WARNING AFTERHOURS ONLY CONTENT. NOT SAFE FOR WORK TOPLESS PROTESTORS AND STRONG POLITICAL OPINIONS.
A new generation of Russian and Ukrainian protesters are changing the face of the cry for freedom. Pussy Riot have turned the internet into their mouth-piece, turning their punk rock band with a message into an international sensation.
Now FEMEN are staging topless protests in solidarity with their Pussy Riot sisters. Both groups have unusual ways of attracting attention and both in essence have personal freedom at heart.
Here at Highpants we don’t like to get involved in peoples personal political discussions; instead we would like to focus on the new and unique forms of protest. Daring and controversial techniques for getting your message to an audience.
The Pussy Riot Situation
Pussy Riot, this Russian seven piece band has been actively posting music videos to YouTube since 2011. Quickly making a name for themselves staging provocative protests that attacked the twin pillars of society, religion and the state, more specifically a state represented by Putin.
Three members have recently been very publicly sentenced to 2 years jail for apparently endangering societies moral health. The other members are hiding, anonymity guarded.
The most controversial protests by Pussy Riot took place in Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The lyrics of the song are praying to God for salvation from Putin, in the process giving Russia’s political and religious cages a shake.
We suspect Putin may be far more religious than one might expect, taking a double barreled insult from the church protest.
Their biggest failing is of course their own internet success, it was only once the church video had gone viral that the Russian legal system got involved. The internet success and the getting caught in the church thing of course were their downfall.
A number of celebrities have voiced their concerns about the pussy riot situation, Sting, Madonna and many others have all raised their voices and cried freedom. The Wikipedia page lists nearly 40 celebrities who have publicly voiced their support for Pussy Riot.
The cries of injustice and corruption have already begun with FEMEN and other protest groups individually protesting, with combined protests being prepared for the near future.
FEMEN immediately organized a topless protest event, taking a chainsaw to a cross in Kiev’s central square, one of many voices joining together to register their dissatisfaction with the situation.
The Rise of the Topless Protest
There has been a recent upsurge across Russia and the rest of the world in the use of naked as a form of protest. A naked or semi naked photograph seems to have become a status symbol of some kind.
Naked protests have often been used to attract attention, working in a similar way to a streaker, who will always make the news highlights. While the evidence at the moment may only be anecdotal the topless protest does seem more popular than ever. In these days of sexting it shouldn’t be surprising.
PETA has understood the power of a naked protestor, with a long history of using naked models and celebrities in their campaigns. With each new campaign there is always a media buzz that goes along with the international attention.
FEMEN “Topless Warriors” documentary w/ English subtitles
FEMEN
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EMEN are one of the most popular proponents of the topless protest. Founder Anna Hutsol and other female university students first established the backbone of the organisation in 2008. Now with 300 active members and chapters all over the world (Warsaw, Zurich, Rome, Tel Aviv, Rio De Janeiro and Amsterdam) FEMEN is a fully fledged movement, most commonly known for their topless protests.
The FEMEN weapon of choice is the bare breasted protestor, sure to get attention the FEMEN protestor carries her placard with pride high in air, for all to see. Originally the FEMEN protests featured underware flashes only but in August 2009 Oksana Shachko flashed her breast during a protest in Kiev and the tradition stuck.
As a feminist protest group they naturally gravitate towards the issues affecting women in the Ukraine. Focusing their topless protesting super powers on the fight against sex tourism, corruption and exploitation, they fearlessly brave the Ukraine’s fiercely cold winters and temperamental, sometimes violent, Ukrainian state police.
Don’t be mistaken about the strength of the message from the FEMEN girls, a number of times they have been introduced to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MoIA) special forces troops, with many of the group arrested in the past. These girls are serious.
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he Ukraine government is already actively watching FEMEN’s activities. FEMENS headquarters in Kiev is often blockaded by the MoIA and they’re always under surveillance.
Already with a number of memorable protests under their belt, you might remember the DAVOS 2012 ‘Poor Because of You’ protest, or the EUFA 2012 ‘No Sex Tourism Please were Ukrainian’ protest also known as the “Ukraine is Not a Brothel’ gathering. Now the latest protest to free Pussy Riot is the latest to make international headlines, FEMEN know how to get attention. Abortion rights, sex trade, the abuse of women and anti-Putin sentiment are also on FEMEN’s to-do list.
With motos like ‘Our God is woman, our mission is protest, our weapons are bare breasts’ how can they ever loose, politically impossible to beat politically, the topless protestor.
Conclusion
Simply another form of protest or the new dominant technique for getting the internet’s collective attention, only time will tell. Breaking the shackles of established social boundaries both the Pussy Riot and FEMEN protest groups are simply trying to shock society into considering their message, a valiant quest, an admirable goal no matter the chosen communication medium.
Russia like all countries struggles to balance the right of the individual and that of the state dictatorship, Pussy Riot and FEMEN attempt to empower the individual while the state pushes back.
Reference: Wikipedia FEMEN
Reference: Wikipedia Pussy Riot
Related Gallery: Pussy Riot and FEMEN The Gallery. The Rise of the Topless Protestors…