A message from the Black Women’s Rape Action Project:
We invite you to join London SlutWalk with us, this Saturday 11 June. In stark contrast to the way events are often structured, the London organisers approached our group seeking the active involvement of women of colour. We will be marching and speaking at the rally.
SlutWalks have taken place in a number of countries, and more are proposed including in India. Yet some Black feminists have condemned them as irrelevant to women of colour, and dismissed the organisers as ‘white middle-class women’. We reject this view.
SlutWalk is a much needed occasion to break down divisions and strengthen everyone’s right to protection and justice, no matter who we are, where we were raped or who raped us.
We want to make visible the 70% of women from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and elsewhere who are seeking asylum in the UK after suffering rape and other torture.
We want to make visible the women of colour protesting rape and/or racist attacks in Britain.
We want to make visible the women of colour everywhere who are fighting for justice after reporting attacks by men in positions of authority. Like the placards at the Paris SlutWalk march referring to the Black refugee housekeeper who has accused the ex-head of the IMF of attempted rape: ‘We are all chamber maids’.
We are meeting at the top of Piccadilly 1pm to stroll, roll, holler or stomp to Trafalgar Square for a lively rally. Look for BWRAP’s turquoise banner. Everyone is welcome.
Bring your placards, banners, slogans and chants.
On rabble.ca, an alternative news outlet located in Canada, there have been some articles that challenge the name (“Slutwalk” e.g., is it possible to “reclaim” a term such as “sl_t” that was never yours?) of this action, as well as the reluctance of its organizers (in Canada at least) to take up the title “feminist”. Unfortunately, I haven’t the time at the moment to locate any particular article. I will leave that to your virtual readership.
Thanks Shelley – I’d also come across something questioning the naming, but can’t now find it, and haven’t had time to post it. But I’ll have a look on rabble.