Campus Chronicles: Rutgers-Newark University - Is Femen the Future of Feminism?

Much of what we have learned in class relates to, how historically women as artist have not been included in our art history books, especially because women have not been the ones writing these books.  And much of these notions are still present today, everyday there are things happening around the world that we are completely ignorant to. As students we find ourselves in a unique environment where we are supposed to be socially aware and academically inclined. I think we have a responsibility to at least be informed, because our thoughts and our opinions matter. Campus Chronicles is a project aimed to reach college campuses addressing domestic and global issues and targeting young feminist and/or student activists. For me, the project is specific to Rutgers-Newark and I’m choosing to present it in video format. However, this project can be developed to reach campuses around the country and can be presented in print, video, and social media forums.  

The particular issue I choosing to bring to students’ attention is the feminist group and political movement, Femen and the counter-movements that opposite it. According to its official website, Femen is a feminist movement that “is an international women’s movement of brave topless female activists painted with the slogans and crowned with flowers”. As a political science and women’s and gender studies major, I wanted to be able to deconstruct Femen, through a political and gendered lens. And as a person who is Muslim, I wanted to try and demonstrate both sides of the debate. Through photos, posters, and videos I presented Femen to a group of students who for the most part were unaware of the group. I asked students to analyze the Femen Movement's mission, and why that mission is so highly contested. Then, once that context was established I continued to record each student’s reaction and reflection by asking them a series of questions in regards Femen. By surveying students on campus on their impressions of the movement it resulted in diverse responses, each unique to the individual student.

Now, without further ado, here is the video… 

Campus Chronicles: Is Femen the Future of Feminism?    

Bibliography: 

"'Breasts as Bombs' - FEMEN Says They'll Turn to Guns If Necessary." YouTube. YouTube, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

"Christian Women Against Femen." YouTube. YouTube, 16 May 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

Cochrane, Kira. "Rise of the Naked Female Warriors." The Guardian. Guardian News and 

Media, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.

"Muslim Women Against Femen | Facebook." Facebook. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2013.

"FEMEN." FEMEN. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

"FEMEN Is the New Feminism - Alexandra Shevchenko // Nude." YouTube. YouTube, 08 July 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

Gordts, Eline. "Muslim Women Against FEMEN." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 05 Apr. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.

Group to Speak For Oppressed Muslim Women."PolicyMic. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.

Hudson, Valerie M. Sex and World Peace. New York: Columbia UP, 2012. Print.

"PolicyMic." PolicyMic. N.p., n.d. Web. Oct. 2013. "FEMEN Protests: Nobody Asked This 

"Up Yours Femen." YouTube. YouTube, 07 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2013.