December, 2009

Iranian men have posted photos of themselves wearing the head covering
typically worn by Muslim women. The images show hundreds of men clad in
bright green headscarves posing mockingly for the camera.
This campaign was sparked by the government's attempt to humiliate
leading student activist Majid Tavakoli. Authorities arrested Tavakoli
after he delivered a fiery anti-government speech during Iran's Student
Day demonstrations on December 7th. Following his detention, the
semi-official Fars News Agency published photos of him wearing a
woman's veil, claiming that he had been found trying to escape from
campus using it as a disguise. Many members of the opposition believe
the photos were fabricated to discredit and disgrace the young activist.
Now, men too have taken up the veil as a symbol of political protest.
This campaign is not only a reaction against the mistreatment of
political prisoners, but also against male chauvinism. From the

The beginnings of a great campaign...  using soccer, South Africa, and proactive media specialists to tackle the problem.

"Sport is our vehicle. 

Man
Up uses sports to educate and empower young people.  At the 2010 World
Cup, Man Up will host the first-ever Youth Summit to address violence
against women and girls.  The Summit will pioneer a youth movement of
young advocates who will carry the torch of change into their
communities.  This movement will make clear that violence against women
and girls will not be tolerated.  

Every
community across the globe can tap into the international appeal of

Circle of Women is a student-run nonprofit that works to promote women's education in developing countries. We recently completed construction of a secondary women's school in the Wonkhai province of Afghanistan and are now working to make the school sustainable through vocational training.

Our mission is to equip girls with self-reliance, knowledge, and increased capacities to both enhance their own lives and to contribute productively to their societies. We believe this is the best way to affect positive, global change!

One school will affect one community. One campaign will unite us in a circle of change.

When we think of sexual assault, the last thing we should
think about is television. Unfortunately, it may be one of the first things to
cross our minds.

The fact of the matter is, if you ask a random person about
sexual assault, they might tell you the extent of their expertise is a “Law and
Order: SVU” marathon they caught over holiday break. In these episodes, we’re
taken through a horrific crime, a thrilling suspension of habeas corpus by
Detective Spitzer, and a tear-jerking closing argument in the courtroom. The
accused sits apprehensively next to his lawyers and awaits the verdict. Guilty
or innocent. Jail or freedom. Right or wrong.

There are four major problems with this.

1. Shows like this frame sexual assault as a judiciary issue
rather than a moral one.