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ONE BILLION RISING. Will you give your support to women across the planet on 14 February?

(217 Posts)
whenim64 Sat 26-Jan-13 12:54:55

Starting a fresh thread to keep the momentum. We all know the horrifying accounts of women raped by gangs of men in India, and that rape is as common in all parts of the world and most cultures (in fact, no culture that is rape-free has been identified).

Please lend your support to this momentous plan for women to rise up and demand an end to violence at the hands of men, on 14 February.

One Billion Rising is publicised on he internet, and you can find what's happening near you by checking Facebook. It's growing daily, so please share this with your friends.

JessM Thu 14-Feb-13 08:47:07

Hunter you admit you don't understand. Why don't you try then?

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 09:03:41

Thanks for sharing your letter Jess. I have just sent a similar one to Paul Goggins MP, and will post when I get a reply from him.

Oldgreymare Thu 14-Feb-13 10:43:34

Thanks Jess letter sent AND I'm dancing this afternoon. Shall have to find red/pink items to wear!

JessM Thu 14-Feb-13 10:46:40

Have a lovely dance ogm

Butty Thu 14-Feb-13 12:44:33

Live coverage update here

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 14:16:08

Makes you proud! smile

https://mobile.twitter.com/LizSilvester1/status/302009113590759424/photos

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 15:11:37

Flash mob dancing in Lancaster

m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=kAP1HHhjXHE&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkAP1HHhjXHE&gl=GB

Goose Thu 14-Feb-13 15:50:52

I have just returned from an exhilarating few hours in Oxford for 1 Billion (and 1smile and Rising. The flash dance was well attended, with around 300 people joining in. A great atmosphere with all ages and a good sprinkling of sympathetic men too. and I'd say a successfully fun day albeit with a very serious reason behind it...

JessM Thu 14-Feb-13 16:03:16

And to remind us of the need for more awareness - shooting of young woman - celebrity boyfriend being charged :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21459240

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 16:12:28

Contrary to earlier reports that he suspected she was a burglar, police have commented that this is not correct and they have had domestic violence callouts to the address previously. He's been charged with murder.

JessM Thu 14-Feb-13 16:44:20

Yes well, previous story sounded like a journalist's fantasy.
Pretty hard to mistake a woman with long blonde hair for a burglar one would think.
sorry i forgot to activate link:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21459240

absent Thu 14-Feb-13 18:12:43

glass and I met up in Durham – once I had found the right exit from the station. We did dance, except I have arms like an orang-utan so whenever I followed the woman demonstrating at the front and flung them out sideways my fingers disappeared up glass's nostrils. Also when she did the hoppity skip bit to the left, I did it to the right and every now and then severe collisions occurred. But we had fun and laughed a lot which was joyous but did not improve our terpsichorean efforts.

Some of the speakers, notably Vera Baird, were very impressive, some were quite dull and a few were so radically feminist that I was taken aback. It wasn't a huge crowd but then what did we expect on a February Thursday in North-east? I'm glad we went and I'm glad I had a good friend and good woman to go with.

grannyactivist Thu 14-Feb-13 18:29:36

I'm off to dance.

Butty Thu 14-Feb-13 19:08:13

absent I'm glad, too, that you danced with a good friend and a good woman, albeit it in orang-utan style, in the N.E on a cold Thursday, February morning.

I had a bit of a jig with some friends here at home - both male and female. No radical feminist speeches, or any other for that matter, and probably all the better for that. smile

Butty Thu 14-Feb-13 19:08:45

ga Enjoy your dancin'. smile

Oldgreymare Thu 14-Feb-13 19:11:58

Great dance! Drummers provided amazing rhythms!

NfkDumpling Thu 14-Feb-13 19:15:40

Really wanted to dance - but had to attend a care plan meeting for my mum. I was dancing in my mind though - probably the best way for me.

glassortwo Thu 14-Feb-13 20:23:02

It was sunny but cold in Durham however the dancing warmed us up grin, I had forewarned absentof my two left feet, there were a few collisions however her feet and my nostril survived. But we did have a laugh and it was good to have taken part in something that hopefully (in our lifetime) will lead to world wide changes.

Spending today in such good company made it all the more special. Thank you absent flowers

butty flowers

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 22:08:27

Just got back from a great evening of performances (vagina monologue-type), dancing, testimonies, poems and chatting, and very enjoyable and informative it was, too! Went with my friend, who took her belly-dancing get-up, but chickened out and wrapped her sari around her jeans and jumper - think of Mary Beard in layers of wool, denim and silk! Very funny and well-attended, with a few men and children along to join in. smile

glassortwo Thu 14-Feb-13 22:13:51

It sounds like you had an interesting evening when I had a chuckle about the belly dancing costume.

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 22:38:49

Glad to see that a few of us have had fun today, making our presence felt, and supporting this campaign. There's such a lot of news about the many flash mobs that appeared in public. In Manchester, there were 4 or 5 organsed events when I looked this morning, but more than double that by the time I came home, including a big gathering at Manchester University.

grannyactivist Thu 14-Feb-13 22:42:05

Brilliant series of events in Exeter; well done to all the organisations involved. And just to prove that I danced, you can see me here: www.flickr.com/photos/27081975@N06/8473645287/in/photostream/ Yes, there I am in me stripey top givin' it some wellie (as they say in these 'ere parts).

glassortwo Thu 14-Feb-13 22:52:13

grannya proof of your dancing. smile There were cameras floating around but they behind us so maybe not a good angle grin for the size of my rear end.

whenim64 Thu 14-Feb-13 22:56:15

Bravo ga! Great photo. Glass I'm sure your beam end looks great from any angle! grin

glassortwo Thu 14-Feb-13 22:57:27

grin