Laugh or Cry: Taking Back Valentine’s Day
Feb 14th, 2009 by Jinja
Crazy busy with life outside the internet. (Yes, it exists.) I will add more pictures later.
OK, last night I stopped by the ‘Because We Loved Him‘ exhibition at Java Cafe.
Svay Ken, even when I’m on deadline, deserves some respect.
Some great paintings, it’s a wonderful effort on the part of Java Arts, who invited people to write their thoughts on the wall directly next to the paintings.
Lydia of Meta-House was there, and invited me to their ‘Tango Intervention‘ dance project.
“Intervention” – what a word to play with!
“A lot of places could do with an art intervention,” I suggested. “Maybe when the bulldozers move in at Group 78 or Boeung Kak, everyone starts to… Tango!”
OK, silly thought. Then reading the paper today, I read about India’s pink chaddi campaign.
A group of fundamentalist Hindus got their knickers in a twist and tried to impose their morals:
A group of women were attacked on film for being out in a pub, unaccompanied by men. A video of the attack was circulated, widely with intent to shame the women. And threats were issued again regarding Valentine’s Day, “If people celebrate the day despite our warning, then we will definitely attack them.”
The “Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women”
is responding in a very unique and non-violent fashion.
If you support freedom of speech for women, check out the links.
And for me, it raises the question: how can we show the absurdity of unjust situations in a uniquely nonviolent, Cambodian way?
A little humor – and pink underwear – goes a long way.
(More pictures and thoughts on Valentine’s Day in Cambodia to follow.)
http://thepinkchaddicampaign.blogspot.com
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/indian-women-use-facebook-for-valentines-protest/
http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/005627.html
Latest Campaign News
Non-violence was met with more threats. I will be interested to see how this issue develops.
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=15&contentid=2009021620090216031032893d45c7e6