinformation, and obtain legal aid by crowdfunding for arrested activists. By circumventing traditional media, young activists exposed abuses and united communities, forcing authorities to confront this digitally-savvy and highly organized force.
Leaderless, Tribeless, Classless and Fearless
Historically, Kenyan politics has been divided along ethnic and tribal lines, with voting blocs often rallying behind leaders from their communities. The Gen Z movement, however, has broken this mold. Young activists have shifted the focus from ethnic loyalty to broader issues like equality, social justice, and government accountability.
Under the “tribeless, leaderless, party-less” tagline, the #RejectFinanceBill protests shunned traditional political affiliations and adopted a spontaneous, decentralized model. This approach gave the movement flexibility to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, such as evading police by frequently shifting protest sites. Without a clear hierarchy, the protests continued despite arrests, as authorities struggled to suppress an ever-evolving, leaderless movement.
The Kenyan protests took the government by surprise. Previously, youth complaints were confined to social media. Now, they were on the streets nationwide, transcending tribal and party lines. The government’s response was violent, resulting in dozens of deaths and abductions. Even today, police isolate and kidnap perceived protest leaders, many of whom end up dead or traumatized from their experiences. The Kenya Police Service has however denied this.
Rejecting Savior Politics
Africa’s political history is marked by leaders who position themselves as “saviors” promising utopia while failing to build sustainable systems. This narrative has bred disillusionment as youth recognize the need for systemic change, not just individual leaders. Gen Z activists across Africa are increasingly demanding transparency and accountability, emphasizing structures that outlast personalities and prevent corruption.
This year’s protests also signal another shift: African youth are questioning whether their leaders’ personal politics align with the principles of justice, equality, and inclusion. This younger generation is looking beyond mere representation to evaluate leaders on their stance against patriarchy, homophobia, and tribalism. Are they committed to redressing historical injustices and fighting systemic oppression? Activists believe these questions should determine the support any leader receives.
The Future of Youth-Led Activism in Africa
With the majority of activists under 30, Africa’s Gen Z is set to reshape the political landscape. Supporting these young Africans, rather than depending on traditional “savior” figures, is essential. Leaderless, decentralized movements have proven to be effective at disrupting the status quo.
As seen in the #RejectFinanceBill protests in Kenya, the #FearlessOctober protests in Nigeria, and youth-led movements in Uganda and Mozambique, today’s youth are not merely reacting to the rising cost of living but are pushing for profound systemic change. By combining digital activism with physical presence on the streets, African youth are demonstrating their commitment to a transformed and empowered continent and broader systemic change.
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular