Today kicks off the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence (h/t).
The days of action start with The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — which is today — and ends on December 10 with International Human Rights Day. I think that this is an absolutely amazing structure: beginning discussion relatively narrowly and then building up to a broader world view to remind people that gender issues are human rights issues.
This year’s theme is Demanding Implentation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women, and you should read more about it.
I very strongly recommend that you check out Sokari at Black Looks for more information about the 16 Days and for information about the Carnival Against Gender Violence, for which submission are due December 6th. Personally, I can’t wait to see it.
If you happen to be in NYC, check out these events. For everyone, here is a great resource for suggested actions (pdf).
And as a blogger, I encourage all others to blog on the topic as much as possible for the next 16 days (and thereafter). Of course, blogging is neither the only nor most effective method of activism, but I also think that it plays an important role. If you read liberal blogs that don’t normally cover “gender issues,” strongly encourage them to participate (and demand answers if they won’t). If you run a non-feminist blog, or read other non-feminist blogs by writers that you know care about women, let them know and encourage them to blog about the issue, too. The issue of gender violence is an absolutely massive one, considering the many forms that violence can and does take and all of the intersections of race, sexual orientation, age, nationality, class, religion, location, etc. It has more dimensions than I imagine the combined efforts of every feminist blogger working diligently for the entire 16 days could fully cover. And that’s why it’s so important to say as much as we can. I will be covering the issue of gender violence as much as possible on my own blog for the 16 Days.
You can also download the 16 Days logo, which I encourage you to put in any posts that you write, in your sidebars, on your myspace page, etc. And don’t hesitate to create a “16 Days” tag so that your posts will be easier to find. Please, participate and let people know that you’re participating.