PES sends an unambiguous message

Finally the European Socialists realized that is time to do something against the rise of extremist parties. It took them some time but I hope that they will stick to their own rules and this decision will actually produce political change.

What happened?  The Presidency of the Party of European Socialists adopted the document “Confronting the extreme-right in Europe: our way” which is basically a guideline on how to deal with extreme-right parties in Europe.

"The PES expresses concerns and frustration at the recent statements of so called main stream

politicians which send a dangerous and insidious signal that such extreme views are acceptable.

Recent comments by French centre right politicians on the Roma question, Italian leaders coming

to their aid and by German regional leaders on the very idea of immigration, or acceptance of

support to a ruling coalition in the Netherlands, have only exacerbated the situation."

They plan to send "an unambiguous message to European citizens that the political platforms of these parties are wrong, in their entirety".  They also want to make it mandatory for all European political parties to sign up to the principles of the Charter of European Parties for a non-racist Society, adopted in Utrecht in 1998, and to adopt a strict code of conduct:

- Condemn all racist, xenophobic, discriminatory or nationalistic statements or actions.

- Not get into a ruling coalition or electoral alliance with a Party inciting or attempting to stir up racial or ethnic prejudices and racial hatred, at European or national levels.

- Refuse an implicit support from a Party inciting or attempting to stir up racial or ethnic prejudices and racial hatred to form a government.

- Fight the legitimization of the discourses of such Parties by refusing to engage into their terms of the debate, by not taking up their ideas into its political platforms nor in the policies it implements when in government.

- Isolate its members not respecting those principles.

 Good luck with that...I have already some ideas of who should be isolated already, but i guess it won't be so easy to apply some strong principles.

you can find the document at the PES website here

USSR & PC

Hélène Cixous gives an interesting description of the situation in France after the disappearance of the Soviet Union and surprise! the scapegoating of PC (whatever that means). I found this paragraph fascinating, especially in relation to the daily usage of PC in order to shut down any progressive left discourse.


Here is Cixous in Stigmata: 

"The disappearance of the USSR. I do not plan on giving a political presentation. I’m going to report on one effect, out of a thousand, of the disappearance of the USSR, such as it can be observed in France—a characteristic item of our period, inscribed across the French scene. A kind of flash effect of events on our ideology, on our discourse, on our desire: for example, in France, an effect on something that belongs to our recent memory and which is the downfall of what they called ‘PC.’ At the outset there were newspaper articles which I would call ill-intentioned or written in bad faith—as always: thus, the usual—articles on ‘PC’—but the American phenomenon! That is—and this won’t be news to you—on the notion of ‘Political Correctness.’ Typically, in French public opinion, a vast confusion was created, a hodgepodge of PC [French Communist Party] and ‘PC’: what the PC was in any case was infamous, because it was the PC. Inscription, therefore, of a phobia in France. France manufactures and sells phobias and phobogenic products. You have to be in Paris to smell the daily odor of the hunt, this desire to kill, this desire to set up for decapitations. Odor of newspaper. But in October, it was the French PC and the American ‘Politically Correct’ that were rejected, both of them, placed on the Index!"

photo from Museum of Communism Prague 

what is activism?

Being part of a Gender Department, there are some questions that come up every new academic year. One constant puzzle for gender students/professors is activism and what does it mean for us. The trend at our department is to move away from any activist connotations (activism as in connection to Marxist politics, feminist or queer movement). I have to mention that even if there are some notable exceptions of public intellectuals, active feminists and queer activists at all levels of the academic strict hierarchy, this move away from activism comes from the faculty (which in my particular case  stands for one of the last bastions of postfeminism, commodification of queer/feminist research with no political agenda and neoliberal backlash. This type of approach adds to the fact that being situated in Eastern Europe offers a great opportunity for our white masters/professors and colleagues to other the "uncivilized" students and construct their own neo-colonial subjectivities).

The question of activism came recently in the  LGBT club at our university, where some members asked if they can take part in actions even if they are not activists. Some emails followed debating the issue.

I have to mention that I questioned myself about activism and what does it mean for me. I still don't have an answer for that but I was reading a very interesting position by  Matt Kailey, a transman who blogs at Tranifesto.

He was answering a burning question in the feminist/queer blogosphere: "Is blogging activism?” but went further than that by offering a large definition for activism.

"Sometimes the word “activist” can be more than a little scary and overwhelming. Sometimes we come to a conference and we see people up at the podium speaking, or we see people giving workshops and we read their bios and see all the things they've done, and we look at all the various leaders in each of our communities, and we think, “I can't possibly do what they're doing. I wouldn't even know where or how to start. I don't have the time, the energy, the resources, the skills, or even the desire.” 

Or we think, “I can't be out where I live or where I work. There's no way I can speak out or be visible like that.” Or, as an ally, we think, “I'm not a member of that community. Will they resent me or see me as an outsider? And how can I represent a community that I really don't belong to?” 

And then we just give up. 

But we don't have to give up. We all have a part to play, and it doesn't have to involve traveling around the globe giving speeches, or writing books, or being on TV, or holding a political office, or sitting on boards of directors, or running organizations. Those are all very worthy and much-needed activities, and the people who do those things are absolutely essential for our community. But the truth is that we are all absolutely essential for our community. And we are all activists - every single one of you here today is an activist. 

If you are GLBTIQ or go by a different label but identify as a member of that community, you are an activist every morning when you get out of bed, whether you want to be or not, just by living your life. Every time you come out to someone, you are an activist. 

If you're trans or have a “non-standard body,” every time you use a public restroom labeled “Male” or “Female,” you are an activist. If you're gay or lesbian or bi or queer, every time you go on a date or kiss your partner, you are an activist. 

If you're an ally, every time you use the correct pronoun when referring to a trans person, you are an activist. Every time you correct someone who uses the wrong pronoun or who makes an inappropriate comment about a member of the GLBTIQ community, you are an activist. 

Activism doesn't have to be big and bold and visible to everyone. Activism takes many forms and can be as simple as treating someone else with the respect that they are due. It can be as simple as welcoming a same-sex couple into your neighborhood or treating a transsexual store clerk like you would treat any other store clerk that you were dealing with - no better and no worse. When you make the decision, every day of your life, to treat everyone who you encounter in your life as a “normal” person, a deserving person, and an equal person - you are an activist. 

It's that simple. Anyone can be an activist. 

When asked how to create a legacy, Ethel Percy Andrus, the founder of AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are today.” 

And that's how each one of us can create a legacy of activism that absolutely shakes the foundations of our two-dimensional, either/or, binary society. 

You start where you are. And you measure your success in increments, by small victories. I've considered myself a trans activist for the last nine years, and I measure my own success by increments, by small victories, by the little inroads that I'm able to make and by the minds here and there that I'm able to change. 

Start giving yourself credit for all the small things that you do - and keep doing them. Pat yourself on the back for all the “small victories” that you have - and keep having them. Acknowledge all the incremental changes that you are making in the world every day - and keep making them. 

What you're doing now may be as far as you'll ever go, and that's fine. You're already making a difference. 

Yes. Blogging is activism. The world is watching, reading, and listening. And if you can change people's minds, or even make them think about another possibility, or realize that another point of view exists, then as a blogger activist, you have done your job."

 From this point of view, to escape activism takes quite a big effort when you are already involved in queer/feminst/gender work. I almost admire those that are trying so hard to keep their academic purity untouched by the abjection of activism.It must be an exhausting struggle that is perceived as necessary to prove yourself academically worthy and masterful based on the assumption that academic work is not political (even if being nonpolitical directly supports the status quo and the hegemonic conservative discourse).

un-learning with Cixous

In Reading with Clarice Lispector, Helene Cixous follows Genet in showing the necessity of unlearning: 

“Genet tells us that we have to burn knowledge, theatricality, sumptuosity, in order to learn how to know nothing.”

That is the most difficult step (but very useful) in having a critical position.

Avon and domestic violence

These simple classic jewelry pieces are a great way to do your part in getting the word out and putting an end to domestic violence and empowering your fellow women!  I just placed my order... did you?! 

(from an Avon commercial)

Avon started an aggressive campaign against domestic violence in Romania (I am not giving any links). Considering the huge number of victims that are not supported by the mainstream discourses or state institutions (as a matter of fact, various shelters were closed this year), Avon can meet a large mass of consumers and also be perceived as a feminist Saviour (as a lot of my Facebook friends are doing already, promoting this company and its products due to its involvement in social campaigns).

As Twisty from I Blame the Patriarchy was saying:

"We can no longer deny that real empowerfulness comes from participating as consumers in a $180 billion-a-year global industry that’s scientifically formulated to promote women’s insecurities and self-esteem issues.

In fact, from now on, we’re requiring all strawfeminists to sell Avon products on the side. So, can I interest you in a jar of Anew Clinical Therafirm Face Lifting Cream? Your face will “look & feel firmer, tighter and more lifted.” Because, as the strawfeminist now knows, a face must be as lifted as possible to ensure optimum personal autonomy. Anew Clinical Therafirm Face Lifting Cream is scientifically formulated to relieve you of 32 bucks American. Just think, if you earn minimum wage, that’s a mere 6 1/2 hours’ labor, just 16% of your weekly take-home!"

I found quite disturbing the fact that Avon is using the suffering of women to sell its products, especially in a local context where these problems are silenced and neglected. Avon uses and detours exactly the need for actions and  awareness in dealing with the issue of gendered violence. Because buying their products and promoting their business won't help any woman in Romania except for the women in charge who can actually enjoy the profits of this campaign. Oh yes, and maybe this campaign will bring some self-fulfillment for the bourgeois feminists who are actually buying those products, are aware of the problem and do feel better after "doing something" for the feminist cause.

hiding the lace

This advise from 1940s is puzzling for so many reasons. I always had my "shirttails showing" so it comes as a bit of shock that it was such a no-no decades ago.. But anyway, what do we have here? Only mothers are to guard fashion statements, feminine lace would always compromise masculinity that all the boys want to achieve. Tucked in lace and out of sight would supposedly masculinize the lad immediately..what about hiding the lacy secret in your pants? That is what i would call kink (nothing wrong with that)

foto via