An open letter to FEMEN
Westerners who are “concerned” about the status of women in the third world are often unwittingly agents of colonialism and cultural imperialism. It’s rare (to non-existent) that the western media presents what the people we are so concerned about helping actually think. Such as items like the above that I have helpfully reblogged. —Doug
Doug's Darkworld 
Were it not for cultural imperialism italian women, just one example, would still be beaten by their males.
Doug, you and the rest of the leftist intellighenzia, stop running to the rescue of the rough, parochial, provincial, blockheaded muslims.
What are you trying to attain?
carlo
April 9, 2013 at 6:10 am
Hmmm. Bullshit for the most part I think. The letter seems to imply that Femen are disgusted with Muslim women for not participating in their protests. This isn’t true.
It also implies that Femen are all “women of privilege”. Again, not true.
Colonial attitudes contributing more harm than good? Debatable, I suppose I’d have to concede this as I’m sure the authors know more than me about their situation than I do. Presumably they (and you, Doug assuming you feel the same way) were disgusted by the international anti-apartheid movement for the same reason.
“Appropriation of terms and customs without permission”. Who’s permission? Should every Muslim be contacted and asked for their permission? Silly.
The points about not having to contribute to Femen protests and the danger involved is true of course but again, who’s forcing you to? This again implies Femen are being patronising to all Muslim women and calling them cowards for not participating in their protests. False. Also, not all Femen protesters are white, skinny etc. but the authors could be forgiven for thinking so because the media do of course focus their attentions on the pretty ones. They can’t really be forgiven for parroting this claim without checking whether it’s true or not though.
“You only care when it is perpetrated by brown men” What? Femen is an international organisation with many goals. It does not focus exclusively on Muslim nations. This point goes past being incorrect like the others. It is a lie.
Femen don’t “take aim at Islam”, they take aim at some Islamic states, whose treatment of women is appalling. There is a huge difference.
The WE DON’T NEED YOU point may be true but I don’t think any Femen members consider themselves the be-all and end-all of feminism as this paragraph seems to imply.
Somewhat ironically it all comes across a bit us vs. them, Muslims vs. white westerners.
Ronan
April 9, 2013 at 12:11 pm