SlutWalk Philadelphia
July 24, 2011
Aishah Shahidah Simmons joins SlutWalk Philadelphia Stage with Stephanie Gilmore and Qui Alexander
Recently, I was invited to be a speaker at SlutWalk Philadelphia, which will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2011. After quite a bit of thought and deliberation; and in spite of my many conflicting feelings as a Black feminist lesbian whose contemporary reality and ancestral lineage has been rooted in name calling/marginalizing/denigration of mind/body/spirit for centuries without too much recourse, I accepted the invitation to be a speaker. I accepted the invitation because I want to see an end to the victim blaming in my lifetime. No, victim blaming is not going to stop because I agreed to participate in SlutWalk Philadelphia. If only it were that easy. However, I believe it is important that the faces, voices, and perspectives of women of color (inclusive of all sexualities) and trans people of color are seen and heard. More often than not, it is our bodies who catch the most hell not only by the State but by people in and out of our communities (however we define them). It is our bodies who have a demonstrated track record of being on the frontlines of the movements to end all forms of oppression.
I?m absolutely positively thrilled and honored to share the SlutWalk Philadelphia stage with Stephanie Gilmore who is a radical feminist scholar/activist and Qui Alexander who is a radical trans activist/educator of Color. These two individuals have a demonstrated track record of tackling those issues that very few of us want to tackle and address. I believe that SlutWalk Philadelphia’s invitation to each of us shows their understanding of and commitment to ensuring that both this ?Walk? and the issues addressed are not seen as only relevant to mainstream (read White and heterosexual) feministS. It is not until the margins of the margins are centralized that any of us will truly be free.
No One Is Free While Others Are Oppressed
Aishah Shahidah Simmons & NO! featured on Ms Magazine Blog
July 24, 2011
Rape Is Still Rape, And No Still Means NO!
On May 19, 2011, Black feminist writer and professor Jennifer Williams, Ph.D., wrote on the sobering prevalence of rape, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence in the United States for the Ms. Magazine Blog. Using NO! The Rape Documentary as the backdrop to this peace (piece), Professor Williams delved into the victim blaming coverage of the Cleveland, TX gang rape of an adolescent girl, the growing incidences of sex trafficking; and the successful ?feminist campaign to get colleges, universities, and K-12 schools to take take preventative measures against sexual violence.
Following is the excerpt of the article…
“It took filmmaker and activist Aishah Shahidah Simmons 13 years to fund, produce, direct and release her inspirational and defiant NO! The Rape Documentary. NO! brings together archival footage, testimonies of rape survivors, performances and interviews with activists and scholars to examine rape in African American communities through a black feminist lens. The international acclaim for the film?it?s been screened in Africa, Asia and Europe as well as South and North America?confirms that black women?s stories resonate across all borders. In spite of differences in culture and language, many women see NO! as telling their own stories.
NO! isn?t a new film?it came out in 2006?but in a climate in which rape makes daily headlines as a tool to subjugate and terrorize women, it?s as timely as ever. When DOXA invited Ms. magazine?s global editor, Robin Morgan, to guest curate a film for this spring?s festival in Vancouver, Canada, she immediately chose NO! And when the Spring issue of Ms. magazine challenged the FBI?s dangerously narrow definition of rape in bold neon letters, I too thought of NO! and Skyped Simmons to talk about her groundbreaking film, the FBI?s archaic definition of rape, the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, TX, sex trafficking and many other issues.
‘NO! gives voice to the experiences that the majority of us have had ?and I speak as a victim and survivor of acquaintance rape,’ said Simmons during our conversation…”
CLICK HERE to read the article in its entirety.
http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/05/19/rape-is-still-rape-and-no-still-means-no/
Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Cocoa Mode with Shawna Renee
July 24, 2011
Aishah Shahidah Simmons’ take on Rihanna’s ‘Man Down’ music video
On June 9, 2011, Aishah Shahidah Simmons was the featured guest on Shawna Renee’s “Cocoa Mode” radio program, which is hosted on SiriusXM Satellite Radio 128. During the 45-minute interview, Shawna Renee and Simmons discussed the controversy surrounding Rihanna’s ‘Man Down,’ and NO! The Rape Documentary. The interview ultimately turned into a wonderful opportunity to really engage in an in-depth dialogue between Ms. Renee and Ms. Simmons; and with calls from listeners about gender-based violence.
CLICK HERE to (re)view Rihanna’s music video and to listen to the archive of the radio program.
http://cocoamode.podbean.com/2011/06/14/icymimandown/
Aishah Shahidah Simmons and The Consensual Project
July 24, 2011
Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Consent
“How have you explored discovering and understanding your own pleasure in your life?” ~ The Consensual Project
“As a survivor of incest, molestation, and rape, discovering and understanding my own pleasure has been and still is a work-in-progress. For the most part, throughout adulthood, I?ve been fortunate to have partners who I was able to consensually explore my own and their own pleasure. This has occurred through talking about pleasure and what that means in the context of being a survivor, where certain acts can trigger me. My understanding my own pleasure occurred during consensual trial and error to see what worked and what didn?t work.” ~Aishah Shahidah Simmons
This interview was conducted in May 2011, which is ancient in this fast paced social media world. However, the fundamental human right to consent is still viewed as rocket science. Therefore, this interview and more importantly, The Consensual Project is as relevant as ever.
CLICK HERE to read the interview in its entirety.
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