Our God is woman, our mission is protest, our weapons are bare breasts!
簡介
FEMEN (Ukrainian:Фемен) is a Ukrainian protest group based in Kiev, founded in 2008. The organisation became internationally known for organizing topless protests against sex tourists, international marriage agencies, sexism and other social, national and international ills. Some of the goals of the organisation are: “To develop leadership, intellectual and moral qualities of the young women in Ukraine” and “To build up the image of Ukraine, the country with great opportunities for women”. As of late April 2010 the organisation is contemplating becoming a political party to run for seats in the next Ukrainian parliamentary election.
History
The movement was founded in 2008 by Anna Hutsol (born 1983, most FEMEN members are younger) after she became attuned to the sad stories of Ukrainian woman duped by false promises from abroad: “I set up FEMEN because I realised that there was a lack of women activists in our society; Ukraine is male-oriented and women take a passive role.” Since then the organization has staged noticeable erotically-flavored rallies (among others) near the building of the Cabinet of Ministers, at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the Turkish embassy in Ukraine and in front of the Iranian embassy to oppose the expected execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
The goals of the organization is “to shake women in Ukraine, making them socially active; to organize in 2017 a women’s revolution.”
FEMEN justifies its provocative methods stating “This is the only way to be heard in this country. If we staged simple protests with banners, then our claims would not have been noticed”. The organisation plans to become the biggest and the most influential feminist movement in Europe.
Bernd Pulch 